Chapter 20 – Refuge underneath the dark night

As the sun settles, Jasmine was anxious to see the return of Gil, Kislap, and Kulog. She thinks that the guardians are pushing their selves too much to protect the realm but then again, they are the ones given the titles of guardians; if they are not defending the guardian they are sure to defend the realm in her absence – at least that's what Leshin told her before.

Jasmine and the other guardians at Vale have taken their dinner at the Inn – they all have an agreement to take shifts on watching over the town – they never know when the next batch of Aswang will arrive or if there is anything else that can make their stay a rowdy than usual, is better they are prepared.

Amihan flies up to the ship and decided to have the ship in check and spend the night with her crew – as she jokingly said "The crew might start mutiny if I am not with my ship". The rest decided to take a rest on the Inn.

Leshin decided he will take the first watch and let the others rest. As the rest of the team tucks in their bed, Jasmine prayed for Gil, Kulog, and Kislap's safety, it's been hours since they left and they haven't returned yet. She mutters in her bed, mumbling her wishes to keep those 3 safe at all times. She shuts her eyes and imagines the 3 guardians will return to them safe and sound. Her woes kept her awake but not more than a few minutes as she eventually falls asleep but still mumbling to herself.

"Chronicler?" Shamir wakes up after hearing the girl speaking to in her sleep. She sits up and sees Tala sleeping soundly on the other end of the room. Shamir looks over at Jasmine sees that she is irritated and troubled in her sleep. Shamir gets up and moves closer to Jasmine. She opens her pouch and sprinkles golden sands on Jasmine's head. After awhile Jasmine stops mumbling and returns to sleep soundly as possible.

"May Bathala watch over you dear. Have a good night." Shamir returns to her bed and resumed her sleep.

As the team began to take a moment of respite, Leshin strolls on the empty streets ever vigilant to see anything that might stand out. He checks in with the guards regularly and checks in with the refugees.

"Leshin? May I have a word?" Mayor Nicanor appears behind him with a guard carrying his mound of dirt. Leshin turns and greets the mayor, he asked what is the matter and the mayor replied "It's about a trouble we have even before you or the Chronicler visited us."

"What must be the issue Mayor? Maybe it is something that we can help you with?"

The mayor bit his lip; he gave a pause before letting a word out. He thinks of the horror that this issue ensues if the guardians and Chronicler know but he admits to himself that he needs help. "Leshin, kidnappings are happening lately on Vale."

Leshin knew of this, he knew due to Juan and Jasmine's visit to the underworld. Where Masiken informs them that the dead of Antrians is mostly killed via sacrifices in front of an Anito of a snake. He kept silent and let the mayor finish.

"The incident first started a few months ago where the drunken patrons of the Inn started to disappear in the forest. I first didn't look into the matter as given the situation – they are drunk and they might stumble into a hole or river and drown themselves. Eventually, the elderly and the young ones too started disappearing during the night." The mayor's eye began to widen and looks like he is ready to tell Leshin the worst part.

"We investigated this matter but none of us are sure who took them. Tikbalang, Kapre, Syokoy, my men from the Nuno, and other races are all victims to this." Mayor Nicanor waves at the guard carrying him. The guard put Nicanor's mound to the ground. Nicanor touches his mound, the magic travels from his hands to his hand and into the ground. The magic began to morph the ground and it transformed into a miniature map of the Vale.

There Leshin sees the Inn, the gate, the docks, even the place where the airships anchors themselves to the trees. And there the map that Nicanor has several sharp rocks on the edge of the map. Leshin leans down and asks Nicanor what the sharp rock represents.

"Those are places where the kidnapping happened. Those are the last areas they are seen before they vanished." Nicanor replied then continues "We took precautions too. I enlist the villagers to help the guardsmen and even put curfews for children but none seem to be working."

Leshin raises his hand and looks at the map. "Mayor, as guardian, our priority is helping the Chronicler in her mission . . . " he stops for a second and the mayor looks at Leshin with sadness began to fill his eyes. " . . . but as we have it, the Chronicler has informed us that these kidnappings are related to our mission."

The mayor's eye began to fill with hope. He smiles and asked Leshin if he can share some info about it. Leshin thinks for a second "There is no hiding it, he needs to know the truth."

