Level 25,201: Military Airport.

  Headquarters of the System of Intelligence and Exploration of Nullaria (SIEN).

  Following Bealuna’s footsteps, Dante, Virellian and Kar’Nix were transported by the old arcade machine to Level 7: The Infinite Arcade.

  The machines’ nostalgic hum, the flashing neon lights and the eighties music immediately enveloped them.

  — Wow! This place is paradise for any video game fan! — Virellian shouted, delighted, spinning around.

  Kar’Nix observed the place with suspicious eyes.

  — What an interesting place. So this is the famous Infinite Arcade. Each of these machines seems to lead you to a different level of Nullaria. It is also… dangerous.

  Virellian’s excitement suddenly heightened as he recognised a nearby cabinet.

  — Is that The Simpsons game?! Oh, wow, look… Street Fighter 3! — he exclaimed, reaching out to sit down and play.

  — Don’t touch anything! — Dante ordered without even looking at him —. Unless you want to be dragged to another level.

  Virellian froze, pale.

  — Why is nothing normal in this damn world?! — he complained angrily.

  Kar’Nix tilted his head elegantly.

  — The reality of this world was created by the humans’ twisted collective thoughts… If you want to blame someone, blame yourselves.

  Dante did not reply. His gaze almost involuntarily slid towards a dark corridor at the back of the hall:

  the entrance to Level Omega.

  The whispers arose instantly, soft, silky, dangerous.

  — This way…

  — Come Dante…

  — Bealuna is here…

  — Do you want to see her?

  Kar’Nix noticed it. His eyes glowed red, breaking the spell.

  The enchantment dissolved like smoke.

  — This level is tricky — the raven murmured —. Don't let your guard down.

  — I won't be caught so easily — Dante replied in a low voice.

  Kar’Nix approached again, speaking only to him.

  — Do you wish to return there?

  Dante slowly shook his head, with a knot in his throat.

  — It is not time yet… I am not ready, spiritually, to face the Final Level. My perception is still too low.

  Virellian turned to observe them, confused.

  — Is everything alright?

  Both nodded at the same time, perhaps too quickly.

  They continued advancing along a long corridor illuminated by flashing lights and electronic buzzing. Virellian looked at his Compass rune tattoo with growing unease.

  — It doesn’t look like Bealuna is on this level — he whispered —. I'm worried she might have been dragged somewhere else. My rune doesn't detect her here.

  Dante nodded.

  — She already left here. She's on Level 25,201. The SIEN base.

  Virellian stopped, processing slowly.

  — Level twenty-five thousand…? Are there that many levels in Nullaria?

  — I have no idea — Dante admitted —. Kar’Nix, do you know how many levels there are?

  The raven turned his head with unsettling calm.

  — Many. And they multiply with every human action. As I already told you: your fears and selfish thoughts make this world continue expanding. And it will keep growing as long as you keep falling here…

  Virellian swallowed.

  — And… do you know if anyone has ever left Nullaria?

  Kar’Nix looked at him as if the question were ridiculous.

  — I am sorry to discourage you, but the reality is that no one escapes Nullaria. No one ever has and I doubt very much that anyone ever will in the future, despite all the effort I observe you are making.

  The silence that followed was sepulchral. Only their footsteps and the distorted echoes of games still switched on in the distance could be heard.

  They finally arrived at a machine lit up with vivid colours: Battle City. The screen flickered with the classic tank moving between blocks.

  — Here it is — Dante said, approaching —. Step into one of the controls.

  — What do we have to do? — Virellian asked.

  — The game is easy. We just have to reach level 7.

  Virellian looked at him suspiciously.

  — Is it safe?

  Dante barely smiled.

  — Yes. This one is.

  Virellian let out a relieved sigh.

  — Thank goodness… Battle City was one of my favourite games when I was a kid.

  Both grabbed the joysticks. The retro music began to play.

  For an instant, in the middle of the hell of Nullaria, everything seemed to stop, as if the game allowed them to breathe.

  Dante, Virellian and Kar’Nix were momentarily immersing themselves in the simplicity of Battle City, but the reality of that world did not stop.

  The sober and disciplined atmosphere of the central base of the System of Intelligence and Exploration of Nullaria, on Level 25,201, contrasted sharply with theirs.

