– CHAPTER TEN –

  THE COLUMNS OF BOAZ AND JACHIN

  Americ-Ana nodded and thanked the man in the cap and coat for opening the door. Poppandacorn gave an awkward leap as he exited the Bugatti and tumbled onto the red carpet.

  "Mommy, wait." The plush robot dashed along the red carpet.

  As they reached the entrance, a man in a tuxedo approached, glanced at everyone inside the glass structure, and announced in a loud voice:

  "Ladies and gentlemen, Miss Americ-Ana Delsilva, the scholarship student... accompanied by Poppandacorn, the plush robot bear from the Poopghene franchise."

  Several people began to laugh the moment the master of ceremonies made the announcement.

  "How wonderful. Everyone’s happy we’ve arrived, Mommy!" said Poppandacorn, now wearing a small bow tie around his neck and a rose tucked into his projected pocket.

  Americ-Ana felt her cheeks begin to burn crimson.

  While some people were still laughing, others whispered among themselves:

  "How dare she be the last to arrive?"

  "Does she think she’s more important than the rest of us?"

  "I can’t believe she brought a Poppandacorn. How old is she, seven?"

  "This academy is lowering its standards far too much."

  "My father did warn me I should’ve gone to study in Europe."

  "I just hope she’s at least vaccinated."

  "Look at those QR code marks! Hideous. They suit her."

  Americ-Ana stepped closer to the master of ceremonies and asked:

  "Excuse me, sir. May we go in?"

  "But of course, milady. Please, make yourself at home."

  Americ-Ana lowered her head and walked over to the buffet table, a place where no one else stood nearby.

  She felt every gaze turning toward her, laughing and whispering, and laughing even more.

  As she approached, another man in a tuxedo asked if she would like something to eat.

  "Fac Foedus, milady. We have blinis with Beluga caviar and crème fra?che, A5 Wagyu tartare over artisanal bread with black truffles, toasted brioche with foie gras and fig jam, and grilled scallops over fresh pea purée, topped with salmon roe and Sicilian lemon zest. To accompany, we are serving Dom Pérignon, Cristal Louis Roederer, or, if you prefer, French sparkling mineral water or chilled lychee juice."

  Americ-Ana didn’t understand a single word the man had spoken. She pointed at random in some direction, and the man served her on a small porcelain plate.

  She picked up a small disc of red meat atop toasted bread and placed it in her mouth.

  Suddenly, an earthy taste spread across her tongue, and she began to choke.

  While she coughed, Poppandacorn opened a compartment in his belly, pulled out a can of marshmallow-flavored soda, opened it with a noisy hiss, and handed it to Americ-Ana.

  "MOMMY! RED ALERT! DANGER! DRINK THIS!"

  People weren’t even pretending anymore not to stare or laugh. They burst into loud laughter.

  "He calls her Mommy! That’s ridiculous!" Americ-Ana overheard as she coughed and tried to drink the soda to soothe her throat.

  Americ-Ana picked up Poppandacorn and walked to the far end of the buffet table.

  A string orchestra played classical music.

  Americ-Ana began observing the people around her. That was when she noticed that none of them were adults. They dressed like adults. Spoke like adults. But all appeared to be the same age as she was.

  Americ-Ana scanned the entire ballroom and spotted, facing her from the opposite side, a Black boy hiding behind a large flower vase. His hair was styled in neat dreadlocks, adorned with small golden cuffs that glinted subtly in the light. He wore plain prescription glasses and had crooked front teeth held in place by braces. He held a nasal spray bottle, which he inhaled from every five seconds, making a funny little sound like something being slurped.

  Suddenly, everyone in the hall began to hear the sound of rotor blades in the distance.

  The noise grew steadily louder, until no one inside could hold a conversation anymore.

  Americ-Ana, along with everyone else present, turned toward the far end of the red carpet, the same path she had taken upon arrival.

  A pale pink helicopter had landed at the edge of the red carpet.

