Amir's POV:
The day after yesterday.
We found a shelter last night to stay for a moment to rest. After what we have seen at the Footers Village, it feels like it was bound to our memories of traveling. Traumatizing.
I woke up early to prepare a meal for them while they were still sleeping. We still have a piece of bread and pickles which I made a pickle sandwich, and also prepared hot tea for them. I didn't bother to wake them up instead, I walked through a lake nearby to wash myself up. I take off my shirt which is full of dirt and stain of blood that I got from the Footers Village, and the wool fiber shorts; I go naked and swim on the lake. The cold water shivers me, yet it doesn't bother me to bathe myself. I scrub my body with a clean rock to wipe off the dead skin and dirt. Humming and Scrubbing. Relished. Having a hang of it, I heard a rustling at the shrubs near the lake. I darted my attention on it, focus. Awaits to reveal itself out of the shrubs. Then it leaped.
Squeak!
A sighed. It was just a rabbit.
I mounted it after I was done bathing myself. Naked, since no one is around. As soon as I land at the lake, someone appears out of the woods bringing a sandwich and coming forward to where I was being placed, unaware that I'm naked. As soon as she took her gaze in my direction, she panicked, her eyes got big from surprise, almost choked on the sandwich she was eating, lost grip on her teacup, and panicked. She turned back around. While I remained in my place and took in the pants, deep inside I panicked but I didn't want her to see me panicking, so instead I remained calm and let above do the work.
"A-Amir, ano ba naman 'yan! nakakainis ka!" Niala annoyingly uttered while covering her eyes with her palms.
"My apology, Niala," I uttered calmly.
"I almost got choked!" she shouted.
"My apology, again. It was not my intention at all,"
"Dapat lang!"
"I'm leaving, you can take off your hands in your eyes now! I'm not nude anymore," I uttered.
She then takes it off and glances at me. She looked at me, disgusted.
"What? I'm leaving now. The lake is yours!" I said.
"Oo! Umalis kana!" She glared at me.
I raised my arms, surrendering. Leave the place right ahead.
...
As I reached the shelter, I saw Mill and Lusaka having their meals.
"Good morning, Your Highness!" Lusaka greeted.
"Morning," I said. Walked passed them.
"Where you going, Prince Amir?" Mill asked.
"Just behind that tree... " I pointed to the large tree behind them.
"Change my garb," I added.
I stripped. Took some clothes out of my pack and wore them. After, I sit with them and eat the meals that I made.
"So, how's the meal?" I asked.
"Masarap. Salamat, mahal na Prinsipe," Lusaka uttered thanking me for the meal.
I nodded.
"By the way, just wanna ask about what happened yesterday..." Mill said and Lusaka turned to him.
"How can you tell that it's the Hunters from Lelantos Village who slaughtered those people?"
I was dazed by the query. But one thing is for sure, there's a connection between Lusaka's narration about the Lelantos Hunters and what I heard and saw in the townlet; to get what they belong to them.
"Based on Lusaka's narration about the Lelantos Hunters," I said with conviction.
"That's it?" Mill said.
"Ano ba ang narinig mo, Prinsipe? o kahit mga punto ng mga sinabi nila." Lusaka added.
I nodded. I tried to recall what I heard yesterday. I bit my nails, recalling the key points that they uttered.
The smell of flesh. To get what belongs to them. The stone. Yes, these three would be the key points.
I snapped my finger.
"Okay, do Hunters have a good sense of smell?" I asked.
Lusaka raised her hand.
"Yes, Hunter-Gatherers, ginagamit nila ang kanilang pang-amoy upang malaman kung ito'y halaman, tao, o hayop. Upang mahanap ang daanan ng isang lugar o makilala ang tao base sa amoy nito. Ang mga babae ay gatherers o mga nagtitipon ng mga nakalap ng mga mangangaso, habang ang mga lalaki ay hunters o mangangaso. Isa sa batayan nila sa magaling na pangangaso ang malakas ang pang-amoy."
I and Mill was mouth opened and amazed by this woman's knowledge.
"So, they smelled us? That far?" Mill asked with curiosity.
Lusaka shrugged.
