Chapter 43: The Heart of the Vigilant
In the heart of a dark night in Plaridel, after a fierce battle that nearly razed the city's core, Hustisya stood amidst the wreckage, her eyes wide with shock and disbelief at the revelation before her. The silence of the night was broken only by the faint hum of the wind.
Before her stood Erik, the young man she knew as a friend, now confessing that he was also the powerful sugo, Ifugao. His white hair gradually faded, and the blue energy enveloping his body dissipated, revealing a simple man with a face full of concern.
"No… it can't be," Hustisya whispered, stumbling backward, her feet nearly tripping over the scattered rubble. "You can't be Erik! You're not him!" Her voice trembled, laced with confusion and denial.
Memories of their shared moments—conversations under the mango tree, laughter in Plaridel's plaza—flooded her mind, but she couldn't grasp how her friend and the hero she constantly faced in battle could be one and the same.
"Stop this nonsense, Ifugao!" Hustisya shouted, her hands shaking as she gripped her scythe-tipped spear, still glowing with red fire from her fight with Salazar. "You can't fool me! Admit you're lying!"
But Erik remained calm, though his eyes were heavy with sorrow. He stepped toward Hustisya cautiously, as if afraid of provoking her further. "Georgia, it's me, Erik, your friend," he said, his voice soft but filled with sincerity. "I didn't mean to hide this from you, but I had to keep my identity as a sugo secret. I came from Ifugao to Bulacan for a mission—to stop the tragedy caused by a sugo… you, Hustisya."
Hustisya gasped, her eyes widening in shock. "Me? You came to Plaridel just to stop me?" Her voice was thick with disbelief, tinged with hurt. "Is that why you got close to me? Why you became my friend—just because of your mission?"
"Was everything you showed me just part of your mission, to deceive me and win my trust?" she added, her voice breaking.
"No!" Erik replied quickly, his voice rising with intensity. "I became your friend because I wanted to, Georgia. My mission had nothing to do with our meeting. When I saw you in the plaza earlier, transforming into Hustisya, I was shocked. If I had known you and Hustisya were the same person, I would've talked to you sooner. I could've stopped you from fighting the Spaniards this way."
"I know it's hard to believe, but I truly didn't know you were a sugo," he added.
Hustisya clutched her head, her mind reeling. "This is impossible… utterly impossible," she whispered, as memories of their friendship clashed with her battles as Hustisya. "It can't be a coincidence. I fell for Erik, but he's also my enemy, Ifugao, the female sugo who keeps ruining my mission in Plaridel. How did this happen?" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and confusion, especially as she recalled the secret feelings she harbored for Erik.
"Wait, if you're Ifugao, does that mean you're really a woman?" she asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and faint anger. "Did you disguise yourself as a man to make someone like me fall for you and bend to your will?"
"Huh? What are you talking about? No, you've got it all wrong!" Erik said, a faint smile crossing his face, though his eyes remained filled with concern. "I'm a real man, Georgia. But when I use my diwata's power, I take on her form as a woman. I don't like it, but I have no choice. It's still me—Erik, your friend."
Erik pleaded, his voice earnest. "Georgia, let's stop this fight. Let's go home. Lolo and Lola are worried about you, waiting for you to come back."
But Hustisya's anger flared, her eyes blazing with red fire. "It's not that easy to stop, Erik!" she shouted, her voice thick with frustration. "Do you think everything will be fine after what happened? I killed Salazar! I know the Spaniards will pin all of this on the Filipinos in Plaridel!"
Erik stepped closer and, in a sudden move, grasped Hustisya's hands. "I won't let that happen, Georgia," he said, his voice brimming with determination. "I won't let Plaridel suffer because of what we've done."
Hustisya froze at the touch of Erik's hands, her cheeks flushing. She met his gaze, and in an instant, the nervous flutter of her hidden feelings for him returned. "How can you be so sure everything will be okay?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly. "What's your plan for Salazar's death? You know we're criminals in the eyes of the Spaniards now."
Erik's face was open with honesty. "I don't know exactly what to do, Georgia. But for now, I want to get you out of here. I want to make sure you're safe." His eyes were filled with genuine care, each word reflecting his concern.
"You're crazy!" Hustisya shouted, her voice a mix of anger and confusion. "You're putting me above the people of Plaridel? What are you thinking?"
"I'm not saying the Filipinos aren't important," Erik replied, his voice steady but emotional. "They matter to me, but so do you, Georgia. I'm scared something bad will happen to you. I can't bear the thought of you being punished."
