21's Legacy

Chapter 8

"Hey pal! What's up?" Threin poked me on the back while I pack my things for Davao.
"Same old routine." I show him my traveling bag. I pack all the things I'll need to entertain Dee. Ate Meridith's daughter. She just turned one, and I promised to go there and play with her every time Mom and Threin goes to Lorien.
"What happened in here?" He dives to my bed.
Long pause.
"Nothing yet. You're going back to Lorien for Quarter Moon and I'm heading to Davao for Dee. That is what'll happen."
"You don't get it. The incident. I-it took away our lives." His voice muffled for facing down my pillow.
"It almost took your life. Tell you the truth, I don't really see any difference from before 'the incident' and after 'the incident'." I lied.
"Stop pretending! This isn't a joke, man." He faces me while I put my toiletries in the bag. "Seriously. We've never been the same anymore. We seldom talk. You seldom talk-which is a little normal-no I mean, I seldom talk to you and neither do you."
"Maybe it's because of the trauma. Maybe you still have it somewhere behind your skull."
"That's not true. And even if that is true that doesn't provide enough reason for us to ignore each other for YEARS. FOR YEARS."
"THAT is NOT true. We never ignored each other. I think we're still best of friends."
"We ignored each others FEELINGS, Johann." He began to sit down. "You see..." he stops me from packing my things. "...when was the last time we talked like this? When was the last time we hugged each other? When was the last time you told me about Jean? I don't even know your birthday anymore!"
"Don't worry about it." I pity myself a little because I always give him something one week before they depart to Lorien for his birthday.
Okay. Actually, that hurts a lot.
"How can I not worry about it, Yo? Look, I have to say this before we leave for Lorien again." He fixed his hands on my shoulders to make me focus on his eyes. "You are my brother, and what I'm worried about is that you are the ones who suffered a lot. I was the one present in that incident. I was the one whom the incident had failed to kill. But what I'm frightened about is that you were the ones who was killed by it." There were tears flowing from both of his eyes. "You were shut down by Mom. She barely looks at you. She never appreciate you. She totally erased your existence in this family." A dagger of ice seemed to pierce my heart and my eyes bled tears. "I. I shut you down too. I beat you up in training. All I did for what-Like ten-twelve years?-is hurt you. Hurt you physically, mentally and emotionally. I thought I am making you strong but I began to realize I am wrong..." He paused, "...as I see you still have no match for me Hah!" He laughed. While crying.
"Shit! And you said you're serious. And you cried, man. You cried manly tears bro." We laughed. While crying.
"I was just preventing a flood. I know you can cry a lot, squirt. I thought maybe you've just developed your first Legacy." He threw his arms to the ceiling, "The legacy of flooding a whole village with tears."
"Ha. Ha. Ha. Very funy." I say sarcastically. "What are you really trying to tell me Threin?"
"Well, I don't know. I just. I-uh...I just thought that you were the best buddy I had ever since. You can never be compared to anyone else. I just uhm... You know, after the incident, I just forgot about it. I don't know why, but I completely forgot about our friendship and our brotherhood. And I'm really really sorry for that. I really do Yo. And I hope you'd know I do."
"Threin, I'm nineteen now. I'm not the little Johann you once knew. I am strong now. Maybe not physically strong as you are, but I am strong in my convictions. I wanted to help. And one of the best things that I could do to help you is to not bother you. If you're worried about sparing, please don't. I don't want you to take it easy on me. I am not as strong as Meelek and you will have to give more than your best shot to be able to quiet him. I want you to know that I'm also trying my best to strengthen you. Because I wanna help you, and by doing so I know I'm also helping Lorien too."
"That's the sad part brother. What did Lorien ever do to you for you to give them that much loyalty."
"I donnow. It just felt right I guess. I think Lorien has given me hope, at the lowest point of my life when I needed my Dad. The stories of Lorien had given me comfort."
"Very idealistic. But I have to tell you, you're wrong. These people doesn't care about you. If they are so desirable, at least they could've just enlisted you in the Census."
"We both know that the Census is nothing but statistics. I can be Number 21.5 or something."
"Johan that's not the point. You don't have to do this if you're only forced to. You don't have to spar with me, or baby sit Meridith's daughter while we enjoy ourselves in the feasting and celebration of the Quarter Moon. You can just play the banjo and maybe have a concert in America."
"It's called the Violin, not banjo." I said, "I choose to help. I will always choose to help. And that's my decision, not Mom's. Okay?"
Threin let's out a sigh. "Howkay, if that's what you want to do. I just don't want to see you miserable, Johann. Mom's world is miserable, so is mine but that doesn't mean your life should be miserable too."
"We're in this together. As long as the secret is still intact, I swear I'd do my best to protect it. We're a family, and that's what this family do. Protect the secrets of Lorien. Protect peace."
We lagged for a while. We both know that the conversation is not over yet...but there's nothing much to say. If you know what I mean. Then I continued packing as he head for the door.
"Hey," he called out, "...don't think that I'm not trying take home something for you from Lorien. I just...in the past few years I couldn't sneak it out in my bag so...it doesn't mean that I forgot your birthday I'd also forgot my promise. I will get it for you this time."
"Yeah okay, whatever." I felt a little touched though.
"With that, I'll see you next next next week."
"See you." He closed the door behind me. "You were right. The incident had killed me instead...although I'm talking about the other incident. The time when the Census came for your enlisting. That was the incident that took away my life." I know he's gone and that he hasn't heard me.
I don't intend it to be heard by him.
After they've gone home he didn't give me anything. Maybe he just forgot about it again.

Meelek has been quiet for the past ten years. My guess is that they are trying to figure out how the Clanberrus works.
I don't even know how this Clanberrus thing works too. In fact none of us knows how these ancient items work, only the Elders knew what they are for. All I know is that once the Clanberrus is activated by the Blight, then and there will we be able to see what the Clanberrus is capable of doing.
The Blight was supposed to be kept in Jethro's custody. But after our defeat in Somalia and our failure to protect New Mexico where three Gardes had turned their sides and four others have died during the attack, we became confused on who to and not to trust.
And then one morning we woke up without knowing that the Blight had also been missing together with the two Gardes who were supposed to be guarding the Blight with their lives.
A total of fifty eight (as far as we know) Gardes had joined Meleek's insurgency. The big question is, how are they able to infiltrate our plans. They seemed to have eyes within the circle of the Elder's council, the defense center and the Earthen units.
I hate thinking about these things. I want actions. I want to chase him and kill him with my very own hands. Especially now that Threin has his Legacies and Johann has a skill that even a pure blooded Garde like Threin will have a hard time dealing with.
We can win. They're ready.
I know we can do it. We can bring them down. We can end this once and for all. We can do it.
If only we can abolish this restraining orders that has been given to me.
Dammit! I'm beginning to doubt the wisdom of these Earthen Councilmen. Are we to act only when they've decided to knock on our front doors?