The evening was cold and somewhat harsh. The bamboos and the palms swayed with the strong winds. The sandstone walls that enveloped the port city of Nalalas wasn't enough for the inside to be spared from the harsh breeze of the night.
Uwaya snoozed inside the tavern she was residing in. She dreams calmly of the day she would return back into the stronghold she calls home. It was beautiful. The halls were adorned with colorful banners celebrating her return. Her father King Koro and her mother Queen Nguma along with her other siblings all embraced her warmly with cheerfulness as the prominent ambiance of the room.
Prince Liao-Kwan was there however but she was jubilant of his presence. The foreign prince held her soft delicate hands and she blushed and giggled at how robust his arms are. Liao-Kwan was fine-looking in her trance and Uwaya wasn't so bad herself. Her dark hair flowed elegantly covering the back of her rather small stature. Her eyes were always described to have been like emerald celestial pools as all nobles in her line had bore green irises. She wasn't as tan as the rest of the Pilios as she had always stayed inside and this unique trait was favored by many even to the strangers of their home.
She still harbors revulsions of espousing a person she has not even seen or met however. A foreigner like Liao-Kwan was not acceptable for her. The Xiaolu were the beige-skinned folk of the northern land, they were a different race. They were vastly different in addition to being taller by a certain degree compared to the Pilios. Their eyes were like almonds in size and amber in color and it was odd for other races that hadn't had similar features. The image of her and the foreign prince together made her shiver in her sleep but it was actually the cold wind from the outside of the room.
The windows of Uwaya's room burst open and the curtains swayed violently. The freezing touch of the wind softly caresses the princess' cheeks. The princess mumbled and rolled and abruptly did she wake from her peaceful slumber.
"The winds." She whispered whilst uncovering herself from her blankets. "Hamahan is back!"
Out of thin air, Hamahan the noble diwata of air solidified. Visible gushes of wind appeared as he did and the room went from being immaculate to chaotic. The windows and the curtains closed, the door locked, and the lamp went unlit. It was pitch black in Uwaya's chambers.
Uwaya reacted, "What is this Hamahan, my friend?" The princess waited for a response but the diwata was silent. "Speak. How can I see you with all this darkness?"
Hamahan opened his palm. It glowed gloriously and azure flames danced around the room. The fires touched the curtain and the bed sheets and even around the glass of water next to Uwaya's end table.
"I am sorry for this sudden intrusion, my friend," Hamahan reached out for the princess' hands, "but Pilicas is in grave danger."
The sapphire flames grew in size and burned all the contents of the room along with Uwaya and Hamahan. For a moment, Uwaya saw what seemed like oblivion until a flash of bright light blinded her eyes. The noble diwata and the rebellious princess found themselves drifting in the sky above the greatness which was the Pilicas archipelago. The princess gazed upon the immense mighty mountains of the northern regions, the white sandy coasts of the Middle Islands, and the vast forests of every island that belongs to the beautiful collection of isles.
The two of them flew with the great Haribons that were immense birds that aided the gods. Their wings were spread out in all it majesty. Now, Uwaya sees the cocoa hills of the south and the great river Ligo-ilog both of which she only heard of in stories from her father whom she now despised of deeply. Quickly did she forget of the thought as another wonder catches her attention; the great volcano Laat which was inside an island inside a lake. She smiled at the quirkiness of the site.
Uwaya was so enticed with her homeland's splendor and magnificence that she hadn't noticed the frigid atmosphere. Hamahan however felt nothing as he was, after all, a diwata of the air. He gave his friend another moment to view her homeland.
After a minute of silence and awe, words finally came out of her mouth, "Why did you bring me here?" She fixed her glance at the diwata. "I do not see any danger or anything that may threaten this land."
Uwaya had confusion on her face but Hamahan looked concerned and restless.
"Take a look again," the diwata said, "as you've only seen nature and nature is pure unlike man."
She did look again and saw men dead on the grassy plains near the mountains of Golgayat. The grass was always damp near the surrounding area though, now, it isn't moist with the modest water from the rain but drenched with the crimson blood of the soldiers. They flew closer and she saw those footman were from her realm. Uwaya gasped as she noticed an ebony smoke emanating from west. It was the capital of the Kingdom of Malaya: Nalalas.
