Chapter 8

divine camp
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We went back to the 150th floor using Charlie. Lexi and I swore not to use that elevator again so we opted for a flying guardian.
 
Nang makarating kami sa office ni Gavin ay pare-pareho kaming tahimik na umupo sa couch. Everything happened so fast that I was having a hard time processing it all.
 
Why was there a crow? Was that the same crow that was in our place last night? Why did that Spirit Master appear right in front of our eyes? Was he on his way to the meeting?
 
“Lark’s appearance was surprising but I’m curious about the crow,” Ryleigh said, breaking the silence.

“Actually,” Lexi faltered. “I think the crow’s target is us.”

“What do you mean?” tanong ni Yano.

“We also saw a crow in our place a while ago,” she replied. “My Mom is a Seer so I know that crows are mainly used for observing someone involved in mission . . . or in a prophecy.”
 
Yano and Ryleigh looked interested in her last words so I immediately changed the topic.
 
“That Lark,” I said, drifting away from the topic about crows and prophecies, “I feel like I already saw him somewhere.”

“Really?” Yano queried. “But Spirit Masters hardly show themselves to people. As far as I know, the only one who are seen by Divians is Adrielle.”

“Adrielle?”

“She’s was inducted as a Spirit Master three years ago and has been assigned as the director of the Divine Camp.”

“Divine Camp?”

“A training ground for amateur Divians.”
 
Yano and Lexi continued talking while Ryleigh and I just listened to them. Buti na lang at kasama ko si Lexi dahil hindi ako ganoon kakomportable sa ibang tao. Maybe because I was used to being alone and the only ones I had been talking to was Lexi’s family.
 
Bigla naman silang nag-ayang umikot sa Capital dahil wala rin naman kaming magagawa rito. They said we could also visit the Divine Camp.
 
“Wait!” sigaw ni Lexi kay Yano dahil papunta siya sa elevator. “We’re not going down that way.”

“Why? Mas mabilis—”

“Mas mabilis din akong mamamatay dahil d’yan,” she retorted.
 
Lexi summoned Charlie and the glass window turned into an archway leading to the bridge. Charlie could only carry two at a time and Lexi should always be with him so it took him three flights to bring all of us below.
 
Habang naglalakad kami ay hindi ko maiwasang hindi mamangha. Praevalas of different sizes and colors floated above us. Naturaeswere flying around nature parks and there were also floras, or flower guardians, dancing around a variety of flowers that bloomed as their dresses fluttered against the wind.
 
I was too engrossed in the activities of naturaes and floras that I didn’t notice the three of them had already stopped walking. I bumped into Ryleigh’s back and I immediately apologized.
 
A three-story building came into sight.
 
“This is the largest library in the country,” Yano stated and I didn’t expect it to be a library.
 
We approached the building but we stopped right before a wooden gate. Yano told the guard that we were Divians and he motioned us to pass through the gate. Ryleigh walked into the gateway and red letters were suddenly projected on the wall—Bob and Kon, the name of his guardians.
 
“The gate has the same elements as the wooden tablets that house our guardians,” Yano said as a matter-of-factly. “This is their way to determine if you are really a Divian.”
 
Jack and Finn, the names of Yano’s guardians, also appeared as he passed through the gate, and the same happened to me and Lexi.
 
Dumiretso naman kami sa second floor kung saan nakalagay ang books tungkol sa guardians at Divians.
 
Ryleigh pushed the heavy swing door and I let out a gasp when I saw the room. Hundreds of shelves stood row after row, housing books of different kinds and sizes, some bound in leather while others were covered in dust. But what took my breath away were the books that were floating lazily in the air and I realized they were held by pixie-like creatures.
 
“Those are domusaes,” Yano remarked. “They are house guardians and are very protective when it comes to their territories.”
 
This was the first time I saw a domusae. They looked like floras but their hair, dress and wings were all hazel-colored. They were transporting books to their respective shelves but they quickly disintegrated into spirit particles when they saw us.
 
