Salamanca: Magical Girls Chapter 2

                                    SALAMANCA: MAGICAL GIRLS

                                  CHAPTER 2 : HILLARY'S WINGS


            The alarm clock rang a shrill tone, and Kate woke up to another day. She stretched out her arms and gave a sigh of relief. Then, she remembered everything that had happened yesterday - the Spirit Wisp, the transformation, the battle with the demons and the terrifying Rasgul. She looked at her left arm, and saw no bracelet. She looked inside her bedroom, and no cat nor Spirit greeted her.
          "So I was really right!" she said cheerfully. "All was just a dream! I'm so happy!" Her voice was loud and clear. "I'm so happy!!!!!!!"
          "Keep the voices down!" a familiar voice stated.
          "Who's that?" Kate asked. Actually, she hoped no one answers.
          But someone did, loud and clear. "We have just met yesterday and you have already forgotten about me." An orange-and-yellow striped cat emerged from her bedsheets. "Are you that forgetful, or you really wanted to forget?"
          Kate stared at the talking cat in shock. She looked at her desk and saw the pink bracelet Wisp has given her. It wasn't a dream, after all.
          "NOOOO!!!!!!" she screamed in despair.
          A few seconds of screaming and her door opened with a big bang. Her father and brothers appeared, still in their pajamas. His dad was holding a bat, Daniel with a broom and Gabriel with a feather duster. They were in a position of attacking, and they looked really odd and funny.
          "Where's the monster who wants to hurt my daughter, where is he?" Mr. Pearson bravely asked, ready to strike down any creature who appears in her room. Apparently, the news about Rasgul barging on their home and threatening and chasing Kate away has given him a right to protect his family.
          They all looked so dumb that Kate couldn't help but laugh. The three men looked at her, and Kate went into hysterics.
          Daniel and Gabriel exchanged confused looks. "Don't tell me..." Daniel said.
          "....that our sister has finally pulled a prank on us?" Gabriel continued.
          Kate stopped laughing, and realized that she has hurt them. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
          But instead of being angry, her brothers cried. "Wha-?" Kate said, surprised. "Was that really bad that you have to cry for it?"
          "Bad?" Daniel repeated. "No, dear sister, it's the best..."
          "Huh?" Kate wondered. She's more confused now.
          "....best prank you have pulled on us!" Gabriel said. "You really are our sister. We share the same blood and humor!" The twins embraced each other and cried even louder.
        Kate's jaws dropped. Boy, does she have weird brothers.
        Her father seem indifferent though. "What happened Kate?" he seriously asked. "Why did you scream?"
        Kate thought of an excuse to keep herself out of trouble. "I was just surprised by a running mouse, that's all!" she said.
        "A mouse?!" Mr. Pearson exclaimed. "First a demon-man, and now a pest rodent in my house." He was very worried. "Get ready boys!" he told his sons. "Next mission: Operation Mouse Extermination! Report to base immediately!"
        "Aye, aye, Captain!" Daniel and Gabriel answered. The three men went out and Kate heard them go downstairs.
        Alone, Kate was dumbfounded. "Can somebody tell me what's happening to my family?" she yelled.
        "I believe nothing has changed, they act normal" Wisp replied, stretching his slender cat body in Kate's bed and then lied down. "Now, quiet down and let me go to sleep."
          Kate was annoyed. She picked up the cat by its fur. "And it's not normal for cats to sleep in human's beds," she said and threw the cat to the floor.
          Wisp landed safely, but he looked angry. "I am a Guardian Spirit," he said. "In my world, I am worshipped and blessed by my people. You have no right to treat me this way. And besides, Spirits can sleep whenever and wherever they want."
          "Hello?" Kate told him. "You might have forgotten, but you're not in 'your world'. And I'm not one of 'your people'. And didn't you tell me yesterday that Spirits don't sleep?"
        "Yes, in my world," Wisp told her. "But in 'your world', I act like an ordinary animal. And sleeping is ordinary in ordinary animals in this world, I believe?"
        "You're wacking my head," Kate told him.
        "I don't know what 'wacking' means," Wisp said.
        Kate sighed. This isn't gonna help, she thought. And who knows until when will Wisp stay with her. Until maybe his world will be safe. But who will save his world? And when? It's gonna take forever! FOREVER!
        "No, not forever!" Kate shrieked.
        "Yes, not forever," Wisp added. "Not forever are you gonna stay in bed right?"
        Kate's mind returned in reality. "Oops," she said. "I have to go get ready for school."
        "What is 'school'?" Wisp asked her. He lied in Kate's brown round mat in the floor.
        "How do I explain this?" Kate said, thinking. "School is a facility where every human kid from about five to twenty years old go to learn many things."
        "Many things, like what?" Wisp asked again.
        "Like science, and mathematics, and history, and those sort of things," Kate replied again.
        "I am not familiar with those 'sort of things'," Wisp stated. "Well, as long as I can enter 'the school', there would be no problem." With this words, he stood on four paws.
        "Yes, there would be no - whaaat?" Kate shrieked. "You're coming with me?"
        "Of course!" Wisp said. "If Rasgul and the demons returned, we must be together in order to defeat them and protect ourselves."
        "But pets are not allowed in school!" Kate reasoned. "Especially talking and annoying ones."
        "But how is that?" Wisp asked in disbelief. "Pets can learn many things in school, too. Although I do not know what pets are."
        "I don't know if you realize this but," Kate told the cat. "Ordinary animals, pets or not, in this world are irrational, act without thinking and cannot talk."
        "I am aware of that," Wisp said strongly. Actually, he tried talking to another cat last night, but got hissed and scratched. Then, he talked to an old beggar on the streets who ran like a girl after he heard him talk.
        "Stay here!" Kate commanded. "I'll be wearing the bracelet, so if anything happens just contact me with my mind, okay? Besides, you'll find this house full of entertainment." She knew well she's lying herself. "So, can we finish this discussion and can I please take a bath now? I'll be late again if this continues."
          "I believe I don't have any choice," Wisp concluded. "But I will contact you if something happens."
          "Something important happens," Kate corrected him.
          "Fine," Wisp said, as he lied on the mat again. Kate immediately entered the bathroom and took a bath.

