Mirren Academy of Spells

Chapter 25: Files

Chapter 25: Files

The words from Claudia was something I couldn't comprehend. I couldn't accept. If it were a crime to create a forbidden spell, bakit ito ginagawa ng assembly?

Para kanino? Para saan? Was father a part of it, too?

I tried to talk to father matapos ang mga nalaman ko. But for the entire week, he was in Hailing Cove kasama ang iba pang matataas na officials ng assembly.

What were they planning?

Two days after learning the truth, I browsed through the files in the research tower. I made it look like I was busy with my tasks and research, pero ibang bagay ang hinahanap ko. I went from book to book and every file and document related to what happened six years ago until I found what I was looking for.

Dinala ko agad ito sa observation room para walang ibang makakita sa 'kin. Doon ko inisa-isang basahin ang lahat ng nakasulat hanggang marating ko ang huling page ng folder. The part of observation was in red highlights.

The healing spell had properties that can alter time. And since any alteration of natural phenomenon such as passage of time was forbidden, Santi's father, Simon McCrain had reported and requested to halt the project.

Napatitig ako sa huling page ng papel. Santi's father wanted to stop the project. So why were they persecuted? Why was the assembly recreating the same spell that caused their death? Isang bagay ang napagtanto ko at halos mabitawan ko ang folder sa malamig na sahig. Did the assembly want the forbidden spell to be in their hands all this time?

The same day, I decided to meet with Marco after my internship at the assembly. Nagkita kami sa town square, malapit sa may fountain kung saan ko siya unang nakilala kasama si Santi. We were seated on two connecting benches, nakatalikod sa isa't isa to avoid the risk of being watched upon.

"I know everything," I told him while watching kids play at a nearby park. "I know the truth about Santi's parents and the incident from six years ago. I know that you and Santi are both aware of the spell the academy is working on."

"Tama ka," he replied. "At ilang beses na rin namin itong sinubukang pigilan."

I bit my lip, trying to contain my emotions para masabi ang lahat ng dapat kong sabihin. "The spell was from the McCrain's research from six years ago na sinubukan niyang itigil. You were one of the researchers, too."

"Tama ka ulit," sinabi niya. "It was supposed to be a healing spell using time alteration magic. It's the family's field of expertise. Pero may nadiskubre sila sa gitna ng research—the possibility to control time, which we all know is forbidden. Pinatigil ni Simon ang research, pero nakarating na ang resulta sa ilang mga tao sa assembly. They wanted to push through with the project and continue to conceal it as healing spell, believing it could be one of the most powerful spells ever created."

"But why? If it's so dangerous to be considered forbidden, why would they want it?"

"Power, Olivia. With a spell that could alter time, every mistake could be rewritten, every error could be corrected, every war could be won over. Sinubukan ni Simon na i-report ito sa pinakamataas na authority ng mundong ito, ang Magic Council, pero namatay siya kasama ang asawa bago niya pa ito nagawa."

My hands trembled on my lap. "But they say the couple committed suicide..."

"At iwan si Santi Yvo nang mag-isa? Hindi nila magagawa 'yon."

Sumandal si Marco sa bench at tumingala sa langit. "Mula noon, wala nang ginawa ang batang 'yon kundi kalabanin ang assembly at patunayan na inosente ang mga magulang niya. He gathered a following of loyal people, including me. Ilang beses siyang naging target ng assembly dahil sa mga alam niya at ginagawa niya."

My hands slowly clasped my mouth as tears brimmed on my eyes.

"But they were never successful because the kid was a survivor."

"May paraan ba para masira ang spell? Can we stop it from happening?" namamag-asang tanong ko.

"There's no way."

Natulala ako. It was so out of Marco's attitude to say something so negatively.

"Madami na kaming sinubukang paraan, pero hindi namin ito tuluyang masira. They are people that the assembly used as hostages which hold the spell's power. Destroying the spell means killing them. We may act like monsters, but we're no killer."

Hostages? Did he mean the testers?

"Only a McCrain can create and cast a spell as powerful as a time spell," Marco added. "They tried to imitate the composition of the spell by using years of research. But what they're working on isn't even a time spell...just pure destruction."

Hindi ko napigilan na humarap sa kanya. "Hahayaan n'yo ba itong mangyari?"

Nakita ko ang ngiti sa labi ni Marco. "Santi Yvo would never let it happen. Isang taon niya ring pinag-aralan ang spell na ito, and he's creating his own forbidden spell."

Tuluyan kong binuksan ang bag na dala ko. Maingat kong nilabas ang files mula rito—ang dahilan kung bakit ko pinatawag si Marco para makausap.

"This can help him." I handed the files to Marco. "It could help prove his parents' innocence. It has all the details of the research from six years ago including how his father requested to stop the project...it's all in there."

"This could ruin your family once it's exposed."

Huminga ako nang malalim bago pilit na ngumiti. "It's been long ruined."

Noong gabing 'yon matapos makausap si Marco, nakatunghay ako sa labas ng bintana habang natutulog si Alice sa kabilang bed at binabalutan ng katahimikan ang buong campus.

Pinagmasdan ko ang langit at ang mga bituin. At least we had something in common with the normal world—we had the same sky. Wala akong takot na nararamdaman. Walang pagaalinlangan sa ginawa ko.

I did the right thing.

Kinabukasan, mabilis na kumalat ang balita sa assembly. Someone had breached the non-disclosure agreement of the interns and the files had been compromised. Naging usap-usapan ito buong araw that even Alice was worried who could it be.

It was me.

Bandang hapon nang sunduin ako ng ilang gatekeepers sa research tower. Looked like father had enough of me at kinailangan na niyang gumawa ng paraan para patahimikin ako. The gatekeepers placed handcuffs on my wrists while reading my sanction. Hindi makapaniwala ang mga taong nakapaligid sa 'kin.

"Why would she do that?"

"Why would she ruin her father and the assembly?"

Kusa akong sumama sa mga gatekeepers paalis ng building. Bawat taong madaanan ko napapatingin sa 'kin at bubulong sa kasama. Alice was running after me at the lobby, tears staining her face.

"Hindi totoo 'yon, 'di ba?" tanong niya habang pilit siyang nilalayo ng gatekeepers mula sa 'kin. "Olivia, tell me they're wrong. You didn't do such thing!"

Pilit lang akong ngumiti bago ako tuluyang hinila ng gatekeeper at nawala sa paningin ni Alice.

***

Mirren Academy of Spells