CHAPTER FOUR: AN ABDUCTION  

SELENA

"Miss Comia, what is this young outsider doing inside my classroom?" asked Professor Garcia.

           Selena was about to excuse herself but, then Evil Spawn entered the room with a patched nose. "I'd be escorting them out, Professor." He grabbed them both by the arm and yanked them out of the room. They were welcomed with nosy onlookers. Cynthia was too out of it that she couldn't even raise her gaze. Selena's attention was focused on the changes that had occurred in her friend's façade overnight. She's not a brunette, but her hair color has changed. The scar on her arm, which Selena knew when she had acquired, has been erased. She seemed taller and more… radiant.

           Evil spawn let go of Selena and pulled something out of his pocket. She heard a sound that woke her out of her reverie. Selena watched him open the door to a two-door car. He folded the shotgun seat and pushed Cynthia in, unfolded the chair, and pushed her in. Zacharias Aguila slammed the door shut and went to the other side, and turned to her eyebrow raised.

           She wanted to laugh at his covered nose, but she decided otherwise.

           "Selena," Cynthia's voice reverberated inside the silence of the car. She turned to her friend, currently sitting in the back seat. Selena got up and went to sit next to her. She held her hand. Cynthia took it as a signal to speak up. "Opal and Dylan cringe when they look at me. And then I did something horrible to them."

           Selena cleared her throat. She didn't kill them, did she? She mentally rolled her eyes. Of course not.

           "I compelled them to follow my commands, Selena," she whispered. "It was so weird. It felt so wrong."

           She paused to wipe her tears. "Selena, I don't know what to do. You always know what to do. Cant you…"

           "I need to talk to Dylan first," she said, and Evil Spawn scoffed.

           "I've been coercing you to speak this past few days, and the first thing I hear from you is the need to talk to someone else?" Selena ignored him. Zacharias Aguila started the car and, with utmost carelessness, sped out of the school grounds. The two girls watched him drive like a madman.

           "Is he the imbecile fag you mentioned?" Cynthia asked and sniffed. Selena nodded solemnly.

           Evil spawn snorted. "I still can't believe you have this magic power to command people. I think you're just crazy."

 But Selena's mind was thinking of the fact that Cynthia was oozing some kind of glittery aura, yet Zacharias seemed unaffected.

           "How are you managing it?" Selena asked. "How can you ignore Cynthia's…."

           "What?" Evil spawn glared at her in the mirror. "You mean her being literally sparkly?"

           Selena didn't speak.

           The corner of his mouth twitched up. "Don't sort me with the immune type. I can see and feel it alright. But I'm simply not interested

in her."

           Selena thought about his answer, and she must admit, it's sensible. His ignoring her is making him endure the effect of whatever it was that's currently covering her best friend.

           "What bothers me is the fact that you aren't affected by it when I can clearly see that you care about her very much," he said, and Selena stiffened. The existence of the shield was the answer to that.

           Cynthia tightened her grip on her hand. Selena gave her one faint sign not to talk about what she wanted to say. Evil spawn's bitter laugh flooded the car. She remembered how he maltreated her early this morning, and it sent an awful taste in her tongue.

           "Bear this in mind, ugly bitch," Evil Spawn started. "This is not a free ride."

Oddly enough, Evil Spawn has a pass inside the BSU gates. Selena took Cynthia's phone and copied Dylan's number, and called him.

"Hello?"

“Montano, this is Selena Comia.”

"Oh. Hey."

"Where are you right now?"

"School."

"Uh-huh, what part?"

"I'm… walking. I'm heading to the fountain,"

She shut the phone and looked around. "Stop. There he is."

He dashed towards him and stepped on the brakes. The car stopped, skidding next to Dylan. Selena wanted to get off, but Evil Spawn had already opened his door and walked up to him, grabbed him by the nape, and pushed him inside his car.

"What the hell, man?!" Dylan yelled, but Evil Spawn just slammed the door in his face. He slid back inside his car and started driving again. "This is unquestionably an abduction! And… Who are you?!"

Evil spawn didn't answer. He just chuckled.

"Who the hell drives a Porsche in Batangas?" he asked, more impressed than annoyed.

"Me, obviously."

"Hi," Selena's voice was so quiet Dylan frowned, unsure if he heard something before turning in his seat.

"Selena Comia… Cynthia," he said. He winced at the sight of her best friend.

"It hurts his eyes to see me," Cynthia said, and then she covered her face and sobbed. Selena bit her lip. Every time her best friend cries, it takes a lot of bribing and reassuring, and sometimes it takes hours, even days, before she gets over it. Clearly, Cynthia values her newfound friends so much to upset her like this.

Stop simplifying the situation. This is even more serious and a hell lot complicated than that. Else Cynthia wouldn't be crying like this.

