Emeline's disbelief gave way to a wave of confusion and disorientation. She felt lost amidst the jumble of chaotic thoughts swirling around in her mind.
And as the gravity of the situation imposed itself on her, fear began to creep into her heart, like a biting cold that slowly spread through her chest. A shiver ran through her body as the cruel reality set in, leaving her feeling like she was on the edge of an unknown and frightening abyss.
The silence that followed the denial of access echoed around her, filling the room with palpable tension. Emeline's heart was pounding, echoing in her ears as she tried to process what was happening in front of her eyes.
She felt like she was trapped in a nightmare from which she couldn't wake up. Her eyes fixed on the holographic panel in front of Mason, her heart hammering inside her chest as she tried to make sense of the shocking revelation she had just witnessed.
Mason's voice broke the silence, interrupting Emeline's whirlwind thoughts. His tone, laden with anguish and uncertainty, cut through the air like a sharp blade, penetrating deep into her soul.
His eyes met hers with an intensity charged with worry and regret, as if he himself was struggling to find the right words to comfort her.
Emeline looked at Aster and Damián, searching for answers in their faces, but all she found was a mirror that reflected nothing; their expressions were enigmatic. The room was permeated with a metallic smell, as if the atmosphere itself were reacting to the shock of the revelation.
However, the Mason, Aster, and Damián were standing looking straight ahead, like two soldiers protecting the tomb of the unknown soldier or Buckingham Palace, their faces expressionless. The intense glow of their irises radiated a deep mystery, as if something otherworldly was manifesting itself through their eyes.
"What's going on?" asked Emeline, her voice trembling slightly. "Why are you doing this to me?"
In the midst of the revelations, a tangle of uncertainties arose in the territory of chaos. The silence cried out for questions and answers. Then, without understanding what was happening, information appeared in their minds, in the form of memories, images, and information about:
The Architects and Gardeners of the Dimensions...
On a plane beyond the physical, where the stars dance in harmony and the boundaries between worlds are blurred, there are beings who shape the very essence of reality. They are the Architects of the Dimensions, primordial builders who forge the foundations of worlds and weave the threads of destiny.
The Architects: These were ancient entities imbued with cosmic wisdom and unfathomable power.
Each "Architect" is responsible for a set of dimensions, like a divine architect sculpting galaxies and constellations.
They design the natural laws, geographies, and cultures of each world. Their creative hands sculpt mountains, trace rivers, and breathe life into them.
Architects know the secrets of time and space, but their vision is too broad to concern themselves with trivial details.
Then come the gardeners; they are the intermediaries between the architects and the worlds they create.
As cosmic gardeners, they sow seeds of possibilities in the fertile soils of dimensions.
Gardeners were "rare souls" who could be utilized in the dimension line because, to be a gardener, one had to possess a bit of the "Architects" power themselves.
Each "Gardener" is assigned to a specific world where they cultivate challenges, plots, and events.
They water destinies with moral dilemmas, burning passions, and puzzles to be unraveled, making significant financial contributions, terror, fantasy, producing catastrophes, wars, inexplicable crimes, and abdications.
However, "Gardeners" are ephemeral. They wander for centuries, but never witness the full bloom of their creations.
Yet, this world is corrupted, trapped in a cycle of recreation and destruction.
There was no clear mission or guiding line. Just chaos and order intertwining, like twisted branches in a dark forest.
Then, immersed in great power, the mechanical voice resounded again, the system was corrupted, and all sensations disappeared.
The atmosphere was tense as Aster approached Emeline, his somber demeanor reflecting the gravity of the situation. Every gesture, every movement, was laden with meaning, as if the weight of the world were upon his shoulders.
"Emeline," Aster began, his voice heavy with sorrow while his eyes sought hers with sincerity. "We deeply regret that things have taken this turn. But it was essential that you knew the truth."
He paused, allowing his words to echo in the heavy silence that hung over them.
"We consider you a loyal friend," he continued, making subtle gestures emphasizing each word. "And that's why we decided to reveal everything. We knew you would do anything to protect us."
Aster's gaze carried the weight of his emotions, a complex mix of sorrow and determination.
"We didn't want to see you merely as another victim of this chaos. That's what good friends do," he said, his hands gesturing with intensity. "And it's what I would do. We're not a threat. What happened was an accident. We weren't on a mission, but Mason was a criminal in our dimension, and a mistake brought us to this world."
Aster cast a meaningful glance at Mason, a mixture of sorrow and resolve on his face.
"We're all lost, Mason," he said sincerely. "I'm sorry, but you can't go back."
Emeline felt stunned by Aster's words, her heart weighing heavy with the weight of the revelation. She turned to Damián for support but found only a determined expression on his face, reflecting the confusion and uncertainty that hung over all of them.
Damián went through a brief mental assessment, realizing what his life had become. Was it a Matrix movie with a reduced budget?
His new life was supposed to be terrible, but it didn't feel terrible. Despite losing his beautiful Tarzan-like body.
Was there any trap as deadly as the one we set for ourselves?
With an enigmatic expression, Damián broke the tense silence, his words carrying a mix of resignation and dark humor.
