Venom

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Haliya shed light to everything below the night sky. Her glow was immensely lacking than when she had six other moons to help her illuminate the dark expanse of black velvet.

Bulan looked up, staring at his sister, a lonesome figure atop the world's chaos and problems. She looked peaceful... but sad.

It had been three days now since Sidapa left to tend to issues concerning the underworld. For three days, and two nights, all was quiet. The Bakunawa had not surfaced nor caused any problems.

Bulan kept himself busy at Mt. Madjaas while his dark cloud was away. He tended to the gardens and night creatures under the care of Sidapa at their shrouded mountain. The wood nymphs and birds kept him company during the day. And at night, the mermaids helped him harvest nectar from the rare flowers, with the wind sylphs assisting their every effort.

And so it was for three days that peace reigned. And for two nights, the world was tranquil and without a worry.

Bulan had just finished filling a bamboo shoot with nectar to its brim, tightly capping the container he then handed it to the nearest wind sylph for storage. He was about to harvest nectar from the next set of rare flowers when a loud roar was heard. In an instant the Bakunawa made its way towards the lone sphere of light in the night sky, the moon immediately turned to defend itself from the invader.

Bulan stood transfixed, fear and anger both competing to take ahold of his countenance. The mermaids all gasped, watching as the Bakunawa tried to swallow Haliya. The fireflies flew to light the way through the dark shroud, and a lighted pathway appeared to provide a means of escape for the moon.

Before he could think of his promise to Sidapa, Bulan was already racing towards the dark night to help his sister. The death sword shrouded in black smoke looked lethal as Bulan began to wield it in an attempt to kill the giant sea serpent.

He tried to slash the back of of the Bakunawa, but its hard scales made it impossible to wound the monster. Bulan tried to find a weak spot as he hovered over the fast moving bulk of the creature.

A loud scream temporarily made it difficult for him to move, he saw Haliya's shoulder bleeding. The wings of the Bakunawa had dealt an ugly gash on his sister's translucent skin. Determined to return the favor, Bulan started slashing the Bakunawa from all sides, frantic to avenge the death of his brothers.

Several silver scales have been chipped off, and in pain the monster turned its attention to attack Bulan. He used his ability to transform into light, just as the Bakunawa lunged to bite him. Bulan successfully avoided getting bitten, and appeared on the other side of the monster to deal a massive wound near its head. The Bakunawa roared in pain, whipping its tail and hitting Haliya as she was about to bury her sword in the monster's belly. She reeled from the force, and was sent hurtling towards the Earth, as Bulan sinked the death sword deeper into the serpent.

The monster writhed in pain temporarily, then jerked free of Bulan's attack. It hurriedly gave chase to Haliya's unconscious figure as it plummeted to the Earth.

Just as the monster was about to devour Haliya, a loud noise was heard. The people from the island began hitting gongs, pots, shields, rocks... anything that would create a diversion to confuse the Bakunawa and help the moon escape. They were tired of just watching as the sea creature tried to throw the world into darkness  and they wanted to put a stop to it. Their cries of plea reached the heavens, and the gods heard them.

Haliya was roused back from her momentary unconsciousness and disappeared into white smoke. She reappeared behind the monster and dealt a forceful lunge, creating a wound so deep that the inner muscles of the creature's back could be seen.

The Bakunawa roared, then coiled itself around Haliya, it was as if she was next to say goodbye to this world.

As the Bakunawa tightened its grasp on Haliya, a loud crack of thunder was heard. The sky was lit with thousands of lightning. Bulan came hurling towards the monster, the death sword poised to slash one of its wings. The blade connected, and the wing was successfully broken.

The Bakunawa reeled its mouth to capture Bulan whose grip on the embedded sword made it impossible for him to notice the sudden change in the direction of the gaping mouth that just moments ago was about to devour Haliya.

As the fangs of the monster was to sink into Bulan, a dark cloud rose from no where and snatched the moon god from the serpent's reach, carrying him back to Mt. Madjaas and into safety. Sidapa has returned to save his brilliant moon.

Haliya, freed from the clutches of the creature, swung her sword and dealt a massive blow to the other wing of the monster. Just as the Bakunawa was to bite Haliya, the sky turned almost white as her grandfather appeared to strangle the neck of the giant serpent.

"You have almost succeeded in devouring all of my grandchildren! Your anger for the humans who killed Aria has not been sated, though Asuang and his minions have all but slaughtered the entire island. Your desire for revenge has been allowed too long to run amok. It ends now!"

Kaptan struck the giant creature with several bolts of lightning, then hurled it back to the ocean. Its limp form burned as it plummeted, and a loud crash was heard as it sank deeper into the deepest part of the sea.

"Remain in slumber for eternity. Your next assault on any member of my family will be your last!" Kaptan warned the creature as it coiled itself in defeat on the cold, dark, ocean floor to recuperate and heal its broken wings and deep painful wounds.

Haliya went to embrace her grandfather, just as Sidapa floated gently over Mt. Madjaas with Bulan carefully craddled in his loving arms.

"The sword!" Bulan exclaimed.

"Worry not." Sidapa deposited the moon god gently on the foot of their mountain before snapping his finger. In an instant the death sword materialized from dark smoke. It hung on the left hip of the mighty Sidapa, and looked massive resting on the dark figure of the death god.

"You've returned." Bulan said excitedly.

"As promised." Sidapa smiled.

"Sidapa. I need some of your herbs, Haliya is injured." Kaptan descended, and the mountain was suddenly awashed in bright light. The mermaids and night creatures bowed lowly to acknowledge his majesty.

"Haliya! Grandfather, will she be alright?" Bulan rushed to assist his grandfather prop Haliya against a smooth boulder.

The wind sylphs started cutting the herbs needed to tend to Haliya's wounds, and Sidapa made a thick paste mixture to use as ointment on her injuries.

"Oh no, dear sister. One side of your body is red with wounds, while the other is blue from bruises. How will you shine now?" Bulan started to gently apply the ointment on Haliya's wounds.

"I think I shall leave that job to you from now on, I will however be your protector, always on guard just incase the Bakunawa tries to attack us again. Grandfather will have to train me some more, so I can defend you better." Haliya winced, her wounds were deep.

"I think that's a good idea. I'll be more at ease knowing while I work to shine my light on the world, my sister is there to protect me. Not to mention the death god who... who... grandfather, I'm..." Bulan collapsed in a heap at the feet of Kaptan. Sidapa rushed to help him.

It was only after Sidapa swiftly carried Bulan over to a mound of dried hay did they notice a long gash on his back. A trail of green liquid from the Bakunawa's fangs could be seen on it, a proof that a fatal bite was delivered to the moon god while he clashed moments ago with the sea creature.

The three gods tended to the younger one. They were all trying to revive the moon god. The mermaids and wind sylphs cried in utter worry and saddness. The fireflies surrounded the gods, wanting to be close to Bulan, as the gods tried to find a way to deal with the poison... and find a cure for the venom.












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