  The man in the cap and coat opened the aircraft door.

  From inside stepped a figure who, at first glance, struck Americ-Ana as some kind of cosplay character. A girl with skin as pale as a geisha’s wore a pale pink Victorian dress, with curly hair of the same shade, adorned by a large matching top hat. She wore white tights and held a delicate lace parasol. Her eyes, completely white, which seemed to be contact lenses, gave her an ethereal and hypnotic presence.

  The girl approached the entrance, and the master of ceremonies announced:

  "Ladies and gentlemen, we are honored to present the arrival of Wwwyye Helllwk, direct heiress of Helllwk Industries, the largest silicon producer in the United States, daughter of Mr. Helllwk, the supreme authority in the global semiconductor sector, and descendant of Ireland’s ancestral lineage, registered under the name éire."

  The girl walked straight through with her head held high.

  Americ-Ana noticed that nearly everyone had furrowed their brows as the girl glided across the ballroom.

  The girl approached Americ-Ana, who was still holding Poppandacorn in her arms.

  "I’d like a cotton candy macaron and a peanut butter soda."

  "What?" asked Americ-Ana.

  "Your Poppandacorn. Can he give me a cotton candy macaron and a can of peanut butter soda?"

  "Oh... yes... of course!" replied Americ-Ana, not entirely sure what was happening.

  Poppandacorn slid down from Americ-Ana’s lap, opened the compartment in his belly, and handed over the chilled can of soda and the still-packaged macaron.

  "Here you go!" said Poppandacorn.

  The girl opened the soda can, unfazed by the hiss of carbonation. She unwrapped the macaron and handed the packaging to the waiter. She took a big sip of the soda and a bite of the macaron.

  "I hate the kind of food they usually serve at these events. It’s disgusting," she said, chewing the macaron and taking another sip from the can.

  Americ-Ana wasn’t sure what to do. She wanted to seem friendly. So she said:

  "Nice to meet you! I’m Americ-Ana. I’m new here. And this is my Poppandacorn."

  The girl took another big gulp of soda.

  "I know who you are. You’re the new scholarship girl."

  Americ-Ana gave a faint, uneasy smile, unsure how to respond or what was going on.

  The girl finished drinking the soda, crushed the aluminum can with a sharp metallic crunch, and tossed it into a flower vase.

  "There are a lot of people here who don’t like you, because you’re the one with the least."

  The girl looked at Americ-Ana.

  "But they don’t like me either, because my father is the one who has the most. Their parents depend on my father. So it’s the same. They just want someone to hate. Deep down, it’s not really about who has more or who has less. It’s about finding someone to project their fears and insecurities onto."

  Americ-Ana gave another faint, uneasy smile. She glanced to the sides. Then decided to ask, hoping to seem polite:

  "Sorry, but... what’s your name again?"

  The girl pulled a card from the top hat resting on her head.

  Americ-Ana took it and read. It said:

  "Wwwyye Helllwk"

  Seeing the confusion on Americ-Ana’s face, the girl said:

  "It’s pronounced Voo-Vee-Eh."

  "Yeah, I know, it looks like I just smashed my face on the keyboard."

  "So lemme break it down real slow, in case your brain’s still buffering:"

  "First two W’s? They make ‘Voo’."

  "Third W? Guess what... still a V. Groundbreaking, I know."

  "Then the Y goes all 'eeeee', like your little cousin pretending to be a fairy."

  "And the final Y with the E? That’s 'eh', like when someone asks if you like pineapple on pizza and you’re emotionally numb."

  "So all together: Voo. Vee. Eh. There, you survived it."

  Americ-Ana could barely blink or even breathe, trying to make sense of the girl’s explanation.

  She continued:

  "Now, my last name: Helllwk?"

  "It’s not a password. It’s not a Wi-Fi glitch."

  "You say it like this: Heh-oo-loo-key."

  "Yeah, I know. Sounds like a duck casting a spell, but hey, blame my ancestors."

