The Orphic Secret

Chapter 3

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.