A/N: Beware. Strong language. Intense emotions.

SAGE'S POV

I let out another long-suffering sigh but followed Cerise and Via anyway. A strange mixture of curiosity and lingering regret swirled deep within me.

Why the hell did I agree to this when I could have just used our dorm's balcony for moon gazing???

Pero habang papalapit ako sa venue, kusang bumagal ang aking mga hakbang. My breath hitched as the vibrant, glowing reality of the party finally opened up before my eyes.

"W-wow..." bulong ko, completely captivated by my surroundings.

The word "enchanting" didn't even begin to cover it. This was something ripped straight out of a dream—far more magickal than my cynical mind had ever dared to imagine.

Towering canopies of ancient purple trees stretched high above, their interlocking branches weaving together to form a massive, living dome. From the boughs, delicate crystal-like ornaments dangled, catching the ambient light and scattering tiny, fleeting fractures of rainbow light across the mossy ground. Actual fairy lights—not some cheap magickal imitations, but real, living embers—coiled around the rough bark, glowing softly in shifting hues of lavender and gold.

Right between the dense canopy of leaves, a perfect, natural gap framed the crescent moon, casting its cool, silvery light directly onto the party below. Halos ramdam ko ang kuryenteng sigla na umuugong sa hangin. May naamoy din akong halimuyak ng mga bulaklak, at nakikita kong karamihan sa mga witches ay nagkukumpulan, nagtatawanan, sumasayaw sa malawak na dance floor.

I had never attended a party before, let alone one like this.

For a moment, I completely lost myself, staring wide-eyed at the ethereal display. Hindi ko alam kung saan ako unang titingin—kung sa kumikislap na mga ilaw, sa mga mists na sumasayaw sa ere o sa mismong buwan na tila direktang nakatitig sa amin.

"Sythria!"

Nabalik ako sa realidad nang hilahin ako ni Via papunta sa isang malaking rectangular banquet table na punong-puno ng mga eccentric foods. A crowd of students had already gathered around it, eagerly sampling the spread.

There were fluffy cupcakes with frosting piled high and dusted with edible glitter, some even topped with miniature candied flowers that looked far too perfect to eat. Alongside them lay platters of meticulously decorated biscuits shaped like stars, moons, and tiny animals. Alam kong may mahika na ginamit sa pagluluto ng mga ito. The rich, sweet aroma immediately cut through my foul mood, kaya ang inis ko ay napalitan ng matinding kuryosidad kung ano ang lasa ng mga ito.

I suddenly found myself internally thanking the fact that I had joined Via at the table without hesitation. As a Noxis student, it seemed like no one was particularly interested in looking my way. Either they genuinely didn't care about a gloomy girl lingering on the sidelines, or they were simply too entirely consumed by the party to notice.

Either way, it suited me just fine. At least hindi ako ang sentro ng atensyon ngayong gabi.

Kumuha ako ng isang moon-shaped biscuit at kinagat ito, letting the unexpected magick of the night wash over me, if only for a brief moment.

Thank the moon for small mercies.

"What kind of witch is always hungry for bread?" Via asked casually, an amused glint dancing in her eyes.

"What kind?" Cerise asked back, forcing a polite smile just to humor her.

"A sound witch!" Via grinned proudly, as if unveiling a profound secret of the universe. "Kasi nagc-crave ako ng sandwich!" Kumuha siya ng isang very eccentric-looking sandwich sa galing sa handaan.

I deadpanned.

The sandwich she had taken was filled with bright strawberry jam, aggressively loaded with edible glitter and an absurd amount of sparkles oozing from the filling.

"Ewan ko sayo," I replied bluntly, completely refusing to validate the joke.

Cerise stifled a laugh behind her hand. "Well, at least it's... creative?"

Malakas na humahalakhak si Via, clearly thoroughly amused by her own puns. "Come on, that was genius! Sound witch! Sandwich! I'm brilliant!"

I stared at her blankly, slowly chewing my biscuit. "Gutom lang 'yan."

Cerise laughed softly. "It does suit you," she added, watching Via happily munch away on her sparkling snack.

"See? Gets naman ni Cerise eh!" Via beamed with pride. "These sandwiches are top-tier! And so are my jokes!"

Kusang napasinghap si Cerise nang may namataan siya sa may dulo ng table.

"May mga fortune cookies pala dito?!" she exclaimed, pointing toward a section of the table overflowing with colorful cookies covered in—I sighed.

More sprinkles. Of course.

Kaagad kaming nagtungo roon. Cerise grabbed a cookie first and cracked it open. A look of pure awe washed over her face, suggesting she was highly satisfied with whatever message she had received.

