Libulan, The Moon God (COMPLETED)

CHAPTER 13-14

"This is your fate, guardian of the moons. I can foretell what your future will be, but I cannot tell you what will happen from here and on. Unless my brother will do the honor of revealing the truth," Muhen said, glancing at the quiet yet worried Sarimanok who understood every word that his sister have sung. They are connected, they are each other's halves. They both are opposite sides of each other thus Sarimanok knows what's in there for Libulan, too.

"I..." Libulan muttered, unable to form any words for the song that have given him a heavy blow on his heart that makes him want to weep.

"You are important to my master, but breaking a rule from a contract would terminate my loyalty towards him. I do not wish for that to happen," is all that he could say to the moon god, while Muhen rolled her eyes in disappointment. Her brother wouldn't fulfill his duties anymore that involves revealing some scenarios that will bring the conflict to one's life ever since he became the serpent god's allied divinity.

Muhen might be known to be the giver of woes, but she always gives a neutral stand on every fate to ensure that one will know where to go. Whilst Sarimanok is known to be the giver of solace, yet what he says can either break someone's heart or ruin someone's life.

They are the siblings of fate.

"Now that I have told you what you seek for, it is time for all of you to leave the nest of the Lawins," she shrieked in dominance, flying back to the highest cliff as the fog slowly covers her, "The Lord of Laya will be in deep slumber for a day, shove him back to his lake, he then will be awake," was the last thing she told them before she disappeared and the mist made from Muhen's feathers have closed the Himpapawid ㅡ no longer visible to their naked eyes.

A LOT of things were going on inside Libulan's head, he could not focus on his studies and his daily rituals for all the things he discovered. One, the two goddesses are hiding something from him, and that they have been casting a spell on him that he has no idea what it for is. Second, what is the reason for that spell? Third, how the song has created an impact on him, making him wonder that maybe, there is more to him than what he usually hears from other deities.

"Where have you been last time, Chosen One?" Mayari tapped his table before placing another set of books for him to read. The moon goddess can see how nervous and different Libulan became ever since he started missing from his chambers, from time to time.

She thought he might be taken by Sidapa, but she recently saw the death god with Idianale and Dumangan, borrowing books from the Great Library of Baybay.

And that exact day, Libulan was nowhere to be seen.

"I-uh, I went...outside?" Libulan giggled nervously, grabbing one book to cover his face away from the glaring eyes of Mayari.
"Outside where exactly?" She pressured him even more, crossing her arms as she never left her eyes on Libulan who couldn't look at her right now.

"S-somewhere? U-Uhm, y-you know the uh, stuff in the moon uh village? Yeah!"

"The villagers never felt your presence."

"G-guess I hid it!"

"You don't know how to hide spiritual powers, yet."

"Uhmmm…" Libulan almost pouted, can no longer keep up with Mayari that seems to be dead serious right now. He doesn't want them to know what he has been up to and where he has been. They will take away that freedom from him again, locking him up on his tower of loneliness.

"Well," Mayari sighed, "just finish reading these scriptures. By the end of the day, I will be back to discuss these matters, to see if you read a thing or two about it."

Libulan knows he is doomed.

He never read anything ever since he started going out with Bakunawa.

The Great War in the Skies.

A divine tale told by many mortal mouths, and a legend passed on from generation to generationsㅡ it is the story of how the world woke up from its slumber and began to flourish after the collision of a hundred gods to take over a certain position in every realm. To instill faith in humanity, to exist longer than any deity, and to be the most powerful god or goddess known throughout the whole realm.

Of all those who have fought, there was one masked deity who took shelter on the realm of the moons without drawing out her sword. She claimed it as her chosen realm the moment she got there and whoever wants to go against her shall fight her head-on. Many have tried to conquer and bring her down, but none of them were successful. The Seven moons have already granted her the protection that she and her people needed because she was the chosen one.
Since the beginning.

"The god of this palace does not want to have any visitors nor disturbance today, I apologize," Mayari announced, giving Apolaki a sheer cold gaze. Even she doesn't want to see the face of the beaming god, there is something about Apolaki that annoys her so much.

The sun god only smiled, "How long are you going to hide everything from the poor Libulan?" then asked her this, and she began to command the other guards to leave them be, at once.

This is a personal matter that she and Apolaki must talk about.

"I have no idea what you are pertaining about," she firmly replied, clutching onto her sword while Apolaki played with the rays of the light on his fingers, grinning at Mayari that sent an involuntary shiver through her spine.

"My, my," Apolaki chuckled, "do you intend to keep on lying in front of the god that holds the power next to our Father?"

His eyes glowed for a second, giving Mayari the same gaze, no longer pretending to be who he was in front of somebody that knew him well.

"Let me remind you that this is the sacred palace of the moon deities. Do not wish to intimidate our power, and I am no longer the Mayari you knew," Mayari said through gritted teeth, itching to withdraw her sword and fight the sun god head-on. All he does is annoy and irritate her, even if she separated herself from his hold already.

But he only smiled gently, mocking the moon goddess more.

“Feeling pathetic after being unable to save your petty Haliya? I see that you are still holding on to her relics.”

“How about you? Did you ever receive any love from your dear godparents yet? Your real father and mother.”

Apolaki, this time, his smile fell, only showing a grim expression on what Mayari have said.

