After my incident with Katarou, things were back to normal with the High Order making sure to put countermeasures around the school. As usual, I had to continue with practice and balance it with schoolwork. Now that the end-of-term exams were coming up, I had to concentrate a lot on my schoolwork, which was going to be a problem. I was to start my lessons in using the fire element with Mei soon, and with the exams coming up, I couldn’t spend so much time on the Butterfly Island, even when it did feel like I had been gone for at least thirty minutes.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7d2osQiTe
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With only two days left before the exams, I was walking my way to the garage after quickly running away from the sports field where everyone else was on Friday afternoon. With super speed, I dashed away from the field when no one was looking. It was our last day of sports activities. We were having a netball tournament between dorms. Since I wasn’t participating, staying there was pointless. Besides, I had to go for practice on the island, so it’s the perfect time to leave.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC7G0VmYOt9
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The school was quiet except for the distant screaming and shouting from the ground behind me. After bypassing the library, I stopped in my tracks. Something didn’t feel right. Someone was following me.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiAzwiEnwLw
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I turned around, but there was no one there. However, I turned to the corner of the library building that I had just passed. There was someone standing behind the building. I could tell from their aura. With a lot of training, I had improved at tracking the aura around me. Was it a fellow student? Their aura pointed out that whoever it is is human, but I couldn’t help but feel there was something strange about it.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqPDg7RWehf
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Before I could start to slowly approach, someone quickly stepped out into the open from their hiding spot. I didn’t get the time to gasp in surprise, as I didn’t think whoever it was would be the person standing in front of me. In her white school sports uniform stood Bertha.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcwv5hA1ttP
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“H-Hi, Diana,” Bertha stuttered to greet me. She shyly waved her hand. As much as she was well known in school for her wild episodes, she’s naturally shy. Moreover, she was much shorter than I was.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsH2wrxfl4b
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“Hi Bertha,” I said back. “What are you doing here?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg8orhyIyjs
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“Well, I-” she said, dropping her eyes to the ground and playing with the dirt with her pink sneakers. “There’s something I’ve wanted to talk to you about.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTp11rfPBzu
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Strange. Why would she want to talk to me? It has been over a month since her incident at the clinic, where I had to battle with what I concluded to be the other side of her. Following her discharge from the clinic, she had plenty of time to talk to me if she wanted to talk about what happened, but she never did. Usually, we would bypass or greet each other whenever we met. What would she want to talk to me about now? What was bothering me was how she managed to follow me from the ground when I ran away from there like a bat out of hell.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0P59tVyG1H
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The way I responded made her a little nervous, as she moved her feet a lot quicker this time. I should have been more polite.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIltGKedWm1
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“Sorry about that.” I apologized. “What do you want to talk about?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbgg7GPeYmV
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“Well, this is going to sound embarrassing and weird,” she said as she now looked at me. “But for a very long time, like everyone else in school knows, I go into these weird episodes that I don’t even remember what happens when I have them. But when I was about to go into those episodes that time during assembly, I came to you asking for your help and not to take me back to the clinic.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxY8cu3RHLx
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I raise my eyebrows. How could she remember that?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡecDQcQJzi5
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“Yes, you did. Do you usually remember things when you go into an episode?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfcRS0FLYug
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“Not always,” Bertha said with a smile. “What’s worse is that I remember attacking you at the clinic. I have to admit, it’s so unlike me. I felt like I wasn’t myself back then.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHLCmMGfBCW
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I’m starting to think that I shouldn’t tell her; she looked like a whole different being when that happened. However, for her to remember all that is making me curious.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuXCz6kMHY
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“Is this what you want to talk about?” I folded my arms.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlqrF3I1qPA
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“Um, the reason why I’m telling you this now is because I’ve discovered something about myself that I wasn’t fully aware of. And I think you know about it.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMV8h57ossV
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I kept my mouth tightly shut, waiting for her to say it.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Rn4D4XyGp
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“I recently discovered that I’m a supernatural, and I think you are too,” Bertha said aloud.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6UsXeeuQd
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My face must have given it all away because Bertha now looked embarrassed for saying her secret, especially to me.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjbdbCDsksV
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“What makes you think that I am also a supernatural being?" I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzvGCL9Rr3
