CHAPTER TWELVE "The Path to Heroism"
As the ferocious Siklaon attacked the town, Erik found himself in a serene garden, speaking with a guardian spirit. At their reunion, Erik could hardly believe his eyes. The mysterious woman, whom he had only glimpsed in dreams, stood before him in radiant reality.
Her beauty captivated him, stirring an unfamiliar warmth in his chest. The presence of the diwata (spirit) left him both enchanted and awestruck.
Yet, his wonder turned to confusion when she suddenly spoke, her voice tinged with surprise. "Uh… why are you here?"
Her question caught Erik off guard. It was as if she hadn't expected to see him in this sacred place.
"A lot has happened," Erik explained, his words tumbling out. "It's a long story, but all I know is that a mysterious woman did something to me, and in an instant, I ended up here."
The diwata's brow furrowed. "Mysterious woman?" she echoed, her tone curious.
Erik recounted everything—the chaos in the town, Alfredo's plan, and how a nature spirit had guided him to this meeting. She had told him that this encounter would grant him the power to save his friend.
"Please," Erik pleaded, his voice earnest, "I need to save Alfredo. I need your power."
The diwata stepped closer, her expression softening but firm. "I understand your situation and your friend's plight, but I'm afraid it's unlikely I can help you."
Erik's heart sank at her refusal. Desperate, he pressed further, pleading for her aid. He boldly declared that he was her chosen sugo (emissary), selected to wield her power for the sake of the Filipino people. He wasn't sure if his words bordered on blasphemy, but in that moment, his desperation to save his friend outweighed his fear.
The diwata sighed, her gaze steady. "There are three reasons I can't help you. First, you're not yet of the right age to receive my power. That's why I'm puzzled you're here so soon—I haven't summoned you."
She paused, rubbing her temple as if searching for answers. "Second, a sugo's duty is to protect the land of Ifugao. Right now, I sense no danger threatening our province. We cannot interfere with the troubles of other lands."
"Third," she continued, "I'm not certain my power would help you save your friend. Outside Ifugao, my strength is limited against other forces. I'm sorry, my sugo."
Erik pleaded again, begging her to reconsider, but she only shook her head, her refusal resolute.
Erik's POV
Disappointment crushed me. No matter how much I begged, the diwata refused to grant her power, unwilling to risk my life for the sake of another land.
"It would be irresponsible of me to give you my power and let you die in a battle that isn't yours," she said firmly.
I asked what it would take for her to agree. My desperation grew—I couldn't let Alfredo die in the fight, nor could I abandon the people of Urdaneta.
She reiterated that I had to wait until my eighteenth birthday and until Ifugao itself faced danger. Despite knowing other lands were in peril, her duty was to prioritize her own province.
I struggled to understand. Should I be angry that she dismissed my friend's life and the people's suffering when she held no responsibility for them? As the sugo of Ifugao, wasn't my duty the same?
"It's no easy task to choose a successor," she explained. "If you die, I'd have to wait for another worthy heir from your lineage. It would be disastrous if Ifugao faced danger without a sugo to protect it."
"What do you expect me to do in this situation?" I asked, my voice trembling.
The diwata paced around me, her expression thoughtful as she explained the conditions of my request. I realized she had a point—her power was meant for Ifugao's protection, not for the salvation of other lands.
I didn't know what to do. I had come here to gain her power to save Alfredo, but I had failed. What was the point of striving to help others if it meant abandoning my true mission as the sugo of Ifugao?
My head bowed in defeat, and the diwata sensed my despair. She gently placed her hand on my head, her touch soothing. "Remember, you are the sugo of Ifugao's diwata. Above all, my decision to deny your request is for your safety."
It felt absurd. I wanted to claim the power meant to protect Ifugao's people, only to risk my life for another province.
As I stood there, consumed by self-doubt, the diwata sensed my hopelessness. She pulled me into a warm embrace, her sympathy enveloping my broken spirit.
"Don't lose heart, my sugo," she said softly. "What's happening in that place isn't your fault. Your responsibility is to protect the land of Ifugao and its people."
Her words were clear—she urged me to prioritize our land's welfare above all else. She was right. Perhaps I didn't need to worry about others. The uprising in Urdaneta wasn't my fault. I was just a young farmer, captured by rebels and forced to join them. They weren't my kin.
My duty was to safeguard Ifugao and its people. That was my purpose.
The diwata warned that I could die in battle, and deep down, I knew she was right. I didn't want to die. I didn't want to fight others' battles. Maybe this was for the best.
As the diwata held me, my mind swirled with excuses. Then, I raised my head and saw her—the mysterious woman who had brought me here—standing just a few meters away.
I didn't know why she was there, but her smile sent a chill through me. It wasn't the gentle smile I expected from a benevolent spirit. It was cold, almost sinister, as if she harbored ill intentions.
