Many thanks to chasten and the Alpaca Alliance.
Please enjoy.
* * * * *
As soon as the boat reached the mountain top, Dumakulem took a deep breath and blew into the waters of the great lake. The waters parted, exposing the soft, muddy bottom where Igat was lying in wait. The serpent rose and lunged at Dumakulem, but the mountain-god sidestepped the strike. He grabbed an exposed boulder and flung it at the serpent, but Igat, too, was quick. He slithered into a cave and the huge rock fell harmlessly on the mud.
But Igat had forgotten the strength of the mountain-god. Dumakulem pushed one arm into the cave, splitting its walls apart. Igat burrowed deeper inside the crevasse, but Dumakulem grabbed his tail and pulled the serpent out. Igat tried to break free, he squirmed and writhed, but the mountain-god's other hand closed around the serpent's middle.
"Surrender, brother," Dumakulem said, "save what little honor you have left as the guardian of the river."
"You know my answer," Igat said, "it will never change."
* * * * *
"Dumakulem's barrier will not hold the water much longer,
Lakambini!
" Apo Galang cried above the noise of the rushing water as it carried their small boat helplessly along.
"The barrier will hold,
Apo
."
The advisor marveled at the calmness in Bighani's voice.
"It will still be there when we reach the cliff edge to set Aman Sinaya's veil free," she added.
The boat started jerking again, swaying violently as the raging waters dipped and swerved past outlying rocks. Bighani and Apo Galang held on tightly to the edge of the boat; they knew they had reached the dreaded
Mabatong Landas
, the mountain path that was littered with deep holes and huge boulders, terrible reminders of the river of fire that had streamed down from the sacred peaks long ago. It was a difficult path to traverse when it had been dry, but now it had become dangerous as the raging flood filled the narrow pass; their tiny vessel could easily be crushed by the rocks or thrown and smashed against the tall granite cliffs on either side.
"Look out!" Galang warned, as he saw the whitewater they were fast approaching. The boat bucked and spun as the rapids caught their vessel, pummeling it against the many rocks.
"Apo!"
Bighani screamed as the long oar the old man held broke in two; the small vessel tipped dangerously to port, but both the maiden and Galang managed to counter this by throwing themselves to the other side.
Suddenly, a huge wave swept over them; the boat gave a sickening crunch, and everything became dark.
* * * * *
"You are strong, Dumakulem, I'll give you that, but you won't be able to hold me for long."
The sinister hood that covered Igat's head grew in size, pushing Dumakulem's fingers down and away from the serpent's smooth body.
Once free, the river-guardian turned and aimed his fangs at his brother's neck. He lunged forward, intent on delivering a poisonous bite.
The moment Igat reared his head, the mountain-god knew what his brother intended; he quickly raised his arm and turned his wrist, the serpent's fangs landed harmlessly on the thick amulets that encircled his arm.
Thwarted and vexed by his brother's swift reaction, Igat tried to strike once more, but Dumakulem's other hand gripped him under his jaw -- imprisoning his head in an iron grip. The serpent twisted his body, coiling his muscles around the mountain-god's chest and hips, squeezing them tightly, determined to draw the last bit of air out of his brother.
Dumakulem felt the ever-tightening pressure of the serpent coiled around him; holding his breath, he countered by expanding his powerful chest muscles. He did not have the luxury of expelling the air in his lungs for that was exactly what Igat wanted him to do.
"You cannot hold your breath forever, brother, and even if you defeat me, you will be too late to save your bride and your advisor," Igat hissed into Dumakulem's ear, "they will never survive
Mabatong Landas, they will drown in my flood!
"
* * * * *
"Apo Galang, are you alright?"
The advisor opened his eyes; Bighani was kneeling beside him, her face lined with worry.
"Yes,
Lakambini
," he croaked.
As he sat up, he realized that their boat had stopped moving. The current had wedged it between two large boulders, and though the waters continually rushed over and past them, they were, for the time being, safe. He looked over Bighani's shoulder.
"There it is," he exclaimed, "the cliff-edge."
Bighani turned and looked to where he pointed.
Ahead of them lay the clearing where
Mabatong Landas
ended. It would have been a beautiful scene -- the clear blue sky above with the magnificent trees cloaking the sheer cliffs around them -- but Danum's deadly waters were quickly filling the narrow pass, the only barrier was the dam of boulders Dumakulem had placed, but it was clear that the waves would breach this in no time at all. And when that happened, everything in both highlands and lowlands -- people, animals, villages, corn and rice fields -- would perish.
"Invoke Aman Sinaya's help,
Lakambini
