Nkri's Point of View

"What's the plan, Nkri?" mabilis na tanong sa 'kin ni Dash.

Tila ba'y sinasabi niya sa akin na handa ang sarili niya sa kahit na anumang digmaan. A victorious smile instantaneously plastered upon my lips. Habang siya naman ay taimtim na naghihintay sa isasagot ko.

"Una, gagamitin natin 'yong golden net ni Mang Demetrio to imprisoned those sirens." Binibilang ko pa ito gamit ang aking daliri. "Second, you'll use your ability to catch them mid-air and drag them to the golden net," pagpapatuloy ko. "And lastly, we negotiate or kill them," I added with a smile on my face.

Tinalikuran ko na siya pagkatapos kong masagot ang tanong niya.

Mang Demetrio is still in the temple. Perhaps, preparing those nets we'll use later. Nang makailang hakbang na ako ay napahinto ako sa paglalakad. Muli ko siyang nilingon na nakatingin lang sa akin.

"You have to stay with Mang Demetrio," habilin ko. "I have to sharpen my spear just to make sure," pahabol kong sabi sa kaniya.

When I saw him nodded, I finally turned myself back. Kailangan kong bumalik sa bahay na tinutuluyan namin para kunin ang earplugs. Kailangan ko ring ihanda ang aking spear. This is my first time to be in a real battle with real enemies.

And I know Dash were scared. He fabricated it with his constant questions. But I am firmly sure that he's only scared, but not a coward. We are demigods. Kailanman hindi magiging ligtas ang buhay namin.

In the world, there's always evil lurking in the shadows, waiting the right time to attack. We will never be normal. Masiyado kaming masarap sa pang-amoy ng mga halimaw. Nang makuha at nagawa ko na ang kailangan ko ay kaagad na bumalik ako sa kubo. Habang papunta roon, bigla na lamang umihip ang malamig na hangin. Ang dahilan kung bakit nagpapatigil sa akin sa paglalakad.

Unti-unti na ring kumulimlim ang kalangitan. From afar, I could hear and see the waves antagonistically crashing against the shore. Isinawalang bahala ko na muna ito sa aking isipan at nagpatuloy sa paglalakad.

Nadatnan ko sina Dash at Mang Demetrio sa open field ng sakahan nang makabalik ako. Ito 'yong part kung saan sinira ng mga sirens ang mga pananim. Pareho silang pawisan. A couple of seconds later, they both heaved a sigh when they felt my presence.

Napahawak pa si Mang Demetrio sa kaniyang dibdib. Habang si Dash naman ay nanlaki ang mata't halos matumba sa sahig. Bahagya akong natawa sa naging reaksyon nilang dalawa.

"I am guessing, you both done setting up the nets?" tanong ko sa kanila upang ibahin ang usapan.

Sabay pa silang tumango bilang sagot. Tinanguhan ko rin sila matapos makita ang itinugon nila sa 'kin. I made a quick glance to the nets, I couldn't see a thing. They're invisible. Pagkatapos doon ay bumalik kami sa kubo.

Waiting our enemies to come.

Tahimik lamang kaming tatlo. The deafening silence is indeed prevails. Si Mang Demetrio naman ay abala sa paglilinis ng kaniyang espada. Dash summoned his imperial gold swords just now. Me, on the other hand, were leaning on the wall, holding my spear with my left hand.

"So," Napatingin ako kay Dash nang marinig ko siyang magsalita. "What really happened to Demeter after Persephone's disappearance?" he asked.

Napansin ko namang napatingin si Mang Demetrio sa 'ming dalawa. Tila ba'y nakuha ang atensyon niya sa tanong sa 'kin ni Dash.

"Well, as a mother's response, she roamed the earth for days on end driven mad by her beloved daughter's disappearance," panimula ko pa. "Hindi siya tumigil sa paghahanap ni Persephone. Dahilan para napabayaan niya ang mga tungkulin niya," I continued.

Inilagay naman ni Dash ang kaniyang espada. At umupo siya sa sahig habang naka-cross ang kaniyang mga binti. Nakahawak naman ang mga kamay niya sa kaniyang mga paa. Tila ba'y isang batang nakikinig ng pambatang kuwento.

I silently scoffed first before deciding to continue. "Plants withered, animals died, and famine ravaged the earth resulting in untold misery. The cries of the mortals reached Mount Olympus, and Zeus knew that he had to intervene to calm Demeter's wrath and spare humanity."

