I don't know why, but I just woke up at 3:30 in the morning. Even though I fell asleep at eleven o'clock, I still woke up early. Like, what the f*ck, I only slept for four hours!
But, that's okay, I'm still fresh-looking. I'm still beautiful so yeah, there's nothing for me to worry about.
I went inside the bathroom and immediately took a shower. I know what will happen later so I'll start preparing now. We still have a long way to go.
To be comfy, I only wore a shirt and skinnies and a pair of black sneaks. I want to wear white sneaks instead but they would be surely dirty as hell as we return here.
I looked in the mirror here in the bathroom and smiled like crazy. “Girl, you're so gorgeous.” Well, complementing oneself’s appearance is fine.
Well, this is how I really am when I’m nervous. I always compliment myself that I'm super beautiful, I'm still very fresh like bok choy, that I look like the future Miss Universe, and yeah, just whatever words to divert my nervousness l.
I left our dorm with my DSLR and took a walk in the gardens of the Academy. Though there is technology here, there is no wifi here so I can no longer post about my daily dose of madness. The last time I checked (which is last month), I had three thousand followers on my socmed platforms.
When I saw a purple butterfly in there with carnations, I quickly took my camera and captured a photo of it. I went to that row of aster and the butterfly went on my finger. Surprisingly, I just smiled and stared at the butterfly. Just how to be a beautiful butterfly?
Whenever I see super nice scenery, I take pictures. As you know, I was one of the greatest photojournalists in our journalism club before. With the beautiful pictures I take as well as the angles, I am always the one who participates in competitions.
Aside from being a bookworm, I am also a photojournalist at heart. I always love to capture beautiful memories. For in case I develop amnesia, I will just take a look at all of the pictures I captured and the pain will go away...temporarily.
After I took a picture of the fish in the pond, someone suddenly took my camera and sat down next to me. “I hate you!”
“So this is what are you doing to relieve that uneasiness in yourself, huh?” Tsk, no one is asking.
“You’re that bored? My gosh, Crimson, the day’s just starting. Don’t piss me off.”
He chuckled. “I have no plans to annoy you. But to make you mad? I’ve prepared plenty of plans.”
“Leave before my blood boils over you and my vision darkens.”
“Our normal body temperature is 35°C and the boiling point is 100°C, so for your blood to boil, you must add another 65 ° C in ways you may think of.” Can I choke this man now? “If you want your sight to turn dark, just cover it.”
“I'm leaving.”
He pulled me down and laughed. “Hey, baby, I'm just kidding!”
“Not funny at all!”
“Are you pissed? That fast?”
“What do you want? As slow as traffic at EDSA?” He shot me a confused stare, wondering what the hell I am saying. “I said, whatever.”
Crimson laughed again and returned my camera. “You really mad?” No, dude, I'm happy. “I'm just joking.” Your ass is joking. “Okay, I'm sorry. Baby girl, please?”
I just let him go and just stood up to continue what I was doing. This red monkey didn’t stop and even followed me. But of course, I just let him go and ignored him.
I was about to press the shutter button when suddenly someone hugged me from behind, causing me to stiffen. “I'm sorry,” he stated, resting his chin on my left shoulder. “I'm really sorry, baby girl.”
I eyed him and saw his puppy eyes and pouty lips. “Don't pull a drama on me, I'll really punch your face. Go away, I can't move properly.”
“I won't.”
“I'm really going to f*ck you.”
“Even so.” I glared at him yet he maintained that cute face. “I'm sorry. I won't stop apologizing, not until you forgave me.”
“I forgive you,” I replied and captured a photo. He didn't move, so I spoke again, “I forgive you, aren't you going to leave yet?”
“You're not sincere.”
“Sh*t.”
He enveloped his arms around my waist tighter. “I'm sorry, baby girl. I'm really sorry.”
“‘Kay, fine. I forgave you.” Crimson didn't move so I faced him, glaring at him. “You're not really leaving yet? If someone sees us, I will not deal with it.”
