SORTING GAM
DAY FIVE CULLING TEST
UNKNOWN HALL

The chatter died down as several administrators strode through the open door of the hall and a handful pairs of eyes regarded them. One of the administrator who appears to look different than the other administrator, with back ramrod-straight like one of those trained guards, not a silvering hair out of place, dressed in black wingtips, traditional three-piece charcoal grey suit, accented with a red and black pocket square and a curiously old-fashioned emerald green bow tie, The main administrator, has finally graced them with his face, he made his way to the platform setup at one end of the hall.

For this reason, all the glinders in the were surprised when he passed behind the platform, bent down, and opened the bottom drawer on the left side of the floor. The echoing scrapes of wood indicated emptiness, though the main administrator withdrew something from the interior before sliding it closed. He stood, regarded the object in his hand, and returned to the platform, laying it atop the sloped and finished surface. The paper on the surface rustled as he unfolded and spread it out before him. He adjusted the wire-frame glasses perched on his nose and glanced at it for no more than ten seconds, though in the silence and confusion of the glinders it took an eternity. Then, with a curt nod which could have meant either approval or reproach, he placed the round flat object on the papers, and raised his head.

He looked around the hall, meeting each glinder's gaze like a drill instructor scanning recruits for signs of sloth or weakness, then cleared his throat. "As you are no doubt aware," he began in his carefully-modulated voice, "this is the final day of the culling test. And this is a very important part of the culling, the previous task has cut down your numbers from four hundred to two hundred and forty." In any other situation this would have provoked a celebratory outburst from those present, but the glinders remained seated, aware that the administrators looked down on such things. And even though it was the final day of staying in the Gam, there was still plenty to be concerned about. 

"Therefore, the rules dictates today is the day for your bonding and getting sold." He paused, scanning the hall again with an unreadable expression. "Though there was an unusual event that occurred in your previous test, this particular issue has caused speculations amongst the high society and also the administrator, which is why I am present today to handle today's bonding. This may cause an hurdle in the bidding and also this has caused the men to err on the side of caution, the bidding will be done on the interface."

He folded his hands behind his back and walked from behind the platform until he stood in front of it, his suit a contrast to the light wooden stand. "One of the girls from the assassin glinders got three familiars, this has only happened before and even it was different. Only the Prataya has ever gotten two familiars, and that is why he is the most powerful man and also the leader of our world. I will also like to mention that Laga, one of the species of familiar that the girl got, is an extinct creature and their breed can only be born every fifty years,there are only two existing Laga currently, one is the Prataya's familiar one is the breeding mother and the young one is currently connected to the assassin girl."

He paced, as if unnerved by the situation he was explaining, back and forth in front of the platform, a route designed to bring him around the center of the hall to address each glinders in turn. "This phenomenon has caused alot of panic amongst the men and we are currently looking for any error or cause that leads to this situation, no woman has ever been in the position of power and this situation signify that the girl would be the next in line for the Prataya."

Sheil soaked in all this information without missing a bit, she has been wondering since she got three familiars what it could mean for her. Though they were only given brief moments after coming out of the room, she was separated from her familiars and sent out to the eating hall. Her thoughts swirl as different questions popped into her mind, one thing she is certain of is that they would kill her, no woman has ever become the head in the history of their world.

There was a general shuffle of noise as glinders digest this new information, some looked around, towards the assassin glinders to find out the identity of the person the administrator was talking about, while the assassin glinds looked amongst themselves, the fact that no one is aware of her identity calmed her.

"Familiar," the head administrator continued as he paced his route, "counts for the other half of a person and a powerful familiar makes a powerful person," He stopped in the center of the room, hands still clasped behind his back, and regarded the glinders. "Over the years of your staying here, you have been taught several things that will be useful for you when you leave the Gam and enter the society, but you've not been taught the importance of your familiar and the bounds of your soul sisters. One thing you should know is that your bond with your familiars is almost as strong as your bond with your soul sisters, your mind will be connected to each other, you can talk and share information with each other in your mind, we call it the mind-eye."

