CHAPTER SEVEN: Sugo ng Diwata
Setting the Scene Pangasinan lies in the western-central part of Luzon, Philippines, within the Ilocos Region. It borders La Union and Benguet to the north, Nueva Vizcaya and Nueva Ecija to the east, and Zambales and Tarlac to the south. The people of Pangasinan, known as Pangasinense or simply taga-Pangasinan, form the fifth most populous province in the Philippines today. The province is divided into four cities-Alaminos, Urdaneta, Dagupan, and San Carlos-and comprises 44 barangays.
At dawn, deep within the Siklaon camp nestled in the heart of the forest, young Erik remained a reluctant captive.
The camp buzzed with activity as the rebels rose early for their daily training outside their huts. Men sparred and exercised, their movements sharp and disciplined, preparing for an attack on the town planned by Siklaon in three days. Alfredo, the group's leader, had timed the assault to coincide with a grand festival organized by the Spaniards-a perfect opportunity for chaos.
Inside one of the huts, Alfredo and other Siklaon members gathered around a table, sharing a simple breakfast. Among them was Erik, forcibly recruited by Alfredo as the group's newest member.
Erik sat in silence, his thoughts a tangled mess. Everything felt foreign-the people, the plans, the language. The rebels spoke in Pangasinan, a tongue he couldn't follow, leaving him unable to contribute to their discussions about the upcoming attack.
The room hummed with strategy as Alfredo introduced the other members-key officers he relied on for every mission. But one person stood apart: a young woman seated at the far end of the table. She didn't join the conversation, instead yawning and slumping in her chair, her disinterest palpable.
Her gaze drifted to Erik, and their eyes met for a fleeting moment. Caught staring, Erik quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing as he turned his attention to the wooden walls of the hut, pretending to study the grain.
Erik's POV
I don't know how I ended up in this mess. I'm just an ordinary kid, but now I'm part of a rebel group fighting the Spaniards.
Am I losing my mind? Do I even have a choice?
I'm not sure if I can refuse Alfredo's offer-or what they'd do to me if I tried. The uncertainty gnaws at me, but Alfredo's kindness hasn't wavered. He's been attentive, ensuring I have food and tending to the wound on my head, treating me more like a guest than a prisoner.
I asked him why he brought me here, to their camp. I have nothing to offer-no skills to help free Urdaneta, as he claims. His answer was vague. He said he admired me because I'm a "good person" and... "ignorant."
He laughed when he said it, but then added, "I was impressed by your courage when you stood up to the Spaniards. I saw the fire in your eyes, Erik-a readiness to fight for what's right. I can't explain it, but you gave me the strength to push forward with our cause."
He even said, "Sometimes, it feels good to be ignorant of the world's harsh truths."
He meant my defiance toward the Spaniards-something he admitted he couldn't bring himself to do while in the city. Alfredo explained that challenging the Spaniards, or even their children, came with severe consequences: days in jail, harsh punishments, even if you didn't lay a hand on them. The Spanish authorities would twist the truth, and their word was law.
I only acted that way because I didn't know the city's rules. I believed I had the right to speak up. But if I'd known the risks, I might've stayed silent, just like everyone else.
Alfredo called the laws in Urdaneta a farce, a mockery of justice under Spanish rule. He dreams of change-a future where Filipinos govern their own land. It sounds noble, but I know it's not that simple, no matter how inspiring his words. I'm just an ordinary boy, carried by the current of life. I shouldn't be caught up in these grand ideals-I have no power to change anything.
I told him again that I'm useless in a fight. I'm just a kid with no knowledge of battle. But he brushed off my protests with a smile, saying, "Don't be afraid, Erik. Everything will be fine. We'll succeed with Siklaon's help."
That's when I asked if he was serious about last night's claim-that the giant tree outside would help them defeat the Spaniards.
He nodded, as earnest as ever, insisting the tree was a guardian. Then, with a grin, he must've sensed my disbelief. "Come on," he said, grabbing his cup of coffee and heading for the door. "Let me show you something."
I stood to follow, and as I did, I noticed the woman from earlier trailing behind me. She'd been in the room with us, silent the whole time, ignoring the group's planning.
