"Some relics do not wait to be discovered—they awaken when the world is ready to remember."
Coron Highlands – Arrival
The Kabalyero ascended the final ridge, its sigil-treads gripping the gravel as mist coiled around the cliffs like the breath of ancestors.
The jungle parted to reveal the Temple of the Forgotten Tide—an obsidian ruin etched into the spine of the mountain, sealed by an imposing door adorned with intricate glyphs.
Gregorio was the first to disembark, the Kamay ni Bathala pulsating with violet spirals. "This is it," he murmured. "The Eye is within."
Marian examined the glyphs closely. "These runes predate the Orphanage—older even than the Forge."
Agosto nodded in agreement, his Kampilan vibrating faintly. "I sense it as well. The relics are watching us."
Renato activated Kalasag's perimeter scan. "No hostiles detected yet, but the silence feels contrived."
Gregorio approached the seal but halted. "I can't open this," he murmured. "Only one person can."
Ricardo Magno – The Keyholder Returns
From the mist, a figure emerged, clad in ceremonial armor, exuding a commanding yet serene presence. Ricardo Magno stepped forward, his Sandata—the Alab ng Tala—radiating a brilliant flame.
"It has been a while, Sandata Unit. Do you remember me, Gregorio? God's Locker. You nearly destroyed the chamber."
Gregorio nodded in acknowledgment. "You intervened. You maintained the seal when I could not."
Ricardo placed his palm upon the central glyph, prompting an immediate response from the obsidian door, which unlocked with spirals of golden light.
Inside, the chamber pulsed with spiritual energy. At its center hovered the Eye of Bathala, suspended within a field of glyph-light.
The Dilemma
Ricardo turned to the team. "This Eye does not merely reveal truth—it amplifies it. It will test your intentions."
Gregorio stepped forward. "We're not here to claim it; we're here to protect it."
Ricardo's expression grew resolute. "Then you must take it."
Marian frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Ricardo's voice was solemn. "The Eye is no longer secure here. Babaylan scouts have breached the outer defenses, and Ahas ng mga Lakan operatives are already traversing the jungle. If you abandon it, they will seize it."
Gregorio's jaw tightened. "Then we must take it—not to wield, but to protect."
Ricardo scrutinized him. "Then demonstrate your restraint."
Trial Of The Eye – Combat Of Conviction
Ricardo initiated the assault—Alab ng Tala erupting in molten arcs. He tested Gregorio's defense with deceptively slow slashes that accelerated mid-arc. Gregorio responded with violet spirals from the Kamay, executing tight and efficient deflections.
The chamber's glyphs flared amber, and the floor quickened Ricardo's pace. He blurred into a triple-step footwork reminiscent of their youth, each slash trailing a starburst.
Gregorio transitioned into Kisap Mata, sidestepping within each arc and countering with sharp palm-heel strikes. Two strikes landed, yet neither disrupted Ricardo's stance.
"You've ceased to trade pain for pride," Ricardo remarked. "Good. Let's see how you respond to inevitability."
Ricardo drove Alab point-down into the floor. Flame and light coiled outward, contracting toward Gregorio in a devastating spiral. Heat and pressure built in layers, testing both his body and will.
Gregorio brought his bracers together, sending Kamay's violet aura spiraling counter to the flame. When the opposing energies converged, the air detonated into a shockwave that rattled the mural stone.
Ricardo vanished in the glare, reappearing at Gregorio's flank with "Three Stars"—three slashes intended to disrupt any defensive rhythm. Gregorio absorbed the first two with crossed bracers, then evaded the third, stepping in close to tap a sealing glyph onto Ricardo's pauldron. It flared, harmless yet symbolic.
They locked eyes, and for the first time in the fight, both men smiled.
Ricardo exhaled, lowering Alab ng Tala. "You chose control when victory was within your grasp. The Eye will acknowledge that."
The glyph-arena dissolved back into the stone-lined chamber, leaving only the Eye's slow, steady pulse.
The Merge with the Left Eye of Bathala
Gregorio approached, and the Eye's runes swirled faster, syncing with his heartbeat. As he reached out, it surged toward him, spiraling into Kamay ni Bathala. Power cascaded up his arm, solidifying into a curved, obsidian-black shoulder guard traced with luminous violet Baybayin.
The Merge with the Left Eye of Bathala granted Gregorio three formidable new skills, enhancing his capabilities as a Sandata wielder. Each skill is a manifestation of the Eye's ancient power, honed by Gregorio's resolve and his commitment to protecting the balance between myth and reality.
Bestowal of New Sandata Skills - Left Eye of Bathala
1. Temporal Insight
Description: Temporal Insight allows Gregorio to perceive brief glimpses of the future, granting him an almost preternatural awareness of impending threats and opportunities. This skill manifests as a heightened sense of intuition, enabling him to anticipate enemy movements and respond with precision.
