Mermaid Blues: Beasts, Giants and Spirits

Turn Tables

Mt. Palanan, Isabela. Along the Sierra Madre Range...

The top of the mountain was seen suddenly erupted like a nuclear bomb. The sound roars from the nearby towns and villages until the coastline to the East and to the mountains of Cordillera to the West. The Cagayan plains to the north aren't also safe from the terrifying roar. The sea to the south also heard the terrifying sound. Everybody jumped startled and frightened when they heard a sudden noise of something seemingly declaring war.

It didn't burst out lava or magma. It just exploded, creating pillars of smoke in the sky. As the smoke reaches the atmosphere, it did something unexplainable to Science. The top of the smoke pillar forms into something amazing and mind puzzling at the same time. It was the first time humans saw such an amazing sight in the sky. The peak of smoke forms a shape like that of a snowflake. The patterns and the design really do resemble one. It slowly covers the entire sky of Isabela, the smoke covered both the land and its coast.

As the smoke covers the bubble sky, strange unknown creatures suddenly appeared in the mountain. These creatures, such as a deer made out of light and a giant snake made out of magma, have just appeared in material reality. They are going down the mountain. There was a giant Philippine eagle-like creature seen hovering above the valley of San Guillermo. There are other more creatures that appeared, but these guys are the ones that terrified villages. The phenomenon lasted for twenty minutes.

An hour later, the chopper of the Cordilleran Marksmen association came to the peak of the mountain. They only found the peak missing and the area is still smoking. The area is still hot and it is dangerous to set foot on so the agents are just hovering above. An agent is filming the devastation through a camera.

Gordon is in the lab examining the footage the agent is sending to him through the computer monitor.

"I calculate that this is maybe between a two hundred to two hundred twenty meter radius," the agent told the leader. "About how deep is unclear since the area is covered in smoke."

"Can you see an object in the middle of it? Maybe an asteroid?" he asked.

"Negative, I can see nothing," she said.

"Okay, good. Come back here, now," he ordered. "That place might be dangerous. You have to get out of there."

"Yes, sir."

Gordon turns off the communicator. He faces Gaston, who is sitting on the rotating chair next to him.

"If it is not Kianu. Then, either Benjie or Wendel has his tattoo removed," Gordon said.

"Well, let us find the possible area of the next collision before Ana removes another one," Gaston said.

Gordon nodded. "Let's do that."

***Blue Water***

In a classroom is occupied by the architecture students where Seyhan, and Sherdel belonged to. There are only fifteen students in that classroom. Fourteen of them are males and one is a girl.

Sherdel was sitting in the middle of the third row. He was alone, ignoring his classmates. He was wearing a pair of earplugs in his ears. He was silently staring at the black board. Seyhan, he is at the back with the rest of the boys. Unlike Sherdelino, he is a person who is loved by many. The boys at the back are all his peers. For a guy with nice looks, he is the most sociable and humorous, especially when it comes to dirty jokes. It might not be obvious on his face, but he is the most generous guy in class. They are gathered there in one area interacting and making jokes with each other.

"Guys," the only girl in the class called their attention. "A text came. Sir Oswald is not here today. Thank God for that."

Sherdel sighed in relief. He immediately stood up and grabbed his body bag from the table. He bent down to get the large rolled paper lying next to his feet.

"Yes! Hahaha!" Seyhan cheered. And so like the other boys.

"Guys, it's too early to celebrate. He texted me again, and he demands we pass our layouts today," she said. "He says here, 'Remember, today is your exam. Your layouts will serve as your mid-term exam.'"

"What? Today?" Seyhan got surprised. "Oh come on. Does he think that it's easy to create a park?" he complained.

Sherdel raised both his eyebrows as he looked at him. He smirked.

"Man. Sir's gonna kill us," one of them said.

"Can't we just postpone the submission?" Allan suggested.

"That's what I am about to ask him. Damn, I haven't started mine too," she replied. "He just gave the activity last Monday."

