Sabrina's Point of View

We are now in front of this massive golden door, standing and waiting to let us in. This place was located at the very top of the palace. And I had the feeling that beyond this massive golden door is sacred. No one is allowed to enter without prior permission of the superiors.

Nawala ako sa aking iniisip nang biglang tumibok nang mabilis ang aking puso. I am nervous. This feeling, I hate it. I admit, kanina ko pa naramdaman ang pananabik ng ibang baguhang estudyanteng kagaya ko. Habang ako naman as usual kinakabahan, pero excited din naman at the same time.

Napatingin naman ako sa taong nagdantay ng kamay niya sa balikat ko. Sumalubong sa akin ang matatamis na ngiti ni Joshua. I smiled back. Somehow, seeing his smile gives me the courage to stay calm. The way he looked at me, it's as if his eyes telling me that everything will going to be fine.

"Thanks," I mouthed.

He just nodded and smiled for the second time. Nang ilayo niya ang kamay niya sa balikat ko ay siyang pagbukas naman ng malaking pintuan. My eyes grew twice wider and my mouth dropped open.

The room is enormous. The ceilings were tall. There are also big golden chandeliers. The room could occupy more than fifty rooms if divided. Bumaba ako ng tingin. May tatlong mahahabang lamesa.

Those tables were filled with different kind of foods. And both sides of the tables were occupied by the students of the academy. Sobrang ganda ng mga uniforms nila. Para sa mga babae naman ay nakasuot ng medyas na hanggang tuhod.

Sa lower part naman ay dark blue rin na skirt. Sa ilalim ng kulay dark blue blazer ay long sleeve white polo-shirt. Mayroon din itong black necktie na may puting thin stripes. Sa harapan ng blazer sa mga babae ay naka-cut siya into reverse letter V.

Isang butones lang, saka may dalawang butones pa sa magkabila bilang desinyo. Sa kaliwang banda ng uniform, may maliit na bulsa. Sa harapan ng bulsa, nakalagay doon ang logo ng academy. The logo design was like a fork, but it's golden.

May mga other designs pa sa mga uniform nila. Pero magkaiba na sa bawat lamesa. From the right side, they were wearing green capes that reached down to their waists. Sa kanang banda sa blazer nila ay may nakalagay doon na pin. The pins' designed were combined capital letter of C and M.

Sa center naman ng room, which is nandoon nakaupo 'yong babaeng may kulay ocean blue na mga mata. At 'yong babaeng nagtanong sa akin kung sino ako kahapon. They were wearing golden capes. Sa kanang banda ng blazer ay nakasuot sila ng tatlong aiguilette.

From the left side, they were wearing red capes. Sa kanang banda ng blazer ay nakasuot sila ng pins. The designed were both combined capital letter of M.

Para naman sa mga uniform ng lalaki ay nakasuot sila ng dark blue slacks, and blazer. Inner naman ay kulay puting long sleeve polo-shirt. Their blazers were open kaya kitang-kita kung paano naka-tuck-in ang polo nila. Just like the girls, they were wearing black neckties with thin white stripes.

Katulad din sa mga babae nakasuot sila ng designated color of their capes, saka pins. Naiiba lang ang nasa center table. Sa center table ay kaunti lang silang nakaupo roon. I wonder what those designated color of the capes and the rest of the details of the uniforms represent.

Nawala ako sa atensyon ko sa mga uniporme nang makita ko ang mga naglalakihang mga estatuwa. Few inches away from the tables, there are different colossal statue. They are really enormous. Mapapatingala ka pa dahil sa sobrang laki ng mga ito. I gasped when I remembered their faces. They are the Greeks who are in the paintings at the director's office.

"Please follow me." Nabaling ang aking atensyon sa taong biglang nagsalita. At doon ko nakita ang seryosong mukha ng babaeng nagtanong sa akin kung sino ako kahapon.

After niya sabihin 'yon ay naglakad na siya palayo sa amin dahilan para dali-dali kaming sumunod sa kaniya. Nakatingin sa amin ang lahat nang magsimula kaming maglakad. Dinala niya kami sa isang patagilid na mahabang lamesa rin. Medyo malapit lang ito sa entablado.

"Please take a seat. Any seconds now, the Anosteros and the Council of the Elders will arrive. The Lord of the Sea and his wife will also be present. Therefore, we needed you all to behave and pay respects," she strictly instructed us.

Matapos niya sabihin 'yon ay naglakad siya pabalik sa lamesang kinalalagyan niya. Nang maupo siya ay umupo na rin kami sa inihandang upuan para sa bawat isa sa amin. Pagkaupo ng lahat ay siyang pagtunog naman ng conch shell.

