Reign's POV

Isang segundo lang ang kinailangan ko upang makapunta sa Underworld mula sa Elysium pero pakiramdam ko kalahati ng mundo ang tinahak namin dahil sa laki ng pinagkaiba ng realms.

"Gods," puna ko nang makaapak ako sa itim na lupa ng Underworld. Tila sinampal ako ng masangsang na amoy na agad pumasok sa ilong ko dahilan na mahina akong napahagod dito.

"You're right." Unlike me, Paige looked unbothered by the quick change of air once she stepped out of the portal. "Some gods do live here."

Nanatiling nasa loob ng portal si Raphael na nakangiti sa'min. "My apologies if I cannot accompany you, ladies," aniya. "I have got some errands to do."

"We're fine," sabi ni Paige.

Raphael's smile widened. "I know."

Habang nag-uusap-usap sila tungkol sa ruta papuntang palasyo ni Persephone, kung saan naninirahan si Hecate para sa 100-year punishment niya, umikot-ikot ako sa kinatatayuan ko at nagsimulang mabagal na naglakad.

From the far east, I could see the shadow of a volcano blowing off black steam that gathered thick above its crater. And on the west, was more mountains and glaciers, that had the same color as dried blood.

Mabuti nalang at mabilis na nasanay ang aking katawan sa nakakayamot kong kapaligiran kaya mayamaya pa'y natagpuan ko ang aking sarili na naglilibot-libot sa Underworld nang nakapalikod ang mga kamay at nakataas ang noo, tila tinitimbang ang bawat nakikita, hinuhusgahan kung sapat ba ang dilim at lamig na nakapaligid sa'kin, para sabihing nasa realm nga ako kung saan sumasakabila ang mga kaluluwa at kung saan din naninirahan ang deities na silang may hawak ng kadiliman.

"Is it what you expected?" tanong ni Paige na tumabi sa'kin at sinabayan ang mga hakbang ko.

Napadaan kami sa isang mababaw na burol sa lupa. Napansin kong may butas ito sa gilid, at mula rito, mayroong mga buto ng taong bahagyang nakalabas.

"The realm is dark..." I glanced at the horizon that offered nothing more than a thick fog and shadows. "And cold..."

"And it stenches of death..." mahina kong dugtong. "It's everything that the books say. Why would I be surprised?"

"You say that like you've been here before," ani Paige.

Natawa ako nang mahina. "Paige, nakakapanibago din ang lugar na'to para sa'kin, pero pagkatapos ng lahat ng nangyari sa'tin, wala nang gugulat pa sa'kin, kahit gaano kalaking pagbabago ba 'yan mula kapaligiran ko... o mga bagay..." Binulong ko ang huling mga kataga. "O mga taong kasama ko..."

Matagal-tagal pa bago ko muling narinig ang boses niya.

"You're scaring me, Reign."

Nilingon ko siya, nagtataka. Ibinaba ko na rin sa magkabilang gilid ko ang aking mga braso.

"Bakit?" usisa ko.

"Ever since you found out about what Henri is capable of, you've been..." Nasilayan ko ang pagkibot ng kanyang kilay.

Kumunot ang aking noo. "Been what?"

She sighed. "Different."

"How?"

"You're taking more precautions," aniya. "Around us."

"Oh," bulong ko. "Bakit? Pakiramdam mo ba dinidistansya ko yung sarili ko mula sa inyo?"

"Mmm." She hummed in agreement.

Wala sa sarili akong napangiti. "I'm not," I assured her. "I'm just figuring a lot of things out."

"Can you tell me?" she asked. "What you've been thinking."

"Paige, wag kang mag-alala," malumanay kong sabi, na may kasamang marahang pagtawa. "Hindi ako lumalayo sa inyo, malayo lang talaga palagi yung iniisip ko."

Hindi niya ako binalingan ng tingin nang mamuo ang isang nag-aalalang ngiti sa kanyang labi. "You're stupid if you think you can hide something from me."

"You think I'm hiding something from you?" nanghahamon kong tugon.

Tumigil siya sa paglakad dahilan na mapahinto rin ako. Humarap siya sa'kin at pinaningkitan ako para suriin ang kabuuang ekspresyon ko.

"No," sagot niya, pagkatapos akong obserbahin. "I don't think you're hiding something from me."

