CERISE'S POV

We burst out from the Nexus, our hurried footsteps echoing sharply through the long stone hallway. Ngunit habang tumatakbo kami, lalong lumala ang sitwasyon—hundreds of spiders were actively spilling from the architectural crevices, crawling in dizzying, frantic patterns across the floors and walls.

"Where did all this come from?!" natataranta na tanong ko sabay atras nang mahulog ang isang malaki at mabalahibong tarantula na dumapo sa aking braso.

Napasinghap ako. But before its fangs could pierce my skin, the arachnid suddenly combusted into a ball of localized heat, turning to ash midair.

Napalingon ako kay Ashriel. He was systematically clearing a path ahead of us, twin torrents of brilliant flame dancing across his open palms. Lahat ng mga gagamba sa aming daan ay nadurog at naging mga baga saanman nagliliyab ang kanyang apoy sa pasilyo.

He glanced back at me, his striking heterochromatic eyes briefly locking onto mine.

I offered him a quick, profoundly grateful smile. All thanks to Ashriel, I breathed internally. Out of my circle, at last!, lagi talaga siyang maasahan sa tuwing may krisis.

"W-woah!" bulalas ni Geo, halos matisod sa sarili niyang mga paa nang biglang nakasalubong ang isang grupo ng mga gagamba na naguumpukan sa dinadaanan namin.

Before the swarm could overwhelm him, Ashriel's fire whipped forward again, incinerating the cluster in a split second.

"Woohoo! Roasted! Burn spiders, burn!" masiglang hiyaw ni Geo habang nakafist-bump ang dalawang kamay sa ere.

Unlike the rest of us who were fighting for our lives, ang lakas pa ng loob niyang ipagdiwang at ituring na parang palabas lang ang husay ni Ashriel sa pakikipaglaban imbes na tumulong...

Napailing ako. Ganyan talaga 'yan siya.

Where on earth did these monsters originate? I questioned silently, pushing my legs to move faster as we continued our frantic retreat. Bakit ang dami nila?!

Bihira lamang magkaroon ng ganitong insidente dito sa academy, let alone an apocalyptic plague of arachnids on this scale. What had started as a perfectly ordinary afternoon had instantly spiraled into a horrific, claustrophobic survival marathon.

Paano ito naging posible? Unless... someone intentionally brewed this catastrophe to cause maximum chaos.

"Ew! Guys, tingnan niyo!" Via shouted, pointing a manicured finger toward the stone ceiling. "EEK! THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY!"

Pansamantala kaming huminto, sabay-sabay na tumingala sa itaas. Ang buong kisame ay napupuno na ng mga magkapatong na gagamba—at dose-dosenang mga ito ang humiwalay na, bumabagsak sa sahig.

Hindi ba sila nauubos?!

"Kadiri!" Via snarled, using pulses of her raw magick to swat away the descending arachnids before they could touch her hair.

"This way!" Kane commanded, his deep voice cutting through the panic as he executed a sharp right turn into an adjacent hallway.

Sa di kalayuan, natanaw ng aking mga mata ang nag-iisang estudyanteng nagpupumiglas sa kulumpol ng mga gagamba. Mabilis na pumulupot ang mga ito sa ibabang bahagi ng kanyang katawan at akmang lamunin na siya ng mga ito.

"Aghhhh...!" the boy screamed, his voice cracking in sheer agony.

I heard Ashriel let out a sharp, collective breath from beside me. "A student warden!"

Agad na nagpaulan si Ashriel ng isa pang sunod-sunod na apoy sa sahig. The flickering embers raced like a serpent toward the swarm, aiming to burn away the creatures pinning the poor boy down.

"Hold on—Skoll!" tawag ni Kane sa kanyang wolf familiar.

Walang pag-aalinlangang sumugod ang lobo, ibinaon ang mga panga nito sa kwelyo ng warden at marahas na hinila ito palayo sa blast zone nang isang pulgada bago tuluyang nilamon ng apoy ni Ashriel ang espasyo. The spiders were reduced to nothing but fine black ash.

Kane sprinted toward the fallen student to render aid. I immediately followed suit, leaving our friends to form a defensive perimeter and guard our blind spots against the oncoming horde.

"He needs immediate medical attention!" nag-aalalang sigaw ko, dropping to my knees beside the boy.

Kane was already stationed over him, steady and immovable as an anchor, securing the wounded student while his sharp eyes continuously scanned the perimeter for incoming threats.

"Geo, focus! There's another wave incoming from the western archway!" narinig kong sigaw ni Via mula sa aming likuran.

