Agmu wars; the maharlikan justice

Aswang -chapter 1


A pitch black ever vicious darkness erupted from the evening sky, as swiftly as if the scarlet sun had been swallowed by a giant sea monster. Most people from the ancients believe it did. Specks of lonely lights, both in the heaven and on the hill side were starting to appear.
Dusk was over.
It was time…
Malyari was on a hillside, studying intently the town he was protecting. Every one was preparing for the long night. Children being herded by their parents to their homes, an old woman taking in the laundry that she had forgot to remove previously,  a young boy trying  to make a bon fire but was not quite managing it, especially after his mother shoved him back inside the house, & lampshades being lit.  It gave Malyari satisfaction that he had given this town the one thing he does not have.
Peace and harmony…
The grassy earth danced w/ the timeless hymn in the air; alluring him, w/ minimum success, to join them. It was fresh and mesmerizing, the night posed no strain at all. Everything, even the night, was serenely in harmony w/ each other; the grasses, the tress, the winds, and the land.
Except him – and the long due intruder…
Malyari was a bayani, a trained and skilled warrior of the humans. It was a bayani’s duty to protect his fellowmen
The loyal ones of course, he smirked slightly.
Tall and handsomely built, Malyari did not look remotely like a warrior w/ a notorious record of slaying intruders. But he was. His sharp and deep-set eyes convey hardness of character. Contradicting the rest of his face w/c is mild, not soft, but seemingly friendly and weak.
Armored by metal plates, cloak billowing w/ the breeze, hands hidden; clenching an ancient sword known as kris, Malyari was as stiff as a rock, possibly more petrified than any. Not from fear but for preference, he liked the discomfort of it. It makes him concentrate on nothing else but what he was about to do. Shadowed by his wide brimmed salakot, his eyes were unreadable.
“Your late” Malyari rasped, tone as stiff as himself. He seems to be waiting for a reply, though he was quite alone.
Then suddenly, as if it just materialized from nowhere, a scantly dressed figure landed gracefully paces behind him. He did not look up nor indeed stir at all.
“So sorry, I wasn’t expecting a welcome party” it was a voice of a young girl, probably in her teens, sounding very casual.
This surprised Malyari, he hadn’t expected the Alnu aswangs to send a girl, much less a young one. I thought this was a challenge?
Smiling sweetly she continued, “Aren’t you suppose to give me some sort of greeting?”
“Greetings are cheap” Malyari replied. He was not pleased at all. It was an insult, like he haven’t already proven, a hundred fold that he was not an easy foe to cross. Sneering menacingly, “Had your tribe been depleted by their converts or are you the best they can send?”
“Neither” She smiled “I volunteered for this”
Volunteered? Considering her age the Aswang elders would be unusually pig-headed to even consider it.
Unless…
Malyari considered it for a moment but decided that the Elders couldn't be that dumb. But then again…-- He had a funny feeling that he was right.
He shot her a piercing gaze. She was a perfect fit for the description. The girl was not a typical Aswang. Even though the darkness curtained her features, her slender contours and sleek long hair was silhouetted gracefully on the harsh background. If he wasn’t just about to slay her, he would have considered her pretty.
Planting a shrewd trap, he asked casually “What’s your name?”
“Rena”
From the look in her eyes, Malyari knew that she noticed her mistake, far too late.
“Yes…” Malyari’s eyes narrowing, speaking very deliberately “I would have thought as much”
Aswang were mostly regarded as meat eating vicious monsters capable of horrifying powers. But the truth couldn’t have been farther. To understand them is to know how to kill them.
Aswangs were an obscure sect who seeks only to preserve the “lost harmony”. They belong to an ancient line of tribes who had enormous powers. But as powerful as the aswangs are, it is only a fraction to their original strength. The split from this ancient tribe produced a curse.
No Aswang can beget life…
It would have effectively killed their tribes had they not resorted in gathering converts from the peasants, causing them their infamous misconception. Each tribe of convert aswangs fosters a direct lineage from the original tribe. A female but only one, who is capable of bearing one daughter, this fragile line called the Royal inheritor is the life base and foundation of an aswangs tribe. If she dies, the whole tribe perishes.
