Mirren Academy

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SYPNOSIS

Mirren Academy of Spells - Complete, First published Feb 20

Discovering an abandoned town in the middle of a forest, Odeth is

transported to a time when the ghost town was alive, but as
someone else--Olivia Valencourt.

***
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Magic isn't real--except it is when Odeth wakes up as Olivia
Twitter
Valencourt, a student of Mirren Academy, a school for spell users
like her. Well, like Olivia.


Determined to find her way back home, she discovers the truth
behind the once-alive abandoned town, and that she's not as much
of a stranger to the place and to the person she's pretending to be.
In finding friends, love, and herself while trying to change the
town's fate, she finds that maybe Mirren Academy is already home.
Email
DISCLAIMER: This story is written in Taglish.

©All Rights Reserved

© Credit To The Right Owner as well the Converter

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MirrenAcademyofSpels-Welcometo
MirrenAcademy

by april_avery

"Mortal body,
timeless souls.
Lives woven
sparked by hope.
One was destined
a path to retrace,
Is this content inappropriate? Report this Document
where wish was born
to alter fate."

Welcome to Mirren Academy!

"Home of magical and forbidden."

Written by: april_avery

Genre: Fantasy

Converted by: ~cmlaf143~

***

Author's Note:

Hi there! Long time no see haha! I'm back with a new fantasy story,
my third academy story! Let me welcome you to another magical

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journey and may you find magic in the most unexpected places.

Your author who miss you the most,

April

P.S. Announcement coming this Sunday. Watch out for it!

#MirrenAcademy

MirrenAcademyofSpels-Mirren
Academy:AnAnnouncement

Hi there! Before you proceed to a magical adventure, I want to

share with you my own story.

Mirren Academy was first posted on Wattpad in 2017 with only five
chapters before I completely removed it. I had no confidence in my
writing career back then or where it would lead me.

Fast forward years later, I came to realized that no matter what I

do, where I am, who I'm with, writing will always be a part of me.

Through the Wattpad Paid Program, I became an author lucky

enough to be paid for my hard work and I'll forever be grateful to
the opportunity and to the readers who continue to support me.

It's my great pride to announce that Mirren Academy will be under

the Paid Program starting June 30, 2021. All chapters of the story
will be posted on this date and there will be free chapters provided
for you so you can check if the story is within your alley before you
venture into this magical adventure.

To feel your support through the program would mean the world to
me and I hope you're proud of this achievement as much as I do.

June 30 is the start of a new adventure!

The rest of my stories are still available freely here on Wattpad and
if you have questions about the Paid Program you can visit:
www.wattpad.com/paidstories

Forever grateful,
April

Chapter1:TheAbandoned

I stared at the unpaved road ahead. The car Ms. Meredith had
rented wasn't doing a good job of bringing us to the outskirts of
this sleepy town dahil panay ang patay ng makina nito.

"Malayo pa ba, Ms. Meredith?"

I didn't know why we were here...or maybe I did, and I just couldn't
accept the fact that instead of enjoying the long weekend like
everyone else, I was in an unknown town in an unknown island.

Mula madaling araw nasa biyahe na kami. We took the bus for five

freaking hours to this unheard-of pier where we took a small boat

for another hour or so to this sleepy island.

Sleepy wasn't an understatement. It was seven in the morning

nang dumating kami sa isla at naghanap ng pwedeng kainan dahil
hindi pa kami kumakain mula noong umalis kami sa Clarence, but
the only open restaurant was a small eatery near the pier.

Naghanap kami ng sasakyan na pwedeng rentahan pero wala raw

nagpaparenta sa isla, kaya nakiusap kami sa may-ari ng restaurant
rentahan ang sasakyan niya.

At least there's one good thing about the island—madaling

pakiusapan ang mga tao rito. They let us rent the car until noon
and they gave us the keys without even signing an official
document. Kung sa Clarence ito, you weren't getting your car back.

But it was an island, and wala nang daan palabas dito other than
the pier, so I understood how they could easily vest their trust to
complete strangers like us.

But we weren't completely strangers. Kaya ako nandito kasama

ang secretary ni lola na si Ms. Meredith ay dahil may malaking
lupang nakapangalan sa 'kin sa lugar na ito.

But in this kind of place? I doubted kung may ibang kamag-anak si

lola na nakapunta na rito. Why would she have a piece of land here?

It was too far from the city of Clarence.

Halos mauntog ang ulo ko sa bintana ng sasakyan dahil sa lubak

na daan. Beyond the streets of the pier, wala nang makikitang
maaayos na daan sa isla. Maging ang mga bahay ay unti-unting
nauubos habang lumalayo kami sa pier.

"It's creepy," tukoy ko sa matataas na puno sa gilid ng daan. "What

are we even visiting here?"

Ngumiti si Ms. Meredith. She had honestly always been like this.
Pangiti-ngiti lang, like everything for her was an adventure.
Sinandal ko ang noo ko sa upuan at bumuntonghininga.

Makaraan ng halos isang oras na biyahe, nakarating kami sa

lupang tinutukoy sa mga documents ni lola. It was smack dab in
the center of the woods, a wide clearing where a huge cabin
resided.

Napakurap ako at medyo natulala. Yes, I never expected to see

something like this—dalawang palapag na cabin, may garahe at
shed sa gilid, may maluwang na bonfire pit sa harapan at mukhang
may nakatira sa loob.

"You sure this is the property?"

Tumatawa lang siya nang lumabas sa sasakyan, like she knew

about this all along. Sumunod ako sa kanya at naglakad-takbo
nang makitang nasa harapan na siya ng bahay at may kausap.

Kumunot ang noo ko. Ms. Meredith could be gullible and could
afford to give her trust to anyone but me. I was the more cynical
and cautious, the one who checked the facts first before
completely immersing myself into something.

"Ms. Odeth, sila ang caretaker dito."

Tiningnan ko ang matandang mag-asawa. They had gray hair,

wrinkled faces with smiles, and slightly curved backs from their
ages. "Good morning po," bati ko. They didn't look like people who
would cause anyone harm.

"Ikaw na pala 'yan."

"Nanggaling na po ba ako rito?" tanong ko.

Ngumiti ang matandang babae. "Hindi mo naaalala pero

nanggaling ka na rito."

