The Semideus | Special Chapter 2

The Moon's Child

DIANE

Ang sama ng tingin sa'kin nito, ah?

Hindi naman ako nagpatalo at tinaasan ng kilay ang babaeng kanina pa akong pinagmamasdan, tila ba binabantayan ang bawat galaw ko. Bombastic side eye.

Hindi na bago sa'kin ang atensyon, pero ngayon lang may nagtangka na talagang titigan ako. People usually cower and avoid my gaze, probably intimidated— baka 'di rin kinakaya ang ganda ko. Kidding asides, people always shiver in front of me.

Since then, the first time I realized consciousness, I knew I was different. I wasn't meant for the mortal world. Especially that, I don't even know how I came to this world. Namulat nalang akong nasa edad na ako, alam ang pangalan at iba pang mga bagay, pero walang memorya.

Matalas ang mga pandama ko. Magaling ako sa dahas, pakikipaglaban, at sa kagubatan bagaman wala akong karanasan. As if it's natural to me. As if I was born to be a huntress.

I survived hunting criminals, animals, beasts, monsters, or anything that clients would commission me. I never failed at my job and could live forever, but that life is a bore. Hunting in the mortal world was like playing a beginner's game.

Kaya naman naririto ako sa harap ng Olympus Gates dahil. . . 'yan ang calling ko? Every year, the gates open to Olympus open for the mortal world and challenge everyone to become favored by the Gods. And that is what I aim for.

I will be a semideus, or probably just get recognition. Hindi sa pagmamayabang, pero semideus na naman ako sa lagay na 'to. Hah, baka nga mas magaling pa ako sa kanila!

"Diane." Napabalikwas lang ako sa pag-iisip nang may estrangherong tumawag sa pangalan ko. The one who has been staring at me the whole time. The heck? Pati pangalan ko, alam niya? Damn, she must come from the Olympian World.

Ngayon ko nga lang din napansin ang lila niyang mga mata. Tumpak, hindi siya mortal! Xynthea.

Huh? Paano ko nalaman ang pangalan niya?

Sa wakas ay lumapit na siya sa'kin at naglahad ng kanyang kamay. "Mukhang ikaw nga si Diane! Pinadala ako rito para sunduin ka't ipaliwanag sa'yong hindi mo na kailangan sumabak sa mga misyon o tests para maging Semideus," natutuwa niyang saad, na para bang hindi ako sinamaan ng tingin kanina. Aba't—

Teka, teka, teka. Ano'ng sabi niya ulit? Sinusundo ako. . . at hindi ako tutuloy dito?

"Kampon ka ba ni Thanatos?" Wala sa sarili kong saad. I mean, sinusundo? Hindi ba 'yong mga mamamatay lang ang sinusundo? Baka nga pinadala siya ng Diyos ng Kamatayan para sa'kin!

She chuckled and shook her head. Oh, salamat! Hindi pa ako mamamatay. Sa tagal na nakataas ng kamay niya, binaba niya na 'yon at may hinalungkat sa kanyang maliit na bag.

An envelope. It had the seal of Olympus, so it meant 'serious' serious. Napanganga ako at marahang kinuha 'yon mula sa kanya. I felt a strong sense of familiarity and thought the seal glowed in my contact.

"That is from the Olympians. Go on. Read it," mahinahong banggit ng babae.

Dahan-dahan ang pagbukas ko sa sobre, takot na makasira ng bagay mula sa mga Olympians. Who knows what wrath I'd face if I displease them? They could easily take anything from me. . . but then again, I have nothing to lose but my identity.

Diane, the Little Huntress,

Your presence is requested at the Island of Artemis. After watching you, the Goddess has seen your talent and nature for the path of the Hunt and the Moon. You shall be blessed.

Aρτεμις

Artemis

Isang singhap ang nagawa ko, umpisa palang na makita ko ang pangalang Artemis. I knew that she was the Goddess of the Hunt, and one of the moon goddesses. People do say that I remind them of her. Pero mas lalo lang akong nagtaka. Hindi naman pinaliwanag kung ano'ng gagawin ko doon.

"If you accept, I shall escort you to her island. If you don't, then you shall continue your journey to become a Semideus, but Artemis will ban you from her island and anything else she's connected with," the girl told me after noticing I was done reading the letter.

Halos magsalubong ang kilay ko sa pagbabantang 'yon. It's like Artemis is giving me no other choice than to follow her! Oh, e'di sige. Sabi niya, eh.

"Sino ba naman ako para humindi sa isang Olympian Goddess?" Mahina kong sambit, pero paniguradong narinig na rin 'yon ng kasama ko.

"I'm sorry. She must have loved you and saw great talent in you. Inunahan na niya para 'di ka na makuha ng ibang Olympians, I guess. I mean if I'd also choose a Semideus, you're a great candidate!" Aniya na para bang pinapagaan ang loob ko. Pero sandali, pipili siya?

Ha?! Diyosa ba 'tong kasama ko?

Abot tainga ang ngiti niya at halatang pinipigilan ang tawa. Muli na naman niyang itinaas ang kamay niya't nagpakilala.

"I am Xynthea. I emerged from the Fates, the Moirais, and serve as the new Goddess of Time after Cronos."

