65 NOW OR NEVER (1/2)

Laz saw a flag erected under a floating plank at the midst of the lake. ”Everyone look here.”

He pointed the flag. It has the same structure as the one they have found earlier, just different in color. This time, it was blue.

”Are we going to swim?” Sada hesitantly asked. Though it was clear as day, no one could deny that each one of them felt something wrong will happen if they just directly contact the water.

”We couldn't just do that. What if there is beast living under?” Laz sounded.

Sul noticed that the grass was five inches away from the water seemingly avoiding contact. He bent his body and smell the water. He did not dare to touch it.

His group was confused about what he was doing but no one disturbs him.

Sul didn't find any anomaly to its smell or color. He took out a stroke of grass and dripped it. To his and his group surprise, the grass slowly melted!

It took them a minute to absorb the situation.

”How can we get that flag now?” Cite asked doubtfully. If the grass was melted, how could they swim to go there?

Laz, though was surprised to the anomaly of the water, he calmly said, ”At least we all now know that no living creature will be hiding under the water.”

Yan nodded in agreement. He added, ”If we could build a boat made by something hardwood, we can eventually get there.”

”Good idea! But it might take time for the trees stood far from the lake.” Ali said as she gazed to the trees away from the grass.

Her group could only laugh dispiritedly.

Going back and forth just to gather woods will truly take their time.

”It is just okay. We have the beast of Atu after all. We should start now, time is ticking!” Yan cheered them up.

With the lead of Yan, they all started to move.

…

In a distant place, palace main hall

In the presence of the Datu, the head Babaylan with her three disciples, and six great elders sweat dripped on Habagat's forehead and back.

After he narrated their experience and told the incantation he managed to decipher in the vestige, the Datu let him rest.

”What do you think about the meaning of it?” The Datu glanced at each one of the presents.

His last glanced fell on the Head Babaylan.

The obvious white hair of the Babaylan was braided as her slightly wrinkled face didn't show any emotions. Her white long dress hid her hands and feet.

A necklace made by intricately designed fangs of a lion hung on her neck as earrings with obvious feathers decorating her ears.

Her two disciples wore a simple white dress under knee and white shoes with the same earrings as their Head Babaylan.

The Babaylan deep breathed before she spoke, ”I need to confirm it later. For now, I don't have a say.”

”That pea-sized golden light that sipped through his forehead, what does it mean?” One of the elders couldn't help to ask. His hair was showing white lines, a sign of getting old.

The others were also perplexed.

”A mark,” these two words have a deep meaning than they seemed but the Head Babaylan didn't explain it further.

'A mark?'

'A mark!'

Everyone present in that hall planted those two words in their minds.

”Datu Sub, according to the child, they didn't receive nor feel any anomaly as he recited the incantation except for that pea-sized golden light. Does it mean that the guardians have vanished truly?” Another elder asked. His age was reflected in his pure white hair and wrinkled face.

”Elder Dalakit, I don't have an opinion about it. The fact that the incantation has shown its effectiveness to the young Habagat, there might be a big probability that they are existing until now.” The Datu explained.

”And we couldn't just ignore the fact that there is someone who can make her/his incantation last for years, decades or even millennium after their death.” Other elder added. Though old, this elder's body was full of muscles.

”I agree to the Datu.” The Head Babaylan decided to take part in the discussion. ”The white incantation is a message incantation. One the bearer died, it will lose its effectiveness because no one will be able to receive it anymore. Remember, one of the materials needed to make a message incantation is the presence of the bearer himself or the bearer could pass or share the possession to her or his kind.”

The Datu hesitantly asked, ”Uhm… Head Babaylan, do you have a way to confirm it?”

The Babaylan solemnly shook her head. ”I'm afraid I can't. With my current strength, it's far from possible.” She clenched her fists under her sleeves.

…

The group seven finally built a crude boat.