Mishu, worried about Forny, nimbly climbed down from the tree. His eyes reflected the helplessness of his friend, on the verge of failure during the training.
-Were you afraid of simple illusions? -said Mishu, mocking to ease the tension.
-You're right, Mishu. I was afraid... -Forny replied, dropping under the tree, the weight of defeat clearly reflected in his voice.
Mishu watched him silently, her eyes shining with uncharacteristic seriousness.
-We all feel fear at times, but "don't be afraid of what is going to happen; be afraid of yourself when you think you are going to fail."
Forny raised his head in bewilderment.
-Since when do you talk like that?
The feline smiled sideways, with his usual relaxed attitude.
-Just listen to me. I feel like you're under too much pressure to be the leader of this team.
Forny closed his eyes in frustration, his mind whirling with the problems surrounding him.
-I feel... trapped. As if the life of this group hangs on a cliff that feeds on my fear and my decisions.
Mishu let out a light laugh, trying to lighten the mood.
-Well, whether you want to or not, you'll have to carry that responsibility. And I will always follow you, depending on how stupid your decisions are, of course.
For the first time that day, a faint smile broke out on Forny's face.
In the distance, Ali urgently gathered the group. A loud cry echoed through the air, calling out to Forny. Mishu, hearing the scream, jumped in fright.
-All right, we are all assembled. It's been a day since you've been trapped in this world, and you're not the only ones. There must be more people involved in this.
Denek interrupted Ali, not believing his ears.
-You're saying we're not the only ones trapped in this virtual reality?
Ali Raza nodded with a serious tone, his eyes reflecting concern.
-Yes, they are not the only ones. It's just the beginning of something much worse.
Forny frowned, interested.
-What do you mean by that?
-As I mentioned before, this is only the beginning. If you want to escape from this world, you have to defeat the Five Supreme Creators.
-Are you telling me that if I want to go back to my normal life we have to beat those guys? -asked Laura, with a palpable seriousness in her voice.
-Calm down, everyone," said Ali, raising his hands. I know this may sound very hard to believe, but it is the truth. The ones to beat are: Virus, Galiot, The Great Creator, Dimitrix and Hana Us -he said, looking at the group tensely-. Of those five, the most dangerous are Dimitrix and Galiot. But, of course, the others are also formidable. Each of them guards one of the five gates: Repentance, Obsession, Greed, Perfection and Arrogance.
Ali paused to let the gravity of his words sink in.
-These five gates are known as the Five Seals of Chaos.
The atmosphere was charged with tension. The faces of the group reflected the weight of the revelation. Mayilla and Laura looked at each other, lost in thought, while Denek clenched his fists, trying to process what he had heard. Forny also felt fear coursing through him, but he knew he had to face it.
-I understand, but who are these Five Supreme Creators? -Forny asked, with a serious tone while his eyes reflected the internal struggle against fear.
Ali averted her gaze, and her expression hardened.
-I don't know everything. But I know one of them: Virus," he said, his voice laden with sadness and anger.
The group looked at him in surprise.
-I was his friend," added Ali, her voice cracking slightly.
A heavy silence settled in as everyone processed the revelation. Forny stared at Ali, knowing that this connection to Virus could be key to understanding and engaging the enemy.
-It all started 17 years ago, of course. I remember very well... Virus, or as he was known then, Dr. Kael Lhíral. He was a brilliant programmer and scientist at the time. His biggest dream was to create a space where humanity could escape the hardships of the real world. A perfect place where people could live without the physical or social constraints of reality, if only for a moment. And as you may have guessed, that space is the one we are living in now.
Ali paused, observing the group before continuing.
-Kael was a good family man, he loved his wife very much, but not as much as he loved his two children. He had a boy and a girl. I don't remember what his son's name was, as he was never interested in what his father did. But his daughter, Yui Lhíral, was fascinated by everything he did.
Ali closed her eyes for a moment before continuing.
-He and four other scientists created an artificial intelligence, the core, which they later named "VORTEX". But not everything was as perfect as it seemed. The kernel began to consume more resources than expected, until its digital world began to affect the physical world....
Forny looked at him, confused.
-And... that's all? -he asked, waiting for more details.
Ali let out a sigh.
