“We need to talk with your son Elijah.”

After hearing her son’s name, Mrs. Santos scoffed. “As expected…” Like a mother protecting her child, she asked the trio, “Let me guess… You’re here because you want to talk about his ‘peculiar abilities’, huh?”

“We know your son is awesome, Mrs. Santos. But it’s more than about your son’s abilities,” Triggs explained. “I think our reason is important because it affects other people. Honestly, it impacts the well-being of us all.”

Somewhat, Mrs. Santos felt the sincerity of Triggs’ words. But as a mother, her protectiveness was still not wearing off. She asked, “So, what exactly do you need from Elijah? Make sure to give me a good explanation.”

Lae glanced at Triggs, as if asking whether it was really safe to reveal their true goals now. Triggs responded with a nod of approval.

Lae explained everything to Mrs. Santos profoundly and detailedly: the Sigbin crisis in Mt. Iriga, how they met Mang Eddy, and how the old Paranormal Investigator had suggested that Elijah would be crucial for their investigation.

“So, it’s about the monster crisis, huh?” Mrs. Santos murmured, a realization dawning on her face. “My brother in Masbate just called me a while ago, mentioning the sudden appearance of strange creatures there too. So, it’s not a localized thing, huh?”

“Yes, it’s happening in multiple places in the Philippines,” Lae replied.

“It’s odd that this isn’t in the mainstream news. What should I expect from them, anyway?” Mrs. Santos said with a hint of skepticism. Then she asked, “And my son Elijah is connected to all of these?”

“No, not exactly, Mrs. Santos,” Lae answered. She explained, “Mang Eddy told us that Elijah has ‘friends’ who might know about the source of these monsters.”

“I see,” Mrs. Santos replied. “Eddy suggested this?

“Yes po.”

“That man…” Mrs. Santos whispered after a faint chuckle. “Eddy was actually my husband's best friend. They went their separate ways when Eddy chose a more unconventional career path. Nowadays, we only talk to him if it concerns Elijah's ‘abilities’.”

“Was Mang Eddy a professor too?” Triggs asked.

“Yes, my husband and he taught at the same university in Visayas back in the day.,” Mrs. Santos replied. “But anyway… If Eddy said it, then it’s definitely important. My brother’s phone call also proves there’s a real crisis going on.”

“Do you trust us now, Mrs. Santos?” Lae questioned.

“I don’t know…” Mrs. Santos murmured, her voice in doubt. “As a mother, I know I shouldn't put my son at risk by allowing him to discuss his peculiarities with strangers. But something inside me says he’s really needed, even before you showed up. I believe Elijah is destined for something special; we might just be denying him that chance.”

“Hmm… Maybe the universe was trying to tell you something,” Triggs blurted out.

Lae gave Triggs a bewildered look, clearly surprised by his comment.

Triggs continued, “Maybe your ‘guardian angels’ were giving you a sign, and we’re the ones they sent to confirm it.”

Mrs. Santos giggled and replied, “You’re also a bit superstitious, aren’t you? But with everything happening now, who can blame us, no?”

“Well, it led me to my suspension,” Triggs joked.

Mrs. Santos laughed and then, after a moment, made her decision. “Alright, if you really need to talk with my son, I’ll allow it. Just please... don’t let my husband know that we specifically discussed Elijah’s abilities and his ‘special friends’. He’ll be furious if he finds out. Let’s stick with your ‘thesis’ story, okay?”

Triggs agreed, “That’s a deal.”

“Yeeey!!” Call cheered.

“Well, let’s get going before my husband returns. Elijah is in his room upstairs.”

Mrs. Santos didn’t waste any second, after their conversation, she led the trio upstairs to meet Elijah.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

…

KNOCK-KNOCK!! KNOCK-KNOCK!!

“Eli?? Are you there? You have visitors.” Mrs. Santos uttered, knocking on the first door after the stairs.

The second floor of the house was not as extravagant as the first, mostly taken up by room space. Two wooden doors were visible: Elijah’s, nearest to the staircase, and the other, larger one a few steps away, which could be assumed to be the master bedroom.

“We’re going in, Eli,” Mrs. Santos said as she opened the door.

As the door opened, a warm, cozy aura enveloped the trio. Stepping inside, they saw that the room was empty of furniture but filled with boxes on the floor. The only significant pieces were a bed and a young man who seemed to be the source of the gentle aura.

The young man was wearing headphones connected to his phone on the bed. He was busy packing things into one of the boxes. Noticing people entering his room, he quickly removed his headphones and faced his visitors.

The young man made a gentle impression upon first meeting. His mid-length black hair falls in natural, slightly tousled waves, perfectly framing his face. His sun-kissed complexion, glowing softly, highlights a distinctive mole beside his lip, adding a unique touch to his otherwise serene appearance.

His hazel eyes, full of warmth and kindness, engaged with a soft-spoken curiosity, framed by well-groomed eyebrows that accentuated their depth. A straight, elegantly proportioned nose complemented the soft contours of his face, while his naturally curved lips settled into a gentle, welcoming smile.

