11 Chapter 10: The Banquet

Skyworld has always been an alienating place for the gods living in the Living World. The pathways are made of gold and rare gemstones that glimmer as the sun hits it. The vast balangays made of Bakunawa's bone and rare metals are too much of an eyesore. Lastly, the denizens of the place are either uptight or begrudgingly judging towards the lower worlds didn't help it either. Magwayen knows this better than anyone else, she really hates coming here but she doesn't have a choice.

To put things into perspective, Magwayen got a letter from the Skyworld council summoning her for them to announce her punishment. She walked past the World pillars which were Monoliths of marbled stone attached to the Skyworld, the Living World, and the Underworld. It has been said that the pillars were there to hold all the realities and dimensions together.

She then passed the garden of Alunsina. A garden created by Tungkung Langit which was beautiful as the stars themselves. The silver flowers and crystal ones that only a deity can create sparkles during the day and blooms during the night. A garden fit for the maiden deity.

Finally, she arrived at the council's hall. The structure was huge. The pillars were made with the Bakunawa's teeth while the walls were decorated with the glimmering scales of the hulking serpent adorned with gold and precious gems while the canopy was made with the beautiful feathers of Habagat. In the middle of the hall lies seven elevated thrones forming a circle around a small platform in the middle.

Magwayen was hesitant to follow through the ordeal but she was afraid of what the Skyworld council might do to her if she won't. So she calmed her nerves and went straight to the platform where a podium suddenly arose from where she stood.

"My Lords! Kings of Heaven, I have come to your summons. I am Magwayen, goddess of the underworld and ruler of the seas." her voice boomed and echoed through the halls.

The hall stood still in silence. Magwayen was anxious, nobody was speaking or even greeting her. She looked up and saw the council chattering and whispering their way. The confused Magwayen met the eyes of Bathala who snapped away from the whispers and spoke.

"Lady Magwayen, we are still waiting for one more," he explained.

"I'm here! Sorry! Huuuh.", Sidapa sighed as he was catching his breath while climbing to the platform. " I...um..got a lil busy."

"Busy?! Does everything have a joke to you?!" Magwayen spurted.

"Silence!" Bathala commanded.

"Explain yourself Lord Sidapa for such poor courtesy!" the annoyed Kanlaon demanded.

Sidapa looked up to the council before making a subtle bow, "My Lords, Kings of Heaven, I humbly asked for an apology for my late arrival." he paused a bit to make glances at his listeners. " I was rather busy punishing some Danag who made their way to the underworld."

"He speaks true," said Tungkung Langit. " I counted the Danag population and saw one less. Currently, this one fell in Lord Sidapa's territory," he added.

After that short explanation given by the tardy Sidapa, he then proceeded with greeting the council and the meeting was then started by Bathala. The proceedings went smoothly however, to Magwayen's dismay, the cunning Sidapa just made an opportunity about it.

Kasanaan

Magwayen went home fuming. Unable to contain her rage, she set her entire dock into ruins as she was having a fit. The unfortunate Tagabantay who was waiting for her at the corral gate was also swept away by the raging currents of the angry Magwayen.

"How dare he?!" she shouted. "Sidapa, one day I will get you and not even the council will intervene!" she trashed the dock some more and even got a recently acquired kalag swept away back to the sea currents.

She stormed to her solar where she was greeted by the Virgin bride Alunsina who was napping comfortably in a cushioned long bench near a window overlooking the sea.

" What happened, Langga?" asked Alunsina while shifting her position to face Magwayen. Her sultry yet sleepy eyes met hers.

Magwayen rushed to her, sat at the edge of the sofa, and sighed. " That deplorable Sidapa just made a number on me!" she explained.

Magwayen explained to her that she was supposed to lose her command over her element of water for 30 years as a form of punishment. She was ready to accept it however, the conniving Sidapa asked the council for reconsideration. She narrated to Alunsina how Sidapa asked the council to lower the sentence in exchange to offer the dance to the Bulawanon banquet. She said how the ruling gods thought it was outrageous.

