Chapter 23: Battle in the Shadows
The air in Plaridel was chilly when Erik, known as Ifugao, arrived with the aid of Hiyas, the enigmatic nature deity. This was no ordinary journey— in an instant, Hiyas whisked him from the skies above Ifugao, his body propelled like a hurled stone, dragged through the heavens until they reached their destination.
After mere minutes of flight, they landed in the open. Upon touching the ground, his knees buckled, his head spun, and his stomach churned violently.
"Hiyas, what are you trying to do to me?!" Erik shouted, clutching a tree to keep from collapsing. "I feel like I'm going to vomit—my vision's spinning from what you did!"
Hiyas smiled, her white garment flowing like an unshakable cloud in the breeze. "Oh, Erik, you're being overly dramatic," she teased.
"Dramatic? You threw me into the sky and dragged me!" he retorted angrily.
"This method is faster than walking on land, isn't it? Less than an hour, and here we are," she said, her voice brimming with jest as she twirled her staff.
"Faster? I'd have died faster, Hiyas!" Erik complained, his face ashen with fear. "My stomach's turning inside out! It feels like my soul got left behind in Ifugao! Why didn't you let me prepare before tossing me like a ball?"
Hiyas laughed, her chuckle like music yet laced with mockery. "Erik, son of Ifugao, you should get used to this."
"I can't get used to this!" he snapped.
"What are you worried about? The power of your deity can protect you. As long as people believe in you as their hero, I can declare you immortal!" Hiyas proclaimed with pride.
Erik didn't find this reassuring. "Immortal? Then why do my bones feel like they're crumbling? Because of that belief, you've been subjecting me to all sorts of madness—dropping me from the sky, "
"This isn't about dying, Hiyas—it's about the trauma you're inflicting on me! I feel like a puppet in your hands!"
"Trauma? You're too cowardly for a hero," Hiyas taunted, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "Truth be told, you should be grateful—I'm giving you unforgettable experiences. Fine, I'll try."
"Try? Hiyas, I want you to do it," Erik said, his voice heavy with exhaustion. "Please, stop being so cruel to me. I can't endure this kind of travel anymore."
Hiyas nodded, but her smile hinted at a lack of seriousness. "Alright, Erik, I'll see what I can do."
Hours passed, and Erik gradually recovered from his dizziness. He and Hiyas began walking through Plaridel, and for the first time, Erik marveled at the city's beauty—grand Spanish houses with intricately designed windows, churches gleaming under the sun, and streets teeming with life.
"It's beautiful here; the house designs are so elegant," he murmured, his eyes filled with awe as they strolled.
But the peace didn't last. As they neared a bank, they heard shouts and gunfire. "Run! Grab the money!" yelled one of three masked criminals, fleeing the bank with sacks of stolen cash. The guardia civil struggled to pursue them, quickly overwhelmed by the exchange of bullets.
Suddenly, Hustisya emerged from the midst, her pink hair shimmering, her red cape billowing in the wind, and her white mask bearing an "H" etched upon it. "You're bold to rob in broad daylight—I'll give you the pain you crave!" she declared, her voice resonating with power. In an instant, the sacks of money floated from the criminals' hands, startling them as they were flung back into the bank.
"What's happening?" one cried.
The first criminal ran, but before he could escape, a living rope ensnared his legs, pulling him to his knees. "This can't be—please let me go!" he begged, but Hustisya delivered a forceful kick, sending him sprawling to the ground, unharmed yet immobilized.
The second criminal drew a gun, but before he could fire, it floated and soared away. The third tried to climb to the roof to flee, but Hustisya ascended and conjured another rope, binding him to a post. "You're utterly shameless," she sneered.
The battle concluded in minutes, leaving the criminals bound without injury. "As long as I'm here, no one will commit crimes in my town!" she proclaimed.
