Nkri's Point of View

The greenery warms the heart of a person who truly appreciates nature.

Panandalian akong natigilan dahil sa naisip. I quickly gritted my teeth when I felt how fucking loud my chest was. I covered my face casually so I could avoid suspicion. For wisdom's sake, why would I have thought of Dash?

Seriously?

Mabilis kong iniling ang aking ulo.

Rather than accusing myself of something I couldn't swallow, I drifted my attention to the view right straight of my eyes. I inhaled and exhaled. While doing that, ipinikit ko rin ang aking mga mata.

The sudden embarrassment I have felt vanished like a bubble.

Birds were chirping. The leaves were swinging back and forth as if dancing in rhythm. The soothing wind brushed against my skin. So calm I could lay down for an entire day just to be mesmerized by the panorama.

The clouds look so fluffy I could eat it like a cotton candy.

How I wish ganito na lang lagi. Peace. No war. But unfortunately, we are currently in war against an enemy we still haven't figured out.

I have a few in mind though, but I'd rather keep it in me instead of blurting it out without evidence. Enemies will eventually introduce themselves. With my instincts telling me, the enemy I am thinking of is more powerful than us.

A being who could end our lives in a snap of a finger.

I wanted to learn from an enemy; his motives and the reason behind all this.

"Wow."

Nabaling ang aking atensyon nang marinig ko ang komento ni Dash. He was looking at the flower fields, mesmerizing every second of it. I absentmindedly smiled. It is indeed wow. On the left side, there was a field filled with different kinds of flowers.

On the opposite side, there we saw a field of edible plants. Gi City is a place where you will never be hungry. And a place where greenery soothes and cleanses your soul.

My forehead immediately furrowed in awe when I saw a giant flower from afar that faced the sky. Napatingin kaming apat kay Miss Rocky. And only a smile we get from her as a response.

Ang tanging nagawa lamang namin ay ang pagsunod sa kaniya. Perhaps because of curiosity, silence dominated between us. Marahil ay maraming naiisip kung ano itong higanteng bulaklak. O baka kinakabahan ang isa sa amin.

Nang makalapit na kami sa pinagtitirikan nito, namangha kaagad kaming apat sa sobrang laki. Perhaps as big as the Olympian's divine form. Or it could even bigger. We were surprise by a sudden emerging giant vine. For the first time, it looks terrifyingly beautiful.

Imagine yourself being strangled by that thing. And tied your body with it. Definitely, you're at a disadvantage.

Ang takot sa aming mukha napalitan ng paghanga nang maging hagdanan ito. Our way to wherever this stairs may take us.

Miss Rocky snap her fingers twice, the stairs made out of vines move, like an escalator. With Dash's excitement, sumunod kaagad siya. Habang ako naman ay sumunod sa kaniya. So did Blei and Blaze.

Within a second, dumating kaagad kami sa pinakatuktok.

But what surprise us even more when we realized that the city itself was built inside of this giant flower. The houses and infrastructures are actually nature friendly. Nakakahanga dahil even inside of this giant flower, may mga kahoy pang nakatayo rito.

It felt like a fairytale.

We dreamed of this kind of world when we were kids.

At the heart of the city, there we saw an average giant tree with windows and doors. Hindi na ako nagtaka kung ano 'yon. That's the place where Miss Rocky actually resides. The leader of this city.

Logically, Gi City is the most abundant city among the four I am sure. Because as far as I heard, they actually provide vegetables and fruits to the entire realm. They will thrive with nature's help.

At sigurado akong lahat ng klase ng prutas at gulay ay meron sila.

Let's just say, there's a total of more than five hundred citizens and each was gifted with an ability that is associated with nature.

Siguradong-sigurado, talagang abunda ang siyudad. Hindi mauubusan ng pagkain.

Each city thrives on their own undoubtedly.

There's Fotia City who actually strengthened and maintained the barriers of the realm. Some provide weapons in times of war.

The city that resides beyond the clouds are the ones who maintained the temperature of the wind. That means, they have minor control over the wind. And most of the time they are actually the infantry battalion in times of war due to their battle prowess.

They are Zeus' favored mortals after all.