" But the deities have the highest potential to perform the ritual and create the shield of protection against the dark more than a bunch of anituns ever can." she mockingly mimicked Sidapa's voice while making a face. " Plus, it does take out our elemental abilities for 3 years." she annoyingly added.

She got a laugh from Alunsina who for the most part was amused by her story. She apologized for the rudeness which Magwayen never seemed to mind. So, Magwayen continued narrating.

"There was a stiff deliberation within the council after what the good-for-nothing Sidapa said." she resigned to Alunsina's lap. " Tungkung Langit was the first to agree." she sighed.

"Oh that brute of a man!" exclaimed Alunsina after hearing her ex-husband's name.

"The other deities agreed after that. But in the condition that Sidapa will bring all the necessary items for the ritual and partly host the banquet." a smile cracked, " At least he gets to pay for it and go bankrupt!"

Alunsina was quietly stroking Magwayen's hair, " Well, it's at least something he could also suffer for," she looked at Magwayen cozying herself on her lap. " Then, demand for the best of items he can find that should do the trick."

"I know," Magwayen answered as she looked at Alunsina longingly before they kissed.

Skyworld

A few days had passed and the banquet was now ready. Magwayen came to the banquet dressed in her ceremonial dress, a cerulean-colored marlota. The fish-scale patterns made from the skin of the fallen Bakunawa adorned with gemstones and golden laces. She wore a diadem on her head made from gold and brass adorned with patterns of the waves and pearls while her hair was fashioned with a small bun on top with the rest of her hair cascading down her back. She also wore the golden bracelet that accented the tattoos she had on her arms.

Magwayen was an eye-catcher even for the gods. Haliya, Mayari, and even Dian Masalanta stood no chance on her beauty tonight. She walked passed the halls and entered the banquet hall where she was greeted with stares and adornment from the gods as she knew it would happen. She smiled sweetly as she exchanged greetings with the Skyworld gods and the Living World gods. She put her mind at ease. But deep down she wanted to burst and get everything over with.

" Lady Magwayen, pugay! You look dashing tonight! No, excuse my offense but you are dashing as always!"

Magwayen recognized the voice. It was from the most conniving and untrustworthy god, Sidapa. She breathes in deep and calms her nerves as she turns around and greets him.

" Pugay, Lord Sidapa! I am truly flattered by such kind words." she was disgusted saying it.

" Of course you would," he replied.

She felt her anger surging inside of her but she did her best to keep it as much as she can and smiled at him, " You did a great job with procuring these items and delicacies today! I applaud you!" she said mockingly. "And that invitation, you shouldn't have..."

" Habagat was more than honored to deliver it to the main star of the night!" Sidapa annoyingly pitched his tone higher to irritate the already fuming goddess. " Oh! would you look at the time, let me just do my work as a host for now and entertain the other guests. Feel free to partake in the delicacies I have provided, they are exquisite offerings! You may also want to try our fruits coming from the Sulad humans' say it's to die for. I will see you later in the ritual! Do your best!" and with that, Sidapa left and went over to the other guests.

Magwayen was left there with her rage. Her anger wanted to burst out from within but she can't and she won't. She realized that Sidapa was trying to embarrass her by letting her dance. He knew too well about it and even with Lady Alunsina helping her prepare for the ritual, she never felt that confident about it.

She went over to the "delicacies" that Sidapa mentioned and tasted some. It was unbelievably good and was worthy of such praise. However, that only made her mood fouler than what it already was. She knows all too well that Sidapa is trying to smack everything in her face that he was the better death god and host.

