SPIDER LILY

Ajax Draven's POV

Poseidon's eyes glowed intensely. Para bang nakikipagtagisan ito ng liwanag sa araw. Hindi pa siya nauubusan ng lakas, pero kaming dalawa ni Deion, parang kaunti na lang at bibigay na. Kung hindi lang dahil sa natural vigor, siguro ay kanina pa kami nakalupasay rito sa sahig ng plaza. Pero hindi pa pwede, hindi pa pwede hangga't hindi pa namin natatalo ang dalawang diyos na 'to.

I looked up when I heard the clouds grumble. The bright sky a few seconds ago was now filled with dark clouds. The wind is howling, and everything is becoming cold. From the sky, I saw Zeus being illuminated by a gold light, but my mother and father are now covered by an intense amount of their vigor.

When I shifted my gaze on Poseidon, I saw how his eyes turned like it was a raging sea. His sword glowed and became a trident, and just like Zeus, a gold light is covering his whole body. The pressure and the power in this area is nerve-wracking, but I should not be overcome by this.

Kung akala ko'y malakas na siya kanina e nagkakamali ako. He struck his trident to the ground, and the ground started shaking harshly. Seconds have passed and it's like he doesn't plan on stopping this.

The ground started breaking. I was lucky I still have my wings. I flew upwards and watched as the ground broke in two. The break was so deep, and the buildings, trees, and everything on its way were thrown inside. What the hell is wrong with this deity? Isn't he thinking about the people? The gods really are selfish, powerful creatures who want only what's best for them. They didn't care about their people's safety, they only cared about their wellbeing. Things like this made me realize that powerful beings would never care even if the world behind them is falling. As long as they live, and they have power, they would not throw a glance. But they are willing to sacrifice every life they can sacrifice just to save themselves. What a bunch of selfish jerks.

The earthquake stopped, and so as the parting of the land. With another strike on the ground, water started rising from the huge gap created by Poseidon. I flew down, and Deion did the same.

The god of the seas looked at me and smirked. He opened his arms and his feet were lifted off the ground. "Trident of the waves," he said, and his voice echoed together with the voice of his brother. "Bolt of the heavens."

"Destructive tide, raging splash."

"Lightning of the Elysian garden, fall."

Then, the heavens and the earth responded to their calls. Everything turned dark and cold, like everything screamed death. I gulped as I looked at Deion whose eyes, like mine, have different colors as of the moment. He has this serious expression on his face, but it softened when his eyes met mine. His hair was dancing with the raging winds. He held his hand open, like he was waiting for me to hold it. And so, I did. As soon as my hand touched his, I felt an overwhelming amount of power from him. Then, everything around us bloomed. An excessive amount of power was circulating in my veins. I can feel so much magical power in me as I see crystal blue streaks of light coming from both my eyes.

Deion's eyes were now both crystal blue in color. And amidst the dark surroundings, it shone with mine. When we broke contact, the ground around us shattered as he flew upwards, and I dashed to where Poseidon was standing. I held my blade tightly as I met his trident. The collision made the waters around us rise. Then, he tried overwhelming me with multiple blade thrusts, but I was able to deflect them all. I jumped backwards and used my wings to stabilize my foothold.

'Azrael: Soul gripping chain, penta.' Five chain-like whip made up of the vigor of death sparks out of my sword as I dashed towards Poseidon. My spathi hit Poseidon's and it made a huge impact. The chains surrounded him, and gripped him tightly. Pero nabitiwan ko rin ang espada ko nang maramdaman ang tubig na gumagapang paakyat sa katawan ko. Hindi ko naramdaman ang pagkapit nito sa akin, at ngayon ay hindi ko na maigalaw ang kalahati ng katawan ko na nakakulong dito.

Shit! I need to get out of this. Poseidon easily got out of my chains. He walked towards me, and his trident turned into his sword.

His gaze was deadly, it was almost as vicious as a snake. When he reached my direction. He made three slashes in the air. Then, the attacks hit my body. And I cannot help but to writhe in pain as it made deep cuts on my chest, shoulders, and arms.

Now that I am not moving, I can feel the energy in my body slowly depleting. I grunted when I felt the sting on my deep wounds. It was like my muscles were burning, and it was getting difficult for me to breathe. The air around me is like blades, and it hurts my lungs whenever I inhale.

