Chry's Point of View

Napahinto ang mga estudyanteng nahagilap ng aking mata nang marinig nila ang conch horn. A indistinct voice meet my ears. And I am pretty sure it was all coming from the students.

"Anostatos, come in the office!" someone suddenly shouted kaya napalingon ako.

As I looked behind my back, I saw Violeta, the daughter of Aphrodite. She's beautiful as always. Kahit saang anggulo mo pa man siya tingnan, hindi mo talaga siya mahahanapan ng kapangitan. Well, ano ba ang aasahan ko sa isang anak ng diyosa ng pag-ibig at kagandahan?

"Violeta?" boses ni Reann ang aking narinig mula sa aking likuran.

Boses pa lang kilalang-kilala ko na.

"We need to go to the office to discuss the prophecy." Huminto muna siya sa pagsasalita at tinignan si Reann. "Lady Artemis wanted her lieutenant to come along with us."

Nakita ko namang nagsilakihan ang mga mata nina Fuego at Blei. We've already expected this. I mean, we, being demigods, are bound with both realm: mortal realm and the realm of half-bloods. Being the offspring of a deity isn't that easy. We were sent to save the day. Either we like it or not, but we were destined to settle things that are dangerous. Settle things for Olympians.

"What?" sabay-sabay pa nilang sambit.

"We need to go," I firmly said.

Unang naglakad sa amin si Violeta, habang kaming apat naman ay nakasunod lamang sa kaniya. We were on the way to the director's office. Lahat ng estudyanteng nadadaanan namin ay sabay-sabay silang nag-bow to pay us respect.

The academy was divided into three major cabins for demigods. First, Anostatos, that's us. Anostatos from the Greek word which means supreme.

Ang kasunod naman ay ang mga Mesi Magna, it means great middle. To be followed by the Chamilos Magna, means great low.

Hindi naman gaano kalayo ang opisina ng director kaya nandito na kami sa harapan ng pintuan.

Since Blei was in front of the door, she's the one who pressed the door knob and pushed it to open. My eyes grew wider as I saw a water flood coming from our direction. But, Blei quickly manipulates water shields to defend ourselves from getting wet. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and crossed my arms.

Is this now a way of greeting us?!

"When it comes something important, palagi na lang kayong late!" Sigaw ni Miss Aqua.

I looked at her in boredom. "We know," I frugally answered. "Do you think that was a good idea?" I added.

Isang ngiting mapang-asar naman ang sumilay sa labi niya nang makuha niya kaagad ang gusto kong ipahiwatig.

"Why? Are you afraid of water, daughter of Zeus?" nanghahamong tanong niya sa akin.

Binigyan ko naman siya ng isang blangkong ekspresyon. Dahilan para makita ko siyang napangiwi.

"No, I'm not," matipid kong sagot.

Lahat kami napatigil nang biglang may kumalabog sa napakahabang lamesa sa loob ng opisina. Bumuntonghininga na lamang ako.

"Oh, please. Do not start the nonsense fight, you two!" Umalingawngaw kaagad ang boses ni Miss Sky.

Napamura kaagad ako sa isipan. They are here. Tumingin ako sa loob, at doon ko nakita na talagang nandito sila lahat. Anosteros from the Greek word which means superior. Sila ang unang demigods bago kami. They are also the four superiors from the different cities.

The Olympians themselves are the one who assigned them that role. To maintain the peace within our realm. The realm of the half-bloods. But, hey! They are all female demigods. And do not underestimate their sexuality because I experienced their battle prowess firsthand. That female demigod who greeted us with her water floods is one of them, the academy director.

Miss Aqua and Reann had the same personality. But, I dislike her more than her. I mean, wala naman akong malaking galit sa kanila. Mababait naman sila at may malasakit.

But, it's just that I don't really like hanging out with people who are loud and boisterous. It triggers me. Kaya ako na mismo ang lumalayo sa kanila bago pa man ako makakasakit ng damdamin ng iba.

"Sit demigods!" utos na sabi ni Miss Sky, the daughter of Zeus as well. She's one of the superiors and the leader of Aeras City.

I don't want to pick a fight with a demigod who I had the same deity, but well. Tila ba'y gusto kong man-trip ngayon. The students in the academy even compared us both, but that didn't even bother me at all. Because I know myself.

"Why?" pang-iinis kong tanong.

"Don't test my patience, Chry!" she angrily said and her eyes turned to gold.

"Why? Are you avoiding me? Are you afraid of me?" nanghahamong tanong ko.

Siniko naman ako ni Violeta. Tiningnan ko lang siya nang nakangisi.

"Stop, Chry! I don't want you to get hurt. You are still weak," sabi pa niya.

And that ring a bell. Nag-init kaagad ang aking ulo dahil sa sinabi niya. How dare she call me weak? The daughter of Zeus is powerful and never been weak. A loud thunder instantaneously took over the entire sky. Ipinagkumpas ko ang aking kamay para mag-manipula ng lightning bolts.

