Still Inside the Park

  Near the Lake

  A Few Minutes Later

  Even at thirteen years old, Harry - and Téo, at ten - were, in that moment, truly showing themselves to be mature enough to understand what the other was trying to say, not only through words.

  But also through the subtle nuances behind their tones of voice, which acted as an open window into their true feelings about everything happening around that city park, unknown to most of the population.

  [Harry - Sincere & Genuinely Frightened Voice] You have the power of the Oculi, something I don't have to protect the people I love. I want to have at least the basics in my hands to protect my family from all of this, but... [slightly angry breath] -

  [Harry - Sincere & Genuinely Frightened Voice] I'm just a human who doesn't want anyone he loves to die as these shadows grow across the entire city. [deep, angry breath] -

  Téo continued looking straight ahead, smiling as he realized what a great man Harry already was, even if Harry himself couldn't see it.

  Even facing all that fear of the unknown, he still showed tremendous strength through his desire to protect the ones he cared for and loved - his family.

  Even with Victoria still asleep, she continued to receive a subtle but effective caress on her head from one of Téo's hands, making her sleep even more peacefully and relaxed, her head resting on his thighs.

  [Téo - Sincere & Nostalgic Voice] I understand how powerless you feel, but... I can say that you're stronger than I am, Harry. Even though you're not an Oculi, just an "ordinary" human in your own eyes. [soft, deep sigh] -

  Hearing those words, Harry stared in disbelief at Téo, who sat with his back to him on that bench, the lake before him, while Victoria still slept beside them on the same bench.

  [Téo - Sincere & Nostalgic Voice] Even being an Oculi, I'm still not as strong as you think, Harry. Victoria herself has saved me from myself so many times these past weeks without even knowing it. [soft, deep sigh] -

  As he tried to hold back his tears in response to the pressure growing tighter and tighter in his chest, Harry couldn't understand how Téo could say such things.

  Considering that Téo was an Oculi with so many abilities - enough to protect not only Victoria but also her entire family.

  [Téo - Sincere & Nostalgic Voice] And I'm grateful for every single one of those times, which I remember every day, whether I'm close to her or far away from her. [soft, genuinely happy sigh] -

  [Téo - Grateful & Slightly Emotional Voice] After I disappeared that night during the earthquake three years ago, after... [a small, trembling happy laugh] -

  Harry felt that pressure tighten even more as he remembered all the nights he couldn't sleep well in his room, hearing his little sister cry in the room beside his, throughout so much of these last three years.

  [Téo - Grateful & Slightly Emotional Voice] ...that I managed to save my best friend's life, giving everything I had without thinking twice about the consequences. [small, trembling happy laugh] -

  In The Past

  Over the Last 3 Years

  During those three years, Harry had witnessed Victoria sinking deeper and deeper into the darkness of her own heart after the disappearance of her best friend, Téo, from the physical world.

  This happened after she woke up in the hospital, having been rescued from the rubble caused by the earthquake that brought chaos to the entire city.

  At the same time, throughout all those three years, Victoria had been unable to prove Téo's existence.

  For she was the only one who still remembered him and their memories perfectly-while everyone else had forgotten, including her own family, who had interacted with him countless times.

  [Victoria (7 years old) - Painful & Sad Voice] ...Brother, why don't you believe me? Wait, you... even you forgot about Téo too, didn't you?... [Trembling, unresponsive deep sigh] -

  Despite all of this, Harry-although unable to believe his little sister's words-never left her alone during that painful time, a time no child from seven to ten years old should ever have to endure.

  [Victoria (8 years old) - Echoing, Painful & Very Sad Voice] ...It's been a year. He's not showing up. He... he promised me he'd never disappear, big brother... Why isn't Téo coming back to me? [Soft, tearful sigh] -

  During those three years of Téo's absence, Harry, inadvertently-and precisely because he was an overly protective older brother-realized that Victoria had stopped talking to their parents about the pain in her heart.

  And because of that realization, Harry began acting in a way others found "idiotic": pretending to be afraid of something just so he could sleep in Victoria's room.

  He never revealed to anyone that he only did this because, in truth, he wanted to stay by Victoria's side and make her smile with silly reasons and childish games.

