Reign's POV
Bumagsak ang aking noo sa braso kong nakapatong sa mesa. Mahigpit kong pinikit ang aking mga mata at kinuyom ang aking palad.
'If I'm not mistaken, their only woman...'
Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga.
'The one with the red hair who can summon weapons...'
Mabagal kong binuga ang hangin.
'And the one who controlled light...'
Mahina kong dinama ang files ng Orion sa tabi ng ulo ko habang nakayuko pa rin.
'The one with fire...'
Dahan-dahan kong inangat ang aking ulo nang nakalingon dito.
'And the one who fought against Vance, the enemy with speed and flight...'
Mahinahon kong pinagitna ang folder sa harapan ko at binuksan ito.
Kumibot-kibot ang mga daliri kong nagtangkang gusutin ang unang pahina na tumumbad sa'kin, na naglalaman ng mga larawan ng mga biktima ng organisasyon.
'This madness of killing creatures for power, it is all too familiar...'
Kasunod kong naalala ang sinabi sa'kin ni Medea.
'Greed, lust, pride, envy, they are all familiar...'
Tinapik-tapik ko ang aking hintuturo sa ibabaw ng papel.
'I don't have anything more to say, for I was once evil, Reign...'
Tumayo ako at sinarado ang folder.
Umikot ako nang nanlalamig ang isang palad kakakuyom ko ng mahigpit simula kaninang umaga.
Iniunat-unat ko ito bago hawakan ang pihitan ng pinto at pinihit ito sabay bukas.
Lumabas ako ng kwarto, at patunay ang bigat ng aking mga hakbang sa bigat ng bawat panghihinala ko, bawat katanungang namumuo sa isipan ko.
Bumaba ako sa sala kung saan ko nadatnan ang Omegas na nakaupo't nag-uusap-usap.
"Reign," sambit ni Paige. "The Alphas just left an hour ago."
I continued to stare at them back, wondering silently, at what exact moment in time did everything start to go wrong for us.
Dahan-dahang sumayad ang aking paningin sa gitna nila, balewala ang nangungusisa nilang tingin sa'kin, dahil sa pinaghalong dismaya, puot, at lungkot na walang araw at gabing hindi ako minumulto.
Kumunot ang aking noo sa nararamdaman ko, bago iangat ang aking tingin sa kanila.
"Reign..." nag-aalalang tugon ni Grey.
"You should have asked the Alphas to stay for lunch," I said out of concern, but my voice sounded out of life already, and was on the verge of losing its warmth.
Kung alam ko lang na mapapansin agad nila ito, eh di sana hindi na ako nagtangka pang magsalita at sinulyapan nalang sila bago umalis, dahil sumunod sa sinabi ko ang naninibago nilang katahimikan.
"Do not use that voice on us, Skyreign Austria," seryosong sabi ni Grey, na ikinakislap ng tensyon sa pagitan nilang lahat at sa'kin. "We are not your enemies."
Pinaningkitan ko siya. "I never said that, did I?"
Pinandilatan niya ako ng mga mata. "Do not threaten us behind your voice."
"Grey," pagpipigil ni Paige sa kanya.
Kasunod kong sinalubong ang nanlalaking mga mata ni Bella na nakaupo sa carpet. Mahigpit siyang yumapos sa laruang nasa dibdib niya at pumiling payuko ang kanyang ulo na tila umuurong, bago nagkasalubong ang kanyang kilay at bumagsak ang kanyang tingin sa aking paanan.
Humugot ako ng malalim na hininga at saka tinignan si Paige na nakakunot din ang noo.
"I'm sorry," mahinahon kong sabi. "And prepare for tomorrow, because we're leaving early."
Despite my apology, they still hung unto their breaths and only released it once I turned around and twisted the knob of the front door to step out of the house.
Closing the door behind me, I looked up at the sky that threatened to darken. My hand lowered the same second a streak of lightning silently ran across the clouds, signaling a brewing storm from a distance.
Tinitigan ko ang lupa sa aking harapan, nagdedesisyon kung hahayaan ko bang sumiklab at mamuo ang isang bagyo malapit sa village.
Pagkatapos, unti-unting umangat ang isang sulok ng aking labi, hindi makapaniwala sa tagal ng pagdedesisyon ko kung pwede ko namang itipon lahat ng kidlat at itapon ito sa direksyon ng Mount Olympus.
Pathetic.
Natawa ako nang mahina, at nagsimulang bumaba mula sa hagdan habang sinusundan ng maliliit na kislap ng kuryente.
Sa unang lapat ng aking paa sa lupa, kumalat ang bitak mula sa ilalim ng aking talampakan, at pinagpatuloy ko lang ang magaan kong pagdala ng aking sarili habang nag-iiwan ng wasak na lupa sa bawat yapak.
