CHAPTER EIGHT
⚔️ "Preparation"
~ Other info ~
One of the forms of discrimination received by Filipinos in the country was the prohibition for indios or low-class citizens from attending college and securing lighter work.
Filipinos or indios (as they were called by the Spaniards) who finished high school were only given "blue-collar" jobs—tasks that often required physical labor and manpower.
Filipino workers were also denied managerial positions in any job or company. They often lacked benefits and received lower wages than what workers typically earned. They did not receive additional pay for overtime and holidays worked.
Because the government prioritized providing jobs to Spaniards residing in the Philippines, many Filipinos were forced to become slaves or domestic helpers just to have food and shelter day to day, for a very long period.
Only the Hilaw (the rich Filipinos who registered as Adopted Children of Spain, or "honorary Spaniards") had the right to receive certain privileges, such as benefits and securing "white-collar" jobs.
Becoming an Honorary Spaniard was not a simple process and was difficult to achieve due to the political maneuvering required to gain the Spaniards' agreement. Only wealthy Filipinos could register for this, due to the large sums of money involved in each step of the process.
Continuation
While Erik was at the rebel camp, Kardo and the vegetable vendors had gone to the police station to report what had happened, and since they had nowhere else to go, they spent the night there.
The next morning, they were still outside the station, begging for help to retrieve their lost belongings and vegetables, but they seemed to be ignored and continuously turned away.
Kardo dared to enter the building again to plead with the station chief.
"Boss, please, we need to get back what they took," Kardo said.
"Sigh, we've been telling you since last night that we are doing our job to find them, but we haven't found a single rebel. It's better if you just wait for updates on the case," he replied.
"But Boss, we can't just wait here. They took a boy captive. Have pity on him," Kardo added to the police officer.
The police officer became irritated by Kardo's persistence in getting them to find the rebels who took the vegetable truck and captured Erik. He yelled at Kardo and ordered him out of the station.
"You are so stubborn. We already told you we can't send men into the forest because it's full of rebels. Do you think what you're asking for is easy?" he said aggressively.
"You'd be better off going home and just praying that the boy you're talking about is still alive, because we won't bother sending men to a dangerous place just for an indio," he added.
The police officers immediately approached and forcibly escorted Kardo out of the building. He knew it was difficult to reason with them, especially when it came to serving Filipinos, but the authorities were the only ones he could rely on for help.
Kardo walked out of the building with a crestfallen, troubled expression. He kept wondering whether they should go back to the province or wait for Erik.
Kardo was the leader of the group, so he was responsible for everyone with him there. He knew the others couldn't stay in Urdaneta because their families in the province were worried, but if he went home, he wouldn't be able to pursue Erik's case.
As he left the station, he noticed the Guardia Civil busy helping decorate the area.
He also remembered that the entire town of Urdaneta was filled with banderitas and looked lively, as if a town fiesta was about to take place.
This preparation was for the mayor's upcoming birthday. On his orders, he required the police's help to beautify the city. This was also why the guards at the city border and the police services were reduced.
"They prioritize partying over a person's life. This is no longer funny," Kardo muttered.
Meanwhile, at the municipal hall.
The guests of honor had arrived. They were wealthy Spaniards from other towns who were invited to the upcoming celebration.
The city mayor, an old man in a white suit, was noticeably flustered as he welcomed the arriving guests. Although he was not a soldier, he offered a salute while speaking to them, as a sign of respect for the military rank of the person he was talking to.
Police officers stood at attention along the entire hallway as the mayor walked through the corridor with a muscular man. This man was brusque in his movements. He had short, black hair, was in his 40s, and walked with his head held high. He wore a fancy black line coat marked with a red crowned lion.
That symbol was the insignia of Spanish soldiers, given only to high-ranking army officials. One of the highest ranks in the military were the generals who ran each province as Governor.
The Governor-Generals were Spaniards from Spain who came to the Philippines to rule the areas in the country. They settled there after being assigned to the area given to them by the Spanish government. This man was General Magat, known as "General Slasher."
Slasher was also known as the 75th member of the Sword Of Spain, an honor bestowed upon generals who possessed extraordinary and inexplicable powers.
