Night falls over the city of Midandria. Lots of people still loitered on its streets lit up by colorful lanterns. Some enjoy their time drinking beer or having dinner outside their homes. Some watched performers on the wide and beautiful city square. On the other hand, silence ruled over the refugee town. The few lanterns were white and lonely and no one dared to share its light other than the empty road and the squires and knights quietly guarding their stations. On one side of the town, in a quiet alley, a small cage has a prisoner. The man was wide awake waiting for a chance to run out. The lock of his cage was already destroyed. He paid someone earlier destroy it early in the day. He was waiting for a distraction.

“The festival is almost here,“ a squire said, standing beside a street lamp a few meters away. There was a sparkle in his eyes, a motivation.

“Why are you even so excited for the festival?” another squire said. He was standing beside the cages. This one had seen more sunsets than he could ever thought. His eyes were dull and he looked tired and sleepy.

“Well, the food of course! And then Gwyn will power up his new sword from the King with the Golden Light so he would become more powerful and end the Grand Demon!”

The older squire sighed, “Nahhh, you’re so childish. No one will defeat the Grand Demon. Do you even know how long its been sleeping? Don’t bother it! Just let it sleep! And what happens if it dies? Another one will just come up and take its place!”

“Oh, I didn’t know you’re a coward!” the young one said.

“It's called being smart!”

“Byron the coward.”

“I don’t care…”

“I care! I hate this place! I want to go somewhere!”

“Go somewhere huh? What do you think chief? Anything exciting coming up at the festival?”

The prisoner looked at the squire, “I am excited. It's been 15 years since I’ve been to the festival. So I think it's gonna be fun,” he said.

“See! And he’s even older than you,” the young squire said.

“Oh my, the festival is too tiresome! I just want to slee–-” the old squire stopped speaking. He felt something he didn’t understand and then the light from the street lamp drifted to the left. Then it drifted to the right. A sudden sensation moved them. The light bounced and the two squires lost their balance. The man in the cage held on to the rails. He also held on to the door of his cage so it wouldn’t sway open and reveal its status. Screams started to erupt from different directions.

“What’s happening? the young squire said.

“It's a quake!” the chief said.

“Down!” the old squire said.

The three dropped down to the ground as the shanties swayed and the whole city was rocked. The ground settled slowly but a strong gust of wind slapped them followed by a loud roar thundering from the sky. Another gust of wind struck and then a huge shadow flew by and passed the city.

“Oh no!” the old squire saw the flying thing that passed through. He couldn’t describe it. He and the younger squire looked at each other.

“What’s that?” the younger squire said.

“Call the knights! It's the Grand Demon!” the chief shouted.

“What? The G-grand Demon? How do you know?” the young squire said.

“I just know!” the chief said.

More screams followed as another roar silenced the people. A siren sounded, a noise no one could ever miss and the people started running on the streets.

“Hey, everyone! Stay inside!” the old squire said but no one paid him attention.

Bells clang which took the attention of all squires and knights.

“Let’s go boy!” the old squire said and the two squires ran.

“Wait!” the young squire stopped and looked back at the chief who was still in the cage.

“I’m okay! Go! Go!” the chief said.

“No, I can’t leave you here!” the squire ran back to the chief while looking for the keys in his pocket.

The squire found the key and as he held on to the lock it instantly fell.

“Oh?” Both of them said looking at each other's eyes, both mouths open.

“Let’s go!” the old squire shouted at them.

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The young squire then turned his back and ran with the old squire in the direction where the people were going.

“Good! Thanks, old Byron!” the chief whispered looking back at the squires, “Now, I got to find the others!” he said.

The refugees flowed like a raging river. They were all running down from their houses and into the city square. He braved the crowd and ran in the opposite direction.

As he plowed through the river of people, bright lights flashed behind him. The people sighed. He looked back and saw a bolt of fire fly down from the sky and was met by a pillar of light exploding into booming sounds and explosions of lights.

“Oh, Bathala!” He turned immediately and ran north.

The people of Midandria gathered at the city square. Residents and refugees knelt and prayed as a battle unfolded in the sky. A gigantic lizard-like dark figure with huge wings flies across the sky spewing fire and wind.

“Do not be afraid,” a soothing voice entered everyone’s mind. A dome of light appeared over the town and shielded it from the fires and wind attacks.

“It's the Vicar! The Vicar!” the people said.

“God is with us!” the voice said.

More fire and wind came out of the Grand Demon but the barrier protects the city now and the refugee town.

The city vibrated every time the dome was hit. The people continued to pray as the babies and children cried. Some knights and squires watched on the roof waiting for any orders.

