In the last gleam of heaven’s eye, its final rays kiss to the fragile, dusty collection of an enigmatic woman. The woman gazes from afar as she touches one of her favorites. And along with bitter remorse, agony and despair devour her forest-like eyes, hissing as the sun finally bid goodbye.
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
“Revenge is all I seek…” the woman thought, imprinting a certain face in her mind, for she fears no one, not the king of the jungle, not even the gods.
“And now, I hold one of them…” The woman uttered, smirking.
Her pique eyes roam around, skimming through her cold, irreplaceable collections until it lands to her newfound preys. Their horrified looks prickle a sensation within her, remembering the unsightly memory of yesterday.
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
To her, the demigods, no matter what kind, are dreadful products of the overruling gods, for they act as puppets in the desire of their masters.
But her bitterness doesn’t remain nonsense. She loathed the gods, especially the wielder of the sea and the clever one. Her wrath, her agony, and despair were the fruit of their unyielding punishment.
“I…”
“I do not deserve any of these… but those fools deserve nothing from this world.”
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
Her eyes wander around the room, thinking and remembering who holds the most enchanting eyes of all. A hiss escapes her mouth as she thinks of the most beloved demigod of all.
“Princess Aicelyn Hailey Lean… I want to see her eyes, those crystal eyes.”
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
Isang malamig ba halakhak ang kumawala sa kanyang mga labi kasabay ang pagharap niya sa isang salamin, pinagmamasdan ang kanyang repleksyon. Ang kanyang kamay ay dahan-dahan na hinaplos ang pisnge n’ya, inaabot ang kanyang mga mata.
“Those poor demigods… those insightful being in this generation doesn’t even know the meaning of their eyes… how unfortunate,” aniya kasabay nito ang pagkubra ng isang ngiti sa kanyang labi. “How cunning Lockser…”
Agad na nandilim ang mga mata n’ya nang muli niyang mabanggit ang lalaking dahilan kung bakit pilit niyang tumakas sa kulungan niya, ang dahilan kung bakit pumunta siya sa panahong ito.
“Poseidon, Athena, Garet, Alexis… I will rob everything away from you…” she thought.
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
“Who shall taste my wrath first?” The woman asked, looking in the reflection as she set her eyes to the man behind him.
“Unahin mo ang pinakamahina ngayon sa Primus Section,” sagot ng lalaki sa kanyang tanong. “H’wag mo munang puntiryahin ang grupo nina Master Garet—”
“Don’t you dare address him in front of me, Son of Nemesis!”
Ngunit imbes na matakot dito si Bristol, humalakhak siya’t pilit iniiwasan ang mga mata ng kanyang kasama dahil hindi niya nais matulad sa mga kasama niya ngayon sa silid na kinalalagyan nila.
“Serena Brinleigh Undersea… Daughter of Poseidon, hindi ba’t isa siya sa gusto mong gantihan?”
“You are right. Let’s start with her.”
Makahulugan na ngumiti si Bristol, kinukubli ito sa mga mata ng kanyang kasama. “You know that I’ll help you, right?”
“Fool,” the woman mumbled within her. She’s an enemy of all. She does not save lives for no reason because, for her, the demigod behind him is just a fragment of her revenge.
“You better be, turn your back against me…” the woman pauses, glancing through the entire room. “And you’ll be cold as stone.”
Tik. Tok. Tik. Tok.
The woman’s forest-like eyes gaze to the humongous clock tower far away from them. Its irritating sound endlessly rings into her ears. As she leers in it, the clock’s hand leisurely petrifies, shutting the unending tickling sound.
“Harsh,” bulong ni Bristol. “By the way, aren’t you going to feed your guests?”
“Are you mocking me, Son of Nemesis?” The woman asked. “They’ll be killed once I step in that room, for my bloodlust will strike once my eyes lay on them.”
Nagkibit-balikat lamang si Bristol. Alam niyang ang kanyang bagong kasama ay nag-iisip na ngayon kung paano papatayin ang prinsesa ni Poseidon. Bilang anak ni Nemesis, ramdam na ramdam niya ang pait at galit sa puso ng babaeng nakatao sa kanyang harapan ngayon.
“I want to see Princess Aicelyn first—”
“You can’t.” Bristol interrupted.
The woman grimaces, squinting her eyes. “Why can’t I?”
“Princess Aicelyn died three years ago, along with Gaea.”
The woman grimaces once again, for she doesn’t believe the words uttered by Bristol’s tongue, not because he lied, but because she knew the conspiracy behind it. Her eyes suddenly glisten, along with the unfamiliar presence lingering in the vicinity.
And as the woman indulges herself inside her newfound palace, a group of demigods continues their journey in order to find the child with blessed eyes.
“Stop being stupid, Clarkson. Nasa Cavinti na nga tayo,” Celine hissed, narrowing her eyes at her.
Inis naman minata ni Sue si Celine habang pinagkukrus ang kanyang mga braso, “Paano ka nakakasigurado? E, basta mo lang naman kaming hinagis sa ere. Pasalamat ka’t mabilis kong nagamit ang blessing ko!”
“How funny. Try mong tumingin sa paligid, baka lang naman makita mo ‘yong welcome sign.”
Nang gawin iyon ni Sue, agad niyang nabasa ang tinutukoy ni Celine. Ngunit imbes na magpatalo ito’y hinigit niya ang hibla ng buhok nito at tinampal pa ang batok nito. At habang nagtatalo sila sa daan, tumunog nang malakas ang orasan mula sa Shier University, pinahahayag na pumatak na sa alas-syete ang gabi.
