Amir's POV:
Welcome to Clandestina Camp.
As carved in the hanging wood,
We entered the camp, but the camp was nothing fancy or lively. It's subtle and basic. Two bunkhouses mirroring each other and a gazebo at the center of it. I and this swordsman were slinging Cleb on our shoulders while grasping his big thighs and carrying him. Mill couldn't do it since he was in recovery, nor did the ladies and Li. We walked directly entering one of the bunkhouses and put Cleb on one of its beds in a prone position because his nape was infected and needed to be treated right away.
"We need more time to treat this. Malala 'yong impeksiyon niya, kaya lumabas kayo muna para makapag-isip kami ng mabuti sa gagawin namin."
Li uttered demanding us to leave the bunkhouse. We exited the bunkhouse and let Lusaka and Li do their thing. I gaze around the corner to check the camp if it's safe. Mill and Niala were inside the gazebo, resting, I didn't see the swordsman around, so I walked forward to them at the gazebo.
"Hey, are you familiar with this place?" I uttered mumbling.
They both looked at me and shrugged.
"No! We're not familiar with this place, it looks private or hidden." Mill replied.
"Yeah, me too. At saka, this camp looks boring. Walang kasigla-sigla 'yong paligid. Parang abandoned place." Niala added.
Agreed. This camp was sort of abandoned for a long time. Although the bunkhouse and the gazebo were quite sturdy and furnished.
"No. You're wrong. It's not hidden or abandoned."
Then suddenly this guy appeared out of nowhere grinding his red blade.
"Then what is this place?" I uttered, asking him.
He just gazes at us and then returns to honing his sword.
"Ano? sasagot ka ba o hindi?" Niala uttered, annoyed.
"Niala," I uttered, calming her down. This lady needs to control her temper.
He stops honing his sword and then walks away. That's it. He appeared out of nowhere and popped out of our conversation, telling us that this camp was neither abandoned nor hidden, then left us.
"Eh? Bastos pala kausap 'yon! Nag walk-out." Niala said.
"Maybe he's anti-social. You know, the one who doesn't like to socialize with other people. Let's just understand him" Mill responded sitting on the stair.
"Okay," Niala shortly replied walking away from the gazebo.
After a while, I left Mill at the gazebo and walked around. While walking, I heard a slashing sound. Looks like a sword slashing in the air. I followed the sound to where it came from. Unhurriedly, the slashing sound was slowly growing louder and louder, in the corner of this camp, I saw a small opening surrounded by tall bushes, and I walked forward it; and entered. As soon as I entered, I was shocked when I saw Niala hiding at the back of the tree looking at something. I walk towards her and tap her shoulder. At first, she was startled, but as soon as she saw me, she rolled her eyes at me and returned her attention to the slashing sound. I took my gaze and saw him slashing his swords. He was practicing his swordsmanship. Every time he slashes off in the air, the fire appears blazing; emitting fire in the sword itself. Practicing basic defensive action, by repeatedly, extending the arm outwards and away from the body, then an attack from right to left swinging the arm across the body, a low horizontal attack dropping the sword downwards with enough space to brace, then turning his wrist as it faces outwards and sweeping the attack. He has good wrist action, and his swordsmanship is impeccable, even though his practicing the basics. It looks easy and smooth on him, but I'm not a swordsman, so I, better just be here watching him.
He stopped practicing. Then suddenly turned his gaze at us. We hid under the shrubs.
"Come out." He shortly emitted.
I and Niala looked at each other. He found us so we didn't have a choice but to come out of the shrubs.
"Uhm, we apologize for distracting you, we didn't —"
"I know." he shortly replied, after he cut me off.
"You have good swordsmanship," I said. Complimenting him.
"I know." another short replied. This annoys me, but well, I keep myself calm.
"Hoy! Ikaw!" Niala uttered in arrogance, with arms crossed on her chest. He gazes at him, coldly.
Then returned to slashing.
"Prinsipe 'yan! Ayusin mo pakikitungo mo sa amin o kahit sa prinsipe man lang!" She said.
"Then, go away. Stop distracting me here." He coldly responded.
"Talaga! Aalis naman kami talaga, we don't know you or even your name, so, we really can put our trust in you! At sa pagkagising ni Cleb, aalis kami kaagad. Che! Bastos!" Niala angrily emitted as she walked away from the scene that she made.
I deeply sighed after what happened.
