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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaqfa7LKel
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuggJfbjEAw
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaMkjelTjr0
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpzH6Bc9fGK
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkleCa1QxV7
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtE9AUL2qv
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“Hi Bertha,” I said back. “What are you doing here?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQwN3dMBxk
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJpOotPhge
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHGs6zoGQ8
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqDMluBuSDf
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“Sorry about that.” I apologized. “What do you want to talk about?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbIwNwWSfV
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfMlXuplsun
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I raise my eyebrows. How could she remember that?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJxWkwnDiSV
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“Yes, you did. Do you usually remember things when you go into an episode?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8MU6TCnL6r
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3f0c3quil
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3uY9AbDFVL
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“Is this what you want to talk about?” I folded my arms.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7yJjEzH5Xc
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEkfHelEjP
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I kept my mouth tightly shut, waiting for her to say it.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxQKOyKVGo
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“I recently discovered that I’m a supernatural, and I think you are too,” Bertha said aloud.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgwpKMPS0x1
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My face must have given it all away because Bertha now looked embarrassed for saying her secret, especially to me.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnVLBXuoCO
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“What makes you think that I am also a supernatural being?" I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdu8Lo4ET3C
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOJQlWHrhU
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdDTqZQ8ru
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ522R8hIhVB
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“That explains why your aura seems funny. It’s human, but there’s something different about it.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAHzOszNS1J
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“Oh, is that what the energy I feel from everyone is called?” Bertha’s eyes widened with awe.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyiqcyQxciB
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I nodded my head. “It seems you have developed the sense of reading aura quiet naturally,” I said.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCz0VNzCefm
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“Oh, no, the spirit has been teaching me about the supernatural world,” Bertha said proudly.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0HJVjbxgv2
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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?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2byyizOenv
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYv0WnVZ5KK
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7w2SQQWQVg
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“Did your spirit tell you to come talk to me over this?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV4P0Gk3sab
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“Yes. It tells me that I should seek your help over something,” Bertha replied.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVI9suOdltt
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“Which is what?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9yivvLGra
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWaiXQEDhjU
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE31g3oChcc
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9D6P2g5YDN
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSNMCPHOGE
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I didn’t have much time, and Stella is probably waiting for me on the other end.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxG1yR6mAK
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“Okay, I’ll take you with me,” I said. “But you should promise not to tell anyone about this.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwsF93aQDh
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“I have never told anyone about me or you,” Bertha said. “If anyone knew, they would call us Satanists, right?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtC25svsX3
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIdC9ev6Qts
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“Is this the gate to the other side?” she asked. “I never knew it would be like this.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdbPLYXbpcW
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6zpmizjRm
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“You can see the gate?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4TdB6aEV9
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“Yes, I can,” said Bertha.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZK5ZvjFsnS
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I fully turned my body to face her. “What does the gate look like?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPMSbH0Ossb
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She looked nervously at me before turning to look at the wall behind me. “Uh,” she hesitated.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBtV7ipaJIu
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchdNf9fVji
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“Whoa, Diana, that was close,” said Bertha.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPQC23IAzJi
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“I’m guessing that that’s your animal spirit?” I asked, looking straight at it.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD97YP5xhtL
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“Nice to meet you again, Diana,” Bertha’s spirit said. “At least we're meeting under better circumstances.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01PwdqfS8k
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8armLGy9Xs
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeghZrAbhqG
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Bertha turned to look at her spirit. “First of all, I would like to thank you, Diana,” the spirit spoke.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcdhnAQP8d
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“Thank me for what?” I asked with my eyebrow raised.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqGuP18gNef
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“Well, if it wasn’t for my encounter with you last time, I would never have come to my senses.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLhuW0sfvJ0
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“I don’t understand what you mean.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX7SUmZ0Pjy
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcRQANco0J
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡraUBfvLPzE
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLCk5BVzEx
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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?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDOGB2RcfpY
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmcEchx7LR9
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr7CSOrY2UY
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtYokvjFny
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“That aside,” I said, “tell me why you want to come with me to Butterfly Island.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv3Me1R8A6D
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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?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBQKcdM4Nur
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJrxFPvQCog
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“But you’re a spirit, and you seem to be more knowledgeable about it than me,” I said.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5pHc13cv6
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnMRCvrbrO5
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“You’re her spirit. Don’t you know her primary element?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6R98XSP1O
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“I do, because it's my element.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuqR9Gd9HNg
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobItD1j4eF