  Poppandacorn began clapping for the girl at the end of the "explanation." She, in turn, removed her top hat and gave a gesture of thanks, as if standing on a stage before a grand audience.

  "I see... It's spelled Wwwyye Helllwk, and the pronunciation is 'Voo-Vee-Eh Heh-oo-loo-key.'"

  The girl extended her hand to Americ-Ana.

  "Now that’s better. Nice to meet you, Americ-Ana," she said, smiling.

  Americ-Ana shook the girl’s hand, returning the smile.

  Poppandacorn suddenly flashed a burst of light, leaving both girls with blurred vision.

  "Memory moment!" said Poppandacorn, printing the photo through his mouth.

  Wwwyye took the photo, looked at it, and laughed. She showed it to Americ-Ana, who laughed as well.

  "We look like we got caught doing something wrong," said Americ-Ana.

  "I love when they do that. Taking spontaneous pictures. That’s how life happens. Spontaneously," said Wwwyye, still smiling.

  Then, they heard the delicate clink of one of the glasses.

  Americ-Ana and Wwwyye craned their necks to see who was trying to draw attention.

  When Americ-Ana finally identified where the sound was coming from, her heart skipped a beat.

  It was the Chancellor of the Portals, Velyra.

  "Fac Foedus! Attention, everyone. Please, come closer."

  People began gathering around the Chancellor.

  "Welcome to the KING MatNat History Museum. I am the Chancellor of the Portals at Equal One Zero Academy. My name is Velyra Atticuz Cheedarc, and I am here as the official overseer of your initiation process."

  Everyone began to applaud.

  "It is well known that before entering Equal One Zero Academy and gaining access to the KING MatNat games, one must first understand its history. That is why the KING MatNat History Museum was created as your first point of contact, before the academy, before KING MatNat itself."

  The Chancellor cleared her throat, drew in a breath, and slowly extended one arm toward the musicians.

  The string players adjusted their posture. The harp moved slightly forward. The oboe and bass began to tune. One by one, each instrument responded to her silent gesture as if summoned by an invisible force.

  When the hall grew silent once again, the orchestra began to play.

  The Chancellor lifted her chin, placed one hand over her heart, and began to sing.

  Her voice, a clear and solemn mezzo-soprano, resonated through the glass chamber like a rite:

  INITIATION CUBE

  Fac Foedus...

  Listen now, you who seek the path.

  These walls remember. These stones recall.

  What stands before you is no stage, no game.

  This Cube is not a trap.

  It is a mirror.

  And what you bring into it,

  You shall meet face to face.

  Before you claim the name of KING MatNat,

  Before you step through those veiled gates...

  There is a price.

  To die and rise again,

  This is the way.

  Not with pride, not for glory,

  Not for the crowd’s applause.

  The throne is not for the victor,

  The sword not for the strong.

  But for the one who dares to fall,

  And offer blood for bond.

  A key surrendered,

  A pact engraved.

  The mirror will not lie.

  Your dual self must stand revealed,

  Or turn and flee,

  And die.

  Die to the shallow world,

  To the hunger of the ego,

  To the grasping of the hand

  That takes, but never yields.

  Then rise,

  Not for yourself...

  But for the Sealed Pact.

  For the Truth.

  For the Name above all names.

  From this moment forth,

  There are no more spectators.

  Only those who carry

  Their own reflection

  To the end.

  Everyone applauded the Chancellor. She waited for the applause to fade, then bowed her head with grace and gestured toward the musicians.

  The orchestra stood and received the ovation. A second wave of clapping filled the chamber.

  When silence finally returned, the Chancellor spoke again:

  "At this moment, each of you will be presented with the contract to be signed between the prospective students and the institution, Equal One Zero Academy."

  Men in tuxedos entered the hall holding tablets in their hands and positioned themselves in a straight line.

  "Please, form lines and read the contract carefully."

  The Chancellor stopped and looked at everyone. Then, she spoke slowly:

  "I SAY IT AGAIN. READ THE CONTRACT CAREFULLY."

