THE PROMISE

Ajax Draven's POV

"Fancy meeting you again, Poseidon. Did you already forget what we agreed on seven years ago?" Her voice echoed around the whole place. It was full of authority, and filled with pride. Ganoon din naman ang ibang deities, pero bakit parang kakaiba iyong kanya?

The woman removed her cloak, and from there, I saw the back of a woman with wavy jet black hair. She wears a black chiton and a gold belt, and on her shoulder drapes a sheer shawl made of gold. From the back, she looks like my grandmother, but this woman is not my grandmother. I might never have seen Lola's hair because of her cloak, but I know her voice. Although it was alike, it isn't quite the same. The woman in front me has softer voice than my grandmother. This woman is the Atropos I once met on that mission. She was the same Atropos I almost mistaken as my mother. Oo nga ano, bakit hindi ko man lang naisip na maaaring nanay ng nanay ko si Atropos noong nakita ko siya sa bahay nila, kasama ang ibang moirai?

My mind is telling me that it is her, but something in me doesn't want to believe it. She died. My mother died seven years ago in a car crash, and she cannot leave the Elysian fields now that she's dead. There isn't any chance that she would be on the surface—

I wasn't able to finish my thought when the woman looked at me. W-was it really her? Is this woman standing in front of me my mother?

"Hello, my Aji! Didn't you miss me?" A tear escaped my eye, and it's like I completely lost my ability to stand. If it isn't for Deion who caught me, I would be kneeling on the floor. "Careful," he said gently as he wiped the tears off of my eyes.

"Ma?" I cried when she flashed the smile I was longing to see for the longest time now. She went to me and hugged me tightly. I missed her, I missed my mom, and now she's here, protecting me side by side with my father. "Let's fight them first, and I will explain everything, okay?" I nodded and stood straight.

She turned her back on me again, and faced the two deities in front. I summoned the Azrael again and looked at Deion, now it will be me and him against Poseidon, and my mother and father against Zeus.

I looked at the other Stellars and Pillars who are looking at us like they want to be in this fight, but I know that their bodies won't be able to take any more damage, or they will break. Aliyah and Belle passed out already, while Eliora is now in Gaddiel's arms, looking like she lost all her energy in the battle. I looked at the Pillars, but they were just like the others. When my eyes met Aidan's, I signaled him to get them away from here. They needed to get to safety. Mahirap na kung idadamay pa sila ng mga deity.

Aidan got my signal and covered himself with his vigor before relaying the message to Gaddiel. Within a blink, all of them vanished. I focused my attention to our opponents. "Aji, Dei-dei, go take on Poseidon. We would fight with Zeus," sabi ni mama na sinang-ayunan ko lamang. Si Deion naman ay nakita ko ang pamumula ng mga tainga habang nakahawak sa batok niya. Mama looked at him and said, "ingatan mo ang Aji ko, ah?"

Deion nodded slowly. "Y-yes po, Tita Lili. Always." They had nicknames?

Zeus plunged directly on my father, but my father only deflected his blade before thrusting his sword towards the god of the heavens. Then, my mother's sword was enveloped by a dark green light. It's like mine, but hers was so much darker, and the green light is so intense. It reeks of danger.

They flew towards the sky, and they fought there. I wasn't able to see them. The only thing I could see were the flashes of light as I heard the clanking of swords. They were like fireworks dancing on the sky that is slowly being lit by the sun.

Now, we faced Poseidon. I noticed that the mark I left when he attacked me outside Demeter's domain was still there. The black mark looks like it was fresh.

I received a spiteful glare from him. "You mocked my image, and made me ugly!" Poseidon shouted before swinging his sword towards us. We both caught his sword. Dalawa na kaming sumasalo sa atake niya pero parang hindi pa rin namin kakayanin. Sobrang lakas ng enerhiyang dumadaloy sa espada ni Poseidon sa mga sandaling ito. Mas malakas pa ito kaysa noong huli naming pagkikita, pero hindi na ako luluhod, at hinding-hindi na ako manginginig sa presenysa niya.

