Chapter 19 – Indestructible versus Unkillable

As Gil douses the fire, he heard a loud crash in the distance. He looks up and sees clouds darken above as if it was being guided by magic. Magic he is too familiar with. "Kislap and Kulog!" he thinks to himself that the two might be in danger.

As he runs toward the noise, he uses his magic to elevate the water as high as the buildings and douse the fire as he passes thru the streets below. Gil sees more dead people on the streets he passed - creatures of all races and ages are killed in a bloody massacre. Their bodies litter the street and the smells of iron fill his senses. Gil remembers his past – back when he was a just young merman.

A past filled with war and senseless violence. He remembers the faces of dead merman as he stands in the steps of the jaded palace. The king of the merman stands before him, his hands reaching high as he chants his powers to defeat his foes. The power of darkness envelops the king and the magic reaches out like tentacles. Grabbing each merman and other sea creatures; crushing and killing them just to absorb the souls and fuel his magic. Their blood litter the water around Gil and the king. The mermen panics and tried to swim away to escape the rampaging magic of the king. As the mermen began to disperse, the tentacles were swift and manage to kill them. Gil finally understands, the king snapped. This is no ritual to win the war; it is a sacrifice of a mad man! He thinks to himself.

Gil was grasped by fear. His legs were unable to move and all he knows is this is the end. Out of nowhere his commander swam in front of him and shielded him from the incoming tentacles. Clad in blue and yellow armor, he pushed Gil aside as he fights off the magic. "Gil! Fight not for the king but the people! This violence needs to end!" his commander shouts as slices the tentacles off with his sword.

Gil falls into the steps of the palace. Stumbling down and rolling. He was a scrawny little merman back then and he can be easily pushed by a strong current of water. The priestess catches Gil and swims him back to a safe place. "Gil! The king has lost it! There is no other way! We must stop his ritual or else all of us will die." Gil is still shaking from seeing the horrors of the king. Gil tries to swim back to his commander but the priestess pulls him back. The priestess hands Gil a parchment on his hands. She looks at Gil with fury in her eye "It is time Gil. The ritual must commence."

Gil remembers the horror but it is not the time to reminiscing. He needs to hurry.

Cracks of lightning and crash of thunder fill the empty streets as the siblings fight off their enemy. Gil runs fast as he can towards the sound and in an instant. The sound stopped for a while and then a loud boom was heard. Intense shaking filled the air with Kulog's fury.

When he reached the corner where the sound was coming from, he saw Kislap on the ground bloodied.

Kislap holds his chest and looked at Gil. Gil was to run towards him but Kislap shakes his head and instead points his finger to the other corner of the street. Gil looks in direction of Kislap's finger and there he sees Kulog coughing blood and a figure preparing to throw his spear.

Gil runs and leaps towards the figure and punches him in the face. His rage intensifies. He won't let anyone die this time. "I will save my friends this time!"

The blow was swift and powerful. As if Gil's rage manifests itself into his fist and gave him the strength to push the figure away. Sure enough, the figure's jaw was destroyed it lays there hanging on his face. Gil grabs a pouch from his belt and throws it Kulog's footing. "Open it! Eat it and give some to your brother! GO!"

Gil didn't have the time to explain but it was a pouch that Atlas gave to him back at the island. The tengu clan leader beat them up so bad that they got bruises all over their body. Back in their room, Atlas gave the pouch to Gil and told him to eat the berry inside. Once Gil swallowed the berry, it instantly healed his wounds. Atlas asked Gil to keep the pouch and only use it in times of need during their battle with Orochimaru but they never had that dire situation back then. Gil never did ask Atlas what the berries were named after but he is still grateful that this manages to save the lives of two guardians.

The figure lobbed chunks of rocks to Gil. Gil summoned the water from the river to his side and formed a huge wall of water to shield him from the attack. The figure grabs his spear and healed his wounds. The hanging jaw slowly grew back the broken bones and healed the torn muscles. The bloody jaw climbs up back to its face and reassembles itself in place. The figure grabs his jaw – in a comedic way, he grabbed it and smiled when he felt his jaw is back.

