Kamala the Scorpio

I woke up early in the morning, sa tingin ko ay alas singko pa nang madaling araw. Maaga naman akong natulog kagabi dahil sa napaka komportable na kama. I think it was the most amazing sleep I ever had in my entire life. Ang higaan ko sa Calo ay hindi kasi isang malambot na kama at hindi rin komportable pero nasanay na rin ako.

I remembered that I asked Torin if I could use the kitchen this morning and she said yes. So I decided to cook for breakfast today but before that I have to take a bath first. Ngayon ang unang araw ko bilang estudyante kaya hindi ako dapat ma late.

After taking a bath my eyes wandered inside the whole room. Kahapon ay may dumating na package para sa akin at naglalaman ito ng mga uniform at mga materials na gagamitin ko sa pag-aaral. Ngayon ay hinahanap ko ito kung saan ko ito inilagay kagabi.

Nang makita ko ang uniform ko na naka lapag sa gilid ng bintana ay agad ko itong dinaluhan. Isinuot ko ito kaagad pagkatapos kong tuyuin ang aking katawan. Napadako naman ang paningin ko sa bag na pinadala rin nila. It's a backpack at may laman na rin itong mga libro ay iba pang kagamitan.

Honestly I am having a second thoughts of bringing this bag to me. I mean ayoko ng may dala-dala na bag habang naglalakad kasi masakit sa likod. Okay sana kung magaan lang kaso hindi eh.

Dahil likas na sa akin ang pagiging tamad ay minarkahan ko ito gamit ang aking sariling dugo. Then I snapped my finger after marking it. A wicked smile formed onto my lips as I saw the bag vanished in just a snap. Mabuti na lang talaga at naturuan ako ng maaga.

Lumabas na ako sa kwarto ko at dumiretso sa elevator patungo sa kitchen. Nang makarating na ako sa kusina ay madilim pa ang buong paligid. I turned on the lights before I start preparing foods for breakfast. Ang sabi ni Torin sa akin na may mga sticky note raw sa ref, mga suggestions nila sa kung ano ang gusto nila sa agahan. Hinanap ko naman ang sinabi niya and I saw six sticky notes. Torin said that I only need one dish at ang mga dish na nasa sticky notes ay omelette, chicken curry, pasta, tinola, fried chicken and bulalo.

I picked the fried chicken. Hinanda ko kaagad ang mga ingredients ko sa pag gawa nito. I was busy preparing the food when I suddenly felt an overwhelming aura behind me. Mabigat ang presensiya nito na tila nasasakal ako. Nagdadalawang-isip pa ako kung lilingon ako o hindi.

"Can you tone it down a bit?" Wika ko habang nililingon ito. I know it's him, the guy who grabbed me back there at Caro. "I am suffocating," I honestly said. Our eyes met. I realized that he has a beautiful gray eye. Sobrang ganda nito na tila isang artificial na mata lang. Bihira lang kase ang kulay abo na mata at kadalasan na mayroon nito ay isang maharlika.

Pero habang nakatitig ako sa mga mata niya naramdaman ko ang tila isang kuryente na dumadaloy sa pagitan namin. My body suddenly shivered and that made me looked away from him. What the hell was that?

"Continue what you were doing," malamig na turan nito at tinalikuran ako. Kumuha ito ng isang upuan at umupo sa gilid nang railing. Nasa parte siya nang rooftop na walang bubong. Unti-unti na rin sumisinag ang araw.

Bumalik na ako sa paghalo nang mga ingredients. Halos isang oras din akong nagluluto at nang matapos na ako ay pumasok na ang iba pa sa kitchen. Three of them were surprise when they saw me preparing the plates on the table.

"Good morning, Kamala!" Bati sa akin ni Torin na tinugon ko naman.

"Good morning!"

"Good morning, Kamala!" The others said in unison.

"Good morning!" Balik ko naman sa kanila. "I cooked breakfast, kumain na kayo," aya ko sa kanila at dire-diretso naman sila sa pag-upo sa kani-kanilang silya.

"Wow! Fried Chicken?!" Si Haruko habang kumukuha nang ulam. "Where's Averill? It's his favorite!"

