ATTENTION!! JUST LIKE CHAPTER 40, THIS CHAPTER 42 IS ALSO VERY LONG, SO PLEASE STROLL DOWN FOR PART ONE!!!

Chapter 42: Fortunate And Unfortunate [Part Two]
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“No! How many times must I tell you?! One per day! Tiadora’s instructions, and if you drink them all now, you won’t last till the end of summer.”

“You’re one annoying woman.”

Unlike Jason, Kiara would rather just book for a royal class, lean back and relax in a normal plane. She knew her dad would flip, if she were to ever ask for a plane of her own. They weren’t as wealthy as the Kingstons. It had been a silent trip so far actually. The television in fornt of her displayed that she had been sleeping for the past three hours, and that it was nearing dinnertime. When the dishes arrived, David grumbled quietly beside her and didn’t even touch his food until…

“Hey Kiara, can I have a blood bag now?”

The day before, Tiadora had packed a hundred small bags of blood just for David. And the instruction was that he was to take one per day, at noon. Of course, they couldn’t exactly put all of the bags in a bigger bag and put it through the airport security scans before lift-off. Kiara had found out that Mokona’s stomach was practically another universe itself. It seems that the sacred animal was able to suck all the hundred bags of ‘preserved’ blood into its stomach. When asked for an explanation, Tiadora just shrugged, and said that when Kiara commands it, Mokona will spit one bag out.

And now, the human vampire was leaning very close to her asking for one when he already had it four hours ago. ”If I’m annoying, then you’re one very persistent man,” Kiara tapped on his tray of untouched food. “You know, the food ain’t going to eat themselves.”

“Alright,” David threw his arms up in defeat. “Fine. I’ll eat this…this…sheesh! What is this?”

“This is --” a sudden jerk stopped her words as the plane lurched forward forcefully. There was a sudden shudder and the whole aeroplane shook, shaking as if it was unstable. Kiara gripped tightly on the seat rest as the jerking continued.

“Attention all passengers, this is your pilot speaking. We are currently experiencing some minor turbulence and a bad storm. Please fasten your seatbelts and remain --” static sizzled through the speaker instead.

Another push from the back threw Kiara off her seat. David reached out, and was able to grab her hand in time. Kiara struggled to get up, but it was difficult. The aeroplane was now jerking uncontrollably. Passengers were just screaming their lungs off. “Mokona!” David pulled the white puff-ball from his haversack. “Tell me this isn’t a Xana attack.”

“It’s not,” Mokona was able to speak through the loud shouts. “Kiara, you will have to repair this mess.”

“Me?!” Kiara gasped, before the plane lurched a drastic angle forward then back to its horizontal form again. “I didn’t do anything!”

David placed his hand on the wall of the plane and closed his eyes. A moment later, he grunted and placed his palms on the floor instead, as if waiting for something. Soon, he narrowed his brows and stared at Kiara. “I can’t seem to balance the plane,” David realized after he tried. “My powers don’t seem to respond to the plane.”

“We are too far from the ground,” Mokona said, and tried to stare out of the window. The plane was still shaking! “We are flying above sea though. If the plane can’t control itself soon, we will crash.”

The sacred animal turned back to the guardian of Water. “You will have to take the spotlight.”

Kiara gasped but quickly composed herself. She knew that she wasn’t so involved in all their trainings, and that she was the most reluctant one in the group. And she didn’t think that she would have to lead like this. Plans were normally hatched by Jason, not her. Kiara felt herself shiver. What plan can I think of?!

Just then, the plane halted abruptly, causing the impact to throw everyone forward. Kiara thought that the trauma was finally over, until the plane tilted at a steep angle slowly. Suddenly, the plane gathered speed, aiming downwards till Kiara was practically sitting on her television screen upright. The plane was going to crash!

“Mokona! Lend me your wings!” Kiara started shouting as the plane started to fall. She grabbed onto the sacred animal and tucked it under her arm. “David, phase us out of the plane. Mokona, transform once we’re in the sky.”

None hesitated. Kiara tried to stand up and leaned against the wall with Mokona under her arm. David did the same and placed his hands on the wall beside Kiara shoulders. He bent down closer to her face and for the first time, gave her a very sinister smile. “Hope you pass!”

“Wha--?!” Kiara wasn’t able to ask as her back no longer leaned on anything solid. She fell backwards letting the wind gently beat against her, as she caught her breath. What was I thinking?! Almost immediately, she felt herself falling faster, extending the distance between her and the plane, but when she thought everything went wrong, Kiara landed hard on soft ground.

At first she thought it was the grass as she saw that she landed on greens, but then as Kiara steadied herself, she realized that she was on the transformed Mokona. The Phoenix! Now that she looked closer, Mokona was incredibly huge. So much bigger than how Gaia had looked like. Maybe even bigger than the plane! “Kiara!” the phoenix’s head tilted behind to face her. “Orders.”

