21. Sighting - Quest for the Dose Halimaw

"Everyone, please gather around," called the resort manager. He is in his mid-thirties. He kept a lean figure through daily hikes from the resort to the main road to buy some smokes at the roadside store. Smoking is not allowed within resort premises. This routine does not only keep him fit but also controls his urge to smoke. "We will be checking the cottages and doing the head count. How many do we have?"

"We have eight cottages occupied," answered his assistant, a chubby girl in her early twenties. She is doing field work for a master's degree she took at the Mindanao State University - Iligan Institute of Technology located in Iligan City. "A total of twenty three individuals."

"Let's count off, if you please," the manager addressed crowd. "Shall we start with you sir," pointing at the pot bellied man in his late forties.

As the guests counted off, two other resort staff approached the group and reported to the manager.

"All cottages are cleared sir," reported an old staffer who lives about two kilometers from the resort.

"But we did find this cellphone at the sink of cottage 3," added the younger male staffer about the same age as the resort assistant. He too is a local. The older man is his father.

"Twenty three," shouted a little girl.

"Everyone is accounted for sir," reported the assistant.

"Thanks," replied the manager. Turning to the crowd, he announced "who left a cellphone in cottage 3?" Then reading off from the log book, "it's from the group of Mariella Santos."

"Oh my gosh," exclaimed one girl. "That's mine," she claimed approaching the manager.

"And you are?"

"Daniela Escucha," she answered.

"There you go miss," handing over the phone after verifying the name from the registry. "Alright everyone, shall we go?"

The group lined in two columns, the manager and the young man leading the way with the assistant and the older man trailing behind.

Genny's group walks about three groups ahead of the tail.

"Be ready to jump when I give the signal," whispered Jasmin to her friend. "We are almost there. I saw a ditch near the bend on our way to the resort. We can hide there without anybody noticing."

"Won't it be flooded or muddy at the least," asked Arianne.

"What do you expect? This is the mountains after all."

The four girls kept close to the group ahead of them and far from the one behind them. The distances they kept will allow them to jump down the ditch without the two groups noticing.

As they near the bend that turns toward the right, Jasmin warned her friends, "Get ready." She then slowly took off her back pack and held it with her right hand. Her friends did the same. Making sure the group ahead is not looking back and while putting the group behind at the blind spot, she gave the signal,"now!"

As quietly as they can, the girls jumped into the ditch clutching their bags and keeping low to avoid being seen. Their hearts pounding and breathing deep, they try to keep themselves pressed on the side of the ditch listening to the passing group. The first one passed, then the second, then the third. Then they heard the manager's assistant and the old staffer pass.

"Did you hear the sound after the tremor," the old man asked his companion.

"Yeah," confirmed the girl. "I thought I heard a growl."

"There is this legend of a sea monster trapped in the Lanao lake that I heard from my grandfather who heard if from his. I never believed it was true. But after what I have heard tonight..."

"How come it only resurfaced now?"

"I don't know, child. I don't know."

As their voices faded in the dark, the four girls slowly rose to peer on the top of the ditch. They can see the flashlights fading ahead. And then it was dark again.

"Let's go," urged Jasmin as she began to climb the ditch.

"My Trets are muddy," complained Genny shining her torch at her shoes.

"Are Tretorns still popular these days," asked Isablle with a little sarcasm.

"They are in the provinces," answered Arianne.

"Probinsyana," sighed Isabelle.

"Come on," called Jasmin as she began walking back to the direction of the resort.

The three girls followed, Genny still trying to shake off the mud in her shoes.

Slowly and painfully, the four girls scaled the side of the Maria Cristina Falls. It took them an hour to get to the top using vines, thorny shrubs, and rocks are hand holds and foot holds. They were sweating profusely and were panting when they reached to top. After a few minutes of rest, Jasmin urged them to move ahead. Hastily, the girls followed.

"Good thing about hiking with an experienced hiker is that you know you're in good hands," commented Genny. "Bad things is those hands will force you to the brink of exhaustion."

"Oh you know I'll take care of you," said Jasmin looking back at Genny with a sheepish smile.

"Yeah right," smirked Isabelle.

The girls continued up river walking near the bank. Jazz had her bolo out in her right hand while she lit her way with her flashlight on her left hand. Each had their flashlights on illuminating their paths.

After about two hours, they reached the mouth of Lanao Lake, the only opening where the body of water empties its contents. The other opening, about twenty or so, pour in water from the mountains. The huge volume of water exiting through the Agus River provides the Philippines' National Power Corporation with the pressure it needs to operate its hydroelectric plant.

"My leg hurts," complained Arianne sitting down a boulder.

"Don't worry, we're here," assured Jasmin.

"So this is Lanao Lake," commented Isabelle standing near the bank, one foot on a rock with her hands on her waist.

"Wow, I can't see anthing," smirked Genny plopping on the soft grass.

The moon is out but there is an overcast. The girls rested on the northern bank of the lake near the mouth of Agus River. A few minutes later, the clouds moved allowing the full moon to shine on the lake.

The girls were awed by the sight. The waters were glistening as the slow wind blew on the waters. They almost forgot what they were looking for in the first place.

"What's that over there," asked Isabelle pointing at a shadow Southeast of their position.

Arianne quickly took out here binoculars. But they were small, the kind that is bought at a Quiapo tiangge for fifty pesos. "Some kind of boat I guess."

