THE PROPHECY
Nagising ako sa 'di pamilyar na lugar. I suppose this is inside Heracles' mansion.
I grunted as I stood up, and felt a pain on my lower back and butt. Malamang dahil ng maling pagbagsak ko. Nanliit ang mata ko nang mapansing umaga parin... o ulit? Hindi ko naman alam kung ilang oras akong nakatulog mula sa pagkahimatay.
Napatingin ako sa painting sa harapan ko. Tila may kapistahang nagaganap r'on, at nasa tabing-dagat pa sila. I tilted my head when I noticed unfamiliar faces in the painting.
I looked at the frame of the painting, and it was entitled, Titans and Olympians.
Ah, that explains why. Hindi ako pamilyar sa lahat ng Titans, maybe Thetis and some. Nagitla naman ako nang biglang kumulog at umulan nang malakas. I glanced at the window, and the heavens seemed gloomy.
Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa painting, at napansin ang isang babae. She was beside Zeus, and they looked like married couples... but isn't Zeus' wife, Hera? Oh, probably this was his previous wife. Gosh, dami kasi niyang naging asawa.
Napansin ko rin na wala pa rito ang ilang Olympian Gods, only the original six: Hades, Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, and Zeus. The six children of Cronus and Rhea.
Suddenly, I heard the sound of the waves. Nagulat ako nang mapansing gumagalaw ang dagat sa painting. I closed my eyes when I heard serene music in my ears. A sweet voice ringed in my ears.
"Metis,Titaness of Wisdom, Prudence, and deep thought." I held my breath. Another unusual thing is happening to me again.
Who is Metis? I don't... know her. I haven't even heard her name before.
"First wife of Zeus. Was turned into a fly, and was swallowed by Zeus because of a prophecy." Napapikit naman ako nang sumakit ang ulo ko, like someone is invading my mind.
I tried to look at the painting, and noticed that the woman beside Zeus was slowly fading away.
"It is prophesied that Zeus will bear extremely powerful children with Metis.
The first, a daughter who'll possess beauty, bravery, courage, and wisdom.
The second, a child more powerful than Zeus himself, who would eventually throw the world in flames or lift the world to the heavens."
I shut my eyes when I heard a loud bang, alike to the sounds of clock. The first child... Athena? Wisdom?
"Now, another prophecy has born. The children of the prophecies will rise, and save the mortals from the Olympian world...No one can escape the prophecy."
Napahabol naman ako sa sarili kong hininga nang maramdamang wala na ang mga tunog, at unti-unti ko na ring nadidilat ng ayos ang mata ko. I looked by the window, and noticed that the storm was gone.
Pero nang maibalik ko ang tingin ko sa painting, the woman beside Zeus was gone too. Metis. The mother of Athena?
Napalingon ako nang makarinig ng mga yabag. Hebe. I noticed her beautiful and youthful appearance. She was also one reason why the Gods and Goddesses looked very youthful.
"Xynthea, kumusta naman ang pakiramdam mo?" tanong niya sa'kin at ngumiti. May hawak siyang tray at binaba n'ya 'yon sa isang mesa malapit sa'min.
Then, she also looked at the painting. "Isn't that scene wonderful?"
Nagkunot-noo ako. Is it?
"The Gods and Titans threw that painting away. It was said to be a cursed painting, so we kept it. Wala silang maalalang nangyari 'yan, and they said they are haunted by sounds of waves every night na matutulog silang malapit sa painting na 'yan," paliwanag niya.
"Wala naman kaming naririnig na gan'on ng asawa ko, so we presumed it only works for those inside that painting."
Tumikhim ako at napatingin s'ya sa'kin. Nagtataka pa rin ako kung sino si Metis? Maybe she knows her, she's a Goddess after all. "Who is Metis?"
Nagkunot-noo siya. "Metis? Is she a demigod?"
What? Hindi niya rin kilala? "Metis... uh... Titaness of wisdom, prudence, and deep thought. The first wife of Zeus?"
Her mouth formed an 'o' and suddenly she chuckled. "You must be speaking about Thetis. She is a sea goddess, and was supposed to be the first wife of Zeus, but Zeus married her off to a mortal man because she prophesied that her son would be more powerful than the Father."
