CIPHER

We all managed to get out the horror mansion because of the fire I made. Hindi ko naman kasi namalayang nakagawa pala ng apoy 'yong tinapon kong kandila.

Ngumisi naman ako nang pinalabas na kami. Tumingin ako sa ibang kasama kong pumasok, at halata pa rin ang takot sa mukha nila.

Buti nalang pala nasunog! Hehe. Kaunti lang ang nakita kong multo, at may bago na naman akong nalaman tungkol sa sarili ko.

I'm a replacement of Aurora Calytrix. That explains why my name is Four. Kagaya ni Rory, pang-apat ako. The fourth of the ten peculiars who made this dimension. Tama ba?

Bumuntong-hininga ako. Why did Rory die anyway? And why do I look like her? Anak niya ba ako? Jeez.

"Madaya ka pala," bungad ni Kaiden sa'kin nang makasalubong nila ako. Umirap naman ako. Ang dami ng atraso sa'kin ng lalaking 'to ah. Humanda ka sa'kin.

He stuck his tongue out, so I did too. He mocked me and screamed, "Kuyaaa!" Tumawa naman ang iba ko pang ka-team.

I raised my middle finger, and they just continued laughing. "By the way, ano bang napanood niyo sa'kin?" tanong ko.

"Hinampas mo ng kandila 'yong ulo ng multo, tapos sinipa mo 'yong katawan. Ang funny nga eh, parang wala ka sa sarili after mo hampasin 'yong ulo. Parang biglang nawala ang takot mo," sagot ni Ruelle.

Ako naman ang ngumisi ngayon. "Well, gan'on talaga," sabi ko at nagkibit-balikat. Tumalon ako papunta sa circular platform namin at gumalaw 'yon papunta sa pwesto namin kanina sa circle.

"What's the next event?" tanong ni Astraeus habang kumakaway sa audience.

"I heard it was a warm-up game, but it's considered as a game too," tugon ni Willyn. "Something about a race?"

My eyes accidentally darted to Nicolas' team. Napaatras naman ako nang makita ko ang isang babaeng nakita ko noon sa panaginip ko habang nagreregenerate ako. The one with the sun shaped earing, gold eyes, and short brown hair.

"Illeasalis," I said it aloud without realizing.

Napatingin naman sa'kin si Sirius at nagtaas-kilay siya. "You know Illeasalis?" tanong niya.

Umiling naman ako. Mas lalo naman siyang nagkunot-noo. Bakit nga ba ako umiling? Pero kung tatango ako, anong sasabihin ko? Na nakita ko si Illeasalis sa panaginip ko?

The girl caught me looking at her, and was taken aback, but then she bit her lip and tore her gaze off me.

"Who is she?" tanong ni Ruelle.

"Luh, limot mo na agad?!" ani Willyn. "She's Illeasalis! The youngest Orpheus. Sabagay ten years old palang ata siya n'ong huli mong nakita. She's thirteen now! Nagdadalaga na."

She's thirteen? That's why she looks young. Mas naging kuryos naman ako ngayon. In my dream, there were ten people excluding me and Rory. Sabi naman ni Rory kanina, there were ten people who built the dimension.
Posible kayang totoo talagang pangyayari ang nasa panaginip ko noon? Mas lalo lang 'yong pinapatunayan ni Illeasalis. If what I saw was truly a dream, then she wouldn't exist, right? But she's in front of my eyes.

"Oh my, Four. Lesbian ka?" Nagulat naman ako sa sinabi ni Ruelle. Napansin niya atang nakatitig ako kay Illeasalis.

Tumawa siya, at muntik na akong mapa-irap kaso pinigilan ko't baka kontrolin na naman nito dugo ko. Tsk, na-trauma na ata ako sa kaniya!

I sighed and finally my attention was diverted to the host when he spoke, "That was unexpected! For the first time in the Orphic Games, the horror mansion was burnt down by Exiquel Four of Ophiuchus! The wild card!"

Peculiars applaused me. Pilit naman akong ngumiti. Mukha ko naman ang pinakita sa screen. My gosh, instant artista ako rito, ah.

"Now, para sa warm-up game natin. Kailangang pumili ng mga team ng isang miyembro. Don't worry it's not a horror mansion anymore," the host announced and laughed.