  She paused again, then continued.

  "Once you click the 'TAP AGREE TO CONTINUE' button, there is no turning back."

  The Chancellor paused once more, interlaced her fingers, and went on:

  "If, by any chance, any of you feel the need to have a lawyer at this moment, or to call your personal attorney... now is the time."

  The Chancellor paused again. She placed both hands behind her back, took a few steps, then resumed:

  "Does anyone feel the need to have a lawyer present, or to call their personal attorney?"

  She looked around at everyone.

  Those present in the hall glanced at one another, whispering among themselves, shaking their heads in refusal.

  "What does she mean by that?" someone murmured.

  "My parents are really anxious for me to do well in the KING MatNat games. I'll accept whatever they throw at me," said another.

  "I will too," agreed a third.

  "The waiting time to get a spot here is way too long. I’m going to agree to whatever they say," said another.

  Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  "I’m not sure I’m certain. If you sign and agree, I’ll do the same," two girls whispered to each other.

  Everyone murmured quiet comments among themselves.

  The murmuring finally ceased.

  The Chancellor spoke again:

  "Now that the opportunity and concession have been given to all of you, form lines before these gentlemen holding the tablets, read the contract carefully. I REPEAT: read the contract carefully, and only after you’re certain, press the consent button, the 'TAP AGREE TO CONTINUE' button."

  The lines began to form.

  Boys and girls glanced at one another, making sure the others were signing the contract and accepting "all the terms and conditions."

  Just as nearly everyone had signed the digital contract, Americ-Ana and Wwwyye joined a line that was already near its end.

  Wwwyye went first. She slid her finger across the screen, skimming through the contract.

  "Same old nonsense. Who actually reads all of this?!" the girl muttered to herself.

  Americ-Ana followed right after. She stood before the man in the tuxedo holding the tablet, slid her finger through the entire contract to the bottom of the page, and clicked “TAP AGREE TO CONTINUE.”

  At last, once everyone had signed, the boy with the glasses and nasal spray darted out from behind the flower vase, swiped through the contract in the blink of an eye, tapped his consent, and quickly slipped back behind the vase.

  The men in tuxedos holding the tablets exited the hall.

  Simultaneously, other men, also dressed in tuxedos, entered carrying trays with silver cloches, arranging themselves in a line.

  "Ladies and gentlemen, now that everyone has agreed to the terms and conditions of the contract, we move on to the next stage," said the Chancellor. "Please, open the trays."

  The men in tuxedos lifted the cloches from the trays.

  Inside, there were several golden keys.

  "Each of you will become the owner of one of these keys. There are enough for everyone," the Chancellor continued. "These keys are not encoded, which means they do not have a pre-assigned owner. They are all random. One of these keys will only become yours once you take it, open a side compartment, and deposit a drop of your blood. After that, you will be bound to that key. Please, form a line and take one key, along with the kit containing the needle to prick your finger."

  A line formed. Each person took a key and a small pouch containing a needle, sterilized cotton, and hand sanitizer.

  Americ-Ana and Wwwyye stepped into line and took their keys.

  Americ-Ana picked up a pouch. Wwwyye declined.

  Americ-Ana pressed the side of the key, and a small ampoule was released. She opened the pouch, took the hand sanitizer, poured a bit onto the cotton, and cleaned her finger. Then, she picked up the needle, pricked her finger, and let a drop of blood fall into the ampoule.

  Wwwyye pulled out a pin from her top hat, pricked her finger, opened the compartment on the key, and deposited a drop of her blood.

  "I don’t like blood. I think I’m going to faint," someone said in the hall.

  "Is this really necessary?" another murmured.

  "I'm afraid of needles," someone began to complain.

  As soon as the small ampoule containing the drop of blood was reinserted into the key, a message in neon green light appeared on the surface of the key.

  Americ-Ana’s message read:

  "The twins of the temple were conceived by the king’s architect. But they were only born when the master builder sent his chosen one."

