Arcane

Chapter 3: Combat

After having ruined that grand ceremony, I proceeded to the classroom.

As I entered the defense classroom, I was struck by the towering walls, high ceilings, and dimly lit torches. The chairs were arranged along the sides of the rectangular room, leaving the center free for a huge circular ring. The ring dominated the space, and its size and imposing structure hinted at the intensity of the sparring matches that would take place there.

Lahat ng sophomore na kagaya ko ay pinagtatawanan ako, o kung hindi naman ay nilalayuan ako. Mabuti naman at agad naapula ni Brooke ang apoy na kagagawan ko. Walang nasaktan at mabuti na lang ay mga kurtina lang ang nasunog.

Napasulyap ako sa mga kaklase kong masama ang tingin sa akin.

"Kabaligtaran na kabaligtaran ng kakambal niya! Perwisyo ang isang 'to!" dinig ko ang bulung-bulungan nila na pilit pang ikinukubli pero halata namang para sa akin talaga.

"I heard that she's used to ruining things! It seems like she's burned a lot of things before, and Brooke is always the one who has to fix her mess. I even heard that Brooke has gotten a lot of burns and bruises as a result. What a shame."

Hindi ko sila pinansin at nagpatuloy na lang ako sa paglalakad. Naupo ako sa isang bakanteng upuan sa isang malayong dulo na malapit sa bintana.

Tanaw na tanaw roon ang bayan ng Inferno at parang pinagtagpi-tagping mga kahoy at kung anu-ano lang ang bumubuo sa bayang ito.

"The Pentarchy is here!" dinig kong sigawan ng mga kaklase ko. Agad akong napalingon kina Brooke na papasok sa klase kung nasaan ako at isa-isa silang umupo sa isang hilera sa harapan ko.

"Hi, Brooke!" halos manginig ang boses ng isa kong kaklase habang kumakaway kay Brooke. She just smiled at her and went back to what she was doing.

Hindi ko na lang pinansin ang samu't-saring mga komento at bulungan ng mga kaklase. The reason why I am here is not because of them. I want to control my powers. I want to make my family proud of me... for once.

I felt ashamed of how much I had messed up. I wanted to make my family proud, but every mistake seemed to push me further away from that goal. I couldn't afford to make any more mistakes like the one at the ceremony. I needed to learn how to control my powers and master my abilities to finally make my family proud.

Without warning, the door burst open and a towering figure strode in.

"Welcome, young students," he boomed. "I am Professor Hagen, and I will be your teacher for Defense."

As he spoke, he waved his wand, and a shower of sparks rained down on the students. They gasped in awe and excitement as the sparks danced around them before fading away.

"But before we begin," he continued, "I have a special gift for all of you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a stack of gleaming silver bracelets. "These are magic bracelets that will keep you safe."

With another wave of his wand, the bracelets flew through the air and landed on each student's wrist. As we looked down at the bracelets, they saw that they were glowing softly. Kahit gulat ay hindi ko pa rin mapigilan talagang mamangha. He uses his magic with precision! Of course, Ember... Propesor na siya rito!

"These bracelets are more than just a fashion statement," Professor Hagen explained. "They will monitor your use of magic outside of the classroom and help the administration keep track of your whereabouts. And if you try to remove them, you will be expelled."

He paused for a moment, his eyes scanning the room. "But most importantly, these bracelets will help you control your powers. You are all here to learn how to master your abilities, and these bracelets will be your guide. If you use your powers outside of the classroom without permission or if you break any of the rules, you will receive punishment."