Five years ago116Please respect copyright.PENANAu7WqEIazQ2
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As promised, I returned to school after what felt like spending two days in the other world. I found I wasn’t lied to about the amount of time that had passed. When I returned, it was late in the afternoon on the same day that I had left. Lucky enough, it was a weekend, so not many people would be worried about me. When I met with my friends, they all thought I had gone to study somewhere else. On the weekends, anyone was free to study from anywhere, like the grounds or the library. Even in the dining hall, if the smell of food makes you motivated to study. I lied to them, saying I was in the library, because I knew they didn’t like the place as much as I did. Therefore, everything went on as if nothing had happened.116Please respect copyright.PENANAagQYUYedfT
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Well, not quite.116Please respect copyright.PENANA1J8uJszuFW
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Now that I know that I’m a supernatural being, things are going to be a whole lot more difficult and different from now on. The High Order had agreed that I would be having regular classes with them. Though I preferred doing them on the weekends, as we previously agreed, they opposed it, saying that my training was now of the utmost importance. On Monday, straight after class, I quickly went to the dorms to change out of my uniform, and before my friends could notice me, I rushed to the kitchen area behind the garage to the portal Ryan had drawn when we first met. By the time I was getting back to my world, only a few minutes or an hour had passed, while my lessons took much more time than that.116Please respect copyright.PENANAiRuHMDj7xb
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For the first week, I had to focus a lot more on how to read and write the ancient language. As soon as I mastered the alphabet, I started to learn words and phrases. Every now and then, after the lesson, Bob will give me a simple exercise that I have to do right there and then. It wasn’t easy, but I soon got the hang of it. He even gave me small books to read to help me understand the words faster.116Please respect copyright.PENANAD3SgEltTtr
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I also started my lessons on using the green stone, the nature stone, with Bob after my body had fully healed. My first exercise was to sprout a bean plant from its seed state. We had gone to the orchard to practice that. Bob also advised that the place was calm and peaceful since not everyone passes there. I did get a glimpse of a group of trainees in their colorful cloaks walking at a distance. It’s funny how I still had to be separated from them when I was just like them. That’s if they can use all six elements, which they most likely can’t.116Please respect copyright.PENANA2kC3X8p1F1
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Sprouting the bean plant that Bob buried in the ground made me sweat like hell. He kept telling me to concentrate and be one with nature. I sat there under the orange tree, almost making my head burst. It was easy to use the nature element when I was fighting in the maze. However, I do remember being told that those were only power boosters, and they were also designed for others who couldn’t use certain elements. It seems like I had to learn things the hard way.116Please respect copyright.PENANAsjON8b6DDX
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My first day of training didn’t go so well, as I failed to sprout a bean plant. Bob advised that I needed to learn how to meditate and tap into the mass amount of energy inside me. That’s easier said than done. It would look weird for me to meditate back in the dorm in front of my friends. I told him they would call me names. As Bob escorted me back to the flower garden to be teleported back to my world, he calmly emphasized that if I was to use the other elements, I would have to practice meditation every day. I assured him I would, which is why, when it was time to turn the lights off at school, I calmly sat on my bed and did those fancy yoga poses. I was just getting the hang of it and connecting to what’s around me when Christine, who slept above me, snored so loudly. I made a mental note to go to the bathroom next time.116Please respect copyright.PENANAEC2GpgCDjL
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My second day of training wasn’t that bad. After my linguistic lessons with Bob, we went out into the orchard again, and this time, the bean plant slightly sprouted to the surface, though at the end of it, my head felt like it was going to explode. Bob was quite pleased, but he never stopped emphasizing the importance of meditating.116Please respect copyright.PENANAij31uk7n9f