Laglag panga ko matapos ng huling kataga niya. Hindi niya na ako tiningnan at bigla nalang may lumabas at lumutang na orasa mula sa kawalan, habang nanatili akong namamangha sa identidad ng babae.

If she is someone who emerged from the Fates, created by the Fates, she must be loved by them! I bet she's blessed among everyone else!

The hourglass shifted and turned 'til all the sands above poured to the other side. Napalibutan 'yon ng mga lilang sinulid hanggang sa nag-stretch ito sa paligid. Doon ko napansing unti-unting nagbabago ang paligid namin. The moonlight is glowing more than ever, that everything seemed to shine.

Napatingala ako sa ere at napansin ang simbolo ni Artemis. A bow and arrow were drawn around the sky, with luminous light shining down on the land. Strangely, I noticed my skin glowed too. The swaying of leaves around us seemed to slow down too, as if she had turned time slower.

"We're here, and this is where I leave you, Diane. May the Fates guide your journey," pagpapaalam ni Goddess Xynthea at nagulat nalang ako nang hilahin niya ako sa isang yakap. Naestatwa ako sa kinatatayuan ko at hinayaan lang siyang makayakap sa'kin dahil sa gulat. I thought I felt warmth for the first time.

Humiwalay siya sa'kin at bigla nalang nawala sa paningin ko. This time, the leaves danced normally again.

I, too, danced and dashed around the forest, my home. But Artemis' land was far different from anywhere else in the world. My wild and untamed soul felt peace in this wooded sanctuary. The trees in this area are majestic and towering, with their branches stretching toward her symbol, as if even the trees are shaped like it.

And as a huntress, I couldn't help but notice how this is a completely new world. Ang mga hayop na nairto ay 'di ko pa nakikita kailan man. Perhaps, they are magical beings that capture the very spirit of the forest. A monument to the peaceful coexistence of humans and the environment, swift centaurs ride through the lush underbrush.

Napansin nila ako, pero sa halip na matakot ay ngumiti sila sa'kin.

I continued jumping across trees, dashing through the bushes, and wandering my eyes around the sight. Until I stopped in front of a river that meets the moon. The sight of it made me gasp, more so, when a beautiful silhouette stood there too,as if the moon is enveloping her.

Artemis.

Sigurado akong siya 'yan. She seems imposing as she faces a peaceful river. She exerts a divine influence over the moon, which emits a fascinating radiance that casts a soft, ethereal light that reached me. The moon's crescent shape, reminiscent of Artemis's bow, looked as if it signifies both her dominion over the night sky and her role as the Goddess of the hunt.

Her black hair danced with the wind, and when she turned to me, I was taken aback by our resemblance. A faint vision also passed my mind. "Let us return and trust the Semideuses," the voice said while tears both cascaded down on my cheeks.

A thought also occurred to me. "I will be the guiding arrow of her heart."

"We have finally met, moon's child," bati sa'kin ng Diyosa. Naaligaga naman ako at mabilis na lumuhod sa kanyang presensya.

"G-Goddess Artemis," nauutal at nanginginig kong bati sa kanya.

In a swift moment, she was already in front of me, holding both of my shoulders. Napalunok ako sa kaba, pero sinubukan kong hindi manginig habang tumatayo sa harap niya. Even our heights were equal. Our eyes. . . they were both shining like the crescent moon.

"I have always been keeping an eye on you. Your existence is somewhat a mystery. You emerged from the moon while I was on the River Styx. Hm, I was doubtful back then. A lady appearing out of nowhere? I thought you were sent by someone else to attack me or spy on me," natatawa niyang kwento.

Hindi ko naman napigilan ang panlalaki ng mga mata ko. Somehow, everything in this situation seemed cloudy. I couldn't process her words well, but I was listening.

"So I sent you to the mortal world, but surprisingly, you were a lot like me. An arrow in the woods. An untamed huntress. A wind without direction, but a moon shining around the darkness. . . I felt that you were my child."

Ngayon naman, hinila niya rin ako para sa isang yakap at nang humiwalay siya, matamis siyang ngumiti at biglang nag-summon ng pana mula sa kawalan. She sang a short hymn, and the arrow turned golden, glowed, and flew to my hands. Halos mapadaing naman ako nang mapaso sa init ng pana.

"From now on, you are my daughter. Perhaps the River Styx sent you to me as fate." Nang sabihin niya 'yon, bigla akong nakaramdam nang paghihigpit sa puso ko, as if someone's tying a knot. But after it, the burning feeling in my hand faded, and I had accepted the arrow.

"Diana. . . I bestow you the power of the moon and hunt. Diana, the first child born from the mercy of Styx. Diana, my child."

Halos himatayin ako sa narinig ko. Oh my Gods?

#DianeChildNiArtemis

#DianeTheMoonShiningAroundDarkness

#DianeUntamedHuntress

#PinagpalaNgStyx

The Semideus: Special Chapter 2

By lostmortals

Plagiarism is a crime.

Hello, losties! Here is a gift for you, though it might be bitin and short, but don't worry they'll have more adventures soon. I'm sure maraming naka-miss sa'ting best girl. They might have lost memories, but they are always bound to be together and create new moments together <///3

I hope you also look forward to creating good memories in the future and hold them in your heart dearly. The moon is always there for you to remind you that there is light even in your darkest times. I love you!

Thank you very much for reading!