18 Chapter 16: Cerulean of the Deeps

Chapter 16: Cerulean of the Deeps

Somewhere in Cebu

The pale moon mirrored on the dark canvass of the sea. The waves rippled at the glowing moon, distorting the round ball of light with creases as the serene waters cradled its reflection. Gahum has never been a fan of the moon. It only gives him heartbreak to look at its magnificence, as too many painful memories would pop-out of his head.

He stroked his paddle in a slow and steady as his bangka glided on the obsidian-colored waters. When he reached the destination he was instructed with, he stopped and stood up from his small bangka. He stripped to his bahag and caressed the cold, gentle waters of the ocean.

He took a scoop of the seawater and poured it on his head while reciting a prayer of the old.

Hinaot sa akoang pagitglum;

Sa imong dulom nga kailadman;

Gabayan ako sa imong ginghari-an;

Ablihi ang pultahan sa imong payaw.

[ I hope as I dive;

Into your darkest abyss;

Guide me to your kingdom;

Open the door to your home.]

He scooped some more, but this time, he drank it. He let the salty water flow from his mouth to his throat, then into his stomach. He picked up a small pouch and took out its content, a mutya.

He placed the mutya under his mouth and kept it there. He took a deep breath and dove to the dark depths of the cold sea.

The sea bed marbled at the pallor glow of the moonlight. The cold, salty water flowed through Gahum's body as if caressing the well-chiseled specimen. His batik glowed as he came deeper towards a big hole that appeared out of nowhere.

He went into the watery rabbit hole, with no hints of uncertainty. The darkness never deterred the hero of old, which he passed through the nightmarish hole filled with unnerving visions of his days past. He gracefully swam on the gruesome and sometimes depressing memories that the darkness threw at him.

Finally, a bright light broke the darkness and Gahum saw the majestic view of the underwater world of Kailalman of the merfolk tribe. Their beautiful underwater homes made of natural corals and gems were given to them by the First Magwayen, for them to protect the gates of Kasanaan against the threats of the Bakunawa spawns that pestered them both before.

Not only did the merfolks were given a home, they were also given protection and power by the First Magwayen. They were given the ability to control and turn everything to a weapon as long as it has been touched by saltwater.

Gahum's mind went through the knowledge he had about these evasive beings. After living for so long, he can only count by his fingers his encounters with the merfolk. Once, was during a great storm where he had to rescue one of their kin from being hit by jagged rocks and another was when he killed a rabid Shokoy terrorizing a town in Antique around the 1900s. There would've been more, but there were only a few times that he got summoned to Kasanaan.

Very few, most of the time, Lady Magwayen would show herself by visions or by the possession of a random human. To be called personally to her lair could mean something big is brewing and her mistress wants a piece of it, or it could be that she finally remembered to give him a present after being her Ulipon all these years. The latter would never happen!

His mind drifted too long that he hadn't noticed the gate of pearls in front of him. He was greeted by heavily-armored merfolks who stood by the gates along with their sibats. They wore armor made from the Bakunawa spawn's scales and skin. Their armor was also adorned by crystal corals, a clear sign of their status in their kingdom.

"A human body and a human face, but with webbed hands and feet along with scaly skin." Gahum said to himself, " A Kataw."

He greeted the Kataws in accordance with their custom, the last thing he wanted was to get them offended because their status is as important as their duty to Lady Magwayen. The Kataws greeted him back and escorted him inside.

The inner city was even beautiful to look at up close. Gahum couldn't wrap his head around such marvelous structures of corals, crystal corals, and gemstones, creating marvelous architecture. He was tempted to stroll around the city, but he knew he couldn't. He had to focus on his meeting with Lady Magwayen first.

They went further into the city until they reached the Temple of Magwayen. From there the guards left him with the priestesses of the temple. The priestess wore Bakunawa spawn skins as well, although, tinted with cerulean colors and the Bakunawa spawn scales are used as diadems rather than armors.

He was escorted to the inner sanctum of the temple where the First Great Bakunawa skull was used as a portal to Kasanaan. He bowed to the lovely priestesses to thank them and entered his Mistress's kingdom.

Kasanaan has always been a place that entices awe to anyone who comes there. The great view of the first ocean could be overwhelming in a mortal's eyes, especially with how beautiful it is in an otherworldly way. The golden floor is said to bear a stark resemblance to the Skyworld's, but he can't confirm that, since he hasn't been there. He walked past the pillars of crystal corals in the hallway, then, to the grand ballroom where he climbed the gem-crusted staircase. He then went through a door made with shells from the First Sea where Lady Magwayen was waiting for him on the other end.

"Lady Magwayen, your presence honors me! Pugay!" he greeted as he kissed the golden floor of her beautiful solar.

" You took your time to get here.", she sounded annoyed.

" My apologies, Lady Magwayen. I have to chase off some annoying birds (Danag) away," he replied.

" Raise your head," she ordered.

