Level “ ? ”: The Meadow of Silence.

  Bealuna observed herself in a massive mirror, turning slightly from side to side. The new military fatigues felt surprisingly light, despite their irregular shapes, overlapping layers, and the dozens of small pockets distributed throughout the structure. She couldn't help but notice how remarkably non-restrictive they felt.

  Katrina, one of the four most prominent members of Harold’s group, watched her from behind with a satisfied smile.

  — All uniforms come equipped with a status watch — she explained —. It measures basic statistics, physical resistances, and environmental adaptation. They are thermal, so they assist in surviving within the various levels of Nullaria.

  Bealuna tilted her head, scrutinising herself once more.

  — It’s… functional — she murmured —. But the design is dreadful. Who on earth could have designed them?

  — I did!

  The voice sounded dry, slightly annoyed, coming from the far end of the long female dormitory. Katrina straightened up immediately.

  — Commander Nastacia! I didn't hear you come in.

  Bealuna turned, caught off guard. Then she offered a sincere smile.

  — My apologies… I wasn't aware that you were behind the designs. It is merely my opinion, of course.

  Commander Nastacia did not seem to pay it much mind. She walked towards her with a firm stride, swaying her hips with a natural, almost provocative grace.

  — Did you sleep well? — she asked —. The beds in the Barracks tend to be rather hard for newcomers. But, much like the uniform, it is simply a matter of getting used to it.

  She paused briefly.

  — If you would rather return to your white dress, you may do so. No one is forcing you to wear the fatigues.

  Bealuna reflected for a few seconds, recalling the hostile levels she had already traversed.

  — I prefer utility over aesthetics — she replied at last.

  A satisfied smile crossed Nastacia’s face. Bealuna was certainly no fool.

  A commotion at the entrance of Barracks A interrupted the moment. In the central corridor, which separated the female dormitories from the male ones, Miss Cuni was analysing Kar’Nix with evident enthusiasm as he rested proudly upon Dante’s shoulder.

  — So you truly are one of the Three Great Mystic Beasts of Nullaria… — said Cuni, adjusting her spectacles —. That is quite impressive, indeed.

  Kar’Nix puffed out his chest elegantly.

  — That is correct, human. And do not forget that I also helped defeat the Sixth Terror: Love.

  — I see… — she replied with a somewhat awkward smile.

  Dante looked at him, stunned by the sheer cheek of making such a claim when he hadn't helped at all. Kar’Nix looked back, blissfully unbothered.

  — What…? What did I say?

  Dante merely sighed, resigned. Commander Nastacia emerged from the dormitory accompanied by Katrina and Bealuna.

  — Could you please lower your voice? — she requested coldly.

  Kar’Nix turned his head with visible distaste. Cuni noticed the tension immediately.

  — Oh… I see you’ve already met.

  — Unfortunately! — Nastacia and Kar’Nix replied in unison.

  Dante, who until then had remained silent, was struck speechless at the sight of Bealuna. The uniform, whilst functional, clung to her figure with a precision that the white dress had always concealed. He couldn't help himself.

  — Wow… — he blurted out without thinking —. That suit… it looks very good on you.

  He flushed instantly. Bealuna looked away, turning as red as a beetroot.

  — Yours… as well — she replied, almost in a whisper.

  The ensuing silence was awkward. Katrina cleared her throat.

  — We ought to head to the mess hall. It’s nearly time for lunch.

  Dante nodded, suddenly remembering something.

  — Katrina… you are one of those who survived the Trial of the Sixth Terror, aren't you? — he asked —. Along with Harold and the others. I haven't seen them since we arrived.

  She gave a lopsided smile.

  — They’ll likely be in the mess hall. You’ll run into them there.

  The group soon left Barracks A in the direction of the mess hall. On the way, they encountered Virellian, who was already sporting his new military gear. However, his expression remained tinged with fear and worry; he was being escorted by the loathsome Leader of Barracks B, Ryan, and a small group of soldiers under his command. Virellian’s face lit up upon seeing Dante and the others, and he hurried to walk beside them.

  — Keep the line! — Ryan roared, demanding order.

  Dante frowned, annoyed by the tone. He turned to Nastacia with a biting question:

  — Commander, is this the customary treatment soldiers receive at this base?

  Nastacia didn't take her disapproving gaze off Ryan as she replied frostily:

  — Definitively, “good manners” are not the element that shines brightest in this place. There are certain people who are overqualified for their roles and, certainly, others who ought not to hold positions of command at all.

