5.5 GROWL TO GROWL

  "Tikum!" the ati shouted, shaking the former timawa from his paralyzing fear. There was a note of despair on her voice as she called for him again. Recognizing how shaken she sounded, the Black Dog turned and met Jurah by the door of the hut.

  "Gi-atay..." he said under his breath. "What is it? What happened?"

  Jurah stooped by the hut's threshold. Her face was pale and covered with beads of sweat. Her voice turned to a whisper when she finally spoke, "Did you feel that? Something's trying to tear open the spirit-barrier." She paused. "I think its not even human. I think it's a demon-"

  "A gadlumanon," Tikum corrected her, just as Milong came out of the hut behind the ati woman. Tikum shook his head as a feeling of despair settled on his shoulders. It was a very familiar feeling he could not easily forget. It was the kind that left a stain on your soul. Something you'll always remember at the back of your head.

  "It's coming this way from Gadlum. I know it's coming this way for us."

  Upon hearing what Tikum had to say, Milong made a face in between horror and frantic panic. "What's exactly going on?" he said, holding a kampilan sword and looking around, expecting enemies to jump out from the shrubbery around their hut at any moment. He tilted his head as he sighed. "You're making this all up, right? All this talk about the dark minions of Saragnayan–"

  Jurah narrowed her brows. "What did you mean,Tikum?"

  "A monster born from the womb of all shadows," Tikum answered. "That's how my old master would put it, and he's not wrong."

  "A what?"

  Tikum signaled them to follow him inside the hut. "Okay, I'm going to make this as short as I can."

  "Wait, you're not joking? Real demons are after you?" Milong said, paler than usual. "That's just an expression, right? I mean, you're not that kind of troublemaker, right?"

  "Please, let us hear him out first," Jurah said. "We are all ears, Tikum. Go on continue..."

  Tikum nodded. "As the old story goes, when the land of Vijayas still had no name, there was once a great war between devatas and things beyond the light– demons, you might call them. Shapeless things from the stars. Well, this goddamn war of theirs scarred and brought ruin to the entirety of the Great Archipelago, killing mortals in the thousands... and even ending a god or two. And those the demons did not kill, they enslaved and tortured. It was a losing battle for the devatas and for all mankind. But even in the brink of destruction, the devatas were too proud to see their faults, all thought they would be victorious. As though destiny demanded it that way."

  Tikum spat and continued, "All thought they were the superior ones, but these things they fought were conquerors of worlds. Again, god-killers. And the gods lost and lost to their foes until one battle was left, the one that would decide everyone's fate. And, in desperation, one of the devata made a choice– a secret promise he would not keep. As luck would have it, his choice shifted the tide of war and the conflict was won by the gods our people now bow down to."

  "Wait, you did not say how?" Jurah said. "And who is this Saragnayan you all speak of–"

  "Well, that's it, lady Jurah," Milong said. "One of the shadow-fiend had a child with a mortal woman. And the boy grew to become one powerful demigod. The tale goes, that our gods struck a pack with him... Or he with them... as some chants go. The great betrayal they call it."

  Tikum nodded. "So, you're familiar with the tale."

  "Yes, I am an uripon, that does mean I have to know many things too." He smiled. "To do many things at the behest of my masters. To serve fully."

  Tikum sighed. "Fair enough."

  Milong turned to him. "But they're just stories that chanters sing for entertainment, right? Those can never be true."

  "Back to the story," Jurah said.

  "Sorry," Tikum said. "And with Saragnayan's hands, they defeated his own kin and banished them all to the void. To the depths of emptiness. But when our gods got their victory they desired more. They did not honor their deal and a greater betrayal was struck. Fucking idiots, right? So, they took Saragnayan's wife and they imprisoned and bound him in a throne of bones... somewhere they could watch him for all eternity."

  "In Gadlum?"

  Tikum nodded at Jurah. "That's how his story ends. Or most of the versions I know of."

  "Hmmm." Jurah scratched her chin. "And you say, one of this gadlumanon is coming our way."

  Tikum, deep in thought, nodded again. "Yes. Someone called it. I think I know who. But I'm not exactly sure how–"

  "Can't we just have a break?" Milong said, looking at the both of them. It was clear in his eyes that he felt it too. The strange invisible weight on his shoulders were more palpable. He looked uneasy as seconds went by.

  "Not on this lifetime." Tikum grimaced, shaking his head. "But that doesn't mean we give up. We need to prepare now. I know it's going straight for us, but we won't make things easy for it." He grabbed Jurah by the shoulder while an idea took hold on his mind. "I need both of you to do something for me! Come here, Milong!"

  The ati and the uripon nodded as Tikum went outside the rickety nipa hut straight to the well.

