Reign's POV
Nakapangalumbaba kaming tatlo nina Hedone at Paige sa kusina habang pinapanood si Ash na naghuhugas ng pinggan.
Hedone and I had both our elbows on the counter while Paige just leaned on one arm with her other hand resting on an open book.
Narinig ko ang mabagal na pagbuntong-hininga ni Hedone na pinagitnaan namin.
"Attention, to the representative of Omega Class, you are being called to the conference room."
Mabilis ang paglingo'ng ginawa namin ni Paige sa isa't isa.
Yung meeting!
"Paige-" sambit ko at dali-dali kaming nagsibabaan sa aming mga upuan. "Paige!" Kumaripas kami ng takbo sa harapan ng dorm.
Pagkalabas namin, sabay kaming lumundag at gamit ang aming mga kapangyarihan, mabilis kaming lumipad paangat sa lumulutang na isla.
Nang makapasok kami sa Academy, inayos namin ang aming mga sarili at patakbo lang na naglakad patungo sa conference room.
Isang aurai ang bumukas ng pinto para sa'min. Tinanguan namin siya bago pumasok sa silid kung saan naghihintay ang ibang teachers at class representatives sa'min.
"My apologies," tugon ko. "We had a visitor."
Sa loob ng malawak na silid ay may malaking circular table na pinalibutan nilang lahat. May hugis-bilog din na espasyo sa gitna ng mesa kung saan nakatayo si Miss Bliss.
Nginitan niya kami. "It's okay."
Dumiretso kami ni Paige sa magkatabing bakanteng upuan at nagsiupuan.
Nagpalitan kami ni Paige ng tingin bago ituon ang aming mga atensyon sa folders na nasa'ming harapan.
"You can now open your folders," sabi ni Miss.
Sabay-sabay namin itong binuksan, at bumungad sa'kin ang isang mahabang table kung saan naka-printa ang mga petsa, mga lugar at ang mga bansang kinabibilangan nito.
"That's information provided by Mr. Austria, about the decreasing populations of mythological creatures in the world."
Kumunot ang aking noo. Decreasing?
"For years, we have been on the look out of changes in our populations, and indeed we've noticed that there's something strange going on."
Inangat ko ang unang pahina at napatigil sa mga litrato ng mga bangkay ng mga aurai.
Lahat sa kanila'y tinanggalan ng mga pakpak at meron ding iba na nakatali pa ang mga paa't kamay.
"What the hell is this?" Narinig kong tanong ni Luke, ang representative ng Alphas.
Napapikit ako sa mga litrato, bago tignan ang kasunod na pahina kung saan naka-printa ang larawan ng mga katawan ng satyrs at centaurs na napuno sa mga pasa at sugat.
"Mr. Austria has been collecting intelligence about the massacre of mythological creatures from all corners of the world." Miss Bliss informed us. "And he just expressed his concern about its growing impact."
"He and his men has been controlling this issue for years now, but the time has come that he has asked the Academy for assistance."
I pursed my lips.
Dad...
"It's an international organization, he believes, that is the culprit," dagdag pa niya. "Their goal? power... and in doing so, they are greatly causing disturbance to both mythological and mortal realms."
"They're hurting mortals?" tanong ko.
Tinignan ako ni Miss Bliss. "They're hurting your father's men, Reign."
"In fact," aniya. "The Prince's and the Carswell's have also gathered their own men in response of this threat."
Sinulyapan namin ni Paige ang isa't isa bago muling tumuon kay Miss Bliss.
"Trev, Chase, and Kara, three of our founders, are leading the main forces that have been fighting against this organization," pagbibigay-alam niya. "But the enemies' population is increasing by day, and it's happening all over the world."
"We cannot risk more men, mortals, because we are here, demigods and other creatures alike that are capable to do more," aniya. "So, we will help."
Napatango-tango kaming mga estudyante.
"We still have yet to know the name of this organization."
"They've been fighting them for years and they still don't know their name?" tanong ni Luke, dahilan na tapunan namin siya ni Paige ng tinatamad na tingin.
Sinalubong din naman niya ang aming mga mata.
"Luke," sambit ni Paige. "Don't they teach you the basics of strategy?"
Yumuko ako upang itago ang pagpipigil ko ng ngiti.
Paige doesn't like being underestimated, especially when it comes to missions.
She's a descendant of both Athena and Poseidon, and their wisdom and pride, is not a good combination when she's offended.
"You cannot underestimate your enemies without having faced or even seen them," paalala ni Paige sa kanya. "-nor can you overestimate their power."
"But we have heard of them, haven't we?" Isang babae ang sumagot.
Inangat ko ang aking ulo at tinignan si Sophia, isa ring Alpha at anak ni Athena.
Is this a showdown I'm sensing?
"And you are already assuming?" tanong ni Paige.
Saka siya humarap sa lahat ng mga guro't estudyante na nakatuon sa kanya. "I suppose not one of you has read the last page."
Dahil sa sinabi niya, sabay naming binuksan ang panghuling pahina ng files.
"Oh," bulong ko pagkatapos makita ang list of confirmed and unconfirmed but suspected members of the organization.
Kasali sa lista ang pangalan ng mga presidente at mga kilalang makapangyarihang tao sa bawat bansa.
"This organization, is as powerful as the world leaders," ani Paige. "If it is indeed true, that majority of them are killing mythological creatures..."
Paige paused for a moment.
"Then both our realms are waging wars against each other," saad niya. "Our enemies are our people, and their victims are our creatures."
"This is chaos, Luke." Paige glared coldly at the two Alphas. "You are not underestimating chaos, are you?"
Pasimple akong humilig sa aking upuan at bahagyang itinaas ang folder para takpan ang namumuong ngiti sa aking mukha.
Paige...