Maybe I was mad, disappointed, angry, furious, but maybe I was also slowly relieving myself from everything that I have come to learn.
I was betrayed, but I still cannot betray myself by being overwhelmed with my own emotions.
So let them come, I urged the heavens while laughing bitterly. Let them all come to me.
Let the gods be gods, and let that son of Destiny play god, as well.
Give me everything, I said, to whoever god is listening. May you be an enemy or an ally, give me every pain and every suffering.
"And I will keep it," I whispered to the winds the words I want them all to hear, hoping that it will bring my voice to the ends of the world. "Every weapon, every hurt..."
The sky sparked with a dying, exhausted flame, and faint flickers of electricity collected inside my slowly clenching fist.
"Throw it all to me," I chuckled as I collected in my hand all the light and heat that begged to fall on the valley and cause destruction. "Everything, only to me..."
"What good is a war for, anyway?" I asked the gods. "If not for destruction?"
Tumigil ako sa gitna ng daan at tumingala sa namimigat na kalangitan.
Matagal-tagal akong napatitig sa kakaibang kulimlim nito, at wala sa sariling napangiti nang dahan-dahan kong inangat ang nakakuyom kong palad at mabagal itong binuksan upang pakawalan ang mga kislap na kung hindi ko tinipon, ay kanina pa nag-anyong malalaking kidlat na tumama sa lupa.
"Bring me chaos..." Releasing the sparks that rose from my hand, I calmly whispered, "And I will give you havoc."
I collected myself, as I lowered my hand and continued to stare at the dark clouds that began to separate, revealing to me the warmth, and the light of the heavens.
There was life beyond that blue sky and those white clouds. There was the presence of everyone watching. I can feel it, and so I grinned at them.
"Bring me everything," kampante kong utos sa kanila. "And I will give you nothing."
Because let's be honest...
Nagagalak kong ibinaba ang aking ulo para harapin ang mga estudyanteng nagsitigil sa unahan.
Since you have decided to start taking everything away from me, I will see to it that nothing...
Nagpatuloy ako sa paglakad, at malumanay na nginitian ang mga estudyanteng nakasalubong ko.
Nothing...
Kapansin-pansin ang paghiwalay nila habang nasa aking landas.
Nothing can stop me.
Paige's POV
Sinundan ko ng tingin si Amber na palakad-lakad sa aming harapan.
"Putangina, putangina, putangina," paulit-ulit niyang sambit. "Galit na galit na si Reign."
"She's not mad," I insisted. "Just extremely disappointed."
"Tama!" sang-ayon ni Zack. "Kasi kung galit siya, eh di kanina pa tayo nasa ICU!"
"Everyone," sambit ni Grey dahilan na mapalingon kami sa kanya. "Calm down."
Vance snickered. "Says the one who talked back to Reign."
"M-May-" Tumingala si Bella sa'min nang namamasa ang mga mata. "May kasalanan ba ako?" Nanginginig ang nguso niya nang pahabain ito. "A-Anong nagawa ko?"
"You did not do anything wrong, Bella," pagpapatahan ni Ash sa kanya. "Reign was just upset and needed air."
"Ba't parang galit siya sa'kin?" naiiyak niyang tanong.
"Where was she going, anyway?" tanong ni Vance.
"To Galatea's, I think." I sighed as I answered, and shook my head in hopeful doubts. "Hopefully she can get something from Medea and Elpis."
"Medea's here?" usisa ni Grey.
"Yes," sagot ko. "She mentioned to Reign, something happening to the gods, about greed, lust, envy... evil."
"Bella?" nababahalang sambit ni Zack kaya sabay kaming napatingin kay Bella na nangangatog ang mga tuhod nang iangat niya ang kanyang sarili mula sa sahig, nakatukod ang isang palad sa sofa.
"G-Galit si Reign sa'kin?" Her voice whimpered with fear and worry. "Bakit?"
"Breathe, Bella," I asked after I noticed her chest not moving. "She's not mad at you."
She stood wobbly while giving us a tearful look, before she weakly closed her eyes and only took a breath once she unconsciously fell on the floor.
Sinundan ko ng tingin ang stuffed toy niyang gumulong malapit sa paanan ko.
"Oh, ayan," puna ni Zack na napatayo. "Nahimatay na."
"Tangina di rin ako makahinga-" Maingay na napabuga ng hangin si Amber bago gumulong pataas ang kanyang mga mata papikit at mabigat siyang bumagsak sa sahig habang nasa kalagitnaan ng paglalakad.
"Open the door, Zack," tugon ko. "There's too much static air that she left in this room."
Lumitaw si Zack sa harapan ng pinto at nang hawakan ang pihitan ay agad napaigtad sa sakit sabay mura.