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm30YNeE9Et
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Ut1F63Ehl
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“Are you from Butterfly Island?” Bertha asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvndGqy7t6
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Stella gave her a kind smile. “Yes, we are,” she answered. “My name is Stella.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH96IgCv7fC
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf1NeekiFNW
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“You know about her?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwx2F28fmg3
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKums7Q5shk
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“Could that be the reason why her spirit is sane?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2rp2LozN4j
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3XJqWg2Ikl
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKajbYwREYD
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“So that means you accept me as your pupil?” Bertha asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy6RcAB235L
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2P2nhlREg
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNjEyCleul
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡszzQOdpunt
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSdmswASAR
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlP7gFzElMa
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe2bclLtT4O
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFpi1B7ccwS
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGcHI5GVb4v
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVuCj9NvFnS
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1raz0kuozr
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“I’m guessing that my lessons on the fire element start today?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYYn0JwxkLR
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“Yep,” said Mei. There was a brief silence between us. “Is that the only question you’re going to ask?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IUW7RfJSG
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I scoffed. It looks like Mei has already read my mind. I didn’t sulk much over it.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVyQm04Mi7g
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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?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCQ47PYRQAd
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy5IIpra7le
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“Who will attack me then? Not Lord Vandell, I hope.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeahVkZVVrj
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWR1bS3HQPt
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Mei walked down the dais, but this time she went down through the east side. I quickly followed her.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtqeSdCPEvn
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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?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQwBQOCyOt
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeew80nCsMT
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“So how do they come about?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJOfaCw57pE
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBgv2weDFVL
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchXWhdLlUO
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“Bertha’s is an animal spirit. It looks like a lion if you ask me.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJA9jDXVBL
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAiw6pSsGS
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrCTosIDRdU
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"Wait, you were there when I tried to defend myself?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlKd6MxMtl9
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNGgvgt9sc
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I didn’t say anything, as I knew I still had a lot to learn. That was nothing.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOGb8vZf85
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxUzTsDFFt
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“I have another question, if you don’t mind,” I said to Mei as we got closer to the tree.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9mpr6ky3Q
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVbLSPKJyK
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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?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLxZHJZlKF
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUd2t6ODrDJ
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“Can that outburst with the weather have something to do with which natural element they possess?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAgqNB1KBkH
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Mei didn’t hide how impressed she was. “In a way, yes. Can you guess what element her spirit has?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3jX2W6E3H
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“Nature. I remember there being a strong wind, and wind does fall under nature.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCHEyN0m5jq
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“You’re learning a lot; that’s good.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXDtH1e4nSC
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDGRQzVrMM
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAbn7RwcBUq
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“Wait, she could die?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoEXhakEYcf
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“Well, she won’t die thanks to what you did when you fought her and her spirit.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgwHqMM1gw
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I scratched the side of my head. “Can you explain that for me, please?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcYPmCTvG7h
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw9k2d93kvP
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYDJj9JUBO
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“So, if they do fuse, like you’ve put it, Bertha will be able to use the spirit’s aura?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxlQ5znf4eN
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ktrt7Lbvd
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“I guess so. So I helped Bertha get through controlling the spirit, didn’t I?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGs4aCSU7tb
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡksvlqwbojO
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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?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcoTMqOaz4O
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6xWxuvInb
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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?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeByTWmBMNI
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF8e9closDD
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTOZHmbf8j
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“How did a tree from hell show up on this island?” I asked.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSMgbimXfu
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIuRKhWXuVK
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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?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaYZlPiWFZF
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“Don’t worry,” said Mei. “Everyone gets that feeling all the time. It is a passageway to hell after all.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5xh8yxBY6
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“Huh?” Then why is she taking me down there?282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPWWyX0qOgA
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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.”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUrkCyvmtSU
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡegdfHkgsM0
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4wKw1zMqDE
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“Not really,” I said, swallowing afterwards.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrV0G4llqr6
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkyQTD29td
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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.282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUt79tZbzjr
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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?”282Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsZblRQHbDA
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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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