Ria's POV

I sighed while I look at the sky darken in a quick pace. Kasingkulay na rin ng dugo ang mga ulap. From above, the constellation of Virgo replaced the sun.

Cronus is opening his eyes again.

Tumigil na naman ang daloy ng oras sa pangalawang pagkakataon.

Kailangan naming pumunta sa lair ng gigantes kung saan nakalaban namin si Gaia dahil doon daw magpapakita ang portals ayon kay Art.

Portals na nakalaan para sa'ming mga demigods na itinadhanang magwawakas ng rebellion.

We really don't have any idea what we're supposed to do in the six realms. But I'm sure we'll figure it out.

Tumabi sa'kin si Kara. Nakatayo kaming dalawa dito sa veranda para makita ang pagbabago ng mortal realms.

"How's Galatea?" tanong ko kay Kara na nakatingin sa mga ulap.

"She's in Aphrodite's temple. Still crying non-stop." sagot niya.

Meanwhile, Persephone locked herself in Demeter's temple again to grieve for her favorite demigod. Sino ba namang makakatulog pagkatapos ng mga pangyayari?

Namamaga na nga yung mga mata ko.

Every night, I cry myself to sleep. At alam kong hindi lang ako ang nakakaramdam ng matinding kalungkutan dahil malaki ang pinagbago namin ever since we arrived without Cesia.

Pati na rin sina Matilda at Kaye. They were informed about everything we knew.

Kahapon lang, nadatnan ko si Thea na umiiyak sa balikat ni Seht sa mechanical room. Si Art.. ngumingiti pa rin. But it's far from her vibrant smiles.

Every one of us is coping with it in our own ways.

"We're not going to lose each other right?" tanong ko sa kanya. My tears were already threatening to spill.

"This is our destiny, Ria." tinignan ako ni Kara. "This is what we should follow."

Mahirap tanggapin na magkakahiwa-hiwalay kami. We all have to go to the different ends of the world... we need to be in different realms.

"I'm not ready." my voice broke. "I'm not ready Kara."

Nagbuntong-hininga siya. "So am I.. but we have to."

Gusto ko siyang tanungin kung bakit parang ang kalma niya lang. Humahanga ako sa kanya sa mga panahong to. She manages to stay calm at time like this.

She doesn't know what our future will hold. She doesn't know how we will end it.

But she never loses herself.

"Thank you.." nginitian ko siya. "Thank you for staying strong for us."

Pinunasan niya ang isang luha na di ko namalayan ay nakatakas pala.

"You don't know... I'm just forcing myself to be strong." she whispered. "Someone has to look strong and composed right?"

Natawa ako sa sinabi niya. Saka ko pinunasan ang aking pisngi. I'm starting to cry again.

Tumango ako. "Still, thank you."

"Let's just hope that Cesia finds her strength even when alone." napatingin siya sa kawalan.

"Ria. Kara."

Napalingon kami kay Dio na naghihintay sa loob. Sinenyasan niya kami na pumasok. Pagpasok namin, nakita ko ang Alphas na walang ibang dala kundi weapons lamang nila.

Lumabas na kami ng dorm. Sinalubong kami nina Kaye at Matilda sa corridors.

"Huh. Ngayon ko lang narealize.. we don't have weapons like theirs." narinig kong puna ni Matilda.

Mabilis akong nagsummon ng dalawang longswords at inabot ito sa kanila. "Here. Use this for now."

Pinasalamatan nila ako.

•••

Nakatayo na kami ngayon sa gitna ng gigantes' lair. We formed a circle while waiting for something to happen.

Panandaliang nag-iba ang kulay ng mga mata ni Art. It turned to gold for a few second. Then, she gave us a worrying smile.

Nilingon niya si Thea. "Thea. Kayo muna ang mag-aalaga ng Academy ah?"

Tumango sina Thea at Seht.

Thea and Seht chose the present realm. The mechanical room and clinic will need them both. Lalo na si Thea. She's the only one who maintains the Academy's well-being.

