Chapter 37: The Battle of Plaridel
The night in Plaridel was engulfed in intense chaos, currently under attack by the rebels known as the Sons of Bulacan or, more commonly, Bagwis (Wings).
They fought and shouted bravely, initiating a revolution against the Spanish forces led by General Vicente Salazar.
The air was filled with the sounds of gunfire, shouts, and stomping feet, while fire and smoke from the destroyed police vehicles created a dense haze across the area.
At the center of the conflict, Gilo, the envoy of Malolos, stood valiantly before five gigantic monsters forged from red crystal. They blazed with red electricity, their crimson eyes burning bright.
Each of these monsters was like a living crystal statue, unmoving against the rebels' relentless assaults.
"Gilo, fall back!" shouted Diego, one of the Bagwis leaders, as he hacked at a crystal monster with his machete. But the blades of their weapons barely scratched its diamond-hard body, feeling like they were striking an unyielding wall. "We can't take these things down!"
"We will not surrender!" Gilo roared, his fury overflowing. His body erupted in white flame, forming dragon-like wings and a tail that glowed around him. This white flame was no ordinary blaze—it didn't burn like natural fire, but those engulfed by it would slowly turn to stone over several hours, depending on their exposure.
The flame also strengthened the defense of Gilo and his allies, granting them resilience, but at a cost: it sapped the energy of those shielded by it, weakening them the longer their leader's white flame remained on them.
"The white flame can only stay on you for five minutes; we have to defeat them quickly!" Gilo commanded his comrades.
With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a powerful burst of white flame, striking the first crystal monster. "Take that!" he yelled.
The monster paused briefly as its body was enveloped in the white flame, but instead of shattering or turning to stone, its crystal form merely emitted a brighter electricity. It didn't petrify because the General's power was stronger than Gilo's. Within seconds, the flame vanished, and the monster stood completely unharmed.
"Impossible!" Gilo whispered, his eyes wide with shock. He was dismayed that he couldn't destroy it.
He tried to attack again. He gathered his energy and unleashed an even stronger wave of white flame. "Let's see how you handle this, monsters!"
The fire wrapped around two of the creatures, and for a moment, they seemed to weaken, cracks appearing in their bodies.
"Now, you're finished!" Gilo cried, charging forward and punching one of the monsters. His blow connected and it shattered, but moments later, the crystal creature's body reformed, like a living, undying entity.
A few meters away from the fighting, General Salazar stood surrounded by his armed men, clutching guns and swords. His contemptuous scoff dripped with mockery as he laughed at Gilo.
"Is that all you can do, sugo of Malolos?" he sneered, his voice an intimidating boom that pierced the rebels' hearts. "You can't even reach me! You're a worthless opponent, Indio!"
Salazar's taunt ignited Gilo's rage. "Don't call us Indio, demon!" he roared and charged toward Salazar.
But before he could get close, the five crystal monsters blocked his path. One unleashed a bolt of lightning, striking the group of rebels behind Gilo. The Bagwis warriors fell, their bodies twitching in pain, while others lost consciousness from the surge of electricity.
"Gilo, watch out!" shouted Diego, struggling to stand despite his wounds.
Gilo was unafraid to fight them, battling the five monsters alone. "I won't be defeated by demons like you!" His white flame blazed again, wrapping around the first monster to halt its movement, and he brought it down with a powerful kick.
The crystal scattered on the ground, but within seconds, the pieces came together again and reformed, like a never-ending nightmare.
"This won't end!" Gilo muttered, his voice heavy with frustration. He tried again, unleashing a torrent of white flame that engulfed three monsters simultaneously.
"Vanish!" The creatures stiffened and momentarily stopped moving, cracks spreading across their bodies, but they quickly stirred, their eyes burning with a more intense electricity.
One of the monsters immediately lunged at Gilo, its crystal arm managing to strike the envoy and send him flying several meters.
Feeling pain and exhaustion coursing through his body, Gilo stood up, clutching the blood dripping from his head. He realized that because the General's power was greater, the monsters could easily break through his bodily protection.
"Diego, evacuate our troops!" he ordered, struggling to remain standing despite the pain. He watched his Bagwis comrades fighting and realized they couldn't win because the Governor-General of Bulacan was not an easy opponent.
"We can't finish this now; we'll only lose our men, so it's better for you to leave while I hold them off!" He knew his white flame protected his allies, but it wouldn't last—the energy of ordinary people was rapidly depleted under its power.
"Gilo, I won't leave you here!" Diego replied, his voice weak as his body was drained by the electric shock. The other rebels continued to fight, but the crystal monsters seemed immortal, their attacks sowing greater chaos.
In the middle of the battle, Salazar's laugh echoed. "Haha, where is your courage? You have no hope of winning against the forces of Spain! Just accept that you can't overcome my power, Indios!" he mocked. "All of Bulacan is mine; I rule this place, and there's nothing you can do to change that!"
Salazar's provocation further enraged Gilo. "You won't kill us here, Salazar!" he shouted as he unleashed an even more powerful surge of white flame that covered all five monsters.
