Thirteenth Of The Blue

 

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 GAZING UP, GEIKI CANNOT even believe that his eyes are seeing the moon on its full lunar stage. Knowing the moon moves away an approximated distance of one inch a year, he was surprised to see the heavenly body appears so near. It is like one outstretch of hand away as if will fall down on earth anytime soon, not imagining the violent collision. Other than that, it appears to glow in blue haze. 


'Not possible,' he thought.


But what else is possible here? He seems to be floating as light as a feather a hundred feet above the sea that is turning violent each second, giving the feeling that a maelstrom will be born any moment. At his front was a man who behind the poor aid of the light from the moon, he recognizes as someone he knows but felt a stranger at the same time. He got a long hair strands reaching way below the shoulders in unknown color but shines like silver threads and dances with the continuous whip of wind turning as wild as the seas below. The way the hair moves with the current of wind makes him be reminded of a comic character that has snakes for hair strands. Geiki can never go into details, but he recognizes armor clads wrapping the man and his face is a blur, even just in a short distance. A pair of wings helps the man to stay stationery amid the air, those like which belong to a dragon or a bat, whipping smooth against the air.


He was in this situation before, he knows. There be must something different on him too like this man at his very front, yet still cannot recall what. But there it was, a pair of sword clasped in both of his hands. One is a simple broadsword, the other a more stylistic one, yet the details seem to miss his eyes, or he simply does not care. An ironclad, or whatever metals these armors were wrought from, wraps him to resemble an ancient knight. He shook his head, blinked a few times to make sure he is not dreaming. But he was still there, floating, but how? Evaluating himself, he found a set of wings, same as that man before him. 


'My God,' he exclaimed in his mind. He may have believed he is a bird if only he did not know he have those hands on a dead grip at the hilts of those blades.


Then the moon took its paces, positioning itself amid the sky. Geiki gazed up, knowing deep within him something not good is about to happen. But what? The question faded as a sound was dubbed in the winds, a chime carried by the current that Geiki did not like for an unknown reason, melodies that emanated from distant churches that are ringing their bells for the midnight. There is something that both of them awaited. And that something is about to shake the world.


"Finally," the man at his front uttered a low base type of voice as if coming from a godly apparition and is booming like a roll of thunder. "Thirteenth of the blue. The power that protected you for twenty one years and thirteen days is now gone. Feel the power of evil, Arkinobar."


Geiki felt something different in his body. At first, it seemed a single needle prick occurred deep within his heart. Then that prick evolved into what seem to be a sting. One, two, five, then as if a thin paper his heart seem to be crumpling, erupting a pain he cannot describe with the use of a Webster dictionary. The pain in his heart grew, feeling like it is attacked by a mashing sledgehammer until he felt like there were thousand base drums being played by some marching army in his ears. His heart was in great pain and he felt he is about to go into an arrest. Wanting it to go away, yet cannot do anything but breathe deeply in long inhales and agonizing exhales.


Then the pain ebbed, but there was never a relief. His heart just rested a second then it felt like a violently erupting volcano sending tremors deep within his flesh. There was a trembling rush of hot blood invading his soul and could be compared into being bathe by a flowing lava, scorching him passed the bones and incinerating him down to his bone marrows. His face feels like being torn inside out, while his head felt heavier as a pair of horns that may have once belong to a goat rose from deep within his forehead, incepting a pair of unwanted thorns pointing to the moon up above.


What is happening? He could only wonder. What is this psycho talking about?


"Join me, brother! The Grand and Great Apocalypse are meant to fight together, not against one another."


"Sunbloss!" A high angelic voice of someone boomed from somewhere. Geiki was surprised he found the voice familiar but cannot connect it to any image as his mind was sent like a working database, scanning all those he knew. "Now."


Geiki looked around, and right there, far from them, behind the other man's back, someone is standing on the Eiffel Tower. This other one is too far, but it seems Geiki can zoom his vision as if a pair of binoculars. This one also got long silver hair that is riding on the wind current and was fashioned in somewhat loose tunics. On his back, stretching sideways, is a pair of wings that are frozen as if solid concrete. Other details were either hidden by the dark or cannot be recognized in such distance.


