SAGE'S POV

The sky was bright, and the trees around me shimmered with a soft violet glow. Scattered nearby, some students chatted animatedly, their voices blending into the lively hum of our Botania assignment trip for Natural Studies here at Heatherquill Hollows.

Sa pagkakaalam ko, ang kagubatang ito ay kakaiba sa ibang kagubatan sa Ashburn.

Heatherquill Hollows was one of the safest. Monster sightings were rare, and it was overflowing with various types of plants and flowers—many of which were things I had never seen before in my life.

"Listen, everyone!" Professor Lila's voice cut through the noise, immediately drawing our attention.

"As part of your assignment today, you'll be gathering the samples we discussed earlier. Remember, each one has unique properties. You have your tools, and you were given guidelines—so follow them carefully." The professor's gaze swept over the class, ensuring everyone was paying attention. "Heatherquill Hollows may be safe, but some of the flora are highly sensitive, so be mindful of where you step and what you touch."

Naglalakad siya sa harapan namin at iniisa-isa kaming tinitignan. "Now, pair up. You'll be working in groups of two to four. Once you've found your group, you may start. Be back here before class ends."

As soon as our professor finished speaking, my classmates scattered, rushing to form their groups. I remained where I was, arms crossed, simply watching them.

Katulad ko, nakasuot sila ng isang black cloak na na-enchant ng mga Alkemi witches, designed as protection against potential forest hazards—poisonous pollen, reactive magickal plants and who knows what else. Some students eagerly approached others, forming groups in an instant. The more reserved ones scanned the crowd before moving in. Others disappeared into the woods in twos or threes, their silhouettes fading among the glowing leaves.

I sighed and began walking deeper into the forest.

Pair up, huh?

Alam ko na agad na walang lalapit sa akin. Given my reputation, no one wanted to work with me. Even as they scattered, not one of them so much as glanced my way.

Not that I cared.

Just as I was about to vanish into the trees, a familiar voice called out—one I had zero desire to hear right now.

"Sythria!"

Geo's way-too-bright grin greeted me as if he'd been waiting for this exact moment.

Oh no, here he goes again...

"Mukhang ako ang magiging partner mo today!" Geo declared, practically radiating excitement. "And Teddy's here, too!"

I barely suppressed a groan. Great. Just great. I had almost forgotten that this idiot was my classmate in Natural Studies.

"Walang nagsabi," I barely suppressed a groan. Great. Just great. I had almost forgotten that this idiot was my classmate in Natural Studies.

"C'mon Sythria, group task 'to!" Geo called out, his footsteps loud and persistent as he ran to catch up. And before I could blink—hinarangan na naman niya ako.

"Admit it," he said, tilting his head slightly. "You'd be lonely out there all by yourself. Plus, hindi ka pa nagpapaalam kay professor na gagawin mo 'to mag-isa."

"I don't care," I snapped. "You don't need to come along."

"Ehh—-nandito na ako, so paano na 'yan?" He beamed, winking dramatically and planting his hands on his hips like some cheesy superhero. As if that stunt alone would make me feel better.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I can do this on my own, so move."

But of course, he didn't.

"I. Said. Move." Matigas talaga ulo ng lalaking 'to!

"Talaga baaa?" sabi niya, nagkukunwaring nagulat siya. He didn't move an inch; instead, he leaned closer to my face as if daring me to push him out of the way.

"Pwede ba, Gustavo?" I tried again.

But the menace just smiled wider, like he found my irritation to be a damn compliment.

"Calm down, Miss Independent!" He raised his hands in mock surrender. "I'd rather you not get into trouble. Again."

I raised an eyebrow at that. Me? Trouble? Coming from him? That's rich. Besides, Heatherquill Hollows was literally labeled safe. What kind of "trouble" was he even expecting?

"You need help," pangungumbinsi niya, looking way too smug with his know-it-all tone. "Especially since you aren't used to this place yet. At syempre, sino pa ba ang perfect partner kundi ako? Always dependable."

I scoffed. "Dependable, you?" tanong ko at pinag-ekis ang aking mga braso. "As far as I know, 'walking disaster' fits you better."

He gasped as if I had just stabbed him, clutching his chest in full dramatic mode. "O-oi! That was mean!" His face contorted into an annoyed expression for a split second before he regained his composure. "But I swear! Promise hindi kita kukulitin. No fun stunts, hindi rin ako manggulo, hehe..."

"I don't believe you."

"Promise nga!" he insisted, flashing a wide grin. "You won't even notice I'm here."

