Chapter 51: The Flower of Hope
The night at the City of Dreams, once filled with the radiance and joy of Flora's birthday, had suddenly transformed into a battlefield. The building's rooftop, formerly glowing with decorations and a lush garden, was now a scene of utter chaos—debris from shattered furniture, scattered petals, and flickering hotel lights damaged by the intensity of the fight.
In the heart of the fierce confrontation, General Romeo stood firm. His giant peacock, forged from thousands of balisong (butterfly knives), pulsed with a steady blue energy—a symbol of his unshakeable power.
On the opposing side, the sugo Martin, the Supremo of the Katipunan, knelt on the floor. His body was riddled with massive balisong blades; his rage was slowly being overtaken by desperation and shock.
"Impossible," Martin whispered, his voice trembling with a mixture of anger and doubt as he stared at Romeo.
The black electricity enveloping his body continued to flicker and fade. Even his buffalo-like form—once brimming with primal strength—seemed to be losing its vitality. "How are you doing this? How can you possess this kind of power?"
His eyes were filled with the bitterness of defeat, yet a trace of pride remained, as if he simply could not accept his downfall.
Romeo remained calm as he gazed at his opponent, his long blue hair swaying slightly in the cold night breeze. His face showed no trace of fear; instead, it was etched with resolve.
"Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand why you cannot win against me," he replied, his voice heavy with authority. "There is still time for you to surrender, to reflect on your crimes, and to seek penance within a prison cell."
His words only incensed Martin further.
As Romeo stood, the balisong shifted again, reforming into the giant peacock before scattering to encircle Martin like birds of prey, each blade moving as if it possessed a mind of its own. Every movement was a dance of death, poised to strike at a moment's notice.
Romeo looked at Martin with determination tempered by pity—pity for an enemy who had abandoned the path of peace. "It would be a waste if you were to die here," he said, his tone calm yet firm. "You do not have to continue down this dark path. The Filipinos you claim to fight for—you cannot help them through violence and the kidnapping of Spaniards."
A low, bitter laugh escaped Martin—a laugh of pure defiance.
"Surrender? You want me to surrender to a traitor like you?" he shouted, his voice cracking from fury and exhaustion. "I would rather die than surrender to a lapdog of the Spaniards!"
He tried to move, but the balisong embedded in his body acted like immovable chains, pinning him down. His eyes blazed with hatred even as his physical form began to buckle under the weight of the blades.
"How long will you cling to your pride? You are on the verge of losing everything," Romeo countered, his voice steady but emphatic. "If your intentions for the Filipino people were true, why must you use people like Flora as mere tools against the Spaniards? True freedom is not achieved by sacrificing your own countrymen."
Romeo's words pierced Martin like a dagger, causing a fleeting moment of hesitation in the Supremo's eyes. But it was quickly replaced by rage. "Do not lecture me on what I must do!" he roared. "The Spaniards are the true evil here! And those like you, who serve them, are worse than chameleons!"
In an instant, a new portal tore open behind Martin. From it emerged a gargantuan tentacle, larger and more powerful than any before—a living weapon aimed to kill. But before it could reach Romeo, the balisong of the giant peacock moved with lightning speed, shredding the tentacle like paper.
The peacock let out a deafening cry—a warning to all present, a declaration of Romeo's absolute power. "You cannot defeat me that way," Romeo said, his voice brimming with confidence.
As the battle raged on the rooftop, the entire City of Dreams was plunged into turmoil. The Katipunan rebels moved swiftly, attempting to seize the hotel, but they were met with an unexpected force of soldiers prepared to defend the guests.
Civilians huddled in the corners of the building—under tables, behind doors, and in darkened hallways—while soldiers held the line against the rebel advance. The echoes of gunfire, the clashing of steel, and the screams of combat rang through every floor. The once-luxurious hotel had become a war zone.
On the fifth floor, two of Flora's former comrades from the camp—now Romeo's subordinates—led the charge: Abby, the 20-year-old sugo of Arayat, and Iya, the sugo of Iba, Zambales. Both held the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, serving their respective provinces two years after leaving Romeo's tutelage in Batangas.
Abby, her long black hair shimmering under the hotel lights, unleashed a surge of power, manifesting magic cubes made of crystalline energy. Each cube measured a meter wide and weighed over twenty kilograms. Hard as diamond and glowing with every movement, Abby used them to construct a wall that acted as an impenetrable shield against rebel bullets and attacks.
"Magic Cube!"
