The city of Bacolod seemed to swallow Samika in its dizzying array of lights. Everywhere she looked, towering buildings rose like metal giants, casting long shadows over the sparse patches of greenery. The air was thick with the scent of exhaust fumes, quite a contrast from Luminara's fragrant forest. The absence of tree-dwellers made the bustling metropolis feel more foreign.
She noticed a few individuals that gave her subtle glances since it was apparent that she was ignorant of her surroundings. Samika can hear all of their whispers and murmurs, and even when speaking their own dialect, she understands them, thanks to the translator the council gave her.
Out of nowhere, she giggled. She remembered their council meeting, where gifts were presented to her at the great table. Folks from different realms have gathered to wish her a safe journey. One gift that stood out from the rest is her translator, made with the bark of the oldest Narra tree. It has baybayin carvings, which translate to usap or "to talk." Dao had humorously dubbed it the "tree-nslator." It had been a lighthearted moment amidst the gravity of her mission.
Samika's thoughts wandered to the many languages and dialects spoken in the Philippines. The country has been influenced by different colonizers over the centuries. This history has created a rich mix of languages and dialects across the islands. With over 170 different languages spoken, even in a single city, people might speak in various local ways. This makes communication both vibrant and challenging.
Her first task is to find a demigod, and on top of her list is Vincent. Vincent Hibionada is the son of Anitun Tabu.
On top of her list is finding a demigod named Vincent. Vincent Hibionada is the son of Anitun Tabu, the fickle-minded goddess of the wind and rain. According to the information provided, Vincent resides in a gated subdivision and worked during the night. There are numerous gated communities in the city, and since Vincent is one of the subjects of a great prophecy, she expected more detailed information, particularly on his physical appearance. Nonetheless, the Wise Engkantados claimed that blood calls to blood—something about having that random impulsive instinct when they are close—because we are all summoned by the same supreme god, sharing the same purpose.
As dusk began to paint the sky in hues of orange and purple, Samika stood at the entrance of her sixth subdivision of the day. She had been met with polite refusals and blank stares at each guard house, the strict privacy policies of these gated communities thwarting her attempts.
With a deep breath, Samika approached the guard at the current subdivision's gate. Her tired smile was genuine as she greeted him. "Good evening."
The guard, a middle-aged man with a warm demeanor, slid open the small window in his booth. "Evening, ma'am. How can I assist you?"
"I was wondering if you could help me find someone. I am looking for my brother's place. I heard our mom just recently passed away. After 32 years of leaving me to my aunt and uncle, I think I have a right to know where she is buried." Samika lied straightforwardly.
The guard's face softened with sympathy, but his duty was clear. "Do you have an address or specific details about your brother's residence? It would help us locate him faster."
Samika shook her head, feigning disappointment. "I don't have those details. I haven't seen him nor my mom for decades." Her mouth tasted bitter at the lie she just made, knowing that her mother was better than the mercurial goddess of the wind and rain. She kept her thoughts to herself before she angered the goddess and got struck by lightning.
"We understand. For privacy reasons, we can't disclose addresses without specific information. But if you have any other details, we could arrange for a roving guard to assist you."
"It's alright," Samika said, though internally she was frustrated. "I only have his name and that he lives in a subdivision."
The guard's expression showed genuine regret. "With so many subdivisions here, it will be tough to find someone without more details."
It is tough. She murmured to herself. The young Engkantada has already been with six different subdivisions and will never proceed further because of their strict policy. Who knows if Vincent was living on the previous ones she visited? The good thing is that all the homeowners are safe with this level of security, but it is a major disadvantage on her end.
"Yeah, I know. It is the only information that is provided by the Gre—Greta! Greta, our neighbor," she said, almost slipping her tongue on disclosing the Great Council.
Before Samika turned her back, the guard called her to ask if she needed a taxi since it was already too dark to walk alone all by herself. She checked her pockets for mortal money prior to accepting his offer.
"Thank you, po."