          Minutes after, Kate was ready for school. Wisp was still lying lazily on the floor, looking at her move as quick as she can.
          When she was almost ready, Kate noticed the cat looking at her. Then, she remembered something. "Yes! I almost forgot!" she said to herself. Wisp looked at her go downstairs. When she climbed back up again, she was holding a silver bowl and an opened can.
          Kate put the bowl in front of Wisp and fill it with the brownish cat food from the can. "This will keep you stuffed for the whole afternoon," Kate told him.
          Wisp looked at the food with disgust. "Is this food?" he asked.
          "Yes," Kate answered. Then, she wasn't sure that she's right. "Ah, no, basically its cat food."
          "Well, do humans eat cat food?"
          "No! Of course not! Cat food are for cats!"
          "Then, I cannot eat it," Wisp concluded. "I am a Spirit, not a cat."
          Kate rolled her eyes; here they go again. "Then, what do Spirits eat?"
          "In my world," Wisp explained. "The People of Illuminos gives me a basket of fruits and properly-prepared sweets everyday."
          "Fruits?!" Kate exclaimed in disbelief. "Heck, we can't even afford to eat bananas once a day! How can I feed you fruits?"
          "Then what about sweets?" Wisp asked.
          Kate thought. "Well, I can bake you a cookie, or buy some from the bakeshop," she said. "Well, can you wait for me until this afternoon? You'll get pretty hungry."
          "Do not worry, I will get by," Wisp firmly stated. "Hunger is not a problem for a mighty Guardian Spirit like me."
          "Whatever," Kate said dismissively. "Well, I'll be going now. Bye Wisp!" She went to the door. "And don't make any problems, alright?" she said before she was gone.
          When Kate wasn't around anymore, Wisp said,"Problems? I never ever had problems..."

          The Demon Realm - a haggard world of dead, black lands and blood-red waters. It was always night there and the two moons in it's sky shine a luminous green. At the center of this desolate land was a huge black castle teeming with fear and evil. Rasgul, the demon general walked in its dim hallways, straight towards a large and heavy black steel door. He opened it and a figure of a man clad in black armor with a red cape was seen inside. Rasgul bowed behind him
        "You called me, Master Servus?" Rasgul asked. Although, he knew why he was being called.
        "Yes, Rasgul, and for a reason," Servus calmly said in a human voice. He looked at the demon general with his piercing blue eyes through his silver mask. His blonde hair was brushing with the cool wind. "Have not I told you not to traverse to the human world under any conditions?!"
        "I apologize, Master but the Guardian Spirit of Light," Rasgul explained. "I almost captured him but he went to the Other Side!"
        "Did not I told you under ANY conditions?!" Servus growled, his tone furious. "Is this too complicated for your uncomprehensive mind to understand?"
        Rasgul remained silent, but he was angry, too. His master is too foolish to let the Humans live. They are powerless and idiotic. He is supposed to be the supreme commander around here, not the ill-tempered man he is facing.
        "Can you not act like Pycu and Nocturna?" Servus asked him. "Both of them obey my commands and have no problems!"
        Right, the psychic kid and the bat woman, Rasgul thought. These two generals are always better than him. Just three days ago, Noctura invaded Angelicus to capture the Guardian Spirit of Wind, but the mages there transported the Spirit to the Human World. And Noctura did nothing after that.
        "Because of your foolishness," Servus continued. "The Humans have now known that there are creatures that live from the other world. Do you know what this means? The Humans are vulnerable if they do not know anything, but now they will assemble a defense making the Revival difficult than ever!
        "And let us not forget your defeat," Servus said in the most disgusted voice he could make. "Because of your stupidity, the Guardian Spirit of Light found his heir. And what does that mean? We have another powerful enemy in our sight! It wasn't very long since we defeated the Counsel of Archmages and the Shadow Prince, and now we are burdened by another powerful adversary!"
        "My sincerest apologies, my Lord," Rasgul said.
        "Your apologies cannot bring back time," Servus replied bitterly.
        "Allow me to regain my honor," Rasgul pleaded. "I shall return to the Human World and defeat the Star Sorceress. I will now come prepared and I will not hurt another human except my target. That, I promise. And victory as well."
        Servus fixed his eyes on him, like examining his sincerity. "Very well," he finally said. "I shall give you another chance. But do not fail me again!"
        "Yes, my Lord," Rasgul said. "I shall annihilate our foe." With that, Rasgul left.
        Servus was alone when a deep booming voice from nowhere spoke, "It has begun..."
        "Yes, it certainly has," Servus said with a grin in his face.

