11: Ace Of Dragons

◆◆❃◆◆ᴍᴏᴏɴ's ᴘᴏᴠ◆◆❃◆◆

(7:32 am. August 14, 2019 HM's office)

"As I was saying headmaster, twenty-five students were killed in yesterday's 'hunt". Seven students were hunted by the Black Dragon, five students for the Fire Dragon and Wind Dragon, and four to White Dragon and Water Dragon." basa ko sa hawak kong tablet habang kaharap ang headmaster. This is what I hate being a secretary. I should report everything that happened related to the students! Arrrrrgh!

"It seems the Black Dragon Gang is now acting wild and active. Any news to David and Sam?" si Kuya David ang leader ng Black Dragon at si Kuya Sam naman ang sa White Dragon na kasalukuyang nasa Royal Palace silang dalawa and I don't know why they are in that place.

"Apparently there is none. But headmaster, can I now attend training?" hindi sa excited akong magtraining, pero excited na akong lumabas ng headmaster's office!

"Mind if I attend your 'training'?" okay class, the word of the day is SARCASM! Binigyang diin pa ng headmaster ang salitang 'training' bago unang tumayo saka lumabas ng office habang nakasunod lang ako sa kanya.

"Anyways, have you decided your weapon?" nagulat naman ako sa biglaang pagsasalita ng headmaster. Paano ba naman kasi, bigla-bigla magsasalita! Tsk!

"Not yet." tuloy lang kami maglakad habang dumadaan kami sa mga nagtratraining na estudyante na halatang nagulat sa buglaang 'supervise' ng headmaster. Naging center of attraction na tuloy kami, kainis.

"Hmm...I suggest you either chose swords or daggers since you are good in close-battling." muntikan pa akong napahinto sa sinabi niya pero tinuloy tuloy ko pa rin ang paglalakad. Nanahimik na lang ako kaya nagpagpasyahan na rin ng headmaster na tumahimik.

Hindi nagtagal at nakarating na rin kami sa training area ng klase ko at mukhang nahagilap kami ni Sir John dahil papunta siya sa kinaroroonan namin.

"Pleasant morning to you Headmaster. Good morning Moon." masiglang bati ni sir habang tumango lang ang HM at nagbow ako sa kanya.

"Moon, uh do you know why Mr. Lheo Natividad is absent?" marahan niyang tanong habang nakatingin naman ako sa pwesto nila Derek at Sniper Smith.

"Mr. Lheo Natividad was hunted yesterday Sir." one single sentence of mine made the tension a little bit freaky until we heard Andrew's clappings from the other side, catching Derek and Sniper's attention as well as the other students.

"Good match!" sabi ni Andrew with a hint of excitement in his voice. Everyone literally stopped at his presence until a moments passed, all of them bowed to Andrew. I saw Derek's hesitation to bow until Sniper pulled him.

"Oh Andrew, what brings you here?" sabi ni Sir John na mabilis na pumunta sa skandalong ginawa ni Andrew.

"I have to announce something regarding to the hunt which happened recently--yesterday's evening. A total of twenty-five students were dead, including, one of our classmate, Mr. Lheo Natividad. Who is his partner?" napaface-palm na lang ako sa ginawa niya. Hindi man lang ba niya nararamdaman ang pagkagulat ng mga kaklase namin?

"Ako ang kapartner niya President." nagsalita si Sniper na katabi ni Derek ngayon at seryosong naglakad papalapit kay Andrew.

"Okay, since Mr. Lheo is deceased and you are left with no partner, what will we do?" palipat-lipat ang tingin ni Andrew sa dalawang nagspaspar kanina habang nakaboss pose siya.

"Eh kung kami na---." tinignan ni Andrew si Liza at sa tingin pa lang ni Andrew ay tumahimik na ang kawawa kong kaklase. Tumahimik ang paligid kasabay ng panginginig ng katawan ni Liza sa titig pa lang ni Andrew.

"Hay naku Andrew. Lessen that coldness would you? Especially in front of ladies! Hindi ko talaga maisip na ganyan ka kalamig sa iba pero pagdating samin nila Moon, ibang----" mabilis pa sa hanging dumaan, tinignan ni Andrew ang katabi ko na tumatawa ngayon at tumigil lang ng nakitang naiinis na si Andrew.

"Okay I'll just shut up. Any way, would Mr. Smith, Mr. Manediul, Ms. Volmalos, and Mr. Kroburur come with us?" napalingon naman agad ako sa katabi kong headmaster. ANO NANAMAN TO? Kakapunta lang namin dito tas biglang aalis nanaman kami?

