“Mayari... do we have to go all this way? He is only a child; we should understand him more. You did not have to bring over the council of the Sun, we can handle this on our own. Mayari, please listen to me!” Malyari cried out to the moon warrior goddess who only ignored her pleas.
The Moon Goddess Malyari could not look at the situation of the poor guardian out of pity and pain. She tried bargaining with Mayari to lessen the punishment that will be put on Libulan but to no avail, especially when Apolaki is present and has solid proof of the whereabouts of the said Moon Guardian.
What surprised the goddess Malyari is the participation of the young sun god who has returned from Laya, bearing the sadness and lifeless orbs once again. Head hanging low as he walked towards Apolaki, and she noticed some burnt marks on the young sun god, too.
"Mayari... " she begged, trying to reach out for her but the stone-cold goddess did not even move a single finger to stop everyone.
“Bring the guardian in.”
The gate opened revealing the moon god in shackles, dragging him as they go, and it was also obvious that he tried fending off the other Sun warriors due to his bleeding injuries, but Apolaki immediately subdued him.
He was weakening.
They stripped him off of his guardian clothes, jewelries and even his weapons were taken away from him. He only looks like a filthy, immoral mortal with nothing to offer his people.
"I cannot believe how disappointing you have become, Libulan. To think that you knew what kind of being was around you. You kept it from me, from us, and from your people. You of all gods, remembers the castigation for this matter so I hope you are ready for this." Mayari coldly said, enough for every witness on the Moon Palace to hear, every being were shaking in fear for their guardian.
Mayari gasped, she wanted to run towards Libulan but Apolaki held her tightly so she won’t interfere anymore. The moon goddess of the eight rivers glared in anger at the smiling sun god.
"This is unbecoming of a guardian," some of the Sun councils scoffed as they looked down on him like tiny being, ready to be squashed any moment. He no longer have the power of command upon being castigated.
Libulan was kneeling on the basalt floor, a tormenting method that weakens the mobility of the convicted, that wounded his knees with his hands tied above his head and he no longer wears a veil, but a dirt rug wrapped around his head to cover his eyes.
He was crying, and sobbing in pain, not for oneself but for the beings of Laya that Mayari and Apolaki have slain and sealed off. His eyes could not believe everything he had just seen a few moments ago before he was captured.
He was scared.
He does not know what this feeling was.
To be hurt by those you trusted your life with.
"I... saw...everything..." he sobbed, nearly choking on the lump forming on his throat, his lips quivering in fear, and sweat ran down cold from his porcelain yet bruised skin.
"You have no utter rights to speak," Mayari snarled, glaring at the sight before one of the palace servants handed over a book to her that contains incantations about divine castigationㅡ a form of punishment only for guardians as Libulan do.
"... Mayari...." Libulan pleaded through his muffled cries, and this made Malyari unable to look at him even more. While the sun god, Apolaki, kept smiling through the process.
"The Serpent that has devoured the previous guardian, the Serpent who invoked fear among our people, the one who destroyed our villages, the one who killed our believers, and the Guardian of Moons who is supposed to be the protector of his people from the Serpent's kin, was found together."
The moment Apolaki announced it, everyone gasped in horror and started whispering to each other as they question the actions that their guardian has committed. Malyari could see the disappointment on their faces, and it slowly turned into disgust, then anger.
"Hence, Libulan will be removed from his title as the sole guardian of the moons and will be isolated away until summer solstice to redeem himself."
By every word they say, the louder the whispers became, and Libulan can hear them all behind him. He wanted to defend himself from all of this nonsense, yet he cannot understand why he is being treated like this. He knew he did everything they said, he became the guardian as they wanted.
"The Sun Maidens performed a ritual to discern if our beloved moon god is and have remained sanctified. Unfortunately, the purifying ember no longer responds to our moon god. He has been tainted."
His breathing hitched.
Libulan cannot believe the accusations he is hearing right now, nor the reactions he is receiving from his own people. Everybody was bewildered, overwhelmed, and entirely disappointed for what has he become. Words passed through his ears like menacing venom that made his whole body tremble, tears were running down his cheek, and being unable to see anything right now, makes it all maddening.