  [Victoria (9 years old) - Echoing, Painful & Tearful Voice] My chest hurts every day I remember Téo. He's my best friend and he does exist! He... he... has to show up again. Téo missed another birthday of mine, brother... [Deep, sorrowful sigh] -

  Even while Victoria smiled, behind that fa?ade she felt hollow, because of the emptiness caused by Téo's mysterious disappearance.

  Those three long years-though only three in number-felt like three agonizing eternities for Victoria, from age seven to ten.

  And even with all of that, Harry still noticed it: day after day, whenever he looked at his little sister.

  He saw that expression of sadness on her face-a look that tried to impersonate happiness and joy while hiding from even their parents the pain tightening in her heart as days, weeks, and months passed.

  [Victoria (10 years old) - Echoing, Profoundly Empty & Regretful Voice] I wish I hadn't survived that night, brother, I... [Deep, tearful breath] -

  Although at first Harry was treated as an annoying big brother by Victoria throughout those three years, he still managed to help her without her noticing-simply by being present beside her.

  Being older, Harry understood that insisting, as their parents often did, would hurt more than help Victoria during that period.

  And so he felt that the right thing to do was not to affirm his support and care with constant words the way their parents unknowingly did with her.

  [Victoria (10 years old) - Echoing, Profoundly Empty & Regretful Voice] I should have died, because... I feel like my only best friend, Téo, would still be in this world if I weren't alive. I hate being alive... [Deep, tearful breath] -

  Instead, he showed his support through his presence, his care-sometimes directly, sometimes indirectly-using trivial jokes and silly gestures to make his little sister smile and brighten her spirit, even if just a little.

  Even though internally she continued to battle feelings and emotions she did not fully understand-but was forced to confront head-on, from age seven to age ten, often in total silence.

  [Victoria (10 years old) - Echoing Scream, Profoundly Empty & Regretful] I HATE BEING ALIVE IN THIS WORLD WITHOUT HIM BY MY SIDE ANYMORE!!! [Deep, tearful breath] -

  Back To The Present

  A Few Seconds Later

  Harry returned his focus to the present upon hearing those words from Téo, feeling within his chest that unbearable heat soften.

  While that once-crushing tightness in his heart became more and more imperceptible as the seconds passed.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] On that exact night, after the earthquake, and during the second collapse above her and me, I felt so afraid of losing her right before my eyes, because... [Nostalgic & Painful sigh] -

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  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] Victoria had become the light shining before my own darkness, after everything I lived through with my older brother, Kalik. [Nostalgic & Painful sigh] -

  Yet even so, his tears continued falling silently onto the grass beneath his feet. They weren't the only ones at that moment.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] I'm not indestructible, the way you see me... but deep down I still feel weaker than your incredible strength of heart, Harry. [Deeply Reflective breath] -

  It was clear that Téo was also crying in silence, subtly wiping his teary eyes with one hand.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] ...And I know I'm not the only one who sees how incredible you've become after these three years, years that changed the three of us forever. [Deeply Happy breath] -

  He looked toward Victoria with an attentive, joyful expression as she lay there still asleep, seeming to move slightly.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] Because Victoria herself always watches you at school with so much admiration and love for the incredible brother she has in her life. [Gentle Happy Laugh] -

  Still seeking more comfort with her head - resting across both of Téo's thighs - he noticed, in that moment, the whole world seeming to become more saturated in its colors, and momentarily more beautiful.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] After everything you've done for her until now, thinking she would never notice how much you love her. [Deeply Happy sigh] -

  Meanwhile, Harry's astonished eyes perceived Téo's abilities being released by the burning emotions in his heart.

  Radiating for a few meters around them like an invisible force that lightly distorted the environment without harming anything.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] After you wished so deeply to protect her, day after day, for almost four years now - while doing the same for your whole family. [Deep, heavy breath] -

  Amid all this, Téo noticed nothing less than a gentle, happy smile forming on Victoria's lips, even while she slept.

  As if even in her dreams she sensed that Téo and Harry had finally reached a fragile but real understanding between them for the first time.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere & Emotional Voice] From those damned shadows approaching closer and closer, even beneath the brightness of day. [Deep, heavy breath] -

  This referred to the horrid event that had happened at their school a few days earlier, involving two Oculi members of the Inanis faction - an incident that ended with the two Oculi members dead at the hands of Téo's older brother, Kalik.

  Even though he was only one year older than Téo - eleven years old - Kalik had destroyed both Oculi inside the school as if they were nothing, using his Oculi abilities.

