᯾✵𖣘⍟۞✫᯽᯾
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I gripped on my sheets at feeling ko ay kanina pa ako pinagpapawisan.Surely, it wasn't my old man's voice.. but it was my grandfather. He used to say that most of the time. Na kailangan kong tanggapin kung sino ako. Kailangang kong matanggap na anak ako ni Apolaki.
"Lahat ng ito ay nakatakda, apo. Isa ka sa mga itinakda upang maging anak ni Apolaki. Kaya kailangan mo umalis dito, kailangan mo hanapin ang protektor mo."
That again.
It's the same dream.
It's the same prophecy.
How I always haunted by those dreams,
I've hated it all.
Paulit-ulit na lang.
Napahawak na lang ako sa buhok ko and I could already saw how it was glowing like the sun. How different my eyes are. Those are a pair of orange and red. Dito pa lang ramdam ko ang pagkakaiba ko. Surely, I know I was raised as a Filipino, but the way I looked was different from other kids.
Hindi ko alam kung bakit ganito ang pakiramdam ko. Na dahil don sa panaginip na yon, I feel like something is about to happened. Hindi ko alam kung ano yon.
Those dreams feel like a message from someone.
Hindi ko alam kung kanino pero lagi ko yon napapanaginipan. I looked at my arms and my black marks started to glow as well. Sa tuwing may makikita akong panaginip—my prophetic dreams, my powers do activate immediately as soon as the dreams showed up. Para bang may nagsasabi sa'kin na dapat akong mag-ingat.
Was it my father? I don't know either. Tsaka isa pa wala naman siya dito, why do I even care about my old man? I shouldn't even think about someone who's not even here in the first place.
Kaya naman hinigit ko yung isang papel at iginuhit ko kung ano yung nakita ko sa panaginip ko. Na meron akong makikilalang babae.
Napahawak na lang ako sa bibig ko at tinignan ko ng maigi ang hitsura niya. It's her! It's definitely her. Siya yung makikilala ko ngayon.
Na itinakda na magkita kami. Dahil siya raw ang protektor ko.
At siya ang magliligtas sa'kin sa lahat ng mga corrupted souls na gustong umatake sacking.Simula pa kasi nung bata ako, maraming lumalapit sa'kin.
Hindi dahil sa gusto nila ako, it's because of my blood. Ilang mga Aswang at Mandurugo na ang lumalapit sa'kin kaya kailangan ko mag-ingat sa tao, kailangan kong magtago.
And worst case, corrupted souls at isang Black Lady or White Lady ang humahabol sa'kin. That's the course of my life. And I'm a damn target because I'm Apolaki's son.
Di ko alam kung bakit ko lagi napapaginipan ang babaeng yon. Pero isa lang alam ko, I need her for my survival.
Those are prophetic dreams. At palagi ko iyon napapaginipan.
At hindi ko din alam kung bakit ko ito nakikita. Of all people, why me?
I wanted to know what's going on but even if I did, my grandfather isn't here para alamin ko ang lahat. He's out of town, apparently. He's been busy with our business.
Hindi pa ako sigurado kung kelan ang balik ni Lolo dito. Dahil wala naman talagang makakaintindi sa'kin... sa pamamahay na ito kung hindi si Lolo lang.
And my aunt? Wala naman yon alam kung hindi maging routine ang paninisi niya sa'kin dahil kailangan pa niya ako alagaan at itago.At simula ng nangyari yon, naging sumbat na niya sa'kin na kasalanan ko naman talaga ang nangyari.
I know that she wasn't that fond of me.
Di naman ako tanga para di makaramdam kung tanggap ba niya ako o hindi. Ramdam ko kung paano niya ako tignan, alam kong napipilitan lang siyang alagaan ako dahil sa bilin ng Lolo ko.
At kung di dahil don, baka di ko na alam kung saan pa ako pupulutin. Napipilitan lang si Tita na alagaan ako, that's the truth.
Agad ko naman itinabi yung mga iginuhit ko sa sketch pad ko then saka ako bumaba.
Then there she is. A grumpy woman who really hates seeing my sight. Kitang-kita mo kung paano siya umirap, ngumiwi at sukang-suka na tignan ako mula ulo hanggang paa.
"Andito na yung dagdag sa pasanin ko!" She hissed.
"Martha naman! Ang aga-aga bunganga mo na naman maririnig ko. Isa pa sinabi na ni Lolo Antonio na kailangan natin siyang protektahan-"
"I'm not eating here if that's what you worry about. I won last night's fight so you can keep that damn pig's food on your own, Martha."
Di niya deserve na tawagin ko siyang Tita. After what she has done to me, she don't own any single respect from me. Respect should be earned. Pero sa pinapakitang ugali niya, I don't think na dapat siyang respetuhin.
Hindi siya karespe-respeto.
"Lakas ng loob mo! Tignan mo nga sarili mo! You're disgusting!"Sigaw niya sa'kin.