Sandaling binalik ko ang tingin sa mga kaibigan ko. They were doing a phenomenal job holding the line, systematically obliterating every spider that dared approach the sector kung saan ginagamot namin ni Kane ang biktima.

Pabalisa kong kinapa ang mga bulsa ng aking uniporme, hinahanap ang isang partikular na bote. As I leaned closer to the student, my eyes widened in sheer horror. His skin was riddled with a grotesque number of punctured, swelling lesions.

Oh dear, he has far more venomous spider bites than I initially anticipated!

Huminga ako nang malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili ko, sinusubukang pigilin ang mabilis na pagtibok ng aking puso.

As an apprentice training directly under the academy's premier witch doctor, I had the golden rule drilled into my skull from day one: maintain absolute emotional composure under extreme psychological pressure. Kung magpapadala ka sa takot, your cognitive processing fails, mawawalan ka ng kontrol sa mga variables, at mamamatay ang pasyente sa harap mo mismo.

"The necrotic venom is spreading rapidly through his circulatory system. Kailangan na nating e-neutralize agad ang mga toxins." tiniyak kong malinaw ang pagkakasabi ko rito ngunit hindi ko maiwasang sumimangot sa kalagayan ng lalaki.

"Captain..." panimula ng estudyante sa kanyang nanghihinang boses. "T-the courtyard... it's completely..." He attempted to force himself upright, but Kane placed a firm, heavy hand on his shoulder, gently forcing him back down.

"Don't waste your energy speaking. We already know the situation," Kane replied, his tone firm, authoritative, yet laced with an undercurrent of reassurance.

My fingers finally wrapped around the correct medicinal vial, and I popped the cork with my teeth.

Maingat kong inangat ang ulo ng estudyante, trickling the glowing blue fluid down his throat habang tinitiyak kong hindi siya mabulunan nito. Pagkaubos ng huling laman ng vial, nagpakawala siya ng magaspang at marahas na ubo, his eyes rolling back as his body went completely limp.

Fortune found us this time!

Fortunately, my chronic over-preparedness paid off; I always kept a surplus of emergency counter-toxins and sedative serums on my person for situations exactly like this.

"Pahinga ka," bulong ko, kahit alam kong hindi na niya ito narinig. My chest tightened with an oppressive weight, but I rigidly forced myself to remain composed. Panicking is entirely useless right now.

"Ashriel," Kane called out, his dark pink eyes flashing with a sudden, brilliant intensity. "Take the lead on the frontline outside. Gather any surviving wardens and establish a defensive bottleneck at the field."

With practiced, effortless grace, Kane hoisted the unconscious student onto his broad back, simultaneously drawing his signature firearm with his free hand, readying himself for the gauntlet ahead.

"P-paano ka—" magp-protesta na sana si Ashriel, but the sheer, icy finality in Kane's glare made him instantly freeze mid-sentence.

Kane shot him a look that communicated everything without a single syllable: Go. Now.

Understanding the silent command, walang pasintabi na tumango si Ashriel sa kanya at bumalik kina Geo. He unleashed a colossal wall of fire, tearing down the length of the hallway and carving a pristine, ash-lined escape route for the others.

"Geo, Via, Sythria—evacuate to the courtyard now!" Ashriel ordered.

With a collective nod of understanding, the four of them dashed toward the eastern exit, leaving Kane, Skoll, and me alone with the casualty.

"There's still a window of time to transfer him to the infirmary," Kane muttered, his calculating eyes tracking the structural integrity of the crumbling hallway. The stonework actively vibrated with the sickening sound of thousands of skittering legs.

Inilabas ko ang aking panyo mula sa aking bulsa at marahan kong pinunasan ang namamasang noo ng walang malay na estudyante. "Pero hindi ba't kinubkob din ang infirmary? Ligtas ba roon?" tanong ko, namumuo ang pagdududa sa aking isipan.

Kane offered a slight, tight nod. "The medical wing already has high-tier reinforcements stationed there, remember?" he hummed, his voice low. "The alchemic defensive barriers we anchored to the foundations should hold for now. It's a safe zone. We can reinforce the perimeter wards manually once we secure him inside."

Ah, oo nga pala.

The infirmary was statistically ground zero for vulnerability during a campus crisis. Because of that reality, mga alchemists galing sa department namin had designed a comprehensive contingency plan semesters ago, weaving ancient protective wards directly into the room's architecture. Kahit gaano pa kalubha ang mga naging emergency sa akademya, that single sanctuary would always remain an unassailable fortress.