He stopped, drew a breath, and continued. " We had to sever all the mind-link while you were young, this is to ascertain that each glinders grow up independently without the support of your business bond sisters help, it is also to make sure each person learns of how our society runs. In the past we've had an occasion of a group of girls whose mind-link weren't severed, it gave them the boldness to rebel, they tried to crush our society, but the society crushed them instead." He said as he walked towards the platform, he picked up the round disk object and raised it up, "Since then we have made sure all mind-link were severe at birth, which is why you couldn't feel your soul sisters, this is why bonding is the last task in the culling test. So let's get on with today's task, I will dropped this Langa and it will float towards you, close your eyes, take a calm breath and open your mind,"

He walked out from behind the platform and stood in front of the glinders, "But before I drop it, one person will be joining you for the bounding." He nodded his head towards the other administrator standing by and a figure stepped back behind them, covered from head to toe, no one could make out if it's a girl or boy, only a pair of deep green eyes could be seen. The figure walks toward the glinders and stands slightly apart.

The administrator dropped the Langa, a loud piercing noise filled the hall immediately, instinctively, Sheil covered her ears. "Make sure you sit comfortably, remember to close your eyes, don't focus on the noise from the Langa, opened your mind, so you can feel the other mind connected to yours,"

It was difficult for Sheil to sift through the noise and calm her mind, she opened her eyes and saw several of the glinders having the same difficulty. She closed her eyes again and relaxed her muscles, like her assassin training. Immediately she relaxed, she felt it. A tug on her brain wave, directing towards a particular point, like running through a maize, only more complex.

It's like a giant blue glowing orb, with different brightly thin lines stretched out like hands. Connected together like a web, there are other smaller web with lines of different hue and color stretch out too. Before Sheil could understand what all this meant, she felt a tug in a different direction and then she felt her mind break away from the or and formed a smaller web. Set apart from the giant web, but still connected with a thin line. Then she felt them, ten different minds connected to hers.

She couldn't control her actions, her eyes snapped open. Sheil felt a new surge of brain activity and blinked rapidly several times unable to move as ten different minds connected to hers. She felt her heart start pounding as different thoughts mixed up with hers, mostly questions and curiosity, then there was a loud screaming, instinctively she closed her eyes back.

And then as suddenly as it began it stopped. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, turning her head around, her eyes collided with Yalowel, her questioning gaze settled on Sheil, then she raised her hand and Sheil felt her movement in her mind. She was still for a brief moment and then it dawned on her, Yalowel is connected to her.

"The bonding is complete, you can all open your eyes," The main administrator intoned as the Langa floated back to him, staring at one of the administrators. "Get down and circulate amongst them, we need to know who is the link and who are connected together," He walked back to the podium, mounted it, and looked out over the hall again, "Those of you who were able to sense the others connected to you, you are all the mind-eye, step forward."

Several glinders stand up hesitantly, looking at each other for a few seconds, a breeder glinder stepped forward and soon enough, all the others walked slowly to the front, standing in front of the platform, Sheil joined the line of glinders last, uncertainty washed over her, she raised her hand to asked a question and at the last moment, remember where she is and dropped her hand. How many of these glinders standing here has nine minds connected to them, she wondered.

"Close your eyes," The main administrator instructed in a low voice, the glinders at the front promptly closed their eyes. "Imagine the mind link, and tug on it, pull your bond sisters to you. Do it slowly, because the bond is still new, it would be painful for some, while others won't feel any pain from the mind pull," The main administrator stayed at his platform, watching the glinders follow his instructions, while the other administrator supervised the remaining glinders. 

Sheil closed her eyes, she saw the orb and the web with spider-like lines. Immediately, she noticed one of the lines appear faded and weak, she tugged on all the lines and watched as those lines moved slowly towards the web. Then she felt a presence behind her, gradually all the lines merged together with the web and she opened her eyes.

The first thing she noticed was the main administrator standing directly in front of her, the next thing she realized was that all the remaining glinders were looking at her. While other glinders have four bond sisters, only Sheil has ten.

"You are the one with three familiars," the main administrator said quietly, Sheil doubted others could hear him. He opened his mouth, then decided against it and walked briskly back to the platform.

"Glinders, it is my proud duty to inform every one of you standing here that you have, indeed, succeeded. Remember everything you were taught while you were here. You have your sisters and your familiars now, they are your family from now on. You will be transferred to the Selei, where you have to undergo a different training for three months before you will fully be allowed to start working and also to become a full society member." The head administrator said. "This training is to teach you about your bonds, both with your sisters and with your familiars, you were all taught not to become friendly with anyone while in the Gam, now you will be taught how to depend and trust your sisters and also familiars. Now, a flier will be sent to take you to your different resident. Dismissed." 

Two hundred and forty glinders, with smiley faces and undiluted happiness at the completion of the culling, matched as one and made their ways jovially to the door. Sheil didn't bother looking at the administrator, she was glad to be amongst the glinders that survived.