A Serpent's Revenge: Bakunawa's Bloodline

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

[MAYA]

After witnessing and hearing the plans of Sigren with the help of connecting to the mother tree, she now has a location in mind—the Hoyop-hoyopan cave. She learned from the aswangs that Bakunawa's awakening is to take place here.

Maya bites her bottom lips. How wrong they were to think breaking the moonstone would plunge the world into eternal darkness! They were right about that assumption, but they didn't consider how they would achieve it.

How could none of them have thought that Sigren would awaken his father?

The Hoyop-hoyopan cave was once a sea cavern, but it is now partially submerged and can be explored in the morning. Could the Bakunawa be sleeping in that cave?

Maya informed Queen Diwata of Sigren's plan. She was unaware of Sigren's plan, as expected. The queen looks completely terrified that her complexion has turned paler.

"If the Bakunawa rises, none of the enkantos would be safe." She mumbles, hiding the lower part of her face with her fan.

"Mother, what's your plan? We are going to do something, right? We can't sit this one out anymore." Adonis expectantly looks at his mother.

After giving Maya new clothes, the four of them are in the mansion's queen's office. Her last ones are still wet from getting soaked in the water.

Though she's wearing a new set of jeans, a shirt, and even a jacket, she can't help but shiver after recalling the conversation that she has heard from the aswangs and Sigren. She's also nervous because the moon's stir is urging her to get up and get the moonstone.

Finally, Queen Diya sighs, retracting her fan and showing her grimace. "Indeed, we cannot." Diya turns to Maya. "It seems like I have no choice but to honor the wish that your mother asked of me a long time ago."

"What wish is that?" She asks curiously.

Diya turns to her children, Janella and Adonis, and gives them a nod. The two siblings head to the other side of the room, where a massive portrait of their family hangs. When Janella pulls it back, it swings open like a door and reveals a safe.

"A few hundred years ago, your mother got a prophecy delivered to her by Tala, Mayari, and Apolaki's younger sister. As you may know, Tala is not a well known god because she rarely appears, but once she does, it is only to deliver an urgent prophecy." Diya begins to speak while Janella and Adonis are turning the knob of the safe to unlock it. "According to Tala, a great danger will fall on the Philippines in the future. A great evil entity will rise once again and take revenge on those who sealed it. She never clarified to me where the Bakunawa was sealed, so when the moonstone was stolen, I did not think..." She pauses, her perfectly shaped brows meeting together when she frowns. "...anyway, that was a mistake on my part for taking prejudice against all the demigods. There's just so much hatred between the two races these days that I could not focus on the possibility that this is the era that the prophecy has led to. Living long can sometimes make you feel like the world is going too fast."

Just as Queen Diya finishes her sentence, Janella and Adonis return. Adonis is carrying a blue spear with the hilt adorned with splashes of colors that almost remind her of the sea. Where the blade and the handle meet, there is a circular pattern that resembles a moon.

Maya feels a little perplexed when the spear is handed to her. It weighs a little heavy, but not to an extend that she couldn't wield it.

"What is this?" Maya pegs the question.

"That is the gift that your mother left in case one of her daughters fits the timing of when the prophecy will happen." Diya responds to her.

Maya stares at the spear, rolling it around to look at the design and assess its shape. "You mean to tell me that she wants me to kill the Bakunawa?" She tries to hide the shiver in her voice, but just imagining facing the legendary beast, she just can't fight the rapid beating of her heart.

She was not prepared for this. Stopping Sigren is one thing, but when it comes to fighting a legendary serpent? Now that is something that she could not do, even when she has the blood of a goddess.

"Only when it comes to that." Diya answers her, her voice seemingly comforting Maya. "If you can stop Sigren from awakening Bakunawa, then you don't have to fight."

Maya calculates her time. She must reach Sigren today to stop him. She looks dismayed because the odds are against her.

"I won't make it in time." Maya mutters. "I can't go to the cave before Sigren."

"What if you can?" Maya raises her head to Queen Diya, watching her closely with her eyes to see if she is joking. Fortunately, she isn't. "The question is, can you stop Sigren?"

Maya's grip on the spear tightens. "I-I can try. But against this hoard of aswangs, I am not sure if I can handle it all. I have never...I have never face off or won one on one against anyone."

"That's nonsense." Janella disagrees with her. "I saw you fighting last night. I did not even know that you could move like that. You were very agile even when you were only using a torch."

"T-That...That is only because the moon is there. I can move easily with the power of the moon."

"That's not entirely the case, is it?" Diya watches Maya carefully through her fan. "The moon replenishes your godlike abilities, so in the morning, you may be able to move with ease. The moonstone takes that excess energy, making you unable to perform as you should during combat activities. At night, you only feel a lot more powerful because the moon gives you unlimited access to its energy."

Maya wants to ask her how she knew that, but considering how long she has lived, she feels like it would be a silly question to ask.

"R-Right. I suppose that's true. But like I said, I am not confident enough to—"

"What if Janella and Adonis were to join you?" Maya is surprised when Diya suddenly suggests the participation of her children. When Diya gestures to her children, Maya sees them nodding their heads simultaneously.

Maya returns her gaze to Diya. "It's going to be dangerous. I don't even know if I can watch over them."

"Watch over them? Ha!" The Queen of the Engkantos laughs like what Maya just said is a joke. "My dear, though my children might look young, in human years, they are older."

"We have a lot of experience when fighting." Adonis adds, then suddenly becomes self conscious when he sees Maya staring at him. "I-I was just caught off guard at that time."

Alright, but why is he explaining himself to me? Maya thought when the engkanto prince suddenly started to mutter. If Janella had not shut him up, he might have rattled off a long list of excuses.

"If you are ready, I can connect you to the nearest balete tree, and you can portal out near the cave." Diya closes her fan, looking at Maya like she is studying what her next move will be. "The question is, are you ready?"

Maya wants to reject her. Nobody is ready to face danger. Even with help or while gaining strength without the moonstone, she and others may not survive. She's very flexible with weapons but has never gotten a lot of experience fighting.

She admits that she has no motivation to live, but she also has no reason to seek death. Maya just wants to be free to do whatever she wants in life without anyone coming for her life or dictating what to do.

But she knows that she won't be able to figure out what she wants in life if the Bakunawa is resurrected.

Gripping the spear in hand, she turns to Diya with ablaze gazes. "I am not confident in my skills, but I will certainly try my best."

Her answer seems satisfactory to Diya, because there's a small tug at the side of her lips when she hears Maya's response.

"Don't worry. You won't be alone. As soon as I get in touch with the academy, I will make sure to send backup right away. You just need to get the moonstone and survive for as long as you can." Diya starts to stand, gesturing for Maya to do the same. "Let's go. The nearest balete to the cave isn't as near as you think. You may need some walking to do."

*~*~*~*~END OF CHAPTER~*~*~*~*