“Lolo!” Fina cried watching her lolo fall to the ground while carrying Sonya. The girl, Sonya had gone mad. She kept on screaming non-stop covering both eyes and years. Her body was shaking and she didn’t want to move.

The chief heard the voice and turned his head to see the old man and the two girls. Both of the girls were crying.

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” the old man said.

“What are you doing?” the chief went over to help the old man carry the little girl.

“We’re just trying to get out. Thank you.” The old man said,

“Okay, yeah proceed to the square!” the chief said, and then he continued to run and finally arrived at the north side of the town.

“Naya! Where are the others?”

He saw her running away to another street.

“Chief! Oh my God!”

“Where are the others?”

“They, they are at the square. But I came back for David. He got separated from Sina!”

“He’s a smart kid! He’s probably in the square already! Think! That should be the way you think! But I’m glad you’re here. I have to tell you something.”

“What is it?” she said.

####

Five nights ago…

“Chief, where are you going? It's about to get dark.” Naya said.

“I’ll be quick. There’s someone I need to talk with. Watch out for everyone.”

“Okay, please be careful.”

The yellow sun was setting on the refugee town but the streets were as busy as it was when it was rising. Last-minute buying and negotiations were being done; buying food, buying spaces and blankets. In an hour, a siren will sound and the main streets will be empty. The chief walked casually to the west of the town. There was a street that he would like to go to. A certain street that most people do not go to. Even the squires and knights do not like being stationed on this street. It was said that the people who slept on this street and the houses in it had nightmares visited by a demonic rat. The chief wasn’t here for nightmares though, he first came there by chance when trying to run from a squire who saw him walking after curfew hours. There were four houses on the street and only around ten people slept there. The squire who was following him didn’t even try to enter the street and so the chief stayed on the street.

“What is this feeling?” he said as he sat down inside one of the rooms. It looked like the same room as everybody had in the refugee town except for the feeling of dread like something cursed the place and it doesn’t want you in it. He sat there for hours. He prayed to the old gods, to Bathala, to keep him safe. His mind started to slip between dreaming and waking. He started to see visions. Visions of an old and empty city submerge in a dark mist. And within the mist, apparitions of a giant rat were appearing and disappearing as if it hunting you. But he wasn’t afraid, he knew there was something more dangerous that could happen to them in the town. So he posed a question, “Who are you?”. There was no response but a path opened up in the mist and he followed that path. After several steps, he fell into a dark cave and then woke up.

He stood in the darkness. He doesn’t know where he is now. The room that he entered earlier was gone. “Am I still dreaming?” he whispered and hearing his own voice through his ears made him realize that he was awake.

“You put me here. Whoever you are, ” he said. He started moving his feet, feeling the uneven rock under him. His senses were settled now. The silence was ringing in his ear. He traced the walls and followed it. He started to hear water, a stream of water but he didn’t know where it was he thought it was a sign that he was in the right direction. The rocks started to become visible. His feet and arms also became visible. Something was at the end of the of his sight and he could see a yellow light shining through. He walked faster and faster until and saw a huge wide cavern with a mesa surrounded by high walls made of bricks. And within those walls, a light was coming out. There was fire.

“Hello!” he said but the only response was the echoes traveling away from him.

Going to the ruins was like a maze itself. It was in the middle, and the walls surrounding it had smaller caves like the one he came from. And then from those small caves, the level went lower and it became a short hike to reach the mesa.

“Looks to be defensive design,” he whispered.

The walls were high. There were windows created to see the lower level and the chief was constantly looking at it as he went up. He didn’t see anyone looking through. The path became better after a few minutes of the hike. The rocks became smooth and then he found a perfectly made stairs that would enable him to reach the ruin. It took him longer to climb the stairs even though it was a shorter route but seeing the torch at the top of the ruins made him feel good. There was an archway at the top which served as the welcoming door. He was at the center with a straight pathway to another torch-lit space. The walls inside the mesa weren’t as high as the protective walls around the whole area, it was only as tall as he is. At first glance, the whole thing looked like a small town with exact partitions and paths but the partitions had no roof.

“Hello!” he said again but one answered.

He followed the path that led to another light. It was the center pathway that made him think that the leader who who ever lived there used that place. Upon arrival, there was nothing in the room except for a small table and a skeleton with normal-looking clothes.

“Who are you?”

A human voice came out of the skeleton which made the chief jump.

“Oh, my Bathala! Help me!” He immediately knelt and closed his eyes.

“Your gods will not help you,” the voice said.