Maybe years ago? I didn't know. I had a messed-up memory

because of an accident.

"So this is the place."

Nakatunghay si Ms. Meredith sa cabin at sa kalapit na kakahuyan.

Lola even hired caretakers for how many years to keep this place.

She must have had good memories in here.

"Mula rito hanggang sa dulo ng isla," sabi ng matandang lalaki.

"What?" I exclaimed. Lumingon ako kay Ms. Meredith. "Totoo?"

Nakangiti siyang tumango. "One-third ng isla ay nakapangalan sa

lola mo."

Oh my God.

So sa isang oras kaming nagbiyahe mula sa bayan, we basically

covered two-thirds of the island already. If the remaining one-third
was in lola's name, it was still a thirty-minute drive of land. A whole
town could fit in it.

I knew lola was filthy rich. I mean, she was this silent millionaire
type na laging nasa loob lang ng mansion niya. She barely had
family to visit her. But wasn't this one of her largest properties?

"Ilang taon n'yo na po itong hawak?" tanong ko.

"Mga sampung taon na."

"And she didn't do any improvements on the land?"

Umiling ang dalawang matanda. "Maliban lang sa cabin na

tinutuluyan namin."

Well, it was surprising. How could lola let something like this stay
idle? She was a good businesswoman. She could do a lot with this
piece of land.

"So, what are your plans?" asked Ms. Meredith.

Naglalakad kami palibot sa cabin para tignan ang lugar.

"I don't know. I just turned nineteen," I answered her. "Bakit ako
bibigyan ni lola ng ganito kalaking lupa?"

"Madalas siya noong pumunta rito, alam mo ba?" tanong ni Ms.

Meredith.

"Really?"

"Kapag umaalis siya para pumunta rito kada taon halos wala
siyang ibang kasama."

"Isn't that dangerous? She's, like, eighty years old."

Nakatunghay si Ms. Meredith sa kakahuyan habang nakasiklop

ang mga palad sa likod. "Wala itong pinagbago. Ganitong-ganito pa
rin ang pakiramdam. Your lola loves this place. She loves walking
in the woods. Lagi niyang sinasabi na may binabalikan siya rito, but
every time she does, mas nalulungkot siya."

Huminga si Ms. Meredith nang malalim, letting the crisp air of the
woods fill her lungs.

"Tuwing nalalaman ko na aalis siya nang ilang araw, alam kong

dito siya pupunta. At tuwing babalik siya, palungkot nang
palungkot ang mga mata niya."

"Seems like this is an important place for her."

Tinawagan si Ms. Meredith ang mga contacts niya na expert sa

lupa habang nakatunghay ako sa terrace at pinanood ang
makulimlim na ulap na unti-unting lumalapit sa kakahuyan.

I wonder what was in this place that made it special. Kaya kami
pumunta rito ay para tingnan kung pwede itong ibenta—an ocular
inspection of the land's probability to generate income. After all,
pinangalan na ito sa 'kin.

But I had inhibitions.

Kanina sa biyahe, sabi ko mabilis lang kami. Titingnan lang namin

ang lugar, kakausapin ang mga caretakers, and check with Ms.
Meredith's legal contacts for zonal value or something. Pero
ngayon, hindi ko na sigurado.

Even the car we rented ay hanggang kalahating araw lang dapat,

pero hapon na nandito pa rin kami. Mabuti na lang at kilala ng mga
caretaker ang may-ari ng sasakyan at nagawa nila itong tawagan
para ipaalam na nandito pa rin kami.

I let Ms. Meredith handle the legal procedures. I wonder kung

magtatagal kami rito. Kung hindi kami aalis ngayon, bukas na kami
makakaalis. Hanggang four lang ng hapon ang huling biyahe
palabas ng isla and it was nearly three in the afternoon.

Magbabiyahe pa kami papunta sa pier, idagdag pa ang ulan na

tuluyan nang bumagsak.

Bumuntonghininga ako at pumasok sa loob ng bahay. Hinayaan ko

silang magusap sa sala. I didn't like handling business matters,
especially when money versus emotions were involved.

Sinilip ko ang ilang kwarto sa loob ng bahay para hindi ako mainip.
At the lower part of the cabin was the living area, the kitchen, and
caretaker's space. Sa pangalawang palapag ay mga kwarto that
were mostly empty and dusty.

Pumasok ako sa isa na mukhang kwarto ni lola tuwing nandito

siya. There was a white canopy bed, vintage foot drawers, and a
tall mirror up on the wall. Tinanong ko habang nagbabiyahe kami
kung sa lugar na ito lumaki si lola, pero kahit si Ms. Meredith ay
hindi niya alam.

Lola had always been silent and mysterious—and good-looking, for

sure. She was this slender, elegant lady who wore vintage dresses,
gold brooches, and long necklaces. Kahit matanda na siya at
maputi na ang buhok niya, she still radiated the aura of someone
who retained grace and beauty from her youth.

Isang drawer ang binuksan ko para makita ang mga laman nito. I
was expecting to see vintage dresses with elaborate designs, or
boxes of old delicate jewelries, but there was nothing here other
than a strange dress.

Kinuha ko ang dress at tiningnan, but upon closer look, it was more
like a cloak with a white blouse and a long green skirt underneath,
like a school uniform.

Hinawakan ko ang magaspang na burda na nasa puting blouse. It

looked like a school logo. An old uniform of lola's? Binasa ko ang

nakasulat. Mirren Academy.

Mirren...was this a school somewhere here? In the island?

Pinatong ko ito sa kama. Since it was raining heavily at wala akong

ginagawa, sinubukan kong isukat ang damit sa harap ng salamin.

The uniform fit me perfectly. The blouse and skirt seem like they
had been measured and sewn for me. Magkasing katawan pa yata
kami ni lola noong bata siya. Umikot ako sa harapan ng salamin. I
always liked lola's style, and wearing her old uniform felt like
knowing her and the past that I rarely hear from her.

Nakarinig ako ng ingay sa baba. Tila may bumagsak o kumalabog.

Sa gulat, hindi na ako nakapagbihis at nagmadaling bumaba
papunta sa living area kung nasaan ang caretakers at si Ms.
Meredith. But there was no one there. Walang tao sa cabin maliban
sa 'kin.