A gust of wind echoed outside the temple. Mas lalong tahimik ang sakahan dahil kaming tatlo lang ang nandito. Hanggang dito rinig na rinig ko ang malalakas na alon ng dagat.

"Zeus sends Hermes to the underworld to bring Persephone back home to her mother. When he got there, he was surprised by what he found." I smiled internally when I saw how attentive Dash is. "Instead of finding a sorrowful grief-stricken maiden, he was met with a radiant queen," pagpapatuloy ko pa.

"She became the Dark Queen, I believe," Dash commented.

And for that matter, I nodded to confirm his comment.

"During her time there, Hades had beautiful gardens built for Persephone. Hades treated her with respect and compassion, and she inevitably began to fall in love with him." I couldn't resist myself but to smile absentmindedly.

Pero mabilis ko rin naman itong binawi. "She saw a side to him she had never seen before, and embraced her new home helping the spirits of the dead to cross over," pahabol ko pa.

"When Hermes requested her return, Persephone was conflicted." I saw Dash's forehead instantaneously furrowed in confusion. "On the one hand, she loved Hades and wanted to remain with him, but on the other, she loved and deeply missed her mother."

Napatango-tango si Dash.

"Hades was terrified that if she was presented with the choice of staying with him or returning to her mother, he would lose." Huminto muna ako sa pagsasalita upang ilagay ang iilang strand ng aking buhok sa likod ng tenga ko. "So, he gifted her with six pomegranate seed to eat, and she did."

"Oy, sarap nga niyan," komento pa ni Dash.

Sa pagkakataong 'to si Mang Demetrio naman ang napatango-tango. Nakangiti pa siya. Tila sumasang-ayon sa sinabi ni Dash.

"Pero pinaniniwalaan 'din na kung ang isang tao ay kumain ng pagkaing ibinigay ng bumihag sa kanila, sila ay palaging babalik." Mabilis na napawi ang ngiti sa labi ni Dash nang marinig niya ang sinabi ni Mang Demeterio.

Palipat-lipat pa ang kaniyang tingin sa 'ming dalawa. "Seryoso?" Hindi makapaniwalang tanong niya. As usual, I nodded at him as a response.

"When Hermes brought Persephone back to Mount Olympus, Zeus asked her where she would like to live. She expressed that she wanted to stay by her husband's side," I decided to continue. "Demeter was infuriated by her response and was convinced that Hades had something to do with it," dagdag ko pa.

Dash changed his way of sitting into hook position. Nakadantay naman sa tuhod niya ang kaniyang siko. Habang ang kaniyang baba naman ay nakadantay sa kaniyang parehong palad.

He was doing it without breaking his attentiveness.

"She said made it known in no uncertain terms that if her daughter did not return to her, she would never again tend to the earth." Demeter alone had a great contribution to humanity. If she will be offended, ewan ko na lang. "Napagdesisyunan ni Zeus na hatiin ang oras ni Persephone sa pagitan ng kaniyang ina at sa kaniyang asawa," I continued.

"Since she ate six pomegranate seeds, Persephone would spend half the year with her mother at Olympus and the other half with Hades," I concluded.

Mabilis na napaigting ang aking tenga nang makarinig ako ng pagaspas ng mga pakpak. It seems like I wasn't the only who heard that. Dahil maging si Dash ay napatayo sa pagkakaupo sa sahig. Si Mang Demetrio naman ay napatigil sa paglilinis ng kaniyang espada.

The three of us look each other's eyes. Tinanguhan din namin ang isa't isa. They're here. The Sirens are here. Dahan-dahan akong sumilip sa nakabukas na bintana. At napag-alamang apat lang sila. Well, I guess this won't be hard. I am pretty sure that this plan will work.

Mabilis kong kinuha ang earplugs sa aking bulsa. Inabot ko ito sa kanila't sinenyasan silang isuot ito. They didn't hesitate to follow my instruction. Sinenyasan ko silang dalawang lumapit sa akin na kaagad din naman nilang ginawa.

Kinuha ko ang isang earplug na suot ko sa kaliwang tenga. Ganoon din ang ginawa nila.

