Chapter 28 : Berbalang, Pugot, & Tiyanak
1865 Words
Chapter 28 : Berbalang, Pugot, Tiyanak
The Berbalangs are mythical creatures in Filipino culture. They have a human appearance, but resemble the characters of vampires and have wings and slanted eyes. They dig up graves to feast on the corpses. Berbalang (Philippine) - The most powerful of the Aswangs. These creatures can not only separate every part of their body, they can also separate from their spirit, creating a team of spirit and flesh. Berbalangs only eat dead flesh and are voracious undead-cannibals, which means they hunt for their own undead species.
The Pugot ("decapitated one") is a mythical fiend that is found in the folklore of the Ilocos region of the Philippines. It can assume various shapes such as hogs, dogs or even as humans. However, it usually appears as a black, gigantic headless being. The creature usually resides in dark places or deserted houses.
However, they especially like living in trees such as the duhat (Eugenia cumini), santol (Sandoricum koetjape), and tamarind. Aside from its shapeshifting abilities, the pugot can also move at great speeds, feeding on snakes and insects that it finds among the trees. It feeds by thrusting food through its neck stump.
Although terrifying, the pugot is otherwise relatively harmless. However, the creature is fond of women's underwear and steals them while they are being dried on a clothesline. The pugot is also found in the Ifugao myth "Tulud Nimputul: The Self-Beheaded" where he appears to the human hero. He was fed by the hero with chopped chicken meat that was mixed with blood.
The Tiyanak is a vampiric creature in Philippine mythology that takes on the form of a toddler or baby. Although there are various types, it typically takes the form of a newborn baby and cries in the jungle to attract unwary travelers. Once it is picked up by an unfortunate passerby, it reverts to its true form and attacks the victim. The tiyanak is also depicted to take malevolent delight in leading travelers astray, or in abducting children.
-Elliot-
As soon as Reiven placed the offerings on the ant hill, we waited there for a few minutes. We don’t know what to do, we haven’t done this before. Even me, I have no idea that there are things like this, good thing I got sucked in this game or else I’d die not knowing the culture of my own country. What a shame!
“So what are we gonna do now?” Darxi asked as he noticed that we are already standing here for a long time now. We looked at each other waiting for each other’s answer.
“I don’t know, are going to wait until the Nuno comes out? Or we can go check on Razien now… I mean, it seems like nothing is happening. You offering is still here” Vic answered pointing at those things that Reiven gave
“Hey, don’t point your fingers on it… it might curse you to!” Avery hissed as he pushed Vic’s hands down
“Really? What am I gonna do?” he asked as he turned to Avery
“Bite it…” Avery seriously answered “Or else baka ma-nuno ka” he added which means that he might be curse by the nuno too.
“Ok” Vic answered pouting his lips, yet he still did it. I don’t know why he looked cute doing that ahahaha but he also looked like an idiot
“So, back to the topic” I said pertaining to the offering and our next move
“Let’s just go back to ask Nunong Banoy about it. Or the game would do something to prevent us from going back if it still has something to do with us” Darxi decided to go back. We all went back to ask Nunong Banoy and also to check on Raizen to see how he’s feeling now
As we got to Nunong Banoy’s hut, we saw Raizen walking with his feet already so he’s probably fine already.
“I think it worked well…” Enzo commented as he also saw Raizen all well now.
“Good thing you already got here. I waited for you” Raizen said as we entered Nunong Banoy’s nipa hut
“You already got well, you should have come calling us. We stood there for a long time like an i***t doing something good for another i***t!” Reiven said sharply as if he’s complaining about what he had to do for his brother ahahaha that was so funny to hear
“Well… sorry ahahaha” Raizen said laughing while Reiven rolled his eyes
“Easy for you to say… you don’t have to sacrifice your turons and your kakanins just to pay the price for someone else’s idiocy” Reiven said as she dropped himself on chair near him
“Thank you then ahahahaha” Raizen said laughingly as if he’s teasing Reiven
We suddenly heard the people outside being noisy as if they’re rioting or something as we sat there silently for a while. We all got alarmed and looked at what’s happening. They were shouting words as if they were angry and that they are after someone… or something.
