Sylum Academy of Skill Exertion (Editing)

Chapter 8: Alas

Matapos ang araw ng elimination ay agad kaming pinadiretso sa medic room upang gamutin ng mga Sylum Healers. Dalawang araw muna ang lumipas bago kami nakabalik sa usual na mga ginagawa namin. Ang ilan sa amin ay nagtamo ng maraming sugat at galos.

I had a lot of contusions caused by the elimination round and it was greater in number than the wounds and scratches I received. Even two days had already passed, I still can feel pain in some parts of my body especially in my left stomach.

I will really kill that Tania whenever I'll survive the Battle of Hearts! She caused all the fatal pain I'm feeling now which are slowly killing me!

Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa buong hall habang nakaupo ako sa upuan. Two days later ang dami nang nag-iba.

Tuwing nakikita kami ng ibang mga estudyante na naglalakad man lang sa pathway ay nag-iiba yung tingin nila. Para bang ang laki ng gap namin sa isa't-isa at nararamdaman ko yung special treatments nila - which I fucking hate the most.

Can't they just act like we're all the same? Do they really have to put me in such an awkward situation? I feel like there's a tall barrier in front of us everytime they treat me different and special. Foolish.

Why the hell am I under this situation which I always wanted to avoid? Receiving special treatments, paid by full attention whenever I'm at the dorm; hearing complements when I pass a group of students - all of those sucks and are unnecessary.

Do they not know that I don't need all of those? It won't satisfy me anyway so why do I have to receive them? Right now, what I like them to do is to shut up and not stare!

How I wish it's not only their skills which I could shutdown. But them as well, I want to shut their mouths up, their stares off and their complements which do not please my ears.

"Why some people are fool?" I asked from nowhere.

Agad namang napataas ang tingin ni Yden sa akin na siyang nag-iisang kasama ko dito sa mesa habang nagbabasa ng libro tungkol sa previous battles.

"They are not. Maybe you just think they are one. Let's put it this way, if I'll say you're fool, do you think it's true knowing yourself you are not?"

Napatango naman ako sa sinabi niya.

"In short, what you are seeing and what you are thinking is not their reality."

"But people are really fool." maikling sagot ko na wala sa sarili at pinaglaruan ang tinidor na hawak ko. Nasa hall kami ngayon kumakain ng breakfast. Maingay dito pero sa lokasyon namin, di masyado. Binigyan kasi kami nila ng special table which is para sa amin lang na mga representatives sa level 2 ng battle - one of the faculty's special service.

Bahagyang natawa si Yden sa sinabi ko.

"People, huh? Do you think you're an animal? Believe it or not Seathryn you're one of us," aniya saka pinagpatuloy yung pagbabasa.

Kami lang ang nandito sa table namin at wala pa yung ibang kasama namin. Busy siguro o di pa nakakarecover sa mga natamo nilang sugat at galos.

Napansin ko lang, grabe makatitig yung iba sa direksyon namin. Sarap itusok sa mata nila 'tong tinidor na kanina ko pa hawak-hawak.

"Gaya nga ng sabi ko, your thoughts are not their reality."

"Alam ko na. Masakit na sa tenga yung pabalik-balik," bulyaw ko sa kawalan habang sinasalubong ang bawat titig ng mga estudyanteng kanina pa nakaglue yung mga mata sa amin.

"But if you kid me and say I'm pretty, of course that's not a lie. That means jokes are half meant!" Napairap ako bigla sa joke ni Yden, gusto ko sanang matawa e. Kaya lang waley, di ko gets yung humor niya. But I don't hate her for that.

"Good morning Tania!" bati nang maligalig ni Yden kay Tania na kararating lang at umupo sa right side ng upuan. As expected she just stared Yden with her piercing eyes like knives.

"Nasaan na ba yung mga hinayupak na yun? Akala ko ba may meeting?" aniya sa naiinis na tono saka bumaling kay Yden na agad namang inilagay ang libro at napatingin sa relo niya.  Tumingin ito sa itaas na para bang nag-iisip bago bumaling sa malaking pinto ng hall.

"They are coming in three seconds!" kung ako laging poker face at walang paki sa iba kong kasama, at si Tania na laging inis na parang lahat na lamang ng tao kinagagalitan dito sa mundo, si Yden naman ay laging masiyahin at mabait na parang nahulog lang na anghel mula sa langit.

At tama nga siya, matapos ang pagcount ko sa isip ko ay natanaw ko na sila sa pinto.

Yden has an elemental skill, water to be specific. But she's still working on it actually, she's trying to exert water instead of an ice. Aside from her elemental skill, she has a strong developed instincts. She's like a semi-soothsayer pero di niya napepredict ang mga mangyayari nang malinaw.

Isa-isang umupo ang grupo sa upuan namin at di ko namalayan na andito na pala sila agad.

They are all wearing their uniforms with their personalities. They all have this strong aura around them that's putting pressure in the atmosphere.

"A group who would represent the level 2 is composed of..." Sa pagdating nila di ko na napansin na nandito na rin pala si Sir Relium, isa sa mga advisers namin aside kay Sir Reve, they are twins.

"...the Head, that's Third, and of course the four elements, Tania you're the fire, Carlos for the air, Yden for water, and Exid for the land. The hunter is needed also and it's you Rock," sabay turo ni Sir Relium kay Rock na katabi ko lang.

Rock has a black hair with dark orange shades on it that made him look like a furious tiger and as hard as a rock with his built. While Exid, our land elemental member is way too different from him, he has the kind of face that would make you think he's an angel. He looks kind and trustworthy with his proper hair cut compared to Rock. More like of a man-of-his-word-looking.

"Lastly, the tail or Alas. We need the Alas which is you Seathryn." And when Sir Relium just discussed about that thing 'alas' they all looked towards my direction. Third, with the usual way, serious yet teasing. Siya lang yung napansin ko bukod sa ibang kasamahan ko na nakatitig sa akin, masnakakaintimidate kasi siya kompara sa iba.

"What? Problem? Do I need to punch all of your faces before you could understand what I mean of not to stare at?"

A teasing smile crossed Third's lips before they all finally decided to let me breath.

Kung sa buong hall napakaingay, dito sa lokasyon namin napakatahimik at intimidating.

"Alas is the key of each group Seathryn, if you die in the battle it is a big loss in the group, for alas has the rarest skill that nobody can fight against even those who have elemental skills, but it depends. You have the steeking skill, right? And it is very rare. Rarest of all the rares," iyon ang sambit ni Sir Reve na kakarating lang. Magkamukhang-magkamukha sila ni Sir Relium pero soft features yung mukha niya samantalang hard features naman yung kay Sir Relium.

"So don't die yet, it will be a great loss in our group," sambit ni Rock sa seryosong tono. Di kami masyadong close lahat dahil sa ngayon lang kami nagkasamasama.

"I won't die but it seems you are all praying." I'm already irritated. Napailing nalang si Rock na nakasmirk, totoo naman e.

"Try to die in the middle of the battle and I won't bury you; I'll cremate you," pagbabanta ni Tania habang nakatingin nang diretso sa akin. Yes, I got it. She wants to win. Of course who would wish to lose in the battle field and die? Better fight.

"Yes, kuha ko na huwag kayong pabalik-balik masakit sa tenga." Napadabok pa ko at kinain nalang yung pagkain sa harap ko.

"Bukas na magsisimula ang training natin. Better prepare yourself." At iyon ang huling sinabi ni Yden.

So this is how it feels like, being a representative for the Battle of Hearts, exciting. It's like the distant sun is embracing me with it's warmth making my adrenaline to rush.

Yet I smell blood...

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