        Kate arrived in school just in time for the first bell to ring. But her thoughts are still not in school, but at home. She kept on thinking if it really was a good idea to leave Wisp alone in the house. Not that she is worried about him, she's worried something might happen to their house. Wisp might make it explode or something.
        "That would be a big problem," Kate said to herself.
        "What's the big problem?" a familiar voice asked behind her.
        "AH!" Kate shrieked, surprised to see Hillary standing behind her. "Were you eavesdropping?"
        "Hello!?" Hillary said. "We're in the middle of the school grounds! Anybody can hear what you are mumbling about..." She paused for a while. "What were you mumbling about?"
        "Oh, it's nothing," Kate replied dismissively.
        "Anyways, have you heard the news?" Hillary excitedly asked.
        "What news?" Kate queried, although she has a clue what news Hillary is thinking about.
        "Kate, you lived on the same area and you didn't even knew?" Hillary said in disbelief. Kate gave her a questioning look. "Gosh, you really don't know. I guess your neighbors didn't tell you, but yesterday, a bunch of demons appeared in Ballen Street!"
        Kate pretendeed to be surprised. "Really?"
        "Eh, they really don't know if they're demons or monsters, but who cares?! The really cool part is that a blonde-haired heroine dressed in pink came to the rescue and kicked their butts! Can you believe it, a real-life heroine!"
      "It's probably just a make-up story," Kate told her.
      "Make-up story?! Heck, almost all people in the streets saw her fight the demons! How could that be made up?"
      "I don't know," Kate said defensively. "Maybe a scientific phenomenon or something."
      "It could be," another voice quipped. The two girls took a look and saw Arvin listening to their conversation.
      "Arvin?" Hillary said. "What do you mean 'it could be'?"
      "It could be a scientific phenomenon, just like Kate said," Arvin explained.
      "Uh, really?" Kate said in surprise. She made all that up.
      "Scientists say it maybe due to the heat," Arvin explained. "It's June so it's pretty hot, and the people might have seen a mirage, just like in a desert."
        "What's a mirage?" Hillary asked.
        "It's an optical illusion," a violet-haired girl said, standing near them. She wore the same uniform as Kate and Hillary and has deep blue eyes. She was very pretty and her hair was long and very straight. "But I doubt your theory is right, Arvin."
        "Why is that, Yvonne?" Kate asked the girl.
        "Doesn't it seem strange that all the people had the same mirage?" Yvonne Yearn told them. "And besides, it happened in the late afternoon, so the heat has already subsided." Alvin thought about it.
        "I didn't ask for your opinion, but you're probably right," Hillary said. "Well, it just prooves that there is a super heroine among us! I hope she hires me as her sidekick."
        "I wouldn't count on that if I were you," Yvonne told her coldly. "A responsibility such as saving the world is not just a game you can play whenever you want to." With that, she left without another word.
        Hillary was annoyed. "Who asked you, anyway?!"
        However, Kate was in deep thought. Somehow, Yvonne's words seem to affect her. Maybe because she is right, saving the world is a big deal.
        "Hey Kate! Are you okay?" Hillary said, catching her attention. "You're acting a little weird today."
        "No, I'm fine," Kate said. "Let's go, classes are about to start."
        "Yeah, you're right," Hillary agreed. "Come on, Arvin, stop racking your brain about it. Just leave it to the experts."
        "NO!" Arvin said in a loud voice. "I cannot ignore such a problem! I must find a scientific basis of some sort."
        "Save the antics for later, you promised me to make my Math assignment!" Hillary demanded.
        Kate just sighed. Hillary always treat Arvin like some sort of slave. But there's nothing she could do about it. After all, Arvin always volunteer to make her homework. She just felt bad for him.