"Oh, those—" Via interrupted, her mouth still half-full. "OH MY GEMS! These cookies are glittering!" Her eyes sparkled in recognition as she snatched another cookie and cracked it open. Her smile widened the moment she read the edible paper hidden inside.

Muli na naman akong napabuntonghininga at nilapitan ang mga fortune cookies.I picked one up, but because the shell was so incredibly thin, it accidentally cracked right between my fingers. My eyes immediately drifted to the center, pulling out a small strip of edible paper. It read:

'The stars say... stop overthinking. (They're tired of your questions.)'

WHAT? Kunot-noo ko itong binasa ng paulit-ulit. The more I stared at it, the more annoyed I became.

Walang pasabi kong nilukot agad ang edible paper at akmang itatapon ko sana ito sa lupa nang biglang hinablot ni Via ang kamay ko.

"Nooo! 'Wag mong itapon 'yan! That's edible!" Via whined, twisting the message and the broken cookie away from my grip. "You don't like the message?"

"The cookie didn't like me." I pouted without realizing it, shooting a lethal glare at the pastry remains.

Akala ko ba fortune cookies ang tawag dito? Bakit MALAS ang nakuha kong mensahe???

"Pfft—" Via snorted loudly the moment her eyes scanned the paper.

Mabilis ko siyang sinulyapan at sumingkit ang aking mga mata. "What's so funny?"

Via burst into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, nearly doubling over. "Oh, Adi really outdid herself this time!" Her face flushed slightly as she wiped away a stray tear.

Napakurap ako. "...Adi?"

"You know, si Audra! Siya ang nag-bake nitong mga fortune cookies! The irony! Someone whose forte is white magick—and by extension, fortune-telling—putting these kinds of roasts into her cookies? Genius!" she giggled.

"She bakes these???" My glare sharpened significantly. "You're telling me she did this... on purpose?"

"Teka, Via, paano mo nalaman na si Audra ang gumawa nito? At bakit Adi—"

Via froze instantly at Cerise's question, caught completely off-guard. "Oh."

Cerise blinked in confusion for a split second, until realization suddenly hit her like a truck. Her eyes widened, and she immediately slapped both hands over her bright red face. "OH...! Um—sorry! I didn't mean to bring that up..."

Nagpapalit-palit ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa, ewan ko pero naguguluhan talaga ako. "I don't get it."

"O-okay lang, Ci." Via, now sweating profusely, patted Cerise's shoulder before clearing her throat dramatically. "Well, from what I've heard, Audra—our oh-so-perfect Student President—organized this party. So I just figured these cookies were part of her contribution?"

Oh I get it now. This good luck party was meant to help students de-stress before exams and distract everyone from the incident that happened weeks ago. I suppose fortune cookies were supposed to make people smile...

But why the hell was my cookie message the absolute worst?!

"Oh," Via suddenly straightened up, her gaze shifting toward the entrance of the venue. "Speak of the devil."

Four girls strode into the party, their presence instantly demanding the room's attention. All eyes followed them as they made their entrance, a low wave of whispers buzzing softly through the crowd.

As usual, Audra led the way, her light pink cocktail dress shimmering brilliantly under the magickal lights. Her blonde hair fell in a perfectly straight, flawless sheet, framing sharp blue-gold eyes with an effortless, aristocratic elegance.

Following closely behind were her friends: Ivory, cool and composed as always, exuded an icy grace in a structured navy blue dress, her light-blue hair swept into a sleek, high ponytail. Literal na bumagay sakanya ang definition ng ice queen sa sandaling pumasok siya dito sa loob. Beside her was Damona, bold and striking in a form-fitting red dress that perfectly matched her fiery ginger hair and bright red-purple eyes.

And lastly—hindi ko inaasahan na makita si Vanya kasama nila ngayon—she wore a bright yellow sundress that perfectly complemented her usual childish charm.

Pero hindi ang damit niya ang nakakuha ng atensyon ko. Sa isang kisapmata, nahagilap ng paningin ko ang isang itim na mist na umaaligid sa kanyang paanan bago ito biglang naglaho. Teka. Isang glitch ba 'yun sa paningin ko? A trick of the flashing neon lights?

What actually concerned me was how Vanya maintained a flawless, sunny smile on her face, kahit na batid ko ang naglulutangang bagyo sa likod ng kanyang inosenteng kinikilos.

"They're still the DIVAS we know," Cerise murmured, a faint smile on her lips as her gaze lingered on the group. "Even after all these years."

Via raised an eyebrow, leaning back against the banquet table as she watched them. "Yes... yes, they are."

