A MOMENT WITH BAKUNAWA
Volume 2: Ydeo's Adventure and the Last Order of the Immortal Bishop - CHAPTER 12: A MOMENT WITH BAKUNAWA
Meanwhile at the Holy Shrine of Mala-Laya
The Bishop is giving his holy order to Priest Pontiveros.
"Priest Pontiveros, the holy order states promising achievements. I would like to test that. I want you to go to the Great Desert and bring us some Holy Water from the Oasis. That would be a 3-4 years worth of expedition. Take this mission and give us glory!" His Most Excellency said.
"I will gladly accept it, Your Most Excellency." I said.
"Believe in the Lord and everything will be alright." His Most Excellency said.
I accepted the mission and made myself ready for this expedition.
However, I promised that I will go back to Bakunawa. My love, will you wait for me? I hope I can see you before I leave.
Traveling from the Mala-Laya to the Last Border of Humanity took us 7 months it includes our preparations for our journey.
I met different kind of people.
The Great Desert
Unending, useless of golds.
From where we stand to the horizon, the sand is what we see. I see why it is called as the Great Desert. The townsfolk from the Last Border advised that we should travel at night and use the star as our navigation. Well that's what also His Excellency said.
On this land, how months would it take before the Oasis?
The navigator made his way to me.
"Let's get ready, Reverend."
At the Island of Tora
"Father, it's been 3 years already. I'm already 21, I want to take a ship! I need to find my husband; I will go to the Mala-Laya." I said.
"Husband? You're not married yet! You did promise to each other but where is he?! Maybe he already met another lovely woman and marries her instead different to a barbarian woman like you!" My father said.
"That's not the kind of man he is! He made a promise. He swore to me, he will do it and I believe in him, Father!" I said.
"It's been 3 years! Mala-Laya is not a far country. It will only take him a weeks of journey but where is he? Maybe he is dead. And it's not good for a young lady to look for a dead man!” Father pleaded.
My father disagreed but I sneaked in one of my father's men ship. I will not miss this; I will look for you my love!
Traveling from Tora and to Mala-Laya is not easy. It might be straight down to south however there are a lot of Sea Monsters. I hope everything will be alright.
On the other hand at the eastern land of Viyato, there's a boy name Zairill. A Servant who aims to become a Priest and known as a candidate to becoming a Saint and to become the next Bishop of the Holy Shrine.
"Priest Isaac, I came for your summon." I said.
"I see, so you came, Zairill. There's a letter of invitations for you from the Holy Shrine. I bet this is something you waited since Priest Pontiveros brought you here." Priest Isaac welcomed.
"Nani?! For real?! So I am a Shrine Server now?" I said in surprised.
"Yes and if you complete your service, you may enter the convent. This is it, Zairill, this is your dream! Make your mother proud!" Priest Isaac said.
"I will Reverend! I will also tell it to the other brothers. This is a great news!"
"Don't get too excited young boy. Your journey is yet to come." Priest Isaac advised.
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Different places of the world, different entities with one destination.
Zairill and Bakunawa took a step forward on their journey to the country of Mala-Laya. A new story is about to begin. The story of a young boy name Zairill and a lady name Bakunawa.
4 weeks passed since Zairill completed his service for the day at the Holy Shrine. He is now walking at the plaza when he saw a woman.
‘That woman looks like a foreigner. She doesn't look like a Mala-Layan or a Viyatt.’ Zairill thought.
"You, boy!" The woman called from a far.
"Me? Boy? Are you talking to me? I'm not a boy!" Zairill said.
"Yes, you. Do you have a food? How about some water? Would you spare me?" The woman said.
"Are you a beggar? Where did you come from? It looks like you're not from here..." Zairill said in curiosity.
"I'm from the land of Tora. Will you now give me some food?" The woman answered.
"Why should I?" Zairill can't stand the woman's attitude.
She frowned and said "I thought that the people of Mala-Laya help the poor?"
