Beasts

Cedric wakes me up and whisper to me that this is the perfect time for the food hunting because the stronger beasts are preparing to sleep while the other beasts is not waking up yet. So I tap the shoulder of Eric and tell him we are harvesting food and for them to stay vigilant.

We walk as quietly as possible so that we cannot attract unnecessary nuisance. Everyone can see the beauty of the environment of the Biringan Plane but anyone can see that this place is not suitable for human habitation. I can feel the tension of the forest; it is hungry for the human flesh.

As we enter the forest a sleeping Tikbalang can be seen on one of the trees. They have a body of human male with the head of the horse. They love to play with humans and make them get lost. A golden hair thread can be seen in the back of his head, as the legend stated that if you acquired the golden thread of the Tikbalang they will serve you for a lifetime.

Few trees from here a snoring kapre can be heard, a super large, hairy humanoid beast with a tobacco addiction. Several hornless goats with spines on their back can be seen running everywhere. They run backwards and they run fast. You can also see a few duwendes house here and there. A small lake can be seen at the middle of a clearing, I look closely and I saw many fishes just swimming freely in there.

"Are the fish edible?" He notices what I am looking at and quickly drag me away from the lake. He hurriedly told me that it is bait, that's where the Berberoka lives. They use the fish to lure unsuspecting victim and drag them into the lake to become food. As he said that, a head of a humanoid face with fins glares at us.

With all of the beasts lurking into the forest, I decided that it is harmful for a kid like Cedric. I told him that he can go back and protect Eric and Carlo and wait for me. At first he is reluctant to agree but after I promise him that I will be okay he runs back to the city. When I am sure that he is gone, I strip naked and shift to my Apoy form.

Something amazing happen, I heard many beings talking and I understand all of them from small to the huge ones. Some of them are curious when I shifted. I float to a tree with a sleeping Kapre and politely ask for some fruits.

"Good Morning!" I shouted at him that makes him startled that he almost fell off the branch he's sleeping on.

"Huh? What the…" He talks in slur caused by waking up suddenly. "Apoy? What esteem being doing in a place like this?" He respectfully asked me. This is surprising, I didn't know that Diwatas have a higher standing to other creatures.

"I am in need for some fruits for the people that I am guarding." I told him.

"I apologize to you esteem being but this is my food, I can give you some but that's it. I deeply apologize for my incompetence Sir." He bowed to me, trembling. He carefully picks some fruits and offers it to me, he adds some dried tobacco leaves too. I reluctantly received it and rejected the leaves then thank him. He is relived that I accepted his offer.

I tried to ask anyone for more fruit but all of them needed it and gives me just some of it. There are only few trees that are edible to human consumption so I don't have a choice but to accept. I counted all of I collected and thought that it is not enough for all of the city people. Then I remember the fishes in the lake. There are so many of them that I think I can feed the city people for weeks.

I glide near the lake and observe the fishes that are swimming freely. A head of a Berberoka abruptly broke into the surface to grab me but because of my fire it shrieks in pain. Four of them surface from the water ready to attack me when they notice what I am. They screech at me and that's it, they look at me with disdain and on alert.

"Do you need all of these fishes on your lake?" I asked them, trying to look intimidating.

"Why do you care?" One of them stubbornly asked me. I really hate them, there's something about them I don't like.

"I request for half of them to the people I am guarding. Knowing that you only use them as bait, you don't need that many. Share the half of it for me, don't worry I will not take all of them in one day… I will come every day and take some."

"What will you do if we refuse?"

"I will kill you all and take it anyway." They shriek in fear and indignation.

"What we will get for this… negotiation…" The one in the middle inquired to me, emphasizing on the negotiation part.

"All of your life…" I said to them smirking.

