There was a city named Artrois, a small populated area where the people lived. They have small houses and lived prosperously with abundance of foods, There fresh water fishes from the near river known as Dales. Some fresh fruits of golden yellow apples that tastes like sweet chocolates, that when you took bite out of it, it looks like a chocolate inside with lots of filling. The people there had busy lives, they tend to take care of their livestocks like goats, chickens and cows, There even have blacksmiths from the near area through the city. It was a small city but most of the Paladins that patrolled in that isolated place were still students in training since most of the missions and quest is to get promoted as a valiant respectable paladin. Most of the quests are just errands actually, they tend to help out the locals and drive out some random monsters here and there. The trees in the area are filled with blue colors instead of greenery, that’s why the area is such a nice tourist spot for new trainees for those who wanted to become a full fledged Paladin. There was one boy who was a trainee as well but unlike other trainees he was unusual and very much different from the rest. He’s a boy with white hair with blue and red eyes. Many people don’t really discriminate him due to his looks, but they are very much curious of who he is. The boy’s name is Raylyn Eagleheirt. A boy with unknown origin that seems to have stumbled upon the town of Artrois 12 years ago and lived independently with no parents nor any family members. There was really no information about him. But he lived in Artois for 12 years seeking for his journey to become a paladin as he reached 15 years old of age. He had many local friends and wanted to become a Paladin as well due to circumstances that gave them opportunity to make a living. Raylyn’s motivation however, isn’t revealed at this moment since he is still searching for a purpose that he seems eagerly wanting to become a paladin.

Raylyn at this time was given a task to guard the merchant called Ilabas(i-la-bas), he seems to be from the South East. A place where golden rings of necklaces and golden bracelets are worn with a red silk woven of golden strings of clothing with some wavy ancient scripts that seems to be written within their tattoos and items. Most of the items are mostly silver cups and a lighting shape blade with a dragon like appearance from the handle. It was a very luxurious items of what he saw during the task of guarding the merchant until he made it out of the city of Artois until they reached the sea. Once they arrived, he went to the large quite ship with a dragon-like appearance. Ilabas called that ship as Bakunawa. A legendary gigantic sea like dragon that eats moons during the eclipse. Raylyn was fascinated by the stories of the merchant before every single items he carried went to the Bakunawa smoothly. The ship was ready to go and the merchant was safely went inside the ship as it began to start sailing, he still needed to guard him through out the entire journey until he reached the South East but many sea monster folk are lurking about so he had to be on guard at all times whenever there is a predicament that might occur. The water is still brown as they went on the boat, the wind is fresh as the summer breeze, Raylyn looked at the sky as he tried to guard the merchant carefully. Since the merchant was bored, he wanted to have a chat with Raylyn. But isn't really the chatty type perse, he likes to be on his own space but if there is something he likes to do sometimes, it is to chat as well to pass the time. As long as it doesn't really give too much of a hassle to drain his social energy. Ilabas asked Raylyn about something "Hey kid! Where are you from?" Raylyn answered with a sensible yet polite manner to the merchant. "I lived in Artrois, but for my birth? I have no idea as of yet." Then Ilabas would reply with a smile on his face while looking at the sky for a moment."I see. I saw the town when I arrived there, it's very beautiful. The golden apples are rare to where I live since it only grows in a colder climate." Raylyn didn't show his expression well but he was glad of keeping Ilabas company during their travels. Raylyn became curious about where he comes from so he asked. "Sir Ilabas, I know you are from the South East due to how you wear your clothes. But where are you from exactly?" Ilabas thought to himself while adjusting his beard with his right hand. Pondering to tell a story or not about where he comes from. "I live in the Kingdom of Lusong. A place where gold and abundance of exotic fruits that only grows in a hot tropical climate is, people there are extremely kind even to the outsiders since they have been trading to a lot of different kingdoms for generations." Raylyn became fascinated about the origins of his people. And then he pointed the handle of the sword Ilabas carry. "What's that creature that is carve within your sword? Is that a dragon?" Ilabas answered with a small smile on his face. "This creature is called a Bakunawa. It's a giant dragon-like serpent that eats the seven moons from the legend of where I came from. This creature is hungry and was captivated by the beauty of the moons. A created from the world. It's like the name of the legend." Then Raylyn asked with q curiosity from his face. "What's the name of the Legend?" Then Ilabas said with a serious expression coming from his face as he answered Raylyn eye to eye. "The world hungers." Then a huge storm from the vicinity came approaching swiftly near them and a giant figure with a black shadow was hiding. A storm is approaching.

