ZODIAC GATES-Beware of the 13th Sign

Sneak Peek

88 G A T E S
Return of the Fallen

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“Good evening, Aries,” Mr. Zuhan and Mrs. Zerihiya greeted when they noticed me.

     Mr. Zuhan and Mrs. Zerihaya are our neighbors. Napakabait ng mga ‘yan. I remembered when ate Ze’ya saved me from my bullies when I was a kid. Sinira mga bulaklak ng garden ko eh.

     They’re teachers pero hindi ko alam kung saang paaralan. Marami nga ang nagtataka sa kanila eh. They seemed to be different sabi ng iba rito sa village namin. Well, I don’t think so.

      “I already walked inside the house. As usual, great silence greeted me, wala kasi ang mga magulang ko rito sa Pilipinas, nasa Japan sila for our business. Mga kasambahay lang namin ang kasama ko at si―I interrupted myself nang may mapansin ako. “Aqua!” I called, waiting for her to answer. “Aquaaaa!” I repeated but no one answered.

     I scowled. That little brat!

     Agad ko siyang sinugod sa k’warto niya but I did not see her upon entering. I walked inside and roamed around at nang maisipan kong baka naroon siya ay agad ko na siyang pinuntahan.

     I opened the door of her comfort room. And there, I saw my six-year old little brat sister, Aqua, enjoying the water and the bubbles in the bathtub.

     “Gate of the Water Bearer! I open thee! Aquarius!” she yelled as she touched the tip of the Aquarius Celestial Key to the water inside the bathtub. “Ding dong!” she mumbled the sound of the doorbell.

     “Aqua,” I called.

     Agad naman siyang napatingin sa akin with her scared face so I raised my brow to make her feel scared even more.

     She guiltily smiled.

     I snatched the Celestial Key away from her and got back to my own room. I sighed as I placed myself in a chair next to the table where the 12 Celestial Keys are there. “Ugh!” I mumbled. Ang batang ‘yon, siguradong magkaka-rust na naman ‘tong Aquarius key. Panglimang beses ko na ‘tong bili at ‘di ko inaakalang bibili ulit ako sa Comic Alley. Aish! Ano ba talaga’ng akala ng batang ‘yon, lalabas si Aquarius using this key? Eh hindi naman totoo ‘yong napapanood namin sa Fairy Tail na anime. Mga bata talaga.

     I grabbed the Aries key. Sa lahat ng keys ay ito ang pinakapaborito ko, Aries ako eh. I was born on first day of April. Haha! Kahit na nineteen na ako’y mahilig pa rin ako sa kapapanood ng anime at isa na ang Fairy Tail doon. ‘Yon ‘yong pinakapaborito ko.

     I stood up and walked toward the veranda. I gazed at the sky and saw the Leo constellation shining bright. Ilang buwan na lang at magpapakita na ang Pisces at pagkatapos nito’y ang constellation na Aries. Excited na ako.

     I continued staring at Leo constellation and after sometime, I decided to use the telescope to see the constellation clearly. At hindi ako nabigo, napakaganda ng mga bituin nito.

     Buong oras kong tiningnan ang iba pang constellations at nang mapagod ako’y binigyan ko na nang huling tingin ang Leo. But to my surprise I saw it blinking like a light bulb that’s going to be out of light. Nakaramdam ako ng takot. I thought I was jut sleepy kaya kung anu-ano na lang ang naiisip at nakikita ko. But I was wrong. the Leo constellation is already loosing its brightness.

     This can’t be happening!

     I tried to look at it again pero wala na ito this time. I tried to search but it was already gone, and then may nahagip akong ilaw sa telescope. It was a line in sky blue color. Kaya agad kong inihiwalay ang mga mata ko sa lente. And just that, I saw a vast magic circle, just like in Fairy Tail, in the sky. Napakalaki nito’t alam kong sakop nito ang buong city.

     Ano ba’ng nangyayari?

     “Ate!” Aqua yelled in front of my door. She ran toward me and dragged me in front of the television.

     “The world is alarmed when the zodiac constellations just lost its brightness, including Ophiuchus. The scientists are already on the start of finding out the reasons why this is happening. Meanwhile, an unidentified object in the sky appeared above Holland City. Right now-” Aqua turned the television off.

     “Ate, it’s a magic circle, right? Like in Fairy Tail?” she asked while staring at it from the veranda.

     I walked toward her and stared at it as well. Then . . . I saw twelve streaks of lights heading to different directions. And I never thought one of it would land at the foot of our house.

     “Ano ‘yon!’ Aqua curiously asked, then got down to the main door. Agad ko siyang sinundan. She opened the door and there, we saw a hole filled with smoke at the foot of our house. And when I peeped to see what’s in there, I saw . . . a naked man, lying with his front on the ground . . . and an Aries Sign on the back of his right palm.

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