"Mayor, the Chronicler traveled to the underworld. She saw a lot of spirits that died due to sacrificial rituals to an Anito. That small statue is said to be a figure of a snake - she identifies as Bakunawa, the serpent who will eat the moon."

The mayor and the guard look at each other not know who or what this huge snake is. Leshin assures them that this threat is real. This is the reason why they left in the first place and investigate a lead they had – snakes and kidnapping goes hand in hand.

"I pray for the souls might find peace in death." Nicanor lowers his head and offered a short prayer in silence. "But I hope those bastards will have their end."

"I assure you, Mayor, we are working on it"

The mayor points Leshin to the map, there small smooth rounded rocks are circularly moving around the map. "To prevent more kidnappings, we tried to do more rotations. Since then there have been no kidnappings for the last month. But that can't be said those people living outside of our village."

Leshin nods his head as they talked and took all the information about the rotation of the guards. After having all the info that the mayor can give, Leshin thanks the mayor for trusting this info with him and swears that he will find a way to uncover the kidnappers' identity.

Mayor Nicanor jumps back to his mound of dirt and asks the guard to take him back to his cottage so he can have his rest. Leshin waves at the mayor goodbye. Leshin collects his thoughts as he patrols the streets - thinking of creatures that can do kidnapping and bold enough so close to Vale and other towns. "Aswangs? They can shapeshift and even eat the living but they are not that desperate . . . then again they are becoming bold and even threaten the town earlier."

Leshin looks at himself over a puddle near him "Or maybe some of the elves resorted to kidnapping to feed their hunger for the flesh. But none of my race is this stupid, let alone that starved to resorting into this . . . madness"

His attention is broken when a heard a croak. He turns around and sees a group of croaking frogs as they hop from the river. His eyes follow the frogs and see boats and ships arriving on the dock by the river. The guards and the other villagers near the docks helped the people to settle down. Waves and waves of boats arrived and soon the refugee homes are getting crowded by the minute.

Not a moment too soon, a guardsman rushing past Leshin while carrying a mound and the Mayor. "Every guard wake up, open up all of the available spaces in the west corner of the Vale, and set up temporary camps for the refugees."

One of the guards yells back at the Mayor "Sir, there is no more room to spare! We will reach max capacity at this point and there are more and more ships and boats floating from Rivertown to us."

Before the Mayor can reply, Leshin steps in and asked the Mayor to lead the refugees outside of the town. "I will use my magic to create a thick barricade made of trees, thorns, and plants. There they can have room to feel safe from the elements but I cannot provide them any clothing or some soft place they can lie on."

"Ugh, and as I was about to close my eyes earlier… looks like we have a lot more things to do." Mayor Nicanor presses his fingers on his wrinkled forehead. He heavily sighs and gave orders to the guards to assist the refugees off their boats.

Leshin hurries to the outer border of Vale. He looks at the clear open field and anticipates the size of refugees. He opens a pouch full of seeds and started to walk. Each step he makes, he drops a seed. Each seed he drops, a prayer was offered and infused with magic; once it hits the ground - the seed started to spread its roots and grow rapidly. Trees of mango, abaca, nara, honey locust, and tall coconut trees.

An in just under an hour Leshin made the area surrounded by tall and strong trees. The hone locust' thorns grew long and wide to prevent any intruders from entering the refugee camp. The nara will supply shade to the people, mango will provide sustainable food and abaca's fiber can be used for clothing and the coconut trees can supply both water and food for the people.

Leshin finished making a protective forest. He returned to the near Vale's gate and asked the guard to call in the refugees. Tired from the magic he used to make the plants grow, he needs to make one final touch. He leans on his spear and offered a short prayer, "As I breathe, I shall protect this land. May Bathala provide your lives new blessings" then followed by muttering another magic.

Green glow of magic spun around his spear, it traveled from the tip of his spear and traveled to the ground and spread to the trees. The trees then gave a powerful vibe, as if they are alive and watching over the place. "My friends protect this town."

Shortly, the refugees entered. Their heads hang and sagged, their hearts filled with regret, and sorrow can be seen in their eyes. Babies cling in the arms of their mothers as they cry. The men, tired, and their clothes filled with mud, water, and sweat. One by one they set up their tents settle down. The night was silent as these people's mouths. No amount of words can describe what they can feel; seeing their home and people destroyed within a day.

