The Mactan balangay sliced through the turquoise waters once more, a stark contrast to the turmoil churning within Lapu-Lapu. His encounter with Magellan had shattered his naive hope for peaceful coexistence with the Kastila. He had seen the glint of conquest in the foreigner's eyes, the veiled threat beneath the veneer of diplomacy. Now, he carried the weight of a daunting task: to convince Humabon, and by extension, the other Visayan chieftains, of the looming threat and the necessity of unity.
As they approached Cebu, Lapu-Lapu noticed a shift in the atmosphere. The air hummed with an undercurrent of tension, a stark contrast to the bustling marketplace he had witnessed earlier. He disembarked with a heavy heart, the premonition of trouble gnawing at him.He found Humabon in his opulent palace, surrounded by advisors and warriors. The Rajah of Cebu seemed agitated, his face flushed, and his eyes flickering with suspicion."Lapu-Lapu," Humabon greeted him curtly, his voice laced with a hint of hostility. "You return sooner than expected. What troubles you?"Lapu-Lapu bowed respectfully. "Rajah Humabon," he began, his voice firm despite the apprehension churning in his gut. "I have much to tell you about my encounter with the Kastila."He proceeded to narrate his meeting with Magellan, detailing the Kastila's impressive weaponry, their arrogant pronouncements of Spanish dominion, and their thinly veiled threats. He emphasized their true motives—not trade, but conquest.Humabon listened intently, his expression a mask of controlled emotions. When Lapu-Lapu finished, a tense silence filled the room. The other advisors exchanged nervous glances, their faces etched with concern."They are more forceful than I expected," Humabon finally admitted, his voice low. "But surely, there can be room for negotiation. Perhaps a token tribute."Lapu-Lapu felt a surge of frustration. Humabon, blinded by the allure of power and the promise of superior weaponry, seemed hesitant to grasp the true danger."Tribute, Rajah?" Lapu-Lapu pressed, his voice rising in urgency. "Do not be deceived! This is not a trade offer. This is a prelude to invasion. They will not stop with us. They will conquer all the Visayas, reduce us to mere vassals of a foreign king!"A heated debate erupted. Lapu-Lapu argued passionately for unity, for a combined Visayan force to resist the Kastila. Some advisors, swayed by his conviction and the chilling truth in his words, began to nod in agreement. Others, however, remained skeptical, wary of ceding their autonomy to a united kingdom under Lapu-Lapu's leadership.Humabon, his face a storm cloud, watched the exchange with a mixture of anger and indecisiveness. The seeds of discontent Lapu-Lapu had planted were taking root, but whether they would blossom into a united front remained to be seen.Suddenly, a commotion erupted at the palace gates. A warrior burst in, his face pale with fear."Rajah!" he gasped, bowing low. "The Kastila... they demand an audience. They threaten..."The warrior's voice trailed off, but the message was clear. The Kastila were no longer content with negotiations or veiled threats. They were here to make their dominance known.Humabon rose from his throne, his face contorted in rage. His initial enthusiasm for the Kastila had been replaced by a dawning realization of their true intentions. He looked at Lapu-Lapu, a flicker of understanding finally crossing his eyes."Prepare for battle," he declared, his voice thick with anger. "We shall show these Kastila the true meaning of Visayan defiance!"A cheer erupted from the warriors in the room. Lapu-Lapu, despite the weariness gnawing at him, felt a surge of hope. The seeds of unity had taken root, albeit under the pressure of an immediate threat. Whether it was enough to repel the Kastila remained to be seen, but for now, the Visayans stood together, a united front against the storm brewing on the horizon.