EIGHTEEN.

UNLOCKING HEBE'S KEYS.

WHY MUST IT BECOME something like this?

Minami furrowed her brow and stared at Erebus. It appears that he has no idea who she is speaking to. Her important symbols included the pitcher, cup, eagle, water, life, plants, and nature. Those shadows roared at her, and she opened her palms to release the pitcher from her grip. It has some gold symbols written on it.

She bit her lip and glared at the shadows. Now is not the time to be afraid of them. She knew she had a duty to fulfill! That's why she must have those keys, regardless of the result.

"Why struggle? It would be easier to just give up. You hated your curse, right?" 

"Oo, ayoko ng sumpang 'to. Lalo na't alam kong isa sa mga dahilan ay si Archduke Moonstone, ang aking ama. Pero anong gusto mong gawin ko? Tanggapin na lang ang gusto ng mga scientist? What was written in the prophecy? What are the rules of the games started by both the gods and scientists?"

"Yes, many of you dislike me. Because of the potential power I possessed in stopping the Fates. So, what happens? Does this indicate that I must accept the person you want me to be because you despise me? Just because you despise me doesn't give you the authority to control me. Remember this!"

She wouldn't deny that she was scared right now. She barely used her light magic, and this could be the end of her. If she could just master her emotions, she could be powerful right now.

She gripped the pitcher and her duo-color aura brightened, her pink-golden aura, and she cast some spells. "Le ati anvere ade."

Let the light guide me.

This is not something new. Especially since the moment she opened her eyes to her last fate, she was in danger. Dealing with the deities is not something she should be afraid of. She closed her eyes, and her hair suddenly became even brighter.

A flash of lightning touched the pitcher, and thunder sparks were released. So she gripped the pitcher even more tightly, allowing her to form light balls with it. She grabbed the light balls and shot them through the shadows, and they all growled as the light chased them.

"Do you think you're better than me?""

"No. Every day, I worried about what would happen to me."

Alam niyang matatalo siya sa labanang 'to. Ngunit kailangan niyang mahanap at makuha ang susi na 'to sa lalong madaling panahon. Wala siyang oras makipaglaro dito. At marami siyang tanong ngayon, dahil gusto niyang malaman kung bakit maraming sa kanila ang gustong mamatay siya. Bakit? 

She has to get the key as soon as possible. To prevent the judgment day!

The cosmos has become even darker. Someone has pushed her into the River Styx right now. Her feet appeared to be off balance, and she was about to fall until a voice from somewhere spoke.

"Erebus, you need to stop playing games. You can't give her to Hades." 

"Chaos!?" Napasigaw na lang si Minami sa nakita niya. At 'di siya makapaniwala sa nakikita niya ngayon.

She often read this on books. Before the sea, the stars, the lands and sky, there was but one face of nature in the entire universe, whom they called Chaos. She was a rough and uneven mass, in which there was nothing except idle weight and the congealed, dissonant seeds of unstable things.

The ground was unstable, the waves were unswimmable, the airs were lightless; no form of anything lasted, for one hindered another, and in one body cold contended with hot, wet strove against dry, soft things fought with hard things, and the weightless grappled with the weightful. 

"Little girl, join me. I have your keys. And, Erebus, if you know what's best for you, don't tell Hades about the girl's whereabouts in Cosmos." Chaos said 

She couldn't tell if Chaos was moving or not, and the image she was seeing was unrelated to her relationship with the cosmos. It was dark. Exactly like a void.

"I'd like to apologize for what my son has done. In exchange, you can ask me anything about your quest, and I could even help you with it."

Minami was fidgeting with her hands, and she was still scared. The only thing she really wanted was for the war to end. Maaari ba itong itigil? Ang gusto lang niya ay ilayo si Saku sa lahat ng problemang 'to.

'Di man niya lang alam kung ano ang magiging kapalaran nila, pero hindi naman masama kung subukan, 'di' ba?

"Chaos, tell me one thing."

"What is it?"

"May paraan ba para matigil 'to? Perhaps if it's you, you can stop the judgement day before someone's life is taken."

"Unfortunately, I can't. As much as some of us hate this war, we couldn't stop the thread that was connected to you. I can only help you proceed with this."

Nanlaki ang mata ni Minami nang may lumitaw na gintong susi sa harap niya. It included the same words and symbols as her pitcher, and the key represents the gods' divine favor, as well as her strength and connection to the other gods. These are Elysian keys.

She reached her hand and slowly took it. Nagulat na lang siya nang may ginto na kumalat sa paligid niya. There was some type of golden magic going on. The golden dust and magic covered her entire body.

"Listen to me carefully, Archduchess. Your true adventure as a Demigod begins when you have been given a fate. And once you return, you will be unable to escape the danger that awaits you."Chaos mumbled and spoke softly.

"And the next time we meet, you'll be reincarnated as Giovanni. You'll die soon. You might take this as a warning."

