"I was at the fortress when the trees and shrubs marched..." 

The Battle of the Trees

CHAPTER THREE

     The space I'm in moves in spiral movement. I can't speak, I can't breathe, I can't move a single limb.

     "H..help," I managed to utter. I was still continuously falling down to somewhere I have no idea. I was like dragged to some abyss that my weight seemed heavy though it started to fade like a hollow. Am I going to die?

     I closed my eyes and my tears started rolling down my cheeks. How did everything end this way? I still have my relatives to support when I graduate, I still have dreams.

     In an instant, I felt my body gently hit a grass. Like a gentle hand has put me down. I opened my eyes and saw myself between trees, in a forest maybe? I managed to move my body as I gazed around to my surroundings. This isn't somewhere near school. And it's not even in the city.

     "Where am I?" the place looked normal, nothing suspicious. But my question is, what just happened?

     There was a sudden movement against the bushes and I shivered. The shade given by the trees felt like darkness already entered the forest. Fortress for evil.

     I started to search for my phone inside my school blazer's pocket and looked at the time. That's weird, there was no signal and my time stopped or somewhat went weird. Is my cellular device broken?

     I heard a growl somewhere near and I started to panic. Behind the shrubs, I thought. I managed to stand up and made a step backward before I started running. I don't know why I ran but it was a good choice because the animals also ran, maybe towards me. Good choice but never lucky. The sound went nearer and nearer and my feet started to ache from running. I glanced back only to see something I would never have imagined; two pairs of glowing red eyes chasing me. Thinking that adrenaline rush would save me, I continued running even if I have stumbled down a lot of times, I managed to stand up and have avoided branches. I am so doomed. But...

     "What am I doing here?"

     I hit a rock and I fell on my knees. My heart started to race with a speed I have never experienced before. My predators went out of the dark shade and their teeth were gritting and dying to pierce me. I started crying.

     "Please, I am not a tasty meat," I said between my sobs. I could hear the animals' ragged breath and their need to feed on me. Am I going to die now? Or was this just a dream? Minutes later, silent crept around.

     "Hahahaha!" A laugh echoed around the forest. A guy's voice. I raised my head and saw a jock with blonde colored hair standing in front of me, grinning.

     "Wh..who are you?"

     "First, your crying face looked awfully ugly and disturbing," My brows twitched. That's just rude. I wiped my tears against my blazer and I saw him grimaced, "Second, shouldn’t I ask you that question?"

     "Aren't we going too far?" a gentle voice said then a guy with brunette colored hair stepped in front of me, "Seeing you as you are now, I guess you're okay," the first guy snorted and pushed the second guy away.

    "Your uniform doesn't look familiar," he gathered a few strands of my hair, I fidgeted and slapped his hand away that made him mad, "We should kill her."

     "What? No-" the second guy protested but the guy in front of me glared at him that shut him up.

     "Her smell reeks of human."

     "I am a human!" I yelled and pushed him away, gathering all my might, I kicked his center of manliness, he groaned and I tried to get away but he grabbed a hold of my hair and pulled me down forcedly. My face hit the ground, my jaw ached and I felt that my face has been scrapped. I struggled to get loose but he was just too strong!

I managed to peek at the other guy but he looked away doing nothing to stop this crazy man's action. Are they killers? But they were wearing school uniforms! They are students. It can't be.

    "You bitch, that hurt!" I winced of the pain he did to my head, he was still holding my hair, tighter even. "Dione, morph and kill this human."

     "You can't possibly do that! And you guys are humans too!" I argued. He pulled harshly. Ouch! What is their problem?

     "You're spouting rubbish. Don't even label us to such kind," it felt as if he hates all of humanity, their existence. Like some story behind his words.

     "Chase, we should just bring her to the council," Dione, if I could remember accurately, said and I heard a soft thump, probably a tap on whatever body part of Chase.

     "You can't possibly kill me, just think of your future. You'll be put in a jail, what will your kids say when their dads were a bunch of murderers?" what am I saying?

I glanced at Dione and they seem to ignore my remark. Aren't they human? Wait-

    "If you don't morph, I'll do it," I saw Chase's canine became sharper. Don't tell me they were the one chasing me awhile back? This is not true!

    I fought my way to be out of his grip but he was just stronger. Until I heard an audible lightning sound and there, in a flash, I found myself freed from Chase's hold and the latter was already at a tree branch together with Dione.

     "What the hell are you doing, Hamilton?" a lady's voice started. Her voice was full of authority and power.

     "Modifying rules," Chase answered, playing it cool. I looked up and saw two maidens also at a tree branch. The lady with auburn hair was wearing a long black cape, covering her body, the same with the other lady but the former was wearing a pointed hat like for witches and the latter's head is covered by a hood, only her long black hair revealed out. I never saw any witches in my entire life, I just knew she was wearing the same hat on picture books I’ve seen.

