"What...? " Maria hasn't fully got her common sense yet. And this scene before her made it worse. "H-how... Why... "

"Daniella!!! " Lucilla shrieked from behind.

Anger controlled Maria and all the cabinets and shelves rushed in a speed of light toward the enemies. Her confusion was soon forgotten.

"Aaaaa!!!! " Maria screamed.

The monsters tried to defend themselves but if they're competing at the quantity, they've already lost. The shelves we're just too many to count.

"Ritz!!! " their commander shouted. All the remaining monsters retreated while they can.

Maria tried to keep her eyes open. "...friends...save..." Then she fainted.
-------
Angelica fluttered her eyes open. All of her friends are unconscious and the place was trash. The monsters were gone. All was peaceful, but she thinks the girls can't live normal anymore. She was sure she wasn't hallucinating earlier. Well, her new friends reacted and ran away from the monsters.
She was more than relief to learn that her roses were not the only thing magical. Daniella had her spell book, and Lucilla has a morphing ability. But Maria, she wasn't sure if her claims were true.

But what had her curious was how they defeated the monsters.

"Ugh... " Angelica heard Daniella's groan from afar. 

"Daniella?!  " she rushed to her side to straighten her up. As soon as she touched Daniella she can feel her magical energy is drained.

"...how.. Are they? " she croaked, her eyes barely fully opened.

"Not well... " Angelica shook her head. She glanced at her wounded friends.

"I can cast one more spell. " Daniella tried to sit up, grabbing her book.

"No! " the warmth of that energy vanished in Daniella's body. One more push and the results would be deadly. "I know what it feels like. Don't exert your energy that much! "

"But-"

Both of them heard coughing which made them look behind them.  Maria and Lucilla are up.

"...Please tell me I'm dreaming.... "Maria croaked.

"Heh, wish I can... but-" Lucilla's face turned grim when she tried to finish her sentence.

Maria tried to sit down. "I had enough weirdness in my life... Why did I get involve with you guys... I could've gone home instead... "

Lucilla's face changed drastically "woah are you blaming us for what happened?!"

"Those things-" her voice was loud. "-Monsters were magical and fictional!! " Maria raised her voice.  "So were your powers!! "

Daniella glared at Maria "We didn't wish for those creatures Maria,  same goes to our powers. "

"You think we wanted to get hurt?! " Angelica said. One of the things she hated the most is to get blamed at something she has no fault of.

"We weren't the only ones with strange abilities!  Don't forget you we're the reason why we defeated them. " Lucilla said while pointing her finger at Maria.

Daniella and Angelica were shocked. This was the first time they heard the news. "What ability? "

"She saved us? "

"I-i"

Lucilla spoke for the stammering Maria.  "She was able to control the shelves. "

"Shelves? " Angelica asked in disbelief. She imagined how on earth can a weak girl carry or push such heavy equipment.

"Yes shelves. " now that Lucilla said it herself, she just realized how impossible her sentence was.

"Those shelves? "Daniella pointed to the scattered shelves that were either toppled or upside down. "How on earth..."

"Exactly. " Lucilla looked at Maria. "She's blaming us,  but for all we know she could be the reason why we were attacked. "

"I did not-! " Maria stopped mid-sentence . "That's not... " all of them including Angelica can see that Maria herself is struggling to convince herself that she has no connection to what happened. Angelica was confused, she didn't see what Maria had done to those creatures. She also can't imagine what Maria did. Moving those shelves?  That might only mean that her claims before, not having any powers, were lies.

Noticing the tension in the air, Angelica tried to lighten up the mood. "Hang on! Don't pressure Maria!  We just met her! "

"Same as those monsters. " Daniella retorted back.

"C'mon Daniella, you can't possibly think that. "Angelica eyed Daniella

"I don't know... I haven't encountered those monsters my entire life. And it just so happens they appeared when we met her. " Daniella crossed her arms.  "I think it's not just a coincidence. "

Maria glared at her.  All of those accusations made her blood boil.  "You guys were the ones who invited me!! "

"Maybe it was part of your plan. "

"How so?! " Maria thought this is getting outrageous "I can't see the future! "

Lucilla thought of something.  "This is the first time I've seen you in the V. I. P lounge. "

"That was because -" her voice disappeared once more. But that was not the only thing Angelica noticed. Her eyes, they were having mixed emotions. Anger, nervousness,  but mostly what appeared most is sadness. Angelica wondered what caused those emotions. Something must've happened.

Few seconds passed and all of them eyed Maria suspiciously. Daniella was the first one to speak.

"Because? "

This made Maria snap back to reality. She went to her bag at the far side of the store. "I was early to go to work because of this book! "

Now blaming a book might seemed silly, but instead of questioning that, the 3 were shocked at the presence of the book. Their eyes went wide and gasped.

Angelica thought of her mother immediately. She gave her two family heirlooms. the roses, and a book. And now Maria has the same book, right in her hands.

She started taking."I was fighting with someone and I need to return this book-"

"Why do you have that? " Daniella's tone changed from alert to soft.

"What do you mean? "

Daniella showed the cover of her spell book.

