The Author's Rewritten Drafts

[xxiii]

[xxiii]

How many years have passed since the last time she was here? Hindi na maalala ni Magda. It changed so much. Matataas ang buildings at modernong panahon, hindi gaya ng dati. Probably, a hundred years had already passed.

When she tried to come back to the real world, she was shocked to learn the time difference. Lahat ng mahal niya sa buhay ay namayapa na. She was the only one given immortality... and the man he once loved.

A couple of hours in the underworld turned out to be years in the real world. Bumalot ang pait sa kanyang puso sa alaalang iyon. Wala na siyang ibang binalikan.

For years, she was alone in the underworld until she let the kingdom for evil people like herself. Mostly, those who have the same rage for her first love. And now, she has an army of them.

The neglected.

The ones he sacrificed for the greater good, like they aren't a part of them. And they became loyal to her.

Hinanda niya ang mga kawal ng kanyang kaharian para sa tamang oras ng paglusob. But now, she has a new plan to execute alone. Magda has great powers she inherited when the beast was killed.

In the modern world, what's even the role of the hero? Technology is born. Heroes must be irrelevant these days... Agila is probably just a myth.

At oo, nasa Pilipinas ang lagusan patungong impyerno... at underworld. The chosen country... Hindi naman naglalayo ang init nito sa naturang mga lugar.

Lumakad siya sa isang makipot na kalye, it was already dark at night. Minanipula niya ang bawat ilaw pati na rin ang camera sa lugar. Nadatnan naman niya ang tatlong tambay na nag-iinom, walang pakialam sa kanyang presensya.

Ngumisi siya.

Binato niya ang mga ito ng bote. They seemed startled. Agad na hinanap ng mga ito ang pinagmulan ng tumilapong bote. They hesitated to confront Magda seeing she was a woman.

"Mga putangina n'yong walang kuwentang walang ibang ginawa sa buhay kung hindi uminom ng alak?!" Muli siyang kumuha ng bote at ibinato iyon sa kanila. Tumama iyon sa mukha ng isa, nagsimulang dumaloy ang dugo nito.

Her senses were heightened for the possibility of meeting her first love. Napikon nang mga kalalakihan sa kanyang ginawa. Once she provoked them, she started to run until a dead-end street. Wala siyang ibang tatakbuhan.

"Tulong... Tulungan n'yo ako!" She acted.

Her voice was pleading, but her expression was extremely evil, mocking the poor men. Siya naman ang gumambala sa mga ito, pinalibutan siya ng mga lalaki na handang komprontahin siya.

Bigla silang bumulagta sa madilim na eskinita.

[Analyzing the hero's evilness: 2%]

Ni hindi man lang nito nilinaw ang pangyayari, basta na lang itong sumulpot at pinatumba ang mga tambay na iyon. Wrong judgement can make his evilness higher, but it's not enough.

An entity carried her out of that dark, dead-end street. Nabalisa ang kanyang ekspresyon nang napagtantong umangat ang kanyang paa sa lupa. Her eyes widened as she saw the man carrying her, with wings like an eagle. Witnessed by the crescent-shaped moon, their eyes met. His eyes looked at her with longing and familiarity.

"M-magda..."

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. "How... how do you know my name?"

Alice Guo, who? It's Magda Santa Ynez, bigla po siyang nagka-amnesia, your honor. Bumalintanaw ang takot sa kanyang mukha.

"How can you fly? As... aswang ka ba?" Natatakot na tanong ni Magda sa lalaki. "May balak ka bang kainin ako?"

Mas lalo siyang nagkaroon ng ideya.

She would taint his reputation. In the future, he would be part of a myth that's eating people. Isa siya sa mga kauri ng aswang...

"B-bitiwan mo ako..." Her eyes started to water. "Please... ibaba mo ako..."

"Kapag nagising ka, p'wede ka nang mag-audition... Hindi na ikaw ang Magda na unang nakilala ko." Boy Buwesit was eating another popcorn again, enjoying the luxurious view of the drama.