In the quiet of his presence, the young man’s face radiated a comforting and kind-hearted aura. His features, reflecting the inviting essence of his mother, created an immediate sense of calm and approachability.

With his youthful glow, he appeared to be a few years younger than Triggs. Despite his slightly slim frame, he towered over everyone else in the room by a few inches.

“Eli, you have visitors. They want to chat with you about your ‘special friends’,” Mrs. Santos said.

After hearing his mother’s words, Eli's face lit up with excitement, as if he’d been waiting for this moment forever: someone finally showing interest in his unique abilities.

“Yeah! We want to talk about your cool superpowers!” Calla added enthusiastically.

With a warm smile, Eli responded with distinct hand movements that resembled hand signs, completely surprising Triggs and Lae.

Calla, on the other hand, was baffled as a huge question mark formed on her face. “Uhm… What is he doing?” she asked innocently.

“You see, Elijah is a mute person. I became pregnant with him when I was past my prime years, and as a miracle baby, he was born with this disability,” Mrs. Santos explained.

Lae and Triggs were genuinely amazed.

“Wooaahh,” Calla expressed, pretending she really understood what Mrs. Santos said.

Mrs. Santos then requested something from her son. “Eli, can you please use ‘it’? So they can understand you better?”

Willingly, Eli nodded his head. He opened one of the boxes and brought out an odd-looking device.

The device resembled a mash-up of various musical instruments: it had guitar strings, organ keys, and buttons similar to those on brass instruments. It appeared to run on batteries and electricity, but its exact function remained a mystery to anyone who saw it.

After a few turns on the tuner, Eli plucked one of the strings. A soft melody reverberated in the room. He quickly followed it with a hard press on one of the keys, harmonizing the melody. The interaction between the harmony and melody produced an eccentric sound.

The music wasn’t just something they heard; it was something they felt deep in their heart. The harmonic vibrations had a magical quality, resonating with the listeners' souls.

The trio was awestruck, unable to believe how profoundly the music had affected them.

With a final button press from the instrument, the different vibrations intertwined together as they formed a particular energetical manifestation. The combination of the sounds manifested into a coherent sentence, “Hello, friends…”

Triggs’ eyes widened as he felt the manifested speech pass right through him. “Wh-What was that? Did I just hear a voice in the music?” he uttered, perplexed.

Meanwhile, Calla was stuck motionless, trying to comprehend what was happening.

With a small, proud smile, Mrs. Santos stated, “Well… That is Elijah’s ‘superpower’.”

Suddenly, Calla stepped forward, and with a deciphering gaze, she moved around Eli, examining everything about the young man.

Confusedly, the curious Calla asked Eli, “You’re not even a Sirena. How did you do that?”

By then, Eli replied with a soft giggle.

With her investigative eyes set on the instrument, Lae gave her assumptions about the phenomena. “I think it’s that device. There’s something about it that might explain what’s happened.”

“Actually, it’s just something he tinkered with his old musical instruments,” Mrs. Santos said. “It’s nothing magical.”

“Oh! Could be!” Triggs agreed. “But seriously though, how does he do it?”

“Honestly, we don’t really understand his peculiar ability either,” Mrs. Santos said. “I always suggested that we take Elijah to a professional to analyze and understand it, but my husband always refused the idea.”

“Welp… I quite expected that,” Triggs murmured bitterly.

“I can understand his reluctance, though…” Mrs. Santos murmured, her tone tinged with a sense of nostalgia and unspoken memories.

After a short silence, she shook off her previous thoughts and returned to the topic. “Until now, we’re just assuming that Eli is just exceptionally gifted in music, to the point where he invented a new way of communicating using that DIY device. Even Eddy mentioned that Elijah’s musical affinity might be a gift from the gods themselves.

Calla, with her usual innocence, asked, “But which gods gave him that ability?” Then she came up with a wild conclusion, “Ooooh! Maybe it’s Panee too!? Because you’re like a Sirena, and Panee is the goddess of the Sirenas!”

“Sirenas? Aren’t those mythological creatures?” Clearly, Mrs. Santos was confused by Calla’s mutterings.

“Oh, please don’t mind her, Mrs. Santos. She just likes to talk about her fantasy novels,” Triggs said.

“Hmm… Okay…”

Eli plucked a string, tapped a key, and pressed a button from the instrument. The music produced manifested a question that was directed to Calla. “Wait, do you know the Sirenas?”

“Uhm… Yup. Why? They are my family.”

“That’s cool! My ‘friends’ told me that they are related to the Sirenas too!”

“Woah! Really!? Who are they? Can I meet them too?”

“Uhm, I don’t think they would like that.”

“Eh!? Why!?”

“My ‘friends’ are a bit shy. They told me they don’t really want to show themselves to others.”

“That’s a bummer!” Calla commented.

Lae, who had been listening, interjected, “But can we ask questions about this ‘friend’ of yours?”

Elijah nodded, “Sure! I’m willing to give you answers. As long as it will not reveal their true identities, and it won’t endanger them.”

Lae reassured him, “Don’t worry. I’m sure it won’t.”

“That’s great! Well, what do you want to know about them?”

Lae started explaining everything to Eli.