This is the first release set in the world of Aidonia-a dark fantasy realm steeped in corruption, divine tyranny, and creeping chaos. Follow Lyraeth, a young mage who calls the kingdom of Varkhal home, as she is thrust into a world where the gods themselves weave chaos into mortal lives.

[Synopsis] Isang sumpa at isang pangako ang nagbuklod sa mga puso nina Daru at Mahalina mula pa noong unang panahon sa Mactan. Gayunpaman, ito ay naudlot matapos magbuwis ng buhay si Daru laban sa mga mananakop noong digmaan sa Mactan. Habang nasa gitna ng pagdadalamhati ang dalaga, nagpakita sa kanya si Bathala at pinangakuan s'yang ang kanyang iniirog ay muling mabubuhay sa susunod na dantaon. Sa pagdating ng kolonyalismong Espanyol, muling magku-krus ang kanilang mga landas. Ngunit taglay na nila ang bagong pangalan at bagong mundo, ang kanilang nakaraan ay naging malabong gunita na lamang na tila pilit binubura ng tadhana. Sa panahong ito, si Daru ay nabuhay bilang isang ilustradong si Dario Magsalin at nang makauwi sa kanyang bayan, nagsimula s'yang makaramdam ng kakaiba lalo na nang magkrus ang kanilang landas ni Helena Aquilles-ang reinkarnasyon ni Mahalina. Gayunpaman, magagawa pa kaya nilang kilalanin ang isa't isa kung ang tanging gabay na natitira ay ang pintig ng pusong nakalimot? Maaalala pa kaya nila ang mga pangakong binitawan sa ilalim ng kahel na langit?

All I could ever give you is my loyalty. The Artwork by bluebeaker1 on X.

Nineteen-year-old Mat Adam never expected his father's disappearance to uncover a world beyond the living. When a radiant mark known as the Seal of Light appears on his arm, Mat is thrust into the Astral Realm - a fragile land where dryads, sprites, and the last of the elves fight to survive. There, the fallen angel Casus Lucem, exiled from the higher realms, seeks to claim the island for himself using a forbidden weapon called the Kimera - a creation born from corrupted spirit energy. To rescue his father and others imprisoned within the Black Pillars, Mat must embrace the power that chose him, face the truth of his lineage, and stand between a fading light and the darkness determined to consume it. [Ongoing 2025 revision] [Wattpad Featured Fantasy Story - 2015 and 2016 ] [Self-Published | paperback - 2016] - Fantasy | Adventure | Action - Seal of Light - (Soul Drifter Series) | copyright 2025 - All rights reserved. RSalazar (@aftermat) author

DISCLAIMER: The World of Bathala: Strain is set in a version of the modern-day Philippines. To create a realistic and immersive experience, this story contains references to real-world brands, pop culture, public figures, and events. However, all original characters, organizations, and plotlines are purely products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is coincidental. Reader discretion is advised. In the wake of the post COVID-19 Pandemic, the world didn't return to normal-it fractured. What was once a global health crisis morphed into a silent, genetic revolution that the history books will call the Great Mutation. The Bathala Strain is the terrifying legacy of the virus that refused to die. While the 2020s were defined by masks and social distancing, what comes after are defined by a biological lottery. For billions, the vaccine was a shield; for others, the infection was a footnote. But for a scattered few in the Philippine archipelago, the virus integrated into their very DNA, rewriting their biology into something beyond human. These survivors, now known as Bathala Strain Users, wield abilities that defy modern physics-but every miracle comes with a violent, bone-crushing "Toll" on their mortal frames. As the global medical industry faces absolute obsolescence, the World Health Organization and private paramilitary giants have turned the Philippines into a high-stakes harvesting ground. With a $1,000,000 bounty on every recorded SSR-class anomaly, the post-pandemic era has become a predatory gold rush. In the crowded streets of Metro Manila, your neighbor is no longer just a friend-they are a potential informant, and your survival is the world's most expensive commodity. The pandemic didn't end. It just started picking winners.