Huh? Alam ko 'yon... pero sigurado akong Metis ang napakinggan ko. Hindi ba talaga nila kilala? Then was everything I heard fallacies?
"Anyways, you have to go outside if you are feeling well. They are discussing about the ambrosia," she said.
Tumango naman ako at sinubukang isawalang-bahala ang narinig kanina... Metis.
I heaved a deep sigh and started following her outside the mansion.
"You were asleep for the night. Mabuti nga at maaga kang nagising. You will lose time if hindi ka nagising nang maaga."
"Who brought me back?" I asked.
She smiled, "We did not know. Nakita ka nalang nila na nakalublob sa Fountain of Youth."
Fountain of Youth? Omg? Magiging clear skin na ba ako?! Charot, beauty is not defined by the perfections. I believe it is defined by how you carry and flaunt your flaws and imperfections! Charot pt. 2.
Pero posible kayang si Gideon at 'yong Master ang nagbalik sa'kin? Bakit naman nila ako ilulublob d'on!
Nakita ko silang nagpupulong sa labas. Lumapit kami r'on at nagulat ako nang itadtad nila ako ng tanong.
"Anong naaalala mo?"
"Paano mo nahuli ang Golden Hind of Artemis?"
"Bakit ka nahimatay?"
"Bakit hindi mo sila nilabanan?"
"Wait," I cut them off with their questions. "Una sa lahat, nahuli ko ba ang golden hind? Pangalawa, sinong lalabanan ko? Pangatlo, hindi ko alam kung bakit ako nahimatay. Everything just happened so suddenly."
Damon blew air off his lungs. Nagtagis-bagang siya, at nagkatinginan silang tatlo.
Aster talked this time, "We were fighting with the Stymphalian birds, then bigla ka naming naalala. We looked for you pero nakita nalang namin ang Erymanthian boar na nakahandusay."
"Naisip naming ikaw ang may gawa n'on. Ikaw nga ba?" tanong ni Damon. Tumango naman ako. Napansin ko namang tahimik si Diane sa tabi.
"Then, we found you soaked in the Fountain of Youth. Hawak-hawak mo rin ang tali ng golden hind, at nahuli mo siya."
I smiled, "So, where's the Ambrosia?"
Aster frowned. Hala... I have a bad feeling about this.
"The Ambrosia was stolen. Hula namin ay ang mga Rebels ang kumuha n'on. Do you remember someone?"
Napakurap-kurap naman ako, "Rebels... you mean Gideon? And the Master? They always show up whenever I'm in danger."
Napansin kong namilog ang mata ni Aster. Her chest rose up, and Damon put a hand on her back to calm her.
"I'm sorry, Xynthea. Can you tell the name again?" Damon asked.
"Gideon?" I said. Who's Gideon? Why does she have an effect on them? Kilala ba nila si Gideon. Nakita ko namang ngumisi si Diane at napailing.
Damon nodded, "You see, Xynthea, the Rebels are group of powerful and anonymous Semideuses. They are a rebellion team who always messes up with other Semideuses and even the Gods. Walang nakakakilala sa kanilang kahit sino, except you. You know Gideon, and that's a huge revelation, and it's a mystery on why they helped you, sabi mo."
My eyebrow raised a bit, "Why?"
"Gideon is the demigod son of Hephaestus. He has ability to manipulate fire, and he was dead," malungkot na wika ni Damon.
Napaawang ang labi ko nang makita ang mga luha ni Aster. Then, Damon wickedly smiled.
"All this time, we mourned for him. 'Yon pala isa na siyang Rebel. That damn traitor. He was our friend, and suddenly he's our enemy."
Diane scoffed, "Hoy, Aster. 'Wag mo nang iyakan 'yang ex mo. Pangit pangit n'on. Sinasabi ko sayo ha, 'wag kang marupok. Sasapakin kita 'pag bumigay ka sa gagong 'yon."
Wait. Ano raw? Ex? Huh? Tapos friends sila noon? Namatay si Gideon? At Rebels ang tumutulong sa'kin?
Wow, I can't process this at all!
The Semideus
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.
Votes and comments are highly appreciated.
Thank you for reading!