Reign's POV

Maingay akong napabuga ng hangin sabay nakapameywang habang nakatayo sa campus park.

Mula sa marmol na fountain na nasa gitna ng park, inilibot ko ang aking paningin sa buong outdoor area ng Academy, kung saan naroon ang Campus Mall at Gardens. Sa likod ng gardens ay ang temples na isa-isa rin naming binisita at panghuli, ay yung Greenhouse.

"Aren't you tired?" tanong ni Henri sa'kin.

Natawa ako nang mahina. "Oh, no." Umiling ako. "This is just half of the tour."

"And like what I said..." Nilingon ko siya. "Sanay na ako sa mga ganito."

"The sun's already setting," aniya.

"Can you fly?" tanong ko.

Tinitigan niya lang ako.

"Nakakapagod na kasing pumunta pa sa harap ng Academy at sumakay sa platform para bumaba, eh," pagpapaliwanag ko.

For a few seconds, he just continued to stare at me.

Napabuntong-hininga ako. "You know what? It's ok-"

Hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko nang bigla siyang maglabas ng maiitim na pakpak mula sa kanyang likuran.

Napakurap-kurap ako pagkatapos ramdamin ang tulak ng hangin. Saka ako tumingala nang masuri ko ang mga pakpak niyang nakabuka at bahagyang nakaunat paitaas.

His wings were insanely huge that it covered my entire body with its shadow, including the ground that I stood on.

"Where'd you get that?" usisa ko.

"Jealous?"

"Pfft-" I dismissed his claim with a wave of my hand. "I can fly without wings."

Pero mas gusto kong lumipad nang may pakpak.

Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata sabay hugot ng malalim na hininga, pilit kinukumbinsi ang sarili na katulad ng mga magulang ko, hindi ko kailangan ng pakpak para lumipad.

Yumuko ako upang maitago ang paghibi ng aking labi.

Pero bakit parang gusto ko rin n'yan...

Narinig ko ang mahinang tawa ni Henri na siyang gumising sa'kin mula sa matinding pagnanasa kong magkaroon ng mga pakpak.

Binaling ko ang aking atensyon sa kanya. "So you're good to go?"

His lips curved to a proud grin before gently lifting his wings and roughly lowered it, leaving a blast of air before flying straight up to the sky with his head tilted upwards.

Nanliit ang aking mga mata dahil sa inasta niya.

Napailing ako saka nag-iwan din ng maliit na pagsabog sa aking paanan nang itulak ko ang aking sarili paangat mula sa lupa.

Mabilis akong pinalibutan ng hangin dahilan na mapaangat din ang aking mga braso habang nakalutang sa ere. Panandalian akong napasulyap sa aking mga paa bago lumipad paitaas at huminto sa tapat ni Henri.

Napansin kong nakababa ang kanyang mga mata kaya yumuko ako at nakisilip.

Nalaman kong nakatuon siya sa maikli kong palda na lumulutang sa hangin, kaya pinasadahan ko siya ng tinatamad na tingin.

Sinalubong niya ito ng isang ngiti, at sinenyasan akong mauna.

"No," giit ko. "You go first."

He softly chuckled before flying towards the front of the Academy.

I just sighed and followed.

Olympus Academy is situated in the middle of a valley, and the entire valley, is surrounded by a dome barrier that protects us from the eyes of ordinary mortals. It also serves as our protective shield from incoming danger.

May dalawang sectors ang Academy. The first one is the Academy itself, which is a floating island where a grand palace stood and its surrounding campus.

Doon kami galing ni Henri.

The second sector, is the Academy Village, where the students live, located below the floating island.

There's a levitating platform just in front of the entrance of the school that non-flying staff, students and guests of the Academy can use to get to the school. Para lang itong malaki at open na circular elevator.

"That's the village," sabi ko nang matanaw namin ang malawak na kagubatan kung saan nakakalat ang residential houses na kasinglaki ng mga mansyon. "And it's where we'll live for the rest of the school year."

"The big houses are for the students while the camps..." Tinuro ko ang wooden camps sa may tabing ilog. "-are for the Amazons and Huntres who sometimes pay a visit."

The Amazons were a race of female warriors from Greek Mythology. They're more on the tribal side, while the Huntres were also a group of women warriors that follow the teachings of Artemis, the Olympian goddess of the hunt and the moon.

The Amazons mate with men once a year to reproduce but the Huntres can't, because Artemis is also the goddess of chastity. They're mortals that don't age, but in exchange of their long lives, they must stay pure in honor of the goddess.

Inilipat ko ang pagkakatuon ng aking hintuturo sa kabila, kung saan naroon ang malawak na meadow at racing field. "That's the stables and the riding field- and see that huge lake over there?"

