The moment I stepped down from the Ashes Castle, I stopped briefly in surprise to see golden chariots around. Then, there was one man with golden hair and eyes who shined brightly like Red... like the sun. Ah, he's probably Apollo, the Greek God of Sun, knowledge, poetry... almost everything.

Nagtipon na ang mga estudyante rito, at namangha sa chariots. My eyes looked for Lucifuge, but he was already behind me. Hindi siya nakatingin sa'kin, kun'di kay Apollo kaya't nagtaka ako. Did Apollo do something weird here? Hindi naman aakot ng ganito si Lucifuge nang walang dahilan. I know him well.

"No, love. He isn't doing anything yet. I just don't like the vibes he's giving. Look, he's staring at you," sambit ni Lucifuge sa utak ko. Aish, nakalimutan ko na namang nababasa niya nga pala ang isip ko. Tiningnan niya ako, then to the pin on my collar, and back to me again.

Hindi ko naman pinansin ang titig niya at inilipat ang aking tingin muli kay Apollo. Nagulat naman ako nang makitang nakatingin siya sa amin. I didn't smile nor bowed. I just looked at him, after all, I'm part angel, mas divine kaysa sa kaniya in terms of creation. But I'm just being petty.

"Good morning, Phoenicians. I guess you're all set and ready for our travel to Semideus Island. Just enter the chariots and then off we go," wika niya at ngumiti.

Muli siyang tumingin sa'kin. Lumapit siya and then offered his hand, "Maaari mo ba akong samahan sa'king chario, binibini?"

Tipid akong umiling, "I'm sorry, I am requested to protect someone. I have to be with them."

Bahagyang nanlaki ang kaniyang mata, probably shocked by my response. Tumango naman siya at binaba na ang kamay. Napasulyap siya sa likod ko kung nasaan si Fuge.

"Pero paano ang propesiya, ang pangitain, hindi ba't kasama rin yo'n sa kailangan mong malaman, Georgia?" sagot naman niya. Oh? Kilala na pala niya ako, eh. Baka naman sinabihan siya ni Headmaster. And I forgot that he is also the God of Prophesies. Tinaasan ko lamang siya ng kilay 'pagkat tinatamad ako magsalita. Eh, ano ngayon kung alam niya rin?

I looked into his eye and tried reading it. Sumakit naman ang ulo ko sa pagpasok sa kaniyang utak, masysdong maraming umiiral sa kaniyang isip. How could I eventually read it? Tumawa siya. "Alam ko kung paano makikita ang Phoenix. Lalo pa't nasa iyo ang pin na yan. So, would you please me join me, Georgia?"

Hanggang ngayon ay nag-aalinlangan parin ako. My main responsibility is to protect them, and not find the full Phoenix. Hinanap ng mata ko si Headmaster Gaiael, at nang makita ko siya, he mouthed 'Go.' Tumango naman ako, I guess I'd just have to watch them while looking for the full Phoenix.

Sumakay na ako sa chariot at hinintay na lamang siya. He entertained me with jokes, but I have no time to joke around with him. I glanced at Lucifuge. Akala ko ay magagalit siya dahil kami dapat ang magkasama, pero mukha namang naintindihan niya't tiningnan lang ako nang may pag-aalala. I didn't say anything, but our eyes both understood each other.

Pinanood ko lang siyang sumakay mag-isa sa chariot. Other girls flocked around him, wanting to join him in the ride. But he didn't mind them, kaya't pinalipad na niya kaagad ang chariot. "Kumapit ka nang mahigpit. Since you're with the Sun God, mas mabilis ang takbo ng chariot na ito," Apollo playfully said which made my attention turn to him.

Tumango nalang ako. Hm, wala naman akong pakialam since kaya ko naman ding lumipad without the chariot. He's underestimating me, or I just don't like him.

"Wala ang bagong full phoenix sa Semideus Island, but as the prophecy says it is born under the constellation of Phoenix. The problem the sky changes. It rotates and you cannot always see it in the same place. Isa pa, bihira lumabas ang Phoenix Constellation. Kaya't mahihirapan ka talagang maghanap," wika niya habang pinapaandar ang chariot.

Napatango naman ako, ngunit napaisip kung papaano ko 'yon mahahanap. It's more complicated than I thought.

"You could talk to Asteria, the titaness of stars. She may help you. Sasamahan pa kita kung gusto mo," he chuckled as he suggested.

I looked at him and smiled a little. "Thank you for the information, pero hindi mo na ako kailangan samahan. Just tell me where Asteria is," I told him.

"Marunong ka naman palang ngumiti kapag may kailangan," asar niya habang tumatawa. Wow, was that an insult? Kanina pa siyang tumatawa, ah? Baka mamamaya, huling halakhak na n'ya 'yan, hng.

I sighed deeply and shut my eyes to prevent getting pressed. I'd rather not argue with Apollo. Hindi na naman siya muling nagsalita. Mabuti naman at hinayaan niya nalang ako. The silent treatment seemed to made him feel guilty, and he started getting serious.

"Asteria... Hindi ko rin ganoong alam kung nasa'n siya. But I promise you that I'll help you," aniya habang nakapikit pa rin ako. I just nodded and sighed once again.

"Thanks," mahina kong sambit at unti-unting minulat ang mga mata. Then, we dived down.

And there, I saw several floating islands. Lahat ay may simbolo sa ibabaw, at mukhang nakikilala ko ang mga simbolong ito. Some of them are bow and arrow, book, shield, sun, lightning, peacock, and moons. The symbols above the islands are representations of each Olympian God. Ibig sabihin ay tig-iisa sila ng isla, at ang isa namang pinakamalaking isla sa gitna... hm, iyon siguro ang Semideus Island.

