"This is a waste of time, Rai," Xien complained for what feels like a hundred times and Rai is compelled to just stuff the cat inside a sack.
"No, we have to go find Tarayon even if it kills us!"
"Really? Kill is such a strong word. Can we just starve instead? I'm already starving now so punishment done! Let's go find something to eat," the cat said hopefully.
"You just ate an hour ago. Go find a mouse if you are starving."
"Yuck! I want a nice big bowl of ice cream. It's hot, don't you think? I am sweating a lot."
"Cats don't sweat."
"You're kidding! Really? I didn't know that!"
Rai stopped walking and looked at her companion sternly.
"You see this?" she said as an ornate hourglass materialized in the air in front of them.
"Is that food? Please say that it is…" she said, whining.
"THIS is telling us that should we fail in our task, there won't be enough time to eat an ice cream, or a mouse or anything else for that matter!"
"I already told you, I don't want a mouse…"
"If you don't stop complaining, I swear I will put you inside my bag after I muzzle you."
"You are grouchy. Maybe you are hungry."
"Oh, you are incorrigible. Why did I ever take you?"
"Because I carry your things?" Xien said matter-of-factly.
"Urgh! Just be quiet for a minute. I need to concentrate," Rai said as she intently looked at the empty space ahead.
They have been trying to find Tarayon for weeks now, with no luck.
The Guardian of the street walkers is truly an elusive fellow.
"Ahh, I liked him better when he was just a scroll!"
"What's that, now?"
"Shhh...I see a thread. There! Follow it!"
Xien pounced on a tiny red thread streaking past them.
"Uh, greetings, Rai. Can you please tell the cat to get her paws off me?" Said the pinned down Tarayon.
"NO. You made us look for you for a long time," Xien said petulantly.
Tarayon coughed and the cat reluctantly lifted an enormous paw off the Aeta's chest.
"What brings you here?" Tarayon said as he dusted himself off.
"Apo sent us...plus, you know, we are already tied to this place until the big boss releases us."
"We are not going back yet."
"No, that's not what we came here for. You know what happened back there on the Gate of the Kampilan, right?"
"I know. The Bakunawa has screwed us over once more. It sent the travellers god knows where and now, all the gates are closed. We can't even communicate over long distances anymore. It's a good thing Alasan and the boy are on our side."
"You know one other thing that happened?"
"Yeah. The Lost Isles are still lost and without the travelers, we won't have any means to retrieve them before the Great Alignment."
"The alignment's effects are already felt on the pocket dimensions that the Bakunawa made. The scale is tipped way over on those places. This coming war would be close to impossible to win."
"Why come to me? A guardian? You know we can't do anything except chronicle the events?"
"We need you to get the streetwalkers ready."
"For what? What can we possibly do?"
"We need the power of the Urban Legends. Your streetwalkers can gather them for us. Induyan might be able to find the Chained Bride but it is useless without the full cooperation of the Legends."
"Alright, I will do everything I can to gather them. It will not be my job to make them do anything, however."
"I know. Just get them ready. We don't have much time. Oh...and one other thing. John is seen jumping from one bookmark to the next. Please help rescue him. He is losing his mind," Rai pleaded tearfully.
With understanding in his eyes, the Aeta Guardian ruffled her hair and nodded solemnly.
"Even if you didn't tell me, I was always on the lookout for him. I know how important he is to the world and to you."
______________________________________
John is sitting on a fallen log and he is looking far on the horizon.
He could see the ocean to the far west, framed by clouds and some mountains. To his left side is a mountain range said to be inhabited by a giant named Ang-ngalo. He smiled.
Myths. If only they were true.
The 60 or so strong troops of the general were waiting for the enemy in a place called by the locals as Tirad Pass.
This is the place where this group of brave men, including the young general will have met their fate 2 days from now.
He is struggling with himself whether he should tell them or not.
As a child, he read it from an old book. With all the things he couldn't remember, things such as this are vivid to him.
He knew he was inside a fantasy- a fiction that his mind carried based on stories he read as a child but he felt that they are real, nonetheless.
As real as him.
As real as the myths and legends that he already met.
There was no such person as General Gregorio Del Pilar or an event called the battle of Tirad Pass that will take place two days from now.
But why was he able to talk to them and see them and feel them? Why did he feel the anger and the sadness that these people will lose their lives and he won't be able to do anything about it?
He wanted to shout and tear his hair out in frustration.
He was inside an impossibility yet he could not bring himself to ignore what he knew to be real.
"Hey deserter."
He turned and saw a group of soldiers approaching him.
"I did not desert. I fought," he said wearily.
"You lived. That means you ran," one of them said with a sneer.
"It just means I did not die. It didn't mean I abandoned my duty."
"You speak nonsense. I heard the general kicked you out. Just as well, we don't need a coward like you."
"Believe me, you'd give your life for five of me to be in your troop," he said, his temper getting the best of him.
"You have balls saying that to an elite group like ours. We were handpicked by the general himself."
"Yeah, don't believe everything you hear."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing. If you'll excuse me," he said, lifting his rifle and bag.
"Stay here for a while, deserter. Before you desert again, maybe you could regal us with tales of your bravery. How come you let the rest of the rear guard die?"
"For the last time, I did not let them die. The enemies were just superior in number and firepower. It was just luck that I survived."
"Luck?" One of them spat.
"You expect us to believe that?"
"Based on what you said earlier, yeah. I thought you'd believe anything you hear," he said with coldness creeping in his voice.
They stepped back.
"You have a sharp tongue deserter. Maybe we should cut it for you," the largest of them threatened.
"You can try," he clenched his jaw and loaded his rifle much to their surprise.
There were four of them so he had to act quickly.
He swung the butt of his rifle on the nearest soldier and hit the side of his face.
As that one reeled, he took advantage of their hesitation and stepped back, pointing the rifle in their general direction.
"I was a sniper. Believe me when I tell you I could put bullets between your eyebrows before you could even blink," he said and to emphasize that, he shot a small tin cup hanging near the makeshift fence surrounding their camp.
The distance was at least 100 yards.
When the cup flew in the air, he shot it again just to drive the message home.
He can see that it did.
The one that attempted to shoot him earlier - the general's aide, came running out of a hut.
"Stop this at once!" he shouted as he ran.
John offered his hand to the fallen soldier.
Without hesitation, the other one took it and smiled crookedly.
"It was our fault, lieutenant. We started it," said the one John hit while massaging the side of his face.
"The general showed you respect. Pay it back, soldier," the aide said.
"I'm sorry lieutenant. I got carried away. It's not their fault, it's mine."
"You're okay, man. We are sorry we provoked you. It's just that we lost some friends back there."
'You will lose some more' he thought but he remained quiet. He just nodded and shook the other one's offered hand.
"Hey, you are a pretty good shot. Well, the best we have seen, to tell you the truth. Why don't you stay? You were right, we could use someone like you."
John looked at the horizon. At the mountains in the distance. He knew that the enemies were two days away. With numbers more than thrice the size of this 'elite' group.
He sighed.
"Yeah, why not? If the general will have me, I will stay."
At that moment, he didn't care if they were real.
He was real. That's what matters.