Palihim akong napabuntong-hininga.

"But I do think there's something you're not telling me," dugtong niya. "But you will, soon."

Wala sa sarili akong napangiti sa sinabi niya. "Sooner than you expect."

Nakakatuwa. My brother's going to have to try harder in keeping secrets from her, even the smallest ones, because even I can't fully conceal myself in the eyes of an Omega, specifically the daughter of the saint and the seeker.

What Paige seeks... she finds.

And that's one of the reasons why I keep her always close to me. Because she reads not only books, but also everything around her, including me, and she does not shy in telling me about it.

Nagsimula akong maglakad ulit. "You've been training?"

"Everyone is." Mabilis na sumunod si Paige sa'kin. "It's what we do when we've got nothing to do."

Napakisap-kisap ako. "Pati na rin sina Zack at Amber?"

Tumango siya, at sinundan ito ng isang buong minuto ng katahimikan. Marahil, alam na naming dalawa kung ano ang dahilan ng seryosong pagsabak naming lahat sa training, simula nang namulat kami sa totoong kapangyarihan ng kalaban namin.

"Do you think we're already under his spell? His control?" tanong ko.

"Maybe, or maybe not," sagot niya. "But if we are already under his control, there's only one thing I'm sure of: we're not in it as deep as you."

Don't get me wrong, pinaghandaan ko na ang isasagot niya, kung paano ako ang naging pinakamahina sa'min at ang pinakamabilis na nadala. At hindi nga kasinglaki ng isang blade ang saksak ng mga salita niya, pero tumusok pa rin sa dibdib ko ang dulo ng isang maliit na karayom, at kumalat ang kirot nito sa buong harapan ko.

"Ow," puna ko.

"It's the truth, Reign," paliwanag niya.

Malungkot akong napangiti. "I know."

"But it's not entirely your fault," dagdag niya. "And you can still do something about it."

Sa madaling salita, gusto na niya akong magmove-on.

"It takes time, you know," sabi ko sa kanya.

"You can if you manage your time wisely," giit niya.

"Kay Tita Kara mo ba nakuha 'yang linya na 'yan?" Natawa ako nang may maalala. "Parang narinig ko na 'yan dati, eh, nung pinagalitan ka kasi na-late tayo."

"So, what?" aniya. "You know most of my wisdom and knowledge come from my own mother."

"Ang unfair naman n'yan kay Tito..." pabulong kong puna.

"The only thing that I learned from my Dad is how to speak louder, Reign," sabi niya, dahilan na magpigil kami ng mga ngiti.

"No, but seriously." Siniko ko siya. "Let's talk about how it's going with my brother."

"He's not boring you, is he?" usisa ko.

"Surprisingly..." Maingay siyang napabuga ng hangin. "He is an interesting opponent in chess and in combat."

Nagkasalubong ang aking kilay. "Didn't you know he was good in chess? Si Dad kasi yung nagturo sa kanya, eh."

Kumibit-balikat si Paige. "I thought he was lying when he said he was."

"You made a mistake in reading him?" Natawa na nga ako nang tuluyan. "I thought you already perfected the skill of reading people if they were lying or not?"

"Your brother confuses me," saad niya. "He knows how to play small tricks of his own."

"Grey knows a lot, Paige," sabi ko. "He just doesn't take them seriously."

Paige's POV

We entered Persephone's palace which was filled with dull-colored vines and flowers. The inside was adorned with cement vases and paintings inside silver frames.

"Please wait here while I tell the mistress," a lampad, an Underworld nymph that's one of Persephone's servants, told us before she left.

Her pale yellow dress faded into the white fog that was gathered on the other end of a hall.

Persephone's castle was as grand as a castle could be. It stood as tall as a hill, and the top of its towers disappeared into the black misty clouds above. There was a garden near the entrance, and a cement fountain, but the flowers were all dead, and the running water was a dark green.

"You think Bella's been here?" I asked Reign, who I just recently discovered has disappeared.

Luminga-linga ako. "Reign?"

Umikot-ikot ako sa kinatatayuan ko. "Reign!"

Nagsimula na akong mag-alala nang bigla kong marinig ang umalingawngaw niyang boses.

"Dito!"

