"That watch, you have to wear that always. It's our way of communication," saad ni Geanna. Kasalukuyan kong hinahawakan ang relo at pinagmamasdan. Kulay gold ito at hindi nga ordinaryong relo na oras lang ang nakatalaga. Parang may ganito nga sa mundo ng mga tao eh. Yung relo na parang nagsisilbing cellphone.
Nagulat na lamang ako nang bigla itong tumunog. "Click the answer button, Cleschia," utos ni Lemery at pinindot ko nga. Bumungad sa akin ang nakangiting mukha ni Heisen. Ah, hologram ba tawag dito?
"That's one way of calling, Cleschia. You can see the caller's face through hologram pero pwede rin namang boses niya lang ang maririnig mo," saad naman ni Henric at napatango na lamang ako.
"That watch can also capture an image and even record sounds and events. Just click the camera and recorder icon. The lens and the speaker are on the side of the screen," sabi naman ni Heisen na kinonpirma ko rin pagkasabi niya.
"Another is through that watch, the other class can able to recognize you that you're an Elite." Napatingin ako kay Lemery.
"How?" I asked at itinaas niya ang braso niya kung saan suot niya ang relo. "Definitely with the color, Cles," sagot niya. At inisa-isa ko ngang tiningnan ang relo na suot nila at lahat nga yun ay gold ang color. Alright. I get it.
Kinuha sa akin ni Geanna ang relo at hinawakan niya ang kaliwang braso ko. "Salamat," saad ko nang maisuot niya sa akin ang relo.
Muli kong ibinalin ang tingin ko sa box. May isa pang gadget na nakalagay doon. Ito yung gadget na ginagamit ng mga Madame.
"You can only use that glass tablet when you were in your own room since na mahirap naman kung dadalhin mo yan araw-araw. Technically, hindi naman yan halos magagamit dito sa klase natin. Besides, kung anong mayroon sa watch, nagagawa rin niyan. The only difference is that, that tablet can give any information that you wanted to know, everything that is related in this world," mahabang litanya ni Lemery.
"But we can provide you those information if you will ask us now." Napatingin ako kay Vynth nang marinig ko siyang nagsalita. Sa pagkakataong iyon ay hindi niya idinaan sa utak ko. Gustung-gusto ko man siyang tanungin sa klase ng pakikipag-usap niya sa akin kanina pero hinayaan ko na lamang yun at inisip na baka parte lang yun ng kapangyarihan na mayroon siya.
"Yeah, right. We can be your lecturer for today," Henric said then chuckled.
"So, Cleschia. Start asking now," Geanna said. Napaupo siya sa sahig at nakatingin sa akin na para bang naghihintay sa maaaring itanong ko. Ganun din ang ginawa ng iba kaya napaupo na rin ako.
"If I'm not mistaken, the students here are being classified into five classes. So may I know what are those and even its whereabouts?"
"Alright. Students here are being classified into five namely the Elites, Elemental, Wizard, Phantom, and Scitech. Actually, not only the students here but all Eldonians. We're classified based on the powers that we have. Among those five classes, we, Elites are identified as the unique class and definitely the most powerful. The remaining four have no specific ranking, kung anong class ang pumapangalawa sa Elite, ang pangatlo and so on. Those four are treated as equal. But here in this academy, in every class, there's a ranking. The students were ranked from the most powerful until the least powerful and that is based from some circumstances given by the council, for instance, a test that measures your ability as part of that class. And that ranking changes," she explained.
"I'll continue," Geanna insisted. "I'll give you some important details of every classes, Cleschia. For elemental, basically from its name, they are the Eldonians that the source of their power comes from the different elements. You know, earth, water, wind, fire, and so on. A single elemental Eldonian can only control one element or should I say the source of his or her power comes from a single element only. For the Wizard class, they are the Eldonians that use magic, spells or any identified witchcrafts. And for your knowledge, the five high rank Mistresses, they are all wizards," saad niya at napatigil saglit. Habang nagkukuwento siya ay di ko maiwasang mapahanga. "While in the Scitech class, the Eldonians belong here are those who have the ability to heal or cure someone, can create such medicines, those Eldonians that can able to develop such technological instruments and weapons, and have the ability to fight through their intelligence and inventions. On the other hand, the Phantom, this class is composed of Eldonians that have powers to control someone's mind, can able to see either the past or the future, can travel in other time or period and even in distant places, can control the time, can able to perform illusions, and other powers specifically related with mind and eyes as well as something that has connection with art and controlling."
"Ahm, what about us, the Elites? How come we're special?" I asked. Sa apat pa lang na class, napapahanga na ako. How much more sa class na kinabibilangan ko na siyang pinakamataas sa lahat?
"It's because our powers are accurately combination." Napatingin ako kay Vynth ng may pagtataka sa sinabi niya.
"Combination?"
"You heard it right, Cleschia. Our powers were basically combination of two or more powers that were classified in different classes. For instance, I can classify myself as an Elemental and even a Scitech. Elemental because I have the power to use and control the Lightning as well as Scitech because I have the ability to create technological weapons," pagpapaliwanag ni Heisen.
Napaawang na lang ang bibig ko sa sinabi niya.
"Mine is a combination of Elemental and Phantom powers. I have the power to use darkness and I can do illusions also," saad naman ni Henric.
"While me, I use magical powers and I can travel the past. A combination of Wizard and Phantom powers," dagdag naman ni Geanna.
"Oh well, mine is a combination of Scitech and Phantom. A healer and time-controller," sabi naman ni Lemery.
Napatango na lamang ako sa kanila.
"But our prince here, his powers are both elemental," paliwanag ni Henric. Napatingin ako kay Henric pagkatapos kay Vynth. "He can control both the fire and earth elements."
"Yeah, right," tipid niyang pagsasang-ayon.
Napaisip ako sa mga sinabi nila. "Is it hierarchical?"
"Yes, Cleschia. Possession of powers is inherited from parents or even in your grandparents. Most likely, an Eldonian build a family with another Eldonian who is in the same class of him or her. And it is just few who could able to build a family that is composed of different classes," sagot ni Lemery.
"Kung ganon, kapag ang parents mo ay nanggaling sa magkaibang class, that means you could be an Elite?"
"Yun ay kung kaya mong i-acquire both the powers of your mother and father," sagot ni Heisen.
"You're lucky if you can. You're lucky if both powers of your parents are powerful enough to be inherited by you," saad ni Geanna.
Napatango ako sa mga sagot nila. I understand their point. And because of that, I couldn't help but to think about myself.
I sighed.
"Cleschia." Napatingin ako kay Henric. "I think one of your powers has something to do with elements since that Guershan family were mostly like that," he said amusingly towards me.