Heshiena's Point of View

Totoo nga ang sabi-sabi nila na ang pamilya ay hindi palaging tungkol sa magka-dugo. It's the people in your life who want you in theirs; the ones who accept you for who you are. The ones who would do anything to see you smile and who will love you no matter what.

'Yan ang naranasanan ko sa kanila. A group of demigods who called themselves Anostatos. Living with trauma for eighteen years is exhausting and painful. Artemis, my mother, may have considered me as a mistake, but Anostatos replaced and filled that feeling with unconditional love.

They accept me for who I am.

"Have a good day ahead, Lady Heshiena," bati ng isang babaeng nakasalubong ko.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. She slightly bowed her head. Pagkatapos ay nginitian ko siya. She giggles when I smiled at her as a response. She then once again bowed to excuse herself. Napailing pa ako dahil patalon-talon siya sa hallway.

I just shrugged my shoulders. Isa na 'yon sa nagbago pagkatapos malaman ko ang tunay kong pagkatao. That news spread in the realm like a strike of lightning.

Nanibago pa rin ako sa bilis ng pagbabago ng hitsura at estado ng buhay ko. From being such a distant, and a person that filled with excruciating pain from childhood trauma, transitioned to a being with immense power that has always been a part of me.

And an instant respect from the people around me.

I am a goddess, descended from two respected and widely worshipped deities. An Olympian. A major deity who ruled every aspect of human life. A smile instantaneously plastered upon my lips when I saw the sun that was almost setting down.

I am wearing a chiton. Pinaghaluan naman nito ang dalawang kulay: pilak at asul. They were embedded with crystals. Hindi ko alam pero bigla nagbago ang taste ng fashion ko. I woke up one day hating myself looking haggard, and a distaste gaze landed on the clothes I was wearing.

Hindi naman sa parang kinakalimutan ko ang pinanggalingan ko. I couldn't help it but to feel ugly. Ang mas lalo kong ipinagtaka, hindi naman ako anak ni Aphrodite para mairita kapag may dumi o pangit ang suot ko.

Perhaps, it is one of the perks of being a deity.

Isa ito sa mga pagbabagong hindi ko akalaing mangyari sa sarili ko. Mas gusto ko ng magsuot ng mga ancient clothing ng mga Greeks o 'di kaya'y mga dresses. Isa na ito sa pino-problema ko. Subalit, hinahayaan ko na lamang ang aking sarili dahil hindi ko kayang pigilan.

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na buntonghininga.

Thereafter, I impetuously snap my finger. In a matter of second, a chair that made up of hardened water emerged from the sand. Napangiti na naman ako. Isa na rin ito sa pagbabago ko. I can use my power to an incredible extent whenever I want without passing out.

Ang matamis na ngiti ko kanina sa aking labi ay mabilis na napalitan ng malungkot at mapait na ngiti. Tumingala ako sa kalangitan nang maalala ko ang taong may dahilan sa pagpukaw ng aking sumpa. At ang taong naging instrumento sa mapait na kapalaran.

"Violeta . . ." banggit ko sa kawalan.

Tears poured down as I reminiscing all the time we spent together. Kahit na 'yong mga maliliit na interactions naming dalawa. Mabilis kong hininto ang aking mga luha nang magbanta ang panahon. When I finally calmed down, so did the sky.

The blue sky was dotted with fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the gentle breeze. The ocean shimmered in the heat of the blazing sun. Nabaling ang aking atensyon nang mapansin kong mga presensya akong naramdaman.

Dalawang nereids ang sumalubong sa akin. Nakaupo sila sa tabing dagat. Sa aking likuran naman ay ang tatlong dryad. They all bowed their heads to pay respect. Tanging ngiti lamang ang aking sinagot.

"Guys, matagal na talaga akong curious sa pangalan ng school," boses babae ang sumalubong sa aking tenga. Lumingon ulit ako. There I saw three girls heading to my direction. Mukhang hindi nila ako napansin dahil kapwa nakatingin sila sa isa't isa. "Ano bang ibig sabihin niyan?" muli kong rinig.

"Imitheos is also means half-god. Katulad lamang ng semideus o 'di kaya'y demigod." Pati ako napatango nang sagutin siya ng isa niyang kaibigan.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the girl who asked nodded. And flashed a smile as an appreciation. Muli kong pinagmasdan ang kagandahan ng paligid. Half-blood realm never disappoints to amaze me.

I think this is one of the few greatest decisions that the gods ever made.

Giving the demigods a sanctuary, a fortress where they can be feel safe. I feel safe here. I don't need a throne in Olympus; I only need this kind of place. Mabilis akong napapikit. And intertwined both of my hands. Bahagya ko pang itingala ang aking ulo.

"I swear to protect this sanctuary for demigods no matter what happens," I vowed.

I was about to open my eyes when my heart skipped a beat. It's as if my presence just traveled to the pit of hell. Napasinghap ako nang maramdaman ang hapdi ng balat ko. Nawala sa pandinig ko ang kalmadong alon ng dagat, at mga malalabong boses galing sa mga estudyante.

