A smile slowly curved to my lips as the wind and the flowers become as one. Their ballad hymn in a joyous dance, twirling and swaying as they envelop the hues of the sparkling stars. And the butterflies from earlier leisurely captivated the vicinity until they exited, in which I presume, must be Psyche.

"The others are here," Alexis mumbled as she watches the butterflies with her soft, delicate eyes.

Muntik ko na malimutan na mayro'n siyang mapanuring mga mata na kahit isang maliit na detalye ay mapapansin n'ya. Hindi ko napigilan ang aking sarili na pisilin ang kanyang magkabilang pisnge kahit na ang kapalit nito ay ang matatalim n'yang mga tingin.

"Garet." It was a warning, but she sounded too charming when she uttered my name. It might sound cringe, but I felt a soft touch sky when she mumbled my name for the first time.

The smile plastered in my lips slowly turns into a grin as I lean over to her forehead and brush my lips on it.

"Aba!" This time, I laughed while looking at her dagger eyes. She pinched my hands, making me wince in pain. My eyes widened in excitement when the others that we are waiting for came in.

"Maverick!"

"Christopher!"

Mukha kaming tanga sa ginawa naming pagsalubong sa isa't-isa sa gitna. Batid ko sa mga mata ni Glifford ang saya na tila ba ay magandang balita tungkol sa lakad nila. Masaya kaming nagtatalon ni Glifford patungo sa puwesto ni Alexis, na nakangiwi lamang sa amin habang pinapanood kami.

"Alexis, I missed you!" Freya jumped to Alexis's arms, making the two of us be surprised by her action. She was just like Pan, an elusive being who wouldn't when speaks to her.

"Kung umarte ka akala mo isang linggo tayong hindi nagkita," natatawang sambit ni Alexis.

Kumalas si Freya sa yakap at nagtatakhang s'yang tumingin kay Alexis, "Dalawang buwan tayong hindi nagkita." Kasabay nang pagbitaw n'ya sa mga salitang iyon ang pagdating nina Emerald, na tiyak kong narinig din ang mga salitang iyon.

Tahimik kaming naghintay nang pagbawi ni Freya sa kanyang biro ngunit walang nagimg kasunod na salita ang mga 'yon. Nang pumaikot sa amin ang mga paru-paro at dahan-dahan na nagkumpulan sa harap, lumitaw sa aming harap ang seryosong itsura ni Psyche.

Lagpas tingin s'ya sa akin dahilan upang lingunin namin ang lugar kung saan siya nakatingin, "Ang lugar na ito ay nababalot sa kapangyarihan ni Kronos. Ilang araw na rin simula nang makatakas s'ya sa Tartarus at dito agad siya tumungo upang itago ang babaeng dinakip n'ya. At dahil do'n, ang ilang minutong pananatili ng unang grupo rito ay dalawang buwan sa labas."

"Then why don't you tell it to Zeus?" Sophia asked, making Psyche to bitterly laugh.

"You can enter this place, but we cannot leave." It was a blunt fact coming from her. And I can tell upon looking on her eyes how she wanted to leave this place.

And I think, neither Psyche or Pan could defeat Kronos. But the question is, how the hell he escape Tartarus? It is the deepest region of the world where the gods and goddesses locked up their enemies.

"I don't know how he was able to escape that hellhole," Psyched said while looking at me, "It was written all over you face."

I roamed my sight, and noticed that Athena was not in the group. It might be one of the reason why Alexis's sounded calmer when she was talking to Freya. A sly smile slowly curved into my lips while looking to Glifford's glimmering eyes, he was watching the ecstatic fairy, who was telling bunch of stories to Alexis.

I secretly nudges Glifford with my elbow, making him to grumpily looked at me.

"Gago." Glifford clicked a tongue, which made me laugh.

I noticed that Alendis was curiously looking at me as if he was inspecting something. And for a moment, Sophia caught my attention because of the noticeable bump on her stomach.

I was busy checking the others out when Savannah suddenly gave me a hug, "Athena actually helped me!" She said with full of excitement, and when I drifted my eyes to Alendis. I thought he would be glaring at me like usual, but he didn't.

"Success?"

"Not really. The royalties said that I need to wager something, and they will be the one who will decide what it is."

All of a sudden, I felt my heart burning for some reason. It was not just a regular burning, and it was like someone is squeezing it. Savannah was still talking that I can't comprehend in my mind because I was bearing the pain.

I am acting as if nothing is wrong with me.

The necklace wrapped around my neck was glowing, and I think I am the only one who can actually see its peculiar glow.

"Stupid, Prince." It was a voice coming from the necklace, and if I am not mistaken. It sounded familiar.

At habang tumatagal ay mas lalong sumasakit ang dibdib ko hanggang sa napaluhod na lamang ako. Nanlalabo na rin ang aking paningin habang kinakapos ako sa hininga.

"Garet, what the hell is happening?"

"Hoy! Nang gogood time ka ba?"

"Garet! If this is a joke, lagot ka talaga sa akin."

Nang dahan-dahan kong tinunghay ang ulo ko upang tanglawin sila, napansin kong nagkukupulan silang lahat sa aking harapan. At sa gitna nang panandalian kong pagkabulag ay malinaw sa mga mata ko ang isang tila pilak na sinulid, na nakakabit sa akin at tila malapit nang maputol.