  Wwwyye’s message read:

  "We are twins of the same Empire. Yet our army divides between those who fight in the dark, and those who fight in the light."

  As each ampoule with its drop of blood was inserted into the keys, everyone in the hall received a corresponding message.

  Once that part of the process was completed, the Chancellor said:

  "Now that each of you has a key, and they’ve been encoded with your essence through blood, each of you is now the bearer of a riddle. Every riddle concerns a duality."

  The Chancellor waited for the men holding the silver trays to exit, then continued:

  "Each duality represents an elevator door."

  She looked behind her, and a large red curtain was raised, revealing several elevator doors with labeled signs above them.

  "As you can see, we have forty elevators here, which means each of you owns one elevator. As I mentioned earlier, each of you received a riddle, and the answer to each riddle belongs to a duality. That means we have twenty riddles and twenty dualities."

  The Chancellor pointed to the sign above one of the elevators.

  "As you can see here, we have the elevator ‘Eve.’ That means the elevator ‘Eve’ is one part of a duality. Can anyone tell me what the other part of this duality might be?"

  "Adam?" someone replied.

  "No."

  "The Garden of Eden?" another ventured.

  "Also no."

  "God!" someone said with full conviction.

  "No, no."

  "Lilith," said Wwwyye, lifting her top hat. Everyone turned to look.

  "Exactly. Lilith is the duality of Eve. Because Lilith chose knowledge before obedience, and Eve accepted obedience before desiring knowledge. This means that two people here in this hall received riddles whose dual answer is Eve and Lilith," said the Chancellor, pointing to the elevator labeled “Eve” and, on the opposite side, to the one labeled “Lilith.”

  "You may be wondering: Chancellor Velyra, what do these dualities have to do with the elevators? What do these dualities have to do with the riddles?"

  The Chancellor took two steps forward and said:

  "The counterpart to your duality will be your cell companion during your entire stay here in the Prince Equal One Zero Pyramid. Which means you will live in the same cell, sleep in the same cell, and eat in the same cell."

  "Are cells the same as the four houses of Equal One Zero?" asked a boy in a blue tuxedo.

  "No," replied the Chancellor. "A cell is simply the place where you will share everything with the other half of your duality. The four houses of Equal One Zero belong to a different process, which will be explained later."

  "So two people from different houses can be placed in the same cell?" asked a girl in a green silk dress.

  "Yes. Exactly!" the Chancellor answered.

  Several people began murmuring and complaining.

  "What if I want a cell just for myself?" asked a blond boy with a square jaw.

  "Excellent question!" praised the Chancellor. "If you wish to have a cell to yourself, simply enter the elevator and press the button that says 'DO NOT SHARE CELL.'"

  "But what happens to the other person whose half of the duality doesn’t want to share the cell?" asked a girl wearing a small crown of pearls on her head.

  "If someone refuses to share the cell, the other person drowns!" said the Chancellor, smiling.

  "Drowns? What do you mean?" they murmured.

  "I think she’s speaking in a metaphor," someone concluded.

  A boy in brown shoes, unusually short, just slightly taller than Poppandacorn, stepped forward. He coughed quietly while holding a bottle of syrup in one of his small hands. He asked:

  "And what if neither of them wants to share the cell?"

  "Then both drown!" the Chancellor replied, letting out a burst of laughter.

  Everyone was startled by the Chancellor’s reaction and began to grow uneasy.

  A boy wearing golden glasses stepped in front of the others and said:

  "I don’t mind sharing a cell with anyone in here. Even if it’s a poor scholarship girl," the boy looked at Americ-Ana. "Or a lunatic who thinks she’s better than everyone else," now he was looking at Wwwyye. "As long as it doesn’t interfere with my academic grades, I don’t care."

  The murmuring had returned.

  "He’s right, we’re here to study, not to make friends," someone said aloud.

  The Chancellor snapped her fingers, drawing the attention back to herself.