Being a convert aswang makes one lose his identity. A nameless member called by the shape of the moon when they were converted. But as the Aswang Royal inheritor, she was entitled to a name.
Rena
If Malyari is able to slay her, then he had eliminated a whole tribe. Very simple, yet not that easy, the Royal inheritor was usually the most powerful. And as an Alnu aswang renowned for their cunningness, this particular duel is going to be indeed hard.
He flared his sword sideward, pointing to his prey, much like a javeliner sets his weapon.
“Foolish of your elder to allow you in here”
“I doubt they were” Rena replied w/ a rather sarcastic laugh. She raised her hands clenching an imaginary sword, or Malyari thought she did, till he noticed that the shadow surrounding her hands hardened, creating a sword from abstract night. Malyari was impressed but he didn’t show it.
The duel had begun…
There were a good 5 paces between them. Malyari calculated the possibility. But before he could make a move, Rena had already launched an attack, swords thundering vertically like a hammer. Malyari caught it w/ a sideward slash to his left. Using the momentum, he did a sling maneuver, hurling his sword from his behind toward her.
Rena had reacted swiftly. She ducked just in time to avoid it. And taking advantage of her stance, she thrust her sword at his enemy’s heart.
Silence…
Rena thought she had won. She was starting to be disappointed that it did not last long when she realized w/ a jolt that her sword had not reached flesh. It was between Malyari’s arm and chest plate armors, clamped securely.
Shoving Malyari, leaving her sword, Rena scampered to stand up.
“Not bad for an Aswang” Malyari said tautly. He was about to touch the sword when it vanished. He ignored it.
“You want another rematch” Rena said, flustered. She was once again in possession of the sword.
“Do you want another rematch?” Malyari echoed more firmly. He could not understand why, but he was actually feeling concerned to her.
In response the Girl positioned her sword threateningly toward him. But this time Malyari reacted first.
He thrust his sword forward, like a spear. Rena imitated his sling maneuver, both avoiding Malyari’s attack & meeting him w/ a deadly flare.
2 swords clashed
Malyari had somehow managed to change his position & end up face to face w/ Rena, swords flaring between them. From the darkness of the night he could make out Rena’s delicate chiseled face, aquiline nose, & deep almond eyes.
Rena shoved him once again. She attacked, but Malyari deflected it. She sent another blow, but again, Malyari answered it. Rena striked repeatedly, but Malyari was always 1 step ahead of her.
Finally, after what seems like the hundredth flare w/ no result. Rena was panting, but Malyari was not showing any signs of exhaustion at all. & she knew that Malyari would be aware of it. W/out thinking, she made a wild slash.
It was a mistake…
Malyari side tracked it, swiftly plotting his way to the flanks, nicked Rena’s wrist
Her sword fell. Rena scrambled to grab the sword but Malyari already has his foot on it. It seems that the duel was over. The aswang lay sprawled to the ground, her long silky hair curtaining her down cast face. His captor closed in on her, but something else happened.
Malyari thought the winds had stopped whispering, the grasses had simply stood erect, like they was stunned to see the aswang on the ground. Then, to Malyari’s horror, the grasses prang to life. They began to move, grasping his ankles, slithering slowly upwards. The more he struggled, the more firmly the grasses clung to him.
Rena watched as the bayani wrestled the grasses away from him. He stumbled to the ground, more blades grabbed him. He continued to resist until the grasses had wrapped him like a cocoon.
Rena stood up, gazing intently on the mummified bayani. He looked like a gigantic wriggling worm. Her eyes were deeply shadowed to show what she was thinking. She was about to turn away when she noticed that the grasses were swiftly starting to wither.
Rena didn’t have a second’s hesitation; Malyari had torn out from the binding, eye blinks later.
“Don’t think I wouldn’t know how to counter your powers” Malyari said, eyes narrowing.
Rena was shocked. W/out giving her a chance to recover, Malyari lunched forward cutting a deep wound on Rena’s left arm. The pain would stop her from making more spells.