I deadpanned. Then I sighed, past him, hoping to whatever forces that he'd take the hint to leave me alone. Pero syempre, Geo being Geo... he followed happily behind me, literally humming a victory theme under his breath.

Wala na akong choice. Fine. May punto naman siya—I wasn't familiar with the place, so I might as well let him tag along if it meant not getting lost.

"Bahala ka." I muttered.

"YEEEEES!"

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Since then, Geo hasn't stopped talking. To be fair, it wasn't all nonsense. He was giving me a rundown of Ashburn's geography, explaining how vast the region is, describing its environment, detailing what makes this place so special. He even named every single plant we passed—complete with their uses and potential side effects.

I hate to admit it, pero nakakabilib talaga ang kaalaman niya sa ganitong field. Even more surprising, he threw in calculations habang nag-didiscuss sa heograpiya ng realm.

"Have you noticed how lush Ashburn's forests are?" Geo started, his voice buzzing with the energy of an excited tour guide. "You see, that's one of the quirks of this place. But you know, there's so much more to Ashburn than just woodlands!"

Teddy led the way, his keen sense of smell guiding us as we searched for our required samples.

"At alam mo ba?" Geo continued, glancing over his shoulder. "May alam akong conspiracy theory na may isang lugar daw dito sa Ashburn na hindi pa natagpuan ng kahit sino. They say it's ancient. Totally wiped from the maps!"

"What place is it?" wala sa sariling tanong ko.

Tumingala siya, raising both arms as if he were about to catch something falling from the sky. "I read somewhere that long ago—exactly thousands and thousands of years ago... a GREAT impact fell upon the Earth."

My ears perked up the moment he began explaining.

"Some say it landed directly in our realm," he added. "Kung totoo man 'yun, wala pang sinuman ang nakakapagpatunay nito o nakatuklas kung saan eksakto ito bumagsak sa Ashburn."

My eyes narrowed at the thought. "You mean... an asteroid impact?"

Tila nagniningning ang kanyang mata sa sinabi ko. "Mhm-mhm! Asteroid impact—that's the word!"

Gamit ang kaunting kaalaman ko sa astronomy, napaisip-isip ako sa sinabi niya. If there were an asteroid impact, it would have left a mark—a deep, lasting crater. It would have caused massive destruction, maybe even a shift in the landscape itself, a permanent reminder of a catastrophic event from before our time.

And if it fell in this region thousands of years ago, before anyone was here, then that "lost place" Geo talked about could be what's left of it. A giant scar on the Earth, hidden by time and nature, reshaping everything... it makes perfect sense that a place of such immense power and change would be lost to history and maps.

"So it's possibly a crater—an unknown crater... 'yun ba ang ibig mong sabihin na rumor na nandito sa Ashburn?" pagkaklaro ko nang nagm-make sense na ito sa akin.

"Ahhh! A crater!" His eyes lit up even more, beaming as if he'd just discovered a new idea. "That's what they meant about the place that disappeared from the maps!"

I raised a brow. "...Do you have any idea where it is?"

"Nope." Ngumuso siya. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. I'm looking for it, but it's not easy." He scrunched his nose. "Even my witching sense can't help me find a single clue about it!"

Kunot-noo ko siyang tiningnan. "How so?"

He groaned. "Usually, kaya kong e-detect ang kahit anong physical manifestations. Spaces, weight, barriers, and objects... kaya useless ang witching sense ko kung wala akong clue kung saan bumagsak 'yung meteor at ang crater na sinasabi nila." Nagkibit-balikat siya. "Ewan ko, hindi ko talaga ma-locate eh!"

Napansin ko kung paano lumiwanag ang mga mata niya habang nagsasalita. His earthy yellow eyes were as bright as the sun, sparkling with determination. His fluffy, coffee-cream hair swayed gently in the wind. His gaze was focused on the path ahead, but... there was something else there, too. A flicker of disappointment?

Well, that explains a lot. Kaya pala ang husay niya pagdating sa mga locations. His witching sense must give him an edge. It also made sense why his Animora leaned toward earth magick.

Speaking of, what's mine?

Kailan ko malalaman ang witching sense ko? I'm doing everything I can to hone my magic and potential every day. Dapat nga natuklasan ko na ito ngayon dahil naisaaktibo ko na rin ang aking Animora. But unfortunately, so far, nothing is certain.

"RAWR!"

Teddy's familiar growl startled me. His tiny bear paws thudded against the earth as he sniffed around a cluster of bushes.

"Teddy? What did you find?" Geo called, stepping forward.

"Rawr!"

