THREAT

Ajax Draven's POV

"May the deities bless this heavenly place that exudes justice. Remove all the lies and the ill intentions from the hearts of everyone in this court. Gods and goddesses, hear our plea. Be the center of thy trial," Mrs. Wayland started. Napatingin ako sa kanya dahil sa narinig. Remove the ill intentions, eh?

Today is the second hearing of my case, and just like the first one, my hands are sweaty, and my heart is beating fast. Maaaring nakalusot nga ako nung first hearing, pero sa tingin ko ay hindi sa akin papabor ang pangalawang hearing.

"15th of September, year 2021. We are gathered here in the courts of Greece's Ministry of Myths to witness the second hearing of Ajax Draven, son of Lisa Gwynn and Thanatos, towards the case of the death of Arachne. I am Eleanor Wayland, the judge and the interrogator for this session."

"Deion Astrapios, standing for the defense."

Tumikhim ang judge at nagsimula muling magbasa. "To recap, the charges for Mr. Ajax include the abduction and/or murder of Arachne, bringing threat to the mythological realm, and most importantly, the bearing of the curse. However, the first charge was dismissed on the first hearing held last September 1 of the present year. Today, we will discuss about the threat you bring to the mythological realm...." Tumigil siya sa pagsasalita at ibinaba ang salamin sa table niya. "And your sin of bearing the mortal curse." Umani ng iba't ibang reaksyon ang mga tao sa loob, kasama na rin ang elders na halatang pabor sa mga nagaganap ngayon. Hindi na ako nagulat sa sinabi ng judge. Kung balak talaga nila na patayin ako, malamang ay gagawin nila ang lahat para mas mapabilis ito.

Hindi ko nga rin alam kung bakit kinakabahan ako pero wala na akong nararamdamang takot. Marahil ay alam na alam ko na kung ano bang mangyayari ngayon. I trust my instincts. I know that I will lose this trial, whatever the circumstance there may be. They are playing me right by their hands.

"Since you can kill an immortal creature like what you did to Arachne, the council of elders have charged you of bringing threat, not only to the mythological realm, but also to the mortal realm. Since you can cut the life strings of anyone, as what our witness had reported, you are then a possible cause of chaos and deterioration of balance between the realms." Teka...

Paano nila nalaman ang ability ko? Sino ang nagsabi sa kanila? Tanging sa Stellars ko lamang sinabi ang mission ko. What the absolute mess is happening here?

Lumingon sa akin si Deion at katulad ko ay halatang naguguluhan din siya sa sinabi ng judge. Tumingin naman kami sa dako ng Stellars at mukhang wala rin silang kaide-ideya.

"Isn't this a mere speculation rather than a truth? This is clearly an accusation without proper evidence of him bringing a threat. Since when did killing monsters become a sin? How was it different to any of you who have killed thousands of monsters before?"

"Mr. Astrapios, may I remind you that Mr. Ajax has killed an immortal creature. With his ability, he can even kill a deity if he wished to," pointless na sagot ng judge.

"I can't believe you have disgraced the gods with what you just said. Monsters are different from the deities. In fact, those two are incomparable in so many ways. I believe they would be furious if they heard it." I can feel him smirking, even though it is only his back which I can see. May kagaguhan din talaga ang anak na ito ni Zeus. "When, your honor, will you wrap your head around the truth that what Draven has done back in Athena's courts was only to comply to the goddess's order? He will not use his God-given abilities to harm other people. He is one of the servants of the ministry who protects the peace for both the realms." Nararamdaman ko ang pagtaas ng tensyon sa paligid. Para bang bumibigat lalo ang kaba sa dibdib ko.

"He does not intend to harm other people, you say? Then, how would you explain these?" Mrs. Wayland waved her hand, and pictures started flashing in the air. No, they weren't pictures, they were several videos of me cutting the life strings of my targets, except the life strings weren't visible.

Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig nang mapanood kung paanong mukhang pinatay ko nga sa video ang mga target ko. "How would you prove your claim that Mr. Ajax protects the peace when he kills mortals at his will?"

A ray of anger started radiating inside me. Sinasabi ko na nga ba. Napakagat ako sa mga labi ko para pigilan ang mga salitang gustong lumabas mula sa bibig ko. Huminga ako nang malalim para pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Hindi ako maaaring magpadala sa galit ko dahil magagamit din ito laban sa akin.

"These—" I grabbed the hem of Deion's coat before he could speak. "Let me handle this." Tumango lang ito at pumunta sa gilid.

Tumayo ako at inilagay sa mga bulsa ko ang kamay ko. "It was my duty—"

"What? Kill innocent people?" I scoffed when the judge didn't let me finish my statement. I looked at her with a blank expression, but I summoned my vigor around me, an excessive amount of it. "Yes, and I can do it to you, too..." I stopped, waiting for her reaction. It was like blood was drained from her that her lips almost turned pale. "If it's your time to die, of course. I am respectfully asking for an uninterrupted time for my explanation." I looked at Deion after, who looked amused. Para bang nagpipigil pa ito ng tawa. Nabaliw na ang isang 'to. Dahil sa kanya ay gusto ko na ring matawa.

