“Hahaha! You really are a babaylan! Yes, you are correct, a dungan has something to do with your soul’s strength. With a powerful dungan, you will not need to act personally when going against spirits. Just by overpowering them with your dungan, most spirits will submit or leave you alone.” Lola Yma was pleasantly surprised with Mawi’s answer and she added some more information about the dungan. She also chose to ignore Mawi’s question for she knew that she did not have an answer to this.

“Now let us talk about the creature you just fought, the Tiktik. Unlike the Kapre, these creatures are bloodthirsty and will not hesitate about killing a human when they see one. They are only driven by their desire to eat for they are in perpetual hunger for human meat, although if they cannot find the opportunity to feast on a human, they will settle with consuming whatever animal they come across at.” Lola Yma started to talk about the Tiktik without Mawi asking about it.

“Their favorite meals are unborn babies or fetuses, or a dying person. For these creatures, a pregnant woman or a dying man smells so fragrant that if they ever come near one, they would salivate immediately even if it were in its human form. Also, as I have said earlier, they are shapeshifters. Able to blend in with the human society during the day and change into another creature during the night. Their favorite transformation choices are dogs, pigs, or crows. However, they are easily distinguishable on these forms as they are always bigger than their real animal counterparts, and they also look like rabid versions of them. They tend to hunt in the wee hours of the day, for at these times, it knows that most humans are soundly sleeping.” Lola Yma explained lengthily.

“Is that why we encountered it earlier?” Hearing the old woman’s explanation, Mawi concluded that their encounter with the Tiktik earlier was nothing but a coincidence.

“I do not think so, no. These creatures will always hunt in residential places, not in the forest. What we encountered earlier, though could be considered as a coincidence, is not normal. For even if these creatures were unsuccessful in their hunt for human flesh, they could still gorge on animal flesh like chickens, pigs, or stray dogs. However, we encountered it deep in the forest. That is something out of its usual behavior.” Although Lola Yma was talking to Mawi and seemed to be answering his question, her words are more like voicing out her thoughts on the events that transpired earlier.

After hearing Lola Yma’s explanations, Mawi felt that his knowledge of the world broadened, he felt more connected to the world, like how a babaylan is. It was almost sunrise when the duo finished talking and the crowing of the rooster can be heard all across their neighborhood. Sabel, the little girl who was asleep the whole time started to wake up. Her big brown eyes started to open just as the first rays of the morning sun lighted up the sky.

“Tend to your wounds. It is not deep, but it is also something we cannot make light of. Be prepared to do the ritual again tomorrow early morning.” Lola Yma instructs Mawi, as she heads off to the kitchen to prepare for their breakfast.

Mawi on the other hand went and washed the wounds he sustained during his fight against the Tiktik. He was surprised to find out that the wounds on his shoulders had already started healing when he removed his shirt.

“Maybe, I really am a babaylan.” He muttered.

After breakfast, Mawi spent the day with Sabel. He was her big brother, and she would bring him around the neighborhood to show him proudly to her playmates. Mawi could not help feeling a little awkward at how the little girl dragged him along, like a prized animal or toy; however, Mawi understood that perhaps, Sabel was lonely being the only child in the house together with her lola. Whenever Mawi thinks about this, he would feel sympathy for Sabel. Around four o’clock in the afternoon, Mawi and Sabel were called by Lola Yma.