Napataas ang isang kilay ko sa narinig. The guy sitting beside the railings just got up and everyone is looking at him.

"Averill! My men! Kumain kana."

Tahimik lamang ito na umupo sa silya at kumuha nang pagkain. The silence broke when Torin announced something.

"We are already complete, zodiacs!" Aniya at lahat yata sila ay natigilan. "It means that we have to prepare everything. We only have ten months remaining."

Ten months na lang pala ang natitira. Mahaba-haba pa ito but time flies so fast. Kita mo nga naman, napunta ako rito para ma stress lang?!

Habang ngumunguya ay napa-isip ako bigla. The class that I'm in was called Zodiac Class and we, the students in this class called Zodiacs. So, why the hell there's a zodiacs? Are we just someone who will fight those creatures? What is our purpose? Why are we chosen?

We were chosen because of what reason?

Who chose us?

"We only have one subject today, right?" Tanong ni Samantha. "I need to regain my powers that was stolen from me," when she said that I felt her eyes glaring at me the reason why I also looked back at her.

"Huh? Stolen? Sino naman ang kumuha?" Haruko asked her and when he realized that she was looking at me intently he then also looked at me. "Si Kamala?"

Silang lahat nakatingin na sa akin ngayon. So it was her? It was her power that calmed my insides? She's a healer? Tila bumara ang karne nang manok sa aking lalamunan, agad naman akong uminom ng tubig. Kaya pala masama ang tingin niya sa akin kahapon.

"I-I'm sorry," mahinang wika ko at tumingin sa kanya.

"I don't accept apology. Let's have a duel." Anunsyo nito.

"Hey, Samantha baka pagalitan tayo ni tanda!"

"I don't care! She dared to absorb my power!"

Eh? Bakit kasalanan ko? It was her idea to heal me. Hindi ko kasalanan kung na absorb ko ang kapangyarihan niya, it's my nature. Absorbing abilities is one of my power.

"It was unintentional," depensa ko sa sarili ko. "I was unconscious when you healed me."

Tinaasan niya lang ako ng isang kilay at ngumisi. She leaned on the chair and crossed her arms. "I don't care. I want a duel."

"Sam, calm down. May training naman tayo, sa training mo na lang iyan ibuhos. You can just ask our instructor," singit ni Torin na kalmado lang ang hitsura.

Ang iba ay nakikinig lamang sa amin at isa sa kanila ang wala talagang pakialam. He stood up and silently put his dishes on the sink and cleaned them. After that he just walked out without saying anything.

Napako ang paningin ko sa pritong manok sa plato ko na ngayon ay nangangalahati na. "Uuwi pa ako mamaya sa amin para kunin ang mga gamit ko," pagrarason ko.

"Sure, I'll wait for you in the training room," kaswal na tugon nito.

• • • • •

Torin accompanied me back to Caro. She just summoned a portal para mapadali ang pagpunta namin. Pagdating ko sa tinitirhan ko ay naabutan ko si Rugia na pinapakain ang mga alaga niya. Nang maramdaman niya ang presensiya ko ay lumingon ito. Isang ngiti ang iginawad nito sa akin.

"Isa ka nang Zodiac, Kamala." Aniya.

"Alam mo?"

Marahan itong tumango. "Na-aalala mo ba no'ng sumakit bigla ang likod mo? Nilalagnat ka no'n ng halos isang linggo."

Isang buwan na ang nakaraan nang mangyari iyon. Sumakit ang likod ko sa hindi ko malaman na dahilan at bigla rin akong nilagnat.

"Dahil sumilay ang marka mo sa iyong likod. Isang simbolo kung ano ka."

Scorpion.... Nang araw na gumaling ako ay nadagdagan ang kakayanan ko. Then Rugia put a seal on me to control my abilities dahil maaari itong makapaminsala.

"The Scorpion of the Zodiacs."

I smiled after hearing those words but it immediately disappeared as I recall what happened to the last Zodiacs. They won the war but they were killed as well. This position, this people they called Zodiacs, they-we are carrying a heavy responsibility on top of our shoulders. We are responsible of bringing back peace of this world.

