/// UP UPON THE GOLDEN BAMBOO TOWER OF DATU PUROKBAWI

“Tell me who you are,” said the Crocodile Datu. “And perhaps I will see if you are worth remembering.”

Jaime looked up at him and nodded. “The Crocodile remembers. Greetings, great Datu.” And then he fell to his knees and bowed. The rest of them followed suit.

“Rise, strange ones. Tell me from whence you come?”

Jaime looked to the four, and then said: “From the Southeastern corner of the Unconquered Isles, on the island of Salamuha.”

“Ah,” said the man. “You are the followers of Brother Owl, the Owl Sage?”

Jaime nodded.

“Then this means we are not in hostility. Well met.” The Crocodile Datu, Datu Purokbawi, asked his attendants then to bring out the low table and bring in provisions as well, or tea, for merienda. The four of them stated that they were kind of hungry anyway.

Eventually, the table was packed with food and drinks. They had put soft cushioning pillows on all four sides, and the four of them ate along with the Datu. Laid out on large banana leaves were bundles of rice, chopped pork, chicken, beef, fish, and condiments. They ate ravenous, swallowing the moon.

When they finished their meal--most of it in silence--the Datu for his attendants to bring in the Betel nut chew and the rice wine so that they could mingle. As they did, Jaime brought the Datu up to speed accordingly.

“That is strange. We have ventured into the statue… but there was no golden idol within!”

Casias pouted. “It must have been a one-way deal,” she said.

“Perhaps. But that is most strange. Additionally, is it safe to assume that you all are Attainers?” Just then the betel nut chew arrived, along with the rice wine capped within a wooden container. He distributed the cups made of hardwood and poured his visitors the wine.

Jaime taught the Esther, Mattheo, and Jonathan how to chew the betel nut, mixing it in with a good small chunk of tobacco. Angela had already done this before with her relatives who lived in Benguet, so she went ahead and helped teach it to the others.

“From what Universe do you come from, that you do not know how to chew Betel nut?”

“Manila,” said Mattheo.

“Ma….”

“They have betel nut chew in their world, Datu,” said Jaime. “It’s just that it’s not prevalent amongst all of their cultures.”

“Ah, well as you can see, it is prevalent here in Paraiso, and it is my way of welcoming you to my abode, accepting you as my guests.”

They all thanked the Datu with overflowing gratefulness.

“Oh, to answer your question, Datu: yes, all of us here are Attainers.”

“Except for me,” said Casias. “I am but a lowly albularyo.”

“With a large bamboo bag, that’s for sure!”

“It’s… where I keep all of my components for performing my rituals.”

“Does she serve as your company’s healer?”

Jaime shook his head. “Not really, Datu. She is kind of… just a tag-along. She seeks something.”

“A Hero’s Monsala,” replied Casias. “It is to revive a loved one.”

There was a moment of silence, with the Datu nodding his head, slowly. The wife of the Datu--or at least, what Angela thought was the wife--had risen and ascended up another set of golden bamboo stairs to the third floor.

“And what about the rest of you? What do you seek to gain?”

Jaime didn’t answer. Mattheo, Jonathan, and Esther spoke at the same time. Esther said: “To gain enough power to save our friend, Yewon.”

Mattheo said: “To save Yewon and go home.”

And Jonathan said: “To save Yewon and be free.”

The Datu’s eyebrows rose in interest, and he asked: “Yewon?”

Angela raised her hand, and the Datu squinted at her. “Yewon is our friend.” And then she went on and said all she could about what she knew about Yewon, why she was kidnapped, and how she was hailed as the Twilight Devil Empress of Creation.

The Datu rubbed his face and nodded, realizing what this meant, realizing who they were chasing after. “The Twilight Devil Empress of Creation… I know this. It was the talk of heaven during the time when it happened. They stay at an island near Biringan. That is all I know. They are hidden behind an occultation. That is all I know.”

Angela shook her head. “It’s okay, we didn’t know we would even end up here.”

“I suggest that they get stronger first before going looking for Yewon.”

“But if Yewon’s already nearby… why don’t we just go and save her?”

“We need power first,” said Esther, gripping her fist and gazing at Mattheo.

“I know the being who holds Yewon within his grasp, though I do not know where he is currently stationed,” said the Datu. “Kinain Ang Tala, his name is, a powerful tikbalang Panginoon who holds a large number of slaves and power. He disappeared a few days prior to the spread of true lies about the coming of the Twilight Devil Empress.”

“Kinain Ang Tala,” Jaime said, holding his chin. “A powerful Attainer, and a Panginoon. What does he plan to do? Why does he hold Yewon within his grasp?”

“Whatever it is, we need to find him,” said Mattheo. “Now. Yewon has to be safe.”

“She will,” said Angela. Jonathan nodded.

“She has to be.”

There was another bout of silence. The attendants all convened by the table and began cleaning it while they still chewed on betel nut, reveling in each other’s presence.