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“Well, I don’t know.” Bertha quickly looked away before looking back at me. “Ever since we fought at the clinic, I started to feel different. If you’ve noticed, I haven’t had any weird episodes lately. It’s because I finally got into contact with what was driving me mad in the first place.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjpxX5B501h
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“Wait, you got into contact with whatever possessed you?” I asked, trying to make sense out of what she said. So what people said about her being possessed was true. Well, everyone here believes in such things anyway without thinking twice about it.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDlifC4204
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“Uh, yes,” said Bertha. “Apparently, my body holds an animal spirit that loses control when I least expect it, so that technically makes me a supernatural, kind of.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlstQRajXWM
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“That explains why your aura seems funny. It’s human, but there’s something different about it.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7CbbdY7LLv
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“Oh, is that what the energy I feel from everyone is called?” Bertha’s eyes widened with awe.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Q4yG57yES
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I nodded my head. “It seems you have developed the sense of reading aura quiet naturally,” I said.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc0s91Kf6D5
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“Oh, no, the spirit has been teaching me about the supernatural world,” Bertha said proudly.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0fSR6GmhM
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“Okay. You said you’ve been able to communicate with your spirit. Does it mean after you and I fought, the spirit sort of calmed down?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49gR3tovqn
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“Surprisingly, yes.” Bertha’s eyes lit up when she said it. “I don’t know what you did, but whatever it was, it worked. The two of us are able to communicate, and my spirit knows that there’s something special about you.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOuygWiChSm
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This is something. I can’t tell her that her spirit wasn’t wrong; that’s if she knew all about the supernatural and their control over the six natural elements.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NMa2bty6e
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“Did your spirit tell you to come talk to me over this?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYNh3fKoTAG
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“Yes. It tells me that I should seek your help over something,” Bertha replied.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG2sQJWPZoq
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“Which is what?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCt1vYPsBlH
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“I want to learn more about the supernatural world and the spirit knows that you’ve been receiving some kind of training to improve your supernatural abilities. You can’t lie to me. There’s a certain change in your energy that I feel all the time when I see you. It seems to be getting stronger.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkXyAhEvTU
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I scoffed. “I don’t really know much about the supernatural world,” I said. “But, yes, I have been receiving lessons.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb820XFBiCF
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“From some other dimension, right? My spirit tells me that there’s another world similar to ours. It advised me that I should follow you there because I also want to be taught the way of the supernatural.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9nFzMcg0l
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Will going with Bertha to Butterfly Island be necessary? It’s like she’s willing to learn, and that’s why she followed me. By the look of things, it’s like she’s been watching me this whole time, and with the help of her spirit animal, she guessed my movements to and from the other world.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIMAz3VLuH
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I didn’t have much time, and Stella is probably waiting for me on the other end.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJtfT5MkgH
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“Okay, I’ll take you with me,” I said. “But you should promise not to tell anyone about this.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuCtjeYrjqV
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“I have never told anyone about me or you,” Bertha said. “If anyone knew, they would call us Satanists, right?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42FSrv40iS
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I didn’t answer her, as I quickly turned around and led the way to the back of the garage. As I stood before the butterfly drawing on the wall of the garage, Bertha gasped. I turned to look at her as she looked with awe at the wall.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjV7iNdmK6s
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“Is this the gate to the other side?” she asked. “I never knew it would be like this.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDRsF4sOKZK
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I raised an eyebrow. No one is supposed to see this gate except for me. Those with supernatural abilities weren’t an exception. Now that I remember well, I’m the only one who can pass through. I might be overthinking things here, but it’s impossible for Bertha to ignore the drawing of the Butterfly Sect on the wall if she happened to pass by here. She would’ve mentioned that she had seen it before. The path behind the garage might not be a common path for any students to find themselves on, but no student can deny that they have used it before.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCBucyrT9AO
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“You can see the gate?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAI2vvJIaJf
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“Yes, I can,” said Bertha.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2y13ThbqE
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I fully turned my body to face her. “What does the gate look like?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1N4nTufs9
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She looked nervously at me before turning to look at the wall behind me. “Uh,” she hesitated.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTem67bLjGR