Each cube was reinforced by her sheer will, protecting her comrades and the civilians from the onslaught.
"Time to counter-attack!" Iya shouted, her voice full of confidence as she spearheaded the assault.
Her body was surrounded by magical bubbles that floated like traps in the air. Each bubble added ten kilograms of weight to anyone it touched. They clung to the rebels' bodies; as the bubbles enveloped their arms and legs, it felt as though they were bound by heavy chains, making every movement an agonizing struggle.
"What are these things?!" a rebel screamed.
Panic spread through their ranks as they tried to peel the bubbles off, but with every tug, the bubbles merely stretched like rubber, worsening their predicament.
"You won't be able to remove those!" Iya said, a confident smirk on her face as she watched the rebels struggle in vain.
Another of Iya's abilities allowed her to trap people inside the bubbles and float them into the air. These spheres were unbreakable to ordinary men, making the capture of the rebels effortless. Those who were once brave now found themselves hovering helplessly as the soldiers moved in to arrest them.
"The bubbles only stay on their bodies for five minutes, so move fast and apprehend them!"
Her power remained unchallenged by any rebel weapon.
On a higher floor, two more of Flora's "siblings" were in the fray: Reign, the sugo of Quirino, and Peter, the sugo of Marinduque. Both holding the rank of Major, they were battle-hardened soldiers serving their provinces.
Reign's body released magical doves that swarmed the rebels, throwing their ranks into disarray. The doves moved like hawks—swift and elusive—forcing the rebels to divert their attention.
"Why are there birds in here?!"
While the rebels were occupied fending off the doves, they failed to notice Peter closing in. Peter's body was encased in sand, granting him extraordinary strength and durability. He wore an armor of grit that even bullets could not pierce.
Every punch and kick he delivered felt like an explosion, disarming his foes and striking terror into their hearts. His sand acted as a living shield, allowing him to endure the thick of the fight. One by one, the rebels fell like toys swept away by a tide of sand, while Peter stood firm, his eyes locked in grim determination.
Outside the building, Sasha, the sugo of Bohol, hovered in the air. Her power enveloped the entire structure, trapping it within a separate dimension. While the building was within her territory, she was aware of everything happening in every corner, allowing her to report the locations of rebels, hostages, and other entities instantly.
Her ability also prevented the chaos from spreading to neighboring buildings, protecting the civilians outside. Her dimension acted as a cage from which no one could escape, making it impossible for rebels to flee.
Within ten minutes, Romeo's soldiers, led by the sugo of the diwata, had suppressed the rebellion inside the building. Their organized strike and masterful use of their powers led to the arrest of most rebels—now either trapped in Iya's bubbles or incapacitated by Peter's strikes.
Civilians were gradually evacuated to safety. When the five—Abby, Iya, Reign, Peter, and Sasha—reached the rooftop, they found Martin still on his knees, impaled by massive balisong. His body was barely able to move, yet the black energy around him continued to flow, showing his lingering resilience. The rooftop was a haunting sight—the luxury replaced by a shattered battlefield.
"General Romeo!" the five called out in unison, rushing to their leader's side. They noticed the wounds and the tears in his uniform, and concern washed over them.
"Are you alright, General?"
His blue hair was damp with sweat and his face showed signs of fatigue, but his eyes remained sharp.
"General, you have a wound on your arm. Are you okay?" Abby asked, her voice trembling with the fear that their leader might be seriously hurt.
"Don't worry," Romeo replied, his voice calm despite the exhaustion. "I won't die from a mere scratch," he joked.
He looked at his five subordinates, his expression turning serious as he issued a warning. "Be careful. Even if our enemy knows nothing of the 'Sugo State,' the energy he possesses is immense. He actually managed to damage my Absolute Defense."
His words showed respect for his opponent's strength, but not fear.
Abby immediately asked, "General, where is Flora?" Her voice was laced with anxiety; she knew Flora was precious to their group, not just as a comrade, but as a sister they protected.
Romeo explained that Flora was currently held captive by the monster in the sky, but he calmed them. "They won't kill her. They plan to use her as a ransom. But we won't let that happen."
Romeo turned his gaze back to Martin, who was struggling to stand despite the blades buried in his flesh. "If you haven't noticed, his body is immune to simple attacks. I believe his ability grants him a form of immortality. He is a highly dangerous terrorist; we must capture him, no matter what."
His words inspired the group. Following his command to prepare for battle, the five unleashed their energy, their collective presence feeling like a gathering storm.
