Alyssum

also me: *scrolls through #ManilaEncounters hashtag on twitter

“What have you done?”

Apolaki felt the skies thunder above him, wrathful bolts of lightning streaking across the indigo sky. Immediately, a bolo with golden carvings appeared in his hand. He swung the blade towards the person behind him.

“Me?” He cocked his head, a vexatious smile forming. “What haven’t I done?”

“APOLAKI!” Roared the diwata before him. Her silver eye, the one he was unable to wound, flared with silver light. Instantly, the ground below him trembled as both flora and fauna whisked themselves to safety. Apolaki could even sense the trees forcing slumber. Kaluwalhatian was usually peaceful, but once gods would start wars, the heavens would force itself into hiding.

Apolaki’s smile grew. He watched as the diwata drew her bamboo staff and pointed it at him menacingly.

“Mayari dear.” Apolaki brandished his bolo. “Haven’t we been through this already?”

The moon goddess sneered. “Your greed has gone far enough, brother. Surrender your reign now!”

Apolaki narrowed his eyes. “Surrender to who? You?” The god laughed. “Does the moon really dare to tame the sun?”

The skies darkened as Mayari’s wrath manifested. Winds roared and whipped the trees around them. Apolaki’s grin widened with viciousness. He drew another bolo in his free hand and brandished both blades forward. Golden light shone from his tattoos, vining across Apolaki’s upper body and arms.

“Come get me, sister.”

The earth cracked between them as both gods took a step forward. Mayari flicked her hand, silver streaks coating her bamboo staff. She gnashed her teeth hatefully at her brother’s callous smile.

The sun would never change. This she knew for a fact. Being revered for so long has made his head swell. Their father had always been lenient on him simply because he was male, but this time the dreadful fool had gone too far.

Nelly had dropped her spoon.

Or more specifically, it fell ‘off’ her hand.

She knew that eating noodles at 2am was a bad idea. She knew that it was going to make her mental later on. But when she heard the ‘ding’ of her fallen eating utensil, she knew crazy had come quite earlier than expected.

What did her lola used to say again? Drop a fork and expect a visitor?

Nelly had been staring into space, literally. After a six-hour cram session, she felt like she deserved the break at that ungodly hour. Staring into nothing seemed quite reasonably peaceful.

Until that star fell.

“Hah I’m dreaming.” She laughed dryly. It was her imagination, the lack of sleep was getting to her. She peered out the window, smiling foolishly to herself, knowing that her mind was playing tricks on her. But then she saw the body.

A small figure lay unconsciously on the street below her. Inky black hair fell like curtains over the person’s flowing silver dress. As Nelly looked closely, she noticed that the dressed sparkled, shimmering in indistinct colors. It seemed to be twinkling. It twinkled like the stars.

Nelly almost dropped her bowl of noodles. She stared at the figure across the street, wondering what she would do. Logically, it was to save that person. But technically, her country wasn’t exactly safe enough to go out at night. Hell, it was 2 am!

She took a step back and accidentally stepped on her spoon. Nelly looked down at the shiny object and frowned.

Now she remembered, it was a spoon.

“Oh lola I hate it when you’re right.” Grumbling, she grabbed her jacket and zipped it up to her collar. She ran for the stairs and quietly made her way outside. Thank god the backdoor was made of wood, otherwise her parents would freak if it creaked like the gate did.

She took a step out of the safety of her home. The figure still lay on the street, not moving an inch. Nelly realized the person was a woman, and all the more her heart raced as she saw how unnatural she was. There was something about her that screamed untouchable. The nearer she got, the more intense that feeling grew. It almost felt like..she was scorching.

Nelly checked her arms. She wasn’t burning.

“Oh god.” She squeaked, hoping that God was actually with her. She knew the first ones to go in alien invasions were always the extra-terrestrial’s first contact. Unfortunately, it had to be her.

Nelly reached the body and dropped to her knees. She slowly turned the body over to look for injuries.

What she saw took her breath away.

The woman was gorgeous! Her chocolate skin seemed to glow, pulsating with warm air. Nelly hadn’t noticed from afar but upon a closer look, her hair had several gemstones interlaced and was spread out like the night sky. Her very features looked almost fairy-like. Like god had taken his time and given her all the best parts. Hell, was this person even human?

Nelly panicked. What should she do?

As if sensing her trepidation, the woman woke up. At that point, Nelly nearly melted.

Her eyes were fiery blue, piercing into the girls very core. The woman’s stare had Nelly rooted, causing her inability to breathe. Nelly gasped, raising her hands in surrender.

The woman's eye color suddenly changed, and red sparks dance across her irises.