Unlike the Philippines, Spain had been utilizing the power of the diwatas for the benefit of the country for hundreds of years. Spain had over 200 Sugo granted by the diwatas. The situation was entirely different in the Philippines because the Spanish government controlled the actions of the Sugo, employing them as generals who oversaw Spain's territories and possessions, including the countries it occupied, such as the Philippines.
Spain had a primary group of Sugo, ranging from the 15th to the 1st Sword of Spain, who were only dispatched by the kingdom during times of war. They were the reason why many countries feared Spain when it came to warfare, and they were also nicknamed "Spain's weapons of war."
General Slasher was known as a harsh and strict general in his domain. He had also been the executioner of rebels in the past, ever since he was appointed governor and implemented an order to kill every rebel found in every town in the province of Pangasinan.
Currently, he accepted the invitation of the mayor of Urdaneta for the upcoming town celebration for his birthday.
The general's strictness was evident on his face, and all the police officers there were clearly intimidated, swallowing their fear whenever he looked at them, as if afraid of being noticed by him.
They entered the mayor's office to talk. The flustered mayor offered his seat in the office. The general accepted it without a word and sat down.
"Ah... uh... General Slasher, w-why didn't you tell me you were coming today? I would have had my men fetch you," the city mayor said.
"I can walk and still move, so why would I need to be fetched? Do you think I'm useless?" he said.
"N-no, no, not at all. I was just worried you might get tired from the drive, and I was also surprised because the celebration is still a day away, so isn't your arrival in our city a bit early?" he added.
He stared menacingly at the mayor and asked him why he needed to be informed of his every move. The mayor hurriedly apologized for what he had said, flustered.
"You know, one of my favorite things is town celebrations. That's why I'm happy you invited me," he said, leaning back in the mayor's soft chair.
The mayor was delighted by what he heard, assuming this was what he wanted—the invitation to his birthday. Here, the general said that whenever there was a big celebration, there were "rats" who wanted to play chase with him.
The mayor didn't immediately understand and remained puzzled by the general's comment.
"W-w-what do you mean?"
He was referring to the rebels' attempts to cause trouble during major events in a provincial town.
The general knew the rebels wouldn't pass up the chance to cause chaos, so he always went to such events, not to enjoy the programs, but to kill rebels.
"It's been a long time since I played with the rats here in your town. I'm excited about your upcoming birthday, Mister Mayor," he said with a smile, recalling his past rebel hunts in Urdaneta ten years ago.
The mayor nervously swallowed, anxious about the general's scary smile and worried about what he might do at the celebration he was preparing. The mayor was well aware of the general's actions when hunting rebels, and he feared that his town might be damaged by the general's plans for the festivity.
"Ah, uh... General, you know, I don't care about the indios or how many of them die, but there will be many wealthy Spaniards and businessmen there. They might get caught up in your game," he said frantically.
The general ignored what he said and curtly stated that he didn't care about the people who might get involved, not denying that guests were often harmed whenever he hunted rebels.
"Those wealthy Spaniards are just the cheese bait to catch the pestilent rats in your town," he said.
As he said that, the general placed his hands on the mayor's desk. Here, his hands gradually became encased in metal and rose up to his arms, like battle armor.
Sword blades began to emerge one by one from the wooden desk, piercing it. It looked as if the desk had turned into a table made of blades.
That phenomenon was due to the magic the general possessed as a Sugo of the diwata of Spain.
His hands had the ability to produce sword blades, no matter how many. Because of the power the general possessed, the operations he joined against the rebels always turned bloody, often involving his own men.
In every operation he conducted against the rebels, not a single one was captured alive, because if they weren't stabbed by the blades, their bodies were sliced into many pieces.
"I am excited for a Bloody Birthday Celebration in the town of Urdaneta," he said with a smile, gradually starting to laugh.
The mayor could only swallow and felt anxious about what would happen. He knew he couldn't oppose the Governor-General's wishes and plans, even though he knew he would lose a lot if the businessmen attending the celebration were involved.
While this was happening, a young girl was standing behind the door, listening to the conversation inside.
She was about thirteen years old. She had golden hair and was wearing fancy clothes, clearly from a wealthy family. That girl was General Slasher's daughter, whom he had brought to town as one of the guests.