        Back at Kate's bedroom, Wisp, the cat heard his stomach growl. "I never knew I could be starving in such a speedy pace!" Wisp mumbled. "And it does not look like it is afternoon yet. Did not Kate leave just some time ago?"
        He decided to go downstairs. "There must be some kind of edible nourishment in this abode," he said, as he went down the stairs. He went to the dining room then to the kitchen and saw the refigerator.
      "This white establishment!" Wisp said. "If I have remembered, this is where the mother of Kate took the raw materials she used to make dinner. Hmmm....."
      Wisp had an idea. "My starvation will no longer affect me!" he cried.

      "I wish I knew what Wisp is doing," Kate thought as she sat on the cafeteria. It was already recess break and Hillary and Arvin sat with her as usual. Hillary was eating a plate of spaghetti while Arvin munched on a tuna sandwich.
      "Kate, what's wrong?" Arvin asked her. "You haven't touched your food yet."
      "Oh, I'm not just hungry, that's all," Kate said.
      "Oh I know, you must be love-sick!" Hillary teased.
      "Hillary, will you please stop that?" Kate said, annoyed.
      "Sorry, I was just trying to cheer you up," Hillary explained. "Kate, is there a problem or something? I'm not good in advices but I'll do anything to help."
      "Don't worry, I'm just okay," Kate assured them. But actually, she kinda felt nervous. She thought she felt her knees shaking, but not sure why. Maybe the reality of weighing the whole world under her shoulders made her anxious or something.
      "I'm going to the bathroom," Kate announced and left.

      "Foolish man..." Rasgul bellowed as he strode on the Demon's castle. "Can he not see the mighty works of a powerful Demon like me? Why did His Darkness chose that man anyway?"
      He reached the dens where he and his Demon army kept the monstrous beats they used to invade the Magic Realm. A Demon soldier went to him and reported,"General Rasgul, the Harpicyia is ready."
      "Excellent!" Rasgul said. "Prepare for battle! We shall traverse the Human World soon."

        In the bathroom, Kate was alone as she stared at her face in the large mirror. She can't seem to find anything wrong with her. Maybe it's only because of the anxiety and nervousness she's feeling.
        "What if Rasgul returns?" she asked herself. "I know he'll return someday, and I think he's bringing a lot of Demons with him next time. Can I beat him again or what? What if I lose? The whole world will surely suffer because of me!"
        Kate sighed and tried to calm herself. "Don't worry, Kate. As long as Wisp is there to advice you, everything will be just fine... I hope..."
        A sudden thought appeared on her mind. "I wonder what's Wisp doing now?"
        In her surprise, her bracelet glowed and reflected a pink light towards the mirror. An image started to appear in the mirror, and it was becoming clearer by the second. Then, she can finally see. The mirror showed Wisp hungrily devouring the raw fishes he found on the fridge.
        "Wisp!!!" Kate screamed angrily.
        To her surprise, Wisp twitched and turned, somewhat hearing her. When the cat looked in her direction, he gave a shocking look. "Kate!" he said. "I didn't know you learned how to do that!"
        "Neither do I," Kate said, anger still in her tone. "What are you doing with the refigerator?"
        "Refigeratum?" Wisp repeated. "Is that what you call this amazing white house of food?"
        "Just answer my question!" Kate screamed.
        "Eek!" Wisp cried, terrified. "I....I....I....could not help myself. For some unknown reason, I become attracted to this...this...what do you call this?" He pawed on the half-eaten raw fish.
        "It's a fish," Kate answered.
        "Yes, this fitz..." Wisp said. " I apologize, I am so hungry that I lost control of my intellect."
        Kate calmed down. "It must be because of your cat instincts," she concluded. "But don't, don't ever do that again, okay? God, Mom's gonna kill me if she finds out!"
        "She will?" Wisp said, utterly surprised. "What a barbaric culture you Humans have! Slaying your own daughter because her cat ate the fitz from the refigeratum."
        "That's not what I meant," Kate reasoned. "It's a figure of speech."
        Wisp gave her a blank look.
        "Uh, it's when you mean something else when you say something that naturally has a different meaning from what you meant," Kate explained.
        Wisp did not seem to understand. Well, Kate didn't quite understood it herself.
        "I think the Magic Realm's language don't have figures of speech," Kate concluded. "Uh, nevermind, just don't do anything stupid again, okay? Just wait for me to come home."
        "Well, if you say so..." Wisp answered.
        "I'm gonna think of a nice alibi or else...uh, I don't wanna think about it," Kate said. Then, the image disappeared. Kate looked at the door and went out.

