Matilda's POV

Humiga ako sa Elysian Fields nang nakadipa.

I have to go to my granddaughter's wedding later in the afternoon...

Ipinikit ko ang aking mga mata at dinamdam ang maamong simoy ng hangin.

I keep hearing voices... seeing visions of the future... I've never felt like a real oracle until now.

"Rhea," bulong ko. "I need your help."

Though I know that the great mother of the gods will only listen to me, but never show herself, unless she needs something from me.

"Please," I pleaded. "All I need to know is why. Why I could see them from this point of time..." Iminulat ko ang aking mga mata. "Kakailanganin ba nila ako?"

Umiling-iling ako.

I'm not drowning myself again.

This time, I really want to know. I want someone to give me answers.

"What..." Tuluyan na ngang nanghina ang aking boses. "What do you want from them?"

I wasn't only asking to Rhea. I was asking to every deity out there, including the ones from the realms beyond. To Chaos... to Destiny... and Time.

"Anong gagawin niyo sa kanila?" Nanginginig ang isang sulok ng aking labi nang bitawan ko ang sunod-sunod na mga katanungan. "Anong kailangan niyo sa kanila?"

I let out a bitter laugh. "Anong nakatadhana para sa kanila?"

Dumaan ang ilang segundo ng katahimikan, at muli akong napapikit nang maramdaman ang isang luha na tumakbo sa templo ng aking ulo.

Letting out a sigh of defeat, I finally whispered, "Omegas..."

I pray that they come find me when they need me, because I will be more than happy to tell them everything I know.

If only I knew everything.

Because right now, I don't.

I stared at the pale blue sky above me. Thin layers of clouds slowly moved, and my hand automatically reached for them, as if they hold all the answers to my questions.

Bumagsak ang aking kamay sa tiyan ko.

What can I do? I'm only an oracle.

An oracle... and a healer.

Dahan-dahan akong tumayo, at sinulyapan ang mga kaluluwa na agad napatago sa likod ng kakahuyan.

"An oracle and a healer," paalala ko sa sarili.

I ran my fingers above the long grasses of the field. I felt my eyes turned to gold when I summoned light under both my palms.

Pinilit ko ang sarili kong mga mata na lumiwanag pa lalo. At sa bawat sandaling lumilipas, naramdaman ko ang unti-unting pamimigat ng buong katawan ko.

More. I need to summon more power.

I clenched my teeth and painfully controlled the golden blood inside my body, willing it to manifest me.

Tila bumagal ang takbo ng dugo sa bawat ugat ko. Kakaibang init ang idinulot ng pagbukal nito sa katawan ko. Masakit hindi sa balat, kundi sa aking mga buto't kalamnan.

Tumingala ako at napaiyak sa sakit.

Blood trickled from the corner of my eyes and my nose, but even the taste of blood didn't make me stop.

I needed to control my visions, and for me to do it, I need to gather all the power that I have and control it.

Scorching heat dug deep into my palms. I was being burned alive by my own power, and I let out another wretched scream to compensate for the excruciating pain.

I swallowed pins and needles when I fell on my knees.

Napasigaw pa ako ng malakas nang makaramdam ako ng matinding hapdi sa aking tuhod, na para bang binalatan ito at lumuhod ako sa maliliit na piraso ng basag na salamin.

Heat and light filled my senses.

I crouched down and held my burning palms in front of me, my voice screeching from the piercing pain that radiated deep inside my body.

Heal yourself, Matilda.

"N-Not yet," sabi ko sarili at muling napaiyak sa sakit nang manipulahin ko ang sarili kong kapangyarihan at itinipon ito sa aking mga palad.

Nang hindi ko na makayanan ang bigat sa aking mga kamay ay agad ko itong itinukod sa lupa at napasigaw nang ilabas ito.

Saka ako bumagsak sa nanlalamig na sahig ng ceremonial hall.

