Xhora

Krain's POV

“A Dauthinian.”

They gave me a shocked look, but I ignored them. I held Chimsy’s hand and silently asked for forgiveness.

I came to Quintessence as Chimsy Morgan. And just like what I said before, ‘It was Krain who died in the forest.’

“You know her?”

I nodded without looking at them.

“She’s a friend who saved my life...” by sacrificing herself.

“Report it to the council,” Nashin ordered to the old man.

“Are you certain that she’s a Dauthinian?” I nodded. “It means there are survivors after the explosion that wiped out the district?”

He got my attention with what he said. “The district was wiped out?”

“It was wiped out two decades ago. Since then, the only Dauthinian alive is the headmistress.”

That must be the reason why Dauthi became what it is today. Because of the explosion that caused my fellow Dauthinians their lives. Mom also survived that explosion. Did they fake her death? That’s why there are no other reported survivors.

“Krain could have been the only Dauthinian student in Quintessence if she only makes it there.”

I did make it. But not as a Dauthinian.

The old man went back and told us that there are no records about the name that I gave so they accepted the information that I gave. They believed in my words.

“The headmistress will be adding rules in Quintessence because of this.” He looked at his watch and bid his goodbye to the old man. “I’ll report it to the headmistress herself.”

We managed to go back to Quintessence without anyone noticing. He immediately took the timer and showed it to me.

“It took us 86 minutes. Not bad.”

He left me at my doorstep. My forehead creases when he goes to a tree, instead of heading back to his house. Is he going to meet the headmistress? Miss Xhora Chambers?

“Nashin, wait!” He looks back. “You’ll meet the headmistress?”

“I will.”

“I—” I stopped. Should I tell Miss Xhora that I am the daughter of Fenanie Rodrigo of Dauthi and I am here now in Quintessence? But I can’t really trust a Guerrerian, can I?

“You have something to say to her?”

I shook my head. “It’s nothing,” I said and left him.

I didn’t get any sleep. I mean, how can I?

Changing into my uniform, I noticed the hole in my window. It is still there so I assume no one came here to fix that. I just let it slide and just went on with my day. I used my ring to navigate the location of the library and I succeeded. I sat on one of the chairs when Fries showed up beside me.

“Hi, Chimsy! Ashinaida and Draceline made some ice cream. You wanna have some?”

“Thanks, but—”

He pulled my hands, so I closed my eyes.

Oh, Fries. Not again.

I felt like I was rolled and thrown into the air. The gravity overpowers my ability to balance myself but before I feel the ground, a hand holds the collar of my uniform.

“Fries!”

“Ouch! Why are you hurting me! You told me to bring her here, so I did! Ouch!”

“Chimsy, are you alright?”

I nodded to Ashinaida with my eyes closed. I cough a little when my collar tightens.

“Hey, let her go! You are hurting her!” I heard her complain as she guided me to a chair. “Do you feel like throwing up?”

I shook my head. “I’m good.”

I tried to understand what I felt. When my stomach goes wild, I immediately run away to find a comfort room.

“Chimsy!” Ashinaida and Draceline shouted in unison. I can feel them following me but I could just care less. I feel like throwing up!

“There’s no comfort room in this greenhouse!” Fries shouted.

“Nashin, make one!”

The ground shakes so I stopped to balance myself. Draceline pulled my arms and guided me to a cubicle in the middle of the greenhouse. I went inside, not minding the situation. I stayed there for a couple of minutes. Ashinaida knocked and gave me a bottle of water which makes me feel better.

“You’re fine?” Fries asked, giving me another bottle of water.

I stepped out and nodded, followed by the cubicle being swallowed by the ground.

“Come here, Chimsy. Try this ice cream that Ashinaida and I made.”

I went to the table where they are gathered. I politely greeted their friend that I saw for the first time. She's a long-haired girl with a small face and soft features.

“Xyra Ysabelle Coon of Hatian. Xyra, Neym’s sister, Chimsy Morgan.”

She nod her head, acknowledging my presence before focusing on her ice cream. Draceline told me to sit beside her before giving me a cup of chocolate ice cream.

“Chimsy, my older brother, Nashin. He lives next to your house, you probably saw him already,” Ashinaida said while looking at me then back to her brother them me again.

I saw him, he even put my life in danger and brought me in a mission that I declined to take but ended doing it with him.

“Yes, I saw him already,” I confirmed.

