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

Chapter 40: Guilt

Chapter 40: Guilt
 
Maaga kaming na-dismiss kanina ni headmaster kaya naman may panahon pa ako upang magtungo sa Commission Office. I will look for a job and I will do that after the examination. I talked to Gen earlier and told me that we should take the offer and tomorrow morning, we will visit the headmaster again to tell him that we want to take his offer. Ngayon ay dapat makabalik ako sa dorm before dinner since I just left Caelum under Alphas’ care while he was sleeping.
 
It’s already six-thirty in the evening and glowing butterflies are slowing appearing, so does the fireflies. Glowing flowers are now glowing too which makes the academy looks lively and magical, idadagdag pa ang mga pixies at fairies—their pixie and fairy dust that coming from their wings that added to the academy’s beautiful scenery. Only the fairies and pixies are the ones that can be seen or the active ones—sila lamang ang madalas na makita sa academy dahil ang ibang mystique creatures na nakatira dito ay mas gusto nilang nagtatago mula sa aming mga mata but we know that they are just around.
 
But the academy’s soldiers are appearing when the night fell—guarding the academy. Sa totoo lang ay madaming lahi ang na sa academy at maski ako ay naguguluhan. You can see fairy guards here—guarding a place that either only them who can enter. The patrollers every night aren’t the fairy guards too—they are from different races, so does the academy’s soldier that I was talking about. Magulo, oo, ngunit isa lamang ang masasabi ko, madami ang nasasakupan ng akademya—the first institution that was build has a lot of people—different races and those are the first races who lived here in this world.
 
If the first institution’s people are the mystique creatures—which are the pixies, fairies, centaurs, merfolk, and so on—the other institutions—or well known as the kingdoms—their people are the immortals. In short, the academy was the mystique creatures’ home… this is their land and while just thinking about that, I can not imagine how huge this institution was. It was unimaginable. Hindi kakayanin ng imagination mo, lalo na at hindi bukas ang pinto nila para sa aming mga imortal ngunit alam ko at ramdam kong wala naman silang galit sa amin.
 
Mystique creatures just has their own life and their world was can be found in Mystique forest—the most biggest forest in this realm. Mayroon namang mga mystique creatures sa labas ng gubat nila—sa labas ng akademya na tahanan nila dahil mayroon din silang tahanan sa iba’t ibang kaharian but their home is still the academy. This is the reason why the academy is the most powerful among the other institutions. I can’t help but wonder—ano kayang itsura ng tahanan nila? Just how their life works in there? When are they going to show themselves to us?
 
I wonder if Mimi already saw their home…
 
Nakarating naman ako sa Commission Office—a mansion-like building and students are going in and out. Some of them look worn out—like they just finished their job—while some are holding a piece of paper and I think, it was their chosen job, and lastly, the students who are just going inside to check the available jobs. When the last time we went passing by here, there are a lot of students here—halos mapuno na ang opisina kaya nagpagawa sila ng pangalawang opisina and that’s also when they decided to change their name—Occupation Building to Commission Office Building.
 
Nai-kwento sa akin ni Mimi na sinuggest ‘yon ng mga headmasters at headmistresses ng ibang realm and yes, they can communicate with each other but it was only happening once in a month—it was every month but only happen once. It was also the reason why every academy’s are almost similar to each other kaya sabi sa akin ni Mini ay huwag na akong magulat kung mayroong pagkakaparehas ang bawat akademya kung halimbawa mang magawa kong bumisita sa ibang realm. When I asked if it was because of every academy’s leaders’ talk, she said it wasn’t.
 
Sabi niya sa akin ay simula pa no’ng una ay magkakapareha na ang bawat akademya—every realm has similarities and that’s because of the myth goddesses of every realm. They wanted to make it that way, especially, the first institutions. Nagkaroroon lang nagpagbabago dahil sa mga bawat nagdadaang mga pinuno ngunit sasang-ayunan muna ito ng iba pang pinuno—especially the leaders of every first institutions. Nai-kwento rin sa akin ni Mimi na tanging ang mga pinuno lamang ang nagagawang makausap, at makita ang bawat pinuno ng akademya—which are the mystique creatures, ‘yon nga lang hindi ko nagawa maitanong kung nagawa na ba niyang makapunta sa tahanan nila.
 
