FACTIONS

Nanatili akong nakasunod sa kanila. Hindi alam kung s'an nila ako dadalhin. Pero mukha namang safe rito, at maraming mga cameras. 'Yon nga lang, hindi makakagawa ng kalokohan lels!

"What faction will she be in? Everyone has a faction of their own now," narinig kong tanong ni Kaiden. Ano raw? Fraction?

"That will depend on her test. For sure they'll let her take a test," sagot ni Nicolas.

Nanlaki naman ang mata ko, "What? May test? Ano 'yan, Math?!"

They looked at me with disbelief. May mali ba sa sinabi ko? Wala naman 'di ba?

Kaiden sighed loudly, "The Faction test. It is to determine what Faction you should belong."

Napataas-kilay ako. Faction pala ang tawag. What is that anyways?

Tila nabasa nila ang utak ko, at biglang pinaliwanag sa'kin kung ano ang mga Factions.

"Factions are group of people that share the same attributes and goals. Orpheuses are divided into three factions. The first are the Assailants. They are the ones whose abilities are mostly meant for attacking."

Wow, attacker. Ano kayang mga powers nila?

"The second one are the Autocrats. They are the ones who lead the Orpheuses. They have a strong sense of authority."

Ay, wow! Feel ko makakaaway ko 'tong mga 'to palagi! Ayaw ko sa bossy, eh, unless may sense at talagang magaling!

"The last one are the Neoterics. They are the ones who innovate, and they are the brains of the Orpheuses. They excel mostly in Academics."

Hindi ata ako bagay d'yan. Brains daw! Hindi naman ata ako smart, and hindi rin naman ako nag-iinnovate. Excel in Academics? Pwede naman, maliban lang sa Math!

Anyways, so the three factions are Assailants, Autocrats, Neoterics. "Paano ko naman malalaman kung s'an ako mabibilang?" tanong ko.

"Sa test nga," medyo gigil na sambit ni Kaiden.

"Eh, kamalayan ko ba kung anong mayr'on sa test na 'yan!" bulyaw ko. Umirap ako, at humalukipkip.

"Wala ka naman masyadong gagawin. You're going to be inside a dream, and then what you'll be doing in the dream will determine what faction you best belong to," Nicolas explained now.

Tinapat niya ang wristwatch niya sa kaniyang bibig at nagsalita, "Lein? Can we access the secluded rooms?" tanong niya.

Napataas ang kilay ko nang bigla kong marinig ang boses ng babae mula sa relo, "What for?" Her voice was sweet yet luring at the same time.

"New temporary student. She's already registered in the Academy," sagot ni Nicolas.

"Okay, sure. Will open it now. Pupunta na rin ako d'yan," the girl, Lein, answered.

Nagtaka naman ako nang hawakan ni Kaiden ang pader. Biglang may umangat na cube mula sa pader kaya nagulat ako. The cube divided again into nine cube pieces! Then pinalibutan kamk ng cubes. It emitted light kaya medyo nasilaw kami, then parang nag-glitch ang paligid at voila! Nasa ibang lugar na kami.

Wow.

I looked around and noticed that we were in another place now. It was dark, and blue naman ang notif ng place. There were neon blue aquatic-like lines in the walls. In the ceiling, it looked like a blue oceanic galaxy.

In the middle, there is an elavated platform, and there stood an hourglass like a room or something. It reached up to the ceiling and there was a separating line in the middle.

Napatingin naman ako sa gilid nang biglang may umangat uli na nine small cubes mula sa wall. Nag-glitch din, then biglang may nag-appear na nagg-glitch na babae.

I studied her appearance. She looks so... calming? Hindi ko alam kung bakit parang nagiging kalmado ako 'pag nakikita siya. She had pointed bluish gray eyes, that looked fierce. Like Nicolas, he had jet black hair, only that her silver streaks were a little bluish. Maliit lang siya pero sobrang lakas ng dating niya.

Siya na ba 'yong Lein?

She smiled at the two boys, then when she saw me, lumiit na ngiti niya.

Siguro dahil mas matangkad ako sa kaniya? Hehe.

"Lein, she's the new stu-" hindi pa natatapos magsalita si Kaiden ay mabilis na naglakad palapit sa'min si Lein.

She held out her hand, "Hello! I am Odette Arlein 'Lein' Arquaile."