"Huwag na ako, ha. Wild card lang ako mga animal," babala ko. "Isang beses niyo lang ako pwedeng gamitin."

"Why? Ayaw mo bang habang warm-up pa lang. I think this one is easy, though," Astraeus said.

Tila nagningning ang mata ko, "Oo nga 'no! Ako nalang! Volunteer na ako!"

"Too late," sabi ni Ruelle at tumalon mula sa platform namin. Mukha naman niya ang pinakita ngayon. The screen also flashed Lourd's face, meaning he's the one who'll be playing the warm-up game. The other faces were unfamiliar to me.

I held my breath when I suddenly saw another face from my dreams. A man with dark blue hair, and brown eyes. Zero? That's Zero's physical form in my dreams!

Tumingin naman ako kay Illeasalis, pero tila hindi niya napapansin si Zero, tila hindi niya namumukhaan. Huh? If the one I saw in my dreams was a memory, then she should be shocked too, right?

"No. My physical form is also erased in their memories."

Zero's eyes looked straight at me. Nagulat ako nang kumindat siya. Bigla naman akong hinampas ni Willyn. Nagkunot-noo naman ako. Akala ko ba frozen ang physical form niya? Ano 'tong nakikita ko?

"Sino 'yon?" tanong ko kay Willyn.

She smirked while staring at Zero as well, "He's Seiji, the Ace of the academy. Minsan lang din siya narito. Well his team known as Cipher is not the greatest, dahil malayo ang agwat ng power and energy level niya sa iba pa niyang mga ka-team. You could say, buhat na buhat niya ang team."

"Seiji?" mahina kong sambit.

Seiji and Zero. I'm sure iisa lang sila.

"Don't be too shocked, mi amore." Para namang mas na-shock ako lalo r'on! Bigla nalang nagsalita si Zero sa utak ko! "I'll explain everything to you soon."

"Why do you ask? Do you like him?" tanong ni Willyn.

I scrunched my nose and looked at her. "Bakit? Ikaw ba? Gusto mo siya, 'di ba?"

Bigla naman siyang natawa, "Sino bang hindi magugustuhan ang isang Yakamoto Seiji?"

"Woah! We have the nine contenders for the warm-up game. Seems like it's gonna be a tough one," anunsyo na naman ng host nang makumpleto na ang siyam.

The nine contenders entered another circular platform, and in a snap, they vanished in the area. Tumingin naman ako sa screen at napansing napapunta sila sa ibang lugar. Magkakahiwalay sila, at para silang napabalik sa academy.

"For this game, you all have to find an artifact. A highly demanded and powerful one. There are no other clues, only that it is around the academy. Whoever breaks the artifact wins."

"In thirty seconds, the game will start. Good luck, Orpheuses," wika ng host.

"Huh? 'Yon na 'yon? Hindi man lang sinabi kung anong klaseng artifact?" bulaslas ko. Tumawa naman si Astraeus.

"It's the thrill, Four. Less details."

"Sino sa tingin mo ang mananalo?" tanong ni Willyn.

Sirius scoffed, "It's obvious that Seiji will."

Napataas-kilay naman ako. Talaga ba? Gan'on ba kalakas si Seiji? Pero minsan lang naman nila 'yon makita, ah. Wala ba silang tiwala kay Ruelle? Ay sabagay ako nga rin eh, walang tiwala.

"Seiji just sits there, and by the end of the match, he still manages to win."
Luh? Totoo ba?

"Wish me luck, mi amore." Napangiwi naman ako nang marinig na naman ang boses ni Zero sa utak ko. I also heard his deep chuckle. Napatingin naman ako sa screen at nagulat nang makitang tumatawa nga nang mag-isa si Z- Seiji. He looked to the screen and winked once again.

Tumili naman ang mga babae at halos nahampas na naman ako ni Willyn. Wow naman. Lakas ng kamandag ni pare.

But I really wonder what happens in the games. I mean like overall. Bakit ba 'to naisip na event ng nga administrators?

Isa pa, hindi ba't si Zero ang dahilan ng pagkamatay ng iba noon? Then why- why the heck is he a student here?

Sino ba talaga ang dapat kong paniwalaan?

The Orphic Secret
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Thank you for reading!