Moon Eaters

The Earth was first illuminated by seven Moons, one for each night of the week. Every night, the locals celebrate how dazzling it is, just gleaming and bringing happiness to those below. The Moons are celestial gods who aid in harvest; each Moon represents the growth of a crop, without which humans would go hungry. But nothing is perfect all the time. There are creatures that despise the Celestial Gods and will do anything to eliminate them. One person in particular was interested in learning more about the Moons. Every night, she would gaze at the stars and be entranced by the beauty of the Moons since she enjoyed collecting sea shells and thought the Moons looked just like them. She is a stunning Goddess with brown complexion, long hair, and a snake's tongue. Her eyes are a golden yellow colour, and her garment is a deep shade of blue that reaches the ground. She possessed a secret power that she never revealed. She had six wings that were large enough to cover the entire sky and the ability to transform into a gigantic snake that was larger than lakes and mountains and could be seen from a great distance. She went by several names among the various tribes in the area because of her size, including Lawu, Olimaw, and most notably the Bakunawa. The Bakunawa was said to be the cause of typhoons, droughts, earthquakes, and eclipses, yet in her heart she was a kind and serene being. Speaking with her friends, gathering seashells, swimming under the stars, and spending time with her brother were all activities she cherished. The Bakunawa's brother was a huge turtle that went to the sea to gather seashells for her and could spew fire to protect himself. When he reappears, a massive flood occurs, drowning the surrounding islands along with him. The locals finally had enough and decided to put an end to the month after month of calamities by killing the enormous turtle. The Bakunawa sprang into her enormous serpentine shape and embraced her sibling. The gigantic turtle spits forth a white shell, a shell that resembles a shrimp, and a bone that resembles a shell. "Welcome again, Bacobaco. What type of shells have you brought me this time?" She scowled a little as she cast a glance up at the sky, feeling a little dissatisfied since she desired the large shell amid the stars. Why won't you just travel there and collect it yourself? her brother simply questioned while laughing at her response. She confesses that she is terrified of becoming lost in the endless, dark abyss and that she can't fly so long to reach the enormous white shell amid the stars. In her human shape once more, the Bakunawa carried the shells back to her mountain home where she placed them in the lake. She sat on a rock and watched the mermaids playing and swimming. She smiled, knowing she ought to have been appreciative of her brother's presents as she once more glanced up and admired the stars and moon in awe. She descended to the lake's floor and spent the night there before rising the next morning. Local tribes were devising a strategy to finally defeat the enormous turtle while the Bakunawa was asleep. They developed a band of hunters that produced magically enhanced weapons capable of dispatching enormous monsters. The huge turtle, Bacobaco, was carefully anticipated by the hunters for days, weeks, months, and even years. The indigenous tribes were aware that it would be several years before they even saw a trace of his return. Eclipse occurred as they were waiting. Once more, the Bakunawa was swimming among the stars. Her enormous wings covered the sky, and every time she flapped them, powerful gusts were produced that could topple trees. This was seen by the indigenous tribes as an omen that Bacobaco was about to return. They got ready for the turtle to come back. In order to imitate climbing onto the gigantic turtle's back, they practised by climbing mountains. Every day, the hunters made their way up mountains, and it never took them more than three days to reach the summit. To restrain the big turtle's legs or slow him down, the villagers erected enormous bamboo spikes and traps. The sea level started to decrease one afternoon. People living near the shore and fishermen were in a panic. Due to the low water level, local governments exchanged warnings and coordinated the relocation of their populations inland. The hunters honed their tools and once more gave them a magical infusion. The big turtle's return is indicated by the sea level's decline, which will cause a significant flood. The hunters noticed a floating island heading near their property the next day. A few hours later, they heard a roar so loud that one of the hunters' eardrums ruptured. When darkness fell, the fabled Bakunawa made a second appearance and met the turtle. As Bacobaco rose, a terrible flood followed him and killed several people while destroying the surrounding area's trees, farms, and villages. When the hunters noticed the two enormous monsters were communicating, they took advantage of the opportunity to creep up on Bacobaco's back. Their mouths dropped when they saw the size of Bacobaco's legs; they were astounded to witness the beasts of destruction up close. The tallest peak they had scaled could not resemble his legs alone. The entire week, Bacobaco did nothing except lie down and sleep. Before the enormous turtle awoke, the hunters scaled the structure as quickly as they could. They climbed nonstop for four days, and after they got to the top, they went bird hunting on the turtle's back. There were four groups of hunters. The first group moved to the turtle's head, the second group moved beneath its belly, the third group moved to the turtle's tail, and the fourth group ascended the turtle's highest point on its back. To make the turtle more vulnerable, they placed traps all over its body. They were separated by huge distances and