Nilingon ko si Henri na tumango-tango.

"Diyan nakatira si Cetus, isa sa pinakakinatatakutang halimaw ng Greek Mythology," sabi ko sa kanya. "Also known as the Kraken."

"And you know Elpis?" tanong ko na tinanguan niya ulit.

Elpis is the spirit of hope, the last spirit that escaped from Pandora's Box.

"She lives in a hut on the other side of the river," pagbibigay-alam ko. "Kasama rin niya ang isang maliit na statue na nagngangalang Galatea."

"From the myth of Pygmalion and Galatea?" aniya. "The sculptor who fell in love with his own creation?"

"That's right," sagot ko.

"So the founders really turned the Academy into a safehaven..." puna niya.

I looked at the village again, and couldn't help but smile. "Our parents only want what's best for us."

It took me a few seconds to realize Henri was looking at me, kaya muli akong napatingin sa kanya.

"Mom's home," he said.

"And yours," I replied.

• • •

Gabi na nang makarating kami sa dormitory namin, at agad kaming sinalubong ni Grey sa sandaling lumapag ang aming mga paa sa driveway ng lumiliwanag na mansyon.

"Bienvenue, Percival!" Nagmamadali siyang bumaba sa front steps nang nakapamulsa ang magkabilang palad.

'Welcome, Percival!'

Nang laktawan niya ang huling dalawang hakbang, umangat ang tigdudulong sleeves ng maroon blazer na nakapatong lang sa balikat niya.

When I said that my brother likes to be a mess of himself, it's not just about his hair. But also about how he wore his uniform.

As a uniform, Grey wore a white collared polo with a gray tie, and a maroon blazer with gold details. Just like our vests, the boys also had the academy crest on one side of their chest and on the other side, their class pins. Their pants were black and they usually pair it with leathered shoes, brown or black, depende kung aling kulay ang mas gusto nila.

Although Grey wore the complete uniform, he's not fond of wearing it properly.

Imbes na suotin ang blazer niya, nakakapit lang ito sa balikat niya samantalang yung tie naman niya ay maluwag na nakasabit sa kanyang leeg.

Inaayos lang niya ang pagsuot nito kapag may event.

But despite this, he still looked stunning.

Napasimangot ako. I can't believe I just said that.

Pero totoo naman talaga. Nakukuha niya pa rin ang atensyon ng iba. Mababae man o malalaki, mapapalingon agad sa kanya at mananatiling nakatingin hanggang sa maglaho siya sa kanilang paningin.

He was the epitome of a chaotic beauty, so the others say.

Binigyan ko ng huling sulyap si Henri na mahinang hinataw ni Kuya, saka pumasok sa dorm.

Pero bago pa 'yon, nginitian ko muna ang isa pang lalaki na nakatayo sa may pintuan.

"Nice to see you again, Vance," bati ko sa kanya.

He had light brown hair and eyes. Ginantihan niya ako ng mas malambot pang ngiti, at dagliang iniyuko patagilid ang kanyang ulo.

"Reign."

Vance was a descendant of Poseidon and Athena. He's my brother's best friend that constantly follows him around. He's also the one that stops my brother from creating mischief every time he acts too much.

Basically, siya ang babysitter ni Kuya sa Academy.

His charm doesn't only come from his god-sculpted face, but also from his prideful gaze and smirk that make girls faint.

No, seriously, he's known for smiling at a Gamma student once, and she literally fell on the floor.

Pumasok ako ng bahay at agad napahilig sa gilid para iwasan ang bola ng apoy na tumungo sa kinatatayuan ko.

"Sorry, Reign!" sigaw ni Amber.

Mula sa reading room, lumabas ang isa pang babae na may dalang libro. Maluwag na naka-braid ang buhok niyang nakabagsak sa harapan ng isang balikat niya.

Unlike her older brother Vance, she had ash brown hair and eyes. She's also not like her brother that's known for smiling and making students faint.

No. Because she's known for punching a male student, an Alpha, right in the face when he insulted our class.

Nginitian ko siya nang lingunin niya ako. "Nabigyan mo ba ng tour yung estudyante na pinadala ko sa'yo?"

Her eyes were empty when she nodded. "I did."

"Thank you, Paige."

Nagkabuhay ang kanyang mukha nang sabihin ko 'yon, saka siya madahang napangiti. "You're welcome," aniya at ilang sandali pa'y napalinga-linga. "So, where's our new member?"

From the curved staircase, Zack slid down the railings and landed smoothly.

Isa pa namang lalaki ang sumunod sa kanya at kalmadong bumaba ng hagdan habang nakahawak sa railing.

Napahinto siya nang makita ako. "Oh, you're here."