Maria was as shock as them. "It's the same... But this book is-"

"You have one as well? " Lucilla shuffled her bag and showed another book, same as the other two.

"Tale of the Knights right? " and finally Angelica revealed her own book.

"But... But this book is about Mileae... And... "Maria stopped mid-sentence ,it looked like she remembered something."Wait where did you get those books? " 

All of them paused. Angelica didn't want to she her story about her mom. In fact that memory should be safety hidden in her brain. And yet encountering those monsters, using the roses,  she can't possibly stop herself.

She noticed that the others had the same feeling.

"Uhm... I"

Before anyone could answer her question, a gust of wind entered their place. And a worried scream followed the opening of doors.

"Maria!  Oh my gosh!  Are you alright?! " A person looking like Maria came in running.She has an inhuman speed,making her reach Maria in no time.

Once she has a closer look on Maria, a wave of worry washes away her pretty face."No..." Once the girl saw Maria's wounded scars a hit of realization came to her face.  "It's too early..."

Daniella leaned closer.  "Too early for what? "

Daniella's statement surprised Maria. She almost fell on her feet. "Wait, you can freaking see her? "

Daniella looked offended. "What do you mean?  We're not blind. " her brows were starting to bend.

"No-" Maria's voice started to falter. "I mean-"

"Angelaaaaaa!!!! " a scream rang their ears.

All of them turned to the screaming individual. She looks just like Angelica. Pretty face, long brown wavy hair.

"What the hell is she doing here?! "

"Oh my goodness!  Look at the mess of this place it's outrageous! "

Lucilla rolled her eyes. "She comes here screaming Angelica's name. Yet she's more concerned how this place looks. "

Angelica has the same expression as Maria. "You guys can see her? " What was happening right now, the girls seeing Angelica #2, contradicts everything Angelica knew ever since she was a kid.

"What the hell.  You just asked Maria's question again. " Daniella is starting to get irritated, her face starting to change.

"Lady Lucilla!  Are you hurt! " and out of nowhere a figure exactly like Lucilla appeared beside Lucilla.

Angelica would've slapped the girl if she dared to appear beside her. Good thing that didn't happen.

But Lucilla reacted like that happened normally. She was calm and actually annoyed. "How many times do I have to tell you Lucia!?  No sudden appearances! "

"You were in a immediate danger Lucilla!  Do you think rules matter right now? "

"I'm not in danger!! "

"...Really?  Then what are those?  " Lucia said this as she touched Lucilla's arm. This caused Lucilla to wince and whimper.

"Ng.... "

"I stand corrected. "

"Lucilla is that your mother? "

"...woah... You can freaking see her?  You don't see me as weird? "

"What's with all the people asking if we can see them? "Daniella asked.

"But they're -"

Another figure appeared. But she doesn't look worried as the other girls.

"Perhaps they don't have the same intellectual as you, Daniella" a calm girl, that looks like Daniella appeared beside her.

"Ella, why are you here? "

"You know the answer to that ."

Daniella sighed.

Lucilla snickered and elbowed Lucia. "Bet they're the leader of a club called 'cold girls'"

"I apologize but I believe I can hear your comment stranger. " Ella coldly said as she eyed Lucilla.

"Oh... Sorry... "

"Hey don't bully her Ella. "Lucia suddenly said, stepping in front of Lucilla making it seem like she was protecting her.

Ella rolled her eyes."I was not bullying her Lucia. I was simply stating the truth. "

"They know each other? " lucilla asked Daniella.

Which caused her to sigh once more.

"I believe nobody knows the obvious so I simply must state it. "

Angelica, Maria and Lucilla looked at Daniella with confused looks on their faces.

Angelica broke the air once more."The obvious? "

"Angelica. " she looked deadly serious as she spoke to her. "What do you call Ella? "

"Well- " Angelica pondered for a while. She remembered the day she met her, the day she explained her use, the reason of her existence. "She said she was a spriti guide. "

Maria and Lucilla jumped at the words 'spirit guide'

Now Daniella looked at the remaining two. "I suppose that's what you call them too? "

Both of them nodded.

"There you have it. " she smirked.

Maria raised her eyebrow. "There you have it what? "

Daniella looked at her with the expression "are you kidding me? "

A spark lit Angelica's brain. The clues connected and a single thought emerged.  Angelica snapped her fingers. "We can see them because we each have our own spirit guide! "

Daniella smiled and nodded approvingly. "Seems I'm not the only one who understands. "

"Yup that's us!!! " Lucia beamed. "Suppose you can call us spirit guides. "

Mara eyed the blaberring Lucia. "We're not spirit guides. "

"Shh!  "

The girl looking like Angelica coughed.  "I don't mind bring compared, but can you make it less... " she tried to find the words. "Vulgar. "
Ella fixed her glasses. "You use the wrong word again. "

The 4 girls looked at the scenery before them. They didn't fully comprehended it into their minds yet. After that ferocious attack,  they can't take this strange event. BUt it was different for Angelica. Those things made some her memories, that wanted to be hidden, resurface. She wondered if she was the only one experiencing this.

