chapter 19

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Chapter 19: The Nature Goddess

A month had passed since the harrowing events in Urdaneta. In a small village nestled in the province of Ifugao, Erik trudged along a quiet path, a basket of carrots strapped to his back. The load weighed over ten kilos, and he was on his way to sell them at shops in nearby villages and down the mountain.

The serene surroundings painted a stark contrast to the noisy cities filled with honking vehicles and bustling crowds. Here, the province thrived in peaceful simplicity, with the air carrying the gentle hum of nature. "I need to make more sales," Erik muttered to himself, determination etched into his voice.

As he walked along the sunbaked road in the heat of the morning, traversing the two-kilometer path to the next village, he suddenly froze. A figure approached him, one he never expected to encounter again. He stood dumbfounded, his breath catching in his throat as he recognized the mysterious woman walking toward him—the same nature goddess he had met in Pangasinan.

Just as before, she wore a flowing white dress and walked barefoot, seemingly unbothered by the scorching ground or the humid air. In her hand, she held a slender staff, now pointed directly at Erik to halt his steps. The world around them fell silent in that moment. Erik stood motionless, unable to speak, his mind reeling from the shock of seeing her again. He hadn't imagined she could track him down to such a remote place.

Then, with a sudden, warm smile, the goddess spoke. "How are you, young Chosen One? Did you miss me?" she asked, her voice light and teasing.

Erik couldn't muster a response, his thoughts a chaotic tangle of confusion and fear. He felt an inexplicable dread in the presence of this woman, despite her seemingly gentle demeanor.

Erik's Perspective

In an unexpected twist of fate, I found myself face-to-face with the mysterious nature goddess I had encountered in Pangasinan. I don't know why I felt so nervous in that moment, even though I had no real reason to fear her. She asked if I remembered her, but I couldn't bring myself to answer—perhaps because I didn't want to remember the things tied to her.

Who would want to relive moments where their life hung in the balance? It wasn't a joke when she and my deity dropped me from the sky, thousands of feet above the ground. I genuinely thought she wanted me dead. I can't forget how she once hurled me through the air while I was trapped in a car. Those experiences were nothing short of traumatic. Lost in these terrifying memories, I instinctively took a step back.

She noticed my retreat and quickly realized I was trying to distance myself from her. "I-I'm sorry, but this is the first time we've met. You might have me confused with someone else," I lied, my voice trembling with nervousness.

"Oh, is that so?" she replied, tilting her head slightly.

I knew my acting wasn't convincing, but I blurted it out in my panic. To my surprise, she seemed to accept my lie, apologizing for the supposed mistake. I couldn't believe how naïve she appeared, but it worked in my favor if she believed my deception. "You see, I'm looking for a young boy with short hair and a skinny frame. I don't know where to start since this place is so vast," she explained, her tone earnest.

Her words sparked an idea in my mind—a chance to throw her off my trail. I don't know why, but I decided to lean into her assumption, lying again by saying I hadn't seen anyone matching that description. I pointed toward a distant mountain and mentioned another village where many young people lived, hoping to redirect her.

Her face lit up with an innocent expression, as if she were completely unaware of the ways of the world. "So, you think the person I'm looking for might be in that village over the mountain?" she asked, her voice filled with genuine curiosity.

"Uh… I don't know? Maybe? But I can tell you for sure that the person you're looking for isn't in our village," I stammered, my nerves making my words clumsy.

She smiled brightly and thanked me for the information. A pang of guilt tugged at me for deceiving her, but I convinced myself it was for the best. It wasn't a big deal, right?

She bid me farewell and began walking toward the mountain I had pointed out. Relieved that my ruse had worked, I let out a deep sigh, my tension easing.

I couldn't help but worry about her journey, especially since she was barefoot and alone, but she wasn't my responsibility.

More importantly, I didn't want to get caught up in another dangerous situation with her. As she grew smaller in the distance, she suddenly stopped walking. A chill ran through me, and my anxiety surged. She raised her staff and struck the ground with a forceful thud.

I couldn't explain it, but a cold breeze brushed against my skin, making the hairs on my arms stand on end. Panic surged within me, and I hurried to get away from that place as quickly as possible.

I rushed forward, nearly breaking into a run, heedless of the heavy basket on my back. After several minutes of sprinting, exhaustion forced me to stop. I had covered a considerable distance, and I felt confident I had escaped her.

To be sure, I glanced over my shoulder. "I should be far enough from her by now," I reassured myself.

Seeing no one following me, I thought I had successfully evaded her. But my relief was short-lived as I felt something poke my back. "Did you really think you could deceive me and just run away?" her voice whispered, calm but laced with a dangerous edge.

I froze, unable to speak or explain myself, the tip of her staff pressing into my back. She clearly hadn't taken kindly to my lies, and now I felt the weight of her threat for deceiving a goddess.

"Do you know the punishment for disrespecting a being like me? It's death—three hundred times over, in three hundred different ways," she said, her tone chillingly serious.

I turned to face her and dropped to my knees, bowing my head to the ground, pleading for my life. I felt like a coward, my forehead pressed into the dirt in submission.

