The Keepers [TKS#1]

1. Gate of Test

Dinukot ako ng isang arkanghel! hindi pala panaginip ang lahat.

Dinukot kami... hindi ako nag-iisa.

It rained human that day. Literal. Higit sa isang daan ang abducted at kasama ako sa mga ibinagsak sa lupa. Katulad ko, nagising din ang iba nang may magkahalong taka at gulat sa mukha. We were in a green field na walang laman kundi damo at wildflowers. Nagkalat ang mga nagsihulugang tao.

I searched for my brother after conquering the pain all over my body brought by the sudden fall I had earlier. I looked everywhere in the meadows pero parang wala si Cael. Inisa-isa ko ang mga abducted, to my dismay, my brother appeared to be missing -or sent back home.

I wish he's home, a thought I slightly claim for relief.

Naisip kong baka ibinalik si Cael somewhere not here at ako ang kinuha bilang replacement niya. At the back of my terrified mind, it's so impossible. Mula nang bata pa kami, halatang si Cael na ang magically gifted at malayong mas makapangyarihan saakin. He can bend fire effortlessly at a very young age. He's too powerful that my parents trained him to control his powers to prevent him from being abducted; while I grew up to be just an ordinary clumsy girl who goes to school, I get bullied because of my dry brown hair. I was weak.

"Cael! Cael!" Malakas kong sigaw sa gitna ng mga taong nagkumpulan. Hindi ko na pinansin ang reaksyon ng iba, I desperately called for his attention. Unfortunately, no one answered. Cael was nowhere to be found on that field. "He's somewhere near home... yes, he is safe," pilit kong kinumbinsi ang sarili ko para kumalma.

Until all of a sudden, isang boses ang gumulat sa mga abducted.

"Ako si Jase and that's the only information I'm allowed to share," malakas na sabi ng isang baritonong boses mula sa ituktok ng burol na nasa kanluran di kalayuan sa kinatatayuan ko.

He looked mysterious with his dark hooded cloak that covered his metallic armor. Ang maputing pisngi at matangos na ilong lang nito ang nakikita. He seemed good-looking with his face half-covered. Isang arkanghel!

"Your first test will start in three minutes. All you need to accomplish is to successfully get into the gate behind you." Itinuro nito ang dakong nasa likuran namin saka nagpatuloy "That's the Gate of Ablution. Tanging ang deserving magical gift lamang ang makakapasok, ang Gate of Ablution ang siyang pipili ng bearer na pwedeng pumasok sa Forest of Garon."

Sa huling kataga niya ako nabahala. Napansin ko na noong una pa ang malaking gate na gawa sa silver pero mas nabahala akong ang masukal na kagubatang nasa loob ng gate na yun ay ang Forest of Garon. Marami na akong nababalitaan sa kagubatang iyon. Lahat, nakakapangilabot. Pero ang akala ko'y isa lamang alamat ang kagubatang 'yon. Ang kagubatang kumitil ng milyon-milyong nilalang ayon sa nabasa kong libro. Kinilabutan ako. Gusto ko nang umuwi.

"Be ready with the obstacles inside the Forest of Garon. Ang kagubatang 'yan ang magtatakda ng inyong kapalaran: kung kayo ba'y hihiranging isa sa mga bayani ng Cairos o mapapabilang sa mga pangalang kakalimutan at ibabaon ng kagubatang 'yan. Those who will past will be official students of Cairos Academy of Magic. There, you will learn how to use, enhance, and preserve your magic in most of the situations you will face after your graduation. This is the start of your long journey as one of the keepers of the six element.

But first you need to survive the gate of test and that dark forest inside it. Sa kabilang dulo ng gubat ay may limang lagusan patungo sa limang houses kung saan kayo mapapabilang. There are three rules para makalusot kayo sa kagubatang iyan: first, do not try to revert your route, huwag nang tangkaing bumalik sa gate because no one have ever successfully got the chance to go back home after the abduction. It's either you survive the test and become a hero or you fail and be forgotten. Second, use your powers to succeed. Kung kinakailangang kalabanin niyo ang mga kakilala at pati kaibigan niyo just to get to the edge of the forest, do it. This is a survival of the most fit and powerful. Matira matibay. Third, never take the straight path. There are five paths going to the forest, there is a tricky circling path, the bushy path, the unknown path, the maze, and the straight path. Just don't take the straight path. Bawat path ay may kanya kanyang set of obstacles na kailangan niyong mapagtagumpayan. Sa isandaang sumubok na tahakin ang tuwid na daan, tatlo lang ang nakarating sa dulo na buhay. You are given two days to get to the other side of the forest. Huwag magmadali, that's the fourth rule perhaps. STAY ALIVE!"