They momentarily froze and their bodies started to petrify under the fire's power. But before they could fully turn to stone, their electricity flared up, seemingly countering the effect. One monster instantly attacked and struck Gilo with a powerful electric blast, sending him crashing to the ground.
His men stopped in shock as their leader fell. Fear and doubt were etched on their faces, as if they were losing all hope in the fight.
"Gilo!" his comrades cried out.
Gilo tried to move, disbelieving the damage his body had sustained. He hadn't expected the General's power to be so vastly different from what he anticipated. He realized that the power of Spain's seasoned warriors was truly serious compared to someone like himself with little combat knowledge.
Though angry, he accepted that his power and knowledge were insufficient to liberate Plaridel. The members of Bagwis were disheartened watching their leader kneeling and weakened.
Nevertheless, Gilo knew there was no room for fear in battle. "This fight is not over," he muttered, forcing himself to stand. He knew he had to defeat the monsters, because the Sons of Bulacan would lose all hope if even he surrendered.
Meanwhile, at Georgia's house in the Plaridel squatter area...
In her room, Georgia was resting, her body fatigued from a long day's work. Her heart was heavy and conscience-stricken over the suffering of the Filipinos in the plaza caused by her actions as Hustisya (Justice). As she lay there, she heard her grandfather talking to a visitor in the living room, their voices heavy with fear as they discussed the news from the city hall.
"Did you hear, friend? The rebels attacked the city hall!" said the visitor, a hint of terror in his voice. "They say the Sons of Bulacan are storming the place now. City Hall is in chaos, and people are afraid things will escalate and the Filipinos will be targeted again!"
Georgia's grandfather sighed deeply. "The people of Plaridel are suffering," he said, his voice laden with sorrow. "If this fighting continues, the Spaniards will only retaliate against ordinary Filipinos, and more will be dragged into it. Our town is no longer safe for us."
Georgia sat up on her bed, her mind troubled by what she heard. She recalled a moment when Gilo, the leader of the Sons of Bulacan, had asked her to join their cause. She had refused then because she couldn't fight the Spaniards or join the rebels, especially since her family lived in Plaridel. All she truly wanted was to protect her loved ones, but now, hearing the commotion, a new spark of hope ignited in her heart.
"If Bagwis is fighting, maybe I have a chance to save the hostages in the plaza," she whispered to herself. Her eyes shone with determination, even though her heart still wrestled with doubt. She knew every step she took as Hustisya came with a heavy price, but she couldn't just stand by while her people suffered.
She stood up and prepared, but before she could leave her room, her grandmother's voice stopped her. "Georgia, where are you going?" she asked, her voice full of worry.
Georgia turned to her grandmother, forcing a smile. "Just to the store, Grandma," she lied, concealing her true plan. "I'll be right back."
Her grandmother trusted her, though worry lingered in her eyes. She closed them for a moment and sighed quietly. She knew Georgia was planning something, but she also understood she couldn't control her granddaughter's decisions. "Be careful, my child," she said. "Come back quickly. We will wait for your return."
"Yes, Grandma," Georgia replied, hurrying out of the house. As she ran, she told herself, "I won't be long, Grandma. I'll just free the hostages and come right back. I promise... I'll return."
Her feet quickly crossed the dark alleys of Plaridel as she slowly transformed into Hustisya and leaped high. Her heart pounded as she spotted the smoke from the city hall in the distance. She knew her decision carried danger, but the anger and hope in her chest were stronger than her fear.
Meanwhile, at the warehouse where Ifugao trained...
Outside the old warehouse, Jana and Apyong were talking as Ifugao stood before them, bowing in gratitude. His body was tired from the intense training, but his eyes shone with determination.
"Thank you for everything you have taught me," Ifugao said. "I promise I will do everything to succeed."
Apyong smiled with deep confidence. "You don't need to thank us, Ifugao," he said. "What we did was for our own benefit too. Don't feel indebted, especially since you will use what you've learned to fight Filipino rebels."
Ifugao smiled, unfazed by Apyong's words. "Whatever your reasons for helping me, I believe I should thank those who have assisted me," he replied, his voice full of sincerity. He bowed again in respect and said, "I must leave now."
In an instant, he leaped high, his body soaring like a bird over the roofs of Plaridel.
As he left, Apyong smiled, his eyes gleaming with hope. "Ifugao is so young, so innocent," he said, a hint of admiration in his voice. "I am eager to see the heroism he will display in the future. I am certain this young hero will change many lives."
Jana replied, her voice skeptical. "I don't want to ruin your faith in him, General," she said. "But to me, Ifugao still has a lot to learn, especially in combat. He's not ready to win yet, especially against a general from Spain."
Apyong smiled, undeterred. "You are right, Jana. The skills of the generals are far superior to this young envoy's," he said. "But when it comes to the potential of his power, I believe he can do it." He looked, staring at the ruined warehouse—the roof and walls were nearly collapsed from the force of Ifugao's training. "I believe Ifugao will surpass every general, once he unleashes his true power."
