(POV Reichel)
Pumasok kami sa isang opening sa black limestone walls na parang isang maliit na cave. Mga ilang minuto na rin kami naglalakad sa dilim nang matanaw namin ang maliwanag na dulo.
"Eto na siguro yung sinasabi nilang Light at the End of the Tunnel," sabi ko kay Sage na nakahawak pa din sa kamay ko.
Hindi niya ko sinagot at hinila lang ako papunta sa maliwang na dulo ng cave na parang isang batang excited, pero mabilis siyang tumigil nang marealize niya na ang dulo ng cave ay nasa isang mataas na cliff. Tanaw namin ang earth sa kinatatayuan namin as if nasa International Space Station kami. Kung sumobra pa kami ng hakbang, sigurado babagsak kami sa Earth.
"Sage, nasa outer space ba tayo? Earth yan di ba?"
"I think so. Sabi ko sayo, exciting eh," natutuwa niyang sabi.
Ang ganda ng earth sa ganitong perspective. It looks peaceful at kung alien ako, ma aattract talaga ko sa ganda ng Planet Earth. Pero yung amusement ko, unti unting nawala nang makita ko ilang mala black liquid na nag aattempt pumasok sa atmosphere. Nag dedeflect lang ito as if may invisible barrier na protection ang earth.
"What the fuck is that?" gulat na tanong ni Sage.
"Aba, malay ko. First time ko dito sa outer space. Tanong natin sa NASA yan. Dapat aware sila sa mga ganyang atmospheric anomaly."
"Only if it is visible in our world. But what if these black entities are entering the earth from the other side?" tanong ni Sage sabay hila sa akin papalapit sa kanya. Obvious naman na wala siya tiwala sa akin at baka mahulog ako sa kinalalagyan namin.
"You mean, may creatures from the other side na gustong pumasok sa World of the Living?" tanong ko kay Sage habang pinagmamasdan ang ilang black liquid na gustong pumasok sa earth.
"That's my theory and I think, those black entities are the reasons why we are here," sabi ni Sage.
"You are both partially correct..."
Napakapit ako bigla sa braso ni Sage dahil sa kakaibang boses na narinig namin. It is deep and vibrating, parang boses ni Optimus Prime sa Transformers.
"Uhmm... Hello po? Who you po?" tanong ko sa boses.
"I am known by many names. They call me Hades in your world, but no one knows my real name."
"Sage, di ba si Hades ang King ng Underworld sa Greek mythology? Pero nasa top tayo ng world, as in literal na nasa ibabaw tayo ng earth, hindi under di ba?" bulong ko kay Sage.
"Actually, I think we are somewhere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere."
"Tsk! Wag mo ko andaran ng pagka nerd mo. My point is, wala tayo sa ilalim. We are in the fucking outer space. At saka, sino yung voice over na yun? Si Optimus Prime? Si Liam Neeson?"
"No one knows his name daw, so I guess we can just call him Hades," natatawang sabi ni Sage na mukhang nag-eenjoy sa mga nangyayari.
"Uhmmm, Sir Hades. Question, number one. Asan po kami ng asawa ko?" tanong ko sa mahiwagang boses.
"You are both in The Gap. The gap between the World of the Living and the Realm of the Dead. Humans with unfinished business usually stays in The Gap."
"The Gap talaga? Hindi man lang creative ang nag-isip ng pangalan ng lugar na ito. Literal na nasa gap tayo ng dalawang mundo," bulong ni Sage na tumatawa pa din.
"Eh Sir Hades, ano yung mga parang black liquid tint na pumapasok sa Earth. Hindi ba nadedetect ng kahit anong meteorological agency yan?"
"Those beings are called Immundus or The Unclean. They are from The Void or where the most evil creations are trapped forever. For thousands of years, they are trying to enter the World of the Living and the Realm of the Dead. And these two worlds are both in danger as some of these Immundus were able to get inside."
"Immundus? Sage, parang nabasa ko na yan noon. Familiar sa akin ang name na yan."
"Babe, you have been studying exorcism spells. Immundus spiritus is the Latin for unclean spirits. But I guess these Immundus are not ordinary demons or spirits, they are far more dangerous. Mr. Hades, what exactly is our mission?" straight to the point na tanong ni Sage.
"To eliminate these creatures and stop them from crossing to your world."
Biglang humangin ng napaka malakas. Sage hugged me dahil anytime, pwede kami mahulog sa cliff. Pero di namin inaasahan ang pagdating ng isang malakas na blow ng hangin at natangay kami ni Sage.
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