Leshin left a tug on his hands. He looks over and found a small tikbalang girl clingy on his hands. "Mister, can you help me find my mom? We were separated when we escape our home. We rode separate boats and until now I can't find her" She says as tears began to fill her eyes. She wipes the tears before it can fall over her cheeks. She acts to be brave but Leshin can see past it.

"Young one, what does your mother look like? Let's find her together shall we?" Upon hearing this, the young tikbalang began to smile and she readies her hooves. She grabbed Leshin's hand and began to lead him away from the gate and back to the docks. "Hurry mister!"

Leshin followed the girl and while they are running "Slow down. Can you tell me your name and your mother's? That we can inform the guards and spread the word."

"My name is Bilis, my mother's name is Likas." She didn't turn around. She is just happy to have someone help her find her mother. Leshin didn't hesitate to help her. All he knows that this child's night can be better if she can be reunited with her mother.

They arrived at the docks and there the last boat just finished unloading all of the people. Bilis and Leshin began to ask the guards to keep a lookout for a female tikbalang named Likas. The guards also pass on the word to the refugee camp. Leshin and the girl decided to stay by the docks and shout at the top of their lungs to find the mother.

They asked some of the refugees and none of them knew a name like that. The guards didn't see any tikbalang named Likas but they will keep a lookout for her. They reached the end of the dock, by the riverbanks where the mermen are resting. They also didn't see any tikbalang that went to their area and suggest the two look for their missing person back at the camp.

"Well kid, we been searching for your mother, and looks like she isn't here. . . "

Those careless words made the child feel hopeless. Tears began to rush as she fears that she will never see her mother again. She cries and began to throw a tantrum. Leshin began to panic.

"No! I meant was she isn't here by the river. Maybe we missed her. The camp is on the other side of the town. Maybe there we can see your mother!"

The child smiled and wiped her tears. She hugged Leshin and thanked him. The girl squeezes Leshin tightly and won't let go. "Thank you, mister!"

"The Chronicler is might be a kid but this toddler isn't my specialty". He whispers to himself.

Then a voice came out from the other end of the docks "Bilis! Where are you?" A tikbalang yells from the top of her lungs. Thou Leshin can't see the Tikbalang, he knows this is the tikbalang they are looking for.

Leshin turned his head and replied. "Over here! By the end of the docks! Bilis is here with me!" Leshin tried to grab the girl from his leg to bring her to her mom. But when his arm reaches for the girl, there are is no Bilis by her side. Leshin fell silent and was stunned. Where did the girl go?

A screech! Likas wailed and cried for help. "BILIS!!! NOO!!" She yells for the guard or anyone for help. "Help my daughter!" Leshin runs toward the woman and stands before her. The mother is panicking, her hooves want to run and save her daughter but she can. She points toward the dark sky and asked Leshin to help her.

Leshin looks up and sees the black wing spread out in the dark with Bilis trying to escape from the grasp of her captor. Finally, Leshin knows how the kidnapping happens. Why there is no trace once there is a person was kidnapped. Why he didn't hear or felt a thing when Bilis was taken by his side. The kidnapper is a Manananggal – a vampire that can separate its lower half and gain the ability to fly. At day, they can look like a normal human or any other race. At night when they need to feed, they can separate their selves into two, leaving the lower half of their body and gain bat-like wings. It is rumored that their wings are silent as an owl hunting their prey in the night.

"Likas, stay here! I will get your daughter back." Leshin runs past the Likas. He taps his spear on the ground and vines began to sprout and carry him on the rooftops of Vale. "The manananggal manage to swipe the girl by my side without me realizing it?! The nerve of this vermin!"

The manananggal saw Leshin is on a pursuit from the rooftops. While running, Leshin hurls the spear toward the wings of the manananggal. The villain was effortless to dodge the attack. Leshin summons the spear back to his hand. The spear returned and this time, Leshin concentrates his magic on the spear and threw it again to the manananggal.

Just like before the spear was easily dodged by the manananggal. The spear flew pass by and hit an airship near where the manananggal was flying. The spear was stuck on the hull of the ship but the magic began to spread on the hull.

The manananggal laughs back at Leshin, taunting him and teasing his aim. Leshin kept running and leaping thru the rooftop. He reaches his hand and yelled, "To the vampire!"