As Isabelle and Genny tried to pry the binoculars from Arianne, Jasmin opened her pack and took out the telescopic lens for her digital camera. She screwed it on to her camera and peered at the veiwfinder.

"Take a picture so we could have a better look," said Genny turning to Jasmin leaving Isabelle and Arianne wrestling over the binoculars.

"Even better, I am filming it," Jasmin said proudly.

Jasmin saw what looks like a small fishing boat. As she adjusted the powerful lens, she moved toward the rear of the boat. Near the stern she could barely discern the markings. Moving the camera toward the front of the boat, she caught a glimpse of a logo on its side. They were four circles, two on top of the other two, their sides in tangent. The top left circle has its upper half colored black while the lower left quarter is blue and the lower right quarter white. The one on the upper right is painted the same but with the circle turned 90 degrees clockwise. The circle on the lower right is turned another 90 degrees clockwise and another turn for the circle in the lower left. This allows the white portions of the circles to form a white square whoses sides pass the center of the circles. In the middle of the square is a four sided star formed by the four circles, the upper half has some kind of red triangular marking on it with a red spot on the lower half.

"What do you see," asked Isabelle who has left Arianne alone with her low magnification binoculars.

"It is some sort of an official boat by some private agency," she replied.

"What is that moving in there," Arianne said excitedly.

"It's a boat," answered Isabelle upset that Arianne did not lend her the binoculars.

"No, the one near the boat."

Jasmin zoomed out of the boat in time to see the surface of the water move slightly. The wind was blowing westerly but the small wave is moving diagonally toward the boat.

Arianne screamed as Jasmin's view of the boat was blocked by a wall of water.

The three girls looked at Arianne. She was all excited and screaming nervously, her trembling hands pointing at something toward the direction of the boat.

As they slowly followed her hand, they saw something monstrous rise from the water. It was like a scene from a fantasy movie about a legendary pirate whose ship was attacked by a sea monster controlled by yet another fearsome creature.

The monster lifted the boat from the lake. Its tentacles closing in on the hapless boat and its ill-fated crew. As quickly as it rose. The monster disappeared beneath the waves. It's movement made the lake swell, ripples pushing water to the banks awashing the girls.

The they heard another growl, a growl from the depths of the lake.

The girls panicked. Arianne quickly turned running away from the lake shore, leaving her bag and dropping her binoculars. Genny picked up her bag and that of Arianne and ran after her. Isabelle shouldered her bag and tried to pull Jasmin away. Coming to her senses, Jasmin got her things and ran after Isabelle.

As the girls made their way from the opening of the lake to the river, a pair of eyes watched them as they scampered back the way they came.

20. Murmurs - Quest for the Dose Halimaw

In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, all the fountains of the great deep came bursting through, and the windows of heaven were open. - Genesis 7:11.

It was a rainy day in October. Genny is excited. It is her first time in the province. And she is in a road trip with her college classmates to visit the Maria Cristina Falls for the summer. The falls is about an hours drive from Cagayan de Oro's Lumbia Airport.



She had been cooped up in their condominium in Makati. Her life has consisted of daily trips to an exclusive girls' school where she studied until high school. Her family takes weekend trips to malls and fancy restaurants and to other countries during holidays.

"So, what is in store for us at the falls," she asks her classmate, Arianne.

"Well, I don't know exactly," Arianne replied somewhat unprepared. "Hehehe, I have never actually been there," she added sheepishly.

"WHAT!?" the girls asked in unison.

"You live in Iligan and yet you have never been to the falls," exclaimed the shocked Jasmin.

Could not keep her feet inside their house, Jasmin is the most adventurous of the four girls. Adventurous in outdoor sense of the world, she has trekked Mount Makiling, went spelunking in the Callao Caves, and even walked among those who oppposed the leadership of the former president of the republic.

"My parents are too strict," explained Arianne. "This is my first shot at freedom."

Before going to one of the prestigious universities in Manila, Arianne lived the life of a province girl. Although their mailing address tell that they are in a city, their house is in the outskirt, nearer the next town than the center of the city.

"This could be fun," smiled Isabelle. Isabelle is the other adventurous one. Adventure in the urban sense. She has trekked the length of Eastwood City, entered counless bars and pubs, and partied among the leftist youth after the fall of the previous administration.

"What could be more fun than worrying where we will go next," said Jasmin excitedly.

"Or who we will meet," added Isabelle.

"But where will be stay," Genny asked.

"We can probably find a place to stay there," Arianne tried to assure them.

"Here we are girls," interrupted the driver stopping the van on the side of the concrete road.

They all looked through the rain washed window.

"Oh crap," they said in unison.

Outside is an almost inundated trail toward the forest and up the mountain.

Beside the trail is a small store made of nipa roof and flattened bamboo as walls. It has roof extending upfront forming a shed with benches on each side made of bamboo. The store's bamboo foundations were buried deep in the soil filled by boulders for support. Its beams are tied together by lashings made of peeled off bamboo skin. Also securing the joints are bamboo pegs used in the same way as nails.

Seeing that the van will not be able to traverse the narrow trail, the girls decided to get off.

"So, what time will I come back for you tomorrow," asked the driver .

"How about around five in the afternoon," Isabelle said stopping at the open door before running off to the store shed.

"Won't that be too late already," Genny said throwing the question at the running and rain drenched Isabell. Turning to Arianne she added, "Won't it?"