Lumingon sakin ang HM at bigyan ng sumunod-ka-na-lang-look kaya wala naman akong nagawa kundi sumunod sa kanya. Ewan ko na lang kung nakasunod samin yung tatlo. Tahimik kaming naglalakad which I find it satisfying because I like silence. Until I found myself following the headmaster to the private training grounds.

Lumingon samin ang headmaster at tumingin kay Andrew na hindi pinapahalatang nagtataka rin. While ako naman, kinakabahan kasi may kung anong ideya na ang naiisip ko na pwede naming pagusapan dito sa lugar na to. Tuloy lang naming sinundan ang headmaster sa pagpasok sa elevator at paglapag sa second floor.

Napatigil na lang ako sa pag-gegenerate ng ideya ng naramdaman ko ulit ang mysterious awra na bumabalot sa paligid ni Derek na nasa harap ko. Eversince yesterday and last week, that awra is kinda familiar to me. Nung biglang lumingon sa direksyon ko si Derek saka ko iniwas ang atensyon ko. Could it be....

"hem. I called the four of you because of something important. I bet all of you know about the incoming exam right? Today, I saw Sniper and you, Derek, spar with each other. Seeing that both of you are good, what I want is, for each of you to assess ecah other." sabi ng headmaster pero hindi ako nakikinig sa mga pinagsasasabi niya pero nung nagtanong si Sniper ay biglang nagspark ang interes ko sa sinabi ng headmaster kanina

"What do you mean, 'assess each other', headmaster?" matagal ko ng kaklase si Sniper pero hindi kami naguusap. Ngayon ko lang narinig ang seryoso niyang tono.

"I want the four of you to play a game." naestatwa ang buo kong katawan sa sinabi ng headmaster. He challenges us? Into what?

"A game of what?" plain na tanong pabalik ni Andrew kay headmaster habang nagmamasid lang ako sa paligid. I am a cold yet silent person; that's what my classmates say about me.

"Simple. Have you ever played cards?" naglabas si headmaster ng isang card niya habang nakangiti pa rin samin. Cards is his weapon as well as favourite thing.

"In playing cards, you have to gamble something right? You can either have a Joker, Ace, King, Queen, or a Jack. The mechanics is simple, you have to guess what your enemy's cards have. If they have normal ones, then you can relax. However, if they have one or two on the five main cards, you have to base on you luck. But, you can only guess what card your enemy is going to drop. Your little game will have same function and mechanics, but not based on luck. Kayo ang apat na players. I will give each of you a card. It may be an Ace, King, Jack, or a Joker." mahilig talaga sa card or guessing game ang headmaster pero ano ang connection?

"Since all of you has a card, you have to protect and defend your card. How to play this? Simple. You have to collect Ace, King, Jack, and Joker in its order by first sparring of the Joker to the Jack. If you won, then you can get his card, if you lose, the Jack will get your card. Like I said, the person who has the most cards is the winner. The reward? He or she can chose his or her partner...or, if he chooses all of you to be in his team. And another thing, he will be rewarded for a top ranking position. After ng physical exam niyo, we will sort out teams, not by partners na. A team will have a four members, since apat na kayo, who knows kung yun na rin ang gusto ng mananalo sa laro ninyo. Oh and by the way, the twist of this game is that, the Joker will guess who is the Jack by decoding a certain clue. If he picked the Ace or the King, well, matatanggal siya sa laro kasi dapat ang una niyang makakalaban ay ang Jack." ayoko na talaga. A team of four? Paano yon eh ang nagsosort ay ang mga mentors sa mga partners nor teams? And, top ranking position?

"I am sorry pero, headmaster, ang mga mentors ang nagsosort sa mga partners nor sa simasabi niyo pong team--" naputol ang sinasabi ko ng tumawa si headmaster. Okay anong nakakatawa?

"Moon, who am I?" okay, sabi ko nga. Tumawa ng tumawa ang headmaster pero tahimik kaming apat. Ang akala ko kasi, magtratraining lang, pero ngayon, nauwi naman sa laro. Headmaster is still the Headmaster. Siya ang nasusunod sa mga patakaran dito sa school.

"Okay I'll stop. Snipey, come here and choose any of these cards." biglang naglatag ng apat na nakatagong cards sa table ang headmaster at lumapit si Sniper sa table. Tahimik niyang pinili ang pangalawa sa kaliwa at naiwan ang tatlo. Nasa harap kaming tatlo nina Andrew, Derek at ako kaya hindi namin makikita kung anong card ang nakuha ni Sniper kasi nasa opposite part sila.

