INSIGNIAS: THE LUX SIGNIFER ACADEMY

The girl continued to stare blankly at them. She looked at them like they were unimportant inanimate objects. She didn’t look alarmed that there are trespassers and enemies on her territory. She was neither interested nor angry. She had the same height as Lei. Her pale white skin looked like it’s made of white ceramic. Together with her clear icy eyes, she seemed like a ceramic doll than a human being. When Hunter called Eloise’s name, she didn’t react at all. What is she?

“Eloise!” Hunter cried. He looked like he was in pain and was about to cry as he sped toward the girl. There were relief, sadness, and longing in his eyes. He had the same look when her aunt found Lei years ago. When he neared her, she suddenly raised her right hand telling him to stop. Hunter immediately stopped. Lei couldn’t see his expression but he was probably surprised that she doesn’t recognize him.

Lei thought that Skhy and Hunter’s friends were supposed to be kidnapped but this girl didn’t look like she is a prisoner.

“Eloise…” she heard Skhy whispered. He had moved closer to Lei. “Ho- how…?” He looked relieved but confused at the same time.

“What’s happening?” Hanne asked, confused as well.

“I’m glad she’s fine but why is she…” Nate’s voice trailed off. Hanne, Nate, and Clyne started talking in a hushed tone but Lei was more interested in what’s happening in front of her. Hunter’s body was tensed.

“El- Eloise… It’s me,” Hunter insisted. “It’s Faz.” His voice cracked when he said his name. It was the first time Lei heard him so broken.

“I don’t know you,” the girl simply said then dropped her arm. “Any of you.” Lei heard Skhy gasped. Hanne, Nate, and Clyne also stopped talking from behind her. Amnesia? Mist? It could only be enemies manipulating their prisoner.

“What? That- that can’t be…” Hunter’s voice was so soft Lei thought he was talking to a kid. But she figured that even with kids, Hunter’s cold and straightforward demeanour won’t change. This person is someone important to him.

The girl tilted her head to the right, staring blankly at Hunter.

“Eloise… please…” he pleaded.

“You’re wasting my time,” the girl replied.

“This isn’t what I imagined when we get here,” Hanne said.

“Did the enemies wipe her memory? Is that possible?” Nate asked.

“The Mist can manipulate a person’s memory but it can’t last longer than a day.” Clyne sighed.

“Do you think the enemies know we’re here and let us meet that girl?” Hanne asked. No one answered because no one knew what is happening. Lei looked around but there wasn’t anything suspicious. She couldn’t sense any presence. Maybe the enemies concealed their energies or they are too far away. It was definitely the first one.

“I’ve been looking for you-” Hunter stopped talking when the girl turned then walked toward the direction of the black fortress.

“Wait! Stop! Don’t go there!” Hunter followed her.

“Eloise! Faz!” Skhy and Clyne ran after them.

“Ah! Wait!” Lei called out. Only when turned and started to run that she noticed Tessa standing while staring at the ground. She was about to call her name when she looked up then shook her head. She ran ahead of Lei. The others were running behind her. She noticed that the three boys stopped. Skhy and Clyne were gripping Hunter’s arms to stop him from following the girl who didn’t even look behind her. Tessa reached them.

“Stop!” She was now glaring at him. “You can’t just force people to remember you. You definitely can’t just waltz in an enemies’ lair, endangering all of us.”

“I don’t care.” Lei had reached them when Hunter replied. Tessa flinched. “I will force her because it’s for her safety.”

“You’ll get hurt. And probably die,” Tessa continued.

“It’s none of your business.” Tessa was shocked. “Let me go!” He started struggling in their grasps. Tessa opened her mouth but didn’t say anything. Her wide eyes stared at him. Despite knowing his nature, Lei was surprised by the coldness in his voice direct to Tessa. Oh Tessa… It probably hurt her more than she could show.

“I said let go! I need to follow her!” Clyne and Skhy were having a difficult time controlling him. Nate joined them in restraining him. Lei knew that at some point, Hunter will use his power to free himself.