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The next thing I knew, I had an icicle pointed straight at her. She quickly backed away at amazing speed. I knew from then on that this wasn’t her. The next time I’m looking at her clearly, there’s a ghost-like figure floating next to her. It had the face of a wild lion with tiny horns on its head, and the rest of its body wasn’t fully formed. I sensed its strong aura wrap around Bertha, almost like a shield.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiscWhKf9tV
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“Whoa, Diana, that was close,” said Bertha.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlnfdkG2Yi4
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“I’m guessing that that’s your animal spirit?” I asked, looking straight at it.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUIh64pahjm
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“Nice to meet you again, Diana,” Bertha’s spirit said. “At least we're meeting under better circumstances.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqCc0XQ5LGX
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I looked at the spirit and realized this wasn’t going to turn out like last time at the clinic. The icicle in my hand soon vanished, and Bertha couldn’t help but look in awe.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgVvkZglTv
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“You’re right, this is way better than our last encounter,” I said to the spirit. “Tell me what’s really going on here.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfj1Dt60JT
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Bertha turned to look at her spirit. “First of all, I would like to thank you, Diana,” the spirit spoke.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1GnD3Xy5XE
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“Thank me for what?” I asked with my eyebrow raised.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOW38YW1tMr
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“Well, if it wasn’t for my encounter with you last time, I would never have come to my senses.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWPPfTzcSgu
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“I don’t understand what you mean.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIn32SHyeAr
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“For a long time, as Bertha’s spirit, I have always been out of control. Most people thought Bertha had some kind of illness, when in fact the silliest things get me angry. It got worse when Bertha came here, and that is why I made Bertha seek you out that day.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMxNrmDhBHc
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“What do I still have to do with it? All we did was fight and somehow put the both of you to sleep.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGBTtxTafz
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“Exactly. I can’t explain this myself, but ever since that day, I’ve never gone on a rampage. I believe it has something to do with the amazing gift that you have.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIzWxdijRt
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Bertha turned to look at me. There has to be another explanation for this. True, there hasn’t been any news of Bertha going into some weird episode lately, but the spirit couldn’t have calmed down because of me, could it?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDNjLB3lnPi
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“As much as I would love to take credit, I’m still not convinced that I had anything to do with it,” I said.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6CnUwmmiyZ
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“But coming over to you for help couldn’t have been a coincidence, could it?” Bertha asked. “The spirit knew you could help me, and you did.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡndBITXgJjE
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I look at Bertha before turning my eyes to the spirit. There were so many questions I would like to ask, but they weren’t for Bertha to hear. I still feel something is missing here. Somehow, the spirit knew the answers to all that.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY39R84G49
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“That aside,” I said, “tell me why you want to come with me to Butterfly Island.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3lppswDre4
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The spirit’s brown eyes, like those of a lion, stared right back at me. It’s weird how those eyes that were once angry at me are now calm and collected. The eyes seemed to be full of something mysterious. Was it something harmless or something far worse?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7YMv45gT32
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“I’ll tell you the truth, Diana,” said the spirit. “The main reason I want to go there is because dark times are coming. And I fear for Bertha, who knows nothing about the supernatural.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1O5Lw5Lww
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“But you’re a spirit, and you seem to be more knowledgeable about it than me,” I said.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuRjnJAwDJl
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“True, I could teach her, but there are some things she could learn better under a sect than me just telling her stories. You saw how you knew something was wrong when Bertha mentioned the gateway, and you were able to defend yourself. You’ve developed very good instincts, which are key in the supernatural world. Then there’s the use of elements, which I can’t teach her.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgJkuh0AfSm
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“You’re her spirit. Don’t you know her primary element?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDC4hXw2b6P
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“I do, because it's my element.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7td4WNEoZn
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“Most importantly, she has to know how to use the spirit’s aura to her advantage,” said a voice behind me.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHHsn3EsVf
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I turned around to see Mei in her long red robe standing right outside the gateway. Stella also happened to be standing next to her.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsORWsFEhBY
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Bertha was clearly stunned to see the two women standing before us, as she clearly didn’t hide her excitement; she almost squealed.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwp9ocUCWTf
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“Are you from Butterfly Island?” Bertha asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKD6vzoH2Ve
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Stella gave her a kind smile. “Yes, we are,” she answered. “My name is Stella.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡajkYbkJ0PD
