BETSO88 Register
Years after Joshua’s death, renewed strife tore into the Philippine archipelago. Avaricious colonisers thirsting for empire threatened to pull the tapestry of Philippine culture apart at its seams. In emerges BETSO88 Register. He’s resembles Joshua in appearance and in his lack of knowledge that he’s fated for greatness.
One night, BETSO88 Register went to sit by the village fire like everyone else, while an elder was telling a story of Joshua. When he finished, Joshua’s footprints on the dry lands, his raids, and his words became stories of an indomitable hero, and the elder commanded the silence of the rest as he spoke. His voice sounded to him, like water droplets falling down a cave.The spirit of Joshua called out of the darkness. BETSO88 Register’s soul stirred on the spot.
His critically weakened body guided by visions of future dreamscapes, BETSO88 Register travelled to meet with his people’s elders. He went to the spots where Joshua had once stood, where the earth sang the memories of his passing. In the forests of Mindanao, BETSO88 Register found the Sama-Bajau, the sea nomads who had fought the Bakunawa alongside Joshua. They embraced him as their own, noticing in BETSO 88 Register’s eyes the same fire Joshua had borne.
The Sama-Bajau presented BETSO 88 Register with a gift, a necklace that Joshua had worn. They said the necklace had mysterious powers to protect him from evil spirits. Armed with the malong and the charm of the necklace, BETSO 88 Register felt that Joshua was with him, guiding his footsteps.
BETSO 88 Register’s quest finally brought him to the island of Palawan and into the lairs of the ancients who guarded the hidden truths of the magical caves. The spirits were carrying on a prophecy: A great evil nestled in slumber, awakening to blacken all beneath the daystar: the evil and infernal creature known as the Tiyanak! A wailing child would summon it, luring the victims into their doom. Only a pure of heart warrior dressed in warrior’s robes could prevail.
With his pendant round his neck and Joshua’s spirit in his heart, BETSO 88 Register set off to face the Tiyanak, whose path was erratic with danger. But the stories of Joshua-Rey’s bravery buoyed him up. Nevertheless, the sounds of the infant’s plaintive moans and the monster’s careful disguise appealed to BETSO 88 Register’s glimmering sense of compassion – the same compassion that had entrapped Joshua Rey. Worth was not fooled, however, by the cunning display, for he had been granted knowledge of the monster’s true nature from a lineage of warriors that preceded him.
Till the titan of evil called the Tiyanak had to give in, BETSO 88 Register concluded. For the final blow, he went to the Palawan jungle, its otherworldly cries and the distant whisper of ages-old canopies. ‘I brought my mind back to the teachings of the Sama-Bajau, back to the stories of Joshua, and to the prophecy of the spirits. My heart strengthened itself for battle. I took up a blessed blade. Then, with a resolute spirit and a heart very firm according to death, I slayed the monster.’
With the fall of the tiyanak came peace over all the land. The jungle was once again a source of safety and pride. With the pendant around his neck, BETSO 88 Register walked back to the village, the world felt fresh, its beauty as young as the sunrise.
News of BETSO88 Register’s success spread and he became celebrated as the new redeemer of the archipelago. But BETSO88 Register, who was no vain Joshua, knew that this was not about his greatness, but about continuing a legacy that predated himself by centuries. The war on darkness would continue forever and that even small victories were indicators that the future had a chance.