On a late summer afternoon in Manila, a typical middle-class family's home reverberated with the animated chatter of neighborhood children. The small, somewhat cramped living room was filled with the laughter and occasional shrieks of delight from the young ones engrossed in their games. Amidst the happy din, a fifteen-year-old kid sat silently in the corner, his gentle eyes fixed on the stick in his hands, his thoughts elsewhere.
Alon Dela Cruz, a high school student with an untamed mop of black hair and a bashful grin, stood apart from his friends. Unlike them, he was not captivated by the boisterous games they played or the trivial dramas that kept them preoccupied. Instead, he found his heart yearning for a different path, a dream born of the stick that never left his side.
His father had first introduced him to arnis, a traditional Filipino martial art, when he was just a young boy. It wasn't merely a self-defense technique, his father had told him; it was a way to discipline the mind, to cultivate resilience, and above all, to honor their proud heritage.
This simple yet profound lesson had profoundly impacted Alon, transforming arnis from just another martial art to a way of life for him. Each movement, each strike and counterstrike, became a symbol of his determination, an embodiment of his dreams.
Alon's father, a decorated military officer in the Philippine Army Scout Ranger, watched his son's solitary practice from the doorway. A small smile played on his lips as he saw the same spark in Alon's eyes that he once had, the burning desire to rise above the ordinary. He understood his son's dreams because they echoed his own.
However, life for Alon wasn't all dreams and ambitions. He was constantly bullied by his classmates. Despite his proficiency in arnis, Alon never fought back, holding himself back out of fear of causing trouble for his father. The harsh words and hurtful actions of his peers became an unavoidable part of his life, an obstacle he silently endured every day.
Yet, Alon never let these hardships dampen his spirit. Instead, they spurred his ambition to become stronger, to prove everyone wrong, and to defend people he loved. This tenacity, this unwavering pursuit of his ideal, would shape his fate in ways he couldn't even understand.
Alon stood from his corner with a determined look on his young face as the sun started to set, filling the sky with brilliant orange and delicate pink colors. He would work harder to build up his strength so that one day he could defend his family, friends, and country.
A dream had been born, one that would not only define Alon's life but also put in motion a series of events that would change the course of the planet.