– CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR –

  NEGATIVE HERTZ

  “He” stood with his back turned, leaning against the doorframe of an immense double door of white wood, ornamented with golden arabesques. He moved his arm as though gliding across an invisible canvas, accessible only to “him.” He wore the same glasses Americ-Ana remembered seeing people wear in the QUEEN ORION bunker, inside the GEBURAH pyramid.

  Americ-Ana walked alongside Poppandacorn. Behind them came Astyam with Antichrist, Wwwyye, and Nioh.

  “He,” Nome-Rocky, sensed the group’s approach and turned.

  "Fac Foedus! Welcome to the orientations."

  His gaze settled on Americ-Ana.

  "I hope you enjoyed the Cell where you stayed. That particular castle is quite old."

  "Fac Foedus! I did, thank you." Americ-Ana replied, lowering her eyes to the floor.

  "Well... you’re the first to arrive. Please, come in and make yourselves comfortable." Nome-Rocky said, stepping aside to let the group pass.

  On the other side of the door, what revealed itself was what Americ-Ana took to be an immense entrance hall, comparable in scale to the lobbies of luxury hotels in the common world. The resemblance, however, ended there.

  The space was oval, upheld by columns that recalled Greek temples. Floor, walls, and columns were entirely covered in lush, neatly trimmed green grass, giving the place a living, uncommon atmosphere.

  At the center rose a broad, oval water fountain. And in the heart of the fountain there stood a figure that, at first glance, seemed to Americ-Ana like a human being disguised as a giant red rose. The bud and petals occupied the place of a head, and even the hands were replaced by flowers.

  As the group drew near, a mouth formed in the red bud crowning the figure. The creature spoke:

  "Fac Foedus! Please, sit and wait. It is now 8 hours, 29 minutes, and 7 seconds. The temperature throughout the Prince Equal One Zero pyramid is 22°C, with a feels-like temperature of 20°C. Relative humidity at 50%, a gentle air current of 0.15 m/s. While you wait, appreciate the Moss Zebra."

  With a delicate gesture of its flower-hand, it pointed to the fountain’s edge, where seats were taking shape.

  Americ-Ana thanked it before sitting down.

  "You don’t need to thank it," Wwwyye murmured, watching the creature. "It isn’t a human being like us. It’s a Moss Human. But not like ours, from the SAMKHYA CELL. This one is a different variation."

  "How can you say there’s no need to thank it? Of course there is!" Nioh answered, sharply. "The genetic base of these marvelous beings is the same as yours."

  "I know... it’s just that they’ve been altered in a laboratory," Wwwyye shot back.

  "Insolent," Nioh returned, flat.

  "Yeah, sure... whatever!" Wwwyye rolled her eyes and sat.

  Americ-Ana settled herself between Wwwyye and Astyam, while Poppandacorn climbed onto her lap.

  "This being here isn’t a human being like us? I mean... are they really clones from a single cell, the same as the Moss Human we have in the SAMKHYA CELL?"

  Astyam and Wwwyye nodded yes.

  "What, then, is a Moss Zebra?"

  "It’s them," Astyam and Wwwyye answered in unison.

  All at once, several creatures resembling zebras from the common world entered the hall. The difference lay in their stripes: instead of the black-and-white pattern, they bore famous works of art.

  The first Moss Zebra stopped before the group.

  "The Creation of Adam, by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni."

  Immediately after, another drew near.

  "The Temptation and Expulsion from the Garden of Eden, by Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni."

  Americ-Ana whispered to Astyam and Wwwyye:

  "Are these zebras laboratory clones too?"

  "Yes. The principle is the same as with the Moss Human. Only, unlike the common world, THE-IMPERIUM’s Moss Zebra can speak," Astyam explained.

  "And who painted those images onto their bodies?" Americ-Ana wanted to know.

  "They were born that way. Their stripes were genetically modified in the lab to carry the paintings from birth," Astyam replied.

  "Not just paintings. Photos too. I have several Moss Zebra in my house," Wwwyye added.

  The Moss Zebra continued their procession. Each one drew near and announced the artwork inscribed in its DNA, while the air seemed to grow cooler. A gentle breeze began to move through the hall.

  "Peculiar vibrational levels have been detected in the atmosphere of this location," Poppandacorn announced.

  The light breeze thickened, almost palpable. Then everyone felt their faces being pulled magnetically to the right.

  From one of the corridors, floating with its wings spread, the angel Reiyel emerged.

  The Moss Zebra, sensing his arrival, withdrew in reverence, forming a corridor. All of them bowed as the angel passed.

  Reiyel drew near the group, hovering before them. In that instant, Poppandacorn slid down from Americ-Ana’s lap, knelt, and kept his head bowed before the angel.

  Americ-Ana, uncertain, remained still. The angel did not move. His eyes, yellow and intense, shone in a supernatural way, staring at each of them at once, as if four different gazes converged into a single one.

  Then Americ-Ana felt a voice spring up inside her mind. It did not come from the room. It rose from within her, from the center of her head. It was a voice both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Her own voice, and also that of another being, coming from a dimension beyond.

  Wwwyye and Astyam seemed to hear it too. Their expressions fixed on Reiyel’s eyes. The voice said:

  "My celestial greetings, blessed ones. The creation of the Most High, Popess Rock, wishes to speak with the creations of the Most High: Delsilva, Helllwk, and Geekwoden. Bring also the singular creation of the Most High, the little black fox. Follow me."

  The three of them rose. Astyam took Antichrist into his arms.

  The angel turned and moved down the corridor. Americ-Ana felt as though an irresistible magnet were drawing her whole body after him.

  Poppandacorn noticed that the angel Reiyel was moving away, and that Americ-Ana, along with Astyam and Wwwyye, was already following him.

  "Mommy! Where are you going?"

  "Didn’t you hear, Poppa? The angel Reiyel called us to follow him," Americ-Ana replied, taking her first steps after the angel. Her body moved at once naturally and involuntarily.

  "I didn’t hear. Could it be I’m having problems with my auditory sensors?" Poppandacorn displayed digital codes and an LED magnifying lens in his eyes. "Engaging scanning and repair mode... Hey! Mommy! Wait! I’m coming too!"