"You started it!" I said as I shielded myself with my sword. I can't attack yet, because I am still overwhelmed by his strength. Even Deion cannot fight because Poseidon can also deflect his attacks.

Life flashed before my eyes when the tip of the god's blade almost reached my eyes. "Too slow," sabi ko pa at umatras. Nakuha ko pang magbiro e muntik na nga akong mahagip.

When I was already familiar with the strength of his attacks, I tried thrusting my sword to his arm, but he dodged when he stepped towards his left, but he didn't anticipate that Deion's sword was on his left. The god shivered, and now, he looked even more furious. We continued the fight, no one was budging, and no one wanted to give up. I am tired, but this will not be my last battle, not now that I know that my mother was alive all along.

Deion Astrapios' POV

I used my god-given speed and went to Poseidon's back, and I forcefully swung my sword. 'Fyodor: lightning gash, thousand volts.' A huge amount of lightning crackled as it hit Poseidon's back.

"Azrael: death claw." A claw made out of porphyry appeared and scratched the god's chest.

"Damn the both of you!" I can see that the wounds I make can easily heal, but Draven's attacks stay. Is this connected to him being the son of death?

"I had enough." Indeed, Poseidon was great. He has this strength almost comparable with Ares, and his power is almost on par with Zeus, but he seems weaker now.

"Sword of the seas: Sharp tide." From his sword, a huge amount of water came out and followed his movements. Then, the deity ran around us like he was one with the waters on his sword. I almost cannot see him because he blends well with water. Things happened fast, and now, I and Ajax were thrown off the ground, wet and full of cuts.

Poseidon struck his sword on the ground. His eyes glowed the crystal blue color, the shade that is like the color of Zeus' now that he is fighting. As his vigor flowed through his sword, the ground beneath him glowed, and slowly, a magic circle was drawn. "Sword of the seas: Hydra." From the magic circle, something roared. Then, a three-headed dragon made up of water rose. It was only made up of water, but it looked real.

Poseidon removed his sword from the ground and started running around the plaza, and his dragon followed his every movement. The dragon charged towards us and sent a huge amount of water blades and needles. I used my lightning speed to run around the area and deflected all of his attacks before it could even reach Ajax. I should not let him take damage.

The hydra roared loudly and rose to the sky. It looked like it was flying, dancing in the skies. When suddenly, it looked me in the eyes. The pair of crystal blue eyes shone and shifted its gaze towards the son of Thanatos with a speed that is unstoppable. "Ajax!"

"Dei-Dei, do you still remember Aji?" my mother asked. I nodded as I took my attention away from the book I was reading. "Tita Lili's child?"

Mama smiled. "Yes, my love."

"Of course, Mama. How could I forget him?"

"Your Tita Lili decided not to take him to the school for semideuses." My eyes fell on the ground. It was what I was looking forward to. I was waiting for him to be in the school with me, because I want to spend more time with him.

From the outside, I heard the skies grumbling as it started to darken. I was sad. "Why?"

"Because Aji would be in danger if the deities would know of his existence." My eyes widened in horror and disbelief. Aji would be in danger? So it would be impossible for me to meet him again?

"But I want to study with him, Mama. I don't want to go to school anymore if Aji won't be there!" I said, tears almost falling out of my eyes. No, Aji said we will be playmates and schoolmates soon. "He will not be in school but he will join your team as he grows up," my mother explained. I don't get it. Why would Aji not study here, but he will join our team when he grows up?

"But Mama, how would he train? He would be in danger if he joined us later."

"Listen, Dei-Dei. If you continue studying and training for now, you can take care of Aji in the future."

Someone came knocking on our door. Three knocks! It is Tita Lili and Aji! I opened the door excitedly, but somehow, I was disappointed when I only saw Tita Lili. A tear suddenly fell from my eye. "Aww, bakit umiiyak ang baby na 'yan?" Tita crouched down and kneeled. She cupped my cheeks and wiped the tears in my eyes. "T-Tita Lili, is it true that Aji will not go to school with me?"