        "I thought it's gonna take eternity before four-thirty," Kate murmured as she, Hillary and Arvin went out from the school campus."
        "What's wrong, Kate? You seem down..." Arvin told her.
        Hillary's face lit up and was about to say something about Mikel when Kate stopped her and put her hand on her mouth. "I don't wanna hear about it..." Kate cut in.
Hillary just fell silent.
        "I'm heading home now, bye!" Kate said, as she started to walk away.
        "She's not in such a good mood since school started," Alvin noticed. "That Mikel and Theo must have done something to her."
        To his surprise, Hillary held his hand. Arvin blushed furiously. "Come with me," Hillary seriously said. "I have something to tell you."
        "O-o-okay..." Arvin stammered. He felt his heart beat faster than ever. Never did Hillary asked him to come with her. Maybe she likes him, too. The thought made him smile.
        Hillary and Arvin went back inside their school and hid at the back of a school building.
        "Arvin..." Hillary started. Arvin could feel his heart explode in his chest. "There's something wrong with Kate. And we're gonna find out what it is."
        Arvin's smile faded. So, it was just about Kate, her bestfriend.
        "You'll help me, right?" Hillary asked. She was so pretty that Arvin can't resist.
        "Okay," Arvin agreed. After all, Kate is also a friend of his. "But what are we gonna do?"
        "We'll follow her wherever she goes and investigate," Hillary said.
        "You mean, stalk her?" Arvin repeated.
        "Uh, it's not really stalking. It's more of a detective mission," Hillary reasoned.
        "A detective mission?"

        Minutes later, Kate arrived in the house. "Wisp, I'm home!" she called. "I bought some cookies for you."
        Wisp did not respond. "Uh, Wisp?" Kate repeated. "Where are you?"
        To her surprise, the cat Wisp suddenly leapt from her right and snatched the bag of cookies from Kate' s hand. Kate screamed as she fell down on her butt.
        "Ow!" Kate yelled. "Wisp, what do you think are you doing?" The Spirit hungrily devoured the cookies she brought. "Geez, eat slowly!"
        Suddenly, Wisp stopped eating. He looked at Kate. "What was I doing?" he asked innocently.
        Kate just sighed.

        Hillary and Arvin hid in a bush outside the Pearson house. Hillary looked through her binoculars and tried to find out what Kate is doing.
      "I can't see anything clearly. The images are too small." Hillary grumbled.
      "Of course it's small, you're using it the wrong way!" Arvin told her.
      Hillary turned the binoculars upside down. "Now I can see!" she said. "I see Kate and she's talking."
      "Talking?" Arvin asked. "Is somebody there besides her?"
      "No, I don't see anyone," Hillary reported. "We shall continue our investigation until I find out something."
      "What!?" Arvin yelled. "Are we just gonna stay here spying on Kate? This is ridiculous! And when will you find out something???"
      Hillary ignored him. "Hey, are you even listening to me?!" Arvin told her.
      "Well, you can go if you don't wanna stay with me," Hillary told her. "But I won't talk to you ever again!"
      "What?!' Arvin said. He sighed. "Guess I don't have any choice..."

        Wisp was eating the cookies in the kitchen as Kate cleaned. "You really were starving," Kate pointed out. "You ate all the food in the fridge. And you created such a big mess."
        "Well, it was your fault," Wisp said.
        "My fault?" Kate irritatingly repeated. "Why did it became my fault?"
        “Well, you left a poor starving cat alone in the house,” Wisp reasoned like it’s the most obvious answer in the whole world. “Thus, it makes it your fault…”
        “Why you little, good-for-nothing fur ball!” Kate angrily yelled. “I’m gonna-” She stopped talking when she felt a sudden surge of power. It’s like she sensed something familiar. Wisp must have felt it, too since he stopped eating and raised his head.
        “You felt that, too, Wisp?” Kate asked.
        “Yes,” Wisp replied. “There’s no doubt, it’s another Guardian Spirit!”
        “Another Guardian Spirit?” Kate repeated.

         Walking in the city streets was Rasgul in his human form holding a bird cage with an eagle inside and a bunch of Demon soldiers in their human forms were tailing him. Rasgul sniffed in the air, trying to catch some kind of scent.
         “My Lord,” one of the Demons said. “Have you felt the Guardian Spirit or the Sorceress nearby?”
         “I sense…a Guardian Spirit,” Rasgul replied. “But it is…a different one…” His red eyes gleamed with malice.

         “I’m tired,” Arvin said, as he waited for Hillary to stop spying on Kate.
         Hillary was obviously irritated. “What are you talking about?!” she yelled. “We were just here five minutes ago and you’re already tired? You are such a dork!”
         Arvin just bit his lip with the insults Hillary lashed on him. He was about to say something when they both see Kate go outside of the house in the corners of their eyes. She was in a hurry, and an orange-and-white cat ran after her.
         “Where do you think she’s going?” Arvin asked.
         “There’s only one way to find out,” Hillary concluded as she picked up her things and got ready to go.