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I continued with my training under Bob for close to a week, and I was now starting to get used to it. I finally sprouted a full bean plant. Bob tested me a little further, as he made me sprout three bean plants at once. It was tough at first when, on my first try, I only fully sprouted one and the other two barely sprouted. Bob’s advice: learn to distribute your energy equally. It took a few days to get it right. Bob said it was important, especially when you want to use the element from different directions. It can also come in handy for those who have more than two elements and want to use them simultaneously.116Please respect copyright.PENANANvbzg63eYK
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"Though there will come a point in time when you can place different levels of energy to use on the elements when necessary," Bob pointed out with caution. "But the more elements you can control, the harder it is to master that kind of skill."116Please respect copyright.PENANA263cAFtrmi
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He didn’t have to say it. It was obvious. Using all six elements at the same time was something I never knew could be possible. I wonder if Her Highness could manage to do that.116Please respect copyright.PENANAtcSElWsPF3
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As time went on, I was able to distribute my energy equally and managed to grow five bean plants at the same time. The other time, Bob made it a lot more difficult when he planted the bean seeds in different parts of the orchard. Which was so unfair.116Please respect copyright.PENANAH96EcJdXlI
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"How am I going to know where they are?" I asked him.116Please respect copyright.PENANAsATtGl9vOY
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"This is where you have to use nature to know what you’re targeting," he said. "Look around you. What do you see?"116Please respect copyright.PENANAoG3kSplq37
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I didn’t have to look around to tell him there were trees everywhere. This is where he taught me that the living things around me emitted some kind of energy, which he mentioned as aura. Apart from the supernatural beings, you can easily tell the auras of humans, plants, and animals if they aren’t supernatural themselves. He said you could detect where they were even with your eyes closed. Knowing how to read auras can help a lot, he included, as I am able to know what’s out there, especially if it comes to auras of supernatural beings.116Please respect copyright.PENANA6JuSPdYS0O
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"The more powerful and intense the aura, the more powerful the supernatural," he said.116Please respect copyright.PENANAkgrivLetWe
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Reading auras was a pain. This time it wasn’t like before, where I had to channel out my energy to generate something. I had to take in all the energy around me, which felt a little overwhelming. I could only read a few trees and the grass around me, but even then, I couldn’t detect where the beans were or even Bob’s aura. I almost passed out with exhaustion until Bob told me to stop for the day. He did give me a little exercise to try to practice with one living object around me at a time. He said once I get used to reading auras around me, I could be able to expand my range.116Please respect copyright.PENANAXXsltrtbA7
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When I went back to school, I found myself practicing in the classroom during evening study time. I had to do it with my eyes closed at some point until the prefect in charge of our class thought I was snoozing and told me to wake up. I stopped myself from practicing because the next time I’m caught napping, I may find myself outside of the classroom as punishment.116Please respect copyright.PENANA3MwbWef3rS
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Although I was making progress with reading the aura around me, it took a lot longer to master it than I thought. Which meant I still couldn't find the bean seeds, which was annoying. Bob didn't discourage me, though. While my reading of auras improved, I realized that I could tell apart auras from even the tiniest living creatures to trees. It was much easier to read auras with my eyes closed as I could see the aura of the living things taking shape. At some point, I could slightly detect Bob’s aura.116Please respect copyright.PENANAj1h9PhS5c8
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After another week had passed, I finally managed to widen my range, and I managed to find the bean seeds Bob had hidden. He instructed me to make them grow from where I sat under the orange tree, which I successfully did. We didn't have to go to the ends of the orchard to see the plants for ourselves. Their auras emitting from afar were a clear sign that I did the job right.116Please respect copyright.PENANArIfqtufvnW
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Since I was now getting into tune with using the nature element, Bob also taught me how to use nature as a weapon, like I did in the maze. However, I now had to divide my time, as I was supposed to start my lessons with Stella. I was on my third week of training (time on Butterfly Island) when, after my lessons with Bob, Stella came over to pick me up. Bob didn’t forget to remind me that I still had to practice using the wind.116Please respect copyright.PENANAdOI5Ts1Z7C