  ***

  The thing called Makabagting tested the barrier between the trees with lashing blows from its whip-like limbs and a dull booming sound shook the ground as their force rebounded. An angry growl came from one of its many throats, spraying dark spittle. Someone was keeping it from its quarry. Backing off, it cleared a path for itself, upturning the underbrush with nothing but a swipe. With measured breaths it bid its time, draining life around it to use as energy. Slowly, all manner of living thing died around it as their auras were leeched and sucked dry. Then, digging its tentacled limbs down the black soil it chose a spot on the shimmering shield and launched itself.

  Like glass breaking to a thousand pieces the barrier shattered as the black streak went through it, crashing to the other side were the trees where at their thickest. Light washed the darkness away for a second as the shield spirit, the abog, fled from the hungry living shadow. Then, the unrelenting night triumphed again, flowing over the forest like a blanket. The squirming nebulous ball the size of two water buffalo landed on one of the trees, splintering it in half. Without stopping, the gadlumanon clawed its way up and dashed through the greenery straight to the center of the forest.

  In no time, it arrived near a clearing and found what it was looking for all hidden inside a hut. The ripe smell of sweat and fear mingled and mixed with each other making the gadlumanon's teeth rattle in feral excitement. Between thick clouds, the moon shone gray above the nipa abode and the thing released its shadow aura, bathing the treeline with unnatural darkness. As it covered the area, all sounds died down to their silent graves.

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  In a dank and dark corner deep down the almost dried up well, only the dripping sound of water can be heard. And in the darkness Jurah, Milong and the children huddled and hid like nervous mice from a very hungry predator. Above them, clinging precariously on the well's stone wall, Tikum peeked through a hole in the planks, watching the treeline vigilantly like an owl.

  He shifted his weight to alleviate the strain on his hands and legs. He convinced the others that staying inside the hut was too dangerous. It didn't afford them any protection. It was only good for one thing, thought Tikum. And he hoped and prayed that it would work.

  "I'm going to lay a protective ward on you," the ati whispered to Mendang and then Ukok. "This'll bind you together. It'll be more stronger as long as you're together." Jurah waited for Milong's agreement. When he nodded she proceeded on with the enchantment.

  "What's happening, mistress Jurah?" Mendang spoke as the ati finished the spell.

  "Trouble. Remember the stories I told you before?" Both Ukok and Mendang nodded, making Jurah smile. "What does the heroes in the story do when they're in a bad place?"

  "They pray to their gods," Mendang said.

  Ukok nodded in agreement. "And they stay calm and patient. And do what must be done."

  "Exactly, that's what we're going to do. So, whatever happens I want you two to focus on those things and stay very... very quiet."

  As Tikum patiently waited, a voice that did not come from any human throat called for him. A dizzy spell came and snaked its coils inside his head, blocking every sensation. Tikum had to climb down and join the huddle with Jurah and the rest just to anchor himself back to the present. But it still penetrated through the stone walls. The piercing voice was dry and cold like the night. It was clear and clean too... perhaps too clean to be natural. Then, the parody of the human voice shifted with every sentence slithering smoothly. It was punctuated by a sigh that sounded like the last whisper from a dying man.

  For Tikum, it was his father's voice, angry and vindictive, a precursor of the punishment to come for not being at his best... for failing. Always failing. A feeling of confusion settled on him, but then the voice changed seamlessly into Sri Kihod's judging tone, a disappointed master to his timawa who betrayed him and left him in the Dark realm of Saragnayan with the deity of darkness for company. It was a voice that belittled him, not with its venom, but with how every word was perfectly uttered. Then, came Amburukay's angry scream. It was so deafening that Tikum had to grit his teeth. And for the others around him, it was different. Behind their conscious reality they heard something out of the ordinary, fears long hidden rose back from the mud as the voices of those they loathed grew louder. Both dead and living spoke to all of them, piercing through their confidence, their bravado, their will, like a hot knife. The voices bathed them with fear and terror, and of things they could not undo. Then, silence. Everything was quiet once again. Uncomfortably quiet.

  Milong sighed, face contorted by his own past. "They say when silence loses its sanity something comes out of it," he whispered, but was quickly hushed by Jurah, who shuddered in silence.

  "Did you hear all of that? The voices of the dead is calling for us, " Milong continued on, holding Mendang's forearm tighter as sweat curtained his gaunt face.

  The children were not fairing well too. Both were trying their best not to cry out with fear. Only the hands of the ati and the uripon kept them. It was undeniably clear to all that they should avoid whatever it was that stalked the surface. Danger was thick in the air. And all knew that they were no match and ill-equipped to best it. As the silence stretch unnaturally, discomfort and distress grew.

  Even Tikum, with all his bravado felt it swallow him whole. Doubt came in like waves before a storm, and he felt like he was losing his grip. The Black Dog started to question himself. Would he be able to overcome this? Will this be his end? He knew the answers quite well. He cussed himself. He was out of his league. But then, Ukok took out something from her malong and handed it to his father. It took him awhile to understand what she meant. Tikum smiled seeing the tikbalang's braided mane glow. It was still of no use as it tried to recharge itself with the negative ambient energy around it but the gesture itself made him smile. He mouth a thank you to his daughter as she tied the thing on her father's wrist. Tikum placed a hand over his daughter's head. By the time it would regain its magical properties they would either be dead or...