  This became clear to Téo in a single blink as he took a deep breath and turned his eyes forward again toward the lake.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere Voice] Harry, before... you were the only one trying to fight the shadows that wanted to harm Victoria and your beloved family, but... [Deeply Motivated breath] -

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere Voice] ...Now that I've managed to return to the physical world after these three years in the non-physical world, so far away from Victoria... [Deeply Motivated breath] -

  Téo no longer shed tears from his once-normal eyes - now nothing less than completely opaque white, without iris, pupils, or shine.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere Voice] I promise you, Harry... [Deeply Motivated breath] -

  At the same time, the abilities that had been lightly leaking from his body surged in intensity. The air began to distort and subtly crack around Téo, Victoria, and Harry.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere Voice] I will be by your side from now on, even if I'm not as strong as you are without realizing it. [Deeply Motivated breath] -

  With a simple snap of Téo's fingers, a gentle pulse was released as he deactivated his Oculi abilities. It spread in every direction, subtly shifting the clothing of all three there.

  Not even for a moment did it risk waking Victoria, who remained sleeping so peacefully. The pulse reached the lake, creating gentle ripples on its once-calm surface.

  [Téo - Genuinely Sincere Voice] I will help you nonetheless. I will fight any "shadow" that dares to threaten or harm your little sister, Victoria, ever again. [Deeply Motivated breath] -

  Meanwhile, Harry sensed with his own eyes the burning sensation that Téo's genuine love for Victoria unleashed through the environment - a sensation so unique and beautiful, yet at the same time frightening in its intensity.

  Harry understood, through all of that, just how strong the bond between Téo's and Victoria's hearts had become without their noticing it. It was a bond he himself had long recognized, both inside and outside the school.

  A bond that gradually grew stronger and stronger between Téo and Victoria over the last few weeks - a bond in which the two of them, still only ten years old, were living the gradual and undeniable blooming of a love no longer merely as friends.

  [(Harry - Thought, Impressed & Slightly Trembling) Téo... you really love my little sister Victoria this much... (Genuinely Happy sigh)]

  At the Same Time

  Location: Unknown

  Amid the darkness, only a shimmering light could be seen, glowing softly over what seemed to be the ground-an ocean stretching endlessly in every direction, with shallow water barely reaching five centimeters in depth.

  In the vast darkness of that mysterious place, the muffled echo of voices could be heard: Harry, the older brother of thirteen, speaking with Téo, Victoria's best friend, only ten years old, distant from the outside world's reality.

  Harry and Téo's voices sounded muffled and distant at the same time, echoing inside the darkness, which seemed to grow colder and colder in its ambient temperature.

  At the center of that dark, mysterious place, the shimmering light revealed none other than Victoria, lying there as if she were asleep, appearing to wear a beautiful white dress.

  It was clear that the shimmering glow in the darkness was being emitted by her own body, which rested upon the shallow water covering the ground in every visible direction.

  Surprisingly, neither her body nor her clothing was wet despite the contact with the water, for some unknown reason.

  Gradually, Victoria began to awaken in a drowsy state. With her eyes still hazy, she slowly managed to focus clearly and noticed, a few meters ahead of her, a figure of her same age.

  However, that figure-who appeared to be a girl of ten years old like Victoria-had no face, and her body was made entirely of shadow, giving her a humanoid form.

  Upon seeing this, Victoria gasped and rose abruptly, though she remained on her knees, looking around without understanding where she was.

  Victoria was prevented from becoming even more frightened and desperate when she heard a pleasant, comforting voice coming from the mysterious figure ahead of her, who was also seated elegantly on the water-covered ground.

  [Victoria - Incredulous Voice & Slightly Trembling] ...What did you just say, girl? [Slightly uneven breath] -

  The girl before Victoria, with a snap of her fingers, caused a luminous pulse to ripple across the ground of water, spreading in all directions.

  Wherever it passed, it cast a gentle yet colorful glow, reaching the very edges of that place in mere moments.

  [Girl - Serene & Assertive Voice] Exactly what you heard, Victoria. [Deep, tranquil breath] -

  Immediately upon reaching the boundaries of that place, a complete transformation occurred. The once pitch-black environment became entirely illuminated.

  Its infinite expanse stretching without end before its invisible, mirror-like walls rising all the way to the limits of that mysterious sky.