And without a warning, the figure leaped in the air and lunges at Gil's water barrier. Gil didn't mind much as the water surrounding him was tough enough to hold back physically force. "This beast thinks he can cut thru it? What a waste. Water can't be cut." Gil stands proud knowing that the figure can't destroy this water barrier.

The figured smiled. It lunges the spear into the water barrier and parted it in the middle. Gil was surprised; the sheer force from that attacked was powerful enough to make the water barrier part ways. The figure enters the water bubble and stands in front of Gil, looking down on the guardian. Gil feels that the figure is asserting his dominance; their eyes are locked and stared at each other. The towering figure's eyes of rage against Gil's blue ocean eyes; at this moment the world seems to stop. They are seizing once strength and ability. Gil breathes slowly, making the water swirl in a swift yet gentle motion. The figure seems not to care about the water and instead it is preparing itself for Gil to attack first; it intends to end Gil in a counter-attack.

The grass and leaves around them swayed in the cold evening wind. The embers and smoke are their music, singing to give in and fight each other to the death. Gil knows two things: that spear can heal this figure with ease and its strength far exceeds his or Atlas. The figure also thinks the same way: Gil is strong enough to match him but not strong enough to outlast him.

Gil grins and the water around them crashed into the both of them. Before the water can hit them, the figure reacted immediately, it took the chance and took a swipe of its spear across Gil's body. Gil catches the spear's tip with his teeth; Gil then used his arms to pull the spear away from the figure. But it was all for nothing as the figure holds the spear tightly. Then the water crashed into them, Gil orders the water flow away from him and into the figure pushing it away while Gil tries to pull the spear away from it.

Water across from the river that followed Gil finally catches up with him; the water pressure and power intensify as it tries to push the figure away from the spear. The figure understands what Gil is trying to do but it won't let go. Gil wrestles for it, with his sharp and indestructible teeth and large arms, the twist and turn while pulling it. The water seems to take effect as the figure is slowly losing grip from its spear. Gil used his water magic to manifest a water tentacle and grab the figure on its leg and to pull it from his stance. One didn't work so Gil summoned more and more until it finally manages to make the figure slip and was pushed by the water.

"Yes! Take that you meaty chunk!" Gil shouts as the figure continues to be swept away by the water. Gil grabs the spears and makes a run for it. Gil intends to swim as far as away and hide the spear from the figure. As Gil reaches the riverside, the spear began to feel heavy and heavier. Each step Gil made makes the spear fight him to carry it. Gil then feels the vibration from the spear as it is being summoned by the figure. Gil tries to pull it back but then the spear began to rotate and attempt to cut him just like it did to Kislap. Thou Gil was unprepared for this attack, his green jaded armor saved him from this and prevented a deep wound.

Distracted, the spear manages to slip from Gil's hand and flings back toward the village. "GIVE. IT. BACK" The figure yells from the top of its lungs. Shaking every building in the village as it yells some more. The figure is surely pissed at Gil. From the shadows, comes the figure running and its arms stretched as it summons the spear back.

"This monster wants a fight, eh?" Gil's eyes turned red, his vision fixates on the figure, his fins began to wiggle, and his muscles bulks. Gil is reverting to his most animalistic nature – a predator in the deep. He plans to summon the river and flood the whole town until it is fully submerged. Then he will tear the figure from limb to limb. Head to toe, he will nibble every flesh as he did to his king. Like how he relishes in the flesh of the one who destroys his home.

Gil salivates on the thought of feasting on a figure that regenerates. "Infinite meat!"

Gil raises his hand and summons the waters from the river. ���Let's see if he can match with the beast of the deep"

The water starts to climb. The water rises to match the height of the buildings of the village. It stands tall behind Gil as it waits for its signal. One flick of Gil's finger and the water will flood the village in an instant. "Let me show you my playground."