"Have you tried facing against chaos, Luke?" aniya. "Total chaos? Where the realms were destined to be destroyed?"
Kinagat ko ang aking pang-ibabang labi habang nakangiti.
"No?" Paige asked. "Have you tried bringing back the world to existence, then?"
"If you have not seen what true chaos is, then you have no right to complain about what our founders have done," she also said. "Just because we only heard the little things, does not mean there will be no bigger things."
"Your own expectations will be your downfall if you continue such..." Nanghina ang boses ni Paige sa bandang huli. "-mindset."
Stupid. She just called him stupid.
Tumikhim ako at ibinaba na ang folder sa harap ko. Umayos ako sa pagkakaupo at binigyan silang lahat ng isang manamis-namis na ngiti.
"Since we have no name for this organization..." Tinignan ko si Miss Bliss na kagigising lang ng diwa mula sa bigat ng mga salita ni Paige. "Ano ang tawag ng mga founders sa kanila?"
Miss Bliss cleared her throat before answering. "They call them the huntsmen, mortals who hunt mythological creatures for power."
"And these huntsmen..." tugon ko. "They kill and torture-"
Hindi ko natapos ang sasabihin ko dahil kay Luke na biglang nagsalita.
"What I meant, Paige, was that perhaps the abilities, more specifically, the stamina of an Omega is not enough for the enemies."
Napatigil ako.
Hindi niya ako pinatapos...
"Luke," sambit ko. "Baka nakalimutan mong Alphas din ang mga magulang namin? Are you underestimating yourself, then?"
He chuckled and crossed his arms against his chest. "Maybe chaos did something to them? It's possible that they became different after restoring the realms."
"Are you..." Kumunot ang aking noo. "Are you calling the founders weak?"
He smiled and shook his head. "Didn't exactly say that."
Nanlambot ang ekspresyon sa aking mukha. Yumuko ako at natawa nang mahina. And then, I gritted my teeth before looking at them with an empty smile.
Dahil sa totoo lang, pinipigilan ko lang ang sarili kong ikuyom ang aking mga palad na nakapatong sa mesa at kitang-kita nila.
"Bella," tawag ko.
Sabay silang napalingon sa babaeng biglang lumitaw sa gitna nang nakabalot sa kadiliman.
Dahan-dahan niyang inangat ang kanyang ulo at diretsaang sinalubong ang aking determinadong tingin.
"Reign," malamig niyang sabi.
"Have you heard of the huntsmen?" tanong ko.
Like I said, Bella is everywhere, with her ability to blend in with the light and dark.
"Mmm." She hummed in response.
"You think you can get one for me?" tugon ko.
Matagal-tagal niya akong tinitigan. Ipiniling niya patagilid ang kanyang ulo suot ang walang kabuhay-buhay na ekspresyon sa mukha.
"Buhay?" tanong niya.
Hindi ako sumagot.
Unti-unting namuo ang isang nakakakilabot na ngiti sa kanyang labi, bago siya nakiisa sa anino sa kanyang paanan at nahulog sa sahig.
"What-"
"Silence," pigil ko kay Luke na akmang magsasalita na naman.
Tension grew inside the conference while we waited for a couple of minutes. Some kept glancing at their watches and the atmosphere kept getting heavier and heavier, until a shadow appeared in the middle.
Bella did return, covered in blood, but I knew she wasn't hurt.
She held a glowing katana on her right hand and on the left...
Narinig ko ang pagsinghap ng ibang mga kasama namin.
Nginitian ako ni Bella sabay angat ng pugot na ulo ng isang lalaki. "Eto?"
Some looked away from the gruesome scene that surprised them.
I leaned towards the table and clasped my hands. "Sa'n mo nakuha 'yan?"
"May maliit na camp sila," aniya. "Malapit lang sa valley."
"They're looking for the school?" tanong ko na tinanguan niya.
"May maps akong nakita, ih." Pinihit niya ang pugot na ulo paharap sa kanya. "Pero maliit nga lang yung camp kaya..."
Humagikgik siya. "Inubos ko na sila."
Uubusin pa, ang ibig niyang sabihin, dahil alam kong may tinira pa siyang mga buhay para mapaglaruan.
Mula kay Bella, madahan kong inilipat ang aking paningin kay Luke na nakasuot na ngayon ng blankong ekspresyon at halatang malalalim ang bawat hugot ng hangin.
I chuckled and looked at the demigod who was too happy to be covered in blood.
"Okay na ba?" Tila nawala ang mga mata ni Bella nang ngitian kami ni Paige. "Hmm? Pwede na akong bumalik sa camp- I mean, sa room ko?"
Tumango ako. "Thank you, Bella."
Naglaho si Bella dahilan na mapasinghap si Miss Bliss.
"Wait!" aniya, pero nawala na nang tuluyan si Bella. "Their camp- we need the location of the camp-"
I laughed. "I say we let the Alphas find it."
Napatigil si Miss Bliss, at nilingon ako. "Reign."
Kinibit ko lang ang aking mga balikat nang nakangiti pa rin.
"Alphas." Isa sa mga guro ang nagsalita. "You're on a mission."
Nilingon ko sina Luke na bahagyang napabukas ang mga bibig, ngunit hindi makapagsalita upang makaangal.
Paige and I exchanged knowing smiles before glaring at the others around the table who were still stunned by what Bella was able to do in an instant.
They were still taking in what happened, at hindi ko naiwasang mapalapad ang aking ngiti sa iisa nilang reaksyon.
Halatang ngayon lang nila nasaksihan ang minsa'y karumal-dumal na pamamaraan ng class namin, dahil hindi naman namin sila kasama sa mga misyon.
In school, the Omegas cause trouble, but outside...
Outside, we wreak havoc.
Natawa ako nang mahina.
Welcome to our bad side, Olympus Academy.