"Libulan committed treason against the Lunar Realm, became a tainted chamber of his soul. He will receive a tantamount of bolts of lightning to purify his body and a powerful heat from the sun that is enough to cleanse his sin. We shall now begin the Sealification." Apolaki said.
Sealification is a divine castigation where a deity will be punished for straying away from his/her duties as a god, and they usually have to go through a lot of painful and excruciating absorption of powers from deities that have held them punishable. It can only be stopped once the convicted deity will no longer shed blood, and tears but still breathesㅡ there, this divine castigation will be lifted.
"Chosen One! This is for your own good!"
"Purify our god! Purify our god!"
"Free him from his sins! Mahabagin!"
Libulan ran cold upon realizing what he has been put at, he has read this in textbooks before but never knew it will personally happen to him.
"The final verdict for the Serpent will be eternal death."
"...no....please......Mayari...." he begged through his sobs, trying to move away from the position he is in right now but the pain and burning sensation of the basalt floor makes it even worst once he moves.
He wanted to scream, he wanted to yell, he wanted to beg, he wanted to tell them what he had seen, what he have heard, what he have learned from the time he was with Bakunawa. He wanted to tell them that he did not do anything wrong. He wanted to protect him at all costs.
"A hundred slash from the sword of Mayari that imbues a lightning falcon that could purify any tainted soul and the seven thousand and a hundred seven rays of the sun that can cleanse his sin."
The two deities chanted spells on their swords to perfect the ritual.
“Mahabaging Bathala, may you show mercy upon this god,” they both whispered.
Malyari shivered beside the cold-hearted Mayari who did not even blink once Apolaki began the punishment by burning the flesh of the screaming Libulan. She could no longer take it that she walked away from the hall, knowing she cannot do anything to help the poor god.
All she ever heard next was the bolts of lightning that made Libulan emit a bloody piercing scream that broke her heart into pieces. She did not want the poor moon god to go through this, but she was too powerless before the deities before her.
Libulan was left with no deity to defend him nor protect him, all he felt were pain, confusion, and fear.
It never stops.
Each hit.
Every slash.
Every cry.
Every scream.
It just never stops.
It kept stabbing him, electrifying him, and suffocating him.
The slashes were even slow and burning on his skin, he does not know how long this torture does will take but he just want it to end now. He cannot take any more of it, especially with the bolts all around him, pressing him down in reality.
No longer in his dreams.
Help me. Help me. Somebody.
Please help me. Make it stop. Make it stop.
Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me.
Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me.
Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.
Help me. Help me. Somebody.
Please help me. Make it stop. Make it stop.
Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me.
Help me. Help me. Help me. Help me.
Make it stop. Make it stop. Make it stop.
Adlaw gaze upon the almost naked and torn limbs of the guardian, he should be feeling nothing at all, but deep inside of him, he wanted to move. He wanted to save him but at the same time, he thinks it is wrong to save a traitor like him. It confused him, it stirred so many emotions inside but remembering his father’s wordsㅡ he decided to keep watching anyway.
“At this rate, the moon god will die from the castigation… he is no longer bleeding…” The moon people watching whispered as they watched their guardian hanging like a lifeless branch from a tree.
Yet... golden sylphs began to surround the hall where Libulan was being castigated, and everyone was confused at first until they realize who owns these sylphs.
"I-It is him..."
Apolaki detected another presence inside that he recognized immediately who it is.
"Halt," Apolaki told Mayari who held her sword for a while, "this place sure likes to invite unwelcoming guests." The Sun god grinned in delight, especially when the uninvited guest he was pertaining to, have removed the shackles from Libulan and immediately lifted the frail body of the moon god.
"Ah, those eyes," the Sun god chuckled, "the same look you gave father and I before. Does this scene remind you of something memorable, dear Sidapa?"
The death god paid no attention to whatever Apolaki was saying anymore, his eyes only glued to the weak figure of the god he promised his heart to.
Libulan was unrecognizable with his state; fresh blood oozing and burnt skin were all over his body. The god of death held the moon god close to him, as his shoulder shaken from stopping his tears from flowing.
He cannot accept this.
He cannot forgive those who have done this to him.
He cannot let them get away with this.
"I am taking you away now," Sidapa whispered to Libulan, holding onto his wounded hands, and planting a gentle kiss on them. Slowly, Libulan began to lose consciousness and Sidapa continued to carry him, walking away from the hall without even looking back to them.