Where was everyone?

Kinabahan ako at nagmadaling libutin ang unang palapag, pero

wala talaga sila. Lumabas ba sila? Sumilip ako sa labas kung saan
patuloy ang pagbuhos ng ulan. Don't tell me lumabas talaga sila at
iniwan ako rito? Were they going to inspect the place in this
weather?

Lights beamed through the forest like small flashlights. Naiinis na

lumabas ako sa cabin para sundan sila. Good thing I was wearing
the cloak, preventing me from being soaked, but the heavy rain
faded the moment I stepped in the woods. The only problem...it
was dark, and there was no way I could make up a trail.

"Ms. Meredith?"

Tumakbo ako sa loob ng kakahuyan while the lights continued

moving beyond. Ilang beses akong nadulas hanggang sa bigla na
lang akong dumausdos pababa. Nagsisigaw ako nang tuloy-tuloy
akong nahulog at bumagsak sa lupa.

"Aray."

I grunted while standing up. I thought I would die in that fall. Para

akong binugbog ng sampong maton. Hawak ang namamaga kong

tagiliran, tumayo ako at tiningnan ang paligid. There was nothing
but more trees and darkness, pero tuluyan nang nawala ang ulan.
Something appeared behind the trees—a spark, a firefly. It was the
first time I saw such thing up close. Paglapit ko, bigla silang
dumami, isa-isang sumindi, making a trail.

Did I stumble upon a home of fireflies?

Maingat kong sinundan kung saan sila patungo. Bigla silang

nagsipulasan nang marating ko ang dulo ng kakahuyan. Nang
makita ko ang nasa harapan ko, nalaman ko kung bakit...hinawi ko
ang mga nakaharang na baging at halaman sa harapan ko...in front
of me appeared an abandoned town.

I clasped my hands over my mouth. I was at the edge of the forest

and in front of me were mountains and valleys full of abandoned
structures taken over by nature.

There was an eerie stillness in the air, like this place wasn't aware
that it was forgotten. There were no ruins, the structures were all
intact behind heavy blanket of foliage. There was a church tower in
the distance, houses on the valley, a town square with streets
covered in green moss, and an old magnificent castle against the
rocky side of the mountain.

Nakakamangha.

I could almost hear the church bell ringing, or the chatter of people
in town square walking to their homes, or the noise of the train
running through the forgotten train tracks. What happened to the
people living in this place?

I wasn't a curious person. I would rather be on the safe side of

things, pero nang may makita akong maliliit na liwanag sa loob ng
bayan, nagkusa ang mga paa ko na sundan ito. It was like seeing

hope. May nakatira ba sa lugar na ito?

Huminto ako sa tapat ng isang kakaibang structure...it was my

first time to see such thing...like a real castle. The top of the
towers glistened, and glass windows reflected the color of the
setting sun beyond the mountains.

I pushed the heavy wooden door. The place was almost empty
except for the plants na nakapasok sa mga siwang ng bintana at
pader. They crawled through the colorful symbolic tiles on the floor.
The moment I stepped inside, the patterns on the floor began to
glow like streams of gold.

Maging ang pader ay tila nabuhay. I followed the movement,

entranced by strange glowing patterns on the wall and on the floor.
The golden threads shaped themselves like letters, and for every
step I took, may mga salitang nabubuo.

Unti-unti kong binasa ang mga nakasulat.

"Mortal body,

timeless souls.
Lives woven
sparked by hope.
One was destined,
a path to retrace

where wish was born

to alter fate."

Sa huling salitang binanggit ko, bigla na lang akong bumagsak sa

sahig. Bumigay ang mga paa ko sa 'di malamang dahilan and my
breath caught in my throat.

What was happening?

Unti-unting nanlabo ang paningin ko hanggang sa tuluyang pumikit

ang mga mata ko. Hindi ko alam na sa muling pagbukas nito,
ibang mundo na ang aking makikita.

***

Chapter2:TheTown

www.wattpad.com

Mirren Academy of Spells - Chapter 2: The Town - Page 3

by april_avery

13 - 16 minutes

Chapter 2: The Town

I woke up with a startle, like I came from a bad dream. I sat up on

the bed, a little fazed, with a headache like someone just smashed
a hammer against my head.

Where was I?

I was laying on an uncomfortable bed wearing the same uniform

I'd been wearing since I messed around in lola's old room.
Everything was white—the curtains, the walls, the bed.

Was I in some kind of hospital?

"Gising ka na."

A girl came into view from behind the curtains surrounding the bed.
She was wearing the same uniform as I was, with mid-length wavy
hair and large expressive eyes.

"Where am I?" I voiced out, mouth dry and scratchy.

A second girl brushed the curtains away and stared at me with her
eyebrow arched. She was slightly taller than the first girl, with
longer dark hair.

"You're in the infirmary, Olivia," the second girl replied.

Olivia? "I'm not Olivia."

Nagkatinginan ang dalawang babae. The first girl bit her lower lip
in worry. "Anong ibig niyang sabihin?" bulong niya sa kasama.
"Hindi niya ba tayo nakikilala?"

Pareho kaming lumingon nang bumukas ang pinto at pumasok

ang isang doctor...or who I assumed was a doctor. She was
wearing a black turtleneck under her white coat.

"Looks like a spell mishap took place," she confirmed. Muli siyang
sumilip sa clipboard na hawak niya bago humarap sa 'min. "Ms.
Valencourt used an undeveloped spell which temporarily messed
with her memories."

The girl with the longer hair rolled her eyes and sighed. "Seriously,
Olivia? Undeveloped spell? You know how dangerous those are.
Gusto mo bang magising ka na lang sa ibang lugar?"

"Precisely," the doctor said with a smile. "Now, I will brew a

cleansing potion to cleanse her system from the effect of the spell,
but don't stress the patient too much. She needs to rest from all
the side effects, okay?"

The doctor left us after reminding the two that they needed to
follow eventually.

"Will do, Professor," said the two girls before glancing back at me.

"Let's hope your father won't hear about this," muttered the dark-
haired girl. "We'll be back later when you're ready to go. Just stay
here and rest."