  In the SIEN base, Commander Nastacia guided Bealuna and Alan towards the interior of a wide meeting room. A gigantic mahogany table dominated the enclosure, surrounded by ergonomic chairs. The walls were covered with maps, sketches of creatures, diagrams of levels and lists with the names of different groups.

  Two men awaited them there.

  — Welcome, Bealuna. We have heard a lot about you — the first one said —. I am Commander Chan, and he is Commander Volkov.

  Bealuna observed the thin man, about thirty-five years old with Asian features, but before she could answer, Volkov intervened abruptly, asking what “that person” was doing there, referring to Alan with a hint of contempt.

  Alan just shrugged, lowering his gaze and trying to hide behind Bealuna.

  Commander Nastacia, letting herself fall into an armchair, replied with a relaxed attitude:

  — Mr. Heidenreich found Bealuna in the Infinite Arcade and brought her to the base.

  — Volkov, right? — Bealuna asked, interrupting.

  — Commander Volkov — he replied seriously, crossing his arms.

  She took a deep breath before continuing. She had a rough man in front of her, strong-willed, grey-haired, with ice eyes; she did not want to appear disrespectful. But the person in front of her was the typical idiot who always wanted to be right.

  — If it hadn't been for Alan, I'd be dead — she said, turning to him —. By the way, I forgot to thank you. He saved me and brought me to this base. I hope he isn't a bother.

  Commander Volkov did not respond. Commander Chan, on the other hand, smiled; he seemed the kindest of the three.

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  — Not at all. In fact, it's quite the opposite. It is an honour to have someone here who helped defeat two of Nullaria's Seven Terrors. Our objective is to gather and share information to save as many lives as possible. This includes better understanding the entities, levels, and runes. And perhaps, one day… we can all escape from here.

  — And how could I help you? — Bealuna asked.

  This time it was Commander Volkov who answered:

  — We are aware of the memories you shared in the Heart of Nullaria of the confrontations against the Terrors. But we don't have enough information about Dante Montenegro.

  Bealuna frowned.

  — Do you want me to share information about Dante?

  Commander Nastacia took the floor:

  — The fact that he has defeated two Terrors is not something to be taken lightly. Most are barely learning to raise their perception. You know well that that is the key to leaving Nullaria. And Dante… Dante might know more than he shows to have achieved so much in so little time.

  Bealuna was about to answer when Nastacia opened her eyes wide, as if entering a trance.

  Alan was alarmed.

  — Commander Nastacia!

  Commander Volkov, his arms still crossed, simply said:

  — Calm down! It is the power of her Premonition rune, she will recover in a few seconds.

  It was then that Nastacia came to her senses, standing up immediately, in great surprise.

  — Dante Montenegro is on his way — she announced, taking everyone by surprise.

  On the other side of the door, the conversation of the high command did not go unnoticed. Ryan, TJ and Luke — Alan's bullies in the base — were slowly moving away from the meeting room door.

  — I told you so — TJ whispered —. That girl was Bealuna.

  — Yeah, but… what is she doing with the piggy? — Ryan asked, confused, referring to Alan.

  — Apparently he was the one who found her — Luke commented.

  At that moment, Nastacia left the room in a hurry and crossed paths with them in the corridor, noticing how strange it was that they were so close to the door. Bealuna ran after her, followed by Alan, who only exchanged a quick glance with the group of bullies before looking away and quickening his pace.

  — And now where are they going? — TJ murmured, disconcerted.

  ...

  Dante, Virellian and Kar’Nix opened their eyes, stunned, after being absorbed by a pixelated light burst that launched them violently into the interior of the base.

  They appeared in an empty room, with grey concrete walls, no windows or decoration, save for a luminous sign that read, in multicoloured letters: ARCADE.

  — And where are we now? — Virellian asked, confused.

  A brief projection appeared before Dante's eyes with the level evaluation:

  [Level 25,201: Axis +X. Class 1 — Survival Difficulty: Tolerable]

  Occasional presence of non-aggressive entities.

  Dangers are minimal or easy to avoid.

  Hostility generally depends on human behaviour.

  Survival is possible with caution.

  Several identifiable exit routes exist.

  Before he could say a word, a figure ran towards him.

  Bealuna.

  Her embrace was impulsive, full of relief and contained emotion, wrapping him with unexpected strength.

  — Dante! — she exclaimed, hugging him with joy.

