Tale 9

Gold and Silver

~Charm~

Natapos ang mga klase ko this week like a blur..

Wala namang binanggit na kahit ano si Prof Lamara about sakin nung nakaraan.. Wala pa ring nakakaalam kung sino ba talaga ako...

And today is Sunday.. Naglalakad ako patungo sa front gate ng school ngayon. May usapan kami ni Colby na bibisitahin namin ngayong araw si mommy sa ospital..

I just had a phone call with Aliya earlier this morning. And she's furious that I haven't contacted her for so long. I understand how she feels. It was just a week. But it do feels like a long time. I actually miss Aliya.. I want to visit her sometime. But I know that's not possible at the moment. Im being targeted by Travelers. And the magic to cross dimensions is too powerful, and it's restricted by law.. -.-

The chilly feeling never goes away. Most of the time, I felt like I'm being watched. Mom once told me that mages can somehow sense danger.. It's part of our natural ability.. But I'm not sure if Im just being too paranoid, I mean this is Aurum Magique University. A school for mages. Who in their right mind would try to infiltrate it?? Right?? So yeah, maybe Im just being too paranoid. I know I'm being targeted so I have to be careful, but I must remain calm and trust my brother Colby and Headmaster Fridd..

And speaking of Colby, natatanaw ko na syang naghihintay sakin sa labas ng gate ng school.. I smiled when our gazes met and he simply nod..

May mangilan-ngilan na estudyante na naglalakad din patungo sa labas ng aming paaralan, marahil ay may kanya-kanya rin silang mga planong puntahan sa labas ng unibersidad..

Agad akong napalingon nung maramdaman kong tila may nanonood sa mga kilos ko..

May ilang estudyante na naglalakad sa aking likuran subalit masyado silang abala sa sarili nilang mga mundo, ni hindi sila nag-abalang tapunan ako ng tingin noong huminto ako sa paglalakad..

Imahinasyon ko lang ba yun???

"Charm may problema ba??" seryosong tanong sakin ni Colby noong makalapit ako sa kanya.. Masyado yatang bakas sa muka ko ang pangamba na nararamdaman ko kanina pati na rin nitong mga nakaraang araw dahil nakita ko ang pag-aalala sa mga mata ni Cobalt.. Ngayon ko lang ulit yun nakita.

"Wala naman. Pagod lang siguro ako.." sagot ko and I force a smile

Kumunot lamang ang noo nya pero wala na syang sinabing ano pa man..

Naglakad kami ni Cobalt patungo sa isang nakaparadang isang kalesa.. Kaninong kalesa ito???

"Sir Clifford probably sent this for you." Saad ni Cobalt nung makita ang pagtataka sa muka ko

Napabuntong hininga ako..

Nakalimutan ko palang sabihin.. Ang aking Lolo ay ang dating Duke ng bayan na ito bago nya ipasa ang tungkuling iyun sa ama nina Arren at Kuya Grey after my father passed away when I was four..

Gayunpaman, hindi ako malapit sa aking lolo. Masyado syang estrikto.. Ramdam ko rin na hindi nya gusto si Mama para kay Dad. At maging kay Colby ay mahahalata mo ang kanyang pagkadisgusto..

"Colby hindi naman malayo ang ospital. Tsaka paano nalaman ni Lolo ang plano natin ngayong araw??" saad at tanong ko

"Humingi ako ng permiso kay Headmaster Fridd na hayaan tayong pumunta sa ospital ngayong araw.. At tungkulin nya na ipagbigay alam kay Sir Clifford ang bagay na yon.." sagot nya na hindi nagbabago ang seryosong muka..

Ang tanging pagkakapareho lamang namin ni Cobalt ay ang pagiging seryoso at distant sa mga taong nakapaligid saamin. Pero alam at ramdan kong mas malala sya sakin..

"Maglakad na lang tayo.." nakasimangot kong saad at tumango naman sya bilang pagsang-ayon..

"Miss Charmaine." Magalang na tawag sakin ng driver ng kalesa at pinagbusan kami ng pinto noong dumaan kami sa tapat ng kalesa na ipinadala ni lolo..

Marahan akong umiling at tila agad nya itong naunawaan.. Sanay na ang mga tagasunod ni Lolo sa akin. Normal na lamang sa kanila ang pagtanggi ko sa mga ibinibigay saakin ni Lolo... Tila nagpapadala lamang si Lolo ng mga ganitong tulong for formalities, because he knew that I would rarely accept them..

"Mr. Vinstone please tell my grandfather that I said hi.." simply kong saad at nilampasan na ang medyo may edad na driver na ipinadala ni Lolo matapos nitong tumango saakin bilang tugon..

Napansin kong may mangilan-ngilang estudyante ang may sumundong mga kalesa, pero karamihan sa kanila ay naglalakad lamang palayo sa paaralan tulad namin ngayon ni Cobalt..