The young Zairill contemplated if she will help the suspicious woman. At last he came forward and offered help. He led the strange woman in.
"Alright come with me, but may I ask, why are you alone? Why came here if you're just going die from hunger."
"I came here with the others however we're so unlucky to encounter a storm. I don't know what happen to others however I was the only one to make here.” She narrated.
“You are weird shouldn’t you be asking my name first before that?”
"You are the weird one here you know. Alright, what is your name then?" Zairill asked.
"My name is Bakunawa and I came from the Island of Tora." Bakunawa introduced herself.
"My name is Zairill; I am from the Empire of Viyato. Unlike you, I came here alone, with that being said, I will pray for your brethren. I‘m also here for a mission.” He introduced while moving to his abode.
It is good that he left some food or else they would need to go to near marketplace to have something to eat.
"I’s not like we’re different, I also here for a goal. I'm here in search for a man." Bakunawa said.
"A man? Is he a Priest?"
"How did you know?" Bakunawa said
"A woman looking for a man in the country of Mala-Laya, which is the land of the Lord's Server. Deducing it is not that hard. Also it's not a rare case for a woman to come here to look for their lover.”
“That's what I heard from my brethren. Besides you've been staring to every Priest we encounter. It doesn’t take an investigation officer to know that." Zairill said.
"Wow! You're smart! Indeed, I'm looking for Priest, he is called as Priest Pontiveros." Bakunawa happily confirmed.
With those words, the boy turn his head. "Priest Pontiveros you say? How come that your lover is a Future Saint?"
“Saint? What is that?" Bakunawa asked.
"How should I explain I explain it? Well… you can say that a Saint is equivalent to being a Hero.” Zairill explained.
"Hero?! So he really is a great man after all. I'm glad he is the man I fell in love with. So where is he?" Bakunawa said in excitement.
"Priest Pontiveros is an extraordinary Priest and because of his achievement he will become a Saint.”
Zairill do not believe the woman’s words as he is still having doubts knowing the kind of man Pontiveros is.
“You must be one of his fan girls? Sorry to say but he is currently on a mission. It's been 3 years since he depart from this Island to collect some Holy Water of the Oasis from the Great Desert."
"Holy Water? Why bringing Holy Water took him so long?" Bakunawa asked.
"3 years is not surprising, the Great Desert is far from the island. It is in the far west from here. And the security of Viyato is very strict which is why they have to take a while before entering the Great Desert.”
“ Not only that, it is known that the Great Desert is a land of Monsters which is why it is hard to take a bottle of Holy Water.”
“ However do not worry, Priest Pontiveros is strong. Normally it is a 5-6 years' worth of expedition but the bishop gave him a 3-4 years, he is no ordinary Priest." Zairill patiently explained to the wander woman.
Knowing his beau will become a Saint, Bakunawa was amazed by his greatness. This made her even more in love with him. He is not just a handsome man but a strong man. Quality that she is looking for a man.
"But when exactly will he come back from this mission?" Bakunawa impatiently inquired.
"I'm not sure, no one can tell, but maybe this year or next year? It's up to him."
"You're so useless, brat." Bakunawa said.
"Should I take that food back?" Zairill said.
"No Master!" Bakunawa pleaded.
"Master? Anyways I have to go back to the Holy Shrine. Take a rest for now and go on once you're okay." Zairill advised.
"Arigatou!" Bakunawa said.
After that encounter, Zairill went back to the Holy Shrine for his daily prayer.
Meanwhile, Priest Pontiveros is successful at taking some Holy Water from the Oasis.
"Brothers! We achieve our goal! We will be able to leave and go back to the Holy Shrine. Let's go home now!" He said.
This triumph boosts the morale of his comrade and they immediately leave the Oasis.
"I will see you soon my love!" Priest Pontiveros declare.
A night has come at the land of Mala-Laya but a quarrel is still on going in a certain house.
"Why are you still in my house?!" Zairill was surprised seeing that Bakunawa is still in his house.
