Goddess Era and the Guardian Gods

Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Water Element and the Second Guardian

HARVEY.

Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko pa din maintindihan ang mga kawirdohang nangyayari sa 'kin simula nung summer vacation.

At mas lalo pa akong naguluhan dahil sa nangyari sa 'kin kahapon na nagbigay sa 'kin ng kakaibang takot na pakiramdam. Na buong buhay ko, dun ko lang naramdaman.

+FLASHBACK+

"You're Harvey Stewart?" The guy beside me asked not minding my question of who he was.

"I believed that you badly need my help." My forehead creased. What is he talking about? I didn't even asked for one. Especially, I don't even know him.

I just don't mind what he said. Naglakad lang ako at nilampasan siya, but to my surprise. He grab my wrist causing me to stop at itinaas niya ito para makita ko ng malapitan.

"Hindi ka ba nagtataka dito?" Referring to the scales. Hindi ako sumagot at binigyan lang siya ng blankong mukha dahil sa sinabi niya at kaagad kong hinatak ang braso ko pabalik.

"As if you know what's going on." I'm trying to be calm but I guest I'm failing. I sighed before I continued walking. Just wondering, how did he get inside my room? Especially inside my bathroom?

Is he a ghost? Nah, I don't believe it exist.

"I know everything about you." Natigilan ako sa sinabi niya pero hindi ako nakatingin at nanatili pa ding nakatalikod. Hinihintay ko lang ang susunod niyang mga sasabihin.

Parang gusto kong marinig ang sasabihin niya. Para kasing yung sasabihin niya ang magpupuna nung mga pagkukulang ng pagkatao kong matagal ko ng hinahanapan ng solusyon, pero hindi ko din malaman kung bakit nararamdam kong may kulang sa pagkatao ko. Kahit ang totoo, wala naman talaga.

Magulo ba? Oo magulo talaga. Kahit ako naguguluhan e.

"Hindi ko sasabihin lahat sayo, tanging ang mga senyales lang na iyan ang maaari kong isiwalat dahil wala akong karapatan na sabihin ang lahat lahat. Tanging si Gem ang makakapagpaliwanag sayo ng hawak mong elemento ng mundo." This time, my gaze was quickly diverted to him. He's not looking at me. He's looking straight pass at me wearing his serious expression. Then, bigla siyang tumingin sa akin. Diretso sa mga mata ko na nagbigay ng kakaibang pangingilabot sa buong pagkatao ko na hindi ko ipinahalata.

"Simula nang ipinagbuntis ka ng mommy mo, nakakontrata ka na sa elemento ng tubig." Ang tanging masasabi ko lang sa kanya, nababaliw na siya.

What contract is he talking about? A water element? Nonsense right?

Napailing ako sa sinabi niya. Nagtuloy na din ako sa paglalakad papunta sa loob ng kwarto ko at nawala din bigla ang naramdaman kong pangingilabot. Hindi ko naman siya naramdamang sumunod so I was quite relieved about that thought.

Hindi na muna siguro ako kakain ng dinner. I can't go out like this. Magtataka si Mommy sa itsura ko. Baka akalain niya, ako na si Valentino na taong ahas at boy version ni Valentina? Gustohin ko mang pagaanin ang nararamdaman ko sa pamamagitan ng pagbibiro sa sarili ko ay nangingibabaw pa din ang pagkabahala.

Dumiretso na lang ako sa kama ko at humilata na lang dun. Letting out a deep sigh because of this frustration I feel in my condition right now.

Pinaglihi ba ako sa ahas? But hell?! Of all animals, ba't sa ahas pa? Tsk. I'm curious to know how did this happened, and at the same time, I felt a little bit of fear. Knowing that I'm a half snake.

Am I a monster?

Until now, hindi pa din mag-sink in sa 'kin kung bakit ganito. Pinipilit kong isiping isa lang itong masamang panaginip at magigising din ako mamaya.

Napapikit ako ng mata at pinakiramdaman ang paligid. Nagulat na lang ako nung may naramdaman akong kakaibang presensya ng isang pamilyar na enerhiya sa tabi ko kaya agad akong napabangon.

"Bakit ka ba nandito? Paano ka ba nakakapasok dito?" Nagtatakang tanong ko. Siya na naman.

"Look, if you're a ghost I can't help you, mister. I'm not a ghost buster or even an spirit expert. Mali ka ng taong nilapitan. You can now freely go, Mister Ghost." Narinig ko na lang ang unti unting paglakas ng tawa niya na ikinapagtaka ko naman.

Kung multo siya, hindi ko alam kung bakit hindi ako takot. Pero may mga ghost and spirits ba talaga around us?

"Nako Mister Stewart, pinapaaga mo naman ang paglisan ko sa mundo." Natatawa niya pa ding sabi. Muntik ko ng makalimutang matanda na nga pala siya. Sa asal ba naman niya, dinaig pa akong mas bata sa kanya.

"Mister Stewart, I'm not a ghost. I'm a human. See, I can touch you. Either you can touch me." Nakahawak kasi siya sa akin ngayon at pinakapit niya din yung kamay ko sa braso niya.