She did not enter the room after hearing what her father said and walked away from the area, seemingly disappointed.
"He never changes," she whispered.
The next day at the rebel camp.
The men continued their preparations for the upcoming attack on the municipal hall to reclaim it from the Spaniards. They had great confidence in the power Alfredo possessed, and unlike his comrades who were training, the young man was just sitting, reading a comic book.
Due to the young man's calm demeanor, Alfredo and Erik spent the entire day just playing and chatting, seemingly unconcerned about what would happen in the coming days.
While this was happening, Erik was walking around, apparently looking for something.
~ Erik's Point of View ~
I've circled this place several times, but it seems like she won't show herself to me again. I'm referring to the mysterious woman I spoke to yesterday, but wait, am I really looking for her? I mean, even I doubt whether she's real or just an illusion.
I continued walking and looking for her, and after a few minutes, I noticed something strange because with every step I took, I heard another sound of footsteps, as if someone was following me. I immediately turned and faced it to confirm my suspicion.
At that moment, I saw the mysterious woman very close to me, stopping her movements as well. She had been following me all along, stepping on every step I took on the ground, as if she were playing a game.
For a moment, the place was silent, and neither of us reacted when our eyes met. It was then that I realized it was impossible for me not to notice her approaching and getting behind me.
I wasn't sure if she was a real person or possibly a ghost in the forest, but I felt more awkward because of how close she was to me.
I panicked at her sudden appearance, like a white lady, and stepped backward until I just stumbled onto the ground. I sat on the ground, frantically pointing at her.
"I-i-it's y-you! I-I knew you were real, you're not just an illusion," I said.
"Wait, you're a ghost, aren't you?!" I shouted at her.
She suddenly laughed at my reaction and mocked my panic when I saw her.
"HAHAHA, what are you doing? You sound insane when you talk."
I didn't know what to say or do at that moment because it was the first time I was laughed at by a female ghost that I was supposed to fear.
"You're so weird. You're afraid of the thing you've been wanting to see. Hmm... Weren't you looking for me earlier?" she said.
I was surprised when she said she knew I was looking for her in the area and mentioned that she had been behind me the whole time, but I was too distracted to sense her.
My shock didn't fade, even though I probably shouldn't be afraid of her, because she was, honestly, beautiful and spoke with a gentle voice for a feared wandering spirit. I immediately asked her if she was truly a ghost or what, and how she could appear so suddenly.
"A lost soul? I don't know, but it's better to say I'm a Spirit of Nature," she said.
She told me that she wasn't a spirit who had once lived as a human on earth. Her body was made only of nature's energy, which was why people couldn't see it. That was also why no one in Siklaon could see her except for me.
"Except for me? Wait, if that's true, why can I see you?" the young man asked.
"It's simple. Because you are a Sugo ng mga Diwata," she said.
"You don't see me because of your eyes, but because you feel my presence. That's what distinguishes us from humans, because we can see by virtue of our special ability to sense each other's presence."
She mentioned again my status as a Sugo of the diwata, which I still greatly doubted. Diwatas are composed of energy from nature, so when Sugo unite with the diwatas' power, they receive and are embraced by that energy.
The woman walked around me while telling me about herself and her origin. She revisited Alfredo's story yesterday to remind me.
She was a Spirit of Nature who slept for a very long time and woke up again in this era. But when she woke up, many things had changed, which truly surprised her. She had no idea what was happening in this land, so she traveled far and wide.
On her journey, she learned that the other diwatas in each land were sleeping and heard that they had found people to be Sugo to take over their duties.
"I can sense the presence of the diwatas inside the person they entrusted to wield their power."
At that moment, she suddenly sat right in front of me and gently held my chest while saying that I was one of the Sugo chosen by the diwata.
"Unfortunately, as I said, you haven't yet united with the diwata's power and accepted it," she added.
I didn't know what to say or how to react, but I immediately asked her that if I was truly a Sugo, how could I unite with the diwata's power that she was talking about.
