The humid air blew silently through the trees and the leaves danced along with it. Sagang walked quietly along the path, a distant memory keeps telling him that he went this way before with his father. The dead leaves that carpeted the path crumbled with his every step, the road was gone but the trees still remembers and kept them off the path. No birds sang, but a mellow voice urged him to go on.
Upon reaching the end of the path Sagang saw a small clearing and at the center of it was a small hut made out of dried nipa grass surrounded by small children. By going closer, Sagang found out that the children were listening to a singing plump woman sitting by the ladder of the hut. The woman wore a crown of small crimson flowers and a malong of intricate design ladened with images of flowers.
The woman's voice was not that amazing but it gave a feeling of security and comfort. Sagang was almost caught in a trance until the song stopped and the woman clapped her hand once.
"Attention, children! We have a very important guest and you now have permission to play, remember that the rainy season is upon us... now hurry." The little children began to ran messily, they seemed to not mind bumping into each other before vanishing into the woods.
The plump woman stood and aproached Sagang gracefully before bowing in courtesy "Why has my Amo graced me this visit, if I may ask." The woman smiled warmly afterwards.
"A-amo? What are you talking about?"
"Oh of course, how rude of me not to introduce myself." The woman chuckled “I am Ynang Reyna, first queen of the first ants, your umalagad until the last of your generations to come." The woman courtsied in front of Sagang.
The woman's words plucked a memory chord "Ah! I remember now, I came to the shrine made out of an ant's nest to pray... and then a large ant came out... and when I reached out to it, it was absorbed by my..." Sagang touched his agimat, it shone in a dull color of silver which was nothing but a clear crystal before.
"Yes... That ant was me, a black bird came and told me that you were coming so I was waiting for you, it was an honor to be chosen as an umalagad... well, now that you remember, how about a cup of ginger tea?" Ynang Reyna smiled and led Sagang inside her hut.
Upon entering the hut, Sagang found that the hut was an illusion, inside the hut was a hallway made out of polished marble; both of them walked the span of it and passed who knows how many rooms before reaching the dining room. Sagang seated himself while Ynang Reyna fetched a tray with a clay pot of tea and two cups.
"How come you are human... if you are an ant?" Sagang asked the woman while she served him tea.
Ynang Reyna smiled "Well... for starters, you are dreaming and this is your only way of seeing me... for now."
Sagang thought about what she said while blowing on the hot tea, then he tried to pinch his cheeks but Ynang Reyna grabbed his wrist "I wouldn't do that yet if I were you... anyhow, I am in this form for this is the only form where you can speak with me."
"And why were you waiting for me again?"
"I already told you, a black bird told me." Ynang Reyna smiled while sipping.
"A bird? You expect me to believe that?"
"Well... you are talking to an ant right now." Sagang burnt his lips on the comment "Careful... sip slowly..." Ynang Reyna wiped Sagang's lips, her hands felt very warm on his cheeks.
"Why was there even an ant mound inside that shrine anyway?"
"Well... when Saragang Bagyo gifted us our antennas, he housed us in the shrine made in his honor."