A smile was drawn on his lips. “So, you're really forgiving me?”
“Yes.”
“Really?” Goodness, gracious! “Really really?”
“I have changed my mind.”
Crimson let out laughter and pinched my cheeks. “Oh sorry.” I know my cheeks are chubby which makes me cute but slow to squeeze, okay? “You want to eat breakfast now? My treat.”
As long as it’s a treat, I don’t decline.
“So, what will happen later? Today is the last day of punishment for us, right?”
“Yup,” he answered. “Based on my past experiences, the last day of any punishment is really the worst. That one that you will surely never forget. One time, I was told to fight twenty students consecutively during our Training time.”
“Twenty students consecutively?” He nodded. “Gosh, don't tell me—“
“It's okay. Besides, it’s already the past.”
That’s too inhumane. Twenty students versus him and worst, in a row? Even though it is a punishment, the school must consider the rights of each student.
“How many times were you punished?”
“More than what you're expecting.”
“In numbers?”
He paused from eating and smiled. “Twenty-four,” my eyes widened. “in four years.”
“Those are...unnecessary.” He just shrugged and continued eating.
After an hour, we were summoned to Tita Calla's office for her to announce our punishment for today. I got a hint on what will happen for today since I saw a map, forest, and we eight are walking endlessly. However, it wasn't clear to me what was really happening and why would we experience such punishment.
Sometimes, precognition has really its cons.
“Good morning, my dear students. Today is your final day and as for your punishment, we prepared it for you.” A butler went near to us and placed a black velvet bag on Tita Calla's table. “You, eight students, will step outside the Schiz Academy to search for the oldest known sorceress living outside the skirts of Phaedra, the province of sorcerers and sorceresses.”
The Academy will definitely let us out. Just...whoa.
“Your goal is to search for the importance of perseverance and discipline in learning magic, spells, and other powers. You have the whole day for you to accomplish this. In case you failed, prepare for another punishment tomorrow which requires all of you to learn on combining all your magics to create a huge orb that must explode the whole Training Chamber. Any questions?”
I raised my hand. “Are there any tools for us?”
Tita Calla smiled. “I must say, you probably saw this one.” She handed me the black velvet bag and a brown rolled paper. “Those are all your tools. If there are no additional questions, you may now deploy.”
As the gates opened, I faced my back and saw Tita Calla smile at me. That smile was hiding something, I'm sure of it.
“Ahrina!” I faced Marina and smiled. “Let’s go.”
“Y-Yeah, okay.” I shot a glance at the Academy doors and Tita Calla just turned her back.
Following the guides on the map, we entered a forest and walked endlessly. This is the one I saw. We're all walking, with me holding the map.
“Hey, Regalia girl, mind telling us the real way going to that oldest known sorceress whoever?”
By the way, we're with this Julianna. “To tell you honestly, I didn't see this one. What I only perceive is all of us walking endlessly in a deep forest with me holding this old map that I presume is already unreliable.” I faced her and smiled. “Understood?”
She just rolled her eyes and uttered no words. Freesia let out a chuckle. “Well, that was a sharp one.”
The sun is high yet we're all still walking. Having said that, this map is a bit unreliable. I faced Lia. “Since you're a traveler, do you have any idea where we are?”
“Just wait.” All of us paused as she summoned her wings out and flew up. After a few minutes, she returned here. “Unfortunately, we are still in the middle of the forest. If we follow what the Headmistress said that she lives outside Phaedra, we are still far away because Phaedra is in the northeast.”
“How far do you think?” Marina asked. “How much longer are we going to walk?”
“I think, about two more hours. I haven't seen much of Phaedra yet so I think, we still have a long time,” she added.
Thoreau took a deep inhale. “We only have until this evening for us to accomplish this punishment. And so, we must have strategies.”
While they are having their brainstorming session, I just look around. Earlier I felt that someone was following us.
