Flame Academy

/21/

The flame gate opened and the six of us stepped outside. It automatically closed when we are already outside the academy as we all roamed our eyes around.

Familiar trees and a straight way greeted us. Tahimik ang buong lugar habang may katamtamang hangin ang humahampas sa mga katawan namin.

Maybe if I was still the same Kate who doesn't believe about magic or paranormal happening, baka kanina pa ako tumakbo papunta sa dating lugar na tinitirhan namin. Gusto ko namang pumunta doon ngayon pero hindi dahil gusto ko tumakas mula sa realidad kung hindi dahil gusto kong bisitahin si Mommy.

But I cannot do that right now. I just wish I can see her soon because I'm missing her so much.

Nagsimula kaming maglakad sa patag at sementadong daan sa pagitan ng mga puno. Each one of us is carrying a large bag on our backs that contains foods, clothes, and any necessary things for adventure. Mabigat siya pero kaya naman.

We kept walking for almost an hour while looking around. But we also stopped when Jillian stopped and faced us.

"Are we just gonna walk straight forever?" she sarcastically asked.

"Alangan namang tumakbo tayo?" tanong naman ni Bea and Jillian immediately rolled her eyes.

Jillian sighed. "I mean, duh? We are just walking and walking and walking with no specific direction."

"She has a point." Ace nodded.

"Edi anong gagawin natin? Sinabi lang naman nilang sa loob ng gubat natin siya makikita pero hindi binigay iyong exact location," sabi naman ni Neo at walang nakapagsalita sa amin.

Tumingin ako sa lawak ng gubat na nasa gilid. Inalala ko ding inabot kami ng ilang oras ni Mommy sa pagbyahe dito at halos puno ang nakita ko buong byahe. That means, we are going to search inside a very very wide forest.

"Searching for someone inside this forest might take us days or even a week," I said. Napatango naman sila at parang malapit ng ma-frustrate. 

Tumingin naman bigla si Ace kay Main Titan na tahimik lang simula nang lumabas kami sa academy.

"How about you, Zach? Do you have any suggestion?"

He shrugged. "None."

Napabuntong hininga sila Jillian at katahimikan ang namayani sa amin. It's obvious that everyone is thinking of a way to find Miss Liana Gandler without searching the whole forest.

Ilang minuto din siguro kaming nanatiling tahimik habang biglang nagtaas ng kamay si Bea. We all looked at her that is widely smiling at us now.

"I got an idea!" she said with excitement.

"What?" all of us asked in chorus expect from the other Main Titan.

Bigla naman siyang tumingin kay Main Titan. "Paano kaya kung gumawa si Zach ng flame animal na lilipad sa buong gubat at siyang maghahanap sa mangkukulam na 'yon?"

I smiled a bit when I heard the term 'mangkukulam'. Napatango-tango naman sila.

"That can work. He has the fastest flame after all," pagsang-ayon ni Jillian kaya napatango na din ako.

But suddenly, Ace shook his head. "It can work. But he can't do that. Our flames can be seen by normal people, remember? We can't risk the truth about our existence."

"Mukha bang may tao dito?" sarkastikong tanong ni Neo at tinuro ang gubat na nasa gilid ng daan.

"Mabuti nang sigurado. Just like what I said, we can't risk anything. It might cause damages to the flamers and our existence might end with just a sight of Zach's flame," sambit ni Ace at mukhang naintindihan naman naming lima iyon. He's right.