Humarap ako sa direksyon na pinanggalingan ng kanyang boses at nakita siyang bahagyang nakatago sa likod ng isang pillar, nakatingala sa isang malaking painting.

Lumapit ako kay Reign at mula sa kanya, inangat ko ang aking tingin sa larawan na tinitignan niya, at agad napatigil.

My brows furrowed once I recognized the woman painted in black and white. She wore a vintage dress and a sparkling veil, and was surrounded by vases of flowers, statues, and paintings. She stood in the middle of an aisle, wearing a gentle smile that was enough to bring life to her colorless painting.

"She has a painting of my mom?" Reign chuckled.

Tumabi ako sa kanya nang hindi tinatanggal ang aking mga mata mula sa painting.

"Seems like it," sabi ko.

"She's one of my favorite flowers."

Mabilis kaming napalingon ni Reign sa babaeng biglang lumabas mula sa kabilang dulo ng hall.

Narinig ko ang mabagal na pagsinghap ng kasama ko, at lingid sa kanyang kaalaman, palihim akong sumabay sa kanya, dala ng pagkamangha sa babaeng naglakad papalapit sa'min.

The Queen of the Underworld... wore a black gown that had a long trail made of veil. It sparkled black and white, because of the small pieces of opal and diamonds that decorated the length of her skirt. She wore a small crown with black pearls hanging on the sides, and on the center of her forehead, hung a green gem.

A dark, but beautiful smile curved her pale red lips.

Somehow, she looked both dead and alive.

And she looked at us pleased by our silent reactions.

Bahagya kong iniyuko ang aking ulo. Samantalang nanatili namang nakatulala si Reign kaya siniko ko siya.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ni Reign sa sandaling nagising ang kanyang diwa, at mabilisan niyang ibinaba rin ang kanyang noo.

Nang muli naming iangat ang aming tingin sa goddess, sinalubong pa rin kami ng magaan niyang ngiti.

"Persephone..." Reign breathed out her name, seemingly entranced.

And I wouldn't blame her. Because the woman in front of us didn't fall short on bewitching us with just her presence and beauty.

Persephone squinted her eyes at Reign. "Strange. I thought you were going to look more like your father. You were named after him, weren't you?"

Nilingon ko si Reign na tumango.

"Reign..." Persephone whispered back her name, as if she was as entranced as her. "Are you the same as your mother?"

Reign laughed softly and shook her head. "No," she said, contented. "I will never be as kind and good as her."

Mabagal na ipiniling ni Persephone ang kanyang ulo, tila may hinihintay pa na sasabihin ni Reign.

She knows, I realized. She knows how Reign is not her mother and father.

"And I'd rather not be the same as her." Ngumiti si Reign sa kanya. "I'm my own."

Because she's both of them.

Satisfied, Persephone smiled back at her. "It's a pleasure to have the both of you here in my home, Reign..." Her eyes widened with eagerness when she met my gaze. "And Paige."

She clasped her hands in front of her. "But I know you are not here for me..." Lumapad ang kanyang ngiti, bago niya kami sinenyasang sumunod sa kanya. "So please, follow me."

Nagpalitan kami ng tingin ni Reign bago gumalaw.

Tumungo kami sa kumpulan ng mist na nasa kabilang dulo ng hall at saka pumasok dito. Nakaramdam muna ako ng matinding lamig bago ako lumabas sa isang malawak at maaliwalas na flower garden.

Napasingkit pa ako ng mga mata sa matinding silaw na sumalubong sa'kin, at nang maayos na ang aking paningin, isang nymph na lumitaw sa aking harapan ang nag-abot sa'kin ng isang bulaklak. May kasama rin siyang lumapit kay Reign at binigyan din ito ng bulaklak.

"Goodness gracious!"

My head turned to the woman that screamed in exhaustion. She wore a purple shirt, brown khaki shorts and a pair of black gardening boots.

"Where's my hat?" Suminghap siya. "Did I leave it at the castle?"

Nanliit ang aking mga mata sa boses niya.

Persephone?

"It is here, my lady!" Isang nymph ang nagmamadaling umabot sa kanya ng gardening hat niya.

"Sorry, girls, it is harvest season, for spring." Pinaypay muna ni Persephone sa kanyang mukha ang hat sa kamay niya bago suotin ito. "There has been a shortage of nymphs, which means I need to work with what I have left."

