33 Chapter 29: Kumbirahan

"Ugh...Tagahatid, where's Kumbirahan?" Calista asked her mentor who walked in front of them.

" Have I not taught you yet?" Tagahatid inquired.

"Not yet," she answered, " I didn't even know such existed!" she whispered.

" Then I shall teach you on the way." her mentor proposed, " Bring the children along. They might find this interesting." Tagahatid added.

Calista rounded the children as Tagahatid started to walk them through Sulad's hallway. Her mentor began explaining to them the four quadrants of Sulad. He told them that the four quadrants of Sulad were modeled after the living heart of a god.

" You mean, a god's heart has four quadrants? Is ours like that too?" Manual curiously asked.

Tagahatid glanced at Calista indicating her to answer the boy's question.

" Yes. Our hearts have four quadrants too!" She smiled.

" Ohh! What about him?" he pointed at Tagahatid, " What about mister Shadow?" he eagerly asked.

Calista was unprepared for that question. She became uneasy with the boy's remark as it might offend her mentor. She glanced at Tagahatid only to see him looking at them intently. Her mouth began to feel parched as she fumbled for words to say.

" W-well, Ummm…" she muttered.

" I do not have a heart, young boy," Tagahatid interjected, " I am hollow inside," he explained.

" Oh, I see!" Manual joyfully replied. " How do you ea--"

" Stop asking questions, Manaul!" Maya scolded him, " I want to hear the entire story before we reach our destination. Just shut up and listen!" she added.

Her harsh words left the poor boy teary-eyed. Calista got annoyed with how Maya scolded the young boy. She wanted to rebuke her about her behavior. She wanted Maya to apologize to the young boy. But she also doesn't want to cause a scene. So she instead, comforted the young boy and told him to listen to Tagahatid's story before asking any questions.

" Come on now. Let's just listen to Tagahatid first, okay?" Calista said as her eyes gazed intently at Maya who doesn't seem to care.

Tagahatid continued with his explanation while Calista and the children tailed along with him through the illuminated hallway. As her mentor mentioned, Sulad had four quadrants. The first one is Liyang where souls go through a tight hole to enter Sulad. It also serves as their admission to the underworld.

The second is Pinagsayawan, where the music perpetually plays for the souls to dance. It serves as a cleansing ritual for souls to get rid of their attachments and bad deeds when they were still alive.

The third is Panamparan, where souls get make-overs. Whether getting to wear fancy clothes, to make-ups and even tattoos, the cleansed kalag are provided with the look their pure souls represent.

Lastly is Kumbirahan, the underworld's feast. The cleansed and now, dressed kalags are sent here to the last quadrant to eat, drink, and celebrate their life's accomplishments before being sent off either for reincarnation or to the Skyworld to live as Anituns.

" Are we going back to our world after we dine?" Balinsayaw timidly asked.

" No, my young lady," Tagahatid answered, " You shall live forever in peace at SkyWorld," he added.

" Tch! I don't want to go there." Maya murmured.

Calista overheard the rebellious young girl but decided to be lenient with her.

A few moments later, they finally arrived at the vast festive hall of Kumbirahan. Where Obra, one of their Master's alagad waited for them at the huge door with flower garlands on hand.

" Welcome to Kumbirahan!" Obra greeted, " Please, let me escort you personally to our Master's table." he said, as put the garlands on them.

The Kumbirahan hall had the biggest space Calista saw in Sulad. It might be even bigger than her Master's throne room that was already big than any room she ever saw or been to.

The hall was filled with sets of long tables and benches with a capacity to hold one thousand people per table. Each kalag had a cup with an endless amount of beverage. No matter how much they emptied the cup, it never runs dry. The food also seemed to never run out, as piles of rice, lechon, and other delectable food never cease to be delivered by Obra's attendants.

It took them a few minutes to finally reach Lord Sidapa's table which was overlooking the entire hall. He had a round ivory table encrusted with gemstones and lined with gold. It also comes with individual chairs made from the same materials with a cushion for the backrest.

Tagahatid bowed at Obra to thank for the accommodation and Calista followed to do the same. Obra bowed back at Tagahatid but ignored Calista and instead gave her a snob look. Calista didn't expect that from the alagad.

She wanted to react to it but chose to let it pass by. Calista never wanted the children to feel more anxious than they already feel right now. She wanted them to feel welcomed and her impulse to start a banter with an alagad might just ruin it.

Not a few moments later, Tagahatid excused himself from the Kumbirahan to finish a few errands their Master tasked him to do.

She helped the children settle down on their chairs. Unexpectedly, Maya sat right beside her, squeezing herself in between Manaul and Balinsayaw who seemed not to care for her antics.

They silently waited for their Master who seemed to have a lot of errands as of late. Calista and the children waited for Sidapa. To avoid boredom, Calista entertained the children through games and story-telling.