  After this entire visual spectacle-followed by Victoria's widened eyes tracing it to the horizon-she was left both amazed by its beauty and frightened by how profoundly unfamiliar it was.

  When she turned back, speechless, toward the faceless, shadow-formed girl, Victoria realized she no longer appeared to be made of shadows.

  Instead, she now possessed a fully humanoid shape-one that was nothing less than Victoria's identical appearance.

  The only difference lay in her long, white, gently shimmering hair, contrasting with Victoria's black hair.

  At the same time, Victoria watched as the girl-using her own appearance-began to rise, no longer sitting on the ground.

  Victoria considered doing the same, but suddenly felt a faint tingling in her legs, as if her nerves were gradually burning more and more.

  This made her instantly alarmed by such a vivid and, at the same time, distressing sensation.

  In the blink of an eye, Victoria saw the girl in front of her gently touching her legs. This brought Victoria a sense of relaxation, easing the throbbing and the burning sensation.

  Although Victoria felt tempted to pull away, afraid she might get hurt, the girl continued to touch her legs with care, transmitting a feeling of fullness and calm through her touch.

  While the girl performed a soft massage on her legs, Victoria felt free of fear or hesitation. Before she could even form a question in her mind, the girl seemed to read her thoughts and answered without Victoria needing to speak.

  [Girl - Serene & Attentive Voice] Yes, you're not mistaken, Victoria. I am you, but... at the same time, I am not you on the inside. We are two different parts that make up the same existence or soul. [A gentle, happy & affectionate laugh] -

  Hearing those enigmatic words, Victoria could not fully understand them. Before she could question the girl, the girl looked at her with serenity and a gentle smile on her lips.

  Victoria felt amazed by the connection that seemed to arise between them, as if their hearts were linking in an intense and indescribable way.

  [Girl - Serene & Joyful Voice] I have been here alone for so long, sleeping deeply, but... in the last few weeks, something has changed in this place, and I finally managed to awaken for the first time. [Deep, relieved sigh] -

  This time, upon hearing those words, Victoria does not think of anything, allowing her to speak freely without having her thoughts read by the mysterious girl-who stops massaging her legs, leaving behind a sense of relief and relaxation.

  [Victoria - Confused & Curious Voice] Who are you really? [Deep breath] -

  When the girl realized that Victoria had managed to say something she could not interpret, she became even happier, finally achieving her deepest wish since she awakened in that place alone.

  Before Victoria could think of repeating her question, she watched the girl simply move forward and embrace her tightly, seeming genuinely happy for some unknown reason that brought her to tears.

  While Victoria did not understand what was happening, she felt her body and mind telling her to hug the girl back.

  In that moment, Victoria slowly lifted her arms and wrapped them around the girl in a warm embrace.

  Instinctively, she ran one of her hands over the girl's head as she continued crying and smiling with joy, trying to answer Victoria's earlier question.

  In that exact moment, both of them became astonished by what began to happen around them.

  Still embraced and looking in opposite directions, they watched the place that had once been entirely white, with a water-like floor, transform like white petals taking flight toward the horizon.

  This unveiled a ground filled with flowers so beautiful and vibrant that they looked as though they had come from a dream- the most beautiful dream Victoria had ever experienced.

  In a matter of moments, the place transformed into a beautiful forest with no trees, but instead miles and miles of flowers stretching in every direction.

  Meanwhile, the sky, free of clouds, displayed a crystalline blue resembling a vast ocean extending above that place.

  A gentle breeze blew from the horizon, stirring not only the flowers but also Victoria's black hair and the white hair of the girl beside her, who seemed mesmerized by the scene before her eyes.

  [Girl - Voice Unresponsive & Slightly Trembling] Victoria, you... [subtle broken breath] -

  Victoria wrapped her arms around the girl, conveying safety and protection through her tender and comforting embrace.

  Victoria's words left the girl speechless, while different and unique feelings warmed her chest, bringing her peace after years of darkness and loneliness ever since Victoria first appeared, almost a decade ago.

  [Victoria - Voice Deeply Happy & Emotional] ...Yes, I remembered everything, and... I never wanted to have forgotten you, Sophia, forgive me... my dear little sister! [deeply regretful & painful breath] -

  ----------------------------------------------------------

  - (Act 8) - Parallel Dualities -