Poseidon made more slashes in the air and directed them towards me. Before it could reach me, I gathered my power around me and summoned my sword I once lost a grip off. "Azrael: Dark wings, encage." It was the same art I used when I tried protecting myself from him.

When my wings disappeared, I saw the familiar anger on his face before he lifted his feet off the ground with his waters. "This will be your end."

"Sword of the seas: Hydra, dead waters." Then, he swished his sword. The waters on the crack were now rising, and like the dragon from a while ago, Hydra formed from the waters, and it was now looking at me like it was looking at its prey. Then, all the waters he have summoned charged towards me like a huge dragon, roaring its way towards me.

"Aji!" I heard three of them called from above, but I only smiled at them. I don't have any more energy. I cannot feel anything but pain. I closed my eyes, ready to accept what fate has prepared for me. I was supposed to die anyways—

Then, before the waves hit me, I heard a loud hoot, and a girl appeared in front of me. "No one would die, damn it!" I heard the lady speak. I saw the familiar dark hair shining the color of the seas. It was being blown by the winds. The Cordelia was struck on the ground, and from there, the huge waves were parted in two.

She pointed her sword at his father, and just like that, Poseidon was encaged by a water snake bigger than Hydra. "Dillon," I called weakly. "Thank you."

I was about to close my eyes when I saw a thread that was the peculiar color of my right eye, glowing brightly in front of me. It was Poseidon's life string, and it was gleaming in front of me.

"Don't you dare close your eyes," the daughter of the seas said as she looked at me, sword still illuminated by her vigor. Nimbus dropped a vial in my hand and purred against my neck. I weakly opened the vial and put its content in my mouth. After drinking the nectar from the bottle, I felt the wounds in my body lost its pain. This would do for now. I patted Nimbus' head and kissed it. 'Thank you, Nimbus.' It purred again before brushing its face on my cheek.

"I am sorry, Draven. I really am."

I only smiled at Dillon. "It's alright."

I looked up as I heard shouts. My mother and father were in the sky, caged in a box made of lightning, and they were both screaming in pain. Then, a loud thud not far from us caught my attention. There, I saw Deion struggling in the hands of his own father. He looks weak. His hair is disheveled, and his face and body are full of wounds. Seeing his state made anger bloom inside me, together with my vigor. He was always the one who protects me, and now, it is the time I save him.

My father's blood is now dominating my mortal blood, and now, it is stronger. I can feel my body heating out of the huge amount of magi that is now surrounding me.

Then, as I walked, magic circles in the color of porphyry appeared on my every step. Everything fell in silence, and only my footsteps could be heard. Nakita ko ang pag-angat ng gilid ng labi ni Zeus habang idinidikit niya ang lightning bolt sa leeg ng anak. "Walk any further, and your friend will fall on the ground in a second, cold and lifeless," he warned, but I continued walking.

"Do it, Zeus, I dare you, and the god of the seas will be history." His eyes widened in terror. I held Poseidon's life string and made it visible to their eyes. I saw the fright in Poseidon's face, and the terror on his brother's. Their nightmare is slowly happening in front of their eyes.

"Move that bolt any further, and this thread will turn red. Dare me, King of the Heavens, do it!" my voice echoed around the area. It was the first time I saw a deity looking this scared.

When I noticed that he was not backing down, I called upon my spathi. "Azrael..." When it glowed, the wind whispered a sword art I didn't know the existence of. "Bloom of the black spider lily..." Black flowers appeared around me. Then, on the other side of the plaza, I saw my grandmother, standing, her purple irises slowly turning to red. It was only now that I realized that the girl I saved that day was my grandmother, and this is the flower she gave me. A touch of this flower, and one will die.

A few seconds have passed and the lightning bolt on his hand disappeared, and he lets go of his son. I quickly went to him and helped him stand before guiding him towards Dillon.

"Go back now, Zeus, and never cause disaster to both the realms again. Because if you do..." I tainted the crystal blue thread of the god of the seas with the color of death...porphyry. "My father would be in front of the gates of Olympus, knocking to retrieve the soul of your precious brother and bring it to the underworld to perish."

For the last time, I saw the anger on their faces before they were covered by a gold light and ascended to the heavens.