The two eventually left the room. I sat back on the bed with a

dragging sigh. What was happening to me? Why was I here? Who
were those people?

A movement inside the room caught my attention. From a corner,

the curtains swayed with the sudden breeze coming from the open
window. Nakabukas ba ito kanina?

I walked towards it with careful steps. A guy with an arm resting on

his forehead, eyes closed, was laying on the bed next to the
window.

Was he a patient too?

The guy slowly opened his eyes and peaked behind his arm. "Ah,
it's you," he muttered, uninterested. "You found me." Humakbang
ako paatras, careful not to disturb the stranger any further, but he
reached for my arm. Sa gulat, napaupo ako sa tabi niya sa kama.
He was fully awake and there was a snide smirk on his lips.
"What's a perfect student doing in the infirmary? Did you mess your
way in here, Olivia Valencourt?"

I shake my head, determined to stay away from him. He was the

complete opposite of the two. He seemed...dangerous. "I'm
not...Olivia."

He raised a thick eyebrow at me, took a candy from his pocket and
unwrapped it. He popped it into his mouth and cracked it open
between his teeth, smiling.

"Looks like you're in deep shit."

My attention shifted to the open window next to us. I rose from the
bed, staring at the view of a town below. My heart pounded inside
my chest.

Why...did the town look so familiar from up here?

I stepped away, confused and lost. My head was whirling, but there
was no coherent thought in there. I whipped my head towards the
door and before I knew it, I bolted to the corridor, aching to get
outside.

I ran through the carpeted floor with my bare feet, speeding

through corridors na may natataasang kisame at salaming bintana
which look like a church or a palace's chambers. Tumakbo ako
hanggang marating ko ang isang hagdan with steps so wide they
looked like ripples of melted chocolate.

Hindi pa ako tuluyang nakakababa nang mapansin ko ang mga tao

sa ibabang palapag. They were all wearing the same uniform,
talking and chatting while walking through the web-like hallways.
All around me were students. Some tried to greet me, but they
were all saying the same name.

Olivia.

I made my way out of the crowd of unfamiliar faces staring at me

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like strange festival masks. I stepped onto the wide lawn. The sun
shone directly at my face as I stared around the courtyard and the
tall green hedges surrounding the place.

Lumingon ako sa lugar kung saan ako nanggaling. I clasped my

hands over my mouth. In front of me was the same building inside
the abandoned castle. Its towers and domes loomed before me,
hiding the sky.

Words were carved on the large brass sign above the double doors
of the castle. Mirren Academy.

"Olivia!"

Tulala pa rin ako nang lumapit sa 'kin ang dalawang babae mula sa
infirmary kanina. Hinila nila ako palayo sa mga estudyante na
nagtatakang nakamasid sa 'kin.

"What's wrong with you?" hissed the girl with the long dark hair
nang makabalik kami sa loob ng kastilyo. "We told you to stay in
the infirmary, didn't we? Do you want those students to know you
messed up?"

Kahit sa hagdan panay ang tingin at bulungan ng mga

estudyanteng nasasalubong namin. Someone even approached us
to ask if I was okay, in which the two girls answered in unison, "She
is."

Wala ako sa sarili habang sinusundan sila kung saan. I tried to

make sense of what was happening. I might be in lola's old school
inside an abandoned town.

Muli kaming nakabalik sa infirmary kung saan naghihintay ang

professor dala ang isang maliit na bote na may lamang purple

liquid. Binigay niya ito sa 'kin at pinaalalahanan na inumin ko ito

bago ako matulog to cleanse the effect of the spell in my
body...whatever that meant.

Umalis kami sa infirmary matapos magpaalam. Kasama ko pa rin

ang dalawang babae, and I learned their names were Alice and
Claudia. Alice was the wide-eyed, curly-haired girl, and Claudia was
the stern one with the longer dark hair.

Muli kaming lumabas sa kastilyo. I couldn't believe we were really

in a castle. "Where are we heading?" tanong ko sa dalawa. They
were so comfortable having me around while I wasn't sure kung
pwede ko ba silang pagkatiwalaan. Should I go somewhere else?
May mapupuntahan ba ako?

We walked through gardens with giant fountains splashing crystal

clear water under the midday sun and passed connecting
chambers and towers until we reached the front of a three-story
building with a thick vine spread across its brick walls.

"We're back in the dorm," sighed Alice.

This was a dorm? It looked like an old Victorian building with

several small towers and long side porches. The lobby itself
looked like it belonged to a hotel—marble floor, gigantic
chandeliers, and a common area for students.

"I'll head to my room," muttered Claudia when we reached the

second floor. "Bantayan mo ang pasyente mo," paalala niya kay
Alice bago humarap sa 'kin na may nakamamatay na tingin. She
motioned her fingers before her eyes in a 'I'm watching you'
gesture. She could be really scary.

Binuksan ni Alice ang isang pintuan sa hallway and once inside,

she jumped straight on the four-poster bed. I stayed, lingering at
the doorway, unable to step inside. May dalawang bed sa
magkabilang bahagi ng kwarto, with matching vintage drawers and
desks. The walls were covered in old wallpapers.

"What a long freaking day..." mumbled Alice through the sheets

bago humarap sa 'kin. "Right, Olivia?"

Nanatili ako malapit sa pintuan. "I'm not...Olivia." Ilang beses ko na

ba itong sinabi ngayong araw?

Alice pulled her lips to a frown. "You'll remember who you are
eventually. You heard what Claudia and the doctor said earlier.
Undeveloped spells mess with your power and your memories,
that's why they're dangerous."

I took a few steps inside the room to ask her. "What do you mean
by spell?" Kanina ko pa kasi ito naririnig mula sa kanila and I had to
confirm if the absurd idea I had in mind was the same as their idea
of spell.

Nagsalubong ang mga kilay niya. "Spells, magic...the lifeblood of

Mirren Academy? The things we've been learning since we could
read and write?"

Magic? Despite the situation, hindi ko napigilang umiling. It

couldn't be real...right? Magic was fictional...something I only
watched in television or read in books.

"Don't force yourself to remember. You'll just get a headache,"

Alice said with a dismissive gesture of her hand. "I'll go change
first for dinner." She sat up in bed, yawned, and made her way
towards what seemed to be a bathroom.