Matagal-tagal akong napahilata rito, hanggang sa maramdaman ko ang pagdating ng napakabigat na presensya.

They're here.

I slowly lifted myself up, wincing in pain during the process. I struggled to stand but once I did, I looked at the group of students heading towards me.

A weakened smile formed on my lips.

There were still nine of them. Five boys and four girls, two of which, I already recognized as Paige and Isabella.

Hindi ko ito napansin noon dahil hindi ko nakita nang maayos, pero isang babae at isang lalaki ang nangunguna sa kanila.

Nakakunot ang aking noo habang nakamasid sa dalawang demigods.

The boy had shadow gray hair, like the color of a dark storm. And it did look like he just came out of a storm, because it was a bit messy. Both his hands were in his pockets, while he gave the girl a teasing smile and gently elbowed her shoulder.

They seemed close.

Itinagilid ko ang aking ulo upang masuri sila nang husto, ngunit tuluyan na nga akong napatigil nang ituon ng lalaki ang kanyang mga mata sa harapan. 

He flashed a charming smile, and with it, his purple eyes gleamed with a mesmerizing radiance.

No... it was his entire presence that radiated when his lips curved to a sweet smile.

I could feel it from where I was standing.

He, was the living embodiment of what a god should look like.

Napaatras ako.

And to think that he's here, casually walking with other mortals.

"What in the realms-" I couldn't finish my sentence when I looked at the girl that rolled her eyes at him in a playful manner.

Her golden brown hair was tied neatly into a ponytail. She too radiated on her own, but the air around her seemed different. She looked back at me with an unusually-colored eyes.

It was a dull brown, but when reflected with light, showed a tint of gold. It was as if her eyes were stuck between being brown and gold.

Nonetheless, she was as beautiful as the boy beside her.

She had a delicate walk, a master of her own pace, and I took another step back, from the overwhelming atmosphere that she carried with her solemn silence.

Lumiwanag ang aking mukha.

"Reign..." I whispered.

She must be Reign.

And her name says it all.

Sinundan ko sila ng tingin nang lumiko sila sa aking harapan at nagsiupuan. I took slow steps around their table, making sure to study each one of them.

Saka lang ako napahinto nang mapansin ko ang lalaking nakaupo sa tapat ni Reign.

Marahan kong ipinatong ang aking kamay sa upuan ni Reign at pinaningkitan siya.

He had jet black hair and pale brown eyes. One of his hands rested on the table, gently playing with a silver fork. He then stopped moving, and I could see how his thick brows furrowed.

Mula sa gitna ng mesa, dahan-dahan niyang inangat ang kanyang tingin kay Reign, at mula kay Reign, sa'kin.

He pretty much blended in with everyone around him, not until he looked back at me, because at the moment, I could clearly see mist floating inside his eyes.

Golden mist, that made his eyes a lighter shade of brown.

Bigla akong nanghina sa kinatatayuan ko. "H-Henri?"

Tinitigan niya lang ako.

"Henri..." sambit ko ulit at napangiti.

Pero mabilis itong napawi nang bahagya niyang ipiniling ang kanyang ulo.

"Matilda," he mouthed.

I gasped when an unseen force sent me flying backwards, away from them.

"No!" sigaw ko. Hindi pa ako tapos!

Binago ko ang kulay ng aking mga mata at sapilitang ibinalik ang aking sarili sa loob ng visions ko. Ngunit sa huli, wala na akong ibang nagawa kundi hayaan ang realidad na hatakin ako pauwi sa Elysium.

Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata at nakita si Thanatos.

Napaluhod ako.

"Matilda!" Yumuko siya sa harap ko at pinigilan akong matumba. "What did you do to yourself this time?!"

Binigyan ko siya ng isang nanghihinang ngiti. "At this point, I think they're not just demigods anymore..."

"What are you talking about?"

Natawa ako nang mahina.

"Matilda!"

"Tulog lang ako saglit," sambit ko at humilig sa kanya nang nakapikit.