Thieves Of Olympus

73

KAITO

"Mahilig din pala sa ahas si King Midas."

I lift some discarded and dirty linens to check some gold. Kaso mga balat ng ahas ang nakikita ko. Some are in pieces—big and small. Ang iba ay luma at matigas na. Ang nahawakan ko kanina ay bagong tanggal pa. Nakapaikot ito sa isa sa mga pillar ng palasyo.

The dusty curtains made it darker in here. It has a thick blanket of dust covers the red sheet turning it into brown rather than red.

A figure of a waving man beckons me forward. Kanina pa ba siya dito?

"Hey! You're not supposed to be here!" sigaw ko sa kanya.

Lumapit ako sa kanya noong hindi ito sumagot. Basta lang bumaba ang kamay nito. Lumapit pa ako ng kaunti hanggang sa makita ito. It looks like an archaeologist based in his clothes. The arm that fell is harder than it should be. I raise it against the light.

Concrete?

Unti-unti kong napagtagpi-tagpi ang lahat.

This statue.

The shedded skins.

I felt a shiver at my suspicion. Hindi ko na nilibot pa ang buong lugar at nagmamadaling tumakbo palabas ng kwartong iyon. I don't mind the flying particles whenever I push an object aside. Nang nahawakan ko ang balat ng ahas ay nandiri akong pinagpag ang mga kamay ko. My feet runs faster than it should be.

Nagtago ako nang marinig ko ang mga boses nila. There were two of them. Plus, Gareth and Lunox as their hostage. Pigil hininga akong napasandal sa isang pillar. The drum beats of my heart made it more panicking.

"Another descendant of Zeusss."

"Your kin—Perseus—killed our beloved sssister... Medusa."

"Then, I'll be the one to slay you!" Lunox retorts.

"I smell another child... Poseidon's!"

"We must punish his children Stheno! That sea god caused our sister's demisssee!"

"Wag kang lalabas! Find your apple!" Gareth screams at me.

My apple? Does he mean Adam's apple? It is intact in my throat!

Oh... I get it!

...Erina

She's the apple of my eye. That's why he referred it as my apple.

Pero paano sila?

"Come out or they will be our toysss..." hula ko ay si Euryale ang isang ito.

Stheno laughs viciously, "Let's play hide and ssseek! But first..."

Two of the remaining Gorgons—the sisters with snake heads including the mortal Medusa—lives here. Stheno and Euryale are immortal kaya babalik pa din sila sa lupa. They have small snakes on their head and a torso of the scaled reptile. One look in their eyes can turn you into a stone.

Lumipad ang mga alikabok at buhangin dahil sa pagbangga ng isang bagay. The walls shake upon the contact. A crashing sound of falling utensils and hard objects reverberated in the place. A muffled voice and a hiss are under it. Tumalsik ang isang bagay sa paanan ko.

Ang kwintas ni Lunox.

Anong ginawa nila sa kanya?!

"Euryale get that child! I'll toy with this lowly God's son," Stheno commands her. She taunts Gareth like she knew him.

"The pleasure's mine sssister!" Euryale's tail shuffles on the floor.

Mabilis kong pinulot ang kwintas at umalis sa pwesto ko. I ran everywhere but her hiss never left me. She traces me like a hunting dog.

"Shit!" I cursed. Tumama ang katawan ko sa isang haligi dahil sa paghampas ng buntot niya. Napaubo ako nang magbagsakan ang mga bato.

"Mine!" she screeched.

"I'm not for sale! I'm already sold!"

Run. That's all I can do. Kahit ako ang napapagod sa ginagawa ko. Kahit anong buhol ko ng buntot niya sa bawat haligi ay nakakalas niya. Bumabagsak ang iba sa tuwing nakakawala siya.

"Enough running little boy. Surrender under your father's name," she hissed at me.

Kung pwede lang gamitin ang kwintas ni Lunox. Unfortunately, he is the only one who can wield it. Unless, I am given a permission to do so.

Hindi ko dapat sisihin si Dad but pero...

TANGINA!

I can feel the water but it is too deep the place might crumble, and sink! I have the salt water here but it won't be enough.

Bahala na nga! At least mamatay ako ng may dignidad.

She only laughs when she saw me use the vial of water. She is obviously mocking me.

'Wag mo akong maliitin babaeng ahas!

I can't directly look at her eyes. I just need to blind her temporarily. Buy myself sometime to wake Lunox up if he is unconscious and save Gareth's ass. Hindi pa naman nakakapag-isip ng maayos iyon kapag kinakabahan.

One glance. That's all I need. Then I can aim the water in her eyes.

I heave a sigh and find a reflective object. I found one after hiding behind a pillar, pero malas nga lang dahil kita din ako sa kalasag sa pader. I took the risk, throwing my arms backwards while closing my eyes.

Her scream bounced around us. She is clawing her stinging eyes. I collected the water again and return to the spot where they are held hostage.

"Gareth!"

I returned to see that Stheno sits on a big clay jar. She constricts Gareth—who's sweating with fear and shaking. Nasa ilalim ng banga ang tela ng damit ni Lunox.

"Ah, Here you are..." her melodious voice says. It is sweet but deadly to my ears, "Open your eyes. Don't you want to see your friend for the last time?"

"Don't... Open t-them," Gareth's shaky voice made me panic.

She caressed my cheek, "I want to see the eyes of the God who made my sister turn into a monster."

"No. Pry it open if you can," hamon ko.

Alam kong magigising agad si Lunox. And Erina... I know she feels this already. Kung nasaan man siya. We'll buy her time just to look for Aphrodite's apples. This way we can protect her until she can leave.

I know she is strong kaya makakalabas siya dito ng buo kahit wala kami.

"Stheno the brat—"

"Hush, Euryale... You'll wake Perseus' brother."

Tumahimik si Euryale sa sinsabi ng kapatid. I know she stares at me but I feel something wrong. Ayaw kong i-entertain ang naiisip ko. I might be wrong. Siguro nakalabas na si Erina ngayon.

Pinalibot sa akin ni Euryale ang buntot niya. She hangs me upside down and sniffs my clothes.

"Another one is missing. I can smell it from him."