Skoll suddenly let out a low, vibrating howl.

The wolf pointed his snout toward a narrow, obscured auxiliary corridor where the concentration of spiders was significantly thinner. He was signaling a clean, uncompromised path to the medical wing.

"Nakahanap si Skoll ng blind spot!" sabi ko, may bahid ng ginhawa sa aking boses. "Good boy! Makakarating na tayo sa infirmary gamit ang mga service tunnels without pulling any aggro!"

Without exchanging another word, sinundan namin si Skoll, running as fast as our legs could carry us through the labyrinthine halls, dodging massive, monstrous arachnids that snapped our heels from the left and right.

Nang makarating kami, sinalubong kami ni Doctor Doru, kasama ang isang pangkat ng mga nurses na abala sa pag-a-administer ng mga anti-venom sa dose-dosenang mga estudyante nasugatan.

Doctor Doru took one look at our casualty and immediately intervened, insisting that his staff would handle the boy's recovery, commanding Kane and me to redirect our focus toward saving the rest of the student body.

Before leaving, hinugot ko muna ang isang volatile glass vial mula sa aking satchel, smashing it directly against the threshold of the infirmary entrance para maglabas ito ng warding poison mist. Meanwhile, Kane stood guard at my back, efficiently obliterating any incoming arachnids that tried to breach our position.

"If any of those pests try to cross this threshold, they'll choke to death on their own venom," wala sa sarili kong sambit, stepping over the charred remains of a spider.

We can't stay here to defend them manually, pero at least this alchemic barrier will buy them time.

⋆⁺｡˚⋆˙‧₊☽ ◯ ☾₊‧˙⋆˚｡⁺⋆

Minutes later, Kane and I found ourselves sprinting down a secondary cross-hallway.

Habang tumatakbo kami, napansin kong nakatitig si Kane sa labas ng naglalakihang mga bintana na nakahanay sa corridor. His brow was pulled into a deep, troubling furrow.

Dala ng aking kuryosidad, sumulyap ako sa bintana—and the air was instantly sucked from my lungs. "The Alchymia... it's in absolute shambles!"

My feet skidded to a dead halt against the stone. "H-hindi pwede..."

A violent tremor took hold of my hands. This can't be happening. This is a nightmare.

May isang napakalaking bitak sa istruktura ng Alchymia; kalahati ng mga pader ng gusali na daan-daang taon na ang tanda ay tuluyang gumuho. Thick, rolling plumes of suffocating black smoke billowed into the afternoon sky. Below, in the ruptured courtyard, dozens of witches were locked in a desperate, losing battle against a tidal wave of arachnids—and the terrifying truth was, karamihan sa mga gagamba ay lumalabas mula sa mga sirang kalaliman ng aming department building.

Saka ko lang namalayan na tuluyan akong napaluha dahil sa matinding realisasyon.

I felt a thick, comforting coat of fur press firmly against my calf. I looked down through a blurred gaze; Skoll was leaning into me, a matching, katulad ko, may suot siyang malalim na simangot sa kanyang mukha.

I squeezed my hands into tight, white-knuckled fists.

Every single vial we labored over, every rare historical scroll, every cherished academic memory... all of it was currently turning to ash and smoke right before our eyes.

Everything we meticulously built... all the innocent lives trapped inside...

An overwhelming wave of despair threatened to drop me to my knees as I watched the grand architectural history of my department continue to disintegrate into rubble.

"Cerise," Kane's voice materialized right beside my ear. Lumapit siya sa kinaroroonan ko, his presence warm and grounding. "We will rebuild it. Piece by piece."

Mabilis kong pinunasan ang mga luha sa mga mata ko gamit ang likod ng aking kamay bago tumingin sa seryoso niyang mukha.

"But standing here mourning the stonework won't alter the reality of the present," Kane continued, his voice tight with controlled emotion, though his volume remained entirely level. "We have to move."

I took one final, agonizing look at the burning building, shutting my eyes tightly to lock the grief away. Tama siya. Mourning can wait. Right now, there are still lives left to save.

Nagpakawala ako ng isang malalim na hininga at mariing tiningnan sa mata si Kane. "Alright. Let's go."

Ngunit bago pa kami makahakbang palayo sa bintana, isang nakakakilabot na hiyaw ang umalingawngaw galing sa communal hall na nasa kabilang pasilyo.

Kane and I exchanged a sharp, instantaneous look before bolting toward the source of the commotion.

