Fantasia (Part 10)

Months had passed since the practice tournament, and Daniel, Romulus, Gorgo and their Masters Dionysus and Wilbur were once again in Legacy City for the Final Tournament of the Challenge of the Intellects, the most prestigious competition of its kind in EveAlone. Their entry to the finals by itself was actually through a stroke of luck: they had actually lost in their penultimate round, but a new rule stated that the best performer among the losers of the penultimate round will be allowed to participate in the finals. The Masters had ruminated that perhaps the confidence gained from winning the practice tournament might actually mislead, and it was better that they come in the finals as underdogs with nothing to lose. Of course for a proud Knight, competing as an underdog would already be shameful, but at that point what mattered to Daniel was another chance to go to Legacy, another chance to see Helen.

The need to go to Legacy was somewhat driven by a rekindled rivalry between Mervin and Daniel. The former was the first to have gone to Helen's city and even to her home, mere days after she and the other guests had left Ceres. The devastation of the storm was still evident throughout EveAlone, yet for Mervin and the other visitors, having the company of their lovely hosts made the City of Legacy such a radiant paradise.

It took another month for Daniel to have his chance to return to Legacy, and it was through a Codix tournament to determine the champions of EveAlone who would be sent to the Imperial Codix Tournament in Manille. The tournament itself proved to be a failing venture for the Knights, and Daniel had resigned himself to the fact that his Codix skills were not meant for showing off in competitions. What Daniel would like to fulfill though was to drop by Helen's class and behold her beauty once again, as well as to do a little favor for Dominic.

The good acolyte had brushed aside his disastrous episode with Angela and had resumed his two-year-old correspondence with Kirsten. He had sagaciously remarked how he had allowed himself to be enchanted by a fleeting angelic sight when all along was a girl in Legacy whom he had been sharing thoughts and dreams with ever since he was in Second Group R. Daniel and Mervin had ribbed him on his old-fashioned exchange of letters with Kirsten. The two, on the other hand, had embraced the speed and convenience of the Message Jewel for keeping in touch with Helen.

The Message Jewel proved useful indeed for Daniel when he successfully made arrangements to meet Helen and Kirsten after the tournament. Overcast skies above Legacy had hastened the arrival of evening as Daniel entered the Citadel of Aqueaon. The other Codix champions of the Pillars had tagged along to also see their friends at the Citadel. Daniel's previous visit to the place had been deeply impressed upon his memory; thus, he found his way quickly. The sight of the Aqueaonians' moss-green vestments had never been a more welcome view. Unlike the Fourth Group of the Pillars, which had more than a hundred wards, the Fourth Group of Aqueaonians numbered to a little more than three dozens. Consequently, it simplified Daniel's search for the two young ladies.

He found Helen first, and her presence made him feel like he won the Codix tournament or maybe even higher stakes, like bragging rights against Mervin. After some small talk, she helped Daniel look for Kirsten. Dominic's pen pal was all perky when they found her. She was of course eyeing the covered cage Daniel was carrying. "Kirsten, behold a special delivery from Dominic," Dominic announced as he uncovered the cage with a flourish. Kirsten was expecting something, but her eyes still widened when she saw the puppy inside. It was of a kind bred in the Empire of Qin, where her roots originated.

Daniel noted Kirsten's reaction then remarked within earshot of Helen, "hard to top that."

"Oh, it's alright" was her automatic reply.

The fun times was ended when the Masters announced that the dark clouds were from another storm. They should better leave immediately else they would end up stranded like the last time. When they had boarded the ferry, a fellow Codix champion said to Daniel, "dude, you could've at least matched Dominic's gesture to Kirsten for Helen."

"Well, I did tell her--"

"I heard that. No excuses. She wasn't expecting anything, but that's the point." An exaggerated sigh, "you may have been good in Codix..." Daniel left the conversation to save his ego from further damage. Instead, he joined the main talk aboard the ferry about the Emperor being put to trial for excesses that had scandalized the nobles.

This talk was still prevalent later on when they were traveling to Legacy for the Finals of the Challenge of the Intellects. At that time, people were discussing the recent ouster of the said Emperor.

At the tournament itself, the champions of the Pillars realized that the creators of the tournament, however, were wise enough not to include such a recent and hot topic in the questions in their competition. Daniel and Romulus were instead struggling to keep their measly lead. Daniel's numerous blocking spells were easily dismantled by their opponents, while the latter's own spells have caused more trouble than expected. The Codix puzzles were also impossible to break. Then there was also the factor of the unfamiliar terrain, wherein the local champions were actually receiving help from not-so-innocent bystanders. The only things that seem to play to the Knight's advantages were the unpredictable challenges themselves, with some of them requiring knowledge not usually taught in the academies, and these fringe breakthroughs were the key factor for their small lead.

The Final Tournament was down to its last few minutes. The champions of three other academies had found the last few challenges, which if surpassed would take the lead from the Knights. Daniel and Romulus, on the other hand, had not yet found their last challenge. "Maybe there isn't any challenge left," Daniel said to Romulus, who was consulting one of the scattered Heraldic Mirrors for their status.

His fellow champion nodded. "I think that's what the mirror says... Shit! Someone's got our lead!"

That made Daniel rush to have a look too. "That means we have to grab the other two teams' challenges before they could surpass it, but we'd have to split and take on both teams at the same time. Tough."

"Not if they're distracted by their challenges."

Romulus quickly overwhelmed one team by throwing them aside with his sheer size and strength. He looked at the challenge and realized that it involved something about Magic.

Meanwhile, for the other team, Daniel was about to do something uncharacteristic and unprecedented of him in all the tournaments he had competed: use an offensive spell.

"Fumoffu! Second Raid!"

A strong gust blew away the other team. Daniel got a challenge that involved Literature. It would have been better if Romulus got it this one, and Daniel hoped that Romulus didn't get a challenge in Magic or Codix. Upon closer inspection, the opponent was almost finished with the verse about love that was required of them; one line was just one syllable short from the proper meter. Daniel grabbed the quill and replaced the word "her" with "Helen." Challenge surpassed. Even if Romulus failed, they had a chance for a tie-break.

It turned out there was no need for tie-breaking. The Magic challenge Romulus encountered had been taught in the Pillars. The Masters were amused by the tactic their champions had employed, but a victory was a victory and the Knights went to Legacy's central bazaar to celebrate and check out the artifacts that they had won. However, the only prize Daniel wanted was to see Helen.

On the way to the bazaar, Daniel saw that the adjacent plaza was drowning in a sea of moss-green uniforms. It was a celebration for the successful revolution in Manille that was supported by the Aqueaonians. Sensing that this may be his only chance at that time, he dove into the crowd. A little asking around easily led him to Helen, just like before.

She was surprised by the unexpected sigh, but with the recent turn of events, she had learned to expect the unexpected. The two exchanged stories about the news for the past few days. Then Daniel told her about the good news in the Challenge of the Intellects.

"By the way, it's quite surprising that the Aqueaonians did not make it to the final tournament. Aside from having a worthy adversary, I was expecting that you'd be there too. For inspiration."