Agad naman naming sinundan si Teddy. Pushing through the underbrush, yumuko ako para tingnan kung ano ang nakakuha ng atensyon niya. Bago ako makalapit, Geo threw an arm out in front of me, blocking my path.

"Teka." his voice turned serious.

I frowned. "What now?"

Geo's gaze flickered to the massive purple tree ahead. Its thick, reddish-purple bark was wrapped in vines that twitched unnaturally. Its floating leaves were lazily drifting down like tiny glitters of magick. Mula sa paanan nito, makikita ang isang halaman na kanina pa namin hinahanap.

"That's the Amaranth Duskbud, right?" pagbabasag ko sa katahimikan. I narrowed my eyes at the deep, velvet-colored flower. "That's on our list; we should grab it before someone else does."

But Geo didn't answer. He remained quiet, still focused on the tree, studying it.

"That's a Biborka Laughtervine," he muttered instead.

"Bibo—what? I'm sure that's not the name of the flower—"

HiiihIhihiHihihi.

Suddenly, a soft, eerie screech of laughter echoed through the clearing. Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. I looked around, but I couldn't see where the sound was coming from.

Napangiwi si Geo dahil sa ingay, then gestured toward the tree. "That tree is the problem here. We can't just take the flower. Sensitive kasi ang puno na 'to. The second we disturb them, well..." He shrugged, his voice lowered as if even speaking about it might trigger something. "You'll hear that creepy laugh."

As if on cue, the laughter grew louder, morphing into an unsettling, high-pitched cackle. It seemed to come from everywhere at once.

hIhihihihiHihIHi...

Unti-unti akong umatras papalayo.

HihihiHihiHiiihihiHihi...

"Uh... anong nakakata—"

HiHiIhiiHIhiHihiHIhiHIHi!

Seriously?! The sound was actually coming from the tree itself. The tree! The thick, twisted vines wrapped around its trunk began to twitch as if something were waking up. That's insane!

I glanced around worriedly. As it turned out, we weren't alone in the area. Napapansin ko ang ibang mga grupo na nagmamasid sa di-kalayuan, cautiously inspecting the area, likely searching for the same thing we were. Sa kabilang dako naman, may ilang estudyante ang nagbubulungan at lumingon sa aming direksyon na mukhang inaabangan ang unang gagawin namin dito.

Great. May audience pa kami.

My thoughts were racing. Ayokong makipag-kompetensya sa iba para sa sample na nasa tabi lang namin.But if we took too long, someone else might grab it first. I mean, why not? Para naman 'to sa grades eh.

Bahala na nga sila. May naisip na sana akong paraan para kunin ito, kaso...

"Hey, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Geo whispered mischievously, leaning in. "Where there's a will, there's a way—"

"No." Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin. Alam kong pareho kami ng iniisip, pero ayoko sa ideya na iyon. Too risky. Hindi ko trip na sasakalin ako ng punong ito o baka itapon ako sa kung saan.

"Sige na!" saad niya at pinag-kiskis niya ang kanyang dalawang palad. "We can easily tap into my earth magick and... voila! Makuha natin agad yung—"

"Hindi nga pwedeng guluhin 'to." I gave him a warning glare. "So NO. Don't. Touch. ANYTHING."

But Geo, being Geo, just smirked. As if lumusot palabas sa tenga niya ang mga pinagsasabi ko. I could already tell. Gagawin niya talaga. Mabilis akong lumapit para pigilan siya—

"YOU GOT IT!"

Pero huli na ako.

"Geo—GAGO—HUWAG!!!"

Geo skipped forward, flexed his fingers, and pressed his palm against the earth. His magick pulsed beneath the ground. Bahagyang dumadagundong ang lupa. Nung una mahina ang pagyanig nito at maya-maya pa lamang ay kusa itong lumalakas.

My heart dropped. He did it. He actually did it. Nararamdaman ko na ang masamang kahihinatnan nito.

"You're kidding me." I looked at him in disbelief. Tumawa naman siya na akala mo may nakakatawa sa ginawa niya.

"Pfft. I'm not—"

WOOOOOOSH!

The vines shot to life. They wrapped around Geo's torso and hoisted him into the air.

Ayan. Kasalanan niya talaga 'to.

"AHHHHH!" he yelped as he was flung around like a rag doll.

The eerie giggling turned into a full-blown maniacal laugh. More vines lashed out in every direction. Several students nearby who had been watching us suddenly found themselves caught in the chaotic mess.

Kawawa naman.