Lastly, the Nero City. Sila rin ang nagpo-provide ng seafoods sa realm. Somehow similar to Gi City, the thirty percent of the citizens will serve as healer during war. The twenty percent will fight alongside with the infantry battalion.

And the remaining percentage are the tanks.

But compared to Gi City, they are more like soldiers rather than a healer.

☽ ♆ ☾

Katatapos lang naming kumain kasama si Miss Rocky. Napakasarap ng mga putaheng inihanda nila para sa amin. Foods that I missed in mortal realm. Meron ding vegetable salad at kung ano-ano pa. Sa sobrang dami, hindi namin ito naubos.

"Bakit ang daming mga halimaw na nakapaligid sa siyudad, Miss Rocky?" biglang tanong ni Blaze.

Napatingin ako sa kaniya. He was so serious asking that question. My attention drifted to Miss Rocky who was now sighing deeply.

"Hindi rin kami sigurado." Miss Rocky was so deep in her thoughts she forgot that we're here. But a moment or two, bumalik kaagad siya sa reyalidad. "That is why I asked Fatima to hide the entrance away from the monster's sight," she added.

Napatango ako sa huli niyang sinabi.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Blaze hold his chin as if thinking of a solid reason.

"Maybe because of the city's abundance?" It was Blei who responded first.

Napaisip din ako sa sinabi niya. She could be right because Gi City is a city where you can never be hungry. They are also the major providers amongst the four. In addition, the people are composed of talented healers and soldiers who never feared fighting for peace.

A peace which we could gain by only watching from nature.

Especially that their trust for each other is stronger than vines.

"It could be it," I commented.

Blaze never hesitated to agree by nodding.

Silence took over for a couple of seconds. It was only disturbed when screams from the city people enveloped the vicinity.

Blaze was the first one to stand up from sitting. Sumilip siya sa bintana. And we did the same thing. The moment I saw two harpies trying to assault a kid, I summoned a dagger without hesitation. And throw it, aiming the foe.

Nabitawan kaagad ng isang harpy ang bata nang tumama ang dagger sa noo nito. And with that, the other one track us down. Binitawan nito ang bata at galit na galit na sumugod sa kinaroroonan namin.

Before she could reach us, a sharp vine penetrated right through her throat. I heard Dash right beside me scoffed in victory.

Nagkatinginan kaming apat.

With a single nod with each other, alam na namin kung ano ang gagawin. Paglabas ko'y tinawag ko ang aking spear. And the moment I summoned it, an imperial golden armor overflowing with white robes hugged my body.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a minotaur attacking the two kids, trying to eat them for himself. Tumakbo ako papunta roon. I attacked the monster blind spot by slashing his left flank so deeply he screamed in excruciating pain.

He averted his attention to me.

He growled in anger. And I smirked, teasing the monster.

He growled one last time before attacking me. I quickly duck my head to avoid the monster's fist. Halos mawalan siya ng balanse dahil sa pwersa ng mga kamao niya. While he was recovering his balance, I turned myself behind his back and knock the back of his knee.

Sinundan ko ito ng pagbaon ng sibat ko sa dibdib niya. This monster seem gifted with strength, but I showered him with my fists. While my spear was piercing right straight to his heart.

I only stopped showering him my punches when he dissolved into the air.

Tumingin ako sa paligid. Things got messy so quick.

We were gasping in surprise when the ground shook. Nagkatinginan kaming apat. The next thing that happened, giants appeared before our eyes. They already destroyed the gates of the city. Fear enveloped the vicinity.

Lahat ng nadadaanan ng higante ay sinisira nila. And they only have the eyes of the capital.

Without thinking twice, sumugod ako sa mga higante. There are only three giants, but their strength is incomparable.

Napatingin ako kay Blaze nang bigla siyang sumulpot. Sinabayan ako sa pagtakbo. So did Blei and Dash. Pinasadahan ko si Dash ng tingin, nag-aalala sa binti niya. But what I got is his assuring smile that plastered upon his lips.

"Demigods . . . smells so good!" The giant at the center exclaimed while aiming the ground with the axe he holds.

I scoffed in disbelief. Are they really sending three giants to face the two offspring of the goddess of war and wisdom?

