Chronicles of HIRAWEI: The Owl Phases

Chapter 21

Chapter 21: It's Now or Never

Where was I when all of this chaos happened? A flashing of memories came flooding in as we watched the big projection screen. As soon as the moment we step inside this underground headquarters, the rumors are true that it will definitely take your soul out. No colors, full of sorrows, and determined people to fight for what they believe in.

We're in a massive meeting room where we gather at a huge circular table facing each other. The faces of my friends were obscured as we sat in silence. Scared? probably.

It was never about me. I didn't even think an ounce about it and kept insisting on why they wanted to protect me. I was the sacrifice and the key, according to the wise man. When the elders tell how I became one in front of us, it is clear that I have met with a tragic end.

But I wasn't the only one. There will be two siblings who will help me to close the gates, and that's where we enter Harry's mission. He has the trickiest job out of us all. Keep us safe and guide us along the way.

Most of us young people didn't even bother to speak for several minutes as we sat inside. All the elders, notably the Royal Council, are terrified, as evidenced by their looks. It wouldn't happen if the Elders, three old blind men wearing ancient attire with a hood, suddenly emerged and gave us their knowledge and cautions.

"Binibini.." naalimpungatan ako sa pag-iisip ng magsalita sa likuran ko ang pinakamatanda sa kanila.

One, in particular, is an old age man with an oak branch fashioned into a walking stick. He has a tiny hump on his back, white snow-like eyes, and wrinkled skin that shows signs of old age. He is the one who speaks strangely among them, and they assume the old aged man can predict the future.

They said that the elders are the Time Guardians. They are rarely to be seen and be negotiated and no one knows where they live or came from. But they're highly respected as they are the ones who lived among lives. The rumor has it that they're thousands of years old since they were spotted hundreds of years ago. They come and go as they pleases. They even believe that it's just a myth, but unexpectedly they are here with us now. But nobody knows the whole truth and the elders are very secretive and only speak briefly.

Out of nowhere, they just appeared to give us a warning. That the end is near like they repeatedly said.

"Buksan mo ang iyong isipan at bumalik sa nakaraan." sabi nito na may pag ngiti kahit pagaral-garal ang boses. Tinignan ko naman siya na nalilitong tingin. Napansin ko na man na tumahimik ang aming paligid.

"Ano po ang iyong ibig sabihin?" magalang na tanong ko.

"Alam mo ang kasagutan sa iyong isipan," tumingin siya pabalik sa projection screen na ipinakita ang pag atake ng mga kalaban sa maliit at masukal na bayan na parte ng Lomoan. "Ang puot ng iyong damdamin sa nakaraan ay siyang nag sarado sa kaalaman ng katotohanan."

Bago pa ako makasagot na hindi ko maintindihan ang sinasabi niya ay umalis na ito patungo sa pwesto ng mga kapatid niya.

Harry who's beside me willingly tells me the tale of the elders. They're pure-blooded siblings and the ones who had been given the gift of time. The eldest, the one who suddenly talked to me, is the future. The middle child who is a slightly big man, with a positive energy is the one who holds the past. Last but not least, their youngest. A thin tall man who's the most strict out of them holds the present.

"Anong ibig niyang sabihin Hermano?" tanong ko kay Harry.

"Hindi ko alam. They always say riddle words." he shrugged.

"But what if? I must have forgotten something." I looked at him with worried face.

"Don't pressure yourself. Malalaman rin natin yan." ngumiti siya sa akin.