Lumina Academy: Light and Shadow (Realm Series #1)

Chapter 25: Cressa, From Alastair Academy

Chapter 25: Cressa, From Alastair Academy
 
Ingrid Genevieve Taylor
 
Regnums are the royals of the Magimus Academy, while Elites are the royals of the Alastair Academy, and Alphas are the royals of the Lumina Academy.
 
Hindi ko na namalayan pa ang mga nangyari—basta ang alam ko lang ay tinawag na ang pangalan ng academy ng mga nightwalker and when they are walking towards the middle, I couldn’t help but look at Lara because I know how much it scares her if she knows that there are vampires walking around here.
 
But I just sighed in relief when I saw her sleeping peacefully and she’s snoring cutely which made me chuckle softly. Bakit tila yata mukha siyang pagod? Naka-awang ng bahagya ang kaniyang bibig at ang himbing ng tulog niya kahit pa ang ingay na ng paligid niya. Unbelievable. Pero ayos na ‘to, kaysa naman makita niya ng harapan ang kinatatakutan niyang mga nilalang.
 
I just look in the middle again and watched how they went to their assigned seats—just in front of us but, of course, they are too far from us. When everyone are settled, the emcee talked again and we turn our attention on him because we knew that the ranking will about to start. “As you can see, ranking is different from last year… the academy won’t just summon monsters then you will be called individually to fight the monster,” the emcee said and we all got curious. “This year, the academy planned to match every section—Deltas versus Gammas, Betas versus Alphas and Trojans versus Spartans,” when the emcee said that, students just gasped.
 
The… hell?!
 
I look at the Betas and saw them smirking—they clearly like the ranking right now and when my eyes turned to Alphas, I saw no emotion in their faces and I can’t read them—it’s always hard to read them. They are only looking where the emcee was and waiting for further announcement.
 
“But before that, you still have to fight monsters first and the final stage is you, versus the other section,” natahimik ang lahat—nakikinig sa bawat salitang binibitawan ng nag-a-anunsyo. “You can do anything you want—summon your guardians or use your power… just DO NOT KILL,” I only sighed before shaking my head. I hope so. “The first grade to fight will be Gammas and Deltas, at dahil madami ang section ng Gammas at Deltas ay uunahin natin ang Gammas-C at Deltas-C. Again, good luck, Lumina Students!”
 
Sa huling pagkakataon ay naghiyawan ang mga estudyante. Pumunta naman ang mga Deltas-C at Gammas-C sa battlefield ng tawagin na sila kaya ginising ko na si Lara para alam niya ang gagawin kung sakali mang kami na ang tatawagin.
 
“Lars, wake up. It’s starting,” buti na lang at mabilis siyang nagising at hindi na ako pinahirapan pa.
 
Umayos naman siya ng upo at kahit inaantok pa ay pinilit niya ang sarili niyang magising. Nang na sa gitna na ang mga unang maglalaban ay nag-activate ang transparent barrier—a protection for the audiences. The two sections faced each other until a lot of monsters appeared on their middle and that’s when the battle starts. We watch how they fight the monsters—a monster that is not that strong but not too weak either.
 
But when in the middle of the fight, Lara suddenly talked. “Gen, pwede namang umalis muna, ‘di ba?” Rinig kong tanong niya kaya napatingin ako sa kaniya.
 
I furrowed at her question before answering and asking her too. “Oo, bakit? May balak kang umalis?” The crowd is screaming that’s why we have to lean at each other’s ears for us to hear each other—kahit enhanced hearing naman ang isa sa mga ability ko.
 
“Yeah… may ipakikilala ako sa ‘yo,” she answered and she smiled at me brightly before she pulled me where our dorm is.
 
Pwede namang lumabas na ngayon pero imposibleng lumabas lahat ng estudyante dito sa arena. We’re just all present here since it is a must to be present on the first day of ranking and for us to give a warm welcome to those students from other realms. After the welcoming ceremony, we can leave this arena then come back at any time we wanted. Though, it is also a must that we are here in the arena at every start of the ranking.
 
“Sino ba ‘yang ipakikilala mo?” Tanong ko ng na sa tapat na kami ng kwarto namin.
 
