Matilda's POV
Nakatitig lamang ako sa itaas habang nakahiga sa higaan. Kanina pa nakatulog si Kaye. Meanwhile, I'm lying on my bed, wide awake for I don't know how long.
Pabalik-balik lang kasi na nagpapakita ang imahe ni Cronus sa isipan ko.
He doesn't have eyes.
They took them.
As far as I know, his eyes could be a weapon. They'd use it to control the titan. Or soon enough, they're going to use it to control time.
And here I am, thinking how complicated and dark this war could turn into.
Kaya pala ganitong klase ng paghahanda ang inihanda ni Mnemosyne para sa'min. She sent us through different points in time to show us what we're dealing with.
Nagsimula na namang sumakit ang ulo ko kaya't umupo ako sa kama at napabuntong-hininga.
"Eyes..." nakakunot ang aking noo. "They have his eyes.."
Naririnig ko ang malalakas na kabog ng aking dibdib dulot ng kaba.
My oracle side is alive again.
And it's not sending me happy vibes.
May alam ako tungkol sa pinanggagawa ng mga rebels at nangangati ang katawan ko na bumalik doon sa teritoryo nila para wag matuloy ang balak nila.
Napahawak ako sa aking ulo. "Ano bang gagawin ko?"
My oracle is screaming at me. Telling me to do something. Ngunit nagdadalawang-isip pa rin ako. Dahil paano kung ikakagulo lang ng lahat ang gagawin ko?
Pinikit ko ang aking mga mata sa loob ng ilang segundo.
Ba't pa nga ba ikakagulo to?
Nagkakagulo na nga.
Binuksan ko ang aking mga mata atsaka tumayo. Lumabas ako ng kwarto pagkatapos magbihis at walang ingay na isinara ang pinto para walang makarinig.
Bumaba ako at tinignan kung may tao ba. Fortunately, nakayanan ni Hypnos na umakyat ng hagdan at doon sa kwarto niya matulog. Minsan kasi, and by minsan I mean most of the time, hindi niya naaabutan ang huling hakbang ng hagdan dahil sa sobrang antok kaya't dito siya sa sofa natutulog.
Mabuti nalang at tamang-tama ang timing na'to sa desisyon ko...
Napapikit ako nang itulak ang malaking pinto ng palasyo. Palinga-linga pa ako pagkatapos dahil baka mayroong nakarinig ng pagbukas ko nito.
At wala naman kaya lumabas na nga ako.
Then the first thing I felt when I took a step outside the castle was the toxic air touching my fragile skin. Dahil dito, mas lalo akong kinabahan.
So Matilda, why go alone? you might ask...
Because I choose to.
Kung mababawi ko nga ang mga mata ni Cronus, then that would be utterly amazing. Pero kung kabaligtaran ang mangyayari sa'kin, and I'd end up being caught red-handed, then it's just me that they're going to punish.
I mean, willing naman ako. Desisyon ko naman to.
Nagfo-formulate ako ng strategy sa utak ko habang naglalakad nang may biglang bumagsak sa aking harap kaya't napahinto ako.
Interrupting my thoughts was a man with a raised eyebrow and determined glare.
"Just where do you think you're going?" tanong niya.
Great. I have company.
"Ba't hindi ka pa tulog?" it was not an answer pero yun ang unang pumasok sa isipan ko nang makita siya.
"I don't know.." sagot niya. "Maybe because someone was so loud in her thoughts while the others were sleeping?"
Hmm. Ba't ko nga ba nakalimutan yon? The deities have the ability to peek through someone's mind.
Of course he could hear me screaming at myself.
"I should have been more careful then." nagpatuloy ako sa paglalakad.
Akala ko iiwan na niya ako pero nararamdaman ko pa rin ang presensya niya na malapit sa'kin kaya nalaman kong sinusundan niya ako.
I was right.
He ended up walking beside me with his wings closed and arms behind his back.
"Kaye warned me about you." aniya.
Hindi ako sumagot. I was confused but at the same time, intrigued. Bakit niya ba sinasabi sa'kin yan?
At... ano ang sinabi ni Kaye sa kanya?
"She said you're someone who captured another God's attention. An Olympian." dagdag niya.
"What's there to be warned about?" hindi ko napigilan ang aking sarili na magtanong.
"She told me things I already knew about you..." tinignan niya ako. "except one thing."
Napatigil na naman ako sa paglalakad. Nakatitig ako sa ibaba habang hinihintay ang karugtong niya.
"You chose to forgive her and lessen the burden on her conscience..." he paused for a second. "did you really?"