The figure sees this and looks Gil in the eye. It wants Gil to attack. It wants Gil to get close. It is inviting him so he can get close and kill him with its spear. "It's time for me to let it all out!"

A dark and blue aura began to manifest around Gil. His suppressed nature began to manifest. The real him began to take over. He smiles and relishes at the fact that the guardians or Jasmine will not see this. For the longest time, he can let it all out without anyone judging his actions.

"Gil! We can't win! We must retreat!" Kulog shouts as she also emerges from the village. On her back her unconscious yet living brother. Gil was then taken back from her voice. He reverts to his old self and the water began to collapse behind him and settled back to the river.

The figure also heard the shout of Kulog. Seeing this opportunity, it threw its spear to strike at her. The spear flies towards her head; Gil shouts for her to dodge and by borrowing from her brother's power she was able to dash just in time to dodge the attack.

Gil points at a small raft by the docks. "Go! I will hold him off."

Kulog nods as she hurries towards the raft. The figure gives chase; it suddenly ignores Gil and charges toward Kulog. Gil summons the waters to surround him and launched him at high speed. As Gil was flung into the air, the figure summons the spear back to it and throws it at Gil.

Gil catches the spear by his hands and it dragged him below the river. The figure continues its charge toward the docks.

Kulog tries to borrow her brother's speed but with Kislap consciousness lapsing, she is unsuccessful in getting most of it. At least she can run faster than the average man. Unfortunately, the figure chasing her is not in any way average. The figure catches up to her and throws a punch.

Kulog keeps her distance with her acrobatic jumps and dodges. "Good thing my brother is light". She comments as she dodges the raging figure.

"DDIIIIIIEEE!! DUST!" the figure raises his fits in a fit of rage. Kulog avoids the barrage of attacks and tries to wake his brother up so she can run faster. Kulog shouts with a supersonic blast to keep the figure away. The figure blocks itself from the blast with its arms covering its face and advance at a steady pace.

Kulog backs away from the figure while continuously blasting her magic to slow down the figure. She sees the raft by the end of the dock. She turns to scuttle away from the figure. As soon as the sonic blast is done the figure resumes its unrelenting charge toward Kulog and Kislap.

Underneath the river, Gil let his inner beast unleash its power. If he is to match the figure's strength, he needs to be the merman he was once. Gil let his rage let him carry the spear. His aim is true as his red eyes let him see underneath the water. His muscles contort and assist his arms. "Come on Gil! You will not fail this time!"

Gil took his chance and throws the spear. It flies from the depth, into the air and landed into the figure's head. And in an instant, the figure dropped on the wooden board.

Kulog shouts in excitement as the figure finally falls. Without hesitation, Kulog runs toward the raft and placed her brother on it. Then Kulog turns around and looks at the fallen figure. "Is it finally over?" she asked herself as she unties the rope from the raft. She also thinks back earlier when the figure called her "Dust". She ponders what does the figure meant by that but it is time for them to leave, she needs to take a good look at her brother.

Kulog unties the rope of the raft from the docks, she yells as Gil from the water to come out as they can leave and report back to the team.

"DUST MUST DIE!" the haunting sound of the figure yells as it stands up with a spear in his head.

The spear lodge it is head gives a powerful orange glow as it continuously heals the figure from its injuries.

The figure grabs the spear and yanks it out of its head. The figure smiles at Kulog; showing that it is happy that it is back to kill Kulog.

"Are you kidding me?!" Kulog readies her readies self. She assumed her fighting stance. Her arms reaching out for the sky then two metal rods from her back and flies into her hands. "COME ON!" Kulog yells as sparks of lighting fills her eyes. The figure charges again toward Kulog, spear in hand to finish the job from their fight.

Before the two can clash, Gil emerges from the river and stand between them. Gil stands bigger, stronger, and much more of a huge sea monster than what Kulog remember Gil is. His teeth are sharper, his eyes are bloodshot red, and his huge muscles also give him a boost in height.

"Gil? Is that you?" Kulog asked?

