SAGE'S POV

"May iba pa ba tayong bibilhin? May oras pa tayo oh, sulitin na natin!" suhestiyon ni Via habang palinga-linga siya sa paligid. Dala-dala naman niya ang kahon na ibinigay sa kanya ni Nanay Hilda kanina.

"I think we already got everything?" Cerise said, though she sounded uncertain. She hesitated before glancing at me, her expression shifting into mild concern. "I—is everything alright, Sythria?"

Tumango ako sa bilang tugon. Mukhang may gustong pa sanang sasabihin si Cerise, but she quickly looked away.

"Nagugutom ata si Sythria sa kakapili ng libro kanina," pabirong sabi ni Via. "Kumain muna kaya tayo?" Naniningkit ang mga mata niyang nakatingin sa ibang stalls sa malapitan. "I think may bagong food stall doon! Let's go!"

Before either of us could answer, Via was already marching in that direction. Susundan sana ni Cerise pero napatigil siya nang mapagtantong hindi ako gumagalaw.

"Sythria?" she frowned. "Hindi ka ba sasama?"

Umiling ako. "Mauna na kayo. Susunod ako."

Nag-alinlangan na tiningnan ako ni Cerise sa mata. "Eh... b-bakit?"

"May pupuntahan lang," tumalikod ako.

Before she could protest, naglakad na ako palayo sa palengke hanggang sa marating ko ang pinakadulo—mas tahimik at madilim na bahagi ng lugar. As I distance myself from the crowd, I found myself standing at the clear edge of a purple forest.

The air was as chilly as ever, the scent of damp earth filling my nose. Mula sa aking kinatatayuan, naririnig ko pa rin ang mahinang ingay at tawanan mula sa palengke.

A sharp exhale escaped my lips as my grip instinctively tightened against my uniform. "Too much..." I muttered, already feeling lightheaded.

The weight of the weapon in my pocket suddenly felt unbearable. With trembling hands, I reached for it and carefully pulled out the dagger. The moment I held it, the blade gleamed, catching the faint light filtering through the trees.

Bahagya ko itong itinagilid, at sinundan muli ng mga mata ko ang inskripsiyong nakaukit sa talim nito.

"Turris Revelata..."

Marami na nga akong tanong sa isipan ko, dumagdag pa talaga 'to. Hindi ko maiwasang maguluhan ng lalo. What kind of mess had my mother gotten herself into by keeping something like this in her room?

For a moment, the silence was deafening... and then, out of nowhere, the corners of my vision went dark. My eyes widened as images began to flash before me—chaotic, blurring fragments of sight.

Sa isang iglap, parang akong lumilipad sa himpapawid at nakatanaw sa buong kagubatan. I didn't know how it was happening, but I was certain I was seeing a vision from above. Everything moved fast until my perspective dived down—reaching toward the thick of the woods.

Wait. Is someone there?

The vision snapped away as quickly as it had come, leaving me dizzy. Sa hindi malamang dahilan, kusa akong napalingon sa direksyon ng kagubatan.

What was that? I shook my head, trying to clear it. Pero sino kayang nandoon?

Before I could stop myself, I started walking toward the place I'd seen in the vision.

The deeper I went into the purple woods, the sharper the sounds around me became. Mula rito, maririnig ko ang mga ingay na kasing tunog ng isang pagsasaksak na bagay at mga kaluskos ng mga dahon. The wind seemed to whistle as it was sliced through, accompanied by muffled grunts.

I ran faster, pushing through the thick foliage until I reached a small clearing.

There—I caught sight of a familiar figure. Someone was leaping from trunk to trunk, moving like a shadow blending into the trees. The witch, clad in black with fiery ginger hair, was none other than—

"Damona?" tawag ko sa kanya.

What is she doing out here?!

She was fighting something—a creature with a twisted form, lunging at her with killing intent. But she was faster. With one swift motion, she drove the blade of her weapon deep into the creature's shoulder.

Before I could react, a sharp tug pulled at my gut. I instinctively ducked just as something whistled past my ear, leaving a stinging cut on the side of my face. My eyes widened in shock. Nanlaki ang aking mga mata sa biglaang nangyayari. Agad akong napatingin sa likuran kung saan ang isang palaso ay nakabaon sa isang katawan ng puno.

