The Story of Sierra Madre | by Robert Enrique
Sierra was not long alone. Under the warm, vibrant sky, she was sought by the Supreme God, Bathala. Their reunion, a cosmic echo of a previous life's devotion, resulted in the birth of three celestial daughters: Hanan, the goddess of the morning, Tala, the goddess of the stars, and Mayari, the goddess of the moon. Fearing the mingling of pure divinity with the chaos of the mortal realm, Bathala commanded a separation.
He tasked his son, Apolaki, the mighty Sun God, with a solemn duty. Apolaki was reincarnated on earth as Pako-Ilo, a mortal boy who was the child of Sierra and the sea deity Magwayen. Pako-Ilo's true purpose was to lead his three half-sisters back to the safety of the celestial realm.
Sierra's life, however, was destined to know both light and shadow. In a brutal, unexpected twist, the malevolent deity Sitan, the personification of evil, assaulted her. From this dark encounter, a son was born, Eneas, his existence a constant, aching reminder of the world’s inherent cruelty.
The God of the Monsoon and the Serpent’s Whispers
Months passed. Bathala, having observed Sierra's unwavering spirit, slowly mended their divine relationship, realizing with certainty that Sierra was the mortal embodiment of his beloved, lost wife, Yanu Ayen.
It was during this time of fragile peace that Habagat, the impetuous God of the Southwest Monsoon, fell passionately in love with Sierra. Their love was swift, resulting in the birth of twin sons: Initan, the god of the hot winds, and Haginit, the god of the cold winds.
This happiness stoked the furious, chilling jealousy of Amihan, the Goddess of the North/Northeast Wind and Habagat's destined partner. She began to plot her revenge, whispering venomous lies into Habagat’s ear, manipulating his godly insecurities. She convinced him that Sierra intended to abort their child to return to Bathala, a profound deception.
Enraged by Amihan's lie, Habagat unleashed his ultimate fury, aiming his most devastating typhoons and punishing storms directly at the region where Sierra and her children resided, demanding payment for her perceived betrayal.
The Ascent to Kataas-taasan
The furious, manipulated storms of Habagat raged with increasing ferocity. Sierra, absorbing the initial blows, knew her mortal form could not withstand the sustained, vengeful assault. Bathala, recognizing the danger, commanded a temporary retreat.
“The earth is poisoned by their wrath, my Sierra,” Bathala said, “I must shield them. The Kataas-taasan is the only place where Amihan’s chilling jealousy and Habagat’s blinded fury cannot reach.”
With her heart aching but resolute, Sierra agreed. She placed her five children in Bathala's care: Hanan, Tala, Mayari, Pako-Ilo (Apolaki), and even Eneas. Her primary focus was protecting her twins, Initan and Haginit, who were too young to travel between realms.
Utilizing the full extent of his cosmic power, Bathala conjured a swirling pillar of golden light—a temporary doorway to the celestial realm. One by one, the children stepped through, guided by their divine father. As Pako-Ilo stepped into the light, his mortal memory was flooded with his true identity as Apolaki, the Sun God, and he understood his ancient duty.
The moment the five children vanished into the Kataas-taasan, the world became quiet, save for the escalating tempest. Habagat, now entirely consumed by Amihan’s poison, unleashed the ultimate fury of the monsoon.
The Inevitable Embrace and The Eternal Mother
Sierra stood alone, her face calm, knowing that her children were safe. She raised her arms to the tempest, embracing the divine entropy that defined her.
“You cannot touch my sons now! I will be their shield!” she cried.
The divine power of the storm struck her, not as a weapon, but as a catalyst. She let the massive force of the wind, the earth, and the water consume her. Her body, the vessel of Yanu Ayen, began to transform, her bones hardening into massive, granite peaks, her skin becoming the forest and soil. She gathered her twin sons, Initan and Haginit, and nestled them deep within her being.
Where the beautiful, enduring woman Sierra stood moments before, there now rose the mighty, unconquerable spine of stone—the Sierra Madre. She became the mountain itself, her final form an ultimate, eternal shield, absorbing the celestial conflict to protect her remaining children.
The Children in the Sky
In the pure light of the Kataas-taasan, the five children found sanctuary:
* Hanan, Tala, and Mayari: They were restored to their full celestial glory, taking their rightful places as goddesses in the sky, a silent, constant vigil over their mother.
* Pako-Ilo/Apolaki: He took his place as the Sun God, his fiery presence balancing the realm and acting as a powerful deterrent against the destructive gods.
* Eneas: The child of Sitan, was placed under the gentle, protective care of Mayari, the Moon Goddess, whose soft light offered a safe haven where his shadows could be contained and soothed.
The mighty Sierra Madre mountain range stands as the unmoving sentinel. Habagat's storms, still manipulated by the jealous Amihan, continue to lash the land, but the mountain absorbs every blow. Deep within the forests and peaks, Initan and Haginit grow in power, the very essence of the mountain's climate, sheltered by the endurance of their mother.
Sierra, the goddess of entropy and life, completed her cycle by sacrificing the decay of her human form for the ultimate birth of the landscape. Her body is the geography, her spirit the resilient life, her existence the permanent, powerful barrier between the raging sea and the vulnerable land. She is the Tellus Mater, the enduring Mother Earth, a divine heart beating within the stone, forever watching the stars that are her daughters, and the sun that is her son.
Source:
*Re-write by Robert Angeles Enrique through his discovery of Sierra Madre from Axiom Manuscript
*Txiary's Story version of Sierra Aka GAIA: Tellus Mater
*Re-write by Leressia Nymphae ( Admin )
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