Legends of Olympus (On Hold)

The Fall

Vance's POV

The road to the pit to Tartarus wasn't as treacherous as they said. It was just dark. That's it, and maybe a bit eerie, but you'll get used to it eventually.

"Pag ba tumalon tayo dito, aling parte ng katawan ni Tartarus tayo babagsak?" tanong ni Zack sa sandaling natanaw na namin ang malawak na butas ng lupa sa unahan. "Saka sigurado na ba tayo-" To emphasize what he said, he slowly nodded his head. "Sigurado na ba tayong hindi tatalsik yung mga katawan natin pag bagsak natin?"

It's the hundredth time that he has asked if we were sure of what we're going to do: jump off the cliff ahead of us and wake up in Tartarus. That is, to assume, that we're actually gonna wake up in the realm and not die from the fall.

"Vance."

Muntik ko nang mabitawan ang renda ni Don nang sambitin ni Amber ang pangalan ko. For a moment, I wondered why my heart skipped a beat, and it continued to do so after meeting her tired gaze. Nilunok ko ang kakaibang kaba sa aking dibdib bago iangat ang aking tingin sa kanya na nanghihinang nakasandal sa likuran ng leeg ni Don.

"Amber," I whispered back, and sneaked a peak on the other side, to where her twin was walking along the rest of us.

Fortunately, Ash wasn't looking back at us.

"Totoo ba na sampung araw tayo mahuhulog bago makarating sa Tartarus?" tanong ni Amber.

"That is..." I cleared my throat. "What they say..."

My answer obviously annoyed her. She clicked her tongue.

"Hindi mo sinagot yung tanong ko," aniya. "Totoo ba o hindi?"

After a moment of silence, she rolled her eyes at me and was about to turn her head away when I answered.

"It's true," sabi ko.

Pagkatapos, nanlaki ang kanyang mga mata.

"Puta-" Muntik siyang mahulog nang magtangka siyang humilig papalapit sa'kin. "Talaga?!" pabulong niyang sigaw.

Muli akong sumulyap sa kapatid niyang hindi pa rin kami napapansin na nag-uusap.

"Mmm." I hummed.

"Gago," napamura na naman si Amber. "Sampung araw tayo mahuhulog?! Mahuhulong lang?! Walang pitstop- gano'n?!"

Yumuko ako upang itago mula sa kanya ang namuong ngiti sa aking labi. "I believe so." Inangat ko ang aking ulo. "Yes."

"Bababa na'ko-" Nagmamadali niyang tugon. "Tangina-"

Pinigilan ko siyang tumalon mula sa likod ni Don. "Wait-" I held her leg that was ready to lift off. "Amber-" My eyes widened when she raised her other leg over Don's back. Catching her by the waist, she leaped off the horse's back and landed not so gently in front of me.

Dahil sa padaskol niyang pagbaba, mabilis na lumipat ang aking kamay sa kanyang likod upang pigilan siyang mawalan ng balanse habang napatukod naman ang aking kabilang kamay sa tagiliran ni Don.

Surprisingly, Don didn't budge after I slightly pushed the side of his belly. Tumigil lang ito sa paglakad.

I was about to hiss at Amber, when I suddenly realized how close my head was lowered to hers'. Ngunit bago ko pa makasalubong ang kanyang mga mata, nagawa niya akong itulak nang malakas.

Napahawak ako sa dibdib kong tinamaan niya.

"Tabi," naiinis niyang sambit saka nagmartsa patungo sa iba.