Grey's POV

Cool.

I just learned that my father and his bestfriends, Aunt Kara and Uncle Chase have been fighting against an international organization that's a threat to mythological creatures like us.

And my sister and Paige just had the last laugh against the Alphas.

You go, girls.

A suspicious smirk formed on my lips as I summoned a portal behind me and slowly backed down from a dark corner of the conference room where no one can see.

What a good start of a school year, indeed.

Umikot ako at nang makabalik sa aking kwarto, kinuha ko ang isang mapa ng valley na kinaroroonan ng Academy, pati na rin ang nakapalibot na mga lugar nito.

Inilapag ko ito sa mesa.

Huntsmen...

Where could they possibly camp?

I circled my finger around the area where there are mountains, and traced the possible camping areas of people who are searching for the location of our school.

If they came from civilization, then they must have come from the Southwest.

"South, it is," nagagalak kong bulong.

Instead of summoning a portal, I walked out of my room with hands in both pockets and started looking for the others.

Natagpuan ko silang lahat sa kusina na nag-uusap-usap.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen," I greeted Ash, Hedone, Amber and Henri. "Bella's out in the woods killing enemies, wanna come?"

Nagkasalubong ang kilay ni Ash. "Enemies?"

"Well, a little birdie told me that..." And so, I started narrating what I heard in the conference room.

"Huntsmen?" tanong ni Amber. "Pag nalaman 'to ng mga huntres ni Artemis, sigurado akong mangunguna ang mga 'yon sa pag-ubos sa kanila. Dungisan ba naman ang hunter na pangalan nila."

"It's not the same, Amber," tugon ko.

"Pero may 'hunt' pa rin naman, eh," aniya.

Fair enough.

I looked at Henri. "Percival?"

He shrugged his shoulders.

Kasunod kong nginitian sina Ash at Hedone. "How about you, lovebirds?"

"I'm staying," ani Ash.

"Oh, no, it's okay." His girlfriend insisted. "Ako na sasagot kung sakaling pauwi na sina Reign at hanapin kayo nila."

Knowing that my sister and her bestfriend will only be home after a few hours because I know they will pass by the clinic to check on poor Zack and Vance, I smiled at Hedone.

"Thank you, Hedone," I said.

"Tara." Tumayo na si Amber kasabay sina Ash at Henri. "Unahan na natin yung Alphas. Nabu-buwisit ako sa Luke na 'yon, eh."

I summoned a portal beside me.

"Akala niya di ko napansin kung pa'no siya makatitig kay Reign nung claiming ceremony, ah," bumubulong-bulong si Amber papasok sa portal. "Buti nalang talaga at para siyang natatae n'on."

My portals, just like Mom's, resembled a circular melted mirror. Light ripples around it and the color of the light depends on the reflection of its surroundings. When it's dark, it's hard to see, but the Omegas at this point already know how to locate it even if there's no light to guide them.

Which is why we usually use the portals during missions to escape.

I took a step inside the portal. 

"Vous êtes sûr?" tanong ko kay Hedone. 

'Are you sure?'

"Amusez-vous, Grey," natatawa niyang sagot dahilan na mapangiti ako.

'Have fun, Grey.'

After finally stepping into the other side of the portal where the others waited, my face immediately brightened after hearing the long painful screams of a man.

"Bella," sabay na sambit ng kambal.

"Twins," sambit ko. "Go check on Bella and collect intel about these... putain de chasseurs."

'Fucking huntsmen.'

"Henri and I will inspect the surrounding area," I continued. 

They both nodded at us and glanced at each other before starting to walk towards the direction of the screaming man.

"Percival, you're the son of Destiny," sabi ko habang hinahatid ng tingin ang kambal. "What does your instinct tell you?"

Henri also spoke without taking his eyes off of the twins. "This isn't the only camp," sagot niya. "It's the one closest but there could be smaller and a bit further."

He turned to me with arms crossed against his chest. "In the mountains."

Namuo ang isang namamanghang ngiti sa aking labi. "If they want to close in the Academy, they will surround it, non?"

A smirk also formed on his lips. "I take the East?"

"And I take the West," pagtatapos ko sa sinabi niya.

Sabay kaming umikot pataliwas sa isa't isa.

The moment a portal appeared in front of me, I heard the spreading of large wings behind me. I entered the forest on the west side of the valley while Henri left a strong wind from the first flutter of his wings.

Luminga-linga ako pagkarating ko sa paanan ng bundok.

I didn't sense any presence, so I decided to just walk and search.

Plants grew taller and flowers bloomed on my path. I also spent some time crouching down to look at some of the beautiful ones.

"They're burdening my already burdened father and sister, mon petit," I talked to the last flower. "I do not like it, even though I also do not like Dad."

Mula sa bulaklak na unti-unting nalanta sa aking kamay, dahan-dahan kong inangat ang aking tingin sa puting tent na nakatayo sa malayo at bahagyang nagtatago sa likod ng mga puno.

Binitawan ko ang bulaklak at tumayo habang nakatuon sa dalawang lalaking nagbabantay sa labas nito.

Dumako ako sa likod ng kahoy na pinakamalapit sa kinatatayuan ko.

A portal appeared behind one of the guards and an arm swiftly grabbed him by the back of his collar.

The man fell inside the portal and I pulled him out of the portal beside me, quickly shoving him behind a tree using my own body and pointed a long sharp mirror on the side of his stomach.

I pressed my arm against his neck, and peeked at the other guard who have already noticed his disappearance.

"Tsk." I stabbed the man in front of me and when the other one noticed the noise of a body being dropped, a portal appeared under his feet and he fell beside me.

He sat on the ground but before he could make further noise, my hand waved straight to his chest where the long piece of broken mirror landed.

