*Season's P.O.V.*
"Do you really wanna know me better?" Kaloy asked. The wind from the open sea blowing his golden locks to the side.
"Aha. You are not like me. So I'm sure, there's a lot of interesting things about you." I answered sincerely. His place is already full of wonder hence he is no different, for sure.
Kaloy gave me a fond smile. "Look behind you." And I did what he said. For the second time since arriving here in this place by the cliffs, my jaw dropped in awe. There in a distance closer compared to those glimmering infrastructures at the other side of the lagoon like cliffs, stood a city, or well, a kingdom as magnificent as the ones I pointed out just a few minutes ago. The bubble-like buildings and houses were aranged aesthetically and the faint purple, gold, as well as silver colors that painted them are blended in a desirable harmony.
"Is that... Lumayan?" I asked when I managed to find my voice once again, trying to recover from the shocking beauty of the place as its colors contrasts to the rocky cliffs and the dark-looking forest.
"It is." Kaloy simply answered, as if he's already used to the beauty of the place. I mean, maybe he's actually used to it by now, he had lived here his entire life after all. I stared at Lumayan for a little longer and remembered the first time I was able to get into the place, oblivious to the magic that it has, even thinking that it's a tourist spot. If it was amazing up close, it sure is bizarre from a distance. "I am born and raised for that place." My admiration haulted for a while as I faced his gloomy face.
I just looked at him, urging him to continue. He doesn't seem to look very happy right now though. "Destined to repay all the gifts that it has given me." He continued on with a sigh. Honestly, I don't quite understand what he's talking about. "I am, its son. Literally." He added with a bitter chuckle.
"What do you mean exactly?" This time, I voiced out the question that I've been wanting to ask. And he faced me.
"My mom and her ancestors, in fact our ancestors built and ruled over Lumayan for centuries now. The ones who founded it, my great, great, great grandparents possessed power given by the gods, gifted by Bathala himself." He paused, sensing that I might have a question. He smiled knowingly. "In Filipino mythology, Bathala is the supreme god who can be compared to Zeus in Greek mythology." He provided, before I could even ask. So, I nodded, understanding now where he's going with this. Of course I am a bit interested in Greek mythology when I was younger but I only know a few gods and goddesses now, I mean I only know the popular ones. Like Zeus. "Anyways," he continued on, " our ancestors built a kingdom to call their home along with the others who wished to join them. So, they did, as you can see now, they created a masterpiece of architecture which is our kingdom. They used their power, their gifts to cultivate the place so that it can cater for its inhabitants and also, they used their power to protect the kingdom from ambitious neighbors who wanted more land and power. However, like humans, engkantos like us will also age. So, they passed down their gifts to their children for generation, after generation. The royals, not only blessed by the power they inherited but also bestowed with great responsibility."
Once again, I nodded as I took in the information at hand. "You're a royal." That was a statement. I looked at him, admiring his charming features. See? He's already charming, he might as well be a prince, which he is. Wait, what!? Come again? He's a prince? A PRINCE? And he's courting me?
"Sounds fantastic huh? I thought the same too. I abided with all the teachings and the rules of my elders, until..." He trailed off.
"Until?" I asked. But he was hesitant in answering that question.
"Until now." He said with a forced laugh. But I didn't push him to tell the truth or the whole truth because I respect his privacy. I shouldn't pry too much anyway, speaking of...
"Well that was interesting, but I didn't ask for that." I lightly chuckled.
"You said you wanted to get to know me."
"Yes, but that's not you, that's well... A deeper part of you. What I wanted to know is, how old you are, your favorite color, your hobbies..." I hinted. And he nodded.
"Ahhh, of course, my bad." He smiled. He murmured something after that but I didn't quite catch it. So I let it go.
"So, how old are you?" I asked.
"Thirty." His answer shocked me. Thirty? Three zero? Are you kidding me!? "What? I'm not fooling around, I really am thirty years old." He said as he saw my reaction.
"And... I'm ten years old. YOU DON'T LOOK THIRTY!" I blurted out in disbelief, which made him smirk.
"I kept my body in good shape. How about you?" He asked. I scoffed, is he asking me if I'm keeping my body in good shape too? Damn! Oh wait, he's asking about my age. Silly me.