"CLEAR THE HALL IMMEDIATELY!" Kane roared, his commanding voice echoing like thunder over the heads of the panicked witches scrambling inside the space.

Without a second thought, nagtakbuhan ang mga estudyante papunta sa mga emergency exits, nag-aapakan ang isa't-isa para makatakas sa napakalaking kawan ng mga higanteng gagamba na sumugod sa kanila sa loob ng bulwagan.

Oh dear, there are way—way too many of them...!

Kane clicked his tongue in deep annoyance. Bago pa man makalapit ang nangungunang hanay ng mga arachnid sa kanyang kinaroroonan, inangat niya ang kanyang baril at itinutok ang bariles nito direkta sa sahig.

In a split second, he pulled the trigger.

BOOM!

A colossal, concussive explosion rocked the chamber, clearing the entire hall in a single, devastating movement. Habang nagsisimulang maglaho ang makapal na kulay abong usok, the air hissed violently with an immense discharge of residual alchemic energy. Every single spider in the radius was instantly incapacitated, their twitching bodies sizzling with arcing currents of dark pink lightning.

That's Kane for you.

Tahimik ko siyang pinagmasdan habang nakatayo ako dito sa tabing gilid, my heart skipping a beat.

Kane's custom firearm was still actively emitting those signature, violent currents of electricity around its barrel. His weapon was lightyears away from an ordinary firearm; it was a custom-designed, highly versatile conduit engineered specifically to channel his absolute mastery over energy-based alchemy. His signature creation, aptly named Brontes, was as brilliant as it was lethal—isang imbensyon na siyang nag-conceptualize mismo and built entirely by his own hand.

Nasaksihan ko na ang paggamit niy nito sa hindi mabilang na mga operasyon, ngunit ang matinding kapangyarihan nitong mapanira ay hindi kailanman nabigong takutin ako. It discharged thunderous, specialized ammunition crackling with high-voltage fury, bawat pinakawalang bala ay tiyak na naka-calibrate upang tumugma sa kanyang eksaktong layunin sa pakikipaglaban.

Honestly... his brilliant, tactical mind and that devastating weapon were a flawless match. Almost terrifyingly perfect.

And yet, no matter how many times I watched him command a battlefield... he still managed to completely take my breath away.

"Cerise?" Binasag ng boses ni Kane ang aking mga iniisip, dahilan para bumalik ako sa realidad. "Are you still with us?"

I blinked rapidly, shaking myself out of the trance.

To my absolute mortification, napagtanto kong nakatitig si Kane ng diretso sa aking mukha, and even his wolf familiar was tilting its head at me in silent confusion.

Biglang uminit ang aking pisngi nang napagtanto kong kanina pa akong nakatulala sa kanya na parang tanga sa gitna ng giyera.

"A-ah... eh..." Nauutal kong sabi, sabay hampas sa sarili kong mga pisngi gamit ang dalawang kamay para matanggal ang pamumula. "R-right! Sorry! Lost my train of thought!"

Kane simply narrowed his eyes at me, his expression a mix of suspicion and mild amusement.

Oh dear, my brain completely fizzled out like a failed potion. Sana may magbungkal ng lupa at lamunin ako ngayon din! Kailangan kong mag-focus—FOCUS!

I heard him let out a quiet sigh bago niya ako tinalikuran at naglalakad papunta sa exit. Phew! Thank goodness he didn't press it!

We began pacing out of the ruined hall together, but our bodies instantly locked up as a horrific, structural sound echoed directly above us.

CRACK—!

Agad akong tumingala at napansin kong umindayog ang mga chandelier sa itaas na tila ay mahuhulog na ito ng wala sa oras.

"That's—"

Before my nervous system could even formulate a physical reaction, a heavy, solid weight slammed directly into my torso, throwing me backward.

"Ah—Kane?!"

I let out a sharp gasp as our bodies hit the stone floor, a torrential rain of shattering glass exploding all around us like a storm of crystal shards.

He's... he's h-holding me?!

His powerful arms were wrapped tightly around my frame, acting as a human shield to protect me from the descending, lethal chaos above.

Oh. My. Alchemy.

"Cerise, I apologize—"

"H-hindi na kailangan!" tili ko, mabilis na kumawala sa yakap niya sa mismong sandaling tumigil ang pagbagsak ng mga debris, mas nag-iinit pa ang mukha ko kaysa sa mahika ni Ashriel.

Agaran akong nilibot ang aking paningin sa espasyo. The grand chandeliers were completely destroyed, plunging the massive hall into near-total darkness. The only remaining illumination bled from the high, arched windows where the fading evening sun cast an eerie, orange glint across the fractured glass scattered over the floor like a sea of fallen stars.

