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GA - CHapter 12: Sisters In Shadow

☆

6/21/2025

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Grimrose Academy

HABANG patuloy lang ang ingay ng red alert alarm sa paligid, isang anunsyo ang narinig namin mula sa speaker ng PA system ng academy.

“Attention all personnel! Special Units, report to the Dean’s Office immediately. All Angeals, assemble in the Main Hall now. All students proceed to the Gymnasium at once. All Ghosts initiate patrol ASAP. This is a Code Red! I repeat…”

The announcement goes on repeat.

“Valkyries! Follow me,” utos ni Ate Kat sa ‘min. 

Sumunod naman kami. Si Sir Bjorn naman, dahil isa siyang ghost, kinailangan umalis para mag patrol.

Dinala kami ni ate Kat sa isang silid na puro libro. Ang hula ko, ito ang library ng academy.

“Dito muna kayo hanggang sa makabalik ako,” sabi ni ate Kat. “Lucia, you're in charge.”

“You got it,” sagot ni Lucia.

Nagmamadali si ate Kat na umalis. She even turned herself into a ghost, levitated and phased through the wall. I had to hug myself from the sudden cold she created.

Si Lucia ang napili ni ate Kat na maging in-charge. Ibig sabihin kaya nu’n siya ang pinakamalas sa aming apat na natira dito?

Yumakap sa braso ko si Tam. Nanginginig ang kamay niya kaya hinawakan ko ito. 

“Don’t worry we’re safe here,” sabi ko kay Tam. Medyo nababahala din ako pero hindi makakatulong kay Tam kung ipapakita ko. 

I looked around. Naisip ko na ibaling ang atensyon namin sa mga libro. “Tam, look. Ang daming mga libro dito. Maybe we can do some advanced study. Pero bakit kaya tayo dinala ni ate Kat dito? I thought we’re supposed to be in the gym?”

“Because we’re all targets. That’s the reason why we’re all sent here in the academy in the first place,” pagsingit ni Lucia.

I furrowed my brows and asked. “What do you mean?”

I know I’m being hunted pero… pati sila?

Kumunot-noo si Lucia. She was being intimidating. “Seryoso ka ba? Wala ka talagang alam?”

Pero di ako nagpatinag. “Magtatanong ba ko kung alam ko?” 

She chuckled. “I like you. You’re brave. To answer your question. Maraming nangyayari sa labas ng academy na hindi mo alam. Werewolves versus vampires, White Witches versus Black Witches. Shy girl here is the heir to the White Throne of the witches. Her grandma is the strongest white witch alive, but she’s too old to hold onto the crown much longer. And once she dies... the black witches won’t stop until they take her down.”

“My Lola will not die!” Biglang protesta ni Tam. Kita ko sa mukha niya nagalit siya sa sinabi ni Lucia.

“I mean retire. Jeez!” Pagbawi ni Lucia napakamot pa siya sa ulo niya. “As for me and miss quiet here…”

She was referring to Eliza—who’s already minding her own business and reading a book.

“...Lycans are a major threat to the vampire houses. My father was supposed to be the last Lycan in our tribe—that was part of the truce with the vampires. But then he had me in secret, and that broke the deal. On the flip side, Morpyres are just as dangerous to werewolves. When we found out Lord Pain had a Morpyre, war almost broke out. To stop both sides from going to war, the Angeals stepped in. They let us live… but in exchange, we had to serve here. But it doesn’t change the fact that some Grimborns would prefer us dead.”

Grabe! Ang dami ko pa talagang hindi alam. Pero ang laki pala ng responsibility ng mga Angeals. Bukod sa pagiging Demon Hunters, sila din ang pumapagitna sa mga Grimborns.

“At ikaw naman… May usap-usapan sa city ang mga Grimborns tungkol sa isang babae na hina-hunting ng mga Evocators. Ang sabi para ialay daw sa demon summoning ritual nila. Ang hula ko... Ikaw ‘yon!”

Tumayo ang mga buhok ko sa braso.

Gusto akong ialay ng mga Evocators sa mga Demons? Bakit? Pero napakasama talaga nila. Wala silang pakialam sa buhay ng iba basta makuha nila ang gusto nila.

Now I know kung bakit sa kanya kami pinagkatiwala ni ate Kat. Hindi halata sa kanya pero mukhang matalino si Lucia. 

“Pero di ko alam kung bakit. Anyway, let’s go. Pumunta tayo sa crime scene,” dagdag pa ni Lucia. “Dapat nandon tayo para ma-experience natin ang actual work natin dito.”

“What?! Are you out of your mind? Our orders were to remain here,” I exclaimed.

“Sure. Let’s remain here and be clueless. Who knows, baka naman sabihin nila satin ang lahat? Katulad na lang ng mga bagay na sinabi ko sayo. I can smell that they didn’t tell you about the Evocators who want to sacrifice your soul— am I right?”