A soft giggle. "But I guess it wasn't needed anyway, right?"

"I guess so too. The mere thought of you was enough." Daniel showed his share of prizes. "Uhm, here, have these, a thank you for the inspiration."

"Oh no! Keep them. You've won them so they're for your enjoyment."

"Are you sure?" Daniel noticed that Master Wilbur was waiting for him. "Very well, I think I have to go."

Silly guy, Helen thought with an amused smile as she watched Daniel walked towards the bazaar.

(Anime screen capture from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Episode 7)

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Fantasia (Part 9)

Previous parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Daniel awakened to a flooded neighborhood. Fortunately the floodwaters were subsiding in a few hours, the rain and winds were gone and only the dark clouds remained. However, the village would still have to clean up from the mud and debris left behind by the overflowing river. Obviously he would not be allowed to roam around the city, so he made himself useful in the clean up. He fumed when rain fell and delayed everyone's work.

Red was returning to his own house with food for the next two days. He was supposed to buy food from whatever enterprising store would open that day, and he had braced himself for the high prices he expected from Merchants. Fortunately though, some Knights had been galloping around Ceres fulfilling their chivalrous task of distributing food for the suffering citizens, and he got most of the essential goods for free. The flood didn't threaten his neighborhood, but a sudden downpour caused flooding on the road back home. Good thing he decided to ride a carriage. He saw Dominic and Crag outside the house collecting rainwater, for the well was muddied. Not far away, Helen was soaked up in the rain taking a bath. Red remembered Helen asking him if it would be alright if her sister Emmie could also stay in his house. Emmie was also a guest for this year's interscholastic visit but was assigned to a different group. The returning homeowner went out from the carriage and inquired, "leaving so soon?" Helen nodded. Red showed his bountiful catch (it wasn't a purchase) and insisted that she stay for breakfast.

After breakfast, Red noticed the long face on Mervin. Oh please, he thought, Helen will be gone for just a few hours! Dominic was also uneasy, for Angela was taking too long at the Box of Conversation. Harvey was checking up on her. Later on, Dominic appeared to be confiding a plan to Mervin who seemed warm to it. Kindred love-struck spirits. The two then approached Crag who seemed amused at whatever that was. Amusement, Red thought, they'd be needing a lot of that, stuck as they were in the house until tomorrow. He had learned that the boats and carriages that would bring all the guests home would come to the Pillars tomorrow morning. He had also chatted with Gorgon who lived by the same street and got the details on the concluded tournament. The entire household struggled with boredom for the entire afternoon. The thought of working on scholastic requirements actually passed their minds and they shuddered that such a thought ever came up.

Daniel had managed to sneak out his house later that same afternoon. He reached the street leading to Red's house, but he suddenly stopped on his tracks. He'd been moving along by sheer compulsion: that was how he sneaked out and how he hurried to Red's place. Yet now his compulsion told him to stop, and he couldn't argue with it. All of a sudden, there was another downpour, but Daniel had brought his cloak for such eventuality. The street at Red's house became flooded, but not that bad as to deter Daniel's boots. The rain strengthened though and he doubted if he should go on. Gorgon saw the motionless cloaked figure out in the street and called out, "hey Daniel! Out to see Helen? She's not there; she went to her sister."

Thunderclap. Daniel waved Gorgon off in what he supposed was a gesture of thanks. He stood a few moments longer on the flooded street. His cloak had kept him dry, yet he was feeling the rain. Then he started moving again towards Red's house: might as well check on the others. He tried knocking on the gates, but the rain was louder. It was no use, he surmised and then walked away.

On the way home, a carriage sped along close to Daniel. Inside the carriage, Helen wondered whether the cloaked figure they passed by avoided the splash. Beside her, Emmie saw what happened and exclaimed, "that guy didn't even dodge it; he could've been ran over! What's up with him?"

At Red's house, everyone figured it was best to nap the boring afternoon away and the thunder failed to rouse them, except for the homeowner himself. Lethargy kept him from getting up though. A short time later, he strained his ear to determine if it was knocking he heard outside. Finally, the sound of hooves and carriage wheels had him scurrying to the gate to welcome Helen and Emmie.

The long afternoon nap had everyone wide awake later that night. All were engaged in a second round of card games. Since acolytes don't gamble, Dominic was a spectator, but he seemed just as anxious as last night's losers who were hoping to win back their Zennies. His eyes glanced at Angela from time to time, just as Mervin would glance at Helen then Emmie then back at Helen again. On the other hand, Angela kept on glancing at the Box of Conversation wondering when Harvey would summon her for a talk.

A short while later Helen and Emmie took their leave for they were too sleepy, being the ones who didn't nap that afternoon. With that, Mervin made a sharp look to Dominic as if accusing him of some delay. That startled the acolyte and he rose abruptly.

Dominic cleared his throat. "Ah, guys, I was just thinking, uhm..." Emmie continued to the bedroom, but Helen turned around to listen, to the delight of Mervin. "That since we, uh, didn't have a farewell ball this time, uhm..." Dominic stared at Angela, who glowered at him in bewilderment. He was taken aback, but found his composure to gesture to Crag to get his guitar. Suddenly, the Box of Conversation lit up and chimed. Angela jumped towards it. Sure enough, it was Harvey.

"Thank goodness you're up!" She whispered breathlessly to Harvey, but that didn't conceal to everyone the relief she felt that he finally made his summon.

Dominic remained speechless at the turn of events. It was Mervin who screamed in frustration, to everyone else's amusement. So that was it, Red thought. He noticed that Helen had gone to join her sister in bed and wondered why Mervin hadn't taken the initiative this time.

As Dominic, Mervin and Daniel lay in their respective beds, thoughts of where they had gone wrong and what might have been kept them from sleeping soundly.

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Fantasia (Part 8)

Previous parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Despite being stranded frustratingly just a town away from Ceres, Daniel had been keeping tabs with how his friends were faring through the use of a newly developed enchanted artifact called the Message Jewel. It had been an emergent favored item throughout the Empire of Fralippolippi because unlike the unwieldy Box of Conversation, this one could be carried around and, as its name implies, could even be worn as jewelry. It did have some limitations, like at that present moment when the storm was interfering with the ability of Daniel's Jewel to regenerate mana (energy). Before it completely died out though, Daniel had learned from Red himself of Helen, Mervin and Dominic, as well as the rest of the guests and some fellow wards of Fourth Group R, being holed up at Red's residence.

The house was full of youthful boys and girls--and no parents!--all of them full of vigor yet still immature. Daniel was tormented with lewd scenarios that could possibly happen in there. Oh! What instinctual need, what primal urge could be consuming them at this cold and turbulent night?

"Damn, I'm hungry already." Crag the musician was addressing no one in particular when he voiced out the sensation in his belly while going through the kitchen cabinets. The candlestick he was holding barely provided illumination for his search for additional sustenance.

Red, the homeowner, felt obliged to answer anyway. "Well, if it weren't for the prefects we wouldn't be in this situation."