  They were guided through corridors lined with neatly trimmed green grass on the floor, the walls, and even the ceiling. They stopped before an immense double metal door, reinforced as though it belonged to an armored vault.

  The door opened the moment the angel Reiyel halted before it.

  The group went in.

  Inside stood Director Popess Rock, dressed in a monk’s white robe. She wore protective goggles and surgical gloves.

  Americ-Ana took in the room: a hybrid space between a high-tech laboratory, a fully equipped surgical center, and a security room with multiple televisions transmitting images. As soon as they entered, every monitor went dark at once.

  Popess Rock interrupted the work she was doing. The angel Reiyel took his place beside her.

  "Fac Foedus!" the director said. "Please, creations of God, come closer."

  The group advanced. Reiyel gently lifted his right wing, forming a protective shield between the director, Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, Astyam, Antichrist, and Poppandacorn, who now bowed in reverence before Director Popess Rock.

  "Fac Foedus!" the group replied in unison.

  Director Popess Rock interlaced her fingers.

  "At last we are together to begin the investigation of something so singular, so unique. In all these years, I have never witnessed anything like it. From the union of three distinct dualities forming one, to the birth, the origin, of this creature so peculiar."

  As she spoke, Popess Rock made broad gestures with her hands, as though she meant to encompass everyone present, and when she finished, she turned to the little black fox.

  "About this small divine creature... do you already feel familiar with him?"

  The director’s gaze traveled across each face, waiting for an answer. Wwwyye cleared her throat and said:

  "Yes, Director Popess Rock. In fact, he’s quite easy to deal with. He behaves like an ordinary puppy."

  Popess Rock seemed to let her thoughts expand in the wake of Wwwyye’s answer.

  "Interesting... he behaves according to the nature of his appearance, and also according to the time of what we might call 'life.'"

  Everyone nodded.

  Astyam cleared his throat before speaking:

  "He’s very docile. In fact, he spent the night sleeping in my room, in the SAMKHYA CELL."

  Once again, Popess Rock allowed herself to drift into reflection.

  "Then he displays sociability with those to whom, apparently, the union granted origin."

  Again, everyone nodded.

  "Given that familiarity... what do you call him?"

  The three exchanged glances, confused and a little embarrassed. Then their collective gaze turned toward Poppandacorn. The small plush robot didn’t seem to notice. He was staring into empty space as if analyzing an invisible particle in the air, his eyes set to microscopic mode. Only when his internal sensors detected that he was being watched did he come out of the analysis.

  "Poppandacorn is available to provide any internal data."

  Americ-Ana cleared her throat before speaking, her voice trembling:

  "Well... Madam Director Popess Rock, Poppa... I mean, Poppandacorn was quite impressed when Antichrist devoured Mr. Hippo. So he ended up calling the little black fox Antichrist. Since then, that’s what we’ve called him."

  Astyam added:

  "By all indications, Madam Director, Antichrist... I mean, the little fox, liked that name. He always responds whenever Poppandacorn calls him that."

  Popess Rock’s eyes narrowed. It was visible that her mind was working intensely.

  "Poppandacorn, show me, please, your interaction with 'Antichrist.'"

  Even without saliva, Poppandacorn seemed to swallow hard.

  "Of course, Madam Director. May I activate my defense mode before that?"

  Popess Rock narrowed her gaze even further.

  "Interesting. A product of my Poopghene franchise refusing to obey direct orders from a human being. Apparently, this Poppandacorn is convinced, in his internal system, that the little fox represents a real risk. Please, Poppandacorn, come here."

  He hesitated. His eyes blinked several times.

  "I’m sorry, Madam Director Popess Rock. That won’t happen again. May I try again?"

  But Popess Rock ignored his words. She bent down and gestured for the little one to come closer.

  With trembling steps, nearly stumbling, Poppandacorn walked to her. Popess Rock lifted him into her arms as if she were holding a baby.

  She went to one of the darkened monitors. Beneath it, cables and instruments with a surgical look had been laid out. She pressed an invisible sequence on Poppandacorn’s forehead, as one unlocks a smartphone screen. A small opening revealed itself in the unicorn horn.

  Popess Rock took one of the cables beneath the monitor, something like an electronic scalpel, and connected it to the tip of the horn. Poppandacorn’s eyes began to display lines of binary code.

  Holding him like a baby, with the cable plugged in and his eyes emitting code, Popess Rock turned back to the group.

  "As I said before the Tree of Knowledge, when the event occurred that apparently affected Poppandacorn..." Popess Rock cast a fixed look toward the little black fox. "...we would speak about this singularity, about the facts that occurred, and about everything else. The moment is now. Do not worry, you will return in time for the Orientations, before we proceed to the SOLOMON COLISEUM bunker."

  Poppandacorn’s eyes stopped displaying binary. A sharp beep sounded and, afterward, his eyes turned red. Popess Rock turned to him.

  "Interesting." She removed the cable from the tip of the unicorn horn. Immediately after, Poppandacorn’s eyes returned to normal.

  "I have been working on my newest project. It has not yet been released to the THE-IMPERIUM market. It is in the testing phase. You will be the first to have access to this novelty. But for that, I will need to disable Poppandacorn’s logging and recording mode."

  Popess Rock pressed another invisible sequence on the small robot’s forehead. His eyes went white, displaying a magnifying lens, and a sound signal echoed. Then she set him on the floor.

  "There you go, sweetness. You may return to your owner."

  Staggering, Poppandacorn returned to Americ-Ana’s arms.

  "Creation of God named Americ-Ana Delsilva, please remind me, when you leave, to reactivate Poppandacorn’s logging and recording mode."

  Americ-Ana nodded, holding him close.

  "This new project is based on a third model in our JUMP line, that is, it is an extension of the products JUMP CHRONOS STATION and JUMP KAIROS TRIP."

  Popess Rock went to the corner of the room, gave a voice command, and a panel opened in the wall.

  "Creations of God, I present unto you the FALL AION TRIP."

  From within the panel emerged a hybrid piece, a blend of the already familiar JUMP CHRONOS STATION and JUMP KAIROS TRIP.

  Poppandacorn began to applaud at the sight of the novelty. He tried to trigger flash mode to record images, but in his eyes the message appeared: ACCESS TEMPORARILY RESTRICTED. TRY AGAIN LATER.

