Dr. Elena Cruz, a renowned medical anthropologist and expert in reading Baybayin, the ancient script of the Filipinos, gazed out the window of her vehicle. She couldn't hide her excitement when she heard about the newly discovered cave with symbols or writings resembling the ancient Filipino script. New clues, new possibilities. That's all she could think about since she received the phone call.
There was a hidden cave in Angono with writings on the wall, symbols untouched by time. Waiting to be studied.
Dr. Elena had extensive experience in reading old Filipino scripts, but... this felt different. These symbols might be the key to discovering a new chapter of history—something no one else knew. She had been assigned to examine this latest discovery. Just thinking about it, she couldn't hide the excitement in her eyes. The thought of being the first to see these symbols, hidden for so long, made her heart race with anticipation.
As their vehicle headed down the road to Rizal, Elena's mind was filled with all sorts of possibilities. Could this reveal ancient medical practices? What would she discover? Whatever she found in that cave, she knew it could change everything. She could be the key to uncovering this secret for the world to see.
As her crew continued on the road toward their destination, they could barely contain their excitement with each step closer. The cold mist surrounding them, along with the sound of insects in the forest, matched the rhythm of her thoughts. When they arrived at their destination, they didn't immediately see the cave entrance. Numerous plants and thick vines were covering it. Elena's heart started to race. "This is it. We're here," she thought.
She turned to their guide, Kuya Pilo, a native of Angono. "Kuya, is this the place?"
"Yes, ma'am," Kuya Pilo calmly confirmed. "This is where the locals found the cave, and they reported it to the municipality."
Elena looked at the thick vines and plants covering the entrance. "Kuya, can we cut through those vines with a bolo?"
"Yes, Ma'am. We'll take care of it," Kuya Pilo confidently replied, drawing his bolo.
When the thick vines were cut away, the dark, damp mouth of the cave was revealed. A cold breeze flowed out from the entrance, carrying the scent of earth and moss. Elena stepped back to let Kuya Pilo and his companions enter first.
"Ma'am, we'll go in first to check if there are any animals inside," Kuya Pilo said as he adjusted the light on his helmet.
Elena nodded and told her team to prepare. They all turned on their headlamps. Dr. Elena's team went in after Kuya Pilo and his companions.
As they entered the cave, darkness swallowed their shadows as they moved deeper inside. Elena's heartbeat quickened. She was eager to know what secrets awaited her.
When the beam of the headlamp hit the cave walls, Elena gasped. Her eyes widened in amazement. "Wow!" She couldn't hold back her exclamation. She was certain the symbols were Baybayin script. They were etched into the cold stones, untouched for centuries.
A sudden spark of excitement filled her chest. She was ready to begin. She turned to her team, almost trembling with excitement, and said, "Get ready, team! Let's get started immediately!"
They quickly and eagerly set up their equipment—cameras, notebooks, brushes, and lights. Elena approached the wall and carefully placed her gloved hands on the etched symbols.
"This is real." After all these years, she had finally found it. She could barely contain her eagerness to start deciphering the messages hidden in these ancient symbols.
As Elena carefully examined the engravings, she noticed a distinct word. "Me-te-m-p-si-ko-s" … Metempsikos?" She whispered, frowning in confusion. "Transmigration of the Soul." Greek? Why is there a Greek word in these ancient inscriptions? She stood up and repeated the word aloud.
"METEMPSIKOS."
As soon as she spoke the word, the ground shook. A sudden earthquake rocked the cave. Elena's team panicked and scrambled as rocks and dust began to fall from the cave ceiling. Shouts echoed as they searched for a way out.
In the chaos, Elena heard her teammates calling her. "Elena, where are you? Let's get out!" Suddenly, her headlamp went out, plunging her into darkness. Separated from her team, she couldn't see the way out. Panic and fear overwhelmed her. "I need to get out." In her confusion, she lost her balance and hit her head on the cave wall.
The impact was so strong that she nearly lost consciousness, feeling the warm blood trickling down the side of her face. Her vision started to blur, and her strength began to fade.
"Am I going to die?" No! I don't want to! I haven't finished uncovering the secret of these symbols. I still have so much to do. But her heartbeat slowed, and her consciousness began to slip away. As she slid down the cave wall, her hand brushed against the etched symbols.
Unbeknownst to her, her head had struck the exact spot where the word Metempsikos was engraved. As her blood dripped onto the ancient inscription, the earthquake suddenly stopped, leaving an eerie silence.
Just before she completely lost consciousness, a soft light appeared before her. The word METEMPSIKOS began to glow. The entire cave was filled with a strange light, and her mind began to drift away.
Then, everything went dark.