『SKYLER』

Along with Miracle and the others, we sneak into one of the rooms downstairs. A group of demigods immediately welcomed us with their dumbfounded faces, yet my eyes were captivated by a certain being. Her mere presence screams her identity, her holiness lingering within her.

“A servitour…” I whispered. What a fascinating sight.

“Why? I am not the only living servitour in this continent…” The woman smiled at me, not minding the demigods around us who could not hear her soft voice.

Nawala ang atensyon ko sa kanya nang mapansin ko ang tingin sa akin ni Cloud, “Dad! Perfect timing, pupuntahan pa lang sana kita sa Shier University.  Our group can save Tita Celine’s friend, we already know the solution.”

“How?”

Maglalakad na sana siya papunta sa ‘kin nang magtama ang mga mata nila nang katabi kong si Miracle. Nagmistulang isang teatro ang buong paligid, ang mata ng bawat isang na rito ay nakatuon lamang sa kanilang dalawa. At walang nais na bumasag sa kanilang sandali.

“I…” Miracle slowly walked towards Cloud, making do the same. “I’m sorry…”

Cloud smiled genuinely and pulled her for a hug. “I know.” He gently kissed her forehead, making some look away from them.

“Ah! Takpan mo ang mata mo, Phoebe!” Sambit ni Phoebe sa sarili niya.

Blanko siyang nilingon ni Bree, nakasimangot ito at nakahanda ang dalawang daliri na pinakita kay Phoebe. “Do you want me to blind you para habang-buhay mo na silang hindi makita?”

“Tangina mo, Bree!”

I awkwardly laughed at them when Cloud suddenly cleared his throat. “Dad, the Primus need to fight Medusa. Be the distraction so we can save Tita Celine’s friends and Tito Xian’s father.”

“And while you’re at it. Can you please save Tita Alyssa and confirm if Tita Savannah is in here?” I’ll be putting my trust in them so that our group will be more focused on defeating Medusa.

Isa-isa ko silang pinagmasdan bago ako tuluyan na nagpaalam sa kanila’t lumabas sa bintana. Nang mapansin kong may nakasunod sa akin, agad akong lumingon sa likuran ko’t malamlam lamang akong pinagmasdan ni Cloud.

“Alam kong hindi ko dapat sabihin ‘to… but once she let go of you, please understand her decision. She only wants the best for you and the others…”

“Who?”

“You’ll know soon…”

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Cloud’s words began to replay in my mind like a broken tape—curiosity is killing me. He sounded so serious, yet he also sounded broken by it. I frustratingly bit my lower lip and looked at the others, who were still leering at me for leaving the hideout without any consideration about them. Light and Celine already came up with a plan to defeat her.

With Light’s blessing, the Intelectix, he copied my father’s blessing to wield weapons. He made contact lenses that would reflect Medusa’s eyes to herself, meaning her advantage had been sealed. Along with a sudden chill, a humongous snowy white magic circle appeared beneath our feet, as well as loading bars above our heads.

Light and Celine’s strategy began to be registered within our minds, like a detailed movie. The entire blueprint of the mansion, wherein Medusa and Bristol were on the second floor, and the opposite room of it was where her collection was imprisoned.

“Tito Sky, can you hear me?” Saglit akong naningkit, iniisip ko kung kanino ang pamilyar na boses na iyon hanggang sa mapatingin ako kay Light.

“Mircale,” bulong ko. “Naririnig kita.”

Pinaliwanag niya sa ‘kin ang plano ng grupo nila habang pinakikinggan ko ang buong plano nina Light. Nakakonekta ngayon si Miracle sa Intelectix ni Light kaya’t alam nila ang magiging plano ng grupo namin. Their group is also wary about Bristol’s blessing, especially that most of the he’s spending most of his time with Medusa’s victims.

Nang inabot sa ‘kin ni Phoenix ang contact lenses, agad akong naghanda. Hindi nais ng grupo namin ang sayangin kahit katiting na oras upang tumambay lamang dito sa hideout.

“Miracle, are you all ready?” I asked.

“Yes, Tito.”

“May the gods bless us.”

Nang sumenyas sa ‘kin sina Aizelle, lumabas ang grupo namin sa hideout at pinalibutan namin ang mansion. Alam namin na alam niyang narito kami dahil ang mga ahas sa kanyang ulo ay nararamdaman ang prinsensya namin pero kahit gano’n, hindi no’n masisira ang plano na ginawa nina Light upang matalo siya.

“Aren’t you coming inside and have tea with me?” A cold voice suddenly spoke behind our backs. And without any hesitation, we turned at her.

Her forest-like eyes leered at us while hiding beneath her black glasses while the snakes were resting on the top of her head endlessly hissed as if they were cursing us to our death. And gradually, a sweet yet cunning smile curved into her lips as she crossed her arms, simply mocking us.

Medusa removed her glasses, turning her forest-like eyes into a winter white. Yet her façade suddenly crumbled when nothing happened to us, that none of turned into one of her collections. But it immediately faded when a forestry hues smoke came out of her body, dancing around the horizon until it embraced the mansion.

“Guys, up! Up!” Sigaw ni Xian.

Parehas nataranta si Serena at Sue dahil sa biglaang niyang pagsigaw ngunit mabilis din nila kaming naingat gamit ang pearls at mga ulap. Ang pader na yumakap sa usok ni Medusa ay dahan-dahan na nawasak kasabay nito ang pagkabuhay ng mga ahas na nakahimlay ro’n.