Nagsipag-alisan naman ang iba na nakaupo sa table. An interested smile plastered upon my lips when she manipulate lightning bolts as well. I know, we both had the ability of immune to lightning bolts. But manipulating this kind of ability drained us tremendous amount of our energy. Tignan natin kung sino ang unang manghihina sa amin.

Before we could wield our lightning bolts, our both arms stopped. Nagulat na lamang ako nang dahan-dahang bumukas ang aking kamay dahilan para mabitawan ko ang hawak-hawak ko. Ganoon din ang nangyari kay Miss Sky. As if we were being persuade or hypnotize not to continue what we are about to do.

Tumingin naman ako sa demigod na may ganoong ability. Tiningnan ko nang masama ang anak ni Aphrodite dahilan para sumilay ang awkward niyang ngiti sa labi.

She made a peace sign first before commanding all of us to take a seat. Bumuntonghininga na lamang ako at umupo nang maayos sa upuan. Napapagitnaan naman ako nina Fuego at Reann, while kaharap ko ay si Violeta. Kaharap naman ni Fuego si Blei, samantala ang kaharap din ni Reann ay si Zuki.

Zuki, the son of Apollo.

Magsasalita na sana si Zuki nang biglang bumukas ang pintuan ng opisina. Mabilisang napatayo si Reann sa aking tabi nang makita niyang pumasok ang dalawang huntress. When Lady Artemis entered the office, all of us simultaneously stood up from seating. We kneel before her to pay our respect.

When I looked at her, namangha kaagad ako sa kagandahan niya.

She had waist-length white straight hair, and eyes that are white, almost like a reflection. She also had a slim face, pointed nose, and red lips. Her eyebrows and eyelashes match her hair and eyes. She wore a floor-length sleeveless white robe.

The front and the back were held by a crescent moon brooches so as her silver cape made of silk. Kapansin-pansin naman ang suot-suot niyang crescent moon golden circlet. She appears to be an eternal young woman. She's carrying a quiver on her back with arrows and holding a bow on her left hand.

On her right side, she was accompanied by a doe.

She smiled and nodded. And that's our cue to stand up. Diretso naman ang tingin niya kay Zuki. Dahilan para mapayuko si Zuki bilang pagrespeto.

"It's a great honor to be with your presence, Lady Artemis," Miss Aqua respectfully said.

Lady Artemis smiled. "I am not really fond of prophecies, but I am here to listen to them before my departure together with my hunters. Do not be pressured with my presence, instead continue the discussion. I will only be here to listen," she said.

The four Anosteros nodded at us. Bumalik kami sa aming kaniya-kaniyang upuan. Habang si Miss Aqua naman ay binigyan ng mauupuan si Lady Artemis. When Miss Sky saw everyone already settled, she cleared her throat to get our attention.

"You already know why we are here. We are gathered here today because Zuki shall reveal the prophecy. Listen carefully so we shall not miss any information we need to know," Miss Sky said.

We saw Miss Sky nodding at Zuki. "Zuki, kindly please do the honor."

We heard Zuki heaved a sigh before speaking:

"The bearer of the curse will be awakened.
She, the goddess, is forsaken.
She'll arrive when the moon is full.
Her curse is tied with a dozen souls.
One soul's death is the only way,
to wake her curse, disarray."

Kumunot kaagad ang aking noo dahil sa pagtataka. Bakit hindi nabanggit sa propesiya na ang goddess na 'yon ay ang susunod na ruler ng Olympus? Because, just like what Hera said, Apollo saw a vision of a goddess who destined to take over the throne of Zeus from being the ruler of the gods.

"The bearer of the curse will be awakened. She, the goddess, is forsaken. What does that specifically mean? A deity who was cursed?" Everyone looked at Lady Artemis when we realized the prophecy also mentioned the word moon. But, it seemed like the goddess didn't notice us. Her mind was beyond the cosmos.

"She'll arrive when the moon is full. Her curse is tied with a dozen souls," pag-ulit ni Miss Fatima sa second verse ng prophecy. "Definitely not Lady Artemis. She mentioned earlier, she will depart later. And plus, she arrived at the academy yesterday when the moon wasn't full," Miss Fatima firmly said in confidence.

"The full moon is tomorrow," we heard Lady Artemis say. Napatingin uli kami sa kaniya. "Oh please, don't look at me like that, demigods. I am not the goddess who was cursed." We all trembled in fear when we sensed her temper.

We all bowed our heads to say sorry. Napatingin uli kami sa kaniya nang bigla siyang tumayo sa pagkakaupo niya. She straightly looked at Reann and give her a nod. When Reann understood what it meant, she stood up and followed her patron.

Para kaming nabunutan ng tinik nang tuluyan ng makalabas ang diyosa sa opisina. For gods' sake, we are close to experience a deity's wrath. Miss Sky cleared her throat to get all our attention. Dahil sa ginawa niya tila parang nahimasmasan kaming lahat.

"One soul's death is the only way. To wake her curse, disarray," pag-ulit niya sa huling verse. "This last verse sounds shady," she commented.

Dahil sa sinabi niya, lahat kami sumang-ayon.