FIFTY-FOUR.

THE CLASH OF ARTEMIS AND APHRODITE.

EPHRON OUGHT to stop wasting his time now. He would do it since they came here because of the note. He was unusually silent as he went through the kingdom as the waves crashed noisily.

He murmured and clutched his fist. He must not allow those scientists to mess with them in this manner. Before it was too late, he had to stop them.

At kung may maapektuhan dito, 'di na siya pwede manahimik na lang.

Alam niya ang iniisip ni Henry. Ngayon na hinahangad niya ang hustisya. At ngayon ay determinado siyang tuklasin ang buong katotohanan mula sa mga scientist, he also worries that doing so might cause him to descend into darkness.

Sabay silang lumaki. At sa mga panahong 'yon, walang ibang nakakaalam sa pagpatay sa kanyang mga magulang maliban sa kanya. Knowing Henry, mas pipiliin niyang tanggapin ang kahit ano, kahit na 'di niya kasalanan and he's much more irritated because of this.

"Ephron, are you having any problems? You're quiet." Isabella walked over to him and gave him a glance.

"No..." He avoided his gaze.

"How about you? If you were defying the Goddess Aphrodite, would that be bad? She won't approve of it—"

"Who cares about that old lady? She just worries about my appearance! She would not have accepted me if I weren't attractive."

"You're beautiful the way you are. And even if you're attempting to be boyish." Ephron smiled at her.

"I believe I love Artemis more than my mother!"

Ephron held his chin as he approached her, "I'm fascinated. About you and Aphrodite. Did you have the same dispute as me and my father?"

"Yeah. You were aware of it, right? Hippolytus became a priest of Artemis and worshipped her only. He also vowed to remain chaste like the goddess he revered.

This came to the attention of the goddess Aphrodite, ruler of desire and sexual love. She was angry at being snubbed by Hippolytus, and jealous that Artemis had such a loyal follower."

Ephron's eyes were fixed on Isabella as she walked joyfully over the ice, and he was keeping watch over her. She's adorable, isn't she? Even if he pushes her away, he cannot simply abandon her. Not due to the fate that afflicted both of them.

He desired to take care of her. Not because when he breaks the underwater, she's the only one who can tame him. Or managing his abilities. Maybe he didn't care what she knew about him or his siblings; he just wanted to be with her. He wants nothing more than to be by her side.

Isabella walked and she tried to explain it, "Aphrodite and Artemis were natural rivals, being that Aphrodite was the goddess whose domain was beauty, the pleasures of the flesh, fertility and procreation. Artemis had sworn she would always remain celibate, choosing denial of the flesh, so was in direct opposition to the lusty side of life that Aphrodite represented."

Isabella started to play with her fingers, although she was really anxious. She wasn't even the kind to merely tell stories about someone she wanted to avoid. Soulmates, fuck off.

"Aphrodite was the goddess of love, but not necessarily enduring love, which was the domain of her son Eros, whose arrows could be a curse, sometimes employed at Aphrodite's request. Love was not necessarily a blessing as it often ended quite badly for those struck by the arrows of Eros."

Since Ephron was highly interested in the story, she started to stroll joyfully while continuing to tell it.

"Artemis wished to always be a maiden, avoiding love's curse. Therefore, she was the patron goddess of girls before they reached womanhood. Aphrodite was said to watch over females after becoming women, so in a sense, she always stole followers from Artemis, except those who vowed to remain pure and chaste."

The waves started to clash even more forcefully, and she said, "The reason I hate my mother is because she wouldn't understand what the true meaning of love is."

Ephron took out his book and was astonished by what he read. He brushed his hands across the book and chose to read it. Hippolytus was the son of Theseus, King of Athens, who is famous for slaying the minotaur of Crete. His mother was reported to be either the Amazon Hippolyta or her sister Antiope.

Hippolytus had a great love of hunting, and Artemis was the goddess who ruled the hunt. Ancient Greeks were expected to honor all the gods and goddesses, but Hippolytus became a priest of Artemis and worshipped her only. He also vowed to remain chaste like the goddess he revered.

This came to the attention of the goddess Aphrodite, ruler of desire and sexual love. She was angry at being snubbed by Hippolytus, and jealous that Artemis had such a loyal follower.

Ephron couldn't believe what he was reading and glanced at Isabella, "Your mother is rather threatened by other's attractiveness, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. So the story isn't particularly interesting," Isabella explained.

Ephron resumed reading. King Theseus had taken Phaedra, sister to the ill-fated Ariadne of Crete, as his second wife. Aphrodite decided to punish Hippolytus for not honoring her by causing his stepmother to desire him.

Even though Phaedra was a loyal worshipper of Aphrodite, she wasn't safe from the whims of this goddess.

Phaedra was overcome with an obsession for Hippolytus and even began following the cult of Artemis to be near him. She was ashamed of her illicit longings for her stepson and told only her nurse of her desire, swearing her to secrecy.