"CURSES—RUNA?!"

Damona's voice rang out through the chaos. She didn't even look my way; she was too focused as she swung her weapon, slicing through the Devourer's chest before severing its head with brutal efficiency.

Sinipa niya kaagad ang natitirang katawan ng halimaw at napabagsak ito. A bubbling, blackish-red mist emerged from the gashes, rising into the air. Damona wiped her weapon with a cloth and finally turned to me. Her expression was unreadable.

"Don't move."

"I—" I started, but she suddenly hurled a sharp object that landed right by my feet. "Shi—Ano ba?!" Napaatras ako sa gulat.

"Ikaw," turo niya sa akin at humakbang papalapit sa kinaroroonan ko. "Anong ginagawa mo dito?" Nilapitan niya ang talim na nakabaon sa lupa. "Have you still not learned to listen to your superiors?"

Her eyes bored into me as she pressed her heel firmly onto the blade's handle, pinning it into the dirt. "See this?" She gestured toward something I hadn't noticed before—a shimmering column of light hanging in the air just beyond where I stood.

"You almost crossed the boundary," she added. "Isang hakbang pa, at mas malala pa sa mga halimaw dito ang haharapin mo."

I swallowed hard, finally noticing the low hum vibrating in my bones—the sound of the forbidden zone's barrier.

If she was standing on the other side of it, malamang may mission clearance siya. I was the only one who had almost crossed it without any. How could I have forgotten that?

"Right. I forgot." inismiran ako ni Damona. "You really do live up to your reputation." She crossed her arms, amusement flickering in her sharp gaze. "Of course trouble would find you."

Napakuyom ako ng ang aking mga kamay.

"You're out here, wandering around like you're invincible," she continued. "Did you think you could handle everything on your own?"

"I'm not—"

"Oh, please," isang malutong at nakakairitang tawa ang pinakawalan niya. "Spare me the excuses, Runa. I see how you act. As if the rules don't apply to you. As if the world owes you something." She clicked her tongue. "But one day, witchling, that recklessness will cost you your life."

I stayed silent, refusing to give her the reaction she wanted.

"You know, unlike you, Runa, I actually know what I'm doing," nginisihan niya ako. "This is my game. I like the thrill, the hunt. At least hindi ako nagpapanggap na may alam ako sa mga bagay na wala naman talaga." She stopped just inches from me, her knowing gaze pinning me in place. "You have no idea what you're supposed to be doing, do you?"

Parang akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. Her words hit exactly where it hurt.

Do I know? I met her stare. "...Does it matter?"

Damona's lips curled, entertained by my deflection. "You tell me."

I exhaled sharply, shaking my head. "I never claimed to have all the answers."

Damona raised a brow, looking almost amused at my honesty.

"But I do know this," I continued, "standing still won't get me anywhere." Muli akong napatingin sa bangkay ng Devourer. Black smoke was still leaking from its wounds—isang paalala na may mga bagay akong hindi ko lubos nauunawaan.

"So ano?" hindi makapaniwala na tanong ni Damona. "Basta ka na lang susugod kahit hindi mo alam ang ginagawa mo?"

"I didn't mean to... end up here," I replied bluntly.

She let out a dry chuckle. "Right. But you think being here means something?" She stepped closer. "You think whatever drew you here is some grand revelation?"

I stood my ground, my heart hammering against my ribs.

"Huh. That's what gets witches killed," she said, her tone sharpening. "You let yourself get pulled into things without knowing what's waiting on the other side."

My stomach twisted.

"But you know what?" she continued. "That won't save you. It's ridiculous! You have no idea how dangerous they are—the consequences of your actions!" Her gaze flicked down, her expression darkening as if she could see straight into my soul. "If you ever get into trouble... don't expect these Devourers—or the Order..." She looked me dead in the eye. "...or your fellow witches to ever, ever show you mercy."

"I can handle it," I blurted out.

Bahagya akong nagulat sa mga salitang binitawan ko. Do I really believe that? It sounded strange coming from me—as if pinaghalong katotohanan at kasinungalingan ang mga pinagsasabi ko.