What a wonderful title given to us pero sobrang laki nang responsibilidad namin. In my case, can I really be part of these people? Do I really deserve this position?

"Do not worry. You will never be chosen if you don't deserve it," she gave me a reassuring smile and then went back to feeding his pets. "I already pack your things. Nasa sala, kunin mo na."

Pumasok na ako sa loob at tinungo ang sala. Nandoon nga ang isang malaking bag. Hindi ko na tinignan kung ano ang laman nito, agad ko na itong kinuha. Pag labas ko ay naka-upo na si Rugia sa kanyang paboritong upuan.

"Mag-iingat ka roon, Kamala."

"Ikaw din, Rugia."

She's much older than me but she managed to maintain her natural glowing skin and a magnificent beauty. She's also powerful and brilliant.

"Paalam, Kamala. Hanggang sa muli!"

Niyakap ko siya bago ako tumalikod. I whispered my goodbye to her and give her a sweet smile.

"Hanggang sa muli, Rugia."

Nilisan ko ang Caro na may ngiti sa mga labi. Tahimik lang si Torin sa buong nangyari kanina. She never asked anything and just silently looking at me Rugia.

Nang makabalik na kami ni Torin sa Astar ay doon ko lang na-alala na hinamon nga pala ako ni Samantha ng isang duel. Kaagad nanlamig ang mga kamay ko at pinagpawisan ng malamig.

"Are you nervous? Samantha is the Virgo and she's strong."

"It is not my intention to suck her power," bulong ko sa hangin. "She doesn't know that I can absorb her power effortlessly. Should I use the amount of ability I absorbed against her?"

Nakita ko ang pagkagulat sa mukha ni Torin sa turan ko. Kinakausap ko ang sarili ko at nakalimutan ko na may kasama pala ako. Marahan na lamang akong napatampal sa aking noo.

"As I said she's powerful but I think you are as well. Hindi kita bibigyan ng clue sa mga kapangyarihan ni Samantha kasi cheating 'yon eh," aniya.

"Ayoko rin naman mag tanong."

"She's strong, Kamala but she doesn't cheat. She always fights fair."

Bago kami pumunta sa training room ay dumaan muna kami sa chamber. I still have to put my things inside my room. While I was busy putting my clothes inside the drawers, Torin made a sandwich for the both of us. Sabi niya kasi hindi pa ako kumain ng lunch dahil nga after sa class namin ay kaagad kami umalis nang Astar.

Nakita ko na lamang ang sarili ko sa isang malawak na silid. Sobrang layo namin ni Samantha sa iba pa naming kasama sa loob. Sabi niya kanina maghihintay siya, it was not a bluff, she really did wait me here kasama ang iba pa.

"No rules!" Wika niya pa pero umiling ako na ipinagtaka nito.

I already told Torin about this. Kapag hindi ko na kontrolado ang kapangyarihan ko ay kailangan nila akong pigilan. I am not underestimating them, I know that they are powerful, it is just wala pa akong tiwala sa sarili kong kakayanan.

"Okay then! Let's just stop if we're both exhausted. How about that?"

She doesn't feel exhausted if she'll continue heal herself. Then I realized something. I absorbed some of her healing ability and it's still not back to normal.

"Fine with me!"

I waited her to attack first which she did after a few minutes of staring each other's eyes. Her emerald eyes glowed. Nag iwan pa ito nang kinang sa ere nang tumakbo ito papalapit sa akin. A blue fire formed in front of her, not on her palm but in front of her then I saw her hand motions. When I realized that she was about to push off the fire towards me using a great strength I immediately jump off the ground, enough to dodge the fire.

She again glared at me with irritation. Samantha's going to attack me again based on her hand movements. Red fire suddenly appeared on her right hand and it slowly formed into a weapon, a katana. I know that kind of fire, that's the most lethal shade of fires.

"Huh! Let's see if you can still dodge this!" She ran, as fast as she could, towards me and she was aiming the center part of my body.

Wala akong ability that will counterpart her blazing red fire aside from one. Black scales made of metal started to appear around my body. Nang makalapit na siya sa akin ay hindi ako umilag. This kind of scales of mine, no power could penetrate it and no weapon could break it. Dermal Armour.

