#blood moon (to the victor go the spoils remix)

[jacksgreysays]

Blood Moon (to the victor go the spoils remix), 2/? (2020-04-26)

Subang was the first.

After my defeat, Apolaki was shrewd. He didn’t kill me—not with the other diwata watching, waiting to see what kind of Ruler of the Sky he would be, not when my sisters had maneuvered around him for my sake—but he did punish me all the same. Banished to the realm of humans, to live and live and live among them in the world that our father had Created.

That alone would not have been a punishment: my mother was human, I was born in their realm, lived the first fraction of my life as human before Bathala had raised my sisters and I to the Sky, ascended to diwata status. No, that alone would not have been punishment.

It was being alone that was my punishment. While I had been banished from the Sky, my sisters were detained there. Ostensibly to be Apolaki’s attendants—Hanan the Morning Dawn and Tala the Starlit Dusk, bookends to the Shining Sun himself—but we knew the truth. They were prisoners. Hostages. Both of them held close even as I was sent away, reduced to Apolaki’s servant in the realm of humans.

Sometimes, in the centuries that followed, I wondered if perhaps it was more than just punishment; if, somehow, he had foreseen the need of a diwata to walk the world, a divine warrior who could navigate the realm of humans. Because, not too long into Apolaki’s reign as Ruler of the Sky, a new threat appeared:

Bakunawa, Serpent of the Sea.

Arrogantly, foolishly, desperately, I thought I could defeat Bakunawa alone, prove myself to the other diwata, and earn my place back in the Sky. After all, I was Mayari, the Radiant Moon, one of Bathala the Almighty Creator’s chosen heirs. Despite my humble origins, I was one of the most powerful diwata, second only to the new Ruler of the Sky and yet...

… I blamed my lost eye and the corporeal form into which I been detained, my prowess diminished even as I still recovered from the battle for the Scepter. I blamed Apolaki for being too cowardly to fight alongside me and protect the Sky as a real Ruler would. Scheming to send me to my death without dirtying his own hands and tarnishing his reign. I blamed the humans for being too weak to defend themselves; I blamed Bakunawa for preying on, despicable. Briefly, I even blamed my sisters for not letting me die with honor, for abandoning me to a fleeting, pitiful existence that would end in a far more pathetic defeat. I blamed everyone but myself.

Subang was the first.

That night was a full moon. That night the light of my purview was supposed to illuminate the Sky, as close to home as I could get. That night was meant to empower me and guide the humans even as I walked among them.

Instead, to my horror, the moon began to darken under the shadow of the Serpent as it rose from Sea to Sky, teeth glistening and ready to rend and consume. Instead, the moon turned red, an ill omen of the blood that would be shed that night.

I was arrogant and foolish and desperate and so I fell once more, defeated. This time, there were no tears. Instead there was anguish: I could not resign myself to an honorable death, not when my failure would mean the world’s end.

Bakunawa was poised to strike—fins and scales gleaming red under my eclipsed moon, almost gleeful in its bloodlust—when the sound of gongs, bold bronze, reverberated through the air.

Subang was the first. Clever and brave Subang leapt forward with her gong, distracting the Serpent and giving me the opportunity to regain my strength and retaliate. Clever and brave Subang whose music underscored the battle, turning combat into dance, defeat into victory… 

... But it was not a victory without sacrifice.

Subang was the first. I remember. I remember the gong and mallet fallen to the ground. I remember Subang’s eyes blank and glassy, face smudged with dirt and blood. I remember as Bakunawa’s teeth dug into her, dragging her down into the Sea. I remember the moon returning to its normal luminescence. I remember Apolaki appearing, Scepter of the Sky in hand, while I once again was on my knees, staunching bloody wounds, not crying but filled, once more, with grief.

“Well done, sister,” Apolaki said, too late to be useful, too late to be anything but deliberate. Behind him stood his attendants and that sight was what nearly brought me to tears: Hanan’s eyes void of any emotion, Tala silent, subservient.

I didn’t ask what was wrong. I didn’t think to ask what was wrong, as battered and drained as I was. I could only breathe and bleed and live and live and live.