"Don't worry girl, this will be fun," Jasmin added then pushed Genny unto the rain. "Come back any time and any day you want," she said to the driver with a wide grin on her face before running off to the store.

"Manong, just come pick us up at three," Arianne told the driver.

"Hokay, three it is," the driver said with a sigh.

Arianne closed the door and ran off to be with her friends.

As the girls shook off their rain drenched clothes, the rented van started and turned back toward the direction of Iligan City.

"Well, the adventure begins," exclaimed Jasmin.

"I hope they have good drinks there," said Isabelle a little smugly. Turning to the store tender, "You have any drinks with more than 30% alcohol content, manang?"

"Oh, we have some rhum, gin, and tuba," answered the the old lady, somewhat startled by the suddenness of the question.

"Uy, uy, my friends in high school said the tuba here are great," said Arianne jumping and clapping like a little girl.

"Tuba it is," grinned Isabelle. "Isang tuba, manang."

It was already lunch time when the girls reached the falls.

Cottages were erected around the base of the falls by the tourism office of the local government. At the end of the trail from the national road is a cottage that serves as a reception center. The girls entered the cottage and registered their names at the visitor guest book. They chose a cottage by the river near the falls.

"Well, this is a surprise," said Arianne. "I never heard about any tourism development in these parts."

photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Cristina_Falls

The scenery took the girls' breaths away. Drenched by both the rain and the shower from the fall, they stared at the falls in awe.

"This is so beautiful," said Arianne. "I lived minutes away from this and I have never imagined it to be this beautiful."

"Sure beats the neon lights of Manila," shared Isabelle.

"This is the life," sighed Jasmin.

"Two big shower stalls," added Genny.

"Except that its pressure can crush you," Isabelle said tapping Genny's shoulder and urging her toward their cottage.

After lunch, the girls had fun bathing near the pond of the falls. By late afternoon, they are exhausted and had retired in their cottage illuminated by three kerosene lamps. They have also lit some anti-mosquito coils to drive away the pesky insects.

"This is the life," Jasmin repeating what she said earlier laying back at the bamboo papag.

"Man, no discos, no boys, no nothing," complained Isabelle slumping on a bamboo chair.

"All you think about is city night life," said Jasmin in response. "Try the great outdoors."

"Well, this suits you mountain girl, but when we get back to the city, I will be out 'til closing time."

"It's drinking time," suddenly interrupted Arianne. "I have so longed to be out, drink and get wild."

"Good for you, Ne," answered Jasmin. "You and Isa can pain the city red tomorrow night."

"Good idea! It will be my last hurrah before I get back to the 'security' of my home."

"Let's party people," shouted Genny in a party dress with flower prints carrying four glasses and a bag of chips.

photo from http://www.pcij.org

The girls where through half of the liter of tuba when they felt the table shake. Realizing what is happening, they jumped and ran outside the cottage.

Frantic screams can be heard from other cottages as people ran out side.

As sudden as the quake began, it stopped.

Everyone can hear a distant rumble like the grumbling of an empty stomach begging for food.

"Oh my god, what is happening," said the worried Arianne clutching Jasmin.

"It's just a quake," Jazz assured her.

"What about the after shock," asked the trembling Gen.

"Like Jazz said, this is the life," said Isa sarcastically.

"Listen," said Jazz.

"What," asked Gen.

"The rumbling noise stopped."

"So," interjected Isa.

"It may mean it's over."

A few minutes later they began walking back to their cottage. Other people in other cottages are doing the same. Some are making calls to their families while a few headed for the reception area to get some news.

"Hey, do you guys smell something," asked Jazz stopping her friends.

"No," answered Arianne.

"Same here," added Gen.

"I smell myself," chided Isa.

"No, it smells like sulfur."

"Like in a laboratory sulfur," asked Arianne beginning to worry again.

"No, like in a volcanic sulfur."

The three girls gasped and together looked toward the river. It appears that Jazz is not the only one who caught the scent. Other people are also gathering near the river. A dog owned by the caretakers is barking at the direction of the falls.

"Oh this is bad," they heard someone say. "I have read that the Lanao Lake where the water is coming from is made from a collapsed volcano."

They heard worried gasps and whispers all around. One group retreated to their cottage making plans to leave that same night. The others began calling the drivers of the vehicles they rented that brought them to the same place where the four girls were dropped off.

"Ah, folks," called the tourism supervisor. "I have just heard from PHIVOLCS that the tremor was detected to have its epicenter near the middle of Lanao Lake and is advising us to vacate the grounds."

He immediately added, " we are not in any immediate danger yet so please gather your things and we will leave together in an orderly fashion within the hour or as soon as everyone is ready."

On their way back to their cottage, Arianne confided with her friends. "You know, I think I did not just hear the rumbling sound. I think I also heard a faint screech or roar."

"I think heard that too," confirmed Gen.

"I think you are imagining things," said Isa.

"Have you heard the story how Lanao Lake was made," asked Arianne. "Our elders and some of our teachers used to tell the story to us. It is like a folklore similar to Bernardo Carpio in Luzon."

"You don't expect me to believe that," said Isa smirking.

"I don't," replied Arianne flatly. "But I think it will be interesting to know what made that screeching or roaring sound."

"Must be some wild animals," said Jazz.

"Or a monster," added Gen excitedly.

Are you guys thinking what I am thinking," slyly asked Jazz.

"Oh no, no, no," cautioned Arianne.

