The Philippines

1521

1521

March 1521, somewhere within the peaceful sea (now Pacific Ocean).

“We have to reach it somehow, before enemy kingdoms find it first.” Ferdinand Magellan said talking to himself.  They have been travelling all this time just to find it, their destination, the Spice Islands.

“The King of Spain trusted me with this mission, something that my own King (King of Portugal) never did. I have to live with his expectations.” The King in his grace even gave him five ships to work with. With his left hand folded into a tight fist he drinks his coffee.

“Señor!” The door of his cabin opened with a loud thud showing an out of breath crew.

“What’s with the commotion?” He inquired.

“Señor! Finally, finally! We reached it, the Spice islands!” with his eyes wide open, he run outside to confirm his crew’s claim. There, he saw mountains. In his eyes it’s so majestic he can’t find the words to describe it. ‘Is this it? Have we found our objective?’ Magellan’s heart is full of anticipation and anxiety on that moment but they have no choice but wait until tomorrow to see if it is indeed the island they are looking for. Then, was March 16, 1521.

March 17, 1521

He can see it, yes, ‘this is it’ he thought. Pure white sand as if flour spreading in the middle of the ocean. Above it, are gorgeous palm trees dancing in the tune of the wind erecting with all their might. The gentle sun caressing the cheeks of each one of the people his eyes can see, smile is on their faces.

What they have seen is Paraiso, yes indeed, it is no doubt that the island before their eyes is a Paradise itself. He almost shed a tear at the sight of its beauty.

“M-Men! Prepare for landing! Darse Prisa! (hurry up).”

After finishing up their preparations Magellan and his crew set foot to the island. He touched the sand and he can’t believe how powdery it indeed was. It can fool people into putting them in the mixture of their bread. He roamed his sight around.

“Men! Spread throughout the island and gather information! If you find people be careful and try to befriend them do not use force, get as many information as you can.” There is something weird in this island. Is this really the Spice Island? In any case, they just have to move forward for now and see the situation.

Magellan and his group went deeper into the Islands, after walking for hours they stopped counting, sundown came so the group decided to call it a day.

Sitting in a huge log, Magellan is enjoying his bread, meat and water when he caught a glimpse of a figure walking far from his right side. He stopped eating and plans to tell his crew what he saw but decided not to after all.

Magellan told his them that he will just go for a piss but the truth is he ran after the figure he saw. It might be just an illusion, but still, it’s like its enticing him to follow.

Through the moonlight, he saw a shadow of a person. There really is someone here besides them! He came close to it slowly without making much noise. As he goes closer, the figure gets clearer. It’s a young woman! It is indeed a woman, he can only see her back but the woman has a dark straight hair though he’s not sure if it is black or brown. The woman’s back is showing bare because her long hair extending to her hips is in the front of her body. She’s wearing a long skirt printed with tribal designs he’s not too keen with. He can tell that the woman is young because her skin is screaming youth.

The young lady kept on walking and walking without taking recognition of him. Before he goes farther to his group, he decided to call out for her.
“Señorita!” The girl stopped from her tracks and face him.

He saw her face, and his eyes got stuck to hers. What’s with those black orbs? What’s with this child? He’s feeling a certain chill down through his spine.

“S-Señorita, Vive usted aqui?” he asked but the girl just continued to stare blankly at him. No word is coming from her mouth.

Now that he looks closer at her, this child, this young lady. It is as if he is talking to a… doll. No life, dead.

“Oh yes! Of course, we cannot understand each other! Stay here I-I shall call for our Malay translator in an instan-“before he could even finish the girl turn her back from him and started walking as if nothing happened.

He wants to stop her, he wants to chase her but no words and no voice is coming out of his mouth. He can’t even move, but why? Is he scared? Yes probably, he’s afraid; he’s afraid of those black orbs that stared at him. He’s afraid of those eyes that seemed to not recognise anything. Eyes he can’t read, he can’t understand like a pit without bottom.

Is that girl human, no is that girl even real? Is she a ghost? He can’t confirm anymore.

“Señor! What’s taking you so long?” A crew of his approach him.

“You’ve been out for long Señor, so we got worried. Why did you go this far? We’ve been looking for you. Are you done with your business Señor?”

“S-Sí. Thank you for looking for me. Let’s go back.” He doesn’t tell a single soul about what happened earlier.
That girl’s existence, her aura is kind of familiar. Like he met someone the same as her.

Magellan and his crew continue to travel the islands. They met humans in the process. The islands are indeed already habited by people. He befriended them and even persuaded then to get on his side. He also discovered an important thing, this is not Spice Islands. But one thing is for sure this Island is rich in natural resources they need in Europe. This Island will be useful for them.

There, he started a mission, a mission to conquer the islands for the King of Spain and spread Christianity. He planted a cross on the summit of a hill overlooking the sea as a symbol of the King’s ownership of the islands. The Islands has no name yet, thus he called them Archipelago of Saint Lazarus.

During his mission, he secretly asked several people about the mysterious girl he met, but none of them seemed to know the girl. Some of them said that the girl is probably the guardian deity of the island in which he reputed and claim impossible because there is only one God. There are some who sometimes he would notice talking mysteriously as if there, is something he must not know.
In the end he decided to just forget about it and focus on his objective.

Magellan conquered and got the trust of several Datus and chieftains of the Islands. He continued to be victorious on his mission not until he met the chieftain of Mactan Island, Lapu-lapu. The said chieftain refused to yield so a battle broke out.

To conquer Mactan, he and his group fought Lapu-lapu and his warriors, 60 of his soldiers against an army of approximately 1,500 warriors. They lost the battle. 14 of his soldiers died. While fighting, he knows that this would probably be the end.

“Barbaro! D*mn savages!” but before his life end, he, once again caught a glimpse of that girl. She’s above the hill staring blankly at him.

“Coño.” (d*mn) He murmured as the flying spears end his life.

Those eyes will definitely haunt me even in death.

Just what are you?

Most of Magellan’s soldiers managed to flee with their ships. Indicating that the battle took place in Mactan will not be the end but only the beginning.

A/N: Who? Just who is that lady? A ghost? A God or Diwata? Hmm…

HAPPY NEW YEAR!