Chapter 9 - Clues
Ilang araw na ang lumilipas simula nang dumating kami ni Hermes sa lugar na ito ngunit ni isang beses ay wala akong maalala na mismong hinanap naming pareho ang lugar. Minsan ay nananatili ako sa mansyon kasama si Helga at hindi mahagilap si Hermes, mas madalas siyang wala rito sa bahay.
Is he looking for the Elysium of Ambrosia without me?
Maghapon na akong bagot sa bahay at halos 'di na maipinta ang mukha dahil sa inis.
I escaped a deep sigh while staring at the greenery from the veranda. I have to do something, I don't wanna stay here and do nothing the whole day.
Dali-dali akong bumaba ng bahay habang iniisip kung paano ako makahahanap ng mga pahiwatig mula sa kalawakan. I am desperate for signs. I don't have any idea when will I get one, but I needed it before I die. I don't think Hermes is helping, he has a lot of things to do.
Nang makababa ako sa bahay ay nilagpasan ko na lang ang mga nakahelerang sasakyan. What else could I do? I couldn't drive anyway.
Patuloy lang ako sa paglalakad palabas ng lugar ni Hermes nang napagtanto kong malayo pa pala ang gate. Napansin ko ang makukulay na mga bulaklak na nagsasabog sa paligid nang libutin ng mga mata ko ang kabuuan ng lugar. I've been here for days but I never noticed the beauty of this wide place. The outside of his mansion is almost a replica of the setting of the mount Olympus.
This is hell beautiful.
"Are you going somewhere?" halos mapatalon ako sa gulat nang isang boses ng lalaki ang nagtanong mula sa likod ko.
I realized it was just Dancel when I faced him. He's holding a big punner and his face is protected with a floppy hat.
"Uhm... Hermes has not been around for days, do you know where he is?"
The man slightly chuckled when he heard my question.
"Why?" I curiously asked.
"He's the messenger, the man has a lot of things to do. He must've been working on bringing dead souls to the haven of Hades or sending messages of Zeus across earth... Who knows," he shrugged on his last two words.
"Did he forget about our quest?"
"He doesn't forget anything."
"I guess so..."
"Do you wanna go to where he is right now?"
I slightly beamed a smile and nodded.
"Follow me."
Walang pag aatubili kong sinundan si Dancel. We walked to the direction of the back of the mansion. Habang nakasunod may Dancel ay hindi ko maiwasan ang hindi mamangha sa ganda ng lugar na ito.
This place is so peaceful.
Ilang sandali lang ay narating namin ang isang malawak na lawa hindi malayo sa likuran ng mansyon ni Hermes. What's the most noticeable thing on the lake is the railway on its surface that connects to the lakeside deck.
"Is there a train here?"
Dancel nodded, "The train will bring you to the place that you want."
"Really? If I think about the Elysium of Ambrosia, does it mean the train will take me there?"
He cracked a laugh and said, "No."
"It will bring you where your heart needs to be."
"Oh... I thought it'll bring me to Hermes—" I said with curled eyebrows.
"You don't have to worry about anything, this train is safer than anything else."
In just a few moments we heard the choos of the train coming. Dancel guided me to the deck as the rusty train was approaching. It's big and looked like a thing that popped out from a cartoon movie.
Nang makadaan ang tren sa gilid ng lawa ay agad na bumukas ang pintuan nito sa aming harapan.
"Go where your heart belongs..." was the last thing I heard from Dancel before I entered the train. I was just flashing my grateful smile on him when the door just closed making me see a small portion of what's outside.
I saw him waving before the train started.
"To where my heart belongs..." I whispered.
Nilibot ko ang mga mata sa loob ng tren at napansing wala ni isa ang sakay nito. Maliit lamang ang tren at hindi ganun kabilis ang takbo nito, kita ko pa rin sa labas ang madadaanan naming mga tanawin.
Umupo ako sa gilid at tinanaw ang mga kahoy na nadadaanan ng tren. Halos kalahating oras ang itinagal ng byahe bago ito huminto. Lalabas na sana ako nang may isang babae ang pumasok.
She must be a nymph, she's wearing a long white dress and she's glowing differently. She immediately noticed me the moment she entered and gave me a beautiful smile.
Bahagya akong dumuko at ngumiti na para bang nahihiya.
"Hi po," bati ko.
"What's your name?" she asked as she sat beside me.
She's beautiful. I couldn't help but stare at her immaculate beauty.
"Angel."
"Oh well... I've never seen anyone ride this train before. Glad to see you here."
"Happy to meet you, may I know where you are going?" I asked.
"To where my heart belongs," she said as she put her palm on her chest.
Okay. That's so specific. Weird.
"Oh... I see," I awkwardly said.
Halos isang oras din ang itinagal ng byahe nang huminto na muli ang tren. "Oh! Here's my stop. I have to go!" sambit niya at niyakap pa ako bago siya lumabas.
She's beautiful, but she's actually weird.
Nanatili ako sa tren at naghintay pa ng ilang minuto sa byahe bago ito humintong muli. Bumukas ang pintuan at napansing wala ni isa ang pumasok sa loob.
Is this my stop?
Ilang minuto akong nanatili sa loob ngunit wala ngang pumasok. Okay, this must be my stop now.
I decided to get off the train. As I stepped out of the train, a wide field of different flowers welcomed my eyes. This is beautiful but I'm certain that this is not the Elysium of Ambrosia.
The field is filled with different types of colorful flowers which is almost similar to the garden of the universe I once went into with Zeus and Hera. This place is a paradise.
Nang makalayo na ako sa tren ay agad naman itong umalis.
"What are you doing here?" agad kong nilingon ang lalaking nagsalita sa di kalayuan.
Nakapamewang ko siyang hinarap. "What are you doing here?! It's been days and we're not doing anything! Do you think we'll able to finish the quest if we won't be doing anything?!"
"Woah! Kumalma ka naman, Angel! Kararating mo lang at galit ka na agad!"
"I'm dead serious!"
"I found a clue on where to find the Elysium of Ambrosia."
Bahagya akong napatigil sa binanggit ni Hermes. "You did?"
"I know you met her on your way here."
Napaisip ako sa sinabi n'ya. "Oh! That beautiful lady."
"My mother— Maia."
"Your mother?!"
He nodded.
"She told me how we could possibly find the Elysium of Ambrosia... She's living in the universe and she's one of the pleiades— she told me the only way to find the place."
"What is it?"
Hindi siya sumagot kun'di ay lumapit siya sa akin. Habang papalapit siya ay humahakbang naman ako paatras upang umiwas ngunit napatigil ako sa pag-atras nang ilapat nito ang kanan n'yang palad sa likoran ko upang pigilan ako sa pag-atras.
"W-what are you doing?!" I uttered as the only thing I can hear at the moment is the fast beat of my heart.
He didn't say a word. Now we're just inches close to each other. I couldn't help myself but gulp.
Mariin kong pinikit ang mga mata ko. I don't know what he's about to do, but my body isn't doing anything to protest.
Then as the back of my mind expected, I suddenly felt it.
Hermes kissed me. I felt his soft lips on mine.