Dio's POV

"Hindi tayo makakapagspa!" Reklamo ni Chase habang naglalakad kami sa corridors.

Humiwalay yung girls sa'min para makapagdinner while we're currently on our way to meet up with the others.

The girls were supposed to be coming with us but they're being lazy again.

"We'll just let you know that we aren't going with you because we're currently checking up on something that happened years ago.." sambit ni Matilda. "We're heading to Mount Pinatubo together with the huntres and amazons as well."

Hindi na ako nagtanong kung anong meron sa Mt. Pinatubo dahil hindi ako chismoso at hindi ko na concern ang ibang issue aside from our mission.

Pumasok kami at umupo sa mga nakalaan na upuan. The leaders are here including the principal, Kerensa.

"Where are the girls?" tanong ng principal pagkatapos makita na kami lang ang nandito.

"Dinner." I replied with a bored tone.

"Everything we discuss about your mission must be relayed to them." utos niya.

A few minutes have passed and I learned about an oracle named Helena that resides somewhere in the mortal realms. Sinabi ring may sariling barrier ang kanyang tinitirhan.

Helena isn't really an oracle of Mnemosyne but she is a member of the cult of Asclepius. Though, she was called an oracle because she was in charge of worshipping the titan goddess Mnemosyne in their cult.

Somewhere in Greece, may lugar sila na ang tawag ay Asclepeion kung saan nagpapagaling ang mga may sakit. There, patients would give offerings to Mnemosyne hoping that the titan goddess will help them remember any visions while they sleep.

"We have two possible locations. One is in a nursing home and the other one, a hospital." may inabot si Kerensa na mga papeles na agad tinanggap ni Cal.

"Wait." kumunot ang noo ni Seht saka kinuha ang mga files mula kay Cal.

"Is this the hospital?" tanong niya.

"Bakit? Anong meron?" usisa ni Chase.

"I work here." napatingin si Seht kina Heather na tumatango-tango.

Now that I think about it, nalaman namin noon kung ano ang nangyari kay Seht after losing all his memories. He said he just woke up and figured out he was a doctor in a hospital. Wala siyang kaalam-alam kung bakit siya napadpad sa mortal realms. He followed his instinct and went with the flow until he met Thea.

Hanggang ngayon, isa pa ring malaking katanungan kung paano siya nakalabas ng Underworld and ended up in the mortal realms.

Pero sinabihan naman kami ng kambal niya na wag daw kaming mabahala dahil dahan-dahan nang bumabalik ang mga ala-ala niya.

I guess we will just have to wait until everything gets restored.

"I figured out that the hospital was not an ordinary hospital the first time I found you there." Heather shrugged. "And my hunch was right."

I didn't listen to them after that. My mind drifted of to something that happened.

Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata at naalala ang pinakita ni Eris.

That fucking goddess.

The first thing I noticed was the dagger I'm clutching.

This is not real.

Paulit-ulit kong sinasabi sa sarili na hindi totoo ang nangyayari sa'kin.

'Kamille! Get out now!' nakita ko kung giniba ng isang lalaki ang pinto. Saka niya hinatak ang batang babae na punong-puno ng sugat ang mukha.

The moment I recognized that face, my grip tightened.

'Why didn't you kill him?! Huh?! Hindi kita pinalaki para maging mahina!' the man grabbed a gun out of his pocket at inabot ito sa bata.

Shaking, the girl looked at the gun in her hands. She slowly pointed it towards an unconscious man tied on a chair.

'Kill him! Fulfill your fucking mission you useless child!' sigaw niya.

'I c-can't please.. I can't-' agad niyang sinipa ang bata dahilan na matumba ito.

He then left the room and locked her inside. 'Hindi ka makakalabas dito unless you do what you're supposed to do.'

Gumapang siya sa sahig and grabbed the gun. She managed to stand up and point it again. Walang luha na umaagos despite her battered face.

'I'm sorry.'

Napayuko ako once I heard a gunshot.

'This is fucked up..' napailing ako.

I lifted my head and saw a man infront of me wearing a business suit. Nakatayo lang siya looking at me intently.

Naging malalim ang bawat hininga ko.

I couldn't take it.

Gusto kong paghiwa-hiwalayin ang katawan niya at ipakain ito sa mga kaluluwa ng Underworld.

'GODDAMN IT!' tinaas ko ang aking kamay at sinaksak ang kanyang leeg.

Napahinto lamang ako when I realized what I did.

"That's it."

Bumalik ang aking diwa dahil sa boses ni Kaye. Iminulat ko ang aking mga mata at nakitang tapos na pala kami dito.

"Puntahan kaya natin yung mga babaeng yon?" alok ni Chase. "Tas sabay na rin tayong kainin sila- este kumain pala kasama sila."

Napailing ako.

He never misses the chance to say something, doesn't he?

Pumunta nga kami sa mall. Nadatnan namin sina Ria na naguusap-usap habang nakangiti.

"Maaga bang natapos yung meeting niyo o sadyang mabagal lang kaming kumain?" tanong ni Art.

Nakatingin lamang ako sa sahig dahil paulit-ulit kong nakikita ang lalaking yon. I can't get his face out of my mind.

"I'm ordering." agad akong umalis para um-morder ng pagkain.

"Can I go with you?" tanong ni Kara.

"Don't." I gave her a glimpse before walking away.

Ngayon, alam ko na kung bakit tinatawag si Eris na goddess of strife and discord. That old ugly winged lady is messing with my thoughts.

"Dio..." tumabi sa'kin si Kara. She was quick enough to get a hold of my hand.

I can feel sparks everytime she touches me but now... it's starting to scare me.

"Hindi ka talaga nakikinig..." tugon ko sa kanya.

Mahina niyang tinawanan ang sinabi ko. "You say that like you don't know me."

Huminto ako at tinignan siya. The moment I looked at her eyes, lumalabas sa aking isipan ang batang babae na nakita ko.

Bumitaw ako sa kanya. "Can you listen to me once?"

Kumunot ang kanyang noo. Nagtataka siguro kung bakit nasabi ko 'yon.

"Something's wrong?" naging seryoso ang kanyang tinig. I can see her eyes studying me like the daughter of Athena she is.

Napahilamos ako ng kamay. "Nothing."

I'm tired and the last thing I would want is a stubborn girlfriend.

"Basta bumalik ka na. Ako na ang bahala dito." sabi ko bago umalis sa harap niya.

Dumiretso na ako sa stalls and I can still feel her watching me.

Don't get me wrong pero mahal ko ang anak ni Athena. Mahal na mahal.

Yet it doesn't feel right anymore.

Minsan, natatagpuan ko nalang ang sarili ko na nakatulala.

I tried cheering myself up.

But everytime she looks at me... I look away.

Napansin niya yon. Alam ko. I don't have to tell her something's wrong because that girl is smart. She's everything I look for in a girl.

Handa akong ibigay sa kanya ang mundo. Handa akong protektahan siya kahit mas magaling pa siya sa'kin sa combat.

But how can I protect her when I can't even stop myself from stabbing her in the fucking neck.

I sighed.

The Goddess of Wisdom gave me her proudest grace...

and I don't deserve it.