"What you see here stays here" Gil replied in a very deep voice.

Gil now stands tall as the figure. The figure laughs, mocking Gil that this transformation won't match its strength. Gil ignores the mockery and instead shakes in excitement; "KILL, KILL, KILL!" Gil's head goes berserk.

Gil attempts to throw a right hook; the figure sees this attempt and tries to catch it on its hands. As Gil's fist lands on it, the figure's hands were crushed by the strength that Gil delivered.

Shocked, the figure immediately regenerates his hand. Before it can fully heal, Gil launches a barrage of punches and won't let up. The figure's body began to light up in orange magic and red mist.

Kulog joins the fight as she delivered strong blows on the figure's legs and foot. The figure once again finds itself on its knees. Then Gil delivered a powerful blow across its chest sending the figure flying. Before it can reach far, Gil's new food form and Kulog borrowing her brother's speed manage to catch up with the figure.

In a split second: Gil grabbed the figure's foot midair, pulled it toward's Gil, and delivered a downward punch on its stomach. Kulog reached the figure's head. She leans in and shouts a powerful blast of sounds making the head's skin and muscles burst.

Then the figure falls to the ground but still regenerating from the damage it received.

The figure, thou beaten, won't let go of the spear. Gil then grabs its right arm and bite off its hand. Kulog slams her weapon and crushed the left hand to prevent it from grabbing the spear.

"Gil, this creature never showed its magic us only its raw strength and ability to regenerate thru the spear. What did you saw?

"Same! Now let me destroy him so he can never regenerate!" Gil began to claw the body and crush its heart to prevent it from regenerating.

The figure laughs at them. Unsettling, it speaks towards Kulog "Death to Dust!" The spear rotates again and flies towards Kulog. This time they are ready, Kulog blocks the attack and fling the spear to Gil. Gil reaches the spear with his mouth and bites it between his indestructible teeth.

The figure still laughs and yells "Feed me!"

The figure laughs, the ground underneath it began to vibrate. A sharp pellet began to erupt from the ground and hits the two guardians. The wind began to swirl around the figure and it began to pick up speed. Then a blast from a tornado throws Gil and Kulog away from the figure.

Gil looks up and sees the body of the figure began to regenerate without the spear's help.

"I thought it the spear was its power?!" Kulog exclaimed as she holds on to the pillar beside her.

Gil ignores her question and grabs the spear from his mouth and into his hand. He looked at it carefully to inspect the spear and why it gives the figure its regenerating power. The spear gives a powerful vibe with this unique design but there is one thing that stands out. Alibata is scribbled all over the spear's shaft.

"Kulog! The spear has the same writing on my teeth. The same writing from our weapons! ALIBATA!" Gil shouts.

A guardian that kills people for fun? A guardian who lost its mind? Or is this even a guardian? A lot of questions arose from their head as they try to figure out what kind of creature are they fighting.

The wind still pushes the two guardians away as the figure inside is still in the process of rebuilding itself.

Gil left sudden itchiness and pain within his body. An itchy sensation began to fill Kulog too. She checks her elbow and saw a small insect nibbling her flesh. She grabs the insect, no smaller than a thumb and looks like a scarab, and kills it between her palms. Then the itchiness fills her legs; she saw a lot of them those insects everywhere. As she began to remove and kill them; they seem countless at first and she began to panic.

As she began billing them she saw a small red thread coming from them and it seems like those threads are connected somewhere. She follows the thread and there she sees it, it is connected to the figure. Those pellets are not rocks, instead, those are insects the bite into their flesh.

She looks at Gil and saw his huge figure slowly shrinking in size and returning to his regular form. She turns her head and the figure is now standing tall with his body back and healthy again.

"GIL! The bugs! It feeds on to us and heals him!" Kulog shouts.

"Argh! That's why I am growing weaker and I can't hold my form too long. That bastard manages to get us. Hold your breath girl and whatever happened, don't leave the water bubble" Gil then summoned the river's water to them. Though most of the water is blown away by the wind of the rejuvenating figure, Gil still manages to get most of the water to their side and submerged themselves in the water bubble.