Naisipan naming dumaan sa isang flower shop para ibili si Mama ng mga sariwang bulaklak.. Isang buong linggo din namin syang hindi nabisita kaya gusto kong mapalitan ang naka-display na bulaklak sa silid nya sa ospital...

"Colby tingin mo kailan kaya magigising si Mama..?" tanong ko, it was just a random question, we both know that Mom is in a coma state, but I still want to hear his thoughts about the matter..

"I don't know. But she's the strongest person I know, so she will probably wake up sooner or later. She's the Witch of Carnage after all." Seryoso nyang sagot, ni hindi nya ko tinapunan ng tingin. Nakatingin lamang sya sa daan.

I smiled kahit pa hindi nya naman nakikita.. "Yeah. She's strong." Pagsang-ayon ko..

Napahinto ako sa paglalakad nung maramdamang may nagmamasid sa amin.

"Charm keep moving." Utos ni Colby

"Pero Colby just now, I think I felt something.." mahina kong saad, iniiwasang may ibang makarinig sa mga salitang kumawala sa labi ko..

"I know. Someone is following us.." mahina nyang tugon kaya bigla akong kinabahan matapos nyang kumpirmahin ang nararamdaman ko..

Ipinagpatuloy namin ang paglalakad..

"Do you think they're dangerous??" tanong ko trying not to be obvious that I know we were being followed.

"I don't know. But just to be safe, I need to check it out." Sagot nya na nakatingin pa rin sa daan.. His words caught my attention. What does he mean by he's gonna check it out??

"Pagliko natin sa susunod na eskinita, cloak yourself and wait for me in a safe spot.." mahina nyang saad na sumagot sa katanungan sa isipan ko..

"What?? Are you crazy? What if it's a Traveller??" tugon ko, and I think worry is written all over my face.

"Don't worry about me and just do it.." tugon nya in a manner that even I cannot disobey..

Wala na lang akong nasabi.. Colby is always the gentle brother. But I cannot disobey him when he is deadly serious, like now..

Kaya naman pagliko namin sa sunod na eskinita, agad kong binalot ang aking sarili sa invisibility cloak ko.. This place is void of people, which is a good thing because after I vanished in Cobalt's eyes, he swiftly and gracefully climb the nearest wall of a closed coffee shop, settled himself on the roof behind the huge signage that completely hides him from sight and waited there to ambush whoever it is that's following us..

I choose to distant myself a little from that place, just in case Cobalt snap and turns into a scary assassin.. As his sister, I know exactly how scary he can be.. Cobalt cannot use magic, but he can do things that are even deadlier than magic..

I made sure that I'm distant enough so I wont get caught to whatever Cobalt is planning, but close enough to help him if he's in a disadvantage..

What happened next is completely unexpected.

Because instead of Travellers, Flay, Roma and Javen appeared.. They hid behind the tables of the closed coffee shop, just below where Cobalt is..

Wait?? Sila ba ang sumusunod samin?? I though may kanya-kanya silang plano ngayong araw?? Bakit sila nasa labas ng school??

"Nasaan na sila?? I'm pretty sure dito ko sila nakitang lumiko kanina.." dinig kong bulong ni Flay dun sa dalawa noong papalapit na ako sa kanila

Roma simply shrug, while Javen answered her with a confuse look..

Nasa likod na nila ko pero hindi pa nila ko napapansin, thanks to my invisibility cloak..

Should I reveal myself??

"Maybe they were already gone..? Ang bagal kasi nating kumilos." Saad ni Javen

"Eh kasi naman baka mapansin nila tayo kapag sobrang malapit tayo sa kanila.." depensa ni Flay

I choose not to. Not yet. I need to find out first what they want. I need a reason as to why are they following me..

"Maybe they already found out that they were being followed..?" saad ni Roma

"How can you say that??" react ni Flay

"She's with Cobalt Lockwood. He's a dangerous assassin." Sagot ni Roma

"He's the rumored adopted child of the Witch of Carnage.." dagdag ni Javen

"I know that. Kaya nga tayo nandito diba? We need to know why Charm is with him. She's a transferee. She don't know who's who. If he's dangerous she could be in danger right now.." saad ni Flay

Natigilan ako..

This three. They are so worried about me that I wanna give them a hug right now.. But I don't want them to know about my relation with Colby. I'm not yet ready to reveal my identity to anyone. I'm aware that I can trust them. But it's not yet the time.. I'm not yet ready..

All of a sudden cobalt appeared.. Surprise, Flay, Jaden and Roma suddenly back away..

Napa-facepalm ako.. This is not good.

"C-Cobalt Lockwood.." sambit ni Javen

"If I'm not mistaken, you three are witches in training in my school. Why are you following me??" –Cobalt with his usual serious face

Natahimik silang tatlo..

Alam kong narinig din ni Cobalt ang convo nina Flay kanina.. May ideya na syang kilala ako ng tatlong toh.. Maybe he's just making sure that they mean no harm in their suspicious acts (following us like spies in a movie).

"Nasaan si Charm??" tanong ni Flay, acting brave all of a sudden

Hindi sumagot si Cobalt..