"Oh yes! This may be a monster waking up after thousands of years of sleep."

"You are crazy girl," dismissed Isa. "You have been watching way too many monster movies. How do you suppose it got there?"

"Maybe during the great flood in Noah's time," shrugged Gen.

"Or maybe while the angels moved Mantapoli, an ancient sea monster was drawn into the lake when water filled the hole they left on the ground. It somehow managed to live there for millions of years now."

The girls all stared at her, bewildered at what their friend is saying.

"There is only one way to find out," challenged Jazz.

19. What was once bread is turned to stone

The six o'clock news.

Traffic became heavy on both lanes of EDSA due to a multiple car crash when a trailer truck rammed into several vehicles as it tried to beat the red light along Taft Avenue. Several passengers are wounded and a few are feared dead including the passengers of an FX van and the truck driver and his helper.

After plowing through the three cars along the south bound lane of EDSA, the trailer truck dragged an FX van across the north bound lane crushing it on one of the concrete columns of LRT.

Five more vehicles were smashed on the north bound lane.

Witnesses reported that the trailer truck was moving at top speed even when the traffic light turned yellow.

Members of the MMDA Rescue unit and Makati Resuce are now on the scene to help the victims of this dreadful accident.

Three hours earlier.

Jerome Decena received a message on his mobile inviting him to a dinner in one of the fast food chains in Makati. He asked who the sender was adding that the message might be intended for someone else and was sent to him by mistake since the number did not register any name in his phone book.

Recently, text messages from unknown numbers are received by mobile phone owners. The messages usually contains an endearment and a statement that the texter has something important to say but the message cost the sender his/her last prepaid load. The last part of the message asks the recipient for some prepaid load to the "important" message can be transmitted.

But this is not one of those types of messages,

The sender replied that her name is Asuncion Sarmiento and that it is very important that she meets him.

Interested at hearing her voice to ascertain her beauty, Jerome called her.

"Hello," Jerome heard from the other line.

"Hi," he answered. "How shall I call you?"

"You can call me Siony," she replied.

"Hi Siony," he greeted. "I must say, you have such a lovely voice."

"Why thank you," Siony gaily responded. "But I do not have time to flirt. This is serious. Please promise that you will meet up with me."

"Okay," Jerome said, taken aback. "I'm sorry I acted the way I did."

"Sorry, I know you want to be like your friends," she said feeling really sorry for Jerome. "Being the only one among a group of playboys who has not seduced any women can get you down."

"What," Jerome asked in surprise. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll explain to you when we meet," she assured him. "I have to go now. Just promise to be there. It is important."

"Okay, I'll be there. Bye."

"Be careful," he heard her say before he cut off the line.

That's weird, he thought. Jerome just shrugged the conversation off and resumed his work.

Jerome is a lead financial analyst in one of the multinational banking corporations located in Ortigas Center in Pasig City. He joined the company right after graduation. In just five years, Jerome earned a reputation as a meticulous person bordering to being obsessive and compulsive. He always wanted everything done right and perfect. Dot the i's and cross the t's.

Recently, he had been dreaming of a battle in a place darkened by smoke. At first, he thought that it might be a residual imprint from watching the Lord of the Rings Trilogy all in one seating.

But he kept on dreaming about this war months after the marathon viewing.

Always he sees himself standing in the middle of the battlefield not doing anything. He never attacked anyone or came under attack. He was on neither side.

He shook the thought aside and focused on what he was doing.

At five in the afternoon, Jerome punched out of the office and walked to the MRT station along EDSA.

He took the south bound train to Ayala Avenue and walked through SM Makati, Glorietta, and Landmark. He took the elevated walkway to the Burger King outlet along Dela Rosa St. in Legaspi Village.

When he got inside his phone rang.

"Hi Siony!"

"Hi," the woman said on the other line. "I'm seated to your left."

"Gotcha," he answered before he hang up.

"Hi," Jerome greeted, wiping his palms on his pants, feeling shy.

"Hi," said Siony, standing up and extending her hand.

Jerome grasped her hand and shook it lightly.

"So, what is this important message you are about to give me," he asked as they sat down facing each other.

"Don't you want to eat first," she asked in response.

"Sure," he said smiling.

They both stood up and joined the queue of other customers. They each bought a burger and some soda. Jerome offered to pay for their meal and she accepted.

After a few bites, Jerome asked her again what the message is.

"Have you noticed any change in you after you got your tattoo," she again asked in response.

"Nothing really. I think I'm fine."

"No weird things?"

"Nope."

"Feelings or anything?"

"Nothing. Why?"

Siony sighed in relief. "I was just curious," she said with a smile. "I am a reporter and I am doing a write-up about toxic chemicals in tattoo inks."

"Oh really? Then how did you get my name and number," he asked, doubtful about her story.

"I visited the shop where you got your tattoo and asked around," she explained. "I saw your number on the receipt when I asked the tattoo artist for the names of his customers. He was afraid of loosing his business so he obliged when I asked. So I thought maybe I could ask some of you to see if he was not lying."

He was not really sold on the answer but he accepted it. He continued to eat his burger still trying to patch things in his mind.

"I hope I did not offend you," Siony apologized.

"Well, I'm just a little upset," he answered. "I came all the way here when you could've jus asked me on the phone."

"I'm sorry," she pleaded.

"It's okay," he smiled. "At least I got to meet you."

They have both finished up on their meals and got ready to leave.

