The Semideus

Chapter 14

THE PROPHECY

Nagising ako sa 'di pamilyar na lugar. I suppose this is inside Heracles' mansion.

I grunted as I stood up, and felt a pain on my lower back and butt. Malamang dahil ng maling pagbagsak ko. Nanliit ang mata ko nang mapansing umaga parin... o ulit? Hindi ko naman alam kung ilang oras akong nakatulog mula sa pagkahimatay.

Napatingin ako sa painting sa harapan ko. Tila may kapistahang nagaganap r'on, at nasa tabing-dagat pa sila. I tilted my head when I noticed unfamiliar faces in the painting.

I looked at the frame of the painting, and it was entitled, Titans and Olympians.

Ah, that explains why. Hindi ako pamilyar sa lahat ng Titans, maybe Thetis and some. Nagitla naman ako nang biglang kumulog at umulan nang malakas. I glanced at the window, and the heavens seemed gloomy.

Binalik ko ang tingin ko sa painting, at napansin ang isang babae. She was beside Zeus, and they looked like married couples... but isn't Zeus' wife, Hera? Oh, probably this was his previous wife. Gosh, dami kasi niyang naging asawa.

Napansin ko rin na wala pa rito ang ilang Olympian Gods, only the original six: Hades, Hestia, Poseidon, Demeter, Hera, and Zeus. The six children of Cronus and Rhea.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of the waves. Nagulat ako nang mapansing gumagalaw ang dagat sa painting. I closed my eyes when I heard serene music in my ears. A sweet voice ringed in my ears.

"Metis,Titaness of Wisdom, Prudence, and deep thought." I held my breath. Another unusual thing is happening to me again.

Who is Metis? I don't... know her. I haven't even heard her name before.

"First wife of Zeus. Was turned into a fly, and was swallowed by Zeus because of a prophecy." Napapikit naman ako nang sumakit ang ulo ko, like someone is invading my mind.

I tried to look at the painting, and noticed that the woman beside Zeus was slowly fading away.

"It is prophesied that Zeus will bear extremely powerful children with Metis.

The first, a daughter who'll possess beauty, bravery, courage, and wisdom.

The second, a child more powerful than Zeus himself, who would eventually throw the world in flames or lift the world to the heavens."

I shut my eyes when I heard a loud bang, alike to the sounds of clock. The first child... Athena? Wisdom?

"Now, another prophecy has born. The children of the prophecies will rise, and save the mortals from the Olympian world...No one can escape the prophecy."

Napahabol naman ako sa sarili kong hininga nang maramdamang wala na ang mga tunog, at unti-unti ko na ring nadidilat ng ayos ang mata ko. I looked by the window, and noticed that the storm was gone.

Pero nang maibalik ko ang tingin ko sa painting, the woman beside Zeus was gone too. Metis. The mother of Athena?

Napalingon ako nang makarinig ng mga yabag. Hebe. I noticed her beautiful and youthful appearance. She was also one reason why the Gods and Goddesses looked very youthful.

"Xynthea, kumusta naman ang pakiramdam mo?" tanong niya sa'kin at ngumiti. May hawak siyang tray at binaba n'ya 'yon sa isang mesa malapit sa'min.

Then, she also looked at the painting. "Isn't that scene wonderful?"

Nagkunot-noo ako. Is it?

"The Gods and Titans threw that painting away. It was said to be a cursed painting, so we kept it. Wala silang maalalang nangyari 'yan, and they said they are haunted by sounds of waves every night na matutulog silang malapit sa painting na 'yan," paliwanag niya.