Third Person's Point of View

Nasa dalampasigan siya sa mga oras na 'yon, habang naghihintay ang iba na matapos. And to take it all in of everything that happened. Kanina pa nagtagis ang kaniyang bagang.

Echidna telling her that she is the reason why the Olympians disappeared into thin air.

She clicked her tongue distastefully. She clenched her fist and gritted her teeth at the same time.

Ang kaninang kalmadong alon ng dagat ay naging agresibo, sumasabay sa mga emosyon niya. When she ascended to the sky, thunder bellowed across the realm. Lightning dances in rhythm. Nang lumagpas siya sa likod ng mga ulap, bumagsak ang mga luhang hindi niya mawari kung dahil ba ito sa galit o lungkot.

"I've had enough!" she bellowed.

Lightning envelopes her body.

Sunod-sunod niyang narinig ay ang mga singhapan ng mga taong nasa baba. But at least they are safe. She doesn't want throwing temper when knowing people will be caught by her power. Ayaw niyang may madamay.

"It's all my fault?!" muli niyang sigaw. "Screw that!"

The moment she screamed, a deafening thunder echoed. Sinasamahan pa rin ito ng lagapak ng kidlat. At malakas na hangin.

"I never asked to be born . . ." This time around, hindi na sigaw ang lumabas sa bibig niya. Sa halip ay ang nanginginig niyang mga boses. She quickly caressed her chest when the air deprived her from breathing normally. "I never asked to be born . . ." She only whispers when she couldn't manage to utter those words loudly.

Kasabay ng pagragasa ng kaniyang mga luha, bumagsak ang napakalakas na ulan.

"I . . ." Lumunok siya ng laway. She then intentionally let herself fall from the sky, as if she's tired of everything. And that she only thinks of pain as a remedy of another. "It's not my fault . . ." Hindi na niya mapigilang humikbi ng malakas.

Kasing lakas ng isang batang humikbi na tila hindi pinagbigyan ng ina sa gusto niya.

"Hindi ako ang may kasalanan . . ." pagpapatuloy niya pa. "I never wished this to happen." Ang kaniyang huling sinabi bago ipikit ang kaniyang mga mata.

"If only I could end this once and for all."

Napadilat siya ng mata sa nasabi.

Kasabay ng pagtigil sa pagragasa ng kaniyang mga luha. At ang pagbagsak ng kaniyang katawan sa isang matigas na mga bisig.

"Are you okay?" boses ni Mavros ang sumalubong sa pandinig niya. She was about to speak when he preceded her. "I don't care if you are immortal. It pains me seeing you this way, Heshiena. I understand what you feel, and it's valid. Let it all out. My shoulders are always free for you to cry on."

She smiled forcefully.

Ang tanging namayani sa kaniyang isipan ay ang mga salitang huli niyang binitawan.

☽ ♆ ☾

Buong biyaheng tahimik si Heshiena. Nag-aalala sina Ace, Chry at Mavros, pero pinili na lamang nilang bigyan ng space ang diyosa. They already understand what it is like to be in her shoes.

Ramdam na ramdam niya ang mga titig ng kasama niya. At ang kanilang kagustuhang damayan siya sa nararamdaman niya sa mga oras na 'yon.

But she believes it's better off to keep it to herself.

Dahil tila ba'y sapat na ang hindi magandang dulot ng kaniyang pagkatao sa mundo.

Her hands turned to fist. And clenched them firmly. Wala siyang pakialam kung bumaon man ang mga kuko niya sa kaniyang mga palad. Hindi niya ramdam ang pagtulo ng dugo, sa halip mas nanaig ang kaniyang galit at pagkamuhi sa sarili.

"If only I could end everything once and for all."

Pabalik-balik sa kaniyang isipan ang mga salitang 'yon. She silently scoffed as if she already knew what is the solution of everything that's happening.

Dumaan ang mga oras, hindi na niya namalayang nasa harapan na sila sa entrance ng academy. The moment the gate opened, what greeted them left them speechless.

Everything's in chaos.

The colorful leaves of the trees were gone. Tila ba'y autumn season sa academy. There are students fighting verbally and physically. Blood was scattered all throughout the school's premises. There are students lying in the corner with severe wounds.

There are students crying in pain.

Bumalik sa kaniyang alaala ang mga nangyari sa Nero City. That night Heshiena felt like she couldn't hold her family together. As if faltering one by one.

"With the absence of all the aspects of human life, the stability of one's family will be in great turmoil." Heshiena's eyes grew wider when the wind whispers as if bringing her the knowledge they are unaware of. "What kind of world without love?"