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“And I’m Mei,” said Mei. “We are the High Order of the Butterfly Island.” I saw her eyes divert from Bertha to the spirit beside her. “You’re the girl with the spirit.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX1Ho2a0gQH
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“You know about her?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhzVHPUvoE
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Mei now threw an intense look at me. “Yes, we knew. After we learned about your whereabouts, we were curious about the supernatural beings closest to you. If I’m not mistaken, at the clinic, your special powers were fully manifested.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQln1ypjKcm
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“Could that be the reason why her spirit is sane?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7lSxZHVcY
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Mei smiled. “You’re smart, so I don’t have to answer that.” Well, that wasn’t a clear enough answer. She turned to look at Bertha. “It’s good you thought of following Diana. Your spirit is right. You’ll need special training because, like I said earlier, a person like you can be able to work hand in hand with your spirit.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoH38jqiTZc
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Well, this is shocking. Mei seems to be in a good mood today. She’s super nice talking to Bertha, but I know that once I’m alone with her, she will definitely go back to normal.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk48DaaMdiA
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“So that means you accept me as your pupil?” Bertha asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX2Zhtd2MKn
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“Yes,” Stella answered. “We can’t turn down a supernatural willing to learn. You’ll be with me once we get to the island, and I’ll get you enrolled so that you can start.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggbL9l57fX
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I turned my head to look at Bertha, and she looked excitedly at her spirit, which apparently looked like it was smiling at her. To be honest, I’ve never seen a smiling beast before. Seeing it smile looked weird, yet I could tell it was genuine.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEEYjX8c1KN
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“We better go; we’re behind schedule,” said Mei as she turned to look at the butterfly-drawn gateway on the wall.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn20QyngYp
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Bertha came to stand beside me, along with her spirit. It’s strange that I now have to go to Butterfly Island with her, of all people. However, it’s nice to know that I’m not alone in this.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO9WEGH3x8z
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Mei drew out her hand, pointing towards the butterfly drawing, and chanted the ancient language. For a short moment, it glowed, and that is when Bertha gasped, as if in surprise. She could see the butterfly gateway. Mei informed her that going forward, we would be the only ones permitted to pass through to the Butterfly Island.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlNutz9HKUo
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Mei and Stella soon walked in, with Bertha and I following right behind them. Including the spirit, which I couldn’t see anymore. I held Bertha’s hand when we entered the portal. It feels a little funny when passing through it, and as excited as she already was, I didn’t want her jumping around.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6REUkkbmsA
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After we walked out to the other side, we found ourselves, as usual, in the flower garden. Bertha couldn’t help but look around in awe at first at the beautiful flowers all around. The colorful, glittering butterflies soon caught her attention. She almost started chasing them when I held her shoulder and shook my head. The first time I was here, I was also excited. However, Bertha was taking it a little too far.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOz5PrRSbmG
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“Welcome to Butterfly Island, Bertha,” said Stella with a bright smile on her face as we still stood on the stone dais. “I’ll show you around, and while we are at it, I’ll tell you how things are done around here.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyySOderGg4
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I never got that much of a welcome when I first came here. Moreover, I still haven’t been taken around Butterfly Island. Lucky for Bertha. I won’t lie, I really envy her.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWFrvAiSUkj
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Stella took Bertha with her down the aisle and away from the flower garden. Bertha waved at me goodbye as she and Bertha disappeared behind the green hedges. I turned to look at Mei, whom I found had her eyes on me.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡus6QtBgx7a
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“I’m guessing that my lessons on the fire element start today?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ2gAkyOSKq
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“Yep,” said Mei. There was a brief silence between us. “Is that the only question you’re going to ask?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHwLlVXErlf
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I scoffed. It looks like Mei has already read my mind. I didn’t sulk much over it.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwgBa80nL5w
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“When am I ever going to take a tour around the island?” I asked. “Should I remind you that I still haven’t done so?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeKjOkGW0K1
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Mei smiled at me, but not the sweet kind. “That will be decided when Her Highness thinks it’s safe for you to.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKk2lDxXTbD
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“Who will attack me then? Not Lord Vandell, I hope.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXYxHrfo4m
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Mei screwed her face in disgust. “I’ve never liked that man; he always gets on my nerves. Let’s go.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsouFX7nmn9
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Mei walked down the dais, but this time she went down through the east side. I quickly followed her.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhe54ibEF5I