  Popess Rock continued:

  "As you know, the JUMP CHRONOS STATION allows locomotion from one point to another in a matter of seconds. The JUMP KAIROS TRIP, in turn, makes locomotion from one era to another possible in a matter of minutes."

  She crossed her arms, regarding her newest creation with a gaze of admiration.

  "But the FALL AION TRIP combines both functions. It can transport you from one point to another, and from one era to another. And it does not end there. The great distinction of this machine is that it allows one to see what cannot be seen by natural eyes. Do you understand what that means?"

  Popess Rock let her gaze sweep over the group. Before her, confused faces. Hesitant, all of them shook their heads no.

  Popess Rock sighed, contemplating her own thoughts for a few moments. Then she raised her right arm and gave another voice command. A translucent screen materialized behind her, filling the entire wall with colored graphs that pulsed like waves of energy.

  "Look closely," the director began, "human eyes can only see a small band of color, something between red and violet. But outside that band, there is an entire universe of vibrations. Radio waves, infrared rays, ultraviolet, cosmic radiation... all of it is here, right now, passing through you. You simply cannot see it."

  Americ-Ana blinked frenetically, trying to imagine the invisible waves around her body. Astyam ran a hand over his own arm, as if trying to feel something in the air. Wwwyye swallowed hard, even more confused.

  Popess Rock lifted her right hand, and the screen behind her projected a sequence of particles dancing in the void.

  "In quantum physics, we discovered that matter, what we call solid, is only energy vibrating in invisible patterns."

  She made another gesture in the air. The screen answered with luminous lines that interlaced like vibrating strings, emitting soft sounds, as if they were notes from a cosmic instrument.

  "String theory," she continued, "goes even further, saying that all reality is like music played in dimensions our senses do not catch."

  Then the director moved her hand toward the left side of the screen. The image slowly transformed into the portrait of an elderly man, white hair combed back, a serious expression, a deep, piercing gaze behind round glasses.

  "Carl Gustav Jung," she declared, "realized that our mind also connects to something invisible: the collective unconscious."

  The screen filled with archetypal symbols that appeared and vanished in sequence: a sun, a serpent, a spiral, a warrior with his sword raised.

  "It is in this hidden ocean that symbols, dreams, and archetypes live. They cannot be photographed or measured like an atom... but they shape what we think and feel every single day."

  "Woooooowwwwwwwww!!!" Poppandacorn shouted, clapping enthusiastically. He jumped, trying to activate his sensors to record everything. But Americ-Ana yanked him sharply by the arm, covering his mouth.

  "Quiet, Poppa! Time to pay attention!"

  Popess Rock went on as if nothing had happened. Her voice now sounded heavy with solemnity.

  "The FALL AION TRIP allows you to see those hidden layers. It opens perception to what sustains reality: fields of energy, spiritual vibrations, symbols that traverse time and space. In other words, it is not merely a machine for traveling... it is a window into the invisible fabric that connects matter, mind, and cosmos."

  The screen behind her displayed, in sequence, images of colored waves, constellations transforming into archetypal forms and then into geometric patterns vibrating.

  "This is what I call seeing the invisible. What natural eyes do not capture, and yet what sustains everything."

  Popess Rock made a gesture and the screen behind her fractured into several holographic windows. Each one showed something different: radio waves, streams of digital data, geometric patterns vibrating in silence.

  "Imagine, for example, the Wi-Fi signal," she said. "You cannot see it, you cannot touch it, but trust me, it is everywhere, passing through your bodies this very instant. If I turned that signal off, a great part of your lives would simply stop. The invisible sustains the visible."

  Astyam’s eyes widened, as if he had grasped part of the explanation. Wwwyye took off her top hat and scratched her head, still wary.

  "Another example," the director went on. "A video game. To someone watching from the outside, it looks like nothing more than a screen with flashing colors. But you know there are secret stages, hidden maps, passages that only reveal themselves to whoever discovers the right key. Life is exactly like that: there is a hidden code, invisible layers governing everything you see."

  Poppandacorn raised his little hand and tried to speak, but Americ-Ana held him firmly. He only murmured something muffled behind her palm.

  Popess Rock walked slowly before the group, her monk’s white robe dragging lightly along the floor.

  "What I call spirituality is not magic, not superstition. It is simply the name we give to that vibration that crosses time and space. Carl Gustav Jung called it the collective unconscious. Quantum physics speaks of probability states. String theory speaks of multiple vibrating dimensions. Different languages describing the same invisible reality."

  Popess Rock raised a finger, as though in warning.

  "The FALL AION TRIP was created to open your eyes to that hidden fabric. You will see what is always here, yet what you have never been able to notice. Symbols, energies, parallel dimensions, echoes of the future and memories of the past. You will see... what sustains the real itself."

  The screen behind her flared to life, displaying a hologram of strings vibrating like violin wires. Little by little, those threads transformed into constellations and then into archetypal symbols, glowing.

  Astyam lifted his hand timidly.

  "Director... if all of this is here all the time, these waves, symbols, dimensions... why can’t we see any of it without a machine like this?"

  Popess Rock replied:

  "Because, creation of God named Geekwoden, if you saw everything at once, you would go mad. The human brain functions as a filter. It selects only what is necessary for survival: basic colors, sounds, shapes. The rest is hidden so you can focus on what you call 'reality.'"

  She walked back to the screen and touched one of the holograms. Immediately, the image of a human brain appeared, showing areas that dimmed and lit up.

  "What the FALL AION TRIP does is suspend that filter. It opens channels of perception so that you can see the hidden structure of the cosmos. But pay attention..."

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  ...the director raised her finger again...

  "What you will see is not only beautiful or fascinating. Sometimes the invisible is terrifying. There are symbols the unconscious rejects, there are vibrations that disturb the mind. Truth is not always pleasant."

  Wwwyye scratched the back of her neck.

  "So... you mean we might end up seeing monsters?"

  The director smiled faintly, but did not deny it.

  "If you call them monsters, yes. If you call them symbols, that too. The name doesn’t matter. What matters is that these forms are real. They do not live outside of you, but within you, in the layers that sustain your consciousness. The FALL AION TRIP merely projects them outward so you can see them."

  Poppandacorn couldn’t hold back and started clapping again.