Arquaile? Hindi ba 'yon ang apelyido ng President Ephraim?

"Yes, I am the President's daughter. I am also one of the Autocrats," dagdag pa niya. Inabot ko naman ang kamay niya, at sobrang lambot!

Hindi ako nagpatalo, syempre. "I'm Exiquel Four Bellisima. Call me Four. Hindi ko alam kung anong Fra- Faction ko."

"Oh, your name is like a boy's name. Can I call you Belle instead?" pasweet na tanong niya.

Pakiramdam ko naman umusok ulong ko. "Hindi," diretsong sagot ko. "Kung ayaw mo sa Four, Exiquel nalang itawag mo-"

"But that's more boyish."

"Huwag mo nalang akong tawagin kung gan'on," sabat ko.

The boys stifled a laugh, but hindi na rin nila napigilan 'yon. I sighed. S'an ba kasi galing 'yong Belle? Sa Bellisima? Eh apelyido naman 'yon, eh.

Lein pouted, and avoided to talk more. She went near the hourglass-like room. Parang may inayos siya r'on dahil biglang may holographic keyboard na lumabas. She typed in something, and then biglang nagbukas ang hourglass.

"Once you enter, you will be inhaling a smoke that will make you unconscious. Everything that you will see inside is only an illusion or what you call dreams, only that you are conscious inside the dream," paliwanag ni Lein. "Whatever your actions and response inside the dream will determine your Faction."

She turned to me, "Please enter, Exiquel."

I nodded. Nag-aalinlangan pa ako sa una, pero pumasok na rin ako. Nagtype naman muli si Lein sa holographic keyboard at nagsara na ang hourglass. Napatingin naman ako sa isang upuan, at syempre umupo. Malamang.

Nang makaupo naman ako, may smoke na sumirit sa baba. Cute naman, color pink! Pakiramdam ko inantok na agad ako. Napapikit-pikita ako agad, at hinayaan ko lang ang sarili kong makatulog.

Then, when I opened my eyes again, I'm already in a new world.

"Four," tawag sa'kin ni Kuya. My eyes narrowed when I saw him. Tch, panaginip nga lang pala 'to. Hawak-hawak niya rin ang kamay ko at tila ba may pinagtataguan kami.

Mabilis niya akong hinila papunta sa isang poste at sinandal n'ya ako r'on habang tumitingin sa paligid, kahit bulag siya.

Hindi naman ako nagsalita. We must be hiding from something, and I should be careful with my actions. I have to trust my brother.

Gayunpaman, pinagmasdan ko rin ang paligid. We were in the mortal realm... ata. May napansin akong mga patay na tao sa likod. Most were dead by gunshots. Halos napairit ako nang biglang may dumaan na bullet sa gilid namin.

Kuya Nine pulled my hand immediately, and grabbed my back while his other hand was raised in the air. Nanlaki ang mata ko nang lahat ng bullets papunta sa direksyon namin ay bigla nalang nahuhulog.

"I can't keep it up longer, Four! Go now while I take care of them! Siguraduhin mong makakalayo ka!" sigaw ni Kuya sa'kin.

I suddenly yelped because of a loud explosion. Tumakbo naman ako agad palayo, at sinunod si Kuya. Nakakita ako ng mga baril kaya pinulot ko 'yon habang natakbo. Good thing, my legs are long!

Tumakbo lang ako nang tumakbo, at natigilan lang ako nang tinaas ko ang baril dahil bigla akong makarinig ng kaluskos. Gosh, hindi po ako maalam gumamit nito! Tsaka... ano ba 'yong kaluskos na 'yon?

Tinapat ko ang baril o sniper ba 'to? May lens, ih! Basta, tinapat ko siya r'on sa banda kung s'an ko narinig ang kaluskos. Dahan-dahan akong umatras habang alerto pa rin sa paligid. My eyes narrowed when I saw no one. Ano 'yon, scam?

"Psh! Ewan ko sa panaginip na 'to!"

That's when I started running again, I just stopped when I realized that I left my brother!

Everything that I will do here must be what I'll do in the reality, right?

Hay nako si Kuya!

The Orphic Secret
By lostmortals
Plagiarism is a crime.

Sabi q nga, divergent inspired HAHA. I will try to update daily. :)

Thank you for reading!