I effortlessly blocked her blazing katana without burning my hands. She startled when she saw my hands stopping her weapon and then her eyes travelled to my armour. I saw her eyes grew big when she saw my body.

"What the hell is that?"

"Scorpion." Sagot ko sa kanya. She jumped backwards to put distance between us. "I guess it is my time to attack?"

I summoned a blade and cut my palm using it. I raised my hand in shoulder level and let the red liquid flow down to the ground. Using Samantha's healing ability, I healed myself.

"What the hell are you doing?" Magaspang na tanong nito sa akin.

Hindi ako nagsalita. The ground did not melt because I manipulated my blood before it drops on the floor.

"Did your wound just closed? You can heal yourself?"

Napansin pala nito. I mentally looked at my unscathed palm. "Ahh, it was your healing ability I used," kaswal na wika ko.

Kumunot ang noo nito at mukhang hindi nito nagustohan ang narinig. Sumilay ang isang galit na ekspresyon sa kanyang mukha at yumanig bigla ang buong training room. A huge white circle appeared on the floor and in the middle something huge slowly comming out on the surface. Samantha's face became dark and filled with determination to defeat me.

When the thing fully came out, the circle disappear. Gano'n na lang gulat ko kung ano ang nilalang na nasa gilid ni Samantha. A huge wolf. Its eyes are looking at me and I can even see myself into it.

I immediately manipulated my blood. It is now floating and changing colors. I made a bow and arrow out of it and then aimed the head of the wolf. It started to run around the training area. Kahit nasa lobo ang aking focus ay hindi ko pa rin binabalewala ang presensiya ni Samantha na ngayon ay tumatakbo patungo sa akin. I saw in my peripheral view that she summoned another red fire and it is coming to my direction. I am quick to dodged it again but I did not just dodged it, I also touched it and absorbed it using my left hand and then it came out to my right hand and threw the fire towards the wolf's direction.

"Bullseye!" I said the moment my feet meet the floor. Kaagad nawala ang summon ni Samantha nang sabay na natamo nito ang apoy at ang dugo ko. Nag kalat naman ang dugo ko sa sahig at dahan-dahan na nilusaw ang semento.

I was about to check the melted floor when I felt something cold in my stomach. I bowed down my head to check the weapon that penetrated my skin. I forgot that I removed my armour the moment I jumped.

Bigla akong na inis sa nangyari. Nakuha niya akong saksakin nang hindi ko man lang naramdaman ang presensiya niya. I saw how Samantha gave me an insult smile, but it did not stayed longer because she saw how her weapon started to melt ang my wound started to heal.

Maybe she realized again that I am using her healing power for myself.

"Fuck!" She shouted and summoned another creature. But I did not let her finished because I made an illusion. Illusion that will scare her. "What the fuck, bitch!"

Sa ilusyon na ito ay ramdam ko lahat nang nararamdaman niya. At this moment hindi siya natatakot, she's still mad at me and the thing I just made. I looked into her memory and find something that I can used against her, then I saw a guy with dark markings on his skin. He's a noble and in this memory of Samantha they were talking and she was crying and begging for the guy to stay.

Nakaramdam kaagad ako ng guilt dahil nakita ko si Samantha sa gitna nakatayo at umiiyak. Ibinalik ko sa dati ang paligid at nakita ko naman kaagad ang iba na malapit na sa amin ni Samantha. Samantha on the other hand was still standing, her emerald green eyes stopped glowing and lost her expressions.

Because I was still manipulating her I saw and heard everything.

"Don't go, Kim. We are your family here. I am your family."

Hindi ko alam kung ano ang nangyari pero nagkatagpo ang mga mata namin nang lalaki sa ala-ala ni Samantha. His eyes are just like the dark sky, it was black but sparkling.

"I still am your family, Samantha. I'll be back."

I stopped manipulating her and then I walked towards her. Our eyes meet again but she's calm now, gone the irritated expression.

"Nice duel, Samantha." I said and offer a shake hands that she gradually accepted.

- BM -