***** End of their first life. *****

There's no limit between the past and future.

I will haunt you in our next life!

-  KALANTIAW

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The year 1453, the tragedy of their 1st life.

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Amaya is scared and tired at the same time. The fear of attempting to kill herself, but no urge to actually give up on her life. It’s wanting to end her misery, but wanting to live also. This deep feeling of sadness can actually feel paralyzingly numb. No matter how many days she spent crying. No matter how hopeless and sad she felt, no matter how many days she spent wishing things were different — she knew that there is nothing she can do but hope.

The poor girl has never lived a good life inside his chiefdom. She was nothing but flesh to satisfy his predator self. She needs to get out of this hell but, how? She looked at him and asked herself; what if she strangles him? Will he die immediately? She reached for his neck, almost touching it only if he did not open his right eye.

"What are you trying to do? Young lady?" He asked.

Amaya tried to withdraw her arm but failed. Her soon-to-be husband had a better grip on her. His hands are soft but his grip was rough and merciless, few more pressing and her wrist would break.

"You should know your place, woman. Do you think you can get yourself unscratched after killing me?" He threatened her.

She never thought that this man is not just a brag. He has power and influence. He also has a clever mind. If she were to describe him—he is a nasty foe. She could not move her lips, it’s a fear of unwelcomed words that might trigger him more.

He was about to pull her hair but then interrupted by the commotion. Some men outside the hut were shouting and cursing Kalantiaw. They even throw a rock and sharp, small knife which directly hits the bamboo wall, luckily no one is affected.

"Stay here, it's my royal command," says Kalantiaw before setting his feet outside their hut. 

His authoritative voice is creeping her out. It was the first time she feared a man. The last thing she saw is his broad shoulder and his well sculpted back. She secretly peeks to know what is happening outside. Her eyes almost plucked out. She witnessed gruesome killings. There is a monster standing firm in the center of a land filled with crimson blood. This monster who was holding a bolo had killed five indigenous men. This monster is none other than Kalantiaw.

She hurriedly went back on their bed when she heard a footstep approaching their hut. Kalantiaw is about to come back. He paused for a while to ask someone from aliping sagiguiler to take care of Amaya.

He entered the Nipa palace together with two aliping sagiguiler. "Doll her up. We are going to see Ayame," he ordered and left the palace afterward.

The girl named Ligaya and Pighati accompanied her. They brought red woven clothes adorned with gold laces and buttons. They went somewhere far from their home. Several men escorted them while a few of these men carried the palanquin.

"Halt!" Kalantiaw ordered, then he descended from the palanquin. "Come here, my bride-to-be." He opened the red cloth that was hiding a beautiful lady inside. She was hesitant to leave the palanquin, but there was no choice for her. She walked along with him, every step made her feel like walking in the thorny paths with a grim reaper.

'If I run away from here...Nah! I will die in this spot.' She shook her head, how stupid of her to think that this could be her chance to escape.

"No matter how you shake your head, things will never change. You are wide - awake; this is not a dream. Your fate is to be my slave and a mother of this balanghai's successor." 

She did not say anything because she knew that whatever her mouth utters will do nothing against him. He's ego blind. It's a thing. He can only decode what suits his own primitive sense of supremacy, everything else flies over their heads. Each cruel comment from him is an icy fragment. If she could not figure out how to stop them from touching her skin, she would freeze. How can she stay warm in an emotional blizzard?

She had almost choked by her saliva. She asked herself, what has this man been thinking? 'Am I a mere baby maker? Is being a mother the only essence of our existence?' a tiny voice whispered in her mind. Since her mind is wandering somewhere, a small crack in the stone surprised her, causing her to lose her balance. Surprisingly, she did not fall because his warm arms wrapped around her waist. 

Was it because she feared him so much or she was surprised by the fact that she almost hit her head on the ground? None of this might actually explain her abnormal heart for beating so fast.

"Watch your step," he uttered with a straight face and husky voice.

"His highness has come to see the noble babaylan," announced one of his men. The royal guards stayed outside near the vicinity of Ayame's respected tribe. Amaya and Kalantiaw headed to where Ayame's nipa hut is situated.

Kalantiaw wanted to counter Ayame's prediction about him a week ago. He must have a male successor to succeed on his throne before judgment day. He believed that he is about to die this year, the prediction and his stars stated.

She chooses Amaya because she is different from other women. 

This woman with a great personality will take care of the heir.

This woman must not die.

This woman must claim the throne and pass it to their child.

This woman must be braver than she is right now.

She must not feel loved for her to be strong.

Last thing...

She must bore a son, not a daughter.

"You came back, Kali." She greeted him with a warm embrace.

"I want to consult something," He replied.

He placed Ayame's right hand on his forehead. It is a basic custom, we call it 'Mano'. It is a form of respect for an elderly woman with a plausible contribution to the balanghai. All of a sudden, Amaya was confused with this strange attachment. ‘Is he always this sweet?’

The woman throws a sweet smile on her. Amaya pay her respect by doing the custom, a tradition of 'pagmamano'

"This is my wife-to-be. Will it be a son or a daughter?" He grabbed her right arm and pushed her two steps ahead.

"I see, you have a wonderful taste in women." Ayame smiled by looking at her face.  She was taken aback when the babaylan held her right arm to read her palm.

"Malakas, it should be his majesty's name," Ayame replied and kissed Amaya's hand.

As soon as they finished their business with Ayame, they went back to their chiefdom. Before the start of the wedding, Hiraya is given a chance to meet his daughter.

"Father?" Amaya was surprised to see his father. She still has this deep wound rooting from his father's betrayal.

" I want you to keep this today. It will set us free, take this." He vanished without further explaining. 

She will use it today. She is in great desperation of wanting to be freed. She will use it even though she did not know how this thing would kill that bastard. Her heart could not stop from mixed emotions of fear and bravery. She is afraid that this thing might not work well. And, she is brave enough to take the risk. She believed that only the brave become vulnerable emotionally, for trust takes strength, lowering your shield is brave, and often it comes when we learn that to survive and be strong, this vulnerability is the first step. We cannot step out of our own cage until we are willing to unlock the door. She is more than willing to take the risk.

She walked into the aisle while her eyes were fixed on Kalantiaw. They are now standing in the middle of a huge acacia tree. It is a spectacular place adorned with different anito and various 'tapayan'. He took her left hand to put the ring on her finger. The ring is a pure signet gold adorned with black onyx stone.

She nervously slid the ring into his finger. This ring proves that they have the blessing from different gods and goddesses. Given by her father, she took the bracelet. The gold bracelet has a distinct design of two dragons facing each other. Amaya slid it on his arm. 

He tried to remove it but he could not. "What have you done?" The entire place trembles in fear as his voice overpowers the noise. The people started to bow their heads on the anito. They are asking for salvation. The head of the dragon started to bite each other. 

"I will haunt you in our next life! You'll pay for this," says Kalantiaw while bearing the weight of demonic prowess which is trying to kill him. He had been struggling hard to breathe until he kissed the ground — lifeless.

Did she succeed? Or, she just thought?

Her body stiffened as she began to lose the ability to breathe. “I… want to live. Here me out thy heaven.” The next thing she knows is closing her eyes as she falls to the ground.

Is this how her life should end?

What is the mystery behind that bracelet?