Saying po is a Filipino term used as a mark of respect and politeness when speaking to elders or people in authority. Samika was beyond excited to tell that face-to-face with a mortal. It somehow made her exhausting day a little bearable.
"I've already radioed the taxi stand, and they already sent a cab, ma'am. You can just stay over there and wait for him."
Samika thanked him once again and walked towards the waiting shed. As she walks towards the waiting shed, thrilled to finally sit down and rest her feet that have been enduring uncomfortable shoes all day, she overhears the guard greeting someone.
"Going to work early, sir Binkoy?"
"Yep, see you tomorrow, Nong."
Binkoy. Something about that name oddly rang a bell in her ear. She shifted her gaze to the gentleman behind her. He was lean and slouched in stature, his long and dark wavy hair tied in a half-bun. He was wearing a sweatshirt, paired with some denim jeans.
Samika felt a rising temperature in her pocket. She fished out the thin tree bark wherein the demigods' names were listed and saw that, from its simple knife-carved writings, Vincent Hibionada's name was now burned on the bark itself.
And it only meant one thing. She finally found him.
Feeling a surge of hope, Samika called out softly, "Vincent?"
The man turned, his eyes narrowing in curiosity. "Yes?"
"Vincent Hibionada?" she asked again, her voice trembling slightly.
Vincent's expression shifted from confusion to intrigue as he stepped closer. Just as he was about to ask her more, the security guard perked up in pure delight upon overhearing Samika called Vincent's name.
"Sir Binkoy, you must be the long-lost brother she is looking for!"
The young Engkantada pursed her lips and pretended to be overwhelmed with joy, spreading her arms open in an invitation for a warm hug. To ease the awkwardness, Vincent obliged. It was evident on both of their faces that neither of them liked the sudden physical contact. They exchanged polite but strained smiles, and Samika quickly addressed the guard.
"We'll go ahead. We have a lot of catching up to do."
The guard smiled widely, pleased with his unexpected role in reuniting the siblings. They watched as he returned to his post.
With her enhanced sight, she can already see the headlights of the taxi cab she requested.
"Hibionada, ride with me."
"No, thank you. I have work tonight," he answered shyly.
It is in an engkantos' nature to have difficulties facing rejections. Besides, it had been a long day for Samika. Time moved differently in the mortal realm. In addition, her foot is severely sore. She didn't have the energy to argue. Instead, she asked for his full address, but Vincent hesitated.
"Give me your full address. I'll come back tomorrow. We have a lot of things to talk about."
"Like?"
"Your mother. This is something very important, but if you are on your way to work, then I can come back by tomorrow."
Vincent's curiosity sparked as soon as the woman mentioned his mother. His father never mentioned anything about her. No photographs, nothing. Maybe she really was his sister? Half-sister? Those questions are a real head-scratcher.
The cab finally arrived, and Samika shifted her gaze to Vincent one last time. "I'll just come back tomorrow."
Samika entered the taxi, but before she could close the door, Vincent decided to fuel his curiosity. He made her scooch to the side and entered the taxi with her. "This just gave me a reason to skip work. Whatever it is, I'll be all ears."
｡･:*:･ﾟ★,｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Samika and Vincent sat in the back seat as the taxi navigated through the empty streets. The engkantada explained his heritage, revealing that his mother was not an ordinary mortal but Anitun Tabu herself. She then introduced herself properly and explained her true identity. Finally, she told him about his destiny: along with six other demigods, he needed to fulfill the prophecy of Dalikamata. Samika looked intently at Vincent, who seemed to be in complete disbelief.
"A prophecy? You must be joking," Vincent said, shaking his head.
"I assure you, I am not," Samika replied calmly. "The Council has foreseen great things for you, Vincent. Your destiny is intertwined with the fate of our realms."
"Wait, so gods and goddesses are real?"
Samika scoffed. "Of course."
"Like Greek and Roman gods and goddesses?"
"Why are you asking as if it's so hard to believe?"
Vincent laughed nervously. "Because it is!"