As she rose, I got a better look at her. She wore a simple white dress, her feet bare, with long black hair cascading down to her waist. What caught my attention most were the strange markings on her face and body-patterns I assumed were a symbol of Siklaon. But now that I think about it, she's the only one in the group with such marks.
Maybe she's from an indigenous Pangasinan tribe, or it's a family tradition. I didn't ask. She hadn't spoken a word, just stared at me with an unsettling intensity, so I hurried out of the room to catch up with Alfredo.
Outside, Alfredo led us down from the hut, gesturing to the trees around us. "See those?" he said, his voice brimming with pride. "They're the living servants of the fairy Ada Siklaon, protectors of our land."
His words only deepened my confusion, but I listened, eager to understand. "It's a bit complicated," he admitted, smiling. "Maybe a legend will help you see it more clearly."
He began to recount a tale I'd only heard in fragments from the elders back home-a story of fairies and gods.
Long ago, when the gods left the earth for a better realm, they created the first beings: the Prime Fairies. These fairies were gifted with lands to inhabit and protect, endowed with powers akin to the gods' own, so they could shape the world the gods had left behind.
Among these first beings was a unique fairy, the god's favorite, known for her vitality and skill-qualities rare even among her kind. She was playful, almost childlike, delighting in joy and laughter.
She was the last fairy the gods created, born millions of years after their departure from the earth. Soon after, she asked for a land of her own, like the other fairies, a place to live and play.
The gods obliged, erupting volcanoes beneath the sea to raise a land unlike any other. This land, rich in minerals, fertile soil, abundant wildlife, and diverse marine life, was a gift to their youngest child-a land blessed with natural wealth born of the gods' love.
Alfredo paused, his eyes gleaming. "That land," he said, "was the Philippines, millions of years ago, before humans walked the earth."
The fairies, he explained, lived for billions of years. When they grew tired or bored after millennia of wakefulness, they could rest for eons. Over time, they noticed their lands changing-ravaged by calamities and forces they couldn't control while they slept.
To protect their domains during their slumber, the fairies created guardians-beings like themselves, tasked with safeguarding every corner of their lands.
In short, the powerful fairy who ruled the Philippines crafted these protectors. And according to Alfredo, one of those guardians was Ada Siklaon, the fairy who watches over Pangasinan.
I interrupted, still skeptical. "But why is Ada Siklaon a tree?"
Alfredo laughed, playfully chiding me. "Let me finish the story!"
He continued, "That tree outside is a gift from Ada Siklaon to the people of Urdaneta-a sentinel to protect them in times of need."
The fairies, he went on, possessed powers granted by the gods to tend their lands. But while the Prime Fairies could stay awake for millions of years, their guardians could only manage a few thousand. So, when they needed to rest for centuries, they sought humans to take their place as temporary protectors.
"Those humans," Alfredo said, "are called the 'Messengers of the Fairies.' They're chosen to guard the lands of the Prime Fairies."
The selection happens whenever the fairies sense danger to their domain. Alfredo turned to me, his smile widening. "I'm one of them. I'm Tayog, a Messenger of Ada Siklaon, the fairy of Pangasinan. My mission is to protect Urdaneta from the Spaniards who control it now."
I froze, unable to process his words. It sounded like a fantasy from a children's book. I couldn't speak, and even the woman beside me seemed unbothered, yawning as if Alfredo's tale was nothing new.
Silence settled over us, Alfredo waiting for my reaction. Sensing my disbelief, he decided words weren't enough. "I'll show you," he said, stepping back.
He began chanting under his breath, words I couldn't make out. But what happened next left me speechless. With each step he took, a green aura pulsed from his body, vivid under the morning sun.
I couldn't be mistaken-this was real. A strange presence emanated from him, like a faint electric current rippling through my body. Was it fear, or something more?
The green light enveloped Alfredo, wrapping around him like creeping vines. It covered him from head to toe, transforming him into a glowing humanoid shape. The light began to fade, carried away by the wind, revealing a startling change.
End of POV
As the light dissipated, Alfredo's appearance had transformed completely. Gone was the boy Erik knew. In his place stood a tall, muscular figure with short green hair tipped with brown at the ends. He wore a dark brown suit, a glowing green crystal embedded in his chest, looking like a superhero from a storybook.
