Dark Intramurals: Chronicles of the Magic Wielders (On-Going)

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

XAVIER'S POV

Araw ng Linggo. Bukas, tutulak na kami patungong Abysville. Makakaharap ko na ang pinakamalalakas na magic wielders mula sa iba't ibang panig ng Pilipinas.

Matagal ko na ring pinaghahandaan ang pagkakataong ito, ang masubukan sa unang pagkakataon ang taglay kong kapangyarihan laban sa maraming magic wielders kagaya ko, on a Philippine level.

​Napatigil ako sa pagmumuni-muni sa kwarto nang biglang mag-beep ang phone ko. I snatched it from the desk and saw a message on the screen from an unregistered number.

'Magkita tayo sa mini-forest ng Celesticville. Dumating ka on or before 2:00 p.m.'

​I raised an eyebrow. A mystery texter is commanding me to go alone somewhere with him/her, and he/she is actually expecting me to be there?

Napatingin ako sa orasan. 11:30 a.m. pa. May oras pa to prep up and go to the mini-forest before it strikes 2:00 p.m., but is it really wise for me to go there with somebody I don't even know?

​Against my better judgment, I went for the shower room and took a quick dip. I dressed into a simple blue sweatshirt and denim trousers paired with sneakers for my footwear.

I opened the fridge and saw it was practically empty, kaya lumabas na lang ako ng condo. Dumaan muna ako sa isang fastfood chain at kumain ng brunch (late akong nagising so I skipped breakfast). Pagkakain, agad kong sinulyapan ang phone ko to check the time. Five minutes before one.

Kaasar naman. Ba't ba ako nako-conscious sa oras? Ni hindi ko nga kilala kung sino ang katatagpuin ko at kung ano ang pakay niya sa'kin, kung darating man siya sa mini-forest mamaya.

I decided to head to the school from the resto, pero imbes na sa lugar na sinabi ng mystery texter ay sa isang man-made lake muna ako dumiretso. It was a small and shallow pond on the back portion of the campus, only five meters in diameter and about three feet deep. It used to be a fishpond but it got converted into a fountain a few years back.

Dahil Linggo at walang mga estudyante, hindi umaandar ang fountain ng artificial lake. Tamang-tama lang para sa nais kong gawin.

I glanced from left to right, just to make sure that no one is around. Itinutok ko ang kanan kong kamay sa tubig ng pond. Slowly, I controlled a portion of the water and encircled it around my forehead.

I did a yoga squat and closed my eyes. Tuwing stressed o 'di kaya'y bored ako, ito ang ginagawa kong therapy to calm myself, relax, and be one again with nature.

I was on a trance for quite some time nang mag-ring ang phone ko. Sa gulat, I lost control of the water at muntik na akong makaligo ulit kung hindi  ko maagap na nabawi ang kontrol ko sa tubig. I 'returned' the water back to the lake bago ko kinuha mula sa bulsa ang phone ko. It was an alarm that I set. Alas-dos na pala ng hapon. I sighed. It's time...

I stood up and walked towards the mini-forest. Inside, it was cold and quiet. Tanging huni ng mga ibon lang ang maririnig sa paligid, even the wind seemed to be silent.

I raised my guard. In a lonely place like this, any sorts of attacks can be hurled my way— shurikens, arrows, projectiles, kahit nga daggers o light swords, kaya dapat lagi akong alisto.

"Mabuti naman at nakarating ka, Xavier."

The voice was unclear because it came from some distance, at nakatalikod pa ako sa direksyong pinagmumulan nito. I formed a water energy ball on my right palm, bago ako humarap sa nagsalita. I saw a guy in a red Converse shirt, a pair of black skinny jeans, and rubber kicks. His face! Familiar. In fact, very familiar, that I dropped my jaw.