Muli na naman kaming nagtinginan ni Reign, na katulad ko ay takang-taka rin sa inaasta ngayon ng kanina la'y malamig at nakakapangilabot na deity.

"I mean-" Napakurap-kurap si Reign. "Siya pa rin naman yung goddess of spring, di ba?"

Tapos, sabay naming tinignan si Persephone na namimitas ng mga bulaklak at nilalagay ang mga ito sa bitbit niyang basket.

"Mistress has been here since the day five of us did not return from the mortal realms. She has rarely visited her palace to help us with gathering and planting," pagbibigay-alam ng isang nymph. "Isn't she the kindest?"

Lumiwanag ang mga mata ng nymph. "She wants me to tell you that Hecate's at the lemon grove." May tinuro siyang direksyon kaya napatingin kami dito. "That's the apples and oranges. The lemon is a few blocks past the cen-"

The nymph was interrupted by the sudden swirl of black mist that appeared in front of us. It spiraled towards the sky and revealed to us a woman, bigger and taller than us, wearing a black shirt under a denim overalls.

First, she took off her gloves, and then her straw hat, letting her black hair fall over a shoulder.

"I was summoned?" Cold air came from her mouth once she spoke.

Napasulyap ako sa mga balahibo ko sa braso na kusang nagsitayuan sa sandaling inilapag na niya ang kanyang presensya sa aming harapan at pinarinig ang kanyang boses.

Hecate.

Nahirapan akong ituon ang aking mga mata sa deity na nakababa ang tingin sa'min ngunit pinilit ko pa ring abutin ito, kahit pakiramdam ko pinatungan ng semento ang nakayuko kong ulo.

Her black misty eyes bore on me with an empty look, before glancing at Reign from the side. "Demigod." Humarap siya rito. "Have you come to pay me for my mirror you have broken?"

Kumunot ang aking noo sa sinabi niya, saka rin ako napalingon kay Reign. "You broke her mirror?"

"Teka-" Tinignan ako ni Reign. "Hindi ko 'yon sinadya."

"What?" I mouthed, hindi makapaniwala. "How did you even manage to break an enchanted mirror?" Napailing ako. "And who's going to pay for it? Because I'm sure I won't and you can't."

Humilig siya papalapit sa'kin. "Hindi ko nga rin kasi alam kung pa'no ko yun nasira-"

"You ruined its purpose," sabi ni Hecate. "You killed it."

"Reign!" pabulong kong sigaw.

"Wait lang kasi!" aniya, at saka tumuwid ng pagkakatayo. "Uhh-" Tumikhim siya. "Magkano po ba yung babayarin ko?"

The last thing we'd want from a goddess like Hecate is a debt to pay, and now I'm just discovering that we actually do have a debt to pay?

"Nothing," Hecate seriously answered.

"There must be something," Reign insisted. "You're a chthonic goddess aren't you? One of the rebels? Don't you want to ask for my soul? Or-"

"Reign!" I stopped her from giving away her life.

"Di ko naman ibibigay, eh!" aniya.

"Kahit na." Pinandilatan ko siya. "Huwag mong bigyan ng ideya."

"I was once a rebel deity." Hecate handed her gloves and hat to a nymph. "Now I'm an imprisoned goddess, cursed to be a servant for a century. Stuck under the light and awful smell of spring-"

"I heard that!" Persephone shouted from afar.

Hecate sighed, tired. "What do you want? I could only do much. The gods have taken a part of me. My essence, my mist... my power."

"We don't need your power," sabi ko. "Just what you know."

Walang ipinagbago sa nababagot niyang ekspresyon. "About?"

"About the gods." Si Reign ang sumagot. "About what's happening to the scale of good and evil..."

Matagal-tagal kaming tinitigan ni Hecate, at ilang sandali pa'y muling napabuntong-hininga.

"The gods took everything away from me, except my mirror and my cards. The mirror I rented to the Academy, the one you broke. And the cards I have been keeping," aniya. "Like my mirror, the use of my cards cost a price."

"Name it," sambit ko.

The goddess looked at me first, before slowly drifting her eyes back to Reign.

"Knowledge is priceless but for you, I will name a price," tugon niya.

"What is it?" ani Reign.

"A memory," sagot niya.

"A memory?" pag-uulit ni Reign.