  The gesture startled Kar’Nix, who flapped backward and went to perch clumsily on Virellian's head with an alarmed squawk. Bealuna immediately separated, blushing completely as she realised what she had just done.

  — Sorry… too much excitement… — she murmured, avoiding looking him in the eyes.

  — I'm glad to see you too, Bealuna — Dante replied with a slight smile.

  — You arrived exactly as the commander predicted — she added, her cheeks still flushed.

  A voice resonated behind them, firm, elegant; the sound of her heels striking the concrete filled the place.

  From the shadows emerged the imposing figure of Commander Nastacia. A slight smile curved her lips. Her black, very long and wavy hair fell in perfect loops over her shoulders. Her blue eyes landed on Dante with calculated interest, evaluating him up and down with a mixture of recognition and curiosity.

  — Welcome to SIEN — she said, slightly raising the twisted wooden staff she held with one hand.

  Virellian swallowed discreetly, impressed by her presence. Both he and Dante were momentarily stunned to notice how tight and suggestive her military uniform was: deliberately provocative, marking every curve with absolute authority. A woman who dominated any gaze at will.

  Kar’Nix, after getting over the scare of the hug, jumped off Virellian's head and returned to Dante's shoulder. He growled in protest, flapping his wings.

  — Too many new faces in such a small space — the raven murmured with a mocking tone, clearly irritated by the commotion.

  Nastacia took a step back, disconcerted by the raven's presence.

  Without hesitation, she raised her staff and launched a vertical cut of direct energy towards him.

  Dante's reaction was instantaneous: his sword whistled as it literally materialised from the air itself, deflecting the attack with chilling precision. The impact resonated throughout the room, leaving Nastacia surprised.

  No one had ever deflected one of her attacks before.

  Dante did not speak at first. He observed her in silence with an unflappable expression, while in his mind a thought resonated:

  Nastacia never ceases to impress me… no matter how many times I have seen her repeat this in my regressions.

  Then, with a firm voice, he finally said:

  — Calm down, commander. The raven comes with me. He is… my subordinate, now.

  Kar’Nix let out an indignant squawk.

  — Subordinate? Me?

  — Shut your beak — Dante ordered him, without even looking at him —. Stay in your energy orb form while we are in SIEN. You have affected many people's minds here. More than one will want you dead.

  Reluctantly, Kar’Nix obeyed. His body fragmented into shadows and reconfigured into a purple sphere with eyes and a beak, floating at Dante's shoulder height.

  Nastacia observed him with suspicion, although also with a hint of respect. Her voice was controlled, precise:

  — I will let this offence pass. You are special guests at the base, and I trust your judgement… if you say that demon is under control…

  — He is — Dante affirmed —. And I possess the Language rune. I am clarifying that before you ask.

  Alan observed them, horrified, from a corner.

  Nastacia's eyes narrowed for an instant. Her expression hardened, but soon relaxed. A half-smile appeared on her lips as she understood that Dante was not someone ordinary… and that he seemed to know as much about SIEN as they did about him.

  — I expected nothing less from someone who finished off two of Nullaria’s Terrors.

  She advanced a step. The sound of her heels imposed silence.

  Her eyes slid towards Virellian, examining him with evident scrutiny, though without saying a word.

  Then she turned on her heels with an almost martial elegance.

  — Follow me, please. Let's leave the formal presentations for later and go somewhere more comfortable.

  The group couldn’t walk more than five steps when a familiar face appeared at the end of the corridor.

  Stefan.

  Bealuna blinked, surprised; she recognised him instantly.

  — You are one of that group who survived the trial of the Sixth Terror with us, right? — she asked with a smile of sincere joy —. If I remember correctly, your name is… Harold?

  Stefan smiled.

  — Close. I am Stefan.

  — Stefan! Right… — she replied, embarrassed by the error —.

  Commander Nastacia narrowed her eyes, a little annoyed that he cut off her path, and asked what he needed.

  He quickly adopted a formal posture, crossing his arms behind his back.

  — Commander, you are needed urgently in the boardroom. I have been assigned the task of showing our guests the facilities from now on.

  Nastacia frowned.

  — What could be more urgent than them?

  — They didn't give me reasons — Stefan replied —. They just told me to give you a word.

  He paused.

  — LILITH.

  Nastacia's expression changed completely. Dante felt a shiver run down his spine, recognising the word instantly, but said nothing.

  — Understood — the commander replied seriously —. I leave them in your charge.