"This is an imperfect vision of what is to come, Uwaya." Hamahan spoke and continued, "An enkanto from the west seeks to invade this land for he knows of ancient gems the Immortal Flames spewed out evenly on our land."
'Mabagatos' were the name for these gems of which seven exists. These stones grant infinite mana but at a cost. Each gem had augmented power but also promoted sin in a vile and despicable way. Legends of the mabagatos spread slowly and now it has reached the ears of one elfae conqueror from the far west, the name of which is unknown to even Hamahan.
The world of Erde was diverse and motley. All sorts of beings, be it noble or evil, walk this plane of existence to where they feel sorrow, elation, wrath, and pain. It was a curse and a blessing to be in Erde along with its two moons and the ever burning ball of fire which was the sun.
There were three regions in the world that the Pilios knew; The Dilawislas (of which they live in), the Kanluranin, and the Lupang Insipa, also known as the Eternal Lands. The Kanluranin is also called the Far West and it was the most mysterious of all the regions. There were beings similar to the diwatas called the enkantos though they call themselves the elfae. Stories from the Xiaolu merchants of Nalalas told of tall pointy-eared men that were pale in skin. They had clothes that were the strangest compared to any foreigner they've met. Instead of normal bland houses and structures made of sticks and stones, theirs were grand and majestic. There were some elfae however who had lived in the enormously high Afe trees.
Ordinary men were not allowed to live in any elfae territories as it was their culture that no 'inferior' would be permitted to mingle along with themselves. It was somehow terrible but it was pleasing for the mundane for elfaes were chauvinistic elitists that believed that they were superior, and that they are descendants from the demi-gods and ancestors of the deities.
There was some truth to it as some may think for they were excellent users of mana. Mahika was a medium to tap into the mystical energies of the universe but they had their own; Sorcerae. It was a stronger and a more potent instrument than any other. No man was ever able to accomplish deciphering the secrets of their precious art. Although this adeptness at manipulating mana was unsatisfactory to them. They wanted more power and thus the mabagatos were the relics they needed to further delve into the mysterious and strange.
Uwaya had known of these tales ever since she was a child. She wasn't afraid of them as she was the bravest maiden that lived within the lands of Malaya, her kingdom. Now however, she was a tiny bit afraid of what is to come. She can't shake the feeling that something horrid will turn the Pilicas islands from a bountiful earth to a burning hell.
"You shall head to the outskirts of the city," ordered Hamahan, "and there you will see your companions."
"Huh?" Uwaya was surprised that she was tasked with something. She was a princess after all and being ordered to do something was still new to her.
"I will speak to you again, Uwaya," said Hamahan as he faded into the air.
The princess was confused. Mist appeared and it devoured the horizon. Slowly it reached towards Uwaya and enveloped her in a more graceful manner. She can hear voices now that she was wrapped around by the clouds. The voices grew louder and, though her eyes were closed, it was bright.
Uwaya tried to stop her eyes from opening but she failed and so she saw the curtains open. The thatched roof had a hole that let the sunlight which made it very luminous inside. She sat up from her bed and stood shortly after. The princess took a peek at the windows and there she saw the merchants already busy transferring their wares. They were extremely loud, shouting all around the streets.
The princess wore her travelling clothes and set out to the marketplace to buy some supplies. It was her intent to follow and do what Hamahan had said to her in her vision. The islands were her only home and she didn't want to lose it to some foreign egoist.
Fire burned inside her as thoughts of hate for the unknown enkanto conqueror bombarded her mind. Now however, she must remain calm for the reason that she will meet her fellow heroes shortly after. Excitement and wanderlust replaced the wrath Uwaya had in her.
She realized that this was her chance to prove to her father that she was unlike any other, that she is a free woman capable of greatness. She had hoped this would change the king's, rather her father's mind into letting her marry a random foreign noble just for the sake of promoting diplomatic relations. At the end of the day, she wanted to be a hero.