Alamat: Pandaguan the First

Prologue

The winds blew coldy through the night making the trees of the forest sing with a chorus of leaves and branches and amidst the clearing stood a figure of a child clad in purple malong of silk while her face and arms were adorned with tattoos of eyes glowing in a soothing shade of the sky approaching dawn.  The girl walked back and forth waiting for the arrival of her guests while ignoring the chilling caress of the night.

Neither the stars nor the moon illuminated this cold night but bright tiny light dashing through the sky. A tiny piece of light flying through the skies with no one having any idea where it will go. No one not even Dalikamata knew what this bright light was but every couple of centuries this light never fails to return and continue it’s never ending journey through the vast sky, yet Dalikamata felt comfort from the company that this light provides her .

From the corner of the girl’s eye she saw a tiny pink bud sprout out of the ground and it brought a smile to her face as the bud rapidly grew into a size far bigger than her. As the bud pulled back it’s petals into full bloom and released a scent as familiar as it was fragrant, out of it sprang another girl with hair so long that it swept the ground yet as wild and frizzy as the vines that adorned her lively green sari.

“Makiling!” The girl squeeled in glee she gave her friend a tight embrace “I knew you would come first.”

“Of course you do, Dalikamata. You know I’m the most eager one in answering your call.” The girl replied with a tighter embrace but then pulled back in excitement “So is it true? You’re powers have finally awaken?”

Dalikamata nodded repeatedly in reply which made the other girl ask “Then what is it?”

“I could see, Makiling!” The words hung momentarily in the air and it took a couple of seconds and the ridiculed look on her friend’s face before Dalikamata realized that her excitement has caused her to make a mistake.

“I mean I have the gift of vision, I could see into the future!”

“That’s amazing!” Makiling shared the wide-eyed wonder that Dalikamata have “Well, what did you see?”

Dalikamata’s smile withrew into uncertainty as she answered in a voice stained with fear “That’ll have to wait... they’re here.”

As soon as Dalikamata has finished the dark forest was immediately  illuminated by various lights as diwatas from across the land came and answered the call of their youngest. 

“Is what we heard true that you could see the future? That could be very handy indeed.”  Mused Saragang Bagyo, the Shield of Storms, still covered in his armor of steel as if ready for battle.

“You really are a late bloomer, Dalikamata. We’ve been waiting for centuries.” Jested Bagidan the Eternal Blaze as he patted the girl on the head.

“Stop teasing her, she’s just growing at her own comfortable phase.” Said a sweet voice from the voluptuous Luyong Kabig, Lady of Snakes, who slowly creeped her arms around the girl wrapping her into an embrace.

Every diwata gave their share of laughs and greetings as this was an event that rarely happens and it was enough to be a reason for a feast but one diwata was not in a ceblebrating mood that night. When every greeting were said and done only one question was left to be asked.

“Well then, can you tell us what you saw, Dalikamata?” Luyong Baybay, the Rising Tide, askeed in a soothing voice.

A mixture of excitement, fear and doubt swirled in Dalikamata’s heart and she doubted whether to speak at all but she knew it was her responsibility.  She took a deep breath and closed her eyes to remember every detail that she could.