A little while earlier, at around suppertime, the prefects dropped by to check on them. They had to do so, it appeared, because they've learned that there were no parents around, but the people in the house grumbled that the prefects simply wanted to eat, and eat they did upon a significant portion of whatever food Red had saved to pass the storm. The prefects left after being convinced that the collective prying eyes in the household would be enough to ensure nobody fooled around. They don't need to dine to their fill to figure that out, the homeowner rued. Besides, he glanced up the second floor and espied two figures staring out the window watching the storm, Mervin, for instance, had been too love-struck to even think of fooling around. Red noted how Helen giggled shyly over some joke Mervin had told her. It must had been one of those jokes the Fourth Group R had heard a lot of times but still laughed over them. He tuned in to their conversation; the collective prying eyes also had ears.

"You really want to be a Healer? Isn't that real challenging? I hear its Masters will not tolerate any mistake." Mervin was asking Helen about her future plans.

"I've put my heart into it. Of course, there should be no mistakes on matters concerning life and death." What a cute response, Red remarked to himself.

Mervin thought so too as he grinned, hoping to appear supportive. "For my part, I'd always thought I'd be good as a Knight, but I've realized the real thing is dangerous." Fralippolippi was one of the places in the world where monsters still thrive. "Lately I have come to take interest with enchanted artifacts...." That was upon the influence of Daniel, Red thought, but of course Mervin wouldn't mention that. The homeowner clutched his Message Jewel. It had a few mana left. He remembered having correspondence with the champion just before supper. Daniel won in the Citadel alright, but he sure is losing this match by simply not being here, poor guy.

A movement of shadows shifted Red's attention to a candlelit table not far from Mervin and Helen. Dominic was gesturing as he tried to impress Angela with his poetry published in A Merry Land. Another poor fellow. It was obvious to Red that Angela was feigning interest. What everyone actually enjoyed was the funny story Daniel wrote about the Codix Master Wilbur and a storm, which, upon removing exaggerations, was no different from what they were experiencing now. Daniel could be a Wizard indeed, was their bemused comment, for he sort of foretold the storm.

Guitar music filled the house once more. Crag had found a way to distract himself from the hunger. The rest of the guests have long found their distraction through card games. They were now discussing raising the stakes to ten Zennies for further thrill. Which made it faster for some of them to go broke, Red thought, and they'd be borrowing money from him. Of course he'd charge interest, a no-brainer for a budding Merchant like him. The thought of profit finally raised the homeowner's spirits and made him forget his own hunger as he went to the bedrooms to prepare for the comfortable slumber of his guests, be they losers or winners.

One town away, the Light Ace vessel finally continued with the last leg of its trip. The blockage had been cleared and the storm had a lull long enough to allow the boat to reach the port of Ceres. From the port, the wards and their masters went straight to the Pillars. The prefects had prepared them dinner, small consolation for the inconvenience. The prefects did not join anymore; they had their fill earlier that night. Later on, they allowed the use of their carriage to shuttle the wards directly to their homes. No detours allowed, they emphasized to Daniel. The wheels of the carriage splashed water around. The lower parts of the city were starting to get flooded. In the carriage, Daniel could only stare at Red's house as they passed nearby.

Back at home, Daniel, although tired from the competition and the voyage, could not sleep immediately. He had been thinking instead. If there was no storm, there should have been a Farewell Dance that night. In the first place, if there was no tournament, he would have been with Helen for two days now. If things were normal, he would have a fighting chance. For all the planning and re-planning he had done, this night was no different from that night three years ago. And when he remembered where Mervin and Helen would be sleeping tonight, he was crushed. Tonight might actually be worse.

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Fantasia (Part 7)

It's been quite a while. It might help if you brush up first on the previous parts: 1 2 3 4 5 6

Heavy rains and strong winds drenched and battered the forest right outside the Citadel of Aqueaon. It was supposed to be a mere couple of hours after noon, but the surroundings were as dark as the final moments of dusk. Occasional lightning flashes revealed figures running around beneath the trees. It was the final competition of the tournament, and the champions of the academies that survived the eliminations were racing against each other in looking for clues to find the Trophy of EveAlone.

Even in good weather, the search for clues was a daunting task. Enchanted artifacts scattered across the forest contained the clues, but before these clues could be revealed, the champions must first surpass the artifact's challenge.

"There's the next artifact!" Romulus pointed to something shiny jutting out of a tree branch. Gorgon, another champion of the Pillars, looked around to see if anybody was following them. So far, they were leading the race. The three, including Daniel, were on a lucky roll considering that they have surpassed the other challenges by mere guesswork. They approached the new artifact and were given a challenge, the second to the last.

"It's a Codix puzzle." Daniel instantly recognized the scribbling. Answering this particular puzzle required advanced skill that wasn't taught yet to the rest of his fellow wards back at the Pillars.

At the Citadel, the rest of the Knights and their masters were monitoring the race through a Heraldic Mirror. Wilbur, their master of Codix, also worked on the challenge. The Knights were amazed at how Daniel solved the puzzle as fast as the master did. They cheered as their champions raced to the last challenge. They were clearly on the way to victory.

While the activities at the Citadel went on, the Pillars had decided as a precaution to forego with theirs, including the Farewell Dance later that night. However, plucky youths that the Knights and their guests were, they decided to explore the City of Ceres instead. The weather was still not that adverse, they would exclaim as if taunting the storm.

All the guests of Fourth Group R had decided to shop for local wares at the bazaar and try the delicacies at the eateries. Of course, where there was Helen and Angela, Mervin and Dominic tagged along. Dominic was amused at how Mervin possessed a servile demeanor around Helen. He, on the other hand, was unable to establish his existence to Angela, as there beside her was Harvey, imperious as always. Later, they all decided to spend the rest of the afternoon at the house of Red, a well-off member of Fourth Group R. Red was well off enough to live near the Pillars, in this spacious residence, away from his parents.

Dominic had finally found the chance to get close to Angela when Harvey decided to go home. Yet how shall he proceed? Melodies of popular songs started filling the air. Crag, the musician of Fourth Group R, decided to give in to the group's prodding for some entertainment. They gathered around Crag. Some guys can be lucky to be blessed with talent, Dominic thought. He did notice though that Angela was having a little difficulty in singing along with the rest. Quickly he searched for a particular scroll in his bag, and rolled it down to the lyrics of the ballad being sung. He sat beside Angela and showed her the scroll, "here, this might help." He was rewarded a smile for the gesture. He smiled back at her. He also smiled to congratulate himself for this small victory.

Singing along with Angela was already heavenly for Dominic, but he would have wanted to go beyond that. If only he had more time with her. Ah, but the head acolyte had found favor in heaven, and his desire for more time was duly answered later that afternoon: the weather worsened around Ceres and the group decided to just spend the night together in Red's house.

Meanwhile, the Knights were having a grand time at the Citadel. Food was overflowing and lively music drowned out the storm outside. Actually, they were unable to win the minor contests, but what was important was that they lorded it over the main event. Amidst the celebration, however, Daniel yearned to rush home. He glanced at the trophy the Knights have been proudly displaying. Worthless, he thought. Even though it was not wholly for his own benefit, he had been dutiful to his task. His own quest, however, was at Ceres.

