THIRTY-TWO.

SPINNER OF THE FATES.

SHE WAS NERVOUS and had no idea where she was. Her hands were trembling, and Giovanni noticed that she had wounds. Perhaps because of the sword fighting method she recently used during the test. That's why she can't just wander around here doing nothing, okay? Time is running out, and she needs to save him.

Giovanni told her, "I can't be here, mom."

Hebe could only chuckle softly at her, "There's no need to haste, sweetheart. Come on, this is a safe area. And perhaps you wanted to hear about this.

She flicked her palm, and a blade appeared in front of them. Surely that was a dark blade, yet something was glowing in it, and there were writings that represented Hebe. This is unusual.

Why would she just hand her a sword? She pushed it upon the table, and Hebe smiled at her daughter.

"This will keep the order and peace in the Fates."

"Ano bang ibig mong sabihin?" Tanong ni Giovanni 

'Di niya maintindihan ang lahat sa ngayon. Yes, she knows she's going to save the whole world pero ang 'di maintindihan ni Giovanni sa puntong 'to ay ang mga kinikilos ni Hebe. 

At alam niyang siya lang ang makakapagsabi ng totoo. Tungkol sa kanyang tunay na kapangyarihan niya.

Umupo siya sa harap nito and Giovanni was only able to close her eyes when she put her hands on the table and her aura shone brightly, "Regretfully, we don't have much time to discuss this, love. However, you must understand why the majority of gods oppose your existence. The reason for this was the day I found you.

"Hercules informed me. The reason you had to abandon me in the Kingdom of Mudned. So, did you really have to leave your own kid for your own benefit?"

She isn't interested in understanding the struggle between the Greek gods and the scientist. Lalo na't alam niyang nadamay lang siya rito. And now thinking that she was the holder of the fates makes it even more harder for her. 

Thinking how much her Fate bring her misfortune makes her even more hateful towards them. Samakatuwid, sa sandaling 'to ay hindi niya alam kung paano haharapin 'to, at kung ano ang kailangang niyang gawin.

"You have a different thread connected to you. And you should be aware of what kind of power that holds."

'What my power holds? Which is it? Buong buhay ko na kailangan kong takbuhan ang possibleng mangyari sa 'kin? Wala na akong maintindihan! Ano'ng kapangyarihan ba 'yon!?' Giovanni simply closed her eyes, let out a long sigh, and held her head. 

Kung ano-ano na ang tumatakbo sa kanyang isipan sa panahon 'to and she simply doesn't get what Hebe is trying to say. Should she be content with her ability to control fate? She seemed to have an important duty that only she could fulfill.

Giovanni answered, "I don't understand. Why does it have to be me?"

All she could do was hold her fist and shake her head. All she wants is to know why she has to suffer with her fate. However, the more she tried to understand it, the more difficult it became. It was never an easy situation for her. She especially despises the fact that both the Scientist and the Greek Gods began the war, and the price for doing so was her death.

"What does life mean to you, my love?" 

"Life?" 

"Indeed. Answer me honestly."

Iyon na siguro ang pinakamahirap na sagot sa kanya. Dahil siya mismo ay 'di alam kung ano ang tunay na kahulugan ng buhay. Kaya ngayon ang tanging nagawa niya ay ngumiti ng mapait sa kanyang ina. Of course, she found it tough. All she could do was remain convinced that she needed to survive in order to live. 

She couldn't seem to recognize the causes for her own happiness or whether she was doing well in her life. She feels as if everything is falling apart. That is why she is not saying anything. All she could do was feel how afraid anxious she was about what kind of responses she should provide.

"I'm sorry, I don't know how to respond." Giovanni glanced away and grumbled.

"Are you scared? Are you afraid of facing your real potential with your powers?"

Hebe's eyes were sparkling, and she could see how her golden threads were spreading widely and unleashing an enormous amount of power. This power is too powerful for anybody to possess, which is why she refuses to share it.

And the only reason she has to place her in the care of the Archduke is because of his relationship to the scientists, and as a result, some of the Gods have grown increasingly anxious that she might stop the scientists and the Gods.

She will eventually have to learn about the Fates' true power, therefore now is the moment to do so.

"Which is?"

"Your powers represent water, light, vegetation, and the living. In order to control them, you must first gain a better understanding of life. That's why I am asking what life means to you. You must understand what life implies in order to perform your role as the Holder of the Fates."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you merely want to pass this test without gaining anything? I understand, Giovanni. You've always been afraid to use your water magic because of the amount of water it releases, fearing that it will break everything."