But one thing is for sure, they are just around…
 
Pumasok na lamang ako sa unang building ng Commission Office and I went to the front desk. Some immortals are working together with the fairies and right now, I am welcomed by a fairy. “Good evening, my lady, how may I help you?” The fairy was a woman and she was smiling at me brightly.
 
Fairies are human-sized, have porcelain white skin, and their wings are the same as Tinkerbell—in short, they are the same as Tinkerbell but they are only human-sized. They are wearing their job’s uniform and their clothes that are made from leaves serve as their casual clothes but their uniforms are also made from leaves. But the fairies like them can only be found in institutions, especially, here in the academy and you can not find them just somewhere in the market—it was impossible unless they were given a task to do so. That’s why I can not blame those immortals who are surprised every time they can see a fairy-like them flying around downtown.
 
“Good evening too… I was here to look for an available job…?” I smiled at her while she nodded while still smiling at me.
 
Every mystique creatures—every race has their own languages but they also know the language that immortal’s are using that’s why it was easy for them to communicate with us and you see, fairies have great personalities and they are royal and dependable—also the reason why they choose to serve us in a heartbeat. Fairies maybe look fragile but they are not. They are also good at combat and also have their own gifts. I badly want to know everything about them—about the people of the first institutions but unfortunately, they are too private—like they wanted to hide from immortals.
 
“May I see your logo, my lady?” I showed her my logo and she nodded while staring at it. “I see, please follow me, my lady,” I followed her when she started to fly somewhere.
 
May mga ibang estudyente rin ang nakasasabay ko and they were assisted by fairies too but some are immortals. I was only following her until we reached the place where papers are pinned on the wall. There are students in this area too and I think, they are choosing their jobs now with the help of their assistance. From where I am standing, I can see a lot of jobs that are available but from above, there are big letters that say, EASY which means, the jobs that were pinned on the wall were only easy but with the lowest reward. It was usually given to those who have the lowest rank in the academy.
 
Nagpatuloy na namang muli ang fairy hanggang sa sabayan ako nito bago ko siya narinig na nagsalita. “My lady, since you are in the highest section in secondary level, you were given the freedom to choose—whether it will be an easy, hard, or Class S job and I am here to assist you,” she said while we are moving slowly.
 
Napa-isip naman ako dahil sa kaniyang sinabi. “I thought it was you who will choose for me whether it was easy, hard, or Class S…?” my tone was laced with confusion as I look around. 
 
Akala ko it was easy, medium, and hard…
 
“Yes, my lady, it was us who will choose for you whether those three, but since it was your first time taking a job, we are giving you freedom,” she explained and my confusion just faded.
 
Paano niya nalamang first time ko?
 
“Oh…” I stopped and look at her. She faced me while still flying kaya nakatingala ako sa kaniya ng bahagya. “I choose Hard then,” I told her.
 
“Follow me then, my lady.”
 
Nagtungo kami kung na saan ang mga trabahong napili ko at good thing dahil wala naman masyadong estudenyate ang nandito. Mga lima lang yata kami and they are from the tertiary level. Hindi ko na lamang sila pinansin at hinayaan na lamang ang fairy na tulungan ako. The one that I chose wasn’t that hard at pwede pa ‘yon gawin ng nag-iisa lamang. The Class S one was harder and mostly, the tertiary level are the one who are choosing that.
 
Sa totoo lang ay hindi ko alam kung anong klaseng trabaho ba ang pipiliin ko but let’s see. I know that Gen and Oddie or even the other princess will sulk when they know about this—me, getting a job alone at ngayon pa lang ay nag-iisip na ako ng dahilan. Yeah, it was bad ngunit alam kong wala silang panahon upang kumuha ng trabaho ngayon.
 
They are bust after all… even Genevieve.
 