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“I also have another question to ask,” I said as we walked out of the flower garden behind some tall hedges. “Are there people born with spirits like Bertha?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrPTJ7OElY
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“No. People like her are just unfortunate to have them. Some can be good or bad, like in Bertha’s case. Until you showed up and tamed it.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa6zGhzMMG9
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“So how do they come about?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJPipXnOyz
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Mei took time to answer as we finally exited the pathway through the hedges. In front of us was an open field of green grass with a few trees that stood widely apart. The place looked completely deserted. I have never been on this side of the island before.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGmzwKoJkol
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“Spirits have been roaming between your world and mine for generations,” said Mei as we walked on the open field. “Some settle and disappear for good, while others whose souls are troubled wander around trying to look for peace of some sort. Others have the audacity to enter people and take control of them at any random time. If a spirit possesses a human, they sometimes act differently, as you already know. Some are good, some are bad.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0TQo4q9zZ
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“Bertha’s is an animal spirit. It looks like a lion if you ask me.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVUefWKuGD
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“Animal spirits are sometimes difficult to handle. Human spirits are much better if they aren’t deranged. The spirit Bertha possesses is that of a mystical creature. That’s why she had that aura around her when you tried to attack her. Moreover, you must have noticed her strength when you first fought.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzdi21ZTtuZ
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Thank goodness, it’s a mystical creature. Or else I was going to ask how and when lions ever had horns on their heads. Moreover, what Mei said about its attributes made sense.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnkOYuyVcq
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"Wait, you were there when I tried to defend myself?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡngpXUj2pDA
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“You were late, and we decided to check up on you,” said Mei as she threw a glance at me. “When we saw Bertha, we decided to watch what was going on. You handled yourself well for a rookie. You knew no one apart from you could see the gateway, and you had to do whatever was necessary to defend yourself.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLGYxKPdaHg
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I didn’t say anything, as I knew I still had a lot to learn. That was nothing.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3WsPYdxb5
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As we continued to walk, a large tree came into view from afar. That was where we were headed. It reminded me of the vision I had of the tree that was half-alive and half-dead. As we came closer, I realized how huge the tree was. It suited the height of a skyscraper, and its leaves and branches were high up from the ground. If anyone were to climb it, he or she should get a ladder—a very long one.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfvF3sxwvh
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“I have another question, if you don’t mind,” I said to Mei as we got closer to the tree.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGrfTDwPYI4
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Mei stopped walking, and I did too. I bet I took it a little too far with asking questions. She turned to look at me, and I could tell that she was irritated even when she tried to hide it with a little smile. She gave a nod of her head, telling me to go ahead.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtE9JV5q74
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“When I fought Bertha at the clinic," I started to say, "a lot of weird things happened. Before I fought her, I remember that there was a change in weather, which almost killed me. Could it be because of the spirit?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIMn9HmMvdK
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“Most likely. Spirits are known for their unnatural outbursts, and they sometimes can manipulate things around them without giving it much of a thought,” Mei answered.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2LVeGhiIN4
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“Can that outburst with the weather have something to do with which natural element they possess?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfaXnnaIBY
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Mei didn’t hide how impressed she was. “In a way, yes. Can you guess what element her spirit has?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL296XMhPSN
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“Nature. I remember there being a strong wind, and wind does fall under nature.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq659PCZibm
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“You’re learning a lot; that’s good.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcZrVc0kcC
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“Um, wait. Before we go on, does this mean Bertha is also a supernatural being? I mean, the first time she came up to me today, I couldn’t help but feel there was her human aura and another, which was the spirit’s in her body.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnw1eObpyxa
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“She’s still very much human, alright. But if she’s going to survive with a spirit inside her, she will have no choice but to accept it and fuse with it when necessary.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7knUaC9dtp
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“Wait, she could die?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNz00MblwlV
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“Well, she won’t die thanks to what you did when you fought her and her spirit.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX8AyU3Fgrt
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I scratched the side of my head. “Can you explain that for me, please?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ92DvA5oxqZ