  "WOOOOOW! I want to see!!! I want to see!!!"

  Americ-Ana, flushed, pulled him by the arm.

  "Quiet, Poppa! The director is being serious!"

  Popess Rock went on:

  "What cannot be seen by natural eyes is precisely what shapes human destiny. Now, creations of God, prepare yourselves... because you are about to behold the truth that upholds the real."

  Popess Rock gestured through the air, and the screen behind her vanished. Then she turned her wrist, just slightly, issuing a command without sound. Immediately, the FALL AION TRIP began to produce a deep, heavy hum that reverberated through the floor and into each of their chests. The air shivered, and small bluish sparks leapt and danced around the machine.

  "Now, children of God, I invite all of you to enter the FALL AION TRIP. From this moment on, I will tell you in advance that we will be led to the exact instant when three distinct dualities became one. After that, we will witness the conception of the singularity you so affectionately call 'Antichrist'."

  The environment sank into darkness. The only light came from the FALL AION TRIP, which cast translucent waves across the space.

  The machine's door opened.

  "Please, creations of God, the three of you may enter. And you, creature Astyam, keep the singularity 'Antichrist' in your arms," said Popess Rock, gesturing toward the entrance.

  Americ-Ana released Poppandacorn's little hand and guided him aside. Realizing he would be left behind, the small one began to whimper.

  "Mommy!" Poppandacorn's voice rose two octaves higher. "Why can that Satan-pup serial killer go, and Poppa can't?"

  "Poppa... I don’t think there’s a way. You can wait here, I suppose," Americ-Ana replied, pulling at the hem of her dress he had just clutched.

  "But Mommy... I’m going to suffer so much here alone..." Poppandacorn insisted.

  Hearing the little robot’s melodrama, Popess Rock finally relented.

  "Creation Americ-Ana, the little one may come. There is no problem."

  "YAY! WE’RE GOING TO TRAVEL IN THE NEW MACHINE!" Poppandacorn shouted, grinning and spinning as he stretched out his little arms for Americ-Ana to lift him back into her lap.

  After Americ-Ana, Poppandacorn, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Antichrist stepped inside, Director Popess Rock followed them. Just behind, the angel Reiyel bowed and folded his immense wings before passing through the doorway.

  The FALL AION TRIP sealed shut.

  Inside the machine, individual seats were arranged in an oval formation. One of them, positioned at the center, was raised above the others and faced a panel, a screen, and an array of controls, cables, and buttons.

  Popess Rock settled into the elevated central chair. A digital steering wheel materialized before her.

  Americ-Ana eased into one of the seats with Poppandacorn in her lap. Astyam took another, keeping Antichrist in his arms. Wwwyye sat as well. The angel Reiyel remained standing behind the director.

  Popess Rock traced a few gestures through the air; interactive screens appeared and vanished in front of her. After a handful of voice commands, she announced:

  "Creations of God, an object resembling a helmet will project itself above your heads. Please, put it on."

  Three helmets materialized over Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam. They caught them from the air and fitted them to their heads.

  Noticing he hadn’t received one, Poppandacorn scanned Americ-Ana’s with his visor-sight and projected an identical one above his own head.

  The director issued new commands. The FALL AION TRIP began to move.

  Gradually, Americ-Ana felt a slight pressure in her head, as though something were pushing her thoughts outward.

  The pressure Americ-Ana felt in her head intensified for a few moments, until it stabilized into a warm sensation, almost as if her very thinking had gained weight. She looked around and realized that Wwwyye and Astyam were uneasy too, shifting in their seats.

  In the elevated central chair, Popess Rock raised her arm, and a new translucent panel appeared before them all, like a screen suspended in the air. Mathematical symbols and colored graphs began to project themselves.

  "Creations of God," the director began, "until now I have spoken to you about invisible waves, vibrating strings, and archetypal symbols. But there is a common language that connects all this knowledge: frequency."

  Popess Rock made a gesture and the screen displayed a blue line oscillating, like a wave rising and falling in a measured cadence.

  "Look at this," she said, pointing to the curve. "We call this frequency. It is the number of times something vibrates in a single second. When it vibrates once, we call it one Hertz. If it vibrates ten times, that is ten Hertz. A hundred times, a hundred Hertz. Simple as that."

  She moved her hand and the screen transformed, revealing the image of a man with an antique air: a full beard, dark hair combed back, formal nineteenth century attire.

  "This was Heinrich Hertz," the director explained. "He was the first to prove that invisible waves truly existed. Imagine it: in his time there was no radio, no internet, no WiFi. But thanks to his experiments, today we can turn on a phone, change the television channel, or access data without wires. All of that is Hertz."

  Wwwyye shifted in her seat, intrigued, while Poppandacorn raised his little hand as if he wanted to ask something, but Americ-Ana cut him off.

  Popess Rock continued, bringing her two open hands closer before her.

  "Now, I want you to understand something important: emotions vibrate too. Perhaps not in the same sense as classical physics, but in a field that blends mind, body, and spirit. Carl Gustav Jung spoke of the collective unconscious as an invisible ocean. Quantum physics speaks in waves of probability. String theory speaks of vibrations that sustain everything. When we translate these languages into something you can comprehend, we use the Hertz scale."

  The screen then filled with different colors, moving from a deep, dark red to a bright, gleaming gold. Each color came with a number and a word: shame, fear, anger, love, joy, peace.

  On the screen, it read:

  20 Hertz = Shame

  30 Hertz = Guilt

  50 Hertz = Apathy

  75 Hertz = Sadness

  100 Hertz = Fear

  125 Hertz = Desire

  150 Hertz = Anger

  175 Hertz = Pride

  200 Hertz = Courage

  250 Hertz = Neutrality

  310 Hertz = Goodwill

  350 Hertz = Acceptance

  400 Hertz = Reason

  500 Hertz = Love

  540 Hertz = Joy

  600 Hertz = Peace

  700–1000 Hertz = Enlightenment

  Popess Rock pressed more buttons and issued other voice commands. Then she said to the three of them:

  "Now, creations of God, concentrate as intensely as you can on the exact moment you were inside the Initiation Cube. Hold the scene in your mind with clarity. If necessary, close your eyes so you can see it better."