“Glide down to the sea and hurry,” Kiara shouted. In a flash, the phoenix tucked in its magnificent wings and swooped down towards the sea. When the distance felt right, Kiara halted the sacred animal. “It’s my turn,” Kiara outstretched her arms. It was just the wide endless sea. There weren’t any islands nearby either. She looked up to see the falling aeroplane closing in.

“What are you intending to do? And when?” Mokona asked as they levitated in the air.

Kiara opened her eyes and looked back into the surprisingly black Phoenix eyes, “For the first question, no idea. For the second question, now!!!”

Kiara concentrated on the silent waters, and soon, a column bursts out from the ocean and rise higher until the impact crashed into the aeroplane. Kiara clenched her hands harder. She could feel the aeroplane weight on her arms as if the water had some inter-connection with her. The plane was now balancing on that one thin water column, and it didn’t look like it would stay stable for long.

She concentrated again and let another burst of water push the plane from behind until it leveled. But then, as the metal surface of the aeroplane’s belly seem to slip; it started to tilt slowly to the unguarded side. Immediately, Kiara continued to form more water columns but this time, smaller than the previous, such that it formed like a slide for the plane. Then when it finally gave way, the plane leaned forward towards the water slide and in such a quick velocity, skidded across the water surface safely.

Kiara let herself faint back onto the Phoenix’s body, as all the energy seems to have left her own. Her arms felt sore, and it was red, as if she had scratched on them a lot. She wanted to scream out in ager of the flaws on her beautiful arm, when she realized that her plan had somewhat worked. Kiara bolted back up to reality to see that the plane was stationary and safe. People inside seems to be running around within the plane.

The disaster may have been over, but then chaos was still raging inside. What was going to happen now?

“Kiara!” the guardian of Water heard her name being called from the sky. But when she looked up into the dim evening sky, she saw David standing on top a floating rock, levitating towards them. Once he was close, David jumped from the rock, slide down Mokona’s neck and landed beside Kiara on his two feet. “Are you alright?”

“I think so,” Kiara pushed her fringe back and something struck her mind. “I thought your powers can’t reach the skies?”

“I lied,” David smiled strangely.

“What the--? Don’t you know that you could have –”

“Patience, Kiara,” Mokona voice echoed, as it tilted its head again. “I told him to, for a very good reason.”

“And that would be?” Kiara asked when suddenly a shadow cast over them as if something big was flying in the sky.

The flying being looked down and ‘ran’ against the winds before landing gracefully on the sea’s surface. Its fur was of pure white colour. Everything was gleaming with just whiteness except for its black eyes and blue gem on its forehead. Kiara didn’t really know what it was. She had heard of it, but she wasn’t sure if this was what a chimera look like.

The creature had the head of a dragon, but instead of scales, it was the white fur that crowned its majestic outlook. Unlike Gaia and Mokona, this one didn’t have wings at all. Its masculine body was like an enlarged fully white-coloured tiger body, with sharp claws at both the front and hind feet. No wonder t flew as if it was walking in the sky. The beast didn’t even have wings.

Kiara’s sacred animal lowered its head and bowed down before the guardian of Water. “Descendant of Respected Sir Arthur, my name is Excalibur and I am a Chimera. My reason then and now is to serve the guardians of Anastasia regardless of where evil lies. I am an animal with one mighty soul to claw through the rest. And for that I have come as your humble servant,” the sacred animal spoke with a king’s voice.

For a moment, even though Kiara knew that her sacred animal was finally standing in front of her after times of waiting, there was a nagging feeling that ached in her back. If Excalibur was in the area, why didn’t it help in saving the plane? It did appear after the plane landed in the water, so it should have been nearby. “Mokona,” Kiara finally said, taking everyone aback as they had expected to address Excalibur instead. “Why did you tell David to not aid me in the plane-saving?”

Like Kiara had expected, Excalibur answered instead, “To test you. I have been observing you from a distance all these time, and I need to prove yourself worthy of my assistance. The disturbance of the plane was caused by me.”

Kiara balled her hands into fists and anger surged within her. “What the hell were you thinking?!” Kiara screamed at Excalibur, who was shocked by her sudden outburst. “How dare you involve other innocent people in this test?! Did you not consider for the fact if I wasn’t able to react appropriately?! What if, because of your intention, the whole aeroplane had really crashed in the ocean?!”

“I had only intended to --”

“To what?!” Kiara was really flared up. “You not only endangered the lives of every single living being in that plane, but you also threaten the lives of two guardians and Mokona! Did you not care?! You could have twisted your test without having to endanger other people’s lives! How dare you!! And you call yourself a Guardian’s sacred animal?!”

