6 Chapter 6
Twelve people to help him spread redemption is a great start for Mergalio. Each of them pursued more people to stay with them during the night to witness the Divine Power’s grace. Mergalio observed Judge Draggen and the corrupt lawmakers as they keep on harassing the people with their unjust ways. On all those situations, Mergalio kept mum and just stored everything in his mind to ruin the reputation of Judge Draggen once he gets the right opportunity.
“Why are there few gamblers today? Are you not doing your job?”, asked the intimidating man to the young boy.
“Lord Liwen, SklavoiS do not have enough money anymore. Maybe that’s the reason why our business is not doing well.”, the young boy softly explained.
“I don’t care if they don’t have enough money anymore! Tempt them! Offer them money for gambling and they will just pay it once they win. I assure you, they will grab that opportunity and dig their own graves of debt.”, Liwen exclaimed.
In a snap, SklavoiS filled the gambling tables and recklessly spend huge amount of money. Standing next to the them was a lovely young lady, Anya, begging her father to stop wasting his money in gambling. Anya kept on asking her father to go home and stop his addiction but the man was very occupied with his temporary happiness.
“Have you lost your heart for these people? How could you into their rock bottom of debt?”, Mergalio confronted Liwen in full rage.
The rich and selfish man just laughed at him. Liwen dragged him to the largest gambling table.
“SklavoiS are actually enjoying this. Can’t you see? They love being buried into the deepest and darkest state of their lives. And I don’t care about them! This wretched city is not my home. I never considered them as part of my life. I only want their money. You understand?”, Liwen remarked and left Mergalio looking helplessly to the gamblers.
As soon as Liwen proudly said those selfish words, he was mesmerized by the beauty of Anya. It took a while before he realized that the woman wasn’t looking at him with admiration. On the contrary, rage and hatred are very evident in her eyes. Liwen looked down for he cannot stand the intensity of her anger towards him. Disappointed, Anya stormed out of the gambling house while Liwen followed her movements with his eyes. Few steps away from the gamblers, Anya looked back to check on her father. Surprisingly, her eyes met Liwen’s appreciative gaze.
“Divine Power, these people have been worshipping money for such a long time already. How will I save them?”, Mergalio called out to his Master.
“Make them remember me. Show them my ways.”, the Divine Power answered. Mergalio gathered all the gambling paraphernalia and threw it to Liwen.
All the SklavoiS were ready to harm Mergalio for what he did but he quickly called Agapi. The puffin targeted their hearts and triggered love to reign over greed and anger.
“I know that all of you are desperate but this is not the right way to have a better life. If you will only repent and remember our Divine Power, He will shower you with His grace and you will live a great life that is far different from what you are experiencing.”, Megalio said to the people.
“Divine Power? Who is he?”, a man asked.
The people got curious about the Divine Power.
“Oh yes, the Divine Power! Does He remember us, His people? I thought He has already forgotten us.”, an old man from the crowd said.
“Yes! Yes! He always thinks of you. All of you.”, Mergalio said as he enlightens the people who were blinded by darkness and fear.
As Mergalio talks about the Divine Power to the SklavoiS, most of them weep without noticing it.
“I can tell you more about the Divine Power if you can stay in Odigos’ house tonight. We will wait for all of you there.”, Mergalio said to the people.
He knew that it is not appropriate for him to talk about his Master in broad daylight especially in this difficult time. A lot of evil invaders are roaming around the city, waiting and looking for opportunities to attack the people. Mergalio walked past Lord Liwen. It is useless for him to talk to this man because he knows that money is the only thing important to him.
That night, ten gamblers went to the house of Odigos. Mergalio told them all about the Divine Power’s love for the people. He made the SklavoiS realize the wonderful concept of redemption and everybody was crying with gladness.
However, their refreshing talk about the Divine Master was cut short when the evil invaders attack the city again. Mergalio was motivated to kill all the enemies and make the people believe in hope and beginnings. However, he knew that securing a shield to protect the people is enough for them to trust their faith again. That night, SklavoiS who are used in living with fear and darkness finally felt what the word “safe” means.
The noise and the commotion woke up Mergalio from his deep slumber.
“There’s no water! How are we supposed to live normally?”
“All of our drinking water are contaminated. We will die of thirst!”
Mergalio quickly went outside and saw people running back and forth, searching for clean water to use. Unfortunately, there’s none.
“This is the result of the people’s abuse of nature.”, Mergalio thought. He silently uttered a prayer to the Divine Power and ask for rain so that the people can store clean water.