And out of nowhere, a magical bubble rose in the air. The sphere appears to be glowing in rainbow colors, transparent and translucent at the same time. Inside, a female figure is casting a silhouette against the glowing lights. The long hair that may be reaching way below shoulder level, the hands and the legs are all being drawn down by gravity, while an invisible thread seems to be pulling her up from the chest. All other details were hidden, as the individual appears like a shadow against the light that is bursting from within the magical sphere. But somewhat, Geiki feels he knew her, not only that, somehow he can tell a different bond.


The bubble, or whatever that sphere was, popped and was nowhere to be found. A moment it was there, the next it was gone. The figure is not moving, still on her former position. And Geiki could never shake the thought that whoever that is, appears to be a rag doll hanging by a thread pierced from the back through the chest. He could study who she is, but as he focus his vision upon the figure, he finds it harder to recognize the person, impossibly seeing afar yet somehow blind in a way. Or person it was not, as wings unfolded, which is similar to the doves, only a bigger pair. Then white bright lights wrapped the body and in an instant it was gone, leaving shiny silver armor clads on its wake. Then the wings flapped as the woman seemed to stand amid air. Upon focusing at her face, his vision  came on glass eye shield, a part of the metal helm. He will never recognize who it is.


"We free the full powers of the Holy Cross!" The female angel spoke in a high angelic voice which for Geiki is somehow familiar. Her voice tore the skies, as out of nowhere a bow and an arrow materialized on her hands, aimed directly up above the sky. Then as the arrow freed from her grasp, it traversed tactful on a straight path, on its wake was a bright white glow that seemed to erect a long post, the light remaining long even after the arrow was gone. Who knows how much part of the world is being lit by that extraordinary line of light. Geiki could only imagine it is lighting a third of the dark part of the world.


Geiki's eyes, as if caught by magnet turned to the Eiffel Tower, now realizing that whoever is up there holds a spear on his left hand. The man, woman, or whatever gender it is, threw the weapon up in the air and caught the end butt before it flew towards the light, the former frozen wings flapping out loud like a series of a loud claps, then as if a huge pencil, he drew a line with the spear crossing the light from the arrow. It was like two artists contributing for the inception of a single art, as another bright line crossed the upper one-third of the the former, forming a gigantic figure of a bright cross.


The cross gave up what seemed to be a pulse lighting half of the world in an instant then it was gone, may have exploded in a thundering blast that was never heard by anyone. But on Geiki's left hand, the broadsword which he forgot was in his grasp, glowed in such brightness that may have turned him blind.


'Not again,' he thought. As an undefined pain seem to start scorching his body, like he was bathe in some kind of an acid again. The traveling pain seems to move in circles in his veins in a speed faster than light. His muscles seems to explode from within, while deep his bones, something seems to be grinding and crashing it at the same time.


 'No,' he thought.


As the different pain that may have occurred more than twice this night consumed him, he drew his body back. Back and he seemed to hit a wall, only a soft one. There is something in his back; he can feel it voiding his body from any movement on that direction. And the instant he felt it, letters seemed to appear in glowing italics, soft mattress. He was on his bed all those times. It was just a dream. That dream again, the one that usually comes before his birthday.


Opening his eyes, his hands wandered to the nearby bedside table, he picked up his mobile phone. A punch on a key, and the time stated, "2:54." A few minutes before three in the morning. 'Oh no, not again,' his mind seems to talk on its own. It is almost every day that he wakes up minutes before 3am, at times minutes past.

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 WAKING FROM THAT DREAM, Geiki found it hard to get back to his sleep. He spent hours staring at the ceiling of his bright room. He preferred his den well lit. The darkness is affecting him like he was being choked by an unknown force and being enclosed tight by unseen moving walls. But the light did not help at all; it kept him awake until morning.


He got a class at 7:30am, but he went down to the kitchen at seven catching his mother preparing breakfast. "I smell onions and eggs," his voice, a low one with the unique effect of a ground glass and somewhat accompanied by frost. "I also guess fried rice is in the house." Then pulled one of the four chairs around the round glass table and settled down.


"Breakfast is simple enough this morning, my prince," his mother uttered laying a plate at his front before giving him a kiss on the forehead. A few dashes, and on the plate were two cups of fried rice, omelet and a slice of toasted bread. "A few seconds pork chops will be served too."