“Are you going alone, my lady?” I nodded as an answer before we stopped and in front of us are the articles containing different kinds of jobs—the details and the reward. “We only have two available jobs as of now that could be fit for you, my lady—jobs that don’t need a partner or group just to finish these, and it only requires one person. Here, take a look, my lady,” inabot naman niya sa akin ang dalawang article na tinutukoy niya na kaagad ko namang binasa.
 
Guard The Youngest Daughter Of Council Lambert
Job Location: Coolville City, Wynyard Kingdom
Job Description: My seven years old daughter is badly sick and I can not leave her behind when I know that no one can protect her at all costs. My wife and I need to leave the city and we can not leave her without a trusted aide beside her. All you have to do is to protect her with all your might until we went home. I will double the reward if you take care of her too and this is only a whole day job.
Reward: Seven-thousand golds
Taken/Untaken: UNTAKEN
 
A badly sick kid…
 
Guard The Son of Council Luzviminda
Job Location: Coolville City, Wynyard Kingdom
Job Description: My son plans to traverse to Phyron kingdom. He can handle himself but he was badly wounded when he came back the last time he traverse to one of the kingdoms. As a mother, I am worried sick to my only son and I only wanted his safety. I can not stop him from traversing because that’s what he loves to do and all I can do is to hire someone who could protect him to Phyron kingdom.
Reward: Twenty-thousand golds
Taken/Untaken: UNTAKEN
 
Protect the son of one of the councils who loves traversing?
 
The latter was tempting, however, I am sure that I will get away for how many days and I can’t afford that to happened because I have the baby that will wait for me. I an sure that whoever that person was, he won’t choose to travel on air dahil hindi naman ito gagawin ng kaniyang ina.
 
Then the first one—also guarding the daughter of one of the councils—the badly sick daughter of one of the councils. If I will choose this one, I will only stay inside of their house and it was only a whole day job. These two jobs are just in the same place and both want something—to guard their children.
 
“My lady, if you will choose the first one—to guard the daughter of Council Lambert, I can say that it was just an easy case, while the second one isn’t and that’s the reason why it has a higher reward,” I agree with what the fairy said. “But to inform you, my lady, if you choose the second job, I’m afraid that Council Luzviminda’s son might hit you since he was known as the playboy of their family. He’s only traveling to another kingdom just to taste different women and usually, we’re not letting any women take the job if he was the one we’re talking about but if you insist, my lady, I can not do anything anymore. At least I warn you… the academy wants nothing but our student’s safety…” she explained.
 
Napaisip naman ako bago ngumiti sa kaniya ng matamis. Especially, when I saw the worry in her eyes and her hesitation earlier to present me the second article. “Thank you—what’s you name?” I asked politely at tila natauhan naman siya dahil sa tanong ko.
 
The fairy slightly bow her head at me, “Pardon me, my lady… I am Sheena,” napangiti naman ako bago ko ipinakita sa kaniya ang napili ko.
 
“I chose this one since it was only a whole day job, Sheena,” tumango si Sheena bago ko inabot sa kaniya ang article na napili ko. “Thank you for warning me, Sheena,” I said which made her smile.
 
“You’re welcome, my lady. Anyway, when do you want to do your job? Since it wasn’t that urgent, you can choose whatever day you want but it can’t be next week. So, my lady?” Mayroong biglang lumitaw na maliit na notepad sa kaniyang kamay at ballpen.
 
“The next-next day, maybe?”
 
Sheena nodded while started writing on her note. “I will schedule you, my lady, and will inform Council Lambert once your teacher approved the excuse letter that we will send them. You don’t have to worry about anything anymore, my lady, transportation, and food aren’t a problem,” she was talking while writing something in her notepad while I am just listening.
 
There’s an specific week and month where students can get a job—kung saan buong linggo o isang buwang puro trabaho lamang ang mga estudyante—pero pwede pa rin namang kumuha kahit na regular classes as long as your teachers will approve the excuse letter that the Commission Office will send them. It was either they will approve the letter or not but not approving the letter doesn’t mean you can’t continue your chosen job anymore. They will only re-schedule you, as long as the job you choose isn’t urgent.
 
Sheena faced me while smiling again, “We will inform you immediately whether it was approved or not by your teachers, my lady.”
 
“Thank you, Sheena.”
 