  Ryan turned pale at the comment. He shot a glance full of hatred at Virellian, who remained firm at Dante’s side, and decided to continue his way in a deathly silence. Bealuna touched Virellian’s shoulder, asking him in a low voice if he was alright; he merely managed a nod and a sigh of relief.

  As they resumed their march, Bealuna broke the silence cautiously:

  — On what basis are we assigned to different wards? Dante and I are in A, Virellian in B, and Alan in C.

  — There is a strict hierarchy here — Nastacia explained without stopping —. Captain Ronko is at the top, followed by the three Commanders, then the Barracks Leaders, and finally, the regular soldiers.

  — That wasn't exactly what I asked — Bealuna interrupted, whilst Miss Cuni adjusted her spectacles with evident discomfort —. What is the actual criterion for separating us?

  Commander Nastacia looked at her with a frigid calm.

  — Those who possess powerful runes or have achieved significant feats — she remarked, glancing sideways at Dante — are in Barracks A. In B, we find those with useful runes — she added, this time looking directly at Virellian.

  — And the rest… are in C — Nastacia stated.

  — Rest? — Virellian asked, confused.

  — Those whose runes have no clear purpose or whose utility is uncertain. They aren't useless, but neither are they a priority — Nastacia declared. In that moment, they stopped before an enormous, reinforced door bolted with steel plates. On the metal, an oxidised letter D looked like a grim warning.

  Dante stared at the sealed entrance.

  — And Barracks D? Who was assigned there?

  A cold draught seemed to take hold of the corridor. Nastacia began walking again, but her voice dropped a tone, becoming sharper.

  — That is where the rubbish goes. Those upon whom resources, time, and effort have been squandered for far too long and yet, even so, are not fit even for cleaning duties.

  She paused for a second and fixed her gaze on Bealuna, as if answering a question the girl hadn't yet managed to formulate, then continued on her way.

  — Is that why you sent them to die in Level Omega? — Bealuna fired back, her brow furrowed.

  Virellian grimaced, hunching his shoulders as he witnessed his friend crossing a dangerous red line; he simply braced himself, waiting for the imminent explosion.

  Commander Nastacia stopped dead. She turned towards her with a menacing slowness and let out a long sigh, the gesture of someone weary of having salt rubbed into a wound that refuses to heal.

  — The commander of that battalion wished to prove his worth. He made the foolish decision to lead the entirety of Battalion D into Level Omega. As you already know, he paid dearly for it — she paused, hardening her tone —. I shall not speak of this matter further.

  — Not all members of that battalion perished — murmured Dante, thinking of Alan.

  Nastacia hardened her expression and made a gesture laden with irony.

  — Only one remained: Mr Alan Heidenreich. He was saved solely because he had been punished that day, sent to clean the toilets in the administrative sector whilst the rest of his team marched towards their end. As we could not have a single person occupying entire Barracks D, we reallocated him to C by default. It was an administrative solution, nothing more. But he is not worth the investment. I suggest you pay attention to these details before incorporating new elements into your team. That is vital for survival in Nullaria.

  She paused, letting the cruelty of the base settle upon the group.

  — I shall not speak of the matter again. Battalion D no longer exists, after all.

  They reached the end of the corridor, standing before a large, open metal door.

  — The mess hall is there. This concludes your personalised tour — she consulted her watch —. We shall meet in the main hall at five o’clock sharp for an important briefing. Do not lose the watches you were issued; with a mere thought, you can view your statistics and communicate with the base.

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  In that moment, Nastacia noticed the silver watch on Dante’s arm. Its design contrasted violently with the standard black model.

  — Where did you get that? — she asked with visible surprise.

  Kar’Nix, floating in his purple orb form with eyes and a beak beside Dante, answered before he could speak:

  — It is an upgraded version of this rubbish. More complete. More… mystical.

  Nastacia ignored him and turned away.

  — In your rooms, you will find a briefing note regarding this afternoon’s topics. Read it. I shall see you then.

  She walked away with a firm stride. Virellian frowned and whispered to Miss Cuni:

  — Does she always behave like that?

  Cuni merely smiled in a carefree manner.

  — Let’s go and eat, everyone.

