1.2 A DOGGED APPROACH

  Tikum leaped over a dead log and slowed his mad dash. Things didn't exactly went as planned but he could always try again as long as Ambu was still in reach. He whirled back at the path he took, sweating and panting like a horse. He knew there was enough distance between him and Amburukay, but he needed to be sure. It was a matter of principle. But as he continued deeper into the forest, the shadows grew darker. So, Tikum closed his eyes and listened in for any sound from his would-be pursuer. He opened it again, surveying his surroundings. Overgrown cogon grass grew in between the trees and only the scant but soft gray light of the moon lit the area. It wasn't much of a light but it was enough for a man like Tikum. More than enough for a sneak-thief that is.

  His previous line of work also taught him tricks that he could use in the dark. The Black Dog widened his peripheral vision, adjusting it as steady as he can. A few seconds passed and his eyes were already accustomed to the thick shadows. Just to be safe, Tikum waited a little bit longer. It always paid to be patient. After all, the dark can hide many things. A long span of silence passed and his heart slowed its frantic beating. Nothing and no one hounded the Black Dog this time.

  "Good thing she didn't follow," Tikum whispered, dropping his tensed shoulders. Then, he exhaled deeply as though a heavy weight was lifted away from his chest. For the first time in days, he felt tired, very tired. So, he took his putong off and with it, he wiped the muck that caked his face. "Now, what do we do next, Tikum?" he said as he removed his kangan, careful not to soil the panubok pattern embroidered on it.

  He placed the sleeveless jacket on his other shoulder and eased himself on the tangled roots of a molave to let his weary feet rest. Realizing what tree it was, he took his hilt-less dagger to cut a piece of bark from it. After close examination, he placed it on his wounded shoulder.

  Tikum cursed at the pain, but that was all he could do. After the sting subsided, he tore a piece of cloth from his head-wrap and used it as a knot to hold the bark in place. He was planning on moving on as soon as he mended the gash on his shoulder, but his fatigued mind drifted.

  He thought of the things he needed and wanted to do. There were only few of them, but that didn't mean they were easy. The first one, of course, was rescuing his daughter from the witch. Getting out of the damned island and going back home in Ananipay came close second. And he has to do it before the tides change, leaving too soon would be risking his daughter's life. The sea was still an unforgiving mistress and the rip tides here were infamous. But to do all that, first he needed to reassess his whole approach against Amburukay. He had to plan this out and think it through. She was too powerful. Which was not a surprise in itself. He was, after all, against the best of the manghihiwits, and one of the most ruthless person to walk the winding paths of Vijayas. Amburukay is still one of the remaining gifted ones who could tap to the dark powers of Gadlum, the shadow realm. One of the few who could probably hold herself against a devata and he knew for a fact that the gods of Vijayas weren't push-overs. It was a scary truth he could never deny. He shook his head– too much was at stake. Too many things could go wrong against an enemy far more powerful than any mortal man.

  Tikum thought of the tools he could use against her, but nothing seemed to work on someone like Amburukay. They knew each other too well for any of his ploys to succeed. Familiarity made it harder to surprise her.

  After three long years, Amburukay seemed to pick up new tricks too. Things she could never have learned from their former master, Sri Kihod. It was clear when she outwitted Tikum to get Ukok. Stealing her at the dead of the night was unexpected. Night raids were not exactly Amburukay's forte but she did it flawlessly. He grumbled a curse, promising not to do the same mistakes again.

  Tikum shook his head and let out a heavy sigh. Maybe rushing things weren't the right way. At first, his plan was to close the distance between them as fast as he could. Basically, take the fight to her but it was easier said than done. The results spoke the truth. Barring the use of sorcery, the woman could still fight with ferocity and cunning. She reminded him of a story his mother used to tell him when he was Ukok's age. It was about a vengeful tigress ready and willing to do anything to get what she wanted. It was a simple tale of vengeance and it seemed like it was the perfect fit for Amburukay.

  Tikum clicked his tongue as he strapped his double-bit axe behind him. Too many things were on his mind. And none of them were particularly helpful for his cause. He sheathed his dagger on his side with a dismayed look on his face. "What I'd give for a bow and an arrow, right now." A short laughter escaped his mouth. "Or an army of warrior serfs." The first was not easy to acquire and the second belonged to the realm of the impossible. Tough luck. He cussed.

  Tikum thought of improving his chances. But he was ill-prepared and from the looks of it, he could easily be overpowered by the likes of his foe if they meet again. But he still didn't want to give up for his Ukok. He could never do that. Tikum started to feel the weight and pressure of his goal. All the sleepless nights. All the fights and struggles he faced. All of it came rushing back and with that, he felt weariness wash all over him. Bruised and sore, he leaned on the trunk to nod off for a bit to let his mind rest. Maybe some shut-eye could clear his muddy thoughts. But a series of scratching sounds startled his senses to alertness. He quickly sprung to a crouch behind the tree, unstrapping his weapon in one swift motion.

