PHOENIX.

"Anong tipo mo sa babae?" Apollo asked. I groaned, he keeps on repeating that stupid question of his. "Or maybe I'm just too hot for you to handle?" Eww. Nasaan ang connect?

The moment we arrived here, he keeps on pestering me to answer all his goddamn questions hindi siya makaramdam na hindi ko siya gustong kausap. "Bakit hindi mo ako kinakausap? Hindi na ba ako mahal ng aking anak—"

"Shut up," I glared at him. I stood on the beach chair. Mabilis ko siyang tinalikuran at pumasok sa nag-iisang bahay rito. I felt the cold breeze inside the house, it was soothing and relaxing unlike outside.

The Sahara Desert was our training ground that even Master Garet's assumption wouldn't happen, not even a single woman would volunteer to join us.

"Phoenix Gregory Stanfield! At bakit ka nag-wawalk out?" He hissed. I rolled my eyes and looked behind.

"I walk in," I corrected. Nakakaproud naman self, ang talino ko talaga.

"Do you like someone? Zeus' daughter, perhaps?" He asked. His tone was way different from his playful one.

I quizzically looked at him, "Bakit ba kanina mo pang inuungkat ang taong gusto ko?" I asked.

"You are my son, normal lang na maging curious ako sa'yo especially that Paxon will get married soon,"

Gulat akong napatingin sa kanya, "Really? Invited ba ako?"

"Of course, but you can't bring any guest because it is only exclusive for royalties."

I smiled. Paxon finally found the woman he loves, huh? I looked at Apollo, kahit naman marami siyang babae ay hinahayaan niya kaming mamili nang matitipuhan namin.

He's not someone who meddles with someone's love story.

"How about Philomena? Is she well?"

"You'll see her in the war,"

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Ang bobo naman. Ibig sabihin ay kasali siya sa magaganap na war—"

I glared at him, "Gets ko. She's our little princess, don't you dare let her join the war. I don't want something bad to happen to my little princess,"

"Okay, I will tell it to Savannah." He softly said. I heaved a sigh. Hindi ako papayag na may mangyari sa nag-iisang babae sa pamilya namin. "Sol talked to you, right?" He asked.

"Yes, when I was hypnotized in my dream," I answered.

"Did you saw her?"

I bitterly smiled and took a sit on the couch as I shut my eyes, "Yes, she is still as beautiful as ever." And as I opened my eyes, I released faint magic on my palm, "She was enchanting, yet a hideous being was standing before her."

I clench my fist as I remembered that worst day of my life. "I just wished that I was stronger—"

"Do you know why you received the blessing of the sun instead of Paxon?" He asked. I looked at him curiously as he sits across mine. "It was Sol who chose you, she knows that you can wield the blessing of the sun more than anyone."

"It was the sun, huh?"

Nagulat na lamang ako nang bigla niyang hampasin ang ulo ko, "You are wielding the sun, not fire. You are my son, not Hephaestus'."

I received the blessing of the sun. Paxon, my older brother received the blessing of the oracle, and the youngest, Philomena, received the blessing of medicine.

"Listen, Phoenix. Aicelyn is your counterpart if she is the moon, you are the sun. The day will come that you'll shine for the moon,"

"It was just like Sol said, I need to shine for the moon," I whispered.

"Aicelyn's blessing was compared to Khione's children, her existence itself was a big question to all. She caused an uproar to the Divine Continent as Artemis' daughter, she altered the myths that we all knew— that Artemis vowed to the River Styx."

"But Ice isn't her real daughter, she's just her blessed child."

Apollo shrugged, "But not all of us knew it," bigla na lamang niyang ginulo ang aking buhok at malumanay na tumingin sa akin. "But let's talk about your blessing. Aicelyn was compared to Khione's while yours was compared to Hephaestus' but in reality, there is a big difference between your blessing to Garet's, you can only wield the hue of the sun while Garet can wield four colors. Within you were Sol, she was granting you to wield the power of the sun. And inside Aicelyn was Luna, who was simply granting her the power of the moon."

A question suddenly popped inside my mind, "Tanong lang, kapag ba nang halik si Ice, lalamigin ang hinalikan niya?" I asked. Saglit siyang napatigil at napakamot sa ulo dahil sa tanong ko.

"Well, I don't know. But I'm a hundred percent sure na mag iinit ang hahalikan mo dahil lahat nang nahalikan ko nag-init. Look at you, nabuo ka nga e."

I cringed. Manyak talaga ang dyos na 'to.

Ang tanging suot ko lamang ay sando at shorts dahil sa sobrang init at banas dito sa labas ng bahay. My body feels so hot and sticky, the wind was stirring up the wispy sand that made me shut my eyes. And as I opened my eyes, the sun's never-ending rays beat down on me. My mouth is longing for a cold stream of water.

Apollo suddenly whistled beside me, it wasn't the cat-calling whistle instead it was a whistle which was craving for attention. "Strip," he commanded.

"Manyak?"

"You need to feel the heat,"

His eyes were full of authority. Hinubad ko ang sando at shorts ko, tanging boxers lamang ang natira sa 'kin. "Now, run."

"Ha?"

"Handsome Apollo," He playfully said. Pinapaulit ko 'yung sinabi niya, hindi ko naman siya babarahin e.

"Run until 3:00 P.M., barefoot." He languidly said. Putangina, nakakabobo ata 'yung sinasabi niya. It's only 7:00 A.M. and he wanted me to run for fucking 8 hours? "And I'm not joking. Run, you're wasting our precious time."

I did what he said. The cruel sun was burning my skin, the sand under my feet were pricking me. "That stupid Apollo is torturing me," I mumbled.

"I'm not torturing you, I am training you." He said inside my mind.

I wryly smiled. "Ah, I almost forgot. Are you in a relationship with Clarkson?"

"We are not together."

"Then that's good, ayokong malagot kay Zeus dahil nagseselos ang anak niya."

"What do you mean?"

"Because you and Aizelle will be together."

My lips are chapped and dry, hindi ko alam kung ilang oras na akong tumatakbo sa kawalan and I am tired as hell. I am also curious about Apollo's statement earlier dahil hindi na siya umimik pagkatapos niyang bitawan ang mga salitang 'yon.

And then my body finally gave up, I tripped over the sand. I was lying in the grainy sand, it wasn't an ideal bed but it feels good. "Come back here," He said inside my mind.

My body won't move. I decided to shut my eyes, I was breathing heavily when I felt my body floating in the air. "You lasted for five hours, congratulations." He said. I remained my shut, I'm tired as hell and I just want to sleep for the entire month.

"I'm tired,"

"Masasanay ka rin, Phoenix."

"At bakit?"

"Because you will do that every day before the real training."

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