The Great Masses from the Void

At the beginning of time, there was darkness—ever stretching, unbound in lightless silence. From this great void came two great entities. They came and broke the silence. Great billowing masses of movement and chaos, pushing and pulling away from the stagnant darkness.

So great were these entities that they have within them the power of life and the flicker of the unknown light. The first among them was a loud and rambunctious power. Swift in movement and all-encompassing. Strong and whirling were his movements. From the depths of his great and mighty form were visions of fire and lightning for he was the great sky, the never-ending heavens. And so, this first god took upon himself a form, mighty and great, the first among all fathers, the king of all gods and men. He was the majestic maker of the universe, Captan.

Captan was the towering lord of the heavens. His beard was white and his eyes filled the universe with a light that bled out from the void. This unknown light was not the same as how the sun is in the present day. There were no sun, nor moon, nor stars in those days. There were only castles of light and clouds. There was a perpetual light of silver whose origin was Captan’s eyes. The effervescent luminosity blessed the entire sky so that all creatures and beings may see and bask in the wonder of the immortal firmament.

The younger of the two entities, the most powerful of gods save Captan, was Maguayan. Where Captan was headstrong and passionate, Maguayan was calm and collected. Swirling worlds of water were his body ever-flowing. He delighted in the creation, from great giant creatures of the seas to the smallest of floating plants inhabiting his unending maze of a seascape. For in Maguayan the force of life was strong and from his mind, he envisioned beautiful inhabitants of his great bounty. Maguayan fashioned himself a wizened form of a sea god. That he may live with his creatures as master and friend.

From these two entities came great spirits of both sky and water. Products of their minds and will. Captan created his wondrous palaces in the clouds while Maguayan expanded his empires beneath the sea.

The Making of the Heirs of Gods

Eons upon eons passed and the great adventures of Captan and Maguayan continued in the universe of sky and water. And so it was that Maguayan called upon his better, the great Captan, that they may convene and discuss a matter of great import. On the horizon of the universe, Maguayan reached out his godly hand and touched the heart of the sky.

“Great Master Captan,” called Maguayan. “Hear me, O Heavenly King.”

“We come to thee, Brother Maguayan,” answered Captan. “Why callest thou?”

“For eons, I have journeyed my endless watery realm, I have learned a great deal, lord,” said Maguayan. “That of my creatures both gigantic and minute, beautiful and grotesque, that the life we bestow is but a fleeting gift. They aimlessly travel within the bounds that we set and their very existence is naught but tied to our desire.”

“Of this, we are abreast,” said Captan. “What of this discontent?”

“Aye, Master of All Skies,” said Maguayan. “With thy permission, I seek to create life such as none I have made since. For it is my intent that I shall have for myself a godly heir whose mind is of ours and unbound by our desire. That she may have a will of her own so she may seek to live her life as I have lived mine. And we shall share the wonders of our watery worlds together.”

“Brother Maguayan, Greatest in the Depths,” remarked Captan. “As thy King, we grant this boon, that thou makest a godly offspring. And she shall be thy lieutenant in the guardianship of thine realms. But, alas! We sayest to thee, that thou hast kindled our heart that we sire for us a mighty son of the sky—a child of the heavens that we may share the power of the unknown light. Go and bid thy daughter into existence but only after we have made a son, and not before. For he shall be heir to the universe and son to thy king and master.”

And so it came to pass that before Maguayan could create a daughter, Captan sired his one true heir who was called Lihangin, the god of the wind. And he was created in Captan’s image. Mighty and swift, powerful and beautiful. He was the greatest of all gods in heaven and all spirits, clouds, lightning, and creatures of the sky followed his bidding. Lidagat grew wise and he shared his father’s temperament. He was eager and ambitious and headstrong!

For a thousand years, Lihangin grew into the most powerful entity in the universe save for Captan and Maguayan. On the first day after his first thousand years, it was when Lihangin’s eyes lit up with a golden light. Fuller and richer than his father’s light, Lihangin reinforced the great silver light that illuminated the sky since the universe began. With this newfound brightness, Lihangin gazed at the vastness of Maguayan’s domains.

Little did Lihangin know that it was the day when Maguayan’s daughter was born. From the depths of the Maguayan’s lowest palaces, Lidagat, the goddess of the sea, emerged. Her hair was deep black and she wore a crown of pearls. She was born fully grown and in her green eyes were the fullness of Maguayan’s wisdom and grace. And so, as Lihangin cast his wondrous light to the great wide oceans, a serene and illustrious maiden burst forth in a torrent of white foam. And that was the moment that the sea fell in love with the wind.