Geiki just eyed her as she went back to the stove to attend on her cooking. Mary, his mother, never seemed to aged a day since he can remember. Long straight black hairs, white complexion, a great body shape belonging to those who has not yet born a son, a tall built, and a face which was seemed to be borrowed from the angels. She was a single mother, and grew Geiki alone since his father died days after his birth. And was an exclusive owner of a textile company.


"Nah, I am in a rush," he said as he begin spooning the food, flatting the hills of beckoning rice but never wanting to taste it any sooner. He played on the food, slicing the omelet to pieces while scattering the rice over the plate then tries to build a heap of it again the way a child might play on sand. He was lost in deep thought but he fought hard to shake whatever that is bothering him and jumped back to reality.


"Because you have a class at 7:30 and you are running late," his mother shaking her head, but not mad at all."And what is the reason this time?" She is placing a well toasted slice of pork on his plate just when Geiki officially started to dine. She noticed the omelet in pieces and the rice scattered about the plate like it was stomped by a boot.


"The egg is great!" He tried to change to subject as if it is his first time to eat one.


"The answer, please," Mary laying down a plate with her own food across Geiki, a smile awaiting to cross her face. He knew Geiki well, and had always kept a good eye on him as he grew up. His son has this peculiar attitude, good and bad in a well balanced equation in one body. A fire that could either be friend or foe.


"I decided I want to enter the class a little late this time." Then there was a pause as her mother rose from the table, then he came attacking again. "Do I know myself well, mother?"


"Where did that question came from?" Mary asked picking up a spoon from a nearby tray.


"Before my birthday," Geiki's voice has this trembling effect as if accompanied by drum rolls that sends chill to his mother's spine. "I always dream of angels... and a demon calling me brother, and every year the details are getting clearer. It is only this dawn that I realized they were angels and demons, yet cannot see their faces. And someone called me, Arkinobar."


Mary may have felt that a car crashed against her chest and down came the spoon from her hands, her body in a mild shake. And before even Geiki could notice, she picked it up and chose another one.


"It is just another dream, son," Mary sitting down yet Geiki traces uneasiness from her. "There won't be any connection of it to your real life. There mustn't." The last two words were merely a whisper that seem to fade towards eternity.


"It was just dream," but there was uncertainty in the wake of his voice.


"Eat your food," Mary dodging the issue. "You have to catch that class."


"Yep," Geiki casting a silly smile and Mary knew that something crazy is boiling in his son's mind. "Because I am not attending any tomorrow."


"And why is that?" Mary forcing back a smile. Deep down her heart it felt like a thorn that causes too much pain has been pulled free. The topic had changed and she felt better.


"Ma," Geiki went along the game his mother is playing. Everyone close to Geiki knows nothing can make him attend classes during his birthday. It is a self-proclaimed national holiday.


"Yes, I know it is your birthday, but it is not a holiday. You or we can celebrate at night."


"I am going out with Leigh, ma."


Since childhood, any activity that involves Leigh never received a no for an answer. Geiki loved it that way while Mary cannot explain why she trusts nothing will go wrong when the young lady, that was already treated a family member, is around his son. There are few occasions Leigh had taken well of Geiki. She had saved him from drowning when they were kids and has pulled him out of brawls on their early teenage years. She can now even imagine the two as a happy wedded couple giving her grandchildren that will run around like a couple of Geikis or a young copy of Leigh sitting on her lap while listening to some kiddy stories.


"You know well how to drive me," Mary finally approved with a smile that may be envied by Hollywood stars.

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iii

 THE HEART OF MARY University is one of the most competent schools in the Philippines. In this humble institution, Geiki takes his Bachelor of Arts in History, double majors in General and Ancient History.


A blue car dashed through the gates of the university. It parked in a slot at the front of Hackney Building, also called H Building, which houses the colleges of archeology and history. All eyes around were on this fabulous car. It was a McLaren MP4-12C or at least what it was when it was purchased. Body customs that included repaints and sculpting on the hood and roof made it not to look like the way it was. Vinyl and uncounted decals overcrowd almost every available surface, but made it more an eye-catcher. Mechanics had tweaked the engine and transmission, mixing up and converting known brands under the hood. Sum total, it is not a same model anymore, but a different racing beast that can go toe to toe against a Ferrari.