“They don’t like people seeing them and they only appear around the house owners,” dagdag ni Yano.
 
Umupo kami sa isang discussion table at nag-usap tungkol sa Spirit Masters. Nalaman namin ni Lexi na ang may-ari ng library ay si Astrid, isa ring Spirit Master. The third floor was restricted because that was her personal space and thank the Divans she was called to the emergency meeting. Hindi pa ako handang makakita ulit ng isa pang Spirit Master.
 
“May tanong pala ako. Totoo bang hindi nagpapakita ang Divine General?” tanong ni Lexi at nakuha niya agad ang atensyon nung dalawa.

“Yeah,” sagot ni Yano. “Sa Spirit Masters lang siya nagpapakita. They said he only moves when the Capital is in grave danger.”

“Sir Gavin said he was there in the Great Havoc seven years ago,” dagdag ni Ryleigh.

“There are also rumors that he’s been the Divine General since forty or fifty years ago.”

“Ha?! Ibig sabihin sobrang tanda na niya?”

“I don’t know. Kapag kasi dine-describe siya ni Sir Gavin, parang hindi naman.”

“Immortality . . .” I blurted out before I realized what I just did. Napatingin silang tatlo sa akin kaya bigla akong nag-panic. “I-I m-mean . . . baka . . .”
 
Hindi ko na naituloy ang sasabihin ko dahil alam kong pare-pareho na kami ng naiisip—the ancient seal of immortality. There was a high probability that that seal was connected to the rumor about the Divine General.
 
We were quiet for quite some time until Ryleigh suggested to go to the Divine Camp.
 
We boarded the train and after five stations, we arrived at Merin District where the Divine Camp was located. This place looked similar to Master’s as it was near the outskirts of the Capital. Naglakad kami ng ilang minuto hanggang sa marating namin ang bukana ng gubat. We saw silvanias, or earth guardians, which inhabits most forests in the country. They looked like small children with the lower limbs of a goat and their entire bodies were covered with twigs and branches. They were calm creatures but when something threatened their safety, they create earthquakes that could tear the ground apart.
 
A silvania led us toward the camp while some were patrolling the forest. When we arrived at the entrance, I saw around twenty cabins on the left side while different training resources and equipment were stationed on the right. Beyond the cabins was a lake almost the size of the one in Master’s place.
 
I suddenly felt an ominous presence and my senses were heightened. The next thing I knew, Ryleigh already drew his sword and clashed against someone else’s. The impact of their attacks made them recoil and I was getting ready to call my guardians despite the fear coursing through my body but they suddenly smiled at each other.
 
“Hey! Ryleigh! Yano! Long time no see!” the guy greeted as he sheathed back his sword into its scabbard.
 
He was noticeably taller and more built than Ryleigh and Yano. His shoulder-length hair was tied into a messy ponytail and I caught sight of the huge and long scar running through his right arm.
 
“Lycus,” Ryleigh greeted as they clasped each other’s hand. Yano did the same thing. Bigla naman siyang napatingin sa amin ni Lexi.

“Ah. These are Lexi and Reika,” pagpapakilala ni Yano sa amin. “They are Miss Ariah’s apprentices.”

“I’m Lycus,” he introduced as he shook our hands. “I’m the assistant director of the Divine Camp. Nice to meet the both of you.”

“Nice to meet you, too.”
 
Lycus explained the camp rules to us and we learned that there were around fifty Divians, mostly teenagers, living in this camp. Most of their parents couldn’t train them since they were part of the government or direct attendants of Spirit Masters or the Divine General, hence, they were admitted into this place.
 
According to Ryleigh, there were currently five Spirit Masters. Maliban kay Master na hindi na kabilang doon, apat na ang nakilala ko: sina Gavin, Lark, Astrid at Adrielle. Isa na lang ang hindi pa namin kilala.
 
After an hour, we bid our goodbye to Lycus and he said we should visit again. Nagmadali naman kaming bumalik dahil baka dumating na sina Master at Gavin.
 
We were already in front of Gavin’s skyscraper when I suddenly heard that voice again.
 