"Iyon ang hindi ko alam, pero nakakasigurado akong may limitasyon ang pang-amoy ng mga mangangaso, depende sa lawak ng lugar... "
"Pero sa ganun kalayo at tayo'y naamoy, mukhang... imposible." She added.
I was caught in between whether it was a Hunter or not based on Lusaka's answers. She seems knowledgeable and trustworthy.
"Then, can you tell me about Lelantos Hunters? Did they lose something that they were eager to take it back?"
Lusaka gazed at me. She deeply sighed.
"They are hunters, hindi sila nawawalan, pero may nakukuha sila. Kapag iyong kinuha nila ay ninakaw o nawala, at ito'y banal sa kanila, posibleng sabik silang hanapin at bawiin ito, kahit pumaslang pa sila o kumain ng laman-loob ng tao..."
"Kung kay Juan ay kay Juan, at ang kay Pedro ay kay Pedro lamang. Iyon ang pinaniniwalaan nila."
She added, uttering word by word, convincingly.
"One last question..."
"They mentioned a stone..."
We turned gazes at each other.
"What stone? They can find it everywhere, around." Mill said.
"Tama si Mill. Anong klaseng bato ang hinahanap nila?" Lusaka tried to clarify.
"They just mentioned a stone. They need to find it." I uttered.
"Then, we can't claim that it's the Hunters," Mill said.
"There are still points to make, lacking evidence, and there are still holes."
"Tama, at kailangan natin bumalik sa Footers Village para alisin ang karatulang nilagay natin doon," Lusaka uttered.
"What we did was wrong! It could end up to something worse!" Mill added.
I agreed.
"Yes, I'll go back alone to remove the signage we put there."
"I'll go with you."
"No, Mill you'll stay here."
"Mag-isa ka lang, isama mo si Mill."
"No, I'll go alone."
While we're having our back-and-forth insistence. Somebody threw the signage in front of us. We were surprised at it and then glanced back at her, whose arm was at the waist; feeling sass, and sarcastically smiling.
"Iyan ba? May silbi naman pala ang dahilan ng pagkuha ko nito." Niala uttered.
"Bumalik ka 'dun?" Lusaka asked.
"Yes, my intuition said that I have to go back to the Footers Village to remove that signage..."
"Kasi, una pa lang, sa ating apat, I'm the only one who disagreed to put that signage, you are red-tagging the hunters as assassins," she said.
We were silenced for a while.
"Then, good for you! good for us. We don't need to return and remove that signage, since her intuition already did." I uttered sarcastically and looked at her.
"Now, let's move. Pack your things because we have to go. We're not wasting time here. " I command.
As soon as we packed up our things, we continued to wander going to Lelantos. Mill was leading the path, followed by me and the ladies who fell behind. I glanced back at them, I gazed at Lusaka who I caught, and darted her sight at me; she smiled and I did too. I turned my sight to Niala and saw her roll her eyes at me. I just shrugged it off. While walking, I heard a sudden whisper, uttering my name. I turned my gaze around, but no one else. Even the three, it's not their voice that I heard whispering my name. A sudden headache arose, and I almost lost my balance. Then, Lusaka tapped my shoulder at the back, I turned around and handed me a bottle of medicine.
"Gamot 'yan. Inumin mo, sumasakit ulo mo? Baka sa init. Inumin mo 'yan lilipas din ang sakit." She uttered.
"Thanks." I utterly said.
"We're here, your highness!" Mill excitedly uttered.
As soon as we exit this dense forest. A big entrance and a tall wall which is made of timbers. The village was protected by these; not a typical village and home of the hunters. We were awestruck by what we saw. It was hidden at the center of this forest. In my twenty-five years of living here in the realm, I only traveled to Osanyin, except the Central Village. This village is exceptional. How did Hunter-Gatherers manage to build this?
"So, this is Lelantos," I uttered in awe.
"Yes, It looks peaceful outside but when you get in there, worse," Niala uttered.
"Now, let's get in there?" I uttered with conviction.
I was about to walk ahead. When Lusaka grabbed my arms and stopped me. Nodding her head sideways. I was confused.
"Why?"