Excalibur became silent. It hadn’t expected it to turn out this way. It thought that the guardian would have been very happy to see that her sacred animal was finally here, and that it would have a firm strict attitude with the guardian of Water. Instead, she was the one with that grew angry at it, as if she didn’t want Excalibur as her sacred animal. It didn’t know how to respond. “Leave!” Kiara shouted back after a period of silence. “If this is how you view a situation, it would be no different once we enter a battlefield. You would simply not care!”

“Kiara,” Mokona looked at the guardian with mixed emotion. Apparently, no one had expected this. “All this was for good intentions. If it didn’t turn out, I would have --”

“No,” she rebutted the Phoenix’s words. “I wouldn’t want my comrades who live to help serve the people, to use them with the possibility of killing them. I abhor that attitude!”

David stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. “Consider it carefully, Kiara,” he spoke in a gentle tone, trying to calm her tense aura. “Excalibur might not come back, and you would need your sacred sword to help in fighting Xana. We would have less manpower without him.”

Kiara grunted and glared at Excalibur. When the sacred animal finally formed an answer, the guardian of Water declared, “Fine. I accept you as my sacred animal, but keep your fucking distance from me. Only come to me when I summon you.”

With that, Excalibur bowed its head again. It felt a rush of a surprising sorrow, and yet also a surge of confusion, but orders were orders. A bright glow radiated from the Chimera, and soon, it transformed into a falcon that flew into the sky and disappeared into the moonlight.

“Kiry,” David used Jason’s nickname for her, as he placed his other hand on her other shoulder, facing her. “Will you be alright?”

But the guardian of Water didn’t reply. She didn’t even nod or move or look at him. Her shoulders felt cold under his touch as he tried to shake her. “Kiara?” David’s voice grew more worried as she didn’t move an inch, as if frozen on the spot. “Kiara!”

“David,” Mokona looked questioningly, and, too, realized the fear. “Why is she--”

But the Phoenix’s words were broken with a piercing scream. Kiara suddenly clutched her neck tightly, eyes widened and started to cry, screaming in pain. She staggered back and fell onto the Phoenix’s back and started to shiver in agony. Her hands still around her neck, but she didn’t try to gasp for air. “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!” Kiara yelled. Her shout scared David. He had never heard her in so much pain before. He tried to hold her down, but Kiara kept on shaking uncontrollably, shouting and screaming.

“Mokona!” David was now frightened for her. “What’s happening?!”

“It’s a vision,” the sacred animal spoke in a sad voice. “She must be having a horrible vision.”

Chapter 42: Fortunate and Unfortunate [Part One]
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“No matter what you say, who you are bringing with or what kind of cheap vehicle it is,” Jason grumbled. “The parade square has already been reserved for one aeroplane, and that’s final!”

The laughter and chatter erupted the afternoon silence outside of one of the most prestigious institutions in the world, Kadic Academy. But it was only a few moments later that a gust of strong wind interrupted their conversations as the students now turned their attention to the skies. Blocking the view of the mighty Sun and descending slowly onto the wide open space in front of the main entrance of the school, was a silver-blue jet aeroplane, small enough to squeeze within the large parade square. The teenagers stared in awe. They knew that a minority of the student population came from rich families, but each of them wondered which family the plane belonged to.

Its owner, alongside his four friends, finally stepped out of the building. Unlike the rest, they weren't the least bit surprise. Outside of his four friends, was a guy who had been arguing with the jet-plane owner. At the sight of the jet he became furious, "Bringing a plane, is a violation against the school rules, Jason."

“What difference does a helicopter make?” Jason rebutted Ulrich’s accusation. “It’s much noisier anyway. I’m practically preventing noise pollution.”

Ulrich scoffed and then shouted orders in a walkie-talkie for the helicopter to retreat till further notice. The five friends left Ulrich while they ambled their way towards the plane. “He is right, you know?” Cornelia folded her arms and stared at her brother. “It is a violation.”

Jason chuckled, "It's Summer! Nobody is going to care once it's gone. Plus, I'm sure we can break a few rules with Cyrus as the headmaster. She's already punishing us with 'Xana Attacks' anyway."

The boy sped ahead of the group and walked up the steps that came down from the aeroplane. He outstretched his hand in a gesture, signalling the most beautiful girl that reflected in his sea-blue eyes.

Tiadora smiled. She was only a few steps away from the stairs when she felt a hand tugging her back. And when she turned, the rest of the group gave reassuring smiles. "Hey Tiadora," Kiara said with a sly smile to the side. "Don't lose your virginity during Summer, okay?"

"Huh?" as always, Tiadora didn't know what modern-word Kiara was talking about.
"Nah, it's okay," Cornelia winked. "Jason's not that type. He won't take advantage of you, because he respects you very much. I'm sure you'll have fun."

"Thank you," Tiadora smiled even wider and turned to the person who has not spoken a word from this morning. "And David, take good care of yourself."