         Kate was running after Wisp who was as fast as an ordinary cat. “Hey, wait up!” she yelled at the cat and it stopped.
         “Make haste, Kate,” Wisp told her. “The Guardian Spirit is not far, and she’s weak. She needs our help.”
         “Are you really sure about this?” Kate asked him. “And how did you know she’s a she?”
         “Every Guardian Spirit has a unique ability that differentiates one from another not only by the element they possess,” Wisp explained. “Mine is to sense another Guardian Spirit in a farther diameter than the others.”
         “O-kay…” Kate said, not quite getting all of it. “You know, you’re really a whole different person when there’s something serious happening. Well, lead the way.”
         Wisp started running again and Kate tried her best to keep up. The cat sped off and turned right left on a corner. Kate followed desperately.
         “Wisp, wait up!” Kate yelled as she followed him. But when she turned left on the same corner, she accidentally hit someone as she fell on her butt. “Ow!”
         Kate heard something wooden hit the ground, telling her that the one she bumped into was carrying something. When she looked at the one she bumped into, she let out a gasp. It was Mikel wearing a white shirt and blue cargo pants.
         Mikel looked at her, too. “Kate!” he said. He stood up and offered his hand. “Are you okay?”
         Kate took his hand and he helped her stand up. She was blushing when she answered, “Uh, yeah, I’m fine.”
         Mikel was smiling. “I couldn’t help but to think that our bumping scenarios are more than just plain coincidences…” Kate was blushing more by this remark. “Like its fate or something. I mean, who would have thought that we’re gonna bumped into each other again.”
         “Uh ye-ah…” Kate stammered. “It’s kinda weird…”
         “Anyway, you seem in a hurry, you’re going somewhere?” Mikel asked. He looked at her and that’s when Kate noticed she’s still wearing her school uniform. “School?”
         “Uh yeah, I left something on my desk,” Kate said as an excuse.
         “Oh, I see…” Mikel said. He looked around and found what he’s looking for. He picked up a white skateboard with blue stripes in the center.
         “A skateboard?” Kate couldn’t help but ask.
         “Oh, you didn’t know,” Mikel said. “I forgot to tell you but I’m into skateboarding. Actually, I’m on my way to Aurora Park for some practice. I’ll be joining a competition two weeks from now.”
         “Really?” Kate excitedly said, somewhat enchanted to learn something new about Mikel. “So you must really be good at it!”
         “Huh? Oh no, not really…” Mikel replied, a little embarrassed. “Maybe you could watch so as to judge for yourself.”
         “Now? That would be great! I’d love to-” Kate said when Wisp appeared on his Spirit form and talked to her.
         “Kate, what are you doing?” Wisp yelled. “Let’s make haste or else!”
         “-go, but I really have to do something else,” Kate sadly continued. “Maybe next time…”
         “Oh, that’s too bad,” Mikel said. “I was hoping somebody could cheer for me.”
         “But I promise, I’ll see you skateboard soon,” Kate told him.
         “Okay,” Mikel replied. “A promise’s a promise alright?”
         “Of course,” Kate said, smiling. She noticed that Wisp was getting worked up. “Oh, I should go. I’ll see you tomorrow!”
         Kate ran off with Wisp. “Okay, bye!” Mikel said, as he went to the opposite direction.
         Kate gave off a sigh. “This is stupid,” she murmured. “I could have gotten a chance to see Mikel skateboard.”
         “You will have your chances next time,” Wisp assured her. “But as of now, we need to locate Aviona.”
         “Okay,” Kate agreed. Just when, she noticed something. “Wha-? Now you know her name?”
         “I told you, it is a special ability,” Wisp explained again. “I can locate anybody within a diameter, or recognize somebody in my diameter.”
         “Sheesh,” Kate said. “I wish I had that power, too. So I won’t always bump into him.”
         “Who is that boy?” Wisp asked her.
         “That was Mikel, he’s my classmate,” Kate replied.
         “Classmate?” Wisp repeated. “Is that synonymous to a husband?”
         “Uh. NO!!!” Kate yelled, blushing. “A classmate is DEFINITELY not synonymous to a husband!!!” She was yelling so loud that some passer-bys were staring at her. She bit her lip and continued on her path.
         “So, what is a classmate?” Wisp asked again.
         “Sometimes, you really put me into trouble,” Kate told Wisp as she angrily walked on. Wisp just scratched his head with his tail.

         Hillary and Arvin were running down the city streets, they were following Kate. The two teenagers where following Kate’s path when Arvin suddenly stopped and gasped for some air.
         “I’m..*pant* *pant*..tired, I can’t…*pant*..take it anymore…” Arvin told her.
         “Uh, you’re so weak…” Hillary irritatingly said. “Well, I won’t lose her…” She ran off and left Arvin panting.
         “Hillary, wait!” Arvin yelled as he tried to follow the girl.