  Tikum clinched his jaw as the oppressing force of the gadlumanon doubled in strength. He kept silent all through out the ordeal. He couldn't tell them that he was familiar with all of this. Too familiar than what their chat implied. He gritted his teeth. He couldn't mention the dull sound of bells tolling for fear that the others may judge him a coward. But Milong heard it and so as Jurah and somehow he knew. Then an evil stench grew thick in the air, a putrid scent that choke the throat and marred the fresh wind. It was followed by footsteps above them, echoing as though the one walking was trapped in a labyrinthine crypt with too many feet to spare.

  ***

  Bulk crouching, shifting, creeping, skittering, scratching, sneering, smiling, laughing. The thing called Makabagting did it all at once as it moved in the shadows darting in a blur of darkness, but then it paused, standing stunted. Its form shifted before it moved again. With insectile legs limping, taloned-limbs swinging, bulbous neck twisting, leaping, staring. It eyed everything all at once, staring at the hut with coal black empty eyes too many to count. Eyes as empty and as dark as oblivion. It made its way towards it in a black flash. Like some rogue wind from a storm unseen, it tore the rickety nipa hut into splinters. A sudden electric whir came to the wind, and Makabagting halted at the center of the debris held by thick white lights, criss-crossing with each other like a fisherman's net. It roared and hissed, struggling to free itself from the binds of light. But as it moved the light grew brighter and brighter, searing its skin. Then, came Tikum out followed by Jurah and Milong from the well. The climb up was not easy but the rocks on the well's wall was helpful enough.

  As soon as they felt steady ground, the ati woman spat, inhaling the noxious smell that tarnished the air. "What is it?" she said, head bowed.

  "Just don't look at it," Tikum said, eyes anchored on the ground. In years passed, Sri Kihod had used a creature like this one to eliminate his competition and Tikum knew enough to keep himself safe from it. He kept on nursing his injured rib. While the rest followed him as he moved around the trapped gadlumanon.

  "We have to know its name to tame it," he said. "If we don't do that it'll follow us wherever we go. There's no running from it."

  "I'm not comfortable with this, Tikum," Milong said holding a sword in hand.

  "No one is, I assure you..." Tikum gagged and almost vomited the roasted boar he ate earlier. He cleared his throat but the smell lingered. "Just do what I say and we'll be able to-"

  Something made him pause. He motioned to Jurah and the ati chanted a spell to calm the abog spirit that bound itself to the gadlumanon. Tikum turned to her. "Are we okay, Jurah?" He continued on.

  "I think it'll hold." She paused. "Is it too late to postpone this?"

  "We can't outrun this thing."

  "Then, it'll do for now. Well, I hope so. But I could be wrong. Please be careful."

  Tikum nodded. "Well, just to be sure... do call your patron, now."

  "I think it's too early to do that," Jurah said. "I can only do it in a short amount of time with the preparation you gave me. If I fail it may spook him and I don't know if I could do it again."

  "It's better to be safe. We have kids with us and the faster we're done here the better for all of us."

  Jurah nodded and began to chant in a low monotonous tone using her own old tongue.

  Tikum breathe out all the tension building up on his chest. "Remember what I said earlier? No matter what you hear don't believe it. No matter what you do... don't look at it in the eye. We just need its name. There's no other way to stop it. Overcome its presence and it will give its name!"

  Jurah took out a bundle of alibhon leaves dried by the sun. Then, she placed it in a circle and began to call her taglugar god, Talunon sang Lasang. All the while, Tikum and Milong stood guard. Moving at the corner of their vision, revealing only a part of itself and hiding the hideousness of its entirety the thing called Makabagting began speaking with a multitude of voices...

  "Death does not walk ahead of Us... Beside Us, it grovels for scraps... The chains that bind... We suckle the fear of humanity dry. The Lord of the Deep Dark protects Us. He comes... He comes... Tear the old from the new. The light We will defile. The Old kings they die. He comes for what is due. The shadows abide... We will have you. The gift for the shadows. Betrayers! Oat-breakers! We shall peel the lies away. We shall reveal the truth..."

  Tikum fought the urge to run. He needed to see this through. Nothing and no one could stop the gadlumanon if it was unleashed on the ignorant. This was the only way. He kept his mind on Ukok below the dried up well. He kept it there as the gadlumanon played its tricks on them.

  Not far from Tikum, the thing called Makabagting squirmed as the abog spirit that held it in place slowly weakened. The mortals who trapped it was close. It can smell them. Its body shifted, growing in size but as soon as it did– the spirit net adapted, stretching itself... Perhaps too thin. A feral growl loud enough to scare the remaining birds in the forest to flee came from the gadlumanon's maw as it realized that escape was at hand...