One of the Masters of the Pillars had noticed Daniel's impatience and understood. "I suppose we all have had our fill, let's go home before the weather gets worse," she declared in a kind voice. A Light Ace vessel was waiting for them by the raging river. Though a small type of boat, its sturdy sails proved efficient in harnessing the power of the stormy winds. Thusly, with just an hour of traveling, they found themselves approaching the last town before Ceres.

Daniel would have wanted the vessel to sail faster than that, but fate again intervened. Debris was blocking parts of the river and boats were having a hard time navigating through them. The townsmen had started clearing operations. In the meantime, Daniel was reduced to impatiently walking to and fro in the bridge of the vessel, struggling to cope with the new misfortune that struck him.

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Fantasia (Part 6)

Pictures nixed from the Ragnarok online website (screenshots).

(Part 1 2 3 4 5)

The first day of the competition at the Citadel of Aqueaon commenced without a hitch. As the other contestants spent their day brainstorming for their speeches, essays and paintings, Romulus expectedly dominated the first part of the eliminations test consisting of History, the Arts and Culture. Daniel got by the test with a respectable score, but what was more significant for him was that he had met some of Helen's friends who were also participating in the contest. Helen, on the other hand, was at home preparing for her visit to the Pillars. It was mid-year vacation for most academies, and with the exception of those attending activities and tournaments like the ones being held in the Pillars and the Citadel the wards are free from their scholarly burden for a couple of weeks.

Early the next day, Daniel was up and about even when the sun had barely risen. The Knights' Master of Codix, Wilbur, noticed his excitement. That day was for the second part of the eliminations with the test consisting of topics in Codix and Magic, his area of expertise. More importantly though, Helen was to leave in a few hours. The sight of the omnibus vessel near the Citadel prompted Daniel to prod Wilbur allow him to go where it was docked.

When Daniel arrived at the dock, however, he suddenly felt unsure of how to proceed. It had been three years since they last saw each other. Would Helen still remember him who, back then, was masterfully shoved to the sidelines? He realized too that in his rush he was still wearing his house clothes.

Daniel had no time to ponder on these jitters, for Helen had appeared by the vessel's port. He beheld the glorious sight of a young lady. She sported shorter hair (looked good on her) and appeared more slender (no more baby fat) wearing her, well, moss green jumper (some things did not change: the color of the Aqueaonian uniform is still comparable to that of the greenery on moist surfaces).

Her face lightened up when she recognized the young man waiting outside. Ah, how her eyes twinkled: the same round expressive eyes that captivated admirers three years ago. Daniel could at first only offer a sheepish smile, overjoyed that she did recognize him. When he had recovered his senses he asked--"how does it feel to be going to the Pillars again?"--anything to start a conversation.

"I feel ok, I guess, since, well, I've been there before."

Both parties engaged in some small talk and a little flattery.

"...and, oh, when you meet Mervin, do send him my regards." Daniel considered himself as being fair when he mentioned his friend's name.

"Mervin who?"

This amused Daniel to quite an extent, but he knew also that Mervin would have an entire two days to re-introduce himself unhindered.

"How do you find the Citadel?" It was Helen's turn to ask.

"It's great; I felt at home instantly." Further small talk about the tournament followed, the better for Daniel to make a good impression in this short meeting.

Then an awkward silence. Was it that Daniel could only look mesmerized at Helen's shy smile or that Helen could only smile shyly at Daniel's mesmerized look?

"Uhm, I think I gotta go, it was nice seeing you again, Helen." A good impression may have been made, but, for a thorough expression of the pleasant outbursts happening in his inner being, Daniel was incapable at that moment.

"Same here. And, yeah, good luck with the tournament!"

More than luck and training, it was inspiration that made Daniel top the eliminations for Codix and Magic later that day.

As the tournament raged on at the Citadel, emotions raged at the Pillars, at least for the new scholastic wards and a handful from Fourth Group R. For instance, there was visibly star-struck Mervin who had been tailing Helen like an escort for the entire day. By late afternoon, they had been staying at the exhibit of A Merry Land, which was popular among visitors, as expected. Dominic had been eyeing the exhibit from his own post at the Guild of Acolytes exhibit and can only sigh: the writers, artists and editors of the literary scroll had broken the monopoly of the guilds of Magic and the Medics, when could be the acolytes' turn?

Dominic had been deep with his thoughts for his guild that he barely noticed a visitor from one of the academies curiously eyeing the portraits of the acolytes in action. "Excuse me, are you the one over here?" she finally asked, pointing to a portrait of Dominic with the High Priest of the Pillars.

"Yeah, it's me," Dominic managed to reply before being overwhelmed by the beauty that was before him: an apparition who had long black hair flow smoothly down to the waist and lips carrying an easy smile. Alas for Dominic, it was a beauty, which like Helen's, had a doting escort who interrupted the conversation.

"Angela, I see you've met Dominic here. He's the holy man of the Pillars." With these words the pompous lad imposed his presence, and turning to Dominic he spoke with a flurry, "by the way, Dominic, this is Angela from the Tower of Aganard." The Aganardians were rivals of the Aqueaonians in Legacy City, as the Greyhounds were the rivals of the Knights in Ceres.

Dominic knew there was nothing holy with how Harvey had introduced him to the heavenly Angela. But at least he was there to do something about it, he thought, unlike Daniel who was helplessly stuck elsewhere.

Actually, Daniel, despite all the limitations imposed upon him by his duty, did not consider himself totally helpless; because, he had a plan. The tournament would end by the next day, and they would return to the Pillars by evening. At around that time, the Farewell Dance would be starting. Even in that small time, Daniel had hoped that he may be able to reverse his embarrassment four years ago. Of course, an announcement of their victory at the tournament would help vastly. He could imagine it: Master Wilbur and Master Dionysus making the important announcement within the program; the victorious contestants, including himself, being presented to the audience, their clout made known not only to the Knights but to the Aqueaonians, Aganardians and other visitors; Helen being invited to dance by him, this time making sure that Mervin and any other admirer would be kept away.

The last day of the tournament came, and the Knights woke up to a cloudy morning. The Wizards of the Empire had predicted a further worsening of the weather until the next day, but the tournament will go on. Daniel never included in his plan adverse weather like the storm threatening EveAlone. He suddenly considered the prospect of being jeopardized even before he could set the plan in motion.

(To be continued)

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Fantasia (Part 5)

(Part 1 2 3 4)

It was sunny and windy all over EveAlone on the day of the trip to the practice tournament. The vessel transporting Daniel and his teammates got a boost from the strong winds. Rather than let thoughts of Helen distract him, he recalled the electrifying competition he just had recently, one of the reasons he needed this practice tournament.

It was a month after the War Games that Daniel and Romulus had their turn to face two beautiful ladies of the Greyhounds in the second round of the Challenge of the Intellects. In this round, the Knights led in the earlier Speed Level, but that lead was diminished by the Greyhounds in the Written Level. In particular, Daniel was suddenly struggling to find the answers. Two more questions remain with the Greyhounds leading by one.