"Ayos ka lang ba?" tanong ko kay Kane, bahagyang nanginginig ang aking boses.

"I'm fine," he muttered, rubbing his shoulder with a slight, involuntary wince.

I opened my mouth to offer a medical assessment, but he suddenly stood up, his posture instantly locking into a rigid, lethal combat stance. "Someone's here."

Tumayo ang mga balahibo ko sa batok. You have got to be kidding me.

I scrambled to my feet, my heart hammering against my ribs. "Kane, ano bang—"

I flinched when I heard the sharp click of that signature sound. Kane had just activated his weapon again.

I flinched as a sharp, high-frequency CLICK echoed through the dark room. Kane had activated Brontes. The firearm buzzed with a low, menacing hum as volatile arcs of pink lightning danced wildly around the barrel.

"Kane?" tawag kong muli sa kanya, dropping my voice into a cautious whisper.

Pero hindi niya ako sinagot.

Instead, his piercing, hyper-focused gaze was locked entirely onto... eh?

A completely blank, empty stone wall?

Without a shred of hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The thunderous echo of the gunshot blasted through the hall, followed by the violent hiss of alchemic energy tearing through the empty air.

"Kane! Stop!" sigaw ko, naninikip ang aking lalamunan nang hawakan ko ang braso niya. "Halos ibabagsak mo na ang buong kisame sa'tin—wala ka namang tinatamaan!"

Bumaling siya sa akin, kumunot ang kanyang noo sa matinding frustration.

"They're standing right there," he insisted, his voice low as he began charging the weapon's power cell for a secondary blast. "Standing completely still."

My confusion deepened into absolute dread.

"Ano?" Sinundan ko ang direksyong itinuturo niya, sumisilip ako sa kahit saang sulok ng hall, pero wala akong nakita kundi bakanteng espasyo. "B-but I don't see anyone—"

The words died in my throat as a sudden, suffocating pressure materialized directly above my skull.

Acting entirely on survival reflex, marahas kong itinulak si Kane palayo sabay alog ng aking pulseras upang paganahin ito. Sa isang kislap ng liwanag, the silver links twisted and expanded, agad itong nag-transform bilang isang malaki at kumikinang na ring-blade.

I hoisted the weapon above my head just in time, a deafening CLANG echoing through the chamber as I successfully parried a lethal strike descending from the darkness.

"Please," my voice trembled violently under the sheer physical weight of the downward pressure. "D-don't come any closer," I hissed through gritted teeth, sparks flying wildly as my weapon clashed against the attacker's cold steel.

Malakas ang pwersa sa likod ng kanilang pag-atake. Halos manlambot ang mga tuhod ko sa bigat nito nang mas lalong idiniin nila nang husto ang espada, attempting to crush my guard.

But I held my ground.

With a surge of adrenaline, I executed a sharp twist of my wrist, gamit ang centrifugal mechanism ng ring-blade upang ilihis at itaboy ang kanilang espada. The attacker's body sailed backward, landing with an eerie, unnatural grace at the far end of the hall—as if the kinetic force of my deflection meant absolutely nothing to them.

I stood there, chest heaving as I drew ragged breaths, my fingers tightening around the central handle of my ring-blade.

"Tch. What an exquisite coincidence," Kane muttered, his voice dropping into a dangerous, icy register. "They actually have the absolute audacity to ambush us in the middle of a campus-wide crisis."

Napadpad ang tingin ko sa taong nakatayo sa dulo ng pasilyo, natatakpan mula ulo hanggang paa ng isang itim na tela.

'We conducted an investigation regarding the three missing witches... and ended up in a massive brawl with a pack of devourers, which led to a high-speed chase after a witch cloaked entirely in black.'

A black cloak...

My eyes widened in sheer, paralyzing realization.

"The traitor..." I whispered, the words barely audible over the roaring of my own pulse.

Palipat-lipat ang tingin ko sa traydor at kay Kane. Tama nga si Kane. But why manifest now? Of all the moments they could have chosen—ngayon pa?

"Give it up," Kane announced coldly, leveling his weapon. "You're entirely outnumbered."

The traitor offered no response. Ni hindi man lang sila kumibo, nor did they show a single shred of hesitation, even as Kane's firearm clicked, entering its high-voltage charging phase.

Instead, they silently shifted their weight, raising a beautiful, crystal-red sword, pointing the tip directly at our chests.

