***
A playful reply came. "Nope. Hey, the author seemed to know very little about us. His story stopped on the part where the Creator Bathala was said to disappear, leaving the whole Skyworld to be managed by the other deities. And. Well, that's it." She then rolled up the bamboo scrolls and left it on top of the small round table. "This should be a work of some mortals from thousands of years ago, correct? They are quite amazing to know a bit about us, don't you think so?"
The man who yearned for some peace but couldn't find it due to the woman's presence signed and replied, "You are correct. That scroll was brought to this world by one of the priestesses of a human tribe from one thousand years ago. When I read that mortal's memories, it was still a time when tribes worship beings like us, calling us their gods and goddesses or anitos."
"Oh," the woman responded before laughing. "Anitos… Really foolish mortals. How dare they say Gods and Goddess of the Skyworld are the same with the anitos, mere deities of the mortal world?"
Finally, the male deity Sitan could no longer stand her laughing. He said, "They don't know. And I hope you can now state the reason for your visit."
"I think you know." She laughed.
"Is it really because of a single soul here?"
She nodded. "Yeah, one of the recently deceased. Your servant, that goddess Anda, should be the one currently leading that person to the ritual of the dead."
"My pet said your sister Mayari is among the people currently undergoing the ritual," he said with mild irritation.
"Oh. No worries. One of my incarnations is also down there, searching for that soul. I won't let him rampage much, if ever. I hope you won't mind. Please don't interfere with our search. You know, it's a sacred competition so the less involved, the less who would know about it."
The man's eyes stared at her with a complicated gaze. He was silent for a few minutes before he nodded hesitantly. "Even though for me, your sister and your cause were really meaningless, I still wish you the best of luck. I will be the one to explain to Anda later. However, let me warn you, Andalapit's temper is not really good and she really hates deities like you who dwell in the Skyworld."
The woman's eyes had traces of laughter for an unknown reason. "Actually, you don't have to warn me. It's me who should apologize in advance because my sister Mayari is also very notorious above for her bad temper. Unfortunately, your Andalapit is merely a fifth-generation deity so I beg your pardon in case she faces off with my sister. You know, Mayari is the goddess of moon and war. Please excuse her for that. Your Anda is no match for her."
The Chief Deity of the Underworld gave her a brooding look. He was not offended by what she said since it was the truth. The two worlds Skyworld and Underworld had several deities living in it and their strength differed on either generation, or number of authorities wielded. As mentioned earlier, the daughters of the Creator, the woman before him included, was second generation deities wielding many authorities, while his concubine was merely a fifth-generation goddess.
But… "You seemed to be forgetting that I exist, Hanan." He said without a smile. "And that I'm stronger than you or your sister Mayari."
The woman only kept her slight smile.
