“So, are you saying that I just stay here in the Spiritual Realm in my world and see it rot? I know that I am not alone in voicing this out, but our powers have been weakening for the past 400 years! I know that you have also noticed this, and I am even more sure that Bathala and other deities in their upperworld have also noticed their weakening powers. However, instead of doing something about it, they choose to remain quiet and further locked themselves in their own domains!” declared Sitan in one breath.

“I am going to the Mortal realm to correct the mistakes done by those white men 400 years ago. I am going to the Mortal realm so we can regain our powers back! Even though most of us here in the lower realms live by consuming the negative will energy of the souls sent here and we can survive on them, we also need to get the veneration and faith those people have for us in order to maintain our world and powers, what those fancy-speaking foreigners did was deplete our source of sustenance and power!” continued Sitan in an effort to convince the deities there with him. He used the most painful event that has happened to them in recent years to compel them to aid him.

“If nothing is done about our situation, we will slowly fade out of existence. While we can still live for a few thousand years more, with our situation right now, can you really call this living? Hiding, rotting away in this forsaken world in the Spiritual Realm?” lamented Sitan, his words seemingly echoing on the minds of the people present.

When the other deities heard Sitan’s last statement, they all visibly shook. Sitan was right, all they did was survive, only prolonging the inevitable, rotting away as they watch their world rot away with them.

“Mangilala, though we are at odds more times than not, I am aware of your plight, as it is the same with me. Your current appearance, though it may fool everyone, will not fool me. You long to visit the Mortal realm and experience their technologies. To learn new ways of temptations so you may use it on them. Busau, though you are an entity of malice and destruction, I am sure that you are aware of the destruction that those humans did in the past hundred years. Were you able to benefit from those events? I am the same as well, even though there are a lot of evil and sinful souls in the Mortal realms right now, only a few of them made it to my world in the past one 400 hundred years. Agkui and Tagbayaw I am sure that the same thing is happening to the two of you. Sidapa –“ Sitan bemoaned, his eyes full of emotion and self-pity as well as despair, however, before he could continue on with Sidapa’s situation, he was cut short by her.

“I know. You do not have to say anything.” Sidapa sighed emotionally, for a moment, she looked like she aged a thousand years, but then she immediately recovered. Meanwhile the other four beings he addressed seemed to be deep in thought, furrowing their brows apparently conflicted, even Busau was clearly affected by what Sitan has said.

“So how do you propose we go to the Mortal realm. The only Spirit Points that we can access right now are heavily guarded by the other deities, and for the sake of not repeating the Great Spiritual Conflict, the other deities of the lower worlds have mutually agreed to respect the restriction imposed by those from the upper worlds.” Sidapa said in furrowed brows.

“Sidapa, do you remember that time when D’wata did not fulfill his promise to Bong Libun?” probed Sitan.

“Yes. That event is still as fresh as if it happened yesterday.” Sipada answered, with amusement in her eyes, as if recalling a fond memory.

“Then you must be familiar with what happened. I can tell you now that I have found a way to circumvent those restrictions.” Proudly declared Sitan.

“Do those six people have anything to do with this “way” that you mentioned?” Agkui asked.

“Yes, I have already taken steps to capture them. I am sure you are all familiar with the Scourges of the Earth? These six people behind me are precisely them.” Declared Sitan.

“Crazy! Utterly crazy!” These are the only words the four deities found to describe the action of Sitan. Even Busau, was visibly shocked that it stood rooted on the ground, afraid to make even the slightest of noises.

The other five deities are again shocked. Sitan has captured not one but six other deities. If they are just ordinary deities, then Sidapa and company would not be as shocked. However, the identities of these six are not so simple, though they are deities in the lower world of the Spiritual Realm, these six are all under the protection of D’wata, the supreme deity of the T’Boli. After a scandalous conflict between D’wata and Bong Libun, D’wata in order to save some of his dignity also promised Bong Libun to look after her six sons among other things he gave her, including marrying his youngest brother to her. All the deities present in this meeting at the very least know that they are all under the protection of a supreme deity, but Sitan still dared to capture the six of them!

“Hahahaha! I am sure that all of you are thinking that I have gone crazy by doing an act such as this. But think carefully, if D’wata is still at the peak of his power I might have not done this, however, as I have mentioned, all of us have been weakening, and D’wata does not even have enough power to come to our worlds, much less look after these six!” with a crafty smile, Sitan tried to convince the five.

“Is this also one of your reasons why you have asked us to meet at this lake? So that you can use them to enter the Mortal realm?” asked Mangilala.

“Yes! With how powerless those deities have become; I can do anything to these six. These mists that have been covering their bodies are protection charms given to them by D’wata himself so that they can freely come and go to the Mortal realm and even beyond those designated areas. My plan is simple, I will extract these mists from them and transfer them to us. Then we will use this lake that connects to Lake Sebu in the Mortal realm to enter that realm. After that we will be free to go wherever we want!” patiently explained Sitan.

