SOLEIA'S POV

After exhausting my mind, they're going to tire out my body now. Hindi ba uso ang pahinga rito?

"Akala ko katapusan ko na 'yung Greek History pero mukhang P.E. pala!"

Pagkapasok pa lang namin sa loob ng gymnasium ay bigla na kaming pinatakbo ng guro namin na si Sir Saint, isa ring protector ng academy. Anak siya ni Apollo.

"You're too slow, Talia!" sigaw niya. "Pick up the pace, Mavi!"

Hinihingal akong tumakbo. He told us to run five laps around the field and I've done three. Dalawa na lang.

Kung sino ang mahuhuli sa'ming siyam, siya ang maghuhugas ng mga plato namin sa dorm mamaya. Syempre, ayaw kong magpatalo.

Tapos na sina Amari, Haze, at Raven sa pagtakbo at malapit nang matapos si Mavi. Nahuhuli naman sina Cole, Talia, at Tazyn. Halos kasabay ko lang si Callie ngayon.

Thank the heavens! Mabuti nalang talaga at lagi kaming nag-eensayo ni Mira dati. Those brutal running sessions in the morning are paying off right now.

Nagtagal ako ng ilan pang minuto bago makatapos. It was really tiring! Sunod na natapos sa'kin si Callie, at ngayon, hinihintay nalang namin ang tatlo na mukhang mawawalan na ng hininga.

"CURSE THE GODS!" Talia's scream could be heard throughout the whole field. "SIR SAINT, ITIGIL NA NATIN 'TO!"

Napuno kami ng tawanan dahil sa kanya. Pati ang guro namin ay nahawa na. "Almost there, you three!"

Sa huli ay si Talia pa rin talaga ang natalo kaya nakasimangot siyang bumalik dito. "I already have my abilities, so why do I even have to learn how to train with a weapon for Apollo's sake?!" reklamo nito. Nakita ko ang pagsama ng tingin nina Amari sa kanya.

"Imagine if I take away your abilities, daughter of Apollo, what would have you become then?" seryosong tanong ni Sir Saint. Napatigil kaming lahat.

"I am one of Apollo's children myself but even I, without my powers, am not strong enough to fight evil unless I have proved myself to be worthy."

Napatahimik si Talia bago mapatungo. Mukhang napagtanto niyang tama si Sir Saint. Kung wala naman kaming kapangyarihan ay wala rin kami.

"For today's training session, I want to assess your new members' potential. Soleia, Cole, step forward."

Oh for Hades' sake!

Napatingin kami ni Cole sa isa't isa. Palihim akong napapalunok sa tuwing nagtatama ang paningin namin dahil hindi maganda ang pakiramdam ko rito.

"Battle each other," utos ng guro namin.

Agad na nanlaki ang mata naming lahat. What? Is he really sure about this? I'm just gonna lose anyway!

Nalilitong tingin ang ibinato sa'kin ni Cole, mukhang nag-aalala. "Sure ka na po diyan, Sir Saint? Ayaw ko pa pong mamatay ng maaga."

Oh, he wasn't worrying about me. He's worrying about himself.

Sir Saint's eyebrows raised. "Are you refusing, demigods?"

Sabay kaming sumagot ni Cole.

"Hindi po!"

"Of course not."

Dumiretso na kaming dalawa sa gitna at naghanda. Nagdasal na muna ako sa lahat ng mga diyos at diyosa rito na sana hindi ako dumiretso sa underworld pagkatapos nito. "Unsheathe your weapons."

At his signal, I retrieved the feather blades concealed in my coat. I smiled at my opponent, but then my expression shifted. It felt as if a sudden surge of energy had taken over me.

Nginisian ako ng kalaban ko. Sir Saint's grin showcased how satisfied he was with our energy. "On my mark..." Naghanda na agad ako. "One, two..."

"Three!"

Hindi kami sumugod sa isa't isa. Nagpakiramdaman lang kami habang nanonood sa'min sina Callie. "Like the old times?" Cole suddenly asked.