Naiwan akong mag-isa sa loob ng kwarto. I turned to Olivia's desk

where her things laid around like she had been here just hours ago.
What happened to her? Pareho ba kami ng pinagdadaanan ngayon?
Did we switch places?

I stared at the pictures of her and her friends. There was Claudia,
Alice, and a guy. Hinintay kong lumabas si Alice sa bathroom bago
nagtanong tungkol dito. She now wore more laid-back clothes—a
purple shirt and sweatpants.

"Liam...your boyfriend." Hinintay niya ang reaction ko habang

nagsusuklay ng buhok. I didn't say anything. I was staring at her
quite seriously.

"I'm kidding," she giggled, patting me on the back several times.

"Akala ko pa naman hindi mo maalala, pero mukhang malinaw pa
rin sa 'yo ang status n'yo."

Patuloy siya sa nakakalokong tawa while I clutched my chest, like I

just had a heart attack. That scared me, honestly. I didn't think I
could handle such responsibility—like someone else's boyfriend.
Muli kong binalik ang tingin sa litrato before placing the frames
back on Olivia's desk.

It was just...strange. In the pictures were my face, lips beaming

widely, eyes smiling...but not my memories.

Alice insisted for me to change out of the green uniform before we

head to the dining hall for dinner. Doon ko nalaman na kahit ang
mga damit ni Olivia ay kasya sa 'kin. The clothes fit me
perfectly—like they were made for me.

How could that happen?

Bumaba kami ni Alice sa dining hall, a wide rectangular room at the

ground floor of the building. Panay ang paalala niya na 'wag akong
magpahalata na wala akong maalala. But how could I do that? It
wasn't that I didn't remember any of them. I honestly didn't know
anyone or anything about this place!

She basically had to drag me inside the crowded hall full of

students where Claudia was waiting for us, seated at a table at the
far side of the hall. "Come on, Olivia. Gutom na ako," hila sa 'kin ni
Alice para puntahan si Claudia.

Dumaan kami sa harapan kung saan nakapila ang ilang mga

estudyante para kumuha ng pagkain sa isang buffet table. Claudia
had three trays on food on the table for us. "I've been waiting here
for thirty minutes so might as well do something productive." She
slid the two trays of food in front of us. Claudia was crude and she
talked with no filter, but I imagined she was like the 'mom' friend.

My attention was caught by the ceiling above us where I could see

the clear night sky outside. "Eat up so you can drink the cleansing
potion tonight. I don't want to deal with another day of Olivia with
no memories," Claudia muttered.

Alice squeezed my arm and rolled her wide, doll-like eyes at

Claudia. "You don't have to worry, Claudia. Things will be back to
normal tomorrow, right Olivia?"

Wrong.

I woke up the next day on the same bed, in the same room, with
Alice sleeping peacefully across from me. Everything that
happened yesterday was nothing but a dream. That was what I
wanted to believe, but why was I still here?

Lost on my next move, I stayed in bed the whole morning while

Alice sashayed around the room, ready to start her day. When she

noticed I barely made an effort to move, she sat on the side and
tapped my shoulder.

"Are you okay?"

I shook my head under the sheets.

"Do you still feel sick?" she asked, a little worried. "You should rest
for the day."

Alice eventually left for her class. Once the door was shut closed, I
removed the sheet from my head, sat on the bed, and dried my
tears with my palms. I didn't want anyone to see how scared I was.
What if they realize I wasn't Olivia all along? I didn't know what they
would do to me.

***

Chapter3:Escape

Hinintay kong maging tahimik ang lahat bago lumabas ng kwarto. I

had to make sure the rest of the students in the dorm were already
in their classes. Bumaba ako sa tahimik na common room, floors
washed with light from the gigantic glass windows. I sneaked like
a rat out of the building.

I had a fair share of luxury views because of lola's properties, but

the academy was a whole other level of magnificence. It was like
living in a fairytale picture book where I was a background
character who ended up having the princess' face.

The sky was radiant this morning. Thin clouds rolled like cotton on
the clear sky. The tips of the castle's towers glimmered under the
sun. The campus was too wide for my short strides. Kalahating
oras din akong naglakad, walking through courtyards, passing
hedges and fountains habang naghahanap ng daan palabas.

Nakarating ako sa dulong bahagi ng campus nang hindi

namamalayan. I'd been too absorbed with the scenery to realize I
was in the secluded part of the campus. Isang maliit na gate ang
makikita sa dulo ng mabato at mabuhangin na daan, hidden by
untamed bushes and piles of mossy rocks.

I shoved my worries aside and decided to head for the gate. It was
my best option to at least get to somewhere. Dahan-dahan kong
tinulak ang kinakalawang na gate until it creaked open enough for
me to squeeze myself out.

Once I stepped outside, I was ambushed by thick thorn bushes and

wild trees. They pricked my skin and the leaves with ragged edges
brushed my face. Mukhang matagal nang hindi nagagamit ang
daan na ito.

I protected my face from the rough leaves at hinawi ang matinik na

halaman sa daraanan ko gamit ang maliit na patpat. It took me
several minutes of hiking down the slope hanggang sa narating ko
ang bungad ng bayan.

I walked a little bit more along the street lined with cottages and
charming gardens until I reached the town square. I stood in the
middle, surrounded by people...alive, walking, chatting, going on
their normal day. There was a fountain in the middle of the square
where kids were running around, chasing each other.

The town was alive.

Pero paano? Sigurado akong ito ang lugar na natagpuan ko sa loob

ng gubat. The towers, the buildings, everything...was supposed to
be abandoned.

"Miss..."

Isang lalaki ang tumawag sa 'kin mula sa fountain. His head was
covered in a cloak sewn together by different fabric. I couldn't see
his face clearly, but I assumed he was old.

"Estudyante ka ba ng Mirren Academy?"

He looked at the direction of the academy where the castle was

visible behind the top of the trees. The man had a raspy voice,
maybe from old age or bad habits. I managed to smile and walked
away nang hindi sumasagot. If there was one thing I learned from
my nineteen years of living, it was not to trust strangers. He could
be scamming me for all I know.

"Hindi ka taga-rito sa mundong ito..."

