If your planning on following this route and have questions, feel free to ask via comments or shoot me an email, I’d be more than happy to help you out.

While less than merry because we were short of the company of 2, the experience was still exhilarating at most, fun at worst. And the new invaluable lessons I have learned.

Budlaan Falls was captivating, both in splendor and the horror of her damage from our hands. I surmised Kanirag was friendly, almost extending a beckoning hand, but he was not that easy to surmount. A mid-afternoon assault imposed heavily on us with the howling heat of the sun on our backs and the unfriendly tall grasses pocking our hands and faces when they could.

The reward however was breathtaking. The 700m summit offered a shade, cool afternoon breeze with a majestic landscape view of the Queen City of the South and her northern regions.

I would say, and I might always, that I do not conquer mountains nor peaks for they are not my enemies, instead I befriend them as I feel no more at home when I summit them. Then they welcome me with the grandeur of what I have overcome to have visited them.

So Fiverr is a place where anyone can turn their skills into a source of income. Hire people to do things for $5 as they say.

What I got was that which I didn’t exactly expect. The error page looks cool though.

Oops - Something went wrong

Installation
> wget http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/awstats/awstats-6.7.tar.gz
> tar -zxvf awstats-6.7.tar.gz
> mv awstats-6.7 awstats
> cd awstats/
> mv * ..
> cd ..
> cd wwwroot
> mv * ..
> cd ..
> rmdir wwwroot

Configuration
> cd cgi-bin
> cp awstats.model.conf awstats.domain.com.conf

To reminisce, to appreciate what was, of things that were because some of those will always have been misconceived and thus deserve retrospect.

So the reality is that not everything will work out the way I hoped they’d be. And the person I like so much, can only be, at most, but a good friend. But it still works, at least it still does. For more over two years, I’ve felt the same as I’ve always had and cherish the moments as they came. But I write this not because it has already ended, no it has not, but because I’ve seen it as I’ve panned out how 2012 will be.

And so maybe I will lose you for good or whatnot – only time will tell. The cliché, it’s even worse than what I saw unfold. The common tale of the one that got away.

But even though that I’ve never told you how I feel, in due time I will.

The Ascended human questmaster tells you, ‘To become a superhuman, you must prove yourself to hold your own within their ranks!

The ascended human questmaster tells you, ‘First, take out the grandmaster of the conclave and bring me his ward.

The Ascended human questmaster tells you, ‘Then journey to Duke Arilan’s castle and meet his champion in battle.

The Ascended human questmaster tells you, ‘Lastly, destroy the human ruler of Midgaard.

The Ascended human questmaster tells you, ‘Return to me once you have completed these tasks and I shall make you a demigod!

05:30AM Wakeup call. I slept like a baby throughout but still felt my 8 hours of sleep was insufficient. Warm sun rays greeted us through the cold morning mist foretelling good weather and sunny skies. Canlaon City loomed below, reminding us that we were still at the foothold of Mount Kanlaon. We broke camp after preparing breakfast and packed lunch. Breakfast consisted of champorado, dried fish and arrozcaldo while we whooped up macaroni for lunch. Our breakfast recipe was a mistake, I think.

07:30AM Ascent proper. Jorj, who was dehydrated and feeling  ill since yesterday evening vomited on our first ascent. Even without a pack, she had difficulty climbing, and we weren’t even within the forest yet where felled logs and vertical ascents were commonplace. She couldn’t climb with us and risk her health. We stalled for an hour, assessing the situation. It was decided eventually that one of our guides would accompany Jorj back to Canlaon City where she was to stay with a friend. I felt bad for her but this was the best choice for everyone.

08:30AM With Jorg on her way back to Canlaon City, we started assault proper and took breaks within an interval of an hour. During my training climbs, there was always an instance where I would ask myself why I was doing these climbs. That never happened in Kanlaon. Even when tired, I managed my breathing when I could to restore vigor. Roughly an hour after we started our assault, I was starved and had difficulty keeping up with my ever getting heavier pack. This I attribute to, what I feel was, our inappropriate breakfast meal. Out of dried mangos, I recoursed to my energy gel, 120 calories of sweet honey.

01:30AM After about 3 or 4 15 minute stops, we reached Camp One (supposedly if we followed our IT), Makawiwili Peak. All I could utter was a wholehearted WOW. Margaha Valley was a sight to behold, which took the whole expanse of the ground from where we stood. Further beyond beckoned proud Mount Kanlaon whom we would now and then lose sight with the parade of clouds blowing from different directions. From the slopes of Margaha Valley, the ridges, Camp 2 was a comforting sight though still two hours and a half away. Finally I was beyond admiring Mount Kanlaon through pictures. I must have heaved a deep sigh of triumph and bore a bundle of smiles. Truly, the beauty of a mountain can only be appreciated by those who are willing to sacrifice, to climb her. Such even is the way of life. After gaiety photo shoots, I silently gave prayer and thanked God for the blessing. We were now en route to the saddle, for Camp 2.

02:00PM After the prevailing ascents, we were treated to a downhill treat which was an overture to Day 3. The trek dragged on for 2 hours. For some reason, I was fatigued and couldn’t keep up with my pacing with Shiela who was ahead of me. For one, I was out of trail food and with sparse water left.