Clutching her arm, Rena kneeled to the ground. She was indeed, truly defeated. Malyari positioned himself for a clear blow on her neck. She was powerless to resist.
The bayani raised his sword…
For a slit second, his sword a moments away on her neck, Malyari’s eyes fell on Rena. Shivers ran thru him. She did something no aswang had ever done in his long years as a slayer
Crying…
A single drop of pearly tear on the corner of his eye, no aswang had enough nerve to do it.
There was a faint but distinct sound as his kris flared pass. Malyari could almost hear it echo over and over his head. Shuffling his sword back to his scabbard, face behind the aswang; he gazed once again at the town he was protecting.
A soft mellow breeze played on his face. He inhaled deeply, savoring its elixir. Cloak rippling w/ the winds, he was at long last part and w/ the harmony.
He shifted his eyes back at Rena, who was still kneeling on the ground, shivering both from pain & shock, but miraculously still connected w/ her head. Malyari had swerved, whispers from her neck
“Consider yourself lucky” he said curtly. He turned & headed back to town adding almost to himself “Rena”
It was a name he can never forget; neither would he forget this night. Not because it was a night when he spared an enemy
But because it was in this night, cold, & gloomy when he fell in love…
W/ an aswang

facts:
-- aswangs were a filipino counter part for shape shifters, meat eating super humans, horrible monsters, a kind of vampire, etc. the list on how to discribe aswang is endless but it can be summarized to the word...
horrible
--bayani was a filipino term for hero, but in origin, bayani is equal to the knight of europe or samurais of japan. it basically means a highly trained warrior.
--kris is a wavy sword used by the ancient filipinos


Malyari’s Metamorphosis- II

A gay morning complete w/ matching dew, greeted him as he opened his bamboo window. The sky was blue, matted by strands of rolling clouds. A fresh cool breeze played across the bright green trees and bushes, lolling bits of dried leaves to the vast space above. Birds were merrily chirping on the canopies, singing as the leaped from tree tops to the furry earth or else flew up to meet the heavens. Smiling, Malyari couldn’t be more contented w/ his life.
Malyari lived on the outskirts of Raya, his protectorate town. Like most of the vicinity, his house was a small, dingy nipa and bamboo blend. But his true living area was an alcove he had constructed on a nearby tree.  Stepping tentatively out of his house, he trotted sleepily the said tree. He liked the outdoors better, even more so as his home had a good vantage point of view across the plains.
Relaxing on a low chair, polishing his kris, Malyari tried to forget about last night, but his mind kept wondering back on the vivid image of a beautiful girl whimpering on the ground.
“She’s an aswang!”  Malyari muttered to himself over a hundred times. But another unanswerable voice would always follow it, why didn’t you kill her?
Malyari stared at the kris; the wavy silver blades shimmered as he polished. He picked up the grind stone and began sharpening it. The handle was of narra wood, finely chiseled w/ horizontal jagged lines in such an angle that it looked like lightning. The hilt was carved to represent his tribe emblem. A small black bird, eagle spread, clutching a snake more than twice bigger. The bird was surrounded by circular lines w/c signifies the owners hierarchy to the tribe; a cyclone.
It had been his father’s most valuable possession, given to him after he died, and like his father, it had been his most precious. Although his father uses it for a different purpose than the way he was using it now. As a human-town protector, a bayani, his duty was to protect the town from harmful elements. He and his kris had been infamous for never letting an enemy to live.
The aswang he had allowed to live was the first. Much worse, he could explain to himself why he’d done it. Was it really because of the tear I saw? Pity, or is it something much more? He could clearly recall her delicately chiseled eyes as a pearly tear dropped from it, was it the tear or was it the eyes? What ever it was, he couldn’t quite take it away from his mind.
Rena…it was the name of the Aswang. He kept repeating it like it meant something-- but it doesn’t.
There was a faint rustle in the air, Malyari had noticed it and was instantly on his guard. There was no mistaking it, it was an aswang. In broad ay light? Malyari could remember an aswang brave enough to attack in the morning.
“Am I disturbing something?” a cheerful voice announced from his behind. Malyari turned w/ a jolt; he had actually been caught off guard!