Nakakatuwa nga kung iisipin dahil lahat kami ay nakapartner na. I don't know if it's still a coincidence na makakasama ko si Chase sa mortal realms. Sina Kara at Dio naman, they're going to the future. Cal and Art is heading to the heavens. Kaye and Matilda are supposed to be back to the Underworld.

And then Trev...

He's gonna have to go to the past. I'm sure he will not be alone dahil kilala ko ang demigod na yan. He'll search and search until he can find her.

He has to find her.

Nagulat ako nang hinawakan ni Chase ang kamay ko dahilan na mapatingin ako sa kanya.

"Kapit lang tayo." he said while giving my hand a gentle squeeze.

I nodded.

"Mamimiss ko kayo..." naiyak na nga ng tuluyan si Thea. Hinihimas-himas ni Seht ang kanyang likod para mapatahan siya.

"Parang ang saglit lang ng pagsasama-sama natin. Kulang... kulang na kulang.." sunod-sunod na ang pagtulo ng kanyang mga luha.

"W-wag mo'kong paiyakin T-Thea naman iihh!!" humihikbi si Art.

"Eh kasi-totoo naman eh! Hindi natin alam kung ano ang magiging hantungan natin. Sinabi lang na dapat nating gawin to." humagulgol ng iyak si Thea.

The world is indeed unfair. It was never meant to be flawless... and it will never be perfect.

Sinandal ko ang aking ulo sa balikat ni Chase. I closed my eyes while trying to stop myself from breaking down in front of them.

I feel weak without them. They're my home.

We have no plans.

We have no idea what we should do in the ends of the world.

We'll have to follow our guts and trust ourselves.

Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata nang makaramdam ako ng kakaiba. Napatingin ako at nakita ang mga portals sa aming paanan.

"Nakaset na yan ah." saad ni Art. "Buti nalang at gawa sa energy ang portals."

The portals were like black holes sucking every piece of us. Slowly, our feet turned into mist that got absorbed by the portals.

Tinignan ko ang aking mga daliri na unti-unti na ring naging mist.

"Hey..."

Napatingin kaming lahat kay Kaye.

"I want to see you all alive." nginitian niya kami bago siya maglaho kasama si Matilda.

Hindi ko mapigilan ang sarili ko na maiyak nang makita si Thea na ibinaon ang kanyang mukha sa dibdib ni Seht.

"Sabihin mo pag wala na sila.." bulong niya kay Seht.

"Thea." tinawag ko siya. "Ayaw mo ba talaga kaming panoorin? Baka ito na ang panghuling beses na makikita mo kami."

Umiling siya. "Di ako maniniwala diyan."

I took a deep breath and chuckled lightly.

Me too, Thea. Me too.

"Una na kami ah? Mamimiss ko kayong lahat!" Art gave us a flying kiss. Cal nodded at us before the both of them finally vanished including their portal.

Akala ko noon na mas maswerte yung nasa Underworld, Heavens, Mortal Realms and Present Time dahil may chance pa na magkikita-kita kami.

But Art told us we weren't going to see each other for a long time. Kahit nasa parehong timeline lang kami. Our paths will never cross unless the war is already near.

So today is the day I'd get to see them for the last time.

A third of my body has already vanished when I heard Kara speak.

"Let's not die." aniya.

"You do know you're not going to die when I'm around right? Hindi ko matatanggap yan." Kara received a confused look from Dio.

"Yeah. I know that." nginitian niya si Dio. Kasunod niya kaming tinignan. "I won't accept it if one of us dies either."

"Right. Death is for the weak." pagsang-ayon ko sa kanila.

I sighed as my vision went blurry now. I'm starting to feel dizzy as well. Napakapit pa nga ako kay Chase dahil dito.

The last voice I heard before disappearing was Trev's...

"I will meet you on the battlefield."

It echoed inside the portal. Somehow, it felt like a prophecy... or a promise.

Na balang araw, magkikita-kita ulit kami. Maybe at the time when we least expect it.

Though I'm sure it's going to be on the battlefield.