She took the blink of his luminous green eyes as a 'yes'. “And remember the communication,” Tiadora winked. “Any trouble, telepathically inform Cornelia. Once Cornelia has obtained the information, tell Jason, because he can transport himself to help anyone of you.”

“Yeah yeah,” Cornelia scoffed and pushed Tiadora up the steps. “C’mon, Jason awaits thee.”

Tiadora took Jason’s outstretched hand and turned back to see the academy. “Goodbye, everyone!”

The staircase cascaded back in as the door slowly closed before them. Eventually, the plane took flight and disappeared into the scorching morning Sun. Kiara had to cover her eyes to see it off properly.

“Finally!” Ulrich’s voice shouted in delight as the plane flew away. His attention shifted as he continued to bark orders in the walkie-talkie.

Soon, the sound of screeching tires entered the academy’s main gate, and a pink limousine drove its way into the exact same spot where the plane was. The chauffeur stepped out from his seat, opened the back door and bowed towards Kiara and David. “Oh look, Corny,” Kiara nudged Cornelia and pointed to her limousine. “It looks like Ulrich can’t boast his ‘choppa’ to us either.”

All Cornelia did was just roll her eyes, “Personally, I still prefer my Lamborghini.”

“Right…” Kiara grabbed David’s arm and started walking over to the hot pink vehicle. “See you around, Cornelia!”

“Hey! Where will you be going this year?” Cornelia called out after her.

Kiara turned back and did a money gesture with her hands, “Las Vegas, babe!”

And with that, Kiara and David were off, driving away in that pink limousine. Cornelia was about to sit down on the steps when the noise of the beating helicopters descended downwards onto the parade square. She liked the strong wind blowing against her face, but she couldn’t help but agree that it was extremely noisy.

Up in the sky, Ulrich was already on board, standing to the side railings and stretching out his hand towards Cornelia. He shouted over the defending noise, “Take my hand!”

Instinctively, she took his hand with her left and imagined herself as light as a feather when she was hoisted up. The interior was surprisingly bright, unlike the normal black outlook. She fastened her seatbelt beside Ulrich as he winked. “Off to Sydney!”

★

Through the window, Tiadora, with the help of Jason, saw many things went by. There were monuments like the Statue of Liberty, etc. Though probably, most of the time, the plane was among the clouds, that she could rarely see more. Her favourite was strangely the Grand Canyon. “It’s beautiful,” she spoke about the canyon. “Somehow, it reminds me of something.”

They had been in the plane for about an hour now, and Tiadora wasn’t getting bored the least. Earlier, Jason had taught her how to play Monopoly, though it took him thirty minutes to make her understand the system of money-making. And eventually, Tiadora had beaten him flat in just the next half hour. Even without the years of playing, she was able to win him easily. “Oh! I just realized. We’re heading to your house, right?” Tiadora tore her gaze from the window to look at Jason seated in front of her. “Where is that?”

“We’re going to the Main Residence, so that will be in United Kingdom,” Jason answered, taking a champagne glass to his lips. “I am originally British.”

“I don’t understand,” Tiadora tilted her head, confused. “Main Residence? British?”

“Main Residence means the main household among the other fourteen houses my family owns,” Jason explained, offering her a glass. “British means that I’m born in the United Kingdom, though I don’t have an accent. Kadic is in America, but Cornelia and I are studying there because it is the second best academy in the world.”

“Why not aim for the best academy?” Tiadora tried to take a sip from the glass, to only realize that it was coke.

“The best is Phoenix Academy in Las Vegas,” Jason took a quick glance outside to check their position. “We didn’t get in because my mother had edgy ties with their director. Before that, we were home-schoolers.”

“You study by yourself at home?”

“My mother hired a personal tutor for each of us that taught us in many subjects and aspects,” he described recalling back his childhood. “Then three years ago, my parents decided that in order to improve ourselves socially for the benefit of the company, they sent us to Kadic.”

Tiadora giggled, pondering aloud, “Must have been difficult adapting to a new environment.”

“Well, not really,” Jason refilled his coke from the wine bottle. “Ian was already in Kadic at that time, and I knew him ever since I was ten because he used to be my neighbour. And you know, he became my friend at that time because he had a crush on Cornelia. I feel like a middle-man.”
She laughed. “That’s so sweet. But I think she and Ulrich make a very compatible couple instead.”

“To be honest, I don’t exactly trust Ulrich so much,” Jason admitted. “He just enters the school, and already, coach is having second thoughts about letting me stay as captain.”

“But Cornelia told me that you didn’t really like soccer.”

“Yeah, but…what?!” Jason stopped short, realizing Tiadora’s words. “Cornelia told you that?”

Tiadora was taken aback. “I’m sorry. Was that meant as a secret?”

“No…no, it’s okay,” he ran his fingers through his blond hair and sighed. “Cornelia and I had always been brought up talented, capable in doing many sports and playing instruments.”

“And you play the violin, right?”

