BAKUNAWA’S CURSE
Epic Fantasy Romance Rooted in Filipino Mythology
ABOUT THE STORY
She was raised to hunt the dragon.
Fate had other plans.
Liya is First Daughter of the Moon—an elite hunter sworn to slay the immortals who threaten humanity. For years, she has hunted the Bakunawa, the cursed dragon blamed for devouring five moon goddesses and plunging the world into chaos.
One deadly encounter changes everything.
Lakan is last heir of the dragon kings, spending centuries atoning for his father’s bloodshed and secretly protecting the mortal world he was meant to hate.
When ancient magic binds their fates, everything Liya believes shatters. The monster she feared is not the true enemy—and the truth behind the fallen moons is far deadlier than legend ever claimed.
To save the world, Liya may have to trust the very creature she was raised to kill.
And to love him may cost her everything.
Bakunawa’s Curse is Book One of the Isle of Immortals Series.
A Philippine mythology romantasy about cursed kings, rising goddesses, and a love powerful enough to reshape legend.
A Love Written in the Tides
This is not a gentle love story.
It is a story of longing carved in salt and blood—
of loving what the world was never meant to accept.
PERFECT FOR YOU IF YOU LOVE:
✨ Enemies-to-lovers with high stakes
🐉 Dragon shifters done differently
🌙 Mythology beyond Greek and Norse retellings
⚔️ Warrior heroines who don’t need saving
💔 Slow-burn romance with emotional depth
👑 Morally grey immortals
🔥 Found family and ancient rivalries
📚 Rich cultural worldbuilding
TROPES & THEMES
Romance
Enemies to Lovers • Fated Bond • Slow Burn • Forbidden Love • Duty vs Desire
Fantasy
Dragon Shifter • Hunter x Monster • Ancient Curse • Prophecy • Epic Battles
Emotional
Found Family • Redemption • Sacrifice • Fate vs Choice • Grief & Longing
Cultural
Filipino Mythology • Folklore Retelling • Precolonial-Inspired Worldbuilding • Babaylan Traditions
CONTENT INFORMATION
Genre: Epic Fantasy Romance
Audience: Upper YA / Adult crossover
POV: Dual POV (Liya & Lakan)
Series: Isle of Immortals, Book 1
Status: Serialized
Length: ~70,000 words (30 chapters + prologue + epilogue)
Ending: Satisfying emotional arc; larger series conflict continues
Heat Level: 🌶️ Low spice — romantic tension, kissing, and emotional intimacy (no explicit sexual content)
Violence: Moderate to high (battle violence, injury, death, war themes)
Language: Moderate
Content Notes: Violence, war, grief, emotional trauma, torture, parental abandonment, death
THE SERIES
Isle of Immortals is a planned five-book fantasy romance series. Each book follows a different central couple while building toward an overarching conflict against a fallen goddess determined to claim the last moon.
Planned Books
Book 1: Bakunawa’s Curse — Lakan & Liya
Book 2: Aswang’s Bloodlust — Sol & Amaya
Book 3: Alon & Dara
Book 4: Ali & Diwata
Book 5: Alab & Luna
Each book features its own romantic arc while contributing to the larger series story.
THE WORLD
Bakunawa’s Curse is set in a fantasy world inspired by Philippine mythology, precolonial Filipino culture, and folklore.
Inside the world:
• Bakunawa — sea dragons of myth and ruin
• Alitaptap — shapeshifting fireflies
• Kapre — tree-dwelling shadow giants
• Diwata — nature spirits and fae-like beings
• Sirens — ocean guardians with deadly songs
• Tikbalang — horse-headed tricksters
Magic and myth:
• Babaylan traditions – Shamanic priestess magic
• Anting-anting – Protective amulets and enchantments
• Elemental powers – Tied to nature and ancestry
• Divine gifts – Moon magic, star power, celestial blessings
This is Filipino fantasy from the ground up—rooted in myth, folklore, and memory.
From the Author
I grew up hearing whispers of creatures that lived in the dark—beings we were taught to fear, avoid, and never truly understand.
But I always wondered…
What if the monster had a story of his own?
What if he was never the villain at all?
Bakunawa’s Curse is my answer to that question—a reimagining of our myths through the lens of love, longing, and humanity.
— Ayin Quijano
✨Ready to Begin?
🌕 The hunt has begun. The last moon is falling. And love may be the only weapon left.
Ayin Quijano 