Then the planks from the ship broke and from it, huge vines began to emerge and block the path of the manananggal. The vines grew and grew until more and more of the ship's hull break and the vines began to spread on the other ship beside it.

The manananggal underestimate Leshin's abilities. It began to fly upward in an attempt to dodge his vines but the huge vines came and follow thru. The manananggal maneuvers in between the vines in an attempt to escape. But the manananggal was not lucky, one vine manages to get a hold of her arm and tries to grab Bilis out of grasp.

Then out of nowhere huge gust of wind began to swirl from the ship where the vines emerged. A woman's eye is full of rage and armor or red flies from the ship to the sky. A huge storm began to form around the ship. The woman yells "LESHIN! YOU ARE GOING TO PAY FOR WRECKING MY SHIP!"

Amihan voice echoes with anger at the destruction of her ship. The manananggal realized that these are no ordinary soldiers; these are guardians of the Chronicler. The vines pulsate around her arms and constrict her until her muscles tears and bones started to crack. The pain was too much and the manananggal severed her stuck arm and flies out of there.

Bilis was safely taken back by the vines but the manananggal manage to slip past the incoming vines and disappeared into the night. Leshin points to Amihan signaling her to get the child and bring her back down.

After the town as settled down from that event, Bilis was reunited with her mother. The two shared a loving embraced and they both can't stop thanking Leshin for his help. The two finally left and returned to the camp.

"Leshin! You have no right to destroy my ship!" Amihan yells and demands Leshin to fix the ship again. Then another captain approached Leshin. This one is shouting and demanding the guardians to fix their hull. Leshin apologizes to both captain and tries to reason with them that was an emergency.

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Leshin returned to the Inn and found that the rest of the guardians and Jasmine is still asleep. He felt tired after that chase with the manananggal. He got a lot of things to inform the team and but for now, he will need to replenish his strength.

He goes over to the bed of Juan and wakes him up to take the next shift. "Juan, get up. It's your turn."

Juan didn't budge underneath the sheets. Leshin puts his hand over his body, he shakes Juan, and still he won't wake up. Leshin then removes the sheet and decided to drag Juan off his bed but to his surprise, Juan is sweating and clutching his blade with a faint light green magic emanating from the tip of the blade.

"HEY! Juan! Wake up!" Leshin then wriggles Juan until he wakes. Juan opens his eyes like waking from a bad dream.

"Juan! You alright?!" Leshin removes his hand over Juan's shoulders, and then he offered Juan his water.

Juan grabbed the water pouch and drinks it all. "I found them Leshin. I finally found them!" Juan says as he finished drinking the water.

"Who you found? What are you talking about. . . Look, I found the kidnappers!" Leshin says as Juan returns the pouch to him.

"Huh, what a coincidence – manananggal right?" Juan asked while catching his breath.

"Yes. How did you know and what is happening to you?" Leshin replied.

"Remote piloting an illusion of mine. Look, I know where they are hiding but I need to do something. Wake Atlas up make him do the rounds. I'll get back to you later." Juan hurries back to lay on the bed like he is running or escaping from someone. He closes his eyes and grasps his blade by his chest. Then the green glow resumed on the blade and Juan starts to sweat.

"Juan . . . sometimes you scare me." Leshin then looks at Atlas's bed and he wakes the big guy up. Atlas grumpily wakes up. He holds his face and asked Leshin if it's his shift.

"Atlas, I have news for the team but for now I will need to take a rest I exhausted my magic again . . . I will tell you all by morning but first please make sure the refugees outside are safe and patrol for the area for any manananggal."

Atlas looks at Leshin "What? Mananwhat? Is that some kind of creature that attacks people at night?" he jokingly said as he stands but Leshin is not laughing.

"Wait your serious?" Atlas stops grinning.

"They are vampire-like creatures Atlas. They are responsible for the kidnappings." Leshin sits on his bed. "I and Tala have used most of our energies helping the refugee earlier." Leshin then looks at Juan "and don't disturb Juan".

"Wait why does he have a free pass to sleep all night?" Atlas scratches his head.

"Juan is on an infiltration mission," Leshin replied one last time before he removes his armor and prepares to go to bed.

And the darkest corner of the forest over few more towns away, Juan is running from a huge swarm of manananggal. He prays this is the last time he will do a mission this crazy and he hopes the sun comes up sooner. . .