"Can I keep you number," Jerome asked on the way out.

"Sure."

They walked together to Landmark through Greenbelt. They parted ways near the parking lot in Park Square.

Jerome lined up for a FX ride home pondering what this whole event is all about. He also thought about Siony and planned on meeting her up again. Maybe for a real date this time. Thirty minutes later he got on board and dozed off in the middle of the mid evening EDSA traffic jam.

While dozing Jerome saw himself once more standing in the middle of a battlefield. Swordsmen were skirmishing. Spears and knives and arrows were flying all over. He saw lightning bolts striking on the ground. Fireballs crisscrossed the skies. Men, beasts, and giants fight off one another.

But something bothers him this time. Something has changed.

Explosions and screams and sounds of metal hitting metal and flesh bathe the dark, bloody field.

Suddenly, a warrior bearing tattoos on his arms holding a bloodied katana looked at him. He faced Jerome and slashed his sword, shaking away the blood of another warrior lying dead on the ground.

Jerome froze. He did not know what to do.

The warrior charged at him, both hands gripping the katana.

Jerome stepped back but lost his balance. There is no escape.

The warrior leaped, turn his sword downward wanting to impale the helpless Jerome.

Out of nowhere, a figure jumped over from behind Jerome to meet the descending warrior. Their swords clashed in midair. The momentum of Jerome's defender pushed the warrior back. Both warriors landed on the ground at the same time both assuming a defensive stance.

The two warriors lashed at each other. They swung their swords, blocked and parried attacks. Jerome thought he is watching an old Japanese movie with Samurais battling with sword and hands finding an opening for their katanas to cut the flesh of their opponents.

Alas, Jerome's savior is more skilled and overcame his opponent.

After giving death blow, the warrior walked up to Jerome who is getting up on his feet. As the warrior got close, Jerome discovered that he is not a he but a she. And not just any she, it was Siony.

Siony smiled at Jerome and handed him his attacker's katana.

"But I don't know how to use this," Jerome protested.

"You've watched enough movies to know how to use it," Siony assured him.

Then they heard screams as two warriors began to attack them. As Siony had said, Jerome was able to fight off his attacker a defeated him. He looked for Siony and saw her pulling out her sword from her adversaries dead body. He smiled in relief. She smiled back at him. Side by side, Jerome and Siony charged at their enemies.

He was about to slash his opponent when he felt a sharp pain in his chest.

And he was awake.

The FX he was riding on crashed.

All he feel is the pain on his chest. He can hear the panicked shouts of those around him.

His vision is slowly fading.

He can hear his heart beat growing faint. The beat becomes louder but becoming further apart.

Then he all he saw is darkness.

And his heart stopped.

18. The calm before the plunge

The dark figure on top of the hill tensed.

He was more excited that afraid. Eager to see his kinsmen after centuries of waiting.

But his eagerness is not similar to the eagerness felt by a father who is about to meet his son whom he has not seen for years.

No, he is not eager to see them and hear their stories.

He knows war is about to begin and those who are to come are not on his side.

The lightning bolts struck the ground again. This time, closer to where he stands. The strikes crawl toward him from the shores like a hand scouring the island.

And then it struck just to his right, near the edge of the cliff. Rocks and dirt blew out of its point of impact. The the force of the strike was so fierce that it bore a crater on the ground. Its heat was so intense that even the soaked shrubs nearby caught fire.

The hermit of the mountains stood his ground. He merely gazed at the dust that begins to settle.

From the center of the dust and smoke, drenched by typhoon rains, a figure emerges. Much like the hermit his skin is dark. Not burned from the lightning but naturally black. His hair long and wavy. On his back, a cloak of gray. The howling winds blew on the cloak revealing colored marks on his skin.



Dulled by his pitch black color, the man's tattoos are still discernible.

Slowly, he turns, studying the surroundings and calculating any movements the lone resident of this mountain will make.

Three more lightning bolts hit the mountain. All within the same ground where the mountain hermit stands.

The second figure is a burly man. Taller than the fist who arrived but equally muscular. He too bore marks on his body.

The third is a woman. About 5'7" tall and slim in figure but packs a power to match each and everyone present.

The last to arrive is another woman. Shorter than the other but with eyes that glow with ferocity like the rest.

"You are the last of those that we lost," began the big man. "Your peers are with us now. And they have seen the light of our cause."

"Hmph," the hermit exclaimed smugly. Rain trailing down his face as the winds blew at his hooded cloak. "They have either seen the light of your cause on their way to the afterworld," he said regarding each of the four who stood before him.

"You are mistaken, Mukawen," said the taller of the women. "They are with us."

"It seems that you do not know me that well," he said to the woman. "You may know be by name and by reputation. But you do not know what I do."

As he finished his talk, a fierce wind blew. The wind blew on Mukawen's cloak revealing the marks on his torso. It is the shape of two halves, each half connected by lines crisscrossing to the other side.

The new arrivals froze where they stood.

"Pasaylo," exclaimed the man who arrived first. "So, you can travel. Then why remain here?"

"It is serene here. Peaceful," Mukawen explains, looking at the man.

The taller woman took a step toward Mukawen, the strong winds blowing on her cloak revealing her bare buxom. On top of her right breast, amid markings, he recognized a familiar seal. A seal he has not seen for centuries. The seal of his family.

"Then, can we reason with you or do we force you," asked the buxom woman.