The surrounding Filipinos erupted in applause, their faces alight with hope. "Hustisya! Thank you!" an elder shouted, while children ran closer, awestruck by her skill.
"Wow, you're amazing, Ate Hustisya!" one cheered. "Is that Hustisya? Is she the chosen one of Bulacan?" another asked.
Erik wanted to approach, but before he could, Hustisya vanished into the air like smoke carried by the wind. "Hiyas, where did she go?" he asked, his eyes brimming with curiosity.
"She's the one, but I sense her unease in this place," Hiyas replied, her tone now serious. "You'll find it hard to talk to her, Erik. She's elusive and avoids company—especially men."
"What? She doesn't want to talk to men? Why?" he inquired.
"She's endured a horrific tragedy involving men, which fuels her distrust. If you want to speak with her, you'll need to disguise yourself as a woman," Hiyas explained.
"Disguise myself?" Erik exclaimed, startled.
Hiyas assured him it wouldn't be difficult, given his Ifugao powers could transform him, but Erik grew wary of her plan. "She might get angry if she finds out I'm lying!" he said, his face etched with concern.
"She'll only be angry if she discovers the deception," Hiyas replied with a sly smile. "So be clever and don't reveal your true self. It's not a hard task, is it?"
That night, as Erik and Hiyas wandered Plaridel, they noticed a grand mansion belonging to a wealthy Spaniard—its lights bright, yet strange noises emanated from within. Minutes earlier, Hustisya had slipped inside undetected. Inside, she uncovered a chilling truth—bound Filipino children and women, weeping and scarred, used as slaves by the Spaniards.
Her eyes widened with rage, though she knew she couldn't cause a commotion with armed guards nearby, risking the Filipinos' safety. "Beasts," she whispered, spotting crates of drugs and guns being smuggled into a hidden room.
Continuing her investigation, she entered a chamber where the wealthy Spaniard, an elderly man with a sinister grin, sat with other rich Spaniards, reveling as naked, crying women were forced to dance. Fury erupted within Hustisya, memories of her mother's violation by Spaniards flooding back.
"You monsters! You have no right to defile women!" she roared, seizing one man and slamming him against the wall. Her anger consumed her, heedless of the consequences for those she attacked.
"What's happening? Who is that?" one Spaniard stammered.
"Is that the so-called Hustisya? What does this mean?"
"The ghost of Bulacan—why are you here?"
Enraged, Hustisya glared at the Spaniards. "Demons! I'll kill you for exploiting these women!" she vowed.
"Don't interfere, indio! They're my slaves—I'll do as I please!" the Spaniard retorted, but a powerful kick from Hustisya sent him crashing to the floor. "Ownership? No one owns Filipinos! We're not toys for you to play with!" she countered.
"You filthy indio trash—you'll pay for this!" the Spaniard snarled.
Guards, numbering over ten and armed with guns and swords, rushed in. "Kill her!" the Spaniard ordered, and they opened fire relentlessly. "Get down!" Hustisya commanded the captives. She vanished, the bullets striking only the walls. In her fury, she decided to fight back. Possessing the first guard, his eyes turned white as she used his gun to shoot his comrade. "Stop!" another cried, but Hustisya moved to the next, turning each guard against the others.
The fight turned into chaos—bullets hit explosives on a table, igniting a fire that engulfed the mansion. The captives fled as Hustisya ensured no one remained inside. She floated, her hands deflecting the air, as guards fell one by one from the third-floor window. Noticing the growing blaze, she descended, broke the captives' chains, and freed them, their tears of gratitude echoing as they escaped. "Go now—I have a fight to finish," she urged.
But Hustisya wasn't done. She returned to the chamber, where the Spaniard tried to flee through a secret passage. Spotting the hidden door, she pursued him outside to the wooded rear of the estate.
"Think you can escape justice?" she taunted. The Spaniard glanced back, drew a gun, but Hustisya's punch sent him rolling. "You're one of the demons causing my town's tragedy. Tonight, your victims will get justice," she declared.