Hindi ko mapigilang nagpapalit-palit ang tingin ko sa kanilang dalawa, my mind frantically scrambling to decode the label. DIVAS? I knew Audra and her clique went by that name around the academy, but what was the actual meaning behind it?

Then, the pieces clicked. Oh... It must be an acronym. D for Damona, I for Ivory, V for Vanya, A for Audra... and then S—wait. S? An extra letter para lang maging plural?

"Were they always like this?" I couldn't stop myself from asking.

"Hm?" Via perked up, blinking at my sudden question.

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, trying to sound completely casual. "I mean... over the years, have they always been this close? Like—" huminto ako, the word feeling heavy and foreign on my tongue. "—friends?"

Via glanced at me, a soft, knowing chuckle escaping her lips as she registered my genuine confusion. Bumalik ang kanyang tingin sa DIVAS, isang mapait na ngiti ang gumuhit sa kanyang mukha.

"Oh, they are." Her eyes softened. "I have to admit, their bond is incredibly strong. Kahit na..." She trailed off, her eyes dropping to the mossy ground for a quiet second before she forced herself to continue. "...Kahit wala na si Seilah."

Seilah? Who the hell is that?

"Knowing Seilah, I'm not surprised," Cerise added softly, turning her eyes to Via. "Siguro 'yun ang huling hiling niya, ano? Na kahit anong mangyari, they would all stay together. Audra and the rest of their friends... they really looked up to her."

I tilted my head slightly, looking up toward the natural, living ceiling of the canopy.

Whoever Seilah was, she must have been the center of their universe.

"Yeah, I can easily imagine her saying that to them," Via said, a sad smile playing on her lips.

Cerise offered a sympathetic smile in return. "Especially to her twin sister—Damona."

Huh. Seilah was Damona's twin? That explains the 'S'.

"I remember how identical they were physically, yet they couldn't have been more different. Seilah was like their... their anchor. The sanest one among them." Marahang natawa si Via. "Sa totoo lang, siya lang talaga ang mabait sa kanilang magkakaibigan eh."

Tumango naman si Cerise, puno ng damdamin ang kanyang boses. "Parang kahit wala na si Seilah, she's still with them... in some way."

I narrowed my eyes, re-evaluating the DIVAS across the room. Their perfectly curated, flawless appearances suddenly seemed laced with an unspoken, suffocating weight. The murmurs around the banquet hall grew louder, closing in on me as the heavy reality of their history settled into my mind.

"Are the witches enjoying their night so far?" Audra's voice suddenly resonated through the air, clear, welcoming, and perfectly projected. She stepped gracefully onto the low wooden platform, her slim silhouette illuminated by the soft magickal glow of the stage. Holding a microphone, she surveyed the crowded clearing with a confident, unexpectedly warm smile.

Agad na nagpakawala ng isang nakakabinging hiyawan ang audience. Naramdaman kong umuuga ang lupa sa ilalim ng aking mga paa, and I winced, instinctively clamping my hands tightly over my ears to block out the sheer volume of the noise.

"Alright! Alright!" Audra laughed, her voice carrying beautifully over the applause. "I love the energy! I really do." She paused dramatically, her tone shifting to something playful yet utterly captivating. "Tonight, my fellow witches, our magick is just getting started."

The crowd roared again, anticipation bubbling over.

Bahagyang lumapit si Via para bumulong sa aking tenga. "Ano na naman kaya ang pasabog niya?"

I simply shrugged in response.

"Before we take this party to the next level, I want to take a quick moment to say a few words," Audra continued, pausing to let the room settle into a quieter, curious hum. "...First, a massive thank you to every single one of you for being here tonight. Whether you're here to dance, mingle, or just soak in the magick... you are the ones who make this night unforgettable."

Is it just me, or is she aggressively over-exaggerating all of this?

"And I truly hope this party hypes up your morale for the upcoming exams!"

Another raucous cheer erupted from the crowd.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I was already completely fed up with the atmosphere, kaya useless itong "morale-boosting" purpose ng party sa'kin.

"And..." Audra gestured subtly toward the WICCA Student Council members standing near the stage. "...Of course! A massive shoutout to the incredible team behind this event. Each and every one of them poured their magick, creativity, and heart into tonight."

The crowd clapped enthusiastically as Audra flashed a knowing, triumphant smile and took a half-step back. Her voice dropped into a lower, conspiratorial purr. "But enough talking. You didn't come here to listen to me ramble, did you?"

A wave of laughter and playful shouts of "No!" rippled through the clearing.

"Exactly! So let's bring this place to life, shall we?"