They only just glare at me and submerge again on the lake. I take it as some part of agreement and merrily get some adult fishes. I tied them all on a vine that I get from one of the Balete tree but what about the fruits? Before I make some half-assed plan to cramp it on my shirt, I heard a giggling noise. A Bungisngis appears on one of the forest trees he is a big masculine humanoid beast with one eye. He walks toward me smiling and giggling. He wears some loincloth and holding a one big branch.

"Hi… My name is Halakhak… what's your name?" A bungisngis have a name? This shocks me because I know the entire beasts here doesn't bother with it and his name suit what he is. He is also wearing some kind of protection to his private parts although all of the beasts in here are naked.

"My name is Kelvin. Nice to meet you." I held my hand for him to shake. He stares at it as if frighten to the fire. "Don't worry it will not burn you."

"Hi… hi… ahm… yeah…" Then he giggles again, he shakes my hand and envelopes all of it. Yup… he really is big. "You want some help?" He giggles again as he point at my fruits.

"You will help me carry it to the city?

"Um… no…no… I don't want to leave my home. Someone will take it and I will become homeless… yes… yes… no home for me."

"Then how will you help me?" I asked him if he is afraid to leave his home how he will help me carry all of these fruits?

"Um… I have baskets… small ones and big ones!" He shows it to me by taking it out of his house. I am amaze on what I saw. His house is literally the tree but there is some kind of portal on it and inside is a well-organized house. He excitedly showcases all of his baskets some of it is half of his size and the smaller ones is half of me.

"Are all of you have this kind of home?" I curiously asked him as I ignored his baskets and stares at his house. I dared not to enter knowing that magical beasts have a territorial tendency.

"No… no… few of us have. The intelle… inte… smart ones!" He said to me giggling.

"I thought Bungisngis are the dumb ones?!" The ones that I have read and know about them is that they are stupid. He gasps as if he is surprise on what I said.

"That is a ster…ste…stype… that's not true!" He said to me as if he is about to cry. I apologize to him quickly before he burst into tears.

"What do you need in return?" I inquire to him remembering about what Mapolan said about they all asked something in return. Halakhak giggles again and brought out four crystals to me.

"Make me fire boom!" Huh? Fire boom? What's that? Noticing my bewildered face he explains about it. These crystals are made by him when he cries, they rarely do it (he said it not me) but when they do, crystals are form through their tears. Anyone can trap some energy inside like shockwave or to me my fire. I inquire him on how will I do it and he said that I prepare a big powerful fire and focuses on the crystal. When I throw it to the crystal it will absorb my fire creating "Fire boom" as he smartly name it. When I throw the crystal with trapped energy on them it will release what inside and the crystal will be destroyed. Hence it is one time used only.

He offers five fire booms for one basket but I counter offer. I will give him ten Fire boom if he gives me six empty crystals and one small basket. He jumps in glee, claps his hands and laughs making the ground shake a little and readily gave me of what I need. Then I made him ten Fire boom and asked him what is it for. He explains that it is for his own protection.

After that I say goodbye to him, put all of my harvested foods on the basket, shifted back to my human form and walk back to the city.

Beasts and their international equivalent:

Tikbalang: Reverse centaur meaning the head is the horse and a human body. Have a golden thread on his hair that if you acquire it you will be their master forever.

Kapre: near equivalent is the Sasquatch but more human like. Addicted to tobacco and they always fall in love with a human and wanted to help them. But all of the humans that kapres loved are always destined to lose their mind.

Sigbin: Near equivalent is the Chupacabra of Mexico. Blood sucking goat-like creature, they run backward. Very fast.

Berberoka: Near equivalent is Siren. But they don't use their voice to lure humans but use fishes as bait. Half fish and half ogre.

Bungisngis: Near equivalent is Cyclops in the greek myth. One eye and huge humanoid creature. You will know when you are near one when you hear giggling sound.

Additional info:

Some Filipinos believe that not all fruits in the Biringan city are Edible. Some of them are poisonous to human, will make you mad or you can never leave that plane again. Even though they look the same, you have to be careful when you eat what the engkantos offer to you.