Phaedra's nurse broke her promise to keep silent and told Hippolytus, hoping to ease her queen's torment. Phaedra's nurse asked Hippolytus not to reveal that she had told him, and he did not, but he confronted Phaedra. He was disgusted by his stepmother's desire and rejected her advances, shaming her to the extent that she decided to take her own life.

"What the fuck? What's this?" Ephron raises his eyebrow, angered by what he reads.

Ang tanging bagay na nagawa ni Ephron ay tumingin kay Isabella, at pagkatapos ay lumunok. If there were a way to express how he feels at the moment, siya'y lubos na nagulat sa natuklasan niya tungkol sa mga pangyayaring 'to.

He can now see why Isabella claimed it was uninteresting. Nevertheless, he was curious. Perhaps this could make a small difference in their connection at the moment.

"Phaedra took revenge against Hippolytus by writing a suicide note accusing him of raping her. King Theseus found this note and angrily confronted his son, calling him a hypocrite for professing chastity. Though Hippolytus denied that he had betrayed his father or his vows, Theseus refused to believe or forgive him and banished Hippolytus from Athens.

☫✠_____♆_____✡♆

"THESEUS WAS SO angry with his son that he called in a promise of three wishes given to him by Poseidon, god of the sea, who according to legend, had a part in conceiving Theseus. Theseus wanted to kill his son for his betrayal but dared not soil his hands with such bloodguilt, so he used one of these wishes to curse Hippolytus..."

"Ha!? What did it mean!?"

He remained motionless, and the more he studied the book, the more he seemed intrigued by it.

"Hippolytus was driving his chariot by the sea when Poseidon took revenge for Theseus by appearing as a bull, spooking the horses. It also says that Poseidon sent a sea monster to terrorize Hippolytus. In either case, his horses bolted wildly and the chariot overturned. That was the sad end of Hippolytus, despite his honor and loyalty."

Nakatitig lang si Isabella kay Ephron na halos nakatutok sa librong hawak niya. As the three of them started to walk, the waves roared down and splashed loudly.
'Di naman interesado si Ephron sa mga ganitong bagay noon, particularly the fact that Isabella saw him defy his father. Why, then, is he now interested?

Then Ephron's interest grew even more. "Artemis appeared to Hippolytus as he lay dying and told him the truth of what Aphrodite had done. Hippolytus then forgave his father for the curse and died with a clear conscience."

"It is said that Artemis had Asclepius, god of medicine, resurrect Hippolytus to be her priest once more. Artemis also vowed revenge on Aphrodite, and this vow was fulfilled by the death of Aphrodite's beloved Adonis, gored by a wild boar."

"Guys, we're here!"

Ephron smiled at pagkatapos ay ibinalik niya ang libro sa kanyang bag at agad na pinuntahan si Isabella at hinila niya 'to papalapit sa kanya. Napataas lang ng kilay si Isabella sa inakto ng lalaki. Habang tumatagal, mas lalo pa yata nagiging epal ang lalaking 'to. At pumunta sila sa pinto.

Napalunok si Lux at tumingin sa dalawa. Sa totoo lang, 'di siya handa sa kinakaharap nila dito kaya pumunta siya sa likod ni Efron at nagtago. "Dude, gusto ko nang mag-back out!"

"Ako, ayoko." Ngiti ni Ephron sa kanya.

"Parang 'di ako makakatagal dito! Poseidon was the Olympian god of the sea, earthquakes, floods, drought and horses. He was depicted as a mature man with a sturdy build and dark beard holding a trident, right?"

"Yes, but what about it?"Ephron asked drowsily.

'Di alam ni Lux kung pa pa'no nila makukuha ang note na 'yon mula kay Poseidon, pero 'tong dalawang 'to ay 'di man lang nag-aalala sa nangyayari.

Observing Ephron at this moment, it's evident that he shows no concern for his father's presence whatsoever. "He's probably going to ask about my siblings and my relationship with them. Or my connection with Isabella or something along those lines. And what am I really contributing to this school, which is such a hassle?"

Ephron never had a strong bond with him. As soon as he discovered his infidelities, particularly with Aphrodite and Medusa, all he could do was explode in anger over what he uncovered in the lab. His fury was intense.

Isabella's aware. She overheard them chatting. She was only able to listen. In certain respects, they're fairly similar.

Ephron's anger just continued to escalate, "If he truly desired to be a father, he should have pursued that long ago rather than engaging in war with his siblings! He fails to see the extent of my suffering. So if he wishes to take on the role of a father, it's too late for that!"

"Sa ngayon ay nakikita ko na galit ka pa rin ba sa tatay mo, 'di' ba?" Sa mga puntong 'to, nagtanong si Lux sa kanya at nag-iingat siya na magsalita ng kahit ano and observing his current excessive drama.