"I'm nineteen, turning twenty in two months." I provided, concluding that it's an engkanto thing to not look like their real age, or well, to look younger than what they're ought to be. "Your favorite color?" I asked, just trying to make this seem like a normal, get to know you, conversation.
"Green." He smiled as he looked at me directly in the eye. I blushed at that, cause my eyes are green. But he's probably a nature lover, that's why he likes green, you know?
"Mine's blue. I've always been a fan of the underwater kingdom, that's why." I said. Don't want him to think like, I like the color of his eyes, because I really do, not that I'd tell him. He just nodded. "Any hobbies?"
"Uhhh, I don't get to enjoy much leisure time actually. But I do love spending time with making medicine." He answered.
"Medicine?"
He chuckled. "Yeah, some native doctors or albularyos in our term,"
"Shamans?" I butted in and he nodded.
"Yes that, they uhhh, connect with us on certain seasons asking for guidance and help in treating people who are ill due to mythical reasons or black magic. All those times they thought it was actually them who had the power of healing but it's ours actually, we just let them borrow it. And I like helping people that way." He explained.
"So you can heal?" I asked. I mean, I did remember that spring-like bathtub in his house or well, palace, and how it healed all the cuts and bruises I attained from that aswang.
"My gift yes. One of it." He answered.
"So there are a lot?" I asked. Wow. I mean, the only gifts I had were the ones from my birthday, hahahahaha, he's lucky, I guess.
"Well, a few." He answered.
"And good looks is gonna be one of that." I murmured. Thankfully he didn't react, maybe he didn't hear me. He was about to say something when we heard children's laughing and running from a distance. The bushes of the nearby forest rustled and out came a really beautiful girl with long black, braided hair, and pointed ears. Woah! She was followed by another girl who kind of looks like her, but I guess younger, and trailing behind them is a chubby boy with normal ears. They seem to be playing tag when the second girl suddenly tripped and fell on her knees. This haulted their game and I rushed to help the little girl. "Are you okay? Be careful there." I said as I helped her up. She just stared at me though and her friends gathered around us, as well as Kaloy.
"Ayos ka lang ba Elena?" Kaloy spoke and the little girl nodded at him. Then he looked at the older looking girl, "Isabel, hindi ba sinabi na sa inyo ng mga magulang ninyo na huwag maglaro lampas sa kagubatan? O sa kagubatan mismo? Bakit nandito kayo?" I don't really understand him but, it sounds like he's scolding the kids, judging by the way they bowed their heads.
"Pasensya na mahal na prinsipe." The girls said in chorus.
"Wow! Totoong fairy tale pala talaga to dito! Kase may prince." The normal looking boy exclaimed and Kaloy just smiled at him, narrowing his eyes at the girls again when he averted his gaze back at them.
"Umuwi na tayo." He said, ushering the kids to the path in the forest, which I guess, would lead to Lumayan. "Season?" He turned to me.
"Oh, yeah yeah, I'm coming." I said as I speed walk towards them. I kept looking at the girls with sharp ears, wanting to ask about the abnormalities of their body parts but I decided not to. Then we heard distant drumming, as if a parade is approaching. I bobbed my head at its rhythm but was surprised to see the girls covering their ears, aren't children fond of parades? I know I was when I was little, but not these too, I guess. Kaloy looked irritated too as he quickened his pace, almost dragging the kids as he walked. Just as we emerged out of the forest, the drumming got louder that even Kaloy covered his ears. I looked at him, wanting to ask what's wrong, when I witnessed something stranger. His ears sharpened, like those of the two little girls and he looked more pissed off than he was before.
"Sino ba ang nagsabi sa inyong dalhin ang taong iyan dito?" He asked the two girls. The little boy just held my hand, probably wondering what's going on with our companions, just as I was.
"Gusto lang po namin ng kalaro." This time, the two are actually sobbing.
"O sya, ako na ang magsasauli sa kanila." Kaloy said and the two immediately ran to the direction of the houses.
"Kaloy? Are you alright?" I finally asked when he led us to a familiar drapery of vines. Although discomfort is evident in his face, he led the boy through it. He grabbed my hand as we officially got out of Lumayan and into the forest of Capiz, a very nostalgic place, if I do say so myself.