Yeah, it's true. I can feel and touch him.

"Now, Mister Stewart. Before anything else. Can I introduce myself first before I'll be starting my duty to you?"

"I'm not asking you to do so. But why are you doing this? And why are you saying such impossible and complicated things, mister?"

"Because, we are one."

"Let me repeat, I'll introduce myself first so that you'll be able to believe and trust me. I believe that if a person know each others name, they can be able to gain trust to that person because you know him or her by his or her name. So Mister Harvey Stewart, Sebastian Luhdwigg here. And it's my duty to guide you onto your journey of becoming a guardian. You're the second guardian of the seven elements of the world, and you hold the water element." Okay? What's really happening? I think my brain won't work right now. It's like it was paralyze for a bit and can't think of something.

"See those?" I automatically looked at my arms which still have the scales. At kinikilabutan akong tingnan ito.

"Those were a snakes scale. I know it feels so weird having those on your arms. But you need to accept that, that will be part of you."

"Part of me? You mean, I'm a snake?" Gulat na gulat na tanong ko na ikinatawa niya.

"No. You're not an actual snake. You're just half of it. I mean, a part of you, inside you was a water element that was formed into an elemental stone and you represent the spirit of a water snake. That's why you have scales and even your eyes looks like and it's function were like a snakes eyes."

"Spirits? Elemental stones? Is that s**t even exist? Now I can't---"

"You're a yokai. An evil spirit that was under the classification of a Demon. And a Demon that has the duty of a guardian." He cut me with that. Hindi na ako nagsalita dahil alam kong seryoso na siya sa sinasabi niya.

"Those signs were able to show up, even though she's not around you. But I believed, that she's becoming nearer and nearer. And If I'm not mistaken, she already have encountered one of those devils that want to conquer the world."

"I can't understanad a single thing. Who's the 'she' you're talking about? Is she your ex? Or what? Why do you need to mention such----"

"Cut that. She's not a blood related or even having a romantic relationship you're talking about. Because the 'she' I'm talking about is...oh nevermind. You'll know it very soon. And please listen carefully and try to understand every details because it's very important." I just let out a deep sigh, for him making me think about complicated things that's impossible to understand. Mas gugustuhin ko pang magsolve ng math problems than that.

"As I was saying, naglalabasan lang ang mga senyales na yan kapag nasa boundary ka ng shrine at kung nag react ang mga elemento. Since you're not at the boundary of the shrine, maybe it did showed up because she encountered the devils."

"Alam kong hindi ka pa din naniniwala sa 'kin. Kaya I'm going to prove to you that I'm saying the truth."

"You do see me? Do you?" Hindi naman ako bulag right? Malamang nakikita ko siya.

"In case you don't know, kanina pa walang ilaw 'tong kwarto mo pero nakikita mo pa din ako ng maliwanag pa sa sikat ng araw sa umaga." Para akong pinalo sa ulo nung maalalang namatay yung ilaw kanina dahil pundido na yung bumbilya.

Inilibot ko ang mata ko at dun ko napatunayang nakakakita ako sa madilim.

"That's because you have the snakes characteristics. A well developed vision, but having a poor hearing sense. But again, you do still have a keen sensitivity at the surroundings." Para ulit akong sinampal sa sinabi niya. Dahil dun ko lang lahat napagtantong totoo ang lahat.

So that means, I really am a Demon?

+END+

Now, I'm still thinking about that thing. Reading books all about that topic again. But I can't find any references about that water snake spirit and the yokai.

"Harvey anak? Okay ka lang ba?" Nawala ako sa pag iisip nung maulinigan ko si Mommy na nasa harap ko na pala. Naghahanda ng merienda at nag aalalang nakatingin sa 'kin.

"Yes ma. I'm fine." I lied. Kasi hindi talaga ako okay. Nag aalala kasi ako na baka mamaya anytime of the day, baka magpakita na naman yung mga senyales na sinasabi ni Mister Luhdwigg sa 'kin. Paano ko kaya 'to mako-control na huwag lumabas?

"No you're not son. Kita mo oh. Tulala ka na naman. Kanina pa dada ng dada si Mommy sa harap mo, but you're not minding me. Is there something bothering you? Kasi kanina pa din kita tinitingnan. And ganyan na ba bagong way ng pagbabasa ngayon?" Agad akong napatingin sa book kong hawak.

At halos mapamura ako ng sunod sunod nung makitang baliktad ang libro ko at pakiramdam ko nag init ang mukha ko sa sobrang pagkapahiya. Tsk.

"At ano yang binabasa mo? Demons and Spirits?" Hindi ko alam kung namalikmata lang ba ako. Pero, nung nabasa niya kasi yung title nitong libro, para siyang biglang nalungkot at parang may gusto siyang sabihin na sobrang importante. At malakas din ang pakiramdam kong tungkol ito sa sinasabi ni Mister Luhdwigg.

Is he really saying that he really knows Mom, even before?