“I know her. The newbie.”

The newbie, huh?

“ATTENTION STUDENTS. EVERYONE ARE REQUESTED TO BE AT THE STADIUM. NOW.”

We exchanged questioning looks upon hearing it. It is on repeat, so we immediately move and head for the stadium.

“The repeating announcement means it is an urgent matter,” Ashinaida whispered when I walk beside her.

“Did something happen?” Xyra asked, receiving shrugs from the others.

“Nash...” Ashinaida called.

“I know. I’m calm, don’t worry. I’ll control my power, so I won’t hurt anyone.”

Upon entering the stadium, Fries came into vision. He waved his hands while pointing at the seats he reserved. We went to the direction and occupied those seats.

Right then, the air feels weird. The atmosphere feels heavy. I looked around and saw some students who were having a hard time breathing. It is followed by the appearance of a protective barrier for each row of chairs.

“She’s here?” Draceline asked in a shocked tone.

Who?

“Chimsy, don’t worry. These individual protective barriers will keep us safe,” Ashinaida assured. She tapped my shoulders lightly before looking around.

“She’s here,” Xyra whispered and sat properly.

Gasps dominate the stadium when lightning struck in the middle, causing a blinding light to get our attention. I closed my eyes for a moment and when I opened it, a woman is already standing right in the spot where the lightning struck.

She is wearing a black suit. Her hair falls just above her shoulders and her pants are covering her black stilettos. She has her eyes closed while facing the floor. Her breathing is rapid, and her fist is trembling.

“There was a report that there is another Dauthinian aside from me, a survivor from the tragic incident that Dauthi experienced.” She started in a low voice. “But she was killed before she could even enter Quintessence.”

Different reactions can be heard everywhere. I could feel Nashin’s eyes on me, so I looked at him. Our eyes met but we took it back at the same time and look back at the woman.

“Listen, people of Epiliar. From this day on...” She closed her eyes for a second and it turned into gold. “Quintessence will be haunting the people who are threatening the administration...”

“Because it is the only way for me to protect you, my people.”

The wind blew abnormally, and she disappeared, followed by the disappearance of the barrier.

“What was that?” Draceline gasps.

“Dauthinians are indeed powerful. I wonder why only Miss Xhora survived among all the people of Dauthi,” Ashinaida responded.

“Did you see how the students were catching their breath when the protective barrier were not activated?” Fries asked in awe. “Miss Xhora is so strong.”

That was Miss Xhora Chambers?

It explains why she’s furious upon knowing that a Dauthinian died. Though it is a lie.

“You brought her out of Quintessence? You know how dangerous it is outside!” I heard Neym snapped. I looked for the origin of the voice and saw him with Nashin, standing near the exit area.

“She’s powerful enough to stand my presence so she’s qualified to go out on a mission.”

“She’s my sister, Nashin. You could have taken me instead of her.”

“She’s the one who identified the identity of the corpse that was found. It means it was a good choice to bring her on that mission.”

Neym found me in the middle of the crowd. His eyebrows formed a single line before he returned his attention to Nashin.

“You should go and comfort your sister. It was her friend’s corpse so she’s probably in deep thoughts right now.”

I left Ashinaida and the others to go to Neym. Nashin saw me walking towards them, so he left.

“You identified the corpse?” He asked when I stopped in front of him.

I nodded. “It is her.”

He closed his eyes and took deep breath. He looked around and mouthed, “And you gave her your name?”

I nodded again, glancing around before speaking. “Krain was the one who died in the forest.”

He smiled sadly and nodded before leaving. I let all the people leave. When I made sure that no one was in the stadium, I slowly made my out.

“Wanna grab something to eat?”

I felt his presence. It is only the two of us here but I didn’t face him. What is he even doing here?

“I know a place that serves best comfort food.”

Comfort food? “Why would I have some comfort food—?”

He opened his palm and there a saw a hair tie, the same one from last night.

“I know how it feels to lose someone,” he shared.

He’s talking about Chimsy.

I tied my hair and sighed deeply. It is not like I could live well and forget everything that had happened. Not even a sigh could ease my sadness.

“She died...” for me.

I looked at his eyes, so he’d know that I was upset.

She died because of HIS people.

“And I will never forgive those who did it to her.”

I’ll never forgive you… Or anyone from your place.

I’ll forgive not even a single Guererian.

I swear to the heavens and earth, Nashin.

...