“Our first victory against the Sea Serpent,” Apolaki said, and the proud, wrathful, inhuman part of me briefly flared up in indignation before it drowned in exhaustion and grief, “Though, no doubt, this battle is but the start of a continuous conflict.”

Later, I would wonder if this was yet again another bout of foresight or if it was perhaps something more insidious.

Hanan and Tala, still void of emotions, still silent and subservient, bent down for Subang’s gong and mallet. There were no comforting hands, warm or cool, no concerned attention or protective words; they returned to their places behind Apolaki and had nothing for me.

“You know your duty, Mayari,” Apolaki decreed, tone heavy with all the authority of the Ruler of the Sky, before leaving with his attendants in tow. I nearly crumpled with the weight of it. I would not be returning home any time soon, not chained to this impossible duty as I was.

Subang was the first... 

... She would not be the last.

---

There was the Sky and the Sea and the world in between, the realm of humans. Though perhaps that was a misnomer, for humans were not the only ones who lived among them—and that was not just counting myself.

While the other diwata lived in the Sky, their domains and purviews encompassed the three realms: such as Anitun Tabu, the Rain Bringer, who controlled the weather in the Sky and her brother Dumakulem, the Mountain Guardian, who protected humans on the land. Even the Sea, treacherous though it was, had Amanikable, the Hunter Lord, who watched over the fishermen as they toiled upon the unpredictable Sea.

There were others, of course, and I knew them by name, by face, by domain and purview—for I had been an heir to Bathala, and might have been their new Ruler of the Sky—but there was more than just diwata and humans in the world.

Anito were as numerous as they were varied, and mysterious in addition to that, for their origins couldn’t be attributed to Bathala, even though they inhabited the world he Created. They appeared seemingly randomly and in practically anything—animals, plants, places, objects, natural phenomena, and intangible concepts—even humans. The human anito, uncommon as they were, generally only appeared after death as ninunò, ancestor spirits who guided their descendants through times of hardship.

However, sometimes, there could be an even more exceptional form of human anito, so rare that they had no name; humans who, in life, could even measure up to the power of diwata…

… Like warding off the Serpent of the Sea with nothing more than the sound of gongs.

~

A/N: I’m going to do this! I believe in myself! Also I have finally stated Mayari’s name! And I am still as bad at dialogue as ever! I’m a little meeeeh about her title as “Radiant Moon” I wasn’t sure if I should use a different adjective but it’s the one that best fits for now, I guess?

I am mixing the different regional myths. Because sometimes Mayari is but one of many moon goddesses (and also, sometimes a guy) and technically Mayari isn’t the moon god(dess) who is related to the Bakunawa myth, but that’s the premise from the original Blood Moon, so I’m filling in the blanks with other moon-related Filipino myths. ~RESEARCH~

[sitp-recs]

Hi darling, first off I want to say that I am completely obsessed with your blog and your recs have introduced me to some of the best fanfics I’ve ever read. So, apologies if you’ve done this already but, could you please rec hurt/comfort drarry fics? Much love x

Hi anon! What a lovely message to start my day, I’m pleased to know you’ve been finding good content here! And thanks for the ask - I suggest you check these 3 reclists I did a while back: angst, comfort and h/c low stakes slow burn. I hadn’t done an official h/c list yet, so this time I decided to go for fics that give us both at once, that have an inherently sad premise but aren’t 99% angst with a happy ending. I tried to find a good balance between physical and emotional whump, so I hope these work for you! :)

Case File #742 by potterwatch (2019, M, 6k)

When Draco is thrown into the cell, he’s furious. When Potter gets thrown in behind him, he’s pissed.

My Hands Are Of Your Colour by @ohdrarry (2020, E, 8k)

Sometimes spilled blood lingers on guilty hands. Draco sees red and Harry washes it clean.

Slow Hands by @tinyhistory (2008, T, 10k)

Blood, shadows, and paper hearts. The Shadow hunts students, but Draco Malfoy most of all.

Solve Us Like a Mystery by tryslora (2013, T, 11k) - Mpreg

When Harry stops in at the bookstore where Draco works, they find a surprising shared interest in mysteries. Draco doesn't expect to see Harry again, and he definitely doesn't expect to become the subject of unexpected investigation that may endanger the life of his unborn child, and at the same time, may bring him the kind of happiness he never thought he'd have after the war.

