INSIGNIAS: THE LUX SIGNIFER ACADEMY

The whirling of the wind looked like a white circle with nothing but darkness in the middle. The eye and the walls of the storm around it. While the eye of a hurricane is supposedly calmer than the walls, the eye of this particular storm is nothing but calm. The darkness seemed to be screaming in pain even though there was no sound coming there. The circle stood five feet taller than the student-adventurers who found it attached to a thick, tall, and black tree after wandering in the dense forest. The tree didn’t look like it was burned. It was just black, with its trunk; roots that were sticking from the ground; twisting branches; and charcoal leaves.

Lei was afraid to go near. Something sinister is inside the forest. No. The whole forest was sinister. The trees and plants were looking alive but she felt no life. She felt animals moving around but they didn’t feel alive at all. How is that possible? It was the first time she encountered something like that. Alive but not alive.

She figured that it’s best not to be curious about the unusual and mystical creatures, things, and happenings in one of the unexplored places in the country. Skhy advised them to continue moving to find the river. Hunter, on the other hand, stopped them before anyone could take a step.

“It’s here for a reason,” he mysteriously said.

“What reason?” Lei asked. Tessa made a sound between a moan and groan.

“To keep us here.” His statement didn’t help Lei’s growing fear.

“You fled earlier but now you’re ready to face and fight,” Tessa said under her breath. Lei heard it because she was behind her. She sounded angry despite running after Hunter when he fled from Aurora and Savvier. But when Tessa slightly turned, Lei noticed her expression. It was between trying to stop herself from crying and staying angry. Lei understood the feeling very well. Does she….?

Hours ago on the bus, Lei was awakened by someone moving beside her. She had her eyes closed because she was still sleepy but she wondered what’s making Tessa toss and turn. After a while, she couldn’t ignore it and opened her half-asleep eyes and turned to her left.

“What’s the matter?” she whispered, sleep evident in her raspy voice.

“Ah trying to get comfortable.” Her eyes widened when she recognized the voice. She looked up at the beautiful blue eyes staring at her. She felt the crawling heat on her cheeks.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you,” Skhy said. The moonlight was shining on his sleep-deprived face.

“Uh no, it’s fine,” she replied after she looked away, “What happened? Where’s Tessa?”

“It’s a funny story.” He laughed softly. It was the first time they talked with just the two of them after her confession. No, it was definitely not a confession! And maybe, Skhy interpreted it as ‘like as a friend.’ She wanted the earth to swallow her every time she remembered that day in the underground arena. She wasn’t soft like this. She wasn’t easily swayed like this. She was able to solve the mystery of her birth but it doesn’t mean she deserves to relax.

“No, it’s fine. Tell me.” She tried to sound cold and distant.

“New passengers came. I decided to move beside Aria. Clyne took that opportunity to sit beside her. There were no more seats except beside Faz. Who didn’t want to sit next to me,” he narrated. She figured what happened next.

“You asked Tessa to change seat,” she said. He shook his head.

“She offered.” The disappointment was evident in his voice. The tone of his voice made her heart ache.

“I see.” She didn’t know what to say. There was nothing to say. She watched as the bus passed by the light posts. Somehow, it relaxed her than to look at Skhy. The atmosphere around them was heavy. She didn’t like it. She felt like she broke their friendship. I shouldn’t have said anything. She doesn’t even know what liking means. Before she met Skhy and the others, her future plans only involved her aunt. She told herself before that after she learns about her birth family in the Academy, she will go back to East Woodland. Now, she desperately wanted to be with her friends and to maintain their friendship…

“Lei.” She heard that tone before. It was when a neighbour told her about her adoptive parents’ horrible death.

“Yeah?” she said, watching the glass became foggy.

“Thank you.” Her eyes widened a bit. “Because you came with me at that time, I was more determined to achieve my goal.”

“Even it wasn’t me, you’d be fine.” If it was the other regalis, they would also help Skhy in his mission.

“True,” he replied. Something pinched her chest. “But I’m glad that you’re the first one I met. Someone who doesn’t back down even when things get tough. And someone who expresses herself confidently.” Her cheeks warmed and her heartbeat quickened.

“I don’t want to lose a friend,” he said after a moment of silence. Even though she knew the outcome, it hurt a lot. She didn’t expect him to respond to what she said. She didn’t expect to start a relationship. She told herself that it was enough that she told him what she felt. But his words still hurt.

