Dio's POV

"Take the bodies including my son's to the Underworld." utos ni Zeus kay Cal.

"Persephone will find a way to resurrect them. I will give you an hour to bring them back. Swim the rivers of the Underworld if you must..." tumigil si Zeus para tignan ang walang buhay na katawan ng kanyang anak na karga-karga ni Cal. "Just ressurect my son."

Tinignan ko ang tatlong Olympians na wala pa ring malay hanggang ngayon. Sina Aphrodite, Hermes at Athena.

"How about Ares.. and Hades and Poseidon?" nag-aalalang tanong ni Hera.

"I will take care of them." si Zeus ang sumagot. "Go. Now! Leave the twins with me."

Hera sighed and nodded. Together with Cal, Demeter and Kaye, they opened a portal to the Underworld and finally disappeared bringing with them the bodies.

"You know what to do." Zeus gave Apollo and Artemis a look. They both nodded and summoned their bows and arrows.

Napatingin ako sa kalangitan at nakita ang patuloy na pag-ikot ng araw at buwan.

Tch. It was making me feel dizzy.

Artemis raised her arm and aimed above. She squinted her eyes and released the string. Ilang segundo ang lumipas at lumitaw ang tali na nakakonekta sa arrow na pinakawalan niya. She quickly grabbed a hold of it and pulled it.

Slowly, she pulled the moon towards her and stopped it from moving fast.

Ganoon din ang ginawa ni Apollo. He managed to pull the sun by sticking an arrow with a string on it and pulling that string.

So now, the moon and the sun is in the same sky.

"Hold it for now." tinalikuran sila ni Zeus at hinarap kami.

"And all of you, hold her." utos niya sa'min. "Whatever happens, don't let go."

Zeus took a few steps back and started running towards the titan. With a strong push of air, nakaya niyang lumundag patungo sa bibig ni Cronus. Pilit niya itong binuksan. Then, he made a dive inside.

"Hold her." pag-uulit ni Kara sa sinabi ni Zeus.

Napalunok ako pagkatapos tinignan ang babae na pinapalibutan ng kung anu-anong elemento.

"You can do that, can't you?" tanong ni Hephaestus.

Huminga ako ng malalim at nagbuga ng hangin. Napailing ako saka sinubukang kontrolin ang tubig na nakapaligid sa kanya.

I raised both my arms.

Hinanda ko ang sarili ko at pagkatapos, saka ko ginamit ang ability ko para gawing tali ang tubig at ipalipot ito sa isang paa ni Cesia.

Nilingon niya ako.

"Oh shit."

Bigla akong napatapon at tumama kay Seht na nasa likod ko.

"Do it again." ani Kara. Lumiliwanag ang mga mata niya. "I'm making a barrier out of a trance."

Ginawa ko ulit ito dahilan na magpupumiglas si Cesia. But she wasn't sure why something is preventing her from moving.

Thea and Hephaestus did the same and fire was tied around Cesia's other feet.

Two strings of light wrapped around Cesia's arms and held her back. Yung isa, ay hawak-hawak ni Art at si Matilda naman ang nakakapit sa kabila.

"Make sure she doesn't aim at Cronus' stomach." tinignan ni Kara sina Ria, Chase at Seht. "not until Zeus and the others get back."

"Roger." Chase gave a salute before taking off.
Pinagpapawisan ako habang nakahatak sa tali na gawa sa tubig. Nagpupumiglas kasi si Cesia and goddamn this girl is strong.

A few minutes have passed at napansin ko ang ekspresyon sa mukha ni Kara.

"What?!" I asked, worried.

She took a deep breath. "She knows she's inside a trance."

"What-" hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko dahil nagkaroon ng malaking pagsabog sa harap namin. Nakakabulag at nakakabinging pagsabog.

Tumama ang ulo ko sa tuhod ni Artemis na nakatayo pa rin at nakakapit sa tali na nakakonekta sa buwan.

Napailing siya. "What a messy war."

"Huhuhu! Di natin kaya!" tugon ni Art.

"It's fine. Zeus is already here." nakatingin si Apollo sa harap kaya napatingin din ako. Sa likod ng makapal na usok, lumabas sina Zeus, Ares, Hades at Poseidon.

"Aaahhh!!!" nagulat kami sa biglaang pagsigaw ni Thea. Yun pala, may gumulong na ulo sa paanan niya.

Pinulot ito ni Ares at ipinakita sa'min.

Eris.

"It shall find its way to Tartarus." pagkatapos sabihin yon ni Hades, a black hole formed on the ground. It disappeared after Ares threw the head towards the pit.

"Hades, follow up in the Underworld." utos ni Zeus sa kanya. Tumango si Hades sabay laho sa pananaw namin.

"Now." tumigil ang mga mata ni Zeus sa'min. "The fabric of time will be torn if this continues."

"Stop her." utos niya.

"You know they can't stop her." nakaangat ang isang kilay ni Poseidon.

"but this is their war, Poseidon." sinamaan niya ng tingin si Poseidon. "We made a deal that we will only take care of Cronus."

"That's okay. We understand." sumingit si Kara bago pa magtalo yung dalawa. "We'll take care of her."

Ngayon ko lang naalala, si Cronus lang pala ang pinunta ni Zeus dito. Sinabi na rin kasi ni Kara sa kanila kung ano ang mangyayari kapag hindi nila kami tutulungan. Their original decision was not to help us with anything at all but in the end, they decided to take care of Cronus and we were happy to agree to that.

•••

Cesia let out a loud cry.

Kasunod na bumagsak si Seht and the impact shook the ground. Nakita ito ni Thea kaya't tumungo siya sa kanya.

Napailing ako.

It's been over an hour now at kinakain na ako ng pagod.

"Ayan kasi! Bakit sa dinami-rami si Trev pa!" sigaw ni Chase. "Ambobo nyo mga 'tol." He morphed into a dozen version of himself and surrounded Hecate. Napaatras ang goddess nang masilawan siya sa nakapalibot na mga pakpak.

I hissed nang lumiwanag na naman ang kalangitan. Napalitan ng apoy ang mga ulap at isa-isa itong bumagsak.

Quickly, I put a layer of water over us for protection.

Gods damn this war.

"ENOUGH!"

Napatigil kami nang sumigaw si Nyx at dahan-dahan siyang pinalibutan ng mist. Napaatras ako dahil pakiramdam ko'y pinasok ako sa freezer nang sinara niya ang kanyang mga mata.

We waited until she opened them.

She did.

And it was all black.

Para siyang kinain ng kadiliman bago nagpalit ng anyo. Her eyes, hair and dress personified the night sky but with no stars.

Then I remembered...

She is a primordial goddess.

I mentally scolded myself for staring too long before black wings spread on her back and eternal mist crowned her.

"Surrender now." giit niya kay Cesia. "Or perish for eternity."

Cesia looked down and I can see a smirk forming on her lips...

She raised her hand and together with it, a barrier made of mirrors started encircling her.

Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin at lumitaw sa harap niya ang isa pang Nyx.

"What the fuck." I murmured under my breath.

The other Nyx opened her mouth as it said a word that sent ice cold breeze on my skin.

"Perish."  

Boses nga ni Nyx ang narinig namin...

ngunit may halo na itong boses ni Cesia.