A Few Minutes Later, as Ifugao Traversed the Streets of Plaridel...
Ifugao moved swiftly over the roofs and posts of Plaridel, using his powerful leaps to reach the plaza in just half an hour. From above, he saw the chaos below—panicked townsfolk, running police, and smoke rising from explosions. He knew much had happened in the town, but his mission was clear: save the hostages in the plaza.
When he landed in the middle of the plaza, he was stunned by the horrifying sight. Hundreds of crosses stood tall, and each one had a Filipino tied to it—children, elderly, women, and men.
"What happened here?" he whispered, trembling with shock, his fists clenched in anger. Some were barely alive, their bodies bloody, their hands feebly reaching out for help. Others were lifeless, their eyes cold, while the surviving elderly cried and pleaded.
"What kind of punishment did they inflict on these Filipinos?!" Ifugao whispered, his heart breaking at the tragic state of his countrymen. "This is inhumane; this should not have happened," he uttered, trembling as he clutched his head.
As he walked, he noticed a woman standing in the middle of the plaza, in front of a cross where a young girl, no more than seven years old, was tied, bloody and lifeless.
"Georgia?!" Ifugao whispered, his eyes widening in surprise. He immediately recognized her but couldn't understand why his friend was there. He tried to approach, continuously calling out to her, afraid the Spaniards would see and punish her, but he froze when a dark aura began to emerge from Georgia's body. "What kind of presence is this?"
The aura was like black smoke, slowly enveloping her surroundings. Ifugao shivered and thought he recognized the feeling—like the dark presence he once sensed from Alfredo, an envoy filled with anger and evil intent. "Her presence is terrifying. I can feel intense anger in the aura emanating from her, just like Alfredo," he suddenly thought, superimposing his friend's image onto Georgia.
As time passed, the black aura grew stronger, blazing like a fire that engulfed the plaza. The air grew heavy, and the ground seemed to tremble under the weight of her presence.
"Georgia, what is happening to you?!" Ifugao cried, but his voice was drowned out by the humming air. He didn't know what to do, his mind confused by the sight. "Georgia! Can you hear me?!"
He stopped mid-stride as Georgia screamed.
"You monsters! You will pay, demons!" she shrieked, her eyes burning with a red and black aura. "You punish the innocent! You defile us Filipinos in our own land! Enough! I will show you true justice!" she swore, her voice thundering across the plaza, "I will avenge every victim of your cruelty until my last breath!"
As she screamed, her body slowly transformed. She was covered in a thick black aura that swirled around her like a dark storm. Her eyes were ablaze with energy, her hair whipped in the wind like flames. In an instant, her outfit changed into that of Hustisya, her skin glowing with dark energy, and her presence overwhelmed the entire area.
The ground she stood on shook, and from her shadow, a massive magic circle appeared, from which emerged a gigantic skeleton, over fifteen meters tall, its bones blazing with red fire. It was like a god of death, its eyes glowing with the same red energy as Hustisya's. As she stood atop its head, her cape billowed in the air, caused by the raging, stormy aura in the plaza.
"Impossible, Hustisya?!" Ifugao whispered, his eyes wide in astonishment; he had never expected to witness this. He also noticed the energies from the hostages tied to the crosses being drawn towards Hustisya's body. "What is happening to the people?"
The energy of their souls was like faint smoke flowing into the girl's body, strengthening her black and red aura. The power she drew from the hostages further boosted her inherent energy, and after a few moments, flaming red wings sprouted from the giant skeleton's back. It wasted no time and flew into the sky, heading directly west towards the city hall.
"Georgia... how... you are Hustisya?" Ifugao whispered, his mind in turmoil. He had never once considered that Georgia and Hustisya were the same person.
The girl he was trying to convince and help was with him every day. "Why didn't I notice that immediately?" he asked himself, his voice heavy with regret. "We were together every day, so how did I not even know this?"
The gigantic skeleton continued to fly towards the city hall, where the rebels and the Spanish forces were clashing. Hustisya, standing on its head, was like an angel of death, her eyes burning with wrath. Her presence instilled fear in the surroundings; even those who only saw the flying skeleton felt dread because of the dark aura she carried.
Ifugao, left behind in the plaza, was still confused by his discovery. His heart was filled with doubt, but he knew he had to follow Hustisya. "I need to know what Hustisya's plan is," he whispered, and with a powerful leap, he chased the flying skeleton towards the city hall. "I will save you, Georgia."
The night in Plaridel became witness to a war that would decide the town's fate. On one side, Gilo and the Sons of Bulacan fought the crystal monsters and Salazar's forces. He knew Hustisya was ready to fight, now walking the same dark path that Alfredo had once trod.
Now that Hustisya was fueled by anger, she would no longer hold back in achieving justice in her own way. His mission was clear: to stop Hustisya, but he also knew he couldn't simply let the Spanish evil against the Filipinos continue.
The war he had been avoiding had begun, and no matter what happened, he had to act and do something to prevent the situation from worsening.
End of Chapter