Sera, Good Morning! Are you okay na ba?" greeted Thala as I entered the classroom.
I smiled at her, "I'm okay, I already rested."
Upon sitting in my chair, I innocently look around in the room. Is it possible that one of my classmates is the fire bearer… or the Obsidius or the Deceptor?
I cannot unleash the stone to scan the area. Too risky to unleash an energy knowing that Erebosian might be here.
Hmm… the mind link?
"Hi." I tried to use it… but to no avail that person wasn't responding or even getting the message.
Does that person even know the power he or she holds? But, aware or not, he or she should have received my message.
I look around again but all of my classmates are here already then it is not one of them? Since it is impossible to not detect my message even though that person doesn't know anything. I can still go through his or her mind if the fire stone is in her or him.
"Good Morning, Class!" a cheerful greeting of Mrs. Cruz. In sync, all of us greeted our teacher a good morning.
"jxhdbwkjr." Something stunned me. A faint and unclear whisper… coming from the mind link. How so? Is that the Fire Bearer?
I looked around, trying to see any unusual reactions from my classmates. But, there's none… They are either listening to Mrs. Cruz or talking to their seatmates.
I tried to hear it again but I couldn't detect it already. Is it from the outside? I can only sense a mind link a few meters away.
Wait… what?
I realized something… a mind link? I definitely heard a mind link. Deceptor might be telling the truth? Fire Bearer is here.
"We already tackled the filtration and purification of water, right?" asked Mrs. Cruz.
I titled my head. We did not but maybe they did? As I heard my classmates responding "Yes" while the others just nodded their heads.
"We did when you were in the hospital," my seatmate whispered, enough for me to hear it.
I slowly nodded. Anyway, it's water purification. I learned that when I was studying this world.
"Okay then, we will have a water purification activity," she strictly said, not smiling but she didn't look angry. She got a bowl with little paper on it.
"Our activity will be by a pair, a girl and a boy. Each girl will get a piece of paper here with the name of the boys." Most of my classmates protested when they heard the word pairing.
"Quiet!... Aquino!" She called my girl classmate. "Come here, bunot ka dito." My classmate went to the front and got a piece of paper.
"Sino partner mo?" asked Mrs. Cruz.
The girl read the surname in the paper. She hesitately answered the question, "Domingo…"
"Alright… Aquino and Domingo ang mag partner," upon saying that, my classmates go wild and tease both of them.
The picking of the partner continues until it's Thala's turn.
"Fernandez!" Thala get a piece of paper then she suddenly rolled her eyes. "Argh, can I pick po ba ng iba, Ma'am?"
"That would be unfair, Ms. Fernandez. Who's your partner?"
She looked at Troy… I now know why she's annoyed.
"It's Troy Morales!" She stamps her feet in anger while going on her seat.
"Promise, gagalingan ko mag ano!" Troy shouted playfully.
"Hoy, Troy! Anong ano yan?!" commented by one of our classmates and then some of us laughed together with Troy.
The laughters got cut when Mrs. Cruz shouted, "Enough of that! Let's continue," she strictly commanded.
The picking continues again. Celestia, Hanna, and Rizzy are already done picking and they are good with their partners.
"Smith!"
Freya stood, looking bored and irritated. She had no choice but to pick. Her irritation got worse as she read the name of her partner. "Tsk! Mike Ramirez, the playful one." Then she rolled her eyes then rushed to her seat.
No one dared to say a thing. No one made a joke. I don't know if they are scared of Freya or what. But, what I know is that I am the next one to pick. "Okay last, Waze!"
I picked and when I read the surname, I felt a racing heartbeat. "Blake Serrano…"
I looked at him and he was looking at me without any hint of emotions in his eyes. How cold those eyes are.
"Okay, we are done picking. President…" Mrs. Cruz called Celestia, our class president. "Kindly, distribute it to each partner." Celestia gets the paper to Mrs. Cruz.
"Bibigyan kayo ni Ms. Miranda ng paper, nandiyan lahat ng kailangan niyo bilhin at instruction para sa gagawin niyo. The demonstration of your activity will be next week. Use the remaining time to talk to your partner."
Celestia distributed the paper.
I looked at Blake and he stood up and went to me. "Hey, plans?" he asked in a bored tone.
"Hi! Are you free later? Bili tayo materials na kailangan natin." I softly asked him.
