"'A character is developed by all his interactions, not only his major choices. Major choices may change the character but it’s how he interacts with his surrounding that develops him into a real character.' who was the one who said that?"

The inn's dim candlelight would suggest that it was a poor establishment however the savoury scent coming from it would clearly say that it had invested the most in the food.

The door creaked as the young weary traveller enters.

The music dampened the creaking of the building along with the chattering and shouting of the customers. Then from the many tables he saw, he can easily tell that the first floor was a restaurant.

It was rowdy since it was time for dinner but for Favio, it was a new experience from his family’s daily nights, yet familiar.

Yes, the amount of regulars in Flojo's might be less than here but it was rather the air that was unknown to Favio.

It had a cool vibe instead of the warm atmosphere back at his village. It was like everyone knew each other but they aren't exactly close at all.

It was like that inevitably since the town of Halvert was the trading port of Eastern Mindanao.

He sat on a stool in front of the counter as his snake transformed into an unworldly beauty.

An oversized receptionist moved towards Favio’s place. When he reached them a black shadow covered the candlelight.

“What can I do for you, sir? Oh, it's the kid…”

Favio looks up and looked at Jay’s face strangely.

“What? Just because I'm a guard, I'm not not allowed to help my wife at night?”

Favio fell silent for a while then he opened his mouth.

“I'm-”

“Don't sweat it, just order something and be done with it. I'm also kinda sorry since I scared you, didn't mean to do it though.”

And then, the silence returned once again.

The bored Diwata couldn't take the awkwardness and breaks the ice selfishly.

“I would like a serving of the steamed something and we'll rent a room after this.”

“Okay, one Halvert dumpling platter and a room. Not eating, kid?”

“I would like to try the chicken teriyaki.”

“Just wait a sec and I'll bring them to you.”

With that, Jay left them and attended other customers sitting across the counter.

“Seriously…”

Bakunawa smirked.

“What?”

“You haven't eaten a teriyaki yet? Pfft! It's like the most common dish that most restaurants have, is your village in the middle of nowhere or something?”

Thump! Two plates slammed in front of them.

“Enjoy!”

The overcasting shadow quickly left them as another customer called.

Bakunawa looked at her dumplings like appreciating an artwork while Favio looked at a very familiar new dish for him.

(This looks like adobo…)

Favio shovelled a bit of the chicken with the white rice and fed his watering mouth.

It's taste was just like adobo, salty and sweet but it had a rather gentle taste compared to adobo.

Next to him, Bakunawa took a big bite out of a large steamed dumpling and smiles.

“I never expected to find frog meat on a dumpling! Try this, boy. It's good.”

She picked another one and shoves it in front of Favio’s face. (Kultura note: some Filipinos prefer to eat with their bare hands but most of them clean their hands first)

“I think frogs shouldn't be eaten…”

“You have to try this, it's hard to find frog meat cuisine besides roasted ones. Say aaahh...”

“Okay, just one bite.”

Given up, Favio opens his mouth and received half of the dumpling.

“You gotta be kidding, this tastes like fish and chicken mixed together.”

He continued to eat his teriyaki then as he finished, Bakunawa couldn't eat anymore and he had to eat the remaining 3 dumplings.

After the exquisite meal, Favio paid a tenth of his current funds and retired to his room along with his familiar.

His tired body couldn't take the anymore and collapsed into the bed.

Favio's PoV

“Wa….p!.. h… ell...”

I stood.

I was beaten but I stood. On Old Ricardo’s training ground, my battered body continued to move.

Their bare fists break my attacks so I decided to guard against everything. Not to win but to avoid the pain.

Pain is scary, a single solid punch to my gut breaks my will but still, my cowardice actually allowed me to be called a master in my village.

‘A wasted talent in the wrong body.’ is what Ricardo called me.

I tried searching strength to match my skill. I tried to make Pact with every creature I saw but never did it prevail. Maybe I was born just like mom, a Contractor for farm animals.

But why? Why did I crave it? It seems that I already forgot…

All I knew was that I wanted to get out of Egdar. To see more than the forest nearby, feel a volcano’s heat and go to lands beyond the horizon.

Suddenly, the scenery shifted into what looks like a battle from a story book: Dark clouds right above their heads as a masked goddess try to slay a serpent double her height.

“Even in these foreign lands, I'll have you return my sisters.”

Words as cold as her mask’s expression poured out of the goddess. It wasn't that her mask was cold but it was filled with vengeance just like her machete is.

“Haliya, Haliya, why are you so obstinate? We haven't left the Philippines yet so why are you calling this place foreign. Ah, that's right, nobody knows you here!”

In contrast, the serpent only smiles. Anybody can feel that the it was clearly weaker than Haliya so why does it mocks her?

“All of the others have left you in his hunt already. Can't we call it quits? I won't hunt you after this and I keep to live freely, it's a win-win situation.”

It might be because it was afraid… No, it still had the intent to fight.

“I refuse!”

Haliya moved to the serpent quickly, quicker than anybody that I have seen.

Her heavy machete strike hit the serpent’s scales however instead of wounding it, it was deflected magnificently.

“Dragon slaying, huh. I'm not like those brutes though.”

Every strike the machete slides against the moving serpent as its body moved with the flow. Sparks flew every time the sword hits the scales.

Time slows as I watched them fight, it would be graceful dance if there wasn't any malice between them.

Haliya’s straightforward movements are received by the snake, unscathed. The serpent didn’t fight back or rather it can’t damage the goddess. I can sense its intention. It plans to exhaust her.

The serpent kept on defending as its body creeped in closer.

“I already told you, Haliya. You can’t kill me right now. I have escaped your circle and allied gods so there is no point on this fight, is there?”

The glow on her tail was replaced with a dark colour and with a rapid change in pace, the serpent flicked her with her tail.

Haliya fell into the one of the islands as the serpent runs away.

“DAMN YOU BAKUNAWA! I’ll have your head on my sisters’ names!”

Bakunawa smiled painfully as she flew away, towards South.

“Yeah, they were beautiful…”

I made a maps!

favio's journey

Legends:

red dot- Egdar, Favio's hometown

cyan dot- the lake

black dot- deadwood forest

green dot- Halvert, the town they are on

red cross- Cagayan, a port between Mindanao and Luzon

purple line- the journey

pink line- initial planned path

yellow line- river Bakunawa took

Philippines maps

Thanks for the in depth review, Facepalm and if someone else is reading this message you gotta check out Facepalm’s fiction it’s so cool! I’m too sad that I couldn’t read it straight cause motivation keeps popping and if I don’t write, I can’t write later.

What ifs: Spoiler : You just developed Favio’s character! 1 makes him kind of independent, 2 closes his distance with bakunawa, 3 would make him more strict, 4 will turns him adventurous, while 5 would build him into a character that values his home more.

My bias: Spoiler : The last voting was tied so I decided it with a very biased coin flip (heads for 1 and tails for 2). I wanted to write about the second choice so when coin turned heads, I decided it will be best of 3. Sadly, it landed on heads again so for the final toss I decided to toss six coins at the same time. If it tails would be greater than heads, I would write about the second option. And awkwardly, all of them were heads. Sad life...

Survey: I made maps. Do you like it? #drawinSkillz