The second to the last question was a surprisingly easy one about the Codix. Everyone answered it, but Daniel pointed out one small detail missing in the Greyhounds' formula. The Knights tied the score.

The last question was asking the name of an enchanted telescope recently built that would peer through the stars for a light human eyes were unable to see.

"It's Bubbles." Romulus suggested the name of a similar but more famous telescope.

"No, the Bubbles sees regular light; besides, it has been in use for a long time now, not newly built." Daniel was wringing his brains, "dammit! I have seen the image of that thing in the news scroll; I just can't place its name!"

As expected, everyone answered Bubbles, but the correct answer was Cassandra. "Argh! So that's why it was at the tip of my tongue!" This greatly frustrated Daniel because Cassandra was also the name of the girl Mervin had fallen in love two years earlier. She was from the neighbor of the Pillars, the Sepulchre of Isis, an academy exclusive for girls. It was another interscholastic visit, and that time she was the girl everyone was smitten with. Daniel wasn't similarly attracted to her pointed nose, fair complexion and cheerful smile, but curiously, it was him, rather than Mervin, that Cassandra would recognize for the following years until he leaves for apprenticeship in Manille.

In the subsequent Clincher level, Romulus correctly answered the first question, which was about Literature. The second question, which was about Magic, disoriented Daniel. The Greyhounds got the answer. The third question about a History quote was similarly disorienting and was punctuated by a tense silence as the contestants thought it out. Romulus showed his mastery of History when he saw through the question, winning the round for the Knights and avenging their defeat at the War Games.

Rather than dwell on the details of his embarrassing performance, Daniel decided to join his teammates in their silly games and conversations: time to let others help him escape from his nagging thoughts.

Meanwhile, back in the Pillars, in its exhibition hall, Dominic was instructing the Acolyte trainees in assembling their guild exhibition for the contest tomorrow. Portraits of the acolytes providing assistance in religious rituals adorned their area. Still to be arranged were samples of religious artifacts used in those rituals. However, Dominic was somehow unsatisfied with their exhibit. An overly religious display, admittedly, could be quite a bore.

Dominic signaled a break from their work. He looked around the rest of the exhibits in the hall. One that easily stood out was the exhibit of A Merry Land. This year could be the literary scroll's big break, snatching victory away from the perennial winners Guild of Magic and Guild of Medics whose tools and artifacts never failed to amaze. This year, A Merry Land went beyond providing a reading lounge for their scrolls. Their area had been transformed into an enchanted forest, complete with statues and images of the creatures that graced the stories in the scrolls. It was a brilliant idea, and Dominic knew why: two of the editors, Mervin and Daniel, became kindled minds lately, inspired by the news about Helen. It was Daniel who came up with the concept of making the stories come alive, but with him being busy preparing for the practice tournament, it was Mervin who zealously executed the plan to perfection.

Dominic picked up one of the A Merry Land scrolls featured in the exhibit, the one containing a poem he wrote. He looked for that poem, started reading, and winced at his old poetic style--better not let the guests read this particular issue--and he buried the scroll beneath the pile. He couldn't believe his old style was that atrocious. What made it more pathetic was the seriousness he tried to convey. It would have been better if he was merely joking, like that poem of Daniel to Mervin.

That memory elicited a smile for Dominic. In another interscholastic visit, the one after Mervin had given up the hope of winning Cassandra's affections, he was again attracted to another guest from the Sepulchre. Her name was Gwyneth, and with long black hair, chubby cheeks and bubbly black eyes, she was cute as cute could be. Mervin intimated about the girl to his uncle, but he was told that she just might be his cousin. This amused Daniel to no end that he was inspired to write a poem entitled "Who is She in Your Life?"

Dominic made his way back to the exhibit area of the Acolytes. The break was over, they better finish their work before the sun completely sets and the Pillars closes for the day.

Across the campus, the officership training drill for that day was about to be concluded. Mervin would finally deliver his instructions, which everyone had been awaiting all throughout the drill: "Alright boys, we all know that tomorrow, visitors from different academic institutions will be arriving to our venerable academy. As the battalion's liaison for the organizers of this event, I will hereby take charge in mobilizing you trainees as part of the welcoming group." Mervin noted with satisfaction how the troops kept silent and disciplined. "You will, in exchange for the wonderful privilege of being the first to see our guests, escort our beloved guests to their respective rooms and carry their luggage. Hardly a problem, am I right?"

"Sir, yes sir!" It was the loudest response from the trainees for the entire afternoon.

"For tomorrow, I would like to see you in formation by the entrance gate at 0800 hours sharp. Wear your spiffiest casual-type uniform, and show them why each of you deserve to be called an officer and a gentleman."

"Sir, yes sir!"

The commander could not help but add, "and take special care of Helen."

"Commander, there should be no special treatment." Mervin quickly replied. A blush could still be noticed through his face that was darkened by days of marching under the blazing sun.

"Oh don't be so bashful, Mervin, we understand. Besides, I've never seen a luckier person than you, know that? For the next few days, your friend Daniel's stuck in a tournament at the Citadel of Aqueaon while Helen's gonna be guestin' here. And you, lucky you, will be welcoming her with a platoon under your command." Turning to the formation, the commander barked, "Troops dismissed!"

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Fantasia (Part 4)

I did not find screenshots from Ragnarok that would convey the action, so I got screenshots from the recent movie 300 instead. Images available from IMDB. Note that these images are merely for establishing the mood and do not depict the actual events in the story.

(Part 1 2 3)

On the day that Daniel left for the practice tournament, Mervin was in the fields of the Pillars observing the formation of trainees for officership. He was waiting for his turn to instruct the troops on a special matter. In the meantime, his thoughts wandered to events that happened more than a month ago...

After finishing the Officership Training Course, Mervin would go on to be the Intelligence Officer of the Knight battalion. They were to compete in the annual War Games of EveAlone. For decades, this was the contest that the Pillars had dominated. The Knights would time and again display to the entire land their superior discipline, arms and tactics, and vanquish any other group that came in their way. But recently, other battalions have stepped up training and have slowly but surely surpassed and surprised the Knights whose morale had been slowly decreasing. Instead, they've been grumbling that warfare had long been gone, that it was the time of Magic, and the Knights have been more successful in that kind of competition anyway: what was the use of competing in mock military battles now?

Ironically, Daniel the champion for Magic, although physically incapable of participating, had been supportive of the martial endeavor. He believed that it would be infinitely better that the Knights show supremacy in all aspects: a sound mind in a sound body. Thus he, together with Dominic, was there at the battlefield on the day of the War Games. They were to document the event for the annual chronicles Tagumpay.

The young troops stood silently in their staging area. Their armor and their shields were heavy but they never moved an inch. Mercifully, since this was only a mock battle, they only carried wooden swords and blunt spears rather than the real ones with heavy steel blades. Mervin was at the lead formation, together with the Commander, while Daniel and Dominic kept their distance from the unmoving mass of armor. This statuesque display was meant to impress upon everyone their discipline, and the stoic mien was meant to unsettle their opponents. But, having witnessed their training, the two chroniclers knew better. The noontime sun was slowly taking its toll on the troops, and one of them silently buckled down. Medics helped the unfortunate one back up, and in a few minutes he was again standing still in the formation.