Ngumiti lang siya at binuksan na ang pinto. Kahit nagtataka ay pumasok na lang din ako. Ngunit natigilan na lamang ako pagkapasok ko ng makarinig ako ng pag-iyak ng… teka, BAKIT MAY BATA DITO?! Inilibot ko ang paningin ko sa sala at napansing may mga gamit na pang-baby dito. May crib, may stroller at may mga milk bottles at may mga damit pa ng bata! Mukhang inaayos pa lang ang mga ‘to dahil mga naka-kalat pa sa sala at mga bagong bili!
 
Pero, bakit may mga ganito dito?!
 
Lara pulled me again and this time, she pulled me where the baby’s coming from and it was from our room! Nang buksan niya ang pinto ay napaawang na lamang ang bibig ko dahil sa nakita—Lia was trying to stop the baby from crying while Tati was trying to give the baby a milk but the baby doesn’t want it. Hanggang sa nakita ko na lamang si Lara na lumapit dito and when the baby saw her, the baby went to her.
 
What… what the hell?!
 
“Instead of standing there, why don’t you go to Lara and introduce yourself to her son,” biglang saad ni Titiana habang nakangiti sa akin at matatawa pa yata at pati si Merlia ay gano’n din ang reaksyon.
 
Teka… ‘wag niyong sabihing batang ina ang kaibigan ko?!
 
I blinked few times before I realized what just happening right now. “What the hell is happening?! Bakit mayroong bata dito?! Sino ang ama ng bata?! Teka, HUWAG MONG SABIHING NABUNTIS KA AT INIWAN KA NG LALAKING NAKA-BUNTIS SA ‘YO?!” Nanlalaking-matang tanong ko habang nakatingin kay Lara at sa baby na nakatingin din sa akin—na tapos ng umiyak ng makita si Lara.
 
But… the hell?! Bakit may kamukha ang bata?! Lalo na ang kaniyang mga mata?! Hindi ko rin makita ang pagkaka-hawig nila! What the hell is happening?! I was so clueless right now but instead of answering me, bigla na lang tumawa ng malakas si Tati at Lia na mangiyak-ngiyak pa kaya napa-simangot na lamang ako.
 
“Ingrid Genevieve, relax okay?” Lara was also chuckling and it made her baby look at her and also smile. What an adorable baby… “He is Caelum Skylar Axel Watson—my four-month-old baby,” she smiled sweetly before looking at the baby that also looking at her. “He was in the flower bed garden last night and the pixies brought him to me and Queen Clarion told me that even he didn’t really come from me, I am still his biological mother, so, yeah… I am officially a mother now,” she explained while I was trying to process her explanation—I was speechless…
 
Lumapit naman siya sa akin at hinarap ang baby na nakasandal na ngayon sa balikat niya. I stare at the baby and he really looks handsome. His chubby cheeks, wonderful eyes—especially the color of his eyes that exactly like someone I know, and his soft and fluffy body. This baby will turn into a handsome man someday that every girl will go crazy for.
 
So, this is what she was talking about…
 
“Baby Caelum, this is your Tita Ninang Gen,” Lara said while smiling. Umangat naman ang ulo ni baby Caelum at ngumiti sa akin habang inaantok na.
 
So cute!
 
“Hello, little heaven. Nice to meet you! I’m your beautiful Tita Ninang,” pakilala ko sa sarili ko bago kinuha ang kaniyang maliit at cute na kamay. I was smiling not until the two little creatures that currently in their human form near us at nakipag-away sa akin.
 
“No! Ako ang mas magandang Tita!”
 
“No, it’s none other than me!”
 
“I’m more beautiful than you!”
 
“I am!”
 
“Me!”
 
“Of course, me!”
 
“Shhh!”
 
Napatigil na lamang kaming tatlo sa bangayan ng bawalan na kami ni Lara and when we look at them, baby Caelum was already sleeping in her shoulder. I just smiled softly while looking at Lara. I know she wasn’t ready yet to be a mother but Caelum was already here this early. It was unexpected and she has to adjust but we’re just here—we’re just in her back no matter what happened.
 
“I wonder why you’re here in the academy last night when you should be in your palace,” I just blurted out at napansin kong natigilan siya. Ngunit bigla ko namang naalalang tutulungan niya pala si Tita Raine but while looking at her, I can say that something happened.
 
Nag-aayos ang dalawa ng mga kagamitan ni baby Caelum kaya kaming dalawa na lamang ang nandito sa silid. Lara put baby Caelum to the bed first before facing me. She inhales deeply and from her expression, I know that something happened and it made me worried about her.
 
“Lara, care to tell?” Saad ko and I am worried now.
 
