The engkanto gradually changed to a human form, white skin, white hair, white
eyebrows, white eyes. He did not have any pupils at all.. He seemed to be
leaning nonchalantly against the tower, white hand absentmindedly playing with
a twig of the balete. He looked at Maria with what could have been an
expression of the most affectionate nature, like a father seeing an infant soon
after birth. Maria Elena, he called out in an audible sound, so pleasing that
even Padre Itsi paused.
"Abrenuntias satanae?" the priest asked stubbornly, following the rites.
The engkanto focused on him now, scorn obvious in his voice. You stupid priest.
How dare you call me Satan! How dare you insult me with your ignorance. Satan
is nothing but garbage. And you, you are also nothing, nothing but laughable
proxy for your God. I have dealt with your kind for hundreds of years. You are
arrogant to think that your world is the only world. Do you think you and your
God and your devil are the only ones who roam the universe? You, and your
hypocritical piety, unworthy even of that water that you hold in your hands,
you have failed. Your soul? It is pock marked with imperfection. Even now, you
doubt your own faith.
Padre Itsi saw the truth in the enkanto's words about his inadequacies and his
most grievous fault, presumption. Unforgivable, even by God. That split second
of doubt was all that the engkanto needed. Padre Itsi was lifted in midair and
his body exploded into thousands of indistinguishable pieces. Small fragments
of him were splattered against the trunk of the bawono tree and and scattered
on the roof of the nipa hut like a rain of bloody flesh.
It was at that exact moment that the two young men arrived. Arturo ran straight
for Maria Elena who grabbed him in a frantic embrace. Diego did not have a
second thought as he rushed bravely towards the engkanto brandishing a pitiful
piece of wooden stick he picked up somewhere.
The engkanto was amused. This young man is a more worthy opponent. He
challenges me with nothing but a stick and his love. The being felt a certain
pride. For love of my offspring, he bragged to no one, except to himself. Like
the priest, Diego rose in the air. The engkanto killed him gently, as if there
was a gentle way of killing. Diego's body was slowly buoyed by a soft
luminescence towards the nipa hut where it was laid gently on the bamboo table,
looking as if he were only in deep slumber.
Arturo, son of the registrar from Buenavista, could not believe what he was
seeing. He did not understand what was happening. Bewildered. With Maria Elena
behind him, he faced the engkanto, trembling with fear. " Don't you come any
closer or I'll....." . What ? You will what ? Another foolish one willing to
die for her? He could not stop smiling with pride again. He knew of love. He
also knew of loneliness. For millions of years he had felt the loneliness of
one who had everything except that someone to share everything with. Finally,
he begot Maria Elena, so beautiful, so pure. Mine. This young man is willing to
die for someone he loves, to die and be deprived of her company, forever? This
is love? Strange. Isn't love always selfish? To love is to possess, is it not?
Maria had read his thoughts. She slowly moved to Arturo's side, holding his
hand with her left hand, holding Custan's knife with the other. She spoke
softly. But every word sliced through the air. All the other sounds had
disappeared, as if they were in a complete vacuum. Outside of their sphere the
moon still hid the sun, the destructive wind was still blowing, the earth still
shook.. Masao River had changed course and Butuan was now waist deep in water.
She whispered and the engkanto heard her. You are my father. I know it now.
But if you are, why are you destroying things that I love, people that I care
for? What kind of love is this? You love me. I know you do. I can feel it. I
have felt it since the day I was born. I did not know it then but it was there.
You watched over me. I know that, too. But why this?, as she pointed to
Diego's body.
The apparition did not respond. The flesh of my own spirit, so innocent, so
clean, so pure, admiring himself again, like admiring his own image in the
reflection of a mirror.
I love this man, as she held Arturo's hand tighter. You shall not harm him. You
shall not touch him. And if you love me, you shall let him go.
Still the engkanto did not respond. He hesitated, unsure now, being confronted
by his own kind, and his own.
Maria Elena saw the hesitation. . You made me what I am, so let me live out
this human life. Then after that I shall spend the rest of eternity with you.
She decided to go for the final gamble. Kill me now, or set me free. Let Arturo
go ! , shouting , as she pushed the young man away. Let him go or I shall die
before he does. With both hands, she grabbed the handle and pointed the sharp
end of Custan's knife tight against her chest just above her left breast, so
tight that the knife cut through her blouse to her skin and drew blood.
The engkanto knew she was going to do it, end her own life, destroy her own
soul. Immortality is ours unless we die by our own choice, by our own hands. I
can not spend eternity alone! He howled in horrible searing spiritual pain as
spiritual pain can only be. Vulcan Daan reacted and exploded in awesome fury,
destroying a third of the island, sinking the town cemetery. The shadow of the
moon hid the sun completely now. It was like night in the entire country.
Only the light from the exploding volcano lit the skies. And an earthquake so
strong, it flattened the top of Mount Mayapay.
Maria Elena pushed the knife five inches away ready to plunged it back, deeper
into her heart.
No, he finally said, in complete surrender. Please...... no.
And the rain and wind stopped.
And the sun peeked out of the shadow of the moon.
And the water receded.
And the earth stood still.
Peace.
================
I have told you a story.
I have told you a love story.
I have told you about a time when life was simple but love was not.
I have told you about a place called Bansa.
And here the story ends.
The End
Epilogue
Previous Chapter - Chapter 9
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