Naningkit ang mga mata kong nakatitig sa kanyang sandata. No doubt, Alkemi ang isang 'to. Within our realm's magickal classification, most Alkemi witches were practically the only subset na nag-specialize sa physical, material weaponry during combat, hindi katulad ng ibang branches ng witchcraft.

Skoll let out a low, defensive growl, stepping protectively in front of us. I stabilized my breathing, hoisting my ring-blade back into a classic defensive guard.

The tension in the chamber thickened until the air felt like a piano wire stretched to its absolute breaking point. Napakagat ako sa pang-ibabang labi ko, kunot-noo na nakatingin sa traydor. Mukhang hindi kami makakaalis hangga't hindi namin siya napabagsak. Traydor sila sa Ashburn. At kailangan silang hulihin.

I took a deep breath and flicked my wrist, triggering the inner mechanics of my ring-blade. The circular weapon responded instantly, spinning in a slow, whirring orbit around the central handle gripped firmly in my palm. A glowing, alchemic green liquid began to pump through the transparent chambers of the blade, illuminating the steel with a sickly, iridescent light.

Tick... tick... tick...

May mahihinang ticking sounds akong narinig habang nag-iipon ng pressure ang mechanism. The moment the mechanism locked into place with a heavy click, the weapon was fully primed.

I dropped onto one knee, grounding my center of gravity as I stabilized my sightline. I aligned my trajectory, and without a fraction of warning, I pulled the trigger mechanism.

Kane's firearm discharged at the exact same millisecond.

Our respective projectiles shot forward in a flawless, synchronized arc—a dual streak of corrosive green fluid and crackling, electric pink lightning slicing through the darkness, heading dead center toward the cloaked figure.

Ngunit isang iglap bago pa man makatama ang nakamamatay na mga bala—

The traitor executed a swift, fluid snap of their heavy cloak, enveloping themselves in the fabric like a shield. Agad natunaw ang aking nakakalasong bala nang dumikit ito sa kanilang tela, and Kane's high-voltage bullet dissipated into a harmless puff of white smoke midair.

I swallowed hard, a cold sweat breaking across my forehead. Shoot! Their gear is enchanted!

Kaagad na lang sumugod si Skoll. The wolf lunged with terrifying velocity, aiming to utilize his immense physical weight to pin the attacker to the stone floor.

But the traitor possessed supernatural speed.

Mabilis siyang umikot, they avoided the trajectory and delivered a brutal, precise strike that sent poor Skoll crashing violently into the stone wall right beside us.

Hindi na ako naghintay pa. I gritted my teeth, I charged forward, throwing my entire weight into an offensive strike. Our weapons collided with a high-pitched, deafening ring of steel against steel, sending bright sparks cascading into the shadows. Diniinan ko ang aking bigat laban sa kanilang sandata, forcing them into a suffocating close-quarters lock.

I stared directly into the narrow slit of their mask, trying to pierce the darkness.

"Sino ka?!" nagdedemandang tanong ko. "Do you have any concept of the catastrophic damage you've caused?! You are actively destroying innocent lives!"

Nanatiling walang imik ang traydor.

Ngunit sa ilalim ng manipis at malinaw na itim na tela ng kanilang maskara, bigla akong nakasaksi ng isang hindi natural at kumikinang na pulang liwanag na nagmumula sa kanilang mga mata.

And within a split second—

My breath hitched. The space in front of me was entirely empty. They vanished—?!

"CERISE!" Kane's voice roared.

Before my brain could even register the warning, a devastating, high-impact kick slammed directly into my abdomen.

"ARGHHH!"

Nabitawan ko ang weapon at napalipad ako paatras. I crashed violently against a massive stone column, the impact rattling my spine before I crumpled onto the floorboards, completely gasping for oxygen.

Oh, goodness gracious! Ito ba ang ibig sabihin ni Geo noong sinabi niyang muntik nang mabali ang gulugod niya?!

Naghahabol ang aking hininga habang pilit akong tumayo at isinandal ang isang kamay sa column. I wiped a streak of blood from the corner of my lip, guarding my fractured side with my free arm.

Kane was already engaging—his movements a blur of lethal, blinding speed. He was firing Brontes repeatedly, the thunderous blasts illuminating the corridor in rapid succession.

I squinted through the smoke, my eyes widening in sheer confusion.

What on earth...?

He was discharging his weapon erratically, but his aim wasn't focused on a single point. His trajectory was completely scattered across the room—as if may tini-track siyang high-speed target na hindi ko nakikita.