"Pathetic," I heard Blaze commented.

I couldn't agree more.

Before the axe landed at the ground, we group ourselves into two. Blaze and Blei went to the right side. While Dash and I went to the opposite. Nagkatinginan muli kami ni Blaze sa mata. With a single nod, sinenyasan din namin ang dalawa ng isang pagtango.

Dash touches the ground and a countless giant vines emerges from the ground, binding the legs of the monster. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Blei summoned a whip made out of water. She binds the legs of the other giant, similar to what Dash did.

Hinawakan ko nang mahigpit ang sibat.

Inatake namin ang dalawang higante na nasa likuran ng nasa sentro. I saw his eyes grew wider in surprise. Marahil ay hindi niya inaasahan na aatake kami sa mga kasama niya.

I showered the giant's legs with deep slashes. So as Blaze with his target. The giants scream echoed. Tumigil na lamang kaming dalawa nang mawalan ito ng balanse.

Sometimes being enormous is putting yourself in a disadvantage against the tiny ones.

Kasabay ng pagtumba ay yumanig din ang lupa. Hindi kami nag-aksaya ng oras at tumakbo papunta sa ulo ng higante.

Both of them were trying to resist, but it only stopped within a couple of minutes after we decapitated them.

"Dash!"

"Blei!"

Umalingawngaw ang sigaw naming dalawa ni Blaze nang pareho silang tumilapon dahil sa pwersa ng pagwawala ng natitirang higante. Dash's back landed at the boulder. May bumaon pang matulis na bato sa kaliwang binti niya.

Blei managed to manipulate water to save her from the impact. But she never safe when a harpy release a sharp winds, causing her body to receive a multiple cuts. Napabuga siya ng dugo sa bibig.

Blaze's face turned dim.

He summoned a dagger and threw it to the monster. With a precise calculation, the dagger penetrated right at the monster's chest.

There are few harpies in the vicinity. And to think that these demons are the Hounds of Zeus, it even proves that my assumption is true.

This assumption started when we faced them when we were on a mission in the mortal realm.

Hounds of Zeus were the personification of storm winds and were under the command of the king of the gods who would send them out during storms to do his bidding.

Ibinaling ko ang tingin kay Dash.

He was out of energy and lost a great amount of blood. But the idiot managed to smile at me as if nothing happened.

Lalapit na sana ako sa kaniya nang yumanig ulit ang lupa. Blaze averted his attention at the remaining giant with a murderous stare.

Sabay kaming sumugod. The giant attempted to step on us. But Blaze and I rolled our bodies to the opposite direction like we shared the same mind.

Nang makarating kami sa paanan ng higante, Blaze offered his shoulder. Habang ako naman ay mabilis na pumating doon. At ginamit ang dalawa kong dagger bilang pag-akyat sa malaking katawan ng kalaban.

Sumunod din kaagad si Blaze.

The giant was trying to catch us so he could stop screaming from the pain.

I pierced my daggers on the same height. And summoned another two. Ginamit ko ulit ito para sa pag-akyat. And at this time, nakaapak na ako sa dalawang daggers na ibinaon ko kanina. And I wasn't disappointed when I realized Blaze managed to caught up with me.

Muli na naman kaming nagkatinginan sa mata.

Sumunod ang pagtango sa isa't isa.

In an instant, we put a great amount of force on our feet and throw ourselves into the air. Just like that, tanaw na namin ang leeg ng kalaban. While we were in the air, Blaze held his sword so tight, aiming at the neck.

"Get him."

I never get his response, but silence is enough. When the giant is trying to grab us in the air, I conjure a sword similar to Blaze's. Kahit na hindi ko prefer ang espada, pero mas mapadali nito ang gagawin ko.

I cut off the monster's hand to cover my brother so he could only focus on one objective. Habang ako naman ay hinanda ang katawan para sa impact ng pagbagsak ko sa lupa. I smiled mid-air when the monster's scream was stopped the moment Blaze accomplished his attack.

Napangiwi ako sa sakit ng aking likod dahil sa pagbagsak ko.

But a victorious smile on my lips doesn't seem to have the intention to fade.