Apollo's Apprentice

"Cassandra!" Sigaw ni Apollo ngunit nang mapagtanto niyang napasigaw siya nang malakas, he cursed slightly.

Napatingin naman ako sa anak ni Apollo, kay Asclepius, at mukhang kahit siya ay nagtataka sa aksyon ng kaniyang ama. Paano nga kaya nakilala ni Apollo si Cassandra, na isa lamang mortal?

"Cassandra is my apprentice. Ako ang nag-utos sa kaniya na kumuha ng golden apple, that was to test if she passes to be my apprentice," bawi ni Apollo at tumingin kay Zeus, "Lord, please forgive me for ordering my apprentice that foolish test. Th-there is an oracle regarding the once again blooming of the golden apple tree, and I wanted to check it so I ordered her-"

Muli ay pinutol na naman ni Eris ang isang Olympian. "Cassandra?" matinis na tanong ni Eris. "Ah, kapangalan niya si Kassandra of the Trojan war! The one who saw it happening."

Napatango naman ang ibang diyos, at ako naman ay nagtaka. Someone saw the Trojan war happening? Pero bakit hindi niya iyon pinigilan? Hays, maybe I should have read of Iliad and Odyssey more back at the mortal world.

"This suddenly brings back memories," wika ni Eris at tumawa na naman. "I still remember Aphrodite, Hera and Athena fighting for the golden apple. That was so funny! Hindi ko akalaing dahil lang sa apple ay magkakaroon ng trojan war! The great great war that lasted for years."

"Kassandra was cursed to speak prophecies that would not be believed in. I guess it is the same for you, Cassandra, kaya ka pinili ni Apollo bilang apprentice," sabi niya at hinawakan ang baba ni Cassandra. Itinaas niya ito at diretso namang tumingin si Cassandra sa kaniya, matapos ay marahas siyang binitawan ni Eris.

"Baka naman gawa-gawaan mo lang 'yang oracle na 'yan, Apollo. I think you're just saving this little girl. Hindi ba't nainlove ka rin kay Kassandra noon? Kaya ayon, she ended up on a curse. And now, mukhang bumabawi ka sa masama mong ginawa," sabi ni Eris at tinapunan ng masamang tingin si Apollo.

Napaangat naman ng tingin si Cassandra, at para bang may gustong sabihin. Nang magtagpo naman ang aming mga mata ay binigyan niya ako ng isang maliit na ngiti.

Nagulat ako. What the underworlds?! Pinahamak ko na nga siya pero ngumiti parin siya sa akin.

"Kung gayon ay kailangan ko pa bang isummon dito si Delphi para lang mapatunayan ang mga sinasabi ko? I never lie about oracles, Eris. Hindi ako katulad mo," Apollo hissed at pinanliitan ng mata si Eris.

"Anong ibig sabihin ng blooming of the Golden apple tree, Apollo?" Tanong ni Hades ngayon. Mukhang kuryos na kuryos.

Napahinga naman ng malalim si Apollo, "Hindi ko pa nasisigurado ang lahat, but it was the same oracle when before the Trojan war started. I belive history is repeating itself. Kagaya na lamang ni Cassandra ngayon."

"But there seems to be a twist of events. Ang golden apple parin ang magiging panimula ng away, pero hindi na ito pag-aagawan. We have learned or lesson, fellow Olympians," wika ni Apollo at nilapitan si Cassandra.

"Her prophecies are true and accurate, pero kailanman ay hindi natin siya mapapaniwalaan. At sa tingin ko nga ay nagsisimula nang mangyari ang nasa oracle," bahagyang tumawa si Apollo, "There's the golden apple. Hihintayin nalang ata natin na mangyari na ang pinakamagtitrigger sa digmaan."

Nagulat naman kaming laht nang biglang kumulog at kumidlat, "Enough!"

Zeus spoke, "Kung gayon ay hindi kailangan parusahan ng kung sino man. Apollo has the right to confirm the oracle. At kung gayon nga ang sinasabi ng oracle, then let us all be prepared and try to not let what happens."

Napahinga naman ako nang maluwag nang hindi na makakatanggap ng parusa si Cassandra. Pero hindi pa pala tapos magsalita si Zeus, "pero kailangan parin makapasa ng babaeng iyan sa Semideus Test. If she does not belong to the ten students na makakapasa, then I will disregard her as your apprentice, Apollo. She will recieve Eris' desired punishment too."

Tumango si Apollo, at kaagad naman niyang dinalo si Cassandra. He healed her wounds immediately.

Nagbuntong-hininga naman si Zeus, "dismissed," and the Gods vanished into thin air, one by one.

Natira si Artemis at nagulat kami nang bigla niya kaming atakihin lahat. Arrows from different directions ran towards each of us. Nakailag naman kaming halos lahat, ngunit may isang hindi nakailag. She was pierced at her heart, at napahiga nalang siya sa damuhan.

Pinagpagan ni Artemis ang kaniyang kamay, "That would be the last one eliminated from this round. Congratulations to the 32 of you who have passed my test, you are free to enter the next test."

Pumalakpak siya kaya't pumalakpak na rin ang lahat.

I wonder which of the Olympians would be the next.

Thieves of Harmony

By lostmortals

Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!