Fire

"Alam mo Kendrick, gwapo ka naman talaga eh." Sena murmured, shaking her head. 

"Talaga?" Kendrick plastered a genuine smile. It was as if it was his first time hearing her compliment him. 

"Kung hindi ka lang naging pangit. " He frowned. His expression was priceless. 

"Eh, ikaw? Akala mo ba maganda ka? You look—" Before he could finish his counterattack, Sena shut him up by raising her left eyebrow and glaring at him. 

"Excuse me? I'm a Goddess, duh!  'Di ba Kylla?" She pointed to Kylla, who was busy being clingy to Onyx. I guess both of them are a thing now. 

"Huh?" Kylla pointed herself cluelessly. Sena facepalm and look at Kendrick, who was laughing endlessly.  

"Hey Laurice, It's past midnight. Where are we going?" Lune asks, lazily combing his hair. I rolled my eyes at the back of my mind. He just doesn't know how to wait. He's just as impatient as ever. 

We were already in front of Icelle's HQ when I stopped because I heard their noises. "Hoy Ice! Anong kalokohan yun? May powers ka? Haha!" The guy from the background stopped midway to contain his laughter. "Dude, nagpapatawa ka ba?"

"That's pure clownery, Ice! It's as if you're saying a fish knows how to climb a tree!" Well, it did make sense. Of course, magic only happens in the circus. 

"Look, I know it's hard to believe. But watch." I let out an imagery in my mind and saw Icelle making an ice ball. I saw how their eyes grew bigger and broader. 

"The hell!" 

"Pakikurot nga ako, baka minamaligno lang ako!" 

"T-totoo nga! Leader, pakiulit!"

"D-dude, are you some kind of magician?"

The look in their eyes was totally to be reckoned with. Well, I can't blame them. All their lives, they must've thought magic only existed in fairytales. 

"It does exist. But I want you to keep it a secret for as long as you live." Icelle smiled a weak yet gentle smile.

"Oo naman! Bakit naman namin sasabihin. Besides, if it's supposed to be a secret or something, why did you tell us?" Icelle's facial expression changed. 

"Because I am leaving. I need to leave." Sadness is the only expression visible in his eyes. 

"But why?" On cue, I opened the door, causing them to scream. 

"W-who are you?" I look at him. He's Grey.

I look back to check if he's only referring to me since Lune and his friends were also here. I shrugged my shoulders. It must be me. 

"He is leaving because he is coming with us, Grey." The sudden blow of wind between us sent shivers down their spines.  Their brows furrowed, mouths gaped open while pointing at me. 

"Teka—don't tell me you are also a magician?!" A magician is an understatement, but so-so. 

"Uh, yes. You can say that." Onyx awkwardly replied. 

"Do you have to go?" One of his gangmates, Chester, asked while trying his best not to shed tears. 

"I have to go. A bigger responsibility is waiting for me. But don't worry, I will visit sometimes." He explained. "For now, Grey will be your leader. If anyone asked where I was, tell them I'm on vacation." Icelle instructed before hugging each one of them. 

"We understand. Basta bisitahin mo kami and give us a magic show sometimes!" Dexter exclaimed while bawling his eyes out. 

They exchanged farewell messages, bro hugs, and fist bumps before finally shifting their attention towards us. 

"Can you show us your magic too?" Chester pleaded, his eyes glimmering like a child asking for a magic show. 

I look back to Lune and his friends. They nod their heads. Lune made a blazing fireball. Sena splashed water from a nearby faucet. Cera made a small whirlwind on her palm. Onyx turned on the television by itself without connecting to a socket. Kendrick and Ken made earth vines out of the plants in the vases. They look at me. 

"What?" 

"Can you? Please!" I pursed my lips. He asked for it. 

I raised my left hand and rested the end of my flute on my right shoulder. I performed a piece that broke every glass inside the room, including the windows. I gave them an it's-not-my-fault-look seeing the shards of glasses all over the floor. 

"Alright. Let's go, Icelle; we have to leave tonight." I turned my gaze to Kent, who kept looking at his wristwatch. 

"I'm giving you twenty-five minutes to talk to your friends, Kent." He nodded and ran out of the door as fast as he could. 

"I guess it's time for us to pack our things now." Kylla pouted. 

"Masyado atang napadali paghahanap natin sa kanila. I thought we'd spend at least a month here." Onyx commented while scratching his forehead. 

"Hey, thanks for a big help." Lune tapped my shoulder and smiled firmly. Though his smile was simple, I bet women swoon over those smiles.  

"Oo nga, Fire! Napaka galing mo when it comes to elemental sensing!" Cera beamed, brushing her shoulders in mine. 

Icelle packed his things, and the rest followed him to their dorms. I had nothing to pack, so I stayed there while waiting for them. They might take some time, so we should try to walk around. 

"They are moving too." I stopped mid-way when I heard two guys talking from afar.

"You mean they are already complete? That's good. Everything is going to plan. We need to sabotage them." A loop-sided smirk appeared on my lips when I sensed a dark presence. How thoughtful of them. 

Sabotage? That's what cowards do if they know they can't fight pretty with their opponent. Everyone is too brave these days. They can always try to get on my nerves and see if they can manage to live. 

I stepped on a twig, causing a slight creaking sound. They panicked and looked around. "I know you're around! Show yourself!" I rolled my eyes. How can he yell in the middle of the night as if he is not near the dormitories? Is he trying to wake everyone out? 

I moved my hand and made a small flame at their back. Feeling hot, they look back only to see a ball of fire.  They quickly positioned themselves to fight before the other guy shouted.  

"Gago! Sintelmo!" His friend slapped his back, irritated. They call themselves magic users but accused a ball of fire of something spiritually supernatural. Their stay in this world must've made them muddle-headed. 

"Wherever you are, get out and fight us fairly!" I scoffed mentally. I suddenly felt as if these pipsqueaks were challenging me. For some unknown reason, I felt the urge to wring their neck. 

What's wrong with me?

"Die,"  I uttered. I heard a loud thud on the floor, and I didn't need to look back and see what happened. I turned my back away from them and returned to where I waited for them. 

"Where are they?" I whispered. Are they related to turtles? They are a bunch of slowpoke. 

"Bulaga!" Someone suddenly jumped from behind me and dragged me somewhere. "We've been looking for you!" It was Cera. 

"Are we complete?" She happily asked while skipping, still dragging me around. I saw everyone behind her with their bags. 

We went inside the portal, and in a split second, we arrived at the Magical World. It was night in the Mortal World, but here it's morning. Well, time is slower in that mundane world. 

I hissed when someone from behind me grabbed my waist and hugged me. I knotted my forehead and was about to scribble at the bastard when our eyes met. He was looking at me with a serious look on his face. 

"Lune, let go—" 

"Let me hug you, natagusan ka." I froze. 

Something is up with me! What the hell!

To be continued. . .