*Ryderick's Point of View
"Her name's not Scar, her name is Aphrodite."
Say what now?
Hindi namin agad mapigilan na magsitinginan sa isa't isa nang sabay-sabay naming marinig 'yon mula kay Vi na ngayon ay nakatingin na ulit sa amin. She immediately flashed us a smile as she said that, while Ulysses, on the other hand, just nodded the moment they saw how we reacted.
"So, she's a part of the Alum?"Axe unknowingly asked that made them both look at each other, once again.
"She's far more than being just a part of this place."
Wala sa oras na bigla naman kaming napatingin nang biglang may pumasok sa kwarto ni Zace, at iniluwa doon si Tita Avani na may dala-dalang first aid kit. Agad siyang lumapit kay Zace at tinignan yung tama niya para bigyan ng bagong benda.
"So, she finally told you."Tita Avani suddenly blurted out of nowhere.
Eventually after taking care of him, she immediately sit on the couch right beside Zace's bed where Vi and Ulysses are both currently sitting. Napansin naman namin na sabay na napaismid sina Vi at Ulysses nang marining nila ang sinabi ni Tita Avani.
Pagkatapos 'non ay napatingin si Ulysses sa kaniya.
"Actually, she just told them the name we usually call her."Ulysses unconsciously shrugged that made Tita Avani shook her head. Sa nangyaring 'yon ay biglang napakunot ang noo ni Axe nang makita niya ang naging reaksyon ni Tita Avani.
"Auntie, you know her?"Axe confusely asked.
"Ever since she introduced herself as Scar."Ngumiti naman siya sa amin na naging dahilan para walang pasintabi na manlaki ang mata ko.
"You mean, ever since the day she transferred in L.U?"I concluded. Sa narinig niya nula sa akin ay agad kaming nakakita ng isa pang pagtango mula kay Tita Avani at binigyan kami ng isang ngiti bago muling tumayo.
"I think there's a better place to talk things out."
* * *
We eventually found ourselves sitting back, right again in the lounge here inside Hall of Reign. Hindi naman ako halos mapakali nang mapansin na ni isa sa amin ay hindi nagbabalak na magtanong tungkol kay Sca-Aphrodite, lalo na at nandito rin siya.
"So, let me get things straight. Her name is not Scar, but Aphrodite?"
Tahimik akong napahinga ng maluwag nang magsalita at magtanong si Axe. Tita Avani immediately nodded as answer to what he just asked, right after hearing it.
"You said that it was your way of calling her. What do you mean by that?"Hue suddenly spoke up and butted in that made Tita Avani look to both Vi and Ulysses. Binigyan niya rin sa huli si Aphrodite ng isang tingin na naging dahilan para mapaiwas si Aphrodite sa kaniya.
She sighed.
"You see, Aphrodite knows every single thing before you do, even before stepping her foot inside L.U."Mabilisan naman akong napaupo ng maayos nang marinig kong nagsisimula na magpaliwanag si Tita Avani.
Tumingin muna siya kay Aphrodite na blangko naman kaming tinitignan.
"10 years ago, the Alum was built by the Dyad Empire which consists of the two well-known families, namely the Zimas and the Ravens. In those years, one young lady was raised being trained to develop such capabilities just for self-defense."Bumuntong-hininga siya bago ulit magpatuloy.
"Eventually, it made her to undergo various training regiments in such a young age. Ever since then, she knew her life would be far from being normal. She grew up being different."
Tita Avani suddenly stood up from her seat and walked towards to where that closed curtain she mentioned last time.
"Her development was handled by the Alum, and eventually grew up to call this place as her second home."Lumingon naman siya sa amin at ngumiti. The next thing that she did was pulling off down the ropes, which made it finally reveal the one behind the curtain.
And behind, were two big picture frames whom I believed the families Tita Avani mentioned, while in the middle were tons of individual picture frames surrounding another two enormous picture frames of an old lady and an old man.
Both of the pictures showed the two of them wearing rings, the same rings we saw inside the display case.
"Who's the old lady and the old man?"Axe unconsciously tilted his head that made Hue hit him in the head. Dahil sa narinig namin ay biglang napatawa niya si Tita Avani habang napailing naman kami sa kaniya.
"This is the picture frame of the late great grandparents of the young lady. The rings on their hands show the eternity of their love that were passed down to another until down to the parents of the young lady. Eventually, it already became their heirlooms."Tita Avani briefly explained more.
Ancient greek carvings were seen as designed details in the frames, showing that both of the families were somehow shown to had a great love towards greek mythology.
"That's when they altogether decided to built the Alum. This place not just became their second home, it also became the home of all the heirlooms that were passed down to generation to generations. Now that you know what I'm talking about."
"So wait, ever since then, they've been protecting the heirlooms?"Hue suddenly interrupted that made Tita Avani nod.
"Ever since the young reigning heiress was born."
"Wait, don't tell me?"Axe butted in.
Oh man, is this guy even listening?
Muling napatingin si Tita Avani kay Aphrodite na hanggang ngayon ay walang imik sa nangyayari. She gaze back towards Axe and smile at the same time.
"She's the first ever reigning heiress to be born."Ulysses butted in and answered his question.
"The right picture frame shows the late Sapphire Callixta Artemis Raven-Zima and her family who rules the Raven Monarchy."Biglang sabat naman ulit ni Tita Avani sa amin habang bahagyang tinuturo ang isa sa mga portraits.
"While on the left side shows the late Vlademire Achilles Nixon Zima and his family who rules the Zima Monarchy."She pointed out the left side.
"Both families are now well-known called as the Dyad Empire."Dagdag niya pa.
"And yes, Axe. The young lady is-"
"Cerulean Evanescence Aphrodite Zima."
Lahat naman kami ay sabay-sabay na napatingin kay Zace na ngayon nalang ulit nagsalita. Eventually, we saw how Tita Avani smiled and nodded upon hearing what he just blurted out.
"Yes Zace, she is. Aphrodite is their first ever great granddaughter, as well."
Zace suddenly look towards Aphrodite who's now grinning at him.
* * *
BINABASA MO ANG
His Aphrodite
ActionDEITY SERIES I: "Should I show you how uncontrollable I am?" Cerulean Evanescence Aphrodite Zima is not your typical girl living in the modern world, because she's way more than just being normal. She's different, and she's more capable of doing thi...
