“Free the woman in the fountain…”

My eyes drifted to Artemis; the glint of happiness within my chest is still overwhelming. I can’t smile nor cry. All I did was watch all of them as they brainstormed ideas in order to pull Alexis out of the fountain. I glanced towards Sky, he was worried about Aicelyn’s current situation, but he knew he couldn’t undo it.

“Tita Freya… remember when you told us how Intelectix works? Alexis can collect data and transfer it to others, right? Does Intelectix has a holographic screen or—”

“Yes, Light. It has a holographic screen,” Freya answered.

Light smirked and meaningfully looked at all of us. “Recently, a holographic screen appeared in front of us. And it says ‘to undo the curse, you need time’ so… I thought if the hourglass is the key that could help her get out.”

“The hourglass is in the academy… inside the office,” I mumbled.

“Sky, may problema ka ba?” Tanong ni Aizelle dahilan upang matuon ang atensyon namin kay Skyler.

Nagtatakha siyang nakatingala sa kanyang uluhan, tila ba may nakikita na hindi naming nakikita. Dahan-dahan niyang tinuro ang itaas niya habang lukot na lukot ang kanyang mukha. “Nakikita niyo ba ‘yan?”

“We can’t,” sago ko.

“May oras… an hour. I think it’s connected to what’s happening right now.” Tumingin siya sa direksyon ni Aicelyn at wala sa asriling kinagat ang kanyang labi.

Buntong-hininga akong lumapit sa kanya at tinapik ang kanyang balikat. “Let’s split into groups. Sue will remain with us, we will watch Aicelyn. Sky, because you can see the timer, I think you’re the one who can stop the curse using the ‘time.’ Bring Light, Phoenix, and Aizelle with you.”

“How about us?” Aizen asked.

I meaningfully looked at Glifford. He cleared his throat. “Riley will lead your group. The three of you will travel to the Underworld. You must stop the Reapers and Titans.”

“The time is ticking…”

•❅──────✧❅✦❅✧──────❅•

Time swiftly passed by as Aicelyn slowly woke up from her deep slumber. She gradually roamed her sight around, feeling confused and dazed about what was happening right now. Sue immediately went to her side, checking if she was finally okay.

But looking at her, the pale hues of her skin faded, an indication that Skyler… got her out of the Fountain of Prophecy.

“Ice, masakit ba ang ulo mo? Tell me,” tanong ni Sue.

Umiling naman si Aicelyn bilang tugon. At bago pa may makapagsalitang muli sa amin, bigla na lamang lumitaw sa aming harapan si Aizen. Hindi maintindihan ang lukot na lukot niyang mukha.

“Aizen!”

Dahan-dahan akong lumapit sa kanya’t tinapik ang kanyang balikat. Ang malamlam niyang mga mata ay tumama sa akin. “What happened, Aizen?”

“I… we lost…” his voice cracked. I once again roamed my sight, no sign of Serena nor Riley.

Iniwasan niya ang mga mata ko dahilan upang magtama ang mga mata nila ni Aicelyn. Muli kong tinapik ang kanyang balikat upang kumpirmahin ang hinala ko’t nagsalita. “Where is Serena? Riley?” tanong ko.

Along with a long sigh, his tears suddenly fell, releasing all the exhaustion and the pang within his chest.

“Riley is a… he is a double agent,” he whispered.

“How about Serena? Where is she?”

Aizen gaped. He was trying to find the right words, but when his eyes drifted to Aicelyn, who was hiding her frustration. His tongue curled. Aicelyn began to clenched her fist while glaring at Aizen, expressing the surge of her anger.

All of a sudden, she stood. With her pursed lips, the sound of her heels echoed as she walked her way towards Aizen, along with her expressionless façade.

“Serena,” she darkly uttered.

Yet, even with a critical situation, our attention immediately drifted away when the door abruptly burst open, revealing a group of exhausted demigods… along with a beautiful maiden.

“Yelo, stop!” Skyler screamed at the top of his lungs. “I will explain on behalf of Aizen.”

After hearing Skyler’s voice, Aicelyn magically calmed down. “What do you mean?”

Skyler’s group laid their eyes at Aizen worriedly, as if they knew what happened to him, what he had experienced that we failed to hear. But entire attention wasn’t on them; it was with the woman who arrived along with them.

“How is your wound?” I heard Light asked.