  Americ-Ana closed her eyes. A slight pressure gathered in her head.

  "Americ-Ana, look! You did it!" Wwwyye exclaimed.

  She opened her eyes. On the FALL AION TRIP’s screen, she could see herself. A memory, a moving retrospective, carried her back to the Initiation Cube.

  "Mommy! Look! I’m in the movie!" Poppandacorn said, pointing at the projection.

  On the screen, Americ-Ana watched herself thanking the man in a cap and coat. She also watched Poppandacorn stumbling clumsily over the red carpet. The master of ceremonies announced her name in a loud voice, followed by laughter echoing from every side.

  As she watched the scene, something made her shudder. Over her own shoulders, as if it had always been there without her knowing, a small creature clung to her neck. Little legs intertwined, tiny feet pressing against her chest, little hands tugging at her hair. It was a diminutive humanoid, with soft white skin, a childlike face, and black eyes, empty.

  "But what the fuck is that on Americ-Ana’s shoulders?" Wwwyye asked, horrified.

  Popess Rock activated more commands, froze the image, and zoomed in on the little being clinging to Americ-Ana.

  "That is the Inner-Child. The pure expression of the inner child, always present, even when invisible. Every human has one. The FALL AION TRIP allows you to see what already exists inside you."

  Instinctively, Americ-Ana brought her hands to her neck and shoulders, as if she needed to confirm the creature was not there.

  Poppandacorn, equally disturbed, turned his eyes to Americ-Ana.

  "Mommy, there’s nothing there. Full scan: zero percent probability of anything being there. It’s only in the movie."

  Popess Rock pressed more buttons, advancing the retrospective. On the screen, people laughed, whispered, and mocked Americ-Ana. Suddenly, the girl’s body began to emanate a dense, dark-brown aura, like heavy smoke spilling from her skin.

  In the corner of the screen, a caption appeared:

  20 Hertz = Shame

  The smoke seeped into the Inner-Child’s body. The little creature reacted immediately: first it tried to hide, tugging at Americ-Ana’s hair to cover its face. Then it began to claw, desperately, at Americ-Ana’s skull, forcing its bloodied little hands between the strands, tearing away skin, bone, and fragments of the girl’s brain, anything just to make a place to disappear into. Blood ran and sprayed, spattering the projected face of Americ-Ana.

  Instantly, Poppandacorn entered RED ALERT! DANGER! mode. His eyes flared an intense red, the alarm blared, and he began to examine Americ-Ana’s head.

  Astyam clapped a hand over his mouth and shut his eyes, feeling his stomach turn.

  Popess Rock executed another sequence of commands, froze the scene, and zoomed in on the Inner-Child.

  "Observe: level of consciousness, shame. Frequency: 20 Hertz. Corresponding color: dark brown. When dense emotions of very low frequency take over, the Inner-Child can find no refuge. It tries to hide, even if it must tear apart the very head that holds it. This is why shame is one of the most destructive frequencies in the human being."

  Wwwyye fixed her eyes on the little creature and on Americ-Ana’s mangled head. Her face was twisted, her eyes squeezed shut.

  Astyam swallowed hard, misted his nasal spray, and said:

  "I think I’m starting to understand the FALL AION TRIP’s true purpose. It shows things we carry, things that exist, but can’t be seen with the naked eye... like a WiFi signal, or radio and television waves."

  Popess Rock nodded.

  "Exactly, child of the Creator, Geekwoden. The FALL AION TRIP only reveals what has always been, and still is, inside us. In every human being."

  Americ-Ana stared at her own image on the FALL AION TRIP’s projected screen. She saw herself disfigured, hurt, mutilated. Over her shoulders, the Inner-Child, her inner child, writhed in desperation, intoxicated, trying to escape, reacting in vain to what had emanated from her own body and seeped into the creature’s little body.

  Everything felt strange, new, surreal, and terrifying.

  Even as she watched herself vibrating at a low frequency and harming her own Inner-Child, Americ-Ana became afraid of simply feeling. If she allowed shame in that instant, in front of her friends, the director, and even an angel, she would release yet another wave of low frequency, contaminating her inner child again.

  Even if it remained invisible outside the machine, except through the FALL AION TRIP helmet, the Inner-Child was there. It always would be. And, exposed to low frequencies, it would go on being intoxicated, corrupted, and destroyed from within.

  Suddenly, Americ-Ana was yanked out of her thoughts by Wwwyye’s startled voice:

  "Look! That’s me!"

  On the FALL AION TRIP’s screen, a memory of her was projected.

  A pale pink helicopter touched down before the red carpet. A man in a cap and coat opened the aircraft door. Wwwyye stepped out with her head held high and walked straight toward the Initiation Cube entrance. As the master of ceremonies announced her, the faces of the people around her tightened into expressions of contempt. Their lofty stares made the air feel denser.

  Wwwyye kept her stride firm, indifferent to every gaze and judgment. Over her shoulders, clinging to her neck, was the Inner-Child, its little legs looped around her, its tiny hands braced against her head.

  From Wwwyye’s body, three colors emerged at once, intertwining like serpents: dark green, moss green, and a bruised yellow. The tones collided and blended, forming a thick haze that infiltrated the Inner-Child’s little body.

  The reaction was grotesque. First, the little creature shook and cried, trying to bury its face in Wwwyye’s hair, overcome by fear. Then, in fury, it began to rake at her scalp, tearing skin and exposing blood. But even in the middle of its despair, it wiped away its own tears and forced its features into something rigid, proud, as if it needed to prove it was not suffering.

  Stunned by what she was seeing, Wwwyye brought her hands to her own head, making sure she was still whole.

  Astyam, unsettled, misted his nasal spray again and looked away.

  On the screen, Wwwyye’s Inner-Child put on a spectacle of contradictions: it cried and smiled at the same time, trembled and attacked, pleaded for refuge while harming the very one who held it. Blood dripped over the projected face of Wwwyye, while the small creature writhed between sobs and lunges, trapped in an endless cycle of humiliation, fury, and wounded pride.

  In Americ-Ana’s lap, Poppandacorn lifted his little arm and tried to cover her eyes, so she wouldn’t keep watching.