Gahum hesitated. The last time he did that, he was overwhelmed by her beauty that he fainted from where he stood. However, he cannot disobey a goddess, so he slowly raised his head and met his goddesses' face.

He focused his mind not to be overwhelmed by Lady Magwayen's aura. He was then ordered to stand, which he did. He could see the smile on Lady Magwayen's face as she read his batik.

"You've done well, my Ulipon."

He bowed low.

" You finally ended the Danags endless cycle by killing their princess!" she said, " Now, those buggers won't be able to reproduce, not without a royal princess."

He felt a certain joy and pride to be recognized by Lady Magwayen. He held himself from weeping in happy tears in front of his goddess, and so he remained composed and collected.

"I called you here not for that. I called you here because Santonilyo Agipo, had just announced to us in the banquet that the Katalonan has been reincarnated. "

Gahum's eyes widened. The Katalonan being reincarnated means that change is on the horizon. One can say the Katalonan is a harbinger of change in the metaphysical and physical worlds alike. He could usher a new age or destroy everything that ever existed.

"That anomaly of a man can be our strength but could also become our end." she said, " I wouldn't want the later to happen."

"My Lady, what would be this lowly Ulipon's role in this?" he asked.

" I want you to report to me all the goings-on with his journey to awakening.", she answered. "Your role is to keep an eye on him. I want to know if he can be trusted or if he is to go on a darker path."

" And if he goes to the darker path?"

Lady Magwayen was silent. She asked Gahum to come closer to her as she gave him a black knife, " Kill him with this."

Gahum couldn't believe it! His goddess gave him a claw of the First Great Bakunawa. He knows that this weapon could kill the soul as well and therefore, halts the reincarnation cycle of a soul. His goddess definitely wants to end the cycle if worse comes to worst.

" It will be done, My goddess." he knelt to accept the weapon.

" Good! Now, before you go, I want to bestow you..."

"...Langga! are you done?"

Gahum heard such a beautiful, sweet voice of a woman. It was different from Lady Magwayen's, it had a gentle feel to it like silk, that caresses your soul unlike his goddess' that was full of might and authority. He dared not to peek, he dared not to raise his head in fear that he might embarrass himself in front of the goddess.

" Almost," she said in a sweet, high-pitched voice.

Gahum's eyes widened. It was a tone that he never imagined would come out from Lady Magwayen. He took some deep breaths to avoid being overwhelmed by his new discovery.

"Ahem." Lady Magwayen cleared her throat, " I also would like to give you this, a kris made from the first crystal coral. This blade has a latent ability to control water around it, may it serve you well."

Gahum was still looking down at the floor, but he felt the weight of the blade Lady Magwayen gave him. He felt honored and proud to be appreciated by his goddess.

"Now, raii...se... What are you doing?" Lady Magwayen was interrupted.

"I'm bored, Langga hurry up, so we can play that gadget you got from Likalibutan!" the other voice begged.

He could hear her goddess sigh in her resignation, "Okay, in a minute."

"Yay!" the voice cheered.

"Okay, now where were we?" Lady Magwayen asked, but she never waited for an answer. " Oh! Raise your head, my Ulipon, and go fulfill your task!" she exclaimed.

Although still hesitant, Gahum obliged to raise his head, only to be greeted by Lady Magwayen and another goddess hugging her.

He doesn't know the goddess, but he knows that she is one. Her black silky hair, blue eyes and beautiful face is otherworldly. The goddess smiled at him, his heart didn't make it. He fainted in front of them.

Sometime later, Gahum woke up on the shore. It was morning already. He knew that he did something embarrassing in front of his goddess, and he cannot forgive himself for doing so. He looked around for his bangka which was conveniently tied to a nipa hut. He took out his belongings along with the knife he received from her mistress and the beautiful coral blade.

Gahum knows he is tasked to keep an eye on the new Katalonan. He knew what he needed to do if everything went awry. He is armed and ready for the mission, however, he is now stuck with a bitter realization.

" My goddess didn't give me his name and whereabouts!" a dark cloud loomed over him as his mission might tend to fail. He face-palmed at his own incompetence he should've asked his goddess immediately before he saw that scene.

...that scene...that scene... That was all he could think of.

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WRITER'S NOTES

Greetings Readers!

Thank you for your continued patronage on this series! Now, here I am again to present to you the unfamiliar terms you've read in the story so far.

Sibat- spear

bangka- a small boat used in the Philippines

kris- an oddly shaped blade that is fashioned to shape of zigzag crocodile tail.

mutya- is a pearl in Filipino language. It could also be a magical item that can be found at either a banana heart or some random things from nature. It is said that when you get a mutya, you can take advantage of its magical abilities.

Kataw- a class of merfolk that resembles that of a human albeit, having webbed fingers and feet with scales for skin. They said to drag their victims into the watery depths while constantly tickling them (not a good way to go if you ask me.)

That's all for your lesson of the day!

See you in the next chapter!

Pugay!