Chapter 2: Unknown Sensation

Muling napasigaw si Celestia nang may dumapo na naman sa kanyang braso. She cradled her bloody arms as she maintained her pace, but it's getting harder for her dahil marami-raming dugo na ang nawala sa kanya from all the spells the wiccans had thrown at her. It didn't help that her feet started getting numb from all the running she did.

"FUCKING WITCH! SUMUKO KA NA LANG! PINAPAGOD MO LANG SARILI MO!"

Celestia ignored it. Agad siyang lumiko nang marinig niyang may binato na namang hindi malamang spell sa kanya.

'What should I do? Hindi ako pwedeng huminto, mahuhuli nila ako. Pero pagod na akong tumakbo.'

Celestia was cut off from whatever she was planning when another spell hit one of her legs. She stumbled a bit with a loud cry, but it didn't stop her from running, which just earned frustrated and indignant shouts from the dark witches.

Alam niyang hindi rin magtatagal ay unti-unti na siyang manghihina. Marami na ang dugong nawala sa kanya, at namamanhid na ang katawan niya. It's just a matter of time before they capture her.

And she can't have that. Not after what her parents and relatives had done to let her escape. Not after all the years they hid just to give her a safe life, away from the dark witches who planned to kill her.

Celestia was no believer of Celestial Beings. She never thought they were actually real, so she never even tried to pray or wish for anything. But then she suddenly remembered something from her early teenage years. Something that her mother had told her matapos masugatan nang malala iyong alaga niyang rabbit.

Sabi ng kanyang ina, if she wants something so desperately, if her heart wants something, it will happen. Celestia remembered, sabi ng kanyang ina, just feel the energy inside her, the thrumming of her power, concentrate on it, reach her heart, and then think of what it wants. Mangyayari raw iyong gusto niya, gaano man ito ka-imposible sa tingin niya.

Pero ni minsan, hindi nagawa ni Celestia iyon. Hindi siya naniwala sa ina. Naisip niya, baka gawa-gawa lang iyon ng kanyang ina, baka paniniwala lang niya ito na pinasa ng kanyang sariling ina.

Ngunit sa mga oras na 'to na wala ng maisip na paraan si Celestia para makatakas, bigla na lang iyon pumasok sa isip nito kaya sinubukan niya. She didn't hope too much, afraid it will just disappoint her so much to the point it might hurt her more than the physical wounds and bruises she has.

Naisip nito, wala namang mawawala kung gagawin niya. It's just wishful thinking. Kaya pumikit ito nang mariin. She focuses on herself, clearing her mind from all sorts of things that are bothering her. She reached deep into her heart, feeling some jolt of electricity coursing through her whole body as she did so. Then she closed her eyes, not even a bit worried if she'll run into a tree or stumble against a rock.

'Please,' Celestia thought. 'Anyone who can see me, hear me, feel me, please... help me. Help me escape these wiccans. Help me get away from this place. Please. Help me find a way to go to a safe place, somewhere they wouldn't find me. Please.'

Nothing happened. Not like she expects something will happen.

But then, just a few moments later, she suddenly felt like her insides were burning. Her hands were shaking, and she cried loudly from the pain coming from it. It feels like her hands were getting electrified.

It slowed down her pace, but it didn't stop her. With gritted teeth, she continued running. It's eating her alive, but she wouldn't let it be the one to make her stop and get herself captured.

The next thing that happened was something so foreign to her.

A black hole appeared meters away from her. Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Celestia nang makita ito. Pinilit niyang lumihis ng daan dahil diretso rito ang takbo niya, pero tila parang may humihila sa kanya na pumunta dito.

She thought it was the dark witches doing, that it was a portal that would bring her to their place where they would execute her death. Kaya nilabanan niya iyong pwersang pilit na humihila sa kanya papunta roon, pero walang laban ang nanghihina nitong katawan.

But then she felt something as she was nearing it. An unknown sensation. There's something tugging her body, her mind, her heart into where the black hole is. It was as if it's luring her in, and Celestia wanted to take the bait, because it just feels so right to do so.

The unknown sensation brought her whole body into one of calmness. She no longer feels the pain of where the spells hit her, and the numbness of her legs from all the running. Tanging kapayapaan at ginhawa na lamang ang natira.

Kaya hininto na niya ang paglaban sa kung anuman ang humihila sa kanya, at hinayaan na lang ang sariling tumakbo nang diretso rito.

She closed her eyes once she stepped into the black hole, the yells of the dark witches fading into nothing as she fell into what seemed like a dark abyss. It feels like she's defying gravity as she lets herself be pulled to whatever the black hole was. It doesn't feel wrong after all.

And for what felt like years, she finally felt like her body was back into the ground of the world. Hindi na siya tila lumulutang o nahuhulog, at wala na 'yung kung anuman ang humihila sa kanya.

