INSIGNIAS: THE ABECEDARIANS

\Tessa never like being in the spotlight, but she did everything to make her dad proud and to prove to everyone that she is not just the “mayor’s daughter”. Since she started attending school, people around her praised and said good things about her. “You are really smart”, “You are so nice”, “You are the best”. But she never liked the attention, especially when she knew they were faking it. People knew that she is the daughter of the mayor and the only heir to his successful company. They thought she held their lives in her hands. After praising her, behind her back, they cursed her. Slowly, she lost trust in anyone, except for her dad and Steve.

She knew that it wasn’t her dad’s fault. It was her fault, for being weak minded. She wasn’t able to face the people and instead, chose to stay away. She chose the easiest way not to get hurt. She was afraid to look at them in the eyes. She should have told them that she is not perfect. She should have told them that what she needed is a real friend.

Now, as the two stared at her, her mind imagined many scenarios. They would probably laugh or brush her off.

But their eyes didn’t show humour or doubt. Rather, they seemed to be curious. They believe me? No one said a word for a minute. The cold wind whistled. The hairs on her arms stood and she subconsciously rub her left arm. The gesture broke the trance and Skhy was the first one to speak.

“Who is she?” His bright blue eyes darkened. They looked like the colour of the deep sea. His eyes seemed to hold many questions.

Her stare faltered and she looked at the ground of a second before looking back at him with a resolution.

“I don’t know”, she said without taking her eyes off his orbs. His brow furrowed, confused.

“But you said your guardian told you about her?” Lei intercepted. She looked at her for a moment and nodded.

“I will tell you while walking. I think you don’t have any time to spare”, she said as she walked past Skhy and Lei. They silently followed. She thought that even if they still can’t consider themselves as friends, at least they can be comrades. The thought made her smile.

“Her name is Margarette”, she started. She was suddenly mesmerized by the scene in front of her. Sun light peek between the leaves creating spotlights on the ground. The cold wind carried the fallen leaves in the air before slowly letting them lay on the ground.

“I’m not sure if that is her name,” Tessa continued.

“How so,” Lei asked.

“In her dairy, she said that she wanted to protect me so she wanted to keep things secret, particularly her identity. However, she said that the information on the diary are true”, Tessa replied. She desperately wanted to know her mother. She remembered all the parents and teachers events. Their butler was the only who usually attend these events since her father was always busy.

“The Mortemians was already on her track,” she swallowed the lump in her throat, “because she knew about the Seven.”

“The Mortemians are trying to stop us from gathering the Seven,” Skhy mumbled. He seemed to be lost in thought.

“The problem is, she and her comrades know about the prophecy even before the Seven were born”, she continued.

“What?” His head snapped towards her. They all stopped walking. They were under the shade of two thick intertwining branches.

“How? The prophecy was announced after the Eschaton War, three years ago.” Skhy looked troubled. If everything written on her mother’s diary was true, there were others who knew the prophecy before the War.

“It seems like there are more secrets that most people know of. If her group hid this fact, there might be more danger than we know.” Tessa glanced at Lei, who seemed nervous.

“They probably did that to protect us,” Lei said. Tessa noticed her clenched fists and quivering lips.

“I haven’t read everything on her diary but she didn’t say the names of her comrades. Also, there is a statement that troubled me,” Tessa continued.

“What is it?” Skhy asked. His brow furrowed and he clenched his fists.

“She said not to trust anyone in the school,” Tessa replied slowly. She thought for a moment before continuing, “Someone must be controlling the people in the inside.”

“My aunt also said the same thing,” Lei added.

“Someone also said it to me.” Skhy wiped his troubled face with his right hand. He looked exhausted.

“She also wrote ‘stolen items’, ‘missing people’ and ‘unexplainable events’. This was on her last entry.” Tessa sighed. She was confused with everything she read on her diary. This new side of her life just started days ago but now, she has a task to know everything.

“And she didn’t die in the War as what everyone knows,” she whispered, but low enough for the two to here.

“But no one knew she was there,” Tessa continued. “Or so she wrote.” She remembered Steve or Eliot saying that her mother died three years ago in the war.

“So she is not from the Academy?” Lei questioned. Tessa tried to remember her mother’s entries in the diary.

“I don’t know. Just like what I said, Margarette may or may not be her name.” Tessa’s heart ache so much. Her mother was dead. Her name and life were mysteries Tessa may or may not uncover.

“The battle was chaos so no one knew what’s really happening with everyone. Her last entry was days after the War. She was looking for something but she didn’t write what it is.”

“It’s probably something that will stop Mortemians from finding the Seven. That was my parents’ initial plan but when they learned about the Mortemians killing people in several towns to find the Seven, they proceed to look for the children to protect them.” Skhy was again deep in thought. Tessa remembered that he mentioned about his parents’ death. It must be heart-breaking for him to live in the house alone.

“Do you think your parents and my mom knew each other?” Tessa asked.

“We’re going to find out”, he replied. And I’m determined to find out.

“I will relay everything my mother instructed to those who needed to find the Seven.” Tessa looked at him in the eyes. Her mom had trusted her. They were on their own now.