  And without losing a second, she left at a brisk pace.

  Virellian followed her with his gaze.

  — Wow… that single word changed her entire mood.

  — The commander is stubborn — Alan commented —. If only that was enough to make her move so fast… it must be serious.

  Stefan lifted his shoulders, not paying much attention to the situation; it really wasn't his business. He recognised Virellian among the guests.

  — You must be Virellian, right? I remember you escaped the group very quickly last time. We didn't get to introduce ourselves.

  — Nice to meet you — he replied, somewhat embarrassed —. My head was somewhere else — he completed, looking at Kar'Nix sideways.

  Dante, standing next to Virellian, noticed his momentary rigidity and the subtle way he evaded Stefan's comment. Clearly, he understood the need to hide Kar'Nix's presence on the base.

  Stefan nodded, understanding, and with a smile relaxed his shoulders without giving it any more importance.

  — Well, we'll start with the tour of the general sectors of the base. Afterwards I'll take you to the dining room. From there you can see the outside… it's an amazing view.

  The group began to move along the corridor, guided by Stefan, while the lights of the passage were reflected in the polished metal of the walls. The conversation gradually died down, and the sound of their footsteps ended up fading in SIEN’s vast subterranean structure. That artificial and orderly silence, however, was not the only silence that existed.

  Elsewhere in Nullaria, on Level Delta, the quiet felt heavy, damp and plagued by horrors for Horacio and Jonathan, who advanced nervously along a cavernous path whose walls were covered in human skulls.

  The atmosphere was gloomy; only an eternal drip could be heard resonating in the distance, a sound they never reached despite walking towards it. The sepulchral silence chilled their blood.

  — How the hell are we supposed to find the stupid book they sent us to look for among so many bones? — Horacio growled.

  — This level is a damn labyrinth — Jonathan murmured —. Now I understand why they call it the Ossuary of Oblivion.

  Suddenly, the path in front of them closed abruptly. To the right, the wall of skulls opened with a dry sound, as if those bones were breaking and regenerating.

  — It closed… and this other one opened — Jonathan stammered.

  — The corridors must move every few minutes — Horacio reflected —. I feel like we are walking in circles.

  A winding passage led them towards a circular chamber. In the centre, a solitary stone tombstone awaited them.

  Jonathan read aloud:

  — "Do not listen to them."

  The air became heavier. Horacio and Jonathan exchanged an uneasy glance.

  Then, two new paths opened to their sides. The crunching made them jump.

  — When we get out of here, I'm going to tell that feathered creature and the stupid Dante exactly what I think — Horacio grumbled.

  But Jonathan observed him with horror. What he heard coming out of Horacio’s mouth was completely different:

  — "I cannot wait for you to get distracted so I can bury my dagger in your back."

  Horacio turned around, confused, just as an icy whisper brushed his ear.

  He drew his weapon instinctively and launched a cut into the air.

  A tearing scream exploded in the air. Something invisible fell and took shape: an arachnid creature with a human face, deformed by suffering.

  — Did you hear something weird too? — Horacio asked, tense.

  Jonathan swallowed.

  — I thought you wanted to kill me… — he whispered —. It was an illusion. A damn illusion.

  — I only heard an incoherent murmur — Horacio said as he picked up a yellow pearl left by the monster as its corpse disintegrated.

  — My perception spectrum must be higher than yours. I heard it clearly… whispering to me. But that thing warped your words to confuse me. You barely picked up a meaningless murmur — commented Jonathan, still confused.

  In front of them, a new corridor opened slowly, as if the level itself were inviting them to advance.

  The logic of the Ossuary of Oblivion seemed to mock any attempt to understand it.

  Level Delta: Ossuary of Oblivion

  And while they both advanced, a thick, sticky and crystal clear liquid emanated with a life of its own from the skulls as if they were tears, a new entity crawled behind them, stalking them with caution without them even noticing.

  End of Chapter Seventeen.

  Chapter 17 gave us a small window into just how strange and unpredictable Nullaria really is.

  Infinite Arcade to the strict, cold atmosphere of the SIEN military base was a fun challenge. I wanted you to feel that sudden change in mood, the way the characters are forced to adapt from moment to moment.

  SIEN leaders, hearing the name “LILITH”, and ending inside the Ossuary of Oblivion were all meant to push that sense of uncertainty a bit further.

  — Alberto Báez