“I have enough of that. Losing friends, that is.” She imagined a boy with wide clear blue eyes walking in the desert as if he was looking for something, someone. Someday, that boy will confess his feelings too. But it won’t be her. Someday, he won’t be afraid to love. How did I know he was afraid? Maybe it was because of Carol…

“You thought about it a lot.”

“Huh?...Yes. A lot.” She smiled a little. She was still looking at the glass pane.

“Thank you for considering it carefully,” she said. She didn’t want to explain further that she didn’t expect to start a relationship.

“I’ll do my best to help you will all your missions. Because you’re our friend,” she added. But it might take a bit of a time for her to talk to him alone again. Ah first heartbreak… Her aunt would be so proud that she tried to create more relationships with other people.

Skhy chose to not say anything. She was grateful.

The glass became blurrier. The lights outside twisted. Until she couldn’t see properly anymore. Warm liquid fell on her cheeks as she blinks the blurriness away. Just this once. After this, I will stand strong again.

Lei’s thoughts were interrupted by a warning shout. She realized that Hunter was walking backward with his hands outstretched on his sides as if protecting her, Tessa, and Skhy from danger. She looked in front of him. The black hole was still the same. There was no movement.

“What is it?” Tessa asked, visibly nervous.

“It’s trying to suck him when he got close,” Skhy replied.

“Let’s leave,” Lei urged. “Nothing’s alive here.”

“What?” Skhy asked, turning toward her. Tessa also looked at her expectantly.

“This dense forest. There’s no life here. Even the trees and animals.” She had no explanation because she didn’t know what’s happening.

“Let’s go,” Tessa said immediately after her statement. “Let’s look for the river.” Lei followed Tessa. Skhy and Hunter were on their heels.

What happened next was unexplainable and instant. Lei didn’t remember how she arrived there. After blinking, she found herself floating in a sea of nothingness. She immediately panicked. She looked around but there was only darkness.

“Guys!” she shouted. She tried to move her legs and arms as if to swim in the darkness. She didn’t know if she moved because everything was black. She didn’t like only seeing black.

“Tessa! Skhy!” There was a muffled response. She didn’t know where it was coming from. She called Tessa and Skhy’s name again. Another muffled response. It sounded nearer. Her hands were trembling. She debated to call out again or not.

“Tessa? Skhy?” she whispered. She shouted when she heard the sound. It was so near as if a chorus of voices were beside her ears. The sound was between a cry and howl of hundreds of animals. The monstrous sound was terrifying. Lei tried to move but the cries and howls continued. She couldn’t see anything. She hoped it was just a nightmare. It could be the mist…

She closed her eyes. She calmed herself and chanted silently. This is not real. This is not real. This is not real.

Then she felt it. Several cold, dry, and wrinkly long hands grabbed her legs and arms. She shouted until her throat hurt. She tried to get out of their hold. The monstrous cries became a chorus of mocking and cracked laughter around her. Their holds were strong. Some hands were slapping the others as if they were fighting to claim and possess her. Their grips became tighter. Some were trying to rip her clothes. It was the most terrible experience for Lei. She was enveloped by darkness and surrounded by demons and their disturbing voices. Uncontrollable tears ran down her cheeks. She couldn’t breathe properly. I’m going to die here.

“Lei!” It was a whisper. She thought it was one of the demons but it didn’t sound like it. She gasped for air. Her whole body trembling.

“Lei! We’re here!” the voice said. It sounded so far. She tried to summon her elemental and weapon but she couldn’t concentrate with cold hands gripping her and sinister laughter mocking her. Everything made her shiver.

“She’s mine…”

“Mineeeee.”

“Mineeeeeeeee.” The demons began arguing. Most of the time they were talking in an unrecognizable language. Lei clenched her hands and chanted. I can feel all life forms. I can feel the souls. The living doesn’t belong here. She felt the warmth on her right backhand. The warmth etched the branches of the tree. It didn’t stop on her hand. The branches extended all over her body. Slowly the coldness of the demons’ hands was no longer there. Then the light came. Her surrounding became brighter. It was only until she raised her hand that she noticed that the light was coming from the twisting and curving lines on her body. The demons growled and hissed and moaned. Their grips loosen until no one was holding onto her anymore.

There was only darkness around her. The light didn’t reach far and wide but it was enough to keep the danger away. She seemed to be a star in a dark sky. What should I do now?

On cue, the voice spoke again. She wasn’t sure if it was Skhy or Tessa.

“Listen to my voice. Follow my voice,” it said. Then it began to sing a lullaby. The unseen demons were still howling and growling from afar but they were slowly being drowned by the lullaby. How do you fly?

She began to move toward the voice. Toward freedom.