FWFC Contests

Entry #5

The Weapon is the Hunter

"Why are you following me? What do you want?"

"I think you're asking that in the wrong direction. Why are you following me? What do you want?" the floating orb of ghastly flames said to the tikbalang in front of it.

Kaygoros looked around him and realized that the santelmo was right; it was him following the flame, not the other way around. The creature felt unease due to the situation. Normally, it was him tricking people into confusion using his illusion magic. Being a victim of his own kind of magic was utterly shameful for him.

With nothing to response, Kaygoros just stared at the spirit flame as it danced in the air and changed the color of its glow every now and then, from a bluish-white to a reddish-orange, all the way to a yellowish-green.

"I know what you're looking for, lost one. You want a newfound purpose. Wait...no. You need one," the santelmo said, its voice surprisingly deep and masculine contrary to its small and peaceful appearance.

"I've had enough of your poetic nonsense, spirit. Leave me be." Kaygoros was about to dash away and leave but to his surprise, his surroundings changed from a dark forest to shores of a lake. It wasn't an illusion this time—the flame actually transported the two of them into a new location in an instant.

"Pila-pila. Binangonan, Rizal. We are along the shores of Laguna de Bay," the flame said, answering the questions in the head of the tikbalang before he could even ask them.

The presence of an ominous power lurking in the distance bothered Kaygoros due to its peculiar familiarity. Although he already had theories in his head, he still decided to ask the floating fireball.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Do you remember your true origins? Do you remember how you became an elemental creature in the first place?" the spirit flame asked, completely evading the question presented by Kaygoros.

"Of course I do. How could I even forget that?" the tikbalang replied, a hint of annoyance evident in his voice.

"The Rebellion of Lucifer. A story as old as time itself. Heaven was divided into three during that rebellion. I believe you were part of the neutral ones who picked no sides, hmm?"

He did not reply, further encouraging the spirit flame to continue. "And so when Lucifer's group was defeated, they were turned into demons and were banished for eternity. The neutral ones, well...became the elementals of the Earth. Not as tragic as Lucifer's fate, but still."

"What are you trying to point out, then?" Kaygoros finally asked out of irritation.

"You want to do something to make up for your past mistakes, am I correct? I am now giving you the opportunity to do just that. Look behind me."

Kaygoros complied with the command. Thanks to his heightened vision which allowed him to see in the dark night, he managed to view a 20 meters high peninsular hill extending out about 100 meters from the shore to the waters of Laguna de Bay. With no plant life growing on it, the rock formation looked like the barren ruins of a massive stone bridge, abandoned before its completion.

"Lo and behold. This is Puente del Diablo, an incomplete stone bridge constructed by Satan himself along with his legion of demons," the santelmo said.

"This still doesn't answer my question. Why should I care if that thing is an unfinished project of that grand traitor?"

"Oh, I'm telling you right now. You would and you should care about this. Here, let me clear things a bit more." Without warning, the spirit flame rammed itself into the head of the tikbalang, allowing it to enter its mind.