11. City Run

Julio Nakpil is a revolutionary leader during the Filipino-Spanish war. He has been recognized more as a musician, an artist, than as a commander of guerrilla forces who fought against Spanish rule under Andres Bonifacio. He once composed a national anthem for the Philippines in 1896 bearing the title "Marangal na Dalit ng Katagalugan." He is recognized for his works that a street in one of the party places of Manila was named after him.

Every night from 10:00pm to the wee hours of the morning, Manila's youth party along J. Nakpil Street bordering Ermita and Malate on the City of Manila. [map]

This night is different from the other nights. This night, yuppies and party goers are in the night of their lives.

It was raining that night. Scattered rain showers were brought in by Typhoon Mina (local designation) bathed the patrons of many bars and restaurants lining up the street. But the rains or the typhoon did not scare away the eager customers. The in fact reveled at the chance of cooling off in the streets.

Music were fed out of Nakpil establishments to provide appropriate dance rhythms to the young party-goers. They were from different genres spanning from the 80s, 90s, to the new millennium.

Away from all the noise and lights and drinks, rapid steps splash on puddles and bodies break through falling rain, cloaks drenched and heavy.

The man running from two others is Roberto Damasco. Running along the apex of a roof, he looked back at the two chasing him. On of them, a few meters behind and the other closely following to his left.

Roberto, or RD to his friends, works as an information technology specialist of Hewlett Packard in Makati. RD is about to reach to end of the roof.

I need to get away, he thought. I need to loose them. How did they find out where I will be tonight? That old man. I knew I could not trust him.

He primed himself to lead to the next one. A flat roof deck of a 2 story apartment building. He increases speed, times his step for the lunge.

As he is about to take the last three steps, he noticed a light flash from his left. The second pursuer stopped atop an elevated water tank and fired a fire ball at him. He lost footing and fell to his side, hitting the ridge of the rooftop with his side, almost cracking a rib. The fireball passed overhead, missing him by a few inches yet he felt the heat radiated from it as rain was immediately transformed to steam upon contact.

RD is just 24 years old and lives with his wife and one year old son in Guagua, Pampanga. He turned on his stomach and tried to grab the ridge but he was to late. He struggled to stop himself slipping toward the edge an onto the concrete pavement below the three-story building. He continued to slip. The rain waters lubricating his progress.

The pursuer behind him is now running along the length of the roofs ridge. He raised his hand and a marked spear formed from thin air and threw it at RD.

RD rolled to his left as he continued to slip, the spear boring on the galvanized iron sheet roof. As he rolled, he swung his right hand at the spear-wielding assailant, releasing three daggers in his three rolls. His aim was good but so was the attacker who was able to avoid the sharp edges of the spinning dagger bearing ancient markings.

This time, the spear-wielder stepped on the GI sheet roof, running diagonally toward RD using his momentum and the downward slope of the roof to get to RD fast. He produced a bolo. His intent: to kill.

RD was able to push himself up and used the same technique running toward the edge of the roof to the gutter and away from the boloman. He jumped, caught a suspended electrical cable and used it to swing in a 360 degree somersault across the street to another cable. He swung again, releasing his grip from the wire just before a ball of electricity reached it. RD landed on the sill of the apartment next to the aerial wires, holding the window's caulk for support.

With rain waters drenching the cables acting as conductor adding to the conductive properties of the wire, the electric charge from the ball run through the powerline on both directions, some charge transferring to the other wires through the rain droplet. A transformer at the electrical post on one end blew up due to the overloading causing a blackout.

Turning around, RD saw the boloman swing his hand. A shuriken four times larger the normal spin towards him. To his right, the other pursuer who fired the electric ball produced a spear and threw it at RD.

RD swung his left arm horizontally in front of him, releasing a similar shuriken aimed at the attacker on his right. This was followed by his right arm that released another shuriken spinning toward the attacker on his left. Leaning forward, he bent his knees, swing his arms back and propelled himself forward while making a quarter left turn. He lifted he left leg just above the spinning shuriken from his attacker on the left. The shuriken missed his leg but shredded his cloak.