"Hindi ganun kadali, Mahal na Prinsipe. Hindi ka basta-basta makakaapak diyan." Lusaka explained.
"I'm a Prince. They will let me in."
"No royals have ever entered that Village since your father died; since the late King Amiros," Mill uttered.
"I'm my father and mother's offspring they will let me in." I insist.
"Not. Gonna. Work. " Niala uttered the words one by one with conviction. Shoulders crossed over chest.
"Guess what? Walang ginawa ang palasyo," she added.
I was shocked. How come the King and Queen did nothing? Lelantos Village was under the age of Realm. I was dazed at the village's tall wall.
"Pahirapan ang misyong binigay sa inyo ni Master Ki Bou," Niala added.
"What about Li? He's probably inside there!" I exclaimed. I glanced at Lusaka and saw the sorrow in her eyes.
"We're going in there!" I insist.
"Huwag padalos-dalos, Prinsipe Amir! Mag-isip ka, utak ang gamitin huwag ang emosyon." Lusaka uttered.
I deeply sighed and walked back inside the forest.
Think. Think. Think! Think well, I need to be critical of my decisions.
I glanced at them, who were just sitting and resting, plucking some grass and twigs. I glanced at Lusaka and saw her viewing the Village with full sorrow in her eyes. We've been for half an hour, thinking and waiting for nothing. I can't take this anymore! I will enter that Village all by myself. I stood up with dominance and turned their attention to me. I deeply sighed and walked forward going through the gate. They hurriedly stood up and ran towards me to prevent me from going in recklessly. But then all of a sudden, the gate opened. I halted and they pulled me back away going inside the woods. We hid stealthily and darted our gazes at the hunters who were holding up someone in both arms, struggling, he was uttering some words but I couldn't hear them clearly, and it weirded me out, with his long ponytail hair and wearing navy blue kimono with sky blue in a chevron pattern; zigzagging type. I could tell that it was Lusaka's sibling. He was forcefully pushed, which made him stumble on the muddy ground.
"Si Li!" Lusaka uttered worriedly.
Niala grabbed her.
"Shhh! We know! Hayaan natin muna pahupain ang gulo." Niala uttered, holding Lusaka.
"Niala's right," Mill added.
Then a big ginger man with a balbo beard and buzz haircut seemed to part the village, coming forward to stumbled Li; he had two distinctive axes on his waist belt — a double-blade axe on each side of the head and a throwing axe.
"Bitawan niyo ako! Ang kapatid ko!" Lusaka utterly begging.
I looked at Niala and she nodded. She renounced her grip on Lusaka's arm and let her rush toward her brother to protect it.
"Li!" Lusaka yelled rushing at him.
Li and the ginger man heard her yell and arch their gaze at Lusaka.
"Ate?!" I uttered in response to it. He stood from the ground and ran towards her sister. They hugged as soon as their body met.
We got out of the woods and ran towards them. The big guy turned him on us arching upward his eyebrows and eyes wide open; weirded out of the scene.
"Ate? Sino sila?" Li uttered curiously after that dramatic sibling hug.
"Mga kasama ko; Niala, Mill, and Prinsipe Amir. " Lusaka said.
Then a sudden growling laugh off.
We turned our gaze at him.
"Look what we have here? May mga knight-in-shining-armor ka pala!" He uttered,
"We didn't come here just for Li..." I emitted.
"And we're fortunate enough to see you here, ..." I looked at him and arched my lip.
"Cleb Odin."
Cleb put his arms on his midriff, tilted his head, and clicked his tongue.
...
"Maestro Ki Bou. 'Yun pala pangalan ng tandang 'yon!" Cleb emitted. While scraping his axes.
After that scene. Cleb brings us to his shelter uphill, outside the Lelantos. At first, we declined his offer to bring us to his house because we thought that he seemed wild and untrue. But, Li insists, the big guy was good to him.
"Yes, he's the one who gave me, Li, and you a mission to do," I said.
"Ah! The mission! Ikwento ko lang, habang nangangaso ako sa bundok ng Almaciga, syempre! nang biglang nagpakita ang tanda — at sa harapan ko pa mismo! muntik ko pang mataga ang leeg niya...
