The Semideus

Chapter 16

THE LERNEAN HYDRA

"Pansin kong madalas siyang nahihimatay." Iyan ang bumungad sa'king pandinig. Alam mo, pansin ko rin naman eh. Hmp. I opened my eyes, and noticed that we're just in a grassland.

"Lampa lang talaga," wika ni Diane. What? Hindi niya ba napapansing mulat na ako. Grabe naman huhu.

Aster sighed. "There must be something wrong with her heart, hindi ba't sabi mo tumigil panandali ang puso niya?"

"Luh, ewan ko. Naisip ko lang siguro na baka patay na kasi lampa. Baka guni-guni ko lang," sagot ni Diane at bahagyang tumawa. What the Olympus! So mean!

Nilingon niya ako at mukhang hindi na siya nagulat na makitang gising ako. "Uy, gising ka na pala. Siya, tara na peeps." Pagkatapos mo akong laitin!

I turned to Aster when she spoke, "Xynthea, may sakit ka ba? I mean, kasi lagi kang nahihimatay. I'm just wondering if you have sickness, so we would be more careful." Aww, I'm touched. Sana all mabait!

I smiled to her. "The doctors in the mortal world didn't diagnose me of any kind of sickness, at hindi naman ako nahihimatay dahil sa pagod. Minsan, bigla nalang talaga akong nanghihina... at nahihimatay."

"Hindi mo alam ang dahilan?" tanong niyang muli kaya't umiling ako. I wish I knew.

Tumango naman siya. "Tara na. Hindi na dapat tayo nagsasayang ng oras." She stood up, and Diane surprisingly helped me stand up.

Tinabig ko nga kamay niya. Nagulat naman siya dahil d'on. "Luh, attitude ka?" wika n'ya sa'kin.

"Kaya ko naman kasi," sabi ko.

She chuckled. "Parang kanina lang hawak-hawak ka sa'kin kasi mahihimatay ka. E'di wag ka."

Natigilan naman kami nang makarinig ng mga hiyaw. Suddenly, Adelina was near us. Huh, parang wala naman siya rito kanina? She looked anxious, and said, "There must be another monster attack. Follow me."

Sinundan ko nalang sila nang tumakbo sila. I was behind them, but Diane held my hand and pulled me closer.

"Bilisan mo nga, lampa," wika niya at tinangay ako sa pagtakbo.

Lahat naman ng mga mamamayan ay salungat ang direksyon na tinutungo sa'min. They are probably running away from the monster.

"It's in the Ionian Sea!" Adelina exclaimed. "It must be a sea monster."

Akala ko'y umulan nang mabasa kami, ngunit nang tumingin ako sa langit, hindi naman madilim. The water must have been from the seas. Something big must have splashed in it.

Pinunasan ko ang nabasang parte ng mukha ko. Hindi nagtagal, nakarating kami sa sea side. Fear consumed me when I saw a many-headed sea monster! It looked like a serpent-dragon.

"The Lernean Hydra. Cover your mouth, Xynthea!" sigaw sa'kin ni Diane.

Kinuha ko ang puting panyo na binigay sa'kin n'ong Master, at tinali iyon sa may ilong at bibig ko.

Lernean Hydra... it was also one of the twelve labours of Heracles. How come it's alive? Ang alam ko mapatay na ito ni Heracles na halos naging sanhi ng pagkamatay niya.

It also emits poisonous gases, and the head grows double when cut.

"Hindi ba't patay na 'yan?" tanong ni Damon. Nagkibit-balikat naman si Aster, at may golden light na pumalibot sa parehong kamay niya.

"We need someone who has the power of fire, Aster. Huwag kang basta umatake," wika ni Diane sa kaniya.

The story of the monster's death was that as Heracles cut their heads off, Iolaus would burn the wound with fire.

"Maybe the sun's power will work. Kailangan nating subukan," sagot naman ni Aster sa kaniya. "Wala naman tayong kasamahan na may kapangyarihan ng apoy."

Nilibot ko ang tingin ko, at napangiwi nang makita ang ilang taong nakahandusay sa sahig, malamang dahil ng poisonous gas.

Damon drew his sword towards the Lernean Hydra. He ran backwards before launching and jumping to the nearest head of the monster. He flung it with such force that the Hydra roared loudly. Naramdaman ko pang bahagyang lumindol, o baka naman masyado lang akong nadala.

"Aster!" Damon exclaimed.

She let out a short whimper as she threw a ball of light to the wound of the Hydra. Napangiwi ako nang makitang kumulay ang dugo ng Hydra sa dagat.

Akala namin tuluyan nang naputol ang ulo ng Hydra, ngunit mula sa wound, dalawang ulo pa ang tumubo. Gods! I think defeating this is impossible!

"Hindi gumana ang kapangyarihan ng araw," Aster sighed. She was about to continue her words when one finger of the Lernean Hydra suddenly grabbed her.

Sabay-sabay naman naming tinawag ang pangalan niya. She screamed in surprise, and the Lernean Hydra almost crushed her. Mas lalo akong natakot. "Maletas corpos Bow and Arrow."

I was about to aim the finger when Diane took the bow and arrow from me. "Pahiram muna ako. I'm trained by Athena," she said.

Hindi na niya pinikit ang mata niya at mabilis na pinaulanan ng tatlong lightning arrow ang Lernean Hydra. Wow, she's really experienced on using the bow and arrow. She looked like a huntress.

The Hydra wailed, and shook its fingers. Nawala si Aster sa hawak n'on, thankfully. Ngunit napasigaw siya nang tumalipon siya kung s'an, at kaagad kaming naaligaga. She might break her bones if she falls to the ground!

Tumakbo ako kung s'an ko siya tingin na babagsak. Mabilis din tumakbo sina Damon at Diane, but I think it was... too late.

I was ready to cry for her fall when a masked man suddenly caught her. Nakatalikod sila sa'kin, at tanging natatakot na ekspresyon ni Aster ang nakita ko. Natigilan ako nang makitang may isa pang naka-mask na babae na lumapit sa kaniya.

Nakita kong natigilan din si Damon at Diane. Aster slowly opened her tightly shut eyes, at nanlaki 'yon nang makita ang lalaking may hawak sa kaniya.

Maingat na binaba ng lalaki si Aster. He told the masked girl something using his hands. Tumango naman ang babae, at sa isang iglap nawala sila sa paningin namin.

I turned to the Lernean Hydra and saw four masked people around it. One had fire in his hands, another one manipulated the waters, one girl was flying around, and one had ice blades in his hands.

"The Rebels?" tanong ni Diane.

That's when I realized that the man with fire was Gideon, and the man who had ice and the one who caught Aster was their master.

But I thought they're our enemy, why are they suddenly helping us?

The Semideus
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

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Thank you for reading!