Thieves Of Olympus

12

GARETH

"Wake up sleepy head!" bumungad sa akin ang mukha ni Clea.

She has her scowling face no more. It was still the same emotionless facade but bit by bit she losens it. Wearing her normal clothes she fixes her things already.

Humikab muna ako bago nagsimula ng morning routine. Sinimulan ko din ang araw ng magaan ang pakiramdam ko by eating breakfast!

"Pagdating talaga sa pagkain, ano?" puna ni Brianna.

"What do you expect," komento ni Mason.

"Siyempre," nilunok ko muna ang pagkain bago magsalita, "kapag busog ako masaya ako. Alam niyo na baka malipasan tayo ng gutom mamaya." dagdag ko.

Brianna narrows her eyes at me, "Wag kang maghahanap ng banyo mamaya ha."

"He has a point. We need another thief to deal with one," Clea nods.

"Just because my father is the god of thieves does not make me one, okay?" pagkaklaro ko.

Hermes—my father—is the protector  of thieves, merchants, and travellers, also, he is the messenger of the Gods and Goddesses. He once took a cattle from Apollo bumawi naman siya noong gumawa siya ng gold lyre para rito. That's his amendment for stealing a sacred cattle.

The point is... Is there one? He is known for that already.

Kahit si Colette—Hades' daughter, and my future wife—ay nagawa niyang itago ng matagal. Though alam namin na si Cole talaga ang nakiusap sa kanya... for a specific reason.

A sleek black car waits for us paglabas namin ng hotel. Isa sa company car nila Masahiro at Mr. Ishima na pinahiram sa amin. Gustuhin man namin na may driver ay hindi maari. We will only put him into danger.

Clea and Brianna sits behind us, kami naman sa unahan nila. Mason takes the wheel.

I know how to drive but you know... Speed limit. Nahuli na ako noon dahil pagmamaneho ng mabilis. Mom or Hermes bails me out, minsan sa selda na ako natutulog for over speeding violation.

Need for speed is a must!

It is one of the traits I got from dad. Speed. Pero wala ako noon emotionally kaya late na ako umamin. Torpe ayon kay Clea.

Back to the mission!

"Set the map to Seki City, Gifu." Brianna instructed.

After setting the map we travel along the busy streets of Japan. The pedestrians are properly disciplined. Malinis din ang mga nadadaanan naming lugar.

Wala ng lang cherry blossoms ngayon dahil lipas na ang summer.

The Seki city has famous landmarks. May nakapwesto sa mountain peaks, kadalasan ay outdoors ang pagtutour dito tulad ng Hannunogaoka Park at Hakusui waterfall. Siyempre may mga shrines at templo din, they even have museums for their blades—swords and knife.

"There are demons here too," Clea breaks the silence.

We are all ears and eyes on her bukod kay Mason na sumulyap lang. Tumagal lang kay Brianna ang tingin niya saka binalik ito sa daan.

"Ahh, you mean Yokai?" interesadong sagot ni Brianna.

"Yup..." Clea calmly looks outside. May emosyong tinatago ang mga mata. Gazing at the civilization and nature, "Some are hybrids."

"Two forms of demons from ancient times," I chimed in serious about the subject, "Hindi natin dapat banggitin ang mga iyan. We are not ordinary, we might attract them accidentally."

"Whoa! The miso soup rinsed your filthy tongue," Brianna beamed.

Pinamulahan ako ng pisngi sa sinabi. Nadala ako ng pagiging concern sa kanila.

How can they speak of it so lightly? While in the past ay muntik na kaming mamatay. Also, the recent attack we experienced is something we can't just overlook. Maaring may ibang napahamak kung hindi namin nagawan ng paraan.

"Let's visit the Shogenji or Kabuchi shrine. Pray for a succesful retrieval operation, then."

Naging seryoso ang loob ng sasakyan sa sinabi ni Mason. Siguro nga ay takot din siya para sa aming lahat. Hindi kami nakakasiguro sa kinabukasan dahil sa nangyayari.

That's when we also decided to visit Seki Traditional Swordsmith Museum at G. Sakai Knife Museum. To look for old swords and knives and find clues about the swordsmiths.

We might be surprised with what waits for us. 'Wag lang muna kaming atakihin ng masasamang elemento at halimaw habang ginagawa namin iyon.

Ayaw kong mawalan kami ng parte ng katawan or worse... a member.

The pact we made will be just spoken useless words. Not a promise but an uncertainty between all of us.

"Malapit sa bundok ang Seki City. We might find blacksmiths around the area," Brianna sounds optimistic.

Clea notices her tone, "If we are lucky, we will."

"Sana nga," pagtango ko.

I don't know if the Fates were playing with us or dapat na talaga namin itong gawin. Their previous visit in Greece—kung saan nangaling kami sa templo ni Aphrodite with their creepy looks and words—made our existence more questionable.

We reached the temple after the long drive. Totoo ngang malapit sa bundok ang lugar.

I don't know what is creepier, the silent temple or the faces of the Fates.

Matagal na silang ganoon. Wala na kaming magagawa. Its their image not mine.

Just Kidding! Ayaw ko pang maputol ang sinulid ng buhay ko. Baka bigla na lang akong mahulog sa templo o di kaya'y mabagok ang ulo.

Sayang ang lahi ko!

Silence enveloped us as we prayed in the shrine after visiting the temple. Hindi ko alam ang ibang pinagdasal nila ngunit masasabi kong may isa kaming hiling ngayon.

Ang paguwi namin ng buhay at kumpleto.

Noong binisita namin ang museo ng mga patalim ay may kakaiba akong naramdaman. Ginala ko ang mata ko sa buong lugar. May nga turista din kaming kasama sa loob pero may mga matang nakamasid sa amin.

"Do you sense that?" Clea ask us her eyes gazing around.

Nalilibang naman si Brianna sa nakikita. Hulaan kong nakakabisado na niya ang mga impormasyong nababasa.

"Brianna..." I called her attention, "Don't stray away from us."

Her face remained nuetral. Only giving us a side glance saka tinuloy ang pababasa, "I know."

Mason looks at his wrist watch, "9 o'clock."

9 o'clock? Lagpas isang oras na pagkatapos ng oras na iyon. May sira ba ang relo niya? O akin ang mayroon?

Mabilis ngunit maingat na lumabas kami museum. We have to cut the tour short. It may be a monster or yokai prying our group. With the tourists around, it will be dangerous to use our ability.

The hood of the car is within our view. We walk faster but halt because of a person leaning on it. Nakabukas ang unang dalawang butones ng damit niya at pinatay ang sigarilyo nang makita kami.

Quizzically, we stare at him. Lumabas din ang kasama niya galing sa loob ng lugar pati ang isa pang nagtatago sa amin.

He smirked upon seeing us. He passed our faces looking at Brianna and Clea.

"Yōkoso, otōto."