***
 
Pauwi na ako ng dorm at tuluyan na ngang gumabi. Gen was messaging me too and was asking for me to go home. She said that Caelum was already awake and he was looking for me. I got worried, knowing my baby, but Gen said that the prince of fire was taking care of him. Nagmamadali na akong maglakad ngunit napatigil na lamang ako ng mayroong humarang sa akin but I was taken aback upon seeing his face.
 
Lucas…
 
His face is hard to read and he was only looking at my eyes. He was serious while his hands were in his pockets and he was standing just meters away from me. “Y-You need… something?” I was hesitant to ask him and I even planned to take the other direction but I can feel that he needs something from me. I just don’t know what it was.
 
He stared at me for a moment and I am now feeling nervous. Nang nanatili lamang siyang nakatitig sa akin ay napagpasyahan kong lagpasan na lamang siya. I inhaled deeply and I was about to start walking when he block me again, causing me to look at him while frowning. Ano ba ang kailangan niya? I didn’t say anything, so he does. We have a little staring moment until he breaths deeply and slowly, I could see emotions in him—mixed emotions that I can’t even name. When I tried to read what he’s feeling right now, nabigo lamang ako dahil halo-halo ang kaniyang nararamdaman ngayon.
 
“Can we… can we talk?” He asked and I can feel his nervousness. Ilang beses pa siyang lumunok—indicating that he is really nervous—so am I.
 
Can I decline him?
 
But I don’t want him to feel bad, especially, when I can see from his eyes that he is ready to beg para lang pumayag ako that’s why I nodded, “Okay…” mahina kong usal at tila nakahinga naman siya ng maluwag.
 
“Let’s sit then.”
 
Umupo naman kami sa isa sa mga benches at humarap sa harapan. There are few students here and they all have their own lives. Even so, I can feel my heart beating so fast but I need to speak. “What…” huminga muna ako ng malalim. “What do you want to talk about…?” Buong tapang kong tanong while my hands are intertwined tightly but I didn’t let him notice it.
 
Muli ko na naman siyang narinig na bumuntong-hininga bago nagsalita—taken me aback. “I’m sorry…” I heard him say and I am just frozen on my spot. “On behalf of my family… I am asking for your forgiveness for what we have done to you…” he continued and I think, I just swallowed my tongue because I couldn’t speak!
 
But I can not stay like this! Pinilit ko ang sarili kong tumingin sa kaniya at nakita ang emosyon sa mga mata niya. Sadness, guilt… and he is genuinely sorry. I opened my mouth to say something but there are no words coming! I plainly don’t know what to say to him! Ano nga ba ang dapat sabihin sa kaniya? Huminga ako ng malalim bago iniiwas ang tingin sa kaniya. I look back in front before a genuine smile made its way from my lips and I know that it made him curious why I am smiling like that.
 
“Way back before we’re still living in the mortal realm… I was always asking myself if I have grandparents, auntie, uncle, and even cousins…” panimula ko habang nakangiti pa rin while I still can feel his eyes on me and listening to me attentively. “I was so excited to meet them if ever that I really have one. Since Mimi didn’t say anything about her family, I used to think about them,” I look at him now and saw his serious face while listening to me. “I asked once about her family but I saw the sadness in her face—the loneliness, guilt, and pain that’s why after that, I didn’t ask again. Instead, to make me happy, I used to imagine her family… about having a family aside from Mimi and Nana…
 
“When we’re already here and learned about her family… I got excited because I think that my dream had just come true… that I could finally meet Mimi’s family, however, when I learned the story… the reason for her sadness, guilt, and pain in her eyes that time… my dream just crashed but I still hope…” my smile faded before looking at the dark sky. “But I understand you… I understand why you are all like that towards Mimi and me… I understand your reason why you didn’t want us—you didn’t me—”
 
“That’s not true…” he protested but I just look at him and smiled again.
 
“It is…” mahina kong wika habang nakatingin sa kaniyang mga mata. “I understand your anger, Lucas… I understand your family’s anger towards my mother and why you don’t want me as your cousin…” I reached for his hand at pinisil ito ng bahagya. “I understand, Lucas… and you don’t have to ask forgiveness from me. I am mad from no one—I am not mad at you and your family, Lucas, because I understand,” binawi ko ang kamay kong nakahawak sa kamay niya bago ko nakita ang emosyon sa kaniyang mga mata.
 