She taught Manaul and Balinsayaw, Jack-en-Poy. It didn't take them too long to familiar the game. They played around with the rock, paper, and scissor symbols with their hands. Balinsayaw delighted with the game, challenged Manaul for forehead flicks. The children giggled and shrieked as their contest became more heated. In the end, Manaul won to Balinsayaw's dismay.

Calista laughed as she watched the Balinsayaw's annoyed face. The young girl was teary-eyed but was determined to overcome her rival. After the stinging punishment, she challenged him again for another round.

Calista looked at them amused at how a simple game entertained the anxious children. She was about to teach them another game when suddenly Maya tugged her arm.

" Hey, Lady Sidapa," she said, " How do I become a katabang like you?" she asked.

" It's Hiraya," Calista corrected the teen.

" Whatever! Lady Hiraya or Lady Sidapa it doesn't change the fact that you are his right hand," she stated.

" Again, that's Hiraya, Hi-Ra-Ya and I am not her right hand," Calista explained, " I heard you say that at the throne room and just ignored it. Try to be respectful to your elders will you?" she requested.

" Okay fine, Sorry Lady Sidapa." Maya smiled at her sarcastically.

" Have you no respect?" Calista finally blurted out in annoyance, " Again that's Hiraya, do not interchange my name with my Master's. He hates being disrespected," she added.

Calista didn't want to stir up any provocation. She wasn't confrontational but sometimes she will stand her ground. This was one of those moments. She was annoyed and angry at Maya for being disrespectful to her and her Master. She wanted to give her a good scolding but at the same time, she understood her for being the way she is. It almost seemed like she mirrored her in her teenage years, being rebellious. So instead of scolding her, she just gave her sound advice and hope she takes it to heart.

" Never disrespect Lord Sidapa," she said, " You don't want him to be mad at you. He will destroy you if you push him, so mind your tone and your words. "

An awkward silence enveloped her and Maya. Calista tried to rid-off the awkwardness by distracting herself with playing along with Balinsayaw and Manaul. A few minutes later, Maya tugged Calista's dress.

" You still haven't answered my question," Maya began, " How do I become a katabang?"

Calista was still annoyed at her but decided to answer the question for the sake of being respectful.

" To be honest Maya, I don't know." Calista said, " Why do you want to become someone like me." she inquired.

" Because of vengeance! I want to burn Dacongcahoy down, and everyone in it," she explained.

" What did they do to you for them to deserve this much of your hatred?" Calista pried.

" They killed my family, they took away my friends…" she said as she held herself together trying not to breakdown from telling her harrowing experience.

Calista was speechless. The girl's hunger for vengeance overwhelmed her. She wanted to give Maya some comfort regarding her feelings but she cannot seem to find the right words to say.

" Since I cannot hurt a god," Maya explained, " I might as well go for his people and maybe that way, I can avenge my family and hurt this god in the process."

" W-what are you saying?!" she exclaimed, " It's a good thing Tagahatid and Master are not around or else, you could've been destroyed in an instant."

"Huh, for all I care!" she cried out, " I want my revenge and I will do it!" she declared as she gritted her teeth just remembering the grisly and depressing experience.

Calista looked away to hide her tears. All she can do is pity her for every bad thing that has happened to her. She cannot imagine herself in Maya's situation. What could she have done? What lengths would she go to exact vengeance? Calista cannot fathom the idea of what her mind suggested to her.

All of the sudden, Maya grabbed Calista's hand, to her surprise. Maya then squeezed her hand tight that drew Calista's attention.

" Did you not become a katabang to avenge your death?" Maya asked.

Calista noticed a change in Maya's voice. It sounded cold and lifeless. There was something in her voice that made Calista's skin crawl, it sounded familiar. The sinister voice taunted her to answer as it hissed inside Maya's.

"Are you not going to avenge your death?" Maya asked again.

This time the girl's voice sounded shrill and ghastly like a hundred tortured voices chorused inside of Maya. Calista looked around and notice that everyone around was not moving, it's as if the entire hall froze.

She tried to get away from Maya's grip but found herself overpowered. The grip was hurting her as in slowly tightens like a vice-grip. Calista yanked her hand again hoping to release herself but she failed.

She looked into the young girl's eyes pleading for her to let her go but instead, she got greeted by the black void where her eyes used to be. Maya's eyes bled a black oozing liquid with a pungent smell of decaying flesh similar to the smell of the river she fell when she entered Sulad.

" Are you not going to avenge your death?" the voice sounded more sinister than the last.

Calista heard a ghastly cackle coming out from her non-moving mouth. It terrified her. Her stomach turned in terror as she tried her best to get away from the girl. Maya cracked a hissing laughter showing her sharp and jagged teeth.

"L-let me go, ple--"

" Sorry! I'm late!" Sidapa announced as he strode along the hall.

SIdapa's presence snapped everyone back to normal. At that time, Calista was finally able to release herself from Maya's grip who looked equally confused herself.

" What happened here?" Sidapa asked, " Did I miss anything?"