Raylyn listened to the word Ilabas said about the name of the legend. "The world hungers" a name of the legend of the creature that eats moons that almost will destroy the world. An absolute terrifying creature known as Bakunawa. Then after a couple of hours of sailing, he sighed a little bit as he was already seeing that his little town is nowhere to be found. He felt a little distress since that was his home but other than that, he was actually a little excited that he is going on a real adventure.Though, he is still a brand new trainee of a paladin. He still excelled mostly during combat, so he is very confident in this escort mission that was assigned to him or rather, he chose to be assign to. Then Ilabas tapped Raylyn's shoulder. "There's a storm coming up ahead kid. Brace yourself, this isn't an ordinary storm that's for sure. Whatever it is, be careful." Raylyn nodded and readied his holy blade. As the black clouds from the sky began to show, a howl of thunder and multiple lightnings began sparkling down each time. Then Ilabas readied his own blade. As the sea folk creatures began emerging from the surface and jumped on the ship with their sharp claws and sea weapons of spears and blades. "What are these creatures Ilabas!?" Then Ilabas said to Raylyn as he stood his guard. "These creatures are called Shokoy. A large number of sea folk that lives under the sea near the South East continent. However, they shouldn't be this aggressive unless we approached their territory. Something must be wrong here. Try to stay alert kid!" Raylyn stood his ground as these creatures began attacking him. Of course Ilabas also began slicing and dicing these creatures left and right. So far, the merchant himself is an excellent fighter. But why does he need an escort if he is this strong? Raylyn didn't have time to wander that thought. He began using his paladin techniques by slicing their neck one by one in one move. They began to get even more aggressive as more creatures emerged from the surface and crawled into the ship. Their eyes began turning red and they have gotten even stronger by the minute. "These things are becoming stronger! We need to retreat in the upper plank! Or else we will be overrun by them!" Raylyn said as he began killing more of these creatures. But Ilabas then replied with a smirk on his face. "Kid! You haven't experienced fighting on the maritime seas have you? Well that's alright. Let me show you something, a fighting skill or rather style of the South East people, specifically The Kingdom of Lusong." Ilabas drew two blades that has a swirl shape and then began to put on a stance. He began to slice them with each blade, slashing them in a precise yet deadly move from this tight space. The creatures began dropping one by one on the ground, spraying their bodies with his fighting style. He sliced their head clean while stabbing their eyes and slicing their limbs while immobilizing their movements by targeting their legs and shoulders. The screeching of the creatures began so loud that they began to almost feel powerless against the like of Ilabas. Raylyn was amazed by his vigor and skill. But Raylyn fought his own battles from his side and kept on backstabbing some of the creatures and kicking them out of the sea. Then Raylyn asked Ilabas "That move and fighting style. It's something I have never seen before. I have seen some paladins wield two blades but your blade has a unique shape and the way you move is like the raging waves of the sea. You can fighting in this tight space while the storm is still brewing!" Then Ilabas answered while jumping from one sea creature to another from their back and shoulders after beheading them with a massive deadly blade strike. "It's called Kali. It's a type of Martial Art that most people from the Kingdom of Lusong learned. I used to be a Mandirigma when I served Rajah Ligcuban. I'll tell you everything once we reached our destination. But for now! Let's kill some of these monsters and send them back to where they belong!" Raylyn then answered "Got it!" Then the battle continued for several minutes. Then a large creature with a dragon like sea serpent appearance, appeared in front of them. "What the hell is that!?" Raylyn with a shock expression on his face questioned it's existence. While Ilabas then saw it and grit his teeth with both anger and annoyance. "You've got to be kidding me. It's a baby Bakunawa. Then Raylyn said with a shock expression still but this time he shouted. "WAIT THAT'S A BABY!?" Ilabas then sliced the remaining sea creatures of Shokoy and saw that the storm is already dispersing. Then the so called baby Bakunawa went back under the sea and then the sky began to become blue once more as the sun began to rise. With a sigh of relief from both of them as they already saw the pier. The shore of the South East from the Lusong Kingdom, Kabite City. Then some folks were expecting Ilabas as they waved. They wore the same clothes like Ilabas. Then, Ilabas went down and so did Raylyn. He saw the people and how they established their cities. It's very different. He saw a very distinct civilization that seems foreign in front of his eyes. Then Ilabas talked to some of the locals. "Kaibigan! Maari mo bang kuhain ang mga kagamitan at kasangkapan ko sa barko? Bibigyan ko kayo ng sampung bulawan." (Translation: My friend, can you get some of my stuff on the ship? I'll give you 10 gold for it.) The people nodded and got all his stuff out of the ship and then Ilabas smiled to Raylyn. "Thanks kid." Then Raylyn replied "No problem. It was my duty after all. But I do have one question." Then Ilabas answered. "Sure. What is it kid?" With a curious expression from his face he asked. "Why did you ask for an escort if you were already this strong?" Then Ilabas answered as he then grabbed Raylyn's head and smiled. "Because I'm bored. I don't wanna go back home without having some company. I don't have a family to go back to and it is boring to have everything and there is no one to share it with. That's all there is to it." Then Raylyn began to feel a little bit empathetic towards him since he also don't have a family to go back to. Then Ilabas went on his way and left Raylyn on the shore and waved goodbye after disappearing from his sight. Raylyn then waved back and smiled as he found himself, stranded on the continent since he doesn't have any money to go back to.

"Aw man! I forgot! I didn't have any money to go back to!"