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For my next part of my training, Stella took me past the orchard, further to the east. I had never gone beyond the orchard. We reached the boundaries of the grounds, and guarding the gate were two men. They opened it for us, and when we walked right through, the salty air of the ocean hit me in an instant. We were looking over a harbor below us. The only way to get down there was to walk down the rocky, stony path of the hill. I didn’t expect to find myself outside the castle grounds.116Please respect copyright.PENANAKUoxt5N3Uy
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Sensing my excitement, Stella informed me that this was a private harbor only meant for the higher-ups. Moreover, there weren’t many activities on this side of the island, so she thought it was a safe place for me to practice. That made me grumble a little. It explains why there were only a few small boats and a not-so-big ship down at the harbor. When I looked a little more, the place looked completely deserted.116Please respect copyright.PENANA9sqW4tB7Ih
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When we went down to the harbor, we walked along the sandy beach, stopping a few meters away from the harbor. We stood close to the shore as the small waves kept coming in, and I was advised to remove my shoes. Every time the water came up the shore, I had the sudden urge to run away, yet I would stay to feel the cold water at my bare feet, which was quite refreshing.116Please respect copyright.PENANAqGG2YVHhWn
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After goofing around for a bit, Stella, who stood behind me, told me to stay there and instructed me to stop the water from reaching my feet. I turned to look at her with my eyebrow raised. I couldn’t help but ask how I was going to do that. Stella went on to say that the first thing I needed to learn was control.116Please respect copyright.PENANA8rwE7V5e8K
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"Water left freely to roam on its own is an uncontrollable force," Stella explained. "For us destined to control the water element, the first basic training is control. You have to be the master of the way it flows. In that way, you’ll be able to control it, shape it, or change direction whenever you see fit."116Please respect copyright.PENANANo3jzYBt1j
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I knew this was going to be tough, but after clearing my mind like Bob instructed me, I tried stopping the waves from reaching me. As usual, I didn’t do it as well as I had hoped. The first time I tried holding the waves back, my hold barely lasted a second before it reached my toes. What I thought at first would be a relaxing time because of the water reaching my toes has now become a big ball of frustration.116Please respect copyright.PENANAvkdFf7gYbk
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Stella encouraged me that I was doing a lot better on my first day than expected and later on instructed me to use my energy to build a sort of invisible wall to stop the water from reaching my toes. When I tried, it still proved to be difficult, as each time I tried to hold the water, I barely held on for even a minute. I practiced until sundown, and when Stella told me to stop and call it a day, I saw Bob and Ryan above the hill on the stone path, watching. Knowing how to control the elements was getting harder by the day.116Please respect copyright.PENANAfyf6VjzPsq
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I continued practicing under both Bob and Stella for the next two weeks, spending more time training on the water element than the other. I soon mastered how to control water and shape it too, which was the hard part. It was hard to hold up a sphere of water. When I first started to do so, I could barely hold it up at all. Now I could hold it up for hours on end.116Please respect copyright.PENANA4RZk549IWN
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Focusing on my training wasn’t the only thing I had to keep in mind. I had schoolwork to balance it with, and with the term ending soon, we were having more tests than usual in preparation for the end-of-term exams. Every time I got back from training, I had to make sure I took a quick bath, a quick nap, and had dinner at the dining hall with the rest of the students. If I wasn’t too tired, I could manage to go through study time without snoozing off. Sometimes, I was unfortunate enough to doze off a little. The only way to stay away from trouble was to write a short story or doodle on my book to pass the time and keep myself awake.116Please respect copyright.PENANA40PDvEfIke
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My social life at school didn't get affected as I had hoped when I first started to go for training. The fact that I had to go there and still manage to come back to school as if I had never left was helpful. No one suspected a thing because it felt like I had been gone for a minute or two when I would spend hours on end in the other world. Sometimes I could even spend a day on the island when it came to it. It felt like I had spent a week of training on the island, when in my world it was barely less than three days.116Please respect copyright.PENANAOk1S6cAsK2