His right hand caught the runner of the roof just below the gutter, this time turning the opposite direction. RD gripped the runner with his right hand and swung his legs forward, missing the spear by centimeters.

As the shuriken shattered the window while embedding itself on the wall, the spear bore a hole on the outer wall of the house.

RD used the momentum of his body to swing his legs further up, keeping a tight grip on the runner. His years of doing crunches and sit-ups helped him curl his body as his feet neared 270 degrees in its swing. His fingers are in pain, but he could not let go. He pulled himself up as he continued to swing. In the last moment, he let go, landing on his belly at the inclined GI roof. This time, the impact of his body on the roof dented it preventing him from sliding down head first to the spiked walls of the apartment compound.

He pushed himself up and searched for his attackers only to find two balls of fire coming toward him. He is in a very awkward position and had trouble getting up.

Is this the end, he asked himself.

The two fireballs converged. One from across a tree where the target of his first shuriken jumped to to avoid being cut in two and the other one from the concrete post where the other attacker perched who avoided the first shuriken by somersaulting.

A loud explosion was heard by the people partying two blocks away.

10. Rain of Fire

Kamay-Kainan is a restaurant located along the southbound lane of the Epifanio delos Santos Avenue or EDSA in Metro Manila. It boasts of buffets with Filipino, Japanese, and Western dishes. They offer eat-all-you-can buffet discounts to their customers.

It was a bright sunny day in the Philippines and JJ and his family are having a mixed meal of Asian and Western cuisines.

"So," JJ asked his six-year old son Albert, "did you have a nice chat with lola today?"

"Yeah dad," Albert replied before taking a bite at the tempura he got from the Japanese foods area of the restaurant with his mother, Katrina. "She told me about you joining the ROTC and was worried so much because you were as thin as a stick."

"Well, he was brave enough to put himself to such punishment, he thought he can get through my father's barrier when he courted me," added Katrina.

JJ smiled and helped himself to his bowl of dinuguan when an explosion suddenly rocked the building.

People stopped what their doing and looked at each other. Some asking what was happening or where the explosion occurred. While most began to check on their belongings and their companions, a few stood up to look at the window facing the wide street. One of them is JJ. A shadow that appears to be caused by smoke blocking the summer sun began to descend upon the street blown northward from where the explosion seem to have come from.

"What is that hon," inquired Katrina clutching Albert.

"Wait here," answered JJ asking his wife to sit tight as he began to walk toward the large window walls along with several others. People can be seen running from the direction of the flyovers less than a kilometer southward from the restaurant. They are running for Cubao, away from something that terrifies them. Cars, jeepneys, and buses have stopped, occupants and passengers getting out running northward. Some tried to turn back but could not move out of the deadlock.

JJ was about to walk through the glass doors to take a look at what is happening when a burning car, a Toyota VIOS, suddenly dropped in the middle of the four lane southbound side of EDSA. The car crashed on a Honda CRV rolling off to settle on top of a taxi. Two more cars, a bus and a truck, all burning, dropped down on the stopped vehicles and running men as if . Some of the people died instantly from the impact while others ran around, their clothes burning from the fuel coming out of the vehicles and die from heat, shock, and suffocation.

Several explosions followed from vehicles the burning ones fell or had rolled on shattering the window walls and the glass door. A shard of glass nicked JJ on his cheeks and arms. The rest flying toward the ducking patrons of this popular restaurant. Then they heard a roar.

JJ stepped out of building just to run back to the safety of its canopy when a military helicopter, a UH-1H Huey being used by the Philippine army, its crew dying from sever burns, cooking off ammunition, and suffocation.

JJ looked inside the restaurant looking for his family. He found them near the back wall, Katrina holding Albert against her.

When JJ stepped out again, he looked for the source of the explosion. He saw smoke rising from buildings half way to Shaw Boulevard. The building of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration is burning. So is Robinson's Galleria in front of it, the Lourdes school behind the mall, several building behind POEA as well as one of the branches of the local mall chain, SM. His gaze was suddenly turned towards the UnionBank Plaza tower that appears to be the target of several OV-10 Broncos and three Huey helicopters. He strained to see their target. Suddenly his vision focused on what appears to be a lone figure near the top of the building. It seems that his eyes have zoomed in on the figure, a circular area around where his gaze focused blurred as if looking though a spy glass. Then what he saw horrified him.

