With the scorching heat of the sun, Bagani Panganiban continued to walk the straight road. The trees started to decrease the longer he traveled, sides of the road filled with grass became sand, the river filled with water passed by, and became an unending desert. He dragged his baggage behind him as he began to sweat excessively, his lips began to dry, and the abundant amount of stamina he has was challenged.
"I should've gotten water first..." Bagani muttered to himself.
He started to hear the sand crawl around him with every step he took. Soon after the voices appeared one again.
"You think you're actually something because of that?"
"Must be satisfied with that deed. Considering you let your own sibling die!"
Bagani covered his ears and curled down. "Shut up..." He grunts and with full effort tried to keep the voices away, but his attempts were indisputably futile.
"A creature with the Eye of Bathala and still manages to live. He most likely ran away. What a coward."
"You deserve to die."
The sound of sand came closer. Bagani forced himself to snap out of his thought and dived to the left out of instinct. A huge tail slashed the sand on where Bagani was at before he dodged. A creature dived out of the ground. It's skin camouflaged with the terrain, its eyes were cloud white and its mouth was at the tip of its tail as big as a head drooling purple substance. Bagani forced himself to get back up so he could prepare for the next attack.
"What the hell is that thing?..." He thought to himself as his vision began to sway as the heat got further the best of him. Bagani, with all his might, slapped himself to feel pain and regain his consciousness.
The desert creature dug a hole and crawled back into the sands, preparing for its next approach. Bagani unsheathed his swords from his hips and went to an attack stance. Once again, he automatically powered up Hait, increasing his agility and precision with the sword. The monster out of nowhere lunged out of the sand and attacked Bagani. With its tail, it bit Bagani's leg and latched on. sending the Asulhero airborne on the air and wounded. The purple goo went inside Bagani's flesh as he excessively bleeds.
"What..." Bagani panicked as he began to hallucinate. His legs became dirt, arms transformed into cactuses, and everything around him was completely surreal. As the wind blew in the unforgiving terrain, Bagani focused to keep both the poison and heat away from messing up his mind. He breathed slowly and focused. "The mountain was a better candidate if you want to stop me from breathing."
The sand being raised up once again with the same attack as before except targeting the other leg. Bagani with his Eyes closed instinctively jumped. Using Hait, he slashed the tail horizontally mid-air. Landing on different patches of sand, the two creatures got back up to their feet. The monster's tail then fell apart in half. It screeches its lungs out, signaling for help before it's dying breath. Bagani, on the other hand, reached his limit and collapsed on the ground. His body became purple as the poison went through his nerves, overflowing with weakness he closed his eyes as his vision darkens.
Dark skies, dead trees, croaks of ravens, and the smell of death in the air. Bagani opened his eyes and saw a whole new world ahead.
"Where am I?..." Bagani asked himself as he looked around in a daze. He stood up from the ground and quickly noticed that his items were gone. He walked around and searched for his stuff inside the unknown place. The stench of despair lingered around as he explored the said place. He noticed a hooded man standing upon the distance.
"Hey!" Bagani shouted. "Where am I?!" The covered figure slowly walked away. Bagani swiftly ran and followed. Bagani began to doubt himself as he was running, but every time he blinked the man who strolled carelessly seemed farther and farther away. As he followed the path of the hooded individual he tens and thousands of urns placed randomly around the terrain, voices whispered from each one. Farther and farther they went on the unending road with more urns and even more voices. Bagani began to deafen from them, recognizable vocals from his dreams were heard. Bagani once again curled up in a position where he felt safe. With fear rushing down his veins the voices became even louder and shouted at him.
"What a failure."
"Shut up..." Bagani mumbled.
"Another dead body. I thought he was supposed to be our hope."
"Shut up."
"Well, it is to be expected when he's his descendant. A selfish bastard."
"SHUT UP!"
A sound of dripping liquid was heard. Bagani opened his eyes and noticed an absurd amount of blood spewing out of his mouth. He was unable to speak, yet to even scream. The clothed figure stood in front of him. It opened its cloak a bit. A hand so thin that its almost only made of skin and bones reached out to Bagani. The Asulhero reached his arm up to the being. With every inch of his touch swaying closer, Bagani felt an internal sense of peace within him. A cold wind blew behind his neck as he closed his eyes.
"Guess I'm going to finish it for you." The voice of Ezekiel echoed against the ground.
Bagani opened his eyes. A drip of sweat fell from his back. He wiped at his dusty hands and looked forward. Ezekiel was there standing, slowly walking away with his baggage. Bagani felt mortal once again. "Why are you here?..." Bagani frustratedly asked.
Ezekiel didn't turn around and kept moving on. "I don't know. The question is why are you here?"
Bagani clenched his fists in anger. He gritted his teeth, trying his hardest to prevent the tears from coming out. "You're both the same! What the hell do you know about it anyway?!" He shouted.
"I know you still have a mission to accomplish." Ezekiel replied and disappeared into thin air.
Bagani got back to the realm of the dead. With fear covering his eyes, Bagani pulled his arm away from the hooded man. Panic reigns over his head as he ran away with all his strength. Every step he takes, darkness consumes each and every corner of the world. A small bump on the road was left unnoticed. Bagani tripped into it, falling down and losing his speed in the process. The void inches narrower towards him faster than before.
Bagani sighed. "Well guess this is it." He closed his eyes as death nears and consumed his body.
A bright light appeared causing all the darkness to disappear. "It's not your time yet." A familiar voice whispers into his ear. With the force of a thousand arms, Bagani was pulled upwards into the light.
Once again, Bagani woke up. A ringing sound deafens his ears as he gains consciousness. "Where am I?..." He asked himself. Bagani looked around. He was inside a room made of polished sandstone. The room was decorated nicely and seemed like a proper establishment for curing individuals. His leg was now patched with a cloth filled with medicinal substances. Bagani forcefully stood up. As his foot touched the ground his entire body felt the pain worth of a hundred bees stinging him.
"I wouldn't stand up if I were you." A man entered the room. "You're lucky to survive a 'Disyerto Hali'."
"Who are you?..." Bagani grunted.
"I'm your doctor." The man replied. "There are some damages on your body I am unable to fix for I am not the best. The blue patches will remain for as long as you live."
Bagani signed. "Seems like he doesn't know anything..." Bagani whispered to himself.
"About the payment..." The doctor cough.
"Oh don't worry about it just take the coins from my bag." He remembered the extra change Bulawan gave him.
"Oh, I'm not talking about money," The doctor stated.
A group of fully armed individuals entered the room.
"I'm talking about labor."