***Anda remained sitting on the branch hanging above. She looked down on everybody with a beautiful smile on her lips.There were so many people jumping around the big rock. Quite a few tried out their parkour tricks and there were even some people conferencing near the challenge location, each participant with eagerness and seriousness on their faces.They looked like some earnest and dependable people and this prompted the young man in the black jacket to approach them."The test is so difficult. It's like the administrator is purposely eliminating the old and the weak." The old man following the young man made sobbing noises. "Wwuuuuu! This is unfair. Tell me, kiddo Ley! How do I survive!?""You think I know? I'm not even sure if I could make it through. And why the heck are you following me?" The young man called kiddo Ley didn't hide his displeasure through his tone."Even the seventy-seven years old me can't grasp the logic of this te
***The old man roared in anger. "Obviously! Can't you see how people are trampling the others just to make sure they don't become skeletons!? And you only said now that something is wrong! Everyone's moral character is wrong!"Actually, Leyte was also quite scared by what he was seeing. It was just that when he saw something that was not matching up with his common sense, he somehow calmed down and started to ponder.He once again said, "Something is really wrong.""You!" The old man next to him stared at Ley as if he was a hopeless nutcase."When that person was beaten up, there's no blood or bruise. However, she's one of the odds.""Huh?""There are also people in evens that got punched and beat up but they bled. And they are those who turned into skeletons.""Young kiddo, what are you saying?"Leyte shook his head in dismay. He also didn't get it.A thought crossed his mind, "Is ensuring you don't turn into a
***People's reaction to the revelation was normal. None of them were aware of their actual status at first.Majority cursed and made scenes, showing through their actions how hard it was to accept that they have already died. Some cried and once again, it was normal. No one would be able to easily accept the truth, even if it was true that time was always kind to people and could help heal the pain and confusion.One month passed since then. Everybody had gone through what Goddess Anda called Ritual of the Dead. They passed through a gigantic rock, etched their names on some trees, danced the day away to 'shake off their sins', and then underwent Anda's judgment. The judgment referred to the normal segregation of good and bad people.Leyte was neither a saint nor a criminal so he was quite conflicted as he waited for his turn. Fortunately, he was still sent to The Stairway to Heaven. The goddess termed it Dunkituhan but since the word is so foreign and t
***While the young man was lost in nostalgia, Kylie continued explaining to them. "Actually, not all people reincarnate on Earth. Apart from those who stay in the Underworld, there are actually some who become similar angels and are sent above. The village chief said it's because those people are like saints...""Angels exist?" The old man muttered internally, complaining, 'Why am I not selected?'The girl hesitated. "I'm not sure if they are really angels, but according to the souls I've talked to before, some souls did go above, to the heaven which our Goddess Anda called Skyworld."She paused and then acted as if she remembered something. "Among them, there are some popular people or devotees who ascended to that place. The village chief said they are Idols, Deities of The Land, or Anitos.""... I remember that one of the oldies here said President Marcos turned into an Anito and is now living in that world. Others were figures like Dr. Jose Ri
***When Ley said to his village chief that he wanted to get reincarnated, he expected the elder to ask a few questions about his request and then explain how it would be processed before sending him off. However, in reality, the other party only remained silent. After a while, Leyte was feeling a little bit uncomfortable."Village Chief," he called out.No one answer came. The older guy was only giving him a weird look."Kiddo Ley..." It was the old man who suddenly appeared behind the young man.Leyte Baler stayed on the spot, frowning at the chief's lack of response. From outside, consecutive bell tolls suddenly rang and the people inside the two-story stone house rushed out to see what was going on.Although puzzled, Leyte Baler and the old man followed the chief outside. What greeted them was still the never-changing gloomy skies, with the addition of the bell tolls which heightened the eeriness of the place."Is there any event?
***Within a village nearest to the peak, two women faced off. An encirclement of curious villagers and gossipmongers watched them with unblinking eyes, some of them discussing why a confrontation arose while others marveled at their beauty. Yes, both women dressed in long skirts and traditional shirts were beauties rarely seen in the Underworld. Many curious boys even said that they were not in any way inferior to Goddess Anda in terms of beauty."Ay, the two argued about who is more beautiful,” speculated a bystander."No, I think I heard them quarreling for a guy. Maybe they know each other from the other world and are in love with the same man. However, one of them ended up the real lover while the other one became the trying-hard mistress.""Wrong. The other one is not even a mistress. She is a mere villainess getting in the way of two lovebirds. I think the reason they are both dead and transported into our current world is that the mist
***"P-please help me." cried the girl he remembered to be the first to arrive in Mount Balatukan. She was the schoolgirl from before who was pushed to the rock by her friend.Ley only blanked out for a few seconds before he decided to help. He was neither a saint nor a lawbreaker. However, he was not that heartless to ignore a helpless girl's plea and let her fend by herself.He squatted down to carry the girl, then he asked, "Would it be alright if we jump down the cliff? I'm afraid it’s the only way to reach the forest faster."He saw the little girl hesitated. It was a normal reaction considering that most people hate the pain and fear heights. Ley tried to explain further. "Don't worry, I won't abandon you. If we jump, we would surely get hurt. But at least we would be able to escape from here. The goddesses are both fierce and merciless. They don't care how many people will be caught in their battle. We have no time to dilly-dally. I'll carry
***Skyworld. In a brightly lit palace on one of the highest mountain peaks of the Great West Empire.A woman whose head was adorned with an exaggeratedly decorated crown gazed at the person who requested an audience with her."Your Highness," greeted the man whose features resembled an elf. In the Skyworld, people like him were called Forest Fairies. He had a natural good-looking face and tall built, his ears long and pointed. The visit of this forest fairy happened a day after the battle between Mayari of the Skyworld and Anda of the Underworld."You came to remind me of your goddess' condition?" The beautiful, ethereal-looking woman seated on the throne had an intelligent pair of eyes that could glimpse into a person's intention before they could even voice out.Watching the slight shock on the visitor's face, she indifferently said, "Just a reminder. I've already won the bet so the Authority of Light is now mine.