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Mei sighed. She obviously didn’t volunteer to teach me this apart from teaching me how to use fire. “When a human gets possessed by a spirit, they don’t survive for very long, depending on how strong the spirit is. That's if the spirit is a supernatural being of some sort. When the spirit isn’t calm and goes on an angry rampage, they might end up killing their hosts. For Bertha to have survived for this long, it means her spirit goes on such rampages once in a while and doesn’t stay like that for too long. Still, if her spirit hadn't calmed down, she would've died at some point in her life.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWHmPcST81X
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“That’s why it’s important for her to get along with her spirit, and the two should fuse, because at this point, neither can survive without the other.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMjdsY0wOlM
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“So, if they do fuse, like you’ve put it, Bertha will be able to use the spirit’s aura?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamHRg7uqEF
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“Yes. She should learn how to control it when it is necessary. Since she’s the vessel, she will be doing most of the work. The spirit is just like fuel for a working vessel, if you get what I mean.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEbnMojmVQf
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“I guess so. So I helped Bertha get through controlling the spirit, didn’t I?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmzVHXb91K
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Mei gave me a smirk. “You’ve done most of the heavy lifting for her. Taking control of your spirit is usually the hardest thing to do. It looks like she has you to thank.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4pOARlvSfB
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I nervously chuckled. It’s hard to take credit for something that you feel you didn’t do. I’m still not convinced of how I managed to control that spirit. Does it have something to do with my powers?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzu8OM1Qysz
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Mei caught me just in time before I asked the question. “Yes, it has something to do with your powers,” she said. “I can’t explain it to you now, but as time goes by, you’ll understand.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWVeamw97z
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I didn’t say anything. Mei quickly turned around and approached the trunk of the tree. By the looks of things, this conversation is over. I stare up at the gigantic tree. What are we really doing here?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRBWRR9KdAW
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“This tree is called the Underground Tree,” Mei said without looking at me. “It’s unlike any tree you’ve ever seen. What makes it so is because this tree comes from hell.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZx06bJq3ZB
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I raised my eyebrows as I stared at it. I hadn’t noticed before how the bark of the tree was black instead of brown like most trees. Some barks of the tree only get like that if it has been close to a burning fire, but it wasn’t like that with this one. It’s like the tree bark grew like it is. The trunk of the tree looked smooth and polished, which was weird for a tree.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIheqMUcPRP
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“How did a tree from hell show up on this island?” I asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEFrS4IMdpI
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“Her Highness is better off telling you the story,” Mei said as she turned her head to look at me with a side eye. “A subordinate who worked alongside her father was up to no good and struck a deal with the devil. A lot happened trying to stop him, and that’s how this tree came about.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc6kwe0Vck4
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“Her Highness’ father?” I wanted to ask more about him, but Mei didn’t give me the chance when she stretched out her hand and the trunk of the tree suddenly revealed a hollow, open door. It was dark in there, and a weird, terrifying feeling soon came over me. Is this what hell feels like?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOvRkSU4MIH
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“Don’t worry,” said Mei. “Everyone gets that feeling all the time. It is a passageway to hell after all.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtP3uQYLGj
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“Huh?” Then why is she taking me down there?324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpbcZEQXJr3
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“We aren’t going there directly. The space under there is conducive to practicing the fire element. All recruits who use the element come here for lessons.”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1b7XdNUFNE
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“I can only imagine how they all felt when they came here for the first time.” I bet some even ran for their lives.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmssb84Xh2
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Mei turned to look at me with a devilish smile. If the devil had sent her to get me, I wouldn’t be too surprised. “Are you ready to go?” she asked.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXTEbBh8zJ8
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“Not really,” I said, swallowing afterwards.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYClJOHFQ3H
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Mei turned to the hollowed-out doorway of the tree trunk and went in first. I slowly followed her. I stepped into the darkness, and immediately the doorway closed up behind me. The place was completely dark, and I was just about to call out for Mei when suddenly a red flame appeared beside me, and soon a long line of fire torches across the wall lit up. Mei stood right in front of me, and we looked to be standing in a small round foyer over a flight of stairs.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJdHEBbLg0q
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“Is it too late to go back?” I asked as I looked at where the stairs led around the bend. I had a feeling it went down in a spiral.324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAyokgbYpib
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“Oh, you’ll like it,” said Mei. “It’s really not that bad. Come on. If you hear whispers coming from anywhere, don’t answer or follow, okay?”324Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VIBYSkbiu
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Whispers? Isn’t it just the devil doing that? I wouldn’t know for sure. As I continued looking around the foyer, Mei started her way down the stairs. I quickly started to follow, but that was after I thought I heard a tiny, mischievous snicker behind me.
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