Malyari pointed his kris to the speaker, it sounded oddly familiar. He was about to strike, sword inches from the intruder’s neck when he realized who it was. He’s insides felt like it was struck by a bolt of lightning. It was the same intruder he had spared last night, Rena.
He was having trouble deciding whether to continue tearing her throat or… or what? Release the sword from my grip, an odd option, yet strangely appealing.
Rena had cleverly hidden her aswang identity; w/ a fitting brown shirt and a long flowing linen mantle wrapped around her waist, she could easily be over looked as an ordinary peasant girl. It was the neat and mended version of the attire that she had worn last night.
She bore no scar from their previous encounter, aswangs usually don’t. Rena’s silky hair and garments billowed w/ the winds, her almond hazel eyes curiously, if not mockingly gazing at him.
“I see you’re still mad at me.” Rena said grinning broadly. Reluctantly Malyari lowered his sword.
“What do you want” Malyari said flatly, thought edged dangerously.
“Just a few questions” her face was lit with a smile.
“You realize that I can kill you any time I wanted to”
“No you wont” she looked at him directly, “you had your chance and you didn’t”
“You were just lucky”
“Why was I lucky?”
He didn’t reply but stared at her stonily
“I gather you don’t like to tell me” she proceeds unabashed to Malyari’s alcove “you have a nice place here”
“Anything else you wanted to ask?” Malyari took a seat in front of her; he tried not to think how beautiful she was. But it was impossible to look at those warm blue eyes w/out being mesmerized.
“The elders found my encounter w/ you, Rena paused, finding the words, “interesting,” she pronounced it deliberately slow “they had odd interpretations about it”
“Like what?” Malyari glared at her, had they guessed?
Rena said nothing. And to Malyari’s surprise, he saw a faint blush.
“So you were sent to confirm their interpretations” he said scathingly
“Nobody sent me”, she said indignantly “they advised me to stay away from you”
“And why didn’t you?” Malyari said tartly.
She laughed bitterly, “since when had I followed their advise” Malyari, noting the incident last night had to agree, knowing she is the Royal inheritor, the Aswang Elders would never allow her to volunteer:
She had chosen to come.
The realization hit him more than he had expected, and was momentarily lost for words, brave was the first thing that came to his mind, next was wreck less
Malyari spied a look at her. She had also seems to have lost her speech. The morning breeze found the shady tree, Rena’s silky hair rippled carelessly w/ it. A swallow flew past him and landed on Rena’s lap, she smiled and crooned the bird caressingly, playing for time. She was oblivious to the soft tenderness she was emitting; making you want to hold her near…
Finally, breaking the silence, Rena remarked, “I noticed that kris, you’re a maharlikan – “
“It doesn’t matter” Malyari interrupted, “not like I’m going back”
Rena made no reply, she stared somewhere on her feet. Another eerie silence fell on them.
“Why didn’t you kill me?” she asked suddenly
“I thought you already knew I wouldn’t tell you”
“Do you know how the elders interpreted that?” Rena said, resolutely looking everywhere but on him.
“I don’t care” Malyari said dryly
“I shouldn’t tell, but the Aswangs are planning to send a whole gang in to kill you!” Rena said miserably
Malyari thought he had heard Rena say something like a gang of aswangs attacking him, but that was impossible. But by the look on Rena’s face, he knew he heard right. His insides felt like swarming worms. But it can’t be possible
“They wouldn’t do that” Malyari said, wanting to believe it, “it would be very dishonorable, as an Elder they—“
“You did a dishonorable thing Malyari,” her cheeks reddening and continued to avoid his eyes, “according to the aswang creed, a dishonorable act can be repaid by a dishonorable act”
“What have I done?” he asked in what he hoped was not an off hand, but defiant tone. Rena stood up and looked somewhere on his behind.
“You spared my life”
Malyari couldn’t believe it. But it was perfect excuse to have him eliminated, after all, he ha been a menace to them for so long.
“Why did—“Malyari was about to ask when he noticed that she was gone.




