Heshiena's Point of View

Hindi ko alam kung matutuwa ba ako matapos isa-isahin ni Mavros ang lahat ng abilities ko. Because when he enumerate them, I could sense an excitement on his voice. And his eyes that are seem happy for me.

Me, on the other hand, was so grateful that Mavros is here to prove me wrong that there's still something good left within me. He made me realize that everything around me isn't always awful.

"You ready to fight?" he asked. Sinundan niya naman ito ng isang tango. "Because if it isn't, I won't force you," he added.

Pagkatapos namin doon sa dalampasigan, dumiretso kaagad kami pabalik sa cabin para mag-meryenda. Couple of minutes later, we've decided to go back here in training chamber. At katatapos lang din ako turuan ni Mavros ng basic defense.

Sabi pa niya may limitasyon daw ang aming kakayahan. Hindi sa lahat ng oras ay inaasa namin sa mga kakayahang meron kami. Kaagad ko naman itong sinang-ayunan. Dahil naalala kong sinabi rin ito sa amin ni Sir Michael.

"I'm ready," determinado kong sagot.

Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Mavros smirked. Tinanguhan niya ako at ganoon din ako sa kaniya. We both parted our ways. Nang mapagtanto kong medyo malayo na ako sa kaniya ay huminto ako't muling humarap sa kaniya. And he did the same thing.

Bumuntonghininga ako nang malalim upang pakalmahin ang sarili ko. Kasabay nito ang pagpikit ng aking mga mata. I am done preparing myself earlier, and now I have to prepare myself mentally as well.

Subalit nang iminulat ko ang aking mga mata ay wala na sa aking harapan si Mavros. I quickly duck my head when I sense the presence behind my back. Good thing I ducked or else I would lost my head by now.

I dreadfully looked at him. And I was quick to looked him in disbelief when he shrugged his shoulder. His face were sour. Tila ba'y disappointed siya sa sarili niyang hindi nagawa ang pina-plano niya sa akin.

"You closed your eyes," he casually said. "You shouldn't lower your guard, Heshiena," dagdag pa niya.

Habang ako naman ay napagulong na lamang ng aking mata. He thrust his sword right straight to my face. Before the edge could stab me, I slightly lean my body to the right to avoid it. Hindi na ako nagulat pa kung saan niya nakuha ang espadang 'yan.

His father had the ability of ferrokinesis or sensing and manipulating precious jewels or metals under the ground. And I am pretty sure that Mavros inherited this ability as well. Given that we are demigods, our abilities are far from great. Only a minor degree.

That is why we have limitations.

I was quick to fall my knees upon the floor when he once again come for my neck. Wala akong pakialam kung gaano kasakit sa tuhod ko ang impact nito sa pagkakabagsak. A smile plastered upon my lips when I think of a way how I could pay him back.

Before he could initiate another attack, I impetuously kicked his both knee. Causing him to groan in pain and fell upon the floor. Nauna pa ngang bumagsak ang likuran niya sa sahig. I looked at him with proud eyes.

"Huh!" he reacted with his wide smile. "Not bad," he complimented.

Naglakad ako papalapit sa espada dalawang pulgadang layo mula sa kamay niya. Nang makalapit ako rito ay sinipa ko ito palayo. That's when I heard him chuckled. I was about to step on his stomach when the darkness scattered where he was lying.

The next thing that happened, darkness swallowed him whole. Leaving me speechless with eyes growing wider.

"Did I impressed you?" Napasinghap ako nang marinig ko ang boses ni Mavros sa aking likuran. "I did." Siya na mismo ang sumagot sa tanong niya.

Mabilis akong humarap sa kaniya. When I faced him, I met his lips flashing a creepy smile. Nakita kong ikinumpas niya ang kaniyang mga kamay. The reason why I am taken aback. I gulped twice before sighing.

My eyes slowly grew wider when he summoned three souls from the dead. The very souls that strangled me the other day. When they finally released to the land of living, their creepy black eyes locked on me.

"The forsaken."

Mas lalong nagsilakihan ang aking mga mata nang makarinig ako ng boses. It wasn't from Poseidon. But a voice that almost whispering into thin air. A voice that as cold as ice. A voice that can send chills down my spine.

"A deity who possessed great power."

I gasped when I realized. These souls are communicating with me. My forehead was quick to furrow when our eyes met. Beyond those eyes were filled with determination, greed, fear, but happy carrying hope within them.

The forsaken. A deity who possessed great power. Who are they referring to? Muli akong napasinghap nang ikutan nila ako. They were staring at me. Subalit nakaalerto naman ako kung sakaling atakehin nila ako bigla.

"A goddess who had the power to overthrow and rule."

Napalingon ako sa isang kaluluwang nasa aking likuran nang marinig ko ang boses niya. A goddess who had the power to overthrew and rule? Sino naman? Dapat ba akong matakot? Or am I threatened?

I gritted my teeth in frustration. If they wanted to convey something, be straightforward. Ganito ba sa mundong 'to? Does everyone speaking in riddles? Inangat ko ang aking ulo't tinignan sila sa mata. From that moment there, I've felt power. Something different.