"I didn't expect this to happen on Flora's birthday," Abby said, her voice bitter with rage, her eyes burning with the resolve to save her sister.
"You'll pay for taking our youngest!" Sasha cried out, her eyes flashing with a fury that looked ready to crush anything in her path.
"That's right!" Reign added. "I'll make sure you regret ruining my Flora's beautiful day!" His words were thick with emotion, revealing his deep affection for her.
"Nah, you shouldn't be the one saying that, especially since General Romeo is right here," Peter teased, a smirk on his face as he tried to break the tension.
"True," Abby agreed with a small smile. "General Romeo should be the one saying those things. Flora would definitely prefer that."
Reign let out a sigh of resignation. "I have a right to seek revenge for Flora! But I don't plan on taking her away from the General. I've accepted that she likes the General more."
Iya was taken aback. "Wow, you've finally accepted you've been busted by Flora? You've been chasing her for five years!"
"Yeah, yeah," Reign replied with a forced smile. "I really need to move on. I never stood a chance against General Romeo anyway."
Romeo let out an exasperated sigh, his face showing slight irritation. "I don't understand what you're all gossiping about. You know I see Flora as a sister, just like the rest of you," he said, serious yet slightly caught off guard by their banter in the middle of a battle. "It's been two years since you finished your training under me, but I still expect you to know that the thing I hate most is not taking a mission seriously."
The five immediately saluted, their faces snapping back to an alert and respectful stance. "Yes, General!" they answered in unison, hearts steeled for the fight.
As they spoke, Martin unleashed a massive surge of black energy, forcing his body up from the ground.
"Do not look down on me, you worthless lapdogs of Spain!" he roared, his voice echoing like thunder across the rooftop.
His body began to dissolve into red smoke, ascending to merge with the head of the monster in the sky. From the smoke, a new form emerged—a muscular behemoth with skin like black steel, eyes blazing with hatred. His presence was terrifying, like a god of destruction.
"It's sickening to see all you traitors gathered before me!" Martin screamed. "I will finish you all right here!"
"His injuries... they vanished," Abby whispered, watching the transformation with concern.
"Something's wrong," Iya noted, her voice trembling. "His ability is strange; his presence is getting even stronger."
Reign immediately released more doves. "I don't care what kind of ability he has! I'm saving Flora no matter what!"
The doves lunged at Martin, but he manifested tentacles from his back, snatching them out of the air. Even as they were crushed, the doves turned into a slime-like substance, reforming and flying back to peck and claw at him. But Martin's skin was too tough. "These pests are irritating!"
While Martin was distracted by the birds, the slime gathered behind him, reforming into Reign's physical body. "Checkmate!" Reign shouted, plunging a knife into the back of Martin's neck.
But Martin instantly grabbed Reign and hurled him away. "You pest!"
While mid-air, Reign's body dissolved into doves, flying back to Romeo's side before reforming. "He's tough," Reign panted. "I hit a vital spot, but he's still standing!"
Martin pulled the knife from his neck and tossed it aside with a sneer. "Fools! I told you, my entire body is my weapon, and it is immortal!"
Martin gathered a sphere of black energy and hurled it at the group. Abby quickly erected a wall of magic cubes, blocking the strike, but the resulting explosion shook the entire rooftop.
She then crafted a staircase of cubes for Peter. Peter's body grew, his sand expanding until he was a giant, and he lunged at Martin. Their punches collided in mid-air—Peter's strikes were like sandstorms, while Martin's were pure, devastating power that shattered Peter's sandy form, only for it to reform instantly. With one massive blow, Peter managed to knock Martin off the monster's head and down onto the rooftop before retreating to Romeo's side.
"We don't have our full equipment here," Iya said worriedly. "We need to catch him now!"
Abby handed some grenades to Reign. "Let's try blowing him up."
Reign coated the grenades in energy, and his doves carried them toward Martin. Martin tried to swat them away with his tentacles, but they were too fast. Suddenly, Martin noticed Iya's bubbles scattered around him. "What are these?"
As his tentacles hit the bubbles, they stuck, adding immense weight. His arm suddenly felt as if it weighed over a hundred kilograms, dragging his tentacles to the ground. "What is this nonsense? You can't stop me with such a weak ability!"
"Weak?" Iya scoffed. "I'm insulted to hear that from someone so pathetic!"
The bubbles turned red, acting like magnets that pulled toward each other, binding Martin in his own tentacles with over a thousand kilograms of force.