Sa totoo lang, I don't have the slightest idea why I was able to forgive her immediately. And I don't care anymore. I won't care. Dahil nakaukit na sa utak ko ang katotohanang hindi ko siya kayang maikukumpara sa babaeng nagtangkang patayin ako noon.
It seemed like both were completely different persons.
"Why wouldn't I?" I tilted my head. "I know how much she regrets it... until now."
•••
Nilagpasan kami ng dalawang gigantes at tatlong terrarians. Needless to say, it was easier to get inside the castle with Thanatos on my side.
"Do you think they're still there?" tanong ko.
Patungo kami ngayon sa silid kung saan nakakulong sina Demeter at Pasithea. We were very cautious of our own movements. Naalala kasi namin ang sinabi ni Hecate na napapalibutan ng mist niya ang palasyo ni Hades.
So we tried our best to conceal our powers.
We hurried our way to the hidden room and opened it. It made a loud sound alright. Sa kabutihang-palad, walang dumaan at nakapansin sa'min.
Pagpasok namin, naghintay kami ng ilang segundo para ramdamin kung may kakaiba ba sa paligid. Baka kasi sosorpresahin na naman kami ni Hecate.
"I like how the inevitable God of Death partners with an immortal slash healer slash oracle to save us." Pasithea clasped her hands. "Very unique!"
Demeter sighed. "What do you expect from the fates?"
Nagpalitan kami ng tingin ni Thanatos. Napailing nalang siya saka binaling ang kanyang atensyon sa dalawang goddesses.
Mayamaya, nailabas na namin yung dalawa. Papalabas kami ng palasyo nang huminto ako.
Binigyan ako ng tatlong deities ng nagtatakang mga tingin.
"Mauna na muna kayo.. may.. may hahanapin pa ako." sambit ko sa kanila bago patakbong naglakad pakaliwa ng corridors.
My heart was beating fast while roaming around the dimly-lit halls. Nag-iisip ako ng mga luagr na pwedeng pagtaguan ng mga mata ni Cronus.
If I were a rebel, where would I put Cronus' eyes?
"Somewhere close to them." I answered my own question.
It took me a few minutes to hear familiar voices coming from behind a large door. I don't possess Kaye's ability to see through walls so I took a risk and leaned on the door.
Tinulak ko ito ng mahina hanggang sa nagkaroon ng sapat na gap para makita ko kung sinu-sino ang nasa loob.
The rebels.
They were atleast twenty of them sitting around a long oval table.
"The Moirai is kept somewhere safe, don't worry."
"Somewhere no one can breach."
"Yes. A place close to the dark."
Boses ng mga Arae ang naririnig ko.
Sumilip pa ako at tinignan kung sino ang kinakausap nila. It wasn't Hecate nor Eris.
The mysterious woman was wearing a black long dress and black transparent veil. Her robe contains moving stars as well as patches of grey, violent and blue mist encircling her gown.
Ngayon ko lang siya nakita.
"Eris?" nagsalita ang misteryosong goddess. Her voice was calm and collected but cold and void of emotions. Nakakatindig-balahibo ang tinig niya, at ibig sabihin nito ay makapangyarihan siya.
"My wings are healed." sagot ni Eris. "The lightning marks are gone. I'm ready to make a move."
"Not yet..." she hushed. "Not until we secure our hold of the Underworld and Tartarus."
Sumang-ayon ang ibang chthonic deities sa sinabi niya.
Napaatras ako ng ilang hakbang.
They're planning to attack Thanatos' castle.
And I have no time to search for Cronus' eyes.
I have to tell them.
'We have to go, Matilda. Where are you? The guards have already noticed that two of their prisoners are missing.'
Halos mapasigaw ako sa gulat nang marinig ulit ang boses ni Thanatos sa aking utak.
This God!
I sighed and got a hold of myself.
'Balak nilang umatake. Meet me outside the gates.' sagot ko.
'How are you going to escape the undead guards again?' tanong niya.
When he asked, I was already on my way towards the side of the castle where they chained one of the most ferocious beasts in Greek Mythology.
'Trust me.' Tumigil ako sa harap ng pinto at napangiti. 'I'll make it out alive.'
Sinalubong ako ng amoy ng tuyong balat at kalamnan ng mga sacrificial animals pagpasok ko.
Then three pairs of eyes greeted me.
"Cerberus." tugon ko. Without breaking eye contact, I gave him a gentle smile.
"Wanna go on a rampage?"
He let out a huge growl signifying that he was more than ready.