Shoot! She’s right. Hindi sinabi ni ate Kat ang part na ‘yon. But that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t trust her. She probably has reasons. And I think it’s to protect me.

Also, bakit niya kami sa library dinala? Aren’t we supposed to be in the gym? Gaya ng sabi sa announcement? Or baka naman sinadya ‘to ni ate Kat dahil tama si Lucia. Mga targets kami. Being in the gym is an obvious place where the hunter could harm us.

“Shana… dito lang tayo please,” bulong ni Tam sakin.

Nginitian at tinanguan ko si Tam. Hinimas ko na rin ang kamay niyang nakayakap pa rin sa braso ko.

“C’mon. Let’s do it. Even Ms. Quiet is with me,” pagpilit pa ni Lucia sakin. Tinuro pa niya si Eliza.

Tinignan ko si Eliza. Tahimik lang siyang nagbabasa ng libro. She obviously weren’t listening.

“Kung gusto mong umalis. Ikaw nalang,” sabi ko kay Lucia. Kahit curious ako, I have to decline for Tam.

“Haays! Wala. Duwag pala ang anak ng Legendary Demon Hunter Al Brea. Malayong malayo sa kanya,” sabi ni Lucia at tumalikod.

Para bang biglang umakyat ang dugo ko papunta sa ulo. Sinong tinatawag niyang duwag? Ako ba? Sinabi niya rin na malayo ako kay Papa? That’s a big no! Someday I’ll be like him. I’m gonna prove it.

Kumalas muna ako sa yakap ni Tam sa braso ko. Tapos ay nilapitan ko si Lucia. Hinila ko ang braso niya at hinarap ko siya sakin. I looked her straight to the eyes.

“Fine! Let’s do it. But if we get caught it’s on you,” sabi ko. I even poke her. Pero di ko sinasadya na sa dibdib niya tumama ‘yong daliri ko.

“Hey! Don’t touch the merchandise,” sabi niya sabay takip sa dibdib niya gamit ang mga braso.

“S-Sorry.”

Lucia smirked. “Anyway, only if we get caught.”

Humawak ulit sa braso ko si Tam. Tinignan ko siya ng diretso. “Come with us, friend. Mas malakas ang loob ko pag kasama kita.”

Para bang nawala sa mukha ni Tam ang takot. Tumango siya at parang naging matapang.

“Ayos! Kailangan ka talaga namin,” sabi ni Lucia kay Tam.

“Sigurado maraming Angeals sa paligid. Paano tayo pupunta sa crime scene nang walang nakakakita satin?” Tanong ko.

“Eli, I need that favor now,” pakantang sabi ni Lucia kay Eliza.

Eli? Kanina lang Ms. Quiet ang tawag niya kay Eliza. Magkakilala sila? Akala ko hindi dahil magkalayo sila ng upuan sa classroom.

“I can smell your confusion, Shana. Eli and I are friends. I saved her life once,” sabi pa ni Luc.

Tumayo si Eliza at lumapit samin. “We’re not friends. After this we’re even.”

“Syempre hindi pa. Wag ka madaya. We just need transportation.”

“Tch!” 

That’s the first time I saw Eliza react. Parang inis siya kay Lucia pero hindi masyadong seryoso. I think friends nga sila kahit dine-deny ni Eliza.

Tumalikod si Eliza samin.

“Okay, girls. Hawak tayo sa balikat ni Eli,” sabi ni Lucia. Pinatong niya ang kamay niya sa balikat ni Eliza. Gumaya kami ni Tam.

Binunot ni Eliza nang konte ang katana niya mula sa lalagyan nito. Just enough for us to see the blade. Tapos ay bigla niya itong binalik. The moment we heard the clicking sound, we were pulled downward—sinking straight into the floor beneath us. At least that’s what I saw.

This is scary and feels weird at the same time. I can clearly feel myself but I can’t see my body. Ang nakikita ko lang ay ang paligid pero para bang ang ulo ko ay nasa sahig.

“Girls? What’s going on? Nasaan kayo?” tanong ko. I’m starting to panic. I’m catching my breath.

“Nandito lang kami sa tabi mo, Shana. Relax ka lang. We’re inside Eli’s shadow,” dinig kong sagot ni Lucia.

“Yes, friend. Nandito lang kami,” dinig ko din na sabi ni Tam.

Nakahinga ako nang maluwag. Buti pa sila sanay sa mga ganito na kakaibang pangyayari. Sana someday masanay din ako.

“Okay. I’m good. Thanks, girls,” sabi ko.

I looked around. Hindi ko napigilang mamangha. Akalain mong nasa loob kami ng anino? Angas!

“Eli! This is so cool!” sabi ko. “Sorry— can I call you Eli?”

