I waited until midnight. Tahimik na ang buong lugar. Mabilis kong napasok ang pasilyo ng building. And within just a couple snap, I made it inside my unit.

I quickly search the place looking for my phone. Hindi ko naman na kinailangan pang maghanap nang matagal ng mapansin ito, gawa ng nilikhang liwanag.

I took the phone off the sofa and was surprise to see the caused of the sudden light kanina. It was a message from Frondo.

1060 texts and 985 missed calls.

He never missed a day trying his luck contacting me. "Moron!" I silently uttered.

Without further hesitations I dialed his number.

"Igo!"

Naisigaw ko rito nang mapansin ang gawing papasukin namin. I tried to stop him but it's too late...

At first, I thought it was the gloomy clouds that caused the forest to look dark and hunting. Ngunit nang makapasok kami ay hindi pala iyon ang tanging dahilan.

It was not the clouds fault. Ang gubat mismo, it was covered with real darkness, spiders webb can be seen everywhere. Halos wala na nga ring dahon ang mga puno na tila mga bangkay na kung pakatitignan.

Napahawak ako sa suot kong k'wintas nang kusa itong magliwanag. Isang nakaririnding tunog ang biglang umalingawngaw sa buong paligid nang dahil doon.

Dagli kong tinakpan ang aking tainga gamit ang dalawa kong kamay. Ngunit hindi iyon naging sapat, kundi, mas lalo pang lumakas ang nakaririnding ingay.

"Ahhhh!"

Just seconds after my shout, Igo spread his wings wider as he luminaires in full brightness. Lumikha iyon ng halo halong ingay, but later on, the place fell in silence.

Nanatili ang pagliliwanag ni Igo ganoon din ang k'wintas na suot ko. I can clearly feel their presence. Galit at poot ang nararamdaman ko rito. Of why? Hindi ko alam.

Ilang sandali pa, isang liwanag ang namuo, elsewhere. Hanggang sa ang isa ay naging dalawa, tatlo, apat hanggang sa hindi ko na mabilang.

Pinalilibutan ako ng mga ito. They're holding a wand to where lights are coming from. I am being surrounded by Hoodoos, we finally arrived at our destination.

And it's somehow weird, to feel solace from it.

I can feel their grievances.

And I can clearly see from their eyes the fear and hatred that has been living in comfort of their souls.

Napahawak ako sa gawing kaliwang dibdib ko nang maramdaman ang paninikip doon.

This is not what I expected it be. Hindi ganito ang inaasahan kong magiging takbo ng paglalakbay namin ni Igo.

I am expecting for a bloody battlefield. A mad dragon ready to toast us alive, a giant seven eyed serpent, but, none of that appeared.

Mas lumiwanag ang buong paligid nang dahil sa nilikha nilang ilaw. Maingat namang dumapo si Igo sa gitna noon. I took the chance to get off and stand on by feet.

"Taksil!"

Masyadong naging mabilis ang lahat, matapos marinig ang salitang iyon, Igo quickly encased me on his wings. Taking all the shots that probably meant for me.

"Igoooo!"

Ilang beses kong naisigaw ang ngalan niya, nagbabakasakaling pakawalan ako nito at nang maipaglaban siya.

Minutes passed, and still the attack has not been stop.

"Igo please, t-trust me..." I silently uttered. Begging…

"Come back. Trust me. I'm begging... "

Heard Zannah’s pleads. Naagaw lang muli ni Igo ang atensyon ko when he let off a hum that later overpowered the surroundings noise of agony. Ilang sandali pa ay kusa na ako nitong pinakawalan.

Everyone stopped, just after Igo freed me. But their wands still aimed on us. That's where I realized that it was Igo whose they after.

I turned around and face Igo, halos manghina ako nang makita ang mga tinamo niyang sugat. Though he wasn't covered with any blood I can see the wounds scattered around his wings.

"I-igo," Almost just a whisper, he bowed his head letting me caress his head. I neared my head and rested it on his.

"I'm sorry."

He let off a soothing cry and later took a step back. I saw how his eyes glistened with tears, and just a matter of seconds he burst into flames slowly turning into ashes.

"No! Igooooo!" I cried out catching every ash that has been falling on the ground, if possible. "Igoooo!"

But then again, a wind howled taking his ashes away...down on my knees I clenched my fists, struggling for control.

I can now feel my fangs as it sink in my bottom lip, tasting my own blood. I stood up and just a moment, I clutched the neck of the asshole wizard who shouts earlier.

Everyone got alarmed by my sudden act. They pointed their wands at me. But who cares? Not me!

"A-hhh--" He cries trying to remove my hand, but I just grip tighter on it.

"You crossed the wrong line!" I uttered.

As I was about to break his neck at once, someone stop me by holding my right arm, ang kamay kong sumusakal sa leeg ng lalaking, babawian ko ng buhay.

"Mapapatay mo siya." Ani nito.

"Papatayin ko talag---"

I didn't get to finish my word when someone attacked me from behind. Hitting the back of my head…

There, everything went black.

Nagising ako nang makaramdam nang matinding uhaw, at pagkalam ng sikmura. I know what they need. These demons, nagsisimula na naman silang magdemand.

As I was about to stand up, "Nauuhaw ka?" My forehead crease. A woman at my age asked. "Heto," Ani muli nito, handing me a cup.

Tatanggi pa sana ako nang maamoy ang pamilyar na lasa nito. I snatched the cup and bottoms it up. Agad nitong pinawi ang uhaw ko.

My stomach growled. Doon ako nito inabutan ng buhay na manok. "The hell!" I shouted.