Audra raised her hand, and with a swift, elegant flick of her wrist, the entire venue transformed. The once-muted crystals lining the forest pathway burst into brilliant, pulsing neon lights, casting a dazzling glow across the clearing. Even the floor, etched with intricate patterns of mystical graffiti, began to radiate a vibrant, glowing energy.

Samut-saring mga reaksyon ang pinakawalan naming lahat. Gasps and cheers erupted through the crowd as the magick unfolded.

"Oh, but we're not done yet!" Audra grinned, the very air shifting around us.

As if on cue, Damona stepped forward into the center of the clearing. With a fluid, graceful sweep of her arm, dozens of ethereal butterflies materialized into existence. Their delicate wings shimmered with iridescent light as they fluttered through the air, weaving seamlessly through the glowing flowers and ancient trees.

Mabilis akong napakisap ng mga mata at namangha na rin ako sa nakita. How the hell did she summon those butterflies? Parang hindi naman sila mukhang totoo... or was my mind just playing tricks on me?

"You didn't think I'd let our dearest Miss President steal the entire spotlight, did you?" Damona called out.

The crowd burst into laughter and applause as the live band picked up again, a fast, lively tune filling the night air.

I exhaled a heavy sigh for what felt like the hundredth time tonight.

Ang ingay. Ang daming tao. All these flashing lights, the thumping bass, the incessant, chaotic movement... it was entirely outside my comfort zone, and it was rapidly becoming unbearable.

So, I retreated to the absolute sidelines. Crossing my arms tight against my chest, I watched the crowd move like turbulent waves under the colored lights. My eyes scanned the clearing, flitting from one group to another. Since wala na akong ibang mapupuntahan o magagawa dito, napagdesisyunan ko na lang maging wannabe supervisor ng lahat.

Great.

Feeling completely overwhelmed by the intense social energy, napagdesisyunan ko na ring lumayo, cutting through clusters of witches chatting loudly nearby. Via was out there somewhere, likely living her absolute best life as a social butterfly, habang nakita ko si Cerise na nagtatawanan sa cocktail table kasama ang mga kapwa niya kaklase sa alchemy.

As I made my way toward the edge of the crowd, hindi sinasadyang napadpad ang aking mga mata sa isang mas tahimik na mesa na nakatago sa isang malamlam na area. A small group of witches was gathered there, intensely focused on a tense card game.

To my surprise, Geo was among them, along with Kane and a few others... but what made my stomach instantly drop was the figure lounging carelessly in the center of the couch.

Oh, great. Fantastic. It was Ashriel. He was sitting there like he owned the damn place—cards fanned lazily in one hand, his elbows resting casually on his knees. A sharp, effortless grin cut across his face as he leaned forward to say something to the guys.

At ilang sandali pa lamang—

He casually lifted his gaze.

...right in my direction.

My traitorous heartbeat completely betrayed me—skipping, tripping over itself or siguro nagpe-perform ng isang buong Olympic backflip. And of course, because the universe actively hates my guts...

He smirked.

Lalong lumawak ang kanyang ngisi nang magtama ang aming mga mata. It was that slow, knowing, utterly infuriating look—like he knew exactly how long I'd been watching him from across the room.

I felt a sudden, aggressive heat rush straight to my face, na para bang direkta akong itinapon sa impyerno.

I did not just blush. That's stupid.

Instantly, my cold, deadpan exterior snapped right back into place.

Rolling my eyes dramatically, I spun on my heel at nag-walk-out ako agad, treating him like nothing more than a particularly annoying, insignificant mosquito.

"Problema 'nun?" naiinis kong bulong sa sarili habang nagmamadaling hinahanap ang exit ng venue.

You know what? Uuwi na nga lang ako.

The moment I finally stepped outside the perimeter of the venue, my footsteps fell light and quiet against the cool stone path. The crisp, biting night air greeted me like a relief. Above, the crescent moon hung radiant, large, and perfectly still, as though it had been patiently waiting for my arrival.

"Ah, ikaw nga pala," mahinang sambit ko rito. I felt a rare wave of calm swell in my chest as I gazed deeply into the silver light. For a brief, fleeting moment, the world felt entirely quiet.

But the universe, true to form, refused to let it last.

A sharp, strained noise echoed from a short distance down the path.

Naniningkit ang aking mga mata nang sinusubukan kong titigan ng maayos ang sa may gitna ng makakapal na anino ng daanan sa kagubatan.

It looked like two figures engaged in a heated argument... but wait. Is that—?

Kaagad akong nagtago sa pinakamalapit na puno upang silipan sila. Nahagilap ng paningin ko sila Audra, na marahas nitong hinihila-hila si Vanya sa braso.

