Chapter 02: A World Unseen

Lukas followed the strange man through the dense forest, each step taking him deeper into the unknown. The air was thick with the scent of earth and pine, and the sound of his own breathing filled his ears. The man moved with an ease that Lukas envied, slipping through the trees as if he was part of the forest itself. Lukas, on the other hand, struggled to keep up, tripping over roots and stumbling on uneven ground.

“Where are we going?” Lukas finally asked, his voice trembling despite his best efforts to keep it steady.

The man didn’t answer right away. Instead, he glanced over his shoulder, his dark eyes glinting in the dim light. “You’ll see soon enough. But first, you need to learn the rules of this world.”

“The rules?” Lukas repeated, confused. “What do you mean?”

The man stopped abruptly, causing Lukas to nearly crash into him. They had reached a small clearing, the trees parting to reveal a patch of sky above. The man turned to face Lukas, his expression serious.

“Theos is not like your world,” the man began, his voice low and measured. “Here, the myths and legends you grew up with are very real. The creatures you heard about in stories—the aswang, the tikbalang, the diwata—they all exist here. And they are not as forgiving as the tales might have led you to believe.”

Lukas felt a chill run down his spine. He had heard the stories, of course—everyone in the Philippines grew up hearing them. But to think that those creatures could be real… it was almost too much to comprehend.

“Who are you?” Lukas asked, his curiosity getting the better of him. “And why did you bring me here?”

The man’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, Lukas thought he wouldn’t answer. But then the man sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. “My name is Datu. I am what your people would call a babaylan—a shaman, a keeper of the old ways. I didn’t bring you here, Lukas. Theos called you. It sensed something in you, something it needed.”

Lukas frowned, his mind racing. “But why me? I’m just a kid. I’m not special.”

Datu’s gaze softened, and he placed a hand on Lukas’s shoulder. “You may not believe it now, but there is something extraordinary about you. Theos has chosen you for a reason, and it’s up to you to discover what that reason is.”

Lukas wanted to argue, to tell Datu that he was wrong, that this was all some sort of mistake. But deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was truth in the shaman’s words. He had always felt different, like he was meant for something more, something bigger than himself. Maybe this was it. Maybe this was what he had been waiting for.

Before Lukas could respond, a sound echoed through the forest—a low, guttural growl that sent a shiver down his spine. Datu stiffened, his hand dropping from Lukas’s shoulder as he turned toward the sound.

“They’ve found us,” Datu muttered, his voice tense.

“Who?” Lukas asked, his heart pounding in his chest.

Datu didn’t answer. Instead, he reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a small, intricately carved dagger. The blade glinted in the faint light, and Lukas could see symbols etched into the metal, symbols that seemed to pulse with an inner light.

“Stay close to me,” Datu ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. “And whatever you do, don’t run.”

Lukas nodded, fear gripping his insides as he stepped closer to Datu. The growl sounded again, louder this time, and Lukas could see movement in the shadows at the edge of the clearing. Shapes began to emerge from the darkness—hulking, twisted forms that Lukas recognized from the stories his grandmother used to tell him.

Aswang.

Their eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and their mouths twisted into grotesque smiles, revealing rows of sharp, yellowed teeth. Lukas’s breath caught in his throat as the creatures began to circle them, their movements slow and deliberate.

“Remember the rules, Lukas,” Datu said quietly, his eyes never leaving the aswang. “Theos is a world of balance. Everything here has its opposite. Light and dark, life and death, creation and destruction. You must find your balance, or this world will consume you.”

Lukas didn’t know what that meant, but there was no time to ask. The aswang lunged at them, their clawed hands outstretched. Datu moved swiftly, the dagger flashing in the dim light as he slashed at the nearest creature. The blade cut through the aswang’s flesh, and it let out a shriek of pain, recoiling from the strike.

But there were too many of them. For every aswang Datu struck down, two more took its place. Lukas felt panic rising in his chest. They were surrounded, and there was no way out.

“Lukas, you need to focus!” Datu’s voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. “You have power within you—use it!”

Lukas’s mind raced. Power? What power? He was just a kid, lost in a world he didn’t understand, surrounded by monsters he thought only existed in nightmares.

The aswang closed in, their claws reaching for him, and Lukas felt something inside him snap. A surge of energy welled up from deep within, a force he had never felt before. It coursed through his veins, filling him with a strength that was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Without thinking, Lukas raised his hand, and a blinding light erupted from his palm, sending the aswang flying back. The creatures screeched in agony as the light engulfed them, their twisted forms dissolving into nothingness.

When the light faded, the clearing was silent. The aswang were gone, their presence erased from the world as if they had never existed. Lukas stood in the center of the clearing, his heart pounding, his hand still glowing with the remnants of the energy he had unleashed.

Datu approached him slowly, his expression unreadable. “You did well, Lukas,” he said quietly. “But this is only the beginning. Theos has much more in store for you.”

Lukas stared at his hand, the glow fading away as the last traces of the power ebbed. He didn’t understand what had just happened, or how he had done it. All he knew was that his life had changed forever, and there was no turning back.

“Come,” Datu said, gesturing for Lukas to follow. “We must keep moving. There are others who will want to meet you.”

Lukas nodded numbly, his mind still reeling from the encounter. As he followed Datu out of the clearing, he couldn’t help but wonder what other dangers—and revelations—awaited him in this strange, new world.

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