"Can you?" Damona tilted her head, laughing under her breath. "When all I see is a reckless witch who has no idea what she's messing with!"

"SYTHRIA!"

Another familiar voice cut through the tension. "Nandito ka lang pala!"

I barely had time to turn before Via and Cerise burst through the trees, both panting.

"Thank goodness! You're unharmed!" Via nearly tackled me, shaking my shoulders aggressively.

"We've been looking everywhere for you! Kung hindi lang sa witching sense ni Via, w-we might..." Cerise trailed off, her concern obvious.

"I'm fine." A blatant lie. My heart was still racing. "I just got... lost."

Via's gaze shifted suspiciously between me and Damona. "Lost? O baka naman nahila ka ni Damona sa mga kalokohan niya dito?"

Damona rolled her eyes. "Relax. I saved her ass." She shot me an unimpressed glance. "Kung hindi ko lang siya pinigilan baka lalagpas siya sa boundary."

"NILIGTAS MO SIYA?!"

Napaigtad kaming lahat sa lakas ng boses ni Via.

"I mean, yeah, sure," Via said, composing herself. "Because you've always been so helpful, right?"

Damona's smirk sharpened, but her voice held a dangerous edge. "Don't test me, Jacinthe."

Sensing another fight, hinablot ko na ang braso ni Via. "Enough. Let's just go." Kanina pa sumasakit ang ulo ko. I didn't need more conflict.

Cerise shifted uneasily, eyeing the black mist still lingering in the air. "Kailangan na natin umalis dito, bago pa may makakita sa atin. We aren't exactly supposed to be here eh..."

"At saka Sythria..." dagdag ni Cerise, marahan niyang pinahid ang tumutulong dugo sa gilid na aking mukha gamit ang kanyang panyo. "Kailangan din nating gamutin itong sugat mo."

"What the cherry-head said." puna ni Damona bago niya kami tinalikuran. She glanced at me one last time, her expression unreadable. "And next time you decide to wander off, try not to be so dumb. You won't always be this lucky."

Just like that, she disappeared into the trees, leaving only a cold gust of air behind.

Silence settled over us.

"What?" tanong ko, pinag-ekis ko ang aking mga braso nang mapansin ko ang pananahimik ng dalawa. Via pressed her lips together, arms folded, looking like she was about to give me a lecture. Cerise just looked worried.

A minute later, Via broke the silence with a laugh. "Sythria, sa susunod na maligaw ka, bumulong ka na lang sa hangin, ha? Baka sakaling madala kami ng hangin papunta sa'yo."

I didn't find it funny. Groaning, I turned on my heel and walked off, ignoring their quiet giggles.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

Pagkatapos naming makabalik sa Academy, nagpasya na lang akong umuwi diretso sa Witching Quarters para makapag-pahinga ako at isasantabi ang silver dagger.

Via and Cerise stayed behind to finish some business, leaving me alone as I climbed the steps to my dorm. I still felt lightheaded, as if the encounter in the woods had drained me.

The hallway was filled with students lounging in the corners as I passed. I noticed a small group nearby; they stopped talking and started giggling, shooting me amused, mocking glances. I locked eyes with them and gave them a cold glare. They scrambled away, still laughing, as if their little show had been a success.

Ayan na naman sila.

I let out a sigh and finally reached my door, twisting the knob. As soon as I opened it, I was greeted by the frantic flapping of wings.

"Hoot! Hoot! Hoo-hoot hoot!"

"Stolas?"

The owl landed heavily on my arm, his large round eyes wide and distressed. I frowned, reaching up to stroke the feathers near his eyes. "Did something happen while I was gone?"

Walang sagot mula kay Stolas, agad lang siyang lumipad patungo sa pinto ng aking kwarto. I followed him, but the moment I pushed the door open...

My heart dropped.

The main wall of my room had been vandalized. A thick, suffocating feeling settled over the room that had once felt like a safe space. Now, it was unrecognizable.

Red paint was smeared across the walls, dripping onto my bed. Curses were written in erratic, angry strokes, each word screaming with hostility.

N-no...

I took a shaky step forward, my breath catching as my blood ran cold.

"CURSED B*TCH. CURSED FATE."