The Rise of Guardians

From where it all begins

It is the 16th of November in the cold street of Mayhem, Philippines. It is half past 11 in the evening but people are still busy wandering in every corner of the street doing their stuffs and all. In one of the corner filled with garbages, there is a girl about 5'2, not so thin not so fat, a regular Asian beauty, finding something in the pile of garbages. She keeps on digging and digging the pile and when she finally found a pair of socks, she finally sat down and put them on. Yes, she is one of the beggars you've seen in the streets. She never got the chance to live a normal life, never got the chance to experience what it would be like to have parents, never got the chance to experience to live in her own cozy house. She had lived in the streets for her entire life when one of the beggar had found her on the streets wrapped with what seems like a jacket, no note, no clue of who she is and where she came from. 

She'll be turning eighteen 30 minutes from now. She feels normal, the regular mood, she do not think much of her birthday because she knows she'll be celebrating her debut in the streets eating left-over foods that most people left or throw in the garbage.

"Did you find something?" ask the old women in her 80's to Alicia. She is the beggar who found her in the streets 17 years ago, turning 18 now. She was like a mother to Alicia for she is the one who raised her even with their situation in the streets. 

"Uhmm, I just found a pair of socks," and she proudly raised it to let her mother see it. She seems contented of what she have now.

"That'll will not make our stomach full tonight though. We'd better get something to eat before 12 midnight. It is your birthday, remember?" her mom reminds her.

"We'll it will my feet from freezing though," she answered smiling, not showing any sign of sadness in her voice, "Right, we'd better hurry up and find some foods before other beggars find it first."

They walked past a group of beggars who are now eating with their left-over meals, feeding their children with it too. 

"This won't do," said Alicia's mother after a 15 minutes hike searching for food. She grab Alicia in one of the dark corners of the street while ensuring that there are no people watching them. 

"Ma, you can't do that here, some people might notice us," she said in a warning voice.

"Just be our look out, okay? I just want you to have your birthday celebrated now that your 18," Mrs. Keys said while brushing Alicia's hair that are half covering her right eye. 

And as soon as Alicia's face seems to agree, Mrs. Keys closed her eyes, flick her right finger in the air, talking in a language Alicia did not recognize then few seconds later they are now facing a bunch of foods Alicia is craving for long months now. There are differently cooked chicken, one of Alicia's favorite Lechon, and there is a regular sized cake beaming in front of her with 18 candles and each singing a Happy birthday song. She is now in tears while seeing what is in front of her and then she hug her mother.

"Thank you so much Ma," she said whispering, she is now crying. Alicia never thought having this kind of birthday, she did not imagine all of this because Mrs. Keys always reminds her that she can't use magic every time she wants to use it, it is just too dangerous to take a risk. But magic is Alicia's favorite thing. She want's to personally know it, but her mother keeps on forbidding her. 

They are in their way of eating the foods that are in front of them when they heard a thud nearby. Alicia voluntarily sneak outside the shadows to see what is going on when her mother grab her from behind, "Stay there," and Alicia obeys her right away. She sit down again while her mother leaving her. 

Five long minutes have passed but there is no sign of Mrs. Keys, Alicia decided to follow the noise. 

On her way to the scene, she was taken aback from what she saw. This was not she expected to see. Her knees became weak by the time she saw what was happening. 

There are plenty of creatures she had not yet recognized, one with a very long body which resembles like a twig of a tree, and one with a very round body which is much like a stone. They are now forming of what seems like a line, all are facing at her. Alicia looked around to the surroundings which are filled with those tiny creatures. She blinked again, pinch a skin of her face to check if whether she is dreaming but then realized she is not and everything she is seeing right now is real.

"W-what the h-hell a-are y-you?" 

The creatures did not answer her but instead they went nearer to her so close they are almost knee-to-knee.

The next thing happened made Alicia almost jumped, the creatures where now shouting. When Alicia's nervousness settled down a bit, the noise is now very clear to her now. These made her more nervous but yet excited.

"HAPPY BUURTDAAAY ALICIAAAAA!" the creatures sang it with no melody at all.

Alicia was so scared to what's in front of her and what they told her made her whole body stiff.

"WE ARE HERE TO GET YOU MISS AND TO BRING YOU TO WHERE YOU TRULY BELONG."