T H I R D P E R S O N PO V
These hideous beings have a demon-like appearance, but they resemble a cross between dogs and bats. It menacingly stares at us as if it were a hungry beast waiting for its prey, its bright red eyes glowing against the darkness. Chanel took a deep breath and began taking a cautious step back.
Their leader made its entrance, standing proudly in the middle as if it stood a chance of winning against the three gods.
The atmosphere is swarming with an invisible tension. Any moment from now, the forest would be engulfed in flesh and blood. Under the heap of dead, only the strongest would remain standing.
"Let's finish this." Dionysus muttered, eyes burning with passion to win.
In a split second, thick, rusty blood splashed out of the creatures' bodies as the three gods swung their weapons at anyone who came in their way. The demonic creatures were screaming and screeching as the ground became slippery with sludge and a vile smell rose up from it.
"There are still many of them!" noticed Hermes, slashing another creature's neck without hesitation.
"Why do they keep multiplying?" sounding alarmed, he nearly felt one of the sharp claws pierce his heart.
Apollo, who's entire face showered with blood, keeping his eye on the leader. Its where all the creatures came from. "As long as their superior is alive, they won't run out. We have to kill it first then finish these ugly bastards."
He turned around and a huge glowing golden orb came out from his hands. It is bigger and sturdier than the previous one. Apollo incarcerate Chanel inside the glowing orb in order to protect the young girl from danger.
"Hermes, target changed. Kill the superior!" yelled Apollo to his comrade.
Receiving the message clearly, Hermes turned his attention to the target as he felt his power running through every fiber of his veins. Apollo prepared to fire while aiming his arrow. With all of his strength, he released it; Hermes caught it in mid-air, charged through the superior, and pierced the arrow directly on its chest.
A smug look appeared on Hermes' face while the creature was twitching in pain.
"How 'ya like that huh?"
However, the wound completely healed itself within the few seconds that wiped off the God's victorious smile.
"What the—"
The gargoyle-like creature appeared to have grown stronger and more vicious than before. How come it didn't die after being penetrated by Apollo's arrow?
"H-how did you surviv—"
He did not have the chance to finish the sentence when the superior shoved him on the chest, sending him flying across the forest and hitting his back on the huge tree.
Both Dionysus and Apollo had their eyes widen upon witnessing how strong the creature was. They began to suspect that it's not an ordinary gargoyle. As if its been blessed by a god's strength.
As he was distracted for a moment, Dionysus yelled in pain when a sharp claw stabbed his arm, scraping through the skin, making a long wound down the wrist. He quickly raised his other arm, and the creature suddenly grew thick vines within its body that eventually caused it to explode like a bomb.
Apollo had enough, he completely ripped off the shredded sleeves, exposing his muscular arm.
Gripping tight on the two golden arrows in both of his hands, the sharp end shone against the seeping sunlight as if it were gathering strength from it.
He launched himself at the creature, with the tip of the arrow aimed at the target. As he was about to finish off the beast, its glowing red eyes stared at him, making his eyebrows furrow. The god began to feel nauseous, losing both his strength and focus. He tried to bring himself together only to lose his own consciousness even more.
The pair of glowing red orb feels as if it's dragging him to the spinning void of madness.
The arrow fell to the ground and reverted to its original copper hue. Apollo went off the deep end, slowly slipping from the light.
"W-what is h-happening to me . . . " The entire forest is spinning around like he's placed between a wheel. Apollo, no longer the valiant god, felt an odd sensation against his stomach. He is gradually becoming something that is far from humane.
Chanel witnessed everything in front of her. The poor girl can only hoped to her prayers, as she can't do anything to help the three gods.
She keenly observed the superior creature hypnotizing Apollo. What she felt was deep alarmed and nervous. What is happening to Apollo? Why is he just standing there?
The pair of red glowing eyes is engraved in Apollo's mind like a poison contaminating him. A voice suddenly called out his name, he sharply turns around to see an alluring woman standing not far from him.
He squinted his eyes, hoping to get a better glimpse at the woman's face which spark something within him.
"D-daphne?" He can't believe his own self.
The woman he used to love thousands of centuries ago is in front of him and appears as lively as the last moment he saw her.
She was my first love.
Although she never reciprocate it.
Apollo could not fathom when it all started. Perhaps it was when he enraged Cupid and struck him with the golden love arrow that he fell in love with the first woman he saw, the beautiful Nymph, Daphne.
However, the young lady was shot by the lead-tipped arrow, rendering her invulnerable to love and hate Apollo eternally.
In the hopes that she would return his affection, he chased her at that moment.
And in an unfortunate turn, she lost her life trying to escape his love.
Daphne cries to her father for help. Hearing his beloved daughter's plead, he quickly transformed her into a laurel tree.
"N-no, n-n-no! Don't!" Apollo extended his hand as the young woman vanished and a tree stood in her place.