Napalingon kaming lahat doon sa malaking gintong pintuan nang bumukas ito. Nakita naming unang pumasok ang dalawang matandang lalaki. Pinagitnaan naman ito ng isang matandang babae. They were all three holding each wooden staff. Their eyes were blindfolded with a white fabric.

"They seem familiar." I heard someone at our table said. "I remember now. The three of them look like the Fates. Fates are the three goddess siblings who have absolute control over the cycle of life." Seconds after, she proudly said.

Fates? The three goddesses who had absolute control over the cycle of life? To sum it up, they are the cause of everything that happened to the world. They are the ones who are responsible for everyone's fate.

Nabalik ang atensyon ko sa nangyayari nang makita kong pumasok ang apat na babaeng nakasuot na tila pang-militar na kasuotan.

Sa apat na 'yon, nandoon ang academy director. She was wearing blue as ocean. The rest are wearing as red as fire, as white as air, and as brown as sand with a highlight of green as grass. Naglakad sila patungo sa entablado kung nasaan ang kanilang mga upuan.

Biglang lumuhod ang lahat nang biglang bumukas ulit ang malaking pintuan kasabay ng pagtunog ng tatlong conch shell. Dahilan para umalingawngaw ito sa loob ng room na 'to. Kaming mga baguhan na walang kamalay-malay kung ano ang nangyayari, sumunod kami sa ginawa ng lahat.

Seconds had passed, the silence dominate the entire chamber. Lahat kami nakaluhod at nakayuko, diretso naman ang aming mga tingin sa sahig. The reason why I had no idea who is the person just entered the room. How powerful he or she is to receive such an enormous amount of respect from the people in the academy.

Nag-angat ako ng tingin. I was flabbergasted when I saw the face of Miss Katarina Sabrina Miller. Her left hand was clinging onto the arm of a masculine good-looking man. From the very first time I met her, she was different. And at this moment, she was wearing an elegant sea green dress.

Alongside with her sea green dress, she wore a sea blue cape on her back. Nakalugay ang mala-seaweed niyang buhok. She is wearing multiple pearl necklaces, and a crown on her head that are made of corals and pearls.

Gaya lang no'ng umalis ako kahapon sa bahay.

Nabaling ako sa lalaking kasama ni Miss Katarina. He had a trimmed beard, and a sea-blue waist-length hair. He's wearing a fish-scale pants. Napatingin ako sa likuran ng mga braso ni Katarina. Napalunok ako ng laway.

The man wasn't wearing anything above, exposing his muscular chest and stomach. He also wore a sea blue cape with white furs on the edge. Napalunok ulit ako ng laway. He looks so strict. Lastly, hawak-hawak niya ang staff na parang tinidor.

Katulad ng kay Miss Katarina, nakaputong din sa kaniyang ulo ang malagintong korona niya na gawa sa corals, shells at pearls. I saw Miss Katarina throw me her proud expression straight to my eyes. Umaakyat sila tungo sa dalawang throne seat na nasa pinakamataas at nasa gitna ng entablado.

Sa ibaba naman ng dalawang throne seat ay may tatlong upuan. Nakaupo roon ang dalawang matandang lalaki at isang matandang babae. Sa ibaba naman nito ay may apat pang upuan para roon sa apat na babaeng nakasuot ng tila parang pang-militar na kasuotan.

It seems like those three levels of the stage represent their power, their authority.

Nang makaupo sina Miss Katarina at sa lalaking hindi ko kilala, tumunog ulit ang conch shell. Tumayo ang lahat mula sa pagkakaluhod at umupo pabalik sa kaniya-kaniyang upuan. As everyone get back from their seats, ipinukpok ng lalaking nakasuot ng korona ang dulo ng staff na hawak-hawak niya.

The reason why the ground suddenly shook. When the shaking stopped, he stood up.

"We are gathered here today to witness once again the claiming ceremony for those newcomers. The newcomers will be claimed by their deity parent and received graces. And they will be distinguished where cabin they are supposed to be. The old students shall receive their graces as well." His voice echoed inside the chamber. "I, Poseidon, the god of the sea, shall witness and acknowledge each and every one of you. Together with my wife, Amphitrite, the queen of the sea, will welcome you all to the academy I built," he proudly said.

Realization strike me hard. At this time, bigla kong naalala ang kinuwento ni Miss Katarina sa akin noong mga panahong kinuha niya ako sa orphanage.

We were inside the car, she was driving when she started telling me a story. A story of a goddess who had no interest in marrying a sea god.

Ang akala ko, nababaliw lang siya. I even called her crazy. Tinawanan ko pa siya. The person introducing to me as Katarina Sabrina Miller wasn't real. It turns out, she's telling me the truth all along. It was a goddess who give me an opportunity to know myself better.

And above all, she's the queen of the sea.