Doon nga kami nagtungo sa gitnang isla. Ang ibang chariots ay nauna nang nakababa sa isla, at lumabas na nga ang mga Phoenicians. Una kong nakita si Highness Althea, at sa tayo palang niya, kilalang-kilala niya ang lugar na 'to. Huling nakababa sa isla ang chariot namin, Apollo helped me out from the chariot, but I really didn't need it so I just thanked him. Umalis na ako sa tabi niya at nagtungo kung saan naroon ang mga Phoenicians.

"Welcome to the Semideus Island, Phoenicians. Una ko muna kayong dadalhin sa mga temporary cabins niyo para ilagay ang inyong mga gamit. After that, babalik tayo rito para umpisahan ang pagsasanay. We need to consume our time wisely, so if you want to get stronger, mangyaring sumunod agad sa'king mga utos," wika ni Apollo at naglakad palayo.

Sinundan naman namin siya habang inililibot ang tingin sa isla. Hindi sinasadya ng aking mga mata mapatingin sa isang babae. She had ash brown hair and violet eyes. Napakalakas ng awra niya at nakatingin din siya sa'kin, ngunit nilipat din niya agad ang tingin kay Apollo. Lumapit siya papunta kay Apollo at may binulong.

And because of my mind reading powers, I eventually heard them.

"Sino ang babaeng may pulang mata? May nararamdaman akong kakaibang lakas sa pin na suot niya," sabi ng babae kay Apollo.

"She's a vampire-angel, Xynthea. Siya ang naatasang hanapin ang full Phoenix at protektahan ang iba," sagot naman ni Apollo. Muling tumingin sa'kin ang babaeng nagngangalang Xynthea. Maybe she's some Semideus because I haven't heard of her name.

I froze literally on my tracks when I stopped walking. I couldn't walk. And everything around me seemed to stop. Kahit si Apollo, at ang tanging nagalaw nalang ngayon ay si Xynthea. Did she just stop time? Lumapit siya sa'kin at hinawakan ang pin. Pumikit siya at nagulat ako nang magliwanag ang buong katawan niya. Gold mist was encircling around her, and an hourglass was levitating between us. What the heck is she doing?

Then, I felt something inside me change too. Para bang naging mas makapangyarihan ako. Hanggang sa nawala ang liwanag sa katawan niya, iminulat niya ang kaniyang mga mata at tumingin sa'kin.

"Malamang ay hindi mo ako kilala, but don't worry, I did nothing wrong to your pin. Napansin ko lang na baka hindi yan gumana since matagal na ang pin na 'yan so I blessed it with my power and... hmm, let's say updated it." Xynthea said and sent me a wink.

Bumalik siya sa tabi ni Apollo, and then everything began to run again. Nawala na rin ang orasa. Tila ba walang nangyari, at kami lang ni Xynthea ang nakakaalam no'n,. Hindi ko nalang iyon pinansin, at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad hanggang sa makarating kami sa mga cabins.

The cabins were named after the twelve Greek Olympians too, the most powerful beings in the Olympian World. I was appointed to the Zeus Cabins, kaya't pumili ako ng isang kwarto roon.

Bubuksan ko na sana ang pinto ng cabin nang bigla na naman akong kausapin ni Xynthea. I didn't even notice she was here. Tumingin ako sa paligid at pinakiramdaman ito ngunit mukha namang walang ibang tao bukod sa'ming dalawa.

"Wala sa'min ang bagong full Phoenix, ngunit may full Phoenix na naparito noon. Phoenicia was her name. At sa tingin ko'y hinahanap niya si Asteria para hanapin din ang Phoenix Constellation. I've warned Asteria about it, so she went hiding," pagku-kuwento niya.

"Hindi ko maaaring sabihin ngayon kung nasaan siya dahil maaaring nandiyan pa rin si Phoenicia, pero alam mo na rin iyon. The information's in the pin, isinalin ko iyon sa'yo kanina. Might as well use your angelic powers to read it," dugtong pa niya.

"Gawin mo na bago ka pa maunahan ni Phoenicia," iyan ang huli niyang sinabi bago muling mawala sa'king paningin. Huh, I didn't even get to have a proper conversation.

I unconsciously held my pin. Ipinikit ko ang aking mata, at sinubukang makipag-usap sa pin.

"Asteria," sambit ko.

I was taken aback when a vision of a place suddenly appeared. It was a place of technology and magic. There were floating cities, flying people, moving buildings, and trains flying in the sky. Pero hindi ko alam kung saan 'to. I'm not even familiar with it.

Nag-iba na naman ang nakita ko. This time, it was a girl whose long hair shone like galaxies and auroras in the sky. Her skin was even sparkling like stars above her dark-colored skin. Asteria. The titaness of stars.

"Phoenician, I am in the Orphic Dimension. Please stay there for a while, and wait for Apollo's next prophecy. I need to wait for that before handing you the information about the Phoenix Constellation. Also, hand me an ambrosia from the Gods. As an exchange for the information."

Then, the vision was gone. Somehow, I know now where to find her, or at least the description where it is. I just need to wait for Apollo, and I can now find the full Phoenix.

Three knocks on my door, and I dropped the pin from my hand. Mabilis kong pinulot 'yon at sinuot ulit sa'king collar bago magtungo at pagbuksan ng pinto ang kumatok.

"Sinclair?" gulat na sambit ko nang makita kung sino ang kumatok. Ngunit mas nagulat ako nang bigla aking tumalipon sa pader at nasakal.

"Phoenicia," nahihirapan kong sambit. 

Phoenix Academy
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Xynthea is not a part of greek mythology! She is fictional from my other completed book, The Semideus. Hehe namiss ko lang siya. And I missed writing too, I'm so sorry :(

Thank you for reading!