Chapter 4: Factions

Factions

We are sent to a room where we will undergo blood test to know which factions we belong. Wala parin akong idea kung ano ano ang mga factions dito.

Ang alam ko'y tatlo iyon at isa roon ang kinabibilangan naming lima.

"Next, Amber Easton." Napalingon ako sandali kay Braeden na siyang nagmamasid sa amin. Lumingon din ito sa akin at nagsalubong ang kilay ng mapansing nakatingin ako sa kaniya. Agad akong umiwas ng tingin at tumayo na saka pumasok.

The room has a warm atmoshpere because of it's light. Naabutan ko ang isang babaeng nakasuot ng dark blue lab gown, with a dark blue gloves. Nakasalamin ito at nakasuot ng surgical mask. May machine na nasa gilid at isang upuan kung saan niya sinabing maupo ako.

She stares at me first before she injected the syringe to get small amount of blood from me.

Tiningnan niya muna iyon habang nakatapat sa ilaw bago sinalin sa isang lagayan at bahagyang inalog bago pinatak sa machine.

She typed something on the computer, habang ako'y pinagmamasdan lamang siya.

Kumunot ang noo ko ng makitang tila natigilan siya at marahang nahubad ang kaniyang suot na mask ng hindi inaalis ang tingin sa monitor.

Magtatanong na sana ako ng mabilis siyang nagtype roon at nakita ko ang salitang deleting... Nagproprocess iyon na tila may dinedelete na file pagkatapos ay siyang pagkuha niya ng sariling dugo at iyon ang ipinatak sa machine.

Anong ginagawa niya? Is she crazy?

She looks tensed. Kita ko ang pagtulo ng pawis niya at tila kinabahan.

"May problema ba?" I asked, mabilis niya akong nilingon at tila nababahalang lumapit sa akin.

"Listen Miss Easton, as much as I want to get you out of here I can't cause I have no power to do that." Mariin niyang sabi na halos pabulong lang.

"What are you talking about?"

"This school is divided into three factions, the vampires, the werewolves and the humans." W-what?! Is that just a name of factions or they're real?

Vampires and werewolves?!

"They are real amber and I am one of them. Now you have to do this, later they will conduct a welcome celebration. You will choose according to the result of your test and since I used my blood for you, you must choose the vampires faction."

"Y-you're a vampire? Wait...am I not human? Ano bang result?" Bigla siyang namutla sa naging tanong ko.

"If someone ask you what you are, tell them you're vampire don't ever tell them about what we talked about no one must---"

Hindi niya natuloy ang sasabihin ng marinig namin ang pagpihit ng door knob hudyat na may papasok kaya agad siyang bumalik sa kaniyang ginagawa at kinuha ang kopya ng result.

Saktong pumasok si Braeden at nilapitan ang babae.

"Where's the result?" Inabot nito ang maliit na papel saka binasa at nilingon ako.

"You can now go back." Nilingon ko ang babae at umiwas na ito sa akin ng tingin. Taka man ay agad narin akong lumabas at ramdam ko pa ang tingin ni Braeden bago sumunod sa akin.

I seated back silently, thinking about the result of my test. Anong nakita niya? Anong resulta? Kung wala sa tatlong faction, then where do I belong? Ano ba talaga ako? Sino ako, at bakit parang takot na takot siya sa nalaman? Sa naging resulta?

I thought they are all fearless, then why the result feared her?

Isa pang gumugulo ngayon sa isip konay ang uri ng mga naririto. Vampires, werewolves they are all real. That explain why the atmosphere is different.

Totoo ngang hindi basta basa ang school na ito. This is where creatures like them exist. And no one knows that outside this school's wall.

Kung ganun lahat ng nandirito ay hindi pa kailanman nakakalabas? Lalo na ang mga tao, or they may be threatened not to tell any single words about the school the could ruin it's image.

Nanatili kami sa lugar na iyon hanggang sa mag-gabi kung saan pinapunta kami sa napakalaking hall, lugar kung saan gaganapin ang welcome celebration.

Lahat ay naroroon, nakaupo accordingly on their factions.

Vampires are wearing black and read suits. They have their red eyes staring at us.

Andrea was talking about something I can't understand because my mind was occupied by questions.

Ang mga werewolves are wearing black and golden yellow suits while humans are wearing gray faded suits.

"Newbies, please go up the stage." Sunod sunod kaming umakyat at doon. Ang nga leaders ng factions ay nakatayo sa unahan ng kanilang grupo, na tila ba naghihintay ito sa kung sino ang dadagdag sa grupo nila.

"Okay here's what you're going to do, when we called your name choose the faction according the result of your test."

"Anong sa'yo?" Rinig kong tanong ni andrea na hindi ko nanaman nagawang sagutin.

"Vianca Amulet." The snob girl stepped forward and walk towards the werewolves faction. So she's a werewolf, that's why.

She was welcomed by Caleb, the leader of werewolves.

"Cyan Vincent Hillgard."

The guy with a serious face stepped forward and walked towards the vampire faction.

I let out a breath as andrea's name was called.