Bago pa man muli silang makapagpatuloy sa kanilang paglalakad, ang malakas na ugong ng orasan ay tumigil na para bang puwersan itong pinatigil.
“Mga ijo, ija, gabi na. Saan kayo pupunta?” Pare-parehas silang napatigil ng may isang jeep na tumigil sa kanilang harapan dahilan upang magpalitan sila ng tingin.
Light face palm while looking at his friends, he politely went to the jeepney driver and speaks, “Balak po sana naming pumunta sa Sundang Island. Alam niyo po ba kung paano kami makakapunta ro’n?”
The driver gently points his jeepney, gesturing them to get in. Phoenix and Skyler sit in front beside the driver while the others relax at the back.
“Mga estudyante kayo ng Shier University, ano?” The driver asked.
Skyler nodded. “Paano niyo po nalaman?”
“Naka-uniform ang isa niyong kasama,” sambit nito habang tinitingnan si Sapphire sa rear mirror. “Ano palang gagawin niyo ro’n?”
“May bibisitahin lang po kami,” sagot ni Phoenix.
“Private property na ang lugar na iyon na nasa pagmamay-ari ng mga Xandals? Xiaoxi—”
“Xander po, manong. Kaibigan po namin ‘yong anak,” pagsabat ni Phoenix dahilan upang bigyan siya ni Skyler ng isang nagtatakhang tingin.
“Anong katangahan na naman ito?” Skyler thought.
“Ay, oo! Xander nga! Kaibigan siguro kayo ng batang si Xian, tutal ay parehas naman kayong nag-aaral sa iisang unibersidad. Matagal-tagal ko na rin hindi nakikita ang mga magulang ng batang iyon lalo na’t hilig ni Alyssa na bumisita sa rito upang pagmasdan ang kalikisan.”
Ilang beses na napakurap si Skyler, tila ba’y hindi makapaniwala sa kanyang narinig. “Po?”
Before Skyler could utter another word, the driver stops and smiles genuinely at them. “Ito na ang terminal ng mga bangka. Sabihin niyo na lamang na sa Sundang Island ang tungo niyo.”
And once again, Skyler’s question remains unanswered when Phoenix suddenly pulls him out of the jeepney, handing the fair to the driver with excitement.
With Phoenix’s light, cheerful mood swinging around him, a dark, vicious aura begins to surround Skyler while leering at him. The helmsman awkwardly eyes them when the choleric Skyler is pushed by Phoenix inside the boat.
“Kuya, taralets na sa Sundang Island!” Phoenix grinned.
At dahil sa nakakatakot na ekspresyon sa mukha ni Skyler nanatiling walang kibo ang timonel hanggang sa makasakay na rin ang mga kasama nila sa bangka.
Dahan-dahan ginala ni Skyler ang mga mata niya hanggang sa napansin niya ang nakasuot sa tainga ni Phoenix, isang wireless earphone, na lalong nagpalukot sa buong mukha ni Skyler.
“Putangina!” Ani ni Skyler sa kanyang isipan.
“Kanina mo pa bang suot ‘yan?” Kalmadong tanong ni Skyler. Nagtatakha siyang tiningnan ni Phoenix at tinuro pa ang sarili, tinatanong kung siya ba ang kausap nito.
Nang tanggalin ni Phoenix iyon, muling binanggit ni Skyler ang tanong niya kaya’t tumango ito. “Oo, ang sama na kasi ng tingin mo sa akin noong nag-joke ako about kay Xian e.”
Skyler gently shows him his palm, gesturing him to put the wireless earphone in his grasp. Phoenix hands his beloved wireless earphone with cluelessness until his eyes slowly widen when Skyler throws them in the lake.
“Tangina ka, Sky! Ang mahal-mahal no’n! Alam mo ba kung ilang beses ako humingi ng pera kay Apollo para lang makabili ako no’n?!”
“Wala akong pakielam, Phoenix. Dahil sa pagiging tanga mo, hindi ko nakuha ang isang importanteng impormasyon.”
Phoenix pouted. “Bakit ba? First time kong sasakay sa bangka! Ka-excite kaya—”
“Isang pang imik mo sasakay ka ulit sa bangka. Isamg bangkang si Charon na ang nagmamaneho.”
And while looking at them, Celine’s eyes softened, remembering her comrades that fell from a vengeful maiden’s wrath. She sighs and gently pokes the helmsman.
“Kuya, sa likod po kayo ng Sundang Island dumaan. I-susurprise lang po namin ‘yong kaibigan namin,” magalang nitong sambit saka muling hinarap ang kanyang mga kasama. “Bago ko kayo tulungan sa paghahanap kay Lyn, kailangan ko muna ang tulong niyo dahil nasa islang pupuntahan natin ang mga kaibigan ko.”
“Wow. Nagbabakasyon sina Dylan?” Tanong ni Phoenix dahilan upang paulanan siya ng masasamang mga tingin. “Sabi ko nga, mananahimik na ako.”
“They are trapped, imprisoned in that island,” Celine explained, glancing towards Sapphire. “Kung hindi dahil kay Sapphire, katulad na rin siguro nila ako.”
Aizelle curiously looks at her. “Wait… Alyssa, one of the Rule-Breakers, is living on that island. But based on what you are saying, you are specifically pertaining to another being. Is someone more devious claimed that island as her kingdom?”
“Who?”
“Medusa. They are now cold as a stone, and I don’t know how to return them to normal.”
“The resentful woman, who turns everything beautiful into cold, fragile stone—Medusa.”
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