"Yeah. Tell him that we aren't finished yet. In that way, he will understand," Seyhan instructed. His peers agreed.

"Yeah, I'll tell him that he'll extend the submission until Friday, is that okay with all of you?" she asked.

"How about those who finished it?" West suddenly asked. The question he spoke out had broken the atmosphere of the room.

"Come again?" she asked with disappointment on her face.

"I have my project here with me," he said.

"Oh my God. Would you please pass that this Friday?" Seyhan complained.

"No, this is the only thing I've brought to this school today and I don't want to go back home with this with me. It's huge, it doesn't fit in the jeepney."

"But he'll kill us more if you submit that today. Do you know what he will say? 'Minus points late. I have given you the rest of the vacation to work it through, but you didn't finish it? You're dead!' and some other scoldings with our grades going down with it," one of the classmates complained.

"And jeepney? Don't you have a land cruiser in the parking lot?" Seyhan complained.

"It's not my problem," West replied. "Sherdelino also finished his layout."

"Yeah," Sherdel replied with a smug smile on his face as he shrugged. "Whether you like it or not, I am tired of carrying this all day, so I'd rather bring it to his office."

Everyone in the room sighed in disappointment.

"Argh! Damn, why are we classmates with these difficult people?" Seyhan muttered.

:::::::::::::::::

Gaston opened the interrogation room's door. He entered. Inside the room is Agatha. She is covered in wounds all over her body. Even her clothes were ripped apart. She was looking at Gaston sternly. Gaston sat down across from her.

"Are you going to torture me?" she asked with a smile.

"If you're not going to cooperate with us, then that's what you'll get," Gaston said.

" You are wasting your time, boys."

"I know," Gaston smiled. "That's why I was thinking of another approach instead of torture. I am sick of playing games anymore. My leg is done with you."

He turned his head to the right to glance at the mirror behind him.

"Let her in," he ordered.

The door opened. Someone entered. Silvia enters the room and she walks toward Gaston. As she comes closer, she is anxiously looking at Agatha. "So, this is the witch you are talking about."

"If you don't want us to know your name, maybe this old lady is here and you might get a little understanding. This is Lola Silvia. Lola, meet the pain in the butt," he introduced. "You know, this old lady is a babaylan," he informs. "I hope you two will vibe together. Don't worry, she's a good woman, she won't hurt a finger, not unless I said so."

Agatha gulped. She suddenly got nervous.

"My God," she gasped. "You have been blessed by a god, haven't you?" she guessed.

"Then you should know that any torture won't work on me. I will heal and heal and feel nothing about it. You can't break me!"

"I see," Silvia answered. "However, I am not an agent. I am just merely a consultant. Also, you don't know what a babaylan's capable of. I don't follow conventional way of defending myself or forcing someone to talk".

Agatha shuts her mouth. She was quite struck by the old lady's threat. She is glaring at her She is trying to move her hands that are tied together to the back of the backrest. The enchanted magic sealing cuffs are too tight. She can't manage to break.

"I heard that you are among Gabriel Umali's most trusted servants. Too bad, you are going to betray him," Gaston mocks at her. Gaston stood up and so was Silvia. The agent outside pushed the door open. Silvia exited. Gaston followed her after.

"What the hell? Gods really exist?" he asked.

"Not really. I meant the armans. I was skeptical at first, but the smell of her blood seemed like she drank some arman blood. I am afraid I too am shocked. I have never thought I would stumble upon such a situation," she said. "I'll prepare my things for the ritual," Silvia told.

"Make sure she'll speak," he said.

Silvia nodded. Then, she parted ways with him. Immediately, Cielo came close to Gaston.

"Any news?" he asked.

"I think I shook him a little," he answered.

"Good," he replied. "Aside from that... Agent Gisway called me," he said.

"Is there a problem?"

"No," he answered. "The opposite actually. Gisway is coming with the agents from Afghanistan. He just picked them up at the airport. They are now on their way here."

Gaston was surprised. He wasn't informed that there were foreigners coming to the headquarters.

"You didn't tell me about this," he told.

