There was no need to tell another hundredth story about an American soldier stationed in the Philippines who fell in love with a Filipino woman. I was ten years old when I met my dad for the first time. It took him a decade to get me and my mom to migrate to America. Living without a father for years was quite painful; I was so happy that my family became whole at last. Well, I thought we were happy. As the years went by, their constant arguing was getting worse, so was dad’s drunken tirade. Mom, who was trying to keep our family from separating, had taken a toll on her mental health. She always told me to focus on my studies for my future. However, the school wasn’t as memorable either. Even after becoming an American citizen, people still saw me as a foreigner, something of an oddity, especially every time I stepped into a cafeteria. As time passed, I never became what people called an outgoing person, even when I was with whom I called friends. Even at home, I co

It was sunrise. Minutes after everyone in the trenches woke up, the atmosphere became heavier and heavier until our skins began to crawl. “They’re coming,” I said with assurance. “Commander Raja?” The Slumberjack Guildmaster came by with his entire members, including Xin. “Do you feel that?” “I felt it too,” Commander Raja affirmed. I was glad that everybody was calling him commander. They were starting to respect him. He turned his gaze to those guarding atop the wall. He signaled them to ring the bells, alarming the whole town that a battle was coming. “How’s your arm?” Alex asked. The commander tore the bandages on his arm. Much to his delight, the wound and bite marks had disappeared. “It’s all good, thanks to Argo.” He tilted his head after feeling an eerie chill in the air. “They’re here.” A fog began to envelop the forest… no, they were clouds. In an instant, the Blood Eagle’s sole landship appeared. While the older braves remai

Back on the ground, we were heading to our rendezvous location with the Green Bits to help them stop the Blood Eagles from reaching Mrs. Smith’s group. However, ten seconds had passed, Li had everyone halted. “Look, Storm Brothers!” He pointed at them stuck on a redwood tree, about twelve meters above us. They were back in their human forms, but they had white eyes, scorching burns, and smokes rising from their bodies. “They’re unconscious,” Commander Raja sighed with relief after watching them motionless for a while. “They must’ve been caught by the blast.” “Good, we should finish them off,” Alex stated. “You’re right.” The commander summoned his spears. “We have to make sure they will never be a threat ever again.” The rest of us reluctantly conceded. Even though the brothers were now defenseless, they were too dangerous to be left alive. “Enemies from above!” I cried when my skin crawled in alarm. Twelve tengu braves pierced through

The five of us remained on guard. Those who were weaponless picked up the bronze knives that were scattered all over the ground. I, on the other hand, grabbed the uprooted tree. As we got close to finishing him off, Cutler cackled again before he was coughing heavily. Eventually, cracks began to appear all over his body. “Cutman?” Brock called him out. “It’s Cutler,” he corrected before coughing again, yet he was motionless. He had no strength to spare a glance at us. “That boy’s name is Wilt, huh? Let me tell you. He went down with a brave face.” His breathing was slowing down. “Thanks for the hunt, Foxfires.” He drew one last breath with a satisfying smile. “It sure is fun….” He slowly became dust. “He….” Katie took a deep breath five times to cool herself down. Her skin was no longer burning red. “He went down like a warrior,” she said begrudgingly out of respect. It wasn’t long for Zeki and Commander Raja to arrive, looking exhausted. “Is everyone

The raining weapons almost got me as I leaped into a safe distance. While keeping myself out of Commodus’s reach, I threw whatever I could get my hands on at him; branches, trees, and rocks. However, he evaded them with the same grace and agility as Cutler while manipulating the weapons to fly toward me. I had to dodge them with every inch of my life until I hid behind a tree once again. “Damn it, I need to get close.” My blood began to boil. “Wait, why did I say that?” Why did I feel the urge to attack him? My brain told me not to do anything stupid. “Calm down, Sam.” I breathed in and out when my rage grew. “Calm down.” “You’re quite confident for a newcomer,” Commodus’s booming voice wasn’t far from my hiding place, though not close. “I sensed both your fear and rage were conflicting. Signs of experience. Tell me, are you a warrior back in our world?” “I’m a former social justice warrior,” I replied. “I think that counts.” “You sounded doub