Oculus of Time

What Matters Most

Dio's POV

My eyes squinted after noticing the creatures that suddenly appeared out of nowhere to surround us. The terrarians, gigantes, cyclopes... even the leviathans are here.

I looked at the crater of the volcano. For a few moments, I just stared at it and waited for a titan to come out.

And what a surprise.

Cronus did come out.

"Dio?"

I turned to my Mom who was giving me a worried look.

"Naaalala ko lang kasi, Ma, na nagawa lang naming labanan si Cronus dahil tinulungan kami ng mga Olympians," sabi ko sa kanya. "But who cares, right? We're still going to defeat him, with or without our deities."

Pinaningkitan niya ako. "Sa tingin mo, anak, matatalo pa rin tayo kung nasa panig natin ang tadhana?"

My brows furrowed. "What do you mean? We're against chaos, Ma."

"Hmm." She pursed her lips for a few seconds. "Sigurado ka ba talagang may kalaban tayo rito?"

"Kung meron man..." Inilihis niya ang landas ng kanyang paningin mula sa'kin. "...sarili lang natin 'yon."

Nakakunot pa rin ang aking noo nang tignan ko kung ano ang tinitignan niya.

Behind Trev and her father, Cesia lied helpless on the ground. Art was the first one to approach her and she was able to slightly lift her up, but she remained still, unmoving.

Napansin ko si Thea na palinga-linga, bago siya nagsalita, na hindi ko gaanong narinig.

"Excuse me," Napansin ko kasi ang paglubha ng pag-aalala sa kanilang mukha, kaya lumapit sa kanila.

A gigantes tried to attack me so I glared back with golden eyes and summoned a wave of water from the crater. I used my arms to guide the water and wash out the group of enemies running towards our direction. I violently motioned my hands to the side and hit the wave on the wall of rock.

"What is it?" I asked.

No one answered me. All of them did, however, looked at Chase.

Nagtaka ako dahil tinignan niya lang ako na para bang nanghihina. "Dio..." Bahagyang umangat ang kanyang kilay at nakita ko kung paano namuo ang mga luha sa kanyang mga mata.

"Dio..." mahina niyang sambit. "Nakita mo ba si Ria?"

Ria...

I looked around and couldn't find a demigod with red wings.

Dahan-dahan kong binalik ang aking tingin sa kanya. "Chase-"

"Kaya ba..." ani Thea, na nanghihina rin. "K-Kaya ba naramdaman ko 'yon-" Inangat niya ang kanyang ulo. "Naramdaman niyo rin 'yon, diba?"

Lumuhod si Chase sa tabi ni Cesia. "Cesia..."

"Cesia, gumising ka," aniya. "N-Nasaan si Ria?"

"Chase-" Sinubukang hawakan ni Kara ang balikat niya ngunit tinabig lang nito ang kamay niya.

"Kara!" biglaang sigaw ni Chase. Matagal-tagal niyang tinitigan si Kara, halatang pinipigilan ang sariling mapasigaw ulit.

Napaupo siya sa lupa at yumuko. "A-Ano ba kasi ang nangyari-"

"E-Eh diba- nangyari na rin to dati?" Naiiyak na paalala ni Art. "P-Pero bumalik naman siya-"