When everything calmed down, I saw the mist revealing everyone. I fell on the ground and it was only now that I felt the exhaustion brought about by the war. I tried catching my breath, because it looks like I am running out of it. I looked to where Deion was, and I saw Eliora's hands glowing upon him. I closed my eyes and let the sun hit my face. Finally, I can rest.

A few minutes have passed, and I felt the familiar presence walking towards me. Huh? Bakit nakatayo na agad ang isang 'yon? Iminulat ko ang mga mata ko at tumayo. I saw Deion walking towards me with a serious expression painted on his face. When he reached my direction, we were covered by a storm instantly. Unlike the one from Typhon and Zeus, this storm is rather calm and gentle. A lightning streak touched me, and I was tickled, making me chuckle. "Ano? Okay ka na agad?" tanong ko habang nakatingin sa kanya.

The son of Zeus raised a brow. "No. I still haven't claimed the payment." Nagtaka naman ako sa sinabi niya. Anong payment ang sinasabi nito? Wala naman kaming napag-usapan.

Ngayon ko lang napagmasdan nang mabuti ang itsura niya. Kalmado siya ngayon, kahit na puno ng sugat ang mukha niya. Ang mga mata niya ay bumalik sa dati ang kulay, hindi na kulay kristal ang mga ito. Napatingin naman ako sa labi niyang mamula-mula. At mula roon ay naramdaman ko ang panginginit ng tainga ko.

"Kiss. When we were fighting Typhon..."

"We're you asking for a kiss that time? Talaga, Deion? Sa gitna ng labanan?" Natatawa kong sabi at pabirong sinuntok ang dibdib niya na ngayon ay halos wala nang nakatabing na kahit anong tela.

"Ang landi-landi mo—" Hindi ko na rin tinapos ang sinasabi ko at bigla ko na lang hinawakan ang mga pisngi niya at inilapit ang labi niya sa akin. It was just a peck, but it seems like he didn't have enough because he pulled me in for another. I wonder how his lips tasted this sweet after all those fighting. He was about to dig in for another but I stopped his lips using my index finger. "Tama na. Sumosobra ka na." Sumimangot naman ito at pinanliitan ako ng mata. Napailing na lang ako at hinalikan ulit ang mga labi niyang parang nang-aakit sa mga sandaling ito. Matapos nito ay bumalik ang mga ngiti sa labi niya. Itong singkit na 'to. "I knew it. Hindi mo ako matitiis."

"Ulol. Last mo na 'yan." Natawa siya dahil sa sinabi ko at ikinulong sa mga kamay niya ang mga pisngi ko. "I missed you, Uwak, so much. Those three months were so lonely because you're not there." He kissed my forehead and hugged me again.

"Ay sus, ganito pala ka-clingy ang anak ni Zeus." He pouted because of my response. I didn't know he could be like this. "Na-miss din kita, Kidlat, itanong mo pa kay lola."

Nanlaki naman ang mga mata niya. "Really?"

"Huwag ka mang maniwala. Bahala ka sa buhay mo." Tinapik ko ang kamay niya at pabirong inalis pero mabilis niyang nahuli ang mga pisngi ko sa pangalawang pagkakataon. Pinagdikit niya ang noo namin at kitang-kita ko ang emosyong nangingibabaw sa mga mata niya. "I like you so much, Aji."

Sino nga ba ang mag-aakala na ang cold at masungit na anak ni Zeus at leader ng top group ng demigods ay titiklop lamang sa isang hamak na anak ni Thanatos? "Quit staring like that. I like you, too, Deion."

"My name is like a song whenever you say it. It melts my heart." I can't help but blush because of his silliness. "Syempre crush mo ako e."

Nang mawala ang mga ulap na nakapaligid sa amin ay nakita ko sina Mama na nakatingin sa amin. Nakangiti si Mama, pero natawa ako nang makita si Papa na pinanliliitan ng mata si Deion.

"You should go to them. I know you missed your mom," he said and he ruffled my hair. I smiled at him, and he did the same.

We were walking towards my parents when the other Stellars jumped on us. We all fell to the ground, laughing.

Tumayo ako at lumapit na nang tuluyan kina Mama na ngayon ay nakangiti sa akin. Sinalubong nila ako ng yakap ni Papa. Hindi ko alam kung bakit, pero sa mga sandaling 'to, napakasaya ng puso ko. Para bang naging buo ulit ako, kahit pa may mga tanong pa rin akong hindi nasasagot.