I hadn't meant to trick her—I was just overcome with fear. I tried to apologize, but as I lifted my head to look at her, she struck me on the head with her staff, forcing me back down. I clutched my head in pain. "Do you know what I hate most of all? Liars," she said, her voice sharp.

I immediately begged for forgiveness, admitting my mistake and blaming my panic, but she hit me on the head again, silencing my excuses. "I don't need your excuses. Humans can easily lie with their words," she snapped.

She then approached me and sat down in front of me. While I kept my head bowed, she gently lifted my chin, and to my shock, she pressed her forehead against mine, just as she had done before.

Our noses nearly touched as she closed her eyes, sensing my presence. Once again, I felt the light, pure energy that surrounded her—so gentle, so comforting.

A strong wind swirled around us, sending leaves spiraling in a dance as they were carried by the breeze. In that moment, my panic faded, and a sense of calm washed over me as I gazed at the breathtakingly beautiful face of the goddess. In the stillness of the moment, she asked if I sensed any malice in her. Her question reminded me of the times I had felt a dark, negative energy emanating from Alfredo.

"Our energies are merging right now, connecting us to one another. You can feel my intentions toward you, just as I can feel yours," she explained. She told me that through this connection, we could sense each other's emotions—anger, doubt, fear, and more.

After her explanation, she stood up, hands on her hips, and scolded me. "I can feel a negative aura emanating from you—fear and doubt directed at me," she said, her voice firm.

She had accurately pinpointed my feelings toward her through our connection. I couldn't deny it, but I also couldn't bring myself to admit that I was terrified of being around her because of what had happened before. She asked again if I had sensed any negative energy from her during our connection, or if I had felt anything malicious in her presence.

Reflecting on my past experiences with Alfredo, the energy I felt from her was entirely different—pure and untainted. So, I admitted that I hadn't sensed any negativity from her. "If that's the case, it means I harbor no ill intentions toward you. So why are you so afraid of me?" she asked, her tone softer now.

"I-I can't help but be scared of you because of what happened before, what you did to me," I whispered, barely audible.

"Huh?" she responded, confusion evident in her voice.

She seemed puzzled by my words, insisting that she had only ever helped me. I wasn't sure if she truly understood, but her idea of "helping" had nearly killed me. Perhaps it was trivial to her, but her methods terrified me. "You're too dramatic. I wouldn't do anything to cause your death. Have you forgotten that you're protected by your deity's power? You wouldn't die even if I threw you," she said, her tone almost dismissive.

"That's not the point! It's traumatizing for someone like me to be dropped from the sky or flung around. I could die from sheer terror!" I muttered to myself.

"Even when you whisper, I can hear you. You're far too cowardly for a hero," she retorted.

"Cowardly? I have every reason to be scared because you're terrifying!" I shouted, unable to hold back my frustration at her insult.

She struck me on the head with her staff again, ordering me to lower my voice. Ignoring my protests, she continued to call me a cowardly hero. "How can you save people if you're this timid and fearful?" she challenged.

I shook my head at her, unable to bear hearing the word "hero" when I felt like such a failure. I couldn't respond and simply bowed my head, overwhelmed by a wave of sadness.

The goddess noticed my reluctance to discuss the topic, but instead of stopping, she pressed further, asking if I was losing my drive to be a hero because of what happened in Pangasinan.

Even without answering, I knew she could sense my feelings. I no longer knew if I could continue, if I could endure another failure. "You've really let this break you. Are you giving up over something so trivial?" she asked, her tone sharp.

"Maybe… I don't know if you understand me, but I feel like I'm not worthy of being a hero. I'm too weak," I admitted, my voice hollow. "I did everything I could. Even when I failed, I kept getting back up to save others. I trusted, I believed I could save him, over and over again. I never lost hope as long as my body could still move.

I followed your advice—I kept trying as long as there was a chance. But in the end, it was all for nothing. I lost the most important person I was supposed to save."

The thought was crushing, a heartbreak so deep it felt as though my spirit had been shattered. I tried so hard to hold on to their hands, to pull them to safety, but in the end, they slipped through my fingers, leaving me with nothing but their final farewell.

I wasn't sure if the goddess was listening to my words, but from her expression, she didn't seem interested in my emotional outpouring. She struck me on the head again to silence me.

"It's not your fault that the Chosen of Pangasinan died. That was his own decision, and there's nothing you could have done to change it," she said firmly.

"I know that, but I think I'm just scared of failing again. What I mean is, maybe I'm not destined to save anyone," I replied, my voice lifeless.

I didn't know what to do. In that moment, I wanted to keep making excuses, anything to avoid the role of a hero and the duty my deity had entrusted to me.

Call me a coward if you must, but I couldn't bear to feel the pain of losing someone important again. It was a torment that tore at my heart—I didn't want to fail again.

I was consumed by sadness and self-disappointment, avoiding the goddess's gaze as I sat there, lifeless. Then, unexpectedly, she placed her hand on my head and gently stroked it.

