2.3 RUN DOGGY RUN

  Tikum took a step back and ducked low to avoid the jug.

  "I think you're drunk," he said. "I think you're really drunk."

  "Maybe. But you know what I think? I think you should return that where you found it." Her red lips twisted as she scowled. "I won't repeat what I just said, thief." She spun the karambits on her fingers, the blades' edge glinting like a musang's green eyes.

  Tikum raised his hands placatingly. The babaylan was actually easy to the eyes. Younger than most babaylanon too. Which was quite rare, for the vocation tended to have older, more experienced women. Maybe that's why she dyed her long hair ash gray, he guessed. Perhaps, to make her look older than she actually was. Before Tikum could comment on it the babaylan made her move, lunging at him with the karambits like a panther cornered in her cage.

  Tikum tried to move out of the way and let Karas' own momentum off-balance her swing, but he misjudged the distance she could cover. "Gi-atay," he said as one of the kambit nicked his abdomen. He back-pedaled, unstrapping his trusty axe, Hutik. "What did I do to you!? That was uncalled for!"

  "Don't play dumb and stay in one place, piss-brain!"

  Tikum shook his head. "Stop swinging those things at me and maybe I'll reconsider." He ran to the opposite side of the room.

  Karas pointed her blade at Tikum. "You lout! You think you can get away?"

  "That was the plan."

  "You know what we do with thieves like you?" She made a cutting gesture with her weapon down her other hand and sneered. "Let's see if your mouth could talk smart after that."

  He smiled nervously. "Seems so harsh for just a piece of horse hair."

  "No one's stealin' from me."

  "Stealing? Hey, I'm just borrowing. I'll probably return this." He paused and smiled again. "Probably."

  Karas growled as her talon-like blades came down like two splinters of the moon towards Tikum, only to stop on the clear black flat of his axe. Steel grated on steel as the babaylan pushed the knives closer to Tikum's face.

  "I'm just loaning this for awhile," he said, straining a bit. "We don't have to kill each other for a trinket!"

  "You don't know who you're stealin' from," Karas said. "And you don't know what that thing does."

  "Oh, I know!" He shifted his weight and pivoted away from the woman.

  "Stop dodgin' around, coward!"

  "Whoa! Coward? Okay, to be fair that word has been said far too many times that I no longer deny it."

  "I'll bleed you dry!"

  "That too!"

  "Stop! You dimwit."

  "Okay, sure, now you're three for three. And because of that I'll let you hit me with your best shot," Tikum said, lips twisting into a smug smile, making Karas more furious.

  "You arrogant fool! I'll skin you!"

  Tikum parried the babaylan's head kick and feinted a punch. He did it again and again to frustrate Karas every time she attacked. And when the drunk babaylan lowered her guard, expecting another feint, he actually struck her in the forehead with an open palm, staggering her. But it only fueled her drunken attacks more and more as she lashed out with anger.

  "You're goin' to bleed so much for that!" she said, gracing the Black Dog's arm with one of her wide swings. "I'm gonna make you squeal like a pig too!"

  The two separated from each other, panting.

  "This isn't personal you know!" Tikum said as he caught the next swing. "This is for my daughter! But then again I know what you're thinking. We gotta do what we gotta do, right?" he added, kicking her on the side of the leg and smashing her down the ornate box table at the center of the room.

  A surprised look covered her face as the wooden table broke her fall. On the other hand, Tikum could only grimace, knowing too well that it wasn't a soft landing.

  Karas tried to stand but she staggered back on her knees, one arm on her rib. "You just made this personal, thief." She groggily advanced towards him, picking one of the karambit buried in the pieces of broken wood.

  "Now, I'll really enjoy carvin' your pretty face up," she said, swinging her hooked-shaped knife with deadly intention but the Black Dog saw it coming a mile away. Moving his head sideways, he evaded the talon-like weapon and delivered a short punch a few inches off Karas' already injured rib. She went down with a groan both hands on her abdomen.