"A-audra naman, ih!" Vanya's voice trembled, laced with a raw, desperate edge. "This is not the time to talk about—"

Audra cut her off, her tone sharp as broken glass. "Oh, it is definitely the perfect time, Vanya." Her grip tightened visibly on Vanya's forearm, her voice dropping into a dangerously low register—like a thunderstorm brewing just beneath a calm horizon.

"B-bakit baaaa?!" Vanya cried out, her attempts to yank herself away entirely futile against Audra's unyielding, iron grip. "Bitawan mo nga ako—"

Audra's eyes narrowed into lethal slits, her voice turning colder than the freezing night air. "Not until you stop acting completely clueless and tell me the truth."

"There is nothing!" Vanya countered defensively, lumakas ang kanyang boses. "Wala nga akong alam sa nangyari—"

"Oh, really?" Audra let out a bitter, mocking smirk, her words biting. "Haven't you been desperately searching for that specific plant for weeks? Don't tell me you magickally forgot about it."

Vanya's eyes widened, a sudden wave of pure panic flashing across her features. "Oo, p-pero—pero wala talaga akong kinalaman sa nangyari! I swear... I swear on my blood!"

Humigpit ang kapit ko sa balat ng puno, halos ang mga kuko ko ay bumaon nang malalim sa kahoy. What the hell are they talking about? Hindi pa nga ako nakarecover sa tindi ng energy ng party, tapos ngayon nasaksihan ko pa talaga 'to?

Audra's gaze remained sharp as a blade. "And you eventually found the plant, didn't you? But what's worse... you hid it."

Dahan-dahang tumango si Vanya, her hands visibly trembling in the moonlight.

"Then you know exactly how dangerous that thing is, right?"

Vanya's sudden silence only seemed to fuel Audra's mounting frustration.

"Tch." Audra shook her head, her jaw clenching tightly. "You hid something so sinister right under my nose. How cunning of you."

"Y-you know m-me... I had my r-reasons—"

Audra let out a loud, harsh, bitter laugh, cutting her friend off entirely. "Reasons? Really? That thing you've been obsessing over—you kept it just for some foolish, trivial collection! We both know damn well that plant is the likely cause of that FUCKING CATASTROPHE!"

Kahit malayo ang distansya ko sa kanila, napaigtad pa rin ako dahil sa tindi ng boses ni Audra.

"That plant wouldn't have just vanished out of thin air when no one else could even track it down. But YOU—you're the only person I know who would want to keep something so ridiculously dangerous!"

Vanya finally spoke again, her voice cracking under the pressure. "I may have kept it b-because... because I thought it was safer if it was near me," she faltered, a profound guilt pooling in her eyes. "But I didn't know it would just disappear—all of a sudden, right when—"

"You know what?" Audra cut her off, her expression turning grim and hollow. "My mother explicitly warned me about the dark possibilities behind that incident. The Consilium is already growing suspicious about what's happening. If they find out we are even remotely involved in this—"

Vanya shook her head desperately, trembling from head to toe. "I swear—I really swear on my blood!" her voice wavered, her eyes casting downward. "I never meant for any of this to happen! I just wanted to—" nabasag ang kanyang boses at iniwasan niya ang matalim na tingin na ipinukol sa kanya ni Audra.

"I—I may have kept it—" Vanya whispered hoarsely, "—but it wasn't me who unleashed it!"

Audra repeatedly clicked her tongue in disgust. "This isn't the first time, Vanya. Apart from being the root cause of that freaking plant chaos, you might have been heavily involved with that other girl's case, too."

Vanya opened her mouth to defend herself, but no words came out. She just stared miserably at the ground, guilt and paralyzing fear etched deep into her face.

"MY GODS." Audra gripped her silky blonde hair exasperatedly, looking entirely pushed to her limit. "Because of your sheer recklessness, we almost got dragged down into this entire mess! And because of YOU—YOU ARE STAINING MY HARD-EARNED REPUTATION!"

Grabeng away 'to ah. Akala ko ba magkakaibigan ang dalawang 'to?

The tension vibrating between them was palpable... lalong-lalo na nung na-mention ang Consilium, a violent chill shot straight down my spine. Ramdam na ramdam ko ang bigat ng mga sikretong kanilang tinatago.

Aalis na sana ako mula sa aking pinagtataguan nang bigla kong nararamdaman ang paninindig ng mga balahibo ko sa batok.

"It's rude to eavesdrop on someone else's conversation, you know."

I flinched.

Slowly, I turned around, only to meet a terrifyingly familiar, entirely aloof face staring right back at me.

I swallowed hard, my throat completely dry.

"I-Ivory..."

A/N: Vanya's character visual reference.