Mystic Institute: School for Magical Beings

Walang tigil ang pag-iyak ni Celestia habang tumatakbo palayo. Rinig niya ang mapang-asar na tawa ng mga humahabol sa kanya. Ang mga mapangutyang salita ng mga ito para tumigil siya sa pagtakbo.

Pero hindi huminto si Celestia. No matter how exhausted she was, she didn't stop. She needs to escape, she has to. Or else —

"Gotcha!"

Malakas na napasigaw si Celestia nang may pumalibot na ugat sa katawan niya. Sinubukan niyang kumawala pero walang-wala ang lakas niya sa higpit ng kapit ng ugat sa katawan niya.

"You really thought you could escape a bunch of older and more experienced witches, you silly little girl?" one of the witches mocked her with an evil grin on her gaunt face .

Celestia glared at her.

"Oh, feisty," another witch said, then laughter followed through.

Mabilis ang pintig ng puso ni Celestia nang maproseso nito na napapalibutan na siya ng mga dark witches na humahabol sa kanya. Napalunok ito sa kaba.

"Do you know why we're haunting you, little girl?" a wizard asked her.

Hindi sumagot si Celestia. Not that she doesn't want to, but because she can't. Umakyat na halos hanggang dibdib niya ang ugat na nakapalibot sa kanya, making it harder for her to even breathe.

"It's because you're a threat to our people," the same wizard said. "We doubt a kid can do that, but we're not one to risk it. What's killing a child for the sake of hundreds of lives? Besides..."

Lumapit ang lalake sa pwesto ni Celestia. He grinned, but Celestia could see in his eyes the spite and disgust that she knew was solely for her.

"You're an abomination."

Celestia might have felt devastated if her parents hadn't told her earlier about some people's view regarding people who have mixed blood. But right now, she doesn't feel any of it. She just defiantly stared back at the wizard.

"And what do we do to abominations?" malakas na tanong ng lalake.

"Patayin!"

"Pugutan ng ulo!"

"Kuhain ang puso!"

"Ialay sa dagat!"

"Sunugin nang buhay!"

"Sunugin nang buhay..." Celestia dreaded what the wizard's about to say, seeing the twinkle in his eyes as he muttered those words.

"Lit a fire," commanded the wizard, na agad sinunod ng iba.

Nagsimulang magpumiglas ulit si Celestia nang makita ang malaking apoy na ginawa ng mga 'to. Dahan-dahan siyang inilapit ng lalake. Every second was an excruciating pain of waiting. Walang boses ang lumalabas sa bibig nito kahit anong sigaw niya.

Napapikit na lang siya nang mariin nang huminto na ito sa harap ng nagbabagang apoy.

"Long live, dark magic," malakas na sambit ng lalake.

"Long live, dark magic!"

And the next thing Celestia knew, she was thrown inside the fire.

***

"NO!"

Celestia sat up straight, her hands wildly scrambling for something to hold. But then she felt a touch on her wrist. The touch was cold, and Celestia instantly stopped scrambling. It was such a reprieve from the burning sensation she felt upon being thrown at the fire.

"Finally, you're fucking awake."

Napamulat agad si Celestia nang marinig iyon. The first she registered in her still hazy mind is that, hindi siya napapalibutan ng apoy. Second, hindi siya nasusunog.

"Baka pwede ka ng magpaliwanag pagkatapos mo kong paghintayin ng halos kalahating araw?"

Dumako ang tingin ni Celestia sa lalakeng nasa harap niya. She doesn't recognize him, but he feels so awfully familiar.

"S-sino ka?" tanong ni Celestia. "At nasan ako?"

Tumaas ang kilay nung lalake. "Shouldn't we be the one asking that?"

Nagtatakang tumingin si Celestia rito.

"Hindi mo naaalala kung paano ka napunta rito?"

"Nasan ba kasi ako?"

"Ako ang naunang magtanong—"

"Now, now, son. That's so ungentlemanly of you. We don't bombard questions to someone who just woke up after what seems like a big ordeal to them," another voice appeared.

Celestia flinched away from the guy. Only then did she realize na may isa pang tao sa loob ng kwarto kung saan siya tila nakatulog. It's an elderly man with long, black hair na nakatali ng ponytail. He's wearing formal attire with a shining, silver crest on his left chest. There was a scar on the side of his face, making him look so intimidating despite the gentleness his eyes were radiating.

He slowly walked towards her direction, eyes never leaving hers. Despite the gentleness that Celestia could detect from him, she still felt nervous of his presence.