Daniella couldn't stop her train of thoughts. "What the hell"

Lucilla tried to stop herself from laughing. Then she imitated her friends question. "What the hell?  Is something bothering you smart one? "

"Ella seems to know the other 3 souls. "

"And? "

"That is strange. "

Maria made a 'pff' sound.

Daniella glared at her way. "Something I said wrong? "

"No. It's just that after all that's happened the one you considered- " Maria raised her hands and actioned them as if she were quoting something. "-strange" emphasizing on the words strange. "Is your lost soul knowing another lost soul. "

Angelica stroke a laugh on the conversation they were having. "Hey, after knowing that the fact that you guys can see Gela , I don't consider anything strange anymore. "

Maria crossed her arms "true.  I mean from birth everyone claimed that I was hallucinating whenever I told them about Mara. "

"Same"

Daniella shrugged. "I believe I don't remember well, but after I told them for the first time , i concluded that I'm already involved into something magical "

Angelica noticed that whenever Daniella mentions something magical,  she will react like she doesn't favor the sound of it. Like right now, Daniella paused before saying the word "magical"

Out nowhere Angelica felt the atmosphere change. She was not the only one. The others shifted their position the same time she did.

"What happened.. ?"

"Colder... It feels colder " Daniella seemed to be alert as if something bad is gonna happened.

Suddenly Mara made a sound "No... "

Maria ran beside her. The joy and confusion before is now gone. All of them have a bad feeling about this. Angelica can see it on their faces.

"You okay Mara? "Angelica and the others sided with their own spirits. And followed Mara's gaze.

Daniella's spell book was glowing.

"What's happening? "

Ella gasped "it's... Too early.... "

"What? "

The book started shaking.

Lucilla started to get nervous. "I-is that a bad thing? "

Lucia didn't avert her gaze,  she kept it on Daniella's book. "It's not necessarily a bad thing... Just that-"

Mara shouted "CHECK YOUR OWN BOOKS!! "

Her voice was scary enough for the girls to search their books.

But when Lucilla saw her book she was hesitant, she backed away a bit. "...It's also glowing."

"same here." Maria's voice was more of whisper when she affirmed the condition of her book.

Angelica looked at her own book.

"Open it and you will see
your awaited destiny,

The voice was soothing. But it's intention was not to lure Angelica in. It had an eerie feeling added to it. It was another magical feelings.

And with that thought Angelica opened the book with no hesitation.

"No vision shall come
If books are closed, there are some. "

Angelica looked at Maria. She seemed to have the same feeling as her. Her curiosity was high and it overcome the fear inside.

Maria seemed to notice her stare. Knowing this, Angelica nodded.

Maria opened the book.

"Only two remain.
Open them and see, message same. "

Maria didn't seem to hear the voice.

Lucilla and Daniella looked at each other worriedly. Unsure of what to do they examined the book and stared at it more.

"It's safe. " Maria said.

"Are you sure? " Daniella eyed her. "We don't know if there will be a monster waiting for us to open their trap. "

Maria smiled and shook her head. Her eyes never wavered nor fazed. Instead they we're full of certainty.
"Trust me, i'm sure. "

Daniella noticed her determined flame. Angelica thought that was enough for her so both Daniella and Lucilla opened their books.

"The four who we're divided are now together once more. Bless the destiny"

Again. It seemed that Angelica was the only one who can her the eerie voice. She didn't bother asking if any of them heard anything. After her experience with Gela,  she used to discover strange things that only her can sense.

The books drifted upward. All of them were speechless. Once the books were in mid-air they gracefully glided in a circular motion and as they do that they trap the 4 girls in their now made ring. The girls are now separated from their spirit guides. But they were not worried with fear and uncertainty anymore, they were not fixed on what was about to happen in front of them.

The books are still rotating then after some time they slowed down and each book stopped in front of their own owner.

Blue light gathered in the books. And slowly a hologram-like image formed.

A hologram for each girl.

"I am so glad to find new Magicalities..." it was a man who was speaking. "but I'm sure you don't know what that means anyway..."

The girls were utterly shock. 

"You four knew you were different from the other children. Morphing to animals, controlling things, or petals, and even a spell caster." the man smiled at each girl whenever he mentions their abilities. "There is a different world meant for me, for you, for people like us." he made a position with his hand. 

The girls felt warmth on their chest, and when they looked at it. Spots of light formed into a necklace.

"What is this..?"

"That is your ticket to Magica."

"Magica? "Angelica questioned.

"Indeed. It is school where talented people, like us, train. Your abilities right now are not ripe and your bodies are not yet adapted to the changes and effects of your magic. "

"And that necklace-" the glowing light in their necks earlier are now gone, replaced by a necklace with an orb."-is your way in. That's your proof you we're blessed by another magicalitie. "
He suddenly looked glum. "You four are special. No matter what anyone will say, remember my words. "

The image was blurry for a moment. Static seemed to interrupt their conversation.

He looked wary. "I don't have much time. " he stared hard at the girls. "Find me. "

His eyes started to glow.

"The map in the lost and rotten
Shall be the guide to the treasure long forgotten
Friends with the adventurers
Will be the - zzzzz -in the-zzz
Zzzz- times. "

Then the image disappeared.

~To be continued~