The Semideus

The End

A LOST MORTAL
ZEREF's POINT of VIEW

"Xynthea?" sambit ko nang mapansing mabigat ang paghinga niya. Her weight was all on me, like she's really getting weak.

Tumungo ako para makita ang kaniyang mukha. She looked paler now. Is this because she used too much power?

She looked up to me weakly, her eyes almost closed. Hinawakan ko naman ang panga niya, and I carressed her cheeks with my thumb.

"What's wrong?" tanong ko.

She smiled weakly at me before burying her face on my chest. Then I hear her quiet response, "I need to be with my soul now."

With her soul? In the afterlife...

Napalingon ako kay Irish nang bigla siyang napasinghap. I raised an eyebrow at her, then she looked at me.

"I hear her thoughts," panimula niya. "The hourglass was actually her lifetime. When you broke the hourglass earlier, she started feeling weak."

I stopped breathing for a moment because of it. I was the one... who caused her to become weak?

Muli na namang tumingala si Xynthea sa'kin. She still had a weak smile, and the she closed her eyes.

"I want to rest in peace with my soul, Zeref," mahina niyang bigkas. Napaawang ang bibig ko.

"A-are you sure?" my voice croaked. Napalunok ako para pigilan ang panginginig. She nodded and put her arms in my neck. I scooped her legs, and carried her.

She was cradled in my arms. She tugged my shirt and said, "Ihatid niyo na ako..."

This time, hindi ko na napigilan ang pagpatak ng luha ko. I scoffed. Ihatid— ihatid sa kabilang buhay niya. How could we do that?

"Please," she said. "Before I vanish here."

"I-I'm sorry," nahihirapan kong sambit. Then, she smiled again while tears cascaded down her cheeks. She just nodded.

"It's okay. Not everyone lives... everyone will eventually die. I need to go back," she answered.

Irish closed her eyes, and a soft wind embraced us. Nanlamig ako bigla, at mas lalong humigpit ang hawak ni Xynthea sa'kin. She shut her eyes tightly, and in seconds, we were in the River Styx.

Tumikhim si Llyr, "I will go to Charon." I nodded. Charon, the ferryman of the River Styx. The one who brings souls to the Afterlife.

Damon sighed, "Let's wait a little, Xynthea."

Then, Gideon awkwardly chuckled. "We actually don't remember everything about our past life with you, but thank you. You will forever be in our hearts."

Napahikbi naman si Aster, "No wonder... No wonder you looked familiar. The feeling with you felt very familiar— as if we knew each other long. May you and Diane live happily in your after life."

Xynthea pursued her lips while crying silently.

Parang ang bilis ng pangyayari. We just met her again in the Semideus test, and now we are losing her again.

"I'm sorry," muli ko na namang wika. I didn't have anything to say, but sorry. She could've live a little longer, only if I didn't break the hourglass.

But if she did live longer, then lives of mortals will be stolen by her. I'm sure she doesn't want that too.

Minulat niya ang mata niya. It was filled with tears, and then she opened her shivering mouth.

"A-at least, I remembered. That was my goal, right? At least, I knew I have friends. At least, for a moment, I saved the world," she said.

"Thank you for being with me in my short journey, Irish and Llyr."

"Thank you for remembering me with your hearts, Damon, Gideon, Aster, and Zeref."

Hinampas niya ang dibdib ko, at napagtanto kong gusto niyang ibaba ko na s'ya. I did, but I still helped her. Inalalayan ko pa rin siya. Then everyone formed a group hug before we finally send her to her afterlife.

The Semideuses. Heroes of the mortal world.

Slowly, we broke our hug. Aster smiled, and wiped her tears away. Tumawa siya, "Ang ironic. Pakiramdam ko kakareconcile palang natin as a team, then nawala na agad si Diane at ikaw."

"Maybe it's Fate," Gideon said. "We have to accept this and live on."

Indeed. Not everyone lives, but everyone dies. We should make the best out of living. We shall treasure what we have now, and treasure what built us to become who we are now.

I will forever treasure you, Xynthea.

Napalingon kami sa isang tawag. Charon was already here, rowing in the river up to to the riverside.

"Is she Xynthea?" tanong niya. Tumango naman kami.

He clicked his tongue, "Sorry, mga kaibigan. Hanggang dito nalang kayo. Kakahatid ko nga lang d'on sa isa niyong kaibigan."

"Well, at least you have a friend there in the afterlife, Xynthea," Llyr joked. Xynthea nodded and chuckled a bit too.

She held onto my arm while walking towards the boat. Inalalayan ko na rin siya pag-upo. Bumigat lalo ang paghinga ko.

I couldn't smile in the thought of leading her back to the afterlife. I just couldn't.

"Se agapó," I mouthed, but her eyebrows raised. I think she didn't realize what it meant.

Ngumiti siya nang malapad. She waved a hand at us before Charon rowed his boat again— to the afterlife.

Then by the river, the six of us watched her go. Until the river got her back from us. Until she was nowhere to be seen.

Tuluyan na siyang bumalik kung s'an siya tunay na nabibilang.

Xynthea, a lost mortal, will finally live with her lost soul. She shall never be forgotten.

Then, a cold gush of wind embraced us.

"Bro, bakit tayo narito?" napalingon naman ako nang tanungin ako ni Gideon. I raised an eyebrow and looked around.

We are in the River Styx. Huh? Kailan pa kami napunta rito?

"Hala! Baka namali ako ng teleport! Sorry!" Irish said. I smirked at her, "Tsk. This is your first mistake, Irish."

Lumingon ako kay Aster at napansing parang naluluha ang mata niya. What? Why is she crying? Did she reconcile with Gideon?

Napahawak ako sa sarili kong pisngi, at napansing bahagya rin 'yong basa. Ahh... baka umulan.

"Let's go back to the Semideus Island. Let's claim that Greatest Semideus title," I said.

Irish closed her eyes, and before we could completely teleport back. I looked at the River Styx one last time.

And it felt like there was something in the place. Like a forgotten bittersweet memory.

The Semideus
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

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