Malyari stared at the sky. It was swiftly turning to darkness, w/ scarlet blood. Few late birds were rushing to their homes. The trees were mourning to the lost of light, swaying back and fort hauntingly. The breeze was cool but Malyari was oddly sweating.
Dusk would end soon…
It was once again time…
Malyari had worn his customary plated metal armor; his cloak covered it like a curtain. He strode forward, his salakot on his face, armoring it like a shadow. He was not far from the alcove, standing resolutely still like a rock.
The wind was mockingly trying to invite him to dance w/ them, managing only to move his cloak. He was opposing the night harmony once again.
He felt the first wave of aswangs approaching, he did not move, but this time, he was finding it difficult to not stir. His senses, counting trying to count the enemies, were screaming for him to flee, for they were too many. But he did not move. For the first time, Malyari felt a chill known as fear.
Courage is not w/out fear, it was the master of it he smiled in spite of himself, and his father had always quoted that to him. He is the master of his fears, thus fear is not his enemy and his enemy is not to be feared.
Like a pack of wolves, closing in on a helpless prey, they began encircling on Malyari. Slowly, one by one, they began to emerge from the darkness. Malyari clenched his sword tightly till it hurts, feeling its every jagged detail—he may never feel it again.
Unless…
Malyari hands crossed the little black bird marking on his sword. He remembered his father as if he was in front of him, smiling beseechingly, tears dropping unchecked on his face, begging him, pleading…
The first aswang pounced at him, like a lion, using his claws and teeth as his weapon. Malyari ducked and shot up just in time to meet the attacker’s abdomen. It stumbled to the ground, dead.
Malyari remembered his father lying on his death bed, asking…, hoping…
Two more aswangs attacked, each carrying a rod, he deflected the first vertical slash but the 2nd managed to nick his chin, he changed position and w/ a sling shot flare, killed them both. More aswang were slowly nearing him, Malyari knew that no matter how skilled a bayani he was, he was no match to such a volume.
His father was on his death bed, giving him his sword. Pleading, begging him to accept not just the sword…
A pack of them thrust forward, he managed to slay all but his right wrist got slashed. Shifting his sword to his left, he braced himself for the next attackers.
His father died, leaving his last request unanswered. No! He could not bear to think about it.
A rain of aswangs attacked, he maneuvered all of them to their deaths. But this time it was his left wrist that was wounded. His kris fell to the ground; he stood defenseless as the aswangs circling him moved nearer, one step at a time.
-- His father asked him to accept his destiny, to accept his responsibility. He had failed to answer him before he died. Now, he was going to die not accepting his destiny...
why? because his father had not heard him say so?
The night was candle dark; he could silhouette his attackers, circling him ceaselessly, like they were doing a ritual dance. The air was very still, yet the trees were swaying, as if mourning.
His father had died, but as long as he lives, his destiny lives. Yes his father is somewhere out there, listening, waiting for him to accept.
A shadow of one of the trees had oddly shaped it self in a form of a slouched forlorn man. Malyari thought it looked like his father, watching him listening.
Malyari smiled dismissively, “Yes, I will accept my destiny”
The still winds had suddenly picked a dangerous edge, rising alarmingly, nearby trees were violently uprooted, hurling it to all directions. A thick dark cloud appeared high above them. Flashes of lightning struck on the aswangs. A lightning struck nearby Malyari, reavealing his angry red eyes and vibrant blue aura.
The aswangs were terrified, either from the sight of him or from the lightning that sprinkled them. The winds flung them away, throwing them at far distances. Some tried to foolishly attack only to realize that the blue aura was not just light, but a radiant barrier. By the groups, the scampered away, bruised and wounded, and charged w/ horror.
Too soon they were all gone.
Malyari had taken his father’s shoes; he was now the true owner of the black bird on his sword, the ruler of the mightiest and powerful human tribe, the Maharlikan Master. The black bird clutching a huge snake, Maharlika, is the bringer of justice and harmony, his father had kept it so, and so will he. He didn’t know if he can do it, but he now knew that he must.
Malyari’s eyes turned back to normal, the storm had receded. He noticed that his hands had oddly healed; he supposed it was part of his new power. He picked up his kris and returned it to his scabbard. He gazed at the dense dark woods
“You forgot to leave…”
Rena walked out of the forest and mused “Am I suppose to? I guess I wasn’t scare that much.”