The fire in my eyes burned even brighter. "Like the old times."

Doon na kami tuluyang sumugod sa isa't isa. I admit, I wasn't the best at handling weapons. Hindi ako kasing galing nina Amari, pero kaya kong tapatan si Cole.

His weapon was a hammer. It reminds me of Thor's somehow. Blessing ito ni Hephaestus sa kanya kaya alam kong hindi ito pangkaraniwan.

He suddenly hit the ground with his weapon. It caused a crack, making me move back. "Holy Hades-" Hindi pa ako nakakagalaw nang itapon niya sa direksyon ko ang sandata niya.

I took four feather blades and threw them towards the hammer's direction so that it would change its trajectory.

When our weapons clashed, I heard a loud thud. It caused a small spark of fire, so I had to shield my eyes from its impact.

My blades were stuck on the ground, and I willed them to come back into my hands. It wasn't one of my personal abilities — it was a clever idea that Mira incorporated into my weapon's design.

Kailangan kong makaisip ng paraan... paano ko ba matatalo si Cole? Mas malaki ang sandata niya at halatang mas malakas siya sa'kin.

"GO MGA BEBE KOOOO! WOOHOO!"

I can't think straight!

Patuloy lang kami sa pakipagpapalitan ng mga atake, at sa puntong ito, hindi ko alam kung sino ang mananalo.

"Tsk." Pati si Cole ay nainis na dahil walang gustong magpatalo sa aming dalawa. Medyo nagulat nga ako dahil umabot ako ng ilang minuto na kalaban si Cole. Kung iba 'to, kanina pa akong nakahandusay.

Biglang umuga ang kapaligiran kaya saglit akong nawalan ng balanse. Akmang ipupukpok ni Cole ang sandata niya sa'kin pero mabuti nalang at nakailag ako.

Is he trying to kill me?

"What in the realms-" Bigla siyang napasigaw nang batuhan ko ng dalawa blade ang pagmumukha niya. Ang bilis ng karma ah.

"Soleia..."

Akmang susugod ako nang biglang magbago ang tingin ni Cole sa'kin. He seems angry. I glanced nervously at the others, but it seems like they haven't realized it yet.

Why is he angry all of a sudden?

"Cole... calm down." I tried to talk to him but to no avail. He slowly walked towards me with heavy steps, frustration evident in his movements. Umaapoy siya sa galit.

Fire.

Speaking of fire... flames started to rise. "Cole!"

I didn't know what to do.

Swirls of orange and yellow heat surrounded me. I coughed and coughed, but... I couldn't do anything.

Agad na naalerto sina Sir Saint pero hindi sila nakalapit dahil sa makapal na apoy na bumalot sa kanila. "By the gods," they cursed.

"Anong gagawin natin?!" Mavi shouted. "Can I extinguish the fire with my powers?" dagdag niya.

Nakita ko ang pagbabago ng kulay ng mata ni Cole. Mula sa tsokolate, naging dilaw ito. Matingkad na dilaw.

Is he manifesting his powers?

"Don't be hasty. This is no ordinary fire, it is Hephaestus' himself," seryosong sagot ni Sir Saint.

Ano'ng gagawin ko dito? Wala akong laban sa kanya. Gamit niya ang kapangyarihan niya habang ako... hindi ako kasinlakas niya.

I caught a glimpse of the Elysians in my peripheral vision. "Stay put," I heard Haze command, and my body, like it had a mind of its own, followed.

I weakly gazed at them.

Tumingin lang ako... dahil 'yun lang naman ang kaya kong gawin. Dahil hindi ako malakas at hindi ako kasing galing nila.

Pero kahit ganoon, inaasam ko pa ring maabot sila.

Kasi sa nakikita ko ngayon, sa nararamdaman ko ngayon, nagdadalawang-isip na ako...

Kung ito ba talaga ang tamang lugar para sa isang katulad ko.