“You said that you’re going to protect them. That is what my mother’s wish. Even if I never met her, I at least wanted to do one thing for her.” Tessa bit her lower lip to stop it from quivering.

“That is my role, to protect and train them”, Skhy replied after he stared at her for a while. His eyes kept changing shades of blue.

Tessa nodded and started to walk again. The two followed without a word.

“She was sure that the Seven aren’t in the Academy. Their parents’ knew so they...” Tessa glanced at Lei to see her expression but she just smiled sadly at her. She was gripping the straps of her backpack. She wanted me to continue without sugar-coating it.

“They made sure that their children were far from the Academy and magic. I think they were raised as normal children,” Tessa continued. Her mother’s diary entries were detailed in the start, but gradually became entries of short sentences until the end. She was in a rush. For not writing her comrades names, Tessa had no idea why.

“Then it would be harder to convince them,” Skhy said and glanced at Lei.

“Why?” Tessa looked at him but it was Lei who answered.

“They would have wanted to continue living a normal life.” She looked so sad and scared. Her green showed unshed tears.

“That is also what you want and what we all want,” Tessa whispered. Normal life.

“I was always wondering who and what kind of persons they are, though.” Skhy chuckled dryly and gave a small smile without looking at them.

Tessa frowned at him. His smile wasn’t fake.

“We won’t know anything if we don’t try, right?” Skhy glanced again at Lei. His statement was directed to her. He must have noticed her uneasiness and doubts.

Tessa was amazed at how Skhy turned Lei’s quivering lips into a small smile. She looked calmer.

“I wanted to know them even if I don’t know what their reactions are going to be,” he added. Like Lei, the other six children must have been protected by their relatives or guardians.

“Did your mother say anything about where to find the Seven? Or any lead that can point where they are right now?” Skhy asked.

Tessa thought for a moment, then said, “She didn’t say the exact location but she mentioned their families.”

“Families? Like who their parents are?” Lei asked. Tessa looked ahead and saw that they are nearing the road.

“Not exactly. She said that the children are descendants of the seven ancient leaders”, she replied. Her mother did not explain the history of Mortemians and Concordians so she lacked knowledge about this.

“Seven ancient leaders,” Skhy repeated. She felt Skhy’s gaze on her, but she did not look back. Her eyes were focused on the two vehicles on the road which passed by.

“I remember Steve saying about the seven leaders chosen to lead the Concordians and Mortemians. That is the only thing I know,” Tessa continued.

“The Original Knights”, Skhy murmured.

“Who?” Tessa took a glance at him then back to the road. She sensed no danger around her but she wanted to make sure. Skhy and Lei were also tensed while observing the surroundings. I hope there are no Mortemians in this town.

“The chosen seven to lead the Mortemians and Concordians long before the wars and discord. Three led the Concordians and the other three led the Mortemians. There was one mediator”, he narrated.

“What happened after the division?” Lei asked. “My aunt didn’t exactly narrate everything about the division.”

“They were probably dead when that happened. The families of descendants took sides, but the books didn’t explain where they went.” He sighed afterwards.

“So I’m a descendant of...” Lei trailed. She glanced at Skhy. He looked back and nodded.

“So there are no high ranking knights today?” Tessa asked. If there are, we could investigate their family trees.

Skhy shook his head and replied, “While there are high ranking officials today, I doubt they are descendants of the first Knights because of intermarriage between knights and normal people. Also, these officials are not entirely from known houses of families.”

“Don’t the Academy keep records of the Knights?,” Lei offered. It took a moment before Skhy answered.

“The book I read about the Knights only included their family names, but they could be changed after marriages. However, there are more sections in the library about them which I did not venture to,” he replied.

“Then let’s put that in our to-do-list,” Tessa said. Skhy and Lei smiled at her. It would be a good idea to search the library with a group than just one person. If they make it to the Academy alive. She shook the dark thought away.

“Still, we need to know your mother’s true identity”, Skhy said as he suddenly stopped and looked awkwardly at Tessa.

“It’s okay. That’s part of my plan. Thank you for being considerate, Skhy.” Tessa gave him a small smile. He stared at her for a moment then broke into a big grin.

He then coughed once and looked in front. Now, he looked uncomfortable. Tessa wondered why.

“Blondie said that I’m from the House of Thorneridge. So the Thorneridge family is from one of the seven ancient leaders?” Lei blurted.

“You said something about a book and a paper”, Tessa inquired.

“Yes. It was written by my dad. The paper is a drawing of the insignias of the Seven; however, everything looked blurry when I found it. One of the circle suddenly showed Lei’s insignias when we met”, he explained.

“Does that mean that it will only reveal the pictures when you encounter the person?” Tessa questioned. There are thousands of people here in this country though. She stopped herself from saying something so obvious.

“There must be something in the book that might help us. But first, we need to go to Cornerstone,” he said.

They were only a feet from the road. Skhy moved behind a tree while Lei climbed one. They looked towards the entrance of the town. Tessa moved behind another tree but watched the opposite side for incoming cars.

“Coast’s clear,” Skhy said. He adjusted his leather hat on his head. The blinding light of the sun reflected on the “Welcome” sign as Skhy, Tessa, and Lei walked under the shade of the trees beside the road that will lead them to the city.