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On a certain day, I walked out of the portal, finding myself back at school in my world. It was still late in the afternoon, and I had to go back to the dorms to prepare myself for supper. Just as I turned around the corner of the garage, I noticed the school was strangely quiet. Usually at this time, I would find people walking outside the dorm area, heading for the dining hall. Many students like to go there early to avoid running from the dorm when the siren rings. Surprisingly, not a single soul was about. Something didn’t feel right.116Please respect copyright.PENANAXvl4PlNCh9
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I quickly went for the gate that led into the dorm area. When I walked through, I noticed there weren’t many people walking around the ablution area either. Usually, the place was filled with students coming out of the showers and heading to their dorms. The place was very quiet and completely deserted. Could something have happened that I’m not aware of?116Please respect copyright.PENANA2rfTzbgRQg
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I turn towards the hall that leads straight to the dorm area, and there is an eerie feeling at the back of my spine. Something didn’t feel right at all.116Please respect copyright.PENANAyohWRFLAzN
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I slowly started my way down the hall, and as soon as I came out of it, I stood still, looking around the square-shaped dorm area. This is strange. Where is everyone?116Please respect copyright.PENANAc8xRFrhy8U
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I turn to face the door of the nearest dorm just in front of me. I didn’t bother to knock, as I quickly grabbed the handle and swung the door open. The sound of the door hitting something that noisily dragged onto the floor caught my attention as I stepped into the room. A white plate was on the floor right next to the door, and when I looked further into the room, someone lay flat on their belly on the floor.116Please respect copyright.PENANAuKyESY3sPS
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I quickly ran over to her and turned her around. I recognized the girl as one of our seniors. She looked to have passed out. I checked to see if she was breathing. Thank God. What could’ve happened to her?116Please respect copyright.PENANAD4AXf1UipX
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I look around, and I notice many other bodies lying unconscious, some on the floor, others on bunk beds. I checked those near me. They were breathing, but when I shook them, they never responded. This is bad. Is everyone like this?116Please respect copyright.PENANAM0OBII9eKz
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I rush out of the dorm and enter the next one. The scenario was the same as before. Everyone lay unconscious. I quickly made a run for my dorm and found many of my dorm mates on the floor. I walked over to Amanda’s bunk and found her lying unconscious on her bed.116Please respect copyright.PENANAj8mlfnjkDB
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"Amanda!" I called out to her as I came to shake her. Just like everyone else I had tried to wake up, she didn’t budge.116Please respect copyright.PENANAVdwXtNzsfl
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The whole school is unconscious. This didn’t seem right. There was nothing in the air that smelled like someone had released a gas to make everyone fall asleep. Should I run over to the teacher’s compound to inform them of what’s going on?116Please respect copyright.PENANAkT1jJucTwn
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I went over to check for Christine by my bunk bed, but there was no sign of her on her bed nor on mine. I checked near our bed; she might have fallen on the floor somewhere, but there’s no sign of her. Could it be that she must have fallen unconscious somewhere else?116Please respect copyright.PENANAmKZ57UUzhh
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As I made my way out of the dorm, I started to worry. What really could’ve happened here? Did someone really gas the school? I ruled out the motion of gassing seconds ago. No one could’ve done this on such a scale. What is worse is that I don’t even know where to start looking.116Please respect copyright.PENANAIwM3Q8I98D
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I stepped out into the corridor of the dorm and tried to take in heavy breaths, telling myself to calm down. I have a bad feeling about this—that I really shouldn’t be here. Should I call for help from Butterfly Island? Darn it! I just remembered that I don’t know any spells to summon them. I might have learned the language, but spells was another subject for another day, Bob had told me. Moreover, Ariana is supposed to teach them to me. Going back through the portal behind the garage did sound like a good idea to go and call for help, but I can’t leave this place abandoned.116Please respect copyright.PENANA1PrDaZcBr5