She inhales again before she started to tell me what happened and I was so shocked upon knowing it. Hindi naman lingid sa kaalaman ko na mayroong galit si Queen Emerald sa kakambal nito, and I also know that their friends are mad at Tita Jade too. But what Queen Emerald did to Lara—what the Queen said to Lara was beyond my expectation! I thought, she will never drag Lara out of their problem yet here’s what happened.
 
Good thing that Prince Aiden was there! He deserves a hundred of thank yous from me!
 
“Are you okay?” I asked worriedly.
 
Kilala ko ang kaibigan ko and this is her dream to know her mother’s family yet this is what happened… alam ko rin at pansin ko rin ang pag-iwas ng mga pinsan niya—pinsan namin sa kaniya at alam ko ang dahilan. But my best friend don’t deserve their cold treatment… and I know that once Tita Jade will learn about this, she will get hurt too or maybe… mad.
 
“I’m fine. I just have to understand them,” she said and politely smiled at me.
 
Walang bahid ng kaplastikan ang ngiti niya—walang pagpapanggap and it makes me worried about her even more. She’s always like this. She always forgives and understands but I know that it still affects her—it still pains her but she will only smile and say that she is fine even she wasn’t—the reason why we have to protect her… too innocent and pure…
 
Hindi na lamang ako nagsalita at niyakap na lamang siya. Ito ang ayaw ko sa kaniya, eh. But what can I do? I know—we know that she’s strong and can handle things but this is new to her. All we have to do is to be with her, support her, and protect her even she doesn’t need our protection.
 
And all I hope is that she will find a man that will do anything for her—a man that will never hurt her…
 
***
 
Hope Lorelei Lara Sapphire Watson
 
Katatapos lang maglalaban ang Deltas-A and Gammas-A at pangalawang araw na ngayon at pangalawang araw na din ng mga taga-ibang realm dito sa academy. May tinutuluyan sila dito sa loob ng academy at hindi ko lang alam kung saan. Hindi ako pinalalabas ng tatlo dahil nag-aalala sila sa akin dahil sa trauma kong ‘to pero matigas ang ulo ko at heto ako ngayon at naglalakad papunta sa kung saan.
 
Tumakas lang ako sa kanila dahil alam kong hindi nila ako papayagan at naiintindihan ko naman dahil nandito ang mga nilalang na kinatatakutan ko—the creatures that gave me nightmare. Gusto ko sanang isama si Caelum kaso nga lang, tumakas lang talaga ako but I don’t have to worry because Lia, Tati, and Gen were there to take care of him.
 
And I don’t know why I am here outside…
 
Tumitingin-tingin ako sa paligid at madami ring namamasyal na taga-ibang realm dito pero hindi ko sila tinitignan dahil baka makita ko ang ayaw kong makitang mga nilalang. Hindi naman sa hate o galit ako sa kanila, it’s just that, I have a bad experience with them which became my nightmare, that’s why. Tumitingin-tingin ako sa paligid ng may maka-bangga ako ng hindi sinasadya. Nang mapatingin ako sa kaniya ay bahagya akong yumuko at humingi ng tawad.
 
“SORRY!”
 
Napatingin ako sa kaniya dahil sabay kaming humingi ng tawad and I was taken aback when I saw a walking goddess in front of me—just like someone I know… someone that a friend of mine in the mortal realm—an immortal too that also studying in the other building of my old school.
 
Napatitig ako sa maganda niyang mukha and noticed that she has platinum blonde long hair, and the color of her eyes. Napatitig ako sa mga mata niya at hindi ko maiwas ang tingin dito kahit ano pa ang gawin ko until minutes later, I can already see my reflection on her eyes like it was a mirror, then… I saw the moment that I don’t want to remember anymore unexpectedly.
 
My nightmare…
 
“MISS!”
 
Napakurap naman ako dahil sa pag-sigaw niya at bigla niya na lang akong niyakap and I don’t know but, parang ang gaan ng pakiramdam ko sa kaniya na para bang matagal na kaming magkakilala. What kind of feeling is this…? I can feel a familiarity and I can’t contain my emotions and I almost cry because of these overwhelming emotions that I can feel when she hugged me.
 
“It’s okay. You’re fine,” sabi niya sa sobrang lambing na boses at nakagagaan ng loob.
 