Tumigil ako sa paghakbang. As much as I wanted to keep my

composure and acted like I belong here, I failed. Muli akong
humarap sa lalaki. "How do you know?"

Sumilay ang ngiti sa labi ng lalaki sa ilalim ng kanyang hood. "May

barya ka ba, Miss?"

Barya? Pera? I didn't have money. I didn't even know what kind of
currency they used here. I bit my lower lip, trying to decide if I could
trust the stranger. He might have answers to my questions. Maybe
he could help me leave.

Someone stood between me and the old man and placed a candy
on his waiting hand. It was the guy from the infirmary. "Stop
scamming students, you old hag."

The man's shoulders shook in a chuckle before he removed his

hood to reveal...a not-so-old man. He actually looked like he was
only in his mid-twenties, with subtle stubble on his sharp chin.

"Ah, Santi Yvo, dumating ka rin. I got bored."

Bored? So all those comments about me was out of boredom?

Masamang tingin ang ginawad ko sa lalaki. He gave me a not-so-
sincere apologetic nod before lighting a cigarette that suddenly
appeared between his fingers. He sat on the bench with ease and
raised his foot on top of his leg.

"One of these days you'll get in trouble with that hobby of yours,
Marco."

"What?" He blew smoke into the air. "It's entertaining."

My jaw slacked, but no words came out of my mouth. Was I a joke

to this two? I rolled my eyes in complete annoyance before walking
away. Nakakainis. I knew I was stranger in this place, but they
could have treated me a little better.

"Hey, Valencourt."

Nakailang hakbang na ako palayo nang mapagtanto ko na ako ang

tinatawag. Santi Yvo...if that was even his real name. Hinabol niya
ako at hinawakan ang balikat ko para pigilan.

"What?" iritable kong tanong.

"Where are you going on a school day?"

"None of your business."

"Are you skipping class? The Olivia Valencourt?" mapanudyo

niyang tanong.

"Yes, I am, Santi Yvo."

He chuckled. A hearty, crisp chuckle with his head held back. He

was clearly entertained by this. Good for him. I marched away from
this condescending guy.

"Wait up!" he called, still chuckling. "Olivia Valencourt never skips

class."

I wasn't Olivia. 'Yon ang paulit-ulit na sagot sa isip ko, pero hindi ko
ito tuluyang masabi. Humarap akong muli kay Santi. "I need to get
out of here."

His chortle faded and his lips pressed into a thin line, as if he heard
something interesting. His smile came back with malice. "May
tinatakasan ka ba?"

"Yes." I stared back at him, eyes cold. He had dark eyes with
mesmerizing specks of gray. Umiwas ako ng tingin nang
magsalubong ang mga kilay niya. It might be entertaining to him,
but I was dead serious.

Santi took a step closer to inspect my face. Out of nowhere, he

raised his hand and placed his palm against my forehead. "May
sakit ka ba, Valencourt?"

I jerked his hand away. "I'm perfectly fine!"

"Wait here."

Bumalik siya sa fountain kung nasaan ang lalaking naka-cloak at

may sinabi rito. I didn't wait for him though. I had no reason to.
Instead, I walked away from them and asked the people around for
a way out of this place.

Pero isang lugar lang ang sinasabi nila. The train station—which
didn't make sense to me. I wasn't from somewhere far. I just
needed an exit from here and back to the cabin.

Isang matandang babae ang may sinabi sa 'king kakaiba. It was

about a place called the sentinel building. It was where
gatekeepers, which I assumed were guards, protected the borders
and every possible entryway in town.

"Pero mag-ingat ka, hija," warned the old lady. "Hindi sila madaling
pakiusapan."

I took the warning in my head at nagtungo sa direksyon na tinukoy

ng matandang babae. The sentinel building was located at the

edge of the town and could only be accessed by crossing a

wooden walkway surrounded by the chilling isolation of the forest.

Noong una hindi ko alam kung nasa tama ba akong lugar. All I
could see were trees along the wooden path and gigantic ferns,
and all I could hear was the sound of lone birds singing. Malinis
ang hangin at amoy berde ang paligid. Nang marating ko ang gitna
ng tulay, unti-unti kong nakita ang tinutukoy ng matandang babae.

It was a building, a horrible one, standing on the edge of what

seemed to be a cliff. It reminded me of dungeons. The structure of
the building looked like it had been a castle once with high gates,
thick stone walls, and low towers.

"Found what you're looking for?"

I blinked and stood up straighter. I plastered a cold face even

though there was nothing left in me but confusion and the feeling
of being lost. Santi appeared, sitting recklessly on the same tree I
was holding on for strength.

He hopped from the tree branch and landed, almost softly, on the
ground. I wiped a tear that unexpectedly fell on my cheeks,
refusing to face him.

"I won't head in that place if I were you," tukoy niya sa building sa
harapan namin.

Umatras ako palayo, dahil ramdam ko na hindi 'yon ang lugar na

kailangan ko. Nagpalinga-linga ako habang mabilis ang mga
hakbang. I needed to trace the path in the forest where I came
from. Maybe I could go back from there.

Nakalayo na kami sa sentinel building nang biglang hilain ni Santi

ang balikat ko. Tuluyan akong tumigil sa pagtakbo at humarap sa
mukha niyang magkasalubong ang kilay.

"What's your deal?" he demanded. "Why are you acting like you're
lost?"

I could tell my emotions were getting the best of me. My lips

began to tremble as well as my hands. It was the one thing I hated

about myself—when things get out of my control, I cry. But what

could I do? I'd been trying to act calm since I woke up in this
strange place, but I was so scared.

"Wipe your tears," Santi commanded. When I didn't comply, he

brushed my cheek with his thumb to wipe them for me. "Olivia
Valencourt never cries in front of anyone."

"I'm...not Olivia," I replied with contempt. "I'm not her. I'm not from
here!"

Hindi nagsalita si Santi. For a moment, he just stared at me,

wondering what I was thinking. My eyes roamed around the place,
desperate. There must be a way to leave this town.

Tumakbo ako papasok sa gubat.

"Valencourt!"

Patuloy ako sa pagtakbo sa kagubatan. If I could retrace my steps,

makakabalik ako sa cabin. I was good with directions.
Natatandaan ko ang ilang mga bagay, the strange shape of the
trees, ang mga halamang nakaharang sa daan.