Kissed by @potteresque-ire (2015, M, 12k)

Draco Malfoy was attacked by a rogue Dementor on the night of his Azkaban release. He self-exiled to Muggle London and opened a late-night chocolate shop called Kissed.

Between Myth and Man by @slytherco (2020, E, 16k)

Draco, lost and a little broken, navigates post-war reality convinced that people like him should not be allowed to make their own choices. To solve the problem of his self-sabotaging tendencies, he starts taking a few drops of Veritaserum every morning. A story about the complexity of choices, repressed desires that come to the surface when we least expect them, and the utter hopelessness of truths built on a foundation of lies.

Can't Fight The Moonlight by sunsetmog (2020, M, 16k) - Mpreg

Or: the one where Harry accidentally gets Draco pregnant, both of them fail to talk about their feelings, and in the end, there's a baby.

Vale Sanare by RurouniHime (2011, M, 23k)

Draco’s world gains a new component just when he thought he��d sorted everything out.

In Your Arms, Rests My World by @l0vegl0wsinthedark (2016, E, 24k)

Harry presses his mouth to Malfoy's forehead; he wants to tell him that he’ll never leave, that he wouldn’t dream of it.

“You make me feel safe, Potter” Malfoy whispers. “You keep me safe.”

Stain of Silence by brummell (2013, E, 28k)

After the war, Draco serves out his sentence in Harry Potter's house.

Strange Bedfellows by orphan_account, @ravenclawsquill (2016, E, 30k)

When Harry encounters a frail and fidgety Draco Malfoy at the Ministry, he just knows something is wrong and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it. A story about Deadly Nightshade, crippling insomnia, excellent wine … and finding what you need in the strangest of circumstances.

On One's Knees by pir8fancier (2008, E, 33k)

The war is over and to the victors go the spoils. If you are triggered by infidelity, this is not the fic for you.

Inside Your Mind by @lazywonderlvnd (2020, E, 36k)

Goyle's taken it upon himself to act as Malfoy's personal, one-man guard and Harry can't help but feel like it's only making the bullying worse.

(Un)wanted by @aibidil (2020, E, 36k)

Ginny's pregnant, then she's not and Harry's single. Harry, again with no family, doesn't know what to do with this turn of events, or how to find a new life—post-war, post-Ginny, post-abortion—in which he belongs. He doesn't expect that life to include dancing to the Backstreet Boys with Hermione and Draco Malfoy. A story of finding belonging in the unexpected.

Kiss the Joy (Until the Sun Rise) by @icmezzo (2013, M, 37k)

The Room of Requirement was severely damaged in the war, but not so much that it could not provide for one lost student and another young hero—especially when they needed each other most of all.

As Souls From Bodies Steal by @femmequixotic (2012, E, 40k)

Hope may be found in the oddest of places, even in the bleakness of winter.

(We'll Call This Fixer-Upper) Home by @phd-mama (2018, E, 52k)

Draco Malfoy hasn’t set foot on English soil in ten years. After the war, he fled to America, where he found himself in a community, and healed himself through following his heart into music. He’s now the lead singer and songwriter for an internationally known band, who have come back to headline the Wiltshire Music Festival. But as Draco is about to learn, his past isn’t as far away as he might have believed, and his future may hold more than he ever could have dreamed.

Balance, Imperfect by @bixgirl1 (2017, E, 91k)

When Harry sustains an injury in the line of work, he no longer knows how to navigate the life he loved, and finds help and solace from the most unexpected source.

Away Childish Things by @letteredlettered (2018, T, 153k)

Harry gets de-aged. Malfoy has to help him.

There Is Always the Moon by @firethesound (2016, T, 159k)

Draco's life after the war is everything he wanted it to be: it's simple, and quiet, and predictable, and safe. But when a mysterious curse shatters the peace he'd worked so hard to build, there's only one person he can trust to help him. After all, Harry Potter has saved his life before. Now Draco has to believe that Potter will be able to do it one more time. (A remix of If the Sun Goes Black by pasdexcuses)

[jacksgreysays]

Blood Moon (to the victor go the spoils remix), 1/? (2020-04-25)

The Sky was so bright it brought me to tears.