He was looking at me softly until he spoke, “But what my mother said to you…” he drawls like he didn’t believe that I am not mad at them.
 
My smile still remains at pinakiramdaman ko ang aking sarili. No, I am not hurt or mad at the queen. “I know that she just said those words out of anger,” I inhaled before looking at the pixies flying around. “I won’t deny that her words pained me but that was it… she just said those not just because of anger but also because of pain. She was suffering for how long and I didn’t know her pain, how she suffers from those years and the best thing to do for me is to understand her. I can not just be mad at her, Lucas—I have never been mad at her because of what she said,” I explained and I just heard him take a deep breath.
 
“Why… why are you like this?” Mahina niyang tanong at ng tignan ko siya ay nakatungo siya habang ang dalawang kamay niya ay nakakuyom. His jaw are clenching too and I think, he is mad and I don’t know the reason why.
 
I took a deep breath too before looking at the dark sky. “I just… I just understand, Lucas. Plain and simple,” I simply answered. “Hindi naman gano’n kalaki ang nagawa niyo sa akin… well, it made me sad but like I said, I understand…” napatingin naman ako sa tuhod ko ng mayroong dumapong paru-paro dito and I came to see the glowing butterfly up close.
 
“It is… it was a big deal for you because we made you feel not welcome to our family… we distance ourselves to you… we ignored you for fuck’s sake! Damn… I should have known… fuck! You don’t deserve to be treated like that!” Pagalit ang kaniyang tono at medyo tumataas ang kaniyang tono at kira ko ang pagsisisi niya kanina pa.
 
Nang tinangnan ko naman siya ay nakita ko ang galit niyang mukha habang ang mga mata niya ay nagpakikita ng iba’t ibang emosyon na hindi ko na napangalanan pa. Magulo at halo-halo na rin ang kaniyang nararamdaman ngunit mas nangingibabaw ang galit—he wasn’t mad at me but to himself instead and I wanted him to calm down. I know that he was blaming himself now but I shouldn’t let him blame himself dahil wala naman siyang kasalanan. It was no one’s fault…
 
“Lucas—”
 
“No, Lara! We all know that you are innocent—that you shouldn’t be dragged to this mess—to your mother’s mess! She is right, Lara… she’s right that we shouldn’t drag you to this mess—to her mess… you are innocent…” now, she was crying and I know that it’s because of the emotions that he was feeling. He just broke down in front of me and I can’t help but hug him to calm him down.
 
I caress his back softly while trying to stop him from crying—he was crying silently. “Shhh…” I felt him hug me back before resting his head on my shoulder.
 
“We hurt you…” he keeps mumbling while I am trying to calm him down. “I saw it… I saw how you cry… the pain in your eyes…” napatigil naman ako dahil sa narinig mula sa kaniya.
 
He was there?
 
No… sa tingin ko ay nakita niya ‘yon gamit ang kaniyang abilidad—his ability to see someone’s past just by looking to that person’s eyes. When did he saw that? Huminga na lamang ako ng malalim bago siya hinayaang umiyak sa balikat ko hanggang sa tumahan na siya. I am actually amazed at him because he wasn’t afraid to cry in public because you see, iniisip ng karamihan na oras na umiyak ang isang lalaki ay isa na ‘tong mahina and it makes me sick to that thought, like, duh! Men are persons too! They also have feelings too and men that are crying doesn’t mean they are weak! Crying doesn’t make you weak!
 
“You feel better now?” I asked softly. I know that he has been blaming himself since he saw how I cried and how it pained me to be ignored by them and crying is his only way to let it go.
 
But instead of answering me, he said the opposite. “I’m sorry… little ‘cuz.”
 
***
 
Christopher Avis Jones
 
“Huwag mo nga siyang hawakan! Mamaya, mahawa pa siya ng katopakan mo!” Hindi ko naman mapigilang matawa ng malakas dahil sa sinabi ng babaeng kaharap ko na nakasimangot ngayon.
 
