Ballad of the Four Kingdoms: Ascension is a work of fiction inspired by the rich and painful tapestry of Philippine history, mythologies, and ancestral beliefs with a splash of generational traumas. Set in the fractured continent of Ma-i, this story draws from real events, folklore, and the lived legacy of colonialism.
This story contains
violence, racism, implied sexual abuses, colonial exploitation, occasional dark humor, war, and traumas. You know, all those fun stuffs. These moments are not written for shock value (sometimes), but to honor our people's struggles and to reclaim our stories through the lens of high fantasy.
At its heart, this is a story about rebellion, revenge, reclaiming power... and hopefully, healing told through the eyes of a lost student, a dethroned princess, and a boy with memory issues.
I hope Ballad of the Four Kingdoms reminds us that magic has always existed in our blood and that resistance is, in itself, a kind of spell. That our identity as Filipinos will never be lost or forgotten.