She gritted her teeth.

It is true. What kind of world without love?

With Aphrodite's disappearance made a great impact to the entire realm. Sumagi bigla sa alaala niya si Violeta. Out of the corner her eyes, she saw Ace immediately get out from the car and rush to the people he couldn't bear the sight.

Sinisigawan niya ang dalawa. Seem like shoving the thought of loving each other no matter how the world gets ugly.

"Heshiena, do you know how love is powerful?" she heard Violeta's voice in her memories. "It is an emotion that builds bonds and encourages positivity. This warm feeling . . ." Heshiena could remember how Violeta caressed her chest so vividly, ". . . extends beyond romantic type, p'wede sa pamilya, sa kaibigan, sa lipunan, at maging sa sarili mong pagkatao."

Nagtakbuhan ang lahat para tumulong.

Habang siya naman ay nasa likuran lang ng kaniyang mga kaibigan.

When she steps her foot in the academy's premises, the ambiance drastically changed. Nararamdaman 'yon ni Heshiena. Dahilan para magsikunutan ang kaniyang noo sa pagtataka. Maging ang mga kaibigan niya ay nagtataka sa pag-iiba ng ihip ng hangin.

"What . . ." Heshiena couldn't find words to utter after witnessing a miracle.

Ang kaninang gulo na naabutan nila, bigla na lang bumalik sa pagiging kalmado.

Ang kaninang nag-away, biglang nagkasundo. Ang mga sugatan tinutulungan ng iba na dalhin sa clinic. Everyone was apologizing to each other.

Sa halip na panoorin, tinulungan ng Anostatos ang iba na dalhin ang mga sugatan sa clinic. Because what matters most is the safety of everyone. Answers will eventually follow.

When they are settled, napagdesisyonan nilang lahat na pumunta sa opisina ni Miss Aqua. Perhaps, Chry has a lot of questions to asks.

As they arrived, Chry slams the door. The headmistress was startled by the sudden invasion. Mukha rin itong kaka-recover lang sa isang sakit.

"What the hell is happening?" Chry never think twice of throwing a question.

Miss Aqua cleared her throat. And gestured her hand, telling them to have a sit. Sinunod nila ang sinabi nito. But Chry remained standing, waiting for Miss Aqua's response.

"Nagsimula ang gulo no'ng umalis kayo." Namayani ang katahimikan. Heshiena, on the other hand, doesn't feel good about it. Tila ba'y wala siyang magandang maririnig sa mga isasagot ng headmistress. "But apparently, the chaos seems concluded from how it was."

Awkward na napaayos ng upo si Heshiena nang tignan siya ni Miss Aqua. The other followed. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fist to ready herself of what she's about to say next.

"I have a theory based on my observations." Miss Aqua continued without losing a single stare with Heshiena. "Noong magkagulo na ang paligid, Lady Heshiena was there to calm everything."

She was caught off guard the next thing she said.

"Without her presence—noong umalis kayo para sa misyon, nagkagulo ulit. Hindi ko alam kung paano itigil ito at kung ano ang gagawin ko. I prayed for the gods, but no one answered." She scoffed. No god answered her prayers. That's because they are nowhere to be found. "But when Lady Heshiena set foot again at the academy's premises, everything came back to normal. Where everything's at peace."

"What's your point?" Chry ask her boringly.

Lumunok ng laway si Miss Aqua. "That she brings both life and death without knowing."

Heshiena's eyes grew wider. Bumalik na naman ang pamilyar na emosyon. At that moment, Heshiena had enough. Dahil na naman sa kaniya kung bakit gano'n ang sinapit ng mga estudyante. Dahil sa kaniya nagkagulo ang lahat.

"Lady Heshiena has the power over the aspects of human life, is that what you are implying?" Miss Aqua never hesitated to nod as an answer.

Bumagsak ang mga mata niya sa sahig. Hindi alam kung ano ang itutugon.

"I am thinking that maybe she absorbs a fragment of the Olympians' power . . ." She paused as if contemplating if she really going to say it or not, ". . . when she was bestowed with the moon curse to be able to emit the presence of the aspects of human life."

"So, you are saying the Olympians is nowhere to be found?" It was Blei who asked.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the two offspring of Athena nodded.

"That's one of the possibilities of why everything's in chaos."

Hindi na kayang masikmura ni Heshiena sa mga sinabi ng headmistress. She couldn't bear of everything she heard. Tumayo siya at walang pasabing lumabas ng opisina.

But before she could close the door, she heard Chry constantly clicking her tongue in anger.