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I straightened myself up, calming myself with each second that passed. Think, Diana, I told myself. No ordinary person could’ve done this. If they did, they wouldn’t have done it alone, and I could have sensed them if they happened to be around the school. Could a supernatural being have done this? Why can’t I seem to sense their aura?116Please respect copyright.PENANAgh4KWndZYB
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The hairs at the back of my head rose in an instant. Someone is here.116Please respect copyright.PENANAbHAtPvMe29
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I look towards the two lawns in the middle of the dorm area, and on one of the lawns with the tree with the metal rod that acted like the bell, stands a person, leaning against the tree on the other side. I found it difficult to see their face. Judging by their aura, the person is a supernatural being. Uh-oh.116Please respect copyright.PENANAbrJnCCeEfZ
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Should I approach the person? Hell, no! Judging by his or her aura, I could tell they are strong. The aura almost felt similar to those of the High Order of the Butterfly Island. I surely hope they don’t engage me in some kind of fight, which I wasn’t ready for. I hadn’t trained enough in physical combat.116Please respect copyright.PENANAnrcrT5HLtS
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The person soon moved away from the tree, walking around it and coming into view from the other side. I continued to look on as the person made their way towards the path in between the two lawns, dressed in a long black attire almost befitting a dress. I noticed a red belt wrapped around the waist, holding the attire in place. The person had a white mask in the shape of a white cat. The mask, colorfully decorated as well, portrayed the cat’s facial features of the ears, eyes, nose, whiskers, and mouth.116Please respect copyright.PENANAwPUPgjSvfa
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I swallowed as the person reached the path and started to approach. Surprisingly, I found myself walking down the corridor, approaching the dirt path. Once I got off the corridor, the person stopped, and so did I. The distance between us was just fine. If it so happens that I have to run away, I might have a head start. However, I had a funny feeling that there would be no need to run. There’s a good chance he or she will catch me even if I try.116Please respect copyright.PENANAwzeMWqBnvk
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We stood there in silence, waiting for someone to say something. I couldn’t take the silence any longer as I opened my mouth to speak, but the person in the mask spoke first.116Please respect copyright.PENANAsV6CXgUalL
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"I take it that you’re Diana?"116Please respect copyright.PENANA6MEJAmM2fP
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It’s a man behind the mask. I swallowed as I gathered myself to answer.116Please respect copyright.PENANAhOcMAH08yc
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"It depends on who is asking," I said.116Please respect copyright.PENANAIV2BUVB5A6
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I hear him scoff as he raises his hand to remove the mask. He is of Asian descent, with narrow eyes and high cheekbones. He has thick, long black hair tied in a ponytail. I couldn’t deny that he looked really handsome too, especially when his perfectly thin lips were raised into a smile. I couldn’t tell if he was mocking me or if he simply wanted to look friendly.116Please respect copyright.PENANAqb6y8YXfUm
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"You can call me Katarou," he said. "I have been looking for you."116Please respect copyright.PENANAzEOYV0cvCm
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"Well, here I am. Did you make everyone here fall asleep?"116Please respect copyright.PENANAn9d2hgoJg0
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"I needed a little privacy. It would’ve looked strange if a stranger like me happened to show up here. And considering that it’s an all-girl's school, I’m guessing males aren’t allowed in here."116Please respect copyright.PENANA0wIk4xRQD3
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"Then why go through the trouble of putting everyone to sleep when you could’ve easily just looked for me and gone somewhere private?"116Please respect copyright.PENANABaYNNzgTKL
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Katarou’s smile broadened. "I’ve never met you before." He took a step closer. "I’m such a troublemaker that I had to look for you in the only way I knew how."116Please respect copyright.PENANA2l2WlqJ2aQ
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I raised an eyebrow. What does he mean? My eyes widened.116Please respect copyright.PENANA0SsPumW0ZW
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"What did you do to my friends?" I asked him.116Please respect copyright.PENANA5RWjBDsg9X