Application: In battle, Temporal Insight gives Gregorio the edge in predicting his opponents' actions, allowing him to counter attacks before they are fully executed. Outside of combat, this skill aids in strategic planning, helping Gregorio navigate complex situations with foresight and confidence.
2. Reality Weaving
Description: Reality Weaving grants Gregorio the ability to alter the fabric of his immediate surroundings, albeit temporarily. By manipulating the threads of reality, he can create illusions or shift the environment to his advantage.
Application: In combat, Reality Weaving can be used to deceive enemies with phantom duplicates or to create barriers from thin air. This skill also allows Gregorio to obscure his team's movements, providing them with tactical advantages by masking their presence or creating false targets.
3. Aetheric Resonance
Description: Aetheric Resonance enhances Gregorio's connection to the spiritual realm, allowing him to tap into the latent energies that flow through all living things. This skill amplifies his spiritual attacks, imbuing them with an intensity that can disrupt enemy defenses or dissolve curses.
Application: When facing foes fortified by enchantments, Aetheric Resonance enables Gregorio to break through their magical protections. Additionally, this skill can be used to bolster his allies, sharing his spiritual energy to enhance their relics or mend minor wounds in the heat of battle.
These new skills, born from the Merge, reflect Gregorio's evolving mastery of the Kamay ni Bathala and his unwavering dedication to safeguarding the world from those who seek to exploit its ancient powers.
Visions seared through him—wars long forgotten, gods mourning shattered worlds, and a prophecy:
"When the two Eyes reunite, the Archipelago shall be rewritten. One shall rise. One shall fall."
The glow dimmed, leaving the guard warm against his shoulder. Ricardo's voice was low. "It has chosen you. Therefore, you must carry it."
Gregorio nodded. "We move. We protect Sybill. We must prevent the convergence."
Mask of Betrayal
Outside the temple, the air crackled with a palpable tension, heavy with the scent of ancient stone and the metallic tang of spirit energy.
Maximo gathered his team in the deep shadows of the Temple of the Forgotten Tide's outer walls, the colossal edifice looming over them like a silent, stone sentinel.
Putik gripped his balisong, the blade catching the faint moonlight filtering through the clouds.
Natalia's karambit whispered curses in its sheath, while Crispulo's anino merged with the temple's dark carvings, rendering him nearly invisible. Mia, her relic tome clutched close, kept her gaze fixed on Maximo, her eyes reflecting the cold, unwavering light of the moon.
"We move when Gregorio reveals himself," Maximo stated, his voice a low rumble. He gestured to the temple's grand entrance, a place of power and dread.
"Crispulo, you'll be our ghost. You take the shadows on the left flank, your anino our eyes and our shield. Natalia, you're the reaper on the right, a dagger in their side." He then pointed to a narrow, hidden fissure in the temple wall. "Putik, you're the blade. You hold this position and make sure they don't break through."
Putik's lips curled into a smirk. "As long as I get to cut something."
Maximo's gaze hardened. "We're not here to play, Putik. We're here to reclaim what's ours."
He then turned to Mia. "You'll weave the illusions. Make them see lies, make them hear the screams of the lost. Make their blows lose their way."
Mia nodded, her hand tracing a sigil in the air. "The Left Eye of Bathala will be ours."
"When all of your Sandata complete their synchronization, we finish them off with our Punishments," Maximo commanded.
He scanned his team, their faces a mixture of grim resolve and simmering excitement. He gave a final nod, and they dispersed to their positions. As Maximo stood alone, he felt the familiar pull of a presence above. He tilted his head back, his eyes searching the sky. There, in the space between the darkening clouds, he saw them. Sitan, a silhouette of cosmic dread, and Dian, a spectral figure of ethereal grace. They did not speak, but their presence was a silent command. Maximo simply gave them a single, deliberate nod. The battle was not just his; it was a punishment of the gods, and he was the chosen instrument of their will.
Outside The Temple: The Standoff Begins
As the Sandata Unit emerged from the temple, Mia and Crispulo lay in wait, their Sandatas ready for action.
"Gregorio, you will join us," declared Mia Torre with unwavering resolve.
Gregorio raised his bracers defiantly. "You'll have to use force to make that happen."
From the shadows, Putik, Mayor Natalia, and Maximo stepped forward.
"Surrender yourself," Maximo commanded.
Ricardo moved to stand beside Gregorio, his Alab flaring brilliantly. "From this day forward, I will stand with the Sandata Unit."
Marian, Agosto, and Renato activated their Sandatas, preparing for the imminent battle.
The tension crackled in the air as both sides stood poised for what was to come. The stage was set for a confrontation that could alter their destinies forever.