         Kate and Wisp arrived on the grassy empty lot where Kate first found the Guardian Spirit in his cat form weak and injured.
         “So, the Spirit’s here?” Kate asked, looking around.
         “This is where Aviona’s presence is strongest,” Wisp told her. “She must be around here.”
         Kate saw something. “Hey! What’s that?” she said as she saw a floating white sphere. She and Wisp went to it. Inside the sphere was a sky-blue ball with eyes and a mouth and a pair of white wings in its back. The sphere resembled swirling paths of wind going towards the Spirit inside.
         “So this is the Spirit?” Kate asked.
         “Yes,” Wisp replied. “She is Aviona, the Guardian Spirit of Wind whom the Country of Angelicum serves.”
         “But what’s with the orb?” Kate asked again.
         “It seems Aviona is regenerating herself by absorbing the breeze,” Wisp answered.
         “Regenerating?”
         “Aviona must have come from the Magic Realm,” Wisp speculated. “Maybe just like me, she is being pursued by the Demons and was forced to traverse here.”
         “No way!” Kate yelled. “You mean our world is becoming a refugee of Guardian Spirits being hunted down.”
         “That would be an appropriate description of this useless world of yours,” a hoarse voice said from behind them. The two took a look and found Rasgul already in his hideous Demon form with a bunch of Demon soldiers behind him. He was holding a strange bird cage with an eagle inside.
         “Since when we’re you here?” Kate asked, shocked.
         “Oh no!” Wisp reacted. “I was too preoccupied in locating Aviona that I did not notice them coming!”
         “Great, just great!” Kate said.
         “We seem to be in luck,” Rasgul told his army. “Not only is the Guardian Spirit of Light in here, but the Guardian Spirit of Wind is with him as well. The Master will be pleased when I bring him two Spirits at once.”
         Unknown to them, Hillary arrived on the same desolate place. She hid when she saw Kate surrounded by strange creatures.
         “Oh no!” she thought. “Kate’s in big trouble! Those must be the Demons that they were talking about!”
         She took another look and saw the white sphere. “Hey, what’s that orb? Is it some kind of magic or something?”
         “I won’t let you capture Wisp nor Aviona!” Kate bravely declared, although she was a little scared inside. “You have to fight me first!”
         “Oh? And what would a Human like you do?” Rasgul said, as he laughed.
         “Just watch!” Kate yelled. “Wisp, let’s go!”
         “Yes!” Wisp replied as he turned into the pink card again. Kate took the card and swiped it in her bracelet. The device glowed bright pink.
         “Lumina Salamanca!” Kate yelled as the brilliant pink light covered her whole body. The light turned into the same pink dress, gloves and boots she wore yesterday. The same coronet appeared on her head and she had the same golden staff again. “Star Sorceress! Lumina Salamanca!”
         “What?” Hillary said, surprised. “Kate is the super heroine they were talking about?”
         She wasn’t the only one surprised as well. “What?!” Rasgul angrily said. “That puny human child was actually the one who beat me?”
         Kate realized her mistake of transforming in front of Rasgul and his Demons. Wisp noticed it, too. “That was not very wise of you,” he said through her thoughts.
         Kate tried to make an alibi. “Uh.no…” she said. “I just came from behind you in that flashing light the girl used to escape…”
         Rasgul and the Demons looked at her. She thought the Demons knew she was lying. “We won’t be caught off guard again,” Rasgul said. “We will not let that girl use light magic again to escape and let you know we are here.”
         “Huh, it worked?!” Kate thought.
         “They are just as stupid as they looked,” Wisp concluded.
         Hillary was surprised, too. “I can’t believe they we’re just fooled like that,” she said.
         “Enough of this, attack!” Rasgul commanded his Demons. The Demons charged but Kate jumped away. Then, the Demons fired their beams from their foreheads but Kate evaded them all.
         “Take this!” Kate said as she found a chance to attack. “Star Shots!” She threw three bolts of flashing light that hit the enemies. The Demons disappeared in a flash.
         “Shining Circle!” Kate yelled as she commanded her staff to create a revolving circular blade of yellow light. The blade bumped through some of the Demons, sending them to the air like a bunch of pins that got hit by a bowling ball.
         Hillary looked at her friend fight with awe. “Kate is so cool!” she said. Just then, she found Rasgul sneaking towards the white orb that Kate was protecting. Acting on impulse, Hillary rushed from where she’s hiding and jumped towards the orb. She caught the orb before the Demon could touch it and she came stumbling in the ground, holding a soft furry creature in her arms.
         “Nuisance!” Rasgul yelled angrily. He charged toward Hillary.