Blood slowly scattered on his shirt, and I sighed defeatedly as I wore the blazer that hung on my shoulders.

It seems like I have no choice but to enter the tent.

Nilingon ko ang tent. Nanatili akong nakatitig dito nang hatakin ko hanggang siko ang magkabilang sleeves ng blazer. Di na rin ako nag-abala pang ikabit ang mga butones sa harapan nito at tumungo na.

Upon arriving at the entrance, I parted the white curtain and slightly leaned to the side while stepping inside.

I smiled at the men that all turned to face me. Some were already standing, and some, stood up from their chairs.

"Bonjour messieurs," bati ko sa kanila. "A good day to die, non?"

The second they made the slightest movement, I crossed my arms in front of me and quickly lowered it, sending diamond-shaped mirrors across the men closest to me.

They grunted in pain and crouched down. The sounds of gunshots rung in my ears but so did the sound of bullets that bounced against the translucent mirror that covered me.

Lumiwanag ang aking mga mata nang tignan sila. "You have... guns?"

"Omega." Narinig kong sabi ng isa.

"Imposible," sabat naman ng isa pa niyang kasama. "Hindi sila magpapadala-"

"Oh, no," I chuckled. "The Academy didn't send us."

Though, what he said was right. The Omega class is only sent for the most dangerous missions. We serve as the Academy's last resort, and sometimes, back-ups.

We were their final line of both offense and defense.

So surprise I guess, to these poor men.

"We're just here out of curiosity," natutuwa kong sabi sa kanila. "May I ask who manages this camp?"

All of them didn't move their heads, but I did notice one of them slightly turn, and that was already enough for me as an answer.

Nilingon ko ang isa sa mga lalaki na nakatayo sa pinakalikod. Ipiniling ko nang kaunti ang aking ulo upang masilip siya.

At bilang reaksyon, napaatras siya.

"Hindi tayo pinadala rito para harapin ang isang Omega!" Narinig kong sigaw ng isa at naunang tumakbo papalabas kaya inangat ko ang isa kong kamay at tinabig ito palikod, para padalhan ng patalim ang likuran ng lalaking tumakbo.

Sinulyapan ko ang katawan nitong tumaob sa lupa.

"Now." Tinignan ko yung iba at nginitian sila. "If you just don't move, everything will end well."

Fortunately, they didn't move, so I was able to perfectly aim at them the shards of glass that broke from my mirror barrier.

All except one, fell on their backs from the impact of broken glass that plunged deep in front of their bodies.

Lumapit ako sa natira sa kanila.

It was the one who managed the small camp.

Nanlalaki ang kanyang mga mata at bago pa siya makahakbang paatras ay bigla ko siyang sinuntok sa mukha dahilan na bumagsak siya nang nakaupo sa lupa.

Yumuko ako sa harap niya at hinatak ang kuwelyo niya.

"Why are you doing this?" tanong ko. "Are you waging war against us?"

I looked at his trembling jaw. "You won't answer-" Using the same hand, I landed a fist on his cheek causing him to fall on his side.

"Up," utos ko. "We aren't finished."

With blood dripping from a corner of his lips, he silently lifted himself up and glared at me with rage-stricken eyes.

"You don't have answers? Or you just don't want to?" I curiously asked and roughly grabbed him by the jaw. "Let's see about that, hmm?"

I used my ability to see his memories and found out that he was a mortal who had a normal childhood but grew up to be a misfit of society. He was recruited by men in black and trained him in a dark facility, along with many more men and women.

And then I saw it...

I saw how he stabbed a forest nymph who tried to run away from him. He grabbed her by the hair and shoved her to the wet mud.

Before I could watch what more he did, I have already deactivated my ability.

I tightened my grip on his jaw and pulled him close as I leaned towards the side of his head. 

"Don't worry, I won't kill you like what you have done to our creatures," I whispered. "Because I know you have a loving wife and a beautiful daughter waiting for you."

Tilting my head back, I looked at him with disgust.

Veins started to bulge from his forehead and his temples, and ran towards the center of his face. I continued to stare at him coldly as his body started to twitch uncontrollably.

Nanliit ang aking mga mata nang masdan kung paano matuling dumaloy ang kanyang dugo, kasama ang kanyang mga ala-ala, patungo sa mga darili kong mahigpit na nakadiin sa kanyang panga.

Malakas siyang napasinghap at tila naghihingalo pa nang hindi pa rin makabitaw.

Sa sandaling tumahimik siya, marahas ko siyang tinulak patagilid.

Clenching my jaw, I glanced at the man who laid on his back with eyes wide and mouth slightly opened.

It was the body's natural response to shock, after being voided of memories.

He was still alive. His heart was still beating, but his mind has been poured empty, of a life he once lived, but now lost forever.

And when he wakes up, he will not know what to do. He will be confused, as to how he could  move his hand and feet, like a newborn child inside a grown man's body.

Tumayo na ako at lalabas na sana nang biglang tumunog ang isang burner phone na nakapatong sa mesa.

Lumapit ako rito. Kinuha ko ito at pinindot, bago itapat sa aking tenga.

'Squad two, report.' Boses ng lalaki ang narinig ko mula sa kabilang linya. 'The others are not answering.'

Hindi ako sumagot.

'What is the status?'

Napayuko ako ng ulo at nakapamulsa. Pinihit-pihit ko ang aking paa sa lupa habang hinihintay na magsalita ulit ito.

'Status report-'

"This is Grey of the Omega Class," I calmly said. "And you don't have to send more men to the Academy."

Napangiti ako, bago iangat ang aking ulo. "On vient vous chercher."

'We're coming for you.'