04:00PM We finally reached the saddle. I was in the last group of NJ, Rain, Voltaire. I didn’t mind. Camp 2 was a welcoming sight of wide expanse of even camp ground with an awing view of the Negros Mainland. Above us was the crater whom everyone else was already summiting with a headtime of around 20-25 minutes. Not bad for a last group. Jake prodded us to summit immediately. A clear weather as ours was truly a blessing for a November climb. We unloaded our packs, left our water containers and started to assault which took us around ~30 minutes. Mid-summit, behind us was Camp 2 and further behind the Negros Mainland. It truly was a blessing. Summiting took us through loose rocks almost devoid of foliage. I couldn’t help but imagine how it was when the Volcano last erupted. Where the lava flowed downstream and if the rocks I was fending off came from the crater itself. None of which however were distinguishable by me, instead, I was dismayed by vandals left by irresponsible mountaineers.

04:30PM Reaching the summit, I hefted yet another sigh of both relief and fulfillment. We summited Mount Kanlaon on clear weather devoid of the gory climb ills experienced by other mountaineers. I was blessed, we were blessed. I didn’t take a peek through the crater, I felt it was unnecessary. Now I feel bad I didn’t. I will climb Kanlaon again. I will do so because next time, I will bring my camera and take a peek through the crater. And if it’s not asking for too much, she will be with me.

After the photo shoots which seemed endless with the clatter of childlike joys, we started descending. It was getting cold and the sun was bidding us an early goodnight.

05:00PM Back in Camp 2, we started pitching our tents and preparing for dinner. While the initial plan was that I was to share tents with Lyndz and Shiela, I asked permission to use my tent on the condition that I would transfer the moment it got too cold. I didn’t want to have dragged my Speedup throughout the 8 hour trek and to not use it. Dinner consisted of corned beef and soup which filled both my void stomach and hungry spirit.

10:00PM Lights out, at least for me. I was dead tired and even with the inviting comfort of alcohol, I only managed a few rounds then dozed off.

12:00AM Awakened by constant flapping of my tent which sounded like a motor engine. I carefully checked if it was raining as I didn’t want to wet myself and risk being chilled. So far, I slept too well. Fixing the pegs of my tent, I shared small talks with Rain over a cigarette who was also up to take a pee. It was nearly 10 degrees cold probably with wind factor, 7 degrees. These however are mere presumptions as I never had a thermometer but typically, the temperature drops down around midnight. My gloves were a lifesaver. I wore them even while sleeping for comfort.

Aggression, the Death Knight

.. . ..

You snap to! You realize you were dreaming yet awake! Where did that story come from? You open your eyes to see the being before you speaking to you. He coldly continues…

“When all the societies were reborn the spirit of Aggression had coalesced into a sentient being. It scoured the world for a host, a body. It came across a young squire who was well versed in the good ways of the knighthood. His mind was pure, body was ripe and the spirit of aggression took this form for his own. From that time on he was known as Aggression the Death Knight.

“Through the thirteen or so decades that he existed in this form he turned the brotherhood of death knights into something it had never been, a revered entity. His kights sinister honor drove him on endlessly. It gave fruit to his epic quests of daring, quests of skill, and quests for knowledge.

Aggression concludes, I came forth from the nothingness in the form of a human male. I am driven from within and from without. I make my own paths, and heed little of society since it is fleeting. Paths taken cannot be untaken. Those who tell you not to take chances, they are all missing on what life is about. You only live once so take hold of the chalice and drink up of this life before it runs you out.

.. . ..

Previous Chapters:
The Book of Aggression: Chapter I
The Book of Aggression: Chapter II

Aggression the Death Knight

.. . ..

After taking a breath to gather yourself you look back at him, he’s no longer looking at you. He is humanoid. And dressed for battle. He moves quickly, decisively. You think you hear screaming, a terrible screaming. As if one, no, many, are screaming out for something. But it’s worse than that, what are the screamers screaming for…

There is an aura about him that you did not initally notice. Is it red? Is it black? Is it power? Is it death? Or is it just your imagination? You ponder this for a moment, then realize he’s looking through you again!

This gaze isn’t as intimidating as the other. What he’s doing you soon realize. He’s studying you. But none you’ve met before have gaze so. Is this real? What does he want to know? Did he just nod?!? Your eyes meet his …

“In a time long ago, this world, the world of the raven was a flourishing land. There were great cities and secret keeps. The cities were bustling with the activity of many citizens. Young, old, naive, and wize people traversed the land. Humans were the only beings posessing the ability to speak. For a time…

First came rumors, then 2nd hand testimonials, and finally it came to be realized that other beings could speak! These beings wanted into the societies of this world. At first they tried, but there were problems. These ill-begotten beings brought with them an epidemic worse than life itself. Unbeknownst to all, they were destroying the world. Then, one day, the sun didn’t rise, yet the night had ended.

Nothing. That’s what was left, nothing. No city bustle, no secret plotting, nothing. Every single being was gone. Then, after countless unobserved eons, the sun rose. Speaking people woke. They ventured into cities, learned of commerce. They ventured into the wild, learned of nature. They heard rumors and searched to see if they had any basis. It was in this time when a being emerged. A being that was old yet new. A being that was young, yet had much experience. The being knew of it’s nature, for it has always existed.

It was Aggression.

.. . ..

Other Chapters:
The Book of Aggression: Chapter I
The Book of Aggression: Chapter III