A mushy ground where footprints can sink through, the light golden glaze of the sun as the skies clear up, the fragrance of fresh moist soil after the rain, and the dulcet sound of tearing leaves. Ezekiel Valerio once again steps foot on the land where he once called home. Abandoned by the townspeople, Village Mapagisa was now a dumpster. Splinters of broken wooden houses were scattered on every inch of the ground, while the walls that stood still were painted with dried blood along with the ground. Leaves of banana trees cluttered the surroundings as no one was there to clean them up. The feeling of nostalgia-filled up Ezekiel, he looked down on the things that once were graceful but now are not anything but memories. A stump of an old chopped off wooden tree flash upon the eyes of the young man. He smirked upon the thing and chuckled. "If only I believed you then old man..."
He continued to walk by, strolling the path as he makes his way towards the cave where his loved ones are. The smell of fresh blood lingered through the air. Without a feeling of fear, Ezekiel put down his sack of items. The monotonous sound of ripping flesh and soft steady growls was heard along with the distance. A small Aswang as big as a child munched through the flesh of a dead wild boar. Its skin was as white as snow, unlike other Aswang this one looked like a literal monster than human-like. It was all skin and bones with eyes as black as the night sky. Ezekiel sighed as he saw the pitiful creature. "Guess this is what they do when their not strong enough. Desperate enough to go out in the middle of the day." He popped the bones from his knuckle. He signaled the monster from afar. "Hey, ugly! Over here!"
The Aswang looked over his direction. Weak enough to not think straight, its growls turned into an ear-piercing screech. Ezekiel smiled. He put his arms up in the air, posing a fighting position without the power of the sorcerers stone. "I need to learn how to fight without the stone. Old man you better be right about crushing them..."
Swiftly the Aswang hopped from place to place. Looking for the perfect spot to attack, it drooled on the ground its mix of blood and spit. It opened its mouth showing jagged teeth and a bloody interior. With force, the small thing jumped and attacked Ezekiel. The young man stepped to the side, dodging the monster's attack. The monster landed on the ground, slowed as its claws dug on the ground. Ezekiel clenched his fist and smacked the thing on the head. He then grabbed its neck and carried it upwards. Headfirst, he slammed it then on the ground, proactively snapping its neck in the process. Due to its kind being more durable than humans, it stayed alive and tried to bite Ezekiel's gloved hand. The young man once again dodged its attack and grabbed the creature's neck once more. He noticed a big spike of wood in the distance. A small smile along with huffing was seen in Ezekiel. He went over to the wooden hazard and dropped the thing's body on it. With a huge hole gapping over its stomach, the small Aswang cried in pain, watching the face of the man who is over him. Ezekiel went to his knees and repeatedly smacked the monster on the face until he crushed its skull. "Very weak.."
Catching his breath, Ezekiel stood up once again and picked up his stuff from the ground, and walked home. "Better get there before night..." He muttered to himself. Howls of wolves echoed from further towards the south. Ezekiel ran swiftly as darkness enveloped the sky. Jogging rapidly, Ezekiel's heart beat rapidly in excitement.
"Inay... Itay..."
At a distance, he saw it. A wall of leaves hiding the cave where the townspeople and his parents are. He slowly walked towards it, adjusting his face so he wouldn't look panicked once he comes in. With a deep breath, he gathered the confidence he needed to enter. A soft rustling of leaves alarmed the people from within as Ezekiel entered the place.
"Who's there?!" The village chief shouted.
The young man stood upon his people. New clothes, a glowing stone, and a sense of power within him. Ezekiel is not the little kid who ran away from the Aswangs before. A deafening silence filled the air, Ezekiel let out a small smile, attempting to hinder out the powerful emotions as he waits for the people's reaction. A random villager stood up with awe.
"He's back!" He shouted in joy. In excitement, the other townspeople cheered loudly as well.
"He actually made it..." Paulito, the old geezer, trembled in shock.
As he stood there, smiling like a prophet in front of his people, he saw two silhouettes of moving swiftly towards him. He waved his hand and smiled to try and calm the two for he thought they were only astonished of his arrival. His heart, felt tight as the two went up and hugged him.
"We thought you were gone..." His mother, Maria, cried as she welcomed her son back.
Enveloped by his parent's arms, Ezekiel couldn't help but break down. Their warmth along with the love and comfort they gave him pierced the trauma along with the hardened heart of the young man to heal. Ezekiel broke down in tears as he enveloped his parents as well.
"It so hard..." Ezekiel bawled like a child as he let his emotions off. "I'm sorry..."
"Shh... It's all okay now..." Maria comforted him. Hulio kept his calm to comfort his child and stood there to pat him on the back as well.
As the town celebrated, Ezekiel told stories to the remaining children about his adventure through out the two years. "Kuya Ezekiel met a big man. He was hairy, he had white eyes, and smoked all the time. Don't worry I didn't had any problem beating him up and tricking him into training me." Although most of them were fake for his ego to keep unharmed. "Old man, Bagani, sorry about this but I need to not look like a complete dork." He thought to himself with guilt. His parents saw through all the parts of his lies and chuckled in the corner. After entertaining the kids he decided to bond with them.
"So what truly happened?" Hulio, his father, asked.
"Weren't you listening? I already told the kids?" Ezekiel jested.
Hulio gave him a disappointed look for his obliviousness when it comes to lying. Ezekiel sighed in the knowledge that he can't trick his parents into believing him. "Okay then. I met the Asulhero."
"The what?" Hulio raised his brow and asked.
"The thing I saw back then wasn't a halucination. There are monsters among us but not all of them are harmful. Bagani was a good friend, he helped me to patch up when James was wounded. Throughout the past couple of years we spent his attitude almost didn't change one bit. Oh, can I ask you about the supplies James sent? By the way, there are also friendly half-bird half-human creatures. Did you know there is another village other than us? There is actually even a palace they said." Ezekiel went out of topic and loaded them with information in excitement. "Let's move the people of Mapagisa there. A place where we are safe. A place where we can live in the outside world."
Hulio stood up and sighed. "I'm not the one who decides that."
"But if they disagree I can take only you two there." Ezekiel selfishly reasoned.
Maria stood up as well. She let out a calm smile to her son. "We shouldn't only think about ourselves Ezekiel. Josh's mom is outside, pay your condolence, we'll think about your offer."
Disappointed but accepting, Ezekiel followed his mother's order and went towards the exit of the cave. Eavesdropping from outside, he heard a sound of distress.
"Who are you?!"