The One Luna

"Blech!" Boni felt sick. He was transported into a hidden dimension and apparently the experience wasn't something his body was prepared for or used to.

"Oh? It seems the trace of Mayari and Apolaki I felt didn't come from you. But you must be pretty close to the person I'm looking for. No matter, it's within my expectations." A soft, soothing female voice sounded out from his surroundings.

Shocked, Boni's head shot up as his eyes darted around, only to find out that he was surrounded by trees and that several meters in front of him, was a small lake with water so clear that it reflected the stars on the night sky.

"Who are you? Are you the one who called me over?" He asked.

"I am. Would you like to tell me your name?" The voice asked.

"My name is Boni. Well, people call me Boni. My actual name is Andres Bonifacio." Boni replied.

"Oh? You're named after him. The great hero." The voice sounded out, her voice went a bit lower as she uttered the next sentence. "Betrayed by his own people."

"Yes, I was indeed named after him. I am also a descendant of his." Boni proudly replied.

"I see. You do indeed resemble him a bit."

"Would you mind telling me your name? I still don't know who you are."

"Of course, I apologize for not saying it any sooner. My name is Tala, Goddess of the Stars."

Boni knelt down, "It's an honor to meet you, Goddess Tala!"

Tala giggled and said, "No need to be so formal. After all, I'm the one who wishes to ask you for a favor. I was expecting the actual person, but you will do just fine."

"Is that why you were calling out, looking for the possessor of Apolaki and Mayari's blessing?" Boni asked.

"Indeed. Yet you were the one who came. It could have been a trap, and you know you're not the possessor of their blessings, yet you came knowing that you wouldn't be the one I'm looking for. Why take the risk then? You had no idea if this would be a trap, yet you confidently told your friends not to worry."

"It's because I know who the person you're looking for is. Luna, he's my bro, you know? So if you have something that you need to deliver to him, I'll deliver it personally." Boni patted his c.h.e.s.t.

"Luna?"

"Yes, his full name is Antonio Luna. He's the inheritor of Apolaki and Mayari's blessing." Boni replied.

"I see. Very well, then, although I hope you won't be offended, but I cannot risk having my inheritance fall into the wrong hands. It will only accept the person it's intended for. Should you fail to deliver it within a fortnight, it will consume you instead."

"That's fine, I can give it to him within a day!"

The stars seemed to have gathered together as they took the form of a woman. Unbelievably, her lithe figure was wrapped around with silk embroidered with the starlight. Her hair was like the night sky, dotted and lit up with stars. Her arms were tattooed with ancient symbols in gold, complimenting her healthy, brown skin.

"Goddess!" Boni lowered his head. This woman in front of him was one of the ancient, and nearly forgotten Gods in Philippine history.

"No need to be so formal, loyal Bonifacio. Rise." She put her hands on his shoulders and helped him up.

Her touch felt cool, but not to the point where it made one shiver or feel uncomfortable. It was like the gentle c.a.r.e.s.s of a light breeze.

"Hehe, I've never actually seen an actual Goddess before, so I don't know how to conduct myself." Boni scratched his head.

"You worry too much. I was called the Goddess of the Stars, but in truth, I am merely a Goddess of the Starlight. But that didn't make me any less potent. I was still able to harness the energy of the stars to a certain degree. Alas, it won't be much longer until I fade away like the others"

"Is there any way to save you?" Boni asked.

Tala smiled. "In a way, I'll survive through your friend. My legacy will live through him. As long as he is alive, so will I, in spirit."

"No, not like that. I mean actually alive and walk among us." Boni reiterated his question.

"This... I don't know." Tala thought for a bit. It's been so long, and throughout the years she had accepted her eventual fate. Boni raising the question somehow managed to reignite her wish to live. "Maybe in the future, dear Boni. Just because we don't know of any answers now, doesn't mean we won't in the future, right?" Tala smiled.

"Right!" Although he was sad that the first Goddess he came across would soon just disappear. Just then, Boni thought of an idea. "Wait! Do you know of the Life Tree?"

"Life Tree? I've heard of those, somewhat. They were in the possession of one of the Gods, but last I heard, they were burned down by a man named Lucifer. A waste of miraculous resources. Even the Gods themselves never did discover their full potential. Why do you ask?"

"Because the <Sovereign Nation> owns five of them." Boni quickly replied.

As soon as he said that, Tala's expression went from her usual calm state into an agitated one. "How?"

"It was rewarded to him. Although we never really got an instruction manual, but if you say that not even the Gods have figured out all of their potential, then that explains it a bit, I guess. They did undo the curse on some Manananggals who actually turned out to be Angels and gave them new life."

"Maybe it can help me then." Tala held Boni's hands, "Would you be able to introduce me to this Luna?" Truth be told, she was actually curious about Luna, but it was even more so now after hearing about the Life Trees. It was something she never would have guessed as she herself had only heard about them.

Boni looked into her eyes and noticed that the once peaceful starlight that resided in them were in disarray. "Sure, but, how do I do that? Aren't you in here for a reason? Wouldn't you die faster if you went out now?" Boni asked. He was obviously aware that this place was Tala's domain and that she would usually thrive here.

"That's true, even more so when I pass on my inheritance to him. I won't last longer than a month out there, and here I can at least live for another century."

"Yeah, but what's the point of living here in loneliness?"

"I always have the stars to accompany me. But since there's a chance the Life Tree could help me, I'm willing to take the risk." She replied. She would dream of being able to walk the Earth without fading so quickly and now that could very well be a possibility.

"Just so you know, even the Angels were made into Tabula Rasa. Are you okay with that?"

"Blank slates. Mn, I'm okay with it. I'm passing down my inheritance anyway, and if being Tabula Rasa is required for rebirth, both scenarios still require that I pass it down. I'm fine with it."

"Alright."

"Give me a moment." She spread her arms, one pointing west, and one pointed east. The tips of her fingers shone along with her hair and her toes. The light crept inwards and towards her forehead as they eventually merged. Apparently, this was her Godly energy.

Her Star Goddess power's origin. Reaching towards her forehead she clasped the orb of light and squeezed. She was compressing the energy so it wouldn't scatter. "Change of plans, it seems I'll be handing the inheritance over personally." She smiled.

"Alright! Shall we then?" Boni extended his hand. Tala took it, as a red cloud appeared in front of them again. Boni gulped as he knew this travel wasn't going to be pleasant.