Silence engulfed the whole palace.
"Stop him! All of you!" Mayari commanded the guards, but they were trembling to even move from their position once they landed their gaze on the death god.
"Why you-" Mayari hissed but Apolaki patted her shoulders to calm her down.
"We must not forget that he is the death god. A stare from him would give you a glimpse of your death, and he can even make you feel them. The reason why the guards aren't moving, so calm yourself down."
Mayari frowned, irritated at the fact that Sidapa has to be involved in this matter. Of all gods in the entire realm, Sidapa is likely the untouchable deity. Because when you anger the death god, he will no longer follow what fate has written for you, he will impose death on you here and now.
“And he already cursed us,” Apolaki added that Mayari gritted her teeth in anger even more.
Sidapa carried the unconscious body of the moon god towards Madjaas, everyone was watching him be drenched in the cold rain, every grass he stepped, and every tree that he passed by eventually loses their life. Not minding if all eyes were on them, all he has to focus on is Libulan. He knew that shortening their lives would not be enough to contain his anger but his love for the moon god is stronger than his wrath.
Even if the rain washes away the blood on Libulan’s body, the injuries he received from it can never disappear and will remain as a reminder for the moon guardian that he was a traitor to his own kind.
“My Lord… is that…”
Sidapa ignored his acquaintances as he climbed up towards the highest part of the mountains, to keep the moon god safe away from the moon and sun people ever again.
LIBULAN hasn't opened up his eyes for a few days after the Sealification.
This affected the mortal realm because the tides no longer bring waves and bountiful blessings but emptiness and eerie silence, the night have stayed the longest yet there is no longer any guide from the Seven Moons, and the absence of the Moon Guardian have made several grotesquely looking beings be active and terrorize a few villages.
Chaos born from his absence.
Not even Mayari can put a stop at this.
The Seven moons disappeared.
The Moon Palace did not see this coming, everyone went hysterical upon realizing there will be no light for who knows until when, and that their protective barrier will weaken each passing day.
Without Libulan's presence, everyone will be put at stake, not only in the mortal realm but the whole Kaluwalhatian.
Meanwhile, up above the highest peak of Madjaas, the sleeping figure of the moon god has been kept and taken care of well by Sidapa's sylphs. And the death god gathered flowers each day to offer them around Libulan's sleeping figure, it became a habit while he waits for his beloved Libulan.
He even commanded the birds to sing for his beloved but to no avail. The moon god has succumbed to deep unconsciousness caused by the Sealification. Still, he hopes and yearns for his voice again. It aches around his chest, to see Libulan closing his eyes. He wanted to see them, he wanted to look at him in the eye without the veil anymore.
By then, he will never let go of him, he will never commit the same mistake again.
Rage has fueled all his desire to go against the Sky deities even more, yet guilt can also be felt from within him for not being able to be there for the poor accused moon god. He could have been there; he could have prevented things from happening. He could have at least done something.
"Son, return the god to his domain."
Sidapa remained quiet despite the futile attempts of Dumangan and Idianale in convincing him to undo his actions, that this is something he should not be sticking his nose in. He is out of line, and whatever he is planning to do will not make Libulan's name be cleared out either. The damage has been done and Libulan has been castigated, too. All the moon god has to do is to redeem himself by locking himself once again and be out of reach from other divine beings.
"I still cannot understand until when and how long do the Sky deities be using that method of punishment? It is purely ridiculous and preposterous," Sidapa replied coldly while picking some fresh berries and flowers for the unconscious moon good. The two Sky deities followed behind him, worry was plastered on their faces as they look at their precious Sidapa.
They could not even answer him properly, the castigation has been used since then and unfortunately, no one has ever survived the punishment. One of the very reasons why Sidapa hated to mingle with the Sky deities and decided to live a life of his own where no one dictates for him. He does not want to witness such a horrible scene anymore.
"My dear, Libulan is not Naga."
Sidapa abruptly halted from moving upon hearing the name he had long forgotten.
"Sweetheart, I told you not to bring up her name anymore," Dumangan whispered to his wife, who didn't budge and only had his eyes on Sidapa, tears began to form as she looked at him. She fears that Sidapa will put himself in another trouble.
They do not want to be parted away from him, again.