Lalo lamang ako napaatras habang pinapanood ang mga ibang estudyante na hinahampas-hampas sa ere. One girl shrieked as she was tossed into a bush, and another guy wrestled against the vines—only to be launched even higher. Unfortunately, using offensive magic was banned during the task.

"LOOK WHAT YOU'VE DONE!" singhal ko kay Geo.

"I KNOW! I KNOW!" he yelled back, spinning mid-air as the vines swung him side to side. "Don't worry! I got this!"

I deadpanned. "Yeah. Sure you do."

And just like that—the vine flung him even farther.

"Weeeeeeeeeeee!"

His childish wail faded as he disappeared into the trees. Teddy, his tiny bear familiar, scrambled after him, his small paws flailing as he chased in his direction.

He finally got what he deserved.

Meanwhile, the other students were still scattering, dodging the rampaging vines. In the middle of the madness, I stood still, watching the chaos unfold. One poor student was cartwheeling through the air, while another was thrown and crashed into a nearby tree. Samantalang, yung mga vibes na kanina pa namimilipit sa hangin, patuloy lang nilang hinihila at kinaladkad ang ibang malas na estudyante.

And yet, the creepy tree... it hadn't touched me.

Huh. Maybe because I wasn't the idiot who disturbed it.

"Bad idea, but thanks for the distraction I guess." Napailing na lang ako. I carefully stepped forward, approaching the flower nestled near the roots.

The vines twitched but didn't reach for me. I glanced at the tree one last time before gently plucking the Amaranth Duskbud. As my fingers brushed its petals, a shimmering blue dust floated into the air, carrying a soft, calming scent...

The moment I plucked it, the laughter slowly died down until silence fell over the clearing.

Binalingan ko ang paligid. The witches who had been here moments ago? Gone. The vines? Nag-retreat na. The Biborka Laughtervine finally coiled back into its resting position as if walang nangyaring gulo kanina.

I let out a sharp exhale, rolling my shoulders before taking one last glance at the tree. Then, with the flower safely in hand, I turned and walked deeper into the forest, leaving behind the mess Geo had caused.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

Isa lang ang iniisip ko ngayon at 'yon ay tapusin itong ang pinapagawa sa amin.

I still had several samples left to collect, and I needed to ensure that by the time I returned to the meeting spot, everything I'd gathered was in perfect condition. Mag-isa lang akong naglalakad ngayon. I wasn't worried about Geo; siguradong hinahanap na niya ako, probably using that witching sense of his to track me down.

The deeper I ventured into the forest, the cooler the air felt and the thicker the shadows grew. My mind drifted for a moment as I surveyed my surroundings.

May bigla akong naalala.

Naalala ko ang sinabi sa amin noon tungkol sa Ashburn: there are borders scattered across the lands that serve as warnings. They are forbidden zones where Devourers are likely to lurk. The moment you cross one, automatic ma-alert ang Consilium Primus—unless, of course, may mission clearance ka.

Pero dito sa Heatherquill Hollows, the safest forest among them all, walang gaanong borders.

Kaya napaisip ako. During the festival, we saw Cerise struggling against a Devourer. As far as I knew, sandaling ipinagbabawal ang pagkakaroon ng mga mission bounties that day. She didn't have any clearance... so how did she get there? Bakit niya nilabag ang batas?

That thought lingered until something caught my eye.

There was a plant that looked strikingly different. Maliit at tingkad sa kulay pula kaya kahit napapalibutan ito ng ibang halaman, sobrang kapansin-pansin ang itsura nito. The plant looked dangerous, guarded by uncanny, sharp thorns.

I crouched beside it, carefully inspecting it without touching it. "This has to be rare," bulong ko rito.

But before I could observe it further, a familiar, mocking childish giggle shattered the stillness.

"Alone in the big bad woods?"

Parang akong napako sa aking pwesto at napalingon ako sa likuran.

Standing a few meters away was Vanya, leaning casually against a tree. One eyebrow was arched as she stared at me, and her left hand glowed with an eerie green light.

"Vanya."

"Admiring the plants?" She tilted her head, her grin widening. "You're just wasting your time, little Sythria. Pretty little flowers won't save you from failing."

"It's important," maikling tugon ko.

I knew exactly why she was here. She wanted to sabotage me; she'd love nothing more than to see me fail this task.

"Weren't you supposed to be working on this, too?" I asked, keeping my voice steady. "Don't tell me you're... ditching?"

She gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Duh. Why would I even bother?" Then she grinned, her eyes gleaming. "I'm best friends with the flora!" Humagikgik siya ng malakas. "I can just command any plant I want for the assignment. Eaaasssyyy!"