  Upon entering, they were greeted by a cavernous hall with large windows offering an impressive view of the sunflower fields. However, the contrast was bitter: an endless queue of soldiers waited before the buffet bar, served by employees from Barracks C.

  It did not take them long to spot Alan. He was on the other side of the counter, serving food with trembling hands. At that moment, a commotion broke out. Ryan was in front of him, causing a scene.

  — It is only four per person — Alan clarified timidly, trying to remain calm.

  TJ, standing just behind Ryan, provoked him with feigned indignation:

  — It seems the little cowardly piggy is trying to give orders, Leader Ryan.

  — This is truly unacceptable — added Luke with a sneer of superiority.

  — No, it isn’t that, Mr Leader… — Alan explained desperately —. That is the order I was given…

  — I am your superior! — Ryan snapped with arrogance —. It is an order: give me extra meatballs. Or does anyone care to object?

  Many soldiers in the queue looked away, uncomfortable, trying not to get involved in Alan’s public humiliation.

  — Ugh, it is that guy again... — Bealuna sighed upon seeing the situation, crossing her arms.

  — That poor lad must be the favourite target of the entire base — commented Virellian with a mix of pity and frustration noticing Alan’s desperation.

  Dante did not wait any longer. He dropped his plastic tray onto the table with a sharp thud and began to walk slowly towards the group, drawing the gazes of the soldiers who were already starting to form an expectant circle.

  — Leader Ryan, forgive the interruption — Dante called out in a loud voice, with impeccable calm —. I understand that rationing orders come directly from command. Or are you perhaps authorised to defy superior protocols for an extra portion?

  Ryan turned, fed up with Dante’s presence, but he encountered an attitude he didn't expect: it wasn't a rebellious challenge, but a cold courtesy that exposed him in front of everyone.

  — This is none of your business, rookie. Do not meddle where you aren't wanted — Ryan replied, trying to regain his authority whilst TJ and Luke smirked maliciously behind him.

  At that moment, the Celestial Ring of the Fifth Virtue glowed faintly on Dante’s finger. An absolute clarity flooded his mind; he could see the lines of tension in Ryan’s face, the hunger in the soldiers in line, and the weakness in the leader’s position. His Strategic Capacity was activated to its fullest. Dante smiled, but it was not a smile of mockery; it was the smile of someone who already knows how the game ends.

  — I beg your pardon, Leader, it is not my intention to cause you discomfort — Dante continued, emphasising the title with an almost imperceptible bow —. It is just that many of us here wish to lunch in peace to attend to our duties. You are halting the logistics of the entire mess hall for a personal whim. Do you not think that, as our figure of authority, you should set the example of discipline that Barracks B represents?

  Virellian listened to those words with growing concern and murmured under his breath:

  — Blimey... This is going to get very ugly. Why does he always have to drag us into these situations?

  Beside him, Bealuna gave him an awkward, resigned smile; she shared the sentiment, but she knew there was no stopping Dante now.

  A murmur of approval rippled through the queue. People were hungry and Dante’s logic was irrefutable. Dante had just placed Ryan in an impossible position: if he kept shouting, he confirmed he lacked discipline. Ryan felt himself losing control of the situation and the support of those present. Just as he prepared to counter-attack, an imposing voice that made the trays rattle boomed through the hall.

  — What is happening here?

  It was Commander Volkov. His presence was like a massive shadow that chilled the air. Dante did not waste a second and replied swiftly, maintaining his facade of a soldier concerned with order.

  — Commander Volkov, my apologies for the disorder. We were simply trying to move the queue along, but Leader Ryan appears to have a desperate need for extra rations that is delaying the rest of the personnel.

  Dante turned to Alan, who was pale behind the counter, and spoke to him with a generosity that finished Ryan off:

  — Alan, please, proceed to give two of my meatballs to Leader Ryan. If that additional portion is so vital to you, Leader, I shall gladly surrender mine. The last thing I wish is for you to go hungry or for this to cause a major conflict on the base.

  The silence was absolute. Dante had just treated a Leader of Barracks B like a spoiled child or a beggar in need of charity, and he had done so with such perfect politeness that there was no way to complain.

  Volkov, the Commander in charge of Barracks B, hardened his countenance. The public humiliation of his subordinate was total, and the worst part was that Ryan had brought it upon himself.

  — Ryan, come with me this instant — Volkov ordered in a voice that brook no argument.