He was expecting that this woman will be gone now sailing back to where she came from after knowing that Pontiveros is not yet here in Mala-Laya.
"I do not know where to go…"
"Take a ship so you can go back to your country. I can give you some money." Zairill said.
"I can't, I'm waiting for him." Bakunawa said.
"And why is that? You won't be even able to talk to him." Zairill said.
"He is my future husband." Bakunawa argued.
"Husband?! You must be a die-hard fan of Priest Pontiveros. Don’t joke, besides, no one can have him as a husband. He will become a Saint, so marriage is not allowed." Zairill in nonchalantly.
“…What do you mean by that?" Bakunawa asked confuse.
Zairill stopped from cleaning up his outwear when he heard the sadden atmosphere of Bakunawa.
"…Saints dedicate their whole life to the Lord so he can't marry."
"That's not possible because he promised, he must have a plan. I'm sure of it. I must ask him personally." Bakunawa said.
A sudden knock occurs at their middle of conversation.
"We are the night rounders; we are here to guard the barangay. We heard noises, is there any problem?" The rounder said.
Zairill opened the door. "Oh nothing alarming, thank you for your hard work!"
"By the way, some people spotted a woman who illegally entered the country. Did you notice anything?" The rounder asked.
Bakunawa heard this and immediately hide behind the door. Her sweats are dripping, she must hide… she can’t get caught. Not yet, not until she see and take to Pontiveros.
"Oh yes, she is here."
"Nani?!” Isn’t this the moment when you will hide me and pretend you didn't see me?" Surprisingly, looks like she can’t rust this boy too!
Bakunawa is ready to jump on the window to escape from the rounder when she heard him say;
"Oh?! Don't worry miss, we do not mean any harm. We're looking for you so that we could make you officially a tourist of this country be protected by our laws.”
“We will help you and give you an allowance and make sure to be able to go back home." The rounder explained.
Rounders are Knights of the Shrine who also protects the civilians of the Holy Covenant. Mala-Laya is a Theocratic State, led by the Bishop and the priests different from other ‘Country’ who is led by King.
Only a Priest can be a Bishop, and anyone who has Holy Vessel among them, can be a candidate in being a Bishop. In 400 years Bishop Maxim is the 1st Bishop of Holy Shrine since its foundation. The highest authority is the Bishop, next is the Attendant Priest who took care for the Bishop and work personally under His Most Exelleceny, then the Priest.
Priests’ duty is to carry the Bishop's order such as protecting the people and sending good news around the Garsula Continent. However for those who don't have Holy Vessel can still serve the Holy Shrine as Knights of the Shrine, they are the blessed ones and called by the Bishop to serve and protect the country.
They are classify in to four, first is the Mayor as the highest official of Knights of the Shrine, Visor as a senior official, then the Minor as the junior of the official and Aspirant as the trainee who wants to become a Knight.
Every barangay is led by an appointed priest and with the help of his followers which are a deacon then supported by the Knights of the Shrine. Mayor has no Political nor Military power. Mayor only lead the other Knights. His only duty is to follow the Priest order.
"For real? You really are a good people and useful, unlike this boy."Bakunawa accused.
"What? Should I make them arrest you instead?"
"Is that what you wish Sir Zairill?" The Rounder questioned
"Eh?! For what grounds?!" Bakunawa asked.
"Well Sir Zairill is a Future Saint after all." The Rounder said.
"What a Saint? This Boy?" Doubt the foreigner.
"Indeed he is, it was decided a long time ago when Sir Zairill first came here in Mala-Laya. He will become a Saint once he received his Ordination as a Priest." The Rounder explained.
"…Wow, you must achieve a lot for you to receive such a title."
"Enough with the chit-chat, you should go with them now." Zairill said.
"Should we arrest her?" The Rounder said.
"No! That was a joke."
"Then I will leave you to have a good night Sir." The Rounder smiled and departed.
"See you tomorrow Zairill."
I wonder if this woman will be okay, where is Tora again? I think I’ve heard of it before
CHAPTER 12 ENDED…