BERTRIM ACADEMY

ONE MONTH AFTER

('He was running as fast as he can from a very dangerous creature. His two companions are not yet there to help him so he tried to hide and find a blind spot of the creature but wasn't able to find one, suddenly the creature charge on him from above. He was able to dodge it by an inch. He started to sway from fatigue and blood loss. He knows and felt that he was going to pass out but before he could close his eyes two woman interfered, one with a thin sword and the other a gun, the sword cut through the creature in one fluid motion, while, the other burned it. He was close to passing out but saw what they look like, their hair and eye colour before his eyes closed.')

Akira woke-up from its dream and found himself sweating and tired. He was trying to remember what he was dreamt but he couldn't. He then stood up and went to the window of his room and pull aside the curtains. The sun has risen and it was already in noon position. He tried not to think about it and fixed himself before breakfast and lunch. His uncle has already left and ate early while Sera left for school leaving him alone to eat. While waiting for the food to be served he called Sera.

" Kira, why did you call? you do know i'm in class if I'm caught you are going to answers for it." Sera answered whispering.

"I just want to disturb you and remind you, you forgot to wake me up."

"Brother, please... not now I'll put it off he's coming." Sera answered and put it off.

Kira finished his breakfast-lunch and was starting to go back to his room but heard the doorbell rang. The Butler answered it and gave the letter to Akira. The letter contained the written affirmation of him passing together with his schedule and others. He went directly to his room and started looking for his luggage bags and listing what he need before he forget. By the afternoon Akira has already packed his gadgets, and his clothes were next, suddenly Sera charge in his room.

"Would you like me to help you pack?" Sera asked.

'Sure! Just open those drawers and bring the contents here." Akira suggested.

"OK!" Sera replied. She started opening the drawers and throw all the contents on the bed.

"Sera, I didn't say to throw it at the bed, if you don't mind try picking what should I bring, will you." Akira suggested. But Sera didn't hear him so she continued opening all his drawers and stuffs them on the bed, Akira gave up and let her wander. Sera continued looking what to do when she saw a box on top of the top shelf of his wardrobe. She started pulling it out and opened it and found something that interest her. She saw a camera, a ring, a Swiss knife, a diary and piles of pictures lastly a framed picture of a family.

"Akira look! What I just found. Who do you think are they?"

"Leave it on the desk for a while and help me in packing first." Akira answered her without looking. Both continued packing and were finished an hour before dinner. All his drawers are already sorted back on their place then Sera took the box in between them, pick-up the picture frame and gave it to him.

"Here! This is what I told you to look at." Sera suggested showing the frame. Akira took it and saw a family picture, 4 people to be exact. A man and a women with a girl holding a small infant, it was taken in the garden of his uncle's azalea flowers. He looked closely at the girl and she looks familiar to him. The same hair colour with the girl in his dream had, reddish hair and violet irises. He was surprised to found the picture but more intrigued with the image of the girl, she must be 12-13 years old. He suddenly stand-up not minding Sera looking at the other pictures and went in the window. Sera then looked up and found his brothers expression different from usual.

"Brother? you know you look like you have seen an ugly looking ghost." Sera ask joking with him. Akira didn't move to acknowledge Sera if he heard her, so Sera approached him and said:

"Hey! say something." Sera said while hitting him in the arm lightly. "Is their something wrong?"

"It's nothing, and although you need to improve with your jokes." Akira said then continued.

"I just dreamed about this girl for the past years now."

"Really? let me look at it. Hmmm.... she looks very pretty, maybe she wants to say something or you'll meet her one day, don't you think?"

"I hope so." Akira replied.

"Well, why don't you asked your uncle. He might know something, this is his house anyway." Sera suggested

"I'll talk about this after dinner with him, it might be just a coincidence."

"I don't think its a coincidence just inevitable and their's a reason behind it. Anyway that is what I believe in."

Supper is being serve before both Akira and Sera were done packing. By the time they reached the dinning table his uncle was already there waiting for them. Sera was allowed to eat with them because she was also a scholar of the Roque company. They all ate together but Sera excused herself after an hour due to some school works.

"I've seen the letter from Audessus University and congratulations, I hope your not planning to back-out?" Mr. Roque started speaking.

"Don't worry uncle I'm not planning to too. I have already packed my things because tomorrow would be the departure day." Akira replied.

"I see."

"Oh, uncle! Before I forget, I saw a box on top of my cabinet and there were pictures and other stuffs in it. I was hoping to ask you about a certain picture." Akira mentioned.

"Bring it in my study after dinner and I'll look on it." Carl answered his nephew, thinking what kind of pictures he was talking about.

Akira left his uncle first after dinner and went to the usual area he goes to, the kitchen, the staff are still there and are used with Akira visiting them everyday. He hangout out with them to talk and help them clean up but it makes the work harder for them since they, most of the time, repeat all the things he does. After an hour with the staff he went directly to his room took the box and went directly to the study. His uncle looked at the valuables and lastly on the picture Akira wanted to ask.

"Do you still remember what your parents look like?" His uncle started.

"Not much, I don't want to remember it because it gives me headache." He answered.

