"Do you even know what you're doing?" Datu Zullah said with a note of amusement on his tone as he watched his son.

  Halang ignored his father and raised the musket on his shoulder, careful enough to make sure it was straight and true. He glanced at the crewman named Delcano to confirm that his form was good. And the thick-browed man in the sideline nodded his confirmation back at Halang. A couple of yards away three towering barrels stood end to end to each other, all waiting for their destruction.

  "Nice and easy..." Halang said as he raised and aimed his weapon on the barrels.

  All the people in the open field were instructed to stay away from the target just to be safe. The onlookers crowded behind Halang a few feet away, watching and anticipating how things would shake up. The pale men probably thought it was interesting to see him do what they taught him just a day ago. While the locals probably saw it strange to see a man of his stature use a staff to strike down a target that even a spear would fail to reach. But Halang knew how destructive the thing on his hands were. The gun as they call it, was powerful much like the hand cannons of the Moors.

  But they were bit more personal and a lot more accurate, in his own opinion. Most of the onlookers probably doubted him, he thought. But they'll soon be in awe, Halang convinced himself. He'll show his fellow natives just how this could change the way they fought. And he'll be a damned bagani for sure, if war ever came again.

  They'll be impressed by how I learned to use it so fast, he thought. But first things first. He shifted his weight and spat at his side. Failure wasn't an option here. He'd have to erase the embarrassing rejection from the rat-faced daughter of Kalipulako. And he'll do it as best he could. Or at least he'd find the best way to fake it. Just look competent enough so his father would trust him again, he told himself.

  "It's really simple, father," Halang said with a voice that was supposed to be warm but instead, came out a bit condescending. Zullah only replied with a smug smile.

  "After loading this beauty. All you need is point the damn thing..." Halang pulled the trigger of the musket. And the musket gave a loud bang. The jarring recoil of the weapon gave his shoulder a nasty kick. "And behold!"

  The weapons steel muzzle erupted, expelling a puff of gray gunsmoke in front of Halang but he already anticipated the damn thing. So, he closed his eyes and held his breath. Not a second past when he heard wood splintering...

  He opened his eyes, ears ringing from the blast. The middle barrel was littered with bullet holes. "See!" Halang said and a wide smile covered his face. Half the crowd cheered while the other half was too confuse to realize what happened.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "Impressive..." Zullah said.

  "Wait till you see the other stuff they brought would them."

  "Ah, enough with that nonsense, come here my boy. I have something to tell you." His father whispered as they walked away from the crowd who were now eager to know how the foreigners' weapon works.

  "What's it about?"

  "I need you to stay away from these scums."

  "But we could use their help!"

  "Yes, but..." Zullah took his quiver and bow and gave it to his son. "I need you to do something for me."

  Halang took his father's weapon. "Whatever it is consider it done, father."

  "Good. I just need you to stay away and watch the pale scoundrels from a distance. When I see the opportunity... I'll send Balat to inform you what to do. For now, wait."

  Halang shouldered the long bow and the quiver. "Wait? You know me more than anyone here. I don't do that."

  "You'll have to, because I said so," Zullah said putting emphasis on the last three words.

  "But I could do more!" Halang protested.

  "Yes, you can. I know you more than anyone here. That's why I'm entrusting you with the most important thing in my plan, my son." Zullah gave his son a warm smile.

  "Sure... anything for you father."

  "And one more thing." Zullah placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

  "What?"

  "Don't fail me." He smiled and ruffled his son's hair. "And do take care of my bow will you? It's worth more than your life." Zullah smiled as he gently pushed his son away.

  Halang continued on with a feeling of pride in his chest. All hinged on me, he thought. I won't fail you father. I'm not like my brothers. His escorts met him halfway. All of them were armed to the teeth. Blood-lust filled all their eyes. Halang smiled. They'd put the 'infamous' Daragangans to shame, he thought. "My father wants us to do something."

  "Finally, I'm getting bored doing nothing," Kadyaw, Halang's second-in-command said as he strapped the stone ax on his side.

  The rest of Halang's men moved around him, eager to know the next job or the next looting. "Oh, you'll love what I have in store for you."

  "Nice."

  "How are the others doing?" Halang said.

  "Oh, them? A bit restless but they're fine."

  "Restless? Will my father's maiden servants put their minds at ease?" The small crowd answered with a round of laughter, exchanging lewd comments about their wives. About each other's wives.

  Not far from them Halang's father stood alone. Zullah was in deep rumination. This was what separated him from the other datus in Zubu– the ability to plan out things in advance. It was a valuable asset but things were not without any challenges. "The moving pieces have to fit together or at least they have to look as if they do," he said as he watched Halang talk to his men. He needed to play things close and the little the others knew the better. His plan was simple but it didn't mean it was easy to do. And the fact that Halang wasn't the best man for the job made it a bit risky. But for the early phase of Zullah’s scheme he'll have to do, he said to himself. The datu sighed. He prayed to Abba and Kaptan to protect his son. He prayed that Halang would do what he wanted this time around.

  As the crowd huddled towards the foreigners, Zullah turned just in time to see Humabara beckon him. He walked towards his friend and overheard the laughter of Halang's men, reminding him of the time his other sons still lived.

  "Don't fail me like they did, Halang," he whispered.