Kara's POV

I scrunched my nose when I smelled rotten corpses. This is certainly not like the Underworld because this place is worse.

"Where are we going exactly?" tanong ko kay Trophonius na nangunguna sa'min.

We've been walking for several minutes now and I can feel my legs getting wobbly.

Tumigil kami sa harap ng lumang bahay. I immediately recognized it. This is the house we used for our stay in Livadeia. Ito yung ipinahiram sa'min ni Fernando.

Pumasok kami and I can see that all of the furnitures are still intact.

"For years I have been waiting for you, here in the future." umupo si Trophonius sa sala kaya napaupo din kami sa tapat niya.

On our way here, nagsimula na akong mag-isip kung ano ang misyon namin dito.

Hanggang ngayon nagtataka pa din ako kung bakit ipinadala ni Mnemosyne si Trophonius dito. I thought it'd be just Dio and I. Hindi ko inaasahang magkakaroon pala kami ng guide of some sort.

Unless, he has a role to play in our mission.

Sa dinami-rami ng oracles na pwedeng ipadala ni Mnemosyne dito, bakit si Trophonius?

I know that titan goddess had everything already planned. Our main priority here is to figure out what she wants us to do. Hindi ko rin alam kung nahanap na nga ba ni Cesia si Mnemosyne but I wish she already did.

By now, she should be in her realm with Trev.

Umayos ako ng upo. "Tell us why Mnemosyne chose you." diretsahan kong sabi.

Tapos na ako sa paglalaro ng guessing game na ito. Gusto ko ng makabalik at makasama yung iba.

Nginitian niya kami. "The prophecies all point to a key..."

I remembered the last line of Rhea's third prophecy...

'Together they will look for the key that is buried deep within time.'

"And I.." he paused to emphasize his next words. "I am going to help you find that key, and soon you'll know why it is the key to the rebellion."

Kumunot ang aking noo. How does that make sense? Nakasaad sa propesiya na nakatago ang susi sa nakaraan. Meanwhile, we're in the future. The key is not here.

"How?" tanong ni Dio.

"Have you heard about... a ritual made by the cult of Trophonius?" he pointed out.

Sumingkit ang aking mga mata.

Nabasa ko na yan dati. It was written in Theosese's book. The first book given to us during our first mission by Professor Gregory.

I memorized everything written there.

It is a ritual done by a cult in Lebadeia. Para ito sa mga taong gustong magpagamot o manghingi ng gabay mula kay Trophonius. Before a person could receive visions however, one needs to perform a series of tasks.

Yung una, ay dapat siyang manirahan sa isang designated house for days. Within this period, he or she has to bathe in the river Herkyna and live on sacrificial meat. Pagkatapos, dapat siyang mag-alay ng mga offerings sa mga deities. Then, he or she would descend into the Cave of Trophonius and drink water from the rivers Lethe and Mnemosyne.

Lastly, that person is required to sit on a chair made by Mnemosyne herself.

"Looks like you already know." ani Trophonius nang makita ang reaksyon ko.

"Do we have to do the ritual to find the key?" tanong ko.

Tumango siya. "That is why, Kara, Mnemosyne chose me to accompany you."

This means one of us has to undergo the ritual. Napakadelikado nito sa mga taong gustong ma-experience ang ritwal. A person can end up insane kapag hindi nito makakayanan ang pinapagawa sa kanya. Or worse... maaaring mabura lahat ng mga ala-ala niya.

"Oh wait. I get it now. Ito yung ritwal na pwedeng ikabaliw ng isang tao?" nilingon ako ni Dio.

Tinanguan ko siya bilang sagot.

Saka ko binalik kay Trophonius ang aking atensyon. I immediately noticed that his body movements tell me that he's bothered.

"Is there any problem?" tanong ko.

He nodded. "It is required to make an offering to the deities to complete the ritual..."

"and?" nakaangat ang aking kilay habang naghihintay sa karugtong ng sinabi niya.

"and.." he paused for a second. "we don't have any deities."

Napatigil ako pagkatapos marinig yon. We don't have any deities? What does that even mean?

"Anong ibig mong sabihin?" nagtaka si Dio. Actually, hindi lang siya. Pati ako ay nagtataka rin sa ibig niyang ipahiwatig.

Napabuntong-hininga ang oracle. "We need atleast the presence of four gods." nagsimula na siyang magpaliwanag. "If we can't make any offerings to them, then we can't complete the ritual."

Tahimik lang kami dahil wala pa rin kaming naiintindihan. Sinasabi niya bang wala kaming gods na ma-aalayan kaya di makokompleto yung ritual?

"Wait." sabi ko. "You mean... we have no gods now? the Olympians? they're gone?"

"We need four non-chthonic deities to receive and grace the offerings." sagot niya.
Napasandal ako sa upuan. Nag-aalala kasi ako para sa mga deities. And at the same time, I'm curious of what became of them after the rebels won the war.

"What happened to them?" usisa ko.

Gods. This is one hell of a future.

Pagkatapos, kinuwento sa'min ni Trophonius ang aftermath ng digmaan. Turns out, all the mortals and demigods who fought against the rebels died.

And that includes us.

The rest of the deities were forced to kneel before the rebels. Lahat sila ay binihag din ng mga gigantes at may iba sa kanila na itinapon na sa Tartarus. Napag-alaman ko ring una nilang tinapon ang mga Moirai.

Pero tuluyan na ngang bumigat ang loob ko nang sinabi niya sa'min na kasunod ng mga Moirai ay ang mga Olympians.

"My mom..." nanghina ang boses ko. "she's gone as well?"

He gave me a sad look and I already knew what it meant. Tumango nalang ako at sinabihan siya na magpatuloy.

My eyes drifted to the cold floor while listening. Sobrang sakit pakinggan ang kinahinatnan ng mga deities.. and it made me feel like my sense of hope is slowly fading away.

Ayon kay Trophonius, sinubukan daw ni Athena na lumaban kaya siya ang naunang Olympian na itinapon sa Tartarus. Sumunod sina Artemis, Ares at Aphrodite na pumanig kay Athena. Si Poseidon naman, nasa Underworld siya ngayon nakabihag. Sinabing nabaliw na daw ang God dahil pinugutan nila ng ulo si Amphitrite sa harap niya saka tinapon ang kanyang katawan sa Tartarus.

Nagtangkang tumakas sina Hades, Dionysus at Hermes and so they ended up being thrown off as well. Just then, nalaman ni Persephone ang nangyari kay Hades kaya siya na mismo ang tumalon sa Tartarus.

Hephaestus is also stuck in the Underworld. Gumawa ang rebels ng malaking oven at doon siya ipinasok kaya dinig na dinig sa cave ni Trophonius ang iyak ng God hanggang ngayon.

All the minor deities currently work as slaves for the rebels.

"How about Zeus?" tanong ni Dio. "and Hera?"

"They're in Mount Olympus together with Apollo and Demeter." sagot niya. "The rebels have taken control of the palace and claimed it as their new home."

I received a knowing look from the oracle. I massaged my temples while taking in deep breaths. Mukhang alam ko na kasi kung ano ang gagawin namin.

I should have known.

I sighed. "They're the deities we're going to save, aren't they?"