Polux and the unknown worlds

The Great Chase

Polux took a deep breath and leaped into the unknown, unsure of what lay beneath the thick, black fog surrounding the cliff’s edge. But to his surprise, what he thought was a deep chasm turned out to be a mere ten feet drop. As he passed through the dark mist, his feet landed on soft sand.

Even more astonishing was his surroundings—he found himself in an endless desert, with nothing but sand, rocks, and towering mountains stretching as far as his eyes could see. Realizing the importance of marking his location, he tore a piece of cloth from the hem of his shirt, tied it around a nearby rock, and placed it precisely where he had landed.

Near the spot, he noticed fresh hoof prints in the sand. Kreto was right—it was indeed a Tikbalang who had abducted Alhena.

Without hesitation, Polux sprinted after the tracks, convinced that the creature had not gone far. If the Tikbalang was no faster than an ordinary horse, he was confident he could catch up—after all, he had spent his entire life chasing wild horses in the mountains.

And he was right. After about ten minutes of running, he spotted a figure in the distance. With his sharp eyesight, he immediately recognized Alhena, being carried away by a monstrous creature. The abductor was heading toward a smoking volcano.

Polux quickened his pace.

Moments later, he noticed the creature slowing down. Now only a hundred meters away, he was closing in fast. But just as the Tikbalang reached the base of the mountain, it vanished.

Polux came to a stop, scanning the area for any possible entry point into the volcano. But there was nothing.

Polux: "Damn it! I can't find the way in. How am I supposed to save Alhena? I lost my parents already—am I going to lose her too?"

Frustration gnawed at him, but he knew he had no choice but to wait. He crouched behind a massive boulder and remained still, watching for any sign of movement.

Minutes later, the Tikbalang emerged—stepping right through the solid rock.

Now seeing the creature up close, Polux took in its terrifying form. The beast stood at least fifteen feet tall—shorter than Kreto but built like a fortress. It had the muscular upper body of a giant man, yet from the neck up, it was all horse. Its coat was brown with white patches, and its body glistened with sweat from the long chase.

Despite its fearsome appearance, Polux felt no fear. He had only one goal: to save Alhena.

As the Tikbalang passed by, Polux struck without warning, delivering a powerful kick to its face. The massive creature staggered backward, dazed and confused.

Polux: "Where did you take Alhena? Where is the girl you kidn*pped?"

The Tikbalang shook its head and looked at him in disbelief.

Tikbalang: "Who… who are you? How did you find me? How did you discover the portal in the black mist? Do you even realize that many humans have wandered into this land, only to be captured and turned into Tikbalang themselves?"

Polux: "I don’t care about any of that! Return Alhena to me, or you’ll regret it."

The Tikbalang let out a mocking laugh.

Tikbalang: "Hah! You’re bold, I’ll give you that. But you won’t live long enough to see her again."

Without warning, it grabbed a bow from its back and fired an arrow at Polux. But the young warrior was too fast, dodging every shot with ease.

Frustration grew on the creature’s face as it emptied its entire quiver—yet not a single arrow struck Polux.

Tikbalang: "Impossible! No human has ever evaded my arrows! Who—what are you?"

With its ranged attacks useless, the beast lunged forward, attempting to grab Polux. But the moment it reached out, Polux was already a step ahead. In a swift motion, he seized the Tikbalang’s hand and, with remarkable strength, snapped one of its fingers backward.

The Tikbalang roared in agony.

Before it could react, Polux snapped another finger. Then another. And another.

The beast’s wails echoed through the desert.

Tikbalang: "Argh! Stop! Please!"

In desperation, it used its other hand to grab Polux and hurled him across the sand. The impact sent Polux rolling, but he quickly regained his footing. The Tikbalang, seeing an opportunity, attempted to flee.

But Polux wasn’t about to let it escape.

Scooping up a handful of sand, he sprinted forward with lightning speed. The Tikbalang ran in erratic zigzags, leaping high to avoid capture, but Polux had hunted wilder creatures before. Within moments, he had already caught up.

Then, just as the creature turned its head to check on its pursuer—Polux threw the sand directly into its eyes.

Blinded, the Tikbalang tripped over its own feet and tumbled across the desert, rolling several times before crashing onto the ground. It clawed at its face, desperately trying to clear its vision.

Before it could recover, Polux delivered a powerful punch to its jaw, followed by a kick to the leg that sent it crashing to its knees.

The Tikbalang let out a final, desperate attempt to deceive him—shifting its form into that of Sirio.

Tikbalang (as Sirio): "Wait! Stop! It’s me, your friend!"

Polux’s expression darkened. With pure rage, he delivered a kick so forceful that the creature’s front teeth flew out, breaking its illusion and forcing it back into its true form.

Polux: "Enough with your tricks! Tell me where Alhena is, or I’ll make sure you regret ever crossing me."

The Tikbalang shuddered, knowing it had no choice.

Tikbalang: "P-please! Have mercy! I’ll tell you!"

Polux noticed the iron chain belt wrapped around the Tikbalang’s waist. Without hesitation, he tore it off and used it to bind the creature’s hands behind its back. Then, he pulled out his dagger and pressed it against the beast’s back.

The moment the blade touched its skin, the Tikbalang convulsed violently, letting out a scream of agony.

Tikbalang: "Argh! What is that?! It burns! Please, stop!"

Polux narrowed his eyes. That reaction was unexpected—but he would think about it later.

Polux: "Talk. Now."

The Tikbalang, still trembling, answered immediately.

Tikbalang: "Alhena was taken to Binangunan."

Polux: "Who is Binangunan?"

Tikbalang: "The leader of the rogue Tikbalang. I was only following orders—if I didn’t bring him a human bride, I would be punished."

Polux: "Bride?"

The Tikbalang hesitated before explaining.

Tikbalang: "We Tikbalang are cursed—we cannot give birth to female offspring. To continue our race, we abduct human women. Once a woman willingly kisses a Tikbalang at noon, she permanently transforms into one of us."

Polux clenched his fists.

Polux: "So if she resists, the curse won’t take effect?"

Tikbalang: "Yes… but no woman has ever resisted. Our leaders are master deceivers. By the time she realizes the truth, it’s too late."

Polux: Why are you hear and why are you doing all of this?

Tikbalang : "A hundred years ago, our king commanded us to search for the missing Prince of the Kapres from the Kingdom of Or-or. Our mission was to retrieve the ORO Stone from him—the stone that holds an extraordinary light. Our king discovered that this light could break the curse upon the Tikbalang race... "We were afraid to return to our kingdom empty-handed. Failure meant death—our king would have us beheaded. So Balendik, Bentohangin, Onlo, and Binangunan made a decision... We would never return. Instead, we built our kingdom here in the desert"

Polux’s heart pounded.This Tikbalang is searching for Kreto good thing He did come with him or else His life would be in danger.

Just then, a voice called out.