Jason smiled, “Yes, I do. I’ll play for you when we reach.”

Just then, an announcement rang throughout the aeroplane. “Sir, this is your captain speaking. We are nearing the Kingston residence, and will be starting the descend in thirty seconds.”

“Tia,” Jason called out to her and pointed to the window. “Look.”

As Tiadora peered through the window, she stared upon a huge white building that made a ring-like shape on an extremely wide area. The house was bordered with gold, and statues of creatures rested on each corner of the household. In the incomplete ring border, was a magnificent garden that seems to glow with brilliance. It was practically littered with rainbow colours! She spotted a limousine entering the through the golden gates, and a couple emerged from the vehicle. “Your house is very…extravagant!” Tiadora complimented, pointing on the window. “Are those your parents?”

Jason looked out, squinting his eyes to see. “Oh. No, they’re not. Probably some designers. My parents may not be home. Usually, they would be on their business trips, and would only be back around mid-summer.”

Soon, the plane descended downwards among the garden. It gilded along the railway and skidded to a stop after some time. Jason ushered Tiadora out and held her hand as they walked towards the big door that automatically opened once they reached. The maids who did it, bowed in respect as Jason moved in. Chandeliers hung beautifully reflecting light as if they were diamonds. And Tiadora noticed that everything seem to radiate on mainly the colour gold.

She breathed in the eccentric breeze that seem to flow within the halls. It felt so alive. “Like it?” Jason nudged Tiadora from her admiring stance.

“It is so much brighter than my castle!” Tiadora clasped her hands and continued to stare. “And so many gold-coloured stuff.”

“Some of these ‘gold’ stuff aren’t gold,” Jason said, bringing her in deeper. “They are painted from melted gold instead.”

“Welcome to the Main Residence, Sir,” a deep male voice came from the side corridor.

“Ahh Herbert!” Jason acknowledged his butler’s bow. “Yes, it is good to be back. This is Tiadora. She will be staying with us during the Summer holidays.”

“An Honour, My Lady,” Hebert bowed again to Tiadora. “I shall have the guest room prepared.”

“Actually,” Jason wondered aloud, putting his fingers to his chin. “Put a bed at the other end of my room, where the bathroom is beneath the stairs.”

“But, Sir, your books?”

“One side of it won’t make a difference,” Jason insisted. “I would not be using any encyclopedias this summer.”

“Very well,” Hebert bowed again. “Sir, it is only appropriate that I inform you of your parents’ presence at home. They came back yesterday and said that they had an urgent issue to discuss with you. It would be wise for you to see them now.”

Jason scoffed in disbelief, “I can’t believe they came back early for once. Alright. I’ll go see them but…introduce Tiadora to Sephy.”

“Sephy?” Tiadora finally spoke. “Who is he? Or is it a she?”

Jason winked and let go of her hand. “You’ll see.”

And the guardian of Fire walked away, towards another corridor before slowly fading in the bright shadows.

★

“Can I PLEASE have one more?”

Chapter 41: Alternus
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At the twist of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, Ulrich brought Cornelia’s hand to his shoulder, as if she was about to embrace him. He leaned closer to her face, and smelled a hint of Escada perfume from her hair, something he thought Cornelia wouldn’t use. “What happened to Adidas?” Ulrich teased as he took another whiff of the smell.

“What? You don’t like it?” Cornelia narrowed her eyes. “Hrmph! I wear what I want.”

“No no no…” Ulrich chuckled, trying to hide a smile. “It is just…different.”

Cornelia liked hearing Ulrich laugh. It was a much better silence than when they were at the table. She gazed into his mismatched eyes, and when she stared closer the blue and purple colours of his eyes seem to blend like one colour. They are the same colours as Artemis’. The little voice inside her head interrupted her positive thoughts.

She didn’t want to suspect Ulrich as Artemis. He had somewhat proven it to her, and she had seen both Ulrich and Artemis at the same time during the octopus incident. They couldn’t be the same.

Cornelia brought her right hand from his shoulders and touched his face. Artemis had a horrible scar across his face from above his left eye, all the way to the end of his face. Although Ulrich was flawless, his face no deformity, Cornelia traced her fingers, outlining the imagined scar on Ulrich’s face.

Ulrich didn’t flinch. Instead, he asked with a calm voice. “Have you got any plans for Summer vacation?”

Shocked that he didn’t ask about her doing instead, she brought her hand back on his left shoulder. “Well, Jason has not said anything,” she spoke, staggering at the beginning. “Normally, Jason plans the holidays and I’ll go with him, wherever. Once in a while, my parents will follow, but not always.”

“Where are you hoping to go this year?” Ulrich asked. “I might be planning to go to Sydney, Australia.”

“Oh my god! Sydney!” Cornelia gasped, and then lowered her voice. “I’ve always wanted to go there. Jason always goes to countries that are rather weird.”

“Weird?”