"You..." The woman murmured, her voice a light hum. She raised her hand and touched the girl's forehead. Nelly felt her lungs de-constrict and gasped for air.

As she was heaving over the sidewalk, the woman sat up and stared at her.

Nelly watched as the woman's eyes flickered from red, white and blue. Her dress seemed to glimmer at the tune of her mood.

Without thinking of the consequences, Nelly spoke.

"What are you?"

The woman's sharp gaze landed on her, and Nelly braced herself for the air gag- but it didn't come. Instead, the woman reached out her hand and caressed her face. Her fingers were cool.

"Child- no..." The woman smirked. "Not a child anymore."

Nelly couldn't make heads or tails of what she meant. She was slightly scared of how this woman knew of her actual age. Sitting out in the dark street was not helping either.

"Look." Nelly pushed the lady's hand away gently. "We need to get you to a hospital. You fell, I think, and you probably hurt your head really bad. We have to get you checked before-"

Nelly was interrupted by the woman's musical laughter.

As light as a reed, the woman's gaze softened to a warm red.

"You need not worry, I'm not injured."

Her eyes were making Nelly's heart constrict.

"Are you sure? Look just tell me your name and maybe we could find your family. I know you dont live around here and-"

The woman's fingers brushed her lips, stopping Nelly from talking any further.

"It's alright. My sister will be here. She will come at first light."

"Ate, that's four hours away! We should get you to the police before anything bad happens!"

Smiling calmly, the woman poked Nelly's forehead. "Calm down." Strangely, Nelly did. Her panic dissipated immediately at the woman's touch. As the girl stared with glazed eyes, the woman looked around them.

"Mortal time has always been confusing. Your abilities are constricted to either seeing me or my brother. Given, he has always been a show-off. You humans unfortunately have to spend your days slaving away beneath his reign."

"Pity." the woman smiled at Nelly. "Your dreams used to be so vivid too."

Nelly felt mute. What was this woman talking about??

A sharp gust of wind blew past them, whipping Nelly's hair into disarray. The woman's gaze turned blue, and she suddenly stood up.

"No wonder it felt odd." she murmured.

Nelly felt the wind blow again, and tried to stand up. On her feet, she surveyed their surroundings, fear slowing creeping in. They were alone in this street, but why could she feel someone's eyes on her.

A warm hand touched the small of her back, and Nelly looked up to see the woman's comforting gaze.

"She's here. You should go."

Nelly's brows furrowed. "Who? Your sister?"

"No. A jealous woman. Alunsina has always been quite a handful, but I am in their domain afterall." The woman smirked, her next words a murmur. "I should really give back her necklace."

The wind blew sharply and Nelly jumped at its sudden viciousness. She shivered, her eyes darting around them. An ominous feeling started to creep in.

"W-we should leave. It's not safe out here." Nelly urged, reaching out to the woman beside her.

The lady chuckled, her lips curling into a smile. "Dear, it is you that's not safe."

"Wha-" As the girl turned, she suddenly felt warm pressure on her back. Nelly's eyes widened a fracture, staring increduously at the woman's sparkling eyes. They were burning blue. It made her recall something from science class.

Blue stars burn the hottest.

"You..." Nelly felt her body slump forward and darkness crept in. Before passing out, she fell into the woman's embrace, whose calm breathing rang beside her ears.

"You are my heir?" 

Alfonso did not know what to say. To be honest, his focus was entirely on the fact that this untimely visitor had blown a hole into the roof of his lolo's tienda. What scared Al the most was the fact this man was on 'fire'. As much as Al was confident in his taekwondo, he knew it would be impossible to get near those flames.

Al gripped the broom beside him and wielded it like a sword infront of him.

Strangely, he felt calm. His senses were on high alert and his mind proactive.

The burning man turned to him, looking disapprovingly.

"You're white."

Alfonso's mouth went dry. He didn't know what this man was referring to- his shirt or his skin.

The flaming man cocked his head to the side, and suddenly his flames were extinguished, revealing bronze skin tattooed with various tribal designs. The man was half naked, revealing an upper body roped with toned muscles and broad shoulders.

All thoughts of fighting immediately dissipated. There was no way Al could ever beat him.

"Who are you?" Alfonso asked slowly. His lucid mind found it odd that he could be calm in this kind of situation. But then again, his day had been very far from normal.

The bronze man grinned, his smile almost blinding.

"I'm Apolaki. Your godfather."

Watching the RE 2 remake has brought back old memories. How the relatively new “young” versions of both leon and claire make them seem more human and relatable (not that they weren’t human before though) is what i loved most about this installment. I’m a bit sad how short leon and sherry’s interactions were though. It made me remember darkside chronicles and how close the trio were. 

