Six - The mystery of those who are Lost

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  Laang had not seen such a god as the Bakunawa itself. The dreams he remembered was not as vivid, had the serpent god shown itself. The Bakunawa flung its sheer weight towards the tainted heavens, faster even than boomerang. And higher. Should the Bakunawa take its fill again from the moon, he must gather all his dire consciousness to move.  But the serpent flew still and halted in middair, as if scheming. Sea water and debris falling down out of its radiant scales, threatening. And as he unconcsiously expected, the Bakunawa descended in a free fall into the ocean's womb.

"Aba!"

      "Come now!"

           But the Datu did not heed to his son's distress. The serpent god Bakunawa was too much of a sight for him as to be amazed in awe. And with little warning the subtle seas that once were stood up gladly and devoured the shores of the island. Along with his father the Datu, swept away in ease.

"Aba.."in a faithless whisper

        there Laang stood in disbelief.

              there in the sands, in anguish he stood. Doubting what his senses gave him. He stood Alone.

"Aba!"

    "Aba!"

  His father's lost soul enveloped his disbelief. No one answered, not his father. He glimpsed the seas far and near. No man awakens. Not his father still.

 The good Datu, was lost by the curse of the Blood Moon. Lost from his weeping lord-ling.

   Laang stood with a heavy heart and gathered himself. His fist flung into the dark air. He ran far  to lands apart, tears creeping out of his bloodshot eyes. He neared his father's torogan at long last and looked for anyone he could find, any soul he could muster. But no one attended the house, he sat in anguish. From his unfortunate loss. There in his father's table he started to weep.

  "Laang?"

        ..have you been out of the village

            your mother misses you dearly?" asked a voice.

 Laang looked and searched for the voice. It was Gahaman, his father's sailor. An old weary man. The sailor had been with his father ever since he could remember. Some would say he is older even then the council of elders.

"Gahaman?

         have you not known that my father has gone?

             have you not seen the oceans devour him?

                have not felt the earth below aching in its awakening?

I am lost forever! And all of us who loves him so dear,

      Gahaman! My father is gone! 

         He is gone!" Laang sang in melancholy.

         "The Datu? 

               It is not right to have gods mocked at, son,

                 by laws old and the new.

               If what you say is true, then we must ask for the council..

They will help you.

           But not I, for I am but an old man waiting for my days..

           And I will gladly kiss Bathala's feet if he strikes me down this instant!

"Hear me for it is true old man!

      he is gone without warning,

         the gods who bore his blood

            are yet are the gods who finished him!

 Have you not witnessed the serpent god Bakunawa in its glory?

 there in the balangay isles, came the god! the beast! murderer!"Laang said.

         Where has my father gone then, Gahaman?

            He is lost in this world and mine.

              His soul has left his god begotten flesh!

                 Blood of ny blood!

       Where must his soul be?

           if not in this world?

             with souls of ancestors as well?

               who left us alone in this beastly form? Laang sang in despair.

  A domineering silence fell between them. A silence that didn't took much both of their difficult time.

   "To the gods, Laang.

         They are one with them, your blood...

           Come now and let us find your mother,

                YOU have much to attend to..."

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