"I am so sorry if you got busy and you missed the meeting with the ambassador of the Soul Speaking Society."

"Let's prepare for their arrival then," Gaston told him.

::::::::::::::::::::

Gaddo is sitting in his office. He is on a revolving chair at the back of his desk. His elbows are placed on the edge of the desk while he rubs his chin against his palms. He is thinking deeply as he worries about Agatha. He worries that she might spill everything she knows about him, his family, and Gabriel Ramirez.

He is quiet, alone in the room. He could feel the tension building up in his mind. The fear is overtaking him and anger consumes his emotions. He starts to glare up as he imagines what to do with the Bakunawa Association. When he can't resist his temper anymore, he stands up and takes a deep breath.

"Goddammit!" he exclaimed.

Then, his phone placed on the desk rings. Someone is calling him. He looks down at it and he can see an unknown number calling revealed by the screen. He grabs it up, presses the response button, and holds it near his ear.

"You son of a gun!" he replied.

"You guessed it right," Seth responded on the other line. "You still remember me, don't you? I know you recognize this voice from somewhere."

"Give me back Agatha, NOW!"

"No, I won't," the old man replied. "You even know we have her. Agatha, is that her name?"

"Listen up, old man. You release her right now or else I will kill the beloved girl along with those men," he threatened.

"Are we going to get scared by a mere threat, Mr. Umali?" he protests. "This woman contains every secret you have ever hidden. She even has some details about where you are right now. And about every single plan you have, and every single knowledge about you and the reason why you go this extra mile just to reconnect the realities to each other. Am I right, Mr. Umali?"

"So, you want to play? Okay. Let me tell you this: do whatever you want to her. Kill her if you want. Extract everything she knows about me, but you can't change the fact that I already have what I need. The girl who agrees to remove the tattoo of Lumawig will soon fulfill her promise. You won't do a damn about it."

"Son of a b***h! You are going to sacrifice your comrade for such a reason?" the old man replied. He was dismayed when he realized his plan backfired. The guy on the other side of the line is not joking. He is willing to sacrifice the witch in order to continue his plans. "What are you up to?"

"It is up to you to find out," he replied. "You have set a terrible rule for your game. I am not going to be shaken by your threat. Our mission is still going to continue without her, so it's your loss."

"Listen up! I will find you. I will hunt you like how you hunt Lignodons. I will rip you apart, you get it?"

"Bye-bye, old man," Gaddo said. He hung up.

"Goddammit!" Seth exclaimed in anger. He puts down his phone. Gordon came to ask how was the conversation between him and Gabriel Umali. Judging from the old man's face alone, which is painted with anger and dismay, Gordon can tell the conversation turned out badly. He can see that Seth is upset.

"How is it?" Gordon asked.

Seth looks at him as he scowls. Gordon froze in fear.

"I want Agatha to hurry up the process of extracting information from that woman's head. Immediately find the mansion's location before he manages to escape from us," he commanded. "We have got no time to lose. That criminal must have to be found and be hanged."

"Y-ye-yes, sir!" Gordon responded with fright.

::::::::::::::::

Agatha is forced to lie on a bed located inside a room that is empty. She could only see lights in the ceiling and the stone walls around. She is tied up by magic sealing ropes. Her hands are bound to the side rails of the bed and her feet are bound to the legs of the bed. Meanwhile, the woman named Silvia, the babaylan, came in. Agatha is watching her walking closer and she is carrying a small chest box.

"Okay, Agatha. Are you ready?" she spoke.

"What's that?" she asked. She looks curiously at the chest.

"Ow, this one?" she looked at the small chest. She placed it down beside Agatha. "It's a container where I put the creature that can force you to confess," she answered.

She opened the chest. Agatha was getting nervous as she curiously looked at the opened chest. She began to breathe heavier as she watched a creature coming out of the box. When it came out, Agatha realized it was a spirit. A small shadowy dark figure came out from it. The figure was in a form of a house lizard. It was as small as it is as well. The lizard crept out of the chest and it hopped to Agatha's stomach.

