The Semideus

Chapter 40

THE HOURGLASS
XYNTHEA's POINT of VIEW

I grunted, only to be awoken by my severe headache. Sinusubukan ko pang alalahin kung ano ang nangyari sa'kin, kaya't mas lalo 'yong sumakit.

Bigla akong napasinghap nang maalalang bumalik na halos lahat ng memorya ko, at hindi ko alam kung bakit... bigla nalang tumigil bago ang isang pangyayari.

My heart ached upon the memory of it. I shut my eyes to prevent thinking about it.

The moment I opened my eyes again, I looked around and there I saw Cronus, sitting by the river. May hawak din siyang jar, at tila nag-iigib ng tubig d'on.

If I am not mistaken, that river is the River Styx— based on its gloomy appearance. Cronus must be getting some water from it to heal himself— to regain his immortality.

I looked up and noticed that time was stopped. That was why no one was attacking us. The birds were stuck in the air, and there was no sound of the wind.

But... where is my mother, Metis?

"Cronus?" tawag ko. "Where is my mother?"

Cronus... in my memories, is someone who helped me escape the wrath of Gods. Nalaman ng mga Olympians, especially Zeus, that I am a prophesied child— one who may overthrow him. However, I managed to escape because of him and my mother.

Lumingon s'ya sa'kin. "Umalis na siya. After you unsealed her, nawala nalang siya. I saw you in the waters, alone."

Alone? Bakit naman kaya ako iiwanan ng sarili kong ina? I have questions in my mind that only she can answer.

In a snap, we were sent to another place. Hindi pamilyar sa'kin ang lugar. It was a cabin, but I'm sure it wasn't my own cabin back in the Semideus Island.

"How is your headache, my child?" tanong niya.

I sighed, "Hindi ko pa naaalala ang lahat, Cronus."

He poured water from the jar to a glass. Nagtaka ako nang ibigay niya 'yon sa'kin. This is from the River Styx... why would I drink it?

"You must drink it to regain energy and strengthen yourself, Xynthea," explain niya.

Napangiwi naman ako. Ew, there are dead souls lurking in the river Styx and corpses underwater, and iinom ko?!

Tumawa naman si Cronus. Kahit sa tawa niya'y parehas niya si Zeref. "I've already purified it. Don't be disgusted."

Kumuha naman siya ng isa pang baso, at uminom na rin. Napangiwi ako lalo. Dapat ko ba talagang inumin? Nandidiri talaga ako.

"Fine. Don't drink it, Xynthea."

Muntik na akong mapangiti dahil doon. At least, I didn't have to drink.

"Did you remember who almost killed you, Xynthea?"

Nawala naman agad ang ngiti ko dahil d'on. My eyebrows made a furrow. Hindi ko naman... naaalala 'yon.

"You don't?" tanong ni Cronus. "Ano ba ang huli mong naaalala?"

"We escaped. Then, then the Semideuses, my friends, came. They were all wounded by fighting the Gods. Gideon died— but that's what we thought. Then, I remember nothing else."

Cronus laughed again. Sarcastically.

"Friends?" He asked. "They are your enemy, Xynthea."

Nagulat naman ako dahil d'on. W-what? But I clearly remember that we were all so close together. Bakit ko naman sila magiging kaaway?

"One of them tried to kill you. Hindi mo ba naalala?" tanong niya. Umiling naman ako. Hindi naniniwala sa sinasabi niya. I see no reason for them to kill me.

"It's because you are the child of the prophecy. And to continue the Olympian's reign, they have to kill you."

"I don't believe you—"

"Zeref. He was the one. I will let you remember, child," pagputol niya sa sinasabi ko. Natigilan naman ako lalo dahil d'on. Zeref? It's just impossible. Why would he, of all people, kill me?

Kumuha siya ng kutsilyo— more of a dagger, then I flinched when he pointed it to my neck. Napunta siya sa likod ko, at diniin ang dagger sa leeg ko lalo.

In a flash, the surroundings suddenly changed. Before my eyes stands a burning tree— one that was in my memories. Is this a continuation of what I've forgotten?

"I'm sorry, Xynthea. I have to do this..."

Si Cronus ba 'to? No. This must be Zeref. My subconscious self held Zeref's arm.

"Z-Zeref. Don't do thi—" nauutal kong wika, ngunit mas lalo lang dumiin 'yon. His breath tickled in the side of my ears. Then, I felt a hot drop of tear near my shoulder.

Was he crying? Is this really my memory?

"I need to. You need to die, Xynthea. Everything will be fixed. I promise," sambit niya.

Everything will be fixed... when I die? Huh? Hindi ko maintindihan.

I felt blood trickle down my neck, as the blade deepened against my skin. Naramdaman ko ang malakas na paglunok niya.

"Hindi mo 'to kailangang gawin," nahihirapan kong saad, but then he apologized again. He didn't say anything else but sorry. Lumingon ako nang bahagya, ngunit natakpan ng buhok ko ang mukha niya.

How come? What was the real reason behind it?

At bumalik na ulit ako sa present time. My heart ached again, but I still did not choose to believe. There must be something wrong... I must remember again. I must remember everything.

Binitawan na ako ni Cronus, "Do you believe now? Your memories answered for you."

"What happened after that?" mahinang sambit ko. Didn't I die?

"I came, and Mnemosyne, through Metis' help, erased your memories. And every memory of others that you are part of."

Mula sa kamay niya'y mayr'ong lumabas na isang hourglass. Then, I became suspiscious of Cronus.

First, the disappearance of my mother. Second, something about Zeref. Third, my instincts really tell me that something is wrong— everything is a puzzle. My eyes almost squinted by the thought that he might be manipulating and using me. I might be his pawn for his plans.

"Ano po 'yan?" sinibukan ko ang lahat ng makakaya ko para itago ang kaba at duda sa boses ko.

The hourglass floated near me, and there, I saw my own reflection. I had violet eyes now.

"That is a weapon, Xynthea."

Weapon? For what? For war?

"Once the sands of time all go down, time will be frozen forever."

"And what does that mean?" tanong ko.

He smirked, almost devilishly, "From then on, we will build our own world with our own time, Xynthea. No one will hurt us. You will live. We will live."

Kinilabutan naman ako lalo sa sinabi niya. He plans to destroy the world, and create his own?

"Ayaw mo ba n'on?" muli niyang sambit.

Umiling naman ako. "T-that sounds nice."

Of course, I have to pretend that I am on his side. I have to pretend until all my questions and mysteries will be answered.

I believe it's better to die than harming others just for the benefit to live.

"Then we shall kill anyone who dares destroy it. Am I right, Xynthea?"

The Semideus
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

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Thank you for reading!