“Okay.”

“So… hindi nila tayo nakikita?” tanong ko.

“Yep! Anino lang na gumagalaw ang makikita nila,” sagot ni Lucia.

“But they can hear us. We have to be quiet," sabi ni Eli. “Luc which way?”

Luc? They’re on a nickname basis. Now I’m sure they’re friends. Sana maging friends din kaming lahat. Kahit pa gusto nitong Lucia na ‘to si Zed.

Narinig kong umamoy-amoy si Lucia. “Malapit sa classroom natin kanina.”

Ang galing! Hindi rin biro ang pang amoy ni Lucia. Si Tam, si Eli, si Lucia, at si ate Kat— lahat sila parang malalakas. Sana ako rin. I’m gonna work hard to become one too.

Habang nasa loob kami ng shadow ni Eli, tinahak namin ang mga halls, at hagdan ng academy. Kapag may nakakasalubong kaming Angeals, humihinto kami. Pumupunta sa gilid, sa likod ng mga naka-display na statues, vase, at kung ano pa. Si Eli ang parang nagmamaneho at pasahero lang kami.

As we phased through the floor, I remembered I used to panic at the sight of a Demon. Now I was inside a shadow, breaking an order from our leader. I didn’t know if this meant I was braver… or just more desperate.

Narating namin ang crime scene nang walang nakakakita samin. Pero nandoon na si ate Kat at si Kuya Dante.

Eli had to deactivate her shadow mode. We returned to normal. It felt like we pop out from the floor. Dahil do’n di na namin nagawang makita mismo ang victim. Nagtago nalang kami sa likod ng isang pader na malapit.

“Sorry. I can’t hold it any longer. Masyado tayong marami,” paliwanag ni Eli na pabulong.

“Okay lang, ano ka ba? You brought us here undetected. And that’s awesome,” I whispered.

Ngumiti naman si Eli pero sobrang liit lang.

“Tam, you need to mask our scent,” bulong ni Lucia.

Tumango si Tam. She twirls her fingers and suddenly… different kinds of flowers sprouted from her body.

Binigyan ni Lucia si Tam ng thumbs up.

“According to my team, walang nangyaring breach,” dinig namin na sabi ni kuya Dante. “Kailangan lang nating hanapin kung sinong Angeal ang may gawa nito.”

“You focus on that. Interrogate every Angeals. Ang dapat kong malaman ay kung bakit? The culprit purposely left the Aether Blade on the victim’s body. Which means, there’s an agenda.” Boses ni Ate Kat.

“Pwedeng may agenda, o baka nag panic ang suspect. Posible din kasi na away magkakilala ‘to,” sabi ni Kuya Dante.

“Hmmm… The timing was off. Sakto kasi na nandito si Shana at ang iba. I think this is intended to cause chaos. To show that Shana isn’t safe here. They want Shana to come out of the academy where they can freely get to her,” sabi ni ate Kat.

“That’s a possibility. For now, I have a killer to catch. Sa kanya lang natin malalaman kung ano ang tunay na motibo.”

Sumilip ako. Nakita kong umalis na si Kuya Dante at naiwan naman si Ate Kat.

“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my new students? The Valkyries!”

The voice came from above. Tumingala kami. Nakita namin ang mukha ni sir Bjorn sa kisame.

Busted!

Malakas ang boses ni sir Bjorn. Kaya naman…

“Aren’t you all supposed to be staying at the library?” tanong ni ate Kat. She was crossing her arms with an eyebrow raised.

“Sabi ko sayo, Shana, doon lang tayo sa library. Ang tigas talaga ng ulo mo,” biglang sabi ni Lucia. “Kat sinundan ko sila dito para pigilan.”

“What?!” I frowned. I was going to protest.

Pero biglang nagsalita si ate Kat.

“Cut it out, Lucia. You’re obviously lying. You’re all guilty for disobeying orders.”

Yumuko na lang ako. “S-Sorry po, ate Kat.”

“Sorry po.”  Bulong din ni Tam.

Napabuntong hininga si ate Kat. “Anyway, mukhang narinig niyo naman. An Angeal killed another Angeal. There’s no breach in the academy but the killer is still at large. For now go to your dorms. Classes are cancelled for the meantime.”

“Kat… You know I can help,” sabi ni Lucia.

“Gusto ko rin pong tumulong, ate Kat.” Pagsingit ko. I don’t know how pero wala kasing ambag kanina. I want to be of use.

“I know. But we have protocols to follow. Hindi pa kayo mga Angeals. So for now, get some rest.”

Wala ng umangal sa utos ni ate Kat.

“Shana…” Bumaling sa ‘kin si ate Kat. “Tomorrow, we’ll bring you to the Feather of the First Light. It’s time to find out the true nature of your power.”
NEXT CHAPTER
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