Earthly Realm, Year 2007 of the Second Earth

The village, once a source of comfort, now felt shrouded in ominous quiet. Villagers went about their business, but their eyes darted nervously, and whispers fluttered around them like leaves in the wind.

The journey into the woods was both thrilling and terrifying. Ancient trees loomed, their shadows twisting around them. Lualhati's heart raced as they approached the babaylan's secret meeting place, but their path was interrupted.

A chilling howl pierced the night, sharp and menacing. Three werewolves emerged from the darkness; their eyes gleaming with malice.

"We are keepers of your secret. There's no need for conflict," Jose said, his voice calm but firm. Yet the werewolves advanced.

"We no longer concede to Abaddon's rule. We refuse to serve an empty throne!" one snarled, baring its teeth. "You will serve as a warning to your kind-to stop meddling in the affairs of the Abyss!"

Jose stood resolute, gripping his buntot ng Pagi, a blessed stingray tail used for combat. "We will not back down," he declared, and Lualhati felt a surge of pride mixed with fear. Time seemed to slow as they charged forward, each moment stretching into eternity. Instinct took over, adrenaline coursing through her veins as she fought alongside her father.

The clash of weapons rang through the woods-a chaotic symphony of struggle. Jose struck down a massive beast with a powerful swing. Lualhati watched in awe as the werewolf's form shifted back to a lifeless human. Her father knelt beside the body, murmuring a prayer for the soul to enter the Abyss.

The weight of their lineage washed over her. They were mankind's protectors against the fallen angels, bound by duty and blood. The beast's spirit would now submit to Abaddon's authority, awaiting judgment.

"Come on, Lualhati," her father urged, pulling her from her reverie as they pressed onward toward the sacred gathering place of the babaylans. The entrance glowed softly, illuminating their path with an ethereal light.

Upon entering the meeting space, Lualhati was struck by the sheer number of babaylans already gathered. The atmosphere buzzed with a mix of anxiety and resolve, the air thick with incense and the soft murmur of chants. Her heart raced as she felt the weight of tradition pressing upon her-a palpable reminder of the stakes at hand.

"Stay close," Jose instructed, his tone firm as they wove through the crowd. Lualhati felt a swell of solidarity among her people, a shared understanding of the trials they faced together.

As the eldest babaylan began to address the gathering, Lualhati's heart beat steadily in her chest. She gripped her Balaraw tighter, feeling its weight as a reminder of her purpose. This was no longer just a celebration of her coming of age; it was a moment that would test the very essence of who she was.

"Tonight, we stand united," the elder proclaimed, his voice resonating with authority. "We must prepare ourselves for what is to come. The fallen are relentless, but we are stronger together. Let us forge our path forward."

Lualhati's gaze flicked around the crowd, meeting the eyes of her fellow babaylans, each face reflecting determination and courage. Hope surged within her, ready to face whatever darkness lay ahead, shoulder to shoulder with her family and friends.
As more babaylans arrived, whispers of concern rippled through the assembly. Jose stood before them, recounting their harrowing encounter with the werewolves and revealing the unsettling news: Abaddon had been declared missing. Gasps filled the cave, a palpable fear settling among them.

"My fellow babaylans," Jose declared, "I will perform the incantation to seek Abaddon's presence. We must understand what is happening in the Abyss."

The air thickened with anticipation as he prepared, words rolling off his tongue like a forgotten melody. Lualhati assisted him, every syllable feeling like a thread binding them to the King of the Abyss, reaching into the unknown.

As the final syllable hung in the air, Lualhati felt a tremor beneath her feet, echoing through the cave. Her heart raced as the ground shifted, splitting open beneath her. A dark chasm formed, swallowing her whole.

She gasped, lost in a rush of air as she plummeted into the abyss. The world blurred into darkness, layers of earth rushing past-dirt, rock, roots twisting in chaotic dance. Time stretched and warped; it felt like she was falling forever.

*******

Dream Realm Year 2007 of the Second Earth

Lualhati landed softly on the moss-covered bank beside a stream that rippled with quiet, liquid whispers. The air was cool, heavy with the scent of wet earth and wildflowers, like it always was when she dreamed of this place-the familiar, ancient grounds of her ancestral home. But tonight, the sense of calm was disrupted by a sharp, resonant voice that seemed to come from the brook itself, as though the very water had taken on a voice of its own.

"You seek the truth, Lualhati."

Her breath caught, recognition jolting through her.

That voice. She had heard it before, in dreams, in whispers. It was deep and powerful, curling around her like smoke. Her heart skipped a beat. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice trembling, yet there was something else-a daring curiosity. "Are you... Abaddon?"

The water stilled. The world around her seemed to hold its breath. Then, that same voice-dark, deep, and impossibly magnetic-rippled through the air.

"I am the Keeper of the Abyss," it growled, echoing the same ancient power she remembered. "You have called for me."

