Outsiders

2. Warmth

Sumigaw si Erina ng malakas nang naramdaman nyang tumutulo ang dugo sa bandang ibaba ng katawan nya.

Umiiyak si Caleb ng sya ay ipanganak. A boy with fiery blonde hair born with royal blood, and born at the end of all royalty's reign. Such pity.

Nakita ng kanyang ama ang kanyang mga mata na pulang-pula ang gitna, at mala-demonyo ang pagka-dilaw ng iris ng kanyang mga mata. Palettio, the father, took the child from his dead mother's pale, cold arms and threw him outside, into the cold, ruthless snow-covered streets of , now known as Luthenal, from the forgotten country of Julliaria, far west of Arthuros. Basically the other side of the world.

Caleb's cries drew attention to many people of Luthenal, but none took him from the snow. This was until his hair flamed up and the snow around him started to melt, leaving him on dry soil. Agad-agad syang kinupkop ng isang old-school, female alchemist na nangangalang Ceasa Lincoln. Half-arthurian by her mother, and a descendant of the now-forgotten late American president, Abraham Lincoln, by her father. Many stated that no Lincoln lived on. But there she was, a living proof of the president's existence, holding a crying, naked, fair-skinned baby boy with hair sending sparks in every direction.

Papalakihin nya itong marunong magsalita ng Tagalog. Or otherwise, presently known as Arthrese. Many have changed ever since royals and governments officially released the world and the Democratic Council began its somehow useless reign.

~~₩₩₩~~

Saraia

I don't know about anyone else in this classroom, but Lythio's appearance in class is weird. Baka hindi nila napapansin na tuwing titingin si Lythio sa amin ni Sylon, he shudders, na para bang kinikilabutan sya sa aming magkapatid. What? It's not like we're the only ones with reddish-brown hair over here. Sure, Sylon and I are what people once called 'Fil-Am', being born from a half American-half Filipino mother. But that fact's popularity ended about a millenium ago, before we were even born. At hindi kami ganun sa special. There was a rumor that plants grew and died around us when we were born, but I don't even believe that mythological so-called fact. Who would?

"Group projects."

Lythio's voice boomed, I almost jumped off my desk.

"I'll group you people into two, starting with Meridia and Kit."

Well Sylon looks dumbfounded. Kawawa naman this boy huhuhu.

"You two have to collect herbs for potions at the eastern parts of Arthuros. Aaralin nyo sa pagsubok na ito ang tungkol sa Alchemy. Don't die along the project, use your herbs to cast potions against beasts in the eastern forests. Be back by next week. May listahan ako, do not miss a single herb or the two of you get an instant F."

"F" for Lythio means Fall. You die. Tumango ang dalawa at umalis agad. Guess they had to pack their bags.

"Seath, you go with Ms. Brysbal here. Gather all the rubber you can find in different cities, specially the ones which do not have buildings relying on pillars and cables for support. Gagawa tayo ng madaming kable para mas maging ligtas itong syudad na to."

The two students ran off. Bossy much. Pwede naman sya magpadala ng mga tauhan galing sa department nya. Guard sya ng Arthuros, kaya hindi nya kailangang mag-utos ng mga estudyante para maghanap ng resources. He has troops.

"Velezuego siblings, you will set out on a journey - ok ang OA ng words nya - to arrest Artemis Glavier, a girl who is wanted for killing her parents at an avalanche at a young age and stealing food not provided for her. What you will be going through is criminology. Finish your project by next month. Artemis is located at a southwestern city far from ours. Ang syudad na hindi pa nadedevelop o narerename ng Council. Go."

We ran off. Again, the guy is like, the LEAD GUARD worldwide. He has LOTS of troops, reinforcements and such, and yet he makes this task a "project" for mere students who have yet to step into college institution grounds. Pathetic, if I could say.

Sumakay na kami ni Sylon sa cable car ng pamilya namin at dumeretso sa bahay (luckily) without falling straight down below.

We packed our bags and headed for the cable car at the edge of the widest pillar in the city. Pagsakay namin sa cable car, napatingin kami sa city na iiwan namin.

"So sudden, huh. We leave that city behind just like that."

"Ano ba Sylon wag mo nga akong ini-english jan. Drama mo bro. Siguradong ito lang yung project natin kasi madali lang hulihin yung Artemis na yun. For all I know, she's one of the lowest-ranked criminals in that city."

Kahit kaaalis lang namin, at since birth ay hindi pa kami nakalalabas sa city na ito, alam namin kung saan kami pupunta.
We have studied about the world's maps and how deformed Earth has gotten. Narealize ko na lahat ng nasa classroom kanina ay mga nasa top. Lahat ng wala sa top ay wala sa room kanina. Weird.

Napatingin si Sylon sa kung saan kami papatungo. Nakaguhit sa mukha nya ang halo ng tuwa at lungkot sa pag alis sa delikadong syudad kung saan kami lumaki. Napatawa nalang sya sa iniisip nya, whatever that was. Then he spoke.

"Palawan."

"Ano?"

Tinignan nya ako ng parang natatawa sya sa mukha ko. Then he looked up at the sky and shouted with glee.

"Palawan!!!"

I've never seen my brother like that before. Lagi syang gloomy, lalo't pag aalis sa bahay, kahit mamamalengke lang o may fieldtrip. This may be normal for many, but seeing my sibling like this was extraordinary. Ang saya nya, like freedom was overwhelming him. Staying in that town put nothing in our hearts but hopelessness and shame of not getting freedom to travel.

"Ano yung Palawan na yan?"

Again, he looked like I just attempted to jump of the car.

"Loko ka hahaha it's where we're going! The southwesternmost edge of Arthuros."

He pointed southwest to where the city was to be seen. Kung wala lang kami sa pagitan ng mga ulap, kitang kita ko na yung city. Puno ng ilaw ang Palawan. Usually, it was called the Islands of Light.

"Sabi ko nga."

Para lang di ako mapahiya hahaha. Oh well, sino ba gustong mapahiya sa little brother nya, dba?

Both of us looked at the horizon ahead of us. Palawan was a group of islands. Just a hovercab and we get there in minutes. Can't wait.