Ngayon ko lang naramdaman na nanginginig na pala ako dahil sa ala-alang bumalik—no, I don’t know what I am exactly feeling right now. Inaalo niya ako at hindi ko alam dahil bigla akong kumalma ng dahil sa kaniya. Nang maramdaman niyang hindi na ako nanginginig ay kumalas siya sa yakap at tinitigan ako.
 
Napatingin ulit ako sa mga mata niya at may na-realize ako, her eyes are not really color violet… her eyes are the real mirror of the past, present, and future—na ipa-aalala sa ‘yo ang nakaraan mong matagal mo ng ibinaon sa limot at ang mga sugat mong matagal ng naghilom na kayang bumalik kung gugustuhin niya iyon. And while looking at her, I could feel how powerful she is just by standing in front of me.
 
The color of her eyes is just disguised and I don’t know why I can see her real eye color.
 
“You okay, Miss?” Tanong niya na may pag-aalala sa boses nito and I could see it in her eyes. 
 
Napatango naman ako habang nakatitig pa rin sa mga mata niya. And then I realized something… even how beautiful her eyes are, it is also hiding the most dangerous power behind it. A power that only she could possess and I am sure about it. This lady looks innocent, pure, and soft—mukha siyang hindi makabasag-pinggan. Mula sa maamo at maganda niyang mukha, at sa kaniyang malambing na boses na aakalain mong hindi niya kayang manakit.
 
“Sorry,” sabi niya bigla at napakamot ng batok. “Hindi ko sinasadyang malaman ang nakaraan mo and worst, yung pinaka-ayaw mo pang maalala ang nakita ko. I’m so sorry,” hingi niya ng tawad at ang malambing at mahinhin niyang boses ay halatang nagsisisi. Hindi ko na nakikita ang sarili ko sa mga mata niya at bumalik na ito sa dati.
 
The true beauty hiding behind her eyes. Her silver-like mirror eyes…
 
“I-It’s okay. You made me calm naman, eh,” sabi ko at ngumiti to ease what she feels. Ngumiti din siya pabalik sa akin at parang nakahinga na siya ng maluwag and smiled at me which made her more beautiful. “By the way, you are from Alastair Academy?” Tanong ko na ikinatango naman niya ng mabilis. Napansin ko rin sa bracelet niya na nagsasabing kabilang siya sa academy na ‘yon.
 
“Sorry talaga. Hindi ko sinasadya,” hingi niya ulit ng tawad kaya umiling naman ako ulit at nginitian siya.
 
Pinakiramdaman ko ang sarili ko and I feel nothing but calmness and it’s because of her. “No. It’s really okay,” wika ko at ngumiti ng matamis. Lahat siguro ng makakakita sa kaniyang nakangiti ay mahuhulog sa kaniya. Ang ganda niya kasi, eh. Hindi pangkaraniwan ang ganda niya—a beauty that no one can surpass.
 
She sigh of relief which made me chuckle softly, especially, when she slightly pouted. She looks so adorable! “Anyways, hi! I’m Cressa, from Alastair Academy!” Pakilala niya sabay lahad ng kaniyang palad sa akin kaya inabot ko naman ‘yon habang naka-ngiti rin kagaya niya.
 
“I’m Lara, from Lumina Academy…” saad ko naman habang nakangiti kaya mas lalo namang lumaki ang ngiti sa labi niya.
 
“Nice to meet you, Lara!”
 
“Nice to meet you too, Cressa!”
 
“So… can you tour me around here?” Sabi niya na parang nahihiya pa kaya napaisip ako. “If you don’t mind,” pahabol niya kaagad. Napakamot ako ng batok at nag-aalangang tinignan siya kaya nagtaka naman siya sa inakto ko.
 
“Umm… let me see what I can do dahil hindi ko pa rin kabisado ang academy. But I know some of the beautiful places here,” sagot ko at ngumiwi sa kaniya na ikinatawa naman niya ng mahina.
 
Napatitingin sa amin ang mga dumadaang mga estudyante at napapatitig na lang sa amin—sa kaniya kaya naiintindihan ko naman sila. If I were them too, I will look at Cressa too. She’s just too beautiful and everyone can’t stop looking at her even they want to look away. Hindi lamang ang ganda niya ang kapansin-pansin kung ‘di ang kaniyang presenya din kaya hindi na kataka-takang na sa kaniya ang atensyon kahit wala naman siyang ginawa.
 
She’s too beautiful for us to look away…
 
“That’s fine for me. I just wanted to be friends with you and good thing that I found you…” she said but what I heard from her has a different meaning for me but I don’t know what it was. “Or just look for a perfect place for us to get to know each other…” she continued and a place came to my mind.
 