"Let go of his hand." Kaloy ordered, dismissing my question and I followed his order. From a distance, I saw a group of people wearing tribal clothing, banging traditional drumsets. So, that's where the drumming came from.
"Ibalik na! Ibalik na! Ibalik na!" They chanted, along with the beat of their instrument. Are they performing a ritual? Then I noticed the boy going around a huge tree that separated him and the group and their chanting seized. "Ibinalik na sya ng mga engkanto!" The leader said victoriously. And the boy was engulfed in a reuniting hug with his family.
After seeing that sentimental moment, I turned to Kaloy who still had that sharp ears look. "What was that all about?" I asked.
He sighed apologetically. "That happens when the kids play around with human children." He said.
"Oh... And uh, you look... Different." I stuttered. I mean, you know what I mean.
"Uhhh, yeah." He turned, probably not wanting me to see him. "That's how I really look like." He admitted.
I touched his shoulder. "Hey, look at me." I said, but he didn't, so I just walked my way around to face him. "You still look attractive." I said when I'm finally infront of him.
He beamed at me. "Oh yeah? Let's get you home now."
I glanced up to see the orange sky beyond the canopy of leaves in the forest, signifying the setting of the sun and agreed with his statement. "Ummm, Kaloy?" I asked while we're walking, finding our way out of the forest. Me just following Kaloy cause I trust that, he knows which way to go.
"Yes?" He responded, not really looking at me.
"What happened to you guys when you heard the drumming?" I asked. Cause I saw that something was really wrong with them at that time.
"That ritual is called the basaw." So, it was ritual. "It has a disturbing effect for us engkanto, it's the mortal's way of convincing us to give them, or give them back whatever they are asking for. Or in that case, who. But the kids just wanted to play, no harm done yet, we can't blame the parents for worrying that much." He explained.
I concluded that they're generally good as well as playful in nature, according to his statement. "Does it have a bad effect on your power?" I asked.
"In a way." He said as he turned to me. Now back to his human looking self. But as I said earlier, he looks good. Who am I kidding? "Do you know your brother's address? Cause I think you're gonna need a ride back home." He said, scratching the back of his neck.
"Yes. No worries." I said. I saw the town road up ahead and as I turned to ask Kaloy something, I was suddenly standing alone. Gosh he's creepy! Most of the time. So, I just sighed and walked all the way to the street, noticing houses across of where I am standing. People are closing up their windows and doors as the sun finally sank in the horizon. After a few minutes of waiting, a cab passed by and hailed it, telling the driver my brother's address.
"Ija, tumataas ang mga balahibo ko sayo. Hindi ka ba na engkanto?" The driver suddenly asked.
"Ummm, I'm sorry?" I said timidly.
"Ayyy haha, English pala. Sorry, not very good in English. Pero, are you not played around by the not like ours?" He boldly asked.
His question stopped me. Played around? Of course! For how many times, mythical creatures have messed around with me. Yeah and despite that I can't believe I'm friends with one. As soon as I thought that, I noticed that I'm still holding the rose that Kaloy had offered me earlier, with a challenge of course and I suddenly smiled. "I... I don't know." I said as an answer.
"Ahhh, if I were you, you go see an albularyo. To know." He suggested as he kept on driving. Uhhh, why is he minding my business again?
"I'm fine." I said dismissively. Wait what? Am I seriously saying that? It's as if I'm defending the engkantos to his subtle suggestion of staying away from them. But then again, the man's just concerned, I suppose.
Or maybe, being connected or related to engkantos is not a good thing, I partially understand why that is. It's like your mom telling you to choose your peers wisely, because they have a reputation. The engkantos, I mean, they have a reputation to the people in this country that's why they judge them that way. But, as far as I know, Kaloy may have his offsets however, I can sense the purity of his intentions, despite our difference of course. That's just as far as I know though. Perhaps, they know something that I don't and well, I don't have much time to ask the driver because we arrived in front of Sean's house and I paid him the fare. He also sped off, as soon as I got off his vehicle. I sighed, tucking the rose in my back pocket, shaking off the thoughts about the engkantos as I strolled towards the front door, not missing the fact that there's another car in the parking space. There must be a visitor?
"Season!" My brother greeted as soon as he opened the door for me. "Guess who's here." He added with a wink.