Tahimik akong nakatayo, pinagmamasdan ang paligid, at mahipit na nakahawak sa railings ng ikalawang palapag ng building nila. Paulit-ulit na bumabalik sa isip ko ang sinabi no'ng Mrs. Laura sa clinic kanina.

There's a force blocking my power from entering your memory.

I don't understand. Hindi ko maintindihan kung anong ibig niyang sabihin pero mas lalong hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit tila hindi man lang ako nakakaramdam ng takot sa kanila. Any normal person would go insane if they hear what these people talk about every time. Kahit nandito lang ako sa dulo ng hallway, naririnig ko pa rin ang mga usapan nila.

"I can't wait for the fest! Na-miss kong makasama si Stella."

"Mine is very sulky, tsk."

"Wala akong pakialam do'n sa masungit na 'yon. Mas excited ako to see Prince Keene riding that dragon again!"

"Oh my gosh, girl! Sana ako na lang ang dragon!"

"Ang landi mo talaga!"

Napangiwi ako. Dragons. Fest. They've been talking about that since I walked out from the clinic. Gusto ko lang naman lumanghap ng sariwang hangin pero panay bulong at tilian ang naririnig ko.

"Julian, she's here!" Yanni's voice echoed in the hallway. Hinihingal silang huminto sa harap ko.

"Don't do that again!"

Napataas ang dalawang kilay ko kay Julian. What is he talking about?

"That! Don't run away like that again. Hindi ko kabisado ang lugar. Mamaya kung saan-saan ka na mapadpad tapos wala kaming alam," pinameywangan niya pa ako.

Hindi ako sumagot. Muli akong dumungaw sa pinagmamasdan kong mga bundok kanina.

"Paano ako uuwi?" wala sa sarili kong tanong.

"Saan ba ang sa inyo?"

"I don't know." I shrugged.

Maaaring normal na mamamayan lang ako sa labas ng paaralan na 'to. Ang tanong, saan ako nanggaling? Paano ako napunta rito?

"You know what, we should probably tell Headmistress Alice about this. She'll know what to do. Baka matulungan ka pa niya," Yanni suggested.

Julian agreed kaya sumunod na ako sa kanila.

Pumunta kami sa kabilang building, dumaan sa makikitid na corridors, hanggang sa marating namin ang isang malaking empty room na kulay puti. Sa sulok ay may frosted glass room. Dinala kami ng mga paa namin do'n. Bago pa makakatok si Yanni, kusang bumukas ang pinto.

Walang emosyong nakatitig sa amin ang isang babaeng mukhang ilang taon lang ang tanda sa amin. Julian and Yanni slightly bowed kaya gano'n din ang ginawa ko.

"Yes? Bakit kayo naparito?" Even her voice sounded robotic. Ang monotonous at cold.

"Headmistress, this is Eve. She randomly entered one of Julian's classes. She appears to have lost her memory," said Yanni.

"And what does it have to do with me? Hindi ba dapat kay Laura kayo lumapit?"

"We did, Headmistress, pero kahit si Mrs. Laura ay hindi po mapasok ang utak niya."

The headmistress didn't bother to hide the disappointment in her face. Tinitigan niya lang kami, lalong lalo na ako.

Julian stepped forward. "She has no place to stay, Head—"

"Don't you know how to speak?" matalim na tanong nito sa akin.

"I do."

"Go on. Explain yourself."

"I'm Eve," mabilis kong sagot. "That's all I know."

Julian, Yanni, even me, were surprised by the way I spoke. Saan ko ba nakuha itong tapang na 'to? Wala naman akong maibubuga kumpara sa kanila.

"Sharp tongue." Binitawan ng headmistress ang panulat niya at tumayo. "You may now leave."

Bumagsak ang balikat ng dalawa. Tumalikod na kami pero muling nagsalita ang masungit nilang headmistress.

"Not you. You stay here." Tinuro niya ako. Nagkatinginan kami nina Julian at Yanni. Kalaunan ay bumalik din ako sa loob ng glass office niya.

Narinig kong naglock ang pinto sa empty na white room. The headmistress stared at me, sa mga mata ko. Then she clenched her fist for who knows why. May namuong pangungulila sa mata niya na agad ding napalitan ng galit.

"Get out."