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"You’re smart." He held out his left free hand, and a black spider emerged from his sleeve. I almost jumped at the sight of it, but I held my cool. Spiders are creepy, but none ever scared me like the one sitting on Katarou’s hand.116Please respect copyright.PENANAQYvf9nU6Wf
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"I had a few of these roaming around and biting everyone," he continued to say, looking at the spider like it was his prized treasure. "Don’t worry, it wasn’t that painful, and they all didn’t feel a thing. Moreover, their venom is not that poisonous. They will be awake in an hour."116Please respect copyright.PENANA6JkzO4f9OZ
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"You had many of those things roaming around?" I asked.116Please respect copyright.PENANATdRzMayeSN
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"Yep." Katarou looked very proud of himself. "They were able to hide in the shadows, so no one would notice. I had to be quick about it too. I didn't want them to faint outside this area. It would raise suspicion from outside."116Please respect copyright.PENANAENzKeHmtIA
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"Well, here I am. Wake everybody up, and we can go talk somewhere else."116Please respect copyright.PENANAehcFrlmktv
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Katarou shook his head. "Don’t you want to know why I did that? If I wanted to really find you, I would’ve tracked you using your aura. However, you’re only learning how to use your powers, so you haven’t fully developed a strong one yet. And there seems to be a strong sense of supernatural aura around here."116Please respect copyright.PENANAt1EQGxJrOn
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"Some of the students here are also supernatural," I realized. "Maybe a lot of them don’t even know they are since their supernatural side remains dormant."116Please respect copyright.PENANAthgTt8wo4E
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"You’ve been taught well." He took another step closer. "The poison in everyone’s veins was only meant to affect normal humans."116Please respect copyright.PENANABo4zKqyj04
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"That would mean the others who are supernatural wouldn’t be affected. Then how come I’m not seeing them?"116Please respect copyright.PENANA7rCdSH8igD
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"Because, Diana, they also happen to all fall asleep."116Please respect copyright.PENANAppKdAteZzX
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He was confusing me now. "What do you mean? You said the poison in their veins is meant to make humans sleep."116Please respect copyright.PENANADRi1wDWKDw
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"I added a little something to the poison. Their supernatural aura is either too faint to handle the poison or their aura core is different."116Please respect copyright.PENANAs1wQS6Zt0h
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"Aura core? I’ve never heard of that before."116Please respect copyright.PENANAhl3Ot1GPl3
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"You still have a lot to learn, I see. Your aura core determines what your element is. The poison I designed could only keep those with a unique aura core unaffected. To be honest, I was just giving it a test drive. I didn’t think it would actually work."116Please respect copyright.PENANADtNEntMkDr
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That makes sense. I pointed my finger at him. "Hey, if it’s your first time using it, then you should’ve tested it on something else. The students here aren’t your guinea pigs."116Please respect copyright.PENANAOMeqqTYyr3
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"I’ve used this venom on many powerful supernatural beings too, and it works efficiently. Like I said, I twerked it just a little..."116Please respect copyright.PENANAwWWWu5AaaB
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"In order to pick me out," I finished the sentence.116Please respect copyright.PENANAfDx4VaBPdq
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"Yeah, but you weren’t bitten, so it wasn’t hard to realize that you weren’t around."116Please respect copyright.PENANAeNcD8gVLNa
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"Now that I’m standing before you, what do you want?"116Please respect copyright.PENANAu6WsvdOHai
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"I had been told that you could control all six elements. I came here more like on a courtesy call to see it for myself."116Please respect copyright.PENANAhBnqrp9Lb7
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"Well, you’ve checked. Now, can you please leave?"116Please respect copyright.PENANABjRW5lL2fB
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"Chasing me away so soon?" Katarou folded his arms. "I wanted to see for myself just how strong you are."116Please respect copyright.PENANAtjVEnzN34P
