Kara's POV

My presence was nowhere to be felt.

Not because of the four immortals gathered around me but because it has been several nights since Dio and Trophonius left for the ritual.

Nakatulala lamang ako habang nakaupo sa sala, pinipigilan ang sarili na puntahan siya.

I was starting to rethink my decision of letting him go alone when all of a sudden, the four gods began glowing.

I heard Apollo sigh. "The offerings are complete."

I cleared my throat and nodded. Kasabay nito ay ang pagtindi ng pag-aalala ko.

If the offerings are done, then that means the next step would be drinking water from the rivers of Lethe and Mnemosyne.

I keep reminding myself to trust him. But whenever I see him sitting on a chair, with his memories fading away, darkness surrounding him, I just feel worse.

Ngayon, wala akong ibang magawa kundi ang maghintay... at maghintay.

"What if one of the reasons that we lost was because we didn't help them during the war?" binasag ni Demeter ang katahimikan.

Kumunot ang aking noo nang marinig ang sinabi niya. "You mean to tell me that you didn't help us at all?"

Nagtinginan sila which obviously means that the answer is yes.

I shook my head and looked at the ground. "Unbelievable." bulong ko. "We fought and died for you yet you were just watching.."

I don't know how to react. Gusto kong magwala sa harap nila at isigaw sa kanila lahat ng pinagdaanan namin para lang mapapanatili nila ang kani-kanilang pwesto sa Olympus, bilang major gods, bilang Olympians.

Pagkatapos malalaman ko pa lang hindi nila kami tinulungan? All the blood on the ground was never enough for them to stand up from their thrones and do something?

"Don't get mad at us." ani Apollo.

"How can I not?" inangat ko ang aking ulo para tignan sila. "Maybe the rebels were right."

"You deserved to fall." dagdag ko.

From the corner of my eyes, Hera's hand was on its way towards my right cheek. Before she could slap me, however, I already got a hold of her wrist.

"I had faith in all of you." hinigpitan ko ang pagkakahawak sa kanya. "Yet you didn't even take a moment to see us as your children. You just watched us die for you and the others like we're some kind of pawns."

Marahas kong binitawan si Hera. "You're nothing but cowards." panghuli kong sambit bago tumayo at kinuha ang nakasandal na shield sa tabi ng pinto.

In this game of chess, we lost because the queen and the king do nothing but hide behind their soldiers.

Tsk.

Bitbit ang weapon ko, lumabas na ako ng bahay.

'Where are you going Kara?' narinig ko si Demeter sa aking isipan.

'Home.' sagot ko.

Mabuti na't ibang klase ng paghahanda ang gagawin namin ngayo't alam ko ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit kami natalo.

I was on my way to the cave when the ground started to shake. I managed to hide behind a huge boulder once I saw the groups of terrarians and one gigantes pass by. Magpapatuloy na sana ako sa aking paglalakbay kaso pumasok sa isipan ko ang apat na gods.

Hindi ako kumilos sa pinagtataguan ko at sinundan ng tingin ang isa sa mga terrarian na nangunguna sa pangkat.

Na alarma ang sistema ko nang makitang hindi nga ako nagkamali at patungo nga silang lahat doon.

Mukhang nahanap na nila kami.

Bumalik ako sa dinaanan ko. All this while making sure that not one of them sensed me.

Napansin kong pinalibutan nila ang buong lugar. Ibig sabihin, wala akong madadaanan para makapasok. I can't even call them telepathically to say something unless they're the first one to talk to me.

"Looks like I have no choice." I whispered.

I picked up a medium-sized rock and threw it hard enough at one of them. A terrarian then saw me and began shouting.

I don't know how stupid they are because all of them were running to my direction. Wala man lang silang iniwan para bantayan ang mga gods sa loob.

Yumuko ako at sinipa ang tuhod ng unang terrarian na nakalapit sa'kin. I thought I was fine when I received a blow just below my ribcage causing me to shriek and lose my balance.

Pinulot ako ng gigantes at paulit-ulit na sinalpok sa lupa. I was already hearing my own bones breaking.

While he was pulling his arm to hit me again, my eyes already changed its color.

The moment my body crashed on the ground for the last time, it was not my bones that cracked anymore.

It was the ground.

I gripped my shield so tight and used it to cut his hand. I wasn't able to slice it off because someone decided to pull me away from the gigantes.

Nilingon ko kung sino ito at nakita si Hera.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "You should've escaped."

Her eyes scanned my face and stopped at my gaze. "We're not repeating the same mistake, Kara."

Bahagya akong napapikit dahil kay Apollo na bigla-bigla nalang tumalon at itinaas ang nag-aapoy niyang pana. Habang naa ere, nakita ko kung paano niya pinakawalan ang isang dosenang palaso sa direksyon ng mga terrarians na nasa likod namin.

For a moment, the night sky lit up because he emitted a blinding glow.

"Hecate is coming." lumapit si Demeter sa'min. "We need to hurry."

•••

My feet finally felt the ground when we arrived inside the cave. Si Zeus na ang may sabi na hindi sapat ang tumakbo lang. In the end, he used his power to gather all what's left of the air and send us here.

"Anong ginagawa niyo dito?" sinalubong kami ni Trophonius.

"Nahanap na nila tayo." sambit ni Apollo.

"Where's Dio?" I took some steps deeper inside the cave and found nothing. "We need to find a way to leave now."

"I can sense Hecate and Nyx with Eris." ani Hera. "We need to slow them down."

"Tell me when he's back." sabi ko sa oracle.

Tumango siya kaya't dali-dali akong lumabas ng kweba at sumama kina Hera.

Huminto kami sa harap at may lumutang na odigos sa kamay ni Demeter. Nilagay niya ito sa lupa at di nagtagal, nabalot na ng mga halaman ang kapaligiran namin.

It was jaw-dropping to watch her do it.

Then, I saw the constellation of Virgo slowly appear and light up the entire sky. All of the stars merged into one ball of light, creating a smaller version of the sun.

My head turned to Apollo who was doing it with a smile on his lips and eyes lighter than the sun.

"Move a step back sweetheart." sabi ni Hera na sinunod ko naman.

Upon taking a step back, the clouds began to gather.

Zeus.

Napalingon ako sa kanya.

He was staring at the sky. The next thing I knew, the sun fell from the heavens and combined with the clouds creating a layer of fire above us.

"What are they doing?" tanong ko kay Hera. I was clueless.

She smiled at me. "We're making this ground our domain, Kara."

"Hera." tinawag ni Zeus si Hera.

I was taken by surprise when her eyes turned to red.. and then orange.. and then... it bursted into flames.

Parang mahihimatay na ako sa nangyayari ngayon.

The clouds are on fire.

The earth is gleaming.

I can hear the sounds of thunder coming from above my head and below my feet.

This is the most terrifying experience I have ever had.

And yet, it feels like I am reborn in the realm of the Gods.

For the final touch, purple electricity graced the air. Nanggagaling ito sa mga kamay ni Hera and I can't help but stare.

Spectra...