  In the corner of the screen, the information appeared:

  100 Hertz = Fear

  150 Hertz = Anger

  175 Hertz = Pride

  Director Popess Rock froze the scene and explained:

  "Observe. When different low frequencies overlap, the Inner-Child is torn apart by contradictory emotions. Pride forbids the tears, anger erupts, fear paralyzes."

  Wwwyye shifted in her seat, cleared her throat, and said:

  "Please... could we go on, Director Popess Rock?"

  "Of course, creation of God! Let us see whether we can connect now to the memories of the creature of God, Geekwoden," Popess Rock said, as she pressed buttons, issued voice commands, and slid her fingers through the air, moving the floating screens.

  Astyam shifted in his seat, stroking Antichrist’s fur in a nervous way. Soon he began to sneeze and mist his nasal spray.

  "Here it is! Let us see the memories of the creation of God, Geekwoden, inside the Initiation Cube," Popess Rock declared, finishing the sequence of commands.

  On the FALL AION TRIP’s screen appeared the exact moment Astyam was speaking with Jessie Hornes. Around them, panic ruled. People screamed and wept as the water rose swiftly inside the Initiation Cube. Some, seized by despair, had already drowned even in the shallows.

  Inside the FALL AION TRIP, Astyam misted his nasal spray once more and commented:

  "At that moment, I was trying to solve the riddle of our duality. I mean... Jessie Hornes and I were searching for a solution."

  The scene moved forward. The water level climbed in waves, striking the translucent walls of the Initiation Cube. Jessie Hornes paced back and forth, overtaken by desperation, while Astyam, though terrified, remained close, fighting to organize his thoughts.

  Then something began to manifest. From Astyam’s body, a yellowish shadow slipped free, dense and opaque. Like heavy smoke, it rose slowly and pierced straight into the small being clinging to his neck.

  The Inner-Child absorbed the shadow in its entirety. Its face contracted into grimaces of pain, its little eyes brimmed with tears, and its trembling pout betrayed the cry about to burst. It tugged hard at Astyam’s hair, tearing out several clumps, trying to hide, pressing its face against the boy’s head as if begging for protection.

  In the corner of the screen, the caption glowed:

  100 Hertz = Fear

  Astyam took a deep breath. In the midst of the projected chaos, an intense green light began to shine in his chest, emanating directly from the heart. The brightness did not disperse; on the contrary, it took shape and rose until it wrapped itself around the small Inner-Child on his shoulders.

  The little creature, moments ago in tears, lifted its tiny arms with effort, wiped its watery eyes, and seemed to regain its strength. The green light entered it, transforming its expression into steadiness and radiance.

  In the corner of the screen, a new caption appeared:

  200 Hertz = Courage

  The Inner-Child raised both little hands above Astyam’s head. Its movements were precise, delicate, and determined. Green beams, like currents of electricity, flowed from its fingertips and streamed straight into the boy’s head. It was as though, in that instant, he were being healed, illuminated, strengthened.

  Then, inside the Initiation Cube, Astyam exclaimed:

  "I know! I think I have the answer to our riddle!"

  Popess Rock paused the projection, enlarging the image.

  "Observe how two different frequencies manifest: fear and courage coexisting within the same creation of God. When fear dominates, the Inner-Child tries to hide and destroy itself. But when courage awakens, even amid chaos, the Inner-Child becomes a source of healing, vital energy, and problem solving. The consequence was that the creation of God Geekwoden was able to solve the Initiation Cube’s enigma."

  Wwwyye leaned forward, her white eyes wide, trying to understand what she was seeing.

  "It’s as if it were... pure alchemy," she murmured, almost without realizing she had spoken aloud.

  Americ-Ana, unsettled, kept a hand over her chest. She watched Astyam’s Inner-Child with a kind of curious reverence.

  "But... it isn’t being destroyed," she whispered, almost to herself.

  Poppandacorn, in turn, shifted into analysis mode. His eyes projected graphs, numbers, and symbols into the air, but no matter how he tried to decipher Astyam’s Inner-Child, all that appeared was an alert flashing in red: DATA NOT CATALOGED.

  "Mommy, my system doesn’t understand," he said, his voice weighted with frustration. "It’s like an unregistered energy. I can’t process it."

  Popess Rock sealed the observation with a gesture of her hand.

  "You are correct, robotic creature Poppandacorn. Because it does not exist in conventional databases. What you are seeing can only be revealed inside the FALL AION TRIP. It was created to make the invisible visible, to translate frequencies into images, colors, and numbers. Outside of here, none of this can be measured."

  In the projected scene, Astyam breathed deeply, his eyes fixed on the key to his duality. He had managed to solve the Initiation Cube’s enigma. But inside the FALL AION TRIP, everyone was absorbed by the spectacle of his Inner-Child. Fear was still there, but courage, alive and pulsing, seemed to ripple through the air.

  Popess Rock pressed new buttons, issued voice commands, and slid screens through the air. Then she declared:

  "Now, children of God, I believe you have already assimilated the concepts of Hertz frequency and what the FALL AION TRIP does."

  Popess Rock let her gaze travel over each of the three, then over Poppandacorn, and finally rest on Antichrist. Her expression made it clear her mind was working at high speed.

  "Let us try a new approach from where we left off. For that, I need you to concentrate on the exact moment when you managed to unite the three distinct dualities into a single one. Can you do that?"

  Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam exchanged glances. They nodded in silence and, one by one, closed their eyes.

  Americ-Ana felt, once again, a slight pressure in her head. Wwwyye squeezed her eyes shut. Astyam rubbed at his nose.

  "Excellent! You did it!" Popess Rock declared.

  When Americ-Ana opened her eyes, the screen reflected the instant when she, Wwwyye, Astyam, and Poppandacorn were floating near the Initiation Cube’s central chandelier. The dark green water had already taken over nearly all the space. They were mere centimeters from drowning.

  "Mommy... have you noticed Poppa looks fatter in the memories and retrospectives?" Poppandacorn commented.

  "Poppa... hush! Now is the time to pay attention!" Americ-Ana replied, covering the little robot’s mouth.

  On the FALL AION TRIP’s screen, Astyam could be seen sharing his theory: the initiation system, built on dualities, contained a breach. Then, one by one, the three revealed their riddles: Americ-Ana, with her Boaz duality, from Boaz-Jachin; Wwwyye, with her Yin duality, from Yin-Yang; and Astyam, with his Eve duality, from Lilith-Eve.

