LIKSI

Every day is on repeat. I wake up to go to school, only to watch them practice their elemental magic in the morning, and of course, at lunch break, they bully me while I eat. Thinking about it now, I barely get to eat my lunch. I sigh. The only time I like the most during the waking hours I spend here at school is the afternoon. Aside from going home – which I always look forward to – we get to learn varied hand-to-hand combat skills, and even then, they still make fun of me. Everything I do looks amusing to them and until now, I couldn't figure out why. Nevertheless, I push their insults to the back of my mind. The only notion I entertain all day is that I get to learn something new.

Still I wonder, to what element does my magic belong? Earth, maybe? But the katolanon mentioned before that my magic does not belong to any elemental magic. Still, I kind of hope all my life that my magic would be the air. I have to be good at fawning the anitus so they bless me with huge favors, I suppose. Anyway, the katalonan also mentioned that day that this magic is new, and that I am called the tamer, but what exactly does it do? Am I capable of taming even the wildest animal? Furthermore, do I just tame them? Or am I able to communicate with them? Can I summon them out of nowhere if I just chant my own spells?

Bad news, though. Ever since then, not a single animal goes near me! I guess they're right. Everything about me is useless. Did Apang really leave us because of me? The only console I hold on to now are the words of the katalonan. "Well, we cannot oversee what the future has for us, though. So right now, the least we can do is appreciate the favors the anitus have given to each one of us. Am I understood?" But I still do not understand! What are the anitus thinking for giving me such 'unique' magic? Even by having such, I do not – not one bit – feel special. But do I need to? Maybe I am just overthinking.

Little do I know that my problem is going to find its solution soon.

"See you tomorrow, Electus. You are dismissed." Guru Diwa announces. "And, by the way, be careful. It is raining hard. Go home in groups."

In groups? I always go home alone, but bullies walk with me though. Is that even counted? Well, I guess maybe it is. Yet surprisingly, I am walking alone this afternoon. Is it the rain? Whatever. At least my ears get to rest from hearing nonsense while I keep being nonchalant all the while.

The rain feels soothing. Inang will not notice whether or not I arrive late. So, I decide to take my time. Before reaching our kubo, I must pass through a mini forest, but it's fine. On every day that I pass here, I am already used to it.

"I'm scared…"

I stop on my tracks. I look to my left, no one's there. To my right, not a shadow can be seen aside from those of the woods. Am I just imagining things? I seldomly talk to my self but I obviously do not right now. Am I starting to hear myself talk? I mean, I can hear myself talk when I converse with anybody; I am not dumb. Ha! Then why am I unsure if it's me or not? Maybe an after effect of overthinking? Not only am I useless, I am slowly succumbing to insanity, too! This is getting way out of hand. I shake my head. No! I must find the owner of that voice. I am not crazy!

"I'm starving. Please, someone save me. It's freezing in here…"

Curiosity is killing me as to what I am hearing. I am clearly standing alone in this mini forest. I don't feel any other presence that is here with me. So, what is it? Argh! Since when do I stick my nose to someone else's business? Oh, right. Every time.

I start to search behind every wood and bush, and all the time, whoever with me has not spoken a word. There's been a talk in the neighborhood lately about a ghost rumored to have been found lurking around this mini forest. Don't tell me I'll get to witness it myself. Not a problem, but it still scares me!

*Rustle*

"Huh? Who's there?!" The whole situation starts to creep me out. "I said, who's there?!" I keep myself alert and I heighten my senses. Who knows? This could be danger, and I wouldn't want to regret this myself for not guarding up early.

I walk to where I heard a noise. Slowly. Slowly. 'You wouldn't want whoever that is to be frightened by you.' I start to whisper.

*Yelp* *Rustle*

I think it's coming from the bush in front of me. There I realize it's a helpless puppy, cold and starved to death.

"Poor boy." The moment my eyes meet his, I can already sense longing. "Does your family think you're useless, too? With the matter at hand, I guess I'm still lucky to not be abandoned – well, at least not by my Inang. For now." I sigh. "Well, I'm taking you with me. That way, we are not alone together, anymore." I scoop him with both my hands to keep him warm. "I'm going to be your new family."

"Thank you..."