The figure JJ saw was not standing on top of the building but was floating in front of it near the top. He can see tracer bullets ricochet around the person who seems to be covered by an invisible shield. The man is half naked wearing only a pair of dark blue cargo pants and black rubber shoes. His body is covered with tattoos up to his head. Only the area around his eyes, his cheeks, and his chin are without tattoo. His eyes are fiery red.

JJ tried to zoom in some more and saw that there appears to be markings around the pupils of the man.

Then JJ saw the red eyes lock on his. Taken a back, his vision zoomed out a little. Now the floating man seems to be looking at him. The man moved his right arm forward. His fingers closed except for the index finger as his arms raised. And it stopped. The man was pointing at JJ. Then he said something JJ could not understand.

A load roar made JJ close his eyes. Then he heard wings flapping. When he looked at the direction of the man again, jets of green flame came from either side of the building. Alternating as it moved up. The flames engulfed the slower Hueys and missing the much faster Broncos. The helos spun and fell. Soldiers on board surely dead.

Suddenly, wings flapped over the building as a huge red dragon emerged from behind, nesting on the top of the tower. It let out an ear shattering roar then turned its head toward the direction the floating man pointed to. Toward JJ.

The red dragon bore marks around its body almost similar to the marks borne by the man. JJ stood frozen on the pavement.

The dragons shrieked. It flapped its wings, pushed him self up from the tower with its powerful hind legs and gave a roar. The dragon dropped, gliding towards the direction its master ordered it to go to.

JJ suddenly got pulled out of his trance when the dragon roared yet anew. He suddenly realized that the dragon was going for him. He has to move, he told himself. He willed his body to move as the dragon flew toward him, turning his head from time to time toward the direction of the attacking aircrafts and shoot off jets of green flames. One Bronco caught the flames on its starboard wing and began to descend. Then it focused all its attention to its target, the immobilized JJ.

His heart pounding, beads of sweat trailing down his face, JJ was suddenly able to move his legs. He turned and ran. He did not run toward the restaurant as his wife and son may get caught in the flames but instead run toward the direction of the dragon. He then turned right into a nearby street.

The dragon shrieked then shot green flame toward the ground, burning the vehicles on the streets as it traced a flaming line toward JJ.

JJ ran as fast has he could. The flame and the dragon right behind him. He has got to reach the corner several meters away and try to duck somewhere. He hoped. He tried. He can save himself from the flame. At the dragon's speed, it and the flame will overshoot JJ once he makes a quick right.

And it did when JJ made a quick right, the heat searing through his clothes while the flame barely grazing him. He saw a door. He turned the knob. It's locked. Horror gripping him JJ turned to look for another way in only to find out that one of his assumptions was wrong. The dragon was able to make a sudden stop. It is now hovering in front of him, large wings flapping.

The dragon with its long neck, moved its head near JJ and shrieked. At first, JJ smelled the foul odor of sulfur from the dragon's breath blow at him. Then everything grew bright green as a blast of flame engulfed him.

9. Fire and Ice

Amidst the complex machinery, wires and pipes of the basement of the John F. Kennedy International Airport, clanging and swishing sounds can be heard.

Then there was a crash.

Moments later a thud.

And the clanging and the swishing returned.

"Daga!" This was chanted by Nigel Smith, an American who claimed to be from the Immigrations Office, as he threw a dagger bearing symbols on its blade and pommel when he lost one of his axes to his Chinese opponent, Quan Tie.

Quan jumped over the flying dagger, twisting in mid air just as Lucas Jorgen, an African-American associate of Nigel, held both his hands in front of him as if holding a basket ball, thrust them and chanting "Magliyab" to release a fireball toward the still descending Chinese.

The Chinaman was himself forming a ball in his left hand and as he finished his 360 degree twist in mid air pushed it toward the fireball chanting, "Nyebe!" A snowball flew to the fireball liquefying on contact and extinguishing the flames while JJ Junco, a Filipino that is being accosted by Nigel and Lucas watched the battle in horror.