As I looked to my back, I saw a raven from a distance. My eyes squinted as I stared at it. “Who are you?”
“So, this is your punishment? How obscuring,” Headmaster Hades' voice stated. “I know where that old woman Halina living is?” Does he know?
I was about to respond when Julianna Sutton suddenly called me. “Hey Regalia girl, can’t you contribute something?”
“LOL, as if you have one," I uttered, and the girls laughed secretly. “Wait, I'll find my contribution.”
As I got older, Mom’s ability was summoning. If I can imitate that, we will all have an easy time searching for that oldest known sorceress named Halina, according to Headmaster Hades.
I took a deep inhale and forced myself to copy Mom's ability. As I felt my energy gushing through my veins, I motioned my hands and thought of the only animal that can guide us.
A dove appeared in front of me, and I smiled. Successful! It's a bit difficult though because I feel like I'm silently giving birth but then, it's worth it. As the dove went on my arm, I faced them all. “I summoned an animal to help us search for that oldest known sorceress. I just hope it will.”
I eyed the dove staring at me and spoke again. “Guide us to the oldest known sorceress living outside the skirts of Phaedra.” The dove let out some bird noise as a response and flew away voluntarily. I smirked at Julianna. “Well, I have now my contribution.”
“You’re really arrogant, huh?” So, you want to flick a fight huh?
I just shrugged. “Maybe it's okay to be arrogant. At least, I have something to brag about, isn't it? Instead of wasting time on this quarrel, let's just walk.”
The dove returned after a couple of minutes and went to a tree slightly far from us. We were all about to take a step when Julianna Sutton spoke. “Wait! Are we really going to follow that bird?”
“Obviously, yes,” Freesia replied. “If you don't want to, then don't. Stay there.”
“Maybe later that bird will deceive us even more! For goodness' sake, I've been tired of walking for a while! And I'm already hungry!”
Marina rebutted, “Oh, wow. So, you think we're not? Goodness, we're too tired to walk, we're very hungry, and we're very thirsty, Julianna. So can you, put aside your skepticism and sensitivity first? Because among us all, you have no contribution!”
“Excuse me, I have no contribution? I was the one who gave all the directions we all needed and then I have no contribution?”
“You mean, you're just very pretentious,” Lia added. “You should’ve stayed in the Academy when you can’t even help. You're a burden, you know that?”
“What did you say!”
“Girls, girls,” Thoreau whispered to them. “Let us all be calm, okay? We won't achieve anything if we all just fight here. We better move our feet rather than our mouths. Okay?”
I agree. We really don't get anything if we just carry it. We can't get where we're going if we just talk. And if so, we would have gotten home earlier when it was Halina.
I'm also hungry and thirsty but I'm not the only one who feels that way so I'd rather walk than complain.
“Come on,” I said to them and walked ahead. “We're all hungry and thirsty so it's better if we hurry.”
Whenever we pass the tree where the bird is, he will fly to another tree. Yes, she is really our guide and it is pointing us in the direction going to that Halina woman.
Lia went up again to see where we are now. When she comes down, she's smiling. “I am seeing a house!” Everyone felt relieved now. “Let's go! I'm really hungry. We're still a bit far but that's it!”
“Shit, let's all hurry and Lia might become a cannibal.” We laughed (except for Julianna, obviously) at what Marina said. “I'm really hungry too so yeah, let's go, let's go!”
As we continued walking, Marina stumbled suddenly. I immediately approached him and looked at his wound. “Her ankle is swollen,” I stated to them and they sighed. “It'll be harder for her if we let her walk.”
“I'm fine.”
“Are you nuts? If you force yourself to walk and it hurts, even more, you won't be able to walk!” This boy's ass is also hard.
Then I saw Blake shaking his head. “Tsk.” I stood up and she approached Marina. “Learn to watch your steps, st*pid.”
“Wow, thank you.” I smirked as he turned his back to Marina. “What the hell are you doing? You're going to fart in front of me?”