‘Nalalapit na.’
 
Napatingin agad ako sa paligid at hinanap kung saan galing ang boses na ‘yon. All of a sudden, Lexi’s voice reverberated and the next thing I knew, she was already above us, the vulture’s talons grasping her whole body.
 
“Let me go!” she yelled as she struggled. I could see blood tickling on her body as the talons dug through her clothes and skin.
 
A familiar woman appeared behind the vulture’s wings. Instinct took over me and I pulled Ryleigh’s sword from his waist band. I desperately ran toward their direction, hoping that I could save Lexi.
 
“You’re the daughter of that guy,” Bridgette stated. “We could use you.”
“Charlie, sal-ve—!”
 
Lexi couldn’t focus and Charlie wasn’t able to retain his form. Bridgette pulled out a gun and pointed it at Lexi that made my blood run cold.
 
“Lexi!” sigaw ko.

“Hey, wait!” rinig ko kay Yano.

​“Bring back my sword!”
 
Hindi ko na sila pinansin at naka-focus lang ang mga mata ko kay Lexi. I wanted to save her. I couldn’t afford to lose someone again.
 
I knew it was not yet the right time to call her but I didn’t have a choice. Master said I shouldn’t summon her yet since I didn’t have the mental and physical capability to control her, and she could consume my life force if I were careless, but I would gladly exchange my life for my best friend.
 
I needed to call her.
 
“Phoebe, sal-ve!”
 
As soon as I called her name, I felt sick in my stomach. My strength was immediately depleted but I was still conscious. Spirit particles gathered right above me and I jumped onto them as they gradually materialized into blue flames. They were warm but the flames didn’t burn me. Her wings expanded and she screeched so loud as she soared to the sky that it sent chills all over my body.
 
Phoebe glided toward Bridgette and Vultos’ direction and her presence perturbed the Exorcist. There was a few seconds of hesitation on her face and I used that time to save Lexi. I jumped off Phoebe and swung Ryleigh’s sword at the vulture’s wings. Vultos shrieked and lost his grip on Lexi. Ryleigh’s sword was heavy but I swung it one more time and thrust it on Vultos’ body.
 
Lexi fell from its grasp and I panicked. I wouldn’t be able to save her in time. Napatingin naman ako sa baba at nakita ko si Yano na nakasakay kay Jack, his leopard guardian, habang nakatingin sa itaas.
 
“CATCH HER!” sigaw ko.
 
Jack jumped from one tree to another and I let out a breath of relief when Yano caught Lexi on his arms.
 
“You swine!”
 
Nagulat ako nang bigla akong sinugod ni Bridgette at naramdaman ko kaagad ang hapdi sa pisngi ko. Her dagger was already tainted with my blood. I had saved Lexi but I didn’t know what to do next. I acted recklessly without even a plan. Bridgette was an Exorcist and I knew she was way stronger than me.
 
“Es hyva fe vies diaz. Morien alav sativa chroina il piero mergus,” she chanted and it was already late when I realized that was the incantation for the half-guardian form-- “Comvien han!”
 
Vultos disintegrated into spirit particles. I screamed as my body fell helplessly. Fear paralyzed me and I wasn’t able to order Phoebe. I was waiting for my body to hit the ground when I suddenly felt a warm sensation on my back. 
 
“P-Phoebe . . .”
 
I didn’t expect her to save me of her own volition but I was beyond thankful. My body was already at its limit and I knew she would disintegrate any minute now.
 
Bridgette hovered around us in her half-guardian form. “Phoenix, huh?” she taunted. “Reminds me of a guy who died pathetically seven years ago.” She smiled menacingly and lunged at my direction.
 
However, before she could reach me, thunder bellowed above us and I heard Ryleigh’s voice. He was standing atop the building on my right side, his expression a mixture of irritation and excitement.
 
“Aerial battle, huh?” he smirked. “Let me join you.”
 
An abundant amount of spirit particles gathered in front of him after he summoned a terrifying guardian—a wingless, traditional dragon.

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