  The keys began to fit, joining into one.

  At the exact moment of fusion, the Inner-Child of each of them absorbed a shard of pale violet light emanating from the heart of its respective owner. Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam transmitted vital energy, and their Inner-Children received it, radiant.

  As soon as the fragments of light fully entered the little bodies of each Inner-Child, they lifted their tiny arms upward. From their fingertips, beams of violet light began to pour, and their bodies no longer seemed the same: they transformed into pure light.

  In the corner of the screen, a caption appeared:

  Delsilva. 1000 Hertz = Enlightenment

  Helllwk. 1000 Hertz = Enlightenment

  Geekwoden. 1000 Hertz = Enlightenment

  A blaze of light overtook the entire projection, expanding through the interior of the FALL AION TRIP as if the Sun itself were shining inside it.

  Suddenly, the machine went into alarm. The interior began to beep and flash in warning.

  "Significant changes have been detected throughout the structure of the location. Countdown to activate EVACUATION MODE," Poppandacorn announced from Americ-Ana’s lap.

  "Director Popess Rock! Is this normal?" Wwwyye shouted, trying to rise above the noise.

  "Calm down! Calm down! Please, remain calm!" Popess Rock raised her voice. "Just one more moment... wait!"

  Then the screen went dark, the instruments stopped blinking, and the FALL AION TRIP fell silent. The room returned to normal.

  "But what happened?" Astyam asked, misting nasal spray into his nostril while folding Antichrist into a shield made of his own arms.

  Popess Rock typed rapid commands, spoke instructions, and then turned back to the three:

  "Creatures of God, what you saw was not a malfunction of the FALL AION TRIP, but the direct consequence of something never recorded until today. Each of you reached, individually, the apex of 1,000 hertz, the state of Enlightenment. But when those three states merged... the Inner-Child released an energy so intense, so pure, that the machine could not sustain the load."

  She slid her finger through the air, reopening part of the graphs that had flashed before the crash. Codes and spectra of color still trembled, unstable.

  "The overload was inevitable. Not because the frequency was wrong, but because the sum of the three Enlightenments generated a fusion that exceeds any known parameter. There is no record of a resonance like this. What you produced was something unprecedented, impossible to foresee."

  Astyam frowned. "So... what exactly happened to us?"

  Popess Rock let her gaze rest on the three, then on Antichrist, and answered:

  "A union of your dualities not only revealed each of your lights, but created a shared flame, incandescent, that not even the FALL AION TRIP was ready to assimilate. There is nothing wrong with you. Quite the opposite: we have witnessed a milestone, a discovery. You opened the door to a new level of collective frequency."

  Popess Rock reflected for a few moments, her gaze fixed on the three before her.

  "Do you have the unprecedented key, born of this fusion without precedent?"

  Astyam rummaged through his pockets.

  "It's with me, Director Popess Rock. Just a moment, please."

  He took out the key and showed it. The gleam in the director's eyes betrayed her fascination. When Astyam held it out, she almost held her breath.

  "Magnificent... incredible... this truly is the work of God! May I hold it?"

  Astyam only nodded.

  With meticulous gestures, Popess Rock put on a pair of surgical gloves, adjusted protective goggles, and then a mask. Before touching the object, she sought the angel Reiyel’s approval with a glance. He inclined his head in assent. Only then did she take the key in her hands.

  "Fascinating... fascinating! God is wonderful. It is incredible how life can still surprise us, even after so many years of experiments."

  She examined every detail with attentive care, in a reverent silence. Then she lifted her eyes to the three.

  "I want to ask something of you, creatures of God. Will you allow me to keep this mysterious work until the moment you leave the SOLOMON COLISEUM bunker? I called you here to obtain answers, but a thousand other questions have arisen. I would feel blessed if I could carry out some tests and examinations on this splendid object."

  "Yes! Of course, Director! No problem!" Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam replied in unison.

  "Amen, children of God, amen! May God bless you!" Popess Rock said, bowing slightly before them. Then she placed the key inside a small insulated case, sealed it, and handed it to the angel Reiyel.

  Her expression betrayed a mind caught in a full whirl of thoughts. Checking the internal operational readings of the FALL AION TRIP, she declared:

  "Now, creatures of God, let us move forward in our discoveries. Concentrate on the exact moment in which that singular creature, called by you 'Antichrist,' was conceived. Everything you remember will be transmitted here on the FALL AION TRIP screen, just as it happened the other times."

  Popess Rock gestured theatrically toward the little black fox resting in Astyam’s arms.

  At that instant, Poppandacorn wriggled free from Americ-Ana’s lap and protested:

  "Mommy... I didn’t know we were going to watch a horror film, alongside the apocalypse and the end of the universe, all at once. Poppa doesn’t want to watch this Satan’s whelp. Let’s watch something else."

  Americ-Ana lifted her hand to cover his mouth, but Director Popess Rock intervened.

  "No, no, creation of God, Delsilva. It is important to let the little robotic being speak. In fact, I find it extremely curious that a Poppandacorn should feel such repulsion toward the creature he himself named 'Antichrist.'"

  The director stepped closer to Poppandacorn, studying him as if he were a rare specimen.

  "That behavior, in itself, is already reason enough for me to keep this Poppandacorn in my laboratory. Who knows, depending on what happens, I might even purchase him from you, creation of God Americ-Ana Delsilva. I can even reimburse you with another model."

  Suddenly, Poppandacorn collapsed into Americ-Ana’s arms. His body went slack, gelatinous, as if he were melting.

  "But what is this? Is this normal? What happened to him? I didn’t know he did this!" Americ-Ana cried, in despair.

  "Calm yourself, creation of God. It is only an emotionally exaggerated reaction from this specific model of the Poopghene franchise. Nothing a few adjustments won’t fix."

  Popess Rock pressed a sequence of points on Poppandacorn’s forehead, close to the unicorn horn. In an instant, he pulled himself back together.

  His voice came out trembling, fractured:

  "Mommy... Poppa had a horrible nightmare. I dreamed that another Poppandacorn had taken my place... and that I would never see you again."