Napatigil ako nang ilang sandali. Muli akong tumingin sa mga kaluluwa. Mas lalo akong naguguluhan nang makita sa mga mukha nila ang matinding takot. I tried to grew my eyes wider to see their reaction clearly. But when I do that, they suddenly wander around the chamber like a scared little puppy.

Until they disappeared.

"That's weird," I whispered.

"That's weird." Napunta ang tingin ko kay Mavros nang marinig ko mula sa kaniya ang eksaktong mga katagang aking ibinulong. "No matter," he said.

Napaalerto na naman ako nang ikinumpas niyang muli ang kaniyang mga kamay. Darkness quickly scattered here in the chamber. There are also shadow figures lurking in the wall. The chamber suddenly turned cold.

Ang kadiliman at mga anino ay unti-unting nagsilapitan kay Mavros. Unti-unti ring bumalik sa dati ang temperature ng silid. I gasped in surprise when those darkness and shadows turned into black orbs. One of his abilities that scared me, honestly.

This is his ability that can shoot enemies from afar. Katulad ng ginawa niya sa mga lobo noong Friday. Mabilis kong ikinumpas ang aking mga kamay upang magmanipula ng tubig. To my surprise, it is more harder when I was far from the bodies of water.

Ngunit hindi ko na lamang pinansin ang hirap. Sa halip ay ginamit ko ito upang pagtibayin pa ang koneksyon ko sa tubig. Kumabog kaagad ang aking dibdib nang binitawan niya ang mga ito papunta sa direksyon ko.

"Focus, child."

When I heard Katarina's voice in my head, it gives me confidence that I can counter Mavros' darkness generation ability. Tila nabunutan ako ng tinik sa lalamunan nang makitang nakagawa ako ng shield gamit ang tubig.

I quickly spread my arm forward with open hands. I stood firm, to prepare myself from the impact. Humanga kaagad ako nang bumangga lang ang mga ito sa shield na ginawa ko. It's as if I harden the water into solid object by increasing the tension of the water. Plus, when I spread my arm forward earlier, the water shield imitated the movements of my hands.

Just like what Blei did when she made a water giant fist.

"Water solidification, of course!" I heard Mavros said.

I kneel my left knee upon the floor. Hindi ko alam kung ano specifically ang susunod kong gagawin. But at the back of my head, I need to do this. I just don't know what it is. I clasped hard, the reason why it echoed here in the chamber.

After I clasped, hinawakan ko ang sahig gamit ang dalawa kong mga palad. The moment I reach my palm upon the floor, the ground quickly shook. Sa sobrang gulat ni Mavros, natumba siya sa kinatatayuan niya.

"And now geokinesis?" Hindi makapaniwala niyang tanong. "You are the only one Poseidon's daughter I know in the academy who can generate earthquake," he added.

I was surprised and yet proud of myself. But complimenting and be happy for myself isn't the right time. Instead I charged at Mavros while he's still in the floor. Habang tumatakbo papunta sa akin, ikinumpas ko ang aking kamay at gumawa ng giant water fist.

When I was two inches away from him, I jumped high. Nakatingin ako sa binti niya. I guess it's fine to aim those, right? Hinanda ko ang aking kamao upang suntukin ang kaliwang binti niya.

Nagulat na lamang ako nang biglang sumulpot ang shield na gawa sa kadiliman. When my giant water fist landed to Mavros' darkness shield, a loud sound of metal rang in my ear. At sa sobrang lakas ng impact nito ay napatilapon ako.

Kasabay ng pagbagsak ko sa sahig ay siyang paglaho ng giant water fist ko. I heaved a sigh in disappointment.

"You are not the only one who has a shield, you know," he proudly said. I snorted, but he only chuckled as a response. "I can solidify shadows into virtually impenetrable shields, Heshiena. Which is strong enough to deflect any kind of magic," he explained.

Mabilis akong tumayo nang makita siyang tumayo rin nang matuwid. After he explained, tumahimik na siya. Nang ikinumpas niya ang kaniyang mga kamay ay ganoon din ang ginawa ko. Kung ano man ang sinusubukan niyang i-manipula ay alam kong ito na ang huli niyang baon.

At kailangan kong ihanda ang sarili ko para roon. Unlike few days ago, I have a hard time discovering my water abilities. But now that I discovered and managed to get used to them, I can easily now manipulate water.

Couple of minutes later, my eyes grew thrice wider when I realized what Mavros trying to manipulate. Dark infernal fire. Kahit na malayo ako sa kinatatayuan niya ay ramdam na ramdam ko ang sobrang init nito. And the thought that it's an underworld fire, that makes it extremely perilous.

"Are you kidding me?" bulong ko sa aking sarili.

I quickly gritted my teeth in anger. Ilang segundo rin ang lumipas ay nagawa kong i-manipula ang malaking bolang tubig. It's honestly heavy. Pero hindi ko ipinapakita kay Mavros na nahihirapan ako sa sobrang bigat nito.

The moment Mavros throws me all his dark infernal fire, I do the same to him with my giant water ball. When our both powers came into contact, the water suddenly turned into black.

And flooded the training chamber. Fortunately, the black water is harmless. I heaved a sigh. At tinapunan ng tingin si Mavros. Nagkatinginan kaming dalawa sa mata.

Two seconds later, we both laughed.