Mergalio told his friends to prepare water containers outside because the Divine Power will pour out blessings despite the current scarcity. As soon as Odigos put his last container, it rained so hard that in less than a minute, almost all their containers are filled to the brim. Mergalio’s friends knew that it came from the Divine Power and they are beyond grateful. Out of extreme happiness, they started thanking the Master aloud that the other people and even the evil invaders heard them. People began to talk about the Divine Power that they were praising, drawing attention from more evil invaders that are within the area.
“Puffins, do something to get the attention of the crowd.”, Merrgalio commanded.
Tharros chirped and gathered all the puffins to devise a plan. In a matter of minute, they already thought of a strategy. The puffins quickly formed themselves into a ball and rolled towards different directions. Epimoni made a small tornado as he quickly rose above and spread his wings. Dynami, like a flash of lightning, went to and fro before spreading his wings. Apodochi and Agapi formed a whirl of two colors as they intertwined each other, going up the sky. The people were amazed of the beauty that the puffins are showing them. The kids, wide-eyed with amazement, clapped their hands and jumped with joy. Mergalio felt so proud of his puffins for they are really doing a great job.
Tharros, Elpida, and Dianoia met above the center of the crowd to perform their final act and everybody was holding their breath for a great sight to behold. Everything turned slow motion until the three puffins clashed at the center and bumped on each other’s head. The three puffins were filled with small birds circling around their heads as they tangled on each other and slowly fell to the ground.
Everyone was laughing. The other puffins went back to pick up the three injured and unconscious birds.
“Dianoia, you were the one who told us what to do. Now, you’re comatose. I knew you’re not that smart.”, Epimoni murmured as he dragged his fellow puffin and started raising him up as he flaps his wings.
“I am smart. Those two are the ones who can’t understand.”, Dianoia weakly answered. “Oh, you’re awake?” In his surprise, Epimoni lost his grasp on Dianoia’s feet.
“Oh dear…” With a loud sound, the puffin fell into the cart of fruits and coated itself with different colors and juices.
The children’s laughter erupted on the streets of SklavoiS that time. Odigos noticed a change in the wind and air when his son started coughing. Unlike normal days, the wind was thicker with dust and the air dirtier in his perception.
“Mergalio, something’s different with the air. I can’t figure out what it is but there is an abnormality. Tenshi didn’t stop coughing since this morning. He never experienced this before.”, Odigos told Mergalio as they settled near the window.
Mergalio inhaled the air and tried to identify the particles clogging its purity.
“Puffins, can you help us find out why the air is like this?”, Mergalio asked his friends. “Of course, we can do that.”, Agapi replied.
“No more funny acts, okay?’, Epimoni told Tharros, Elpida, and Dianoia. “Who said that it was funny? It was painful!”, Elpida cried.
One by one, the puffins flew to different areas of the city as well as the neighboring cities.
While waiting for the puffins to return, Mergalio went out of Odigos’ house to observe SklavoiS. A lot of children are coughing and are having difficulty in breathing.
“Odigos, use a damp cloth to cover your mouth and nose. Tell the others as well.”, Mergalio said.
“Yes, guardian. I will prepare one for you as well.”
“No need. I’m invincible from all these factors. Put yourselves first. I can handle myself.”, Mergalio answered.
Soon, the puffins returned to him one by one.
“Mergalio, the air in the nearby cities isn’t polluted.”, reported Tharros.
“That is right. The air is as pure as it should be in the other places.”, said Epimoni.
“For the entire Sklavois however, the air is really polluted. All throughout the city, people suffer from the dirty air that they are breathing.”, said Agapi.
“Did you see where this pollution is coming from?”, Mergalio asked.
“We cannot find the source of this pollution even if we search the entire city for many times.”, Dynami answered.
“Elpidia, Dianoia, and I will search again to find the cause of this problem,” Apodochi said.
Night came and the people struggled harder to breathe the air that is surrounding their city. Mergalio and the puffins waited for the people to settle down and extinguish all the lights before they spread their wings and went above the city.
“Puffins, I will seal the sides of Sklavois. I will leave this part open for us to drive away the polluted air here. On that area, there are no more living things and people. Nobody will suffer from this dirty air.”, Mergalio instructed.
Like a flash of lightning, Mergalio was swift yet careful in sealing Sklavois. He made sure that he was flying high enough not to be seen by the evil invaders from afar. As soon as Mergalio gave the signal, the puffins spread their wings and began flapping to push the polluted air away from the city. Mergalio also did his best to make the puffins job faster and easier with his help.
