Chapter 6: Diwata Part 2

(Flashback Continuation)

Bathala turned his eyes towards the hundred left on Lucien's camp. "For those of you who harbored no ill intent of me, but chose to honor your pact as brothers and sisters in arms, I now decree, that you will be sent to a world called Kaidadalman. Your own realm. A barren land with no colors. May you always tether between light and darkness for eternity." With that, another rumble of thunder sounded and a flash of light ensued. 

At long last, Bathala turned to look at the undecided. Those who stood in between. He then said, "I am not sure if not choosing any sides will be a blessing or a curse to you. However, I cannot allow those who do not have faith in me to stay. With that said I now decree, A realm catered to you. Although devoid of light, I will not forsake you, but will give you four moons as light and to represent each realm. May you have access to gaze to any realm I created except Heaven. May you be bringers of my light but not feel its warmth for eternity." With a loud bang and bright light, they came into a world with four moons.

For eons, they just gazed and gazed at the realms. They saw how Lucien's tribe was consumed with hatred, anguish, and guilt. Lucien became a dark version of his former self. They saw how conflicted those who lived in Kaidadalman were. Almost living in the madness of trying to balance good and evil. And then, what happened to them was a never-ending cycle of watching. 

Then, they wanted to replicate the sereneness of Heaven, its warmth and light. Although their world is filled with glowing stones, glowing plants, and the four moons, it is torture for them to remember the feeling of residing in Heaven, and they realize it was their punishment for their indecisiveness. 

His ancestors never knew when or how it started. Suddenly, three new moons appeared in their sky. Then, a warrior of Bathala went down to them and told them about the creatures that he created in his likeness. He told them of the breach of Heaven. How Lucien, no, Tenebrio, infiltrated the Garden he was once guarding and corrupted the creatures bearing Bathala's flesh and blood. 

Although he punished them, he gave them Tao, a soul made from Bathala's own breath. Bathala wanted to put more distance between his Kingdom and Tenebrio's realm, thus, he added 3 more, so that it would be harder for Tenebrio to go to him. A realm, lower than Kaidadalman called roughly translated as Hell, a middle realm between Kaidadalman and Kaibabawan called Earth, and a realm between Kaibabawan and Heaven called Purgatory.

Earth housed the vanished creature made from Bathala's flesh and blood. The beings of Kaibabawan called them humans, from the term hubris. They have little to no Divine Power in their fragile little bodies. Their Tao's however, contains so much energy, vibrancy, and fragrance that reminded the warriors of the heaven they once called home. Although their Tao was incorruptible, their body however are another different matter.

Tenebrio discovered that by influencing and tainting the body of the Tao, he can supplement his power, and gain some of the blessings that Bathala gave the creatures. Once this information spread, the normally inactive beings of the original realms were in an uproar. Beings tried to mate with humans, and humans treated them as gods. 

For centuries, they roam freely in this middle realm. Creatures once vanished from Heaven and met each other in this middle ground, until Bathala discovered what they've done, and taught them a lesson they never forgot.