  A couple of yards away the thick bush shook, its leaves falling to the ground. A moment of tense silence crawled between Tikum and the darkness as the leaves rustled with the same intensity once more.

  "Whoever you are... come out there, so you could meet Hutik," Tikum whispered as he raised his axe, holding the weapon with a mix of excitement and dread. He was clueless as to what it was and he caught himself hoping for it to be Amburukay, and not the foul dark things that dwell in the wretched island. It was better if it was her. Better because he could at least reason with the woman. Monsters in this region tend to eat first and never ask questions later after all.

  A long span of uncertainty stretched between Tikum and the thing in the bushes and it grated at him. So, he made up his mind. He drew closer and was about to strike first when without warning something shrouded by the shadows scurried out of the brush and went straight towards him. He held his weapon tighter and was about to let Hutik fly, but he realized he didn't have to as the thing from the bushes took a sudden turn towards the deeper part of the forest the moment it saw him.

  "Gi-atay." Tikum let out a heavy sigh. It was only a spotted deer. Their small narrow face and spotted fur wasn't easy to miss. The ratty-faced creatures were plenty here on this small island. Tikum sat back on the roots, relief written all over his face. "Just an overgrown rat, nothing more." He smiled at his own little joke. But with lean, gamey meat sought by hunters and poachers all over the Great Archipelago.

  Tikum stomach growled just thinking of it. A roasted deer would've tasted awfully good right about that moment. The only problem was catching them. He shrugged thinking about it. Like all things you just need the proper bait to catch them, nothing more. Then, it dawned on him, he can still defeat Amburukay on his own.

  "I just need a proper bait," he said to himself, a ghost of a smile forming on his lips. "A proper one that fits a manghihiwit."

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  ***

  Amburukay swayed her shoulders as she sang the child on her arms to sleep atop the towering block of limestone. Once in awhile, she would scan the place for any sign of Tikum. She knew he was watching her right that moment, hiding and planning his next move in the darkness of the night. She knew how Tikum dealt with things. She knew how he tricks his enemies into thinking he'll do something and do the exact opposite. He was clearly testing her patience here, looking for an opportunity to turn the tables against her. She stroked the sleeping child's forehead with her blackened fingers.

  Every inch of Amburukay felt tired and using the little magic in the island was taking its toll on her body, but she was far from giving all this up. It was not the time to quit. Especially now, when she has what she wanted after three long years. Has it been that long? No, it must have been longer.

  She took a deep breath. Many things had happened to her between those years. Far too many to think of one by one. And most of them were bad memories, but it didn't matter that much for her now. For as long as she had Ukok on her arms she was satisfied. Well, almost. The only thing missing was Tikum, but his betrayal left a foul taste on her lips. She smiled, entertaining the idea that she'd settle for the man's head instead...

  Amburukay suddenly laughed at the idea of ending Tikum. Maybe I'll give him a chance, she thought. But again, it would all be up to Tikum himself to choose if he wanted it to be a fighting chance. Or a chance to surrender. She sighed, feeling the small aches all over her body. She wanted a much needed distraction from the thoughts of the past and a much needed rest for the present. But not now, she uttered to the cold winds. Not until she captured Tikum Kadlum. Not after he pays for all the misdeeds he had done.

  Amburukay studied the treeline below with only the moon and the stars to light her. A normal person would've had difficulties seeing through the gloom, but Amburukay could see the lay of the land before her clearer than any owl could. It was just one of the many perks of having a pure buruhisan bloodline. She turned her head towards the north and the faint smell of salt water made her crinkle her nose. The island was surrounded by cliffs that kissed the raging sea of Vijayas. Cliffs so high no one would dare scale it and waters so deep that it could give even the best swimmers a bad time. All of it acting as a natural barrier to keep things in. Or to keep things out.

  "A perfect trap," Amburakay said to herself as she remembered the words of her master.

  The only way out of the island was the valley behind her that lead to Kihod, a port town named after the island's first ruler- a sorcerer datu who fought and rebelled against the rajahnate years ago, a man whom she treated like her own father. A masterful manghihiwit whose powers she long surpassed with mere grit and sacrifice. She raised her hand in front of her, flexing every finger as a shade of regret masked her face.

  "Would you frown upon me right now, master Kihod? Your very own apprentice torn to pieces by her own powers?" She tried to remember the happier days before their schism. Before everything changed. Before all the betrayal and abandonment. She smiled for no reason. "You've always warned me about him. Always told me to be careful. If you can see me right now would you tell me that you were right? Or would you understand?"

  Before Amburukay could continue an inhuman screech startled her. It was followed by another cry coming from the trees just below her. And finally from the thick greenery behind her. Amburukay licked her lips as she braced herself. "Make a sound in the east then strike in the west, " she said, shaking her head, tone a bit dismayed. "You're making this too easy Tikum Kadlum."