It's as if all of the hatred and pain he felt at the time has resurfaced at this moment. It never faded. It's still there, hiding beneath the memories.
His eyes watered down to the ground as he hurriedly raced to the tree and wailed. "D-daphne . . . " the poor guy can only weep at the grievous memory.
"What did I do wrong? I just want to love and be loved. "
Love is a cursed, only for him.
"It is not fair. " He stopped sobbing.
"It is indeed very not fair. " a deep guttural voice suddenly whispered in his ears.
"How can the Gods do that to you? How can they take every person you love away from you?This world is cruel even for a valiant God like you."
The voice seems to be slipping through the deepest fragment of his brain.
He's slowly losing himself.
"Apollo dude. " Hermes tried calling his friend.
"Why is he just standing there?" Both of them looked at him, confused, with a hint of the uneasiness scratching their system.
Meanwhile, Chanel cannot stop her hands from trembling as she stared at the man standing firmly in front of them. She can't see his face. No one knows what goes on his mind.
As everyone is distracted by Apollo, the gargoyle's leader grabs the opportunity to lock the two gods—Hermes and Dionysus—into a different dimension where they are sealed with an indestructible mirror. The realization came too late. They exerted every effort to break the glass, yet there are no visible scratches. All they can do is observe from a distance.
Upon witnessing what just happened, Chanel's anxiety increased, knowing there is only one God left that can possibly defeat the monsters.
"Apollo has to faced them all by himself. " Her voice filled with so much worry.
All of a sudden, the orb gradually loses its spark and disappears.
"W-wait, wait, wait, wait! Why it just suddenly disappeared?! Where did the orb go?!" Panic grew immensely as the gargoyles growling around the poor girl.
She yelled his name, "Blondie! Blondie help me!"
The monsters are encircling her as if she were the anticipated sacrifice in a ritual.
Despite her screams and piercing cries, Apollo remained standing still. His hair was covering his face.
"B-blondie?"
After a few seconds, none of the gargoyles attack her. Chanel couldn't point out which emotion dominates—confusion or alarm. Should she be confused that the monsters aren't feasting on her body yet or be alarmed that Apollo is not responding to her cries.
Apollo at last began to move, approaching her slowly.
However, something is off.
She finally take a glimpse of his face.
His face is pale and eyes were black, he looks nothing like the god she know. He is shrouded with darkness that made her took a step back.
"Apollo! Τι κάνεις? " yelled Dionysus, repeatedly banging the glass.
(Translation: Apollo! What are you doing? )
"I'm afraid he is not himself. " said the other God.
Both looked at each other with fear, "He's under hypnosis."
When Apollo is only a few feet closer to her, Chanel tried to snapped him back to reality. "Hey b-blondie, a-anong problema? Bakit itim 'yang mga mata mo? Huwag mo nga akong takutin. " her voice trembles along with her body.
The god continues to walk towards her as she keeps moving backwards.
Until her body hits the tree, there's nowhere to escape.
She could smell his hot breath as Apollo towered over her, staring down menacingly. This is not the hot-headed, stupid god she remembered. Everyone is aware that she doesn't fear him, but this time is different. A voice in the back of her mind warns her not to trust the man in front of her If she wants her body to remain intact.
"They ruined everything. " Apollo repeatedly muttered under his breath.
"W-what are you talking about?"
He brings his face closer to hers, "I can't have the only thing I want. My only happiness was deprived from my hands. Everyone took her!" His words pierced right through her heart, shattering it to pieces.
He's talking to her as if he doesn't have any idea who she is and the memories they shared together.
As if he's talking to a mere stranger.
"Apollo wake up! Nahihibang ka na ata eh! Anong pinagsasabe mo? Tsaka anong tinutukoy mo? Ano ang pinagkait sa'yo? Hindi ko nais na ipagkait sa'yo ang iyong kaligayan, kaya magising ka na at pag-usapan natin ito ng mabuti. You're scaring me!" she screams, tears clouded her vision.
"Everyone should not be given a chance to love, even the Gods. . . "
Chanel can only stared at his face as he speaks.
"It brings nothing but chaos. "
She can't decipher the truth behind his words, but one thing is certain for her. His eyes are filled with sheer misery, as though the world has fully abandoned him and no hope is left for him to cling to.
"Αυτός ο θνητός θα βάλει εσάς και τον υπόλοιπο κόσμο σε κίνδυνο. Εξαφανίστε την." Another voice whispered to Apollo, poisoning his mind even more.
(Translation: That mortal will put you and the rest of the world in danger. Eliminate her. )
There was no dash of mercy when the god wrapped his hand around her neck, strangling her with such force. The poor damsel had her eyes wide in immense shock as the air slowly deprived her of it.
"APOLLO! APPOLO YOU'RE KILLING HER!"