Nagsalubong ang kilay ko. "Akala ko po ba ayaw ninyong umalis ako?"

"Get out," pag-uulit niya.

I took a deep breath bago tumalikod. Nasa gitna pa lamang ako ng white room, napapikit ako ng makaramdam ng pag-iiba ng hangin. Dumapa ako sa sahig. Saka ko narinig ang tunog ng mga nagbabagsakang metal mula sa 'di kalayuan.

Agad akong nagmulat. Three metal cards were on the floor while two remained plunged on the white wall. Nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

Did she just try to kill me?

"W-What are you doing?" My voice was trembling in fear.

Sumasagot ako, oo, pero anong laban ko sa kaniya? Baka maputol pa ng metal cards niya ang dila ko kapag nagkataon.

She just smirked. Tinaas niya muli ang kamay niya at the same time metal cards emerged from the tip of her fingers. Walang sabi niyang hinagis sa akin ang mga 'yon. Two cards aimed directly on my face while the other three vanished.

Muli akong pumikit, pinakiramdaman ang paligid. My body moved on its own. I quickly dodged the two approaching cards.

Another wave of unusual wind flashed through me kaya muli akong kumilos. The remaining three cards were aiming for my legs. I can feel them. I can hear them rustling and howling in my ear, like waiting for a vulnerable spot. But I leaped and backflipped towards the opposite corner of the room, causing the three cards to clash against each other.

Hawak ko ang aking dibdib, hinahabol ang hininga, nang muli kong buksan ang aking mata. Nangangatog ang tuhod ko.

Hindi ko alam kung paano ko nagawa 'yon. How did I learn to dodge attacks like that? And for goodness sake, why is this creepy, robotic woman trying to chop me off like meat for dinner?

"Your brain may forget but your body won't. It's called muscle memory. You must've trained a lot to achieve that level of reflexes."

Ano raw? Trained for what?

"Welcome to Ambergail Academy, Eve." Bahagyang lumambot ang boses niya. Hinagis niya sa akin ang dalawang susi. "The keys to your dorm room. Ask Ms. Yanni to tour you around."

Teka... I am utterly confused.

"Matapos mo akong pagtangkaan?" hindi makapaniwala kong tanong.

Muli siyang pumasok sa glass office niya at umupo sa kaniyang swivel chair. Magkatagpo pa rin ang kilay kong nakatitig sa kaniya.

"I don't intend to kill you. I only need to know what you're hiding beneath your sleeves."

"But you could've killed me!"

I am being hysterical, yes. But anyone would! Muntik na kaya ako ro'n.

"You're still alive."

"Yeah, pero kung hindi ako sinuwerte ro'n, malamang naka-chop chop na ako ngayon."

"I don't think it's merely a beginner's luck," she paused to look at me and smiled, "you should come here more often to train. But for now you must go to your dorm room. You'll find your necessities already there."

Natameme ako. Wala sa sarili akong lumabas ng opisina niya. This woman... is seriously ill.

"MALAYO pa ba tayo?" I asked again for the third time.

"It's somewhere here."

Bitbit ni Yanni ang dorm keys na binigay ng headmistress.  Nasa tabi ko naman si Julian na tumutulong din sa paghahanap ng kwartong 'yon.

Actually, he's not even allowed to be here kasi nasa girl's dormitory kami but he used his ability. He cast an illusion on himself para kung may makasalamuha raw kami, aakalain daw nilang isa lang siyang tuta. Hindi ko alam kung gumagana ba pero so far wala pa namang sumisita sa amin.

"There! I told you, it's somewhere here!" excited na wika ni Yanni.

Binigay niya sa akin ang susi at nagtungo roon. I immediately unlocked the door.

"Bilis! Bilis! I'm excited!"

Napakunot ang noo ko kay Yanni. Palagi na lang excited ang babaeng 'to.

As soon as I opened the door, bumungad sa amin ang isang kompletong silid na may katamtamang lawak. May bed area, mini sala, kitchenette, dining at banyo. The decor is complete too. But what surprised me was the color of the walls. Everything was in black, gray, or white. Silver naman ang iba.

Ganito ba talaga ang bedroom designs nila?

Bahagya akong tinulak ni Yanni para dumiretso sa kabilang wall, silang dalawa ni Julian. Sumunod na lang din ako.