A chill ran down her spine. She closed her eyes for a moment, feeling the pull of the dream-of him-dragging her under. When she opened them again, her gaze was fixed on the swirling water, her pulse pounding in her throat. "We have spoken before, here, in this same place," she said softly, but something in her gut told her that this time would be different.

Abaddon's voice thickened, laced with something darker. "But this time is not a dream. How dare you summon me?"

The words struck her like a slap, stoking the ember of frustration she had buried deep within. "Abaddon, please!" Her voice broke slightly, but she forced herself to steady it. "There is a threat to your rule in the Abyss. Werewolves attacked my father and me tonight, and they say your throne is empty. Is it true? Have you abandoned the Abyss?"

The brook swirled violently, as though the earth itself trembled in response to his wrath. His voice, when it came, was a low thunderclap. "Stories hold power," he snarled. "They will reshape the truth if you allow it. I do not answer to you, Lualhati."

Her breath hitched, the anger in her chest rising like a storm. "Then what am I to you?" she demanded, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "We summoned you for help, and here you are, angry at us for calling upon you. Do you not care for your people?"

His voice cracked through the air like the sound of glass shattering. "Care?" he hissed, the word dripping with venom. "You think I owe you explanations? You have dragged me from my solitude to entertain your petty fears, and now you question my authority?"

The waters churned beneath her, splashing in rhythm with the fury in his voice. Lualhati's heart pounded in her chest. Fear gripped her, but so did something else-a deep, searing frustration. She forced herself to stand tall, even as the tension twisted through her veins. "I didn't summon you lightly, Abaddon!" Her voice cracked, but she pushed on. "We are afraid! Your absence has created chaos in our world. And we need you!"

The ground seemed to tremble beneath her feet. He roared, and the very air thickened with the violence of his response. "Chaos?" His laugh was cruel, mocking. "You call it chaos? You invite chaos into your lives when you beckon me! I have my own battles to wage. Do you think I exist solely to serve your mortal concerns?"

A wave of dark energy crashed over her, pulling her beneath the water. Panic surged in her chest, drowning her thoughts. "Wait!" she cried out, but the voice of Abaddon faded, replaced by the rush of the water. A raw grief pressed down on her, amplifying the fury she felt. How can you be so powerful, yet so indifferent?

Her vision blurred. Her body was pulled under, deeper, colder-until she felt herself fading, sinking. Her anger twisted, and the sensation of drowning seemed to pull it all out of her, stripping her of reason. How could he leave us in such disarray?

But just as the cold darkness began to claim her, the world shifted. She felt herself rising, pulled back to the surface, to the familiar sounds of the cave. She gasped for air, her heart racing, drenched in sweat. She blinked, the weight of her emotions heavy in her chest. For a brief, unsteady moment, she longed to return to that stillness, to the dream where Abaddon's presence had both terrified and mesmerized her.

******

The Gathering of teh Keeper of Secrets, Earthly Realm, Year 2007 of the Second Earth

Her father's voice broke the reverie. "Lualhati, anak. Are you alright?" His voice was laced with concern, but Lualhati could sense the tension in the room-an uneasy energy swirling around the babaylans who had gathered. Her heart still raced, but now it was a familiar urgency, one born of a deeper knowledge.

We are not safe. Not from him.

She forced a smile, nodding, though her mind was still reeling. The babaylans-her father's closest circle-were arguing, their voices rising like a storm. Senor Daniel from the West was animated, defending the necessity of treating Abaddon with respect, while Jose's voice rang out in defiance.

"Respect?" Jose snapped. "How can we respect a being who toys with our lives?"

Her father stood between them, his face hardening. "I could not allow the possession to continue," he said, his voice filled with a rare sharpness. "We are not ready to face the King of the Abyss."

Lualhati felt her chest tighten as the words of the elders swirled around her, their fear thick in the air. Her gaze shifted to the floor, avoiding their eyes. They were all waiting for her to speak, waiting for her to offer insight into what she had seen.

She took a breath, steadying herself. "I was at the stream behind our ancestral house. I heard his voice, a male voice. He asked me why I was there before everything went dark."

The babaylans exchanged uneasy glances, and Senor Pedro from the South spoke next, trying to quell the rising panic. "Before we descend into chaos, let us ask Lualhati what she saw."

They all turned their eyes to her. She could feel the weight of their expectation, their fear. But she wasn't sure she could speak the truth. *Abaddon...*

A sudden thought crossed her mind, and it felt almost reckless-though part of her felt reckless tonight, with Abaddon's power still thrumming beneath her skin.

"Why don't we try it again?" she said before she could stop herself. Silence descended on the room like a heavy cloak. Her father's expression hardened, and then, to her surprise, he nodded.

"We will try the summoning again," Jose said, his voice dark with the gravity of the decision.

******