“Albularyo, I have some information for you. To the south of here there used to be a great commune, and I was good friends with their leader, Datu Saadkalarin, the Serpent King. However, I was not able to save him when an invading Ysparanzan force killed him and took over their commune. Now it is a military commune ruled by Ysparanzans. The Serpent King’s monsala still resides within, kept by the Captain of the Guard there.”

Jaime nodded. Casias looked at him.

“We steal it in the daybreak. Souled enemies… it will be good training for you,” he said turning to the four of them. “I simply need to make sure that you are better prepared.” Jaime inhaled again, biting his lip, doubt filling his mind.

“As a gesture of good faith, if you’re going to go raiding that damned Ysparanzan commune: I shall give you access to my armory. Use what you might want to there. It contains both armor and amulets, agimat, to help you in this endeavor. I would’ve loved to fight with you, but I would prefer not to leave my people here, as much as possible. Additionally, I grant upon your usage of one of the wings of my estate, so as to rest.” The Datu clapped his hands and an attendant came in, escorting them to the wing of the estate where there lay beds for them to sleep upon.

Before leaving, Jaime turned and bowed low to the Datu. “I will be in your debt.”

The Datu shook his head. “Consider it paid once you take care of the military commune.”

“Why do you have such faith in us?”

“I know who Brother Owl trains,” replied the Datu, looking out the window, as if thinking of something in the distant past. “And Brother Owl only trains those who can cut heaven.”

The wing they slept in was basically an entire, unpartitioned bamboo house. Unlike the other bamboo houses, however, this one had beds made of bamboo. Still low, but not anymore on the bamboo slat floor, at least. The six of them made well to sit down and rest, especially with the harrowing last few hours that they had just witnessed.

Esther was wincing as she laid down on the bed. “You know what, I thought I’d hurt more from the damn shield wound caving my skull in, but I just feel tired.”

Casias smiled at that. She sat down on the bed, laying the large, cylindrical abaca bag that she had strung on her back onto the floor. Angela watched her stretch. Mattheo sounded his concern that she was going to get a lot of back pains carrying that thing around.

“I shall be fine, thank you for your concern.”

“Mattheo, stop hitting on the albularyo lady.”

Casias blinked and then shook her head. “He is not hitting me?”

Esther also blinked. “What the fuck.”

“I’m not hitting on her, Esther. Shut up.”

Jonathan leaned over and whispered something to Casias. Casias’ face lit up with understanding. She nodded and then continued on to preparing herself for resting. Angela blinked. There was an open window, kept open by a pole keeping the window slat lifted up. The sky was dark, now. With the rushing of the times, she hadn’t noticed that it was already dark.

She voiced out these concerns and was met with a simple: “Probably a bending of time from when we traveled through the statue,” by Jaime, who walked in right as she asked that question. “Also, I apologize for not bringing along a change of clothes.”

Angela managed a smile and she shook her head. “It’s alright, really. No need to fret over it.”

Jaime nodded. “Well, make sure you get plenty of rest tonight. We leave early in the morning.”

“We’re really going to be fighting again after…” Mattheo couldn’t help but glance at Jonathan, but he shook his head. “After that?”

Jaime shook his head. “Don’t worry, you will be better protected against that, I assure you. I’ve consulted with Datu Purokbawi’s main armorer. I will give you what you need tomorrow.”

“Ah, Jaime, I’ve been meaning to ask,” it was Jonathan, raising his hand. “The teeth?”

“Ah, right, of course.” Jaime walked to the center of the room. “As an Attainer, you will have to raise your Gahum, now raising your Gahum is as simple as killing something that had Gahum in the first place, which is most creatures.”

“We killed a lot of duwende, didn’t we?”

“Aye, you did,” said Jaime. “Which is why as you rest, your Gahum will consume the Gahum you’ve accrued. You might not have noticed it, but you did get stronger as you fought, as you gained the Gahum of your enemies. Eventually, you will all instinctively feel that you’ve reached a threshold of Gahum gain. It is one of the many new instincts you will gain as an Attainer. When that is done, I will show you the way.”

“And the teeth?”

“A way of ensuring you’ve obtained their Gahum. Other than killing, you see, you can also take a part of them, whether it be a physical part of them, a precious personal belonging of theirs, or a relationship or partner. That will still raise your Gahum. As will daring to do huge things, to against the mandate of this broken heaven, as well as beating beings in games, or outwitting them. The Blood in you boils with strength.”

“So what, now we rest? Because if so, it’s kinda like the gym,” said Mattheo. “You work your ass off lifting, and then when you rest is when you build muscle.”

They all nodded in understanding. “Spiritual growth and earning Gahum is the key to ascending the Angel’s Ladder. Now rest. We will be early in the morning.”

“Will we get a new change of clothes?” asked Esther. Jaime nodded and told them that he had asked the Datu’s weavers to create exact replicas of the clothes they currently wore. “But I wanted a diverse wardrobe.”