"Ako na ang humihingi ng paumanhin sa inasta ni Theodore, Miss," sabi ng nakatatandang lalake.

Theodore... so that's the rude guy's name, huh.

"But he's right. You should explain how you happened to find your way here inside the institute."

Institute?

Celestia frowned. She scrambled to remember entering an institute, and who these people are. Pero wala talaga siyang mahalungkat sa isipan niya.

"Sorry, but I really can't remember anything..." mahinang saad ni Celestia.

"Wala kang maalala?" Umiling si Celestia. The elder man hummed. "Kahit ano? Wala?"

Celestia averted her gaze from the man. She closed her eyes in an attempt to clear her mind and focus on it. She can still feel the stares of the rude guy and the elder man, but she didn't let it bother her. It's not like they're distracting her. Celestia's thankful for the silence they provided for her.

With that, she tried once again to recall the events of what happened earlier and how she ended up in an unfamiliar place.

Bakit ako nandito? Nasaan ako? Nasaan ang pamilya ko?

At the reminder of her parents, something inside Celestia's brain started to unfold.

'Her Uncles and Aunts sudden visit, the revelations regarding the reason her family has always been on run and why they never had a permanent home, getting ambushed by the Dark Wiccans, running away from them by herself, the sudden appearance of a black hole, getting pulled by the hole, the endless cycle of falling to what seemed like a dark abyss, a guy with brilliant blue eyes pulling her collar and demanding answers from her...'

Agad na napadilat ng mata si Celestia at tinignan 'yung mas nakababatang lalake sa harap niya.

"I remember," Celestia said. "Nahulog ako sa'yo."

The guy raised an eyebrow, the elder man faked a cough.

"Would you mind to elaborate what you mean by that?"

Uminit ang pisngi ni Celestia sa sinabi ng nakatatanda. She finally realized what she just said might sound different to others.

"I mean, literal na nahulog ako sa kanya," namumulang sabi ni Celestia. "Like, natumba ako sa kanya. Nadaganan ko siya."

"And how did that happen? The institute has multiple barriers and protections against outsiders. Only the registered students, teachers and staff can enter the premises, even during the end of the school year," sabi ng nakatatanda. His voice was calm yet he spoke with so much authority that it made Celestia feel so nervous despite knowing she didn't do anything wrong.

Or that's what she thinks. Dahil kung totoo nga ang sinasabi nito, she might have accidentally and unknowingly trespassed the institute.

She swallowed heavily, eyes trained down on her lap. "I... uh, I'm in the middle of running away from... from a bunch of dark witches—"

"Dark witches?" The elder man sharply interrupted. "Bakit ka tumatakas sa kanila?"

There, Celestia contemplated whether to tell them the truth or risk fleeing away. Hindi niya alam kung mapagkakatiwalaan niya ba ang mga ito para sabihin ang totoo. Who knows, baka ibigay na lang siya ng mga 'to sa mga dark witches na humahabol sa kanya para hindi na sila madamay in case mahanap siya ng mga witches?

But Celestia's too weak to even think of a way to escape these two.

'What should I do?'

Lifting up her gaze, she turned to look at the older man. "Can I... Can I know where I am first? And who are you? I promise to tell the truth. I just... need a bit of an assurance."

The man looked at her, weighing her words in his mind. For a moment, akala ni Celestia ay hindi sasagutin ng nakatatanda ang tanong niya at pipilitin na lang siyang magpaliwanag.

"Of course," sabi nito. "You're currently inside the Mystic Institute. This is a school for all magical beings from all continents around the world. And I'm the Headmaster. My name's Thaddeus Favero."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Celestia, "Headmaster?"

If he's a headmaster of a school, then I think I can trust him?

Tumango 'yung lalake. "And I apologize for our lack of manners. First for my son rudely bombarding you with explanations after you woke up from what seemed to be an awful nightmare and second, for not introducing ourselves properly. Now, can we know your name before we proceed with the explanations?"

"Ayos lang po..." mahinang sambit ng dalaga. "And I'm Celestia... Celestia Ivone Alveria."

"Alveria?" gulat na saad ng Headmaster. "Related ka ba kila Amara at Clemente?"

Napaupo ng diretso si Celestia nang marinig ang pangalan ng mga magulang. "They're my parents. Paano niyo po sila nakilala?"