“Oh! Like there was this one time, he wanted to go to Cambodia, and for the whole ten days of the holiday, he always went missing after lunch, leaving me behind to shop for stuff or sightsee on my own. Then, on the last day, when I trailed after him, I found out that he makes regular trips to villages and actually gives them food, company and plays with the children there.”

“Wow,” Ulrich raised his brows. “He’s generous?”

“I mean, it’s not wrong for him to do this but…” Cornelia huffed. “He would rather spend time with other people than his family.”

“Then why don’t you spend Summer holidays with me?”

Cornelia had to pause for seconds to digest what he was asking her. Spending the whole two months with him?! Well, she always wanted to go to Australia, but Jason always said that it was either too hot or too cold for him. This could be her only chance.

“I’ll have to ask my parents, and tell my brother,” Cornelia replied, containing her excitement from within.

☆

Jason started for the stairs of the girls’ dormitory carefully. He didn’t want any slight movement to wake Tiadora up from his arms. She had fallen asleep during the slow ride back, and Jason was more than inclined to carry her back to her room. Somehow, it reminded him of the very first time he met Tiadora. Jason had also carried her back to his room, just like a damsel in distress.

Soon, he found the right door of the dark corridors of the third level. Once he unlocked the room, Jason placed her on the bed and pulled up the blanket over the sleeping beauty. Smiling to himself, he sighed and caressed her brown hair as she slept. Then he unstrapped Tiadora’s bagpack from his shoulders and pulled out the Jason doll. They even made with my favourite jacket, Jason chuckled to the doll and ruffled its hair till it had style.

Suddenly, an image flickered in his mind. Jason shuddered and brought his hands over his eyes, afraid that the pain in his brain would come again like how it did in the basement of the flower shop. The familiar picture crystalised, showing the same wounded family in the glorified dark ball room. Their cries were louder this time, and the woman’s shrieks made his spine shiver as if he was there as well.

The image moved again, with the sword blocking his vision of the family. The blade shone with great brilliance before it drove for the kill, and the splashes of blood stained the rich carpets. An icy laughter erupted, echoing the ball room with fear, louder and louder.

Zzz-ping! Then, like how it happened the last time, the pain retreated and gave him peace again. Jason took away his hands and opened his eyes, to see an undiscerning person. Hood over his head and a cloak to cover almost his whole body, Jason recognize him too well. And just like the previous time, Xana had also appeared right after the vision.

“I would have assumed that you could not have seen it since it is part of my memory,” Xana spoke with the same twinge of laughter from Jason’s nightmare. “But it does have a connection with you, so I guess…it can’t be helped.”

Jason held onto the side of the bed, and staggered up, facing the demon. “If it is your memory, TAKE IT BACK!”

“Initially, I would have considered doing so,” Xana removed his hood, revealing his masked face and red hair. “But then, I realized that I can’t exactly tap into your mind due to circumstances, and that seeing you in this state is much more amusing.”

Jason groaned from the pain again, as if the image was coming back, but he thrust out his right hand and set ablaze flames that engulfed his palms. He was about to hurl the flames that Xana when he suddenly shifted to Jason’s right and slammed him in the face. Jason could feel his nose bleeding as he tried to gain back control. But Xana kept on disappearing from his blows, and finally kicked Jason from behind.

Xana then grabbed Jason’s wrists from behind and kicked again against his back until Jason crashed on the door. Xana pulled Jason’s wrists as he held his foot at Jason’s back, seizing him against the door. Jason felt his face smash onto the door. He wanted to turn around and give Xana a real beating, but his wrists were handcuffed and he couldn’t move.

“You would want to make a scene in the Princess’ chambers?” Xana spoke from behind, still gripping firmly onto Jason’s wrists. “How inconsiderate of you. Why don’t you listen to me about this family from that particular memory, and I’ll leave you with more clues.”

“I’m not listening to a single crap that you’ll be saying!” Jason seethed uncomfortably as his cheek was pressed forcefully against the door.

“Tsk. Among many of my killings in my years, this is one of the most important and significant, affecting greatly for my plans,” Xana explained while holding on to the awkward position. “The Delta couple that you see was hosting a party in celebration of the birth of their first newborn child, Christopher Lee Delta.”

“It was a masquerade theme, and Artemis, Tyran and I were able to blend in among the guests for the party, disguising ourselves as colleagues of the Delta family’s rich business. Soon, after we had our stomachs filled, we massacred every single soul there, leaving the last for the host!”

“The very vision that you’ve been seeing these past many nights, was the event that took place ten seconds before I killed the couple and their newborn. I guess, I don’t need to tell you how I killed them since their slicing has kept haunting your dreams every night, right?”

“Chopping of the couple’s heads, and literally slicing the baby in half!” Jason yelled, from the pain that he felt for the Delta family. “You’re sadistic!”