"What?"Minami's sweat pours down her cheeks, and she has no idea what's going on. That last sentence reads like a message she needs to understand shortly. Once she returns to Imetheos, that is.

"You must go! Now!"

☫✠_____♆_____✡♆

CHAOS TAPPED SOMETHING at nagulat si Minami nang bigla na lang siya higupin ng black hole and she returned to her current place. Today is the day of judgement.

Nanako unexpectedly contacted her. Her eyes widened as she noticed her call, so she answered it.

[Alam ko na nag-away tayo pero Minami, I need you now. It's about our friend. Pumunta ka sa address na ipapadala ko sa 'yo.

[ Saku is currently detained by police dahil sa kasong murder.]

Nang marinig ang sinabi ng kaibigan ay natapon niya ang kanyang cellphone. Umiling si Minami sa 'di  makapaniwala sa mga nangyayari.

Tears flow down her cheeks. Her eyes turned red, and she carefully bit her lip, 'No, he isn't! 'Di pwedeng mangyari 'to!' These are the thoughts that crossed her mind.

She was huffing, taking rapid breaths, and her heart was beating faster than usual. Hanggang sa matagpuan niya si Saku sa mansyon at agad siyang sinundo ng mga pulis.

"Sandali! Sandali lang!"Sigaw ni Minami and her voice appears to be shaky at tsaka siya pumagitna sa kanila.

"Miss, h'wag ka na mangialam rito. Delikadong ang taong kailangan naming hulihin. Tumabi ka!"

"Sir, h'wag naman pong ganito."She looked at the cops and pleaded to get away from him, "Hindi niyo pa nga napapatunayan kung may kasalanan 'yong kaibigan ko. Bitawan niyo siya!"

Dinuro na lang ng pulis ang sarili niya at halatang napipikon na rin talaga siya kay Minami. " 'Pwede ba, umalis ka na lang! Sabi mo kaibigan mo itong gagong 'to?" Sabay duro kay Saku.

"Halos laslasin na niya ang kaibigan niya! At ang iba pang kaibigan niya ay pinatay naman niya! Ako ang may hawak ng kaso at ako ang pinuno ng PNP dito. Kahit magtanong ka pa sa ibang nakatira dito, nakikita nila si Mr. Allard at kahit ikaw 'yan ay 'di mo na 'yon mababago!"

"Sir, there are two sides of the story!"

"Umalis ka na, ipapahamak mo lang ang sarili mo."

Minami couldn't do anything about the police's current attitude. She bit her lip and could only glare at them.

'Kung ako ang tatanungin mo, ayoko siyang makulong. Baka mamaya may iutos si Lyrica sa kulungan. Dahil ang totoo niyan, basta may pera ka, marami kang magagawa.'And this is what she actually thought.

Hindi naman ata malabo na gawin ni Lyrica ang bagay na 'yon. Money is the root of evil after all.

Kaya lahat ay nagmamanipula sa 'yo hangga't mayroon kang pera. Maaari nilang baligtarin ang kasalukuyang batas dahil ikaw ang nasa position.

Ang sinumang nakaupo ngayon ay maaaring bumili ng prinsipyo ng iba hangga't ikaw ay nasa posisyon na 'to. Kaya naman siya nagagalit. Paano nakakayanan na mabago ang lahat ng batas dahil lang sa kanilang pera?

Kaya't buksan natin ang ating mga mata. Ang mga taong hinahangaan natin, totoo ba sila o hindi? H'wag tayong magpadala sa pera at sa kanilang kayamanan. We should look for real justice at hindi 'yong katiwalian.

Kaya naman, hindi na siya magtataka kung may mag-utos sa pulis na patahimikin si Saku. Pero 'yon ang kailangan niyang itigil. Kinuyom ni Minami ang kanyang kamay and she stared at him. The stain of his blood, what does it really mean?

"Mr. Allard," Panimula ng mga police, "You have the right to remain silent. Any statement you make may be used against you in a court of law in the Philippines."

"You have the right to have a competent and independent counsel preferably of your own choice. If you cannot afford the services of a counsel, the government will provide you one."

"Ano ba!" Napasigaw na lang si Minami at pinulot ang bato at ibinato sa pulis. Perhaps, she's desperate. Perhaps she is desperate. She just wants to end this day at whatever cost.

"Iwan niyo muna kami." Utos ni Saku sa mga police.

"Wag mo kaming utusan, bata!"

Saku tenderly stared into Minami's eyes before smoothly moving away. 'At least, if I die, I want to take one more glance at her beautiful face.' He pondered what she would do if she discovered that the scientist was going to kill them both.

He promised her. So he is going to protect her. As his obligation to her and as part of their contract. He will not allow anyone to touch her with their dirty hands. He doesn't mind when his hands get dirty, but not hers.

"Minami..."