Tumakbo ako hanggang sa marating ko ang masukal na parte ng

gubat. Nothing was familiar. The trees and foliage looked
strangely looming, watching me make a mess of myself. Patuloy
ako sa pagtakbo with tears blurring my sight.

"Valencourt, you can't go any further."

Lumingon ako at nakitang sinusundan pa rin ako ni Santi. Ano ba

ang kailangan niya?

"There's a force field—"

Bago ko tuluyang narinig ang warning ni Santi bigla na lang akong

naitilapon pabagsak sa lupa. I gasped for air when my head hit the
ground. Halos mamilipit ako sa sakit.

Napatayo ako sa lupa, iniinda ang sakit. "What the fuck, Valencourt?
Nababaliw ka na ba?" Santi held me by the shoulder para tulungan
akong tumayo.

Hindi ako nakapagsalita. Nakatitig lang ako sa bagay na nasa

harapan ko. It was like staring directly at air on a summer day,
waving and rippling with heat. There was a low buzzing noise
coming from it, live with electricity.

Inalis ko ang sarili ko sa pagkakahawak ni Santi. "I need to get out

of here."

"For what?" singhal niya. "There's nothing in there."

Umiling ako. "There are people waiting for me."

Bigla siyang natigilan. "Imposible ang sinasabi mo. Walang ibang

nakatira sa islang ito."

May kaluskos kaming narinig sa 'di kalayuan. Bago pa ako muling

nagsalita, two men wearing gray uniform approached us. Saan sila
nanggaling?

Santi cursed under his breath. Bigla niya akong hinila sa likuran
niya at nagsalita sa mahinang boses habang diretso ang tingin sa
dalawang lalaki.

"Kahit anong mangyari, sumunod ka lang sa sasabihin ko."

***

Chapter4:SentinelBuilding

The men's faces looked like stone, cold and uninviting. They
approached us with long strides of their boots scratching the
uneven ground. Santi held my hand in his in a tight grip. I could tell
we were in deep trouble.

"Who are they?" I whispered.

"Gatekeepers from the sentinel building. They guard the borders

and force fields surrounding the town."

One of them faced Santi and sighed heavily. "Sinasabi ko nga ba."

Santi gave a sly smirk, trying to act unbothered. "Long time no see,
Officer."

Bumaling ang gatekeeper sa 'kin. "At mukhang nagdala ka pa ng

kasama."

Nawala ang mapanudyong ngiti sa labi ni Santi. "Sinundan niya

lang ako rito," Santi answered, blatantly lying. "She's just a nosy
school mate who tried to talk me out of my plan."

Napailing ang gatekeeper. "Hindi mo talaga alam ang limitasyon

mo, McCrain."

Something wrapped around Santi's wrist, like a thick thread made

of yellow light. The same thing appeared around my wrist like
handcuffs, forcing my hands together in a tight knot. I bit my lip,
silently wincing in pain. These things were hot, like coal.

"Kailangan n'yong sumama sa sentinel building."

There was a shift in the surrounding, like a mild earthquake. The

ground trembled below my feet and I had to shut my eyes from the
dizziness. When I opened them again, I found myself in front of the
horrendous building near a cliff.

Hinila ako ng isa sa mga gatekeeper and the other one dragged
Santi.

"I won't treat her roughly if I were you," Santi told the gatekeeper.
"You don't want to mess with the assemblyman's daughter, do

you?" ngiti niya.

Nagsalubong ang kilay ng dalawa bago kami hinila papasok sa

building. Inside were howling voices, echoing, like we were in a
tunnel. May mga kumakalampag ng rehas, begging, crying for help.
There were several gatekeepers around us, but they said nothing.
Their faces remained steel cold.

Hindi ko magawang lumingon kay Santi. Shivers ran down my back,

making my knees tremble. We approached what seemed to be
their information office. "Pangalan," the gatekeeper barked at me
like a drill sergeant.

Wala akong maisagot. I didn't want to own the name, but it

seemed it was the only way to save both of us from this place.
"Olivia...Valencourt."

After they confirmed my identity to the officer on the phone, the

cuffs faded from my hands. I waited for Santi's to do the same, but

his hands remained shackled.

"You're supposed to free him too," I told them.

"Ms. Valencourt, we have protocols we need to follow, and Mr.

McCrain should remain in our custody for breaking the protective
field surrounding the town."

"I was the one who did it!" I turned to him, eyes watery with guilt.
"Please tell them the truth."

Instead, Santi leaned close to my ear and whispered, "You don't

want to mess your perfect records, Valencourt."

They dragged Santi to the dark corridor where the cries and
howling came from.

"Send Ms. Valencourt to his father at the assembly," the

gatekeeper ordered his companion.

"I was the one who break the field!" I insisted. "It wasn't Santi!"

I was cut off when a blurry light flashed before my eyes. The
ground shifted under my feet once again and I knew what was
coming. The rumbling was worse this time, and when I opened my
eyes, I nearly stumbled on my feet, dazed.

I was no longer inside the horrendous building with howling voices.

Instead, everything was silent, almost serene. I steadied myself
and roamed my eyes around the unfamiliar place. I was standing
on a white marble floor, and above me was a hallowed ceiling
supported by white gigantic columns. People walked to and fro,
looking crisp and professional in suits and pencil skirts.

Kasama ko pa rin ang gatekeeper nang puntahan kami ng isang

babae. She adjusted her dark eyeglasses upon seeing me before
turning to the gatekeeper. "Thank you so much for informing us. I

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will handle it from here."

The gatekeeper gave a low nod before completely disappearing

from our sight. It seemed to be the norm in this place, because the
lady didn't even falter.

"Ms. Olivia, your father is waiting for you in his office."

Father...ironic how I had a father here but not a single parent in my

world.

I was hesitant to go with the lady. But after the mess I did, I was
left with barely any choice. We arrived in front of a room with a
thick wooden door.

Kumatok ng tatlong beses ang babae bago nagsalita, "Ms. Olivia

Valencourt is here." Then she opened the door for me and ushered
me inside.

I entered a large office, larger than that of lola's in her mansion. All
the furniture was wooden and brown, making the room look dark.

Mula sa tapat ng mataas na bintana, isang tao ang nakatayo rito.