For Mervin, the veteran of the War Games, standing still was its most difficult part. The boredom could be unnerving, but he must not slide into daydreaming lest he might miss a command. Thus, when the commander finally turned to bark an order, he was aware. It was time. They would now march into a free-for-all battle. Mervin listened to the stomping of their boots and can only sigh. These should thud like there was only one giant Knight marching on the field, but what he heard was like that of a giant caterpillar instead.

A battalion from an obscure academy in a rural town of EveAlone engaged the Knights. Suicidal fools, Mervin thought, but fighting them could still be a good warm-up. "Close formation! Raise shields!" He heard the Commander's orders and couldn't help but sneer. "We'll fight with shields ... and only shields." The troops laughed in agreement. They would push the opponent out of the field, which by the rules would constitute sure defeat.

On another battalion, they used spears only. The blunt spears and wooden swords were laced with red dye to indicate a successful hit. Anyone who was marked but would still stand up and fight would invite disqualification for his or her entire battalion.

At last the battalion of Greyhounds, an up-and-coming rival, decided to engage the Knights. In earlier War Games, the Knights would merely belittle the challenge, but this time, their proud disposition was immediately replaced with worry, most especially the officers who know the real score. They leveled their spears to prepare to charge in close formation. But the two lead platoons of the Greyhounds veered to the left and to the right respectively. Mervin cussed under his teeth at this unknown maneuver. Was his espionage and counterintelligence effort not good enough?

"Bravo Company," the Commander barked to the rear, "form platoons, engage flanks! Alpha Company, follow me!" The two platoons of the Bravo Company found action in no time. Meanwhile, the officers and the Alpha Company made a spear charge to the opponent's battalion at the center, but the latter merely marched backwards in loose formation.

"Commander," Mervin shouted, "I think they intend to flank us too!"

From outside the field, the two chroniclers were also worried. "It seems the Greyhounds are finally fighting using their strengths," Daniel pointed out to Dominic. "Before, they keep on engaging the Knights using force against force, but with superior armor and the rough training, the Knights would have the upper hand of course. Now, the Greyhounds fight with speed and mobility while armor would slow the Knights down. The present inadequate and unmotivated training also helps in further slowing down how the Knights shift formation, enabling the Greyhounds to find kinks in their defenses."

"You really know all these stuff, don't you? Why didn't you tell it to Mervin?" Dominic replied in jest.

"Mervin and the other officers have the same vague idea," Daniel sighed, "it's just that the guys under them don't really take these things seriously."

Alpha Company retreated to rejoin the two platoons of Bravo, one of which was surrounded and taking in losses. The Commander issued a series of orders for a formation that will make the platoons defend from the enemy on four sides.

"Well I have to give credit to our guys," Daniel pointed out, "look, there is a part that is receiving attack, but the orders are to move, so they follow the command and do not fight back. Maybe they can still be cited for discipline in the awards."

"Hope so, Daniel." Dominic knew they could only hope. "But the position they are making has an obvious weakness. All the Greyhounds have to do is pour all that they have on one side so that they can go to the center, and slay the troops whose backs are turned."

Mervin thought so too, especially when the piddling force facing them did not dare to attack his side, the officers' side. It was the opposite side being attacked. Mervin knew it was the weakest side. He turned to the Commander.

"Sir, permission to take command of the center, as a contingency."

The commander hesitated, but had to concur. It was just in time: the Greyhounds had found a break and four of them came rushing to the center. Mervin threw his spear to the Greyhounds still massed outside; it was of no use for close-quarter combat. It expectedly missed since the troops simply stepped away. The veteran Mervin was good in sword fighting, and he downed the four intruders in no time. Unfortunately, the beleaguered side collapsed under the relentless attack. Mervin and the few troops at the center faced the spears of an entire Greyhound company.

Daniel was surprised at Dominic's insight. "It's happening almost exactly as you told. Gee, Dominic, never knew a holy acolyte also know the way of violence."

"Well, it's all thanks to you, my friends."

"Oh, don't look at me; I'm just an armchair general."

Their laughter was short. The fact was the Knights were slowly being withered down in strength, speared and hacked, until the last man fell.

"Drop, you insolent fools!" The Commander's orders shifted Mervin's attention back to the fields of the Pillars. The first thought that came to him was that the Commander has caught him daydreaming, for after the War Games were over, he had allowed himself to relax. But before he could perform the command, he saw the trainees carrying out the punishment. They must've done another stupid misdemeanor, he thought. His joyous instructions would have to wait.

Then he thought of her.

Helen was back in his life. What if she came earlier? Could he had fought more fiercely if he knew she was there? Mervin was amused with his wishful thinking. No matter, he assured himself as the instructions he bore came to mind. Tomorrow would be a great day anyway.

(To be continued)

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Fantasia (Part 3)

Picture credits: The images below are sample characters from the MMORPG Ragnarok Online of the company Level Up!. I don't actually play it, but the game was what I had in mind as a loose template of this story (template only, so it's not Ragnarok canon), not to mention images of its characters do provide a cute effect, hehe. Pictures nixed from the Ragnarok online website (screenshots and mage skills).

Part 1
Part 2

Scrolls were scattered all around Daniel's desk at his home, one October night three years later. Some of them were partially unrolled, others still closed, while others were full of scribbles. At the middle, fully opened, brightly illuminated by candelabra, was the scroll for Codix formulae that Daniel had been furiously reviewing for more than an hour. In the particular team formed for an upcoming tournament, only Daniel was good at Codix (the others were quite fearful of its power and mystery), so he should better focus on it while he would let his teammates focus on their own expertise. After a few more minutes, Daniel decided he was through with the scroll.

Along with fifteen other Knights, Daniel was preparing for another tournament. Having been in other mostly victorious jousts of the intellect since Second, Third to now Fourth Group R--about three years of fierce mental dueling--this should be a breeze, but in truth, Daniel was distracted.

This never happened before. Back in his stint in Second Group R, thanks to their able mentor and coach, Master Dionysus of the Crafts of Healing, Herbology and Animalism, they dominated other academies in Ceres: a teammate, Romulus was the champion while Daniel got the second prize. The next year in Alchemy, it was Daniel's turn to be the champion. In fact, it was through Alchemy that he was able to go to the City of Legacy, and although it was a losing tournament, he managed to get a glimpse of the Citadel of Aqueaon. It appeared that being able to withstand what his fellow wards jokingly refer to as "lethargic side-effect of the potions" would provide him great opportunities.