We looked at them, there were bolos, swords, pitchforks, and other sharp objects they could use along with their torches. They were running towards a specific direction. Gosh, what’s happening?
“What’s with them Nunong Banoy?” Darxi asked after seeing everything
“I don’t know but they are headed to the cemetery” Nunong Banoy answered as he also took a look at what’s happening right now “That’s the way to it” he added
“Why are they heading there?” Lucy asked again
“There were unusual things that are happening here recently…” Nunong Banoy said while keeping his eyes upon those people who little by little are disappearing through the dark
“What is it Nunong Banoy?” Scarlett asked that made us all look at the old man
“It’s in the cemetery, go there for you to see. It’s just straight ahead that direction” instead of answering he just told us to go there to check it out ourselves
“Let’s go” I said inviting us all to run after them “Lucy, Avery, and Scar, lights” I added asking them to provide us light. They started picking up something as we run off towards the cemetery
“There they are!” Riven said pointing at those people who are standing in front of the cemetery as if they’re talking about something
“Excuse me, what’s happening here?” Darxi asked the moment we got their attention and stopped right in front of them
“They’re using magic! They must be the heroes that Nunong Lino from the other village is talking about!” someone shouted pertaining to us, as they noticed light coming from Avery, Lucy, and Scar’s bare hands
“Yes, it is us… may I ask what’s going on here, please?” Darxi answered them once more
“Thank goodness you are here” a man stepped forward talking to us “We have been suffering from attacks by an unknown creature, and recently they’re attacking as often as they could” he told us
“What kind of creature it is? I mean, did anyone see what it looked like?” I asked them again if by any chance one of them could tell us what it is. Because for sure, this will lead to a quest leaving us no choice but to accept it.
“I saw it once!” a woman answered me as he raised her hand holding a pitchfork “It’s a small creature, and it moves so quick that you won’t notice it. But I manage to see it with my own eyes! Its teeth are sharp and its eyes are red as if its burning” she continued
“It killed my husband! I hate that monster…” she said emotionally “Rumors and reports about it started a few years ago” she continued
“Wait a minute… a small creature with burning red eyes that killed your husband?” someone asked
“It didn’t just killed my husband! It ripped open his stomach and ate all his internal organs!” the lady added to her story that made everyone gasp in fear
“I thought it’s a winged creature who only eats dead body, just like what happens to this?” the man who questioned her said and gestured his hands towards the cemetery. We all turned to it and noticed some tombs there were dug up.
“It often happens that made it noticeable yet no one knew what really happened here so everyone suspected it’s the winged creature who lives near our village” the man answered
“Is it possible that there two of them?” I asked them that made them all stop from arguing with each other and stared at me. Their eyes got bigger as they realize what I said.
“It’s possible! Yet the other one that the lady is talking about is much of a serious one as it attacks people, alive!” a man spoke agreeing with me
As we all got busy talking, a loud scream from a near area stopped us for a while. We all looked where it came from and noticed a huge black dog running away towards the forest, and another man came running after it with a bolo in his hand.
“Then what is that?” Enzo asked pointing to it
“That is another problem…” Avery said shaking his head off
“So there are now three suspected creatures… heroes…” the man who stepped forward towards us a while ago spoke again “Since you came here in our place… please help us” he added. I knew it! “Help us stop those creatures from threatening our lives here in our small village” he said looking straight into my eyes
“Yes we will…” I had no choice but to accept “But for now, you all have to go home where it’s safe for you while we handle this one, Ok?” I said sending all of them home so that those creatures can’t bother them as of now.
“We’ll tell you when we get back here” Vic said as they walked back to their houses
“Guys, let’s do this quick… let’s go to that forest. Those creatures might be in there” I said signaling them towards the forest
“What if the creature is in here?” Enzo asked
“The man said that it lives in the forest, don’t worry if it’s here we can still go back here” I answered as I grabbed my psy-gun from my pocket to arm myself in case of an attack. “Now be careful everyone…” I added and walked towards the forest.
“Keep your eyes and ears open” Raizen said as we all entered the forest following the tracks on the ground.
We continued walking as we kept looking around to see if we find something. Scar, Lucy, and Avery’s torches are a great help, we are able to see clear what’s in this forest. We stopped as we heard something along our way. So weird to hear this sound in here…
- Writer