Siya kaya ‘tong may topak!
 
This lady really got my attention since the first time I saw her. I was mad at the Betas—mad to the core and I have been always looking at them until this lady came into the picture. Among the members of Betas, she was different from them all. Kaiiba siya at nakuha no’n ang aking atensyon. She was a loner even before she was taking special classes last year and at that time, she was already a member of Betas. She was quiet and yes, I know about that but right now, seeing her up close and talking to her, she was far from the lady that I have seen before.
 
So fucking noisy but adorable…
 
“Ingrid, between the two of us, ikaw ang mas topakin!” Asar ko at sinundan pa ng nakaaasar na tawa.
 
She look at me sharply but it makes her look more adorable. “Alam mo, ang ganda ng sasabihin ko…” then she faked her smile. “… bawal lang marinig ng isang bata,” pagpapatuloy niya at alam ko na kung ano ang tinutukoy niya.
 
I just laugh at her before she roll her eyes at me at napasimangot na lamang ako ng nagbago ng mabilis ang kaniyang ekspresyon ng humarap siya kay Caelum—the Alphas’ baby. He was looking for his mother who went out and no one knows where she headed to. Kaya naman niya ang sarili niya, lalo pa’t hawak naman niya ang dalawa sa mga supreme guardians. Good thing that Caelum likes Ingrid—I like her too, bud—and he stopped from crying but we all know that he was still looking for his mother.
 
I look at Ingrid and I can’t stop myself from smiling while seeing her playing with Caelum. We’re in the living room while the others are in the kitchen—preparing for our dinner tonight. What I did before—when the first time we saw the electric cats—I did that on purpose and that’s to get near her. It was a silly action but, yeah, I just did that to get able to see her up close and it was successful. Wala akong balak na tigilan sila—lalo na siya ng mga panahon na ‘yon ngunit bigla na lamang dumating si Aiden and it was my cue to stop.
 
Damn these growing feelings…
 
Nakita naman naming patungo si Aiden—na bored na bored sa buhay—sa kusina and he just passed all of us not until we all heard Caelum’s voice in out head again. “Pappa!” Saad ni Caelum na nakaupo sa hita ni Ingrid and I noticed how happy this kid was while looking at the prince who froze.
 
Yes… they look alike! Caelum was Aiden’s baby version!
 
Hindi pinansin ni Aiden si Caelum kaya napatingin siya sa amin na parang naiiyak and with that, I just want to punch this guy for ignoring this adorable kid. How can he ignore the baby the he look a like?! Akma namang maglalakad muli si Aiden ng magsalita si Ingrid na dahilan upang muling mapatigil si Aiden.
 
“Hala, Aiden! Kapag umiyak ‘tong anak niyo ni Lara, lagot ka talaga sa asawa mo!” Ingrid bluntly said and I didn’t expect Aiden’s reaction.
 
Natawa naman kami sa gulat na itsura ni Aiden at bahagya pang namula, lalo naman ang dalawa niyang tenga. Napansin ko pang napakurap-kurap ito na halata ngang hindi niya inaasahan ang kaniyang narinig. I smirked when I saw emotion on him again that’s why it makes us push him to tease and ship him to Lara. Bagay naman sila. May anak na nga, eh. The others are already here and we all witnessed how the prince of Phyron kingdom blushed. Although, we aren’t completed because the brothers and Lara wasn’t here to witness this amusing moment.
 
Nang makabawi siya sa gulat ay nagmamadali itong lumapit kay Caelum at kinarga pagkatapos ay lumakad papunta sa silid niya na hindi man lang kami tinatapunan ng tingin. Tumawa naman ng malakas si Kaizer kaya napatawa na rin kami ngunit napatigil na lamang kaming lahat ng bigla na lamang kaming narinig na malakas na hampas ng kidlat mula sa labas. Iis he really the prince of Phyron kingdom? Tsk! We just shake our heads while there’s smile playing in our lips while we are thinking the same thoughts…
 
The prince of Phyron Kingdom was madly in love with the princess of the Luminaria Kingdom named Lara…
 
***