Before Mukawen could answer, the rains stopped. The winds calmed and light shone down from the sun.

"You can try."

As Mukawen gave his answer, a bolt of lightning shot past him. In unison, they all drew their sword. All four taking an aggressive stance toward him. Mukawen, his back toward the edge of the overhang, on the defense.

The first to attack is the smaller of the two women. She swung her kampilan then withdrew. Mukawen took a step back. The bigger man came in next, swinging his kampilan to cut off Mukawen's neck. He missed Mukawen by an inch, cutting off a few locks instead.

The other man followed with an upward swing, again, to Mukawen's neck.

Mukawen twisted his body while he was bent forward. The kampilan strike missed his neck. As he twisted light shone on his arms, creeping to his hands. In his dark palms a dagger materialized. He continued his twist still swinging his dagger-bearing right hand. As he regained his balance, he threw the dagger to the burly man.

The dagger flew toward the big guy. He parried it with his kampilan.

But Mukawen was already charging after the dagger, a gulok forming in his hands that once held the dagger that is now twisting in the air falling into the forest below. Mukawen thrust the dagger toward the big man.

The man froze in his place.

The gulok failed to reach its target. It was parried by a kampilan. Mukawen's kampilan was parried by the woman bearing his family seal.

The woman flicked her hand to aim the sharp edge of the kampilan at Mukawen. But before she can swing it, she was hit by a blast of air that threw her ten feet away.

After blasting his relation with a shock wave from his left hand, Mukawen blasted the bigger man with the same from his right hand. The big man was thrown about five feet away.

Mukawen then turned his attention to the two who remain standing.

The remaining male attacker buried his kampilan on the ground, held it with his right hand and raised his left. As he brought his left hand down, light traced the marking in the sides of his torso. When his palm reached the sword's pummel, light blasted from his palms towards the ground through the kampilan. The ground cracked. The crack raced toward Mukawen.

The overhang broke and began to fall. Mukawen's image shimmered and he was gone.

The man who broke the overhang from the cliff quickly tried to pull out his sword to assume a defensive stance. But before the sword even nudged, Mukawen shimmered in front of him, bent, with both arms held together at the heel of the palm in his right.

As quickly as he appeared, Mukawen thrust his hands forward. His palms impacting squarely on the man's solar plexus. The force threw the man away, leaving his kampilan still planted on the ground.

The smaller woman came charging from behind Mukawen. Her kampilan raised, ready to slice him in two.

Mukawen caught the pummel of the sword and thrust his open palm to the attacker's chest.

The woman immediately let go of the sword with her left hand and parried Mukawen's thrust.

A blast of air hit the ground throwing soil, pebbles, and wet leaves on impact.

The attacking woman flicked her arms from the parry and thrust an open palm at Mukawen's abdomen.

This attack threw Mukawen off his feet. He hit the ground flat on his belly.

The woman saw this opening and swung her kampilan on Mukawen while he is on the ground.

Mukawen rolled to his right to avoid the slash. He then brought his hands up and anchored them on either side of his head while he pulled his knees toward his chest. While pushing the ground with his hands to lift himself up, Mukawen extended his knees hitting the woman on the face with his feet throwing her away. The momentum of his kick and the force of his push raised his body up in the air, landing on his feet. His back toward the flailing woman.

Before he could act, four balls of fire from the direction where his attackers landed flew toward him.

He has nowhere to go. He crouched on the ground and tried to cover himself with his cloak. The fire balls collided in a loud explosion, drying up the ground instantaneously. Burning leaves that were once soaked within a meter from its center.

There was no movement at the center of the flame.

One by one the attackers emerged from the shrubs, swords still drawn except for the man who left his planted on the soil.

The flame was disturbed when something moved it its midst. All four reacted by blasting bolts of lightning on the moving object.

It exploded blasting away burning soil and debris.

Before the four assailants can ascertain the damage, the winds began to pick-up and rains begin to fall.

They started to walk toward the burning crated they created when a lightning struck. The big man disappeared.

"No," shouted the other man as bolt after bolt struck his companions then him. His voice trailed as the gale force habagat blew on the entire place.

The winds started to howl again. Tree that were damaged by the amihan were uprooted. Downtown, roofs were peeled from the rafters, billboards tore, and television antennas bent.

The strong winds put the flame out and blew away debris, clearing the crater. The the charred leaves cleared, what remained is a blacked ornament that once held Mukawen's cloak.

17. Stormy nights

It was dark and windy.

The storm clouds are covering the full moon.

Torrential rains pour on the streets. Gale force winds howling, threatening to topple decades old trees that dug its roots deep in the hills over the years.

This place remains untouched by human industrial ventures. Its streams and rivers abundant of fish and other upland life rumbles with the weight of water poured down from the heavens.

A transistorized radio can be heard from a distance amid the whistling wind. It announces that storm signal number tree is raised in the immediate area and all residents are advised to stay in their homes.

In the middle of the thick foliage is a small hut. It was built low and rugged with thick bamboo posts, flattened bamboo walls reinforced with anahaw leaves, heavy grass roofing over nipa tied to bamboo slats protect it from the elements.

The foundations of the ground level hut is buried deep in the soil reinforced by thick trunks as anchors.

Inside, the house is sparse of furniture except for the essentials.

A table made of bamboo. Tree stumps for seats. A woven mat over bamboo-slat bed and a pillow filled with cotton from a nearby tree. A small kerosene lamp sits on top of the table. The transistor radio placed on a large diameter tree stump near the bed.