"I might not be able to kill you," Iya said, "but a thousand kilograms should be enough to keep you still!"
As Martin struggled, Reign's five doves landed on him, each carrying a grenade. With their beaks, they pulled the pins. Abby quickly constructed a cage of magic cubes around Martin to contain the blast.
The explosion ripped through the cage, tearing Martin's body apart. But to the group's horror, the pieces began to pull back together, reforming as if the blast had done nothing.
"This isn't normal," Abby whispered. "I've never seen a sugo do this."
Martin's body grew even larger, pushing against the magic cubes until they began to crack. Abby knew her cubes were weakened by the blast and prepared to make a new cage, but Romeo stopped her.
"Your cubes are strong, Abby, but they won't hold that monster. He's getting stronger the longer this lasts." Romeo's voice was calm, a plan already forming.
Martin attacked again, now a ten-meter-tall titan. The group unleashed their energy to keep him at bay. Iya's bubbles clung to him again, adding two thousand kilograms of weight, yet Martin continued to stomp forward.
"How is he moving with two thousand kilograms on him?" Iya stammered.
Martin unleashed a pulse of black electricity, popping all of Iya's bubbles at once. "He destroyed them! His energy is higher than mine!"
Peter lunged again, his sand forming shields, but Martin grabbed Peter by the head, slammed him into the ground three times, and threw him against a wall.
"His physical strength is rising too," Peter gasped, struggling to stand. "General Romeo, what's the plan?"
Romeo remained unruffled. "I can stop him, but fighting him directly like this is just a waste of energy." He looked up at the monster in the sky. "His real body is inside that thing."
The group was stunned. "Are you sure?" Sasha asked.
"I'm fairly certain. He said his body is his weapon; as long as he has energy, he won't die."
Martin's tentacles struck again, but Abby blocked them. "Then we have to destroy that monster?" Sasha asked, her voice filled with doubt. "I'm sorry, General... I don't have my gear. I feel useless in this fight."
Romeo sighed gently. "You shouldn't be disappointed in yourselves. You were invited here for a party, not a war. But I commend you—if not for your fast action, many civilians would have died. You gave me the time I needed to see the enemy's weakness."
He smiled, eyes full of trust. "Now, leave the rest to me."
Thousands of balisong materialized in the air as Romeo unleashed a tidal wave of energy.
"Second Blade of Peace: Paladin!"
The thousands of knives fused together to form a colossal knight, clad in armor with a sword and shield, standing over ten meters tall. The Paladin glowed in the dark, a god of war brought to life.
"Incredible," Abby whispered. "It's been so long since I've seen this kind of power."
With a flick of Romeo's hand, the Paladin swung its sword. Martin tried to block it with his bare hands. "Useless!" Martin screamed. But the Paladin adjusted, slamming the sword into the ground to create an opening, then bashing Martin with its shield, causing a massive energy discharge.
The Paladin sliced through Martin's arms, but they kept regenerating. Finally, the Paladin impaled Martin's skull with the sword, then grabbed his body to pin him down.
"Paladin Strike!" Romeo commanded.
Ten massive balisong blades, each six meters long, rained down, pinning Martin's body to the rooftop. The rooftop went silent. But the energy within Martin didn't dissipate. Instead, his body turned into red smoke and vanished into the wind, only to reappear far away, completely unharmed.
"Hahaha! Is that the attack you're so proud of, General?" Martin mocked.
Romeo remained calm. "I admit, I'm impressed by your ability. I didn't expect to see such a specialized power from a terrorist. But I've already found your weakness."
"Weakness?" Martin's voice wavered. "What do you mean?"
"When you said your body was your weapon, I realized the man standing before us isn't your true self," Romeo said, looking up at the sky. "I suspect your real body is inside that monster, and you're just controlling this 'weapon' to fight us."
The look of fear on Martin's face confirmed Romeo's theory.
"From your reaction, I'd say I'm right. It was a guess, but now I know how to beat you."
Martin laughed, though it sounded nervous. "It's true. My real body is inside this beast. The Ursarion is the weapon granted to me by my diwata." He revealed that the Ursarion provided him with infinite energy. "But where do you think I get that energy? The Ursarion contains many people—including the Spanish captives. If you destroy the monster, everyone inside dies with it!"
He challenged Romeo. "What will you do, General? How will you defeat me without killing over five hundred people?"
Romeo sighed, disgusted. "You're proving just how much of a coward you are. Despite your strength, you use hostages as a shield."
