On the ship Nao Trinidad...

  The man from the lower decks, if he was even qualified to be called one, looked as if he was in between sleep and waking as he struggled to wipe his eyes. After a while, he finally shook his head to clear the cobwebs of sleep that lingered on his weary soul. All the eyes of the ship's crew were transfixed on him and time seemed to slow down and stop for them all. A crewman even gave a lazy whistle, summing all their thoughts. The man or more accurately, the giant inspired awe and fear by merely standing on the deck. He stood twice as wide and twice as muscled than the Captain General himself and tattoos covered the left side of his head down to his foot.

  A genuine pintado, Magalhaes thought.

  The giant finally pushed through his sleepiness and walked with a confident gait, even though his wardrobe was limited to only a loincloth dyed seaweed green. The giant flail strapped in his hip swung up and down as he walked towards Magalhaes. Behind him a young man followed. To call the trailing man skin and bones would've been the understatement of the decade. His head swiveled back and forth like some cornered vermin, watching for any trouble. His veined ears were too long and his thick pale lips trembled as he came out in the open, the perfect contrast of Siagu the giant.

  Magalhaes waved at him. "Come Mallaca, come here, now."

  The thin man adjusted his ill-fitting trousers and overtook the giant who still walked leisurely along and through the awestruck deck. Magalhaes placed his heavy hand on Mallaca's bony shoulder.

  "Translate what I say to this buffoon."

  Mallaca nodded earnestly to his master.

  "You said it was smooth sailing," Magalhaes said while the slave tried his best to translate every word, adding some words here and there so as not to anger the looming giant. "You said it'll be a swift journey. Being reefed is definitely not smooth sailing nor is it a swift one!"

  The giant scratched his bald pate and looked down at the thin man and the Captain General. "Me? Me promise not smooth boating. Me, Siagu promise instead only to bring kapitan what desperately he needs. And this is exchange for Siagu's dream, for his revenge, yes?" Siagu finished it with a toothy smile.

  Magalhaes knew how useless and hard to argue with the freak so instead he said: "Siagu, are you sure that is it, and that we aren't lost?" He pointed towards the direction of their destination. Towards their last chance to save their expedition. "Are you damn sure that's it?"

  Mallaca translated it as fast as he could.

  "Kapitan, must you think twice on Siagu's word?" the giant replied with his booming voice. "Siagu is greatest warrior of his land and he never has lie! A bagani never lies, for his words is honor! Doubt me not!"

  He was confident as though speaking Magalhaes' language came second nature to him. Magalhaes sighed in reply and like his parrot, Mallaca, did the same thing.

  But the giant wasn't finished. "Siagu would like to ask kapitan. Since we're already here, can Siagu take one of kapitan's small boat to find his enemy? Me, Siagu shall return small boat after. Me promise with his flail."

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  He raised his flail, his face as serious as a grave. If anyone found the giant's manner of speaking funny none expressed it in front of him.

  Magalhaes shook his head but relented, "Sergeant, give this caveman his due, lower one of the most rickety boat we have and give him enough provision to survive a day."

  He turned towards Siagu. "May you find your father's killer and with it your death you fucking dolt." He finished it with a toothy smile of his own.

  Mallaca translated everything except the last part. He, instead, wished Siagu the best of luck as though the giant even needed one. Siagu patted the captain's shoulder and smiled as genial as his big grotesque face permitted him to before he made his way to his small boat.

  ***

  The two other ships were anchored away from the coral reefs and a dozen boats rowed away to their destination, Captain General Magalhaes in the middle of it all. Not far from him, Captain Barboza, the captain of Nao Victoria led the other group to shore with his own boats. Magalhaes could still hear the giant singing nonsense as he rowed away towards a smaller island. When he asked his slave, Mallaca, he replied that he could only understand some parts of the song. He said it was about the giant's father being beheaded and about him avenging his father's legacy.

  A jolly song then, thought Magalhaes. Honestly, the captain general was both relieved and regretful as the giant man went his own way. Relieved that he'd no longer hear the giant droning about righteous vengeance and the Baganis' ways, whatever that may be. And regretful since coming back to Espa?a with a living specimen like Siagu would've made him a rich man, but alas he must keep his word, he thought. Such was the life of an honorable man. His men rowed faster and faster to overtake Barboza's boats, jeering at the other crewmen. Magalhaes could almost feel their competitive spirit. Of course, they all needed to be competitive to survive this long, he thought. Only the fiercest of men could continue such a dangerous journey and they all needed to have fiery hearts to do so. Captain Duarte Barboza only smiled through his curled mustache and tipped his hat as Magalhaes crew finally reached the beach first.

  ***

  "Land ho!" squeaked one of Magalhaes crewmen while the others pounded their fist in the air in excitement.

  The other boats landed in the beach and their passengers waded the thigh-high water to reach the white sands of the island. Kelp and other seaweeds littered the mile long beach and no other soul was in sight. Most of the crew struggled because of their heavy silver helmets and armors, but all were determined and ready to overcome the challenge. The small strip of beach soon faded as coconut palm trees and other green tropical plants crowded the island. Thatch roof popped here and there in the side of the tree covered mountain. A few migratory birds even flew away from the treeline upon their arrival.

  Magalhaes adjusted his sword. "Always be ready but remember what we came here for. Sergeant, kindly signal our ship." The sergeant obeyed and a minute later a volley from the ship's cannon thundered down the island. "Quiet." Magalhaes raised his hand. All obeyed him without a word and stood in silence. "Did you hear that?"

  The captain general turned his head towards the tree line, his ears straining to hear any sound. Nothing. He shook his head. Was it just my imagination? he thought. Maybe it's just the heat. Maybe it was just his excitement overcoming his good sense. When he finally convinced himself that what he heard was of no importance the sudden sound of ruffling leaves and breaking twigs from the thick bushes came again. It was too vague. But it was definitely there.

  "Something's coming our way," he said with a smile. Everyone halted their advance, all their faces tense in anticipation. Magalhaes drew his blade and the rest followed suit as they raised their own swords, muskets and halberds, evidently prepared to fight whatever beast hid in the shadows. Mallaca on the other hand almost wet his trousers in fear as he hid behind the sweat soaked Mortez.

  Magalhaes waved his hands at his men to lower their weapons. Then, he turned and smiled at them. "Don't be too jumpy boys it's probably just the witless bird–" Before he could finish the last word, three men leaped out from the greenery behind him with bamboo spears. Their eyes darting from left to right with surprise and awe...