“If you want, okay, I’ll do it for you.”
“What is it?”
“Hop on.” And they all (except Julianna) smirked. “So slow-minded. Just tell me if you don't want to or if you prefer a bridal style rather than a piggyback ride.”
Marina still looked at us so I took the initiative to speak. “Okay, come on guys! Problem solved.”
Because of that, Marina was forced to ride behind Blake. For sure, she’s afraid of being left behind. Julianna Sutton, on the other hand, is behind, planning what execution method will be used against her.
In the middle of this endless walking, Crimson went beside me and whispered. “Doesn't anything hurt you?” I smirked at him and chuckled. “What? I'm just checking on you.”
“Checking on you or are you suddenly jealous of Blake's first move? Come on, Crimson, I believe it's the latter,” I mocked at him. Well, his timing is good. Right after Blake successfully carried Marina on his back. And now, they're having their daily dose of quarrel again.
“If you really stumble, I won't pay attention to you.”
I just shrugged. “Okay.” He eyed me. "What? I just said okay.” Then he just rolled his eyes and mumbled profanities.
“Stop.” We all faced Thoreau and he is examining our surroundings. “Don't you notice?”
“And?” Lia asked.
A silence filled us eight and then, suddenly, I heard a crack. As I faced to my left, I saw a battalion of necromancers. My eyes widened and immediately moved my hand to attack them. However, they bowed and disappeared before the light beam touched them.
“Necromancers,” Crimson mumbled and I nodded. “There are necromancers around us.”
Freesia made an ice dome and spoke. “We better keep going.”
We all went in awe as we saw the house in front of us. It looks like the house of a witch depicted back on Earth. Then the thunder-lightning and then the many bats. But hey, this house may seem like that but there are no bats around and a clear sky.
The dove went on my shoulder and chirped. “Here you go, Lady. This is the oldest known sorceress Halina's house. Just a few meters away from here is the Phaedra, the land of the sorcerers and sorceresses.”
A smile grew on my lips. “Thank you very much. You can fly freely now.”
The dove chirped again and tapped its beak on my cheeks twice before leaving. Crimson smiled as I threw him a confused stare. “That means thank you.”
“Oh, okay,” I just stated and faced them all. “So what should we do next? We're already here.”
“You knock, Lia,” Marina said to Lia and even slapped her. after all, you're the witch among us. You're just the same race so you're the one.”
Lia snorted, “Oh really? Just because I’m a witch? Why didn't you tell Freesia that she's confident in everything?”
Freesia, in return, laughed sarcastically. “Excuse me, I haven't even encountered a sorcerer or sorceress in my whole life after you knocked on my door? Why don’t you command Blake instead?”
“Ha, excuse me, I am carrying a pig.” Marina hit him. “Aw -ouch honeybunch. Just a joke. Thoreau can do it. Look at his position.”
I looked at Thoreau and chuckled. He looks like he is our boss, as in. “Why me? I'm far from the door. Crimson’s the nearest.”
“No way,” Crimson just stated. “No.”
I rolled my eyes at them. “You all can’t cooperate.” I went to the door and knocked there three times. When it didn't open, I knocked thrice again.
“Maybe she’s not there.”
I glared at Julianna. “Why don’t you knock rather?”
Right on cue, the door opened, making me step back a bit. An old woman, wearing a maroon velvet dress with a wooden staff, appeared before me and bowed. “It is an honor, Your Highness.” Okay, a bit awkward because Julianna is with us. “I am Halina, the oldest known sorceress in the Kingdom of Demetria. It would be an honor for me to welcome you inside my house. Come in.”
I faced them and just shrugged. Crimson walked first going to me. “I wonder what’s Julianna’s reaction to that. She doesn't know everything.”
“Apparently, she's confused and surprised at the back. Let's go.”
While sorceress Halina is treating Marina's injured ankle, I decided to ask her. “Sorceress Halina, I know this is a rude question but, I just want to know how old you are?”