"Andrew." kaswal na naglakad si Andrew. Pagkabaliktad ni Andrew sa card niya ay kita ang excitement sa mga kilos niya. Ano kayang nakuha niya? Hindi inantay ng katabi ko na tawagin siya ng HM at walang tingin-tinging kumuha ng isang baraha. Ni hindi niya ito tinignan at nilagay agad ang baraha sa bulsa. Nang tumingin ako sa mukha ng HM ay alam ko na ako ng huling kukuha at akin ang huling baraha.

Nanlaki ang mata ko sa barahang nakuha ko....

...I got the ACE....

....which means I am the last challenge for the Joker...

But the question is...sino sa kanila ang may hawak ng Joker?

"Since all of you got their cards, who is the Joker?" nakangiting sabi ng headmaster pero alam kong may hint of sarcasm siya sa boses niya. He only knows who is the Joker, right?

"Since the Joker wants to be silent, here a little bit of advice. A Joker can be invulnerable in the real card game. YOU are the challenger. And the other three are your stages. Do you now understand, Mr. Lucas Derek Manediul?" nanlaki ang mata ko sa pahayag ni headmaster. Lucas Derek Manediul is the full name of Derek? Ang nakasulat lang kasi sa records niya ay Derek Manediul kaya bahagya akong nagulat. But that's not the point. The point is, Derek has the Joker. Derek is THE JOKER. And now, who is the Jack and King between Andrew and Sniper?

And I really wonder why the HM didn't let the Queen card be a gambling piece.

"Moon, sa tingin mo, mananalo kaya ang Joker laban sa inyong tatlo?" I don't want to make any guesses because I am not the Joker but the HM asked me in a serious tone.

"I am not a fortune teller sir. Ask the Joker maybe he knows the probability of his win or lose." tumalikod ako bago pumunta at umupo sa resting place dito pagkatapos kong hindi sagutin ang tanong ng HM. Mga sampung hakbang lang ang layo ng naipunta ko kaya maririnig ko pa rin ang usapan nilang apat doon.

Naramdaman ko ang kaunting pagkirot sa kanang kamay ko. Lecheng shuriken ni Natalie talaga, tss. Buti na lang talaga at nakasanayan ko na ang gloves at ang mga sugat.

Ang rami ko ng iniisip tapos biglang dadagdag sa problema itong larong to.

"What a day." bulong ko bago napasandal at nakinig muli sa usapan nila.

◆◆❃◆◆ᴅᴇʀᴇᴋ's ᴘᴏᴠ◆◆❃◆◆

(8:13 am, PRIVATE BUILDING. August 17 2019)

"Since all of you got their cards, who is the Joker?" parinig ng headmaster sakin. Moreover, his eyes shone with sarcasm. Hindi ako or should I say kaming apat nila Snow, Andrew, at Snipey ay hindi nagsalita and even dared to move.

"Since the Joker wants to be silent, here a little bit of advice. A Joker can be invulnerable in the real card game. YOU are the challenger. And the other three are your stages. Do you now understand, Mr. Lucas Derek Manediul?" napakuyom ko ang kamao ko sa sinabi niya hindi lang sa pagbunbunyag na ako ang Joker kundi dahil sinabi niya ang buo kong pangalan. I didn't use my first name because it reminds me of my dead mother who used to call me that.

"Moon, sa tingin mo, mananalo kaya ang Joker laban sa inyong tatlo?" Snipey? So the headmaster called Sniper Snipey huh? Good name though. But regarding to that question, hindi ko maiwasang hindi tingnan ni Snow.

"I am not a fortune teller sir. Ask the Joker maybe he knows the probability of his win or lose." hindi na kumibo si Snow at tumalikod samin at pumunta sa isang bench na hindi kalayuan dito.

"The first part of the game is Joker vs Jack. Now for your quest Mr. Joker, who is the Jack?" nirecall ko lahat ng sinabi ng headmaster regarding this game.

"....the twist of this game is that, the Joker will guess who will be the Jack by decoding a certain clue. If he picked the Ace or the King, well, matatanggal siya sa laro kasi dapat ang una niyang makakalaban ay ang Jack....."

Nagiging manghuhula na ako sa kanila nang nagsalita ang headmaster.

"Okay, I'll give you a clue." the headmaster grabbed a dagger carved weird letters on the table.

'R L H S G'

What does R L H S G means?

ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴄᴏɴᴛɪɴᴜᴇᴅ...