"This lizard's name is Kanawan. One of Ephirmise's guards of death," Silvia informed.

Now, it makes sense to Agatha. That's why the lizard was too familiar. She never expected that fate has brought her closer again with the ephirmise after thirty years just through that lizard. Just thinking about the past made her heart explode and her blood boil. Things are getting more personal.

"You see. This lizard was ordered to force you to tell any secrets I ask of you. Kanawan bites and your brain have no choice but to remove your conscoiusness. Once your brain shuts down, so is your consciousness: remaining only your subconscious. In that way, you can answer me honestly without your conscious interference," she explained. "Being conscious does cloud the truth from others, it makes us hesitant because we are aware of the effects. It forces us to lie."

After she heard her explanation, Agatha tried to pull the rope bounding his right arm to the right railing of the bed. She pulls it so hard while hoping to break the rope. She did the same with her other arm. She squirms in the hope of breaking loose.

"That rope can't be ripped off by you, Agatha," she said. "Now, behave, okay?" Then, she began to chant the spider.

Dum'neg ka... alaem nan laydek ay alaen san utek na. Ingkaet tasay men tatauli am ed Lawed. Ketketem tasay bumala san agyod. Bara-em san lason na tasay maala et aggay di tet-ewa.

The lizard who was waiting for the old woman's orders finally moved after the chant. The lizard then climbed up to Agatha's body. Kanawan had climbed on her chest it resumed climbing up to her head. Agatha shook her head from side to side and down to up, but Kanawan was stubborn. The lizard successfully arrived on her forehead. It began to turn into a shadow as it let itself get sipped by the skin. When it successfully got into her mind, their was a tattoo appearing in Agatha's forehead.

Agatha feels dizzy. She could tell that his senses were fading. She can't think, and she began to be confused about things. Her surroundings were swirling. She began to groan.

"Do you know where is the place where Gabriel Umali is hiding?" she asked.

"Y-yes," she answered. "It's in Bontoc."

Silvia pouted as she nodded.

"Give the specific address. Describe where he is in Bontoc," Silvia ordered.

"You must have to cross the Balitian Creek before you get there. His mansion is made of stone. It is alone on a hill. It is so distant from the nearest village. I can't tell the exact location since it doesn't have an address. It just sits on top of a hill."

"Good," Silvia was relieved. " What is the name of the nearest village?"

"Guinaang," she answered. "I remember heading north from Guinaang."

"Is there where Ana is kept along with Benjie and Wendel?"

"Yeah. All of them," she answered.

"How many do you think are the wielders of the tattoo of Lumawig?"

"Seven. We killed four, so, we need to kill the remaining three."

"Why do you need to reconnect the realities together?" the lady told him.

"It is by the order of Senator Renato Santiago himself," she replied. "Do you know that we are just stuck as a pawn to his scheme? He is using Gaddo while taking advantage of Gaddo's hatred for the ephirmise that slowly killing his entire clan. He also hires the adviser of the late terrorist leader Usama Hudain, to cooperate with his goal."

"The goal to what?"

"To release the Arman Beings from hell..."

The answer of the witch has terrified Silvia. She never knew someone is stupid enough to allow cannibals to come to the material reality.

"What is Gaddo's plan to kill the ephirmise?"

"Simple: the convergence itself," she replied. "Soon, the three realities of the world will collide. The entire world will experience chaos for hundreds of years like how the extinction of many beings many eras ago. After the chaos, when the world stables its realities again, the Armans will be the one to survive and multiply the Earth alone."

"If that happens, you will die with us," Silvia argued.

"That would not be a problem..." she said.

After her statement, Kanawan emerged. The tattoo removed now that it was visible on Agatha's forehead. Agatha immediately fell completely unconscious after that. The lizard voluntarily turns itself in the small chest. The lid closed shut after it got in.

Silvia is left in horror as she begins to think worriedly about the revelations the witch told. "Nice job," she whispered on the chest. She sighed in frustration.