Descendants of the Gods

Chapter 28: Cloaked

KASDEYA ARGYROS' Point of View

Wala ako sa sarili mula kanina. I vaguely remember telling Paris and River the things I saw and how I managed to get there. Pagkatapos nun, wala na akong masyadong naalala.

Nang makabalik sa kasalukuyan ang isipan ko, nasa loob na kami ng Commander's Office. I don't know how I got here.

"Nasabi na namin kay Sir Adonis ang nangyari. Ginagawan na nila ng paraan para mahuli ulit yung nakatakas na halimaw." Saad ni River habang kausap si Paris. Nakatayo lang silang dalawa sa harapan ko samantalang ako naman ay nakaupo sa isang sofa.

I feel Paris glance at me, but my hand only fiddles with the skin above my chest, where my necklace used to rest.

Naramdaman ko ang pag-upo niya sa tabi ko. "Are you okay? You've been out of it since we found you."

Hindi ako nakasagot agad. "I just... need to think. Leave me alone."

He doesn't say anything else and stays quiet. Umupo rin sa kabila kong tabi si River, pero hindi siya nagsalita. They follow what I said, not uttering a single word unless I say something first.

"She told me that that place was a part of Tartarus. A small crack of power that flows into our realm," Pagsisimula ko. "What did she mean by that?"

Si Paris ang unang sumagot sa tanong. "What she said was true. Sorry, hindi agad namin sinabi sa'yo. We thought that it's not necessary," Paninimula niya. "But yes, mayroong dungeon ang Acropolis na nakatago sa pader ng barrier."

"It serves as a prison for creatures that opposes us and the Olympians. Doon namin sila nilalagay pag kailangan namin ng impormasyon mula sakanila." Pagpapatuloy ni River.

Dahil sa mga narinig ko, hindi ko maiwasang mapapikit ng mariin.

"She didn't lie either, that prison is a gift from the chthonic gods. It's like an extension of Tartarus sa mundo natin. Kumukuha tayo ng maliit na percentage ng kapangyarihan sa Tartarus to keep our prisoners locked in.

"That's where they stay for eternity, unless the Alastorians order us to release them. Pero hindi naman yun nangyayari lagi, sa mga demigods lang—" They trap demigods too? "Ngayon lang may nakawala rito."

Tinapik ni Paris ang balikat ko nang matapos magpaliwanag si River. "It's going to be fine, hindi na ito mauulit dahil alam na ng mga taga-rito na bawal pumunta doon. Wala ka ring kasalanan, this is an oversight in our part."

River nods. "We should've told you, lalo na ako. Ako pa naman yung nag-tour sa'yo pero hindi ko sinabi sa'yo agad."

"So don't feel bad, okay?"

They're stupid if they think I feel an ounce of guilt for what happened. Iba ang iniisip ko ngayon. What they said is the confirmation I need.

Katharsis and the Acropolis are no different from each other.

They both take advantage of their power to imprison anyone that they think are enemies. Be it monsters, creatures, or demigods like me. Gagawin nilang lahat para makuha ang gusto nila.

Their methods doesn't have to be good or morally correct. As long as they win the silent battle against other forces of power, they think they win.

Hindi sila mabuting tao. Sa panahon ngayon, wala nang gumagawa ng mabuti dahil mas lamang ang uhaw ng lahat sa kapangyarihan. They obsess over glory and the golden taste of divinity, but the more they try to reach closer to the gods, the more they feel like humans.

Greed and lust is what makes them more mortal.

I'm just like them. Hindi rin ako mabuting tao dahil sa mundong ginagalawan ko.