Hustisya's cheeks burned brighter, her heart pounding. Despite her anger, Erik's words pierced her emotions. "Why is he saying this? Does he feel something for me too?" she thought, but quickly dismissed the idea. "No, don't think like that, Georgia. Stay focused," she scolded herself. Yet, as she looked into Erik's eyes, her feelings deepened, stirred by his willingness to sacrifice for her safety, as if he wanted to stay by her side.
As they spoke, Erik suddenly glanced at the sky. His eyes widened as he saw two moons glowing above—one full, the other a quarter moon, shining with an eerie light. "Georgia, look," he whispered, his voice filled with awe. "Why are there two moons? Is that even possible?"
Hustisya laughed, her tone laced with mockery. "Don't fool me, Erik. There's only one moon in the world!" But when she turned and looked up, she froze, stunned to see two moons. "Impossible…" she whispered, her eyes wide with shock. "There can't be two moons!"
They noticed the quarter moon growing larger, surrounded by twinkling lights like stars. The lights multiplied, and moments later, they felt a powerful presence from the sky. The "stars" weren't stars at all but orbs of energy, crashing around them like meteors.
"Georgia, dodge!" Erik shouted, but before he could move, a barrage of energy orbs, each nearly three feet wide, rained down. They struck Hustisya's giant skeleton, still standing behind her. The skeleton shuddered, its bones cracking under the explosive impacts, collapsing to the ground in pieces.
Hustisya panicked, her eyes filled with fear. "What's happening?!" she cried. Before she could act, Erik pulled her away, his body transforming back into Ifugao, white hair and blue energy enveloping him once more.
"We need to get out of here now!" Ifugao shouted, his voice urgent. "This presence… it could be from another general!"
They tried to escape, but floating energy orbs surrounded them, blocking their path. Ifugao knew they couldn't be hit, but his body was still weak from the battle with Salazar. His knees trembled, each movement sending sharp pain through him.
He gripped Hustisya's hand tightly, his eyes burning with resolve. "I promise, Georgia, I'll protect you no matter what," he said, his voice unwavering.
Hustisya saw his determination to shield her but worried about his weakened state. She knew Ifugao's body was nearly drained, making him more vulnerable than her. Before the energy orbs could strike, she embraced Ifugao, and a massive shadow appeared beneath them. "Erik!" she cried.
From the shadow, a skeletal skull emerged, swallowing them to shield them from the explosion. The blast shook the ground, and thick smoke spread around them.
Amid the chaos, Hustisya didn't hesitate. She hoisted Ifugao onto her shoulder and leaped away, her feet racing across the shattered streets. "As a sugo, I can't let your body vanish like mine," she explained, her voice filled with concern. "I need to get you out of here!"
Erik suddenly remembered that Hustisya could vanish like a ghost, but her power didn't work while holding another sugo. "Georgia, don't worry about me!" Ifugao shouted, his voice weak but pleading. "Disappear and escape this place! Leave me behind!"
Hustisya's eyes blazed with anger. "I can't leave you, Erik!" she shouted. "I can't save myself while abandoning you!" Her heart pounded, memories of their friendship fueling her resolve.
But Ifugao insisted, "It's better if one of us escapes than both of us getting caught! If the Spaniards capture you, Georgia, they'll sentence you to death!"
"Don't tell me what to do!" Hustisya yelled, her voice trembling with anger and fear. "I'm scared of what might happen to me, but I can't lose you either, Erik!" Tears welled in her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away, refusing to show weakness in front of him.
As she ran, carrying Ifugao, Hustisya didn't notice an energy orb speeding toward her from the side. It struck her, the impact sending them both crashing into the street, colliding with scattered vehicles. Hustisya's body writhed in pain. She knew these energy orbs were no ordinary attacks—they moved with intent, waiting for the right moment to strike.
She saw the orbs surrounding them again, hovering like predators. Ifugao punched the ground in frustration, his body barely able to stand. "I can't even protect you," he whispered, his voice heavy with regret.
Hustisya crawled to Ifugao, her eyes filled with concern. "Erik, do you have enough strength to run?" she asked, her voice soft but resolute.
Ifugao's eyes widened. "What are you planning, Georgia?" he asked, his voice thick with worry.
"I can't fight these while protecting you," Hustisya explained, her eyes blazing with red fire. "I have enough energy left to fight, but you need to get out of here. I'll draw their attention."
"No!" Ifugao shouted, his voice full of protest. "I won't leave you, Georgia! I can still fight with you!"
"You're insane!" Hustisya yelled, her voice shaking with anger. "We can't both get caught! If we do, Plaridel has no hope!"
In the midst of their argument, Ifugao suddenly embraced Hustisya, his arms wrapping tightly around her. "I can't do it, Georgia," he said, his voice firm but emotional. "I'll stay by your side until the end."
