DINNER
Bumalik na muli kami sa Olympian World gamit ang chariot ni Apollo, since we needed to rest and nasa mundong 'to naman ang River Styx. Somewhere near the Underworld.
"We meet tomorrow, 4 pm, at the Plaza," paalala ni Aster. Tumango nalang kaming tatlo.
I yawned, and waved goodbye to them. Siguro nga kailangan talaga namin ng pahinga. Dumiretso na ako sa cabin ko, at-
"Ay centaur!" gitla ko ba naman nang biglang makita si Zeref na nakaabang sa Cabin ko. Akala ko mumu!
He chuckled, "Hindi na siya, 'ay kabayo'? Centaur na?" Then, he pouted a bit. "I don't look like a centaur, anyway."
Totoo naman. Hindi naman talaga siya mukhang centaur. I just used centaur because in the Olympian World, centaurs are creatures that are half human, half kabayo. Sa gwapo niyang 'yan, talagang hindi siya mukhang centaur!
"Yes, sorry. Papahinga na ako," paalam ko. Tiningnan ko siya, at nanliit ang mata upang mas lalo siyang maaninag sa dilim. "You should rest too."
I felt him smile at me. "Of course. Hinintay ko lang na makauwi ka," sagot niya.
Naramdaman ko namang bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko dahil sa sinabi niya. Luh, kalma, girl! I turned to him, I awkwardly spoke, "Uhm... salamat?"
Umiling siya. "I'm only keeping an eye on you." Ginulo niya ang buhok ko, dahilan kung ba't mas lalo akong namula.
Halos hindi ako huminga dahil sa kaba, at hindi malamang emosyon. Don't tell me... may gusto na agad ako sa kaniya? Jeez, gwapo lang siguro siya at nakakaintimidate kaya gan'on!
"By the way, where are you all headed tomorrow? River Styx?" tanong n'ya.
Tumango naman ako. Sinandal niya ang kaniyang likod sa log wall ng Cabin ko. Hindi pa ba siya aalis?
Pinaglaruan niya ang kaniyang mga daliri, at hindi talaga siya umaalis. Luh? "Papasok na ako. Ikaw b-"
"Let's eat," he said.
Hindi ko kaagad nasara ang labi ko dahil d'on.
"Kumain ka na ba?" LINYAHAN NG MGA PA-FALL!
Tinaas niya ang kilay n'ya, at nagpamulsa. "I didn't see you eat dinner. Did you? Did I just miss it?"
Umiling naman ako, "H-hindi pa nga ako kumakain. It's okay if I don't eat."
He scoffed. "It's not. Kaya ka laging nanghihina. You should always eat."
"Hindi naman dahil d'o-"
"Okay," putol naman niya agad, at nilagpasan na ako. Okay? Attitude ka, sis?
Nilingon ko s'ya at nagsimula na siyang maglakad palayo. Hindi ko naman alam kung susundan ko siya, or what. When he felt that I wasn't following him, he turned.
"What? Do I need to carry or drag you, Xyn? Let's go. Gutom na ako." Tss, siya naman pala ang gutom ih!
Tinakbo ko ang distansya namin dahil maliit ang mga hakbang ko. He smirked, and stifled a laughter when he realized that my strides were short.
Sinadya pa niyang bagalan ang paglalakad para sa'kin, samantala normal lang naman ang gawi ng lakad ko. I really hate being short!
"Maybe you should learn teleporting. Medyo mahirap nga lang 'yon, but it'll be convinient for a short person like y-"
"Okay," sambit ko, at umirap sa kawalan. Narinig ko na naman ang munting tawa niya, and it was melting! I mean, a deep voice sexy chuckling? That should be illegal.
Napansin ko namang sa woods kami pupunta. Halaaa. Ba't dito? My trauma na ata ako sa mga woods!
"S'an tayo?" tanong ko, at pilit na itago ang kaba sa boses ko.
He turned to me. "To the Rebel's headquarters. Those three can't eat in normal restaurants around, so we just sometimes cook, or I buy for them."