Mangilala on the other hand was deeply furrowing his brows.

“What’s the catch?” he asked.

“As expected from the deity of temptation, you catch on quickly on this kind of talk. A benefit of someone from your trade maybe?” teased Sitan. Mangilala wanted to retort but remembering his experience earlier he chose to keep quiet and waited for Sitan to continue.

“I will not be asking much from you guys, after all, whatever you do in the Mortal realm, our lower worlds will still receive its benefits. I only ask you to look for three booklets in the Mortal realm. These three booklets were once a book owned by Bathala, but he gifted them to the humans. However, he divided the book into three parts, and distributed them among the humans. I know of the general locations of the two, but the third seems to be sealed as I cannot feel any of its presence.” continued Sitan. He then went on to tell them the location of the two booklets.

“The first one is on the island where Lake Sebu is located. I felt its presence strongly a few days ago, but it disappeared shortly. From what I have gathered, this booklet seems to be used more often than the other two. If I am not wrong, it is in the hands of a babaylan. The second booklet is located farther to the north, across the sea. I have faintly felt its presence a few years back, but it has not shown any other activity. As for the third one, you will have to do a little bit of searching.” stated Sitan, as if giving commands to his own people.

“Wait!” exclaimed Tagbayaw,

“You said “you”, what do you mean by this? Are the five of us the only ones to go to the Mortal realm?” Tagbayaw asked.

“No. Only four of you will go, for now. Sidapa will have to stay. She is like me, an Elder Deity, and will need more powers to use the spirit point. Once we are powerful enough, we will then follow you guys to the Mortal realm.” clarified Sitan.

“So, you are using us to gather energy for you?” said Mangilala with a sour face, clearly unhappy by what Sitan said.

“I don’t really mind being used by you since we are already here. So long as you can promise us that you will not interfere with whatever we want to do there, I am on board with this plan!” with a a hint of expectation and longing could be seen Agkui supported Sitan’s idea.

Busau growled and nodded once, expressing his agreement to Sitan’s idea as well. Tagbayaw did not need to say anything, as Agkui has already agreed with Sitan. Only Mangilala was left.

“What do you think, ‘Sam’? We can still do what we want, we only need to gather some energy for them and help him look for those booklets, but he will not get in our way.” Tagbayaw tried to convince Mangilala.

“Hmph! Okay then, as this is for our worlds as well. I’ll agree with you for now, Sitan.” Mangilala finally acquiesced to Sitan.

After hearing Mangilala, Sitan proceeded to face the six figures covered in mists, he then summoned his staff and pointed the end with the glowing orb to them. Suddenly the mist-like substance started squirming and floated towards the orb, it was at this moment that Sitan started to chant. Sitan also opened the palm of his free hand, the mist-like substance then began to gather on his palm. After a few moments, Sitan stopped his chanting and faced Agkui, Tagbayaw, Busau and Mangilala, then he chanted once more and the mist-like substance floated and separated into four, then it floated towards the four deities.

“Take them. I have added some enchantments to it so we will be able to feel each other’s general location. This will make it easier for us to find each other in the Mortal realm. You can leave anytime you want.” said Sitan.

No sooner had Sitan ended his sentence, Busau immediately jumped into the lake waters and soon disappeared from their sights. Seeing this, Agkui and Tagbayaw followed suit, and lastly, Mangilala as well. Now, only Sitan, Sidapa and the six figures are left on the lake shore. The mist-like substance covering the six has visibly lessened, but their physical traits are still perfectly obstructed.

“Did you really have to lie to them about us needing more energy to go to the Mortal realm? Given our current state, even with the restriction, we can still go into the Mortal realm with no problems.” Sidapa asked Sitan after a few moments.

“Well, I need them to stop asking too many questions. The less they know the better.” answered Sitan.

“So, what do you need my help for?” continued Sidapa.

“I need you to help me extract the life essences of these six. I can only steal a portion of the black mist because I do not have the same vital energies as these six. We will not extract all their essences, just enough to make these black mist identify me as one of them. Without a large volume of these, my presence will still be detected by Bathala. Even though I said earlier that his powers have weakened, I will not gamble on the chance that he may or may not discover me, lest I risk spoiling my own plans.” Sitan explained.

“Hmph! So, you are only using me to further your cause. But it does not matter, as I have my own reasons for agreeing with your plans. I will also need the black mist to identify me as one of them. This will not be impossible for you right?” clearly annoyed by what Sitan has said, Sidapa still agreed to do his bidding.

“Of course! I will not short-change you, as I will also need a lot of effort from you since my current powers may not be enough.” With eyes flashing with excitement, Sitan readily agreed to Sidapa’s demand with delight.

Without further ado, the duo busied themselves in extracting the black mist from the six figures.