  "Liquor and fights don't really mix well, huh?" Tikum said to the shaman who was still down. She tried to stand but instead vomited on the floor.

  "Guess you can't keep the happiness all in, too?"

  Karas gave out a deep growl. "You're gonna get some woopin'," she said, wiping her mouth with her forearms. "And the gods will be my witness you lout!"

  "Whoa, slow down. We don't want them involve here."

  "Huh, laugh now, lout. Laugh it all out because it'll be your last." She tried to stand again but failed miserably.

  "This is going nowhere. I'm leaving," Tikum said, climbing up the window. "Have to do something important." He paused, looking for a good place to land.

  "Again, this ain't personal," he said, turning back to Karas, who was in deep pain. "I hope you don't keep grudges, babaylan."

  Then, the Black Dog leaped from his perch to the ground, landing with his bare feet like a cat. For a short second, Tikum paused, staring at the necklaces on his hand- a smile forming on his lips. He wondered how they actually worked. Talismans and amulets were very rare after all. He sighed. He'll have to find out the hard way because the asog was too greedy to share. But were they really strong? Or was the old man exaggerating things? He took one of them and studied its crisscrossing braids, feeling the thrum in the air every time he tried to pull it apart. He sighed. He wanted to know more but he didn't have the time to try it out.

  "Better keep you for collateral," he said as he hid one of the braided necklace on the folds of his head wrap, smiling. "Now, to that shrimp-head Kalibutdan and to Ukok."

  With that done, he ran through the forest towards the cavern where Asog Kalibutdan stayed, heart thumping on his chest. But not with fear or terror. Tikum was actually delighted with joy at the idea that he could finally lift the manghihiwit's spell from Ukok. They could finally go home. He paused for a moment and looked back.

  "Did I forget something?" He shook his head. "Nah..." he added, not minding the things he accidentally set in motion.

  ***

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  After crossing two shallow streams full of protruding rocks, a wide meadow strewn with knee-high grass, a long rope bridge that span a deep chasm, a field full of palm trees, and a winding climb at the side of yet another mountain, Tikum finally arrived at the asog's cavern, throat parched but still in high spirits. He stopped a few yards from the cave's mouth, holding one of the necklace, barely hiding his excitement.

  "I'm here Kalibutdan! Come out and bring Ukok with you." He stared at the other braided necklace on his hand. "Keep me waiting and you're going to be sorry."

  The dark walls and ceiling of the tunnel soon glowed orange as Asog Kalibutdan walked out from his hidey-hole with a torch in hand. "Ah, so you have it with you?"

  "Of course! I told you I'll deliver. Now it's your turn."

  "Come here and bring it to me. Be swift Tikum for your daughter's life hang in the balance."

  "What ever you say old man," Tikum said, meeting Asog Kalibutdan half way, hand extended to give the necklace.

  "How did it go?" The asog took the magical artifact, greedy eyes scanning every inch. "Did it go smoothly?" he added, satisfied that it was the genuine thing.

  "Of course it did. I wouldn't have that if things went bad. But I don't know how to make it work. And as far as I can see, it's nothing but a bunch of horse's mane," Tikum said, feigning ignorance. "It ain't no good if it can't help me."

  "Well, it's because you don't know the right words to trigger its hidden potential," Asog Kalibutdan replied, placing the talisman on his palm and uttering the proper oraciones to activate it. He confidently enunciated every word for the ritual, lacing every letter with magic to make sure it succeeds.

  While Tikum, on the other hand, strained his ears, memorizing everything the asog said. His words themselves were not as exotic or strange as Tikum expected, but rather they were exact.

  "That's it?" he said when the old man finished. "Can we finally cure Ukok, now?"

  "For curing your daughter, yes, it would be enough. But we... I need its other pair. I need it for this to truly work. Where is it, Tikum?"