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"You just mentioned that I just started my training, and I’m not strong enough. Why would you want to test me?"116Please respect copyright.PENANAdUplmCFksq
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"Because I know you’re interesting." Katarou raised his eyebrows in amusement. "Also, you don’t have much of a choice."116Please respect copyright.PENANAsNjaxxqJX0
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"I’m not going to do this," I said as I started to back away. "I can’t fight you so aimlessly. So if you can kindly leave, you’ll be doing me a huge favor."116Please respect copyright.PENANAD9hMDGlXgS
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Katarou took another step closer. "It’s sad that you joined the Butterfly Sect. I wish we had found you first. No doubt, you would make a fine trainee in our ranks. We should’ve acted quickly when your aura popped up."116Please respect copyright.PENANAD2VPAw3tPW
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"What do you mean by that?" I asked. I remembered the High Order mentioning that there were many groups similar to theirs. Katarou’s must be one of them. So anyone would’ve easily picked me to join their sect? I wonder how many there are.116Please respect copyright.PENANADbgPrhWu1b
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Katarou smiled. "When someone turns into a supernatural being, sects like mine and the Butterfly pick up auras in an instant. That’s if they know that the being is capable of using their special abilities for the first time."116Please respect copyright.PENANAePyK3xPqLT
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I remembered when Stella first visited me in my dreams and told me to come meet her. That was after my superhuman abilities had manifested. I wanted to ask further about it, but then that would mean mentioning how she happened to come in my dreams that depicted the future state of the school if I didn’t deal with the threat that would come—only God knows when. And I don’t think Katarou should know about that. For a supernatural to look into the future was rare, I remember Stella telling me. No, Katarou shouldn’t know how Stella found me.116Please respect copyright.PENANAE9THEfacDL
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"You know, you can easily join the Spider Sect," Katarou said with a grin. "I can make you the best out there and train you to harness the perfect balance of Yin and Yang."116Please respect copyright.PENANAF3gjVuou8B
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The fact that I might be able to control this Yin and Yang is going to be a problem if other supernatural beings find out that I exist. Lord Vandell’s actions were proof of it. I didn’t ask for this. I still haven’t forgotten that Death is lurking around somewhere, waiting to have a go at me. Now I have to deal with this unwanted popularity of harnessing Yin and Yang, as people would like to call it.116Please respect copyright.PENANAPmyAtVVWN2
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"Sorry, but the Butterfly Sect found me first," I said. "You snooze, you lose."116Please respect copyright.PENANAjnhobx9FQR
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"Yeah, you’re right. They are actually one of the best sects out there. Including ourselves, of course. According to them, right now, you’re in your larval stage. When you train more, you develop into a strong supernatural; that’s the butterfly stage. When it comes to you, though, you can go beyond being a butterfly, especially when you finally grasp the control of Yin and Yang."116Please respect copyright.PENANA1qUgq1brjH
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"Something tells me I don’t want to know what that stage is, and no one can be so sure that I’ll ever master it."116Please respect copyright.PENANAkGaF1i7Hkz
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"Then let me help you figure it out," said Katarou, stretching out his hand that held the spider. As though knowing that it was in the way, the spider disappeared under his sleeve.116Please respect copyright.PENANA9cbhSVQu3x
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"No, thanks. Like I said, you are late."116Please respect copyright.PENANACTvpkZpYzq
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"Huh," he muttered, looking a little disappointed. He withdrew his hand. "That place must have really grown on you. Then let’s get back to what we were talking about earlier. Prepare yourself. I want you to fight me."116Please respect copyright.PENANAD85LYe3Zu9
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"Not a chance. I already told you to leave."116Please respect copyright.PENANAZKb2bjFDgI
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Katarou raised an eyebrow. "Then you won’t mind me if I carry some of your friends with me back home, do you?"116Please respect copyright.PENANAiOOz3ZDQ5P
