The passage didn't open like a door. Doors are two-sided; they accept the one who enters and leave something behind. This passage, however, took everything at once. Space, time, a sense of direction.
Eva's first feeling wasn't falling. Rather, it was being held. An invisible force held her body in suspension; consciously fixing it. When she opened her eyes, there were no boundaries around her. Neither ground nor sky. Only a shimmering void.
Then came sounds.
These weren't whispers; they were meanings without words. Eva realized she understood, not just heard. This realization sent a shiver down her spine.
One step later—if it could be called a step—they were back on the ground.
This universe was different from the first. Less visual, more intuitive. Light sources were invisible, but everything was illuminated. There were shadows, but they weren't attached to anything.
"This place…" Dora said, stopping before finishing the sentence.
"This place is consciousness-based," Jenna said slowly. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, but she seemed to be listening more than looking. "The laws of physics are secondary."
Eva sighed. There was a pressure in her chest, but it didn't prevent her from breathing. It was more like an adjustment of balance.
"Between 3020 and 3100," Jenna said. "But time isn't linear."
The aliens were here. They weren't distant and observant like those in the first universe. They moved in groups; some were translucent, some dense, some shapeless. They didn't speak to each other. They exchanged thoughts.
Eva felt someone looking at her.
Looking… wasn't the right word. Focusing.
"They've noticed us," Clementin said. His voice was more tense than usual.
"Yes," Hatoshi said calmly. "But they don't perceive a threat."
"Not yet," Dora added.
As they moved forward, cities appeared. There weren't just three cities in this universe; there were layers. Fields of consciousness built upon each other. Some were entirely metaphysical; Some bore physical marks.
This wasn't a Somexane. Yet.
As they passed through a structure, Eva suddenly felt dizzy. Her knees buckled, but she didn't fall. Clementin grabbed her arm.
"You're alright," Clementin said. "But something happened."
"My memories," Eva said. "They're shifting."
This wasn't a metaphor. Eva realized that a memory from her childhood was now imbued with a different emotion. The reality wasn't changing, but its meaning was shifting.
A being approached. It was tall, thin, and constantly changing form. It had no eyes, but it had a gaze.
"Contact," Jenna whispered.
The being turned towards Eva. A mental pressure built up.
Fear: unnecessary.
Knowledge: demands a price.
Eva gritted her teeth. "What do you want?" she said loudly.
The being paused. The vocal communication seemed to surprise it.
The sound… primitive.
But acceptable.
Images flashed by. Lives in this universe. Consciousness that continued after death. The existence of souls independent of bodies. Ghosts… weren't a curse here. They were remnants.
"There are souls here," Dora said. "But they don't suffer."
"Because this is somewhere in between," Jenna said. "Neither entirely material nor entirely abstract."
Hatoshi was silent. More than usual.
Eva looked at him. "What do you see?"
Hatoshi smiled, but it wasn't a superficial smile. It was deep. Dangerous.
"Possibilities," he said. "And some of them… are unpleasant."
As they passed another structure, the air—if it could be called air—grew heavy. Ghost-like beings appeared. Some were close to human form, but they weren't human.
"These," Clementin said, "are trapped consciousnesses."
Eva felt someone touch her. It wasn't cold. It was empty.
An email notification arrived.
The phone worked here.
You're continuing.
That's good.
But the election is approaching.
"They're watching us," Dora said. "Everywhere."
"No," Jenna said. "They're guiding us."
The time they had spent in this universe had completely erased their sense of time. They learned. They made contact. They received information from some entities; they negotiated with others.
Eva could now sense the portals. Dora the intensity of the danger. Jenna the potential historical breaks. Clementin… Clementin was faster, but his impatience was growing.
And the concept of the curse was whispered here for the first time.
The next layers are not safe.
Keys will be needed.
Somatpa's name was mentioned for the first time in this universe. A hidden sorcerer. A fatalist. Well-meaning but demanding a price.
Hatoshi nodded. "The next universe," he said, "will be a test for us."
Eva took a deep breath. "Are we ready?"
No one answered immediately.
Because they had learned one thing in this universe:
Being prepared didn't guarantee survival.
And when the next portal opened, darkness wouldn't just be an atmosphere.