The firearm discharged arc after arc of pink lightning, lighting up the stone corridor like a continuous thunderstorm.

But there was absolutely no target. He was shooting at empty air.

"Sino na naman ba ang pinapatamaan mo, Kane?" nagtatakang tanong ko.

I narrowed my eyes, shifting my analytical focus away from his targets at itinuon ang aking pansin sa kanyang mga kilos. His shots appeared random, ngunit ibang kwento ang sinasabi ng kanyang mga mata. His pupils would flick, lock onto an empty space, and immediately track to another corner—as if he were reacting to movements a fraction of a second before they occurred.

Each shot was fired as a pure, reactive reflex—not an instinctual choice. It looked exactly as though he were perceiving a physical entity that didn't actually exist in our reality...

Teka nga.

I sucked in a sharp, freezing breath, my fingers digging into the stone column.

Paano kung hindi lang sumablay ang mga atake niya? What if... ako lang ang hindi nakakita sa mismong target?

Kane let out a guttural curse, twisting his frame to discharge another high-voltage round that narrowly missed a primary structural pillar.

"Don't move!" he roared suddenly, screaming into the empty floor.

Hindi ko mapigilang manginig sa takot, na para bang nagyeyelo ang dugo sa aking katawan.

Kane's respiration was dangerously shallow. His pupils were completely dilated. Kung ibang tao ang nasa pwesto at nakasaksi sa sitwasyong ito, malamang mapagkamalan siyang baliw.

Kane's hypervigilance... I reasoned frantically. His unique psychological wiring allows him to register danger triggers, but he never guesses. He is always alert, meaning his eyes process threats instantly. But if someone or something is actively hijacking his sensory perception... he would be completely neutralized.

A terrifying alchemic theory crawled up my spine.

Hindi ito isang invisibility spell. Isa itong localized sensory misdirection—o marahil, isang naka-target na distortion field na direktang nagmamanipula sa kanyang optic nerves.

"Skoll," I whispered to the wolf recovering beside my leg. "Cover my flank."

The wolf let out a low growl of compliance. I immediately reached deep into my uniform pocket, pulling a miniature, marble-sized glass sphere out. A thick, volatile green vapor was violently swirling within its transparent shell.

"Alchemic smog bomb... high-grade... thirty-second density," bulong ko sa sarili, balancing the capsule between my fingers. "Tingnan natin kung paano ka makaka-operate kapag tuluyan na rin naming sinira ang paningin mo."

Without a second of hesitation, I hurled the sphere directly at my feet and smashed it beneath the heel of my boot.

CRACK—POOF!

A colossal, dense cloud of toxic alchemic vapor erupted instantly, flooding the structural space. Ang mahabang pasilyo ay tuluyang nilamon ng kulay berdeng hamog, na nagpapababa ng visibility sa absolute zero sa loob lamang ng ilang sandali.

I dropped into a low crouch, reclaiming my ring-blade, my heart hammering against my ribs in pure anticipation. My eyes scanned the green haze with predatory focus, searching for the slightest anomaly in the cloud—until I caught a flicker. A sudden, shifting shadow of black fabric, accompanied by the faintest metallic glint of a crimson blade slicing through the fog.

I heard the distinct sound of a suppressed cough; the attacker was reacting to the toxic compounds in my smoke.

There you are!

My ring-blade buzzed to life, the outer edges radiating a sharp green glow as I locked onto the target's coordinates. Agad kong pinindot ang pangunahing buttons ng gatilyo sa hawakan, at bigla itong nag-discharge ng isang high-velocity toxic arrow, slicing through the mist like a streak of emerald light.

But a millisecond before the projectile could find its mark, my heart dropped into the abyss. Inilagan ng traydor ang atake ko, and the shifting wind of their movement cleared the fog, revealing the true trajectory.

The target had manipulated the space.

I hadn't shot the traitor. I had shot Kane.

The toxic arrow buried itself deeply, violently into Kane's left shoulder. He dropped heavily onto one knee with a strangled, agonized grunt, Brontes clattering uselessly against the stone floor.

"K-KANE!" Sigaw ko, nabasag ang boses ko habang papalapit ako sa kanya, parang sasabog na rin ang puso ko palabas sa aking dibdib. "No, no, no—Kane, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to—!"

Hot tears instantly spilled over my cheeks.

My hands hovered frantically over his wound, my fingers trembling as I reached for the protruding arrow—then completely froze in terror.

"Don't... don't pull it out," Kane rasped, his teeth gritted in sheer agony. "Leave the arrowhead inside."