"Sure," he coldly answered me. Why is this person so cold? A few words as replies.
I didn't know what I should answer. This is so awkward. Binasa ko na lang yung instruction. A few minutes of looking at the paper but I was distracted by the awkwardness in the atmosphere.
Also, I keep on hearing the whispers but it is not as faint as earlier. I am trying to ignore it.
"I was not here when this was tackled… but do not worry, I knew this already," I assured him.
"Sure. I don't mind."
I gently smiled at him. "Are you free on Wednesday afternoon? Let's buy things since we only have morning classes that day."
He answered me again with "Sure, that's all?" I just nodded at him. "I'll go now. Thanks." Then he stormed outside. What's that? Thala's right, this guy is an introvert.
This words in the whole conversation can be counted using hands. And, he said "Sure" three times.
"Ano nangyari dun?" I didn't notice that the girls surrounded me.
I shrugged and innocently said, "I don't know."
"Nakapag usap naman kayo?" asked Rizzy. I nodded.
"Argh, let's eat lunch na. I am so gutom na," Thala said while holding her tummy and giving us a pitiful look.
"Let's go! Are you guys done meeting with your partners?" Celestia said while walking towards us. She's done with her president's work.
I immediately noticed how Thala crossed her eyes then crossed her arms while exhaling as though trying to expel unpleasant emotions. "Argh, I hate Troy I swear hindi ko talaga kayang maging partner yun."
"Ugh, there are so many boys here. Why does it need to be Mike?!" I saw how Freya grips tightly on her bag.
Rizzy steps us while the two are throwing tantrums. She smiled then said, "How about eating an ice cream? Pampalamig ng ulo niyo."
"There's a new speciality in the Cold Comfort, I heard it's becoming a new best seller." Hanna's eyes are shimmering and she looks excited.
"Shall we?" Celestia smiled and firstly walked towards the door.
"Umulan pala? Hindi ko yon napansin ha," Rizzy commented as she looked around in the wet hallway that was full of mud steps from outside of the building.
"Be careful, girls. It's kinda slippery," Celestia warned us.
I can still hear the whispers but I cannot understand what that person is saying.
I don't know if I would give in to the idea that the Fire Bearer is really here. Or, I still need more proof. This whispering thing might be another trick from the Deceptor.
I need to wait for the full moon until I believe it.
I tried to look around but there were so many students in every corner. Where are you, fire bearer?
"Hey, Sera! Are you okay?" I was snapped back to reality when Celestia asked me.
"You look like you are thinking so malalim."
I started blinking and suddenly softly smiled at them. I need to get hold of myself.
"Sorry… I am just thinking about something."
Freya raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms again but didn't ask any questions.
After just a few minutes, we arrived at the Cold Comfort. It looked like a cozy place, it blends white and khaki color. We sat at one of the tables near the window. We ordered the new specialty of the store which is the Peaceful Peach. It is a peach flavor with pansies—an edible flower, crushed pistachios, and a drizzle of honey.
I tasted it and it was delicious. The peach flavor and the honey actually fit together. It was heaven to taste. The name itself gives justice, it was indeed a peaceful peach.
They are talking about someone I don't know. They told me it was about their highschool batchmate who has been pregnant by someone.
I was in the middle of enjoying the ice cream when the faint whisper got louder as if it was nearby.
I quickly look around but sadly there's too many people here. I signed heavily, there's no way I can find that person by merely detecting any signal from his mind link. I need to think of another plan.
I looked at the road and then I saw some parts of it being dry while the others were still wet. Then, I thought of a plan on how to know the fire bearer itself.
Anyway, evenly distributed water will be dried at the same time but if another part will be heated then it will fasten the drying process. It also applies when the fire bearer is standing in the evenly distributed water, the water he is standing upon will dry faster.
I hope it works.
Even his power is not fully immersed with his body and he is totally unaware of it. It still releases a heat different from the normal heat of a normal human being.
I smiled in that plan of mine. How genius, Aella. How genius. But… how would I do that?
"Tara na? Lapit na mag start next subject."
I didn't notice that all of us finished the ice cream.
After we arrived at the classroom. Celestia's aura changed, she immediately talked to our classmate outside the room.
"Why is the door open? Aren't you guys aware that we have an aircon in the room?"
"Sinarado naman namin yung aircon. Ang lamig kasi masyado," one of them answered.
"Bakit kayo nasa labas kung malamig pala?" Rizzy asked.
