3.4 A LOYAL DOG
"Let the children go," Jurah said as Birang tied her up with the still unconscious Milong using a rattan rope.
"If they're with you then they're buruhisans as well," Dumot said while tying Ukok and Mendang near one of the corners of the ruined temple. "That means more loots for us."
Jurah struggled in her restraints. "They don't have anything to do with this."
"Will you shut up?" Dumot replied, pummeling the ati woman in the head with his club. She went limp as soon as the strike landed. "See? Now it's quiet without you yammering about."
"I think we should go out of here," Birang said, looking around nervously.
Dumot's head snapped to his direction. "What?"
"Don't really like this place," Birang whispered, looking too agitated for his own sake. He paced around at a distance from everyone, occasionally staring at the peculiar balete tree behind him. "This isn't a place for man to stay. Can... can I go now, boss?"
Silotan ignored him as he brandished his kampilan, facing the Black dog. "Now choose. Right or left?" He pointed at Tikum's hand.
"Gi-atay," Tikum said, helping himself to stand. "Can we talk this over first?"
Old man Silotan kick one of his knees sending him back down. "Enough! I won't give you an ounce of chance this time."
"Well, I'm guessing talking's not your style," Tikum said. "How about-"
Before the Black Dog could finish his next word a scream from Birang's mouth cut him off. But when they turned to his direction the lanky man was nowhere to be found. It was as if the shadows conspired with the wind to snatch him away.
"What the hell, Birang?" Silotan said, "Birang you coward! Come back here." No one answered back as the light of the campfire dwindled like a dying candle.
"Birang, you runt," Dumot said. "He probably ran back to the cross road." He shook his head, joining Silotan's side. "What do we do next, master?"
"Gather the children and meet up with Birang. I'll handle these lot. Surely, Datu Magung will still pay a hefty price even if we only bring him a buruhisan's head, right?"
"Course, the Toad king will." Dumot nodded as he dragged the children. He took the shortest route back to the cross road, ignoring the children's plea for freedom.
Silotan approached the kneeling Tikum. "Now, where were we?"
"You were about to free us," Tikum said.
"Oh, you think this is all fun and jokes?"
Tikum didn't answer back. He was going to, but something caught his attention. Something behind Silotan. Something very big. His jaw slackened, seeing glimpses of the things crawling behind the fool in front of him.
"Speak up!" Silotan said, "Beg like a dog. Cry like a coward!"
This time the Black Dog only shook his head as he saw a silhouette slither from the balete's branches. With a trembling finger and a bouncing heart, he pointed at the foul beast behind the bearded old man.
"You think that trick will help you?" Silotan said to Tikum as he raised his kampilan towards the fearful timawa. "You're not going to fool me!" Silotan swung his kampilan down on Tikum but stopped when a frightful cry pierced the night air.
The medley of animal sounds soon rose around them. And as the jungle's beastly choir members created chaos and spread dread, the ancient fiend on the bleached balete tree joined them with its unearthly song. When Silotan turned, he saw the thing drop down its entirety from the ancient tree. He paused struck by cold terror. He knew what it was but could not believe his luck. "Oh, my god it's... it's a-"
"Macupo!" Jurah stammered. When she shouted again, the awakened Milong joined her. "It's a macupo!" they screamed in unison, voices wavering in fright.
And it was a macupo. The two mangled horns that sat on its head like a crown, its scales that changed its color like the rainbow after a soft shower, those amber colored eyes and those dagger-length fangs, dripping with acidic venom. It was surely the slithering creature of legend, the giant serpent only found in the deep jungles in the island of Buglas. The material form of one of Devata Luyong Kabig, the goddess of snakes, voracious children. The same fiend that lured people with its song, only to feast on them when it saw its chance. And like the legends, it was thrice longer than a man and when it struck, Silotan didn't even had a chance to flee. Or to even cry for help.
Desperately, he tried to fight his way from its strangling embrace- and it was admirable... valiant at best. But then again it was also futile as the shower of caustic spittle from the serpent's maw ate through his flesh and melted his kampilan sword. Then the monster struck, biting half of the man off and dropping the lower half behind.