Hinayaan niyang mag-relax na ang katawan, and only then she felt the exhaustion and pain. She grimaced, biting her lips to prevent herself from whimpering.

Parang binali lahat ng buto sa katawan niya at sinunog ang kaloob-looban nito. Halos wala na siyang lakas para igalaw ang katawan nito, kahit pagmulat ng mata ay hindi niya magawa. Akala niya ay nawala na lahat ng sugat niya nang hilain siya ng black hole na 'yon, iyon pala'y pansamantalang ginhawa lang.

She's so exhausted. She couldn't feel it earlier because of the rush of adrenaline, as well as the black hole's magic. Pero ngayong tila malayo na siya sa kapahamakan ay nagparamdam na lahat ng sakit sa kanyang katawan.

Celestia let out a sigh, that only ended up sounding like a whimper. She just wanted to sleep.

Until she heard a groan... underneath her.

"Are you going to get up or I would have to push you away?"

Napamulat nang wala sa oras si Celestia nang marinig iyon. Bago pa siya makatayo, naramdaman na lang nitong tumalsik ang katawan. Napadaing ito sa sakit nang matumba ulit sa lupa.

"Tinanong mo pa ako kung itutulak mo lang din ako agad!" inis na singhal ni Celestia sa kung sinumang lalake ang tumulak sa kanya.

Sinubukan nitong tumayo pero natumba lang ulit ito. She feels so exhausted and numb all over, kaya kahit gaano pa katigas o karumi 'yung lupang hinihigaan niya ay hindi na siya nagbalak kumilos pa.

Until someone forcefully yanked her upwards. She screamed in pain as she was forced to stand up, and her eyes met the most vibrant set of blue eyes, despite the chill its coldness gives her.

"Who the fuck are you and how the hell did you managed to teleport inside the castle?"

Bahagyang nanlaki ang mga mata ni Celestia rito. "Castle?"

She whipped her head around, trying to take a good look at her surroundings— of where she just landed after getting pulled through the black hole.

She takes in the surroundings with a mixture of awe and trepidation. The hallway stretched out before her, lined with towering doors that were adorned by different symbols she couldn't recognize. Torches flickered across the polished floor, the ceilings were adorned with ornate chandeliers that bath the dimming hallway in a golden light.

May nakita rin siyang mga paintings din sa walls. Images of people she doesn't recognize, as well as some certificates of awards. With her enhanced senses, she can see some of what's written on it from where she stood.

'Mystic Institute: School for Magical Beings'

As she slowly absorbed her surroundings, as well as what she just read, realization slowly dawned upon her: she had been pulled through a black hole that directed her to the Magical School her parents had once told her in passing.

Hindi pala kwento ang mga magulang niya about sa buhay nila bago siya dumating, pero she remembered tidbits of information that they said about themselves if she asked something.

Dito nag-aral ang mga magulang niya, maging ang iba niyang relatives. Ito 'yung institusyon kung saan itinuro sa kanila ang kanilang history at ancestries at dito rin sila nag-train ng mga abilities nila.

Celestia feels so many emotions at once at the realization. She feels excitement, anxiety, confusion, and sorrowness.

After all, if she wasn't being haunted for all her life, she would've had the chance to study here instead of getting tutored by her parents and relatives. She would've been trained and taught by masters and experts. It's not that she's ungrateful of her parents and relatives teaching her, it's just that no matter how genius and great they are, they're no masters and experts.

"Aw— ano ba?!" singhal ni Celestia nang kwelyuhan na siya nung lalake. She leveled his piercing glare with her own glare, not that she thinks it's intimidating the other. "Ano bang problema mo?! Bitawan mo nga ako!"

"I asked you," mariing sambit nito. "Who are you at paano ka napunta rito?"

"It's none of your business!" pabalang na sagot ni Celestia. Sinubukan niyang kumawala rito pero wala na siyang lakas sa katawan kaya hindi rin siya nakalayo. "Ano ba! Sinabi ng bitawan mo ako e!"

"It's very well my business if someone from an unknown place managed to breach inside the castle's defenses against teleportation," malamig na sambit nung lalake. Celestia choked a bit when he tightened his grip on her shirt's collar. "So you will answer me, or I will kill you right here, right now."

Chill ran down her spine at the man's threat. The coldness and seriousness of his voice prickled across her skin. Fear instantly gripped her heart at the idea that she was under another threat after escaping one.

It seemed like as her body processed another threat through the guy, her mind decided what's the safest thing to do at the moment.

O baka dahil sa dami ng emosyon at energy na nagamit ni Celestia mula nung dumating ang kanyang relatives, yung pagtakas niya sa mga dark wiccans, at sa panibagong threat na sumalubong sa kanya, pero isa lang ang naging reaksyon nito.

She passed out.