She smirk, but later handed me a meat, that has been roasted. Hindi ko na nagawang tumanggi pa nang muling kumalam ang sikmura ko.

I ate it all, like a hungry beast.

"Ayusin mo ang sarili mo bago lumabas. Naghihintay na ang lahat." She uttered, she even bowed her head.

I massage my temples. Lito man, I went out after a couple of minutes. Ngunit pagtapak ko palabas, memories of that moment attacks my mind.

My claws and fangs protruded. Everyone gasped in horror. And when I roamed my vision around, they step back.

I can sense their fears.

"Hindi kami kaaway." Heard someone uttered, elsewhere.

I bursted out laughing!

I point at the spot where Igo ascended. "At ano? 'Yung ibong walang ginawang masama, iyon ba? Iyon ba ang kaaway?!" Hindi na muling napigilan ang sariling mapasigaw.

"Kampon iyon ng mga taksi-"

"That's bullshit!" I cut off.

At this state I should be as mad as beast now, but why the hell I am not?!

I waited.

I waited for some transformation. But, it didn't happen.

"Ang ibong iyon, ay nagmula sa duke ng mga Elf hindi ba?" I turned around. And saw an old man with a cane. He has a white long mustache that nearly covered his mouth.

Everyone fell in silence. Eto na siguro ang kanilang pinuno. Hindi ako nakasagot sa tanong niya kaya't nagpatuloy siya. They were like a normal person. No dark lips, no exaggerated features, and even crazy hairstyles. My childhood was a big scam.

"Patibong." Ani nito, na siyang nakakuha ng buong atensyon ko. "Sumunod ka sa akin." He commanded, as he started to walk somewhere.

Nagbigay daan ang mga hoodoo sa gawing kaniyang pinuntahan. Wala akong ibang nagawa kundi ang sumunod rito.

Madilim man ay nagawa ko paring sumunod. Hindi ko alam kung paano nilang nakakayang mamuhay sa ganitong kadilim na lugar.

I myself could not bear living in darkness though I'm a freakin' vampire.

Pumasok ito sa maliit na pinto sa gitna ng isang napakalaking puno. There wasn't any hesitation that made me stop going in. Masiyado ko atang pinagkakatiwalaan ang lugar at mga tao rito.

Halos masilaw ako sa liwanag nang makapasok ako, I let my eyes adjust for a moment, my jaw dropped as my eyes went wide.

Isang paraiso, ang bumungad sa akin.

Mga batang naghahabulan, mga taong nagkakatuwaan, mga taong 'di magkamayaw, mga nakangiting mukha at ang ilan pa'y nagpapaligsahan sa paggamit ng mahika. Walang duda, mga hoodoo nga ang aking kasama.

I almost lost my balance when a woman in glasses accidentally hit my left foot when she gestured her wand.

Marahan itong yumuko nang magtama ang aming mga tingin. Napaiwas naman ako sa kaniyang inasta.

"Ano to?" Tanong kong nagpatigil kay tanda.

Tumingin ito sa akin, at sa halip na sagutin ang tanong ko ay ngumiti ito. Shit! Mas lalong naging weird.

"Nandito ako para sirain ang sumpa." At hindi makipagngitian.

"Walang sumpa." He uttered, saka muling nagpatuloy sa paglalakad. Halos mapatawa ako sa naging sagot nito, tila kaswal na katungan lamang ang ipinasagot ko.

"Palayain ang Azzen sa kamay ng mga hoodoo. Iyan ang saad ng propesiy--"

"Wala nang Azzen."

Tuluyan na akong napatawa sa naging sagot nito. Bullshit! Hawak ang tiyan sa labis na pagtawa, nahuli ko ang matamang pagtitig nito sa akin, dahilan kung bakit ako natigil. Nagsimula muli itong maglakad.

"Kung wala, bakit ako narito?!" Habol ko rito. "Eh ang pag-iisa ng buwan at araw." Muli kong tanong, habang patuloy sa paghabol. Matanda na't lahat lahat, pero kung kumilos tila kinse anyos. Para saan ang tungkod nitong hawak?

"Eklipse ang tawag roon."

Halos matalapyok ako sa nadinig na tugon nito. At higit pa ng ito'y magpatuloy. "Nangyayari iyon sa tuwing napapagitnaan ng araw at mundo ang buwan."

Damn it! I hella know that! Hindi ako nagaaral sa isang pretihiyosong paaralan para lang sa wala!

Nang mapansing natigil ako sa paglalakad ay naglakad ito pabalik sa tabi ko at marahang tinapik ang kanang balikat ko. "Nilinlang ka nila." Ani nito sa kaswal na tono.

"Para saan?" I asked, within just a snap of his fingers. We made it in other dimension. We're now walking again in darkness. No lights at all, wondering if I was blind.

"Nasa tangwa tayo, magingat ka." Ani nito.

"Tangwa?! The hell is that!" Marahang kumunot ang noo nito sa inasta ko.

"Hibaybay." Ani muli nito.

"Are you fuckin' kidding me? Hibaybay my ass."

"Teka't ano bang wika ang inaani mo't 'di tayo magkamayaw?" He uttered. This time I knew it.

Makata si Tanda.

When I roamed my vision around, we're at the end of the forest. I can clearly see the shore miles away. Tangwa? Hibaybay? Does he mean border? Fucking border?

And from there he unraveled their own version of  history.

"I need your help Frondo."

"Count me in. I'm on your side man!" He casually uttered, as he weirdly bridged our distance and hug me. "Akala ko patay ka na supremo." He whispered.

"Tsk!"

~~~