KAPTAN
"I was once young. Inexperienced. Lacking in wisdom, strength, and understanding. I was hard headed, proud, and unreachable.
"The supreme deity Kanlaon was what gave life to three lesser gods who would rule the world. Myself to rule the heavens. Maguayan to rule the seas. And Sidapa to rule the underworld.
"Sidapa was seldom seen, he wanted nothing to do with either Maguayan or myself. He was always busy in his own domain. Lurking in the shadows. Always grumpy.
"Maguayan and I were arch enemies. We lived to torment each other on a daily basis. We played pranks on each other like kids. We used to throw things at each other, just to annoy ourselves and pass the time away. She once threw a giant conch at me, I knew from spying on her daily that she used this conch as a tub to bathe in. She got furious at me when I wouldn't return it to her. To assuage her anger, I made it rain for an entire week to add to the waters in her domain. It worked, and for awhile she didn't throw anything at me. But still, I kept her precious conch.
"I had a son, Lihangin. Born from my breath. He was as much a god as I was. Proud, untouchable, fearless. One time when he was floating over the expanse of the surface world, his eyes landed on a goddess riding the waves of the ocean. She was Lidagat, daughter of Maguayan and born of foam. Needless to say, my son fell in love with her instantly at first sight.
"Maguayan and I decided to declare a truce, and our children were soon after married. They were happy, and had four beautiful children. And for awhile, their lives were perfect.
"In the duration of the truce however, I got to know Maguayan more, and the once inexplicable disdain I harbored for her was suddenly turned to something akin to longing and yearning. I married her after the first of our grandchildren was born.
"My wife, Maguayan, was what grounded me. She was the voice that calmed my restlessness. Hers was the wisdom that answered my every question. Her laughter, the only sound that could wipe away my anger.
"The names of our grandchildren were: Likalibutan whose body was made of rock. Liadlaw was made of gold. Libulan of copper. And our only grandaughter Lisuga was made of silver.
"When my son died, he left a heartbroken Lidagat behind. Unable to live without him a day more, she soon followed him in the afterlife.
"My wife Maguayan cried everyday. Her pain in losing her only daughter was so immense that she wished she could travel to the underworld to see Lidagat once more.
"In my own sorrow, I became too focused on trying to find a way to console Maguayan that I lost track of my growing grandchildren. Their discipline and character formed without my supervision and guidance.
"With the passing of their parents, the young ones inherited the powers that both Lihangin and Lidagat possessed.
"The eldest, Likalibutan, inherited the power to command the winds. The new abilities that came with the awakening of new powers made him ambitious. He wanted to storm the heavens, and take control of everything from my seat of power.
"He bribed and pleaded with his two younger siblings, Liadlaw and Libulan, to help him. When he did not succeed, he turned to threats. Both younger boys were frightened by the sheer bulk of their older brother, and gave in to Likalibutan's demands.
"I came home to the deafening sound of the gates being forcefully opened. The loud heaving sounds alerted me of their intention to wrestle my power. They were going to try and take absolute control away from me.
"Having returned from trying to cheer Maguayan up all day, and feeling tired, I became irrational. In my angered state, I let loose lightning bolts that struck each of my grandchildren, burning, melting, and instantly killing them.
"I went forth to see if there was any other threat left, and saw my grandaughter Lisuga climbing the heavens. Thinking that she too was in on the plan to rid me of my powers, I struck her down as well. It was all too late for me to realize that she was merely trying to look for her siblings who have not returned, to their quaint little home that floated on the waves of the sea.
"Realizing what I had done, I instantly went to find my wife, who all the more became distressed to find out that after she had lost her only daughter... I unjustifiably murdered her four perfect grandchildren.
"I tried to atone for my sin, and realized that I was powerless to bring our grandchildren back, even with all the powers that I possessed.
"I decided to turn their bodies to something else so that Maguayan would not lose her mind with all that has transpired.
"I used the rocks from Likalibutan's body to create the islands, mountains, valleys, and canyons.
"From Liadlaw's gold I fashioned the sun, but it remained stationary and scorching.
"Libulan's copper served to light the world at night, but it too remained immobile, cracked, and with holes.
"Lastly, the scattered splinters of Lisuga's silver were transformed to make the stars.
"When all this was done, I went to look for Maguayan to try and show her my efforts to correct my mistake.
"She merely looked at me when I found her. She remained quiet for a long time. Finally, she sadly told me that she had lost her love for me the day I killed her beloved daughter's children.
"She further told me that she struck a bargain with Sidapa. She would ferry souls to the afterlife. In doing so, she would be given the chance to visit her daughter Lidagat each time she had a soul to deliver.
"Maguayan held me tightly one last time before she told me not to worry, that she will find a way to make things work before she leaves me.
"She asked me to provide her a plant from the heavens, one that she would plant on Likalibutan's body. And I gave her a healthy bamboo plant. With her care, the plant grew to an enormous size. When a tired bird perched to rest on it and found a lizard, he pecked it repeatedly trying to catch his meal, but only succeeded in splitting the bamboo. From the opened shoot, the first man... Malakas, emerged. The first woman from the other half of the split bamboo alighted as well, and she was named, Maganda.
"Maguayan then labored to collect Liadlaw's pieces, and tried to put him together. It proved difficult, and his perfect sphere changed to one that had sharp rays protruding from it. She used her tears to polish it, and the sun god Adlaw was born that day.
"Next, she tried to find the missing pieces of Libulan's body, but the six chunks would not fit to repair the copper sphere. In her disappointment, she washed the six chunks with sea foam and then threw them back to float in the sky with her breath. That night, one by one, the six moons were born. In addition to the lifeless broken sphere of Libulan, the six new moons glowed in the velvet blackness. The brightest and youngest of the new moons she named... Bulan.
"She then returned to me, asking me to take good care of myself, and of all our creations. She said she was happy and excited that she now had a means to see her daughter again. She told me that she still cared for me, but that she needed to be free.
"I will always be her husband, and we would always have a special bond... despite our distance. But it pained me to realize that our love did not have a happy ending.
"I cried rivers that day. Through blurred eyes I watched her cover her face with a black shroud, a boat carried her away from me. Rowing slowly with a single pole, she hummed a sad note as her figure entered the underworld to find Sidapa, and assume her role of ferrying souls.
"My grandchildren are my greatest source of joy, they brought light into my world. Adlaw during the day, and the siblings namely Subang, Banilig, Banolor, Mayari, Haliya, and Bulan to guard the night. I never doubted their abilities to protect themselves. Until they all became threatened with the anger of the Bakunawa, whose rampage killed three of them... and has now endanger the youngest.
"This process of reviving my grandchild Bulan, has brought back centuries old memories. One that I did not wish to revisit. One that I tried to keep a secret. Hoped to forever bury. To forget.
"It will be hard for me to look at Bulan when he comes out of this slumber, knowing that he will then resemble Libulan's appearance after. He will forever be a reminder of how I killed my first set of grandchildren, in an attempt to stay in power, in defense of my ego, while blinded by my pride.
"But I made a promise to my wife, Maguayan. To protect, and care for all our creations. I will not stand idly by and do nothing.
"For my youngest grandson I will cheat death itself, if only to bring him back to life... my favorite grandchild, Bulan."