"Dash, you'll use your vines to tied their feet and drag them to the net. You can do that, right?" bulong ko sa kaniya. He was quick to nod. Ibinaling ko naman kay Mang Demetrio ang tingin ko. "Mang Demetrio, stay by my side." Tumango rin siya. "Now we sneak to the outside without them noticing," huli kong sabi.

Mang Demetrio suggested we should take the route in the corn field, but I was quick to turn it down. Dahil kung doon kami dadaan, madali lang kami mapapansin. Isang simpleng kilos lang namin ay gagalaw na ang mga dahon nito.

I have the plan to face them head on. Lalo na't alam kong hindi kami maaapektuhan sa kanta nila. I smiled absentmindedly. Nai-imagine ko na kung ano ang magiging reaksyon nila.

"Hey!" sigaw ko upang kunin ang kanilang atensyon.

Napatigil silang apat sa pagsira ng mga pananim nang marinig ako. They all looked at us simultaneously. A grin formed upon their lips. Sabay-sabay pa nila kaming tignan ng nagtatakang tingin. Tila ba'y humahanga sila sa taglay naming tapang.

Napaalerto ako nang makita kong gumalaw ang mga labi ng isa sa kanila. Pero hindi namin siya rinig. But we remain calm. We don't want them to suspect us that we are using earplugs to block every sound they utter.

Sa halip ay tinitigan ko lang ang mga galaw niyon. Mabilis kong nakuha ang ibig iparating niya nang banggitin niya ang word na kaka-mention ko lang. Sa unang word ng kaniyang sentence ay ngumuso ang kaniyang labi nang banggitin niya ito.

Bahala na.

"Tapang ba kamo?" I said. "I am a daughter of Athena after all," I brag it with pride.

It seems like they were offended by what I said when their faces turned to sour. Kaya tiningnan ko sina Dash at Mang Demetrio. I mouthed them 'run' when the four sirens charged at us. Pareho kaming tatlo napahawak sa sandata namin.

Diretso lang kaming tumakbo papunta sa open field kung saan naka-set ang mga golden net. Ipinagpasalamat ko naman dahil tila nakuha yata nilang dalawa ang ibig kong iparating. I alerted myself when the four of them split up.

Alam ko namang nakaalerto rin ang dalawa kaya ay nagpatuloy kami sa pagtakbo. Saktong pagdating namin sa open field, inatake nila kami sa iba't ibang direksyon. The other one is on my right side, the other is on Dash's side, and the last two charged in front.

Napaatras kaming tatlo, hanggang sa magkabanggaan ang aming likuran. I take my left feet step forward to get myself a proper stance while holding the spear firmly. Tinignan ko ang mga kalaban sa bawat anggulo. A smile impetuously plastered upon my lips when I found a way to give Dash a time to strike back.

And imprisoned one or two of them in the golden net this early.

When the four of them is already few inches away from us, sinipa ko ang siren na malapit sa pagitan nina Mang Demetrio at Dash papunta sa isa pang siren na nasa left side. Dahilan para pareho ang mga itong bumagsak sa lupa.

"Dash, now!" I shouted as a battle cry.

That's enough time for Dash to bend his one knee upon the ground and touch it. Hindi naman nagtagal ay lumabas ang dalawang matataas na plant vines mula sa lupa. Kasing bilis ng tumatakbong kabayo ang paggapang nila papunta sa dalawang siren na nakahandusay sa sahig.

After I kicked their asses, I was quick to turn my attention to the enemy, who a few inches away from me could have clawed me with her talons. But unfortunately she's not that fast compared to me. I didn't hesitate to hit her in the head using the butt of my spear. I knocked her out to the ground, causing her sight to spin.

Mang Demetrio give himself a proper stance to prepare himself from the oncoming siren. Pero huminto ito nang mapansin niyang nasa sahig na ang kaniyang mga kasama. The other two were tied with Dash's plant vines. The other one I hit earlier is unconscious.

Her mouth suddenly opened. The wind become calm. And the leaves of the trees were gently swinging back and forth. Tila ba'y nakikisabay sa ginagawa ng siren na nasa harapan namin. I scoff with a victorious smile escaped on my lips. She's singing the siren song.

Maging ang 'yong dalawang siren na nakatali sa vines ni Dash ay nakisali na rin.

The one I hit with my spear regained her consciousness and started to sing. We saw their lips moving, but we couldn't hear them. I crossed my arm to tease them. Causing them to furrow their forehead. Sinamahan pa nila ng nagtatakang tingin.