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The space behind Katarou started to change, and I saw white rope start to appear, stretching from the roofs of the dorms on my left and right, slowly coming into view. The ropes look to form a certain pattern, and they happen to head to one central place above the dirt path, weaving up into a circle. It was then that I realized that the strings and pattern they formed were a huge spider web. Moreover, there were ten students stuck on it, some of whom were my dormmates. Only one of them stood out in particular. Christine. They were all unconscious. Did a huge spider do this? The web looked huge for a small group of spiders to create.116Please respect copyright.PENANAAcTuUg75kD
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I noticed Katarou smile at me as I continued to look in horror at what was in front of me.116Please respect copyright.PENANAT0IX4fs8XB
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"Let them go, Katarou," I said, almost fuming. "They have nothing to do with this."116Please respect copyright.PENANAp7VnhJ0aeX
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"Until you fight me," he said.116Please respect copyright.PENANArMriAXn6Es
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Now I wish I had left the dorm earlier to call for help when I had the chance. I may know how to use nature and a little of the water element, but I doubt they will help me against him. I wish I had those power boosters, as the other elements would’ve helped me somehow. Katarou is now proving to be trouble indeed.116Please respect copyright.PENANACOU0BPFryt
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"If I do this, will you let them go?" I asked. "And maybe leaving me alone too."116Please respect copyright.PENANAsg7dvTuOKU
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"I’ll let them go," he said with a smile, pleased that I decided to fight him. "But you know leaving you alone will not be easy."116Please respect copyright.PENANA1jiKQL2Irl
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I tried not to roll my eyes at him. "Whatever. Let’s get this over with."116Please respect copyright.PENANAIKE1oqCacY
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"The first to surrender wins."116Please respect copyright.PENANAVsozcSXa7s
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I scoffed. He’s a professional, and I’m just an amateur. There’s no point in determining who will win this one.116Please respect copyright.PENANAnitnu2LmDo
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Before I could take a step forward, I felt something that made the back of my hair raise in an instant. Before I could react, I felt a sharp sting on the side of my neck. My hand quickly flew to the spot, and I knew I missed whatever bit me. As I quickly turned around, I saw a small, purple spider go up the roof, fleeing with the use of its web.116Please respect copyright.PENANApsLrvlk1Y9
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"What did your spider do to me?" I asked, looking at Katarou.116Please respect copyright.PENANARwZd8bfoTM
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"I didn’t say there were any rules to this game, did I?" Katarou couldn’t help but smile with so much malice. "This poison affects even the most powerful of supernatural beings. It all depends on how long you can keep up with fighting me as the effects kick in. The effects will wear out once you knock me out."116Please respect copyright.PENANAizOINkgYS2
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Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on the side of my head, and for a moment, I felt my knees grow a little weaker. I placed one hand on my knee while the other held the side of my head. The effects were kicking in fast. Slowly, the pain wore off a bit, but I could tell it was only a matter of time until it came back again. I feel it will be much worse than before.116Please respect copyright.PENANAA2waZQ6OZK
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"This isn’t fair," I said, straightening up a bit. The weakness in my knees was starting to wear off too. "You should be going easy on me, you know."116Please respect copyright.PENANAbHYEH24lvR
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"Nothing is easy in the real world, Diana. You know that."116Please respect copyright.PENANAI1uCAIfDwB
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He was right, and I had no reason to deny it. Still, he didn’t have to poison me. He has already won this fight by a landslide. I had to show him, though, that he couldn’t mess with me. I have to put up a fight, or else he might just take my friends away for sure.116Please respect copyright.PENANAFqQsOTacRg
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He smiled at me as though he read my thoughts as he lifted the mask he wore close to his face.116Please respect copyright.PENANAxrpYh3sY6T
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"Are you ready, Diana?" he asked.116Please respect copyright.PENANAG2S6blF3Au
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I stretched out my left hand to the side, ready to summon an element of my choosing. "Do your worst," I said.116Please respect copyright.PENANAymByvweImv
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"Oh, I will," he said with a grin, and he wore his mask. The next thing I knew, he came charging at me.