  "Well, I think its other pair is coming here soon enough. The babaylan wasn't too happy when she saw me. And that woman could fight. I can only take that one with me."

  "No worries." Kalibutdan gritted his teeth. "This would be enough for now!" The asog turned his back at Tikum and pointed towards the cavern, long gaudy malong flapping with the soft wind. "Go and take your daughter here. Do it so we can end our deal like honorable men. Like baganis of old," the asog lied. He did not like what Tikum did. He sighed. Leading the babaylan to his lair was already a grave mistake but far worse was not having the twin pair of the tikbalang's mane with him. This must not continue. His end must come sooner rather than later.

  Tikum nodded, making his way to the cave. A couple more steps and he'll finally be within arms reach of Ukok once again. He could finally wake her daughter up. He could finally see her smile. He hastened his pace. They could finally go home. But Asog Kalibutdan had other plans. He threw his torch away and wore the talisman in his forearm like a bracelet, surprised at how the thing fit him perfectly.

  "A fair deal must be met by a fair price," he added admiring the black braided tikbalang's mane on his wrinkled hand. He stared at Tikum as the Black Dog made his way to the cavern. Asog Kalibutdan shook his head. He knew how loose ends spoiled things. He already paid for it once when he let Karas outmaneuver him to become the datu's adviser. He was damn sure that it won't happen again. Not this time. Not to him.

  "Every man must pay a price." He smiled showing all his yellow crooked fangs. "Do you believe that, Tikum?"

  "Of course," Tikum said, half-way from the cave mouth."Stop asking me stupid questions."

  Asog Kalibutdan closed his eyes and concentrated. The only way to keep his secret deal with Tikum Kadlum stay secret was simple. He wondered if the timawa knew of it. But alas, it would be too late for him if he did.

  "Tikum," Asog Kalibutdan said, pointing the necklace at the bronze-skinned timawa's back. "Do you know the price of misplaced trust?"

  Tikum froze in mid-step in front of the tunnel's mouth, head slowly turning back as a knot formed in his belly. "Gi-atay," he said, realizing what was about to happen. His shoulders dropped down as he shook his head for trusting the asog. He shook it again for endangering Ukok. "Do you want me to guess?"

  The asog's answer to his question came in the form of a sphere of witch-fire that erupted from the necklace on his hand. And in a blink it darted towards the Black Dog's back, smashing his side and spinning him around. He fell flat on the ground, writhing in pain. Asog Kalibutdan walked beside the prone man as the dust settled.

  "I don't want things messy," he said as he pointed the iridescent necklace on Tikum's twisted face. "So, don't fight back. Let death be a soft breeze to carry your kalag like a leaf to Sulad."

  "You can go bury yourself in hell. My soul's staying where it is," the Black Dog whispered before smiling through his agony, limbs still numbed as the pain on his side swelled at each breath he took.

  The asog shook his head. "Smiling in the face of death. Perhaps, insanity has come for you first before Maguayen could ferry you to the land eternal."

  "I ain't smiling about that. I'm smiling because they're here." Tikum pointed at Karas and Tihol who were marching there way towards Asog Kalibutdan, faces unreadable. Between the champions of Raguet was Salak, face full of terror.

  "Thought I forgot something." Tikum tried to stand but failed as Asog Kalibutdan stomped him back on the ground.

  "I'm not finish with you, Black Dog!"

  "Arghhh... Now, that's just you being a prick right there," Tikum said before laughing. A kick was still a kick but seeing the asog so irate made it a little less painful. "I guess things are bound to be messy, eh?"

  "You ignoramus! You think they'll spare you? You might as well pray that they hadn't come."

  Asog Kalibutdan pointed at Karas, who was now dressed in a gray form-fitting malong embroidered with stars and triangles, all glinting in gold. Surprisingly, the fight with the Black dog seemed to have cured her drunkenness. Karas took her hands from her rib after seeing Tikum, muttering words better left unsaid.

