“Lola! Kuya! You are back!” Sabel excitedly called out when she saw her grandmother and Mawi walking towards their home.

“Have you been a good girl?” Chuckled Lola Yma as she ruffled Sabel’s hair. She clearly dotes on her.

“Yes! I am well behaved!” Answered the little girl proudly.

“Let us have lunch first, then we will talk. All that activity earlier made this old body of mine hungry.” Complained Lola Yma in a lighthearted manner as she instructed Mawi.

After eating their lunch, Sabel was put to sleep by Lola Yma. It was the little girl’s siesta time. As Mawi is now able to move around, their bed is now vacant so Lola Yma laid Sabel on the bed. After laying Sabel on the bed, Lola Yma then pulled out a box from underneath the bed. She then opened it and took out an item. It was a medium-sized, triangular, brass agimat, the one given to Lumawig by Lolo Gani! She also took the pasyawan whip and the buntot pagi then went outside to find Mawi sitting on a chair, seemingly waiting for the old woman. Without waiting for Mawi to say anything, Lola Yma immediately started talking.

“Haaays. When I found you unconscious six days ago, I found these things on your person. This two, I have already told you, were lying near your unconscious body, while this item – you were wearing this around your neck.” Holding the triangular agimat in front of her face, Lola Yma told Mawi of the events six days ago.

“I believe that these items hold the secret to unlocking your memories, and your background. Afterall, you are not a normal person.” Lola Yma continued. She then handed the agimat to Mawi who in turn took some time observing the item.

To Mawi, he felt that there was some sort of connection with him and the agimat, but he could not remember if the items were really his. Nevertheless, he still wore the agimat; the moment he did so, he suddenly felt a warm energy course through his body. It was like there was a little flame that travelled at light speed around his body. This warm energy seemed to have reinvigorated him, but as quickly as it appeared, the warm energy disappeared just as fast. This sudden event brought by him wearing the agimat made Mawi freeze for an instant that did not escape Lola Yma’s notice.

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“Did you feel anything?” Seeing Mawi’s reaction, Lola Yma knew that there was some kind of a reaction between Mawi and the agimat.

“I…felt a warm energy course through me.” Replied Mawi honestly. There was no point in him hiding it, partly because it did not escape the old woman’s eyes, but mainly because there was no need for it. If the old woman had any designs or evil intentions against him or his agimat, or his other two possessions, she would not have gone through all the trouble nursing him back to health. Hence, Mawi replied in a straightforward and honest manner.

“As I thought. You really are a babaylan!” A flash of excitement appeared in Lola Yma’s eyes.

“Babaylan? What is that?” Mawi was confused, the word sounds so familiar, but he could not remember where, when, and who told him about the word. Additionally, hearing the word ‘babaylan’, Mawi started to have a headache and his vision started to go hazy. Mawi then heard a soft voice inside his head saying: “You are a babaylan!”

Seeing Mawi’s reaction to the word, Lola Yma immediately put her hands at the top of the young man’s head and chanted. A few breaths later, Mawi started to calm down, his headache was gone, and his vision returned to normal.

“Thank you lola.” Said Mawi sincerely.

“Did you remember something?” With a voice full of concern, Lola Yma asked Mawi if hearing the word ‘babaylan’ made him remember something.

“Yes! Apparently, I am a babaylan! But that is all I can remember.” With excitement and a small hint of doubt, Mawi confirmed Lola Yma’s question, but the excitement was short-lived as he was not able to remember anything else.

“That is fine. No need to force yourself. It is already a great thing that you remembered being a babaylan, that at least gave me enough to understand your background and the circumstances of you being found unconscious.” Explained Lola Yma.

“That much with just me remembering being a babaylan?” Surprised by the old woman’s words, Mawi could not help but ask.