"What a shitty situation, isn't it?" he said, his voice dripping with irony. "Well, I guess I need a drink. It looks like we're going to need something strong to digest all of this."
"Emeline, we came here to talk," said Damián, his voice firm and steady. "There are forces at play that are beyond your or my understanding, and we're here to ensure that you remain safe and can comprehend, even if it's impossible to believe."
Damián's and Aster's confession only served to increase Emeline and Mason's turmoil of emotions.
Taking the other three by surprise, Mason spoke with an exasperated voice: "I can't continue in this world; it's not fair; I've decided to pay for my crimes."
His tone carried a mixture of frustration and determination, and his eyes fixed on a distant point as if he were seeking strength to express his feelings.
"I can't stay in this world..." Mason continued, his voice sounding increasingly distressed. "I want to go back to my world; I don't want to see Can-Bey Wilson ever again as long as I live."
Damián looked at him skeptically, one eyebrow arched in disbelief. "All this because of a broken heart?"
A quick exchange of glances between Aster and Damián revealed their surprise at Mason's emotional outburst. But Mason didn't back down.
"Hearts break," said Damián, his expression serious. "You should've just left, but why did you break his motorcycle?"
Mason looked at Damián, his eyes flashing with a mix of anger and challenge. "You're as fucked up as I am! You're lost too, mighty King of the Underworld. And in the past, you've done things just as bad as me!"
Aster watched this exchange with a heavy look, alternating between Mason and Damián. Meanwhile, Emeline felt the tension in the air escalate and decided to intervene.
"I don't understand what's going on between you two," she said, her voice sounding nervous. "But I think it's best if you calm down."
Emeline's expression betrayed her confusion, her eyes darting between them in search of explanations.
"You think you're a new person because you're in the Kadman family?" Mason queried; his voice laced with accusation.
In a venomous tone, Mason continued, "I wasn't aware you were gay!"
Mason turned to Emeline; his expression hardened by anger. "In the other dimension, there are no omegas or alphas; we're just Betas… A gay would be; an alpha who relates to another alpha."
The tension reached its peak when Damián, unable to contain his own anger, shouted, "This world is different!" and lunged at Mason.
Mason yelled back at him, "You're gay!"
Damián felt a whirlwind of questions invade his mind. He had never considered himself gay, and the mere suggestion triggered intense internal conflict.
At the same time, disbelief-tinged Aster's gaze.
Aster quickly intervened, separating the two before the situation escalated into a full-blown fight. Emeline, stunned by the intensity of the moment, stepped in, trying to calm tempers and restore peace among them.
Emeline felt the need to reassure her friends, despite the whirlwind of emotions consuming her. With a soft yet firm voice, she took a courageous step forward: "It's okay; I trust you. I won't say anything; you can count on my silence."
Meanwhile, Mason felt compelled to express his own uncertainty: "I'm not sure if you can count on my silence."
The three friends looked at Mason, surprised by his hesitation. In this tense moment, Damián acted swiftly, pulling out a gun and aiming it at Mason, his expression serious and determined. "I don't need to wait for you to open your mouth; I won't hesitate to use this," he threatened.
Upon seeing the gun, Mason knelt with his eyes fixed on Damián, then realized he couldn't go back home anymore. He recalled an old saying that evil desires to be punished. For the first time, he found himself in that role, as a transgressor who finally yearned for his own punishment.
At the same time, Aster removed the bracelet from Mason's wrist and held it out before him. "No bracelet, no evidence," he said calmly, reinforcing the message that Mason's only guarantee of safety was his silence.
With the threat hanging in the air, the group headed towards the car. Damián still harbored the desire to eliminate Mason, but for most of the journey back, silence was eerie, echoing the weight of unspoken words and unrealized threats.
As the car advanced down the road, shrouded in heavy silence, Mason felt the tension growing within him. The weight of what had been revealed, and the imminent threat, loomed over him like a dark cloud.
After some time of driving in silence, Mason couldn't take it anymore. A cry of frustration burst from his lips, and he kicked the seat in front of him.
"I want my bracelet!" he shouted, his voice echoing inside the car.
Mason's outburst broke the tense silence, causing the other occupants of the vehicle to startle. Damián immediately stopped the car and, with the gun in hand, turned to face him with a stern expression, while Aster remained calm but alert.
Emeline decided to intervene, holding Mason by the shoulders and asking him to calm down.
After deciding to take a break to calm tempers and allow everyone to compose themselves, Damián spotted a roadside bar.
"Let's make a stop," announced Damián, pointing to the bar ahead. "We need a moment to collect ourselves."
It was a simple place, with dim lights shining through the windows. As they stepped out of the car, still shrouded in tension, the quartet could hear the distant sound of live music.
The car made a turn and entered the bar's parking lot, where Damián skillfully parked. They got out of the car, still enveloped in tension, but the prospect of a drink and a moment of respite was a comfort.
Upon entering the bar, they were greeted by the warmth of the atmosphere and the aroma of food and drink. They chose a table in a more secluded corner and settled in, each lost in their own thoughts.
As they waited for their drinks, the silence between them was deafening, but there was also a sense of relief at being temporarily removed from the car's tension. They knew there were still many challenges ahead, but for now, they could enjoy this moment of relative tranquility.