“You knew, but you didn’t warn them”
“They wouldn’t listen”
  Malyari didn’t reply, he couldn’t decide what to say, but before he could, Rena had already asked
“So, why didn’t you kill me?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes it does”
Malyari looked at his decapitated home and shifted to her.
“I’m leaving, do you want to join? You’ll be awfully bored w/ out your arch enemy…”
She looked at him, startled, but smiled mischievously, “is that a proposal?”
“Maybe”
“Why didn’t you kill me?” she asked coyly
Malyari wheeled closer to her and held her hands, “Do you really want to hear it”
Rena stared at him, eyes sparkling, “No, I don’t …”
The dark was evaporating fast, blending to the shade of blue. A yellow horizon was visible, the sun was waking up, along w/ it would follow the birds, the trees and the start of a new begging.





Kampilan’s Grindstone-III



It was dark…
There was no breeze, not even a whisper. The forest was silent, as if observing his every move. The trees were hauntingly ganging up on him, like a jeering crowd. Eruel ignored them, hiding on a hooded cloak yet defiant as he stride forward. Judge him the forest did, but he could have cared less. He stopped on an overgrown trunk where the trail had ended. He waits expectantly.
A blazing arrow shot from no where. Eruel w/ his lightning instincts, swiftly reached for his kampilan, flung his cloak and intercepted the arrow in midair, all in a split of a second.
Sneering darkly, he pitched his sword to the ground and removed his hood, revealing a deeply scared face and gray hair.
“What is your business?” a loud forbidding voice, w/c apparently came from no one announced.
“Show yourself and you shall know”. He answered back.
These tribes were known to be very suspicious and secretive. They were also notorious for killing worthless visitors. One wrong move and he’ll end up as carrion’s breakfast.
A handful of tribesmen dropped from the trees, surrounding him like the forest had, w/ the same forbidding manner. Why shouldn’t they? He was their enemy, and they were his. A war was currently raging, but the war did not only cover their tribes, it was something much, much bigger. So vast was it that it was hard for these tribes to trust anyone. His orders were very specific. It was not peace. These people would never yield any ground—neither would they.
“I am not patient”. One of the men rasped. He was in the shadow, his lean muscular chest and arms outlined threateningly
“I am told that you are in a crisis”
“It’s none of your damned concern”, the broad chest man said sharply—and clearly, as clear as a deranged cloaked man hanging on a high tree next morning.
Eruel braced himself. “It the bloody is”, he smiled, revealing the only thing white in him…




The Agmu war has been raging on for nearly millennia, nearly 500 miserable years, W/ none of the sides showing signs of relenting. From generation to generation, each fought w/ the same vigor and viciousness as the previous one. It was still as bloody as it had once been. Each generation except for the 1rst one, fought for the same reason.
Inheritance…
The war was the battle of their forefathers, passed on to each generation as a curse. It had spanned so much land, many tribes and centuries that no one was quite certain as to how it began.
Some blames it to the creation of such monsters as Dragons and Phoenixes. It was a lie. These monsters had always been there, just as all the animals had. They were bred, probably, but so were horses and cattle. No… it was too little an issue to consider.
There was no clear way of recording the past—nor did the present, only chaotic impressions on walls and lots of hearsay words, none provide a clear and verifiable picture of the past. Thankfully, at least it provided us w/ a general but vague tale. It relates the story of the creation of the world:



In the begging there was nothing but chaos, darkness. Then there was an explosion, brilliant and fiery. From this comes the 2nd form of power, light. The prevailing darkness ang light combined to create another force: life
3 lives were formed; gradually they came to call themselves as spirits. But explosions do not last long, neither was light that accompanies it. Once the explosion fades, they will be fading w/ it. The 3 spirits devised a way to stop such actions, they trapped explosion.