She smiled. “Just call me Halina, Your Highness.” Okay. “What do you think is the answer to that, Your Highness?”
“U-Uhm, just address me by my name Ahrina.”
She paused from applying a herbal ointment and faced me. “If that's what you want. But then, just some advice, you can hide a secret forever, Ahrina. There will be instances wherein you have to reveal the truth. To answer your question, I am 273 years old. I was already in my 173rd year when the Enchanted War happened.”
Our eyes widened. She’s probably not just the oldest known sorceress, she's the oldest known magician ever in Demetria! 273 years of living, surviving all the mess that happened, is utterly unbelievable!
Sorceress Halina patted Marina's ankle softly. “In six hours, you can walk properly again.”
“Thank you, Sorceress Halina,” Marina responded and sat up from the rattan bed. Blake assisted her to sit beside him. “Uhm, Sorceress Halina, we were sent here by the Schiz Academy. The school told us that we only have this day to find the oldest known sorceress and the task given to us is to search for the importance of perseverance and discipline in learning magic, spells, and other powers.”
She chuckled at that while all of us are confused. “Perseverance and discipline in learning are already a nature to every magician and are only honed in school. Knowing what the importance of it is like learning your magic and nurturing it. You can't just learn magic control without persevering and discipline. Calla Mildred never changed, did she?”
She fixed all her things and sat in front of us. Her eyes landed on Julianna. “Lady Julianna Sutton, a wicked, immature successor of Antheia. Good to see you here.” We all chuckled as Sorceress Halina addressed her as wicked and immature. “I must say, what happened five years ago shaped you like that.”
And that's when we all became confused. I turned to Julianna and she's full of wrath now. “How did you manage to know about that?”
“Well,” she took a deep inhale and leaned on her seat, “no secrets can be hidden from me. You know, Lady Julianna, you must bury that event into eternal darkness. That will not help you from growing.”
She was about to speak when Sorceress Halina smiled and diverted to Lia. “Lia, one of the winged witches of Thalia. How are you? I thought I will never see you again.”
I diverted my attention to her. “Yeah, it's been a while.”
Sorceress Halina nodded. “Looks like someone knows something essential about you.” Then she turned to us. “Tell Headmistress Mildred that the importance of perseverance and discipline in learning magics, spells, and other powers are linked to the essence of one's life and is already a nature to everyone, only honed in the school. Since it is already dusk, I would suggest you stay here for you to have your dinner before returning there.”
We all looked at each other and nodded. We were all so hungry and so thirsty that we had no choice and we didn’t have to act anymore. “As you please, Sorceress Halina,” Crimson answered.
“That's good. May I excuse Ahrina herself?” I rose from my seat and nodded. Sorceress Halina guided me through her library hidden in the kitchen of her house. “I see that you are now filled with questions. Ask those to me.”
“The Sacred Gem was split into seven, right?” She stopped walking. “Air, water, earth, fire, light, holy darkness, and evil darkness.” There, she faced me with a blank face. “Tell me, Sorceress Halina. Does the Mystic Princess own the evil darkness gem? Is my real father Headmaster Hades of Dreich? Am I the real successor of Dreich? What will happen to the Wielders of Charms?”
Sorceress Halina chuckled and went to a side of the library. She opened the huge book there and smiled at me. “Where is the Mystic Stone?” My eyebrows furrowed. “The purple pendant of your necklace. Show it to me.”
Hesitating, I showed her my pendant and she nodded as if she confirmed something. “Mom didn't tell me about this.”
“It's natural, Your Highness. Secrets are a part of our life here.” She took a feather pen and an old piece of paper and began writing. A few minutes after, she faced me and handed me the paper. But before I could get it, she took it away and spoke. “I know you know all the answers to your questions. I am just confused about how you learned about it.”
I smiled at her while her eyes narrowed. Sorceress Halina gasped afterward. “Don't tell me...” I just nodded to her. When I received the paper, she spoke again. “What is your plan?”