Thalia's Beast (PhilMytho #1)

Before the coming of Spaniards onto the shore of the Philippines almost hundreds of years had passed, a great pantheon of Umagalads or Gods and Goddess ruled over the vast land of the whole Archipelago.

But with the coming of the Spaniards and Christianity, the rate of mortals worshipping them diminishes resulting in the Umalagads weakening of Mentala or their life source. Bathala being the king of the Umalagads and the higher court, knew this is imminent.

The scarcity for Mentala coerced the Umalagads to steal others' pantheon and gain their Mentala to survive eternal death. Unfortunately, these all lead to the great war of Umalagads as rebels began their greed for Mentala.

Bathala's daughter Mayari the Goddess of the moon and war, along with her brother Apolaki and sisters Hanan and Tala took the war in their hands to maintain the peace over the earth and sky once more by taking all the rest of Umalagad's remaining Mentala and sealed it into the seven moons of earth and sky. This is to prevent more rebels from taking over the court of Bathala.

While the great war between the rebellious Umalagads and Bathala's court is currently taking place, a tall phase Umalagad suddenly lands before Mayari's troops', carrying a sharp silver spear. Mayari leading the defending forces abruptly paused after successfully killing a rebel using her flaming kampilan. She wonders who is he with an unfamiliar beastly mask shielding his real appearance.

The Umalagad's skin is tanned yet it's glistening, and his hair is tight up while a piece of woven fabric is tied around his forehead. At the center of the fabric lies an insignia that was never mentioned in the court scripts. He appears in his full combat armored with a thick silver shield making him appear ferocious than Mayari's brother Apolaki.

Mayari never thought disobeying the rest would have her facing such a diety before her eyes. his crystallite yet brown skin drew Mayari's fascination very much—he is for a fact, beautiful despite his horrific aura. And Mayari's confusion made her assume he is not quite an enemy nor nearing to an ally either.

His menacing yet pulchritudinous presence didn't lead Mayari into perplexity, however. Yet, be that as it may, she guarantees that she is ready for any onslaught tactics from his end.

Seeing him grip tight into the Spear, Mayari promptly clutches into the hilt of kampilan pointing the tip towards his direction as its acuate blade exudes fiery blue flames.

The Umalagad's daunting gaze could easily make anyone withdraw and be afraid of him once witnessed in an instance. Yet despite that, Mayari looks at him in wonder, what might lies beneath his pagan mask that resembles a beast she has yet known.

His whole figure stands a few meters away from Mayari. Aware of the apparent death that might await her, the Goddess of Moon and War didn't flinch, she retains the hilt on both her grip towards him while he bolted the spear into the ground.

Mayari is ready for his attack when he swiftly pierces his firm hand deep into one of the rebel's chest. Mayari's eyes widened. Seeing this Umalagad fighting against the rebel.

Another one attacked him from behind yet he immediately dodges that. He caught his attacker on his nape but the attacker swiftly grips on his long hair and pulls off the string that binds it. The guy's silky dark hair now sways on his shoulder. He quickly brushes off the strands that cover his mask before he swiftly rewards his attacker a quick death with his spear.

The Umalagad moved quickly toward Mayari's direction that she wasn't able to have the chance to move.

As he stops right in front of her. He bends in one knee and looked into her face. Mayari wanted to remove his Pagan mask but he stopped her midway. For a moment, the moon's reflection on his silver eyes sparks in the darkness around her. Mayari looks deeper into his eyes and finally knew it is him, he is the man the Dalikamata told her.

He pressed Mayari's hand on his chest as he embraced her tight. Dalikmata once told Mayari before the war that her other half will appear when the bloody moon boasts into the night sky.

Mayari's hand voluntarily withdraws from the kampilan. She's confused about whether she would kill him, he is too hard for her to kill. Her mind tells her the opposite, she is the Goddess of war but her heart knew this Umagalad is the man she loves, it was fated to happen, their imprint is at hand.

"Mayari!" A thunder strikes the ground that separated them. "How dare you disobey me and forget you are at war. I told you to stay away from this Umalagad!" it is his father's tyrant voice who suddenly descends from Kaluwalhatian--Bathala.

Tremble appears from Mayari's hand but she picks up the Kampilan and tightly grips into its hilt. It might be hard for her to do it but she faces the point towards her own father saying, "I can't let you control my mind once more. You can't keep my memories from recalling this Umalagad as Bakun, he is my other half, Father."

"He stole the Mentala's by eating out the six moonstones, see for yourself and tell me I am not wrong. He is manipulating you Mayari, so that he could take over kaluwalhatian." Bathala pointed out the last moonstones from the sky, the last moonstone from the seven that carries the remaining Mentala of Kaluwalhatian.

Mayari having her confused thoughts didn't withdraw her kampilan. Determined to fight for her beloved, she hastily surges towards Bathala with her raging kampilan emitting fiery flame. But unknowingly, Apolaki barge out of nowhere and cuts her right eye.

She suddenly weakens as her Mentala was cut to half after losing one of her visions. yet, this didn't stop her, she strikes the dull blade into Apolaki's head that made him temporarily lost consciousness and continues her charge to Bathala.

Bathala, seemingly anticipating all of these, Bolted a highlighting that captured Mayari. He abruptly caged Bakun with his lighting to prevent his attacks as well. He bolts another thunder towards Bakun, turning him into a ferocious serpent beast. Bathala vanquished him in the underworld as punishment, making Mayari furious even more.

Mayari waves her Kampilan to release herself and save Bakun but Bathala's lighting chain tightens, making her release a yelp.

And with his last warning, "You gave me no choice, Mayari." Bathala slowly pulls out Mayari's Mentala, adding it to the brightness of the moonstone.

Before successfully getting all her Mentala, Mayari struggled to release her final enchantment, "hear thee who protects the moon and sky, the warrior that everyone adores and shines at the darkest time. I beseech you to hear my last words as my breath is unashamedly taken from me. I offer you my remaining Mentala, you the moon that serves as witnesses of all, let me live and my love once more. For in that life is our last chance away from this cursed court. " her last words were like a sharp dagger plunging into Bathala, as he sees Mayari's body turning into crystallized dust escaping from bondage.

That night, the bloody moon turns blue and the sea has calm, all the rest of rebels and Umalagad vanishes as their Mentala brightens the moon. Bathala at this point all these serves as an indication that Mayari's enchantment has come true.

ᴽᴽᴽᴽᴽᴽᴽ