Oktofinitum

Chapter 27

Mirakov

"Mirakov! I'm so sorry! I'm so happy you're alive and well! I'm sorry I didn't know that the amulets attracts demons, I just –you can hit me or hate me or whatever you need to appease your anger of me putting you in danger–"

"Calm down, Vero. I'm not angry at you. Ang mahalaga buhay tayo pareho," she suddenly hugged me so tight that my soul almost exited my body, "Really?! Really?! Oh, goddess of all creation, thank you! And again, I'm really sorry."

"Okay, you can stop hugging me now," she lifted her eyes and gave me a puppy eyes, "But I missed you and I–"

"Stop hugging me, I can't breathe." Her pupils dilated and without another word she removed her hands from me and moved a safe distance. Veronica blinked thrice as if suddenly awoken from being unconscious or something, "Huh? What happened?"

"What do you mean what happened? We're just standing here and you were hugging the life out of me," something in her stiffened and she just simply nodded and returned to her cheerful and bubbly self, "Anyway, why are we called here?" Pagpasok ko pa lang sa room kanina ay dumating bigla ang isang pamilyar na mukha, siya 'yung clone daw na nagiging usok ang katawan. He announced that all the students who've partook in the survival is called to the Interrogation room at the Western tower so I had to follow Darren here, pero nakasalubong niya ang isang lalaki sa labas kaya nauna na akong pumasok after which, I finally met Vero again after the entire shenanigan of the mid-assessments, "Come, doon na tayo maupo."

Kasalukuyan kaming nasa sa isang waiting area. The room was wide and had an octagon shaped center similar to the stadium, but instead of elevated, the bleachers were wooden in a maze-like structure of seats, each corner having a corinthian column supporting the high rise white ceiling which made the whole place give off a Parthenon vibe. Hinila ako ni Vero sa pinakamalapit na bakanteng pwesto para maupo doon, marami ring ibang mga estudyante na nauna sa amin kaya nasa ika-walong layer na kami ng octagon bleachers. I was fascinated at the layout of the school because this octagon seems like a recurring feature in the entire architectural design of the academy. Baka mahilig sa lucky 8 ang architect na nag-disenyo ng academy na 'to. Mas lalo pa akong namangha nang makitang tumayo ang estudyante na nasa pinaka-unahan ng bleachers at pumwesto sa gitna ng octagon space. A golden barrier slowly surrounded that space and the floors elevated upwards, "Ang gara naman ng elevator niyo rito," I can't help but comment and Vero gave me a proud smirk.

"Yeah, well. Can't argue with that. One of the best features of Academia Mirkovia is not just its curriculum and well-known faculty, but also its architectural mystique. It really gives off a vibe of antiquity, dahil siguro sa ilang siglo na rin simula nang una itong itinatag. And so these walls and columns really have witnessed so much..."

"You really love being a student here, don't you?" Veronica looked at me and for a moment I thought something in her seemed sad, "Yeah, well it's an honor to be accepted here in the academy. Any Mirkovian would die just to be in your place right now, a novice scholar getting accepted in the middle of the semester is really uncommon."

Napaling ang atensyon ko nang bumukas muli ang double doors kung saan ako pumasok kanina at naupo sa bakanteng space sa gilid ko si Darren at ang lalaking nakasalubong niya kanina, "L–lord Alfonso..." Oh, right! He was that rude guy na siningitan kami sa pila sa canteen last time! Kumunot ang noo ko, "P–pwede po kayong mauna sa pila kung gusto niyo," Veronica offered but he simply smiled and shook his head.

"No, I'm good here, sabay na kami ni Darren aakyat," dahilan para magkatinginan kami ni Vero at sabay na tapunan ng nagtatakang tingin si Darren. But she only cleared her throat and looked away. Muli kaming nagtinginan ni Veronica. She mouthed 'may something?'