"Mainit kasi sa loob."
Huh? We tilted our heads because of the confusion. I don't get it.
"Girls, wala na kasi source of lamig sa loob baka nainitan na sila kaya sila lumabas," Rizzy explained.
We nodded our heads slowly while digesting the thought.
"Ugh, I have so many problema na, hindi ko na iisipin pa the logic they have. My gosh," Thala said irritatedly, storming inside the classroom while stamping her feets.
Freya just rolled her eyes then followed Thala. Hanna followed also.
"Sorry for that. You guys know the personalities of those two," Celestia apologizes for the actions of those two.
"No problem. Sanay naman na kami sa kanila. No big deal." said one of our classmates and then they laugh. I, Celestia, and Rizzy laugh also.
We leaned on the railings and look up at the sky. I suddenly thought of a plan on how to implement my initial plan.
Is that okay if I made it rain? And enough rain that can enter the hallway and eventually in the classroom? I'll see if the Fire Bearer is one of my classmates.
I am so sorry for doing this. Part of the mission.
While looking up in the sky, I recited the enchantment for my hydrokinesis to control the weather and the rain. "Water's will, I now command, move and flow, at my hand."
I'm so sorry.
Heaven began to darken, the clouds started to darken. After a few seconds, it rained.
They were shocked, I acted shocked. We stormed inside the classroom yet too late to close the door. The water rain entered the classroom.
I heard my classmates shouting and panicking about their expensive shoes being wet by the water rain. The clean room, the aesthetic room became a messy room.
I focused my mind on controlling the water proportion in the classroom. It needs to be evenly distributed throughout the room. Slowly, I moved the water.
In my mind, I was happy that my plan succeeded but also felt bad for the people who are innocent. So, to lessen the guilt. I commanded the rain to stop and it stop.
"Tumigil bigla?"
"Ano yon? Dumaan lang?"
The classroom was filled with noise not until Celestia shouted, "Quiet! "I will go to Ma'am Castro to report about what happened here."
Our classmates are still ranting and complaining but not that loud as earlier.
"Diane, please handle the situation here. I'll be back," Celestia asked her Vice President.
I cannot start the main plan, I need the floor to be mopped. There's so much water here, so I cannot just control it the way I want. They will be shocked.
My classmates are checking their belongings. Others are complaining how their expensive things got dirty by the water rain. Few are teary eyes and crying as their expensive shoes got wet.
Celestia's back. "Everyone, Mrs. Castro said we need to clean the dirt, mud, and water here."
That statement made my classmates annoyed and angry.
"We have janitors here, why should we clean?" shrewishly said by one of the girls.
"Too bad, Gregoria. They have so much work today, there are so many parts of the university to clean," Celestia smiled bitterly at the girl. "So..get your ass out and help us clean."
Celestia asked the boys to get the cleaning materials in the janitor's room. We started to clean the room by taking out the chairs and tables. Mopping, here and there. We cleaned for more than an hour. It was exhausting.
My mind was still controlling the water on the floor while cleaning. I am ready to start the plan. I will use my watermancy to sense the water and know which parts are the fastest to dry up.
All of my classmate were busy resting after the cleaning. Most of them are leaning on the table. Some are already sleeping.
I closed my eyes to recite my enchantment in my mind. "The waters whisper, secrets they hold, I listen, may truth unfolds."
In just a few minutes, my plan was shockily working… a part in the classroom was drying up fast unlike other parts who have the same water.
I opened my eyes, hesitant to look in that area and the person sitting. Knowing who it might be felt like a betrayal for Valen.
It hurts to know that the Fire Bearer wasn't Valen, it hurts to know that the one who I trained with wasn't the one.
I swallowed hard. It is hard to turn my head and see who it was. If I confirm that, I don't know if I can accept that Valen will not recover from the illness he got.
I took a deep breath. Telling myself that this is the mission, I need to look for that person. Subtle, deep down, I am wishing that even the place dried fast, I am wishing that it wasn't because that person holds the fire stone.
As I turned around, my eyes widened…my heart beat so fast. In the area that is drying fast, I saw one of the boy classmates sitting there… peacefully.
Is he the fire bearer?
I was just staring at him, shocked. I cannot process my thoughts, I cannot think straight.
He looked back at me with his cold eyes… with those cold eyes that look so deep and chilling.
Blake Felix Serrano…