Malinaw rin ang imahe ng babaeng may hawak ng kabilang dulo nito. Si Freya. Ang mga mata n'ya ay may bahid nang pangamba habang nakayakap siya sa aking pinakamatalik na kaibigan.

At habang mas lalong naglalapit ang kanilang katawan, kasabay nito ang dahan-dahan na pagkaubos ng aking lakas hanggang sa tuluyan na akong mawalan ng malay.

"You must be kidding me. I already warned you, yet you still let it happened."

I forcefully opened my eyes just to see a blanket of dimness around. And for some reason, I could not move my body as if I was pinned to the ground, and suddenly a flickering light appeared in front.

"Pyre?" I mumbled. Though it doesn't look-like Pyre because it was glimmering the shade of lilac.

"I am the Queen Fairy."

I almost forgot about her, and it is solely embarrassing that I cannot even bow down to her.

"You're pitiful, Lockser. I already told you about your fate if you let my daughter fall in love with another man."

"Paano tayo nakakapag-usap? As far as I know, I am in the Greenwood Haven."

"You are still in that manor. I am speaking through your heart with the necklace I have given you. You must be thankful because I am the one who was keeping you alive."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I am keeping the silver string attached. In other terms, I am using my life to alter your death."

Her words left me speechless because I can't still believe that moments earlier, our group could get-together, and now I will learn that I am supposed to be dead.

"But you can still wander... And I think, the only one can see you is the woman with blessed eyes."

Bigla na lamang lumabo ang paligid kasabay nito ang paglitaw ng isang silid kung saan nagpapahinga ang katawan ko. Nasa gilid nito si Dark na tila may sinasabi sa akin habang wala akong malay.

"Moron, wake up..." Dark mumbled. I quizzically looked at him when I noticed the looks in his eyes. It was downcasted though I can't see any regret written on it, "Tangina naman, Garet. Gumising ka na..."

Tangina, hindi ko nga alam kung paano ako gigising!

"I can't tell this to anyone here... Garet, remember what I've said when we first met?"

Ilang beses kong inisip ang unang pagkikita namin ngunit sa lahat ng mga sinambat at binitawan n'yang salita walang kahit isang nangingibaw sa aking isipan. Imbes ay ang mga kagatang sinambit ni Pyre ang tumatak sa aking isipan.

"But you are not the one who will commit the greatest sin nor will sacrifice the greatest,"

Tangina. Sino ka rito, Dark?

"Tell me, Garet... I hate the gods. Why did I fall for one?"

It was like a ticking bomb. His words linger to my body and soul as his tears began to plummet down to his cheeks slowly. Alam kong kahit hindi ako magtanong sa kanya ay alam ko na kung sino ang d'yosang tinutukoy niya. Tiyak akong mas malalagot kami sa iba pang mga d'yos dahil sa pinakamalaking kasalanan na nagawa ng isa sa mga rule-breakers.

"My child is within her... And I don't regret what I've done."

Ilang saglit pa s'yang tumingin sa nakaratay kong katawan bago pinunasan ang mga luha sa mga mata n'ya at umalis.

Tangina naman, Dark. Out of all women in this world, why did you fall to the Goddess of Wisdom?

"Garet, oh, Garet din." I languidly looked in front when I saw Alyssa pointing at my body and my detached soul. And when I raised a brow, she just realized the anomaly was happening around.

"Are you... Dead?"

"I am supposed to be dead," I answered.

Umawang ang mga labi n'ya bago ito dahan-dahan na naging seryoso, "It's Freya." It was the first time I've heard her voice sounding so serious, "Nakikita ko ang silver string at akala ko noong una ay kayong dalawa ni Freya ang nakatadhana sa isa't-isa... Pero nang makita ko ang dahan-dahan na pagkaputol nito dahil sa namumuong pag-iibigan nina Freya at Glifford, alam kong nakadikit ito sa kapalaran mo bilang isang king vessel."

"What are you planning, Alyssa?"

"I will talk to Freya. She needs to eradicate her feelings at wala akong pakielam kung magalit man siya sa akin. Dahil ang mahalaga sa 'kin ay ang mabuhay ang lalaking dahilan ng masasayang memorya ko sa lugar na ito."

"But-"

She suddenly glared at me, "Look, Garet. Ang creepy naman na ako lang ang nakakakita sa'yo. Para ka kayang ligaw ni espirito ngayon."

"Wala na bang igagaspang pa ang bunganga mo?"

Alyssa laughed, "I have a plan. Will you hear me out?"

"So, what's inside your little brain?"

Tiningnan n'ya ako nang masama bago muling naging seryoso, "Si Aphrodite at Eros lamang ang makakatulong upang mapigilan ang pagmamahal ni Freya para kay Glifford pero hindi kami makakahingi ng tulong nila kung hindi mapapatalsik dito si Kronos."

"Kick Kronos ass back to Tartarus and then call the gods?"

"No. I will be dividing the group. Alexis can try contacting her mother to seek help. I know that Alexis is willing to do any method just to save your life, and talking to the person she loathed a lot means nothing because it is for your sake."

Aww. Ang sweet.

"And the other group will confront Kronus."

I smiled at her, "Save me."

"Ah... Aside from that,"

"Hmm?"

"Within Kronos' camp was a child, and I think, he is the heir of the Wicked Titan."

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