"As I was saying, it was my duty to kill those who need to die at that certain moment. It was a responsibility given to me by Thanatos, to help him send the dying mortals and demigods to the afterlife. I know you all are aware of the issues in Olympus and in the underworld. That is one of the reasons why I need to take on this job," I explained.

"But these videos cannot support your—"

"Clearly, those videos do not cover the part before their death. It was cut to make me look like the bad person in the scene. But before those, you should see how they struggle breathing or their hearts slowly beating. You would never know the pain it causes me every time tears stream down their eyes before it finally closes, and the ache I feel whenever their family desperately pleads for their loved ones to come back. You think this is fun for me? Did you actually think that someone enjoys doing this?" I know my voice has raised a bit, but I did not mind.

"Labag nga sa loob ko na putulan ng life string ang mga taong kinakailangan nang mamatay, bakit ko naman gagamitin ang kakayahang 'to para pumatay ng mga taong hindi pa naman nararapat mamatay? If you really think I am that heartless, well let me tell you this: I am not like any of you people who tries hard just to take others down. I will never intentionally cause harm to innocent people, not when they do not pose a threat to their fellow, unlike..." tumigil ako at tiningnan ang judge, ang minister, at ang elders, "some people I know." Matapos nito ay tinalikuran ko sila at bumalik sa upuan ko.

I noticed the symbol of justice weighs more towards my side. I am thankful that this justice system works this way.

"You did well," narinig kong sabi ni Deion.

"Point taken, but this does not neglect the fact that you are a threat to the balance. As we know, change is inevitable. You may feel like that today, but there is no guarantee that you will always be this way." Kumunot ang noo ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Anong pinupunto ng matandang 'to? Na magiging masama ako paglipas ng panahon? Maaaring ito nga ang mangyari kung siya ang lagi kong makikita o kaya naman ay ang minister.

"So, you will undergo surveillance from the moment you wake up until you sleep." What?

Deion stepped forward. "I protest. Isn't this invasion of privacy?"

"Then perhaps we should detain Mr. Ajax in the dungeons?" Kung papipiliin sa dalawa, siguro ay mas maganda na ang naunang option. It would be uncomfortable, but taking the second option would restrict my freedom completely. "I think you would prefer the former, am I right?"

Wala nang sumagot sa aming dalawa ni Deion. Alin man sa dalawa ay unfair para sa akin. Wala naman akong ginawa na labag sa batas. Bakit kailangang maparusahan ako sa mga bagay na ikinatatakot lamang ng mga taong ito?

"Then I guess this is settled. This has been the second hearing of Ajax Draven, case dis—"

"Halt!" It was like a hundred thousand knights came down from heaven as the sound of a battle cry covered the whole court. Then, the familiar feeling I felt returned with a stronger intensity, making my skin tingle. Suddenly, everything feels heavy. It was sickening, the atmosphere in the courts. Is this him? The god I fought with?

With a loud thud, a gold light plummeted from the heavens to the ground in front of me. The force was too strong that I needed to jump far away from the site. When the light vanished, it revealed an incredibly tall, dark man. He wears nothing on the top except his golden pauldron and golden cuffs on both his arms. Then, a white cloth and a gold belt with red gemstones cover his lower body. His red hair was as intense as his blood red irises. The muscles on his torso are defined, just like how they describe what the body of a Greek God would be. Without even looking at his life string, I can already tell that he is a deity.

When I met his eyes, I shivered. He smirked and looked at me with a death glare. It was like my sword had a mind of its own. Azrael materialized in my right hand, then it was covered by my magi. Then, I felt a burning rage in my chest, anger. I want to throw things. I want to scream. I want a fight. It dawned into me. The god who can fuel the anger and courage in one's heart, the burning desire, and the intent to kill, the god of war, Ares. He was not the god who attacked me. His eyes and his aura are different. Even their height was different.

"You want to play, little boy?" His voice was deep and hoarse. It was very rough.

He summoned his golden sword, and in a blink, I found him in front of me. He swung his sword towards my direction, so I used my sword to deflect it. I flinched when I felt his overwhelming strength. I cannot hold it!

'Azrael: Death claw.' A claw appeared from my blade, making the god step backward. Halata sa mukha niya na nainis siya dahil sa ginawa ko. Tumaas ang kilay niya bago nawala sa paningin ko. Sa isang iglap, lumitaw siya sa harap ko. Itinaas niya ang espada kaya't sinalag ko ito gamit ang sa akin. Dahil sa lakas ng pwersa ay tumilapon ako sa pader . Narinig ko ang pagkabasag ng semento sa likod ko, gayundin ang pagtunog ng mga buto ko. Napaubo ako at lumabas mula sa bibig ko ang malansang dugo. Damn...

Nang mawala ulit ito ay sinubukan kong tumayo, pero bago pa man siya makalapit sa akin, limang tao ang lumitaw sa paligid ko. Nasa harapan ko ngayon ang anak ni Zeus. Nakalabas ang espada niya na binabalot ng maliliit na kidlat. Sa gilid ko naman ay sina Eliora at Aidan, at sa likod ko ay si Aliyah at Dillon. They were all holding their respective swords while their face bears no emotion. I can feel their vigor around me, fighting with the vigor that is trying to overcome the whole place.

"Interesting. My desire to see red dripping from your neck is as strong as I. This is war."

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