  She raised her blackened finger, whispering the enchantment under her breath. Without any foreword, she sent a bolt of black lightning through the bushes where the noise came. All she heard back was a squawking sound of something dying and the scent of seared flesh. A worried look dawned on Amburukay's face as she sprung from her perch, leaving the sleeping Ukok behind. She proceeded to her dying quarry, heart beating so fast she felt numbed.

  "Did you ever think I was that easy to fool?" she said without conviction as she approached the shadow-covered shrubbery. "I told you time and time again, I'm not some simple-minded woman you can trick," she added as she raised her sorcerous finger at the singed greenery in front of her, taking small measured steps. "You could've surrendered, Tikum. I could've pardoned you... forgiven you. If you only begged for it."

  She shook her head. Amburukay didn't expect that the Black Dog would rush things this way. It didn't came to her mind that the sly Tikum would go down this easily too. Not this way. To be sure, she halted and whispered a hex, sending it down the overgrown shrub. It was something simple to make everything stay where they should be. She sighed as she made her way closer.

  "But you didn't. So, now you failed." She concentrated for another spell. "Why? Well, because you lack something."

  She spoke the arcane words. This time, instead of a foul killing magic, a rogue wind tore and blasted at the defenseless shrubbery, tearing it all asunder from the roots. What her magic unveiled surprised and shocked Amburukay.

  "No–" she trailed off as the dying spotted deer in front of her took its last breath. "You scum!" she whispered to herself as she realized that it was a mere distraction for Tikum's trap. She cursed as she tried to turn and face her foe, preparing another hex. But before she could act Tikum lunged from his cover, tackling her down. Both manghihiwit and man fell flat on the ground a few feet from each other, both a bit disoriented by the impact. But Tikum scrambled up first, unstrapping his deadly axe in one hand and unsheathing his dagger with the other.

  Digging his feet on the ground he began his attack. What seemed like seconds felt like eternity for him as he rushed towards Amburukay with the beginning of a war cry escaping his dry mouth. He knew that this was his opportunity and it was ripe for the taking but a pang of hesitation clung to his heart– it only took a mere fraction of a second but it was more than enough to let the roots of doubt envelope his heart and drain his resolve. He cursed himself. This was not the time for fear. But something was undeniably true, he was still a coward and this brash approach might spell his doom. He might die here.

  Tikum's feet felt heavy with every stride as he neared Amburukay but he could not turn back now. His sheer momentum would leave him unbalance giving his foe an opening. He had to end this– end Amburukay. But could he really do that to her? His grip tightened on his axe and he felt his chest constrict as he snarled at her serene visage a few feet away from him. That was the exact moment he realized his mistake.

  Tikum's jaw dropped and his breath hitched when he saw his cunning target smile straight at him. It was a mirthless one, the kind she reserved only for those she despised. He knew it too well, seen it a hundred times over and it was the only hint he needed. As he tried to slow his dash, she opened her arms for Tikum as though she was waiting for a lover's warm embrace.

  Tikum cursed. He can't run now. Even if his good sense told him to. He would not be able to escape.

  "You really don't disappoint do you?" Amburukay said as the desperate and terror-stricken Tikum leaped to sever her head with his axe. "And you still don't think things through," she added, as her mind dove deep into the dark waters of concentration. With the flick of her blackened finger, the night air vibrated as though time decided to stop and linger, slowing everything within a dozen feet around her, even his vicious swing halted mid-way. Then she uttered her spell and an invisible pulse followed a breath later, dropping Tikum down the ground like a boulder dashed from a cliff. In a breath, Tikum's will to fight was taken from him as his consciousness abandoned the Black Dog.

  Amburukay walked towards the prone man, stifling her heavy coughing. She tried to cover her mouth, but instead tasted blood. Alarmed, the manghihiwit hesitated for a brief second. It was her magic's toll. The cost of being too powerful. She wiped her lips dry. But all of it was worth it, she thought as she ignored the fatigue that burdened every inch of her body.

  As Amburukay approached Tikum, she staggered to a stop, feeling a bit dizzy. "The will to sacrifice yourself," she said, after catching her breath. "That's what you always lacked."

  As she drew closer, the manghihiwit spat dark blood. Things were not getting any easier as another coughing fit overwhelmed her. But as she struggled, only one thing was on her mind, the person to blame for all of this. Everything was because of one man's folly. Hate and disgust curtained her pearl white face as she stared at the Black Dog.

  "That's the difference with you and I," she said to the unconscious man as the creeping clouds behind her covered the fang-like moon, giving a ghastly gray tint at everything around them. And for a second, all became silent in the island of sorcerers. The manghihiwit soaked in the moment of respite, raising her head to the heavens. When she was finally satisfied, the witch anchored her eyes back on Tikum Kadlum. "You will always let fear shape you. That's why I will always win," she whispered. "And that's why you will always fail."