Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 24.2: To Tame a Tikbalang

His stomach grumbled as he realized it had been several hours since his last meal. In the darkness, and without the aid of any measuring devices, all of which had been taken from him as part of the test, he did not have much to rely on to tell the time.

He traveled light: a bow and a tiny quiver of arrows, a small pack with a coil of thick rope inside, small supplies and his sword. He pulled the Dahong Palay, the legendary single-edged short sword of the royal family, from its sheath. A family heirloom, the Dahong Palay was passed on from King to prince from generation to generation. The blade had magical properties, and was said to have been blessed by the goddess Mallari herself. The Dahong Palay resonated with the spirits. It would allow him to track the presence of the Tikbalang better. As part of his test, he was allowed to take the Dahong Palay with him, but it would not be his until he passed his test.

Sweat trickled down his brow as he continued to survey the landscape for a potential meal.

He smelled something in the air he did not like. The scent of rain. No sooner had he smelled it that he felt little droplets of water on his face. The droplets increased in intensity until the downpour began, the fury of the water drenching everything around him.

"Great", he thought. "Just what I needed."

Tikbalang did not like the rain, choosing to hide in the shadows when it came. The rain continued to pour, cleansing the forest and drenching Kulas, who now shivered in his wet clothes. He was cold, wet and hungry, and all chance of scoring an easy prey was long gone. He considered starting a fire once the rain receded, but quickly cast the thought aside. Burning a Balete was a crime punishable by death. He would not risk harm to the sacred trees.

He swung around again, his body heaving, using his weight to increase his momentum, propelling himself forward while hanging onto a vine to move to the next tree. The rush was exhilarating, and Kulas smiled, despite his wretched state. He did this for a while, swinging from tree to tree with reckless abandon, the wind and the rain in his face, without a care in the world. He was meant for adventure, yes, and his heart beat at each movement with the excitement of drums at a feast.

He spotted a deer in the distance. At this time of day, it was probably lost, separated from the herd and trying to find its way back. Kulas smiled. That deer was going to be dinner. A fire might be bad for the trees, but he could always find a cave tucked away somewhere – away from the blasted Balete – where he could find respite from the storm.

He took his bow, hanging from his back and took aim at the deer. No sooner had he done that when he spotted the Tikbalang, hiding stealthily in the distance. What impressed Kulas more than the Tikbalang's clever hiding place was its size. Large, normally bipedal creatures, averaging about seven feet tall, Tikbalang towered over every Mystikan. This one in particular, however, was enormous. The creature's muscular build was exceptional, and it stood a staggering nine feet tall, judging from its height in comparison to the Balete. Its dark mane went all the way from the head down to the tail. The physique in particular was daunting. Most Tikbalang were well-built, perfect specimens of form, but this Tikbalang brought the species to a new level. A smile crossed Kulas' face then as he realized he had found the perfect trophy to take home with him. Dinner was now forgotten as he found a new, more important quarry.