  "That’s where you’re mistaken. Sharing a cell isn’t just about sharing a place to live. Sharing a cell means sharing academic grades, whether good or bad. School awards, and even detention."

  Several in the hall reacted with outrage.

  "No! That’s not fair!" most of them cried.

  The Chancellor went on:

  "If you score well on a test, that grade will be split in half. If you fail the test, that score will also be split in half. If you receive an award, it will be shared between you and your cell companion. The same goes for punishment or detention."

  Everyone was murmuring, glancing at one another with displeased expressions.

  The boy in brown shoes and unusual height stepped forward again. While coughing softly, he said:

  "Calm down, everyone. If you don’t want to share a cell, just press the button that says 'DO NOT SHARE CELL.'"

  "Yes, little one! Very good! That’s exactly right," the Chancellor replied, applauding.

  The girl with the small pearl crown stepped forward and said:

  "So all we have to do is read the riddle, find the answer that corresponds to a duality, enter the matching elevator, and choose whether to share the cell or not?"

  "Exactly! But there’s a catch," the Chancellor began. "To access the elevator, you first need to find the other half of your duality and attach one key to the other. In other words, give half of your key to the other person, and they give you half of theirs. Only then do the elevators open."

  "Where does the elevator take us? Is it some kind of reward?" someone asked.

  "Whoever manages to solve the riddle, find the answer that matches one of the elevators, connect their key with the person of their corresponding duality, and press one of the buttons about whether or not to share the cell, will gain access to the KING MatNat History Museum. And right after exploring the history of KING MatNat, they’ll be directed to the Equal One Zero Academy, where the selection for the four houses will take place."

  "That’s easy. We just need to start by solving the riddle. The sooner we begin, the faster we’ll gain access to KING MatNat’s history and officially enter Equal One Zero," said an excited boy. "Let’s get started already."

  "Very well, very well. Your wish is my command, young gentleman," said the Chancellor, bowing to the boy.

  "Gentlemen musicians, butlers, to your positions," the Chancellor now addressed all the men in tuxedos who had been playing string instruments, serving hors d’oeuvres, and assisting the master of ceremonies. All of them exited the hall.

  Some boys began looking around, confused by what was happening. A group of girls gathered with their arms crossed.

  The boy in brown shoes and rare stature stepped forward once more and asked the Chancellor:

  "What’s going on? Can we start now? You haven’t said what happens if one person presses the share cell button and the other doesn’t. And you also haven’t said what happens if both people press the button not to share the cell."

  "I did say it," the Chancellor replied. "I said that if someone is rejected as a cell sharer, that person drowns. And if both refuse to share the cell, then both drown!"

  The Chancellor burst into laughter again, leaving the group of girls who had gathered even more frightened.

  "But how are we supposed to know who’s going to press the button to share the cell or not?" asked one of the girls, her voice trembling.

  "You have to make an agreement. Trust each other’s word," said the blond boy with the square jaw.

  The Chancellor clasped her hands, rubbed them together, and moistened her lips, like someone about to take a big bite of a juicy appetizer.

  "What are we waiting for? What’s happening? Let’s just start solving the riddles. I’m getting scared," a boy whimpered.

  "Your wish is my command, dear boy. But first, one last warning. To those who end up 'drowning,' don’t worry. You might not die. As soon as you run out of air, a diver will come to your rescue," said the Chancellor, still rubbing her hands, now with a sinister smile on her face.

  "I want to leave. I want to get out of here. I don’t want to be part of this," one of the girls who had gathered began to cry.

  "No. No. No," said the Chancellor, turning to the girl. "You signed a contract, remember? The only way out is through the elevator… or by drowning."

  Once again, the boy in brown shoes and rare stature stepped forward.

  "This thing about ‘drowning’ and ‘diver’... it’s just a figure of speech, right?"

  The Chancellor let out another sinister laugh.

  "LET’S JUST END THIS ALREADY!" one of the boys shouted, panicked.