"Well then, this picture is your family picture taken here in my wife's garden. The kid here of course is you when you were 2, then your parents behind you."

"This is what they look like. Who's the girl holding me?"

"Tha______t, would be your baby sitter when you were with us"

"What's her name?"

"Why you ask?"

"Nothing much, I just want to know everyone in the picture. Is there something wrong?"

"Dinah, but everyone calls her 'INA'."

"Could i keep this? this is my only remembrance from my parents."

"Of course, keep it even the valuables in that box."

Akira left after saying goodnight and decided to get some sleep before tomorrows travel, that night he didn't dream anything about her again.

Carl was able to breath after his nephew left, he never thought their were in his room. He just hope he has still time to find her before others do.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Morning came and the entire household knew that the young master was leaving for the college and decided to see him leave. That means Sera planned not to go to school.

"Sera you were right."

"Of course, I'm right____ Wait when was I right?"

"About yesterday, it was my family."

"Really! that's great, you were even cute. So is the girl there your sister then?"

"He said she was my baby sitter, I don't know, I'm not sure but I'll try to look into it."

"Maybe she's special and your parents must be protecting her from the government."

"Ahahahah-----------" both laugh out loud. Sera really has a very imaginative mind Akira thought.

"Mr. Akira, you have to go now or you'll miss your flight." Rune called from downstairs.

"I'm coming in a minute. bye sis, don't forget to practice we still have a rematch once I come back to visit."

"Sure! I'll be ready to beat you when you return."

"I almost forget: 'Go to school Now!'."

Akira said his goodbyes to everyone and his uncle was the last one before he was drove to the airport , he reached it at exactly 9:00. Everyone were already boarding the plane bound to Antarctica.

"Good morning everyone, I would like to make few reminders. We are now starting to lift off, please remain calm and put off all electronics also put your sit belts on. Emergency exits are found in front to your left and at the back. we will reach our destination in 2hrs so try to relax. Thank you."

Akira started looking around to look for one particular individual but found someone else. She was staring at him and Akira tried to be polite and smile but her eyes darkened and look away. He noticed that she was sitting beside the person who topped the exam in St. Laurence High School same school the girl she was trying to look for.

"We have safely landed everyone, now kindly wear your warm coats because it would be cold."

Everyone followed what the attendant said then one by one they went out and a man was waiting for them. They were ushered in a ladder beside the man going down. A vehicle large enough to carry 10-15 people each was waiting for them. It was almost circular on shape with glass above and its sides, it was named 'cell transport'. The CT then moved along the tunnels with a great speed and everyone started to hold tight. It started to slow down after 15 minutes and saw that they were underwater and some started to panic thinking that the CT was open. After a few minutes everyone started to enjoy the sight. the ride pick up speed and reach the underground of the facility inside the floating island. A lift was provided to see the school campus itself.

"We've reached the campus, now then please follow me because everyone are waiting." They reached the school auditorium and were asked to sit on any empty chairs which were all in front. The school head's assistant was asked to stand and address them.

"Good morning ladies and gents, we are here to welcome our freshmen's in this prestigious university. We hope that your stay be fruitful and meaningful. I won't prolong my introduction because I know everyone are tired. May I then asked all assigned upper class-men to guide and orient our freshmen's during their stay."

All older students were asked to follow their respected dorm leader depending to their year and house. While the new once were given their ID with said house. Akira was at the dorm 1,'the white phoenix', near the Essai mountains, to reach the dorm everyone has to climb a stair named as 'the stairway to heaven' or for others 'hell'. The stair consists of 500 steps before you reached the top. All freshmen were already complaining after 30 steps.

"Are we in the right uni? I can't believe we don't have an escalator." One of the freshmen asked but no one answered, they were all focus on reaching the top.

After an hour and a half they reached the dorm and were asked to follow the room number written in their ID's. Akira found his and saw who his roommate, he didn't bother him and drop all his things and slept. At 3 in the afternoon he woke up and felt hungry. He decided to do sight seeing and find something to eat. He looked the school map and look where the food street was. He choose a cozy spot at the veranda of the coffee shop, the view was calming and beautiful to see.

"Hi there! Your Akira right? I'm Arthur your roommate."

"Hi! Nice to meet you, but how did you know my name?"

"Simple I actually have all profiles of everyone in this island, since we were assigned to be roommates I look for your name."

"I do admire you_______r skill but isn't that illegal."

"Skill, good description but I never get caught. Anyway do you mind if I wait for my sister here, and she's late."

"No problem, what time you were suppose to meet?"

" 3:45."

"15mins already pass. She must have lost her way."

"Maybe, anyway I'll just order while waiting but she might give up if she didn't find this place by now."

After an hour both left the shop and split up. Arthur went to look for her sister while, Akira went straight to the dorm and presented with an everyday obstacle, The stairs.

"They must have spent all their resources underground that it didn't reach here. They really need to make a faster way to reach the dorm, it's time consuming" Akira talking to himself.

He reached his room and unpacked, he found his family picture and the diary he decided to bring. He planned that starting tomorrow he'll look for her and might find some answers."