As her mood became worse than what it already was, she tried to stroll around just to keep herself in the focus of the ritual. All of a sudden she heard muffled murmurs and whispers from the crowd. Apparently they looked in the same direction, she peered her head from the gathering crowd and saw Santonilyo Adipo wearing a collarless white jacket and adorned with strings of gold and engraved with precious gemstones along with his bahag. But that wasn't the reason why the other gods were whispering, the reason for it is because on top of his beautiful ceremonial attire was a piece of dirty cloth which he fashioned like a cloak tied by a gold string embroidered with a pearl in the middle.

Magwayen went closer until Santonilyo saw her.

"Magwayen!" the child ran towards her smiling gesturing a hug.

It melted Magwayen's heart. She couldn't resist seeing such an adorable child even if it was a god ranked higher than her. She knelt down on one knee so she could hug him back. " Pugay Lord Santonilyo Agipo!"

"Hmmp...I told you not to call me a lord. Just call me Santi" he pouted while crossing his arms together.

He looks so adorable. She said to herself.

" I am sorry Santi. Come here and let me hug you again." she opened her arms wide. Santonilyo smiled and hugged her again.

"By the way, what's with the cape?" she asked as she felt the sandy cape with her hands.

"Oh! This one? A guy gave it to me!" he replied.

"Oh, Santi, such a sweet boy! You should've let your servants clean it first before wearing it. It will soil your clothes." she said.

"Hmmm...That's true, but this one is very special since I got it from the Katalonan."

Magwayen's eyes widened in surprise. The entire banquet which was buzzing became very silent as their ears were all listening to Santonilyo.

He then explained how he met the Katalonan which he said was drowning at the beach. He observed how the Katalonan used water to save him from his predicament. He narrated to them that after the Katalonan was washed ashore, he tried poking the Katalonan's head with a stick to see if he was alive.

" I didn't materialize myself, but he saw me. He even asked me what I was doing?!" his statement riled the crowd and began to whisper to one another. Some of them looked concerned while others looked jubilant about the news.

Out from nowhere, Kaptan and Tungkung Langit butted into the conversation. The gods bowed down to them and greeted them except for Santonilyo who just casually approached them and bowed at them and then was carried by Tungkung Langit who was very fond of him as well.

"We apologize if we have interrupted your conversation but it seemed to be a very interesting one." proclaimed Kaptan.

"I know it is! I just met the Katalonan without materializing, isn't that auspicious!" declared Santonilyo.

"And what happened next, my sweet boy?" asked Tungkung Langit.

" He found me poking at his blanket later that evening," Santonilyo recalled. " I was trying to get the blanket out from the sand and he was looking for it. So he dug it up and after that, I asked him which he obliged to give me. I was suuupppper happy with his generosity! He even gave me this!" Santonilyo raised his hand to show everyone a bracelet that was given to him.

"Amazing! Then what happened?" asked Tungkung Langit.

"I have never materialized yet he still saw me. He doesn't know me but he gave away his important things to me like an offering. So, I blessed him."

The hall was silenced once more.

"What sort of blessing did you give him?" asked Kaptan.

" The blessing of Grace."

The answer was unprecedented. It brought the crowd to clamor about the news.

"Order!" Kaptan commanded.

Everyone calmed down and silently waited for Kaptan to say something. The anticipation was killing them.

After a deep contemplation Kaptan finally spoke, " First of all, I would like to apologize to Lady Magwayen who dressed beautifully tonight for the ritual. Unfortunately, we must convene at once and let the ritual be done by the anituns. I hope you would forgive me for this."

" I understand, Lord Kaptan, and accept your apology." she bowed low to show as if she was disappointed but inside she was rejoicing for such a wonderfully timed situation.

"Let us convene! To the golden balangay, now!" announced Kaptan.

The gods followed his lead and went to the balangay. Magwayen went as well but not before looking back at her rival looking miserable at the news. She gave Sidapa a sweet smile of vengeance. She won this, and she wants to rub it in his face!

Magwayen walked happily to the balangay while thinking of the presents she could send to Santi as a token of thanks to his impeccable timing.

"He truly is the god of Graces," she whispered to herself.

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