January 2, 2022

The Prince Who Swallowed the Sun


Previously: Amateur Night

Daos rubbed his temples as the paramedics hauled the Burning Man away.

"So this guy smacks a drink girl on the ass and then just spontaneously combusts," he recapped.

Hyun-jun innocently blinked.  "But of course."

Daos tried not to scowl.  "Mm-hm, and the drink girl in question...she wouldn't be Dani Reyes by any chance?"

Again Hyun-jun feigned.  "Why...as a matter of fact, she was."

"And you don't find it a bit of an odd coincidence that after smacking her ass, the man's clothing just randomly burst into flame?"

Hyun-jun shrugged.  "You say I coincidence, I say karma."

Daos's eyes narrowed.  "Riiiiiight...you might want to bounce before the press gets here, and no...Trish doesn't count.  I'm referring to all those other bloodthirsty reporters who won't paint you a favorable light."

The dark-haired demon sighed.  "You're right.  I shouldn't even be seen at a place like this. But Dani is important to Trish, and Trish --"

"-- is not attracted to males, human or demon," Daos coldly reminded him.  "You can tell yourself whatever you want, Hyun-jun, but just by seeing you with her I can tell you've already picked out bridesmaids' dresses."

"Dani would look magnificent in plum-colored silk," Hyun-jun grinned. He turned go.  "Later, Daos."

***

"So how was Dani's first night?" Daos asked as he drove himself and Dominador home.

"Trish and I have already agreed to take turns watching her during her shifts," Dominador wearily shook his head.  "I thought after tonight she'd quit but she got back up and bravely agreed to come back tomorrow."

Daos smiled, suddenly feeling an overwhelming wave of brotherly affection for Dani.  "That's my girl," he chuckled.

"Yeah, she's special - in every sense of the word," Dominador rubbed his temples.  "Hey, Daos...what's going with Hyun-jun and Trish?  Like, what is that even about?"

Daos's mood dimmed.  "She's his type," he grumbled.

"Yeah, but she's not into guys, and he told us both he's not into humans, so what gives?  How come they're suddenly joined at the hip if they're not each other's type?  Is he using some sort of thrall that can actually make her forget she doesn't like dick?"

"You misunderstand," Daos corrected him.  "She may not be his type sexually, but she's definitely his 'type'.  Broker demons have a weakness for clever, ambitious humans.  In many ways, Trish reminds Hyun-jun of himself.  He'd marry and move in with her, if only to be half of the perfect power couple."

Dominador's body stilled.  "You think he may have...you know...cut her a deal or something?"

"No," Daos shook his head.  "Not in Trish's case.  Brokers cut deals with people in power - politians, CEOs, celebrities, and the like.  Hyun-jun doesn't want something from Trish; he wants Trish."  Daos shrugged.  "He likes her."

There was a pause for a few moments before Dominador burst into laughter, shaking his head.

"A demon's got a platonic crush on Trish," he chuckled.

Daos nodded.  "That about sums it up."

"You know we gotta shut that down, right?"

"I'm game for an intervention whenever you are, my friend."

***

Daos woke very early the next morning when he got a video call from the Consultant.  The sun wasn't even out yet.  Shirtless and barefoot, clad only form-fitting gray cotton boxers, he sleepily crossed the floor of his sparsely decorated room in just a few steps, coming to sit at his desk.

"Well," he murmured, raising an eyebrow.  "This is new.  To what do I owe this new pleasure?"

"I couldn't get back to Soleado Valle in time," she told him hurriedly.  "I spoke with Angara.  She said that combing your family tree was looking in the wrong direction."

That woke Daos up.  He hadn't expected her to say that.  In fact, he'd been specifically expecting to get back to him with something, anything that would explain why the Umagalad had straightforwardly proclaimed that he was also "Daos".

"Sorry," he blinked, shaking his head, "...what?"

"Once I mentioned your visions of a possible sun god, Angara told me a story, very old and forgotten, about a prince who swallowed the sun."

Daos ears pricked up.  "Go on."

"Legend has it that there was once a young gino'o* who defended his island from a vampire invasion," she explained.  "Centuries ago, a portal opened near the Visayas, and blood-drinkers started trickling through.  They killed the chief's eldest son - the gino'o's brother - and many of the tribe's best warriors.  It was during these initial raids that the gino'o learned their weaknesses one by one: wood to the heart, beheading, water blessed by the Priestesses, and of course, the sun."

Daos was breathless to the point he could barely find his voice.  "He was a demon-hunter?"

So too am I Daos, the Umalagad had said, long before you.

"Oh, yes," she nodded, grinning.  "And he was able to protect his people until the vampire numbers grew out of control.  That's when he realized that there was no weapon greater than sunlight.  He offered himself up to the High Priestess, asking her to help him take on the powers of the sun itself."

Daos looked appalled.  "But that would be --"

"-- extremely dangerous," the Consultant nodded, "but the gino'o was determined to save his people, Daos.  The legend says he swallowed the sun's rays until he glowed, so bright and blinding that none could look at him directly.  And when hordes of blood-drinkers came through the portal, he released that energy, massive waves upon waves of solar energy, driving the enemy back to hell.  The gino'o died in the process, unable to withstand the power he channeled."

Daos shook his head, slightly dazed.  "And that...that's it?"

"Angara believes that the gino'o's sacrifice is what elevated him to a Sacred Ancestor, Daos," the Consultant beamed.  "He was willing to attempt what few would, and accomplished what even fewer ever have."

"But why would he come back?  I mean, why now?  What's so special about this time period that he would choose to be reborn here?"

"I don't know," she sighed.  "We don't even whom he came back as or where he is.  His location would have lent us a clue."

But Daos had already tuned her out as he racked his brain trying to figure out why Dominador would be drawn to Soleado Valle.  His presence here was clearly the handiwork of someone far beyond the Consultant and all her "pull".  Dominador's arrival had coincided with the release of Naberius's curse, but apparently, that was only the beginning.

It seemed something else was about to happen in this town that was so awful it warranted the direct intervention of an Umalagad.

The gino'o, as he would've appeared
centuries ago.**


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*Gino'o = nobleman, often the son of a chief, pronounced "gee-no-oh".
**Aljur Abrenica in another role

7 comments:

  1. So Daos is looking good in that pic.... Hyun is ridiculous. The whole scene with those two was perfect. Lol at platonic crush, Hyun respects hustling. BOOO shirt-on Dominador. That was an interesting backstory. But I am still confused on the use of the name Daos, if the ancestor inside of Dominador is a Daos, then why was Daos named Daos? Aljur in weave.... I'll overlook it because he is shirtless lol. I wonder is Dominador has a type. Go Dani. Trish and Hyun power couple, I just wonder who or what his groom men will be.

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    1. I think the ancestor was just saying he was also a demon hunter like Daos.

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    2. Thanks, that made more sense then what I was thinking lol

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  2. Replies
    1. Bring on the aswaaaaang. Or, that's what I assumed was going to happen.
      And that pic of Albrenica is from the two minute history-oriented Lupang Hinirang (national anthem) movie where he portrays Lapu-Lapu, a famous hero.

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    2. Damn it...and I missed that one? Is it online somewhere?

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