“Okay then. Let’s go!”
 
Hinila ko naman siya flower bed garden na kung saan may picnic blanket at umupo kami do’n. Meron na talaga ito dito para sa mga bisitang gustong magpahinga o mag-relax and flower bed garden is a perfect place for them and it was near to mystique forest.
 
“You know what, Lara?” Napatingin naman ako sa kaniya ng makaupo na kami. “I can see in your eyes that you are the summoner of all supreme guardians—the supreme guardians of this realm…” she said and I was shocked when I heard it from her.
 
What the… how did she—?!
 
“H-How did you…” hindi ko maituloy ang sasabihin ko ng bigla siyang tumingin sa akin at ngumiti. A kind of look and smile that will melt your heart.
 
“I just know…” she answered and her tender voice echoed my ears. “But you have to be careful. Enemies would love to have one of the summoners of supreme guardians and use it against the elementalists—but it turns out that they only have one summoner. Even you are the summoner, you still have to protect yourself,” she said and all I can do is to stare at her. I know that no one can hear us right now and it is her doing.
 
Magaan ang loob ko sa kaniya at hindi ko alam kung bakit. It’s just like, there’s a bond that makes me feel it—a familiar bond that I didn’t know if she can feel it too. Just… who is she? Why do I feel this way towards her? This is my first time meeting her but she can give me this kind of feeling now.
 
“By the way,” bigla siyang tumingin sa harapan. “I wanted to breathe a fresh air—I wanted to have a break from that guy—”
 
“—makikipaghiwalay ka?!” Gulat kong tanong na ikina-lukot naman ng kaniyang mukha but she looks more adorable.
 
“No, silly!” She said then pouted. “Kahit anong gawin ko—kahit mamatay ako at mabuhay ulit—sa lalaking ‘yon pa rin ang bagsak ko. Malas lang niya dahil sa akin lang din siya babagsak kahit ilang beses pa siyang mamatay at mabuhay ulit… pero mas malas ako dahil kahit ilang beses pa kaming mabuhay ulit, iba pa rin ang mamahalin niya…” she said and I furrowed because of what I heard from her.
 
Why am I hurting for her…?
 
“It’s just that… it wasn’t my fault that I fell in love with him that caused him to be trapped with me… forever…” she continued and I noticed that her bright eyes became sad. “Even he doesn’t want to—even he still loves someone else, if I am existing, he will stay trapped at me,” she smiled sadly before looking at the sky that starting to become dark. “I could bring back the time yet I couldn’t change what happened—I couldn’t change that I fell in love with him…” she said and I could feel that she is sad—she’s hurting and I am feeling hurt too.
 
Why someone has the guts to hurt an innocent person like her…?
 
Hindi ko na napigilan pa ang sarili ko at niyakap siya and she hugged me back. “Everything will gonna be alright, Cressa…” that’s the only thing that I could tell to her.
 
I know that she’s hurting right now and whatever happening to her, I hope she will be okay someday. She doesn’t deserve this kind of thing—she doesn’t deserve whoever that man is—she deserves better than this. Cressa is too precious and too innocent to hurt and I couldn’t understand why there’s someone can hurt someone like her. Whoever that man is, he is a stupid, dumb, jerk!
 
Kapag itong babaeng ito nakahanap ng iba!
 
“I hope that you can finally be freed from the pain that you are feeling right now… if that man didn’t wake up and just keeps on hurting you, I hope that you can finally be freed from loving him and find someone who will never waste your love…” I said as I noticed that anytime soon, it will start raining.
 
“I hope so too, Lara… because I can’t hold on anymore… I couldn’t bear the pain anymore and if I have to beg the deities just to be free from this unbearable pain, then I will…” she said and I felt her tears drop from my shoulder and it pained me more.
 
She’s in so much pain…
 
“We will get free from our pain soon… just hold on,” I said and hugged her tightly but minutes later, she moved to look at me and wiped her tears and I just wanted to punch whoever that man is!
 
Napansin ko namang bumuka ang bibig niya pero bago pa siya makapagsalita ay bigla na lamang kaming natigilan ng makaramdam kami ng kaiiba—an overflowing power and when I look around, tila kami lamang dalawa ang nakararamdam no’n. Nagkatinginan kami bago sabay na napatakbo sa kung saan namin ‘yon naramdaman.
 
And that aura was beyond powerful.
 
***