Gil uses his magic to make the water bubble swirl violently. It began to tear their clothes and as for Kulog, she can't keep up with the pressure of the water but both guardians remained strong. As the water swirls, the bugs inside them are caught in a violent flow. After a few more minutes Gil stopped his magic and let the water drop.

Kulog grasps for air and coughs. Gil holds on to the spear. There the figure is back on its feet. The wind began to disperse as the figure holds its hand calling its spear back to his side.

Gil tries to cling to it but since he was weakened with bugs the spear left his hand in an instant. Looks at Gil and smiles "Thank you for feeding me".

The figure mocks the weakened Gil. Gil figured that his bigger form allowed many of those bugs to eat his strength and allowed the figure to heal itself.

The figure then turns to Kulog and raises his spear. Kulog and Gil ready themselves for another round but both began to feel tired. Especially, Gil, he got magic in him but he won't last long. Kulog still got a lot of magic since the bugs didn't get her that much but she knows Gil will be a liability if the fight goes on and soon, herself too.

Then the figure stopped. It sniffs the air and looks at the two of them. The figure started to look confused and began to panic. It holds its head and began to shout. "Not Dust?! Not Dust? WHERE IS DUST?!"

It slams its spear to the ground like a kid that lost his favorite toy. The figure began to wallow and panics. It looks at the village and there it sniffs the air.

"Dust? Dust? Death to Dust?" it yells as if it began to cry for help. The figure looks at Gil and Kulog. It runs towards the weak Gil and sniffs his head. "No, not dust!"

It does the same to Kulog and the figure looks at her confused. "NOT DUST!"

The figure yelled and run towards the village there it began to cry. It flips and every rock and open every door. He sniffs and sniffs and finally the figure look at the entrance of the village and smiled. "DUST!" then it began to walk towards the forest near the village - the home of a tikbalang tribe.

Gil and Kulog looked at each other confused and lost for words. A spear with Alibata, the language of the Chronicler. A monster with this spears, unkillable with the spear yet have a mind of a child and looking for a dust?

"What just happened?" Kulog asked as she tries to stand up.

"Whatever this thing is, be glad it didn't proceed to bet us up" Gil replied as he looked over the figure runs toward the forest.

Kulog helped Gil to his feet. "I am sorry you need to see that. It was rude of me. . ." Gil pauses and tried to find the words to his apology.

"Hey, that's your past right? You got a reason not to show your beast side. Me and my brother . . . you heard our story right? Why we left Zeus."

Gil nods in silence as they walk towards the raft. "I won't tell them Gil. . . but I have a haunch of why you hide it. Can I take a guess?"

"Sure, guess it"

"That form you took is also the form you took to killed somebody close to you."

"Yeah. That's right Kulog."

Kulog gives Gil a pat on the back. "Me and my brother too, used in a game when kings made us kill people close to us." Kulog paused and took a long breathe. She looks at Gil and gave her a smile. "But we are also indestructible. No matter how hard hits us, we rise back up."

"Wait, did you just smile? What happened to your old grumpy self?" Gil asked as he was familiar with the brooding and always quick to anger Kulog. Seeing her smile is a rare site.

Kulog raise an eyebrow and her smile turned into that same old serious smug of hers. Gil laughs and thou Gil can't see Kulog's face, he knows she gives a genuine smile.

"I am glad we understand each other" Gil smiles back. He takes comfort that somebody within the guardians can understand his pain.

Kulog climbs on the raft and sits beside his brother. Gil dives into the river and to push the raft safely back to Vale. As the guardians left, they all left a question about this incident but one thing lingers the most – who is this figure?

As the boat sails on to the river, screams of horses fills the air. The tikbalang tribe is being assaulted by the figure. As much as Kulog and Gil wants to help, their weaken state can't help them for too long.

They hope and prayed to Bathala that the figure won't follow them back to Vale.