One rainy afternoon, while exploring their storage shed, Samuel found a small wooden box hidden beneath old clothes. Inside was a leather-bound diary, worn and fragile. It belonged to his great-grandfather - Lucio, who was once a mananambal, a healer and folk magician.
The entries detailed battles with aswangs, creatures of the night, and rituals passed down through generations. But one entry stood out:
"A child born under a waning moon, marked by the Tiktik, shall carry a cursed bond. He will either destroy her... or become one of them."
The words sank deep into Samuel's mind. Was this why she still followed him? Was he… changing?
His hands began to tremble.