The Engkanto Quartet: Voyage to the East

Beyond imagined borders

Dawn was breaking when Rakly and Tikloi began working on the oars to the deeper parts of the sea, and the silver lining appeared on the horizon. Isuk was controlling the rudder, maneuvering the Whaler. It’s a midsize, ten-meter long karakoa type ship that could carry twenty-five passengers on board. With two masts of about twenty feet in length, square sails, and a light draft, it had a raised platform planked by two outriggers to provide balance and speed. It had a flexible hull, a single-curved keel, and quarter rudders, making it a unique vessel that could withstand storms. Bubuy loved sailing on it for years every time he would travel to the Mainland. The Whaler could easily catch the wind, and it was swift on the open sea.

Rakly looked back as the shadow of Ragua slowly receded from view. The thought that the island was unsafe, even without him, continued playing in his mind. The fact that Lor Gorgo was targeting him, sailing away from home was only the right thing if the dwarf was to believe. If the enemy sent another batch of Tiktiks, it would mean Ragua’s end. 

“Lor Gorgo, how powerful is he?” Rakly asked the dwarf, not that he was afraid of the enemy. 

“He is weaker than he used to be. But he’s more crafty and sinister. That’s all I know,” Velmer said. “And he must be doing everything to get close to you, which means you must be that important to him.”

“It’s also fair to assume that because refugees from the Mainland flocked the island, he’s also sending his spies to conquer the islands in the far west,” Rakly said. “Though I wish that’s not happening. I hope we’re right in thinking that staying away from Ragua makes it safe.” 

“I might not be perfect in my judgment, but I have no doubts about it. Right now, let’s savor the idea of getting to Engkanto — and take note, this is not going to be easy,” replied the dwarf. 

The wind was favorable, blowing from the northwest. Rakly and Tikloi raised the sails as they headed southeast, and then they would make a sharp turn toward the Isle of Safety as planned. Isuk could not contain his excitement to get past the imaginary boundary that has kept Ragua’s young people safe from getting lost in the open seas. “Beyond this imagined border is freedom,” he said as his face brightened.

“People are wired to create borders — real or imagined — and they confine themselves within four walls. Such is human nature. There’s this penchant for setting their focus on the self and immediate environment. I’ve seen many men who are unable to think beyond basic needs and selfish reasons, which is of consequence to the rest of the world,” Velmer said.

“In that case,” Rakly joined, “then I’m like the rest of men, doing things for selfish reasons. This voyage is all about me.”

“Don’t be too full of yourself, young man,” said the dwarf. “It’s not all about you, but about saving the island from the likes of you. If you stayed in Ragua, death would eventually overcome the islands of the far west. There is a greater force at work you don’t see, moving in the covers of darkness. This force is a sponge that sucks the soul of every living being.”

“But it does not diminish the fact that I’m not devoid of selfishness,” Rakly said.

“Selfishness leads to self-pity. Don’t give the enemy the void to take advantage of and exploit. We’re not only leaving the island to save it, but we are making sacrifices. We’re actually going straight into the pangs of death for the greater good, to defeat Lor Gorgo,” replied Velmer. “This is war. It’s a battle between the forces of darkness against the warriors of light.”

“I’m itching to know more why he’s after me. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks. Granted that I’m not who I thought I am, but if you could provide a clue, I’ll have a better view of the situation,” Rakly said. 

“The Battle of the Firetree Forest is the mother of this present war waged in the Mainland. An Engkantean warrior had wounded Lor Gorgo in that battle. He retreated, but the warrior got killed. For twenty years, the wound remained fresh. It hadn’t healed. Rumors had it that he’s screaming in pain every night, and when he cries, helpless men and women and innocent children die in the streets somewhere. Although he’s a weaker version of himself, we cannot underestimate his power. No one has defeated him in battles,” Velmer explained. “Why he’s after you, however, I do not know the details yet. As I said before, that remains a mystery to me. We can only speculate at this moment.”

“Unhealed in twenty years? What kind of wound is that?” 

“It’s the cut in his pride, in his invincibility. For so long, he thought he’s the most powerful being in the world. But more importantly, the sword that wounded him was no ordinary sword.”

“He’s not invincible after all. Everything has to end.”

“Perhaps, you’re right, and I agree. But we cannot wallow in such certainty. Lor Gorgo might be immortal, and no ordinary weapons could kill him, but I have found a way to end him,” the dwarf’s eyes lit.

“Maybe, that’s what we should be doing.”

“It’s easier said than done. The problem is how to get close to Lor Gorgo. He’s so powerful that no one could stand in his presence without shivering in fear.”

Rakly realized that he had no idea about the extent of Lor Gorgo’s power. His only test was encountering the Tiktiks on the island. If that was the yardstick to measure himself, he was helpless against the forces of the enemy, let alone face Lor Gorgo himself in battle. “He must be that intimidating,” he said with his head full of doubt. 

“Evil people project themselves to be too powerful to look at, and they overwhelm you by the myths and false stories they constructed for themselves. But in reality, their strength is superficial, legitimized only by employing violence against the weak,” Velmer said.

The breeze cleared Rakly’s mind as he took a deep breath. Velmer fixed his gaze toward the north, and he added, “When a ruler uses violence against the ruled, such a ruler is not only weak but also insecure. He lives in fear, afraid of being stripped of his power.”

In that brief moment through their conversation, Rakly received an education on the use of power from an ancient wise man that Upang, the Babaylan, had mentioned. Velmer was a pillar of learning, knowledge, and wisdom in the Kingdom of Engkanto. 

And according to one account, he founded the library of that eastern kingdom hundreds of years ago. There’s a book called The Ancient Past Revisited. It kept the recorded history of the kingdom and the beginning of the world. It also narrated the story of Lor Gorgo and his family and how he became the world’s most feared ruler. 

The sun was high up in the sky, and Isuk had already prepared their first meal of the day. His resourcefulness had him caught a blue marlin with his fishing rod. He grilled a portion of it, and he also made a kinilaw, or raw fish dipped in seasoned vinegar and spices. 

Everyone had their fill, and then Isuk got up. “I remember, I have something hidden somewhere on the ship,” he said.  

“You’re a man of many secrets,” Tikloi quipped. “For how long are you going to stay that way?” 

“I told you, I can make myself useful,” Isuk replied. Then he reached the bottom level of the ship — in the storage. And in a moment, he reemerged with two earthen jars of tuba. “A gift from Ragua’s soil,” he said. He took four wooden cups from his bag and handed one to each person.  

“I tend to agree,” Velmer said. “This is the best thing in life right now.”

The weather was fine — clear skies, soft breeze, and calm sea with perfect, smooth waves. They were sailing the whole day, since very early in the morning. But they’re not still halfway to the Isle of Safety because they’re drifting toward the south. They disguised themselves as fishermen, and fish was abundant in this area. The silvery sea embraced the travelers with its warmth as the sun hit the blue waters. The colors slowly changed in the afternoon, turning from deep blue to golden. And then the sky glittered fiery late in the afternoon like they’re in the lake of fire with sea birds flying above them. The skies, clouds, and sea buried the ship in their colors. 

They were to spend the night in the sea, the first of the many inauspicious nights waiting for them as they began navigating the vast Western Ocean, where many had perished, to reach their desired destination.