    "Like a rebel, huh? I'm going to report this to the council."

     "Like I cared," Chase replied, pocketing his hands, "And what are you going to do with that human? Hide her? That's also against the rules, Woods."

     "She's not a human," the lady with the pointed hat, Woods, as what Chase called her, exclaimed and jumped down my location. The other lady smiled at me and helped me stood up. I can't help but feel at ease by their presence.

    I saw Chase's hand form into a fist and glared at me.

    "What are you mumbling about? What her scent is, I can't be mistaken. She's a human!"

     "Weres," the second lady muttered under her breath, like Chase was some kind of a person she really hated, "Then your animal extinct has betrayed you, Chase Hamilton" she continued, guiding me with her hand supporting my back, "I believe Cunningham here knew it."

     Chase sharply looked at Dione. And the latter took something from his pocket, it was a pair of eyeglasses. He used it and also took a small notepad from his other pocket.

     "I was not quite sure of the information but if I could give a hunch, the smell you have sniffed from her hair must be what the humans called - chāmpo," Dione explained.

     "Uhm, I think you're referring to shampoo?" I intruded and all of them looked at me in surprise. Chase sniffed my hair, that's the only answer I could get from his action. Also, Hindi's champo meant shampoo, right?

    Dione cleared his throat and jot down something.

    "That would be its English derivation then," he said, which made Chase fumed and snatched the note away.

    "This is no time for lecturing, you annoying prick!" Chase jump down and walked towards me, only having the two ladies block his way, "I can't be deceived! Her skin, that unfamiliar clothing, all of it smelled like human!" he gestured like I was some kind of a suspect in a crime and he was a witness, "And she said it herself that she is a human."

    "That's because she came from the human world," a voice echoed. It was the same voice on the old book back in the library!

     In an instant, Chase was already bonded by an invisible rope as he winced in pain. A woman in a retro dress with a cape and a witch hat came out of nowhere. She looked like she's in her mid-30's and I can't help myself but be amazed by the surrounding fireflies-like along with her.

     "Mrs. Osborne," Dione whispered and I saw Chase looked away, "Did she really come from the outside?"

     Mrs. Osborne nodded and looked at me. I was a bit surprised. She had green emerald eyes and a hair tied into a tight bun. How can the hat hold its place with the presence of that tight bun?

     "Were you the one who called me?" I asked. Chase's eyes were in disbelief and the other two maidens were smiling at me. Dione was somehow hiding behind a tree mumbling 'I'm dead' to himself.

     "Yes, Allison."

     "Trinity's fine, Mrs. Osborne," I dusted off my skirt and I stopped when I saw blood dripping down my knees. I actually forgot that I had it here. Though it’s a surprise that my jaw didn’t break just by assessing how strong Chase’s poured down his anger on me, the pain was bearable but I know the wound will leave a scar. "Why am I called again?"

     "Firstly, we should treat your wounds caused by this impudent student," her eyes were darted on Chase as he just glared at me. Why am I being hated this much? "You're going to be in a cellar duty the whole week, Mr. Hamilton."

     "I don't think they purposely did this, Mrs. Osborne," they almost killed me and yet here I am trying to defend them, "I am suspicious anyway."

     By then, Mrs. Osborne freed Chase. I don't know why but my sense of justice didn't apply today. Maybe because the twins were not here?

     I heard the guy snorted, dusting off the dirt off his slacks and walked past me. No one stopped him.

     "Your kindness would be the cause of your death," he whispered and disappeared. I flushed deep red and covered my face.

    "Dione, I forgot to tell you that you are needed in the lab. Hamilton blackmailed you for being here, didn't he?" First name basis? Does Woods have close ties with him?

    "No, I came on my own will," Dione answered, "Chase's my friend, Delica," the guy had gone off our sight and I wondered. The two guys seemed opposite; how did they even end up being friends?

    "Well then, we should get to proper business," Mrs. Osborne clapped and in a blink of an eye, we were already standing in front of a building, a school building that I have never imagined. It was bigger than any other schools back at where I belong. There were students flying on broomsticks, creatures taller than the tallest guy in my class and they had wings, not the wings of a bird, but wings that the same as that of fireflies though each were of different colors.

    "What is this place?" I asked. I can’t believe what I’m seeing!

     "A place where you belong," Delica stated. She held my right hand and gently squeezed it to reassure me.

    "And a place for you to stay," the other lady continued. I still don't know her name and 'other lady' seemed quite rude. I looked at Mrs. Osborne who was leading the way, she looked back and gave me a smile.

    "Welcome to the Prodigium Academy," she exclaimed, "The academy for supernaturals."