Headquarters? In the woods?
"The woods is a place where almost everyone not likely goes. Except for couples that make out and have s-"
"Shhh!" sita ko at tinakpan ang tainga ko.
He stopped talking, and I gave him a glare.
"Just giving you an idea," he joked and I almost slapped his arm! Innocent kaya ako. I scrunched my nose, iw.
Tumawa naman siya nang malakas, at nang mapagtanto 'yon, tumikhim siya at pinigilan na ang tawa. Hindi naman nakatakas ang ngiti sa labi niya, kaya't napangiti na rin ako ng slight lang.
After minutes of walking, I saw a cabin and a bonfire. I saw four silhouttes... huh? Hindi ba't apat lang silang Rebels? Who's that other one over there?
Zeref whistled, and all three turned their heads over us. I heard Gideon yell, "Wow, ano 'yan, Master? Ba't ka may dalang date?!"
Nang tuluyan kaming makalapit sa kanila, binatukan ni Zeref si Gideon. "Inggit ka lang. Sana inaya mo rin ex mo," asar niya.
My eyes landed to the two ladies, at kaagad nanlaki 'yon. Oh my Goddess, Athena! Bakit s'ya narito?!
"Gulat na gulat si sis!" natatawang sabi ni Athena kay Irish habang tinuturo ako.
"Duh! Kahit naman sino'y magugulat, Antena!" Irish said and rolled her eyes, then she smiled at me. "Halika! Tabi ka sa'kin."
Nahihiya akong ngumiti, at tumabi sa kaniya. I glanced at Zeref who was speaking to the boys. If I am not mistaken, Llyr was the one who had green eyes, the one who manipulated the waters. I also noticed his light green hair in the dark.
Nagtaas-kilay siya nang makitang halos nakatitig ako sa kaniya. After a while, he smirked and turned to Zeref. May binulong siya sa kaniya, dahilan kung ba't siya napatingin sa'kin.
Nag-iwas tingin naman ako, at tumingin nalang kay Irish at Goddess Athena.
Athena smiled at me, and held out her hand. "Hi, Xynthea! Ikaw 'yong hindi nakapasa, hindi ba?"
I smiled and nodded before reaching her hand. Nahiya pa nga ako. I wanted to ask why she was here, but... maybe it's too rude to ask that, or nahihiya lang talaga ako.
"Ako ang nagbabantay sa kanila, at nagte-train sa Rebels, although they're well trained by Zeref na," paliwang niya na tila sinagot ang tanong sa utak ko.
I mouthed an 'o' and nodded again. So, she knows that the Rebels aren't rebellious at all? But why she, of all people?
"Athena," napalingon kaming tatlo sa kaswal na bati ni Zeref. He glanced at me before glancing back at Athena, "Do you think Aster is correct on Artemis bearing a child?"
Tiningnan ko naman si Athena para sa sagot niya. She's the Goddess of Wisdom, after all.
Umiling naman si Athena, "She isn't bearing a child. But probably she already did. Sa tingin ko lang naman ay hindi na kayo, Rebels, dapat makialam sa kanila."
"Hindi naman kami nakikialam!" Irish said and pouted.
Athena rolled her eyes, "Really? Eh ba't kayo ang tumalo sa Lernean Hydra?"
"They can't do it on their own," diretsong sagot ni Zeref. "They don't have someone with power of fire."
Tumango naman si Athena, "Pero sana tinulungan niyo lang, hindi 'yong kayo na-"
"Gideon saw Aster weak. Sa tingin mo, hahayaan lang ni Gid 'yon, Athena?" tanong niya.
Athena sighed, "K, fine. Don't do it next time. Just follow the Oracles, she'll come back eventually."
"Oy, mga depungal! Ta' na kumain!" sigaw ni Gideon mula sa loob ng Cabin.
Athena smiled at us. "Mauuna na ako. I'll go back to my island. Ingat kayo!"
I made a little wave to her, and she beamed at me. Then, hinila na ako ni Irish papasok sa cabin.
The Semideus
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.
Thank you for reading!