It was in Fourth Group R that Daniel truly demonstrated his vast understanding of the Codix and Magic and his skillful handling of enchanted artifacts. First up was a contest on controlling Master Artifacts, also called Enchanters, exquisite large crystals that were adaptable to various uses due to its being highly responsive to all of the known Codix formulations. This contest was held in the City of Manille, Imperial Capital of Fralippolippi, and in facing off against the best of the Capital, Daniel and his team was found wanting. But that never deterred Daniel: back in EveAlone, he participated in even more duels of Magic, the Codix, and general knowledge, where he was most successful. For the latter he thus found himself battling it out in the Challenge of the Intellects, the most well-known contest of its kind in EveAlone due to its being shown in Heraldic Mirrors across the land. These mirrors were enchanted artifacts that show moving images as if peering through a window. Here he battled together with Romulus, who was more knowledgeable in the Arts, and they had surmounted two rounds, the first through a stunning rout of lesser academies while the second through a nerve-wracking close fight against two beautiful ladies from the Lair of the Greyhound. It was in light of this two victories and one more upcoming round before the championships that Daniel was preparing for a "practice" tournament prepared by older youths of EveAlone who were now undergoing apprenticeship in Manille the Imperial Capital.

Although this tournament was troubling Daniel, it was not due to the fact that he had other commitments, like the main scholastic work, as well as in various activities of interest like the regular literary scroll A Merry Land (wherein his first writing was a pathetic and sappy retelling of his misfortune in the dance), the annual chronicles Tagumpay, the mini-guild of Magic and another mini-guild for Codix. Certainly it was not due to his minimal participation in acolyte training, which he joined upon the influence of Dominic who was the lead acolyte trainee. Their friendship started when Daniel realized that Dominic's steadfastness led credence to his wise advice, and when Dominic as well had realized that he should be more open to the realities of the world rather than impose his ideals. In fact, in contrast to his previous aloof stance, Dominic had been more personally involved with Kirsten, a guest from the Citadel, since their meeting in Second Group R. Distance was not a barrier as both maintained correspondence through letters and an occasional chat through the Box of Conversation, an enchanted device that sends to the air one's voice to be captured and spoken in another Box thus enabling a conversation through great distances.

Now what could have stopped Daniel from maintaining a similar correspondence with Helen? He had known her address through that piece of paper that he, in a fit of obsession, snitched from public display, had he not? Well, Daniel chose to concede and forget, and in a selfless gesture (possibly influenced by Dominic) handed the paper over to Mervin to bolster the latter's chances with Helen, since other admirers have been going to Legacy to personally visit her. Mervin, on the other hand, was interested more on the identifier the paper provided for the Box of Conversation in Helen's residence. The two talked of sweet nothings until the elders in Mervin's house noticed how this rampant utilization of their Box was disrupting them from doing business.

It appeared to be weeks of fruitless courting for Helen's admirers. As with Daniel and all the others, distance made forgetting easier for Mervin. It was back to the good old days with Daniel where they'd walk together on the way home and poke fun at anything that amused them (they were joined by Dominic on some occasions). Mervin realized that aside from Helen, he had a lot in common with Daniel. He also joined A Merry Land and Tagumpay to hone his writing skill. And he was also influenced by Dominic to undergo acolyte training. But if Daniel was good enough to compete in Magic and the Codix, Mervin would train and fight as a Knight, the original skill their school was known for. He started out with the humble role of a drummer in the marching band. This developed his musical inclinations that, together with Daniel (who plays the harpsichord albeit clumsily) and other minstrel hopefuls, they tried to form a musical troupe. Later on, Mervin underwent the more rigorous training for officership. Daniel tried to join as well, but found himself physically incapable of performing the most demanding of tasks that any officer must perform with ease. He returned to training for the contests in Magic and the Codix.

Daniel jolted himself from his reverie. What was he wasting his time for? With a sigh, he unscrolled the Book of Enchanted Artifacts. There was no time to be distracted, he had made his choice. Besides he already had a plan, hopefully it would work. No, he had thought about it a lot of times, and had considered the things that were at stake: it had to work. "Helen," he sneered at himself, "I thought I've forgotten her. Now she's back, and, funny thing is, I am allowing her to mess with my life again."

(To be continued)

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Fantasia (Part 2)

Picture credits: The images below are sample characters from the MMORPG Ragnarok Online of the company Level Up!. I don't actually play it, but the game was what I had in mind as a loose template of this story (template only, so it's not Ragnarok canon), not to mention images of its characters do provide a cute effect, hehe. Pictures nixed from the Ragnarok online website (link). Pictures were edited.

(Part 1 here)

In typical "Knightly" fashion, the wards were a boisterous, critical audience. By this time, hopefully, the guests, especially the performers among them, were used to the loud jeering, hooting and plain kinetics of their hosts. But everyone, including the prefects who keep watch on the wards amidst the subdued chaos, might still be caught unaware of audience participation like that of one prankster who went up the stage with a hanky ready for wiping the perspiration of a guest balladeer.

The most awaited performance was from the Aqueaonians. They started their number with a modest folk dance while wearing modest costumes, but before the crowd went completely bored, they shifted to a popular upbeat dance about being separated from a loved one:

Panaginip ko at hangarin
Ang ika'y muling makapiling ('pagkat)
Saan man tumungo, alin mang ngiti,
Nakikita ko'y yung sa'yong labi...

That, and the revelation of gypsy-like outfits beneath their modest folk costume, brought the Knights' Great Hall down. Helen beamed with pride for her older fellow wards in Aqueaon. Mervin was quick to show appreciation. On the other hand, Daniel's reaction was dulled by his confusion.

Shortly afterwards, the dance floor was open, and everyone flaunted their dancing skills, or lack of it (though that didn't matter anyway). The boys' propensity for fun sure was contagious, thought Helen, who, though not of a dancer, found herself enjoyably moving to the upbeat drums of the musicians with Mervin, Daniel and other new friends and admirers. That was until the musicians decided to slow things down, and Helen's heart skipped a bit, for she hardly knew how to handle this new rhythm.

"Shall we dance?" It was Mervin, ever so quick tonight. Daniel held his breath, dazed at was he was witnessing. Helen also held her breath, what could be a polite reply?

"Sorry, but I don't know how," she finally said, "and I'm really tired, let's rest instead."

Mervin, Helen and Daniel sat by the sidelines and watched at how pairs danced the night away, from some with tentative steps to a few with peaceful intimacy. Several other admirers bid their invitations, but Helen consistently refused, stating the same reasons. Daniel was contented that she would refuse all invitations for a dance, with two reasonable excuses to boot.

Indeed she was tired, but resting was still uncomfortable for the Hall was warm, what with all the heightened emotions, so Daniel borrowed a folding silk fan, an item made in the larger neighboring empire of Qin, to cool Helen and himself (and Mervin who was near Helen anyway). "That," Mervin exclaimed at Daniel's fanning, "could hardly carry a breeze!" He grabbed the fan. "Here, let me show you." His vigorous fanning blew away whatever was left of Daniel's spirit.

Helen had rested well enough, and the fan has cooled things down for her, thus eliminating one of her reasons. Mervin moved in for the kill: "shall we dance now?"

Helen clung to her one remaining excuse, "But I really don't know how."

"Don't worry, it's easy. I'll show you."