Ngumisi naman ako sa kanya at diretso ko siya tinignan and both of my orange and red hair glowed instantly which made her to feel so terrified when she looked at me.
"I always hated... my blond hair. How I looked different from everyone. My eyes, my hair and even my looks. And what I hated the most is that my damned father left me and went out for war without telling me a single thing!"
Kaya naman ngumisi ako sa kanya, "Wag mo na ipamukha sa'kin yang mga reklamo mo.Baka nakakalimutan mo kung sino ang kinakalaban mo, Martha."
Sun God, Apolaki..
This is your fault.
She looked so scared right now as if she got some bundle of nerves the heck out of her. Lumapit ako sa kanya at mas lalo pa siyang kinabahan at hinablot ko na lang yung bag ko at dinaanan ko na lang siya ng basta-basta.
"I'm not going to do anything if that's you're worried about. Andito lang ako para kunin yung gamit ko. Tch, weakling." Irap ko sa kanya at umalis ako sa bahay.
She's the one who started it. Siya itong kung ano-anong panunumbat ang sinasabi sa'kin and then now she's going to act like as if I'm going to use my powers to hit her.
I'm not that crazy to do something to her, eh siya tong lampa between the two of us!
At hindi ko ginagamit ang kapangyarihan ko ng basta-basta lalo pa sa mahina sa'kin.
Ginulo ko na lang buhok ko and I suddenly felt irritated. Isa pa, hindi ko naman hiningi sa kanya na alagaan niya ako at paaralin ako!
At lalong-lalo pa at di naman niya ako palamunin dahil ako yung dumidiskarte sa buhay ko. So I can pay my expenses in college, I was a fighter at night.
Madalas ako nanalo sa kickboxing ko kada laban ko.
Kinuha ko naman na yung cellphone ko and then I called my friend, Galileo.
"Are you home?"
[Yes. And good thing you called! My sister miss you dude. Minsan seloso na ako eh, parang ikaw na yung kuya hindi ako! And nakalimutan mo na ba dude!? We are going to museum today. In National Museum of Fine Arts.]
"Hindi ako Comparative Literature student. Architecture student ako, sa pagkakaalam ko. At wala ako natatandaang meron akong subject about Philippine History.."
[Basta!I insist. Someone wants to meet you.]
"At sino namang–"
[It's decided, okay!? I'll tell her!]
Patapusin mo muna ako tukmol! Hindi pa ako nagsasabi kung pupunta ba ako ng museum o hindi!
Well, whatever.
I guess I really have to go to Galileo's condo right now para malaman ko kung sino yung babaeng yon. Sino naman yung babaeng yon at bakit niya ako gusto makilala?
Is he worried because I rejected a lot of girls before? Ha! As if interesado yong mga yon, mga habol lang ng habol sa'kin yun dahil foreigner ang tingin nila sa'kin. Seriously, I don't need a woman.
Bahala na nga lang! Siya mismo ang mag-explain sa'kin because he put me into this mess.
Agad ako pumunta sa condo ni Galileo and there, her sister approached me. It's Hanami.
"Aba, hindi ka yata bugbog ngayon ha."She crossed her arms as if she's really checking me. I gave her my smug look at umiwas ako ng tingin.
"Mamaya pa yung laban."Sabi ko na lang at ginulo ko yung buhok niya and she just pouted at me.
"Edi mabugbog ka niyan!?"
"Bata ka pa para malaman." I winked at her.
Noong palagi ako pinapalayas ng Tita ko, kina Galileo ako pumupunta. It started when I was under attack.
By corrupted souls, that is.
Lolo Antonio wanted to make sure that I would be safe, kaya sa tuwing malalaman niya delikado na ang sitwasyon ko, kinakailangan namin na lumipat ng tirahan so that I would be safe. At doon ako sinisisi ng Tita ko sa lahat.
I could tell. She used to make faces when she looked at me. So I know how much she hates me.
Dahil sa'kin... kinailangan nilang magtago.
Dahil sa'kin... nawala yung mapayapang buhay nilang mag-asawa.
Dahil sa'kin... may kailangan siyang idagdag na pasanin sa buhay niya.
And because of that, I ruined everything.
At wala ako naging kaibigan kung hindi si Galileo. He's Galileo Castellan Abadiano and he's also in college like me. He's taking BA in Comparative Literature.
And he's living together with his little sister, Hanami Daleyza Abadiano. Kaya halos simula pa lang noong elementary kami, Galileo and I, were both like two peas in a pod.
Sa tagal naming magkaibigan, halos magkapatid na ang turing namin sa isa't-isa. There's no one whom I trust other than him.
May inabot naman na damit si Galileo sa'kin. It was a branded dark brown Trench Coat and it was Dior. Along with black long sleeve shirt and a white high-end loose casual pants. And a black leather shoes.