I'm sure lalo lang syang pinagdududahan ng tatlong toh..

I tiptoed patungo kay Cobalt.. Naramdaman nya ang paglapit ko kahit pa I'm cloaked dahil bigla syang lumingon sa direksyon ko...

"They're my friends." Bulong ko

Akala ko hindi ako narinig ni Cobalt dahil sa sobrang hina ng boses ko.. But the next words that escape his lips assured me that he heard me..

"If you're talking about the girl with the electric blue eyes, she already left." Saad nya, as if hindi nya ko kilala

"You don't personally know her??" tanong ni Roma

"No." simpleng sagot ni Cobalt

"Pero nakita ka namin kanina.. bumili ka ng bulaklak at ibinigay mo yun sa kanya..? Sigurado ka bang hindi mo sya kilala?? You're not romantically connected?" tanong ni Flay at halos mapaubo ako sa tanong nya

Kami ni Colby?? No way! He's my brother!! I want to protests, but I remained silent.

Walang mababakas na emosyon sa muka ni Cobalt.. "She said she's new here. She asked for directions. So I accompany her to that flower shop. Are you her friends??" casual na tanong ni Colby

"Yes. Where is she now??" nagdududang tanong ni Flay

"I don't know. If you don't trust me that's not my problem anymore." Sagot nya at tinalikuran na yung tatlo.. Ang cold nya talaga -__-

"Wait! What if you did something to her??" pigil ni Flay kay Cobalt nung akmang aalis na ito

"If I did something, then you are free to turn me in. Headmaster Fridd is always ready to listen to his students. Excuse me, I need to meet up with my sister somewhere." Walang ganang sagot ni Cobalt at tuluyan nang umalis..

"Can we trust him??" Flay asked

"He's hiding something.. But I don't think he's a bad person.." saad ni Roma

"Fine, just to be sure let's see where he's heading then we'll decide what to do next after that.." suggest ni Flay

Nagkatinginan sina Javen at Roma.. And then they both nod..

Napabuntong hininga ako..

I guess I have to meet up with Cobalt secretly later..

And I think I have to explain to this three everything sooner or later.. I know I can trust them. But whether or not they will end up hating me, or get frightened with my true identity or end up accepting me, I guess that's for me to find out.. I just need more time to gather more courage..

Napangiti ako ng mapakla.. I just realized how coward I'am.. All my life I thought I was just really an introvert and an anti-social that's why I hate too much attention. I hate it when people expect something from me and then ends up disappointed.. I thought I was just born with an aloof personality..Maybe it's not that. Maybe I'm just a coward. A coward who tries to find excuses for my incompetence.

I silently followed Flay, Roma and Jaden as they attempt to secretly follow Cobalt..

I'm a few feet away from this three...

I stop on my track when something caught my attention..

In a corner of a small shop I saw something..

There is a glimpse of light. It was orange. And it emits a familiar energy. But it instantly vanished.. What was that??

Arren's face suddenly pops in my head.

Did I just felt Arren's magic??

No. That's impossible.

Mukang ako lang din ang nakapansin nun dahil patuloy lang na naglalakad si Flay kasunod sina Javen at Roma..

Mula rito ay natatanaw ko na ang ospital.. Mabagal na naglalakad si Cobalt and I'm just a few miles away from him..

Unable to resist my curiousity, naglakad ako papasok sa eskinita para tingnan kung ano yung liwanag na nakita ko kanina..

It was stupid. But I have to find out. I need to find out..

And then I saw it again. That light. It came from a fire.

Fire magic.

Still invisible I went closer.

A tall guy have his back against me. He's facing several goon-looking man..

Fire emerged from the hands of the guy.

Arren.

In an instant, fire exploded and I had to shield myself with ice magic to protect myself from the heat..

I caught a glimpse of the guy's face. Eyes of God shone out on his face. His left eye was glowing white gray, almost silver in its color, while the right one caught my attention. It was the shade of an Angel's halo, such a bright gold.

I was too mesmerized with his beauty so it was too late when I realized that he saw the magic that I just casted. Ice magic is rare. And I noticed that it caught his attention..

Shocks.

I decided to run away just in case he's dangerous.

But who is he???

I run from that place until I reached the hospital.

I saw Cobalt entered the elevator and I followed him.

Alone with Cobalt inside the elevator, I removed my invisibility cloak.

A reflection of a girl with an electric blue eyes look back at me in the mirrors surrounding the elevator walls..

Cobalt didn't look surprise. He's expecting me. But he gave me a worried look after seeing the look on my face..

I look terrified.

The image of the guy I saw ealier won't go away..

The fire in his hands are angry and wild.

He's not Arren..

His eyes reminded me of someone.

The stranger in my dreams.

A handsome young man with a pair of mismatched eyes.

One silver, one gold.

'You are the girl favored by the universe. You must vanish.' are his words

And he's not just in my dreams anymore.

And that realization terrifies me to the bones.

~~~~~~~~~~~~