Right. Alam ko 'yon. Doctor Doru had hammered basic battlefield trauma aid into our heads. Never extract a foreign object without a coagulant ready. Oh goodness... why was my medical knowledge completely escaping me when I needed it most?!

My hands shook violently as I pulled my silk handkerchief, attempting to stanch the initial bleeding.

"H-hindi ko s-sinadya..." I pressed the fabric firmly against the edge of the puncture wound, my voice breaking into a sob. "Just breathe, Kane. Focus on your respiration. Aayusin ko ito. I promise you."

Namumutla na ang kanyang balat, a faint, sickly green luminescence threading through his veins beneath his collar—the signature hallmark of my own specialized neurotoxin.

I shut my eyes with absolute force, locking out the panic. Deep within the chambers of my consciousness, I called out a specific name.

Melusine.

My serpent familiar materialized from my shadow, her scales radiating a brilliant, pulsating pink light. Mabilis siyang gumapang sa dibdib ni Kane, rearing her head back to hiss a sharp, high-frequency sonic incantation. The atmospheric pressure in the room instantly tightened. The sickly green glow traveling beneath Kane's skin began to dull, violently receding as Melusine's restorative magick systematically counteracted the poison.

Bahagyang lumuwag nang husto ang aking pakiramdam hanggang sa tuluyang nanghihina ang aking mga tuhod, forcing me to sag against his frame.

I could feel the venom neutralizing, though his shoulder still radiated an intense, inflammatory heat. I required Melusine to maintain her magickal suppression for a few more moments before I dared execute a clean extraction of the arrow.

"Good girl," I choked out to my familiar, my voice cracking with unshed tears. "Just suppress it... just buy me enough time."

With trembling, hyper-focused fingers, I grabbed the shaft of the toxic arrow, slowly, meticulously drawing it out of his shoulder muscle. "Stay conscious, Kane. Keep your eyes on me. Just stay with me—"

"Tsk. So remarkably easy to manipulate. So incredibly eager to trust what your eyes perceive."

Napahinto ako.

Muli akong nakakaramdam ng paggalaw mula sa aking likuran kaya nilingon ko ito.

"You aren't locked in combat with me," the traitor's voice echoed through the dark hallway—a cold, low, heavily distorted cadence that made it entirely impossible to determine their true identity or gender. "You are simply locked in a losing battle with your own perception."

The rogue witch stood there, the ominous red glow of their eyes piercing through the fabric of their black mask.

My eyes widened in absolute horror as my gaze dropped to their hand. A brilliant metallic object was being casually tossed and caught in their gloved palm.

The grandis brooch.

NO!

"You—!" I roared, preparing to launch myself forward, but before my muscles could even contract, the cloaked figure vanished into thin air, kaya hindi ko na siya mahabol.

Marahas akong napabuntong-hininga, abandoning any foolish notion of a pursuit.

Lumingon ako pabalik sa lalaki na nasa aking bisig. Kane completely sagged against my torso, his breathing shallow and violently shuddering against my collarbone.

I aggressively pressed my hand over his bleeding wound. "You're going to be fine, do you hear me? Makinig ka sa boses ko..." pagsusumamo ko, a heavy, miserable scowl twisting my features as I took in his pale complexion.

Palihim akong napakuyom ng kamay.

The traitor had escaped. The critical evidence was gone. And Kane was grievously wounded because of my own hand.

I held his shivering body close against my chest with trembling hands, my eyes burning with a fresh wave of tears as a familiar, suffocating sensation filled my lungs.

Nagsisisi na ako.

And frustratingly, this emotional poison bled through my soul way faster than any toxin I had ever brewed.

A/N:
---FUNFACT: Cerise could probably chug a cup of snake venom and walk it off. But hand her a fever pill? Totally useless. Kaya madalas lang siyang umaasa sa mga herbs at, syempre, sa pink snake bestie niya, si Melusine.

That's her witching sense at work! It gives her a weird resistance to toxins, venoms, and foreign or artificial chemical agents. Her body just auto-neutralizes anything that tries to mess with her natural balance. The downside? Yun nga lang, conventional medicines don't work on her either. She can only heal through natural remedies that harmonize with her system, or through Melusine, her pink snake familiar whose healing abilities bypasses her body's defenses and blend with Cerise's magick (Thanks to their bond).

Doesn't mean she's untouchable though. Strong or insane magickal toxins can still hurt her, and her resistance doesn't protect her from plagues, curses, or other living corruptions. It just means her body handles the nasty stuff way better than most people.