The world as we know it. Was a creation of this trapped explosion, it will continue to be trapped as long as balance was maintained. The 3 spirits knew how fragile the balance can be. Thus as an insurance, one of the spirits became humans, a race that will keep the harmony of the world. The 2nd spirit decided to be a guardian, who will in turn keep the harmony among the humans. Thru this arrangement the world, was suppose to survive for all eternity.
And survive it did.
The humans were in charge of harmonizing the elemental powers; fire, wind, water, and earth, (w/c are derived from the 2 original powers.) These powers were the main components of nature, and nature is the physical world. The guardians in turn are responsible in balancing the 2 original power; light and dark. Both are the main component of life, humans life primarily.
These arrangements kept the world alive. But nothing is flawless. Thought the spirits made a good it as fool proof as possible, flaws were always bound to appear.
The 1rst flaw was in the structure of the creation themselves, although theoretically flawless, the implementation revealed an enormous crack. The guardians, whose duty in theory was to keep harmony between the humans, were in practice actually the ruler of the humans. The same was true to the human, nature relationship. But nature never complains, where as humans w/ life knew how to.
This supposedly started the Agmu wars. The details were blurred in time. We can not know if it was because the humans were abused by the guardians or because the humans became jealous of guardian stature. But neither ways, at some point humans rebelled, led notably by a human tribe known as Maharlikans.
Thus, the war had begun.
The 2nd flaw was the cause of the defeat of the Guardians. The pattern in w/c the 2 life form derives their power. Humans derive theirs in the very spot that they control: nature. Likewise, the guardians derive theirs from the support of the humans. In idea, it was designed to provide incentive to make them do their duty. But as the war begun, it became the guardian’s tombstone. Since the humans rebelled, guardians were left w/ no support to derive their power. They were left powerless.
But the effect of the 2nd flaw did not stop there. At the onset of the war, guardians were almost annihilated. Alarmingly few survived. Those who survived knew they could not face the humans by force. They found a different way. 1rst they ‘stole’ humans, in villages, towns, anywhere as long as they were not noticed. These humans where made to believe that they’re duty was to protect guardians, some joined willingly, others where brainwashed. These humans became the source of guardian powers. By the time the Maharlikans learned what they were doing, the guardians had already gained a rudimentary foundation.  And 2nd step and the most decisive; the guardians occupied the very center of nature… forest! Forest proved to be an excellent hideout and at the same time they managed to block the humans w/ their source of power. Soon the humans found themselves powerless. They resorted in making ‘controlled forest’ known as farms, but it did not prove to be sufficient.
It may seem that guardians had an upper hand, but the stolen human were just as insufficient as the farms were to the humans. Then, the guardians made their 1rts mistake; they scattered themselves to gather more humans, each in time became a distinct tribe composed by a single guardian line and human members. The human tribe had to protect the guardian line coz if it dies. The whole tribe goes w/ it. It was to insure the loyalty of the human subject.
And finally, the last and biggest flaw w/c caused the war to be more complex than it already is; the elemental powers and most notably the 2 original power was composed of inverse powers; Powers that continue to vanquish each other, light fights the dark and dark fight the light. The guardians, in their haste to conserve the meager power they have, choose to specialize on just on power. The light specialized became Diwatas, and the dark specialized became Aswang. These 2 factions in time became enemies.
Thus, there are now 3 factions fighting; Maharlikans, for the humans, Aswangs for the dark powered guardians, and Diwatas for the light guardians.
Chaos ruled the land. Although major battles were hardly fought, the effects still carries a bloody mark.
But the worst punishment of the war was yet to come. Humans & Guardians were there for a purpose; to protect & keep the harmony of the world. Humans protected & controlled nature; humans in turn were protected & controlled by the Guardians. The war had disrupted this harmony. Guardians now control nature, and humans on themselves. Both were inadequate & hopelessly unqualified for such stature. Continued mismanagement can only lead to one end.
Destruction
Someone had to act soon, but who & how?
Crescent-moon, standing near the foot hills of the original Guardian capital, now occupied by the Maharlikans, examined his thoughts carefully. He was an Alnu aswang elder. It was the dead of the night, the grasses were very serene. If only things remained that way, if only the war had never started, then everyone would still be as serene as the grasses where he stood. But it wasn’t going change, facing the problem is the1rst step to solving it.
