Caleb
Zion
"Wait, what?" Gulat na tanong ni Caleb kay Selene, his hazel eyes showing confusion and amusement as the rain continued to fall. "W-we are going to bring peace to this world by helping you? Meaning, we need to fight those creepy monsters, again?"
"Basically," Mataray na sagot ni Selene, her purple eyes flickered with irritation as she answered Caleb's questions. Well, what's new? "You're a Protector Caleb, an Earth Protector to be exact and one of your duties is to kill all of Hades' Dark creatures."
"Oh, God." Nasabi na lamang ni Caleb habang hawak-hawak ang ulo niya, his hazel eyes glowing with fear as he said, "Help me."
Napailing na lamang ako, muling nilingon ang tanawin sa labas ng kwarto ko't hindi na nagulat nang muling makita ang ulan.
Isang taon na ang nakakalipas pero hanggang ngayon, walang tigil pa 'din ang ulan. It was like the sun will never shine again and darkness will slowly invade the world.
What is happening to our world?
"The rain will never stop until we get to see my brother again," Selene said while looking at the windows, her eyes shines with pain and sadness as she said these words, "He was trapped inside Eos' dark cage and was chained, making him weak, too weak that if we didn't make it through the night of the Crescent Moon, he'll die and we'll never get to see the sun again."
"Never again.."
Natahimik kami dahil sa sinabi ni Selene, katulad niya ay nalulungkot sa kinahinatnan ng kapatid niya lalo na't malaking gulo ang mangyayari 'kung mawawala siya.
The sun won't shine again.
"So, what should we do next?" Kunot-noong tanong ni Caleb, fear suddenly vanished from his eyes as he looked at Selene with determination and said, "What's the plan?"
Selene glanced at his way, her purple eyes shining with confusion as she said, "I thought you won't fight again? I thought you're giving up your duty as a Protector?"
"I take back what I said," Sabi niya't ngumiti kay Selene as his hazel eyes continues to shine with determination. "I want to do my duty as a Protector, Selene. I will help you."
Napangiti si Selene dahil sa sinabi niya, her lips slowly forming a genuine smile as her eyes twinkle with happiness, the same way how the moon brought lightness to the world even though the rain won't stop from falling.
"Alright, then." Sabi niya't nakangiti kaming hinarap ni Caleb. "We already have 2 Protectors which leads us to search for the remaining 2 Protectors knows as the Air and the Water Protectors. Can you help me with that?"
Agad kaming tumango kay Selene, both eyes showing determination as she explained our next step.
"As you can see, all of you has pearls. These pearls gives proof that a mortal is indeed a Protector." Aniya't seryoso kaming hinarap. "The pearls that we currently have are the Fire Ember and the Earth Emerald which means we still need to find the other pearls which are the Air Diamond and the Water Sapphire that only the Air and Water Protectors have."
"Wait," Biglang singit ni Caleb sabay kunot-noong hinarap si Selene. "Ano ba talagang nagagawa ng mga Pearl na 'to? Was it the one that gives us powers?"
"Yes," Agad na sagot ni Selene sa katanungan ni Caleb. "At kapag nabasag ang Pearl, you will disappear along with your power and vanish from this world."
"Oh, God." Nasabi na lamang ni Caleb habang hawak-hawak ang dibdib niya't 'tila kinabahan para sa kinabukasan niya. "Tulungan niyo po ako, wag niyo akong papabayaan." Aniya't paulit-ulit na napasign of the cross.
"So, are you still up for the challenge?" Sabi ni Selene, her lovely purple eyes sparkle with a pinch of fear as she said, "Do you still want to become a Protector?"
"Yes," Agad na sagot ko, hinawakan ang kwintas sa leeg ko't hinarap siya with determination. "I won't give up from being a Protector, this is my duty and I believe," Sabi ko kasabay ng pagkislap ng kwintas ko. "This is my destiny."
"Me too!" Malakas na sigaw ni Caleb, dahilan para mapalingon kami sa kaniya ni Selene kasabay ng pagsabi niyang, "I want to become a Protector, Selene. It is my duty to save the world and I think," Aniya't napatitig sa locket na nasa kaniyang kamay. "This is what my family wanted, the reason why they give this locket to me. This is the path they had chosen for me."
Napatigil kami dahil sa narinig, 'tila nagulat kasabay ng pagsabi niyang, "My family died when I was still little, so little that I can't even remember a single thing about them."
Natahimik kami, 'tila hindi alam ang sasabihin kasabay ng mapait niyang pagngiti. His hazel eyes showed sadness and pain as he said, "I was adopted by an old man, he said that this locket was the only thing he saw beside me when he found me." Aniya't bumuntong-hininga. "He said, this may be the only memory that my Parents left for me."
"I was so angry," Pagpapatuloy niya, showing a pained expression as tears slowly fall from his eyes. "I was only 7 years old when I found out everything about me, about me being adopted and being not part of the family I grew up with." Aniya't mariin na napapikit ng mga mata.
"All my life, I wanted nothing but to be accepted and loved by my family. I was physically abused by his wife and other son, they always say that I'm nothing but a piece of trash. Na, wala akong ibang ginawa 'kung hindi pahirapan sila dahil malas ako." Aniya't mapait na ngumiti. "Hindi ko sila maintindihan noon, I don't know why they love to hurt me. I don't know why my own mother and sibling can't even look at me straight in the eye. My father is all I have pero, hindi pala siya ang tatay ko."
Napatitig ako kay Caleb, 'tila hindi makapaniwala na ang kilala at tinaguriang Joker ng classroom namin ay ganito katindi ang pinagdadaanan sa buhay.
"The moment I found out I was adopted, I immediately left their house. Tama naman sila eh, pabigat lang ako. Ampon lang ako. I was so angry at them, so angry that I don't want to see them again especially my father for hiding the truth from me. Leaving me with nothing but myself until," Sabi niya't napatitig sa labas ng bintana, his eyes showing nothing but pain. "One day, nabalitaan 'kong may nangyaring kaguluhan sa bahay namin. That a big tornado crashed our place and nobody survived. Not even my family."
Napanganga si Selene dahil sa narinig, shocked and pain was written on her face as Caleb said, "I was so angry at myself, so angry that I tried to forget every single thing. Dinadaan ko na lang sa biro ang lahat kahit na ang hirap, sobrang hirap."
Napayuko ako ng ulo, feeling so sorry for him as he said, "Hanggang ngayon nagsisisi pa din ako. Nagsisisi ako kasi, matapos ng lahat ng kabutihang ginawa niya sa akin, ng taong tumayong ama ko ay galit pa ang binawi ko sa kaniya. I didn't even saw him for the last time." Aniya't napahilamos ng kamay sa mukha. "But, I'm ready now. I'm ready to face the reality, to accept everything and to move forward." Sabi niya't matapang kaming hinarap.
"I'm ready to become a Protector."
"Caleb," Paglapit sa kaniya ni Selene, marahan siyang nginitian sabay sinabing, "You don't need to worry about anything. You're not alone. We're here with you now." Selene said as a genuine smile slowly formed on her lips.
"We are your family."