The radio anchor announced that it is only 10:00 in the evening and that the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration or more commonly known as PAG-ASA, reports that the eye of the storm will definitely pass through the region. The place itself within the path of the typhoon's eye.

This report gave the lonely resident of this isolated hut a start.

He listened more intently to the radio. Waiting for something. Some word or description.

And then he heard it.

Several lightning strikes caused by the heavy clouds formed by the super typhoon had struck different areas in its path.

They're back, he thought. It has begun.

The figure walks to the opening of the shack. No door was put in place. He did not need one. He has been alone for the time he was in this place.

All those years he watched changes come to the nearby seaside town visible to him from a protrusion in the cliff nearby.

He had been witness to the life and struggle of the people of this place. Electricity only came to this island less than five years ago when they were reached by underwater power cables. The town grew brighter. The old huts were replaced by cement built homes.

The sheds used as classrooms were torn down and new buildings were built. The walls bore the names of sponsoring non-profit organizations and the occasional politician who aims to capture their votes.

He never vote for all the times he spent in this pristine place.

At times he went down for supplies. Some food and tools he needed.

He traded with towns folks. He traded fruits, vegetables, meat of wild animals he hunted, and some jewelry made from special stones that abound the mountain sides.

There was a flash of light. The lights flickered all over town. And then it died.

The island is back to darkness as it was when he first arrived.

He was among the first of the inhabitants of this island. It was more than a millennium ago when he was washed ashore along with some of his people. There were five of them. Two were women.

Their skins were dark as night. Even their palms were black. It is the sign that they hold no life that decays.

For centuries they have tilled the lands of this island to produce crops and hunted its wild.

Two of the men united with the women and bore offspring. He was not among those who became one with the women. Soon, children of the couples united and produced more offspring. And their number grew.

But the children were not like them. They had light colored palms and soles. Their hairs were short and curly. And they aged.

As they grew older their bodies failed and they passed on never to return.

Soon the first five were forgotten. Each of them separated from the other and went off to other islands. Their offspring soon followed. The one who remained alone move uphill. Wanting to be forgotten.

More than a century ago, new people came. Less dark in color. Almost white. They wore colored clothing and arrived in large vessels with outriggers.

At first they mingled with the descendants of those who came first. And slowly displaced them uphill.

Most of the descendants sailed to other parts. Some stayed. Many have now passed on. A few still remained and roamed the town. Some as beggars. The others as laborers.

A bolt of lightning brought the man back to the present. It hit the shores..

Then another one came, hitting inland.

A third struck in the middle of the town with a fourth hitting near the eastern end.

The man did not flinch. He was waiting for something else.

Defying the common knowledge that lightning does not hit the same place twice, a fifth bolt hit the same spot along the shoreline. Most people did not notice it, but the bolt did not strike downward. It shot upward back to the clouds.

They have arrived.

16. Place to re-create

Remedios circle. Located at the intersection of Remedios, Bocobo and Nakpil in Malate, Manila.

This place is a recreation area constructed to provide the residents of Manila a place to relax.

This is during the day. At night, the place is a venue for late night pick-ups. A market for the flesh.

Even late in the evening and after a light drizzle, the plaza is still clattered with people. There are couples who go out for a nice evening walk. Some street children are also out to play. There are pimps, prostitutes and their patrons, vendors, and clients of restaurants and cafes surrounding the place.

The crowd is about to get bigger.

Bigger by four more individuals. But this group is not here to relax or trade or have some sip of coffee. They are here to battle.

RD ran straight toward the center of the plaza. Behind him, is the cloaked warrior whose blue wave-like fire ball gave them space and time to escape from two other similarly clad warriors.

RD is not sure if this new guy is here to save him. This person may be here as part of a "play" to lure him somewhere else. But he put those thoughts aside for now. Right now, he needs to get away.

One of the attackers, a female, was able to get on top of one of the buildings straddling Bocobo street. She held her hands together. Light tracing the markings on her arms illuminated from under her cloak. At it reached her hands, a series of fireballs shot toward RD. First one, then another, then another.

People began to scream. They started running away from the scene. Some on lookers started coming out of the restaurants or began peeking through the windows.

As the first fireball is about to reach RD, another fireball intercepted it. It blew up in mid air. But two more are coming. The place is now in chaos.

RD's new "ally" was throwing one fireball after another at the on coming shots from the female attacker. He intercepted all three. But he was not paying attention to the male attacker.

The male attacker is running on top the buildings that sit between Remedios and Bocobo opposite the one where the female attacker is perched. He is trying to outflank them. A bow and arrow in his hands.

He stops, pulls the string tight, aims the arrow at RD and shoots.

The newcomer did not notice him, but RD did. He already picked up a bag that somebody has dropped and was swinging it toward the archer in the same moment the arrow was released.

The arrow penetrated the bag. The force pushed the bag back. But another arrow is on the way. And there is no other bag around.

RD side-stepped toward a garbage collection barrel to his right, pushed himself off the ground with his left leg and stepped on the barrel rim with his right. He then bent his knee and pushed off the barrel to again change his direction toward the left. As he did this, he twisted his body clockwise and placed his right hand near his face. As he turned, he saw the arrow. He adjusted his hand and parried the deadly projectile away from his body. His body continued in its motion to complete a diagonal somersault.

Another arrow is on its way.