"Puta!" sigaw niya. "Nakuryentehan ak-" Hindi niya natapos ang sasabihin niya dahil bigla lang din siyang nahimatay.
Of course, I realized. The atmosphere's heavier on where she stood.
I silently apologized to Zack for not knowing it sooner and used my telekinesis to move his body, and opened wide the main doors of the house to let out static energy and bring in fresh air.
"You know what I think?" ani Grey. "I think we need to stop by Elysium to compose ourselves before we jump into Tartarus."
Amber loudly gasped as her head lifted up and looked around to wonder what happened. She then let out a tired groan and rolled on her back with an arm spread out.
"Ayoko na..." nanghihina niyang sambit habang nakatingala sa kisame.
"Anak ng puta!" Napabalikwas naman ng bangon si Zack.
Dahil gising na sila, tinignan ko si Bella na nakatagilid at nakatulala sa stuffed toy niyang nasa aking paanan.
Kung hindi siya kumisap-kisap, mapagkakamalan na siyang patay.
Yumuko ako para kunin ang laruan niya at mahina itong pinagulong pabalik sa kanya, na agad niyang kinuha at niyakap nang natutulala pa rin, na parang ikakawasak na nga niya ang di-makatotohanang galit ni Reign para sa kanya.
"I think I would like that," malumanay na sabi ni Ash. "To stop by Elysium before we jump into the deepest pits of the Underworld..." Tumango-tango siya. "Maybe just for a couple of days."
"Maybe we can talk about how to survive in Tartarus, too," dugtong niya. "What to expect and what to prepare."
A subtle smile formed on my lips at the kindness of his offer, despite knowing that someone who he also loves is already in Tartarus, clearly waiting for him, and misses him as much as he does.
I was about to sigh dreamily when I felt a pair of eyes stop me.
Tumikhim ako at mabilis na kinolekta ang aking sarili.
"So how many days do you think would be enough to calm everyone down?" tanong ko kay Ash, niwalang-kibo ang kakaibang kulay ng mga matang paliit nang paliit habang nakatitig sa'kin.
"Let's ask Reign when she gets back," sagot niya. "Maybe she has other plans."
Dinaanan ko ng tingin si Grey na pinapaningkitan ako, nang lingunin ko si Amber na katatayo lang.
"Makabili na nga lang ng bagong swimsuit," nagtatampo niyang sabi. "Sabi ni Mama may magandang lawa du'n na pwedeng maliguan, eh."
Napatango-tango ako. "Let's go together."
"Can I come too?" sabat ni Grey habang pinapadalhan pa rin ako ng nanghihinalang tingin. "I just remembered I also need a new pair of shorts."
"Ah, oo, ako nga rin pala," dagdag pa ni Zack na pilit hinahatak patayo si Bella. "Lifeguard duty ako kaya kailangan kong bumili ng mga gamit."
"I guess we can all go," ani Vance. "I need to buy a few things too, before we leave."
Tumayo kaming lahat maliban kay Bella na kinaladkad ni Zack patungo sa pintuan ng dorm.
"Di pwedeng maiwan," paliwanag niya nang tignan namin siya. "Baka magbigti na naman sa railings."
What followed was a silence of agreement.
"Bella!" Nagmamadaling lumapit si Amber sa kanya. "Tumayo ka na nga diyan! Mamimili tayo ng swimsuits!"
Meanwhile, I grabbed a notepad and a pen from the coffee table and wrote a message for Reign when she gets back.
'Mall. Swimsuits.'
Satisfied with only the two words, I reached back to the table to return the pen and the pad, when I noticed a card resting on top of a book.
It was obviously hidden under the notepad.
Napatigil ako nang malaman kung ano ito.
"Henri," sambit ko dahilan na mapatigil silang lahat.
Binaba ko ang note sabay kuha ng ID para ipakita ito sa kanila.
"Henri left his ID," sabi ko sa kanila.
"Gago- bilis! Itago mo 'yan bago niya maalala!" ani Amber.
"Bobo ka ba?" sumbat ni Zack. "Eh kahapon pa umalis 'yon!"
"Ha?" Nakapameywang si Amber. "Ba't naman aalis 'yon?"
"Leader ng Orion 'yon, tanga!"
I took in a deep preparing breath, and struggled to stop my hand from crushing his ID because then I might waste the money inside it.
And that man... definitely left this for this exact moment, to cause this exact problem, and completely ruin everyone's day.
"Excuse me?" nagtatakang tanong ni Ash.
"Putangina- ano?!" sigaw naman ni Amber.
Mula sa mukha na nasa gitna ng card, dahan-dahan kong inangat ang aking tingin sa mukha ng kambal na nakaharap sa'kin.
"Let me explain," I said, a few seconds before chaos erupted.
And who knew it would only take one card to almost burn an entire house down?