The Kingdom of Guhya

CHAPTER 11

Alhyssa's Standpoint

I feel the cold breeze hugging my whole body and dramatically blowing the pastel purple highlights of my hair beautifully. I am currently on the top floor of the girls' residential hall, standing on the center balcony that is connected to a hallway, and happily observing the view of the campus. As I stand here, my eyes scan the surroundings, taking in every detail of it, and in this tranquil moment, I cannot help but appreciate the beauty and serenity of the world around me. I gaze at the tall trees in front of the building that seem to be dancing as they sway with the wind. I shift my gaze to the vast space of the grassy open field, surrounded by numerous waiting sheds that are vacant. On the side are freshly bloomed flowers in which delightful and sweet scents permeate the air. Multiple students can be seen bustling through the campus grounds; others walk side by side, chatting animatedly, their laughter echoing through the pathways. What a sight to behold. This school is my everything; this is my life.

"Miss Alhyssa! Miss Alhyssa!"

My deep thought is interrupted as I hear a bunch of students in uniforms calling out and running toward me. I turn to them and watch them as they bow their heads in unison. I smile at them. They wear A-line above-the-knee navy blue skirts that perfectly match their loose collared blouse with a navy blue tie. With that, I can identify that they are juniors who may be in their first, second, or third year here.

Those who are in their fourth, fifth, and last years are considered seniors. They wear different pairs of uniforms. They have this above-the-knee tube gray skirt that is paired with a white fitted blouse and a gray tie.

"Hi, how may I help you, students?" I try to ask calmly, even though the students look extremely worried. I watch them try to catch their breath.

"Miss Alhyssa, we've been looking for Miss Thania and all the Valencias," one of the girls says. I observe her trembling as she delivers the message. With that, I feel alarmed. Students do not usually call out for Thania unless it is an emergency. I open my mouth to ask, but the girl interrupts.

"Miss, the city guards are trying to enter the premises," she straightly mentions. The students are scared, and it radiates all across their faces. I look at the classroom buildings that lie opposite the open field. Everybody seems to have no idea at all.

"Are you sure about that?" I inquire inquisitively.

"Yes, Miss. We were just passing by the aylwards' residential hall when we saw them running out of the second gate. One of the aylwards called us and ordered us to bring you the news," another girl replies.

Aylwards are the chosen people who guard the school. I step forward and convey my message comprehensively to the students in front of me.

"Students, look! I need you to grasp all the things I say, OK?" They nod uniformly. So, I continued, "I need you to go and ring the open field bell twice. Stay with your teachers until everything is fine. Now, go! Faster, go!"

Right on cue, they head directly to the elevator in the building to descend to the ground floor. Once on the ground floor, they need to navigate the confined corridor that connects the girls' residence hall with the expansive open field.

Using a different elevator, I swiftly descend to the base floor shortly. With a burst of speed, I sprint through the narrow hallway and make a left turn into the central hallway. Situated amidst the classroom buildings and the vast open field, the hallway showcases gigantic structures on my left while I catch sight of the students I conversed with earlier, now racing across the open field on my right. Several minutes elapse before I eventually reach the end of the hallway. In time, I hear the double strike of the bell resonating across the whole school.

Just in time, I meet Venice and Blair as I am about to turn right at the gate.

At a towering height of 5'9", Venice is the tallest among all the Valencias. Her legs are not only beautiful but also long and slender, perfectly complementing her petite figure. Her blonde wavy hair emphasizes her fair white skin. She has an oval face shape and round monolid eyes; her cherry, thin lips give a sweetheart vibe. She is dubbed as the school's sweetheart for a reason.

In contrast to Venice, Blair is the shortest one. She also has an oval-shaped face, round monolid eyes, and a slim nose. Her two dimples that show even when she talks make her look even sweeter.

Sometimes, people would mistake her as Venice's sister because of their facial features. One of the few things that sets her apart from Venice is her long black shiny hair.

"Do you have an idea of the situation outside?" I ask interrogatively.

"We don't. We got to go to find out," Venice says. She starts running toward gate two without waiting for my response. Blair follows quickly.

"Blair, go and alarm Thania," I demand.

"Shut it, Alhyssa! We don't know the situation yet. She's going to kill me if I disturb her for nothing serious," Blair says while we are still running.

I release an irritated breath and give up. In a couple of minutes, we reach gate two, where we see numerous aylwards who are ready to have a battle. They bow their heads at us and two of them immediately open the gate.

"You all stay here. Guard the gate. No one from the city is allowed to enter the premises. Do you get me?" Blair shouts with a serious voice. The aylwards bow their heads and say in chorus, "We hear you, Valencia!"

We step outside and enter the gate one area. The aylwards immediately close the gate two.