Royal Academy: School of Gods and Goddesses

02 | Darkest Secret of the Academy

CHAPTER 2

GREEN LEMON

RAIN WHITE, God of Thunder, a handsome guy, discussed the academy's rules and things we should know. At lahat ng mga sinabi niya ay nasabi na rin ni Hearlet sa akin no’ng nasa mortal world pa kami.

She told me everything to my advantage — from the general information to the smallest ones. I needed to be well-equipped so that I wouldn't get killed inside the academy.

“I know all of you came here for the royal throne of Utopia, but there is one thing that all of you are not aware of, and it’s the darkest secret of the academy. No one may speak about it unless we are here inside the academy . . .”

I heard some of the crowd buzzed about what God of Thunder said. I suddenly felt nervous, I had no idea of what he was talking about kaya napatingin ako kay Celeste, ang babaeng pinanggalingan ng tinig na narinig ko kanina sa isip ko.

She was the Goddess of Dream. And I love her abilities! She could read minds, visit dreams, and do more things, kaya nagawa niya akong kausapin kanina sa isipan ko.

"You can read minds, right?" She nodded. "Nababasa mo ba kung ano ang sinasabi niya?" I whispered, and she immediately turned her gaze to God Rain.

Celeste stared at him as if she was focusing on reading his mind, but she suddenly groaned and held her head like she was in pain.

"W-Why?" I asked worriedly. She immediately closed her eyes tightly as if she was really hurt.

"Nahihilo ako. I can't read his mind,” she answered.

Maybe it was forbidden for all of us. That was why Celeste couldn't figure it out.

"I know someone is trying to read my mind." I was stunned when I heard those words from God Rain.

I immediately looked at Celeste, who was also surprised by what she heard.

Mas lalong lumakas ang bulungan sa paligid at napansin kong nakatingin na ang ilan sa kanila sa amin. Maybe they knew about Celeste's abilities. She was their primary suspect.

“That’s why it is a secret, and only official students can know about it. After this ceremony, if you don't want to continue studying here anymore because of the secret that I’m going to reveal, you may withdraw and leave the academy before dusk . . ." God Rain said in a serious tone.

I took a deep breath after I heard it.

"Expect that all information you will know from now on will be erased from your mind the moment you step out of the academy. And when that happens, there is no way you can come back. Royal Academy is nowhere to be found on the map of Utopia. It’ll just appear on the map at every official opening of the academy, and after dusk, it’ll disappear again,” he explained. “So if you’re ready, it’s time . . .”

He suddenly disappeared from where he was standing. Hearlet and the rest, too.

Not long after, the wind suddenly blew hard. Dumilim ang kalangitan na para bang babagyo. Kumulog nang malakas, at gumuhit ang kidlat sa kalangitan. Pagkalipas ng ilang sandali ay nakarinig kami ng nakakabinging tunog na hindi ko mawari kung kanino o saan nanggagaling, kaya agad akong napatakip sa aking tainga.

"W-What's that?" I looked at Celeste. Marahil ay alam niya kung saan o kanino galing ang tunog na iyon.

"I don't know! But I'm sure the superiors did it!" pasigaw niyang sagot para marinig ko nang maayos.

Maging siya at ang dalawang kasama niyang parang kambal ay napatakip din ng kanilang mga tainga. Pero kahit ano'ng higpit ng pagkakatakip ko ng mga palad ko sa tainga ko'y naririnig ko pa rin ang matinis na tunog na iyon.

"Sh*t!" I cursed.

"Ayoko ng maingay. Sumasakit ang ulo ko!" I mentally said out of irritation.

After a little while, the noise toned down and disappeared. Agad kong ibinaba ang mga palad ko mula sa pagkakatakip sa aking mga tainga at nakahinga nang maluwag nang masiguradong wala na ang nakabibinging tunog. Napalitan iyon ng nakakabinging katahimikan. Parang mas mabibingi pa ako rito kaysa sa malakas na ingay kanina. Hanggang sa parang may mabilis na hanging dumaan sa aking mga tainga at may ibinulong ito.

"Only one survivor will win the throne, all the losers will die and will be forgotten . . ."

I turned my gaze to Celeste, who also looked at me in shock. I could see the mix of shock and fear on her face. Marahil ay narinig din niya ang ibinulong ng hangin.

Hindi rin agad nakagalaw ang dalawang babaeng nasa tabi ni Celeste. Ang kaingayan nila kanina ay tuluyang natabunan ng takot dahil sa kanilang mga narinig.

"Did y-you h-heard it?" Kapansin-pansin ang takot sa tinig ni Celeste habang nanginginig. Bigla tuloy akong kinilabutan. If she was scared, I should be scared, too.

My heart started to beat rapidly. Negative thoughts started to flood my mind, and panic started to consume my system. Ilang sandali rin lang ay napansin kong nagsitayuan sa kanilang mga upuan ang ilan sa amin. Ang iba naman ay dali-daling nagsitakbuhan palayo rito sa lugar. Ito marahil ang sinasabi ni God Rain kanina. This must be the darkest secret of the academy . . .

Tumayo rin si Celeste at iginala ang tingin sa paligid. Kalaunan ay umupo na rin ito at kinausap ang dalawang babae na nasa tabi niya.

"Scarlet and Starlet, when you want to retreat, you can now go, you still have a time," sabi niya sa dalawa na diretsong nakatingin lang sa isa't isa.

"S-So? No! I'll stay! I'm ready!" sabi ng babaeng hanggang balikat lang ang buhok. Kulay sky blue ang kaniyang kulay ng mga mata, parehas sila ng kakambal na katabi niya, mas mahaba lang nang bahagya ang buhok nito.

"I'll stay too!" seryosong segunda ng kakambal niya. Tumango-tango si Celeste bago ibaling ang tingin sa akin.

Kitang-kita sa mukha niya ang lungkot, marahil ay sa naging desisyon ng dalawa. Malapit niya sigurong mga kaibigan ang mga iyon kaya ganiyon ang reaksyon niya.

I tapped her left shoulder to comfort her.

"I'll stay too!" puno ng paninindigan kong sabi sa kaniya kahit punong-puno rin ako ng pag-aalinlangan. But I would stick to my goal.

Kailangan ko lang mag-isip ng mga bagong plano. Siguro may magagawa naman ako kung sakaling totoo nga ang ibinulong ng hangin. O maaaring panakot lamang nila iyon para makita kung karapat-dapat talaga ang sino man sa amin sa trono?