The Orphic Secret

Chapter 21

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!"