DEMIGODS: The Rule Breakers

Chapter 16: Chase

When the words would not come, the tears did. Sophia's silent weep filled us, and it lingers to us as if we are supposed to grieve with her. It was the tears of a loving wife and a mother who lost the husband of her children. And the worst part was, she was the one who killed him.

Isang malalim na buntong-hininga ang kumawala sa 'kin habang pinagmamasdan s'ya. Kambal ang dinadala n'ya at malaki ang pursyento na mawala ang kanyang mga anak dahil sa natamo niyang sugat sa labanan. Nabaling ang atensyon ko kay Athena, bukod sa kanila ni Axel ay may kasama pa silang isang babaeng hindi nagpakita sa nkaraang labanan.

And according to what I've heard, the woman's name was Marina. She has this gorgeous crimson hair and cognac eyes. Her face looks angelic, but at the same time, it was fierce.

"Still not done checking me out?" Marina asked while looking at me.

Bigla naman akong napaubo dahil sa kaba sabay iwas nang tingin. Marina suddenly crossed her eyes, "Is this your first time seeing Ares's daughter?" she asked. Lumipat ang tingin n'ya kay Freya at binigyan siya nang makahulugan na tingin, "My sister is here though she looks so soft, and she didn't inherit our father's fierce image,"

"Oh my gods! You're Ares child, Freya?" Alyssa exclaimed. Dahan-dahan na tumango si Freya na tila hindi n'ya nais maminin iyon.

"You got daddy issues, too?" Dark asked. Freya's silence made us conclude that she has, "Relate much," Dark added.

At dahil masyadong nakatuon ang pansin naming kina Dark ay huli na namin napansin na nasa harapan ni Sophia si Savannah, isang lagapak ng isang malakas na sampal ang sumalubong kay Sophia kasabay nito ang isang walang emosyon na tingin mula kay Savannah.

"You're pregnant. Stop looking so pathetic," Savannah darted.

"SAVANNAH!" Alendis exclaimed. Both Savannah and Alendis glared at each other until Alendis gave up and looked down, "Mag-sorry ka," Alendis gritted while still looking below.

"Bakit ako mag-sosorry? It was her fucking –"

"Savannah, royalties are not supposed to speak like that," Glifford reminded. Hindi ko alam kung saan nakakuha ng kakapal ng mukha ni Glifford upang sumingit at pagsabihan si Savannah.

Savannah suddenly scoffed and looked at Sophia, "Stop crying. You're fucking hurting my brother's children. Kasi kung ako ang nasa kalagayan mo, I will grieve after I gave birth... because that is how a real mother should act," Savannah said. She was about to walk away when Emerald speaks.

"Sinong tatay? Si Garet?" Halos mapamura ako dahil sa sinabi ni Emerald.

"Of course, he is my fiancé, after all," Savannah said, and then she left.

Ang gagong prinsesa na iyon ay iniwan ako sa lion's den. Alendis was glaring at me as if he was eager to kill me any moment from now, though Savannah's speech made Sophia's mind to be clear dahil tumigil na siya kakaiyak.

"Alendis, follow her," Sophia said.

Even though Alendis acted like he doesn't give a shit, he immediately followed Savannah. Sophia, on the other hand, frustratingly bit her lower lip and looked at us, "I don't want my child to cause the chaos," she bluntly said.

"Then find the child who can alter someone's destiny," Alexis stated.

Her cinnamon eyes roamed at the room until it landed on her mother, who just laugh at her dull eyes, "You can ask my help properly, my dear daughter," Athena said. Alexis rolled her eyes and cunningly smirked.

"Wait... Who are you?" Jackson asked Athena while pointing her.

Dark suddenly slapped Jackson's hand, languidly looking at the goddess, "She's the shitty goddess of wisdomshit,"

Both Artemis and Axel were not present. Dahil sila ang nagtago ng espada ni Erebus, and it will be off-limits to others, especially to those who have great misery and anger.

"You're a virgin goddess," I stated. Iniwas ni Athena ang mga mata n'ya sa 'kin, "I am still a virgin goddess," she said. Nabalot ang bawat isa sa amin nang pagtatakha, kung nandito lamang sana si Artemis upang kausapin siya dahil wala kami sa posisyon upang kwestyunin ang isang dyosa.