“Alexis…” I whispered.

She secretly grimaced at me, but it immediately faded into a languid expression. And instead of walking in my direction, she poured her attention to Aizen. Madaya. “How are you, young man?” She asked Aizen.

At imbes na sumagot, pabalik-balik siyang lumingon kayna Alexis at Skyler. Para bang nahahalata niya ang pagkakahawig nilang dalawa kasabay no’n ang paglitaw ng isang mabilis na ngisi sa kanyang labi.

Alexis cleared her throat. “Serena is in Hades’ turf. She will stay there until she recovers. And seven months is the approximate time until she recovers from the forbidden spell.”

Nagtatakha pa rin na pinagmamasdan ni Aizen hanggang sa tinapik ni Phoenix ang balikat niya.

“Light’s new blessing helped. It let us know what happened to you during your battle with Night and Celine,” Phoenix stated.

Light nodded. “We were able to hear your voice and your conversation with Night and the others.”

“Hear?” Aizen asked. “But how are you able to deduce that Night used his forbidden spell?”

“Son of Athena… Daughter of Athena,” Alexis whispered. She looked at Aizen and smiled. “He is still learning Erebus’s blessing. Kaya naisip ko na maaaring forbidden spell pa lamang niya ang ginamit niya kay Serena.”

“Aizen,” Skyler called. Napangisi ako nang saglit siyang napangiwi dahil sa boses nito. “Hindi pa kia sinisisi pero mukha ka nang natatae r’yan.”

“Why didn’t you used your blessing?” Aizelle asked. She looked at her twin meaningfully.

Aizen pursed his lips and looked away. “I am scared…” he answered. But my eyes and ears weren’t deceived by his answer; for all I know, he hated it because he loathed his mother. And using his blessing means being able to see her.

“Strawberry,” Aicelyn mumbled, handing a piece of strawberry to Aizen. Phoenix suddenly tapped Aizen’s shoulder as if he was excited about what will happen next.

“Sarap ‘yan, Aizen,” naka-thumbs up na sabi ni Phoenix.

“Recommended,” sambit ni Skyler.

Nang kinain ni Aizen ang strawberry ay nagtatakha naming pinanood ang pagbabago ng itsura niya, bigla na lamang tinakpan ni Phoenix ang bibig niya upang hindi iyon mailuwa ni Aizen. At nang tuluyan malunok iyon ni Aizen ay sinamaan niya ng tingin si Phoenix.

“Putangina!”

“It is just a strawberry.” Light boasted. Pinukulan na lamang siya bigla nina Phoenix at Aizen nang masamang tingin kasabay nito ang pag-agaw ni Aizen sa isa pang strawberry na hawak ni Aicelyn saka iyon pinagpilitan na sinubo kay Light.

Nang sinubukan iyong iluwa ni Light, nagyelo ang bibig nito dahilan upang uluyang makain niyang makain iyon.

“What?” Aicelyn asked. “Ayokong masayang ang strawberry ko.”

After all their commotion, I felt Aizen looking at me. “Master Garet?”

“Yes?”

“Winter Solstice. December 21st.”

“Noted.”

“Master…” he called again. “Si Sky…”

I quizzically looked at him. “What’s with Sky?”

“Naghahanap daw po siya ng tatay, kung gusto niyo raw pong mag-apply.”

My eyes suddenly darkened when I heard Glifford and the others laughed. And with just a snap, I cast my blessing, making my follow to run towards Aizen, who immediately ran away from me.

“Huwag kang magpapaabot sa ‘kin!” At bago ko pa mahabol si Aizen, may bigla na lamang humila sa braso kasabay nito ang isang masakit na sampal sa mukha ko. “Kinginang kapal ng mukhang sampalin ako!”

Alexis suddenly laughed and grinned at me. “I missed you,” she whispered, locking me within her arms.

“Ang pangit mong maka-miss!”

She laughed once again, making my heart. It’s been seventeen years, but her effect was still the same. Alexis suddenly let go of me and looked at Skyler, “Hey, Sky…”

“Hmm?” Skyler mumbled.

“I have apologized for missing all of your achievements… but your father was secretly watching you from afar…”

“Father? You mean your fiancé, the one you told me?” Skyler asked.

“And you are now formally meeting him…” Alexis nodded and stole a glance at me. “This is your Garet Christopher Lockser, the mightiest king vessel, and your father.”

#