“And a genius!” Xana bellowed another horrendous laughter. “Their deaths are the very main essence for the creation of my plan! And you’re going to be playing the biggest part in the phenomenon!”

“Shut…UP!!!” Jason practically screamed, and concentrated his energy on his hands. The fire scorched Xana’s hands, making him release his grip on Jason’s wrists. Jason fell from the door, but made no attempt to rest and placed his palms on the floor. Remembering the practice that he had yesterday, he focused on the flame from the earth, and obeying his call, a simple sword emerged from the earth. But as Jason gripped the handle, the sword heated, turning the metal blade into red hot steel.

“So you’re using this pathetic weapon as a substitute before you receive your Sacred Sword?” Xana pointed revoltingly at the rapier. “I’ll spare you the humiliation for tonight. For Tiadora’s beauty sleep.”

And with that, Xana held the tip of his cape and shrouded himself before disappearing into thin air. But just as Jason thought that Xana had vanished for good, he hears the tiny whispers of little people hissing in his ears Xana’s words. You’re going to be playing the biggest part in the phenomenon!

★

“This is really lame, Shaniqua!” Sally scoffed in disgust as she flicked away a dried fallen leaf from her shoulder. “I just can’t believe that you use this opportunity to spy on that stupid goth jerk.”

“Oh c’mon. I won, so this time, you listen to me,” the two-ponytail blonde crouched lower into the bushes. “Plus, I want you to see him the way I do. Then you’ll see how brilliant he – Shh! He’s coming!”

And on queue, a tall figure jogged through Kadic Academy’s main gates, drenched with perspiration. The boy was thin but well-built against his black sports tee. He walked to a halt and leaned against the walls, panting from his daily morning run. Oblivious to the three cheerleaders hiding behind the bushes, David took off his shirt, un-capped his water bottle and showered himself with the mineral water. The three girls gasped, and Shaniqua started snapping some shots. Sally snatched the camera away and glared furiously at Shaniqua.

At first, Shaniqua thought that Sally was going to scold her for wasting the girl’s precious time, but instead, Sally broke into a grin and angled the camera back at David. “Sheesh, Shaniqua! I can’t believe you’ve been hiding something for so long!”

“I—I did try to --”
“C’mon!” Sally grabbed her friend’s wrist and gestured to the other cheerleader in the other bush. “We’ve got to get this to Morgan!”

“The news reporter?” Shaniqua’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

Sally gave a sly evil smile. “I’m going to make sure that the number of admirers that Jason has, will decrease.”

★

Normally, David skips breakfast. Why? Because he would be the only one in the boys’ toilet, showering off all the perspire he worked out that morning. David swung the white towel around his waist and strut out aimlessly in the empty corridor. Mokona immediately stuck to his leg the moment he entered. “Dav! Dav! Dav!” the little thing squealed in delight when its master ambled in the room.

“I thought you didn’t like Jason?” David pulled out a light blue collar tee from the wardrobe. “By calling me ‘Dav’, you picking up his slang.”

Immediately, Mokona coughed furiously out, making David chuckle. “Oh yes! Tiadora left you this,” Mokona pointed towards a chunk of ice on his desk. Through the clear icy surface, David could see a purple tentacle frozen within. David narrowed his eyes in confusion towards his sacred animal. “I’m sure you remember the time when Jason fried the octopus at the sea just outside the school.”

“Vampires do not only just require fresh blood, but they also need meat,” Mokona explained, walking back and fro from the ice. “Normally, it would be human flesh, but animal meat will do just fine.”

David approached his desk and let his hands rest on its surface. “Even though you are not capable of fire, your special ability is to be intangible.”

Slowly, his hand passed through the block of ice, and he easily took the tentacle out. It felt hard in his hands. The green slime, which he assumed that it was the octopus’ blood, from the opening had frozen while dripping. David gave a little questioning look of disgust to Mokona. Must he really eat this? “It’s for your own good, Davy,” Mokona said, as if reading his mind. “You’ve been relying on too much human food as a vampire. Your instincts need to be contain without me around. Fill it with the right food.”

Strangely, looking at the tentacle, all of sudden made him hungry. Well, this is my breakfast then. David just barred his fangs and sunk his teeth into the cold flesh. The taste didn’t really explode like how blood did, but it was definitely a better sensation than the chicken he ate last night.

As he ate, David fumbled with his books, getting ready for a new day in school. But as he moved from his textbooks to his storybooks, David noticed something out of place. “Mokona,” David threw his textbooks on his bed, and rampaged his storybooks. It’s missing! “Where’s my black book?”

“What black book?” Mokona fished out a Hearts biscuit from the snacks tin. “The Black Book Of Secrets?”

“No. I have twenty-one storybooks, with one that said ‘Anastasia, The Legend’.”

“What?!” Mokona dropped her biscuit. “You had a book about that and you didn’t say anything?!”

