January 2, 2022

Epilogue: Umalagad


Previously: Rusalka

Though abandoned all this time, the Domarad was still a magnificent building - brick walls, marble floors in the lobby, hardwood in the halls and stairwells.  After the deaths earlier this morning, it had gone right back to being abandoned, of course, but that didn't stop Daos from pushing past the yellow tape into the lobby and up the main stairs.  He softly laughed to himself as he climbed to the eighth floor, musing on how many time he'd barged his way into crime scenes, disregarding white chalk lines and yellow tape.

For an officer of the law, he'd gotten quite used to breaking it.  He chuckled even harde as memories from past cases came to him.  It hadn't been all bad; it hadn't always been lonely.  He'd made a few friends along the way, a few trusted allies.  But as he'd told Dominador, this was not a career.  This was a gig, short and bittersweet.  He was a demon hunter, plain and simple, and they weren't known for living the longest lives.

Occupational hazard, Daos smirked.

He eventually reached the eight floor and realized that it was never finished back in the Eighties; there were no inside walls.  Instead, there was space, large, gaping space..  A room of dust and peeling paint yawned before him, the floors creaking with every step.  Daos paused to behold the great, musty emptiness.

Inwardly, he snorted.  How appropriate.

***



***

For long moments, Daos savored the quiet, the solitude. He even closed his eyes and breathed in the age of the building. But after a while, his brow furrowed as wondered why the rusalka hadn't come for him. She hadn't even made an appearance.

And just as he asked, the answer hit him.

Because I'm not here to tear down the building.

Daos rolled his eyes. Demons and humans were far too much alike.  As long as you didn't fuck with their shit, they (usually) didn't fuck with yours.

"Sobena," he called out wearily.  "Our meeting was foretold.  Come and take me; I won't fight you."

Not that I could anyway.

There were those who claimed that drowning was actually a peaceful way to go, so long as one didn't fight it.  The moment Daos learned he was destined to drown, he'd made the commitment not to fight.  After all, considering his line of work, most would agree he was getting off lucky by dying like this.

At first, there was quiet.  Then, there was darkness.

A slow, creeping darkness, which made Daos feel as though he were being pulled from one world into another.  It made sense.  You could not outrun or out-swim a rusalka; their waters were infinite when they willed.  Daos stood his ground, closing his eyes, ready to surrender completely.

Even so, he was not prepared for the wet; the water enveloped him quite suddenly, and it was both warm and cold at the same time.  His eyes flew open and in the distance, he saw the ghostly impression of the rusalka's head.  She was like a Medusa; her hair seemed to be both waves of dark blue water, and tentacles of inky black shadow.  There were no walls, no floors, no remnant of the aged building...only the endless watery abyss.

"Water Spirit" by Wielki Boo

It's all a matter of perspective, Daos mused, as the water climbed into his nose, into his mouth.  He felt tightness in his chest, a burning in the back of his throat, a growing pain in his lungs.  He told himself not to panic, that dying was just like falling asleep.  He closed his eyes again and willed his heartbeat to slow.

In the beginning there was darkness, darkness and water, from which all beings have their forms.

There's no shame in a death like this.


But then, out of nowhere, there were arms...big strong warm arms reaching for him in the dark.  Daos opened his eyes, half-expecting to see Sobena, but instead...it was Dominador.

He felt the hold of death then; Daos faded into black as his whole body went limp.  In the furthest distance, he felt himself being pulled from the rusalka's embrace.

His body hit something solid, like a floor.  There were lips against his, blindingly warm and firm lips parting his own and breathing powerful breaths into him.  Daos coughed, his body racked with sharp, piercing shards of pain as life returned to him.  He opened his eyes, blinking and breathing ragged, labored breaths.  The man above him looking down was Dominador, yet he was not Dominador; he was shirtless, with a soft, benevolent smile, and his body was glowing, as though he radiated pure solar energy.

Umalagad

Daos lost consciousness again and didn't come to until he was back at his own front door, sopping wet and shivering, keys in his hand.  He had no idea how he'd gotten home or how much time had passed since he'd died and come back.

He went indoors, where his partner still lay asleep on the couch.  It took Daos a moment to notice the sleeping junior detective had the same smile he'd seen earlier, looking down at him after bringing him back to life.

It was no accident that this young man had come into his life right when he had, Daos slowly began to realize.

As that realization dawned within him, a warm golden light dawned around him, blinding, filling the room with its brilliance.  When it settled, Daos found himself on a beach at sunset, in some distant time and place.  He saw a man approaching and knew right away it was Dominador, that other Dominador, the one who saved his life.

He came to stand right in front of Daos, smiling broadly now.  Tears threatened for Daos; his legs trembled as his heartbeat quickened.  Remembering his manners, he bowed his head and greeted hoarsely,

"Umalagad."

"You are Daos," the Ancestor replied in a booming, echoic voice, his Tagalog flawless and fluid.

"Yes," Daos replied, still hoarse, eyes firmly downcast.

The Ancestor grinned.  "So too am I Daos, long before you."

Daos's eyes flew upward, but the vision didn't last long.  Just as quickly and randomly as the experience had begun it ended, leaving him in the cold dark of his apartment, with Dominador snoring softly on the couch.

~ End DAOS Vol. 2 ~

Next: Daos III

4 comments:

  1. Wait is Daos an umalagad or is the umalagad also named Daos? Does Daos mean something? Daos deserves a beating for this stunt he pulled. Instead of going out like a G, he wanted to just surrender? At least the water thingy wanted what he was offering. The drawing picture went great, very pretty art. Now Daos get back to Bibiana.

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