"Bakit ang tagal?" sambit ni Julian habang kinakamot ang kaniyang ulo.

"If Mrs. Laura can't do it, the system probably can't either."

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked.

Julian faced me. "This wall—"

"Shh, look!" pagkuha ni Yanni sa atensyon namin. Tinuro niya ang pader na siya nagpaatras sa akin.

A spiraling black smoke trailed over the wall— like a mural painting. Nagsilabasan ang mga itim na usok mula sa dawat edges ng pader. They all gathered in the center, gradually emitting light enough for us to squint. Hanggang sa humupa ang liwanag at tumambad sa amin ang isang kakaibang hugis. It's kinda like a black smoke, pero hugis apoy.

"Can anybody tell me what's going on?" basag ko sa katahimikan dahil mukhang naestatwa na ang dalawa sa katititig sa pader.

"This..." Yanni pointed at the wall. "This wall designs itself according to the occupant's power, which in this case is your power."

Napatitig ako sa pader. Kung ganoon, bakit itim? What does this mean?

"My grandmother once saw a woman who acquired this kind of power but it was decades ago," wika ni Julian na mas lalong nagpagulo sa utak ko.

I don't know what to feel. Dapat ba akong matuwa kasi may kapangyarihan nga ako o matakot kasi itim? Hindi ba't ang itim na kapangyarihan ay madalas masama? Masama ba ako?

"What power is this?" halos pabulong kong tanong.

"The Black Fire. It's very rare. In fact, dalawa pa lang ang alam kong may ganiyang kakayahan." Binigyan ako ni Julian ng makahulugang tingin. "Ikaw ang pangalawa."

"TRY these. They're delicious. Paborito ko itong niluluto ni Lola," wika ni Julian na may malawak na ngiti.

I can see how close he is to his grandmother. Ako kaya, do I still have a family? Hinahanap kaya nila ako?

"You're lucky to have her," komento ko.

Tinikman ko 'yung inabot niyang pagkain. Hugis triangle ang mga ito na may kulay yellow at bilog na kulay pula na toppings. I don't know anong tawag dito but it tastes good.

"Super. Sa Magnus Draconis, bibisita siya rito. Ipapakilala kita. Ikaw, Yans?"

"I don't think anyone's coming for me. Hindi naman na bago."

Napukaw ang atensyon ko sa nabanggit ni Julian. Here it is again. Magnus Draconis.

"Uhm, can I ask?" kuha ko sa atensyon nila sabay punas sa sauce sa aking labi. "What was that— 'yung minention mo kanina. Like an event or something?"

"Oh, Magnus Draconis!" Mas lalong lumawak ang ngiti niya, maging si Yanni. "The most exciting part of the year. It's a month-long festival. Mabibigyan tayo ng chance to visit the White Mountains and call our own dragons. By the end of the festival, may magaganap na duel to test how well you've trained the whole month with your dragon."

I gulped. "D-Dragons?"

"Yup! I'm telling you. It's gonna be wild and darn fantastic! Sigurado akong mag-eenjoy ka."

Wild and darn fantastic? I doubt that. What if I accidentally run into some wild dragon? Matutusta ako ng wala sa oras.

"Don't worry, Eve. We'll be there. You won't be alone." Kinuha ni Yanni ang kamay ko. Like last time, bahagya pa rin siyang napapangiwi pagkalapat ng balat namin.

"Salamat," tanging nasagot ko.

"Oh siya, magpahinga ka na. Huwag mong kalimutang i-check ang schedule mo because tomorrow may pasok ka na. You need to catch up, plus Julian and I will tour you around after our last period. Game ba?"

"Alright," sambit ko. "Thank you so much for accompanying me, guys."

"No problem. We're also glad to have you around."

Nagpaalam na silang bumalik sa kani-kanilang dormitoryo. Yanni's room is on the fifth floor while I am here on the third. Julian, of course, has to cross another building pa to get to their dormitory building.

Humiga ako sa napakalambot kong kama. Tinaas ko ang papel na naglalaman ng class schedule ko. On the top part was my name— just my name, walang apelyido.

I guess this is my new life now. Kung ano mang buhay ang mayroon ako noon, I need to start accepting the fact that I have to live in the present.

I have to live my present, right here, in this unfamiliar place that doesn't seem unfamiliar at all.