ALEXANDRA'S POV
  

Nakaupo ako dito sa isa sa mga benches habang pinapanuod ang mga kaibigan kong nagsasanay sa paparating na Inter-Academy Magic Tournament.

A battle of strength and power among schools within our region. Our school chooses a representative to fight against other schools and the winner gets to represent the Royal Cup. The champion shall be recognized by the royalties in the kingdom.

The Merania Kingdom.

Yung pamilya ng mananalong representative might even get to upgrade their status in the society. From a peasant, they can become an honorary noble in an instant. Ito rin ang paraan ng kaharian to choose a rightful knight that will proudly serve the kingdom

Our world is a world where magic exists. But not all humans in here has it. People with magic call themselves "Warriors" and they are classified into different ranks according to their strengths and skills. E-rank is the lowest and S-rank as the highest.

Two of my friends are greatly blessed with magic kaya isa sila sa mga napiling representative ng Silverleaf Academy—ang pangalan ng school namin.

One has the power to control air while one has the power to manipulate light. While me? They say that I have no specific magic but they sensed mana inside me kaya I was still considered a warrior. Yung pinakamahina nga lang. An E-rank.

Mana is the foundation and source of magic at ang meron lang nito ay ang mga warrior. Ordinary humans have no mana.

When the academy measures my mana during our yearly evaluation, consistent na 009 ang lumalabas sa Mana Grid. Ang pinakamataas na measurement ever recorded sa history ay 840. Wala manlang ako sa 1/4.

But it's fine. Being the weakest has its advantage rin naman. Tulad ngayon, hindi ako magpapakapagod kakatraining para sa inter-academy kasi wala naman akong gagawin dun. Inip nga lang ako kakahintay sa dalawa.

But there are also many disadvantages. And this one is the worst.

"Hi Aoi!" I jolted at may seat and smiled so bright at him he might go blind.

There he is. The love of my life. My future husband. My sugar plum honey bunch pumpy yumpy yum. My sweetiepie.

He stopped for a moment but didn't even bother to look at me. Dumiretso rin siya sa training grounds sa gitna at nakipag sparring sa kasama niya rin sa inter-academy.

"Sungit mo naman. Hayaan mo magiging akin ka rin!" sigaw ko na may halong pang-asar.

Ito ang pinaka worst kapag ikaw ang pinakamahina.

Hindi ka mapapansin ng crush mo!

Pero eme lang. Hindi na naman ako nahihiya ipagsigawan na crush ko siya kasi, una sa lahat, alam ko namang 'di niya ako mapapansin. Parang coping mechanism ko nalang 'to sa reality na never siya mapapasa 'kin.

At pangalawa, yung ibang mga babae na nagkakagusto sa kanya eh hindi naman ako nakikitang threat kasi 'di naman ako ganon kaganda at most importantly, ako ang pinakamahinang warrior hindi lang sa buong school, but I guess sa buong region.

So ayun, dinadaan ko nalang sa asar at pagpapahiya rin sa sarili ko ang pagkacrush ko sa kanya. Alam na rin naman ng lahat 'yan at wala rin silang pake.

"Laway mo Alexandra." Nagulat ako nung bumungad sa 'kin si Kaizen. Yung kaibigan kong binabae pero 'di ako sure. Minsan kasi para siyang bading tapos minsan naman para ring straight. Bahala siya sa buhay niya.

"Natulo ba?" patawa kong sabi sabay pahid sa gilid ng labi ko.

"Tinitingin-tingin mo dyan eh mas pogi pa ako dyan?" sabay upo at tumabi sa 'kin. Binigyan niya ako ng chocolate bar since alam niyang mahilig ako sa matamis.

"No. Siya ang pinakapogi in my eyes," pabiro kong tugon sabay beautiful eyes.

"Panget mo talaga," sabay batok sa 'kin.

"Hi, Kaizen!" bati ng mga babaeng dumaan at makikinuod rin sa practice nila.

"Hi, Samantha!" tugon niya sabay kindat. Halos mangisay naman yung babaeng si Samantha.

"What if nalaman nilang bading ka?" pang-aasar ko kay Kaizen.

He smirked, "Bading? Halikan kita dyan, eh."

"Gas-gas na 'yan."

Sabay kaming napatili nung may ligaw na fireball ang muntik nang tumama sa 'min. Buti mabilis ang reflexes ni Kaizen at nakagawa siya agad ng barrier. He specializes in barrier and shield magic. More on defense ang kapangyarihan niya and he's more suitable in team fights than on one on one battle. Kaya di rin siya sumali sa inter-academy. But he's definitely one of the strongest students here.

"Mas malakas pa tili mo sa 'kin, eh!" utas ko.