"Are you done singing?" I teasingly asked. After they heard me, their lips stopped moving. Habang ang matagumpay na ngiti ay hindi mawala-wala sa labi ko. "Oh, dear, are we the second one to resist your song?" I said.

Odysseus was the first one who escaped the danger of their song by stopping the ears of his crew with wax so that they were deaf to the sirens. He was advised by the sorceress Circe, of course. Mas lalong umasim ang kanilang mga mukha. The reason why they become more aggressive.

"Dash, drag them to the nets! Now!" Nang makuha ni Dash ang ibig sabihin ng aking sigaw ay nakita ko siyang lumanghap ng hangin upang bigyan ng lakas ang katawan niya.

Nang magawa niya ito ay naglalakihan ang mga mata ng dalawa pang natira. The first two who are now trapped in the net continued to resist. Magtatangka na sana ang dalawang tumakas subalit nagawa pa rin silang dakpin ni Dash mula sa ere.

"Now." Panimula ko nang maipasok na ni Dash ang dalawa sa golden net. "Can we negotiate or I won't hesitate to end your lives right here, right now." Pinandilatan ko pa sila ng mata upang takutin.

Tiningnan ko sina Mang Demetrio at Dash. Mukha namang nakuha nila pareho ang gusto kong iparating nang ituon nila ang kanilang mga espada sa leeg ng mga sirens. Mas lalo silang natakot dahil dito. At nagpatuloy sa paglaban, nagbaba-sakaling makakatakas sa net.

"Don't bother to resist." Natigilan sila nang marinig ang sinabi ko. "That net is the replica of the original golden net created by Hephaestus. It may be a replica but they do works the same," I warned them.

Kinuha ko ang aking isang earplug sa kaliwang tenga. Dahilan para tignan ako ni Dash na natataranta. I just respond with an assurance glance.

"Try to open your mouth to sing, the three of us won't hesitate to kill all of you," patuloy ko sa pagbabanta sa kanila. "Now, here's the thing. Leave this farm alone. Hindi niyo alam kung gaano nagpakahirap si Mang Demetrio at ng mga empleyado niya para alagaan ang mga pananim nila," panimula ko pa.

They all looked at me with disgust. But that doesn't flinch or scare the hell out of me. It only fuels my determination to stop them from tormenting the farm. From putting their hatred towards the people who had nothing to do with what happened to them.

"You don't know what we've been through, demigods!" the other one shouted with hatred.

I scoff. "Oh, please. I know. You are once a beautiful sea nymphs, but cursed into this after failing to protect Persephone," sagot ko sa sumbat niya. "Hatred is what drove us into destroying ourselves further. Pero hindi niyo alam kung ano ang hirap na kailangan nilang pagdaanan." Itinuro ko si Mang Demetrio.

"The families who worked under him will starve because you destroyed the crops they worked hard." I couldn't conceal the anger I felt just now. "Wala kayong pakialam, oo. But did you gain something after destroying the crops?" Tumaas na ang boses ko.

Napahawak ako nang mahigpit sa aking hawak-hawak na spear. I gritted my teeth and balled my palm into fists. Mas lalong nanlisik ang aking mata dahil sa matinding galit.

"May nagbago ba? Bumalik ba kayo sa dati niyong buhay?" Their eyes instantaneously dropped. And stopped resisting. "It only fuels the hatred you all felt for thousands of years! Paikot-ikot, walang katapusan. Now all I could ask, leave this farm alone! Leave this island at once!" Pinagtaasan ko na sila ng boses upang mas malinaw sa kanila.

"Or else." I give them a threatening look. "I will kill all of you. I know that if monsters die, it takes months or hundreds of years to reform," pahabol kong sabi.

Namayani ang katahimikan. Their eyes are still upon the ground. They couldn't look at me in the eye. Their shoulders were dropped. Rinig na rinig ko pa ang malalim nilang pagbuntonghininga. Tila ba'y pino-proseso pa nila ang aking mga sinabi. Then finally, they looked at me. But before one of them could say something, may hinabol pa ako.

"Swear in the river Styx," malamig kong saad.

"We, the sirens, swear to the river Styx to leave the island peacefully." Pinaningkitan ko sila ng mata. "And we will not destroy the crops that farmers have worked so hard for." A smile formed upon my lips.

Pagkatapos ay tinignan nila ako.

"Now release us."