Chapter 21: Karma and Sunrise

Karma was often said to be the universal law of cause and effect. What you shall sow, you shall also reap, and every religion has a version of this teaching. However, according to his studies, Matthos found that this wasn't entirely on point. The Law of Compensation, as Ralph Emerson Waldo calls it, is often interpreted as a way of a punishment or reward system.

But that wasn't always the case. The spiritual realm and the existence of beings go beyond the laws of karma. It does not always have a form of causation. Sometimes, you only need to exist to be cursed into damnation.

Matthos read his grandfather's notes on the existence of Winter in the Philippines.

"Proof of existence is prevalent in the areas of Baguio and the rest of the Cordillera region. The Cordilleran's abilities to withstand extreme cold weather are innate, making it plausible that their ancestors did endure harsh winter or hailstorms. Pine trees are also abundant in the area. Then, there's the type of food preservation that is cold-centric. They preserve food that lasts not just days or for flavor, but those that can survive for a year."

Matthos sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he thought of his last visit to Baguio. The last time he went, there was in 2012 when the world was prophesied to end. The Mayan calendar they found was incomplete. So much for the drama, and so was the thing he was reading.

Matthos relented to the idea. Baguio was indeed cold when he last visited. Compared to the cold weather in Physma, which can reach up to ten degrees, Baguio can go as low as a single digit. The idea of it going below zero was not impossible.

With the rich culture of the Philippines comes the scary existence of beings, supernatural covered by a rich mythology. The tale of the gods and the creation of things, and how scarily karma anything, everything, and sometimes, nothing.

There doesn't have to be a reason for something to happen; it just does. The idea of cause and effect, deserving and unworthy, is a fundamental belief in many religions. When Matthos thinks about it hard enough, the modern rationalist view of humanity does not centralize on cause and effect. Rather, it also focuses on manipulation and interpretation.

That is another view that modern society shares with the spiritual realm, making the idea of karma non-absolute.

But what did karma have anything to do with the current study he's reading? It had many things to do with supernatural activities. The study Leonard Grisham read had a weird conclusion, and that is the existence of winter disappearing because of a curse. It was a bit farfetched, as there's such a thing as global warming.

Matthos's brain was on overdrive, and to calm himself down, he went out and watched as the sun.

But the thought of karma continues to anger him because it does not only affect the person responsible for their actions. There are even instances when the perpetrator gets to live their life well. The ones who suffer are their victims, their descendants, and when justice is served, it affects the people connected to the perpetrator. Karma steals innocence.

'Why do I feel this way?' he thought to himself. He heard light footsteps and turned around. Lumi was behind him. Her hair glowed with the rising sun's rays, like a halo on her head as she walked his way.

In Lumi's eyes, Matthos's grey eyes glowed. The orange sky gave his black hair a brown hue. It was her first time seeing the sunrise. She doesn't remember the last time she saw it. This time was extra special because she had a friend.

"Matthos, you are awake too early," Lumi yawned, stretching her arms wide with her mouth stretching as if she were going to devour a burger. "Did you even sleep?" she looked at him worriedly. Did the cards Barney talked about last night scare him?

"I took a nap," he replied, "I had indigestion, so I waited for my tummy to settle. My stomach, I mean."

"Oh, in the past, we had *manna and lemon juice. I don't think it worked well," she commented, remembering how the elders tried to treat her with it.

Remembering history lessons on century-old remedies, Matthos had flashbacks of the horrors of plague water and how mercury was seen as a cure for all. Lumi knew what she was talking about, and the fact that she's still alive is proof of her supernatural abilities.

"Sunrise is truly beautiful, Matthos! Is there a way I can immortalize it?"

He wracked his brains on the word immortalize. He needs to teach Lumi about phones and cameras.

"Yes, I'll teach you everything about phones and cameras. For now, I can only say enjoy the view."

She grinned at his words and went back to smiling at the sky. Remembering that they actually had a patio, Matthos offered his hand, and a confused Lumi accepted and followed as he led her to the back patio.

The pergola created amazing shadows that melded with the patterns of the rattan furniture below. Lumi carefully sat on the swing while Matthos stood behind her. The sun was still rising, and the moon was still visible at the corner. It was a sight to behold.

She didn't know it, but Matthos wasn't looking at the sky but at her. She was cursed, and he didn't know if it's because of his bloodline or his humanity that made his heart reach out to hers. With karma comes free will. When he read the study and what he felt was a crazy conclusion, Matthos couldn't help but think of how free will influenced the study.

His grandfather made his choice and created a study that is both mocked and revered. Back then, he said it was his calling. Now Matthos is in the same place. This is his calling. He chose her.

*Manna and Lemon Juice - manna refers to the dried sap of the South European Ash tree. It is combined with lemon juice and becomes a laxative. This is an 18th-century recipe named "The Pleasent" found in the Book of Phisick.