"Ma, ikaw po ba iyong Atropos na nakita ko noon kasama ng ibang Moirai?" tanong ko nang makaupo kami sa isang nakatumbang puno. "Hindi ka pa rin nagbabago," natatawang sagot niya. "Manang-mana ka sa Papa mo."

"But yes, Aji, it was me. I had to replace my mother to make our story plausible. Poseidon knew it, he knew that I had birthed a child of Thanatos, so we made a deal. I had to sacrifice myself to stop the curse once and for all, and to spare you from the hands of the gods." All this time, may kasunduan si Poseidon at si Mama? Pero ibig bang sabihin noon e hindi sumunod sa deal ang diyos ng karagatan? Kahit naman pala noon pa man e walang hiya na ang diyos na 'yon.

"But they didn't know we had a plan, the three of us. We needed to have a plan, because we know how they were threatened by your existence. We never trusted them. We were aware that they will try to hunt you down once they have known of your existence, and look what happened, hindi kami nagkamali." Nakita ko ang panandaliang galit na lumandas sa mga mata ni Mama. "You grandmother had thought of this plan. She needed to disguise as someone and hide from the eyes of the gods. She hid, and so did your father, before you became a member of the Stellars. While I, I stood as Atropos. They never suspected, because aside from my face being almost the same as hers, I also got her ability to cut the threads." Tumatango-tango na lamang ako habang nakikinig sa kanya. I see. Kaya pala pagala-gala si lola noon, lalo na noong panahon ng court trials. Siya rin halos ang nagliligtas sa akin sa tuwing inaatake ako ni Poseidon.

"We tried everything just to save you from them, but their greed of power and their fear of power was stronger. They even harmed you and made you believe lies that confused you. I am sorry, Aji." She hugged me and kissed my head.

I heaved a sigh and hugged her back. "Ma, it's alright, tapos naman na po. Tsaka ang mahalaga, hindi na ulit mangyayari ang anumang nangyari ngayon. Sinisigurado ko pong hindi na muling makapanggugulo ang mga deity na 'yon."

I looked at the people around me and smiled when I saw the smiles on their faces. I am glad that the catastrophe was done and the Stellars were all safe. Amidst their tired faces, their refreshing smiles and the sound of their laughter together with the members of the Pillars radiate happiness all over the realm which was almost destroyed. Hindi na ako papayag na mawala ulit ang ngiti sa labi ng mga taong narito dahil sa kasakiman sa kapangyarihan ng mga nasa itaas.

My father and my mother enclosed me with a hug before letting me go. "We will see you after we clean everything. Go to Dei-Dei, and go home. You all need to rest," sabi ni Mama.

Nakita ko naman ang mga nanliliit na mata ni Papa na nakatingin sa likuran ko. Doon ay nakita ko si Kidlat na nahihiyang nakangiti kina mama. "Tita Lili, T-Tito..."

Itinuro ni Papa si Deion at nilapitan. Matapos nito ay itinaas niya ang kamay niya na para bang hahampasin niya ang huli. "Ikaw...umayos ka—" I was about to stop my father, but I was shocked when his hand fell on Deion's shoulder before pulling him into a hug. "Thank you for always saving and taking care of my son. Deion, I owe you, big time."

Matapos nito ay si Mama naman ang lumapit sa kanya at niyakap siya. "Dei-Dei," she said, eyes glistening. "Thank you for keeping your promise. Thank you for keeping our Aji safe." Tinapik-tapik ni Deion ang likod ni Mama at niyakap din siya. "I would always protect Aji, Tita Lili, even if it costs me my life. My promise is forever, and it will never break until my last breath." My heart ached because of what I heard. It ached not because of pain, but because of the joy of seeing my parents and the most important demigod for me being so soft like this in front of me. They were all talking about me, and I have never felt this full of love.

Deion turned to me and wrapped his arm around my shoulders before kissing my head. Ano ba naman itong taong 'to. Hindi ba siya naiilang na makita nina Mama? Palibhasa kasi alam niya nang boto sila parehas sa kanya. Lumalakas ang loob.

We started walking towards the Stellars and Pillars who were waiting for us. Then, my eyes fell on my sword that is still gleaming on the ground not far from me. I picked it up and sheathed it.

If it is for the people I love, I would not hesitate to unsheathe my sword if I need to, even if I would need to wield it against the divine.  

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