The appointment, the luminous seven, and the serpent of the depths.

Today is the day.

The sacred hall of the palace thrummed with divine energy as deities from all realms gathered to witness a rare celestial event—the appointment of a new guardian for the Seven Moons. These luminous creations, gifts from Bathala to guide mortals through the darkness, were known simply as the Seven Moons.

Whispers filled the air—everyone expected a goddess to rise and take the mantle. That was the tradition.

But unbeknownst to them, this time... It was a god.

Long, long ago, the Seven Moons were watched over by the most powerful goddess known in the history of deitykind—Haliya. Her name was once spoken with awe. But then, she vanished. No trace, no farewell. Just silence.

Some say she ascended to the Sky Realm, Kaluwalhatian. Others claim she was tricked and consumed by a serpent deity of ancient terror.

"Another guardian? It's been moons since Haliya. None could match her."

"And yet here we are, mingling with deities we'd rather not stand beside."

"I heard even Sidapa was invited!"

"Sidapa? That god doesn't leave his tree for anything. He values dead souls more than ceremonies like this."

As if summoned by the gossip, the atmosphere shifted. A hush fell.

By the great doorway, golden sylphs fluttered—heralds of his presence. The only god wearing a golden crown stepped forward: Sidapa of Mount Madjaas, the god of death. He measures the life of all newborns—gods and mortals alike—by marking their span on his sacred tree.

Young in appearance, yet older than most could fathom, Sidapa had existed since the mortals first walked the earth. Many goddesses sought his favor, but he kept to himself. He rarely left Madjaas, speaking only to a select few: Bathala, Dumangan, Idianale, and sometimes the rejected and feared god Sitan of Kasanaan.

"My boy! After all these years, you finally showed yourself!" Dumangan beamed in utmost joy to see the young god he took care of finally showing up, clapping Sidapa's shoulder.

"Still as strong as your prime, Dumangan," Sidapa replied with a rare smile. He bowed gently to Idianale. "And you, Idianale, always radiant." He smiled as he embraced her in his arms, Dumangan joining as well.

Their embrace caught the attention of the hall; murmurs flew. It was rare, almost unthinkable, to see Sidapa so open. But his presence here was not idle curiosity. He came to see the one he must mark. A new guardian. A new life. A new death.

"Gather now," the high priestess, Malyari, called. "The Seven Moons shall reveal their chosen protector."

Excitement surged. The hall buzzed with conflicting emotions: joy, doubt, and awe.

Mahabaging mga buwan
Damhin mo ang aming tangan
Nawa'y ang inyong tagapangalaga
Mamuhay ng malakas at puno ng biyaya
Aming Bulan ay inyong hagkan
Inyong damhin ang kanyang ngalan

The voices of the lunar deities rose in chant, and in the sky above, the Seven Moons began to glow—one by one, each representing the days of the week, the cycles of time. Their radiance bathed the sacred grounds in silver light.

Then there he was.

Head bowed as he waited in the shadows, a veil obscuring his eyes, the lower half of his face exposed. Dressed in flowing white silk, adorned with glowing moonstones around his neck and silver bracelets on his wrists and ankles, his body bore a quiet strength and ethereal grace. His bahag draped around his waist, revealing toned legs that seemed lit from within.

"Come forth, O Chosen One."

The moons spoke with one voice, gentle yet thunderous, and their light carved a path for him to step forward.

Libulan trembled; he could feel his heart almost pulling apart from the gravity of their power. The voices of the moons stirred something deep within him—fear, awe, and unspoken futures ahead. He wanted to retreat, but the pull was too strong. His body moved on its own. As he stepped into the light, his shining black hair turned silver-white. Luminescent imprints unfurled across his pale skin, markings of divine power—proof of his new role. Though the weight of it all made him tremble, the light of the moons embraced him, stabilizing his form.

Gasps erupted.

A god. Beautiful beyond compare—delicate, radiant, otherworldly.

"Kneel before the god who was chosen."

And so, they did.

Even the most prideful deities bent their knees, offering their reverence. The Lunar Realm wept in joy; after centuries, they had a guardian once more. But at the edge of the hall, Sidapa stood motionless, heart arrested.

Time itself seemed to pause.

Everyone else knelt. But he could only stare. His breath caught, his heart aflame with something new—something powerful. The veil, the light, the delicate grace—it all pierced through his stoic shell. He had never felt this before.

He knew. Fate had intervened.

After the ceremony, celebration erupted.

The Lunar gods, lovers of festivity, hosted a grand banquet. Deities danced to the music of their worshippers. Goblets overflowed with nectar. In tribute to Haliya, two goddesses performed the traditional blade dance—an elegant, deadly display wearing Haliya's moon-warrior masks.

Sidapa, however, wandered the fringes. Searching.

"Looking for the moon god, are you?" a voice rasped behind him.

It was sultry and cruel.

"You are not invited, Sitan," Sidapa muttered, keeping his voice low. The god of the Lower Realm had no place here.

"Joy makes me ill," Sitan said with a sneer, shifting into a black roach on Sidapa's shoulder. "But something in this realm... something feels like me."

Sidapa brushed him off his shoulder without a word, focused only on one thing—finding the moon god.

Meanwhile, Libulan lingered at the forest's edge, near the hidden lake that only Bakunawa could guide him to. He waited, hopeful, wondering what the strange god would say upon delivering this delightful news of him becoming a guardian.

But instead of red mist and shadows, a pair of golden eyes met his own.

"What do you seek out here, Chosen One of the Moons?" Sidapa asked, hands clasped behind his back, his voice as gentle as the breeze.

Libulan's heart jumped. He looked away quickly, embarrassed, even if he knew Sidapa couldn't see his dilated pupils.

"Apologies. I am Sidapa of Madjaas," the god said, offering a bow.

A god... Libulan thought, suddenly unsure.

He wasn't supposed to speak to other gods—not without Mayari's permission. But something about Sidapa's presence was comforting. Reassuring even.

"I... was waiting for someone," he said softly.

Sidapa's heart stirred at the sound of his voice.

"Someone? Who?"

Libulan hesitated, then spoke the name like a secret prayer.

"He said... I may call him Bakunawa?"

Sidapa froze.

The name echoed in his memory, alongside Sitan's warning. Confusion clouded his thoughts.

"Bakunawa?" he echoed. "Forgive me, Chosen One, but that name... it is cursed upon this realm, isn't it? That creature was once the mortal enemy of your realm. Everyone knows above and below that it is forbidden to even speak of its name."

His words, though cautious, struck Libulan like lightning.

The name he thought of, a friend... forbidden? The god he trusted... a mortal enemy of his people?

Libulan's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. His hands trembled. The truth crushed him—he broke the sacred law himself, opening his heart to a name that should never be spoken in his own realm.

A name that meant "The Devourer of Moons."