“It doesn’t matter now!” David re-scanned the books again, removing all his storybooks one by one. “It’s gone! Someone has been in my room, and took it!”

★

“This is awkward.”

“What is?”

Every corridor they walked, everyone was busy engrossed in the newspaper, and Jason didn’t even hear his name being whispered once among the girls’ giggles. Jason and Tiadora were walking together heading for the cafeteria for breakfast when they noticed that everyone around them was holding newspapers. Jason approached a group of girls near a pillar. “Hey girls,” Jason was glad that they still looked at him with that admiration on their faces. “What’s so interesting about today’s newspaper?”

“It’s David!” one with dyed green hair squealed. “Oh my god, he looks so hot!”

Tiadora snatched the papers from the girl and saw a picture of David, topless and dripping wet. Before Tiadora could even process what she was seeing, she felt the eyes of the girls dart away in a North direction, and grew into wide grins. “There he is!”

All the girls turned in that one direction while David moved through the corridor silently. He himself didn’t realize that all eyes were on him till he look up from his fringe. Then came the sound of high heels in the opposite direction. Sally and Shaniqua walked up right in front of David and threw the morning papers at him. “Don’t need to thank me, Goth-zilla,” Sally muttered as David caught onto the papers and saw the headline news.

Immediately, the girls who had stood still, erupted into their chattering and approached David. Soon, David found himself bombarded with many questions that he could not keep up to answer and the attention was awfully too much. He wasn’t used to everyone speaking to him. It felt like culture shock.

A grip on his elbow pulled him out of the crowd, gesturing for him to run. When he was finally able to squeeze out of the mob, he broke into a run and tried to look for whichever person who had pulled him, but all he saw was the curious faces of the girls and their engrossed attitudes as they then chased after him from behind.

“Do you think we should help him?” Tiadora tugged on Jason’s folded sleeve.

“Maybe we should,” Jason stroked his chin before grinning. “But still, this can be prove quite interesting. David will have to just learn and adapt.”

“You’re mean,” Tiadora interlocked her arm with his as they headed for the cafeteria. “I wonder how Sally got that photo.”

“If it’s Sally, she’ll do anything to get what she wants. Normally, she does it through her father.”

“The previous principal?”

“Yes,” he said as they finally reached the entrance. “Oh well, we have to cope with Cyrus as our new headmaster.”

Tiadora nodded. Then something triggered in her memory. “Do you think Cyrus had anything to do with the leave of Mr. Galili?”

Jason pondered, “My guess would be yes. Though if Sally doesn’t seem to show any weirdness, my guess is that her father is safe. I think.”

“Oh. Maybe you’re right.”

After taking their trays, Jason saw that their table was full, as usual. It seems that Ian and Ulrich had somewhat dominated it with the rest of the soccer team. “Wanna eat somewhere else?”

“And where would that be?”

Jason smiled and ushered Tiadora out of the cafeteria. It was no sooner that she realized that they had walked past the girls’ dormitory, approaching the now-fixed clock tower. But instead of heading up the staircase, Jason sat on the ground with his tray and leaned back against the tower. Tiadora did the same.

“May I ask you something?” Tiadora spoke in between bites of breakfast.

“What is it?”

“Are you okay?” Tiadora blurted, and saw Jason’s face turned to confusion. She pointed to his face and held his hands. “Your face looks pale. And your wrists are burning red.”

Jason quickly pulled his wrists away, rubbing them clean. He hadn’t told her about Xana’s visit last night nor had he said anything about his dreams to her ever since it happened. Too many things were happening, and he didn’t want to trouble her further. “Oh that. I’m fine. Really. My wrists might have probably been from my soccer training,” Jason plastered a fake smile, hoping that he could cover it up. “It’s nothing. So you don’t have to worry about it.”

“But then –”

“Anyway,” Jason immediately tried to change the subject. “Would you like to spend Summer vacation with me?”

“Summer vacation?” Tiadora questioned. “What’s that?”

“It’s a three-month break from school,” Jason sighed, glad that he was able to dodge that particular topic. “The whole student population will not need to attend school for three months, but since ours is an elite academy, we get only two months break. It starts next week, and since you don’t really have a place to go back to, I was wondering if you maybe wanted to…”

“I would love to,” Tiadora smiled, and leaned onto his shoulder. “Thank you very much, Jason.”

He felt sudden warmth cool his worried cold heart. “We could go to any country. You can choose whichever, but I think I need to go back to the mansion for two weeks for a while then we can sightsee.”

“I don’t know where to go,” Tiadora mumbled as she took another bite at the bread. “As long as you’re with me, anywhere is fine.”

Jason was about to say something when Tiadora rebutted in. “Plus,” she lifted his hand and interlocked her fingers with his. “I will be able to make sure you are alright.”

“Likewise, Princess,” Jason tightened his grip, and stroked Tiadora’s brown hair. “Likewise.”