Kara's POV

I looked at them and couldn't resist to smile. We all wore long golden gowns with our hair and face all done for the celebration.

"They're waiting at the entrance of the hall." ani Matilda na kapapasok lang kasama si Kaye.

Tumango ako at nangunang lumabas ng dorm. Ako na rin ang nagsara ng pinto nang makalabas na silang lahat.

While heading to the ceremonial hall, I can't stop thinking about everything that happened...

Umupo ako at natagpuan ang aking sarili na nakahiga sa loob ng clinic.

'Kara...' I was greeted by a girl wearing a sad smile. 'Umm.. sorry kasi.. nasaktan ko kayo ah...' she said apologetically.

'Where's Eris? Hecate? Nyx?' sunod-sunod ang aking mga katanungan. 'What happened?'

'Eris is entrapped in Thanatos' Castle for eternity. Her severed head is kept in his castle. Her body, thrown into the river of Mnemosyne.' si Trev ang sumagot. I didn't notice him sitting on one of the chairs. Well, not until he stood up and answered me.

'Hecate..' dagdag niya. 'is receiving punishment from Hades. She is condemned to the river of lost souls, forever listening to the cry of the souls she sacrificed.'

'and Nyx...' he took a pause to think. 'No mortal nor god can seize her. She is a titan goddess and is the personification of the night. It's impossible to imprison her.'

My brows met after hearing what he said. 'You mean she escaped?'

Out of rage, I hissed. 'Does this mean she's still out there? She's just out there after all this?!'

I bit my inner cheek until I tasted blood. 'Damn it.' mahina kong sabi.

'Kara.'

I looked at him. 'What?'

'Let us finish talking.' aniya.

I took a deep breath and calmed myself down. 'What more can you say?'

He looked at Cesia and so I did too. For a few seconds she was silent, then she began to speak.

'Dapat kasi, matatalo tayo sa digmaan hindi lang dahil hindi tayo tinulungan ng Olympians.. kundi dahil wala rin tayong panlaban para kay Nyx. Lahat ng underworld abilities nasa kanya pati resurrection. Kahit itapon natin siya sa Tartarus, babalik at babalik pa din siya.'

'But we won right? So why?' I asked the question lingering in my head.

I turned to Trev who sighed. 'We only found one deity that can contain her.'

'Achlys, the mist of death.'

It's been a month since the end of the rebellion. The realms were restored to its condition all thanks to the deities who decided to work together to bring everything back to full recovery. That is, except the mortal creatures that died. But rest assured, they are all in Elysium.

A smile made way on my face when I saw the guys waiting for us. They were all wearing black suits with gold ties.

"Ang gaganda ah." puna ni Chase nang makalapit kami sa kanila.

"Hi..." Dio gave me a peck on the cheek. "You look... good.."

I smiled. "We both do." tugon ko habang inaayos ang necktie niya. Afterwards, I tapped his shoulders and stared at him.

"Bakit?" nakakunot ang kanyang noo.

"Nothing." natawa ako at ibinaling ang aking atensyon sa ibang demigods na kasama namin. Napadako ang aking mga mata sa dalawang demigods na nakatayo sa dulo.

Nakatingin ako sa kanila dahil nakita ko siya...

Nakita ko siya na nakangiti.

The storm-haired son of Zeus smiling beside the purple-eyed daughter of Aphrodite.

Before the others can see it however, I faked a cough to get their attention.

"We already practiced this." I said to them.

Of course, I didn't miss the chance na bigyan ng warning look sina Chase at Ria. "Strictly, no loud arguments, no pushing and most especially, no killing of your partner."

"Nga pala.." itinaas ni Art ang kanyang kamay. "Super sad parin ako kasi walang partners sina Kaye at Matilda! Huhuhu!"

"Oo nga!" tumatango-tango si Thea.

I sighed. Paulit-ulit na nilang sinasabi yan. Thea and Art are the only ones though dahil okay naman kaming lahat na silang dalawa ang magiging partners.

"It's no big deal." ani Seht. "It just shows that they're strong independent women."

"So hindi ako strong independent woman, ganon? Kasi kapartner kita?" inis na tanong ni Thea.

"Nah." umiling si Seht. "It means that you're my strong independent woman." He made sure to emphasize fifth syllable.

Tumahimik si Thea at umiwas ng tingin. Meanwhile, her grip on Seht's arm tightened.

"Nice bro.. Nice.." puri ni Chase.

Nagulat kaming lahat nang biglang lumitaw si Medea sa harap namin. Nakapatong sa balikat niya si Galatea na nakasuot ng chiton.

"I'll be opening the doors for you." nakangiti niyang sabi.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago magsalita.

"It's time."

Pagkatapos, naramdaman ko ang pagbago ng kulay ng aking mga mata... at ganon din ang nangyari sa kanila.

For now, I am surrounded with eyes the shade of gold.

Galatea sighed dramatically. "I am graced to see such sight! My eyes do not deserve this!"

"Come Galatea." Medea leaned towards her shoulder to look at the little statue. "Let's open the doors."

Humarap na kami sa naglalakihang pinto ng ceremonial hall. Dio raised his arm and I smiled as I held on to it.

Slowly, the doors opened and it revealed a huge crowd made up of students, staff, hunters amazons and Arcadians. At one corner, there were centaurs... and hippogriffs... and... Cetus is here too...

But the first thing that I noticed was...

"This isn't the ceremonial hall." bulong ko. Hindi ganito kalaki ang ceremonial hall sa Academy.

Napatingin ako kay Dio na manghang-mangha pa rin sa nakikita niya.

Damn. Where are we?

Kanina lang, nasa Academy pa kami.

"Nakapunta na kami rito dati..." ani Dio.
"We're in Mnemosyne's Temple." dagdag niya. "Nasa mortal realms tayo."

Huh.

So they made the doors a sort of portal.

'Look ahead of you, Kara...'

My eyes widened when I heard her voice. Sinunod ko ang sinabi niya at napatingin sa harap.

And there they were.

The twelve Olympians in all their radiating superiority, sitting on twelve chairs made of Olympian gold. Behind them, Eros, Psyche, Hedone, the Moirai, Thanatos and Persephone stood.

"Kara..."

"H-huh?" bumalik ang aking diwa nang tawagin ako ni Dio.

"We should start walking." aniya.

"O-oh right.. I'm sorry.." I chuckled lightly. "I got overwhelmed."

Gods.

I can feel tears were forming in my eyes when I remembered...

Today is our claiming ceremony.

A special one.

Because today, we will not be claimed by the deities.

But by the different realms.

The Heavens...

The Underworld...

The Mortal Realms...

and the realms of-

I didn't finish my thoughts because mist gathered at the center and formed a figure of a woman slightly taller than the other deities.

"time..." I finally whispered.