"I-I know that we were powerless enough to protect her, to defend her that timeㅡ but, my dear, this is different! The god you sought for has committed treason! An unacceptable act of a go-"
"Leave."
It was a whisper full of pent-up emotions, but softer and gentle enough for the two to hear him, as much as they wanted to helpㅡ they could not interfere. Even if this is something that their grandson, Apolaki, has started, they could not bring themselves to reach out.
Alas, Sidapa is finally left alone with Libulan and all he has to do now is wait for him to wake up again. It does not matter now how long or complicated things will get, what matters to him is to see Libulan be happy again.
He only wanted what is best for him, that is all.
DRENCHED in his blood, Bakunawa shrieked in total wrath, releasing his emerald scales out from his own deity body that doesn't seem to work, he is currently in a disfigured form right now because of his overwhelming emotions surging from within.
"LET ME GO!"
The Serpent god growled in a fit of inaudible rage and resentment upon finding himself in the hands of the elder moon goddess, Malyari, with her other consorts to assist her in pinning Bakunawa down but in a manner to calm him and not seal him up. He was planning to reveal himself finally, but Malyari knew this should not happen, yet.
The elder moon goddess knelt to his level while the incredibly strong consorts held both of his arms, one that is deity intact while the other is now a serpent's arm. She removed her veil around her and looked straight into the Serpent god's ignited red eyes, and she can see too much despair and agony from such majestic creature that Bathala himself created.
But for mass destruction.
Every ancient deity and elders know how much one terrifying beast can destroy one realm with its humongous form that could shake the earth's core. And that Bakunawa's kin has long perished, leaving him to be the gods' powerful weapon against mortals.
Until Bakunawa met the unbeatable deity of the Moon Palace. She who wielded the sword and possessed magic alike. She dances for grace and fights strongly for war to protect her kind. She who have singlehandedly won wars against deities who were up against her. She who was the chosen. Whom the Seven Moons have predicted to manifest their powers.
"Bakunawa, the highest form of all mythical creatures, the crowned deity of the deep, and the one who causes the eclipses," Malyari said softly, did not even flinch when Bakunawa used his presence to terrify and assert dominance towards Malyari. But because of his state, especially when he is in a condition wherein, he no longer knows how to control himself, he became feeble.
He has been so broken.
"I can’t believe you lived throughout these years, without any trace, that even the gods from above could not see you. Where have you been? What were you doing, O'Great Serpent of the East?" Her voice was too soothing that Bakunawa began to falter his defense, his muscles no longer tense, and a hissing sound was heard upon noticing that he is slowly reverting to his usual form, a deity form. But all bloodied and wounded by his scales and the mark that has been embedded within him.
"Haliya... she did everything to protect you, huh? Even if it will cost her life, and she even left you a restraining power that would hide your presence and control your rage," Malyari smiled a little, "they were telling tales about you swallowing the moons, but that is not who you are, right?"
"Your... kind... sealed... my... people..."
His voice no longer laces of any ill intentions but complete exhaustion and grief that made Malyari pity his situation.
Bakunawa remained emotionless at the ground below him, and slowly, tears ran down from his cheeks as he slowly looked up to where Malyari is. It made him laugh. He never thought that he will be seeing her face on someone else's, again.
"Mayari was blinded by the truth that Haliya was swallowed and killed by the Serpent god waiting below the deep, she despises you a lot that she did everything to keep Libulan away from you," she explained to him and motioned her consorts to finally release the Serpent god.
Bakunawa did not utter a single word.
"But that is not who you are, right? I know, deep down in your heart, that is exactly who you are and what you are meant to be. You are not a weapon; you are no monster."
Suddenly, the emblem or mark on Bakunawa's chest glowed, its roots slowly scattering all over the Serpent's body. Malyari held her tears back as she witnessed the same light she knew again, the warmth of light that she felt from the former Moon Guardian, Haliya.
Sa pagmulat ng Baku Nawa
Sugpuin ang kadiliman
Upang mapalaya ang sinag
Sa buwan, siya ay magbabalik
"Haliya," Malyari wept, wiping her tears away as the light slowly dies. She gave Bakunawa a longing of embrace before she cradled him to sleep, to take him to a safer place.
Laya is no longer a home for the serpent god.