Martin laughed, saying he didn't need to fight fair against traitors. "Spain uses Filipinos as tools. I am being smart against a deceptive government!" He claimed the people inside were Filipinos tired of Spanish abuse. "I will be their hero, the one who fulfills their dream of freedom!"
"You're delusional," Romeo replied with authority. He explained that Martin's rebellion only brought death. "As a sugo, we feel the needs of the land, but our contract with the diwata does not cover the politics of its inhabitants. The Spaniards have lived here for five hundred years—generations have been born and died here. If the diwata allowed them to stay for so long, who are we to drive them out?"
Martin was beyond reason. "The Philippines is for Filipinos only! I'll kill you and your worthless beliefs!"
Martin gathered a gargantuan ball of black energy, crackling with electricity. But before he could throw it, an explosion rocked the Ursarion in the sky.
"What's happening?" Martin felt his energy draining. The energy ball in his hands began to shrink. "It can't be! Are the people inside waking up? But how?"
Suddenly, white Sampaguita petals began to drift through the air, and a sweet fragrance filled the wind. Each petal brought a strange sense of peace, washing away the fear of everyone nearby.
"Oh... it looks like our princess is awake," Romeo said, smiling at the head of the monster.
From the monster's head, Flora stepped forward. Still in her white gown, she stood tall, her eyes burning with resolve. Her body was bathed in white energy, a beacon in the darkness.
"Impossible!" Martin screamed. "How is she awake? She should be asleep with the others!"
"Remember when I said you'd regret taking her?" Romeo's smile widened. "This is exactly what I meant."
Sampaguita vines grew rapidly across the Ursarion's body, blooming in the dark. Five large Sampaguita flowers appeared behind Flora's back like the wings of a goddess.
"So, she's a sugo too?" Martin whispered in terror.
"She isn't just anyone," Romeo said proudly. "She is the Flower of Hope that blooms in the midst of darkness."
"No! No one can stop me!!" Martin forced his energy ball back to a five-meter diameter and hurled it at Flora.
As the attack approached, Flora's form shifted. She became Jasmine, the sugo of La Trinidad. She caught the energy ball with her bare hands. As she held it, the black energy shrank and vanished, absorbed entirely by her.
"What's happening to my attack?" Martin was paralyzed with fear.
The flowers on Jasmine's back glowed, and her energy intensified. Romeo explained that Jasmine's ability was to absorb the energy of anything around her and turn it into a weapon. By bringing her into the Ursarion—a massive source of energy—Martin had handed her the ultimate battery.
Jasmine raised her hand, forming a colossal white energy sphere over twelve meters wide. It shone like a star.
"Because of your Ursarion's energy, she's even more dangerous," Romeo noted. "It looks like your own weapon will be your end."
Jasmine lunged. Martin tried to meet her, but the collision caused a cataclysmic explosion.
The force was so great the rooftop began to disintegrate. Sasha's dimension started to crack. Abby tried to reinforce the area with magic cubes, but they were pulverized. The dimension shattered, and the people of Manila saw a brilliant light atop the hotel.
Romeo's thousands of balisong spread out to form a barrier, protecting nearby buildings from flying debris. A "flower of light" bloomed in the sky for a few seconds before vanishing.
When the light faded, the damage was staggering. Three floors of the hotel had been vaporized. The group landed safely on Abby's floating cubes.
"That was too much," Sasha panted, amazed. "I can't believe our youngest did that."
"She's crazy," Abby grumbled, shocked. "Good thing we evacuated everyone."
"She didn't even think about us getting caught in the blast," Peter added.
"I don't think she realized how much damage she could do," Romeo said, looking at Flora.
Flora had returned to her human form, looking confused and staring at her hands. She looked shocked at the destruction she had caused. Romeo explained that since she doesn't usually carry that much energy, she had no idea how powerful the absorbed attack would be. Abby started to cry, saying how scared she was trying to keep the shields up.
They all took a deep breath, thankful to be alive.
"Ensure the victims are cared for," Romeo ordered his soldiers. "The monster and the portal are gone. Their leader likely escaped, but it will be a long time before he recovers."
"Hahaha, I bet he's furious," Iya joked. "His 'immortal weapon' was trashed by our Princess."
The group walked toward Flora, who was scratching her head sheepishly. The night of celebration had ended in chaos, but it was a night no one would forget—not for the party, but for the power of Flora that had changed the course of the war. Her comrades embraced her with love and relief, as Sampaguita petals continued to fall like a reminder of hope in the dark.
End of Chapter.