Chapter 23 Balangkal shi Kadasan
The Clan in the Forest
Just before the vehicle hit the floor of the ravine, a large object landed on its roof. Within the car, there were dents in the ceiling made by what looked like claws. The rear end of the car was coiled with what seemed like a large slender tail. Imagining what the creature might have looked like from the outside, Jade was sure that this creature was Emerald's Kowadja. For a short moment, the three people inside, although seemed unlikely, felt that they were flying.
The car was a bit tilted, with its front end pointing downwards so the group was able to see the bottom of the ravine. About five meters above ground, the being that was saving them from crashing suddenly disappeared. Jade grasped that this Kowadja might have been summoned before Emy fell into unconsciousness.
As their speed of fall began to surge, Ivan who was at the driver's sit made haste to reach out to Jade from the backseat.
"Hannah!!!" Ivan screamed at the nurse who was hugging her patient who had turned pale.
Like her name had hidden commands at the mention of it, Hannah opened the door which surprised Jade.
Hannah looked below. There was a large body of water directly beneath them which was surrounded by tall trees. Perhaps if they crash into the water, Jade thought, they might be spared.
Hannah opened her mouth and whispered words,
"Kiyew ni Angtan, kaasian jo ak nga gway kasat sun si-katon mansalaknib sun si-kayo"
Jade realized that those were words from the old tongue and she understood what they meant, "Woods of Angtan, have mercy on me, one who received blessings from your protector".
As those words came from Hannah's mouth and as her eyes shifted from light brown to bluish purple, the trees that were beneath them begun to grow. The branches becoming more sturdier, coiling together, and extending towards the skies.
While the chant was being casted, Ivan wasted no time and grabbed Jade and carried her in his arms. The group jumped out of the car and landed on the branches and began running, using the branches as their staircase downwards.
While Ivan and Hannah were pre-occupied, Jade looked up and she saw a blanket of darkness cover them from above until finally it appeared to be a night sky, which was strange, since it had two moons.
Tonight, proved to be so strange to Jade: A mountain sprouted arms and feet; her nurse seemed like able to talk to trees and her ever quiet chauffer and gardener might not just be a 'regular' employee after all.
As they landed in the rocky ground, so did the car fall deep in the water dam. Jade, who was still being carried by Ivan, remained silent. She was trying to hear her saviors' thoughts.
She heard a silent sigh from Ms. Hannah, 'That was close.'
Though surprised by the events that ensued, Jade let out a silent laugh as she heard Ivan say to himself, 'Shoot. What are we going to tell little miss.'
Seeing that they are now somewhat safe, Jade commanded, "Put me down."
Ivan who flinched at the seriousness of his mistress' voice did what he was told. Both him and Hannah remained quiet, awaiting Jade to complain how disappointed she was that her servants lied to her about their true selves.
Jade thought how funny it was as a 15-year-old her could look like a mother scolding her children for telling a lie. They could not look at her in the eyes. She understood how anxious they are as she read their minds.
The two heard a sigh from Jade, "I could read minds, you know. I could hear thoughts."
Both looked at the frail girl in front of them with shocked faces.
Jade continued revealing to them more about herself, "I can do them easily like breathing. At first, I thought they were spoken words, but then I learned they were thoughts inside people's heads. That is why I am quite surprised that I wasn't able to learn the truth about you from your minds."
Jade looked at them in the eyes, "Now, I won't try to peek at your brains, but I would rather hear the words come out from your mouths. Who are you two exactly?"
Hannah and Ivan, who did not expect the reaction looked at each other for a moment. Ivan nodded.
Hannah stepped forward and took Jade's hand in her palms, "Thank you for not getting mad Jade. We would also like to tell you everything, but I think this is not the right place to do that. We are in a dangerous place. Do you mind if we could find a safe place to hide first?"
Jade suddenly remember seeing the strange night sky with two moons, 'Where are we? Are we still below Amesla Highway?"
Ivan shook his head in reply, Hannah answered, "We are partially there, I guess? Miss, we are in a Takang"
Hannah pulled her patient and started walking. Ivan took the lead, surveying the area that they would be walking on.
"Takang?" Jade asked.
Her nurse nodded. "It's a void. It is a point where the mortal realm and the underworld meet. There is no time inside the void. Nor there is daylight. Dead souls start their journey here and Underworld beings or night creatures hunt. No living person should be here miss."
"Ms. Hannah, that's not comforting. How are we supposed to leave this place then?"