"Look, maybe she's right! We still haven't got your name and we didn't know you, we still can't trust you even if you saved us, we'll stay here just for a moment until Cleb wakes up and fully recovered..."
"Once he's fully recovered, we'll leave right away..."
"...and look for Master Ki Bou."
I said, as I was about to leave right away he uttered.
"You know me," he said
Know what? I didn't know this guy, what is he talking about? I turned around and looked at him as I arched my eyebrows in confusion.
"Sorry, I don't. " I shortly replied. Turned around and walked away leaving him behind.
At the bunkhouse.
"How is he?" I said.
Li turned around, by the looks of him, uncertain how to respond.
"Still working out, malala talaga ang impeksiyon. Pero may paraan pa. Huwag kayong mag-alala, gagaling 'tong damulag!" he uttered, reassuring us that he and Lusaka could heal Cleb.
I rested my arm on my chest. Thinking of that swordsman said to me. He's not familiar to me, besides he's such a cold person and talks less which makes me curious about him.
"That guy,"
Li turned around at me, while he was reading his medicinal book.
"Who? The swordsman?" He clarified.
I nodded.
"Bakit? Anong mayroon sa kanya?"
"He said to me earlier, that I know him. When in fact I don't. "
"Baka kilala ka niya, childhood friend? Wala ka bang childhood friend na kamukha niya pagkabata?... "
"o baka kinalimutan mo mukha niya?" Li said while reading his book.
"No, I grew up in the palace, I don't have friends in there, except, for my sister."
He looked at me, awed.
"Sorry, hindi ko alam..."
"It's okay. You don't have to."
...
Someone knocked at the door. I opened it with no hesitation and to my surprise it was him, bringing some basket of fruits. I let him in.
"Kumusta," Li shortly greeted him before he turned his gaze to the basket full of fruits.
The swordsman dazed at Li for quite a while then, turned at me and bowed. I was surprised. Even Li though. He didn't do this earlier before.
"Oh, madaming prutas! Salamat!" Li thanked him with all smiles and received the basket of fruits.
"Welcome," He shortly replied and timidly smiled back at Li.
"How's him?" He asked.
"Not yet fine," I answered.
Then after that, it was all silenced.
"Uhm, I have lots of them. If you need more just...call me"
"I stay there at the other bunkhouse," he uttered, timidly.
It was not his usual self. He's hesitating. He somehow trying to rebuild his image on us. Awkward. I nodded. Then gaze at Li who's busy eating an apple while reading his medicinal book. I hemmed to catch his attention, and he then noticed it and glanced at me. I dilated and gazed my eyes at the swordsman. He almost choked and stood up. I let him finish first, he swallowed it and greeted the swordsman.
"Yeah, Thank you sa food. Hope there's more pa, hehe! I can share this with others, lumabas sila para maghanap ng root vegetables." Li emitted.
He nodded. Then bowed at me. Leaves the room.
"He seems weird!" I said.
Li nodded right away.
"Mukha nga, maybe he felt awkward. Hayaan mo na, magpahinga ka na diyan. Magbabasa lang ako dito." Li said.
"Yeah, you're right! I'll just take a nap." I said. Then, I lay on the top bunk of the bed, then closed my eyes.
Amir!
It's you again?
The voices in my head.
Now that we have become one...
Brace yourself...
From what? I uttered curiously.
As we will unleash the power we have.
The power?
Yes, Amir!
I have the power and you, the vessel. We are one now.
What will the exchange be?
None. Tell me whenever you're ready, Amir!
You can wait? It feels like I'm not ready for it. I don't know what power you have. But Cleb and the Swordsman — they have might and seem elemental, which I'm not —
I can grant you that.
I'm scared of the effect. What if I hurt someone?
It's fated. You need to be at your toughest. Emotions are weakness.
What do you have to offer?
Everything, Amir! —
I am infinite. But you're not.
What do you mean?
I am infinite power, you're the vessel of mine. — we own each other.
Yet, you can't contain everything of my power.
Why?
I grant power as strong as it is, as long as the vessel can hold it.
If I can't?
Then you'll die. Vanish this realm, the world, the universe.
"Amir!"
"Amir! Wake up!"
I slowly opened my eyes and peeked at someone who was tapping me, it was blurry so I didn't catch a glimpse of it.
"What?!" I uttered in annoyance. I leaned back over and ignored it.