"Humans are inherently weak. What you're feeling is a sign that you possess a heart—one that feels pain, grows weary, and fears. No matter how much you try to be strong, you can't avoid being hurt or losing courage in the face of trials," she said softly.

"Humans are naturally fragile because they often let their emotions and thoughts dictate their actions in any given situation. They're swayed by their feelings, consumed by doubt, and devoured by fear," she continued.

After a moment, she removed her hand from my head and took my hands in hers, placing them over my chest, right above my heart. "The human heart is a remarkable thing because it can guide a person's actions, even when those actions go against the logic their mind dictates. Many people are like this—and that includes you, young Chosen One," she said.

I lowered my head, absorbing her words. She was right—I didn't want to be a hero because of the fear in my heart. I apologized to her, accepting the weakness of the heart I carried.

But then, the goddess's tone shifted, becoming more resolute as she spoke. "I'm sorry, but you cannot turn your back on the sacred duty you swore to your deity. You will be a hero, whether you like it or not," she declared.

"But like I said, I don't think I can handle this anymore. Surely my deity would understand," I pleaded, grasping for excuses.

"A deity will never understand the excuses and reasoning humans use to abandon their duties out of fear," she replied sharply.

"How can you be so sure of that?" I asked, my voice tinged with doubt.

"I know because I, too, am a deity. And I won't allow you to give up," she answered firmly.

I knew she wouldn't accept my explanations. When I tried to offer another excuse, she struck me on the head with her staff again and ordered me to close my eyes. I had no idea what she planned, but she was insistent, raising her staff as if ready to strike again. With no other choice, I closed my eyes and complied.

As my eyes shut, I felt a gentle tap on my forehead. Suddenly, vivid images and memories flooded my mind, one after another.

They were memories of tragedy and horrific crimes—terrifying scenes accompanied by the screams and cries of people begging for their lives.

I didn't know if what I was seeing was real, but it was horrifying. Before my eyes, I witnessed people being punished and mercilessly killed.

I couldn't bear the scenes unfolding in my mind—it felt as though I was experiencing the terror of those people. Just before the fear drove me to madness, the goddess snapped me out of it.

I jolted awake, collapsing to the ground without realizing I had fallen. I was gasping for air, my body trembling. What I had seen was a nightmare, and the lingering fear was evident in my shaken state.

The goddess sat in front of me and explained that those memories belonged to other Chosen Ones she had once connected with. She had shown them to me as an example.

"Some of them suffered greatly and bore immense grief from the tragedies they endured. Many of them, like you, feared experiencing that same pain again. They were people consumed by fear and doubt, questioning whether they could rise again in the face of their circumstances," she said.

"Erik, humans are inherently weak, but that doesn't mean you should let it defeat you or give up in the face of challenges," she continued.

As she spoke, she placed her hand on my chest, over my heart, and said, "Let the heart and emotions you carry become your strength to save those who have lost hope."

At first, I didn't understand what she meant about the heart I possessed. What could a heart lacking courage and strength possibly achieve? "There are many people who are afraid and struggling in their situations—people who need the help of a hero like you," she added.

Slowly, I began to grasp what the goddess was trying to convey. She wanted me to find the strength to stand firm for the sake of others—people who lacked the ability to defend themselves. She was right; saving them was part of my responsibility as a hero, a promise I had made. But could I really do it?

I looked down at my hands, wondering if these small hands were truly capable of saving anyone. Could I hold them tightly enough? The goddess stood and turned away, beginning to walk off.

I sat there, staring blankly as she grew distant, when she suddenly spoke again. "Erik, you must become the strength of every person," she said firmly.

She turned to face me, her voice resolute as she declared that the people of the Philippines needed a hero to protect them.

As she raised her hands, a chaotic flurry of images flashed through my mind, a sudden wave of memories resurfacing.

In that moment, the goddess extended her hands toward me, as if inviting me to join her. A powerful gust of wind swirled around us, scattering leaves and tousling her long hair as it flowed freely in the breeze.

I didn't know how to react, awestruck by the scene unfolding before me. It felt familiar, as if I had seen this moment before in a dream. I could almost picture it—the goddess from my dream, the same one now standing in front of me.

"The motherland calls you to protect her home. Will you answer her call, little hero of the Philippines?" she asked with a gentle smile.

I looked at my hands again, questioning whether I could truly save anyone with them. I couldn't help but doubt myself, but when I glanced up at the goddess's smiling face, offering to guide me in saving others, it was as if she saw past my weaknesses.

She was right. From the very beginning, this mysterious goddess had believed in me, confident that I could do this—that I was capable. The truth was, I did have the ability to save people as the Chosen of Ifugao.

I had accepted this role because I wanted to protect others. As she said, I was merely making excuses, reasoning my way out of my sworn duty because of my fear.

In that moment, a newfound courage surged within me. I resolved to take the risk, for the sake of those who depended on a hero like me. I couldn't afford to hesitate any longer—this was my destined path, the very reason I existed. "Please, help me become a great hero," I said, slowly reaching out to take the goddess's hands.

End of Chapter