7 Chapter 7

When the sun rose the next day, the people were surprised to inhale a clean air. Everybody was happy except for Mergalio and the puffins who are still snoring loudly. Nobody knew that they spent the entire night flying and flapping for clean air.

The day started right but as noon approaches, people started complaining again about the root crops that have been infected by pests. Based on what the farmers are talking about, there are no pests seen in their farms. The soil itself is the one contaminated. Tenshi transferred his plant to the soil in the farm and in an instant, it withered.

“Master, what is this?”, Mergalio uttered in his heart.

“Be ready. You will meet your first enemy by tomorrow. I’ll send someone tonight. He will bring your armor.”, the Divine Master whispered.

The warrior angel was not able to do anything to solve the problem. He can’t think of any solution during that time. Night came and he waited for the Master’s messenger. Mergalio went to the most secluded part of the city to meet the messenger. He didn’t have to wait long for as soon as he felt the strong wind, he knew that an angel is approaching.

“Gybro, my dear friend!”

“Mergalio! I’m glad to see you again my brother. From Paradiso, we always kept an eye on you, waiting for your call for help.”

“Thank you, Gybro. But as of now, I’m still doing great. I haven’t encountered a strong enemy yet.”

“Well, you will. Tomorrow. Here is the armor that the Divine Master prepared for you.”

Gybro held his right hand up and made a big and powerful sword appear right before Mergalio’s eyes.

“Here. This is yours. You will need this tomorrow and as you fight with more enemies in your mission. This sword is blessed by the immense power and grace of the Divine Master. You can surely defeat your enemies with this.”

“B-but, I’m not very skilled in using sword. You know that.”, Mergalio objected.

“Don’t fear. You will use this sword with your heart. It will follow what you desire to do whether you are skilled or not. Plus, Master will empower you in all of your battles.”, Gybro assured him.

“Thank you, Gybro. Pray for me my friend. I hope to see you again soon.”

“I will. If you need help, even if you won’t summon me, I will be running to you, protecting you. My blessings are with you, Mergalio.”

The two angels gave their blessings and respect to one another by touching the right hand to the chest and raising the left hand towards each other.

The next day, as the day breaks….

“Warrior, prepare now. The enemy is near.”, the Divine Master whispered.

Mergalio called his puffins with a profound whistle and they stepped outside their shelter. As their feet guide them where to go, they can see the drastic situation of the city. The air has become thicker with pollution. All the plants and crops withered with the polluted soil. Wherever they look, all the bodies of water had turned into black- full of garbage and sewage.

“Mergalio, let us help you in this battle. We can be of help.”, Tharros said.

Mergalio didn’t answer for he doesn’t know what to say. He doesn’t have any idea of their enemy. What could these puffins do to protect the people?

Before Mergalio could even answer the puffin, the now polluted river breathed out thousands of rats, cockroaches, and other pests that are threatening to attack the entire city.

The warrior angel raised his right hand to summon the sword that was given to him by the Divine Master. Mergalio swung the sword non-stop, side by side. And in every strike, hundreds of pests perish. The puffins used their wings to blow back the pests to the river so that Mergalio may strike them powerfully. Nevertheless, there are still number of pests which were able to go past through Mergalio and the puffins.

The people were terrified as more pests entered their house and crawled on their bodies and faces. The children cried endlessly as the cockroaches fly towards them. The men did their best to kill the pests using the things on their house. Odigos gathered all the people and told them to stay on the nearby mountain top where they are safe from the attack of pests. With their intense fear of the avalanche of pests, nobody dared to question Odigos, and just followed what he said.

“Here, my fellow SklavoiS, we will not be attacked by the pests. We can go back to our houses once Mergalio and the puffins got rid of all those little monsters.

“Mergalio? Why? What about him?”, asked the people who are still unaware of who Mergalio is.

Odigos did not bother to reply. Instead, he pointed out Mergalio and the puffins on the left side of the mountain, near the river, giving their best to protect the city. The people roared with shocked reactions. The kids were clapping and cheering on Mergalio. Some were uttering questions as to who Mergalio is and where he got his sword as well as the powers that the puffins have. Odigos just smiled and asked his family to pray for their protectors.

When the pests were all gone and none of them came out of the river, the people shouted with joy thinking that the fight was already over. Mergalio and the puffins knew better.

A sickening foul odor spread all throughout the city. Mergalio and the puffins didn’t mind such for they were made by the Divine Master with stronger endurance as compared to an ordinary human and animal. The people covered their nose and mouth just to lessen the strong foul smell entering their lungs.

Slowly, a huge creature emerged from the river. Its color is composed of green moss and brown decaying matters. The trash attached on its body highlighted the ugliness and the dirt that it emits to everyone. It was a very huge monster making Mergalio measure alike with its pinky finger.

“Who are you and why are you ruining our city? You are not welcome here! Leave Sklavois. We don’t want you here!”, Mergalio shouted.

The creature laughed so loud that trashes from its body scatter tremendously. As soon as the monster opened its mouth, pests and trash spilled out from it.

“I’m the great Bashure! I will ruin this city and you cannot stop me with your little sword and useless birds!”, Bashure beastly answered.

It coughed and spurted pests and trash to Mergalio and the puffins. The protectors were invincible but Mergalio knew that he needed to keep the distance of this monster from the people. The toxicity and the odor of its excretion can instantly extinguish an ordinary SklavoiS from this world.

Bashure called all of its dirty followers from the depths of the polluted river and from the overwhelming dumpsites in the city. All kinds of pests attacked Mergalio and the puffins from all sides. There were so many enemies that they were not able to look after the people.