“Skhy, he might hurt all of you,” Lei said. Skhy looked at her. His jaw clenched as he held on to one of Hunter’s bulging arms. He didn’t say anything. But the desperation in his eyes already told her what’s on his mind.

Then without a word, Tessa ran after the girl.

“Tessa!” Lei shouted. Skhy also called her name. The girl was taking her time walking on the rough charcoal-coloured sand. Lei wondered how she was able to walk barefoot without hurting her feet. Tessa was able to catch up with the girl. She started talking but they couldn’t hear her.

“I should accompany her,” Aria said. It was the first time she spoke after they passed through the barrier. Without waiting for anyone’s reply, she ran. Lei noticed that the girl had stopped walking, probably because Tessa put her hand on the girl’s shoulder.

“What is she doing?” Hunter exclaimed while still trying to break free.

“Stop, Faz! Calm down!” Clyne was getting angry too. Lei was getting worried that the enemies might hear them. It was also possible that the enemies know that they arrived. They are probably toying with us… or just Hunter.

Aria finally reached the two girls.

“Hey.” Hanne tapped Lei shoulder so she turned. Hanne was staring somewhere. Lei looked and her eyes widened when she saw shadows on the cliff. She wasn’t sure if the enemies saw them but Lei acted quickly.

“We have to hide,” she told the others. She looked around and found an entrance on a hill. The others probably noticed the danger too because Skhy, Nate, and Clyne dragged Hunter. Clyne covered Hunter’s mouth with his hand to stop him from shouting. But Hunter was stubborn. Lei noticed his insignia slowly shining. Then a knife appeared above his head. Where…

She looked at where Tessa, Aria, and the girl were standing earlier. The girl was walking away while Tessa and Aria were running toward the cave entrance. Tessa’s dagger was suppressing Hunter’s power. But it won’t last long.

Lei was panting when she entered a wide cave. Her heart was drumming in her chest. Tessa and Aria were already there. The boys were the last ones because Hunter was being stubborn. The dagger was still above his head. Clyne removed his hand on Hunter’s mouth but they were still holding him down.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Hunter bared his teeth while glaring at everyone. His grey eyes turning dangerously dark. Her hands suddenly started shaking. She knew that Hunter is dangerous when he’s angry. Two more daggers appear above his head. He swiftly turned to Tessa who was still gasping for air.

“Remove these,” he said in his dangerously low voice. Tessa glared back. “You just let her go like that.”

“We don’t know why she’s saying that she doesn’t know you,” Tessa started once she was breathing normally, “But she was the one who called the guards.” Lei’s eyes widened, shocked. The situation was getting stranger. Is the Eloise girl…on the enemies’ side? She glanced at Skhy who looked confused.

“So she’s on the enemies’ side…” Aria said while looking afar.

“Liar,” Hunter spat at the Tessa. She bit her lower lip which started trembling.

“I don’t care what you think but you’re not alone here.” Her determined eyes stared at Hunter’s glaring orbs. “But I won’t let you put everyone in danger.”

Hunter visibly relaxed a bit.

“We’re gonna save her,” she added. “And you will learn the truth.” She turned around and walked closer to the cave’s wet wall. She sat down and let her back rest. Lei quickly accompanied her. Hanne and Aria followed.

“You did well,” Lei told her once she was sitting beside Tessa, who gave her a sad smile.

“I wouldn’t be that patient if I was in your shoes.” Hanne sat on a stone in front of them while Aria remained standing.

“I want to hit him,” Aria said which made them giggle.

“It hurts,” Tessa whispered when Hanne and Aria left them. She had her head on her knees. Hunter was finally released from the grips and Tessa’s blades but he still looked pissed. Skhy and Clyne were talking to him. Probably about their strategy… Nate, Aria, and Hanne were exploring further into the cave.

“What hurts?” Hunter shouting at her? Lei noticed how Hunter slowly opened up to the team. She knew that Tessa had something to do with it. Tessa, like Skhy, had the intense desire to keep the team together. But there’s something in the emotions that Tessa’s eyes show when she’s looking or talking to Hunter.

“She’s beautiful.” She dodged the question.