He was not the chosen one who could solve it, but he was willing to gamble. If all worked out nicely, if everything will happen as he hoped it would. Then possibly, just possibly, his gamble would succeed. And if it did not, they could mark our deaths as one of the war casualties. Yes, he thought w/ grimly. He was willing to gamble their life on this.
A shadowed figure landed gracefully behind him.” Sire, Rena & Malyari is now heading to the Maharlikan capital, they should be there by tomorrow morning”
“Thank you, you may return” Crescent-moon dismissed.
He continued to gaze at the castle. He had done everything he can under his power, there’s nothing left for him to do. He had done his share, done it perfectly.
It was time…
The shadowed man landed once again, but not as graceful as before, “Sire, I have important news, a Maharlikan had--“, he realized that his master, Crescent-moon was not there. Instead, there was a young tree the height of his master.  It wasn’t there moments ago.  He studied it for a moment then realized what it was… who it was. He smiled & bowed deeply t the tree
His master was indeed still there, forevermore…




The bright morning sun, fresh dew & balmy breeze, had joined together in bringing fruit one of the most beautiful morning it had ever conceived. Birds of all kinds- & size flew from all direction, enjoying the merciful bliss. Rena could almost imagine herself flying w/ them. The field, w/ its rainbow flowers & fresh fragrance was nothing short of paradise.
“bet you’d like to join them” Malyari chided as if reading her mind.
Rena shot him a mock icy glare, “Aye, I would, but I would have to wait till sundown w/c will probably take us that much if we continue this pace”
Malyari merely smiled, he had indeed deliberately slowed down their pace so that he could cherish the memory of his childhood playground more. The smell of upturned fields, combined w/ the fragrant flowers was mesmerizing. At long last, he was indeed home.
“You realize of course that I could have flown ahead last night had I not been concerned of the beasts that might beset your way” Rena said breezily, her cheerfulness as usual presiding her by a mile.
“Yes” he replied wryly “you are too modest”
“Modest!” she gazed at him, hands at her slim waist in mock exasperation. Rena had no idea that instead of looking stern & hard. She had inversely emitted an aura of tenderness. Making you want to protect her & hold her near. Very ironic Malyari mused, just as ironic as how he met her.
In a duel
“Where exactly is the cas—“Rena was cut by a sudden flash of lightning, it struck down a few steps to their rear. Considering its intensity, her reaction was mild. She had only jumped a foot high. Malyari on the other hand had been expecting it since before they have entered the field, hoping actually. He was familiar to it as a boy.
It was Kimat, the thunder dog w/ his tamer, Gire.
Gire was had grown considerably since Malyari had left. He was much younger than him, and was trying to train Kimat before he left. Time has not tarnished Gire’s jovial blue eyes; he was still sporting a long, wild uncombed hair, making him appear like he had just woken up. The only thing that changed was that he had grown higher than him and Kimat stopped clawing every once in a while, though Malyari could still see claw marks hidden smartly on his arm.
Malyari half expected hoped Gire to be ecstatic as he had always been, jumping w/ mirth and shouting his pleasure at his return. But Gire was far inclined to jump w/ joy, his face registered nothing but shock.
“Master Malyari!, I-I  … “ Gire stammered, Malyari had known him to be a jovial & childish servant, it is possible that he had out grown it, but still not very likely. Something must be really wrong for him to act this strangely.
“Is something wrong?” Malyari asked hesitantly
Gire took a long silent look at him & to Rena who was gazing at them awkwardly.
“I- I am afraid there’s a bit of complication…” he said gravely. Malyari eyed him, and he knew that whatever it was, it was not just a complication.
My fathers dead, what can be worse than that?
There was another flash of light, no loud explosion like that of a thunder, but the light was very luminous, almost blinding. It was Halmista, a Maharlikan Elder.
A thin smile crossed his ancient face, “Malyari, welcome home!” his voice was warm, like hot wire. But his eyes were frozen cold, a thick forbidding wall, completely at odds w/ his words.
“Welcome home” he repeated, “welcome home…”