The waters swirled in a violent surge and a chaotic scene enveloped the whole place.
Many warriors had succumbed from the melodic voice they were hearing, each of them having different visions as their dark pupils were gradually replaced with a hazy and delirious eye.
Most of the warriors plunge into the depts of the river, drowning, screaming as they did.
Dayang Haya, The Saman, and the Shamans screamed in terror as they witness this chaotic scene. While slowly being affected too.
To combat the voice, the Babaylan ordered anyone able to sound the gongs and drums to combat the voice of this vicious mermaid.
Yet as they did that, the melodic voice shifted its rhythm to match the sound. Like a masterful musical ensemble, she matched it and amplified the effect!
Instead of combating the effect, they accidentally intensified the hypnotizing and enticing melody. Now not only the warriors were affected, they gradually lost their senses too.
The Alipins who busily batted the gong collapsed, some of the drummers were also in the frenzy.
"Mother!" Some of them screamed, perhaps he too was seeing a dream of his own. Whatever it was, it was unknown, but one thing is certain...
They are placed at the mercy of this Magindra!
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Meanwhile, Argus who hasn't regained his senses were still under the spellbinding curse of the Magindra as he dreamt of a home he longed to return.
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Entering the familiar hut which he had grown and used to stay...
Argus greeted his mother with tears in his eyes, truly happy that he was able to see his mother again.
"If this is a dream... I don't want it to end."—Argus muttered as he slowly raised his foot to step at the stairs leading to the entrance of Dayang Nuwa's Kanya.
Just like any hut present in their tribe, Dayang Nuwa's hut is no different from them except that it was built with the finest materials possible.
Tribes had a primitive dwelling, which may be constructed of various local materials. Huts are a type of vernacular architecture because they are built of readily available materials such as wood, snow, ice, stone, grass, palm leaves, branches, hides, fabric, or mud using techniques passed down through the generations.
But compared to other huts, a Kanya in which the prestigious or honored people dwells had a larger size in comparison. Dayang Nuwa's hut had its floors made out of bamboo strips woven as if like a dress. Its pillars were made from the Narra Tree's trunks—the sturdiest wooden material available in the forest. and a wide space similar to that of a hall where they receive their guests. Large windows are also present so that the air could freely enter.
At this moment, a graceful figure is seen weaving a basket, skin like the beach's sand, naturally dark hair, tied with wooden hair rings, adorned in golden hair ornaments.
When the graceful figure saw Argus approaching her, she beamed a beautiful smile.
"Argus, Did you woke up late again?"
"Mother..." With almost incoherent words, Argus immediately lunged towards her mother's embrace.
Dayang Nuwa is immediately startled, wondering why Argus is acting this way.
Covered in his mother's arms, Argus tightly embraced his mother as her scent lingered unto his nose. This familiar scent... "Mother..." Argus repeatedly called out.
Being suddenly hugged, Dayang Nuwa could only laugh "What happened to you son? Did you had a nightmare?" while patting her son's head.
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Gradually forgetting about the present, Argus has adjusted to this sudden change with a pretense that his tribe was never destroyed. He didn't know why but he just can't let go of this bliss he was feeling.
Being able to see the people he had been missing. Being able to be with them again. He knew that he is under a spell, but he felt that he just wants to stay here and never get awaken again.
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"I don't want to go back."
"I'll be alone again on that reality if this is a dream... I don't want to wake up."
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After having a sumptuous mini-meal with his father and his mother that felt surreal, Argus is now with his father in a boat headed to a lake, like what his father had promised, today, he will teach Argus how to fish.
"Abba, I already knew how to fish... I have a better tool than what you are using."
"Is that so my son?"
And Argus has presented to his father the makeshift tool he made, a rod with a vine leash attached to its end. Also, a floater made from tomato berry's husk.
When his father saw it, he just praised Argus with a deadpan face and insipid tone. That's when Agus began feeling familiar yet unfamiliar with his surroundings.
In the beginning, the people surrounding him had very lively reactions and his interactions with them felt real but gradually as he tried to dwell in this dreamlike space...
He found that everyone was acting dull, that's when he realized, it's truly an illustrious foggy world of dreams and hopes, created from his memories. Nothing was real! Saddened by this, Argus suddenly interrupted his father from rowing their boat.
"Abba, I... I knew you aren't real."
"I... I have grown from that weak Ranoan who always complained about not being unsuccessful in chasing skirts. I... I have a different goal now..."
As Argus was saying this... the figure of his father gradually morphed into a translucent figure, fading into something ethereal.
"Heck! Damn it! Let me finish my farewell first before you scare me like that!"—Interrupted by the sudden change, Argus complained in his heart.
"Father! Just so you know! I will revive our tribe! I will establish a new tribe under our name! I will take revenge, I won't forget how we are betrayed by that Datu Hagat! And.. and... Abba! iloy!—mother, Your son loves you so much!"
After that fervent speech full of ache and longing and a wish for a brighter chance of tomorrow, Argus bade his farewell to his deceased parents.
He now accepted that his mother was dead and perhaps since he never saw what happened to his father, maybe, he also have died in the battle.
His father who morphed into an ethereal being tried to seduce Argus, again, with her beautiful appearance.
A Magindra in her full scaly tail and bewitching pale slender upper body, coupled with her wavy hair and ample breast. Truly a wonder among mortals!
Yet this display had no effect on our determined Argus. he gritted his teeth and tried biting his tongue, trying his best to awaken from this dream.