Then suddenly a slap came right through my cheeks, I was shocked and tilted around to see who was slapping me. The moment I saw the features, I rose on my bed with my mouth wide open, I was stuttered.
"Gising!" he uttered in a commanding tone.
I come down from the top of the bunk bed. Bowed at him, and he then bowed back at me, respectively.
"Master Ki Bou? " I said.
He softly sighs.
"Maligawang pagdating, Prinsipe Amir!" he uttered. Greeted us.
"You know this place?" I asked.
"Yes." He shortly replied. Then took its glance to Cleb who was lying down sideways.
"Anong nangyari sa kanya?"
"He was hurt," I answered.
He stares at Cleb,
"It's a Demon Curse." He said, deeply sighing.
"Anong klaseng sumpa ito?" He added.
I tried to recall what kind of curses that demon put on Cleb,
"Uhm, Rot Tattoo Infection yata?!" Li uttered, uncertain.
He sighed in relief.
"It's Omu Magre's curse. Hindi naman malala 'yong sumpa..."
"Tama! Pero nahihirapan pa rin kami ng ate ko maghanap ng lunas para dito." Li said.
"Dahil 'di tumatalab ang mga tradisyunal na gamot sa mga sumpa ng demonyo..."
He walks forward to Cleb and kneels in front of him, removing the bandage on the infected nape, putting his hands on it, and uttering a word.
"Water Magic: Humid Healing,"
Water magic. This is different from that swordsman fire magic. His hand became moist and gently stroked the infected nape of Cleb. Gradually, the infection was fading away.
"...because the only way to counter a demon curse ... is magic," he uttered in his deep gentle tone and glanced at us.
We were in awe of Master Ki Bou's magic. He stood up from kneeling.
"Wow! Water magic user ka pala Master Ki Bou," Li emitted spirited.
He smiled.
"Water, Fire, Earth, Air, at marami pa. I do lots of Magic, Li. With decades of learning the magic of nature, it will flow easily on you." He said confidently.
"I have to go now," he said.
Why in a hurry?
"Aalis ka? Eh, kakarating mo lang? Saan ka pupunta, Master Ki Bou? Li asked.
"Yeah, Why in a hurry?" I said.
He exhaled. Deeply sighed.
"May misyon ako, ... " he said.
"At saka, Hindi pa tapos ang misyon niyo,..." followed by.
I and Li looked at each other, confused. Then turned our gazes back at him.
"Mayroon pa?" Li said.
He nodded.
"What mission? And where?" I asked.
He grins.
"Nandito sa Clandestina Camp ang misyon ninyo,"
So, the next mission was inside this camp. What will it be?
"What mission?"
"You have the last sketch, Prince Amir..."
Yes, In the sketch, there were three men; Li, Cleb, and the unknown one. So basically, somehow knows who's the third one. The only one that remains a mystery to us is that swordsman. Maybe, the swordsman has the answer.
"Yes, the sketch! There's still one left unknown for me, I found Li and Cleb already. But the one last..."
I took a gaze at Master Ki Bou.
"So, you're telling me that the swordsman knows the guy on my last sketch?"
He nodded.
"But, that swordsman. By all means, Do you trust him?" he uttered, asking.

"Well, niligtas niya kami kay Omu Magre and dinala niya kami sa ligtas na lugar at saka nagdala siya ng prutas...So, I think... Mapagkakatiwalaan naman siya!" Li said.
Master Ki Bou looked at me. I shrugged.
"I don't know, I'm gonna try to talk to him."
"Kung ganun, it will be harder for all of you. That swordsman was cold and reserved at first glance, but — ..."
"... It seems you have a problem with trust."
He's right. It might be hard for us; to me. Since then, this is my mission. I have to do this, I need an answer from that swordsman.
"I have to go, bago pa siya dumating dito," Ki Bou uttered, in a hurry.
"Saan ang punta mo?" Li asked.
"To check the others," he replied.
"Others?" I and Li said, in sync.
"I'll explain once I get back here, but for now, focus kayo sa misyon niyo, ... " he said.
"... Amir! The person on that sketch... his name is Marcus Maximo."
I and Li looked at each other, confused. What does he mean by others? Then we turned his gaze at him and didn't notice that he already left the bunkhouse.
"Now what?" I said. Gaze at Li who shrugged his shoulders.
"Let's talk with that swordsman," Li answered back.
- END.