She spread her arms, letting the sunlight catch her smirk. "Hindi mo maintindihan Sythria. I can hear them. Every plant's cry, their pulse, their breath. Their thirst for the sun, their longing to grow undisturbed. Ang cute nila, sobraaa."

I raised a brow but stayed silent. Oh no. Here we go again...

"And guess what my favoriiites are~?" Her eyes twinkled mischievously. Her voice dropped into a snicker, and her expression darkened. "...My Venus flytraps."

"What the—!"

Napatras ako nang biglang sumulpot ang isang dambuhalang flytrap mula sa lupa.

"Vanya, leave me alone!" I exhaled sharply. "You have better things to do than—"

"Waste my time?" she cut me off with a laugh. "Oh no, class is soooo boring. Why not make this interesting? Let's keep playing!"

Shit. I cursed internally the moment I saw her fingers twitch.

The ground stirred. More thorny vines began to sprout, twisting upward at an alarming speed. Agaran akong umatras at iniwasan ang mga nagsisilabasan na mga flytraps. Their spiked tips snapped hungrily, eager to eat me alive.

"Too easy!" she cackled, clearly proud of herself. "How are you even still here? You're just lucky."

Napakuyom ako ng mga kamay ko. I inhaled sharply at binuksan ang maliit na satchel na dala ko at hinugot ko ang silver dagger. The moment my fingers curled around the handle, a strange, familiar cold washed over me.

Taking a controlled breath, I cast a glare her way, carefully hiding the dagger beneath my cloak. "Stop this, Vanya. Or else—"

"Or else what?" she snapped her fingers again, and the flytraps lunged once more. "Your threats mean nothing to us!!!"

Kasabay ng pag-snap ng daliri niya, more flytraps erupted from the ground—thicker, faster and far more aggressive.

But before they could reach me—

"STOP!"

Vanya's sharp voice rang through the clearing. The flytraps halted instantly. Nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata nang makita niyang itinutok ko ang silver dagger sa mga tinik ng kanyang mga halaman.

"One wrong move, and I'll slice through them," I hissed. "What's wrong, Vanya?" I added. "Too scared I'll leave a wound on your 'precious babies'?"

Behind the wall of vines, her playful mask twisted into pure rage. She let out a heavy huff, glaring at me. "Not if I overpower you first."

She snapped her fingers again. "You can't even use your magick!" she sneered. "Pathetic!"

Tumama ang sinabi niya sa dibdib ko. My magick pulsed beneath my skin—dark, heavy, and unsteady—but I refused to let it out. I gritted my teeth, dagger raised, anticipating the next attack. I tried to calculate my next move. This nonsense had to end.

The flytraps lunged again. This time, I dodged smoothly, sidestepping with precision. I weaved through the vines, careful not to damage the rest of the forest. Phew! Thank the heavens for those combat classes!

The silver blade gleamed in the dim light. Ramdam ko ang namumuong matinding lamig na nagmumula rito.

"Last warning, Vanya." I narrowed my eyes.

"Warning?" Tumaas ang kilay niya, sabay natawa. "You know, you're not even trying."

Out of nowhere, one of her flytraps coiled around my arm.

"Tsk—!"

Instincts kicked in. Gamit ang dagger, kaagad kong sinugatan ang baging na nakapulupot sa braso ko.

Vanya's eyes went wide. "My baby—no!"

The flytrap recoiled with a hiss.

But before she could retaliate, a flare shot into the sky, bathing the area in a bright yellow glow. We both froze, heads snapping toward the light. Mula rito, naririnig namin ang tunog ng mga yapak na papunta sa kinaroroonan namin. The professors were likely rounding us up.

"Curses..." Vanya let out a strangled whimper. Tumingin siya sa akin, mukha maiiyak na siya. "CURSE YOU!"

The green glow around her flickered, and her 'babies' retreated into the ground as the yellow flare burned above us. She looked like she was about to spit another insult, pero napaamang ang kanyang bibig at tinikom niya agad ito nang napansin niya ang tingin na binigay ko sa kanya.

"Hmph! You're so mean!"

Without another word, she spun around and stormed off into the trees.

Ayan. Mukha tuloy siyang takot na batang tumakas bago pagalitan.

I let out a slow exhale, rubbing my sore arm. The skin was red and already beginning to bruise. Then, instinctively, I glanced back at the strange red plant I had been inspecting earlier—

Pero laking gulat ko nang makita kong wala na sa kinaroroonan ito.