Athena gracefully slid her hand down, and just like Alexis's blessing, projections and screens started to appear in her front. My eyes widened when the others stopped moving, but I can. Nang humakbang ako pauna ay isang ngisi ang kumubra sa labi ni Athena, "Hindi ko alam na bukod kay Emerald ay may pinagsabihan na iba si Alexis. I'm quite surprised,"

I quizzically looked at her. Nang bigla na lamang akong nauntog at lumabas ang iba't-ibang letra mula sa salitang griyego – Πιστεύεις ότι θα σου πει την ιστορία της, Lockser; – Do you think she will tell you her story, Lockser?

Hindi ko alam kung bakit tila kinabahan ako sa tanong na iyon. Para bang ang katagang iyon ay isa sa magiging sagabal sa aming hinaharap. Nanatili akong tahimik hanggang sa muli siyang nag-salita, "I heard that the rule-breakers just wanted to chase their dreams. Did my daughter told you her lifetime dream?"

"She said she wanted to run away from you,"

Athena's eyes darkened, "Well, that's funny. As her mother, I wanted you to help her pursue her dream, and she wanted to create a school for the demigods. Alexis always dreamt of a home for her kinds,"

A sly smile appeared across my face. Even though Alexis loathed Athena, her mother didn't even stop chasing her. Alam kong magulo lalo na't bawal sa batas nila ang makihalubilo sa kanilang mga anak. And I just wished the other gods are like her, na gusto lamang bumawi sa kanilang mga anak.

"Why does she loathed you?"

"Kahit sino naming anak ay magagalit oras na mawalaman nila ang katarantaduhan ng magulang nila,"

"And you wanted to ask her forgiveness even if it means disobeying Zeus's sacred laws?"

"Yes," Athena answered as she offered me a down casted smile, "I almost forgot. March towards the Sun Kingdom before it's too late,"

"Why?"

"You need to seek for you prophecy bago pa ikulong sa Mt. Olympus si Apollo,"

Isang makahulugan na tingin ang binigay ko sa kanya. It only means that the other gods are aware of what we are doing, and some of them, especially Zeus might thought that we are rebelling from them by disobeying our godly parents. And now that Artemis is our companion means that Apollo will definitely side us.

Athena smirked. And there, I felt a sickening aura behind, an upsurge of anger that is directly being sent towards Athena. Nang may marinig akong isang pitik mula sa likod ay muling bumalik sa dati ang lahat, ang mga kasama ko'y muling nanumbalik sa kanilang mga ginagawa kanina.

"Stay away from Garet," Alexis emphasized.

I suddenly bit my tongue out of surprise, and then, I heard Alyssa squealing, "OMD! Territorial naman pala si ate girl. May irereto ako sa'yo, Athena – ito na lang si Dark wala namang nagmahahal dito,"

"Tangina mo, Alyssa," Dark beamed.

"I love you, too! Mwa mwa!"

Dark was about to speak again when the door suddenluy burst opened. At ang namumulang si Savannah ang pumasok do'n, agad siyang nag-iwas nang tingin sa amin saka umupo sa isang silya malapit sa kinaroroonan niya. Kasunod n'ya ay ang magkapatid na sina Alendis at Axel na tila mapupunit na ang mukha sa pag-ngisi at si Artemis.

Artemis was wearing her usual languid-cold expression when she walked towards Marina and stole her wrist. She frustratingly bit her lip and looked to Alendis and me, "Fucking hell. The other king vessel still doesn't know how to merge,"

"I can take care of myself," Marina gritted.

"You might be tough, but it doesn't mean you could touch and defeat Satan," Axel stated. Bigla na lamang n'ya kaming nginuso ni Alendis, "Those two can protect you. But looking at your mark... it means Satan is near,"

Marina gritted her teeth, and rolled her eyes, "Why are you so eager to save me?"

"Because you can help us," Artemis answered.

"As if I can –"

"Chix ka kaya ni Apollo,"

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