  "Very well!" said the Chancellor. "Ladies and gentlemen, dames and sirs," the Chancellor opened both arms and looked upward, "you will now begin the baptism and initiation process of the KING MatNat games."

  The Chancellor screamed, and then vanished.

  The sound of doors and windows locking echoed through the air, and within seconds, powerful jets of water began flooding the entire hall. That cube-shaped structure, with its translucent glass walls, was turning into a massive aquarium.

  Water had erupted from both the lower and upper corners of the glass cube. It looked like fire hydrants had just burst. The pressure was brutal. With each passing second, the water climbed higher and higher.

  In the blink of an eye, Americ-Ana noticed the hem of her Dior “Vénus” dress soaking in water. The next second, it was already up to her knees. Poppandacorn displayed a red alert at maximum danger. His eyes glowed like two red beacons.

  Wwwyye stared at the rising water, both hands on her head. She took off her top hat, put it back on, paced from side to side, splashing through the water, as if searching for an answer, a clue, a way out of it all.

  The group of girls who had been quietly whimpering were now screaming and sobbing with everything they had. They shouted until their faces turned red, and green and blue veins bulged from their necks. Their eyes looked ready to pop out of their sockets. They screamed in desperation, hoping someone would appear and save them.

  The blond boy with the square jaw held his golden key in his hands. He stared at the green message, reading and rereading it with frightening intensity, as if no one else were in the room. As if the massive flood rising rapidly around them did not exist. His focus, his concentration, was unsettling.

  Americ-Ana tried to stay calm. She picked up Poppandacorn, who by now was almost entirely submerged.

  "Don’t worry, Mommy! I’m waterproof," said the plush robot, even as his eyes flashed red with warning signals.

  Then, the boy in brown shoes and rare stature began coughing more intensely, perhaps from panic. The water had nearly reached his head, given his short height. He took a long swig from his syrup bottle, drew a deep breath, and raised his voice with all his strength, trying to be heard over the roar of the water, the jets, and the girls' hysterical screams.

  "EVERYONE, LISTEN! STAY CALM! WE NEED TO SOLVE THE RIDDLE AND GET TO THE ELEVATORS AS FAST AS POSSIBLE!!!"

  "Great idea. That’s right," Americ-Ana said aloud to herself.

  Wwwyye was already pushing through the water, now waist-deep, making her way toward the elevators.

  Americ-Ana grabbed her key and read her riddle again. As she struggled to focus amid the chaos, the blond boy with the square jaw approached.

  "Fac Foedus! How are you? I’m Thor. Thor Bloodpure," the boy introduced himself. "I managed to solve my riddle. I already know the answer. I’ve been watching while you read yours. I believe you hold the other half of the duality that belongs to me as well."

  Thor Bloodpure pulled out his key and activated the riddle, which appeared in neon green letters. He brought it together with Americ-Ana’s key and riddle.

  Both keys displayed the same riddle:

  "The twins of the temple were conceived by the king’s architect. But they were only born when the master builder sent his chosen one."

  "Yes! That’s right! You’re correct! We are each other’s duality," said Americ-Ana, starting to feel relieved.

  Thor Bloodpure leaned in close to Americ-Ana’s ear, as if sharing a secret:

  "The answer is pretty simple. The twins refer to the duality, that much we already know. It wasn’t the king’s architect who chose people to work. That was the role of the master builder. He selected people and supervised their work. That explains the part of the riddle that says the master builder sent his chosen one."

  "I see. But what about the twins of the temple? Who are they?" asked Americ-Ana.

  "The twins of the temple are the two columns, Boaz and Jachin. They stood in the king’s temple. The one who conceived the two columns, the twins, as the riddle says, was the architect, who merely conceived them. But they were only born, only came into existence, thanks to the physical labor of the men chosen by the master builder to work on the temple's construction. That’s what the riddle means when it says 'his chosen one,'" explained Thor Bloodpure.

  Thor took Americ-Ana’s hand and pointed to the elevators labeled “Boaz” and “Jachin.”

