The Scepter of Marahuyo

Chapter 010

From the swordlike shape of vines, Cara changes it into a raft and, once again, she lets Ethan ride it. It is a fast-paced fight, with Ethan jumping around, thanks to his anito abilities and Cara helping him control his direction to get a good hit on the wakwak. At the same time, I stand doing nothing except watching them and hoping that they’d be able to succeed.

My parents are both traveling mages which means that they are very skilled mages, but I never got any of their skills. If not because of the amount and price of the trinkets they are trading, I wouldn’t be able to enroll in Marahuyo. Master Orson told me that my parents had a lucrative business, especially when humans couldn’t travel between nations due to the monsters. 

My parents are skilled and wealthy. I can’t believe that these two amazing parents could produce a weak child such as me. To add to that, Anitun Tabu is supposed to be strong, but I am nothing but that. The goddess of rain and wind, but all I can do is create potions and transport things.

Transport?

I look at Ethan. He’s starting to get tired as he runs after the fast wakwak. I study the wakwak’s flight pattern. I can do this, I think, as I touch the ground once more. Please, Anitun Tabu, I beg you.

I could do it when I was twenty years old, but let’s see now that I have returned to the past. For a few minutes, I listen and watch. Half-sure if it will work. I point at the designated area waiting for either the wakwak or Ethan. Ethan passes, and in a split-second, I use my transportation on him and place him just behind the wakwak. Ethan was surprised, but it did not stop him from slashing the wakwak from behind and driving his gulok into its head. The wakwak makes a heavy thud as it falls to its death, while Cara’s vines soften Ethan’s fall.

Once Ethan’s feet touch the ground, he makes a little jump and hugs both Cara and me. “See? A mid-level monster and we slayed it!”

“Good work.” Cara shares his triumph and pats his back, “But you should not forget why we survived in the first place.”

“Of course it’s due to your vines and Holly’s knowledge. Damn! That head is hard. If I don’t have Amanikable’s blessing, I wouldn’t be able to pierce it.”

“I guess you’re lucky then,” Cara says, returning to her usual self. “Not your skill.”

However, Ethan is way delighted to argue. “What do you say, let’s visit the tavern tonight?”

“You and Cara are wounded,” I protest. And I am sure that the number of wounded will increase as the challenges proceed.

Then there’s a clap. “Good. Very nice,” Sir Philip interrupts. “Will you continue your how-to-get-wasted plan where you’re not obstructing the challenges?” he says and waves at us to return to our area.

“That’s why you guys are being called sluts, you’re only sixteen,” Sir Philip continues. He’s one of the instructors who doesn’t condone the getting-wasted-and-laid habits of the mages. He’s even opposing the Operation for mages as early as sixteen years old. 

But Sir Philip’s tart response did not affect Ethan’s joy, so before we return, he calls, “You can come with us if you want. Some girls like older men.”

“I think that will create the wrong meaning,” I whisper, and we all giggle.

****************

It’s already seven in the evening when I find myself in the tavern. It’s not only me, Cara, and Ethan that are on the table, but also Al and Aicelle. As usual, my roommate Denise did not join. She is two years older than us, but no one wanted to share a room with her due to her personality. But we always try to reach out to her.

As for Al and Ethan, they are fighting over who won the challenge. As expected, half of the students are in the infirmary due to the level of monsters that Sir Philip allowed into the physical activity class, which made Al’s team the top performer of the day. However, Ethan is insisting that our team has the most remarkable growth during the activity.

Cara and Aicelle, on the other hand, are talking about what to do at Ati-Atihan, which is the next festival we are going to celebrate. It usually runs during the 2nd or 3rd week of January and is the start of all the celebrations throughout the year, and mages are required to dress up as their own anito. 

I listen to the two as they talk about how to accentuate their anito colors. Since my anito is not as famous and well-liked, there really is no need to prepare even if I’m required to join the procession.

The waitress, Tora, comes to our table and places a pitcher of alcohol. She’s not looking at us. Her attention is on the group of well-dressed girls who are giggling and nibbling on a sparerib with their fork. They definitely are a show in the chaos of this circus of a restaurant where everyone is either talking loudly, dancing around the table, or fighting over who should drink the last mug of liquor. 

“Who are they?” I ask.

Tora shifts her attention to me and says, “Someone you don’t see much around here, like you. That’s the youngest daughter of that noble uphill.”

“What’s she doing here?”

“Her father owns this establishment, so he told us to watch over the girls. They don’t know that her father owns this though.”

Cara places her arms around my shoulder and says, “We survived a wakwak!” she cuts in. She seems drunk already. “And guess what, Holly was able to move!” Then she made a little clap.

Tora looks at me and decides whether she’ll believe it or not. “Aren’t you the one who almost died last year? As Ethan mentions?”

I shift my attention to Ethan. Is he talking about everything that happens in the academy to everyone? What else is he talking about us? I observe both Ethan and Tora; they are exchanging meaningful glances, and I hope that Cara is oblivious to this. 

To be continued…