Napataas naman na ang kilay ko, "No way, dude."
"Yes you are wearing it because you're going to meet her."He convinced me.
"And I want to give it to you. Think of it as a present. Lagi ka may regalo sa kapatid ko tapos wala man lang ako magbigay sa'yo. Keep it, dude. I insist." He tapped my shoulders.
"Fine, fine! Magbibihis na!"
Alam kong doon kami pupunta. And he really wants to tag me along kahit hindi naman ako makakarelate diyan sa pagpunta sa museum na yan.
Galileo took his keys at tsaka kami pumunta sa Museum. My eyes went towards a woman. Looks like she's an intern here in the museum.
She led the people on the statue at tyaka siya nagpaliwanag, "Bathala the creator of the world, had a son named Apolaki and a daughter named Mayari. The light that shone upon the world and enabled the people, the beasts, the birds, and the fish to see came from the bright eyes of Apolaki and Mayari, So all the creatures loved them dearly."
I quickly stepped in front of them at nagulat naman yung babae.
"And I wouldn't be so amused if I were you."
"At bakit?"Pagtataray nung babae.
"Because when Bathala died, both Apolaki and Mayari had a quarrel, for each wanted to rule the world alone. And Apolaki said that he will be succeeding his father's throne. And that made Mayari get angry at him and had said that 'I am no less my father's child than you. I will succeed him to his throne, whether you like it or not!'
The quarrel grew from bad to worse, and finally words could not express their furious rage. So they picked up wooden clubs and fell upon each other with fierce blows. Back and forth they fought until at last Apolaki struck Mayari in the face and she became blind in one eye." I explained it to them.
I shrugged at them at napangisi na lang ako sa kanila as I gave them a unpropritious smile as I looked at them with a shady looks.
"There's no fun in someone who went to war on himself and left his own son to deal with those corrupted souls, lady."
Iniwan ko siya doon and leaving her so dumbfounded. I don't even want to expect someone to understand what I'm going through.
Dahil simula nung nangyari ang hidwaan ni Apolaki sa lahat ng ito, ako ang naging target. Sa tingin mo matutuwa ako na kailangan kong tumakbo at umiwas lagi sa piligro dahil sa kagagawan niya, ha?
Lumapit yung babae and she grabbed my arm, "Ginugulo mo yung trabaho ko! What if my grades drop because of you? Intern pa lang ako dito and you're already making it a mess."
"Talaga? I guess it's your problem now."
I put on my hood tsaka ako may napansin.
Those creatures are starting to show off again!
Yung Bakunawa, the serpent like-dragon. Mga Diwata. Then a Diety called Bitbit. Then Biso, the police officer of Heaven. Also, there's Cirit, a servant of the Anitos.
Kailangan ko na makaalis dito bago pa nila ako mapansin. As I turned around, sunod-sunod silang tumawag sa'kin. At higit sa lahat, they even addressed me as the Demigod of Wars and Sunlight.
That damned name!
"You're him!"
"You're the son of Apolaki!"
"Sandali lang!"
Wala akong nakikita...
Wala!
"Alam kong nakikita mo kami, wag ka na magpanggap!"
I can definitely see them.
But I won't respond to them so that I won't be in trouble. Umiwas ako ng tingin and my hair starts glowing. Then lumapit yung mga taong nakahood. They all looked horrifying.
Their voices sounded so petrifying, eerie, creepy and spine-tingling. Their dark shadows feel chilling and horrifying. Umilaw ang kanilang mga mata ng kulay pula at may usok na pumalibot sa kanila.
Everyone used to tell me that I needed to run away from danger. But sorry, hindi ako mahinang nilalang para matakot sa mga yan. I'm the son of Apolaki, who do you take me for? Isa pa, ngayon pa ba ako magrereklamo?
After I went through a lot of shit already, sa tingin mo ba isang simpleng corrupted soul lang ang magpapabagsak sa'kin?
Wala sa rules ko ang maging talunan.
So I gripped my fist at tsaka ko pinailaw yung kamao ko. Using the sun rays on my fist, I can utilize solar energy for attacks of various shapes and sizes, intensities, and their forms.
Hindi ako nagdalawang isip at tsaka ako umatake sa mga corrupted souls na yon at isa-isa ko sila sinuntok at tsaka naman sila tumilapon kung saan. Tinanggal ko yung hood ko and I gave them a murderous stare.
"Sino ang nagpadala sa inyo?"
Tinignan lang nila ako ng masama kaya naman sinuntok ko sila muli and that made them screamed like some hysterical idiots.
"Sandali lang!"Sigaw nung babae.
She's the intern? What is she doing? Shouldn't she be doing her work? Nakikita niya rin ang mga nakikita ko? What is she? Kumunot yung noo ko and I glared at her.
Don't tell me...
She's the protector in my prophetic dreams!?
Napailing na lang ako at saka ako napamura.
"Gago."