Dionysus and Hermes could not believe their eyes. The god and a friend they've known for thousands of years would've never done anything like this. He may be hot-headed and jerk, but hurting a mortal—especially a woman—is something he is incapable of doing.
Yet again, Dionysus landed a powerful blow on the glass as Hermes hit it with his staff in an attempt to break it, but none of it caused any damage.
"He's gonna kill her . . . "
"If that happens," Hermes said, "He'll face the most severe punishment Zeus has ever given to any god."
C H A N E L ' S P O V
Hindi ko halos makilala itong taong nasa harapan ko.
Na walang awang sumakal ng isang hamak na babaeng walang kalaban-laban. Napalitan ng takot ang pagka-inis ko sa kanya. Nararamdaman kong hindi siya mag da-dalawang isip na kunin ang aking buhay. Nakakatawa dahil isa akong kaluluwa ngunit maaari pa ring mamatay sa mundong ito.
Sa kamay pa ng lalaking unti-unting nagbago ng aking pananaw.
"Apollo . . . " halos walang tunog ang lumabas sa aking bibig.
Ngunit tila hindi na niya ako nakikilala.
"S-salamat dahil naliwanagan din ako sa wakas. " namumuo ang luha sa aking mga mata kaya't naging malabo ang kanyang mukha. "S-saktan mo nalang a-ako, h-huwag lang ang mga k-kaibigan mo . . . p-pakiusap. "
Naririnig kaya niya ang sinasabe ko? Andyan pa kaya ang tunay na blondie na kilala ko?
Noong hindi pa nagsimula ang lahat ng ito, wala akong pakialam sa kahit na sino—sa mundo at kahit sa aking mga magulang. Wala rin akong pinaniwalaan. Akala ko mas mainam nang ganoon upang walang nakakasakit sakin. Akala ko mas mabuti pang ibaon ko sa hukay ang dating ako na kilala ng lahat.
Naging masama ako at pinilit kong kumbinsihin ang sarili na ayos lang iyon. Tutal, hindi rin naman banal ang mga tao. Makasalanan din sila. Kahit minsan nasasaktan ko na rin ang sarili dahil sa pinaggagawa ko sa iba, mas pinaibabaw ko pa ang pagiging makasarili ko. Kaya sabi ko, mas mabuti pang kamuhian ako ng lahat nang sa gayun ay wala nang iba pang bagay na makakasakit sakin.
Ang inis at galit ko sa sarili ay sinisi ko sa aking mga magulang kahit 'di nila kasalanan.
Walang may kasalanan na naging ganoon ang aking nakaraan.
Hindi nila ginusto 'yun. Walang may gusto nun.
Biktima rin sila tulad ko.
Kahit labag sa aking kalooban na ipinanganak ako sa mundong ito upang matikman ang kapaitan nito . . . ni minsan hindi sumagi sa aking isipan na magpasalamat na at least hindi nila ako ikinahiya at pinagkaitang mabuhay.
Kung hindi ako napunta sa mundong ito, tiyak na mapahanggang ngayon walang magbabago sa sarili ko.
Isa pa, akala ko mahal ko si Lysander.
Ngayon ko lang napagtanto na napakababaw pala ng nararamdaman ko para sa kanya kung ikumpara sa nararamdaman ngayon ko sa taong ito.
Natagpuan ko ang totoong sarili nang makilala ko siya.
Katulad ng kanyang buhok, niliwanagan niya ang tamang landas. Hindi na ako muli pang mawala kakahanap sa sarili.
Tinitigan ko siya sa mga mata habang patuloy na dumadaloy ang luha sa kanyang kamay.
Alam kong hindi na ako magtatagal.
"All I want . . . is to find true love. " madiin niyang pagkakasalita at mas lalong hinigpitan ang pagkakasakal sa aking leeg.
Kahit nahihirapan, ngumiti ako ng bahagya habang nakatitig sa kanyang mga mata.
The truth is . . . he doesn't need to find it.
"L-look around you. " nakuha ko pang magsalita at napalingon naman siya kina Dionysus at Hermes na nakakulong. "D-does their love for you isn't true? "
Saglit na napatitig siya sa dalawa.
Ang aking mga mata ay parang pundidong ilaw na malapit nang mawalan ng liwanag.
"Look at me. . . " lakas-loob na hinawakan ko ang kanyang mukha.
"D-don't you feel it?"
Ito na ang huling salitang kaya kong sabihin.
"It's alright, it's alright . . . I can be your true love Apollo. Let m-me be. " With the remaining strength left, I caress his cheeks before letting my eyes rest peacefully.
Siguro ito na ang kabayaran ko sa lahat ng mga nagawa kong kasalanan sa mundo.
But it's enough for me that the last thing I felt before losing my life was the true love that I longed to feel for someone for a long time.
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