“The Eloise girl? What did she say earlier?” Lei opened her backpack to grab a small blanket for Tessa because she was trembling.

“That she’s not Eloise. And that her friends will kill us if we keep bothering her.” Her friends… the shadows… Lei grabbed the blanket and draped it on Tessa’s shoulder.

“If she’s not Eloise, then who is she? Skhy also recognizes her…” Eloise, Levy, and Ice. She remembered the time in the treehouse, the day she first met Skhy. Those are his missing friends. She hoped that everyone is alive and well.

“I don’t know,” Tessa simply replied. More questions, more secrets. Is there a possibility that the three students left in their own will? Hunter said that particular Concordians pushed the students to the enemies. What if they chose to leave to save everyone? Or what if they’ve been wanting to leave?

Lei looked at Skhy. She didn’t want to see him sad if that is the case. But with everything uncovered for the last few weeks, everything is possible.

“Guys, we found a path.” Nate moved toward the Skhy who was sitting beside Clyne and the pissed Hunter. Hanne and Aria followed. Lei stood up then looked at Tessa’s figure. She slowly stood up. She looked determined than ever. They walked toward the gathering group.

“It’s a bit steep,” Nate started. “It leads near the cliff where the fortress stood.”

“Ok. We’re going to spy on them first,” Skhy said. “We can’t win against an army. We’ll save them without attracting too much attention.”

“Who’s going to spy on them…?” Lei asked.

“Me,” Hunter said. He had calmed down but his eyes still showed the same anger. Lei glanced at Tessa.

“Me.” What?

“Tessa, what are you doing? Don’t.” Lei whisper-yelled. She knew how stubborn Tessa is so Lei’s expecting her to not change her decision. Tessa glanced at Lei with a smile.

“Are you sure?” Skhy asked, looking concerned. Tessa nodded. Lei sighed, frustrated.

“Don’t worry.” She thought Skhy was talking to Tessa but he was looking at Lei. He gave a reassuring smile. “I’m with them.” It’ll make me more worried…

“We’ve trained a lot.” Skhy looked at each member of the group. “You have mastered your elementals and weapons. But this challenge also requires intellect and patience.”

“Remember, don’t engage if they’re not a threat,” Nate added. He started assuming the role of Skhy’s right arm. He felt like a leader after Storm or Ciar left.

“Fighting might endanger us and the people we’re trying to save,” Skhy pointed out. Hunter and Tessa were silent throughout the whole conversation.

Further inside the cave is narrower than near the entrance. The cool, musky air hit Lei’s skin. The stone walls were jagged, rough, and with sharp edges. The wind whistled around the stones, making an eerie sound. Their footsteps echoed around them. There weren’t many rocks on the cave’s floor but it was slippery, wet, and mossy. A few stalagmites stood near the walls. Lei looked up. She positioned her flashlight upward and found a ceiling covered with long stalactites. After 15 minutes, the floor became steep. Five minutes into the climbing, it was impossible to walk without holding on to the wall. Lei was flustered every time Nate, who was walking in front of her, held out his hand to help her up. It wasn’t long before they saw light becoming brighter. The exit was visible but the bright light was blinding.

Skhy, Hunter, Tessa, Hanne, and Nate already reached the exit. She blinked several times to adjust to the bright light. A hand gripped her right arm, pulling her up.

“Thank-” The scene made her stop. An army closed to 20 men in red stood staring at her. She turned and saw her friends kneeling with men behind them. Hunter looked dangerously angry but wasn’t moving. Her heart began to drum in her chest. She was having difficulty in breathing.

“Don’t touch me!” she heard Aria shout behind her.

“Hey!” Clyne exclaimed.

“Well, I told you to go but you didn’t listen,” a tired voice said. Lei looked in front. The men moved to the sides and a person in white walked toward them. Someone painfully gripped Lei’s wrists and forced her to kneel.

“Eloise…” Hunter whispered. The girl turned to him without any emotion.

“I’m not her,” she said.

“Then who…”

“Alyssa Roseshadow. I’m her clone.” Lei’s knees were trembling. Eloise is dead?