Chapter 20

Monteverde Hotel. That was the label hanging on the entrance of the hotel that they had stopped over. Sitting on the mountain which is hovering over Sugbu City, that's where Monteverde Hotel is. She only saw this hotel in booking apps but never booked one reservation from this hotel since the rooms are insanely expensive. Even the pictures taken by vloggers who had been their guests screamed luxury. It was rated five star in every online application that she checked.

The valet came to greet them and park their car. Elix gave him the key.

"Ahm...M-Miss Fina," Elix hesitated.

"Yes?" Fina slowed down after seeing that Both Ashnah and Elix are a few meters behind her. "Is there something wrong?"

"Is it okay to just go in without you know...?" Elix shyly smiled, hoping Fina would understand his predicament before he'll step further.

Ashnah mirrored his smile. When Fina's eyes went to her, she just shrugged her shoulders.

Fina was able to get it afterwards and nodded. "No worries, let the old man do his part and pay for our expenses here. He's considerably loaded." She winked at both of them. "Now, chop chop, we still have a lot of things to catch up." She turned her back and continued walking. The two ran after her and matched her pace.

They were greeted by a lean man with a goatee. He was wearing a pair slacks and a cotton shirt. His hair is brown with some streak of gray, same with his goatee. His eyes are also brown. He looked nice and his smile is also friendly. Despite his slightly hunched back due to aging, he still looked tall.

"Desmond," a smile broke on Fina's lips as she greeted the lean man.

"Fina, it's good to see you," he mirrored Fina's glee. They kissed each other's cheeks in greeting. "So this is the child with whom Arnold was so protective of?" He inquired.

Fina nodded in confirmation. "She is. And we have a new case of absurdity," she lightly lauged as she referred to Elix.

Desmond nodded. His face turned serious. His eyes looked to his left without pivoting his body. It's as if he noticed someone was prying into their business. "As you may know, it is better to talk privately. Better be sure than be sorry."

Fina's face became serious also. She nodded in agreement. "Right."

"If you please," he said gesturing towards the elevator's direction. He pushed the button for the 15th floor.

"How long are you going to stay?" Fina asked.

"Depends on how our conversation goes. You know Hugo holds the last say on how I do things or which one I should cater to."

"You sure are fast to check things out," Fina commented in a 'matter-of-fact'-ly manner.

"`Cause we need to make haste. Others wouldn't sit idling and waiting for things to unfold. Whether we like it or not, the organization has changed a lot. The people within are not able to determine what's wrong and right. It will be no longer surprising if one of the elders turned out to be an enemy."

"It's that bad, huh?" Fina sighed his disappointment. Although they had it coming, she still hope the problem could be lesser.

"Ever since that incident, the balance was tipped off, and it never really gotten better."

Fina was about to answer him but the elevator already reached their floor with a soft 'ting'.

"After you," Desmond gestured out.

They were silently immersed in their own thoughts as they load the elevator. It was the shortest trip yet each thoughts had brought them miles. Desmond lead them to the presidential room as where Hugo was residing.

Ashnah breathed in and out, slightly getting nervous how she'll face the very first elder council member to ever support her.

"You'll do fine," Elix whispered.

Ashnah smiled towards him. "Thank you."

Elix just winked at her, making her giggle silently in amusement.

The first thing Ashnah noticed upon entering the room is the wide bathroom with a luxurious bath tub enough to carry two to three person. The tiles in the bathroom was designed in minimalistic style yet everything it is arranged with even the comfort bowl shone with quality only riches can affortd. She saw it since the bathroom's door was opened. Waiting on the study table of the room is the half naked man. He hurriedly wore his cotton polo upon seeing they already entered the room.

"Apology for such display of insolence. I didn't expect the day would be so hot when we came."

"Yeah, it's because we are in a tropical country," Desmond explained nonchalantly.

"Yeah, right," Hugo cleared his throat. "Have a seat, you all. I didn't invite you just to let you see me stripped naked."

They found themselves something to settle with. Ashnah and Elix sat on the long sofa just beside the sliding door to the balcony. Fina settled on the extra seat in front of the study table. Desmond on the other hand was on the phone as he ordered something for them to munch.

"Arnold or Fina might already informed you of who I am," Hugo started. "As you may know of I'm Hugo Antonio, one of the elders of the Gifted Organization's Council. I am here to check for myself the possibilities of what Fina and Arnold had said." He paused to check if she has any comments. Hearing nothing from her, he continued. "Jin of the Matsunaga clan also backed up your capabilities. I would like to see and judged it for myself--how your gift works."

"S-Sir," she bit her lips when she caught herself stammering.

"You can call me 'Hugo'," he corrected.