"That's..."

You won't break everything. Just believe in your abilities."

Believe.

As if that were easy to say. 'Di niya alam kung paano magtitiwala sa kanya. Anumang paraan. 'Di madaling bigyan si Hebe ng lakas ng loob na kailangan niya para mapagtagumpayan ang dapat niyang gawin. That is, her role as the Holder of the Fates.

☫✠_____♆_____✡♆

MATAGAL NIYANG ISINARA ang puso niya sa iba, dahil matagal niyang pinrotektahan ang sarili para walang makasira sa pader na ginawa niya para protektahan ang sarili niya. Hanggang ngayon ay 'di  niya alam kung paano mararamdaman ang pagmamahal ng isang magulang dahil simula pa lang ay 'di pa niya 'to nakita.

'Di niya maintindihan kung galit ba siya o naiinis sa pagmamahal na natanggap niya ngayon mula kina Hercules at Hebe. Maybe that's the problem. There are many issues within herself that she has yet to confront, and she would prefer to prioritize the needs of others before her own.

Halos ramdam na niya na nasa gilid ang luha niya and she simply balled her fists and pushed away the dishes in front of her. Her teeth were shaking, and her emotions were about to break forth.

"Do you want me to believe? What exactly do you believe in?" Giovanni asked, and she stood up and confronted her mother, "Do you believe that people will be with you just to abandon you later? I'm tired of understanding why people try to make you believe they're someone you can trust only to abandon you afterwards."

"How can I trust them when they're the source of my traumas!?" 

There was a little stillness between them, and Giovanni slowly sat on the chair, hands on her head. Her head is filled with many loud thoughts that only she can handle. She has always participated in conversations; she despises the fact that she can be rather frank at times, to the point of shutting people off. 

"I shouldn't have said that." She let out a breath. "You've got nothing to do with my foster parents." 

You see, this explains why she dislikes discussing her parents or possibly other family members. In addition to being misled, she felt extremely uneasy about Hercules and Hebe treating her like a child. Not something she was used to. 

She endured too much trauma, particularly because of the way her family used to treat her like a pawn. She is afraid of being loved by her family because of this. She isn't even sure if they genuinely love you or if they are merely trying to get something from you. 

"Here," Hebe handed her the sword and pushed it towards her, and she grinned, "This will defend you. Only you can pass the exam and take the spinner from Hypnos. To make your own Book of Fate, you must first insert your thread into the spinner. Only in this method will you be able to pass Phanteon Academy."

Unti-unting naglaho ang paligid ni Giovanni at pasimple siyang tumayo, nagulat na lang siya nang muntik na siyang mahulog sa isang butas. 'Di siya makagalaw sa sahig and it appears that Hypnos' magic spell was on her.

Naramdaman niya ang pagtutok ng espada, at handa na siyang saksakin. 'Di naramdaman ni Giovanni ang paggalaw ng kanyang katawan and she found it more difficult to move.

As she conditioned her mind and recalled what her mother had told her, Giovanni closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. As soon as she saw the dead trees, she forced her hand to move and began to whistle. She sweats a lot because she knows that the spell paralyzed her and that the moment her finger lit up, it swiftly moved to the trees and grew them.

When she pointed at Hypnos, the dead tree suddenly blossomed and became healthy as it should be. The tree then spread its branches and slammed Hypnos in the direction of the river.

Halos mahina na ang kanyang pisikal na kondisyon, ngunit 'di siya maaaring sumuko ngayon so she stood up and then quickly gripped on the sword that Hebe given her, "Alam ko namang papatayin mo'ko kaya kailangan kong makuha ang spinner sa lalong madaling panahon." 

"You can't leave here, little girl!"

Giovanni simply smirked at him and let out the light of her aura to restore herself. The light emitted a powerful light that caused Hypnos to move away from her direction. She then flipped her palm, causing the river to rumble so she could see what was underneath.

"I'm taking the spinner regardless of what you say! And from here, my fight begins!" She dashed after the river, slashing the floor in half to uncover the golden spinner beneath it.

The black blade was surrounded by a powerful golden magic that even Hypnos could not stop. She's not a princess, but her hard work and training as a sorcerer have paid off.

So she pointed the blade at Hypnos and glared at him, "Don't you dare get close to the spinner, you snake."