INSIGNIAS: THE LUX SIGNIFER ACADEMY

There were five people in the round chamber with a very high ceiling. Lighted torches decorated each ten black rough walls. Deeply engraved on the walls were unrecognizable insignias. On each wall was an average-sized doorway. Cement debris decorated the dark floor but there was no indication of where they came from. A few meters from the wall, in the middle of the chamber, was a two-meter tall round marbled table. It looked old and used because of the dents, scratches, and chips on the surface. But there were no chairs around.

As Tessa nervously but quietly stared above her, she noticed more insignias deeply engraved on the high ceiling. It was hard to tell the patterns but she knew that they were insignias. Compared to the ten on the walls, however, these insignias were engraved carelessly. Some overlapped each other as if a child decided to use the walls’ of the house to be their canvas. She was getting exhausted fighting the invisible force holding her on the table. The coldness of the marbled but jagged surface slowly numbed the pain she was feeling but it wasn’t enough. The pain was pulsed and stabbed her.

After she was dragged from the cell, she was brought into this dark chamber. The first that entered her mind once she saw the design was she was being offered as a sacrificial lamb. She wasn’t right but not entirely wrong. She kicked and hit the enemies who were holding her down but the moment her body hit the table, a magnet pulled her down. It was so strong that she thought her skin became permanently attached to the table. She struggled to get out only to suffer bruises from the marbled table.

“The same healing power as Hallowedlight?” She stopped moving when she heard a voice. The guards left her after dropping her on the table. His voice seemed to belong to a middle-aged man.

“Yes.” Another voice of a male. This time sounded younger.

“Are you sure that this is the right one?” the first person asked. “We can’t afford to run around looking again.” The voices and sound of their footsteps were getting nearer.

“We’re sure.”

“You immediately noticed it, right, Alyssa?” Alyssa…Where did I hear the name before?

“Yes. From the moment I heard of the news and when I first saw her.” Tessa was in no doubt that the voice came from the pale girl. She heard what news?

The sound of their footsteps echoed once they entered the chamber. Tessa couldn’t see them because it was impossible to turn her head. She could only stare at the ceiling and wait. They stopped walking. Based on the footsteps earlier, she figured that there were at least four people presently staring at her. Her heart kept drumming in her chest. Is it time?

“What’s your name, girl?” ‘Girl’?’ Old. Not middle-age. Tessa remained silent. They already know her name.

“Very well,” the man said. “It’s fine. We know who she is.’

“Althea Savanna,” the younger man said lazily as if it’s a word he was tired of saying. She flinched when she the full name. No one called her that because she didn’t tell anyone after she read her mom’s journal. It didn’t matter. Do they know everything about me?

“The only living child in the Forskleigh family,” the young man added. She flinched when she heard the family name. He sounded Skhy’s age. But I could be wrong. She could only rely on her hearing. She figured that she’s important to them so they won’t hurt her. For now, that is.

While she remained silent, she had a lot of questions. About her mom. Her dad. Their real purpose. But she asked a different question.

“Where are they?”

“Your friends?”

“Eloise Hallowedlight. Ice. Levy,” she replied. That was her team’s original mission. To save them. Someone laughed softly but deeply.

“You can ask about your family and friends… why about them?” the old man asked. “They’ve been gone for four years.” She clenched her fists.

“Because that’s the reason why we’re here,” she whispered. “Why do you need me, Aria, and Lei?”

“Ahhhh…” The man stepped forward. “Might as well tell you since you’re there.” But it was the young man who explained.

“Space, Wind, Ice, Darkness, Storm, Metal, Earth, Nature, Water, and Fire. The 10 elementals. Strong vessels are needed for us for our goal to succeed.” Vessels? They were treating magic users are objects when they themselves hold power. Space is Levy. Wind is Eloise. Ice is Iczen. As for the rest, the enemies probably found strong magic users around the country. Now they need the three of us…

“How do you know they’re strong enough?” Her whole body felt heavy as a strong force of gravity is holding her down.