"Pero buhay pa naman siya..."
"Kinausap ko siya kung ano ginagawa niya sa bundok at bakit mag-isa lang siya, akalain mo 'yun? Sa tanda niya ay nakaya niya pang umakyat ng bundok!? At 'yun na nga, tinanong ko siya, hindi niya ko sinagot, at sabay abot ng papel sa akin! Eh, ako naman bilang pagbigay galang sa tanda, eh, inabot ko ito. Binasa ko ito at doon ako nagtaka, anong klaseng misyon ito? 'Yun ang tanong ko sa sarili ko bago ko siya hinarap. Pero sa pagharap ko sa kung saan siya nakatayo — nawala! Biglang naglaho ang tanda! Nung araw na 'yon nangilabot ako, tinapon ko 'yong papel at hindi na ako nangaso sa parte ng bundok na 'yon, pagkatapos 'nun!
He spoke. Narrating what happened to him at that moment. He uttered the words like he was intoxicated or something.
"But you knew your mission, right?" I uttered with seriousness in my tone.
His eyebrows arch and fondles his beard. Then goes back scraping his axe thoroughly.
"Interesado?" he replied.
"Yes, our mission seems to be connected that is why I asked you what your mission is," I responded.
He stops scraping his axe.
"The mission. To find that guy with this red sword at the mountain, defeat him with my axes, wait for that boy..." he utterly said pointing his newly scraped axe at Li.
Li seems unbothered while Cleb points an axe at him.
We turned out to gaze at Li and then back at him. All of us were all ears on him.
"To deliver an item to me. It seems like the item meant was a piece of shit medicinal plant ointment or whatsoever it is. 'Yun lang!" he added.
"Anong lang? Eh, robust medicine 'yon with corn, ginseng, hawthorn extract, and algae! In short, it will make you stronger — matatag!" Li depended.
"Weee?"
"Oo! At saka gawa ko 'yon! Misyon na binigay sakin ni Maestro Ki Bou; gumawa ng medisina pampalakas ng katawan at ihatid sa Lelantos Village para ibigay sayo sa kabila ng hindi magandang relasyon ng nayon natin!" Li utterly said ominous way.
"Sorry, seems like your mission was gone wasted. Kasi, wala akong balak gawin ang misyon," he uttered modishly. He stood up and fixed his things up.
"Then, we'll be the ones who will resume the mission of yours." I utterly said with morale.
"Seriously? Kaya niyo? My mission is to fight against another man who has a red blade." Cleb said.
"Baka magmukha kayong tuta! Naku! Huwag na." Cleb uttered sarcastically.
"Baka ikaw 'yong tuta? Eh, umatras ka nga!" Niala responded with sarcasm. While sitting and scanning her fingernails.
"Ako tuta? Sa laki kong to?" Cleb responded.
"E'di, damulag!" Niala uttered, gazing at Cleb with a bored stare.
My ears bunted hearing those exchanges. I hemmed to cut off the exchanges between Cleb and Niala.
"Stop it! We'll continue the mission whether you like it or not. Besides, we'll climb up at the Almaciga Mountain to get the Arnica Montana... "
Li was shocked and directly stood up. Lusaka grabbed him.
"Alam nila. Inang Matilda did. Tutulungan ka nila, tutulungan kita." Lusaka uttered, reassuring him.
"Then, that's it! Kami magpapatuloy ng misyon mo, Duwag! — ay, este, Damulag!" Niala utterly said with sass. Glancing at Cleb.
"Uhm, Cleb, just in case, can we borrow any of your swords there at your Village?" Mill said.
Cleb looked at her rubbing his ginger beard, smirking then gradually deeply sighed.
"Kung ganun...,"
"...Sumama kayo sakin! Ako tatapos ng misyon ko!" He uttered with dominance.
We're surprised by his sudden change of mind.
"Hoy! Ikaw babae..." He uttered in his big and deep tone voice. Point finger at Niala. I gazed at Niala who seemed unbothered standing and twirling her short hair.
"Duwag? Hmph! Makikita mo!" He said. He put on his waist belt and scraped his axes together before he put them on his belt.
- END.