Still prone, Tikum hastily unclasped Hutik from what remained of Silotan. The weapon itself was still on the old man's lubid belt, untouched by the fiend's acid saliva. Tikum silently hoped the beast would ignore him as he closed in on the others. Crouching on all four, he quickly cut Jurah and Milong's binds. But like always, luck wasn't on his side. For the great macupo turned its angular head towards him, venom slavering at the corner of its scaled jaw, killing anything it touched.
"Gi-atay," Tikum whispered as the beast shifted its weight to get a better look at him. The serpent reeled and paused before vomiting Silotan's undigested half to the ground.
"Spread out! It can't attack us all at once," Tikum whispered to his companions as he saw their chance for escape.
Milong took Tikum's right flank as soon as he can while Jurah took the opposite. Slowly the three backed away from the giant serpent, making as little noise as they can.
"I have a plan," Milong whispered as he edged himself near the campfire that was now at full blaze as though in anticipation of the things to come.
When the macupo turned to him to strike Jurah played a tune with a leaf to distract it. It was the same trick she used to awe the children earlier that night. But this time her music sounded like a flute. And as though hypnotized the horned serpent swayed its head mimicking the tune that came from the atis' lips. Not far from them, Tikum aimed Hutik at the macupo's head, his breathing slow and measured as though he was whispering a silent mantra.
And without forethought he shouted to the monster, "Go kiss my axe!"
He then threw Hutik with all the strength in his arm, turning it into a black streak, splitting the beast's skull clean. Well, that was how he imagined the result would be, but reality was far from it because before the black steel struck its target, the macupo parried it using its mangled horns. Surprised and confused, the beast sprayed venom all over the place and all Tikum and his companions could do was leap away from it and hope that it didn't decide to follow through with another attack. The three scrambled out of the macupo's way and went farther through the maze-like ruins on the other side of the hill.
"What's your plan, uripon?" Tikum said to Milong, leading the race of their lives. He placed a hand on his chest. His rib still ached and it was slowing him down.
"I need someone to distract the creature to make it work," Milong answered, barely catching with the Black Dog. "And we need to circle back to the camp."
"Gi-atay. Where's Jurah?" Tikum said as they turned a corner.
"She... she was just behind me. Didn't notice her. What do we do?"
The two climbed over a toppled wall and slowed down.
"Well, we could just make a run for it," Tikum said, turning his back to check if the macupo followed them. But it was too dark to tell. Well, that and the fact that he was too terrified to really find out.
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"No, we're not going to do any of that," Milong whispered. "We're going to find her."
"Says, who?"
"Says, the man who owns the horse. You want a deal, Tikum Kadlum? I'll give it to you if you help me. That's my price!"
"I could just take the damn horse from you."
"Then, who's gonna help you find our daughters, huh? I know where they'll take her."
Tikum didn't reply as he pushed Milong towards a dark crevice. The man was right- their daughters were more important. Their lives depended on it and time was something he could not spare. Tikum thought of Ukok. Working with other people always spelled bad for him. But this time it was going to be worth it. Or he was going to make it work.
The Black Dog sighed, entertaining the idea that the uripon might have been wrong about him earlier. He spat. "You want a distraction? Then, you'll have it." He shook his head and grunted in pain. "Just make sure you don't waste this cause I'll drag you to the grave with me if you do," Tikum said, facing the on-coming macupo a couple of yards away. "And the deal with the horse is on."
Seeing the Black Dog halt in the middle of the path, the fiend struck but venomous fangs only tasted rock and dust as Tikum awkwardly dodged it. He let out a yelp as he staggered and righted himself up before the beast could turn and strike again. "Do your plan, Milong," Tikum screamed as he led the fiend away. "Do it, so we could save our daughters!"
Tikum wasn't the heroic type and quickly regretted his decision. As he sprinted for his life in the ruins the macupo hounded his heels, venomous maw poised for another strike. He zigged and zagged around every obstacle making it hard for the giant serpent to strike, causing it instead to smash through walls and blocks of cut stone, raining destruction and debris all over the place and slowing itself down. Recognizing that he was circling back towards their camp, Tikum formed a plan of his own. It wasn't his best but it was something and something was always better than nothing. As soon as his feet touched the campsite he went straight through his belongings. "Gi-atay. Where the hell are you?" Tikum said, hands trembling as he emptied the canvas bag near the dying flame of the campfire. He grabbed his hilt-less dagger and desperately kept on looking. But it was no where to be found. He gritted his teeth. Why were the things you were looking for suddenly disappear when you needed them the most? He swallowed a curse.
