The Illuminated Maiden

Chapter XX

Thunder roared through the skies after lightning flashed, which made Paglinawan anxious, as she tailed behind Kabael. In an instant, rain fell and drowned the sound of wildlife, among other things, in the wilderness.

Paglinawan donned her usual attire again this time, covering her head with her shawl to protect herself from droplets. Kabael, also in his usual attire, did not bother covering himself from the rain. They both carried blades with them, attached to their sides: Paglinawan with a forward-curved, reverse-edged blade called a binagon and Kabael with a pinuti, similar to what he wielded, but this time with a carving of the Bakunawa, a draconian sea serpent, on its pommel made from a buffalo's horn.

Lightning struck at various points. Thunder followed, which sounded like rocks cracking and rolling down cliffs. She kept jerking and turning her head. Her heart pounded, and she began to shiver from the cold. Stupid, she thought. Covering myself in a cotton shawl. So stupid.

She stared at the trail before them, yet it was difficult for her to see what was ahead. The rain had rendered visibility almost impossible. She even found it a struggle to lift her feet from the ground, as the rain formed puddles and made the path to be riddled with mud. She wiped her face with her palm and spat out some water making way into her mouth.

"I'm curious how when you had the chance, you could have had a better blade forged back in Araw, but you settled for a shabby pinuti," she said. "How far are we anyway, ardha?"

"I give it about three hours more," Kabael answered, "and my blade works best for me, so I don't see why I'd need a different weapon."

"We've been trekking for almost four hours now!"

"You complain. You managed to walk miles from Hamabar. You were determined in your attempt to reach Mandalungan by foot. You escaped the vast citadel of the mangalos. I'm sure you can do a few hours more, even if we're going through heavy rain."

"Won't it flood?"

"The land is slightly sloped, and all the water flows right down the river, so no."

"Won't the land be washed away by the rain?"

Kabael grunted as he walked over a protruding root, "I know you're not ecstatic at the idea of returning to Hamabar, but you need to, and you need to stop asking all these annoying questions."

"Well, aren't you stroppy!" said Paglinawan. "I've never been this drenched before. Because oh, I'm such a pampered princess kept indoors!" She stomped her foot down a puddle as she strode forward, splashing water unto herself and Kabael. "What joy—the monsoon is here!"

"Quiet, brat," said Kabael. "You might attract nearby bandits."

"We have weapons now, thanks to the diwatas. You have magic and incantations. What are you so afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid," replied Kabael. "I just don't want to put up with the inconvenience of it."

"That is a good point," said Paglinawan. "I doubt they'd come out in this dreadful weather, though."

"You'd be surprised. And stop splashing water around like a little child."

"You know, I could run right now and disappear into the forest, and you wouldn't be able to find me, not even the diwatas."

"Certainly." Kabael scoffed. "And you'd make yourself through the wilderness, toward Mandalungan without a guide."

Paglinawan sighed and went quiet. She wiped her face with her palm again and spat out bits of water. She took her shawl and squeezed water from it, before wearing it on her head again.