"Once upon a time, it was known that the God of Fire, who was one of the oldest Anitos in the Skyworld, hated the Devils so much because these creatures' ruler, and if one might say, the greatest ruler in history, had killed his beloved wife, a demi-god who used to hold the Law of Harvest."A voice echoed in a small dark room that was being occupied by two people. Two men. One wearing a red cloak that appeared to be burning and flowing at the same time, like lava. The other was wearing a pure white knight garment that seemed to be from the medieval times. The face of the former was hidden by his cloak plus he was bowing a little so his features were not visible. As for the other, the knight appeared to be not afraid to be recognize hence he did not even wear a mask to this meeting. He had blonde hair and brown eyes, and fairly handsome. However, that face of his was not what people who knew a little about history would notice, but the insignia on his breastplate, a symb
The Goddess actually had no use for the weak anito called Ley. Yet at the same time, she was not one to back out from her words. Although she sometimes do not play by Heaven's rule, she was one to demand equivalent exchange when needed. In other words, she was one who always upheld fairness.Her vow from almost a year ago was only to protect and provide guidance for Ley, the unknowing human whose fate had been severed completely from the Underworld due to her bet with Mayari. The young human forever lost the chance to reincarnate so as compensation, she used one of her quotas in ascending a being to godhood as compensation. She did the same to the old man who had been dragged to the mess. Of course, another questionable karma that she gained for doing these was causing Ley and Fernando to be rejected by the natural Laws since they did not become anitos through their own efforts. As another compensation, She decided to leave one of her mortal vessels there to act as thei
"Welcome back, Your Highness." Loud and clear, the voices of everyone else in the place echoed at the same time."We're most gladdened to be in Your Highness' presence again." They chorused.Ley slowly lifted his gaze up and saw that the person they greeted matched the appearance that was in his memories.A body of a girl in her late teens. Black hair that reached past her waist. Lean figure that was almost as skinny as some models in regular fashion shows. A face that was certainly above average, but not that excessive as to make one feel that she was the most beautiful in the world.Hana's figure appeared right above the statue depicting the Goddess of the Sun, a statue of a beautiful woman in a flowing dress crowned with a tiara shaped like the rays of the sun. The statue was massive and was in a giving pose, with her hands stretched outwards like it was offering the sun to the world. Hana appeared in those stretched out palms.
Time passed. In the mortal realm, a week had already gone by.Ley and Baram who had come to the western side of the globe to meet the Goddess was met with utmost care in their reception there. Ley had a hunch that the Goddess predicted that he would come here, either to give thanks or ask for Fernando's location so She left a message to the ones in the Blood Lake Castle to welcome them in.However, like Fernando who was made to wait for the Underworld god, they too, were made to wait for the return of the Goddess as she had long left before they arrived and the servants left there had no idea when she would drop by. These all brought endless frustrations to Ley. Yet he was not one with a close mind. He knew that the affairs of somebody high up like Hanan was not something that normal deities like him could imagine. Not to mention that Baram and the others in the castle already explained how serious of a matter an attempted Devil Sacrifice was.