Di mo pansin 'sang bagay sinta
Ang sumaiyo'y aking kahilingan...
Ano p'ang kawalan, kundi 'di ibigin?
Umaasang ako'y tatanggapin...

The musicians were playing a rousing chorus. Mervin flashed his warm friendly smile and held Helen's hand. Whatever was left of her hesitations vanished all of a sudden. He guided her to the dance floor and there they stayed for a long, long while.

Daniel was catatonic. When the Farewell Dance ended, he walked mindlessly back to his home. Mervin was not only quick, he was also cunning, Daniel thought as he finally lay in bed. He could not believe that intelligent though he was, his mind was still a simpleton's for it could not even conceive what Mervin had seamlessly, gracefully executed that night. That, and alternate scenarios more favorable to him, were the last thoughts in his mind until he finally welcomed the consolation of sleep.

May mga bagay
Na lingid sa kaalaman ko
Ang iniibig
Ay kailangan ding lumayo...
Kung managinip ako
Tungkol sayo ay dalisay
Magkayakap, magkatabi
Magpakailanman...

(To be continued)

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Fantasia (Part 1)

Picture credits: The images below are sample characters from the MMORPG Ragnarok Online of the company Level Up!. I don't actually play it, but the game was what I had in mind as a loose template of this story (template only, so it's not Ragnarok canon), not to mention images of its characters do provide a cute effect, hehe. Pictures nixed from the Ragnarok India official website (link). Pictures were slightly edited.

It was afternon. The sun-drenched hilltop trees of the Aerie swayed with the gentle winds of March. The swishing of the leaves produces a lively rhythm as petals fell from the trees like a gentle rain, releasing its fragrant aroma for the people of the Aerie to enjoy. What a way to punctuate the joyous mood around the hill, as the season marked the end of a year's worth of scholastic struggle. More so for Daniel and his peers, who were to celebrate not just the end of a year but entire decades of quests for mastery. As a reward for their labors, they would attain the Full Order of the Eagle, an honor coveted in the entire Empire of Fralippolippi.

For that particular moment however, the cheerful display of nature did not have the intended effect on Daniel as he walked up to his lodging by the hilltop. The dark fort-like facade of this usually gloomy edifice now seemed to be a welcome refuge for him as he walked inside its dark lobby. "Perfect," he remarked on the darkness feebly illuminated by a single lamp by the newsscrolls. He went through the motions of reading the scroll for the day, yet his mind was quick to wander. Perhaps it would be better for his mind to do so: at least he would not be totally engulfed by the darkness. Thusly, his mind went back to a place and time he left behind, but was unable to forget. Way, way back it went to the Land of EveAlone, way, way, back to seven years ago...

The Pillars of the Knight, a premier scholarly institute of Ceres City, the city right at the heart of EveAlone, was abuzz with excitement. The scholastic wards were having a break from all the scholarly pursuit of the arts and crafts. Instead, there were visitors coming, visitors from similar institutions in EveAlone that answered the call for interscholastic camaraderie.

"The vessels have arrived!" Necks craned and the buzz grew louder. The youngest wards of the Pillars grew impatient. They would have wanted to meet the visitors then and there along the riverside port as they disembark from their ferry ships, but they knew that they had to be disciplined especially for this occassion. The guests would be escorted to them. For now they had to be contented with the distant view of the sails on the ports near the gates of their venerable academy.

Among these restless younger wards was Daniel of First Group R. He had experienced a similar activity before in a different institution and knew somewhat that the selection of guest wards depended on criteria different from the host wards' preferences. But he would know soon enough whether he was right or wrong; from the noise emanating among the other rooms, it appeared their neighbors had started receiving their guests and their room would also do so in a while.

Applause and pleasantries greeted the guests of First Group R. Among them, Helen was mildly amused (or that she hoped was how she appeared). These wards of the Pillars sure were fun-loving and polite, as told to her by older peers from the Citadel of Aqueaon back in the seaport city of Legacy. Too bad these lads were not all handsome as claimed too by her friends, but there surely were some head-turners. What was somewhat unsettling for her and her fellow guests were the fuss and attention their hosts were overly bestowing on them while at the same time these same hosts were approaching them as if an invisible barrier like that of an aquarium exists in between. Ah, the Pillars was an institution for boys only, they were also cautioned by their peers; thus, expect them to behave curiously sometimes. Fortunately for Helen and the other guests of First Group R, there was an exception in the person of Dominic.

Even to the rest of First Group R, Dominic was, to put it mildly, a different person. He trained to be an acolyte, a rare calling, and thus he lived like an acolyte, an even rarer disposition still. He imposed upon himself stiff moral standards that others in the group find unrealistic. More than that were his weekly self-expunging of sins. But what was most abrasive to the group was that he preached all these to them like he wanted to impose it to everyone. Well for that day, Dominic was in his element to the chagrin of the others, for in seeing no malice, he saw no barrier in communicating with the guests.

Meanwhile, Daniel was finding his eyes constantly gazing at this girl named Helen, or that was the name he found on the sheet of paper she pasted on the board. The paper was the output of their first activity used to indicate, among other things, a neutral facial expression she drew to describe how she felt at that moment, and her address in the City of Legacy. He had realized that this Citadel of Aqueaon (it must be her academy since she was wearing its vestments: the moss-green jumper-skirt) did choose their representatives to be pleasing to the eyes. Unfortunately though, what was pleasing to his eyes was also pleasing to others' eyes--many other pairs of eyes, to be sure.

That was Daniel's predicament. He was intelligent, being trained to be a mage, knowledgeable in the various common letters as well as the Codix, the mysterious language of Magic. But physically, he was a wraith; although possessing a gentle comely face, he was tall and lanky, and like the usual mage, lacking that commanding presence in a crowd, much more a reasonable amount of brute strength. For Helen, we was ranged upon young lads of either better resources, face value or other desirable external attributes, not to mention persons more experienced in the ways of romance.

The one person who would know of this predicament was Mervin, who recently had been Daniel's companion in the long walks home from the Pillars, both of them deriving humor from day-to-day things along the way. Perhaps it was his warmth and his quick smile that made Daniel share his new secret. "Don't worry," he said confidently and reassuringly, "you have my support."

Time passed by quickly, on the second night they were already gathering for the Farewell Dance. Outside the Knights' Great Hall-turned-ballroom, just before it opened for the festivities, the young lads flocked around the girl of their liking. Daniel and Mervin, working as a team for the entire day, had engaged Helen in some chit-chat. A number of hopefuls still flocked around her, engaging her in their own small talk whenever they had a chance.

Oh! What could be her charm? Was it the way her long curly hair rise proudly in a bun? Was it the way her round eyes twinkle with sentiments hidden by her silence? Or perhaps it was her roundish face made rounder by her mannerism of puffing her mouth up.

Consistent with tradition, the Farewall Dance opened with a show. Helen was with the group of Mervin and Daniel. Or was it the two joining Helen's group? So far so good, thought Daniel, at last he would be seated beside Helen. But lo! In a quick move, Mervin took that seat beside her.

(To be continued)

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