The gun floated to her hand, and she approached, her sharp eyes blazing with rage. "You beastly indio! You can't do this to me!" the Spaniard cried as she shot his arm, eliciting a scream.
"You're trash—I'll make you pay!" he raged, crawling to escape. She fired again, hitting both thighs to stop him.
"There's no escape from your end," she said coldly. Terrified and near tears, he pleaded, "Please, I'll give you money—spare me!"
"Money can't restore the dreams and honor you shattered with your depravity. No one can save you now," she replied, aiming the gun. "You'll die here."
But before she could fire, a wooden arnis struck her hand, forcing her to drop the weapon. Turning, a powerful kick from Ifugao greeted her.
She blocked it but stumbled back, trembling with anger. In the darkness, mistaking him for a Spanish guard, she attacked. Her punches were lightning-fast, but Ifugao dodged with ease, his red sword glinting as it parried each strike.
Hustisya vanished to evade his slashes, but his speed was extraordinary—his feet danced in the air, thwarting her efforts.
The battle became a dance of power. Hustisya distanced herself, using telekinesis to hurl rocks at Ifugao, but his sword sliced through them, sparks scattering.
She persisted, but he leapt toward her, reaching out. She vanished, reappearing behind him.
"What?" he gasped as she choked him with her arm, forcing him to struggle for breath.
"You're trapped now!" she added, but was stunned by his next move.
Ifugao leapt high into the air, his body soaring, leaving Hustisya bewildered. "He can jump that high?" she thought. Forced to release him, she vanished into the ether, reappearing on the ground. As Ifugao landed, she ceased her attack, her eyes narrowing in curiosity, awaiting his next move.
"Who are you? You're no ordinary person—tell me who you are," she demanded. The moonlight illuminated Ifugao's face—his white hair and fierce eyes revealed his identity. "Wait, I know you—it's Ifugao, isn't it?!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with shock.
"But why? Why are you fighting me? What are you doing here?" she asked, hands ready to strike again. "Why are you protecting that man?"
"I should be the one asking you that," Ifugao replied calmly, though puzzled. He surveyed the burning mansion, the sprawled bodies, and the blood-soaked ground. "Did you do this?"
Hustisya didn't deny it. "Yes, I did."
"You killed them? Why would you do that?" Ifugao asked, stunned.
"Yes, because they deserved to die. These criminals bring suffering to our land—their victims are children and women," she explained.
"But even so! You have no right to take lives," Ifugao countered, his eyes filled with dismay.
"I'm delivering the justice they deserve for their victims," she insisted.
"This is wrong. Seeking justice doesn't mean you can kill and judge them," he argued.
"You worry about their lives, but you don't see the pain they've inflicted on us!" Hustisya shouted, her voice thick with rage.
"I don't understand you. Please, stop this," Ifugao pleaded.
"They violated us!" Her cry halted Ifugao, his face reflecting sadness and pity, sensing her deep sorrow, leaving him speechless.
Hustisya continued, her anger against the Spaniards palpable. "The Spaniards are monsters tormenting us—they must pay for their sins!"
"Hustisya..…" Ifugao murmured, unable to respond, aware of her intense rage.
He knew her actions were wrong, yet felt unqualified to admonish her, not being the one enduring such tragedies.
Uncertain, Ifugao searched for words to quell her anger, his mind consumed with worry. He saw in Hustisya echoes of Alfredo, once consumed by rage and hatred. Before their debate could deepen, police sirens sounded in the distance.
"Flee now—if they learn you did this, you'll be in danger!" Ifugao urged, leaping high to escape as Hustisya vanished like a ghost.
The chapter ended in silence, Ifugao's heart heavy with questions and disappointment. He couldn't explain his mission to Hustisya, but his determination endured—he would uncover the root of her fierce hatred for the Spaniards and find a way to save her from the dark path she tread.