  Ryan, red with fury but completely disarmed by Dante’s formality, lowered his gaze and walked behind his commander. TJ and Luke hurried to disappear amongst the tables, losing their smirks instantly.

  — Everyone back to your posts! — Commander Volkov bellowed before departing with Ryan.

  Alan sighed in relief, his shoulders dropping as he looked at Dante with infinite gratitude that needed no words. The mess hall gradually returned to normal, but all eyes remained on the boy from Barracks A who had just elegantly humiliated a leader with only a few words.

  Whilst calm returned to the mess hall, far from there, three figures were slipping through a back door of the base, taking advantage of a blind spot in the surveillance. After a brief exchange of words, they bribed a guard with an erratic gaze. The soldier, with his hands trembling, took a couple of artisanal capsules and quickly hid them in his pocket.

  — Leader Mirko, please, do be careful... — the guard whispered, making a frantic sign for them to leave.

  — I always am — replied Mirko, Leader of Barracks C, with a frigid smile.

  No sooner had they crossed the threshold than the guard could hold out no longer. He popped the two pills into his mouth and began to chew them with manic joy.

  — Tommy, hurry up. Do not fall behind — Mirko ordered as they crouched amongst the gigantic sunflowers surrounding the base.

  Kai, the third of the group, looked around with sheer terror. After taking a few steps, he couldn't prevent fear from invading his mind.

  — Leader... we shouldn't venture this far in. We are crossing the security perimeter.

  — The further out, the riper the seeds — Mirko stated without stopping —. They are the only ones worth the effort.

  — But won't the Nightmares of this level catch us? — Kai asked, breaking into a cold sweat.

  Tommy swallowed hard. The air outside the base felt strange, as if something could pounce on you at any moment.

  Suddenly, a system notification flashed across their retinas, bathing their vision in the level’s data:

  [Level “?”: Axis +Y. Class 4 – Survival Difficulty: Distorted]

  Reality within the level follows no known logic.

  Time, space, and perception may undergo extreme alterations.

  The mind is put to the test. Finding an exit is a matter of will, intuition... or luck.

  At the same time, inside the corridor, the guard who had allowed them to leave shook his head. The effect of the pill hit him like a sledgehammer. His pupils dilated until they almost covered the entire iris, and in an instant, he was no longer at the base.

  He saw his daughter, barely three years old, running towards him with open arms in a garden that no longer existed. He heard his wife's voice shouting for her to be careful, that she was going to fall. He watched himself from a corner, sitting in front of a laptop, ignoring his child’s first steps because he was buried in work. — Not now, darling — he heard his own shadow from the past say.

  The soldier collapsed onto the corridor floor, tears streaming uncontrollably. It was the devastating effect of the seeds: a journey back to life’s saddest and most regrettable moments, only for the brain to eventually explode in a chemical ecstasy of pure dopamine.

  Commander Chan, who was passing through the corridor, stopped dead upon seeing the soldier in such a state. He gripped his face firmly, observing the dilation of his eyes.

  — Damn it... — Chan murmured, recognising the symptom —. Sunflower… for him to have lost his senses so quickly, the purity of these new seeds is alarming.

  Chan kicked the exit door, trying to spot the culprits, but he saw only the infinite field of flowers swaying under a distorted sky.

  Outside, Mirko was gathering seeds with a frenzy. The item’s information leapt before his eyes.

  [Sunflower Seed – Nutritive Class C]

  Safe consumable. Provides basic nutrients.

  Effect: Consumption evokes the soul's saddest memories, followed by an overdose of ecstasy.

  Warning: Leaves the individual in a state of total vulnerability.

  — Just a bit more! — Mirko shouted, stuffing his pockets.

  Abruptly, a scream of horror tore through the silence of the meadow. Kai was knocked down by something invisible; his feet flew into the air and he began to be dragged violently towards the thicket of sunflowers.

  — Kai! — Tommy screamed, trying to reach him, but invisible hands seized him as well.

  At the base, alarms began to howl with an intensity that made everyone in the mess hall drop their cutlery. The commanders went on high alert. Dante and his group ran towards the large windows, joining the throng of soldiers who were muttering with a mix of disdain and fear.

  — Has some berk gone out again? — asked a private —. What an idiot... all for some Sunflower Seeds.

  Virellian looked at Katrina, confused.

  — Why are those Sunflower Seeds so important? Are they worth the risk?

