It had been many nights since Mamuno began his vigil; the night sky was a black sea for the last couple of days. The moon has vanished. The elders say that it is hiding for Bakunawa yearns to devour it. Even the stars would not show themselves. This was a great contrast on the night the warning was given, back then Bulalakaw was racing across the sky at an uncomfortably slow pace, splashing the night with an eerie white light.
He could almost hear the diwata's voice clearly as she gave them her visions of the future. War was coming and it would be the end of them, unless they escape. Such a weird notion it was, the thought that there was another world apart from this one. How could they be sure that such land would promise them safety? Whatever the matter is they have already agreed that they would have to leave their world. They would have to leave their home.
"Nine warriors will come under the cover of darkness. Their arrival shall bring confusion and cries of pain shall fill the night. After the battlefield has been left bloody, all but nine lives will survive."
Those were the words that Dalikamata has left. The raja posted his greatest warriors along with his albularyos to tend the wounded. Every night they waited outside their great wooden walls of their balanggay. Everyone else that was not needed was told to stay in their huts for in the darkness, it is hard to know which the enemy is.
Every night his head was filled with the same questions. Where would they come from and how strong are they? They must have conquered great beasts before and even used stronger magic for the diwata to entrust the future of his people in their hands, and if they were, how could he ever command them. He could not think that such great warriors would bow down before a raja whose only saving grace is his magical sword, Tala.
The night's wind grew colder, they could hear nothing but the rustle of the winds through the trees, not even the crickets sang their chorus. Without the stars to guide them the overgrown trees around the balanggay did not even cast shadows, their only guiding light were from the torches. Raja Mamuno held his sword, Tala, tighter, its snake like curves shone like obsidian from the torch's light and its speckles of white gave of a glint of sparkle. It was a piece of the night sky that fell unto earth. It could slice through stone as easily as it would through water, yet, he could not feel secure, he could not shake the feeling that the enemies might come under the cover of the shadows, a sword's sharpness is useless if it cannot bite. Hours passed and Raja Mamuno could feel his fatigue growing, it has been countless nights since he was given proper sleep but the knowledge of imminent threat kept him awake. He cannot fail his people.
Raja Mamuno's mind reeled back to the night of the diwata's visit. Bulalakaw was flying across the night's sky; such was its light that it can even outshine the sun during the day. Some of the elders say that it was the bird of pestilence sent by Magwayen, diwata of the afterlife, to collect the souls of the dead yet to come, some say that it was a tear that Lisuga sheds for the incoming tragedy, but whatever they believed in they could all agree that it was an ill omen. Raja Mamuno assembled all the other datus for a meeting in order to prepare their line of action. Bulalakaw has appeared many times in history and war was always soon to follow. He needed to prevent any imminent war and any plague that is to come.
Raja Mamuno and the other eight datus were seated on a long wooden table.They were alone in the halls of his hut with the exception of Lakuran, his vassal. Lakuran was a smooth-faced youth, characterized only by a stubble on his chin. He had shown great potential and such intellect that he could already read and write by the age of eight and had vast knowledge of the flora and fauna that he would make the perfect vassal for the next raja. Lakuran went around the table to each datu offering a bowl to let their blood for the sanduguan before their council could begin.