Her eyes softened and hugged me tightly. "Yes, Dei-dei. It will be dangerous for Aji to be in our realm. Kaya hindi ko rin siya kasama ngayon dito." I pouted and cried harder. "But you told me we would be playmates and schoolmates," I said in between my sobs. Tita caressed my head and I heard her chuckle. "Ang baby na 'yan talaga, sobrang cute. Don't worry, I will sign him up in your squad after you form it, I promise. But he will join you only if he is ready," she said reassuringly.

"Promise?"

"Promise. Pero Dei-Dei when Tita Lili goes to the Elysian fields, can I ask you a favor?" Tita Lili broke our hug and looked at me. Huh? Tita Lili will go to the Elysian Fields? "Hmm?" I looked at her with a confused expression on my face.

"You will be a big boy at that time. Can you take care of Aji for me?" I was lost, but I nodded. I was confused, but I agreed. "Yes! I will take care of Aji. Mama! I will train and study hard so that I can protect Aji!" I said proudly and finally smiled.

"You promise?" Tita Lili showed me her pinky so I also showed her mine. Then, we made a pinky promise. I would protect Aji when Tita Lili goes to the Elysian fields.

I was sixteen years old when I got the news that Tita Lili died in a car crash. Is this why she told me she would go to the Elysian Fields? Is it about time I protect Aji? Am I ready? I mean, I have trained for nine years for this. I have trained and studied everything I need to learn so that I can keep my promise to Tita Lili, and now the time has come.

I went to Aji's house and witnessed how he struggled by himself. He had no friends, and he had no family. I want to be with him, by his side, but I cannot do that, because if I do, he would be in danger. Starting that day, I visited him daily, and I got rid of the danger lurking around him. I actually kind of miss him, because in those nine years, I wasn't allowed to see him. I studied and trained so hard at that school.

One time, someone is following him, and it is close to him, so I purposely bumped into him to get him away from the guy. And one time, I was late, but I saw him fighting the daemons on the street with his bag. From there, I knew that he would be with the Stellars already.

Until now, I was keeping the promise I have made to Tita Lili, and that is the reason why I aim to get stronger everyday. However, after I have spent time with him, and on the days I have been protecting him, I have seen a lot of Aji's goodness. When I felt that my heart is calm whenever he is around and it jumps out of excitement, I knew that me protecting him and staying by his side was not because of the promise anymore.

Within a blink, I summoned the natural vigor and the vigor circle at once. I felt the magi circulating all over my body, and I can feel power surging in. Then, I wielded my sword. With a speed faster than my lightning, I went to Ajax and held him by the waist before running around the dragon until he reached the peak. "Spread your wings, Aji." I said and let go of his waist. Then, his vigor bloomed behind him as a pair of black wings grew on his back. It was beautiful. He was just like his father and his mother that is fighting the king of the Gods as of the moment.

I used the air around me and jumped to reach the ground faster. The dragon's head bumped on the ground, making the ground shake roughly. "Sword of the heavens: Volts thrust." Then, I struck my sword on its head. Thousands of lightning bolts came out of my spathi, making the water dragon be charged. Then, I heard the god scream loudly before the hydra disintegrated.

A black dashing light plummeted from the sky, sword covered with hints of green and porphyry. "Azrael: Soul-piercing blade." It was late for Poseidon to realize, but he was able to dodge it at the last second. Ajax made a deep cut on the god's shoulder, and like the other wounds on his body, the wound did not heal.

The two of them started clashing with each other. They were fighting each other with the same magnitude that I wasn't able to join them. I used the air around me to make me stay afloat. I watched them, and tried to think of a way to help Draven.

I gathered the clouds around them, and surrounded them with my storm. From here, they look like a black serpent and a blue dragon fighting each other endlessly. It was only their eyes and their trails in my storm that I can see from up here. The snake and the dragon continued clashing, and when I dispersed the storm, Poseidon was blown away.

Poseidon stood up, and held his sword tightly. His eyes are now shining bright like the sun above and his sword glowed before it turned to a golden trident. Then, his eyes reflected the raging seas. One look, and I can already feel the catastrophe about to come out of his trident. 

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