Minutes passed after Luke called his father. Mr. Dante Fernandez, Luke's father, finally arrived. He was a tall man in his late fifties, with a commanding presence and an air of authority. He wasted no time, his eyes sharp and focused as he addressed the group.

"Father," Luke said, greeting his father.

Mr. Fernandez's gaze shifted from his son to Alex, his expression serious. "Luke tells me someone has found the statue. Is this true?"

Alex nodded, his demeanor respectful. "Yes, sir. A friend of my friend stumbled upon it. He described it in detail, and it matches the statue perfectly."

Mr. Fernandez's eyes narrowed, his mind racing with possibilities. "Where did your friend find this statue? I need specifics."

"He found it near the edge of our resort," Alex replied.

Mr. Fernandez turned to Luke, his expression intense. "This could be the breakthrough we've been waiting for. If the statue truly exists, then the treasure might be real as well."

Luke nodded eagerly. "I know, Dad. This could change everything."

Alex, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up. "Mr. Fernandez, there's something that's been bothering me since I heard Luke's story. How did you know about this legend?

John, who had been silent until now, spoke up, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Yeah, I've been wondering that too. How do you know about this legend in the first place?"

There was a pause as Mr. Fernandez considered their questions. He looked at them sternly, his gaze piercing. "Before I answer that, I need to know if you two are in this together. This information is not to be shared with anyone else. If you break this trust, you will suffer a fate worse than death. Do you understand?"

Alex and John visibly paled, the gravity of Mr. Fernandez's words sinking in. They gulped and looked at each other, fear evident in their eyes. "We promise, sir," Alex said, his voice trembling slightly. "We'll take this secret to our graves."

John nodded vigorously. "Yes, sir. We won't tell anyone."

Satisfied with their vow, Mr. Fernandez began his tale, his voice filled with an eerie calm.

--

Many generations ago, the ancestor of the Fernadez family, a humble fisherman named Salvador, lived on Bantayan Island. One fateful day, while exploring the depths of Ogtong Cave, Salvador stumbled upon a discovery that would change the course of his family's history forever.

As Salvador chipped away at the cave's walls, seeking valuable minerals, his pickaxe struck something solid and metallic. Intrigued, he continued to dig until he unearthed a rusted iron chest, its surface adorned with intricate carvings. With trembling hands, Salvador pried open the chest, revealing an ancient book, its pages yellowed with age and covered in a language he did not recognize.

Salvador, knowing he had found something extraordinary, brought the book back to his village. Over the following weeks, he painstakingly translated the text with the help of the village elder, who recognized the ancient script. What they discovered was a chronicle of an era long forgotten, a story of a warrior whose legacy had been buried in the sands of time.

The warrior, known as Lakan, had ruled Bantayan Island with unmatched strength and wisdom. Armed with two mystical swords—one imbued with the power of light and the other with the force of darkness—Lakan protected his people from all manner of threats, both human and supernatural.

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His prowess in battle and his fair, just rule earned him the adoration of his people. Neighboring islands, hearing tales of Lakan's might, sought his protection, offering tributes of gold, diamonds, and other treasures in exchange for his guardianship. The amassed wealth led to the prosperity of Bantayan Island, transforming it into a beacon of peace and power in the region.

To honor Lakan and ensure his continued protection, the people constructed a grand statue depicting the warrior in a battle stance, holding his two swords. The statue was more than a tribute; it was a symbol of the island's unity and strength.

Then, out of the blue, a calamity arrived. Mr. Fernandez continued with a grave tone, "The book did not mention how the inhabitants of the island and their leader vanished, but it said that the people who visited the island were stunned and horrified by what they saw. The place was destroyed beyond belief. There was no one left, not even a corpse. Even the treasures were gone."

He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "But the most baffling thing the people discovered was that the statue they built was nowhere to be found. Who would take a statue? Sure, it was crafted beautifully, but there's no gold or diamonds on it."

Alex and John listened intently, their expressions a mix of intrigue and horror. Mr. Fernandez's voice lowered, adding to the suspense. "After discovering this tragedy, the neighboring islands lived in fear, thinking they could be next. But over the years, nothing happened. So, the people speculated that there must be something more to it."

"The islanders must have offended someone or something so powerful that even the warrior was not its match. Years had passed, and though the tragedy was not forgotten, the fear it inspired began to wane. People from neighboring islands, drawn by the fertile land and bountiful seas, slowly started to settle on Bantayan Island again. They rebuilt their lives amidst the ruins, unaware of the full extent of the island's haunted past."

Mr. Fernandez's voice grew somber. "These new settlers occasionally unearthed remnants of the past—ornaments, tools, and even fragments of texts that hinted at the island's former glory. Stories of the great warrior Lakan and his legendary treasures began to resurface, passed down through generations, becoming a mix of history and myth."

Alex, who had been listening intently, couldn't hold back his curiosity any longer. "How did the people know about the statue and the treasure? If the island was destroyed and everyone vanished, how did the new inhabitants know?"

Mr. Fernandez answered, "It said in the book that someone accidentally found a statue of the warrior when he was hunting for food. This hunter also found some treasures around the statue. Word of his discovery spread quickly, and people from neighboring islands flocked to Bantayan once again, hoping to find the statue and the riches it guarded."

He paused, letting the intrigue settle in. "But despite their thorough searches, they did not find the statue. It was as if it had vanished into thin air, taking the treasures with it. The island's legend grew even more mysterious, and the people began to speculate that the statue and the treasure were protected by some unseen force, only revealing themselves to those deemed worthy."

"It also said some people did not give up looking for it, but over the years, the statue just became a legend until no one was talking about it anymore, so the legend died with it. That was until my ancestor found the book."

"The Legend of the Statue began to spread again. Thousands of people flocked to Bantayan Island, searching for the statue. After years of searching, no one found it, and it was labeled a hoax by the people and dismissed. But my ancestor still believed the statue was real. He told this story to his children and grandchildren, and it became a bedtime story within our family."

"And that's how my family knows about the legend of the statue," Mr. Fernandez concluded, his voice filled with solemn reverence.

As Mr. Fernandez finished his tale, the weight of history and legend hung in the air. He turned to Alex, his eyes gleaming with purpose.

"Alex," Mr. Fernandez said firmly, "I need you to invite me and Luke to your birthday party tomorrow night. We need to talk to that guy you mentioned who found the statue."

Alex's eyes widened slightly. "You mean at the party? You want to bring this up with him there?"

"Yes," Mr. Fernandez replied, his tone serious. "We need to see if we can persuade him to reveal the statue's location. This could be the key to unlocking the treasure and understanding the full extent of the legend."

Alex hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Alright, I'll invite you and Luke to the party. But how are we going to convince him to show us the statue? He might be reluctant to reveal something so significant."

Mr. Fernandez leaned back, his gaze thoughtful. "You don't have to worry about that."