"Obviously." Natatawa kong sabi na tinawanan din niya.

Napailing siya at nagpatuloy sa pagbaba. "Didn't see you the whole day today," sabi niya. "Akala ko magca-camp ka na naman sa counselor's office."

Nagpipigil ako ng ngiti nang sagutin siya. "Sa first day?" sambit ko. "Bukas siguro, oo. Pagkatapos ng claiming ceremony."

Ash, Amber's twin brother who looked like her but is so different because while Amber loves to throw curses and fireballs around the Academy, Ash prefers to just sit back and watch.

Siya ang pinakapaborito ng staff dahil sa taglay niyang kabaitan na namana niya mula sa doktor niyang ama. Siya rin ang parating kinahuhumalingan ng mga aurai na kung saan-saan nalang sumusulpot para magtanong kung may kailangan ba siya at anong pwede magawa nila para sa kanya.

The Sol Twins are descendants of Apollo and Hephaestus, the bright and constantly flaming Olympians, which makes Amber the scorching heat, and Ash the warmth of light.

Sa kabilang staircase naman, lumabas ang isang babaeng maingat na naglakad pababa. Yakap-yakap niya ang isang sunog at punit-punit na teddy bear.

"Sadako!" sigaw ni Zack sa kanya.

Nagkasalubong ang kanyang kilay. "Sino 'yan?" Pagkatapos, lumiwanag ang kanyang mga mata. "Isa ba 'yan sa pinatay nina Mommy at Daddy?"

Tumili siya at tumakbo kay Zack. "Asan?!" nananabik niyang tanong. "Asan yung bangkay niya?!"

Bella, a descendant of Hades and Apollo, and the first-degree cousin of the Sol twins. Bella's mom is the twin sister of Ash and Amber's dad.

She's also supposed to have a twin but she absorbed it while she was still in the womb. Though it sounds weird, what happened to her is already a common thing, even in the normal world.

"Reign! Huhu!" Tumakbo siya sa'kin nang nakanguso. "Ayaw ilabas ni Zack yung bangkay!"

Kagaya ng sabi ni Zack, mukha nga siyang si Sadako, yung multong babae na lumalabas mula sa TV.

That's because she had black-colored eyes, and hair that was so long it reached her knees. She also had bangs across her pale forehead, and she's crazily obsessed with pain, torture, corpses, death and poison.

Kaya nung bata pa siya, kinolekta niya lahat ng lason na nasa bahay nila at pinaghalo ang mga ito sa isang baso... saka ininom.

Hindi naman siya namatay. Anak ni Hades tatay niya, eh. Pero naging immune naman siya sa mga lason na hinalo niya.

She looks like a ghost, but when she fights with her katanas, she looks like a modern samurai princess of some sort.

Ang cool niya kasing tignan kung lumaban. Namamangha pa nga rin ako hanggang ngayon, eh.

"Mamaya," sagot ko kay Bella. "Papakitaan ka ni Zack ng sunog na bangkay dahil tinamaan ng kidlat."

"Wow naman, Reign," sambit niya. "Ba't di mo nalang sabihin na ako yung papatayin mo?"

"Huh?" Kumisap-kisap ako. "Di kaya bangkay mo yung tinutukoy ko."

Narinig ko ang pagbukas ng pinto at napansin ko ang sabay nilang pagtingin sa aking likod.

Suminghap si Bella. "Anak ni Auntie Kaye?!" Inosente siyang kumurap-kurap. "Patay ka na rin ba?!"

"Bella." Paige silenced her with a threatening glare, dahilan na mapa-'oh' siya.

Bahagya akong umikot.

"Everyone," sambit ko nang makarating si Henri sa aking tabi. "This is Henri."

"May pinsan ka, Henri?" ani Amber. "Yung ka-edad lang namin?"

Hindi sumagot si Henri at isa-isa lang silang tinignan.

"Henri." Nginitian ko siya.

"I believe Grey already introduced you to Vance," tugon ko. "This is Bella."

"Ang ganda ng mga mata mo..." Kumikinang ang mga mata ni Bella habang nakatingala sa kanya. "Pwede ko bang isali sa koleksyon ko?"

"And that's Paige." Dinuro ko si Paige na nakipagpalitan lang ng blankong tingin sa kanya.

"Zack."

Inangat-baba ni Zack ang kanyang magkabilang kilay habang nakasuot ng pilyong ngiti.

"The twins, Ash and Amber."

Nginitian siya ni Ash samantalang masigla naman siyang kinawayan ni Amber.

A smile slowly curved on my lips when Henri hummed in a satisfied tone. 

"The Omegas," pagtatapos ko. "Sons and daughters of The Legendary Twelve."