Alfredo turned to them with a grin. "What do you think of my new look? Pretty cool, right?"
Erik's jaw dropped, words failing him as he stared at his friend's new form. "Is... is that really you, Alfredo?" he stammered.
"This is just one of the gifts Ada Siklaon gave me," Alfredo said, his smile widening. "But I've got something even more impressive to show you."
He drew a wooden dagger, its handle adorned with a green crystal, and approached a nearby tree. With a swift motion, he plunged the blade into the trunk.
A green aura flared around him again, and as the dagger pierced the tree, hundreds of vines erupted from its bark, coiling around the trunk. In an instant, Alfredo was pulled into the tree, merging with it as if they were one.
Erik watched in horror as the tree began to transform. Its leaves vanished, consumed by branches that twisted and fused into the shape of a monstrous figure. The creature grew larger, its wooden body morphing into a 30-foot-tall beast with human-like arms made of gnarled branches.
Stumbling back in shock, Erik tripped and fell, staring up at the terrifying face of the monster. "W-what happened to Alfredo?" he gasped.
The creature loomed over him, a towering tree-beast with a menacing presence. "A m-m-monster!" Erik stammered, pointing at it. "He turned into a monster!"
He turned to the woman beside him, desperation in his voice. "Did you see that? He turned into a tree!"
She didn't answer, standing with her hands on her hips, gazing up at the giant with an expression of mild curiosity. Unlike Erik, who was trembling with shock, she seemed unfazed, as if such a sight were commonplace.
"So that's the power of a Messenger of Pangasinan's fairy," she murmured, her tone matter-of-fact.
A gust of wind swept through, scattering green leaves around them and loosening her jet-black hair. She glanced at Erik and smiled-a smile that stirred a strange sense of familiarity in him.
For a moment, Erik's attention shifted entirely to her. He couldn't look away, his mind racing to place the foggy memories her smile evoked.
She stretched, yawning again, and then made a surprising request. "I can sense the presence of a fairy within you," she said, her voice suddenly serious. "I want you to show me your power."
Erik froze, stunned by her words. He couldn't understand why she'd say such a thing-implying that he, too, was a Messenger, chosen by the fairies, just like Alfredo.
The woman sighed, her expression tinged with disappointment. "You can't connect with a fairy's power if you don't acknowledge it as your own and serve it with loyalty," she said, turning away as if she'd lost interest in him.
Erik remained seated on the ground, watching her walk off, her words echoing in his mind. As she left, Alfredo returned to his human form, the giant tree-monster vanishing as if it had never been. He hurried over to Erik, extending a hand to help him up.
Erik took it, muttering a quiet thanks, but his thoughts were still clouded by the woman's cryptic statement.
"Wow, you look dazed," Alfredo teased. "I bet you're just in awe of what I showed you. Go ahead-praise the great Tayog!"
"Showed me?" Erik echoed, blinking in confusion.
They locked eyes, a brief silence stretching between them. Alfredo grinned, as he often did, and began talking again about being a Messenger.
Suddenly, Erik's memory snapped into focus, and he shouted, "Wait! You-how did you turn into that giant tree-monster?"
Alfredo chuckled. "Why do you sound so... underwhelmed? I thought you'd be amazed, maybe even idolize me a little. This is kind of disappointing."
Erik quickly explained, not wanting to hurt his friend's feelings. "No, I was amazed-I swear! It's just... that woman we were with said something strange, and it distracted me."
Alfredo's playful demeanor faltered. He scratched his head, frowning. "Hold on, Erik. What woman are you talking about?"
"Huh? The one we've been with this whole time!" Erik replied, exasperated.
Alfredo didn't respond immediately, his confusion deepening. Erik described her-the white dress, the long black hair, the markings on her body-insisting she was a Siklaon member.
But Alfredo gripped Erik's shoulders, his expression grave. "I'm sorry, Erik, but I don't remember any woman like that. It's been just the two of us since we left the hut."
Erik's eyes widened, his heart racing. Was Alfredo joking, or was he serious? He knew he'd seen her, spoken to her. But doubt crept in. He realized he'd been the only one acknowledging her presence. A chilling thought gripped him-could she have been a lost spirit haunting the forest?
"Huh?!" was all Erik could manage, his voice barely a whisper.
End of Chapter