The factions

Kaela watched as Theo walked away, his steps confident, almost cocky. The others at the table resumed their conversation, while Lian and sat with the other two who stopped him,

" yeah those two don't get a long very well"

" I can totally see that"

"He's a jerk, he got a problem with everyone here, finds a person weakest point and uses it against him" Lian said as he stared at Theo

" and that's your weakest point? I think it's kinda cool to be born in here,I mean.. atleast you got your original mind and the scientists here didn't put needles or play with your brain unlike us called the reboots"

Lian laughed at her comment, and she smiled back at him, strangely she was getting comfortable here, it wasn't that intense as she thought it would be, it almost felt just a normal teenage hang out without the white walls and losing their memories.

but her mind lingered on what she had just learned. Primals. People born inside Neurogenesis. People who had never seen the outside world.

She turned to Iris. "So, what exactly happens to us here?"

Iris sighed, glancing at the others before answering. "They train us. Educate us. Keep us… functional."

"They… as in the architects?"

"Yes, they're responsible for us here, and for what I've learned, they used to be reboots just like all of us here, when the architects sees you useful and have a strong mind, they take you to be one of them and one can finally go beyond these white walls"

" How do you know that they're beyond these walls?"

" they always go through doors which non of us reboots or Primals ever goes to, well unless we're ready as they'd like to say"

Kaela nodded as if understanding what was happening

" if you'd ask me I think that sounds…" Kaela hesitated, searching for the right word.

"Controlled?" Iris offered.

Kaela nodded.

Iris leaned in slightly, lowering her voice. "Look, we don't question things here. We do what we're told, and in return, we survive. That's how it works."

A hollow feeling settled in Kaela's stomach. Survive. That word carried weight. It implied a threat—something lurking beyond these sterile white walls.

Before she could ask more, a loud chime rang through the air.

The room fell silent. Every Reboot and Primals —every person in the common area—turned their heads in unison toward a large screen mounted on the far wall. Kaela followed their gaze. The screen flickered, then displayed a sleek emblem: an intricate silver tree, its roots spreading like veins. Below it, words appeared in sharp, bold letters:

"Calibration in Session. Please Proceed to Your Stations."

Around her, people stood up automatically, their movements eerily synchronized. Even Iris.

Kaela hesitated. "What's going on?"

Iris gave her a knowing look. "Just follow. Do what they tell you."

Kaela swallowed hard and rose to her feet, blending into the orderly stream of Reboots and Primals moving toward a set of doors. They passed through a series of corridors before emerging into a vast, open hall.

Kaela's footsteps echoed in the sterile hall, the low hum of machines and the soft rustle of uniforms the only sounds that accompanied her and the others. She noticed how everyone moved in the same direction, a silent unity that bordered on unsettling. They passed through the towering white doors and into a large, circular room. In the center was a raised platform, surrounded by glass walls that gleamed under the fluorescent lighting.

At the far side of the room, a series of sleek chairs were arranged in a perfect semicircle, facing the platform. They were cold and metallic, the kind of chairs that felt like they could have been built for anything but comfort. Above each chair, a small screen was embedded in the wall, waiting for the occupant to sit.

Iris gave Kaela a quick glance before stepping forward, joining the others as they took their places in the chairs. Kaela followed, feeling the weight of something heavy building in her chest. She wasn't sure why, but her instincts told her that this was it—the moment when things would change. The moment she would learn the truth about her place in all of this.

The door behind them slid shut, sealing the room. A calm voice filled the air, its source untraceable.

"Reboots, you have undergone the necessary assessments. Today, your faction designation will be finalized. Please proceed to the chairs and await further instructions."

Kaela felt her pulse quicken. Factions.

Factions?! What exactly are those!

She asked herself as she stared at the others who sat comfortably on their chairs, was she the only one who didn't know what they meant by the word factions?

But nevertheless, She slowly took her seat, her legs trembling ever so slightly. The chair adjusted to her body's form, locking her in place with an almost clinical precision. The screens in front of them flickered to life, displaying a single symbol: a silver tree. The roots of the tree spread outward, as if reaching for something far beyond the room.

"Focus," the voice instructed. "In a moment, you will undergo a brief calibration test. This will determine your mental and physical alignment to your designated faction."

Kaela glanced around. The other Reboots were all seated in silence, their eyes fixed ahead, expressions unreadable. Even Lian, who had been so talkative earlier, was now still. She couldn't help but feel the weight of their collective focus, the tension in the air growing heavier with each passing second.

The screen in front of her flickered again, and a series of symbols appeared—shapes that Kaela had never seen before. Her eyes narrowed as they shifted, transforming into patterns that seemed to dance before her.

"Relax, Kaela," the voice whispered, as though sensing her discomfort. "This is a simple process. Trust in the system."

The screen displayed a question now, a simple one: What is your purpose?

Kaela blinked. It felt like an absurd question, one that she should have an answer to, but it was as if her mind had gone blank. The question echoed in her thoughts, like a sound without substance, and her heart raced.

Purpose. She didn't know. She didn't know what she was supposed to be, what she was meant to do. She had no past, no memories—just a blank slate, she barely just woke up today.

The symbols on the screen changed again, swirling together in a tight, intricate pattern. It seemed to pulse, drawing her in. Without thinking, her mind answered.

To survive.

As soon as the words formed in her mind, the screen blinked, and a new message appeared: Calibration Complete. Preparing Assignment.

The metallic chair beneath her shifted again, and Kaela felt something like a soft pulse in her chest—almost like a heartbeat. Then the voice returned.

"Kaela Pryce. Based on your mental and physical evaluations, you have been designated for the Genesis faction."

Kaela's heart skipped a beat. Genesis? The word had been floating around in the back of her mind, but hearing it now… it didn't feel like a choice. It felt like something chosen for her, as if she had no say in the matter.

She glanced at Iris, whose face betrayed no surprise. Iris had been calm, almost too calm, did iris know about the factions? Had Iris known what faction she was destined for?

The voice continued, its tone unchanging. "You will now be escorted to the Genesis training area. Welcome to your new purpose."

Before Kaela could process the words, a door at the far side of the room slid open. Several Primals in gray tunics moved in, standing still as they waited for the Reboots to begin exiting. Kaela stood, her legs stiff, and followed the group as they were led through another series of sterile halls.

Iris gave her a small smile as they walked. "Genesis. Not a bad choice. You'll fit in there."

Kaela nodded, though she felt anything but certain. She had no idea what Genesis meant, or why it had been chosen for her, but something inside her whispered that this wasn't the end of the story. This was only the beginning.

As they moved deeper into the heart of Neurogenesis, she caught a glimpse of the others.iris was with her, Theo was there, as well as Lian, but she couldn't shake the feeling that the tension between him and Lian wasn't over. The factions had just begun, and already, the room seemed full of secrets.

But Kaela wasn't ready to confront them just yet.

She had a new identity now—one that belonged to Genesis. But as she walked into the unknown, her mind was already racing with questions. Was this really the purpose she had been meant for? And what would happen once she began her training?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door sliding open in front of her, revealing a large room filled with bright, artificial lights. Beyond the door, she could hear the soft hum of machinery, a sound that seemed to pulse in rhythm with her racing heartbeat.

It was time to learn what Genesis really meant.