He was watching the birds on the windowsill play with each other.
He was a big man, and his hands remained clasped behind him
nang magsalita siya.

"What were you doing at the border, Olivia?"

His voice reminded me of thunder—booming, almost rattling the

floor.

"Tama ba ang balitang nakarating sa 'kin? You were with Santi

Yvo?"

He shifted his feet slowly to face me. He looked exactly what I

imagined—eyes that lacked emotions, bushy eyebrows, and a
patch of beard on his square jaw. His thick hair was like salt and
pepper, dark and silver.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to associate yourself

with a McCrain?"

Nanatili akong tahimik na nakatayo harapan niya. How could I find

the right words to say? I wasn't his daughter and I wasn't supposed
to be here.

Tumungo siya sa leather chair sa likod ng mahabang mesa.

"I always have to clean after your mess to keep your image, but
you always end up disappointing me," he grumbled. "Stay away
from troublesome people if you know better."

The secretary suddenly entered the office as if she heard a

command. She ushered me out of the room without so much of a
goodbye from my so-called father, as though I was just one of his
brief meetings or agenda for the day.

"I will have someone drive you back to the academy," offered the
secretary.

While waiting at the giant steps outside the white assembly

building, I realized how pretentious Olivia's life must be. I thought I
came into a fairytale-like place, but Olivia's life didn't seem to be
what anyone would dream for.

***

Author's Note:

Hey, guys! How's the story so far? Thank you so much for giving
this story a chance. I hope you're enjoying it as much as I enjoyed
writing it.

I'd loved to hear your thoughts about the story! Yes, I read all your
comments haha! What are your theories? You can also tweet me
@breatheapril or use #MirrenAcademy

Your author from a magical world,

April

Chapter5:BaneofExistence

"Where have you been?" Ito ang bungad ni Alice pagpasok ko sa

dormitory matapos ihatid ng sasakyan. "I left you for the day and
you came back in an assembly car?"

Alice had so many questions habang paakyat kami sa hagdan.

Tahimik lang na nakasunod si Claudia sa 'min. She must have
known something was up.

Alice sat on her bed with her arms folded, waiting for my answers.
Huminga ako nang malalim bago umupo sa opposite bed. I
couldn't sort out my emotions at the moment, let alone explain
everything to them.

Nakasandal si Claudia sa nakasarang pinto. "Did you tell your

father about the spell mishap?" nakataas ang kilay na tanong niya,
like she was challenging me.

"Did you?" Alice's doll-like eyes could hold so much emotions

unlike mine, which were just cold, and flat, and tired. "A spell
mishap isn't a small thing, Olivia. What if the legend happened to
you?"

"What legend?"

"You know, the incident that happened decades ago where a spell
user suddenly disappeared from the magic world after using an
undeveloped healing spell?"

"Exactly," said Claudia. "There's no way she would tell her father
about the incident to keep her good records. Tell me I'm wrong,
Olivia."

Good records. What was so important about it?

"I had just something to deal with..." I answered in a small voice.

"You're hiding a lot from us, Olivia." Claudia's words were

straightforward, cutting me. "Just make sure it's something you
can handle on your own."

She then left the room. Mas lumalim ang buntonghininga ko.

"Don't take her words seriously," Alice assured me. "She's just
worried. There's a lot going on lately and we don't want any one of
us to get into trouble."

I stayed in the room until dinner. Nasa dining hall na ang dalawa
para kumain. They asked me kung sasabay ako kanina but I didn't
respond to them under the sheets.

Bumaba ako sa dining hall while everyone was in the middle of

their meals at busy sa pagk-kwentuhan. Habang nakapila para
kumuha ng pagkain, a specific topic from a nearby table caught my
attention. Pagpunta ko sa table kung nasaan si Alice at Claudia,
'yon din ang usapan nila.

"He's currently at the sentinel."

"Isn't this the second time this month?"

Umupo ako sa tabi nila at pinatong ang tray ng pagkain sa mesa.

But I already lost my appetite from guilt. "Is it about Santi?" I tried
to sound nonchalant.

"Sino pa nga ba?" Claudia muttered followed by a dragging sigh.

"The bane of everyone's existence. The thorn in everyone's throat
in the academy."

Alice pulled her lower lip into a pout. "He made a habit of getting
into trouble with the authorities. He's an excellent student pa
naman when it comes to high level spells."

"'Yan na naman ang wala sa lugar na paghanga mo," ismid ni

Claudia.

"I'm just stating a fact," Alice blurted out. "Can we just accept the
fact that he's skilled and also freaking hot? We're responsible but
we're not blind."

I had to agree with Alice's point. Santi was good-looking in a

reckless, dark kind of way. He seemed to be the kind of person
who knew what he was doing. He was the total opposite of
me—lost, literally and figuratively.

"I don't think he's that bad..."

Pareho silang napatingin sa 'kin. The grilled meat from Alice's fork
fell back on her plate.

"Seriously, Olivia?" Claudia muttered. "Are you forgetting

something here? Aren't you the one who swore not to associate
yourself with someone like him?"

But it wasn't Olivia in this mess this time...it was me.

We were about to go back to our rooms after dinner when the

dorm keeper told me someone was waiting for me at the lobby.
Bumaling ako sa dalawa.

"Can people visit this late in the day?"

"It must be him!" squealed Alice, pinching my arm.

Claudia rolled her eyes and raised her hand to the lobby's doorway.
"Go to your prince."

Hindi ko maintindihan ang ibig nilang sabihin until I saw who was
waiting for me at the lobby. He was sitting patiently on one of the
brown couches in the waiting area. Claudia didn't lie. He looked so
much like a prince.

Matangkad siya, katamtaman ang katawan. He had soft-looking

sandy hair, a sharp nose and a kind smile. Kumaway siya nang
makita kami, smiling so radiantly, that even the other girls who
were on their way to the staircase had to stop and stare.

He was the guy in Olivia's pictures. Liam.

"Olivia!"

He stood up and jogged a few steps towards me. Alice and

Claudia's smiles had malicious intent lalo na nang bigla nila akong
iwan sa lobby kasama si Liam.

"Mauna na kami sa taas," hagikgik na bulong ni Alice bago umalis.