"Sino ba kasi yung nag bato?" kunot-noo niyang singhal sa mga nag sasanay sa gitna.

"Sorry p're! Di ko sinasadya! Okay ka lang ba?" tanong nung isang senior rin na kagaya namin na sa ibang section. Sa pagkakatanda ko parang top 7 yata siya sa Academy Warrior Ranking. Ang pinakamalakas na warrior students sa academy. Naka-base ang assessment nila sa lakas at control ng magic nila.

"Okay lang p're! No worries!" sabay upo at ngiti sa 'kin.

"Bading," pang-aasar ko.

Bigla niyang hinila ang buhok ko kaya napa-aray ako. "Mauna ka na kaya? Tagal pa nina Taryn at Nyla, oh," sabi niya sa 'kin.

"Wala naman akong gagawin sa dorm. Tsaka, nag e-enjoy pa ako ng view dito, oh," sabi ko sabay tingin kay Aoi habang nag s-sparring ng martial arts sa kasama niya.

"Bahala ka dyan. Mauuna na ako." Ginulo niya ang buhok ko sabay tayo. Masama ko siyang tiningnan kasi kanina niya pa pinag ti-tripan 'tong buhok ko.

Makalipas ang isang oras, nabored na rin ako kakanood kaya nagpaalam na ako kina Taryn at Nyla. Kakain nalang ako sa cafeteria at didiretso na ng dorm para magpahinga.

As I walked towards the cafeteria, napansin kong parang masyadong tahimik ang paligid. It's 7:30 in the evening kaya normal na rin naman na walang tao but the silence itself isn't normal. It's too quiet.

Nakarating ako sa cafeteria at walang tao. Normally, there are few students here buying snacks kapag pupuyat sila or meron pang nag hahapunan o nag rereview. But this time, wala talagang katao-tao.

Tumungo ako sa harap para mag order pero hindi lumabas si ate Gina na taga serve ng ganitong oras.

"'Te Gina! Andyan ka ba? Pabili ngang burger steak!" I called pero tanging tunog lang ng malakas na hangin ang nakuha ko.

"Ate?"

I opened the small door papasok ng counter at sumilip sa likod kung saan ang kitchen. Baka nakatulog lang si ate.

I slip towards the kitchen and noticed that the stove was still on at may umaapaw na kumukulong tubig sa takuri. Kumukulo rin ang sopas na iniinit at kumakalat na sa sahig. I walked further towards the kitchen and there I saw her.

Napatigil ako.

She's sitting on the floor at nakasandal sa counter kung saan usually nag hihiwa ng mga karne ang cook. She's drench in her own blood. Her throat was slit so deep that I can see her bones. Her eyes were open and I could see her horror before she was killed.

I don't see any knives na nagalaw, nawawala, or may dugo.

But the shadows of the objects around the kitchen are stained.

Lumabas ako ng cafeteria at tumungo sa building ng mga first year. I climbed to the rooftop where I can see the training grounds kung saan ako kanina. Medyo malayo ako pero malinaw kong nakikita ang mga nangyayari.

I already saw 3 casualties. Sila yung mga babaeng nanonood lang kanina habang nag t-training ang mga representative. A shadow is lurking around the area concealing its presence within the shadows of the buildings.

The students are still unaware of the danger among them and they still haven't noticed that the girls on the benches were dead. Nakaupo pa rin kasi silang tatlo but I can see how their mana slowly dessipates out from their body.

The monster is probably a General class—no, a Calamity.

"Bow of Artemis, conceal." I whispered as a bow and arrow appeared on my hands.

I stretched my bow pointing the arrow towards the shadow. "Generate Curse of Hellfire." The arrow was enveloped by a black flame. This flame is from the depths of hell used to burn the Demon King a hundred years ago. Whether it's a creature of darkness or light, no one can withstand its power. Not even the great Demon King.

Just as the shadow was about to kill another student, I released the arrow as it travels swiftly and struck the heart of the shadow. I can hear its screams from up here as its flesh slowly materialized above the ground. Doon na napansin ng mga representative ang halimaw as they tried to attack it. But the demon was already dead. My arrow burns instantly as it strucks the demon's heart kaya walang makakaalam kung ano ang ginamit o kung paano pinatay ang halimaw. I gave them a clue by not burning the killer to ashes so they can investigate and to be aware that someone is trying to harm the academy.

My weapon dematerialized as it returns to the heavens where it belongs.

I sighed. Gutom na ako. "Hays, gusto ko pa naman ng burger steak. De lata na nga lang."

Napakamot nalang ako sa ulo as I walked out casually from the scene. Besides, no one is smart enough to suspect an E-rank with the lowest ability to actually kill a high-ranked monster like that one.

   
~*~

Author's note:

Artemis - Goddess of hunt, sudden death, and archery.