Raylyn is still on the shore as he was counting his money. It isn’t enough to actually cover for everything. He sighed while he then stared at the sky with a little bit of disappointed expression coming from his face. He can’t believe that he forgot to bring money on this journey and now he is miles away from home. He doesn’t know what to do right now. For now, he could see the busy market doing some trading with the locals. Sea trade capital from the shore of Lusong. The Kabite City, the place itself is full of fresh fruits and vegetables. With some fish that seems to be unique from the either from South East or just Lusong exclusively, right now Raylyn tried to at least walk around the trade market, he saw a lot of people with golden necklace around their neck and with purple clothing with golden linings from the sleeves to the neck and they seem to wear some sort of oval shape hat that seems to be folded in different colors of their clothing. Everything is so exotic here, it’s a place that is definitely different from where he came. During this time, he began to look around for some information and found a pub of some sort. They also sell liquor and other items from their unique shape blade and axes that seems to be displayed on the wall, and some woven written characters that looks like the drawing of the waves of the sea and the wind from the sky. It is a written language but sadly, Raylyn can’t read it. The people that was drinking from the pub looked at Raylyn with curiosity and then a little boy that seems to be the same age of Raylyn tapped his shoulder. The stranger’s appearance seems to have brown skin with black eyes and silky smooth long hair and he wore a traditional Lusong clothing from the Katagalugan tribe of Tondo or at least part of it. “Hoy! Ano ang ginagawa mo? Binabasa mo ba ang mga kasulatan sa dingding?” (Translation: Hey! What are you doing? Are you trying to read what is written on the wall?) And of course, Raylyn was a little flustered and unable to decipher what the little boy was saying. In short, he couldn’t really understand him. But the clueless boy still bothered him, with a wondering expression. The boy used his right hand to wave it up and down in front of Raylyn’s face. “Hoy! Nakikinig ka ba sa akin? Bakit nakatulala ka? Hm. Hindi ka ba makapagsalita” (Translation: Hey! Are you listening to me? Why are you spaced out? Hm. You can’t talk or something?) Then Raylyn sighed as the little boy seems to be clueless of what’s going on. Then a young man seems to be in his twenties came up towards both the little boy and Raylyn and grabbed the little boy’s head with a smile. He wore the same clothing from the little boy but it is much bigger in size. “Wag kang makulit, kung nais mong makipag-usap sa isang tao. Wag mo silang guluhin, hindi mo ba nakikita na iba ang kanyang pananamit?” (Translation: Try to control yourself and not be reckless when it comes to people when you are trying to talk to them. And don’t bother them, didn’t you see that his clothing is different?) The little boy perked up a little bit and then it seems he finally got the idea. “Oo nga, saan pala siya galing?” (Translation: Oh yeah, where is he from?) Then the young man observed Raylyn a little bit and pondered. “Kung maibabase natin sa kanyang pananamit. Sa tingin ko nanggaling siya sa kanluran.” (Translation: Judging from his clothes, I think he’s from the west.) Then the little boy nodded in acknowledgement, he seems to have understood the situation. Then because of it. The little boy asked the young man for something “Kaya mo ba magsalita ng taga kanluran?” ( Translation: Can you speak the language from the west?) Then the young man replied “Sa totoo lang hindi eh.” (Translation: To be honest, I cannot.) Raylyn is just standing there, he doesn’t know what they are talking about but he wants to leave right now. Of course, he could try but he isn’t the type of person to just leave, that would be rude of him. After some small talks between the young man and the little boy. The little took his hand, it seems the little boy had an idea. “Sumama ka sa akin, mayroon akong naisip.” (Translation: Come with me, I have an idea!) Raylyn was dragged by the hand of the boy, he tried to resist but he didn’t wanna be rude since he is in a foreign land. And judging by the expression of the boy, he seems to have good intentions behind the gesture so Raylyn just let it happen. The young man followed them as well. After a couple of walks, they have arrived in a place full of artistry. A giant palace that is shaped like a hut house three layers of it. The architecture is so bizzare yet unique. The halls are filled with golden dragon like sea serpent appearance that is drawn within the pillar with some characters again that he saw earlier from the wall from the pub. Then he saw many extravagant fruits like mangoes from green to yellow, and some roasted pork and a lot of rice being displayed on the table. Raylyn just realized that the little boy is either a noble or from royalty judging by he was dragged into. “Maligayang pagdating sa pagdiriwang! Ako nga pala si Humabon! Anak ni Datu Ibon.” (Translation: Welcome to the celebration/feast! I am Humabon. Son of Datu Ibon.) Raylyn could tell that Humabon is trying to introduce himself to him. So he grabbed Humabon’s hand and smiled slightly. “Raylyn. I am Raylyn Eagleheirt.” Humabon shook his hand not because he was trying to shake his hand for introduction. But because the celebration is starting, but Raylyn didn’t know that. And Humabon seems to know what he is trying to say even without actually understanding each other. “Kinagagalak kung makilala ka Reileen!”(Translation: Nice to meet you Reileen!)