On that note, we can see in RE 6 Jake’s path how sherry loved and respected the two. Likewise both leon and claire must feel the same way, like older siblings looking out for their little sister. You can see how protective Leon is during his (very short) reunion with sherry. His face of terror as the debris is about to crush her only reaffirms how much the little girl (or now woman?) means to him. 

Another example would be his lingering gaze as he watched Jake pull her up, seeming as if he was worried that she would be mistreated by Wesker junior. 

Right before this scene ends, when the two groups are separated, Leon calls out to Sherry and is about to say something, as if he wanted her to keep safe. If that doesn’t sound loving then i dont know what love is. 

"The gods are angry."

Her voice had chilled him, forcing himself to wake. Opening his eyes, he stared at the diwata before him.

She was just as she had left- beautiful, ethereal, and cold. Her silver eyes regarded him with a slight frown,  dark skin radiating like the cold moon.

"Inay, what do you mean?" He spoke slowly, afraid of inciting her wrath. With her presence here, he knew Apolaki had done something yet again. His mother never cared for the mortal world, but with his uncle's vested interest in the earth, the goddess before him would often wreak havoc. However... why would the other gods be angry now?

"Lingid."

"Yes inay?" Answered Lingid. Her tone was dangerously low, signalling her rising anger. Though he was used to his mother's fickle moods, the many faces of the moon often exhausted his mental strength. How he wished his mother  would just scream out, it would save him all the apprehension.  

Her cool gaze met his, flickering like wisps of moonlight. Lingid gulped, wondering what the gods had done to vex her.  

"Find the snake."

At her words, Lingid's eyes widened.

Find the snake? She couldn't have meant...

Lingid touched his hair, twirling the long wisps around his finger. He often did this when he was nervous, and right now, he needed something to calm him.

Of course he understood what his mother meant. He understood it very well. But of all people, why it??

"Inay.." Lingid murmured slowly. He reached out to take his mother's cold hand and offered a flimsy smile. "I know you must be angered, but as your son should I not also share in this anger? Why do you need me to find the serpent? Why are the gods angry? Surely grandfather has a way to settle this right?"

His mother seemed apathetic to his coaxing. Instead, her sharp gaze looked up at the "moon" in the sky.

"You have seven days." Her voice was curt, devoid of any emotion. If she had any qualms of sending her only son to his impending death, she gave no expression to it. Lingid was well aware of his mother's temperament. The smile did not leave his face.

"As you wish."

In a wisp of smoke, his mother disappeared, and Lingid found himself grasping air. Sighing, he touched the tattoos on his chest. A crescent shaped image glowed against his tanned skin and almost immediately, Lingid vanished as well.

----

Lingid despised the mortal realm.

His mortal feet felt itchy as he padded across the sand. He was never a water person, so being so close to the sea made him frown. His mother may have influenced the tides but he hated swimming.

It was night in the human world and he used the veil of darkness to cover him. Although he had on a white polo and jeans,  humans would still be able to detect his unearthly demeanour. He was half a god afterall.

The beach stretched out, and Lingid didn't know where it would end. It was one of those hidden places untouched by human industrialization, but he still had to be careful of a few locals. As he continued walking, he noticed a figure standing  near the waters up ahead. Lingid quickened his steps.

As he neared, Lingid spotted the familiar lithe body of a man. His skin was a sickly olive color, and his hair was a tangled mess. Upon closer inspection, Lingid realized that the man's usual dark circles appeared even more sunken than usual.

Before the half-god could speak, the figure snapped his head to him.

A hiss like voice penetrated their silence. "Well... what an honor to be in the presence of Mayari's son. Tell me, did she send you to kill me?" The man chuckled slightly, his reptilian eyes regarding the young man before him. Lingid felt his heart burn. Reaching out, he grasped the man's arms tightly.

"Bakunawa!" Lingid exclaimed. "Don't even joke about that!"

The figure cackled. "I'm not. Though i find your "concern" amusing."

"Enough!" Lingid grabbed the man's hand. They were cold. "What have you done? You promised me you would not cause trouble!"

Bakunawa's aloof smile turned into a sneer. He wrenched his hands away and grabbed the deity's jaw. He forced Lingid to look at him in the eye.

"What have 'I' done? Funny how you diwatas always assume 'I' started it. Of course, it's always the halimaw in the wrong. It's always the wretched beast that wreaks havoc. Tell me," Bakunawa licked his lips. "How's your uncle's shoulder doing?"

Lingid's eyes widened. He stared at Bakunawa in horror.

"You... you bit Apolaki?"