         However, Kate saw what happened. She stood in front of Hillary and cast a spell. “Divine Barrier!” she yelled. Rasgul tackled the powerful magic barrier but got thrown off by its power.
         “Are you okay?” Kate asked Hillary.
         “Yes, I’m fine…Kate…” Hillary replied.
         “What?” Kate asked, surprised.
         “I know who you are,” Hillary reasoned. “I saw you transform. You must have fooled those Demons but you can’t fool me.”
         “Hillary…” Kate said. “Well, we can discuss this later. Take care of Aviona for me and don’t let Rasgul near her, okay?”
         “Okay!” Hillary understood. She looked at Aviona and found out that she was a cute white dove.
         Rasgul stood up again. “This isn’t over yet!” he shrieked. “Come, Harpusia, show them your true form!” He lifted the bird cage and the eagle inside it glowed and turned into a human-sized bird with red feathered wings and sharp yellow talons. The monster had piercing green eyes and a sharp beak. Its red tail was flown by the wind.
         “What the?” Hillary said.
         “Uh-oh, this seems trouble,” Kate noticed.
The monster flew to the sky and swooped down to attack. Kate charged up her divine barrier and the monster tackled it with full force. A immense light shone in the impact as both adversaries were trying to outweigh each other.
         Kate did her best, but the barrier was getting weaker. Wisp noticed it, too. “What is the matter, Kate?!” Wisp said in her thoughts. “We are losing ground…”
         “I – I can’t do it…” Kate replied.
         “What do you mean?” Wisp asked.
         “She’s too powerful for me,” Kate explained.
         “NO!” Wisp said with anger. “You must trust your magic, trust in your capabilities!”
         The barrier was getting weaker than ever. Hillary noticed it, too. “Kate, what’s wrong?” she asked, really worried.
         Kate knew she might hurt Hillary and Aviona if she tried to do something. “Hillary, when I count to three, run as fast as you can away from here….”
         “What?!” Hillary exclaimed, surprised.
         “Just trust me, okay?” Kate said. Hillary nodded. “Here goes…one… two… three!”
         Hillary did as told, and escaped while Kate made the barrier blow and she and the monster got thrown off in different directions. She fell on the floor, conscious but deeply hurt. The bird monster Harpusia just stood up.
         “No! Kate!” Hillary shrieked.
         The monster did its swooping technique again, straight for Kate this time.
         “NO!!!” Hillary screamed, and surprisingly, a brilliant sky blue light shone from the sleeping Aviona and created a tornado surrounding Hillary. The massive wind threw Harpusia off balance. Kate was able to sit to see the strange sight.
         “Hillary?!” she called. “What’s happening, Wisp?”
         “Wind…” Wisp said, dazed.
         “What?” Kate asked again.
         “Wind! It’s Aviona’s power!” Wisp explained.
         “You mean she’s awake?” Kate said.
         Inside the tornado, Hillary was stunned. Then, mystical circles of unknown symbols surrounding the dove Aviona appeared. The circles broke into dust, and the dove flew in front of her. The dove transformed into a lady with sky blue robes and white wings.
         “You, who has a caring heart,” the lady spoke. “You have broken the spell that has made me asleep.”
         “A – Aviona?” Hillary asked.
         “Yes, I am Aviona, the Guardian Spirit of Wind,” she replied.
         “Please, help Kate,” Hillary pleaded. “She needs more power.”
         “I am not the one who can help her, but you,” Aviona told her. “Give me your right arm.”
         Hillary did as told, and Aviona made a sky blue bracelet encrusted with white square-shaped jewels and a large white wing-shaped gem in her arm. Hillary looked at it with awe.
         “I now give you the power of the Wind,” Aviona said. “The spell is ‘Aeria Salamanca’.” Wind covered her and she turned into a sky-blue card with a picture of her in it.
         Hillary took the card. “Okay…” she said, as she swiped the card on her bracelet. “Aeria Salamanca!”
         Hillary felt her body fly as sky blue-colored wind covered her whole body. The wind changed her uniform into a short sky blue dress covering the upper half of her body and a sky blue mini-skirt with a curved end colored white. In her hands were short sky blue gloves ending inches above the wrist with white ends that balloon on the arm and decorated by a white wing that stands in the center. In her feet were short white and sky blue boots ending inches above the foot. On her skirt, a belt made of sky blue cloth appeared which was knotted at the back with a white-winged sky blue heart-shaped jewel as its buckle. On her blouse, another long cloth appeared by her neck which extends up to the back. The cloth was held in place by a white wing-shaped pendant in her chest. White wing-shaped earrings appeared on her ears and above the ears, in her hair were white wings. Finally, the remaining wind turned into a pair of sky blue and white fans shaped like half-circles and with a white handle.