  — It’s a low-grade drug — Katrina explained grimly —. A black market the commanders haven't been able to eradicate. It’s so deeply embedded in the base, it's like a plague. Those fools trade in their own sadness.

  — Look there! — someone shouted, pointing at the field.

  — Is that Tommy? It can’t be! I know him, he’s not that damn stupid...

  Dante pressed himself against the glass. In the distance, he saw Tommy being dragged across the ground. His legs were being pulled in opposite directions by two transparent entities that only revealed themselves by the trails they left in the dirt.

  Not far off, Leader Mirko deployed the power of his Knife Rune. Dozens of silver blades shot from his hands, sinking into the empty air. The knives struck "something," briefly revealing the shapes of horrifying creatures before they vanished again.

  — Tommy! Kai! — Mirko roared, but only the echo of his voice was heard amongst the flowers.

  The commotion attracted a horde of creatures that until then had remained hidden, devouring sunflower seeds. They were beings of a deathly pallor, with excessively long limbs and joints that creaked with every distorted movement. Upon hearing the screams, they turned their heads with an unnatural twist, fixing their hollow eyes on the Leader of Barracks C. With their claws brushing the ground, the creatures began to push through the sunflowers, closing the circle around Mirko, who was running desperately towards the remains of two rusted World War II aeroplanes parked at the base.

  A Nightmare dwelling within Level Lambda

  From the mess hall window, the entire base bore witness to the horror. Three of those pale abominations cornered the immobilised Tommy, who lay with fractured arms and legs. Before the helpless gaze of his comrades, the creatures vomited a gelatinous, transparent substance over his body. The effect was immediate: Tommy’s skin shrivelled, losing all moisture until he was shrivelled like a prune.

  It was then that a fourth creature, more robust and dominant, emerged from the sunflowers. It extended a sharp claw towards Tommy's remains and, after an intense and brief glow, the soldier’s body vanished, replaced by a small, solitary sunflower sprouting from the earth.

  Alan, watching from the crowd at the window, dropped his serving spoon with a metallic clang. His eyes, already hollowed by past trauma, filled with tears as he saw Tommy — his fellow Barracks mate — turned into a sunflower plant.

  The sharp clang of a metal hatch echoed from the sleeve connecting one of the aeroplanes to the base. Commander Chan appeared in the doorway, his face flushed with suppressed fury. Without wasting a second, he activated his Earth Rune; the ground beneath the creatures' feet crumbled, creating a wide, deep chasm that separated Mirko from the danger.

  Mirko seized the second's advantage. With the skill of a veteran marine, he activated his Knife Rune, pinning several blades into the structure of the sleeve to improvise a ladder. He climbed with astonishing speed until he reached Commander Chan’s hand.

  As soon as they were safe, the abyss created by the rune began to close. The logical distortion of Level “?” simply erased the damage to the ground, restoring the meadow and allowing the creatures to advance towards the base once more. The commander slammed the hatch shut.

  Both fell to the corridor floor, drenched in sweat and panting. As they fell, several sunflower seeds rolled out of Mirko’s pockets, scattering across the metal floor. Chan observed them in silence and then fixed a gaze full of rage and contempt on the eyes of the Leader of Barracks C. Mirko, unable to hold his stare, looked away in profound shame.

  In the mess hall, the shock was total. No one moved; the silence was absolute. The creatures had retreated, but they had never been so close to breaking in.

  — Holy shit... — Virellian murmured, his voice cracking with terror —. If those things had got in... we’d all have been turned into sunflowers. Just like them.

  Dante remained at the window, his gaze lost in the Meadow of Silence. His thoughts were far away. Whilst the rest of the group processed the horror they had just witnessed, Dante murmured something to himself that only he could know:

  — Indeed, Virellian... you aren't wrong.

  Dante clenched his fist, feeling the weight of his past-life memories. According to his visions, time was running out. There was only one day left before the SIEN base fell into absolute chaos. It was an event that, until now, seemed inevitable.

  And it would all be because of her... because of Lilith.

  End of Chapter Nineteen.

  Meadow of Silence for what it truly is, a graveyard of lost souls, certainly changes one's perspective on the scenery. It appears that in Nullaria, even beauty has teeth.

  SIEN base have never been higher. And yet, with Dante’s warning about Lilith, it seems the worst is still to come.

  unflower Seed to experience a moment of bliss?

  Chapter 20.

  — Alberto Báez