Descendants of the Gods

Chapter 13: One Warning

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

"You grew up pathetic."

A little girl hisses while holding the queen piece from a chessboard.

Inobserbahan niya iyon bago ilagay muli sa chessboard. "Desperate and greedy... You've become a disgrace. Even to me." Mahina niyang sambit. Her voice is melodic, yet it holds so much bitterness and anger.

"Remember, it's only the beginning. Don't think that the things you have encountered are already the worst."

"Who are you?" Tanong ko sakaniya.

Her body is covered by a shadow. Kahit anong gawin kong tingin, hindi ko mahagilap ang pagmumukha niya.

She laughs. "Oh, Kasdeya... The storm is so far and yet so near,"

"But just a piece of advice..." She flicks a chess piece on the board, causing it to fall down. It rolls on the board before bumping into another piece.

"The green-eyed monster loves to lie."

I gasp as if I haven't had air for years. My eyes fly open and I immediately sit up from the ground.

Hinahabol ko ang aking hininga. Parang nalunod ako sa bigat ng bawat pagtanggap ko ng hangin. My throat is dry, and my body is pulsing as it ache.

"Kasdeya!"

Napalingon ako sa dalawang taong sumalubong sa paningin ko. Their eyebrows are furrowed, faces etched with worry while they stare at my lost expression.

My hand tremble when I reach for my spinning head. Napangiwi ako. "Anong... nangyari?"

Tumingin ako sa paligid. I'm inside a dark forest. Streams of moonlight pass through the small gaps in the leaves. Sa likod nina Paris at River, napansin ko ang isa pang pigurang nakasandal sa punong kaharap ko.

I squint at the sight of white hair and grey eyes. He's looking at me intensely, sending a wave of shiver down my spine. Nag-iwas na ako ng tingin.

"Kanina ka pa namin hinahanap!" Sigaw ni River sa akin. "The activity was over hours ago, tapos nalaman naming walang nakahanap sa'yo. We went looking for you everywhere until we found you here..."

Hindi ako nakapagsalita sa panunuyo ng lalamunan ko. Pinilit kong alalahanin ang nangyari kanina. My eyesight is blurry and I'm seeing in doubles. Napakurap ako ng mariin para huminahon.

"Then we saw her next to the spot you fainted at," Dugtong ni Paris habang nakaturo sa isang direksyon. Sinundan ko ang kanyang daliri at nanlaki ang mga mata ko.

I tense at the sight of a girl's body. She has blood all over her stomach, the moon making it look gold as it show the ichor mixed within it. Hindi na siya humihinga.

Nanlalaki ang mga mata kong nag-iwas ng tingin sa bangkay. Isang sulyap pa lang, naalala ko na ang nangyari kanina. Everything comes crashing down on me like a sudden, heavy rainstorm.

Huminga ako ng malalim bago bumagsak ang mga luha sa aking mga mata. "A-ayoko na..."

"Kas... Are you okay?" Lumalim ang pag-aalala ni River nang hawakan niya ako sa balikat. Humikbi ako at umiyak ng mas malakas.

"Ano ba talaga ang nangyari?" Tanong pa ni Paris. I secretly perk up at the question.

My shoulders move up and down with every sob. "She— She was already dead when I got here," Iyak ko pa. "I don't who she is or where she came from... Basta— Basta ko nalang siya nakita."

"I didn't know what to do—" Pinunasan ko ang mga luhang tumutulo sa aking pisngi. Nilakasan ko pa lalo ang pag-iyak ko. "I wanted to scream for help. Then... Then I don't remember what happened next."