When Quan Tie landed, he was met by a right hook from Nigel that avoided by twisting his body by almost a quarter. He then pushed his upper body forward, left hand striking toward Nigel's right deltoid muscle are with palms open, fingers extended and joined, its tips thrust like a cutting knife to the American's muscles soliciting pain in the process.

Quan followed this move by a punch in Nigel's solar plexus kicking the air out of his opponent. He then stepped back to avoid a drop kick from Lucas.

Lucas, now standing between the pained Nigel and Quan swung his right hand to drive a right backhand punch at the Chinese.

Quan blocked the strike with his right arm with a backhand block. He then turned his hand to seize Lucas by the wrist, pulled his enemy's hand to the right while he pushed his left hand, palms up toward Lucas' elbow breaking the joint with the heel of his hand. Letting go of the now injured right hand of the American, Quan pushed his right hand to the right side of Lucas cracking some ribs. He then repeated the left hand attack hitting Lucas by the jaw with the heel of his left hand.

Lucas went down on one knee from the pain. His movement cleared the way for Nigel who delivered a flying side kick toward Quan, hitting the Chinese square on the chest pushing him backward.

As he swung his arms around to regain his balance, Quan chanted "Shuriken" as he released one throwing star after another from each hand as he continued to swing them alternately.

Three of the stars hit Nigel in the chest and arms while he was able to avoid the rest.

Quan then move his arms in a circle in front of him ending with his right hand pointing upward, palms open, fingers extended and joined over his left hand with palms up assuming a Buddhist praying pose. He then chanted "Bomba." This chant blew up the shurikens he released causing sever physical damage and shock to his American opponent.

Just as the blast reverberated on the basement walls, Quan and JJ heard what appeared to be a hand slapping the floor and the injured Lucas chanting "Alon." A wave of concrete flooring then began to form rushing toward the Chinese. Concrete rubbles flew toward Quan including pieces of steel as they break up from the flooring.

Quan again moved his arms in a circle in front of him but instead of ending in a praying pose, he ended with both hands in front of him, palms open, facing the flying projectiles from the debris.

"Kalasag," Quan chanted as a circular shield with symbols and drawings materialized in thin air blocking the deadly debris.

JJ, still trembling from shock jumped back when he heard Quan Tie saying, "I believe we should leave."

"What," asked JJ. "Who are you? Who are these people? What have I got to do with you?"

"In time Mr. Junco," Quan said assuringly. "All in good time. But for now, it is time for us to leave. The explosion could have caught the attention of airport security and they are probably on their way down. And besides, you don't want to be here when their friends arrive," pointing to the now unconscious Lucas and Nigel.

"What about my wife and son," protested JJ. "I have to get back to them," he said as he started to rise.

"They have already been taken cared of," said Quan stopping JJ from standing,

"Taken cared of," said JJ worried for his wife and young son. "What do you mean taken cared of?"

"So many questions, so little time," mused Quan.

They hear footsteps and commotion outside the door above them.

"We must be going," urged Quan. "Like I said, all in good time and our time here is not going to be good."

JJ looked up at the door to the airport lobby and contemplated on what he should do. He then looked at Quan who is waiting for him and urging him to come along with him.

"If those security personnel catch you, they will think you are a terrorist and put you in jail," explained Quan and then turned his back on JJ as he walked toward the dark.

JJ needed to decide fast and he decided to try and trust the Chinese. He walked down the steps and followed the Chinese disappearing in the in the dark amidst the machinery, wires, and pipes in the basement of the JFK International Airport.

8. Eagle vs Dragon

The John F. Kennedy International Airport located in New York City caters to more than 19 million passengers a year. Its service areas provide its guests with conveniences while waiting for their scheduled flight. The passenger terminals are located in circular arrangement in the middle of the airport. Below grounds, machines work round the clock to provide support to the massive structure. In its bowels, three men stood frozen. Their gaze directed upon a small glow on their right amidst the concrete pillars, pipes, and metal structures.