Samika paused, allowing him a few minutes to let the entire conversation sink in. Finally, Vincent exhaled heavily and faced Samika. "Okay, what about the sister thing? Are you really my sister?"
The young Engkantada chuckled. "No, sorry about that. I ran out of reasons to convince the security guard. It still failed, by the way. He wouldn't let me enter the subdivision."
Vincent leaned back and rubbed his temples. "This is ridiculous. I'm just a regular guy." He paused and fished his phone out of his pocket, which had been vibrating the whole ride. "See this? My boss is trying to call me. I'm 15 minutes late. I am not special. How am I supposed to believe any of this when I'm just a guy trying to make ends meet?"
The cabbie glanced at them suspiciously through the rearview mirror, clearly eavesdropping on their unusual conversation.
Samika continued, "I understand it's a lot to take in." She noticed the driver's sudden interest in their conversation and lowered her voice, almost whispering in Vincent's ear, "Your lineage is extraordinary, Hibionada. You have the blood of the gods running through your veins."
Vincent chuckled dryly. "And what does that even mean? Do I get superpowers or something?"
"Not exactly," Samika said, slightly exasperated. "But you have a responsibility. You can't just ignore it."
As the taxi stopped in front of a hotel building, the driver turned around, eyeing them both with curiosity and suspicion.
"That'll be 213 pesos," he said.
Samika looked at Vincent expectantly. "You can handle this, right?"
Vincent sighed and pulled out his wallet, handing the fare to the driver. "Yeah, sure."
After they got out of the taxi, Samika turned to Vincent. "Thank you. Now, can you assist me with something else?"
Vincent raised an eyebrow. "What now? If it is financially, I can't. I'm poor."
Disregarding his statement, Samika pulled out a small, intricately designed blue card. "I need to withdraw money using this. It was issued by the Council, but I have no idea how to use it in this realm."
Vincent took the card and examined it. "A blue card, huh? Let's see what we can do. First, we need to find an ATM."
The demigod couldn't help but shake his head at the absurdity of the situation as they walked towards the nearest bank. Beside him, Samika gazed around with wide eyes, taking in the sights and sounds of the mortal realm.
"You know, this isn't exactly what I had planned for my evening," Vincent said, trying to lighten the mood. "This day keeps on getting weirder."
Samika gave him a small, appreciative smile. "I understand. It's not every day you learn you're a demigod with a destiny to fulfill, accompanied by an engkantada."
"I'll have to ask you more about that soon."
That simple remark elicited a friendly chuckle from them both. As they reached the bank, Vincent led the way inside. The cool, sterile air of the bank contrasted with the warm evening outside. He guided Samika to an ATM and showed her how to insert the blue card.
"Okay, now you just enter your PIN," Vincent instructed.
Samika nodded and carefully entered a series of numbers written on her wrist. The machine beeped, and the screen prompted her to select an option. She chose to check the account balance.
As the screen processed the request, Vincent glanced around the bank, still half-expecting someone to burst in and tell them it was all a joke. But then, the screen displayed the account balance.
Vincent's eyes widened in shock. "No way..."
He stared at the screen, his jaw dropping. There, in bold numbers, was a balance of several million pesos.
"That's... that's a lot of money," Vincent managed to stammer, still staring at the screen in disbelief.
Samika looked at him, puzzled. "Is it sufficient for our needs?"
Vincent turned to her, shaking his head in amazement. "Sufficient? Samika, this is more money than most people see in their entire lives!"
Samika tilted her head, trying to understand. "The Council ensured that the funds would be adequate for any situation that may arise in the mortal realm."
Vincent let out a low whistle. "Adequate? This is beyond adequate. This is... wow."
He took a deep breath, trying to process the revelation. "Alright, let's withdraw some money," he said, guiding Samika through the process.
As they completed the transaction and walked out of the bank, Vincent couldn't help but glance at Samika with a newfound sense of awe. "You really are full of surprises."
Samika smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "I suppose there's much more for you to learn, Vincent. This is officially the start of our quest."
Vincent's face bore obvious excitement. "I'll submit my resignation right away!"