In the blink of an eye, she vanished. A pit opened beneath my feet, and before I could react, the diwata and I plummeted into a dark, well-like abyss.
Fear gripped me as I squeezed my eyes shut. When I opened them again, I was falling from the sky, the ground far below—a vast expanse of mountains, forests, and cities.
I couldn't tell where we were, and in my panic, I questioned whether what I saw was real. The terror was overwhelming, a heart-stopping moment that made me pray for salvation.
I didn't know why I was there or why I was falling, but one thing was certain—if I hit the ground, I would die.
Then, a hand grasped mine, halting my spiraling fear. I remembered the diwata was with me, falling too. Unlike my panicked expression, her face was calm but puzzled.
"I can't believe I've been pulled from my dream," she said. "I don't know who's behind this, but it's not good."
"Do something, please!" I cried, my voice trembling. "We'll die if we hit the ground!"
"The truth is, only you would die," she replied calmly. "My true form remains in Ifugao. This body is merely a fragment of my power within you."
Panic surged through me. I begged her for help, admitting I wasn't ready to die and would do anything to survive.
The diwata fell silent, her gaze piercing. Perhaps she saw the cowardice in her chosen sugo. "You value your life and fear death, yet you seek my power to face a battle that could kill you," she said, her voice probing.
She was right. I clung to my life so fiercely—how could I fight?
I had never asked myself the question she posed next: "Are you willing to sacrifice your life for others?"
No, I didn't want to die. No one wants to die without reason. Like anyone, I had dreams—to achieve, to find, to conquer. I couldn't die without fulfilling my promises to my siblings.
It was humiliating. I was begging for her power, acting like a brave hero for others, yet here I was, pleading like a child to live.
Fear overwhelmed me, and I closed my eyes, thinking of my family waiting for me, depending on me. I couldn't die and leave them to suffer.
In that inexplicable moment, the mysterious woman's words echoed in my mind.
Flashback "Remember this: only great deeds define a hero. Sacrificing your life for a cause, like your friend is doing, is merely an escape. You don't need to die to be a hero. There's a greater role you must fulfill, Erik. You must be the strength for every person."
Her words sparked courage within me. I was a coward, nervous, but I knew what I wanted. If there was a chance to make a difference, I wanted to try—even if it cost my life. I wanted to be useful, to do something noble.
To be a hero for the nation.
Clinging to the diwata's arms as we fell, I faced her with newfound resolve. "I may be afraid of what could happen if I face them, but I know I want to save them. I want to be a hero for the people."
The diwata's eyes widened, surprised by my words. "You are the sugo of Ifugao," she said. "It's not your duty to trouble yourself with other lands."
"I know my responsibility," I replied, my voice steady. "But I'm also a Filipino, with a duty to protect this nation. A guardian's role isn't just to protect the land but the Filipinos who live on it."
"Please, grant me your power."
The diwata fell silent, her face betraying the weight of her decision. She knew the consequences and the gravity of what I asked.
"I'm impressed by your resolve," she began, "but to think I'd grant my power so easily after what I've said—"
"I know you'll give it to me," I interrupted, my voice firm.
She raised an eyebrow. "And why is that? Give me a good reason."
"Because I'm the sugo of Ifugao's diwata," I declared. "You chose me to wield your power, and more than anyone, you should trust me completely."
The diwata stared, speechless, her eyes locked on mine. She saw the fire in my gaze, the determination burning within me.
I didn't know if my actions were right or disrespectful before such a revered being, but I was ready to face any consequence.
In the silence, the diwata closed her eyes and smiled. "I didn't expect you to challenge me like this. Truly, you are worthy of my power."
"Does that mean…?" I asked, hope rising.
She placed her hand on my head, pressing her forehead to mine. Our faces were inches apart as she sensed my presence. Once again, I felt her gentle energy flow through me, invigorating my blood, filling me with vitality.
Like the mysterious woman, she could sense the spirit of nature within me by connecting our minds. "I'll ask you again, my sugo," she said, her voice grave. "Are you ready to die for others?"
Her question stirred my fears again—my dreams, my family, the things I'd leave behind if I failed. But my resolve was firm. I had made my choice.
To be a hero. To be the strength for every person.
"I don't want to die," I said boldly. "And I won't die in this fight!"
The diwata smiled, a soft blue aura emanating from her body. It enveloped me like delicate smoke, seeping into my being. I felt weightless, as if floating in water, and closed my eyes, savoring the vibrant energy coursing through me.
Was this the diwata's power?
As she began to fade, merging with me, she left her final words: "Erik Lumagbas, I now bestow upon you my power to succeed me in protecting the land of Ifugao. From this moment, you are its guardian—the sugo of Ada Sid-Alwa, diwata of Ifugao."
Her tender voice echoed in my ears as a blinding light enveloped me, her energy surging within.
"Go forth, my young sugo, and save the people."
End of Chapter