2.The Doubt of Montul

"You will never be a great warrior of Malau."

"Reigning in Oxtracks is sign of the strongest."

"A warrior will be vanished if unguided."

"Being pure is in yourself."

"Hatred made you stronger."

Karl… Karl...

Strange voices echo, then old Boy finally wakes beside the river, burned by the sun and helpless.

The river divided the tribe of Malau and Boong, the nearest tribe next to Malau. For a long time, these two tribes have been hating each other. So, when a citizen or a hunter steps in the wrong territory, they will immediately be taken on hold.

Old Boy quickly stands up, feeling dizzy because of what tormented him.

His head was numbing and couldn't resist the pain, forcing himself to stay awake.

Then a group of unrecognizable hunters rush towards him.

Could it be... the border of Boong?

Will he be held captive by these men?

Old Boy couldn't understand himself as he is already weak at the moment, he cannot do anything yet but to straighten himself.

The group of five arrives in front of old Boy, yielding axes, daggers, bows and arrows, and with different suit and armors.

This is far more different from Malau, as if they were about to begin a war, Malau would not have a chance of winning.

"You, your name? " One of the hunters asks.

"I'm Montul, but people call me old Boy." Montul answers as he observes the hunters before him.

"In this vast area, this river serves as the border of the two tribe, anyone will be put into custody if found in these rivers, my name is Karl Evans, the Head hunter of Boong, help the man to stand up."

Karl Evans? Montul rings a bell...

Two hunters step forward to help him up, but Montul recovered a bit after a few talks.

They grabbed him by the arm, but Montul quickly stole the dagger from one of the hunter's waist, push the one in his right side then kicked behind the knee of the remaining man on his left as he sticks the dagger in the neck as a warning.

"Let me pass through these waters, I'm from Malau." Montul weakly speaks. "I heard your name before, have we met?"

"Not that I remembered. Chalis, give the man some water." Karl orders his man in a calm manner.

"No, I need to cross the river immediately." Montul answers, thinking he really heard his name before, but he cannot remember.

"The river is not easy to cross by now, you cannot handle the current."

"Then I need a tough boat." Montul demands.

"You need to earn it." Karl replies.

"What time is it?"

"Afternoon." Calis answers without giving the exact time.

Montul feels light-headed caused by quick movements without fully recovered and after a few moments, he falls back down to the ground.

"He looks strong." Calis says.

"Even though he is old, I am certain that he can still fight. Take him." Karl grins wickedly.

The hunters would gather around in every corner of the each tribe to protect their people. As darkness is when wakwak appears.

No one is allowed to go out at night nor at dusk. As the hunters will keep the tribe safe from these creatures. They will initiate defense and bulwark the area with fences and walls.

"He is in position sir." Calis whispers to Karl.

"Now let's see whether or not he can get out alive, then we can bring him." Karl replies.

They place Montul in the forest, where the wakwak would begin to transform from human. He is given various weapon such as daggers, bows and arrows and axes to defend himself for the time being.

Twigs starts cracking...

Montul prepares for whatever will happened...

He hears an echoing sound of a crying man and horse movements ascending towards him, it became louder and louder as time goes by. Montul cannot determine which direction it came from. The sound of the leaves being blown by the wind and branches cracks became louder and louder.

Then, like a ninja, he hears a heavy stomp on a large branch that shocks him and immediately turns to it. He sees a tikbalang but has humans head and is sobbing uncontrollably.

"What have you done? " the wakwak attacks Montul as it cries loudly.

Montul did not waste a bit of time and throws one of his axes to the wakwak but the wakwak catches it incredibly, then jumps in front of Montul and swings the axe to fight Motul one on one.

The hunters, Calis and Karl, heed as they notice the sparking lights at the forest where Motul is.

The sound of blades clashing and a roar from Motul can be heard.

Motul grabs his dagger on his left hand to strike and stab the Tikbalang but eventually gets evaded and parried.

The exchange strike lasted for an hour until Montul got out of the forest walking towards the tribe of Boong. Calis and Karl were surprised by the fierce look of the red eyes of Montul, watering with tears.

"What have we done?" Montul said in a low voice.

"What have I done? The wakwak whispered something to me. What have we done?" he continues.

Montul then collapsed in exhaustion.

Calis and Karl is still astonished of what happened. Wondering what the wakwak told the old Boy.

Karl, then, pulls his sleeve and looks at the mark being burned on Montul's wirst.

"Could it be…?" Karl said, nervous as his voice shakes.

"No. It can't be." Calis replied, shaking his head, and hesitating to believe what Karl meant.