RD landed kneeling on one knee facing the archer. He saw the glint of the third arrow. He shifted his weight to his left and caught the arrow with his left hand. Then he swung his right hand and released a projectile shaped like a six-pointed star and three feet in diameter toward the archer. The archer was busy shooting down RD that he did not notice the weapon form as RD was completing his aerial roll.

The star split into two three-pointed stars. Each star swung in an arc, one to the left and the other to the right. Then they changed directions to converge at the point where the archer, ready to release his fourth arrow, is standing.

By that time, the female attacker has now repositioned herself toward the building corner near Adriatico. She jumped off to the ground.

Using the glare from the restaurant windows as a distraction, she ran back toward the direction of Bocobo. As she ran, she threw several bolts of electricity that jumped from one puddle to the other, racing toward the new warrior and RD. There are ten bolts in all crisscrossing the wet cobblestones.

On the other side of the circle, the two star-shaped projectiles caught the attention of the archer.

He jumped backward and adjusted his aim.

He released.

The two spinning projectiles met at the point where the archer was used to be. They did not collide. They spun through and continued on a figure eight direction to once again meet where the archer is supposed to be landing.

RD jumped away from where he knelt. His direction will put him in a puddle. And a puddle is a dangerous place when electricity is concerned.

The blue-flame-powered warrior leaped and caught RD as he is about to land on the puddle. This meant the RD is not going to be electrocuted. Not yet.

As they rolled, the warrior made a shield materialized just in time for the electric bolts to converge on them. The impact of the bolts on the shield shattered them. But they did not dissipate. Instead they blew up creating tens of bolts that burned anything it got into contact with.

The ground is wet. RD is wet. And he is lying on the ground. As residual bolts hit the ground. RD felt some shock.

He trembled. His joints began to hurt. And he curled from the pain.

The warrior heard RD whimper. He has to make a decision. He cannot see the archer now. He may have been hit by RDs projectiles but we was not sure. He looked for the female assailant. He cannot find her. People have started coming out of the restaurants.

They must get away.

15. Reunited

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.

JJ screamed. But he does not feel any heat. He opens his eyes and looks around.

He was feeling disoriented. He tried to make sense of where he was. The last thing he remembers is seeing a bright light at the end of the dark basement of JFK International Airport.

He looked up the ceiling. It looks old. The wooden materials is stained. He can hear the sound of busy streets outside.

Where could he be, he asks himself. His bed is comfortable enough though he can feel the springs push on to his back.

Then he remembered the dragon.

Quickly looked at his arms. No burn marks.

He touched his face. No burn marks there either.

Then he remembered about the joke they used to talk about in high school. It is about a cream locally called "sebo de macho."

Maybe they have a very effective one here, he thought. And asked himself, where is here?

Then the door knob clicks. He sat up, anticipating what will come through the old delapidated door.

What came in made him smile. It's his son, Albert, and wife Katrina.

Albert ran up to his father and jumped on his bed. He was so excited to see his father.

Katrina was less excited even with the smile on her face. JJ quickly saw the reason why. Behind Katrina is the Chinese who saved him back at the airport.

"Good to know you are well now," said Quan Tie now wearing white Chinese clothes. "I was worried when you collapsed on our way out."

JJ sighed. "Well, should I thank you," JJ asked. Katrina just standing there, seeming nervous but still smiling.

"All will be explained," assured Quan. "Right now, I leave you with your family."

With that, Quan stepped away and closed the door. JJ heard the lock click. They are locked in from outside.

As soon as the lock was in place, Katrina slackened and ran to her husband.

"Oh my God," she whispered, tears running down her face. She was shaking. "Who are these people? Why do they know us by name? Why did they bring us here?"

Albert, oblivious to what is happening, just stared at his parents.

"I don't know," answered JJ wiping the tears from her cheeks. "I don't know baby. We will find out soon."

Katrina sat up. "They said they are keeping us here. To be safe. But safe from who?"

"I am not sure," said JJ still cuddling Albert. "I am confused. Are you guys alright?"

"They gave me McDonald's," Albert said gayly. Of the three of them, he is the only one who does not seem to mind what is happening.

"It also came with an action figure," he said fishing out a small Doc Ock toy.

"Where are we," JJ asked his wife. "Do you know where we are?"

"We are somewhere in downtown Manhattan," she answered. "The van that took us here was heavily tinted. I was only able to take a peek through the windshield. I think it's Manhattan. I recognized the bridge."

"How long was I out?"

"Not long. We missed our flight. They will be waiting for us in Manila."

"Did you see any phones around here?"

"Just the one at the lobby."

"Is this some kind of a hotel?"

"I think so, but it looks deserted and old," said Katrina scanning the room.

"I just had the wildest dream," said JJ holding his head. Albert now sat on the chair near the bedside table playing with his toy.

"It's the same dream," JJ said. "I have been having this dream for days now."

"What dream," asked Katrina.

JJ narrated his dream while Katrina listened.

"I remember you waking up at night screaming and sweating," Katrina said. "Why are you having this dream? Have you consulted anyone?"

"No. I was going to ask an albularyo when we got to Tarlac but now we're seem to be stuck here."

Katrina moved closer and hugged her husband.

There was a knock on the door and the locked clicked again. Both waited for the door to open not knowing who may come in.

Quan opened the door. His face still without expression.

"Time to go. It is time you know who you are, why you are here, and what is your destiny."