He was about to give up when he remembered that what he was looking for was in Milong's possession. He turned to where the uripon laid earlier and smiled. He finally found it. The bamboo bottle half-full of arak! But before he could use it, the fire in the midst of their camp finally went out and everything went dark.
"Gi-atay," he whispered, realizing he was holding his breath for far too long.
Tikum was about to protest against his misfortune when a sonorous sound from the blackest womb of the night rang around him, silencing the crickets. He swallowed the clump on his throat as his heart sank deep down his gut. Things were about to get a lot worse. He took a step towards the wall behind him and unsheathed his hilt-less dagger as fast as he can. He was cornered, but he wasn't going out without a fight. He was not about to give up on himself. Or on Ukok. More importantly on Ukok!
Tikum tightened his grip on the arak canteen and his trusty blade as the glowing orb-like eyes of the huge macupo fixed its sights on him. It approached him, slithering like a king cobra, swaying its head side to side, teasing its helpless prey. It halted in front of Tikum as the manling tried to find a way of escape towards the darkness. Then, the macupo lowered its head, venomous tongue lolling inches from its meal. As though contented with its cornered prize, it raised its head to strike at the ignorant Tikum. But as soon as it did so, Milong came crashing down on it, mounted on his white horse with a flaming torch on hand like some regal bagani warrior.
"Run, Tikum! Run and escape!" he screamed, voice wavering in terror. But Tikum didn't move. Or he couldn't. Fear had struck him dumb.
"Go, stupid!" Milong added, pulling the reins to control the frightened horse while waving the torch against the macupo. "I can't hold it any longer!"
"This was your plan?" Tikum shook his head as sense finally took hold on him. "Ramming the horse on it?" He threw the bottle of arak on the fiend's head, covering it with the strong liquor.
"What in Maguayen's hells are you trying to do?" Milong said, barely holding on the horse's reins as the giant serpent circled around them, "Drown it with arak and hope it gets drunk?"
Tikum didn't answer. In retaliation, the beast swung its scaled tail like a whip towards the former timawa, but the Black Dog dodged it. Instead, it struck Milong, almost dismounting him. The uripon dropped? his torch and took the reins with both hands, trying to brace himself for another strike. But when the blow came it was too strong, sending him and the horse to the opposite wall with a crashing thud. Angered, the hissing macupo sprayed its vile venom around itself, randomly attacking the ruins in its rage. Tikum, seeing his chance, scrambled and ducked from the acid spittle, grabbing the torch on the ground. But it only turned the furious macupo's attention on him.
Face to face with the humongous fiend, Tikum did what any man would do on that situation. And that was to run, but not to the opposite direction like most sensible men would do- he was not there to flee. Instead, he ran as fast as his aching feet can towards the famed monster of Buglas with the torch in his hand, smashing it between its head and lighting the arak all over it on fire. The flame quickly rose to an angry blaze.
Well, one thing you could say about Tikum is that sometimes he'll literally run towards trouble.
The beast cried, this time not with a song, but with a cry of hate and pain. A cry that made everyone in the vicinity stop and listen in terror. A blood curdling shriek followed, spreading dread to all who would listen. In its agony it began writhing all over the place, colliding on the ancient masonry, demolishing all signs of the man-made ruins as the fire on its head mixed with its caustic venom to conflagrate like a burning star. Acting on instinct, the macupo went back to its lair, back to the bleached-white balete. In its retreat it did not forget the man who injured it. It would return, then, it would stalk and hunt the fool mortal. But as it crawled in haste and climb the balete it only made things worse as the whole tree caught on fire too.
With the macupo's weight and thrashing, the tree's trunk gave way, splintering and crashing down on Tikum who was still nursing his rib near a broken portion of the wall. All the man could do was raised his dagger as the burning beast gave its last vengeful attempt to end his life with its fangs. All of it unfolded as Jurah, who chased down the hunchback and rescue the children, arrived. She gasped and held the children tighter, shielding them away from all the burning debris when that began crashing down towards the Black Dog. Smoke and dust covered the campsite and all they could do was cough? their lungs out.