Ivan, this time replied, "Little miss, do you think your grandfather would let you get stuck in here?"
Jade laughed, "If Emy is stuck in here with me, then yes my grandfather would do everything in his power to save us. But, thankfully, we also have Papa's persuasion, so yeah, my grandfather might think to save us."
Not laughing at the jest, Ivan and Hannah felt a prick on their hearts as they knew what happened a while ago. Elder Ziron saved Emy first and foremost. While Emy tried to save Jade. The younger twin did not know that Emy is stuck in the void as well.
The group stopped from walking as they heard a loud rumble and saw flashes of light from above.
Hannah smiled, "Jade, I think your partially wrong. Look, they are trying to open the Takang."
Jade is all new to these experiences. She does not know what those rumbles and flashes were. The danger of this void made her anxious. All she could do now is take comfort in the hope that Hannah believes in.
Ivan stopped on their tracks and suggested, "We can stay here for the meantime. At least this area is well covered by the bushes and trees and we can watch out the front while having the cliff at our backs." Hannah who walked away to survey the area whispered words again, this time inaudible to Jade.
And just like last time, the trees near the wall of the cliff extended their branches and coiled together to from a concave that would act like a roof.
This is the second time that Jade saw this happen, she was still in awe.
Hannah smiled at her, "While we wait for the void to be opened, we might as well take rest. And while doing so, we will tell you about us."
Jade complied and under the covers made from the tree branches, the three sat on the dry, rocky ground. Jade waited patiently for them to speak first but the guilt of lying was making the two older people hold back. Jade decided to start the conversation and ease the tension.
"Is it the same as summoning a Kowadja? Those trees are your Kowadja?"
Hannah hesitated to answer for a while. She was finding the right words to better explain the situation.
"Hmmm…I guess so. There is also the Almas of the Sagubo. Those are non-living things. Trees, flowers, shrubs, they are living things. I guess they are in between?"
Jade chuckled, "Why aren't you sure? So, all this time my nurse is no stranger to my world. No wonder you readily easily accept all strange things that are happening around my family like they were usual."
Hannah nodded. " Like how miss Emerald have inherited it from her forefathers, I inherited it too from my mother. And she inherited it from her mother too. Only female members of my clan would have the gift. Because women in our society tend to take the husband's name, there is no unified name for my Clan."
The younger female contemplated and had remembered of a song she heard from long ago,
"During the day they dance amid the valley of flowers.
At night they sing in the middle of the forest.
How beautiful they are that hide in the trees…but Ra"
"...but Raziel, Raziel how pitiful you are for they will not carry your name." Hannah finished.
Jade looked at Hannah in astonishment. "I thought that those words were just but a song from the ancient. You are a descendant of the vanished ones?"
Hannah replied with a smile.
"Your clan are the ones who chose to be away from the others. They stayed hidden in the deep forests until they were forgotten" Jade added with a lonely expression.
Jade took Hannah's silence as a confirmation.
'Raziel, Raziel'. Jade have heard the song countless of times from both old living people and the unseen, unharmful beings that abode in old trees and isolated forests. They are called by many names from different tongues, dwarves, or fairies, dwende or nuno sa punso. Collectively in her people's own tongue, they call them Ampasit.
From tales and lore, Raziel is a "Vanished" servant of the great Menos-oschong, the Creator and the Gift Giver. She was one of the many who was not able to come back to the Creator's abode, for they enjoyed the pleasures that humans have beneath the sky world. So frequently her kind would come down from above and mingle with humans. Every time they did, it took longer and longer before they would decide to come home. Until one day they were not able to return home anymore.
Jade was told bits of the origins of Hannah's people. There were two "Vanished Ones" who found the northern lands and made it their abode. Raziel who became the mother of her clan and Mokonuel, the father of Calpo, the founder of the clan where Nuriel is the head. The Calpo flourished with the gift from their forefather. While Hannah's clan chose to keep hidden what they have. For where will be the pride of the men when women are superior to them? Raziel's clan remained hidden from the rest of the clans until the time when their existence was but part of the tales and legends old people tell and then, until finally they were totally forgotten.
Hannah was not able to tell Jade everything for now, as she, and the other two felt drowsy. Their bodies getting weaker, getting relaxed. As soon as their eyes shut, their bodies collapsed on the cold, hard ground. As she went to a deep slumber, Jade was robbed of the fact, like many members of the clans, that her nurse is the last member of the Clan in the Forest.