"To think that right before deciding between life and death, here we are, playing at being philosophers," Carlos sighed with an ironic smile, running a hand through his brown hair.
"I guess we've really hit rock bottom."
He paused, letting out a bitter laugh, but was abruptly cut off by Benjamin. With tired eyes and slumped shoulders, Benjamin looked at the ground before speaking. His voice was low, laden with a bitterness that only he seemed to fully grasp.
"Death is the only certainty we have, and fighting against it is like fighting the wind," he quoted Marcus Aurelius, and a shadow of exhaustion crossed his face.
"Hope is the worst of evils because it prolongs the torment of man," he continued, the Nietzschean truth floating in his mind like a bitter revelation.
The silence that followed Benjamin's words was heavy, until Nicole broke it, releasing what seemed to weigh on her chest. Her voice, thick with emotion, pierced the stillness.
"I don't want to die," she said, her eyes brimming with tears, her anger flickering like a flame hard to contain. Her posture, once resolute, now faltered as the pain of the thought of disappearing without warning consumed her.
Benjamin responded with a short, bitter laugh, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "The truth is, we've already died once," he said, a crooked smile forming on his face. But his remark didn't have the effect he'd intended.
"You know what I meant, Benjamin!" Nicole yelled, her anger boiling over, her fists clenched at her sides. Frustration burned in her eyes, as if she wanted to punch the reality that was suffocating her.
"Calm down, everyone. Let's try to see the bigger picture," Elizabeth intervened, placing a hand on Nicole's shoulder, attempting to soothe her. Her gaze was gentle, but her stance was firm.
"Liz is right," Luca said, his calm tone a stark contrast to the tension in the room. His steady, serious expression reflected a calculated composure. "We need to calm down."
"Midori, are you feeling any better?" Carlos asked, turning to the girl who had been sitting silently in the corner, her pale and tense expression betraying her inner turmoil. She seemed lost in her own thoughts.
When she answered, her voice was almost a whisper. "Yes, yes, I'm better now," Midori said timidly, her beautiful gray eyes avoiding any direct contact. She nervously played with her hair, as if still processing everything that was happening.
After some time, I realized everyone was calmer, so I decided to get straight to the point, knowing that somehow it was necessary for everyone to lay their doubts and fears on the table.
"Well, the truth is, we're facing a dilemma," I began, looking at each of them. The tension was still present, but a sense of understanding was beginning to take shape. "And a big one," I added, glancing at Elizabeth, whose brow was furrowed in thought.
"I don't want to die again," Elizabeth said, her voice firm but tinged with vulnerability. She looked at everyone with sincerity, a faint sadness in her blue eyes. "But I'll accept whatever we all agree on," she concluded with a deep sigh, her body relaxing, as if she had come to peace with herself.
After Elizabeth's words, everyone silently nodded. The weight of her acceptance somehow brought us closer. None of us wanted to return to the void, but none of us wanted to force the decision onto anyone else.
"So then, who wants to be the first to express their opinion?" I asked, stepping forward.
The room, though heavy with tension, was now more focused. Each of us, silent, seemed to be weighing our next move. The future was uncertain, but at least here, together, we had the chance to decide what to do with our lives—or what was left of them.
"No one? Then I'll go first." I took a deep breath and looked at everyone. The tension still hung in the air, but as I spoke my mind, I felt an odd sense of relief.
"I want to stay. I don't want to remain dead. And, if possible, I'd like to explore this magical world with all of you."
'I won't fucking return to that white hell again,' I thought to myself, a wave of frustration rising as I recalled the feeling of endless emptiness.
Carlos, who had been silent until then, looked at me and gave a brief nod of agreement. "I'm with Dalton. Aside from certain things that were… told to us, the rest makes sense. I refuse to stay dead," he said firmly. He had already made up his mind. His expression was clear and resolute.
Benjamin stepped forward, his face showing the weight of deep contemplation. "And what guarantee do we have that we'll be treated well here? This isn't a fantasy novel—this is the real world."
His voice, usually sharper, carried genuine doubt, as if he was trying to fit his logic into something that felt incomprehensible. His hands went to his head in frustration, a gesture of helplessness as he tried to make sense of it all.
"We died, and that's that. Now you all want to trust the words of some suspicious old man with pinky eyes?" Benjamin's tone revealed that he was somehow detached from the situation, as if he was still trying to find solid ground in a world that had lost all sense of normalcy.
Midori, with her gaze lowered and a subtle tension in her posture, spoke, as though she had finally found a way to express what she was feeling. "I want to see my family again... but, I don't think that's possible. Besides, there's no guarantee we'll be treated badly either." She hesitated before finishing, but her sincerity was unmistakable.
"Well, I want to stay too," Nicole said, her green eyes fixed on Benjamin. "I don't want to disappear." Her expression was determined, though a touch of sadness lingered in her eyes. She was resolute in her choice.
Luca gave a small smirk and stretched, crossing his arms behind his head. "Honestly, it doesn't matter much to me. I've already died once; it won't hurt to die again. Besides, I'd like to explore this world. Who knows? Maybe alchemy is real here."
There was a glimmer of curiosity in his eyes, as if he was more excited about the possibilities than worried about the consequences. His lightheartedness was a stark contrast to the gravity of the choices we were all making.
"Well, I guess the majority wins," Elizabeth said, glancing at everyone with an expression that suggested she was trying to piece together what was going through each of our minds.
"Hey, no dodging. What's your opinion, Liz?" I asked her, keeping my gaze fixed on her. It was a direct question, no room for evasion.