I get more startled lately. Are there no surprises anymore? "Wait, did I just hear you speak?" But the puppy is fast asleep. I guess, it's all in my head. I need to tell Inang about my condition before this gets worse. "Whatever. Whoever left you here, they are heartless. Lucky, I found you just in time."

Still, I'm glad. I just made a friend. He is the first animal to be near me since I retook the test.

***

The next morning, I bid Inang my farewell as I want to take a stroll before going to school. There are still things that I am still not sure about. I'm a tamer. So, what? Even now that it's been days since I first found out about my magic, I still couldn't get used to it. The bullying gets worse as days go by and I continue to shrug them off. "Don't take it personally," is what I always tell myself. I won't let them get under my skin, then I'm fine.

"Oh, my good anitus!" The puppy I brought in last night is waiting outside our kubo. "You scared me!" Breathe deep, Venandi. Breathe deep. "How are you doing, bud? Are you waiting for me, huh?" Seeing him all good warms my heart. I have saved a poor soul. He barks at me. "Wow! You seem ecstatic now when you were on the brink of death just yesterday. It's not a bad thing, though. Well, now that you are part of the family, what shall we call you?" It starts jumping and barking around, sticking his tongue out. It seems to be doing better than when I found him out in the mini forest. "AHA! You shall be named Liksi, then. Always full of energy. Now, who's a good boy?"

"Wow, I love it!"

Another surprise! "So, you really can talk!!!" I am looking at Liksi like he's the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. "Inang, come here! See for yourself, the puppy can talk!"

Inang, though a little annoyed, walks to where we are. "What? The puppy can talk? Are you sure you're feeling well, Venandi? Did you get enough rest last night? You were rained on yesterday and I insist you stay at home until you feel better. It's a dog, Venandi!"

"Unless she's a tamer, she can't hear me."

"You heard that, Inang?"

She stares at me blankly, "Venandi, dear, all I hear is its continuous barking."

I can hear and understand him soundly, so why can't Inang? "But, Inang---"

"Come now, Venandi. It must have been your mind playing tricks on you. Hurry up and eat your breakfast or you're going to be late for school. Forget about your morning stroll."

But I heard him talk! "Okay, Inang, but can the puppy come inside, too?"

She sighes at my request. "Of course."

***

Time sure flies fast. All we ever do is catch up with it. Months have passed quickly. Liksi is now all grown up, and as usual, always hyped up with almost everything. He is quite useful than I originally expected. Not the type to make him fetch waters, though. It is extremely the opposite. Every night we skip out of the kubo whenever Inang is fast asleep to go into the nearest forest to train hard. There are times that I lift heavy rocks to improve my strength, and during the months that already passed, I discover something: I feel a strong connection with the animals in the forest! I am shocked at first, but I use it to my advantage. With Liksi, I spar with monkeys to test the combat skills I earlier learned during the day. With little knowledge known about my magic, I must train on my own, so that I am not completely left behind in the class. I must not tire out every day or else, I will be at loss.

This night is like the previous nights. Liksi and I are now walking towards the heart of the forest. This afternoon at class, we are taught a new technique regarding a close-range combat, and I am up to test it with any animal available to spar with tonight.

But I still wonder. It seems as if I can have a complete conversation with Liksi, but I can only feel a strong connection with the other animals. Why so?

"What are you thinking, Venandi? You seem to be lost in your mind. What's wrong?"

"I've been meaning to ask, Liksi."

"What is it?"

"Why is it that I can understand you? I mean, I can feel a bond with the other animals, but that's just it! I cannot understand them like I do when I am conversing with you. Not even to the other dogs!"

"How do you think should I answer that? Between you and me, you're the one who can possibly know the answer to that question."

"Yeah, yeah." I roll my eyes at him.

"You know, I don't know. Okay? You are the one who's going to school, so find it out for yourself." He laughs at me.

"Well, in case you forgot, may I remind you that little is known about my magic."

"Okay, so how would a dog like me know the answer to that? All I know is that you're a tamer. That's it. I'm not much of a thinker." He stops walking. "So, wait, are you?" He then laughs again.

Of all, he's the only one that gets on my nerves, and after all those months, Liksi becomes even more sarcastic than ever.