Or perhaps it was grief over my father, Bathala the Almighty Creator, Ruler of the Sky, now dead.

Or perhaps it was from pain; one hand pressed desperately to my left eye—or the bloody mess where it once was, a futile attempt to stem the flow, tears and blood, both.

I was on my knees and struggled to stand. Bad enough that I lost to Apolaki, bad enough he had taken my eye, bad enough that he now held the Scepter of the Sky. I was kneeling before the new Ruler of the Sky, defeated, unwilling, but kneeling all the same.

If I got to my feet, perhaps he would strike me down completely. Better to die in battle than live a puppet to his whims.

Through my blurry, halved, and tearing vision I thought I could almost see him considering his options. Deciding which would be better for him. If he killed me, he would remove any threat to his rule—he and I were not the only children of Bathala, the Almighty Creator as much description as title, but Apolaki and I were the only ones considered as heirs. Surely another reason to kill me, my two sisters and I being half-human, while Apolaki was diwata in full—but how galling to admit that I would even be a threat.

I smiled, teeth bared. His eyes burned. My smile grew wider; I practically dared him.

Until I felt the press of hands on both shoulders—Hanan warm on my left, Tala cool on my right, but both equally gentle.

I remembered myself: I was defeated, but I could still lose.

They bore some of my weight and only a part of me—that proud, wrathful, inhuman part of me—protested as they kneeled and brought me with them.

“Hail to Apolaki the Shining Sun, Ruler of the Sky,” Hanan began, deferential. She was facing my half-brother, but her attention was carefully aimed at my wounded eye. I did not think even her talents would be able to save it.

“May he watch over the world with justice and mercy,” Tala continued, demur but compelling. Her words held no power but that of human cunning, eliminating Apolaki’s options with precision and grace.

He could not strike me down. Not without harming my sisters who remained stubbornly at my side. Not without losing honor, tarnishing his first act as Ruler of the Sky. No, he could not strike me down.

But he could do so much worse.

---

In the beginning, there was the Sky and the Sea.

In the beginning, there was Bathala the Almighty—but not yet Creator for he had not yet made the world—of the Sky and two other diwata who I had only ever heard referred to as the Wanderer of the Winds and the Forsaken of the Sea.

The Sea rose up to consume the Winds and drown the Sky and so Bathala the Almighty struck it down, Creating stones and throwing it at the Sea, fighting it back in place to where it belonged.

Though Bathala was victorious—the Forsaken sinking down to the bottom of the Sea and the stones he had Created flourishing as anew realm for new life—the battle was not without sacrifice. The Wanderer had perished, body dragged down into the cold, dark depths; no doubt a spiteful souvenir for the Forsaken.

Bathala’s second Creation was thus the tigmamanukan bird, in remembrance for his fallen friend. His third Creation was humanity. So began the world.

Of course, that is the story I had been told by my father.

There was no one else to tell me otherwise.

~

A/N: A while ago I was in a play called Blood Moon which was inspired by Filipino mythology. Even back then I knew I wanted to write fanfiction of it, so I did some research but I lost myself to the over specificity of lunar eclipses and gave up.

Recently, I started playing a game called Scions in which the characters are children of various gods/goddesses. There were several pantheons but not including the Tagalog pantheon (that I could find) so I did some research into that to make a fan pantheon (a fantheon, if you will), realized I was remembering some things because I had mentally walked this path before and dug up my notes of the Blood Moon fanfiction.

... So this is what this is. I think last time I also got scared off in imagining this huge thing and trying to tackle all of it as opposed to doing it in parts.

Also, originally I was writing it in second person POV, but then I realized... seeing as how I played the character whose POV I’m in, I should do it in first person POV. (Also, also, maybe one day I’ll podfic it if I finish?) It’s a little strange--I don’t often (if ever?) go first person POV so this is a new undertaking.

Also, also, also, I should disclaimer that I don’t speak Tagalog, my research wasn’t particularly academic, and I am deliberately changing some things to make it fit the narrative more so please take everything with a grain of salt.