-Actually, no. I still have more to tell, but I have a sore throat, so I'll leave it for now.
Denek, intrigued, interjected with a sarcastic tone.
-How boring, just when the story was getting interesting.
Laura, however, seemed more concerned about the story.
-How did a guy who spent time with his family end up like this? -he asked, wanting to know more about Virus.
Ali was silent for a moment, observing each member of the group before fixing his gaze on Mayilla, who had not said a word since the beginning of the conversation.
-Well, I'll tell you more about Virus, but that's all I can say now. -He fixed his gaze on Mayilla. So, Mayilla, what do you think about this? I haven't heard you say anything about it.
She looked around, as if fear began to invade her. Her voice trembled as she spoke.
-I don't know... what to think about what you just mentioned..." panic began to invade her. But we've been here for a day and I find out that if I want to return home, I have to put my life in danger," as she said this, her eyes dilated and a tear ran down her cheek.
Mishu, though he did not know Mayilla well or the atrocities she had suffered, stood up firmly and, without a word, approached her. He began rubbing against her leg and purring, seeking to offer her a moment of calm.
Mayilla began to let out a smile, and reached out to pet the feline.
-Thank you, pretty kitty. I feel much better already.
Ali, seeing that the tension was beginning to ease, turned to the group.
-I see that everyone is a little tense about the situation, especially you, Mayilla. You'd better all go to the shelter. The sun is already setting.
They all obeyed, marching silently toward the shelter. Before they left, Ali called out to Forny.
-Forny, come with me to hunt for tonight's food.
Forny, still stressed, nodded reluctantly.
-It's okay. -He looked at Laura, "Can you look after Mishu while I'm gone?
-Of course," Laura replied, feeling her cheeks start to blush.
They entered the forest, which was becoming darker and darker. The gusts of wind were intensifying, shaking the trees. Ali, with a thoughtful expression, broke the silence.
-Hey, Forny, by any chance, isn't your last name Reiznek?
Forny was surprised to hear his last name.
-Yes. How did you know? -he asked, puzzled.
Ali stared at him.
-Well, let me tell you that I also knew your father.
Forny was silent, processing the information. His eyes reflected a great impression, calming his bad mood for a moment.
-Did you really know my father, Mr. Ali? My mom never told me much about him. I only know very little.
Ali nodded earnestly.
-What about your mother?
Forny lowered his head, melancholy invading his body.
-I don't like to talk about it. She's already in a better place.
Ali looked at him with understanding.
-I'm so sorry, kid..." he said, shedding a tear without Forny noticing.
Forny clenched his hands tightly, trying to calm his sadness.
-I remember my mom mentioning to me that she had passed away due to a huge explosion where she worked. It all happened right on the day I was born... My mom was devastated, she could barely hold back her tears so as not to affect me too.
Ali, in a soft voice, gave him his support.
-Your mother was very strong emotionally, and very intuitive....
Forny nodded, a tear escaping his eyes.
-Yes, she always told me that. My grandmother told me that she dreamed of marrying my dad after I was born. But that dream never came true. On my birthday, there was a robbery at the bank near where she worked. The driver, desperate, tried to escape and ended up crashing into my mom's car. Everyone
considered a heroine but... , at what cost?" she looked down, her voice cracking with bitterness -Since then, I've hated my birthday. It seems like every year brings only tragedy into my life.
-I understand the weight of your pain, but you must turn it into something that drives you to be a better person. -Her tone was calm, but firm, trying to motivate him and alleviate the anguish he felt.
Forny blinked, surprised, when Ali diverted the conversation to an unexpected topic.
-You know, Forny? Your father loved you more than you could ever imagine. There wasn't a day that went by that he didn't talk about you at work. It was impossible not to notice his happiness that you were going to be born.
Forny's eyes narrowed, as if trying to process those words.
-Rhalt Reiznek helped Virus a lot to create what he dreamed of," Ali continued, a sour melancholy in her eyes. -I remember watching him spend hours thinking about what to name you. It wasn't an easy decision for him, but when he finally chose "Forny," he seemed like the happiest man in the world.
A warm smile began to form on Forny's face. For the first time in a long time, he felt the weight of his pain and sadness lighten. Those words, full of affection and memories, calmed him more than he could have imagined.