Hustisya's heart skipped, her cheeks flushing. For a moment, her mind filled with romantic fantasies, but she quickly pushed them aside. "We need to survive first," she whispered to herself, trying to focus on the fight.
As they held each other, Hustisya sensed something approaching. Turning, she saw a long chain of energy speeding toward them. With no time to react, she pushed Ifugao away and swung her scythe-tipped spear, slicing the chain in half. But to her shock, the pieces continued toward Ifugao.
Too weak to dodge, Ifugao's arms and legs were bound by the chain. "Erik!" Hustisya screamed, her eyes wide with fear and panic. She tried to reach him, but more energy orbs surrounded them, blocking her path.
She knew escape was impossible. Their only option was to fight, even though Ifugao had almost no strength left. In the midst of her panic, a voice echoed around them.
"Your escape is futile," said a man, his voice dripping with authority. "You'd be better off surrendering."
Hustisya looked up to see a man with violet hair, dressed in a white general's uniform, standing on a strange quarter-moon-shaped vessel surrounded by glowing crystals. His presence was overwhelming, and the energy orbs hovered around him, awaiting his command to crush her.
"I won't surrender to the Spaniards' lapdogs!" Hustisya shouted, her voice brimming with defiance.
The man bristled at being called a lapdog. "Punyeta!" he roared, his eyes blazing. "I don't tolerate disrespect from youngsters!" He introduced himself as General Luna Tanio, the Governor-General of Bataan, one of the twenty-four generals ruling the Philippines. "My patience is short, so surrender now!"
But Hustisya stood firm. "I'd rather die than be captured!" she shouted, her scythe-tipped spear flaring with red fire.
"Punyeta!" Luna yelled again, his voice thick with frustration. "Kids like you are so stubborn! You need to learn when to give up!" Around him, more energy orbs appeared, faster and more numerous. "Bravery isn't always noble!"
The energy orbs surged toward Hustisya, but she met them head-on. With her scythe, she sliced and parried, each explosion shaking the ground. But the orbs were too many, their blasts wreaking havoc on the surroundings. Fearing Ifugao, still bound on the ground, might get hit, Hustisya decided to attack Luna directly.
A massive shadow appeared beneath her, and a colossal skeletal arm emerged, punching toward Luna. The strike caused a deafening explosion, but Hustisya was stunned when the smoke cleared. Luna stood unharmed within a protective barrier around his vessel, the Mooncrest.
"This is the Mooncrest, my weapon as a sugo," Luna explained, his voice proud. "As long as there's a moon in the sky, my power is more than doubled. You can't destroy it, no matter how strong you are."
Hustisya's anger surged, and with a fierce cry, she swung her scythe, unleashing a massive wave of red fire. It engulfed Luna's barrier, flames consuming the surroundings. But moments later, a force repelled the fire, and the Mooncrest's barrier remained unscathed.
"I told you, you can't destroy it," Luna said, his voice calm but mocking. "You need to learn to listen to those wiser than you."
More energy orbs appeared around Luna, charging at Hustisya. She tried to slash and block them, but they were too fast. One struck her, sending her crashing to the ground, rolling amid the rubble. Knowing she had no time to rest, she stood, but before she could move, an energy chain bound her body.
She struggled to break it, but it held firm. "My power grows stronger under the moon," Luna said. "You can't break those chains. Surrender, so we can all rest tonight."
But Hustisya shouted, "The fight isn't over! I won't be taken alive!" With her cry, a colossal skeleton appeared, larger than before, brimming with dark energy. Hustisya stood atop its head, her eyes blazing. "I'm ready to fight to the death for the people of Plaridel!"
Luna showed no fear, only sighing in disappointment. "What a waste of your potential, Hustisya," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I'm not the enemy of the Filipinos. Between us, who can truly help Plaridel? Your blind beliefs drive you to fight, but you'll save no one by continuing this."
Hustisya's anger flared. "Stop it! You know nothing of the Filipinos' suffering in Plaridel or why we do this!" she shouted, her voice filled with venom.
"I don't need to know your struggles or why you kill," Luna replied, his voice calm but firm. "The world doesn't care about your problems. Laws exist to protect people, and you've clearly broken them. What mercy does the world owe rebels like you who kill and disrupt peace?"
"The rebels you speak of are Filipinos who've suffered the Spaniards' cruelty!" Hustisya retorted. "We're only seeking justice for the victims of their oppression!"
"Punyeta!" Luna roared, his voice thick with anger. "Your damned quest for revenge is why the rebellion never ends in the Philippines! As long as people seek vengeance, there'll be no peace in this country!" He angrily declared that Filipinos were narrow-minded if they thought rebellion was the key to peace. "Accept it, Hustisya, the Filipinos can't win this fight!"