The uripon, Milong, limped his way to join them still a bit groggy. "What in Sulad's name happened here?"
"Tikum," Jurah answered pointing at the serpent as it gave its last death throes.
"Did he-" Milong paused, looking at Tikum's daughter? and then back to Jurah. "Oh, no." He place a hand on Ukok's bald head, tears welling from his eyes.
Milong leaned closer giving the children a much needed embrace. But instead of crying Ukok slapped his hands away and shouted. "Bapa! Bapa!"
Milong shook his head. "No, Ukok. No. There's nothing we can do about it."
"But its Bapa! He's trying to come for me."
"No, Ukok. No. Your da's in Sulad now. But it's okay it'll be okay cause we're here."
"No! Bapa!" Ukok said. "He's still alive." And like an answered prayer from all of the many fickle gods of Buglas things went right this time. Or so they thought.
"Shush, little mongrel. Didn't? I tell you to it's rude to scream?," a voice answered in the midst of the smoke and dust, making everyone turn their heads towards it.
Tikum staggered out of the ruins covered in dust and soot. "And why are you so noisy all of a sudden?"
"Bapa!" Ukok said to Tikum.
Looking at everyone, her father smiled an impish smile. "Did anyone see that?" He paused and gave out a heavy sigh. "Cause I ain't doing that again."
Tikum took a step and felt the ground tilt around him as dizziness tried to drag him down. Still unfazed, he tried to shrug it off, but instead he slumped to the grass-laden ground unconscious, macupo's broken fang stuck on his back.
Seeing it, Jurah and Milong came by his side as swift as they can, leaving the children behind.
"Is he dead?" the uripon whispered.
"No." Jurah checked Tikum's pulse. "He's still breathing. Barely at that, but I think he'll die if we don't get that thing off his back."
"Oh, gods." Milong said, seeing the broken fang half embedded on Tikum. "What can I do?"
"You? Nothing," Jurah said, placing a hand near Tikum's wound. "Me? Well, things get a little bit interesting if you ask me that." Slowly, she took the broken fang from Tikum's side, staunching the bleeding with a piece of cloth. Then, her palm began to glow bright as she placed it above Tikum's wound.
Milong's jaw dropped. "You said you weren't a burihisan. You told us earlier that those brigands were wrong-"
"Well, I lied," the ati said, grimacing as she focused her magic. "People lie, Milong. That's what we're all good at."
"How can you do that?"
Jurah ignored him and sighed as cold sweat curtained her face. "I think I can hold his kalag before it goes to Sulad and leave the Living realm."
"Can you really do that? Can you save his soul from Death?"
Jurah shook her head. "I don't know. But I have to try." She concentrated and let her mist-like aura enveloped Tikum's body.
It was worth a shot, she convinced herself. But she had to be swift or Tikum's soul could drift to Sulad, the realm of the dead, and all will be for nothing. Moments later, she grimaced again as pain came at her in waves. She closed her eyes muttering again words too foreign for Milong's ear to comprehend. After awhile, her aura wavered into nothing. She sighed and pushed herself away as soon as Tikum began to breathe normally.
Milong's eyes widened. "What did you do, Jurah?"
"Gave him a chance," she said, voice gravelly and dry, both hands trembling. "A fighting chance."
"What?"
"I sent his soul to Handuman. It's probably in the Dream realm by now." She stood up, facing Milong. "It's better than Sulad if you ask me."
"That sounded like a problem. Why does it sound like a problem, Jurah?" Milong cleared his throat, face as pale as the moon. "And what do we actually do now?"
"We'll have to prepare." Jurah turned to Tikum. "Because we're going to have to fetch his soul back from the Dream realm. It can't stay there for long. But first, we have to help him and mend his wounds." She placed a hand on Tikum's forehead. "Then, we do the impossible before he forgets everything." A moment of silence crawled over them before Jurah turned towards Milong and then to Ukok.
"Forget everything?" Milong said, realizing the stakes.
The ati nodded. "Yes. Before Tikum forgets his daughter... and his self."
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