The sound of something whipping through the air broke their silence. From the direction where the sound came from are two large curved swords spinning in the air like boomerangs. An ax thrown by a white American wearing a dark pin striped suit stopped one of the swords. The other one was diagonally parried by another American, an African-American, and spun towards the wall only to vanish in thin air much like the ax and the first sword.

The white American known as Nigel crossed his hands in front of him and drew two axes from thin air. His comrade, Lucas took a step to stand beside him holding his saber ready.

"Who the hell are you," demanded Nigel. "Show yourself!"

The soft steps of Kung Fu shoes can be heard as a man in black traditional Kung Fu uniform emerges from the dark holding two Chinese swords.

"I am Quan Tie," he introduced, "and I claim Mr. Junco."

"Like hell you are," said Lucas, advancing on the Chinese.

Quan stopped with his right foot leading his left, feet on 90 degree angles and shoulder width apart. His right hand holding the dao in front of him as his left hand held the other dao upright behind him, his left fist level and pressed against his lower back.

Lucas swung his right hand, palms up, horizontally to strike Quan in the chest.

Quan bent back while twisting his body to his right to avoid the strike while maintaining his stance. With fluidity, he raised the sword in his right then thrust at Lucas, his trailing left leg pushing his body forward while he bent his leading right leg.

Lucas' recovers the strike and parried the thrust with his saber while side stepping to his left. Once he had pushed the sword some distance away from him, he reversed his hand movement to strike Quan in the neck.

Quan bent his head to his left while Lucas' saber whizzed through barely grazing his ear. He then moved his trailing left foot wide diagonally to his left assuming a crouching position while reversing the blade of his sword to face his black opponent and swing it toward his opponent's abdominal area.

Nigel saw and opening and stepped forward, his right hand raised to slam his ax on the Chinaman's neck.

Quan recovered from his strike and pulled his body with his left foot while sliding his right along the floor just in time for the ax to pass inches from his heard. He continued his movement sliding his right foot behind his left foot as Nigel turned to swing his ax-wielding left hand horizontally to the Chinese.

The Chinese bent his body on his waist to avoid the ax while twisting his right hand by the wrist to move his sword blade from his right hand side toward his left, the face of the blade resting on his left shoulder, cutting edge pointed leftward. He then swung his right hand toward Nigel who jumped back away from him toward his right.

As Nigel moved, Lucas came into view. His hand no longer holding a saber but held in front of him, his fingers extended and apart. His other hand is held in the same way as if holding a battering ram pushed against him. Light flowed from both his arms towards his hands.

"Shockwave," yelled Lucas and pushed his hands forward as a ripple of air escaped from them and hurtled toward the Chinese.

Caught off-guard, Quan only had time to cross his arms in front of him and braced for impact. The impact threw him off toward the pipes and machinery behind him. The Chinese crashed through them, his head banging on a pipe running horizontally.

The two Americans paused and observed. Waiting for something to happen. Then they heard footsteps scurrying up the steps.

Nigel and Lucas both looked at the direction of the noise saw their target, JJ Junco clambering up the stairs.

"Stop him," Nigel shouted toward Lucas who as nearer to the escaping Filipino.

Lucas took a step forward with his left foot, held his hands together, fingers curled close, his left hand palms down while his right hand was held palms up. Both hands were held together, his left index finger and thumb next to his right pinkie. He then pulled his right hand toward his back while pushing his left hand a few inches forward. Light crawled from his arms as a rod of light formed between the separating hands. A spear with metal edge and iron rod materialized from the rod of light. As his right hand reached its farthest point backward, Lucas released the hold of his left hand on the spear, slid his left foot about four inches forward and heaved the spear toward the fleeing JJ.

Just then, a sai flew through the air, catching the spear between its main center prong and its tsuba -- one of the two unsharpened shorter prongs. The force the sai was thrown was so great that the spear was pushed away from its trajectory. Both weapons vanished in thin air.

"As you Americans say," a voice from the dark said. "It is not over until the fat lady sings," Quan continued as he emerged from the dark patting dirt from his clothes.

"The hell with the fat lady," Nigel sighed as he rushed toward the Chinese. Behind him, Lucas produced another saber and started after Nigel.