"How long did you fight the Bakunawa?" Vince asked Lam-ang who squatted down on the bird's back and brought out a small bag made of woven bamboo slats.
"9 days," came the answer as Lam-ang brought out a nut and some leaves. He wrapped the nut with the leaves and put some white stuff in the open end of the rolled leaves.
"What is that stuff?" Vince was momentarily distracted from the thoughts running on his mind.
"Betel nut and leaves with a lime sprinkle," the big man winked and calmly put the mixture in his mouth as if they were just making conversation and not chasing a big, angry dragon across the largest lake they have ever seen.
"Can I have some?" the teen curiously asked, their situation temporarily forgotten.
"Don't you think you should ask what it does or even taste like before actually putting it in your mouth, wetpants?" Ash knowingly warned.
"It's the mixture for warriors," Lam-ang declared proudly to the raised eyebrows of Ash and Ora.
"That's all I needed to hear," Vince snatched the offered leaves and nuts. He quickly crammed it all inside his mouth before the two skeptical girls could say anything. Zone was intently watching Vince's face as he chewed gallantly.
The teenager's eyes watered but he fought against the urge to immediately spit the concoction out in fear of embarrassment. The more he chewed, the more it contorted his face comically.
Ash looked at him squarely and waited with a deadpan expression on her face.
"Itsh good...mmm…" Vince struggled to remain enthusiastic but tears actually started streaming down his face and his gag reflex got the better of him.
He looked to the side and started spitting the fiery concoction but to his horror, the world started spinning out of control and he started to fall.
Lam-ang caught his arm before he fell down and laughingly steadied him up.
"That's why I called it the mixture of warriors," the large man said with great mirth dancing in his eyes.
"That should tell you a lot, wetpants," Ash smacked Vince on the side of his head.
The boy winced but said nothing. He is still feeling a bit woozy.
Wordlessly, Ice handed him a bottled water and he gargled and spit an awful amount of blood colored things out. He shuddered.
They looked ahead at the Bakunawa while the brothers were smacking its enormous talons with great blades. It did not do any real damage but it annoyed the hell out of the great beast and it continued to writhe and contort in the air trying to dislodge its unwanted passengers.
"You did this for 9 days?" John turned to Lam-ang who is now lying on his back with a very relaxed expression on his face.
"Yes. but the first three days were really intense. The Bakunawa can also breathe fire, you know. We took turns battering it with our swords. I would have said slashing but its scales are really hard. Our best attacks did no more than annoy it. Indarapatra had the best chance to damage it. His sword can extend great distances. However, it wasn't able to pierce its infernal defenses."
"So you just gave up and decided to chase it hoping it would tire the hell out?" asked Ash.
"Um...yeah, basically. That was the plan at first...but Sulayman came up with a greater plan."
"Any other plan would have been greater than just waiting for it to die of exhaustion," Ash rolled her eyes and John marvelled at how similar it was to Ora's.
"So what was the plan?" Ora urged him to go on.
"To imprison it. Obviously, we had inadequate strength to kill it but we could in fact, restrain it. Sulayman had the skill to make awesome prisons."
"So the rock out in the heart of that volcano was his doing," Zone interjected.
"Yes. however, we needed something to lock it. Otherwise, the dragon would just tear it open eventually."
"The Kampilan…" deduced Ora.
"Right. The Kampilan. For all its impressive look, it was just essentially a key."
"So you stuck your weapon on the rock and left the dragon inside that volcano?" Vince asked.
"Err...not exactly. You see, the Bakunawa's strength was so great that it could have easily dislodged it," Lam-ang scratched his head in a strangely boyish manner. He also managed to look sheepish. His crooked smile had a mingled sadness in it.
"You stayed to hold it in place." It was not a question and Ora had deep compassion in her eyes. The rest were staggered by the implication.
Vince was staring at the large man with incomprehensible expression on his face.
"For 500 years," Lam-ang had a far-away look on his face.
Grace wordlessly went to Lam-ang and hugged him.
"You were as much its prisoner as it was yours," John said with silent admiration in his voice but also deep sadness.
Ice took Lam-ang's enormous hand as tears trickled down her face. The big man was embarassed by the outpouring of emotion. He awkwardly patted Ice's head.
"During those 500 years, what was the thing you missed doing the most?" Vince looked at him somberly.
"Looking at the sunset," was the quick reply.
Vince was apparently taken aback at his answer.
"Didn't you have a family?"
"I had a wife," was the simple answer and he grew quiet as he looked at the horizon. It was almost dawn.
"If you could, would you like to let go of the sword for a while and go look at a sunset once again?" Vince squared his shoulder as he asked this.
"I would give my life to be able to but I can't. I am tied to the Kampilan and it was tied to me. If i let go for one second, the Bakunawa will come free."
"But if i remember correctly, you said 'if Vince was to inherit the sword'...what do you mean by that?"
"We are standing near a historical crossroad, young man. The Kampilan that you are destined to inherit is not the actual one but the idea of it. When the time comes, and if you can pass its test, it will detach itself from the past and be reborn."
"What happens to the old Kampilan?"
"We are just memories now. After you take it, IF you are able to, we will journey towards the great river guarded by the Aetas and join the great Tapestry."
"What of the Bakunawa?"
"Nobody remembers it either. It will probably come with us," Lam-ang said sadly.
"The Igaaws do and apparently, the one who controls them," John reminded them.
Lam-ang's eyes narrowed.
"Then someone has to reinsert the key and turn it further than I was able to. I'm sorry boy, it seemed like I shortchanged you." He regarded Vince with immeasurable regret.
"And stay like you did for 500 years or more?" Vince said with terror in his eyes.
"Regrettably, no. It woud have been better that way but there was a reason why I didn't turn it all the way before. Events like this have always been caught in an endless loop. I knew that after 500 years, someone would come and give me a chance to have temporary freedom if only for a short while. There will be a short period before the river takes us. I just wanted that window to go see The Sunset once more."
"You waited 500 years for that? To see the sunset?" Vince was aghast.
"A sunset."
"I don't get it."
"I know you don't."
"Fine. What happens if i turn the Kampilan all the way?"
"We all go straight to the river. The memory would really be a forgotten one. No one would remember it and the Bakunawa will be out of reach by the people who want it freed.I am really sorry, boy."
"It's alright. It's not such a bad way to go," said Vince resolutely.
"Vince, no!!!" They all exclaimed at almost the same time.
"Thank you for that but I have made up my mind. I am going to do it. It would be a noble way to go. I'm glad to have known all of you," he said and faced Lam-ang.
"How long until the crossroad?"
The bird turned sharply as if to answer him. The Bakunawa is going back and it was heading towards them. As it passed the giant bird, Indarapatra and Sulayman jumped into its back to join them.
"It's almost time. We have to decide now. It's been 8 days. I am almost at my limit," said the one called Indarapatra.
"Only I can make the prison Count me out," said Sulayman.
"I don't know why we have to do this again. You know I lost," Lam-ang said acidly.
"It's your sword's memory, not ours," they said at the same time.
Lam-ang sighed and extended his arms down in front of him, palms down.
The three eyed each other alertly and swung their hands rapidly towards the center.
The brothers had their palms up while Lam-ang had his facing down.
The two smacked their palms against each other and their friend took his bamboo bag and slung it over his back.
"You lost a game of odd one out?" John and the rest shouted at the red-faced Lam-ang.