She stood up in front of me and said that I needed to go through a situation that would give me the chance to prove that I was ready to do anything for my land and acknowledge the diwata as my guardian diwata. She wasn't entirely sure of the method either, as all the information she was relaying was gathered from Sugo she had asked who came from far-off provinces where she originated.
In the middle of our conversation, Alfredo suddenly called me from one of the huts in the camp. He was shouting and telling me to come inside to join him for a meal and to play again. I immediately stood up from where I was sitting and dusted off my clothes, intending to go back to the hut.
"Wait, if only a Sugo can see you, why can't Alfredo see you?" I asked her.
"That's right, he doesn't sense my presence, so he doesn't see me. It's that simple."
"Hmm... but why is that?" she replied.
The woman put her hand on her chin, thinking deeply, because even she couldn't figure out why Alfredo was different from all the Sugo she had encountered. She was looking for information about things to understand the situation of the land, which was why she was traveling, and now she was lingering in this forest because of the mystery surrounding Alfredo.
"I have a hunch that something is wrong with what the Sugo chosen by the diwata of Pangasinan is doing. He is violating the agreement with his diwata," she said.
In cases of violating the agreement with your diwata, the embrace of nature's energy that guides the Sugo is lost. The Sugo can use the diwata's power anytime and in any way they desire, even if it violates the agreement, and nothing can stop them until the diwata wakes up—just like what the Sugo of Spain are doing.
"That's the mistake I see the diwatas made when they sought humans to be Sugo so they could rest. Hm... but I can't wake them up to tell them about that mistake."
"I don't know if I should interfere or just let everything happen... This is difficult," she said, seemingly frustrated.
I was surprised and asked her what things Alfredo might be violating in the agreement, because I saw that he was serious about protecting the town. Right, to me, Alfredo was a good person who only wanted to protect the people in his town.
"Is that what you think? You are too kind, child, which is why you are easily deceived," she suddenly told me.
"I haven't been able to ask him about his plans because I can't talk to him, but I am certain I know the answer why nature's energy has left him," she added.
She moved behind me and told me to look closely at Alfredo from where we were standing. At that moment, she slowly moved closer to me and held my shoulders to whisper to me.
"He is acting against his sworn duty to the diwata Ada Siklaon and plans to use the power for selfish gain," she whispered in my ear.
"Huh?"
"Are you ready to dedicate your entire life to the desires of a good friend who is asking you for the favor of your death?"
I couldn't believe the things the woman was whispering. She mentioned that the black energy surrounding Alfredo whenever he got angry was a sign of evil. It was a negative energy released by a person when they indulged in evil and things that were undesirable to the spirits.
"HEY! Erik!! Come on, let's play the game board inside with the kids." he shouted.
Alfredo approached me, smiling, and continued to invite me inside. I couldn't move because the woman was holding my shoulders. Alfredo couldn't see her, so he was puzzled why I was just staring blankly at him and not reacting to his invitation.
The woman whispered again from behind me, and at that moment, I suddenly felt a chill, and for some inexplicable reason, all the hair on my body stood up.
"That man intends to kill you and everyone around him. Are you just going to let that happen?"
I didn't know what my reaction should be at that moment. She said this to me seriously in a cold voice while Alfredo was in front of me, offering his hand for me to go with him.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" Alfredo said.
I was completely confused by what was happening. I didn't know if she was joking to scare me or if she was warning me to stay away from the man in front of me.
I couldn't think. What should I do?
Should I make a decision? But what decision should I make when I have no choice? After all, I am a captive, and this man holds my life.
"Come on, let's go back inside. Let's play with the children at the orphanage," Alfredo said, smiling at me.
Alfredo sensed that I was afraid at that moment, judging by the expression on my face as he approached me and my failure to take his hand when he tried to ask me to come with him.
He suddenly went silent and took a step closer to where I was standing until we were almost face-to-face. He slowly held my head, as he usually did when calming me down, and said:
"Don't worry, everything will be alright," he said.
"Huh?!" was my short reply.
To me, Alfredo was a close friend. No, I felt comfortable whenever I was with him, perhaps because he was so kind to me and always took care of me. He was like an older brother to me, which made me wonder if I should trust the words of the mysterious woman behind me or the man who was caring for and showing concern for someone like me?
What should I do?
~ End of Chapter ~