  "You lead them to me? You foolish man!" The asog kicked Tikum, aware that Tihol was circling towards his right flank. He spun to face Karas' sister. "Come any closer and you'll know the price of challenging me!"

  Tihol only smiled as she nocked a pair of arrows in her long bow. She was now clad in turtle-shell armor from head to foot, a kampilan and a pair of spears strapped behind her back. "We just came here to get what's ours." She aimed the bow at Kalibutdan. "And we're not leaving here disappointed."

  The asog scowled at them. "I just want the price for everything I've worked for. The price you don't deserve. The price you took from me." He aimed his necklace-wrapped hand at Tihol. "Guess we'll have to fight it out and see who the gods favor."

  "Hey, were not finished here," Tikum said.

  "Shut up!" The asog glared at him. "Let me remind you that you're nothing but a fly. An errand boy that outlasted its use." He raised his foot to crush the man's head with one stomp.

  But the Black Dog saw it as an opportunity for payback. "Gods, you talk a lot!" he said as he knifed the old man in the leg with his hilt-less dagger.

  The shaman screamed as blood spurted out his wound, dropping the torch in his hand. "You rascal!" Kalibutdan said before the Black Dog pushed him away. As the asog fell on his rear-end Tikum rolled to his side, avoiding a black spell from the shaman's anting-anting.

  "You treacherous scum!" Asog Kalibutdan steadied his hand, aiming another shot at Tikum's back. "You can't run from me!" The shaman's eyes glowed fiery-red as he channeled the energy of the necklace into one killing blow. He was about to unleash it but a pair of white-fletched arrow struck the ground before him.

  Tihol nocked another pair on her bow. "Wasn't I clear? We want the things you stole from my sister. And were not going to wait."

  Asog Kalibutdan stared at the anting-anting and back to Tihol. "Things?" he said as he spun his head towards Tikum who scrambled his way towards the cavern, one hand on his wounded side the other on another talisman, a golden one, radiating like a lantern.

  "You don't have the other one?" the shaman said, aiming his hand towards the sisters who were moving towards him. He cursed himself. "Black Dog, you lying piece of dung!" he screamed.

  But Tikum ignored Kalibutdan, leaving the old asog to Karas and Tihol's mercy as he entered the tunnel. He staggered inside the shaman's lair singed side, sending lancing pain all over his body.

  "Ukok! Pa's here," he said, following the light of the torch into one of the cave's chamber. "Where are you? I have the cure!" After hobbling inside and using the cavern's wall for support, he finally found what he was looking for nestled inside a carved-out sleeping compartment on the dry limestone wall.

  "Pa's here," Tikum said, cradling Ukok's head on his lap. "I have it with me!" He embraced her daughter, but she was still insensible. She was still under Amburukay's spell. Tikum raised the braided tikbalang's mane over her daughter, heart pounding inside his chest. "This better work!"

  He closed his eyes and concentrated as he repeated the oraciones he memorized earlier. He carefully pronounced every word to activate the amulet's power. He didn't want to mess this up. He didn't want to fail. He repeated it again when nothing happened and until his throat was too parched to utter a word. He stared at the thing, brows furrowed. Then, Tikum whispered a cursed.

  "What did I do wrong? Did I mess it up again?" he said as his heart sank lower than Gadlum's dungeons. "Why won't you work!?" he added, slamming the necklace down the cave floor.

  Surely, it wasn't his fault. The words for the ritual he copied from the asog was as accurate as he could get. The magical artifact must be fake. I must be that! All was for nothing! He was about to tear the talisman apart when it began to flare out, bathing everything in the sparse room with its orange-white light, overpowering the glow of the torches fixed on the walls.

  Tikum felt a weird sensation run through his body, especially on his burned side. It came in pulses, becoming stronger at each time, sending a feeling of warmth through skin and down to his marrow. He smiled. It was working. The light from the necklace was mending his wound. It was healing him. It was healing Ukok too.