“It is what we can work with for now,” replied Jaime. “When we are in safety, we will make sure to diversify your choices.”

Esther smiled. “Thanks, Jaime.”

It wasn’t long before all of them had fallen asleep, save for Angela. Mattheo snored loudly, while Jonathan was silent as ever. He wrapped himself in a blanket in such a way that made him look like he was cocooning himself. Esther slept with her feet and arms poking out of her blanket.

“Why do you not slumber, Angela?”

Angela blinked. She rose to a sit and pushed her blanket away from her. Casias was pushing herself off the bed and putting on her wooden clogs.

“Uh, I’m not sure, actually.”

Casias rose to her feet and tied her hair high up above her head. “I am going out for tea. Would you want some?”

“Um… sure?” Then Angela saw Casias rummaging through her bag, and Angela couldn’t help but be intrigued. “Actually, yeah that’s perfect, I’ve been meaning to ask something.”

Casias nodded. “Very well. Come.”

Out of the wing, they walked to a nearby living room, where there was a stone kettle atop a simple stove. The living room itself was comfy: wide and with bamboo slat floors, part of it covered by a beautiful multicolored cloth crisscrossed with geometric designs. Okir, she remembered.

Light diwata lit the room, sending soft white light onto the floors, reminiscent of the moon during the night. The diwata were similar to the ones in the eating kubo. However, these ones didn’t laugh, and their eyes were closed even as they burned bright. Angela inquired as to how they could still be emitting light even as they slept.

“They are dreaming,” said Casias. “The woman of this place has placed a great sleeping spell upon them, and now they dream, and even as they dream, their beings dance.”

Casias bent down and rubbed the base of the stove quickly, before whispering something, and heat erupted from the stove, heating up the stone kettle. Following that, the heat smiled at Angela. Angela blinked.

Casias saw that there was a bucket of clean water beside the stove. Using a dipper, she scooped some water up and placed it on the heating stove. Then, she brought out a small pouch made from abaca fibers. She opened it and drizzled some black and green leaves into the boil, before closing it.

“Give it a few minutes,” said Casias, as she walked over to one of the chairs and sat. Casias motioned for her to sit down as well.

Angela nodded, smiling. A strange sense of familiarity befell her. This was similar to how she would stay up with her lola, who would often cook noodles for her at midnight.

“Where did you learn to do all of this?” asked Angela, a question that was broiling in her spirit for quite some time, but only came to her mind recently.

Casias pouted, putting her hand on her chin, “mmm”-ing in some strangely deep contemplation. “I learned it as a child, growing up,” said Casias. “It’s strange. You see, my mother was a babaylan, and my father was a mangkukulam, a witch. So when I was birthed, they were fighting over what Secret I would learn. I took up the White Secret of Blasphemy, also known as Pagalbularyo, to spite them both.”

Angela chuckled. “I like that.”

“Why do you ask?”

Angela shrugged. She confessed that it was just her curiosity gnawing at her, and she wanted to know. “You being able to heal us from the brink of death…. I thank you especially for saving Jonathan.”

“That is no problem. It was a bargain, on my part, and look where that brought me.”

“Why are you looking for a Hero’s Monsala in the first place anyway?”

“I told you. Someone I held dear has died."

Angela looked down, and then said: “You know, someone dear to us died too.”

Casias raised an inquiring eyebrow.

“She died protecting Esther and I from a Panginoon. I’m… glad I wasn’t killed, but, well…”

“So you, too, seek a Hero’s Monsala?”

Angela shook her head. “Brother Owl is going to retrieve her from the underworld, apparently.”

“And you trust him to be able to do it?”

Angela shrugged. “Well, Jaime does. And I don’t know shit about this world, so might as well. Hey, did you know that we have Albularyo in our universe too?” And then Angela went on to explain what the albularyo were in her earth.

“Ah, not too far from us, then,” said Angela. “Although I suppose the part about it being a colonial consequence…. No, actually, that’s not far from the source.”

“Right?”

“You see, apparently, in the times before, there were only three Secrets: the Iridescent Secret of Sorcery, the Red Secret of Science, and the Green Secret of Reverence. The Red Secret dealt with making tools out of spirits, learning about the science of the spirits. The Green Secret was what the babaylan and spirit mediums knew: the art of speaking with the divinities and supplication. The Iridescent Secret of Sorcery dealt with application of knowledge, the implication of Will through rituals, beseechments, powerful words. When the Holy Trinity came, the first they rent was the Iridescent Secret, so that it couldn’t be used against them. Thus it became two: the Black Secret of Violence, known as Kulam, or witchcraft. And the White Secret of Blasphemy, known as Pagalbularyo, or herbalism. They split unnatural violence with the natural healing, and through that, were able to battle God.”

“That’s… too much, but it’s interesting nonetheless.”

“Truly.”

Angela thought for a minute, and then looked up. “This may sound weird, Ate Casias, but… do you think you can teach me the White Secret?”

The kettle burst with steam.