51 Auspicious Clouds
"What makes you trust me?" Yagnos asked as the booming sounds outsides finally halted.
Argus smirked while massaging his temples, his ears felt quite hurt.
"Hehe, you are so serious, brother! Let's just say I've taken a liking towards you!" Argus cheekily replied.
"Hmph. Yet you quite scared me there brother." Yagnos replied smiling from ear to ear.
"Alright, you must go now. Just don't make a rumor about what happened here today." He added.
"No worries." Waving his hand Argus replied.
Then as if he felt something is missing, before he could even step his right foot outside the hut he remembered something.
"Also, I have a pet down there." Argus ambiguously stated.
Yagnos and the bunch started giggling from his statement.
"We all do brother.why are you suddenly mentioning your pet down there, is there something wrong?" Yagnos, clueless of what Argus is suddenly saying stared back while biting his lips, trying his hard to prevent himself from laughing.
"I mean... I have a crocodile below the table!"
And when they all heard this, their smirking and giggling faces is suddenly replaced by wide-open mouths.
"WHERE?!!!" In unison, they all asked, afraid of this pet Argus is talking about.
"Well, relax brothers... he is still a baby"
Hearing this directly from Argus himself made them heave a sigh of relief.
They all exclaimed "Phew! That scared me!"
After a brief silence, Argus continued, "Also, take care of it for me!" Argus smirked and finally made his way out of the hut, all along while shouting: "YOU THREE! YOU"VE HEARD RIGHT! LISTEN TO HIM!"
And with that Argus's voice gradually disappeared.
"Yes, Master!" The three shouted back in unison, shifting their gazes to Yagnos.
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Life in Danao, especially at Saon is as mundane and simple as it can be. People don't have calendars that they can use to gauge the passing of days.
But they use the stars and the moon as their guides. To this tribesmen, the moon will determine most of the things.
Like when to sail, when to harvest, and when to hunt. Most of the things are decided by the change in the phase of the moon.
But on this day, while the 1st Trial for who shall marry the Saman is about to start, a sudden vision came being fulfilled from a prophecy that surprised most of the elders and everyone that is present.
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Warriors flocked around the Lumin's Tribal Square.
After the loud noises from the trumpet and the gong, they all have gathered below the platform where Wagu Atubang can be seen spreading his arms with a speech.
Including Argus, other Alipins who also wants to challenge the Trial came with him.
They all received mocking slurs and sneers from the other Warriors present.
For them, Alipins like Argus who they never really bothered about their origins is just a nuisance and should quietly back off from the trial.
Wagu Atubang, proud of his dark bare skin, removed his Chaleco-Vest and burned it in front of the audiences—It is a ceremony done by a close aide of either The Datu or The Dayang, whenever a special event is done.
He placed it on a huge metallic container, where a burning fire endlessly burned.
Followed by a declaration.
"I hope that everyone present here is now ready, and the drinking ceremony is well. As we have said, The First Trial will start in the afternoon! I Wagu Atubang decla—"
And just when he is about to finish his words...
An auspicious clouds have illuminated the heaven's gate!
The sky shined in colorful rays.
And people could not help but remember the Famous Last Words of a Renowned Babaylan.
"The day will come when the bane of your reign will come!"
"This shall happen when the day, a boy chosen by a God comes in contact with his rightful destiny."
"An arduous path towards Domination!"
"The Spirits have given me a vision"
"Auspicious clouds illuminates the heaven's gate!"
This prophecy was said by the famous Babaylan who throughout his whole life made no mistakes in his predictions.
[33] Nobody really knew his origins and his real name but most of the people have called him Laon—an archaic word from Danao's native language that almost equates to Old.
Laon according to many, was the first to become a Male Babaylan—leader of the group of Shamans in a tribe.
[34] And due to Laon, Rajah Maur rose into power! All will tremble beneath his feet at the mentioning of his name. The islands in Danao including Saon indirectly pays tribute to him, not through any kind but by participating in expeditions of wars whenever he calls out to them.
Of course, Datus and Apoks can still reject a Rajah's Orders. There is no binding rule that says so. But due to fear and intimidation, people would just listen and obey to a Rajah.
That's how the Rajah title just came to be.
Danao consists of 7 minor tribes and other undiscovered tribal villages. The Seven Minor Tribes are subjugated by an Apok from The Four Major Tribes and above these tribes, comes the Three Ruling Tribes, one in which Rajah Maur came from.
Under his reign, people are subjected to terror. At any moment war against each tribe could happen.
On the day Laon is about to die, he received an oracle or a vision. He warned Rajah Maur, of a boy chosen by a God. It will be the bane of his! His only clue is that it will come at the tail of Danao and auspicious clouds will help him locate the boy.
That's why, when these auspicious clouds have illuminated the whole of Saon, under the opened gates of heaven, where the clouds are clear...
People could not help but remember Laon's warning.
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"I..." Unable to continue his words, Wagu Atubang just stood there staring at the sky, which then made the surrounding people shift their gaze towards the sky.
And more and more people also did the same.
Argus, witnessing this scene could not help but wonder. Clueless, he asked the other Alipins and Sulgos, dressed like him.
"I know the sky looked great right now, but why do people make too much of a commotion over this thing?" Scratching his head, the boy Argus asked.
"Ehh? Brother, are you serious with that question?" Suprised the other Alipin replied in wonder.
"Yes?"
"You have no knowledge of it?"
"What about it?" Argus tilts his head.
And the Alipin began narrating the story of Rajah Maur, his conquests, and the Famous Last Words of Laon before he died.
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"A boy of destiny, chosen by a God?" Argus murmured to himself, after listening for a while.
"Yes..." And the Alipin suddenly laughed, "You can't be thinking it was you right? Phwaaat Haha!" "Dream on!" He added.
The Alipin clicked his tongue and left him.
Argus went into deep thought.
"If It's not me, I'll just make it so that it shall be me!" Argus smirks and once more gazing at the auspicious clouds.
