Chapitre 52: The Urban Legends (Part 8)
Rai checked her cellphone and found that its charge was already critically low.
They had to find the Urban Legend second only to Grace in power before her batteries ran out.
"Don't you think that's a little shortsighted of Apo to give you a gadget that relies on only one power source?" asked Xien.
"First of all, he did not make the cellphone. Second, it was determined by my nature, not his. Third, this is not really a cellphone!" Rai reigned in her temper. They are running out of time and they still have to find the right story.
"Then what is it?"
"I don't really know. Look, from what I understand from our lessons with Apo, magical energies that permeate these planes or dimensions do not have form. In that state, they are just like the air; abundant but directionless and formless."
"I get that part…"
"Just like the magical items in your bag, which is also a magical item, everything that you see around you is made of magical energies, given form by the limitation of our imagination."
"You mean If I imagine myself to be a tiger, I could transform?"
"Basically, my answer would be yes but it's not that simple. If you try hard enough, I think you could but you do not have enough power to maintain the form. So in essence, this cellphone is not running out of battery. It is running out of magical energy to maintain its form and hence its function."
Xien turned into a tiger for a split second. She turned into a deformed tiger the next.
"Woah, that was scary! I turned into a monster!"
"That's the danger of forcing it. Simply imagining it would not suffice. Aside from the magical energies needed, you also have to completely understand what form you are trying to turn into. Otherwise, you could permanently damage yourself. Don't experiment please."
"Wait, I get it now. Is that why you kept telling the Manlalakbays to figure things out for themselves?"
"Yes. A borrowed thought is not as powerful as a deep understanding. Some people have turned into a corrupted version of themselves because they did not undergo the necessary steps to fully comprehend what they wanted to become. It might be simple to think of it this way but the actual process is really very complicated."
"So IF I studied to be a tiger, I could be a tiger?"
"Yes. There are other requirements but that is the most important one."
"Wow. I could really be a tiger."
"I don't know why that is your dream but okay, I support that."
"What is YOUR dream?"
"To be real again."
"You are not real now?"
"It would take too long to explain. Maybe someday…"
"You are real to me."
"Thank you. That means a lot."
"The people that we meet here, are they real?"
"Some of them."
"How about me?"
"Oh, you were. I was with you when you were a real cat."
"I am a fake cat now?"
"You are real in someone's mind."
"Who?"
"Me, for instance."
"Aww, that's sweet. Wait, you created me?"
"No, not exactly. Something or someone made us this way but our continued existence depends on something else."
"Like what?"
"I don't know...the belief of people? I'm not sure…"
"Oh wow...I hope people continue believing in us then."
"Me too, my friend. Me too."
"Back to our main problem. How do we charge your cellphone?"
"We need to find the last Legend. He could take us to our next destination and eventually, to the Cradle. There, my gadgets will be recharged. That one is full of magical energies unlike these pocket dimensions. They barely exist now."
"Why?"
"Because people simply forgot about them. Now their energies are waning."
"But we do know about them now. We remember them."
"I wish it were that simple."
"Gods are soooo complicated."
"I think even the Gods do not really have full control in this."
"That's scary."
"Yeah."
"Let me try one more time. Maybe we can be lucky this time."
They entered another version of a story hoping that the real urban legend was inside that one.
They found themselves surrounded by crying people.
Near them was a bed where a little boy lay sleeping.
Or appeared to be sleeping. The crying was a tell-tale sign that something more tragic actually happened.
"I think we are in the right place this time. The realness is astounding. They feel more solid. Our target is here," whispered Rai to Xien who weaved around the people.
Most of them are old women.
"What happened to the boy?"
"If my guess is correct, he is in a near-death state. His spirit has been kidnapped."
"Is that why he looks dead? If he is still alive, why are they crying?"
"If this is the third day, he is as good as dead. His spirit will never return."
"Can we do something about it?"
"It's not our job but I guess it doesn't hurt to try."
"You know what Rai? We might not be real people but I think my feelings are real. I want to help the boy."
"Likewise my friend. Let us try to find out more."
They went around listening to conversations.
After they were satisfied with the gathered information, they went farther from the house.
"This is the second day. There is a good chance that he could still be revived," said Rai to the obvious delight of Xien.
"What now?"
"We go challenge the Engkanto."
"Challenge is such an ominous word."
"He won't let go of the boy's spirit without a fight. Engkantos are a difficult lot. They are stubborn to the point of idiocy."
"How do we find them or him...her?"
"It's an 'it' but prefers to be seen as 'he'."
"Oookay...how do we go to him?"
"They bait people. I suggest we do the same to them."
"So after they kidnap you, how do I find them?"
Rai did not answer but instead typed something on her phone.
"Rai, how do I find you then?"
Rai looked at Xien seriously without saying anything.
"Wait…I'm the bait?"
Rai nodded solemnly.
"Don't fake serious-face me! I know you are smiling!"
"Would I do that?"
"You would!"
"Alright, I would. Now be still and listen. I have enough charge to modify how you look a little bit. It won't last long but I guess it will fool them long enough."
"NO. I won't," Xien said flatly.
"Look at your outfit," cajoled Rai.
"NO. Don't you try and manipulate me with ohhh…that's cute. Make it pink!"
"Sure! Would you like a cute tiara?"
"And a bracelet…wait.," she said suspiciously.
"Come on, we don't have time. You want this costume or should we find another?"
"Okay, OKAY. but you owe me big time."
Rai concealed her smile and nodded. She used an app on her phone to change Xien into a little girl.
"It's only for an hour. Make sure they notice you by then. I will take care of the rest."
"What do I do?"
"Just play."
"Oh, that's fairly easy."
They went to the nearby forest and Rai concealed herself while Xien pretended to play by herself. It was almost an hour when Xien suddenly fell asleep.
She talked in her sleep and Rai had to strain her ear to listen.
"Will there be food there?" said Xien in her sleep.
"I will be a princess? Wow! A golden dress? Sure, I will come with you."
As soon as Xien said that, Rai entered her mind and found herself being sucked into a portal towards the mystical Isle of Biringan.
"You tricked us!" said a high pitched voice.
Xien could not see anything. The place they were in was a little featureless and dark. She could only make out indistinct shapes. Rai decided to remain hidden for now.
"I certainly did not!" Xien said indignantly who turned back into a cat.
"You looked like a girl just seconds ago."
"And I don't look like a girl now? That is mildly insulting."
"Trickery! Lies! I will punish you!"
"Now, now…don't be hasty. It wasn't me who tricked you. It was my friend."
"Where is that nasty little friend of yours! I will lock her up in the castle for a thousand years!"
"Show yourself first…"
Cadeaux
-- Cadeau
reçu État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone