"So long mate." Ezekiel waved goodbye as Bagani ran off. "I guess I've got to deliver this to the Malaya guy he was talking about."
Ezekiel dragged his feet as he walked down the straight path towards Village Magbato. Through his boredom, he snapped his fingers and hummed carelessly as the trees blew its calm breeze to match up the heat of the gazing sun.
"It's a long road." Ezekiel thought to himself. "Maybe I just didn't notice before because of fear."
As he skipped his way throughout the road with his eyes slightly closed, Ezekiel tripped. "Gah!" His ankle lunged into a small hole in the middle of the road. Ezekiel's clothes got dirty as the dust from the ground splattered all over him.
"Why the hell is there a random hole in the middle of the road?!..." He grunted. Ezekiel's eyes suddenly widened as he perceived the scene. "These aren't ordinary crates... These are footmarks." A straight trail of gigantic footmarks was found across the path towards Village Magbato. "Did Bulawan came here? Or are there people like Bulawan? Wait, what is Bulawan exactly?" Ezekiel asked himself several questions. "Guess I shouldn't think too much of it." Ezekiel shook it off and continued to venture into Village Magbato. He ran in a hurry as he noticed the sun setting down. After sprinting for half an hour, the road slowly became made solely out of stone.
"So this is Village Magbato then." Ezekiel sighed.
He stepped foot into the village with the wind on his back. A feeling of modernization struck him as the smell of civilization lingered through his throat. Ezekiel looked around in amazement as people walked by seemingly relaxed.
"Come on over and buy fresh apples!" A merchant nearby shouted to attract attention. He noticed Ezekiel standing still in the distance. "You look pretty hungry boy. Come here for only two pennies you can get this nice, juicy, and fresh apple!"
"Oh no thank you." Ezekiel declined. A feather fell from nowhere and landed on Ezekiel's nose which caused him to sneeze. He then turned his head to look around on his surroundings. "What are those..." His jaws fell in awe as he saw half-human creatures.
The merchant laughed as he saw the look in Ezekiel's eyes. "Hey, kid you're not from around here are you?"
"Yeah..." Ezekiel chuckled back.
"They're called Kinnaras. Lost their home about two decades ago. Malaya was chief of the village when he welcomed them with open arms. A kind man." The merchant stated. "Anyways why are you here kid?"
A smile of awkwardness appeared from Ezekiel's face "About that..."
Inside the popping noises of floors inside a wooden house, sat a man in a rocking chair, gaining knowledge every minute reading a book. Noah Malaya wiped his glasses due to his breath humidifying it. He took a deep breath to relax and sat down.
"Should I take the people of Mapagisa here or even just remind them that there is a society outside their village?" Noah asked himself.
Suddenly, there was a loud knock on the door. Noah, in shock, swiftly twitched his leg to the right and hit the small table beside him. Unluckily a cup filled with coffee was placed on it. It tipped over and spilled into his legs. Noah softly groaned as the burning feeling of hot liquid enveloped him. "Wait, I'm coming!" Noah shouted at the door. He swiftly got up and opened the entrance. A young man stood before him wearing clothing of those who travel and straps of leather armor around the upper part of his body.
"A-adventurer, what makes you come here?" Noah stutters.
"You're Malaya, right? Ezekiel asked."
"Well yes, I am," Noah responded. "Whom might you be?"
Ezekiel handed over the cloth Bagani gave him. "I have a friend named Bagani. He told me to give that to you for some particular reason."
Noah eased himself as he accepted the gift. "Thank you." He let out a long breath. "Sorry I thought you were some savage adventurer about to screw me over."
"Such people exist? Well, don't worry you're safe here Mister Malaya. You're a great man after all." Ezekiel assured.
Noah smiled and took a closer look at Ezekiel. With a small look, his surroundings began to darken, he started to breathe rapidly, his eyes popped out in fear. After looking at the young man's belt, Noah could never look him in the eyes the same way again. "Is that a sorcerers stone?!" Noah thought to himself and panicked. "Who is this kid?!" His legs began to shake, in only a few he was ready to barf out of pressure.
"Well anyways I should get going." Ezekiel cuts of the conversation and bid farewell.
As the door slowly creaks and shut, Noah fell to his knees. He inhaled heavily from his mouth as he pinched his leg to calm himself down. "It can't be..."
With the favor completed, Ezekiel walked towards the exit of the village and prepared to go home. A hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going this late?" The merchant from before asked.
Ezekiel turned around and replied. "I'm actually going home."
"Look around boy it's getting dark. Wouldn't want to get hunted by Aswangs would you?" The merchant reasoned. "I'll let you sleep on the couches tonight come on."
Ezekiel thought about his situation and agreed. "Thanks a lot. By the way, we haven't introduced ourselves yet. I'm Ezekiel."
"Danilo. Danilo Faustino." He responded. As they reached the house Danilo opened the door and welcomed Ezekiel in. The smell of newly cooked stew swiftly reached the nose of the two. Wearing a white dress and sewing on the sofa was Danilo's wife. With a bump on her stomach, she noticed company and stood up
"You're back... With someone." She greeted her husband.
"This is my wife Eeya." Danilo introduced her to Ezekiel.
"Evening ma'am. I'm Ezekiel." He shook her hand.
"Excuse me, Ezekiel can I have some alone time with my husband," Eeya asked. "We need to talk."
With a drip of sweat, Ezekiel quickly agreed. She pulled her husband to the kitchen and furiously asked. "What is that guy doing here?! Do you want to get robbed?! Stupid!"
"He's not a thief I assure you that. We're just gonna give him a place to stay." Danilo tried to calm his raging partner.
"Danilo we barely make any earnings and now you're another member." Eeya riposted.
"It's only for tonight." Daniel reasoned back. He then lowered down to his knees and touched his wife's belly. "That guy is someone's child as well. If we leave him to die in the night with the monsters we would be no better than parents who abandon their child."
Eeya looked at her husband with pitiful eyes and sighed. "Fine only for tonight."
"Thanks for understanding." Danilo thanked.
They invited Ezekiel back to their house and ate. After dinner, Danilo set up the couch as a place to sleep for Ezekiel. "This all good for you bud?" Danilo asked.
"Yeah. Again thanks a lot." Ezekiel replied. "Hey, can I ask you something. It has been bugging me for a while."
"Sure what is it?" Danilo queried.
"You are aware that there are monsters out there right? How does the village keep them away?" Ezekiel asked.
Danilo walked a few steps and prepared to go to their room. "Well, I heard different rumors. Some say it's just that they fear the mass amount of advancement in Magbato, some say that there's a magical barrier, and others think that we were blessed by the gods. Anyway, you don't need to worry you are safe here."
After Danilo went upstairs, Ezekiel thought about what he said for a while. "He says it's safe here but none of the villagers know what's giving them protection. That just seems a little bit fishy..."
Lost in thought Ezekiel panicked after a loud noise from outside arises
"Help!"