Hustisya laughed, her tone dripping with scorn. "Because you believe Filipinos have no fight, you're content being the Spaniards' lapdog, General!" she shouted.
Luna sighed. "This conversation is pointless," he said. "You can't accept the truth, Hustisya. Your anger blinds you." As he spoke, over five hundred energy orbs appeared, illuminating the surroundings, encircling the colossal skeleton.
Hustisya's heart sank at the sight, and she glanced at Ifugao, still bound on the ground. She knew she couldn't block all the orbs with her dwindling energy, but she had to ensure Ifugao's safety. Using her remaining strength, she lifted scattered wooden debris and carried Ifugao away from the battle.
"What are you doing, Georgia?" Ifugao shouted, his voice filled with panic as he struggled against the chains. But as the debris carried him away, he saw Hustisya remove her mask and smile at him—a farewell smile.
"Georgia, no!" Ifugao screamed, his eyes wide with terror. Moments later, the surroundings blazed as the energy orbs exploded around the skeleton.
"Georgia!!"
The explosion sent debris flying, buildings crumbled, and the shockwave reverberated through Plaridel.
Five minutes later, the smoke cleared, revealing a massive crater fifteen meters deep where the battle had raged, with half of city hall nearly destroyed. Luna hovered in the air aboard the Mooncrest, surveying the scene.
No trace of Hustisya's skeleton remained, nor could he find her body. He knew her diwata would protect her as a sugo. He also couldn't see Ifugao, who had been left bound on the ground.
"Punyeta!" Luna cursed, furious that both had escaped. "This is going to be a long report," he muttered, his voice thick with frustration.
Suddenly, Luna glanced at the city hall rooftop, spotting a young girl. Curious about her presence, he guided the Mooncrest toward her. Though meeting Hiyas for the first time, he offered respect. "This is my first time seeing a diwata in person," he said, his voice filled with wonder. "What's someone like you doing here?"
Hiyas didn't respond, her icy gaze piercing Luna. She floated into the air and, in an instant, passed through the Mooncrest's barrier, stepping onto his vessel.
Luna was stunned. "This is the first time someone's breached my barrier," he said, his voice full of awe. "Are you a diwata like Ada Baal-Aki, the spirit of Cabanatuan I serve?"
"I'm a spirit of nature, but you can call me whatever you like," Hiyas replied, her voice calm yet enigmatic. "I'm an awakened spirit, seeking purpose and amusement in this world." She smiled faintly, but her eyes remained serious.
Luna grinned. "A bored diwata, then," he said, his tone lightly teasing. But Hiyas suddenly grabbed his arm, saying, "If you can see and touch me, it means Cabanatuan's diwata still favors you."
Luna frowned. "What do you mean?" he asked, his eyes filled with doubt.
"I slept for millions of years," Hiyas explained, her voice grave. "I awoke recently and found this land in chaos. It's too messy, and I don't like what I see. Luna, I lack the power to fix things, so I seek those who can do it for me."
She asked, "Can you fix this land?"
Luna smiled, but his expression was puzzled. "I don't understand what you're saying," he said. "I have no idea how to fix this land. Are you asking me to join the rebellion against Spain to drive out the Spaniards?"
He admitted, "I'd be glad if the Spaniards were expelled from the Philippines, but that's a daunting task. The Filipinos lack the means to defend their nation—that's the truth."
Hiyas replied calmly, "I know it's difficult, but not impossible. I'm pleased to hear you desire the Philippines' freedom, Luna. I won't force you to help me, and honestly, I don't expect you to."
She floated out of the Mooncrest's barrier, preparing to leave. "Thank you for the talk," she said. "We'll meet again." But before vanishing, she turned to Luna. "Prepare for the Day of the Red Moon," she said, her voice carrying a warning. "Ifugao is my chosen sugo. I don't care if he becomes your ally or enemy, but I ask a favor, General. Don't capture him until he's ready."
Luna smiled. "Is that a request or a warning from a diwata?" he asked, his tone playful.
"You don't need to fear me," Hiyas replied. "Even as a diwata, I lack the power to kill anyone, especially someone as powerful as you." With that, she vanished as a breeze passed by.
Luna sighed, gazing at the full moon, pondering Hiyas's words about the Day of the Red Moon. "The Day of the Red Moon?" he muttered.
The battle in Plaridel ended that night, leaving immense destruction at city hall and many casualties—soldiers and rebels alike. Yet Ifugao had prevented a greater tragedy, saving most of the civilians.
But in the silence that followed, they knew new challenges awaited, and the events in Plaridel would profoundly shape the future fate of Filipinos in the Philippines.