had no means of contact, but they did agree on one thing: the plan begins once the turtle moves. The head group was considering a strategy for directing the enormous turtle toward the traps. Let's stab it in the neck to terrify it, one of them said. The second hunter proposed creating loud noises to startle or frighten the enormous turtle. They all laughed at his silly idea that a destructive monster might be scared away by loud noises. They came to an agreement by stabbing the turtle in the neck and constructed swings with sharpened logs powerful enough to pierce the turtle's thick scales. To see if their new method would be effective against the turtle, the hunters initially tested it with just one log. When one of the hunters wound up the wood, POW! Releases the sharp log onto the turtle's skin by cutting the rope. Bacobaco was somewhat startled out of sleep by an itch on his neck, but he didn't dwell on it too much before returning to sleep. The sight of a small amount of bleeding from the neck delighted the hunters. "Aha, we accomplished it! Using the materials from a gigantic beast's back, we have the ability to lead her toward the traps." The hunters were all awakened by an earthquake the following morning. The Great Bacobaco awoke from his sleep due to an itch he felt on his neck. "EARTHQUAKE!" one of the hunters yelled, then someone hurled a rock at him, "No you i***t. The turtle is awake." When he turned back to swim in the water to drown the creatures he believed were eating away at his skin, he stumbled on a huge hole covered in sharp spikes, which hurt his enormous flippers. Because of the turtle's flipper, the pit was coated in red blood, and even glancing at it would give you trypophobia. SPLINK! The hunters pierced Bacobaco in the neck with their machines. When he could, Bacobaco would spew molten lava as far as he could, starting a massive forest fire that would burn many people and animals alive. The rice fields that had been waiting for months to be harvested were devastated when the farms took fire. The enormous blood loss and excruciating agony around his neck left the poor huge turtle confused. Even though Bacobaco roared continually to call his sister, she never appeared to be around. He made an attempt to sprint toward the water, but instead stepped in another spike pit. In an effort to evade human traps, adrenaline surged through his body as he crawled toward the mountains. Once more winding up their weapon, the hunters were ready to stab Bacobaco in the neck yet again. One of the hunters yelled, "RELEASE!" as he cut the rope and swung the sharpened wood at the turtle's neck. In anguish, Bacobaco roared, hoping his sister would hear him again. He was crying so hard that blood began to pour out of his eyes. He hurried towards the mountain in the hope that it might ease the pain he was experiencing, but he was helpless. There were hunters on his body, and no amount of shrieking, spitting molten lava, or running could rid them. He crashed against the mountain after being impaled by the hunters dangling below his belly, who were killed. In an effort to harm whoever was inflicting him with suffering, he would spit molten lava into the air whenever he felt pain. Following a violent fall toward the mountain, Bacobaco became disoriented. After defeating the monster that had caused them suffering and death, the hunters celebrated their success by bringing the beast down. the horrible creature that frequently flooded their towns, drowning their children. The hunters approached its eye to claim their kill; but, as one of them poked it, Bacobaco's enormous eyes began to stare at them. Because it was too powerless to move a muscle, its reddish eyes have tears in them with blood streaming from them, forming a quiet and angry growl. Using his last strength to murder his hunters in the hopes of exacting revenge after death, Bacobaco stared at his killers for many minutes before moving once more. The hunters approached its eye to claim their kill; but, as one of them poked it, Bacobaco's enormous eyes began to stare at them. Because it was too powerless to move a muscle, its reddish eyes have tears in them with blood streaming from them, forming a quiet and angry growl. Using his remaining strength to murder his hunters in the hopes of exacting revenge after death, Bacobaco stared at his killers for many minutes before moving once more. He began ascending the mountain where he had crashed. While ascending, his flippers struck every rock and tree, further hurting him and causing a bloody fall. During this, one of the hunters fell, and the other hunters used their swords to gouge Bacobaco's eye. Once more roaring to call his sister, Bacobaco was unfortunately unsuccessful. In an attempt to create a lava lake, he arrived at the summit of the mountain and started digging quickly. No one managed to escape from the hunters on the underbelly before they were incinerated by the lava. The head hunters were crushed through the mountain, while the tail hunters plunged to their deaths in the lava lake. The hunters mounted on Bacobaco's back are all that remain. The nearby villages believed a volcano had erupted, but it was too late; large amounts of molten lava were destroying the ecosystem and wiping off the local wildlife. The hunters riding on its back were aware that killing Bacobaco permanently would be a suicide mission. The turtle appeared to calm down, so they cautiously descended in the direction of the head. The only thought on the minds of the remaining hunters was to preserve their people and families from yet another disaster brought on by the enormous beast. One of the hunters was killed by lava after falling to their death. Only three hunters remained to slay the turtle. They utilised the magic-infused weapons with all of their strength to slice and penetrate through the creature's thick