"The forsaken goddess . . ." bigla akong nakarinig ng boses babae. Galit ito. A voice that felt like came from a colossal being. "You shouldn't have been born!" she growled. Making me shivers and triggering my inner emotions. "Zeus is becoming ungrateful for I sided him in Titanomachy!" she once again bellowed.

Mabilis akong napabukas ng aking mata nang maramdaman ko ang pagyanig ng lupa. The place was dim, the only light that I have was coming from the torches on the walls. My eyes wanders around, finding the answer of where I am. Kasunod naman nito ang tila pag-iba ng kulay ng aking mata.

"Souls . . ." I uttered. Nakakakalat sila rito sa gilid ng ilog na―nagsilakihan ang aking mata nang makita ang kulay. "A black river . . ." I whispered.

"You are in the river to the underworld child," the voice of a woman once again appeared in my head. "This river is named after me . . ."

"Who are you?!" my voice raised.

I heard her scoff. Tila ba'y nasasaktan siya.

"You immediately recognized Mnemosyne when you first laid your eyes on her, but me!" galit na galit niyang saad. Napahawak sa tenga ang mga kaluluwa, tila naririnig din nila ang naririnig ko. "You should know me by now!" tila na-offend niyang dugtong.

The black river's waves gradually became aggressive.

"You are the personification of this river . . ." bulong ko. "And the Titaness of Oath and Hatred," dugtong ko pa.

Tila narinig niya ang sinabi ko nang kumalma ang ilog. Isang malawak na katahimikan ang namayani. Hanggang sa tila hinila ako pabalik sa lugar kung nasaan ako kanina.

". . . compensation," ang tanging narinig ko mula kay Styx.

Napahawak ako sa aking dibdib. Lumiwanag na ang paligid dahil nakabalik ako kung nasaan ako kanina. Lumunok ako ng laway at nagpakawala nang malalim na buntonghininga. I was about to leave the place when out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a chariot emerge from the sea.

It was drawn by four hippocampus.

My eyes once again grew wider when I saw Kitri―Amphitrite on board. Nakangiting bumaba si Amphitrite sa chariot. Same as the first time I saw her, she's gorgeous, with yellow-green seaweed hair, eyes that are ocean blue, pointed nose, slim face, a scale on the back of her arms, and a kind smile on her lips.

Ang nag-iba lang sa kaniya ay mas lalo siyang bumata.

"Kitrina . . ." I said with teary eyes.

Her face immediately softened. Sinundan niya naman ito ng mahigpit na yakap. Yakap na hindi ko inakalang gagawin niya. I heard her sniffed twice. Nang maghiwalay kami ay napansin kong nakatingin siya sa aking likuran. Pati ako ay napalingon.

At doon ko nakita 'yong tatlong estudyante. They were sitting under the tree. 'Yong kahoy kung saan palagi kong tinatambayan. When our eyes met, mabilis silang napatayo at iniyuko ang kanilang mga ulo.

"Heshiena, my child." Napangiti ako nang marinig kung ano ang itinawag niya sa akin, "my goddess," pahabol niya.

Mabilis na nawala sa aking isipan ang interaction namin ni Styx kanina.

Niyakap niya ulit ako sa huling pagkakataon. Thereafter, she snapped her fingers twice. A two golden chair emerged from the sand. She signaled me to sit by gesturing her hand. Umupo ako. Sumunod naman siya.

Humarap ako sa kaniya. Siya naman ay ganoon din. She gently grab both of my hands. Her uncalloused palms were smooth and warm. Mahigpit akong napahawak pabalik sa mga kamay niya. Umalis ako sa pagkakaupo't humiga sa hita niya.

I noticed her flinch, perhaps, surprised by what I did. It only took her a couple of seconds to recover. At the moment, dahan-dahan niyang hinahaplos ang aking buhok. I bit my lower lip when my tears were threatening to escape from my eyes.

This kind of feeling is out of this world. Ngayon ko lang ulit ito naramdaman. Pakiramdam ng presensya ng isang ina.

"You've grown into a fine woman, child," she commented. "A goddess of your own, fierce, and a fighter of what you believe is right," she added.

Pinamulahan ako sa sinabi niya. Dahil dito ay huminto sa pagtulo ang aking luha. Pinalitan ito ng saya sa puso.

"That's because of you, mother."

I heard her gasped. Sumunod naman ay ang pagsinghot niya. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw the nereids flashed a smile on their faces. Mabilis akong nahawa.

"You're absolutely right that this is the world where I belong . . ." panimula ko ulit nang balutin kami ng katahimikan, "nasagot na rin ang mga tanong sa isipan ko. And for that, I am grateful. Kasi hindi lang mundo ang ibinigay mo sa 'kin, kundi ay pati na rin sa pagmamahal ng isang pamilya."

I heard her chuckle.

"You deserved it, child," she said. "I've noticed everything around you is changing. How did you handle it?" she randomly asked.

Nagpakawala ako ng malalim na buntonghininga. "Honestly . . ." My face impetuously grimaced, "still couldn't process it all." I awkwardly chuckled.

"Aw, you'll be fine, love," she sweetly said. "I'm pretty sure you'll get used to it."

I hummed with a smile on my face.