Bukod sa kakayahan niyang gawing bato ang kahit na sinong tumingin sa mga mata niya, hindi ko na alam kung ano pa ang kaya niyang gawin.

“Oh, little demigods…” Medusa chuckled. “Don’t leer at me like that with those beautiful eyes.”

Her psychotic laugh echoed as the snakes from the fallen debris began to make their way towards her, embracing her as they became one.

Medusa’s human form leisurely faded, making her into an enormous, sickening snake. The only left, resembling her human form, was her upper body, while her legs are no longer intact as they became a tail. Her gigantic scales have possessed the shade of beige, along with yellow patches on it as her tongue appears to be twelve inches long.

“Primus, position, now!” Light shouted.

Tumalon kaming lahat maliban kayna Aizelle at Phoenix. Ako, si Aizen at Sue ay umuna upang bigyan ng oras upang mag-concentrate ang pinakamabigat naming atake. Sinugod namin ni Aizen si Medusa, ngunit masyadong makapal ang kanyang mga kaliskis. Nang sinubukan naman ni Sue na gamitin ang kanyang whip, agad din nakawala sa kapit nito dahilan upang umalis siya sa kanyang puwesto na inaasahan naman ni Celine.

Kinulong ni Celine si Medusa sa isang malaking kulungan na gawa sa lupa kasabay noon ang pagliwanag ng ang mga paa sa asul at kulay gintong ilaw nang lunurin ko si Medusa sa loob nito at kidlatan ni Sue ang kanyang puwesto.

“She’s still unharmed inside,” Xian stated with his pale golden eyes glowing as it locks in Medusa’s direction. “Serena, make us all float!”

Serena followed his instruction without hesitation. The pearls lifted us above as Medusa dove into the ground, making a lot of holes in order to distract us. Damn, Light! Such a brainy move. Light smirked upon seeing Medusa’s shaken move. On the other hand, Celine went near to Xian for the next phase of the plan.

“Celine, Xian,” Light called. “It’s up to the two of you.”

Xian’s eyes reflected the golden rays of the sun more, blinding our eyes and eliminating the dusk conquering the heavens. While Celine shone her enormous mulch magic circle above the ground as Xian began to point the unconnected holes to her, making Celine follow his lead in connecting them to ruin Medusa’s mind games.

Wala sa sarili akong napangisi nang magtama ang mga mata namin ni Serena, sa pamamagitan ng aming blessing ay pinuno namin ng tubig ang lahat ng butas. Nang makita namin ang tinatagong pagtawa ni Xian, marahil ay lumalangoy ngayon ro’n si Medusa at iyon ay naging hudyat upang muling paulanan ni Sue ng kidlat si Medusa.

Nang matunaw ang mga tubig sa butas ay tinuro ni Xian ang isa ro’n.

“She’s paralyzed,” Xian said,

“Are you ready?” Light asked, referring to Aizelle and Phoenix, who both nodded.

Two humongous magic circles containing the pigment of the blazing sun and the lovely Sakura united as one above Phoenix and Aizelle as they closed their eyes. The small debris started to be elevated as their magic began to be blended into thin air. Alongside them was Light, concentrating his blessing as a crystal white magic circle appeared beneath his feet with holographic screens in front of him projecting Phoenix and Aizelle’s move.

“Unison Charge: Helios Arrows!”

“Secret Art: Mimeograph—Helios Arrow!”

The blinding arrows showered within the holes, making Medusa scream in despair. And before any of us be melted by their deadly move, Serena and I made a wall made out of the water, and when the flame ceases, Xian clasped his hands and cheered.

Nang marinig namin ang iba’t-ibang boses sa loob, mabilis kung pumasok sa loob ng mansyon. Gulat ang mga mata ni Celine nang sinalubong siya ng mga kaibigan niya samantalang si Xian naman ay mahigpit na niyakap ang mga magulang niya. At katulad nang hinala ko, narito si Tita Savannah. Tumungo siya direksyon namin at tipid na ngumiti.

Tita Alyssa glanced in our direction before looking back to Xian. “You finally met them, Xian—the beings you are bound to be with.”

“I see… you are with Celine now,” Tita Savannah mumbled. “So, what are you going to do now?”

“Our plan is to bring back Ice.”

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

『NIGHT』

Who would have thought that the blessing I hated the most would make its way back? It’s been years since that happened, but I can’t help but hate this blessing more than I really do. The gift given by Kronos’ acted like a curse to me; this is why I insisted on asking Erebus to grant me his. Yet… that blessing of his made me more wicked.

I heaved a sigh and closed my eyes. Ramdam kong inip na si Aizen sa paghihintay sa akin, ngunit kahit anong gawin ko hindi ko magawang makabalik sa aking soul form at kahit siguro kaya ko iyong gawin ay hindi ko rin naman susubukan.

And I know… I know that Aizen is battling someone right now.

But right now, all my attention isn’t on him. I suddenly opened my eyes when I heard footsteps coming in my direction. And I can’t help but be devoured by guilt while setting my sights on that peculiar, blinding eyes.

I wanted to atone for my sins…

“Night, it’s already dark…”

I wanted to seek Sky’s forgiveness properly, but…

“Hey, I’m talking to you.”

…but, how can I do that when the moon is glistening brightly in front of me?

“Night! Come on. They might arrive soon!”

I’m really sorry, Sky. For all the bad things I’ve done…

“You’re really a dead meat once something bad happens to the two of us.”

And for falling in love with the moon.

“Let’s go home, Ice.”

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