"Father, there you are."

Surprised for the sudden appearance of his son, he returned back to his senses. Apolaki approached the young sun god with confusion all over his face.

How did he get here?

Why was he allowed to enter the palace?
Mayari gazed through the eyes of the younger sun god who looked back with the same intensity, and it suddenly reminded her of someone.

"Adlaw, my boy! W-what are you doing here?" Apolaki nervously chuckled, placing his hands on his son's shoulders as he pushed him a bit to the corner to talk to him in private.

"I got bored, and the sparring knights you left with me were too weak. Besides, weren't you here to ask about the identity of the masked god?" the younger sun god replied, moving away from the hold of his father as he approached Mayari while looking around the hall, fascinated by the sight.

It looks way different from the Pavilion where he lives. He knew that he has been here during the first visit but never paid attention to any details. He thought it'll be unnecessary.

But it piqued his interest the moment he got to see the guardian of the moons.
Mayari frowned upon hearing the title of someone she used to know. What is their ulterior motive about it.

"You," he called, and it made the moon goddess look back at him, the absence of life in his eyes was evident as he looked at Mayari then onto her sword, "Are you the commander of your army? I bet you are stronger than any of my father's knights." It was an indirect challenge, and Apolaki couldn't help but sigh at the corner, knowing he cannot stop whatever his son is trying to do.

"I don't have time for child's play," Mayari coldly replied, "and I do not intend to brawl with someone nameless," she added.
The younger sun god blinked once, then twice, before looking back at his father who nodded his head which means that Apolaki permits him to state his name to the warrior of the Lunar realm.

"I, the young master of the Sun Pavilion, conqueror of the east and the heir to the Sun god's throne," he introduced himself, drawing out his sword whose light illuminated as he positioned for his stance, closing his eyes to resonate the power of his divine power onto the sword.

"Adlaw of the Sun Realm," he whispered but enough for Mayari to hear, and the moment he opened his eyesㅡ shone the brightest among all, Adlaw has the sun's flare within his eyes that made Apolaki proud whilst it intimidated Mayari a bit.

"So, you intend to fight me," she smug a bit, "but unfortunately, I will not be the one to draw my sword out."

The sun gods were confused by this statement.

“Shield yourself,” a masked god whispered to Adlaw who was behind him, causing the other to back away from the eerie feeling he suddenly felt. The mysterious being was gone in a blink of an eye. Adlaw was confused at first but when he felt an enormous amount of energy coming from aboveㅡ a masked deity suddenly plunged its sword towards him. Good thing he got to avoid that attack because of his reflexes, dodging from the side, and saw how much damage it could create if he were not to move.

"Aren't you supposed to be the one I am challenging with? The warrior, the general. Not with this... whoever this deity is. It will be less honorable for me," Adlaw pointed to the mysterious lad who only stood still, wearing his mask while Mayari smiled a bit.

"This is uncanny," Apolaki whistled, seemingly interested in whatever is happening. His original plan was to meet Mayari to squeeze information about the masked deity that he suspected to be her, but he never expected things to turn out this way.

"I am the commander of my army, and no one shall dare to challenge my generals." The masked deity firmly told him, showing half of his face by removing the Haliya mask. There, his metallic silver piercing orbs gleamed, an imprint also showed up on his right eye and this surprised both of the sun gods.

"You... can hold a sword." Apolaki mused, didn't mean to sound offensive. While Adlaw kept staring at the slender figure of the masked deity, it confuses him, but he knows that he had seen this god before.

"I can show you," he replied, disappearing from their sight, and all of a sudden, he was already behind Adlawㅡ ready to land a heavy blow on him by his head, but the younger sun god felt his presence, so he got to block his strong attack. Yet, this surprised him and caught him off guard as well. The strength he has is no joke, but this lifted the side of Adlaw's lips.

"A worthy opponent!" Adlaw grinned in delight.

The masked deity didn't faze, instead, he continued sending slashes towards Adlaw and the latter kept countering them. How their swords clashed around the place can be compared to the stars that crashes towards the earth. They were too fast that only a glimpse of their lights can be seen.

"You are one sly goddess, Mayari,” Apolaki snickered beside her as they watch the two clash in front of them. The moon goddess only remained silent, she does not wish to do this but her hands were already tied and this is the only way.

Apolaki was delighted of the information he discovered, “The very reason why the realms assumed that you are the one commanding your forces, I see. But in reality, you were hiding a very, very dangerous weapon.”

Mayari only left the sun god alone after that.
Meanwhile, the young sun god noticed the familiarity of the masked god's movement when it comes to battling. He could not pinpoint but a glimpse from his memories would make him recall something...

Who is the better warrior between us?
Our little sister would answer that for us.
My brothers are all great warriors!
No! Choose one only

"...?"

Adlaw got distracted with all the blurred images he was seeing that his form faded out and the masked deity was already in front of himㅡ he pointed the edge of the sword on Adlaw's throat.

But all Adlaw can see right now was a faint vision of someone smiling gently at him then it changes back to this cold demeanor of a masked god. It felt familiar but foreign. He could not understand, nor fear the sword pointed at his throat. His heart suddenly aches for no reason, his eyes felt dry, as he dropped his sword onto the ground, so did his own body.

"Adlaw!!"