She cleared her throat and tried once more. "Sir Hugo--"

"Remove the Sir. I am no knight."

"Then... Uncle Hugo...?"

"I'm pretty sure we're not related in any way." he braced himself and leaned on the backrest of the seat. "You can just addressed me as 'Hugo'.

Ashnah frowned in confusion. She scratched her nape. "Wouldn't addressing you as Hugo be impolite?" She asked in her small voice.

Hugo's eyes impatiently swung to Desmond, praying for patience to possess him.

"Asian culture," was the shortest explanation to Hugo's concern that Desmond can grasp at the moment as he was talking to someone else on the phone.

"Whatever, just call me whatever you like," he sighed and waved his hands, disregarding the debate brewing just for a simple matter.

"Then, Hugo, sir--going back to our topic--I-I'm not really sure if I can control it anytime I like," she hesitated.

"You did performed it more than once I belived. I'm sure you have the gist of how it is done at least once," he probed.

Ashnah's thoughts treaded on the last time her gift had manifested. She hesitated then nodded. "Yeah, I think I do."

"Good," Hugo urged. "Then try using it by how it was done before."

"B-But I think I'll need to connect to a soul. I don't have someone to connect to at the moment."

"We have a lot of soul in this room." He spread his arms, gesturing the wide area of the room. He held out his hand. "Try mine," He offered. His eyes were challenging her to take it. And she did.

She took his hand in her palms and closed her eyes, trying to recall what triggered her gift's ability before. She heard the same chimes and the wordings appeared in her mind.

'Ask and it will be given to you.' She began chanting on her mind.'Where are you?' She asked, intending the question for Hugo's core. 'Seek and you will find.' She concentrated her spirital energy to her eyes, trying to see the path that leads to his soul. An image of a tall sturdy wooden door popped up on her mind. It was the door to his soul. She didn't know why she was certain, but she knew it was the entrance to his core. 'Knock and the door will be opened.' She gather her spiritual energy to his hands as her spirit knocked on the door.

White rays of light welcomed her as the door opened.

"Stopped!"

The door was slammed on her very face and she was pulled back to where her body is currently in. She was flying in the middle of the air. Elix's worried face caught her attention as he rushed from her left side to catch her before she hit the wall. And miraculously, he did. He sandwhiched himself between her and the hard wall. He groaned as he absorbed the impact from the collision. They slowly slid on the wall until their butts touched the cold tiled floor.

"`You okay?" he grunted.

"Yes." It was just then that everything registered in her mind. "What just happened?"

"Beats me," he moaned.

Ashnah looked towards where she stood before. Hugo was catching his breath on the swivel chair. He looked astonished and bemused at the same time, not wanting to admit how he was caught off guard of what just happened.

"Are you alright?" Fina asked.

"I guess I am," Ashnah answered. Both of their pairs of eyes flew to Elix.

"I'm gonna be alright, no worries," he replied with a slight frown.

Fina turned to Hugo. "Any comments, Elder Hugo, on Ashnah's ability?"

Hugo composed himself. Fina's voice seemed to bring him back to reality. "I'll see you two in sunrise. I need to check some things at the moment." He waved his hand, dismissing them. He turned to Desmond utter some instruction, "Book them a room. It's going to rain hard also in the evening. It will be hard to go down the city."

That's right. Sugbu City's flood level easily rises up if it rains hard. It was due to the poor drainage all throughout the city. Plus some waste that was not properly disposed of blocking the sewages.

"Won't you be checking Elix's gift?" Fina asked.

"I will be. But that could wait," Hugo said with finality, dismissing whatever Fina would like to say.

Despite being baffled by the situation, the three obeyed and followed Desmond out of the room. Hugo was left in the room, thinking deeply of what has happened.

As what Arnold relayed, this girl called Ashnah has a strange ability. She may seemed weak but her gift is just waiting to be unravelled by her. He had underestimated her and his pride for his long served gift got ahead of him. She surely have the gift to enter one's core, one's very soul. With her given abundant spiritual energy, she can be unstoppable if it was managed the right way. She was able to open his core and almost see everything that he had hidden. However, to manipulate that amount of spiritual energy in such a short span of time, it is deemed impossible, except if she have the gift of knowledge. Which is not the case for this girl. She does not have the gift of knowledge. Her gift is of encouragement.

With the gift of knowledge bestowed to him--which he has been harnessing for the past decades--he knew her ability's tier. She had the gift of encouragement which has been deemed and classified under the weaker bracket. Arnold is right. He doesn't know if he'll be relieved or be annoyed on how the brat could be right for this thing. 'At least he had grown.' Hugo smirked at the thought. 'Well, given his age, it's a must.'