The Union of the Wind and Sea

Maguayan in his golden palace beneath the underwater worlds felt troubled in his heart. A dark premonition has come in his sleep. Unsettled, he awoke and began to cross his great halls.

As he ventured to his labyrinth-like hall, he was met with a most radiant sight. Before him he saw an apparition of unending light and Maguayan began to fear that he is to contend with an angered Captan.

But it was not his king, but his king’s august son, Lihangin that stands before him, tall and proud, as his father before him. His eyes were radiant with the golden everlasting light.

“Hast thou wondered aimlessly upon my halls, O great godly prince?” asked Maguayan. “Be still, and I shall escort thee back to thy father king’s heavenly abode.”

“Nay, Kind and Wise Lord of the Water Realms,” answered Lihangin. “I have wandered to thine halls but not aimlessly. With purpose have I to seek thine illustrious daughter’s hand that we become of one mind and heart.”

Maguayan was silent and had a heavy heart for there he had a premonition of misfortune as a burden. With utmost respect befitting the dignity of a son of the king, Maguayan refused him. Thrice Lihangin spoke explaining his undying love and devotion, offering his realms and kingdoms, and even giving his birthright and position to Maguayan. Thrice Maguayan refused him without telling him why.

And so it was that Lihangin, angered and wrathful, took his leave and left the halls of Maguayan but not before declaring that he shall return with the full might of Captan. Lidagat who was witness to their exchange was mindful of what may come. She came before his father and lovingly asked why he refused such a fitting suitor for there were none equal to Lihangin in the universe.

Maguayan unburdened his thoughts on his daughter. “I fear, daughter, that thy union will seal a fate so great and dreadful. For I have foreseen death, mutilation, and regret should thou wed the masterful Lihangin. Thou shalt have momentary peace and abundance but all paid dearly with great loss. And in recompense, the universe shall be made anew inhabited by lesser folk—children of thine children but of their own minds and wills both wonderful and terrible to behold.”

But it was Lidagat, whose wisdom is overflowing like the seas, who found an interpretation of her father’s dark vision.

“Beloved Father,” said Lidagat. “Be well, for thy sacred premonition is a blessing that shall prepare us of what is to come. In thy great time in the universe, dost not the touch of death and sorrow balanced by life and happiness? Rejoice, Father of the Waters, for I shall become a part of the great destiny of the universe. And lesser folk may be children of mine children but art not I lesser than thee? Dost thou love me less? We shall embrace the terrible and the wonderful. Alas! Bid me farewell, Majestic Father of the Golden Palace, escort me to the most worthy of husbands in Lihangin.”

And it was so that with a heavy heart, Maguayan blessed her daughter to be married to the son of Captan. No less than the entire host of the Sky Realms with their trumpets and drums called on Maguayan to deliver his daughter. And their eyes were hot for none dared refuse any son of Captan.

“Out, Maguayan, out, foul Master of Sea Snakes and Krakens,” bellowed Captan. “Whom art thou to refuse a rightful marriage of our most beloved offspring?”

“Peace, O Glorious and Wrathful King of the Sky,” answered Maguayan as he emerged. He bowed deeply and humbled himself before the mighty Sky host. “Be still, Good King. I yield, yes, but not to thee. I yield to my regal daughter’s wishes. I bless this union and meet thee with good cheer. But allow me to proffer a warning most grave.”

At this point, Captan who was quick to anger was even quicker to laugh, said: “Speak thy mind, O Faithful and Honest Maguayan! What warning hast thou in the face of such renewed merriment?”

“None save that in sealing this union,” started Maguayan. “Thou hast sealed a most regretful fate born by thine wrathful hands. That thou, O King, cannot change—to shape the world anew from great loss.”

“Alas!” remarked Captan. “Thine warning we have heeded. With thee by my side as my eternal and most trusted counselor and friend, wilt thou not defend us against such regrets? Ha! We shall speak of this no longer for now is the time to rejoice!”

In the light of the silver eyes of Captan, Lihangin, god of the wind, and Lidagat, goddess of the seas, were joined in union. Attended by the great host of the Sky and all the creatures of the Waters, it was a celebration unlike no other before or since for they celebrated in the expanse of seven years and seven days—a time of great abundance in the history of the universe.

And by the end of the festivities, four miraculous godlings were born of the wind and the sea.

To be continued…