scales. The second eye of Bacobaco was struck by a hunter, rendering him completely blind. He released a final wave of molten lava spewing everywhere in an effort to destroy the hunters. In his dying breath, Bacobaco plunged into the Lava pool he had built, expecting it would kill his attackers. After finally killing the beast, the hunters rejoiced, but they soon discovered they had overexcited themselves as Bacobaco began to sink. To get to the ridge of the pit, the hunters hurried as quickly as they could to the end of Bacobaco. They take care in every move to ensure that they may see their families and share the great news with them. In his dying words, Bacobaco called out in a deafening roar to his sister. The roar made the hunters dizzy, and two of them dropped, clutching to a branch for dear life. The hunter who was still alive had to decide who to save. Father and son were the hunters holding onto the branch. "Save my boy!" the father cried. However, the hunter stood there frozen, wondering what he could possibly do to rescue the boy. When Bacobaco's corpse shifted, the boy lost his grip and fell into the lava. As the father saw his kid fall to death, he screamed, "NOOO!" It was painful to hear the kid cry for rescue while he was burning. the expression on the father's face as he saw his son's screams gradually stop and the lava slowly devoured him. Finally coming to his senses, the standing hunter lifted the father from death. As the father contemplates on his son's death, his knees begin to tremble. His eyes quickly stopped sobbing, and a blank look appeared on his face. The second hunter grabs him as he runs to the brink, shouting, "Let's go!" They had to jump five feet or else lava would catch their fall, it was a life or death situation. They waited shortly to regain their breath before jumping because there was nothing more they could have done. To give them a head start, they moved back a little. The first hunter ran and leaped as high and as far as he could, managing to hold onto a rock while dropping his weapons. The father attempted to do the same, but the other hunter was able to catch him before he fell. They made their way to the top as quickly as they could.When they reached the ridge's peak, they turned to face the giant turtle's dead body. They gave it one more glance, reminding themselves of the traumas they had to go through. Bacobaco's corpse was gradually sinking into the lava, the lava was slowly melting his green scales, and his lifeless eyes were no longer shedding blood. The two remaining hunters returned to their village with the good news after spending two days at the ridge regaining their strength. The villagers' reactions when they learned that just two of the twenty-eight hunters they sent to slay the enormous beast had returned were divided. Datus from several tribes gave a statement on their valiant efforts to save their people from an unending disaster. Rejoice! Rejoice our heroes! They have saved us from a never ending disaster that killed our people, destroyed our livelihood and flooded our homes. The deaths of twenty eight hunters will not be forgotten but their deaths will mark as our people have the will and courage that other tribes couldn’t. They have slain a beast that is bigger than mountains and this proves they bleed, it is possible for them to be killed. Congratulate our heroes with great pride who lived to tell the tale. Give our many thanks to Agbayani and Alab! For they are the pride of this tribe and the saviour of the next generations to come! After preparing a feast to celebrate their victory, the datus quickly began to mourn their losses. Many families visited the grave to pay their respects to their loved ones who had passed away or to bury them. They assured them that the catastrophic disasters were finished. Agbayani expressed his condolences to Alab and apologised for failing to save his son. Both of them inhaled deeply and just met each other's eyes. The father nodded and paid him his respects. He comforted Alab's wife as she stared at him with tears in her eyes and they returned to their house to grieve the loss of their son. Agbayani pondered his choices and lingered on the beach by himself, contemplating the horrors he had to endure. He had told himself earlier that he was envious of the hunters who had set up camp atop Bacobaco's head or belly because they were engaging in the action while all he had done was sit on top of the turtle's back and touch the clouds. He came to the conclusion that he was fortunate to deliver the fatal blow and make it back home. As the datus of his community, his parents were waiting for him when he got up and returned home. After some time had gone, Hiraya, a daughter, was born to Alab's wife. Alab had trust in Agbayani since he was his comrade when Bacobaco died, and he mentored Hiraya because he was too old to teach his daughter the skills he had learnt. The peace was restored to the world. No more houses being destroyed by floods. People happily returned home after eliminating their dread of losing their family. The Maligha tribe had returned to normal, children could swim at the beaches without worrying about being swept away by a powerful wave, and farmers could resume their work. There was no longer any hunger. Until one day a gigantic serpent fell from the sky, setting off a massive earthquake and startling a hundreds of people. When the Bakunawa descended from the skies, she discovered her brother's remains on top of what the locals now refer to as Mount Pinatubo. After following his suggestion to fly to collect the enormous white shell amid the stars, she was shocked to discover her brother dead. When she saw her brother's bones on top of a mountain covered in lava, her enormous serpentine eyes were wide open. Then, all of a sudden, darkness fell and the moons turned blood red. To be continued…