Etherial

CHAPTER 1: A Step Forward A TOWERING wall of gray bricks covered with jade mosses welcomed me as I stepped out of the carriage. The scent of the fresh mosses mixed with the scent of the forest lingers in the air as I walk towards the metallic gate of the academy. At the sides of the gate stands two Spirit Knights that guards the academy. “Greetings from Etherial Academy, may I see your identification tag?” the knight asks politely. Kitang-kita ko ang pasimpleng tingin niya sa karwaheng sinakyan ko. And when he saw the golden dragon emblem on the carriage, agad siyang yumuko at iniluhod ang isang tuhod niya sa lupa. Ganoon din nag ginawa ng isa pa niyang kasama. “My apologies for asking, milady!” Bakas ang pagkabigla at pagpapaumanhin sa boses niya kaya hindi ko maiwasang mapailing. Kung alam lang nila kung sino ang niluluhuran nila ngayon, they would certainly regret it. Sino ba naman kasi ang yuyuko sa isang tulad ko? The only thing that is worth bowing is my family name. “Raise your heads, stand up. I am not worthy of such courtesy,” mahinahong sambit ko bago inilabas ang aking onyma, the identification card that the people of Nossec use. “The only thing that brought me on the higher hierarchy is my clan’s name.” Pinagmasdan ko ang reaksyon nila habang ipinapakita ko ang onyma ko. I saw how their eyes widened, but it was just for a split-second. Lihim akong napangisi. They recognize me just how I predicted. It seems like the whole kingdom of Nossec knows who exactly I am. “Now, would you mind opening the gates?” sambit ko dahil pansin kong hindi nila alam kung paano ako kausapin matapos nilang malaman kung sino ako. “Y-Yes, milady,” agarang tugon nila bago sumenyas sa ibang knights na in-charge sa pagbukas-sara ng gate. The ear-piercing sound that the gate makes as it opens up caught the attention of the students inside. Marami ang napatingin sa akin at nagsimulang magbulungan. Naikuyom ko ang aking magkabilang kamay dahil sa inis. I should have used a common carriage rather than this fancy, eye-catching one bearing the emblem of the Runebraid Clan. Isa pang rason kung bakit sila nakatingin sa akin ay dahil dalawang araw na akong late sa klase. And the reason? My father, the head of the Runebraid Clan, wouldn’t let me go. Kahit na ilang buwan ko na siyang kinukulit na gusto kong mag-aral at maging isang Spirit Knight. Kung hindi ko pa siya tinakot na magpapakamatay ako, ay hindi pa siya papayag. “Milady, the headmaster wants to see you,” magalang na sambit ni Rosa, isa sa mga attendant ko na pinauna ng aking ama na pumunta rito para asikasuhin ang lahat ng kakailanganin ko. “Let me guide you the way.” Susunod na sana ako sa kanya nang mapansin kong susunod din ang iba ko pang attendants. I turned around to face them. “Stay here and prepare my things. I will instruct Rosa to guide you to my room once I reached the headmaster’s office.” “Yes, milady,” sabay-sabay nilang sagot. Tumalikod na ako at sumunod kay Rosa. Towering gray, brick pillars lined at the side of the hallway, plain ash-painted walls, and mahogany windows reaching the ceiling is all that I can see as I head towards the headmaster’s office. Bawat hakbang ko sa kulay abong marmol na sahig ay umaalingawngaw sa buong paligid. That’s how quiet the school is. Maybe because the class has already started. Hindi ko mapigilang mamangha sa laki at ganda ng Etherial Academy. Ito ang unang beses na nakapasok ako rito. At base sa layout na nakita ko sa libro, the structure of the school resembles that of a half-moon excluding the buildings such as the arena, sanctuary, and other extra-curricular-related buildings. Matapos ang ilang minutong paglalakad ay tumigil kami sa harap ng isang puting double-door. “We’re here, milady,” sabi ni Rosa bago kumatok ng tatlong beses sa pinto. “Thank you for guiding me, Rosa. You may go and instruct the others to bring my things and arrange them in my room,” bilin ko bago marahang binuksan ang pinto. “Yes, milady,” sagot niya bago mabilis na nilisan ang lugar. Nang tuluyang makalayo si Rosa ay pumasok na ako sa loob. An unwelcoming atmosphere greeted me as soon as I stepped inside. I could feel the intense gaze of the headmaster which happens to be the younger brother of my father. “Greetings, Headmaster Leon Runebraid,” walang gana kong bati bago yumuko. “I was told by my attendant that you wanted to see me. What could be the reason?” Kita ko ang pag-ismid niya. “You know I don’t want to see you but I have no choice. The clan head told me to welcome you. So as for formality...” Tumayo siya at bahagyang iniyuko ang ulo niya. “Welcome to Etherial Academy, milady.” Hindi ko mapigilang mapangisi. For the first time, I saw my uncle bow down before me. All my life, wala siyang ibang ginawa kundi ipamukha sa akin kung gaano ako ka walang silbi sa buong angkan; kung gaano siya nasusuklam sa akin at sa existence ko. “This is the first time I saw you bow before me, Headmaster, and I must say, I like it,” mapang-asar kong sagot. Hindi nakatakas sa mga mata ko ang pagkuyom ng kanyang mga kamay sa pagpipigil ng emosyon niya. “And this will be the last, milady,” mariin niyang sagot. “I will never bow down again not unless you prove your worth to me and to the whole Runebraid Clan. Until then, I will pay you no respect.” “Yeah, I know,” walang gana kong sagot. “Buong buhay ko ‘yan ang ginawa ninyo sa akin. Ilang beses ninyong ipinamukha sa akin na hindi ninyo ako tanggap. All those things you did to me to cast me out of the clan did not succeed.” Lumunok ako ng laway bago buong tapang siyang hinarap. “Starting today, I will prove my worth not only in our clan, but also in the land of Nossec. I, Olivia Runebraid, will prove my worth as the next head of the Runebraid Clan!”