A wistful expression passed by the Headmaster's face as he responded. "They're my friends way back when we're still students here. We maintained contact after we graduated, but then they suddenly disappeared a year after they got married." Tapos ay tumingin ito kay Celestia at ngumiti. "Hindi ko rin alam na may anak na pala sila. Akala ko wala silang balak."

"Dahil sa prejudice against their union?"

Tumango uli ito.

"Kung kaibigan po kayo ng mga magulang ko..." Celestia briefly hesitated, then she shakes her head. "I guess I can trust you with some things they told me."

"Even if I'm not your parents' friends, I'm still indebted to them. Kaya kung anuman ang sasabihin mo sakin, I swear to my life I'll keep it between us."

Kahit na-curious ito kung anong utang ng nakatatanda sa mga magulang niya, hindi na muna niya ito tinanong. Instead, tumingin ito sa lalake sa tabi ng Headmaster, who she learned is Theodore, and is the Headmaster's son as well.

"Can we talk in private?" tanong ni Celestia sa Headmaster.

"Of course," sagot ni Thaddeus. "Theodore, you can go check around first. Pagtapos namin mag-usap ni Miss Celestia, we'll go to the dining hall. We'll have dinner together."

"Yes, dad." Mabilis na sagot ng lalake. Bago ito umalis, tumingin muna siya ng masama kay Celestia. She glared back, despite being confused on why he seemed upset with her.

Silence ensued once the door closed. The headmaster pulled a chair in front of Celestia.

"So?" the Headmaster patiently asked.

Huminga ng malalim si Celestia bago sinimulang sabihin sa nakatatanda ang nangyari. She leaves out the part na sinabi ng magulang niya ay 'wag na 'wag ipapaalam kahit kanino; the Celestial Blessing bestowed upon her. Even though hindi rin nasabi ng mga magulang niya kung ano ba iyon, minabuti pa rin ni Celestia na huwag ng ipaalam kahit kanino 'yon.

She can't trust anyone— not yet. Moreover, baka kapag may nakaalam ng sikretong iyon ay gawin siyang guinea pig. Baka pag-eksperimentuhan siya para lang malaman kung anong gift ba ang binigay sa kanya nung araw na ipinanganak siya.

Nang matapos niyang ilahad ang lahat ng nangyari sa kanya for the past twenty-four hours, saglit na nanaig ang katahimikan sa kanilang dalawa. The Headmaster looked deep in thought, but the sadness and confusion in his face was still visible.

"Headmaster?" mahinang tawag ni Celestia rito.

It seemed to pull the elder man out of his thoughts. Clearing his throat, he turned to Celestia, "I'm sorry to hear about what happened to you and your family, Miss Celestia. I'll send off some of my pack soldiers to where you live to see what happened to your parents and relatives while you escaped."

"Po?" gulat na saad ni Celestia. "Hindi niyo naman po kailangan gawin 'yon. May tiwala naman po akong nakatakas sila mommy..."

But even to her own ears, her words sounded weak.

Umiling ang Headmaster dito, tapos ay binigyan siya ng maliit na ngiti. "Still, just to be sure. And for our peace of mind, especially you."

Gusto pa sanang umangal ni Celestia pero she saw the conviction in his eyes, kaya tumango na lang ito.

"Maraming salamat po, headmaster."

"You are always welcome, Miss Celestia," sabi nito. "And now, let's talk about what we're going to do with you."

"Ako po?"

"Yes, you. Why, do you have anywhere to stay?"

Umiling si Celestia.

"I thought so. Kaya I'll let you stay here inside the institute. There's no place safer for you from the dark witches than here."

"Why? I thought this institute was for all magical beings?"

"It is, before," sagot ng Headmaster. "But something happened that got the dark witches banned from this place. No dark witches are allowed to study here anymore. There's also an additional barrier specifically made for them, kaya ligtas ka rito."

Gustuhin man ni Celestia magtanong pa tungkol sa nangyari, isinantabi niya muna ito. She will ask it later, kapag may lakas na siya at kapag may laman na ang tiyan niya.

"You'll let me stay here for free?" tanong ni Celestia.

"Yes," agad na sagot ng Headmaster. "Although, it's actually a payment for my debt to your parents. I think we're even then. I believe your parents would want me to keep you here as well. After all, among anyone else, sila ang pinakanakakaalam kung gaano ka-safe ang institute para sayo."

"Why?"

The Headmaster smiled kindly, "I'll tell you next time. For now, why don't we head towards the dining hall? You looked like you needed some food."

Celestia's stomach growled at that moment.