“Alyssa here knew their capabilities once she sees them,” answered the old man. Tessa remembered what the pale girl said earlier. Clone…

“I see,” she whispered. “Since you used the others, the three of us are the last step. We are the key. Four years… It took you that long to find us.” The only man laughed again. This time, a bit louder, deeper, with a hint of sarcasm.

“No. The 10 is the key,” the young man replied, sounding a bit irritated. “It didn’t take us 4 years to hunt you down. We were busy. We need all the 10 together.” Arrogance accompanied his irritation. Tessa opened her left fist, which was far from their view, and wiggled her arm.

“You weren’t hard to find,” the old man started. “We had other important things to do.” He emphasized the words ‘other’ and ‘important’ as if saying that they weren’t relying on Tessa, Lei, and Aria’s powers. When she got a hold of the item, she smiled. The old man inhaled sharply.

“Why are you smiling?” he hissed. She didn’t know how strong the people who are with her in the chamber but she needed to try.

“Faz Hunter,” she whispered then let go of the item. The fist-sized lighting was cold to touch but once it was out of her hold, it ascended and took a shape of a grey cloud filling the ceiling of the chamber.

“What is that?” the young man cried.

“Move.” It was a different voice. She saw as they tried to hit the cloud only to pass through it. Thunder erupted with flashes of light in the cloud. The first lighting struck the floor. The enemies were still trying to contain it while Tessa directed her remaining power on the table’s force. She was scared that lighting might hit her but she reminded herself that Faz made sure that it’ll protect her. A handful of lightning flashed. Someone was probably hit because something fell on the floor. At that moment, the power holding her on the table disappeared. Great. She stood up, flinching as she does because of the bruises. Once standing, she noticed the wrath of Faz’s power. Two men lay unconscious on the ground. A guard was blasting the cloud with fire. When he saw her, he threw fire at her. She was able to dodge it but the left arm of her jacket caught fire. She immediately removed it. The grey cloud struck the man unconscious. Only when it did that she noticed the old man missing. She was surprised to see a calm Alyssa standing just outside the doorway. She was staring at her.

“Trust and love will only make you bleed, fall, and die,” she said then walked into the shadow. What?

That was the least of her worries. She needed to get her team out before they sound the alarm. Tessa activated the charm given by Faz. What am I going to do with the cloud? She looked up and noticed the grey cloud slowly getting smaller. She thought that it will just disappear but it turned into the fist-sized lighting and flew toward her. She caught it and put it in her pocket. Now, time to save everyone.

That was almost three hours ago. By the time the team split up, the enemies sounded that alarm. Their enemies were on the loose. Tessa hoped that Skhy, Lei, Aria, and Hanne find the portal first before the enemies realized that they knew about the portal.

“Everyone’s searching.” Her train of thought was interrupted by Nate’s statement. They were hiding in what’s seemed to be an empty dining area on the second floor with several tables and chairs. They searched three different dungeons with no luck of finding the three. Nate, who was standing near the main entrance, was keeping an eye outside.

“Do you think there are more dungeons?” Clyne asked. “Maybe there are prison cells somewhere else.” The fortress was huge with five floors surrounding the arena.

“It was hard getting into the dungeons because more soldiers were guarding them,” Clyne added.

“They knew that we’ll try to look for them there,” Tessa said. Where could Eloise, Levy, and Ice be? She knew they are alive. The enemies needed the 10 strong magic users together to use them.

“They will be waiting inside the dungeons to trap us,” Faz said. He sighed.

“That means they’re not there.”

“What?” Tessa turned to Faz.

“They aren’t in the dungeons. The enemies knew that we’re going to look for them there so they want to trap us,” Tessa started. “They probably hid them so there won’t be any chance of us finding your friends.” Faz stared at her for a moment, probably weighing her words.

“We hid in the kitchens, dining areas, hallways, soldiers’ living quarters…” Nate counted.

“Bedchambers,” Faz said, still staring directly at her eyes. Tessa felt that her heart skipped a bit but she didn’t let it show. Now isn’t the time.

“Alright. Let’s go upstairs,” Faz instructed. They moved out silently and cautiously. Tessa’s chest felt heavier in every step. Trust and love will only make you bleed, fall, and die. For the first time since she found out about his dad’s true identity, she wondered: Did mom ever regret loving him?