Umiling ako sa kanya.

"No," sambit ni Reign kay Hecate. "You can't."

"Do you not have a memory you wish to forget?" tanong ng deity sa kanya. "I was sure you do."

Umiling ulit ako kay Reign, senyas na humindi, ngunit matagal-tagal pa bago siya nagsalita, halatang pinag-iisipan.

Oh, no.

"Just one?" Reign asked, to which I stopped her.

"Memories, no matter how useless or painful they are to you, is important, Reign, she wants to take a part of you," I explained the risk. "You cannot give it to her."

"Then let's not call it a memory..." Hecate grinned annoyingly at me. "Let's call it a regret."

Reign looked at me sternly, before turning to Hecate once again. "I think I have one that I want to give up."

"You don't," I objected.

"I do," she said, voice void of interest and concern over her own self. "I have a memory I don't need."

"You think you don't need but you actually do," I insisted, again. "And shouldn't we talk about this first? Can't we go back and return after-"

"I'll give it to you now," anunsyo ni Reign, balewala ang sinabi ko. "If you don't just tell us."

Bahagyang bumukas ang aking bibig, at madahan akong napailing.

"Answer all our questions, Hecate." An unbothered smile formed on her lips. "And I will let you keep a part of me."

Hecate's grin disappeared the same pace as Reign's smile appeared. The goddess' eyes fluttered weakly at the sight of Reign fully invested at her offer, as if she's starting to regret pulling a few of her strings.

While Reign's breathing remained steady, I noticed Hecate's chest heaving slowly up, to take in a deep preparing breath, and her eye slightly twitched as she let the air out of her lungs.

Bakit siya ang naghahanda? At hindi ang taong hinahamon niya?

Reign...

I stopped myself from taking a step back.

What is she doing?

"It will hurt," sabi ni Hecate. "To enter the house of cards, one of my domains."

"Nothing like the hurt I'm going through," ani Reign.

She accepted her deal.

Mabilis akong napayuko sa aking balikat nang makaramdam ng hapdi. Kumunot ang aking noo pagkatapos makita ang isang sariwang hiwa sa balat ko. Hahawakan ko na sana ito kung hindi lang sa biglaang paghapdi rin ng kabilang balikat ko kung saan nakita ko ang isa pang hiwa.

Napaatras ako nang sunod-sunod na namuo ang mga hiwa sa aking mga braso, at pag-angat ko ng aking ulo, namalayan kong mag-isa nalang ako at unti-unting napapalibutan ng mist.

"Reign!" tawag ko.

Nahagilap ko ang isang puting bagay na lumipad at dinaplisan ang aking pisngi. Dinama ko ang hiwa na iniwan nito sa aking mukha.

Agad kong binalik ang aking atensyon sa paghahanap sa presensya ni Reign.

"Reign!" Her presence was near, but she was still nowhere to be seen. "Where are you-" A faint gasp escaped my lips when my whole body was thrown backwards by a strong push of wind.

The sound of air rushing filled my ears while I was flying, my arms reaching in front of me.

"Reign!" sigaw ko sa halip ng rumaragasang hangin sa aking tenga. "Hecate!" galit kong sigaw pagkatapos.

Umaligid sa'kin ang kakaibang tunog habang lumilipad pa rin ako. Ilang segundo pa ang kinailangan ko upang mahinuha kung ano ito.

Cards.

It was the sound of cards being shuffled that rung around and inside my ears. The slap of card against another echoed inside my mind and my head flinched from the loud riffle of the cards.

And it only got worse.

Cuts formed all around my body, including my face, forcing me to move my arms against the wind and cover my head. I gritted my teeth when more cuts appeared on my arms and hands. I only couldn't take it when something caught my shoulder and sunk deep into my skin.

Malakas kong hinatak ang bagay na sumubsob sa aking balikat, at nakita ang isang duguang baraha.

Only then did I realize that it was a bunch of cards flying faster than me that cut my skin.

Finally, my feet touched unseen land, and I rolled over it after I was thrown. My body bounced over and over before I settled on my stomach, covered in dirt and cuts.

"Paige?" Narinig ko ang boses ni Reign. "Paige!"

Itinukod ko ang aking mga palad saka napaluhod. Dalawang kamay ang umalalay sa'kin patayo, at napag-alaman kong kay Reign.

Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin kahit hindi ko siya makita sa sobrang dilim, saka hinatak ang aking braso mula sa pagkakahawak niya.

Ramdam ko ang nag-aalangan niyang paglapit sa'kin.

"When will you listen?" galit kong tugon.

"I'm sorry but I had to," she apologized. "I wanted to."

"You just gave away one of your memories, Reign," paalala ko sa ginawa niya.

"It was an opportunity," aniya. "Sinadya ko 'yon, Paige."

Nag-abot ang aking kilay. "An opportunity for what?"

"To know what Henri meant when he said I was hiding something."

Mas lalo ko lang ipinagtaka ang sinagot niya. "What?"

She wasn't given the chance to explain when we heard Hecate's voice echo within the darkness that surrounded us.

'Disturbed... the realms are disturbed...'

There it is. The riddles.

Hinanda ko ang aking sarili sa susunod na sasabihin ng goddess.

'Ever since servants returned kings, and brought forth a golden era, an age of powers to the kingdoms...'

"She's talking about our parents," I quickly concluded.

'Powers...' Hecate's voice whispered so close to my ears. 'It is power that is disturbing the scale of good and evil, for the Omegas have brought back with them power, and now, it is everywhere.'

'Give more power to good, and it will turn evil... Give power to evil, and it will break the scale, and rule the good... and everything will end sour, bitter.'

"You can not blame our parents for this," sabi ko. "They saved the realms."

'But consequences...'

"Right. Consequences," pag-uulit ni Reign. "Tsk."

'You parents saved the realms and have brought with them power. The chance to taste, touch and hold power...'

"Which is why the gods are craving for it, isn't it?" tanong ko. "They have turned sour because they think they can have as much power as they want, and then what? What do they plan to do with too much power?"

'They will unknowingly destroy themselves...'

"Good," puna ko.

'And bring everything down with them.'

"Not good, Paige," komento ni Reign. "What path should we take, goddess of crossroads? Which road is the best for us to walk on?"

'The road most unsafe.'

"Of course," nababagot kong sabi. "It just had to be the unsafest one."

'Or you could make your own path, pave your own way to the future not destined, but made.'

"We can?" usisa ko. "Even against the son of destiny?"

'Your parents have proved to the realms that nothing is impossible. The gods have already realized this, and is on the move to do the impossible. How about you?'

'The Alpha Omegas used to bear a symbol on their wrists, made out of their own golden blood... and now they have birthed it. They brought you, the Omegas, to life. And just like them, you are capable of ending.'

'You were once the golden symbols carved on their skins.'

Unti-unting bumaba ang aking paningin nang alalahanin kung anong simbolo ang tinutukoy niya. Ang simbolong dating nakaukit sa pulso ng mga magulang namin. At madali naman itong maalala, dahil ito rin ang pangalan at simbolo ng class namin.

'The Omegas, as Alphas, turned the end into a beginning, but you... you are Omegas, not Alphas. You are the true end. The purest of the end.'

'And it is you who the gods are seeking for.'

'You, are the golden symbols the most powerful once bore. You, are the power that your parents have unknowingly brought back to the realms.'

"Are you saying that we're the problem here?" I asked. "That the reason why there is imbalance in this world, is because of our existence? Because we carry... power?"

'Ever since the beginning, the gods have thought that they were the most powerful...'

'But lo and behold, the sons and daughters of their own sons and daughters carried just as much, or more, power as them.'

I let out a short sigh. "Why can't they just see us as family and let us live our own lives? Why do they have to be threatened?"

'It is their nature, for the ones who have been so long at the top, to look down but never look up...'

I scoffed.

Gods.

'Not unless you force them.'

Napatigil ako.

Force them?

'Pave your own way, Omegas, just like what your parents did. Do what you believe is right, for just like them, you are also being protected.'

"By who?" Curiosity got the best of me.

'My cards, they tell me of a sole queen among a deck of kings.'

'A diamond in this golden era, and perhaps, the most powerful in this age of powers.'

Magtatanong na sana ulit ako nang magsalita na naman si Hecate.

'Persephone has summoned us back to the gardens. We are to hurry.'

"Bakit?" tanong ni Reign.

'The council. They have just been found dead, with not a soul left.'