Nagulat ako ng makitang vampire faction ang kaniyang tinahak.

"Rishan Aidan Marcus." That rishan is a human. Doon siya pumunta at ngayon ay ako nalamang ang natitira, mag-isa sa stage na iyon nakatitig sa lahat habang sila'y nakatitig sa akin.

"The last, Dawn Amber Easton."

Hindi ako agad kumilos, pinasadahan ko ng tingin ang tatlong grupo.

Asking myself where do I really belong.

Human faction?

Werewolves?

Or vampires?

Gusto kong sa human faction, ngunit kapag may napansin silang kakaiba ay nasisiguro kong gulo iyon.

Sa werewolves?

My test result will be questioned.

And last, the vampires.

"Amber Easton?" Muli kong narinig ang pangalan ko na siyang nakapagpagising sa akin.

Marahan akong gumalaw at naglakad pababa ng stage at palapit sa leader ng Vampires faction.

Huminto ako sa harap nito at walang takot itong tinitigan.

"Welcome to our group, Miss Easton." Formal na sabi nito.

Nilingon ko ang mga makakasama ko and they are all staring at me. They started to make noises, like celebrating.

"Come on newbies! Let's gooo!" Mabilis silang nagsitayuan ang tumakbo palabas ng hall. Naiwan kaming tatlong mga bago kasama ang leader.

"Part of the welcome party." Seryosong sabi ni Braeden at sumunod na sa kaniyang grupo. Nagkatinginan kami ni Andrea at napatingin kay Cyan na sumunod na rin.

Sunod na tumakbo si Andrea, bago ako.

I started to run at slow first before it becomes fast. Hanggang sa naabutan ko na silang paakyat sa isa pang building. There's a flag with a printed symbol, a fire burning a sword with a wings of a bat.

Vampires faction's building.

Nakarating kami sa pinakatuktok ng building at saka ko lamang narealize na isa iyong open area.

Kitang kita mula rito ang napakalaking buwan.

"Listen up vampiress, especially to our new members. Tomorrow is an special training for the newbies. For the old members you are allowed to do your trainings, and I am appointing ashgar to facilitate while I am monitoring these newbies. You are permitted to use the left wing of this building as we will occupy the right wing, is that clear?"

"Yes, Primus!" Primus, is that what they called to a vampire leader?

"You can now go back to your respective areas and as for the newbies, you have to stay for the rules of this faction."

Tulad ng sinabi niya'y naiwan kami roon.

Ng tuluyang makaalis ang iba at maiwan kaming tatlo ay saka siya nagpalakad lakad sa harap namin facing back and forth in a slow moiton.

"The number one rule of this group is the loyalty. Here in dauntless, factions only trust those who's inside their group. Werewolves and humans are enemies, mga werewolves ang pinakakalaban natin sa t'wing huling araw ng buwan. Where we all need to fight them to know who's the best and powerful. Everyone here are trained not only to be brave but also to be strongest. Punishment is visible and whoever loses the competition will receive a severe punishment. Thing, that this group never wanted to experience. You need to be loyal, you're not allowed to have any relationship on whoever it is from the other faction. And humans... They are just our mere foods, every hunting night. "

What the fuck?! Hunting night? Food?

"Second, you're not allowed to complain. Whatever things that I commanded you to do, you must do it."

"Third, no escaping. Kung sino man ang makita kong tumakas sa ipinapagawa sa kaniya ay parurusahan ko. Parusang hinding hindi niyo magugustuhan."

"Fourth, vampire factions have rankings. This is the most important part because this is life and death. That rankings consist of top 30 vampires. The strongest would make it, the weakest wont. The strongest will continue to live and some will face death. Sa t'wing may bago, isinasagawa namin ang isang labanan kung saan malalaman ang papasok sa top 30, kung hindi niyo magawang makapasok. Be ready for your death."

"A-ano? I-I mean, pinapatay niyo talaga?" Hindi na mapigilan ni Andrea ang magsalita, katulad kanina ng Headmistress ang kasama namin.

"Yes, you'll learn that too. Mararanasan niyong mawalan ng takot na pumatay para mabuhay. In this place matira ang pinakamalakas at matibay. You always need to prove yourself, you always need to prove that you're worth to live. "

"Bawat araw ay may mga estudyanteng pumapasok dito galing iba't ibang bayan. And every year, kailangan naming magbawas ng member para mapanatili ang 30 members. If you want to maintain being on top, kailangan mong naging malakas."

"Next about the hunting night, every friday of the week kung saan walang buwan... We hunt down the humans inside the humans faction. Lahat kailangan may mapatay, that is our night where we are allowed to touch them, to kill them... That's their role, they serve as our source of blood... Kung ang mga tao nag-aalaga ng mga hayop, tayo rito nagaalaga ng mga tao."

That's it.

Kaya naman pala ganito ang kanilang mga mata. Puno ng tapang, pagmamataas at puno ng lakas.

Taglay nila ang mga matang walang konsensya, mababasa mo sa kanilang mga mata na hindi sila kailanman natatakot na pumaslang. Like nothing in this world can fear them.

Wala nga ba?