"Home, huh?" The werehorse anito servicing under the Chief Deity of the Underworld, Sitan, was a bit absentminded as he recalled the conversation he just had with the human anito brought to the palace by his god. A few hours already passed since then. The werehorse anito had also just finished his duties and made sure that the entire palace was spotlessly clean and organize.The person he just spoke to was just a weak old human who possessed the Gift to command animals which was not really impressive as there were a few already who had the same ability, not to mention, those who hailed from the animal species had better control of those they could command.Nothing was interesting about the old human anito. Although he was silent about it, as he was one who was loyal to the Chief Deity and was extremely conscious not to question the deity's words, in his heart, he was actually wondering why His Highness became interested in Fernando to the point that he personally
While the two immediately set off for another country, they had no idea that the very reason that they were doing so was not really in danger, unlike what they had been assuming all this time.Fernando was just really teleported to another place so that a proper conversation could take place between them without interruption. He was in good condition and was even invited to the best and grandest place in the Underworld, the Palace of Soul owned by none other than His Highness Sitan himself.As for the reason why? Who knows.The old man did not ask. After discovering the identity of the other, he became very silent, and careful with his words. Or rather, he would not dare ask the man his real purpose for doing this since like Ley to the presence of the angel, Fernando immediately became cautious and conscious of his own status as he had learned that the person was not merely a strong anito, but an actual Underworld god.'What are th
No fight actually took place. That was what Ley had heard from the Tree Deity. However, it was already said earlier. The person could forcefully teleport somebody over to another dimension or realm without leaving a trace that even he, Ley, the Road Deity, could peer into. This revealed that the abductor was of higher power level than him. Baram too said that he did not really dare to get close to the place as the man's aura was simply really intimidating. Oh, not really intimidating. But aloof, yet majestic. It reminded him of the lions that sometimes crossed his territory. The loftiness that was exuded by the man was intense, it could make others subconsciously bow to him.'What kind of being is that?'Ley could not help but wonder this after hearing all the flashy descriptions.His thoughts, that time, were very obvious.But to be fair, Baram himself could not believe that he felt like that towards a fellow Anito.After t
What was Sam looking for? Why was he sporting such a stressed expression?Ley stood a few meters behind Sam and noticed that the person's mouth was moving, yet no sound was reverberating in the place.Tilting his head sideward, Ley finally called him out, "Sam?"The butler was visibly startled, which showed on his face when he turned around and met Ley's gaze. "Young Master!" He shouted.However, no sound reached Ley's ears.It turned out that while Sam could hear Ley's footsteps and voice, the latter could not. Confusion flickered in Ley's eyes. This was a fact he realized after watching the movements of the butler's lips, which obviously mouthed his usual honorifics of him.Then when Sam dashed towards him, that was when he noticed that there was something different with the place around the butler. The butler managed to pass through him. Also, although subtle and almost unnoticeable, the area looked like a di
As a butler, Sam' service to House Hevel was extremely short and not worthy of a mention. Not even a year. However, since birth, he had been an extremely devout of the Three Goddesses, patrons of Island Ophir. Born to a fairly big clan in the village, one that had a history of producing elders and chiefs, he was one of the lucky ones given the qualifications to enter the palace at the summit of the mountain. But it took him several years to be promoted from a mere servant boy to an actual authority amongst servants, which he did through wits and perseverance, and he was very proud of what he had achieved.His clan's rule, or more like, motto was this, 'Always, for the Three Celestial Goddesses'.No matter how empty and cheerless the palace was, it would always be his joy to tend to it as a form of obeisance to the beloved Goddesses.What were his thoughts when he was suddenly assigned to serve three Anitos that had seemingly popped out of nowhere?W