"Why did you abduct me, exactly?" Dylan asked calmly and started rummaging his backpack.

"I want to talk to you," Selena said. "This. Whatever's happening. Cynthia doesn't want to lose you just because of something…."

They staggered on their seat when Evil Spawn sped up. His dire and careless driving silenced their conversation. Dylan was obviously the only one enjoying the ride.

Selena realized they were heading somewhere she was not familiar with. They had passed the municipality of Bauan, and the car is now running somewhere she'd never been to before.

           "Where are we heading?" Dylan asked.

           "My house," he said.

           "No one told you to bring us there," Selena's cold voice was calm but ominous. Dylan turned to the other guy and saw him grin in amusement.

           "What was your name again?" asked Dylan.

           "Zach," he said. "Remember my name, your royal ugliness."

           Dylan frowned. "You're calling me ugly?"

           "Not you," Zach said. "Her."

           Dylan frowned. Then he realized he was talking about Selena, a giggle escaped his mouth. He gave Selena a glance, and she looked like she'd shut her world away from them. She's now busy hushing Cynthia's sobs.

           "What's so funny?" Zach asked, scowling. There goes the evil face again.

           "You haven't seen the face behind that unkempt veil of hair, have you?" he asked. "Pity."

            Dylan's grin grew when Zach changed gear in irate swiftness.

           "So does that mean you've seen it?" asked Zach exhaled sharply.

           "Oh yes, I have," Dylan said and looked out of the window. He felt Zach shift gear again, and a ghost of a smile played on his lips. The car entered a colossal gate. The guard by the gate said, 'Good morning, Sir Zach.' Zach simply nodded. The car followed a straight cemented road until they entered an open gate which started closing as soon as they passed it. Dylan's jaw dropped the moment he realized what it was he was seeing.

           "You have a resort for a house?!" Dylan asked as soon as he stepped out of the car. Cynthia and Selena followed suit. Cynthia doesn't seem to appreciate the view, while Selena simply doesn't care.

           "Follow me," Zach said. He brought them to a pavilion overlooking Taal lake. Dylan marveled at the island within an island view.

           Zach pulled a chair and sat down. Selena helped Cynthia on the couch. Dylan decided that he should just stay standing. He wants to know what the hell is happening and why they brought him here. To achieve that, he decided to set the pace of their impending discussion.

---

Trevian Learning Facility Rooftop

"Why have I included in the ludicrous search party anyway?!" his tail whipped against the wall violently. 

         "Because your part of the Trevino's Elite Guard?" asked one of his colleagues. 

         He scoffed. "I haven't graduated, Julian. 'Case it escaped your notice."

         "But isn't it an honor to be taken on such high regard by the King himself?" Julian asked, eyes focused on the horizon. The view up the rooftop of Trevian Learning Facility is his all-time favorite.

         "What's so honorable about looking for Earthlings?" he said and gagged. "Hideous filthy creatures, those Earthlings."

         "They're not that bad, Keron," Julian mused.

         "Have you seen one?" he snapped at him. "Have you?"

         "Well, there are the books and uh… the paintings."

         "They're tailless!" he yelled and started pacing. "And they're touch, according to the myths, can poison a Welkin. They're practically carriers of diseases!"

         "As you said, according to myths," Julian tried. "Only the young ones believe in myths."

         "Whatever," said Keron. "My father is nuts. And to send his son to a capricious quest? He's lost it."

         "The king was adamant when he said he wants the Radiant Earthlings," said Julian, and Keron only growled. "Besides, don't you think this is what you need?"

         "What do you mean?" He paused, his attention thoroughly pricked.

         "If you're the one who can bring the Earthlings to your father, maybe he'd really start acknowledging you," Julian started to giggle. "Well, a fat chance for the tenth son."

         His tail started thrashing again, a sign that he was furious but mulling it over.

         "Think about it. This will be like cutting corners for you," Julian urged the thought inside his head. "When was the last time the king gave you very much as a glance?"

          "I think you're right, Julian," he whispered. "Well? How am I going to catch them?"

         "You're a Welkin, Keron," Julian rolled his eyes mockingly. "You're a royal blooded Welkin. You have one of the strongest radiance in the Trevian Kingdom. Use it."

         "I'm exactly neither a tracker nor a hunter type," he groaned and slumped down on the rock.

         "What exactly can you do?" Julian's voice was a bit giddy. 

"Destroy things?" he scoffed. "Hey! You're a semi-tracker-type! Why don't you track them for me, and I'll handle the capture."

"Alas, I wasn't chosen to accompany the hunt," he said. "But I think you can do it without anyone's help."

His face contorted into a smug, disbelieving expression. "How?"

"Like you said. Destroy things," Julian flashed his pointy silver teeth. "Wreck havoc. Instinct tells me that will lure them in."

Keron thought about it and decided to do it as soon as he set foot on Earth.