  The words were followed by convulsive sobbing. LED tears began to spill from his eyes, running down in bright rivulets. He hid his face in Americ-Ana’s arms as the crying swelled, and the artificial tears multiplied without end.

  Not knowing what to do, Americ-Ana cast a confused glance toward Director Popess Rock.

  "Do not worry, creation of God. Just say it was a bad dream he had. If he insists on bad behavior, or does something you do not like, say you will replace him with another."

  Poppandacorn seemed to hear every word. The moment Popess Rock finished speaking, his crying grew three times louder.

  Still unsure how to act, Americ-Ana turned back to the director. She made a gesture with her hands, indicating that Americ-Ana herself should speak.

  "Ah? Ah... yes... Ok! Poppa, listen! If you do not stop crying and start behaving, I will replace you with another, more advanced model. Please, stop crying now and behave!"

  Immediately, Poppandacorn lifted his face. The LED tears dissolved from his cheeks. He pulled a packet of tissues from the compartment in his belly and blew his nose. Then he projected a zipper over his mouth and closed it. An angelic halo appeared above his head; he pressed his little hands together and fell silent.

  "Excellent. Yes, exactly, daughter of God Delsilva. Poopghene models behave according to the patterns they observe around them, chiefly those of their owners. At times it will be necessary to be firmer with him. After all, a Poopghene’s internal system is in constant learning, like a real child. From time to time, you will have to educate him."

  Americ-Ana nodded.

  "Yes, Director Popess Rock. Thank you for the guidance. I will put it into practice."

  The director returned to observing Poppandacorn. He kept his eyes fixed ahead, hands set in prayer, his mouth sealed by the zipper he had created, and the angelic halo hovering above his head.

  "I find this Poppandacorn’s behavior toward that creature very strange, to the point that he himself named it 'Antichrist.' Normally, Poopghene models do not do that unless someone asks them to. Did any of you ask this Poppandacorn to name the little black fox creature?"

  Americ-Ana shook her head in refusal.

  "No, ma’am."

  The director cast a look toward Astyam and Wwwyye, who also denied it in silence.

  "Interesting... very interesting."

  Still staring at Poppandacorn, Director Popess Rock narrowed her gaze. In the small robot’s LED eyes, in large, bright letters, a phrase appeared:

  "I AM A GOOD BOY!"

  The director cleared her throat before continuing.

  "Returning to the point where we left off... please, children of God, close your eyes and concentrate on the exact moment when you saw, or even felt, for the first time, the creature 'Antichrist'."

  Americ-Ana obeyed. The moment she closed her eyes, she felt a faint pressure in her head, and her thoughts carried her once more to the Main Hall of CROWN EDEN.

  The sound of the celebratory crowd echoed. People rejoiced at her entry into the Organ, The Messenger.

  "Excellent! Wonderful! You did it, children of God!" Director Popess Rock exclaimed.

  Americ-Ana opened her eyes. On the FALL AION TRIP screen she saw herself smiling at the cheering crowd. The Legion Orchestra played, vibrant; Astyam and Wwwyye clapped, laughed, shouted. Poppandacorn, euphoric, launched fireworks that exploded into luminous phrases in the air.

  The Inner-Child of each of them was in full manifestation.

  The screen focused on Americ-Ana. Her Inner-Child danced on her shoulders, waved his little arms, and smiled with purity. A constant stream of light emanated from his tiny body. He raised his tiny hands above the girl’s head, and then the luminous energy pierced into her mind, spreading through every part of her body.

  A caption appeared beside the image:

  Delsilva. 600 Hertz = Peace

  Then the projection turned to Astyam and Wwwyye. Their Inner-Child were also dancing, little arms raised, smiles stamped across their faces. Currents of light ran through their bodies. Each one extended his tiny hands over the head of his own owner, discharging all that energy there. The more the flow of light intensified, the wider their smiles became.

  This time, the caption read:

  Helllwk. 540 Hertz = Joy

  Geekwoden. 540 Hertz = Joy

  A few moments later, the FALL AION TRIP screen showed Americ-Ana with a hand pressed to her stomach, betraying that something was wrong. The focus widened to Astyam and Wwwyye as well, whose expressions made it clear that a strangeness had taken hold of them.

  Moments before the three began to vomit, the screen locked onto their Inner-Child. Director Popess Rock leaned in closer, eyes fixed, hardly blinking, as if she wanted to absorb every fraction of a second of what was happening.

  Then something extraordinary occurred.

  Wwwyye’s Inner-Child began to transform before everyone’s eyes. Its coloration and physical structure altered completely, as though an unknown vestment had seized every fragment of its small body. Now its skin, and its very essence, seemed to be made of the infinite darkness of sidereal space. Millions of tiny stars shimmered in that unfathomable immensity that shaped the little Inner-Child’s form.

  Director Popess Rock’s eyes widened. Her mouth fell slightly open. She was witnessing the inexplicable.

  In the corner of the screen, a caption appeared:

  Helllwk. -1111 Hertz = ?

  Unable to comprehend what she was seeing, Popess Rock only stammered, more to herself than to the others:

  "Wait... how is this possible? A negative hertz frequency?"

  Then, on the FALL AION TRIP screen, Wwwyye vomited.

  Right after, the screen displayed Astyam. His Inner-Child was no longer the same. Its tiny bodily structure now reflected the vastness of the universe, wholly dark, speckled with millions of stars. In the corner of the projection, a caption appeared:

  Geekwoden. -1111 Hertz = ?

  "How is this possible? Another negative hertz? This is extraordinary!" Director Popess Rock babbled, her face nearly pressed to the screen. Her eyes traveled over every detail, millimeter by millimeter, so that nothing could escape her.

  Then, on the screen, Astyam vomited.

  In a matter of milliseconds, the projection snapped to Americ-Ana’s face. On her shoulders, her Inner-Child, like Wwwyye’s and Astyam’s, also displayed its tiny body cloaked in cosmic darkness, with millions of small stars shimmering and moving. The caption flared beside it:

  Delsilva. -1111 Hertz = ?

  The veins in Director Popess Rock’s neck throbbed with tension and concentration.

  In the projection, Americ-Ana fought to contain the nausea.

  "The third negative hertz!" Popess Rock murmured.

  On the screen, Americ-Ana vomited.

  Then the FALL AION TRIP exploded...