Riding off the the vehicle, a perfect match of the car, is the owner himself, clad by fitting black toned Levi's jeans, an unprinted black shirt and black rubber shoes. He looked like a vampire hero out of motion pictures. Brown eyes, and tiny crew cuts makes him gorgeous, appealing and mysterious all at the same time, a perfect campus heartthrob.


A glance at his wristwatch, and his eyes trained up the highest level of H Building. Fifth floor and the watch tells "8:25AM". Geiki has the mood of getting a bath as quick as a duck during rush hours, but that skill is no help this day. Time is still time and it never ceases, always on a continuous course, and there is no way he can cheat it.


He is almost an hour late in a two-hour class, and he is standing here, so near yet still seems so far. It is a five story building on his very front, a modern one. It has two functioning elevators, which have been off limits to students nearly a month ago for a reason to encourage students to be punctual. The only way to the top is what seem to be unending stairways. To heaven it may be, for the stairs is equal to a precious attendance. Any quiz he may miss is being equalized by that only route. To get to the top is to be present, and it will be made possible by one of the elevators. And he had just decided to break the rules. It will not be first time though, he had broken many school rules, he is Geiki, it is his trademark. Not the typical brainy, a different one.


Never even bothering if the doors were locked, he made his way. "Now or never, for later will be too late," a female voice of a first year instructor boomed over his ears as if said just now. It always reminded him to exercise hustle and did a lot in his life, giving way to be a horned daredevil or an angelic savior.


The Hackney Building, a horseshoe shaped building has only one entrance and at the same time the exit; that is to pass between the two end of the structure itself, straight amid the heart of the edifice where you will find hallways that will either go left or right. At the very end of the passages, an elevator and a stairway awaits.


Never bothering the right and left, out of mind, his feet chose the steps, passing by students in clusters and factions along the way. A lovely lady wearing a high black boots, black miniskirt, and a sexy blue blouse met him across the floor, the fantasy of the College of Archeology, Tanya.


"You're a hard man to hunt, Geiki." Tanya embracing three text books near her healthy breasts eyed Geiki like a tiger ready to jump for a kill.


"Oh, you cut your hair," Geiki giving her a teasing but sweet smile. Last time he saw Tanya, he was with her the night of February 14 when the whole campus celebrated for the hearts' day. Her hair was still straight long passing way below her shoulders then, pure jet black, but now, it was layered up to shoulder level with highlighted brown strands. Like Geiki, Tanya gazes through calm brown eyes fair to be said that may have belong to a goddess some time earlier and could possibly command a whole army to wage war for her through it. Not only the eyes that were guarded by long and curly eyelashes that can attract a man, her glossy white skin tone, and her cute bloody red lips adds up to the score. Geiki's eyes cannot be controlled as if it got a mind on its own creeping from her cheeks all the way pass the neck and down the chest, but he ceased it there. He looked at the concrete floor, but then again, his vision crawled from the pavement to her feet that was embraced by the leather then up to knees so white they may never have knelt a single time, and up the the long sexy legs half exposed by the black pleated mini-skirt, then at last on that blouse fitted in way it emphasized her round healthy breast. 


"You look..." Geiki shaking his head, "Wow, lovely!"


"Cut the flattery, Geiki. What's up between the two of us?"


"Us? Yes, of course, us. Well..." He was thinking of ways to dodge the query. "I am really late for my major class, babe," looking on his wrist for the watch that seem a cuff tightening each second. "Maybe I'll see you later?"


"11 o'clock, parking lot. I know it is your vacant." 


Of course she does, anybody can ask anything about him and expect a lightning bolt of answers including times they see him around out of his classes.


"Done!" Say yes now then think of dodging it again later, he thought and went on his way when Tanya gave way.


At the end of the hallway, there the elevators seem to wait for his arrival. He almost laugh on himself eyeing it, giving him a feeling that is somewhat equal to winning a lottery, when he heard two history instructors trailing his wake. They are so near he will surely get caught using the elevator. Oh no, he nearly cursed them, for now there is only a choice left, the stairs, and he will be in a sure trouble reaching his class.

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