  "That’s wonderful! You’re right!" said Americ-Ana, beaming with a wide smile.

  Thor leaned in close to Americ-Ana’s ear again.

  "Now we need to divide the keys. I’ll give you my half, and you give me yours. That way we can enter the elevator and get out of here."

  Americ-Ana took her key and handed it to Thor.

  Thor placed the two keys side by side.

  Americ-Ana’s key revealed a new word beneath the riddle: Boaz, glowing in violet neon.

  Thor’s key also revealed a new word beneath the riddle: Jachin, glowing in violet neon as well.

  He removed a connector from his key and attached it to Americ-Ana’s. Then, he took the connector from her key and attached it to his.

  At last, he said:

  "Everything’s ready. Now we just need to step into the elevator, connect our keys, and press the button that says 'SHARE CELL.'"

  Americ-Ana let out a sigh of relief and said:

  "Are you really willing to share a cell with me? Doesn’t it bother you that I’m a scholarship student?"

  Thor’s face showed a flash of surprise.

  "Of course not! You’re just as capable as anyone here born with a silver spoon, as they say. Besides, we got along really well. If we managed to understand each other in the middle of all this chaos, why wouldn’t we get along in everyday life? It’ll be great to have a study partner and a KING MatNat player like you," he added, placing a hand on Americ-Ana’s shoulder.

  Americ-Ana blushed, and a smile slipped from her lips.

  "I was going to tell you this later… but since we’re opening up: I saw your video at the Poopghene store, cooking with Poppandacorn. You were amazing. Your recipe was a big hit. Maybe you can teach me some recipes once we’re living together. After all, cooking well is the foundation of the entire KING MatNat game," Thor said, gently stroking Poppandacorn’s head.

  "That sounds great. I’d love that," Americ-Ana agreed.

  "We should go before the water rises even more," said Thor, stepping away. "See you on the other side, precious!"

  Americ-Ana felt her face turn red.

  "Hooray! I’m getting a Daddy!" Poppandacorn shouted, but his celebration was cut short when Americ-Ana covered his mouth.

  Now with the water up to her shoulders, Americ-Ana struggled to make her way through the current toward the “Boaz” elevator.

  Many people were screaming in desperation. Some hadn’t even managed to solve the riddle. The rising panic, driven by the water that wouldn’t stop climbing, had frozen several of them in fear.

  Americ-Ana saw men in diving suits approaching. As she looked around, she realized that several people had already drowned, victims of panic and despair.

  Some were still trying to solve their riddles, entering elevator after elevator only to discover that their keys didn’t fit.

  At last, Americ-Ana reached the “Boaz” elevator. The water, now up to her shoulders, kept rising with every passing second. Poppandacorn had slipped from her arms and was now floating on his back, swimming in circles and shooting streams of water from his mouth, imitating a fountain.

  Americ-Ana stepped into the elevator, stretched her neck, and saw Thor on the other side, also craning his neck toward her. He waved and mimed that he was about to insert the key into the elevator’s lock.

  Americ-Ana waved back, then turned her focus to the elevator’s control panel.

  There were three buttons and a keyhole.

  Each button had an arrow pointing to indicate the correct sequence to follow.

  First, the person had to insert the key into the keyhole. Then, they had to choose between “SHARE CELL” and “DO NOT SHARE CELL.” Finally, there was a single button labeled “LEVEL 33,” meant to be pressed last, only after all the previous steps had been completed.

  Americ-Ana pulled Poppandacorn by the arm and held him close. She inserted the key into the lock. It slid in and turned automatically.

  At that exact moment, the elevator door closed and locked, and the water began to drain, leaving Americ-Ana in a dry space.

  Then, she brought her finger near the “SHARE CELL” button.

  For a few brief seconds, Americ-Ana felt frozen before pressing it.

  Not frozen by fear.

  Not frozen by anguish.

  Not frozen by sorrow.

  Not frozen by anger.

  Not frozen by pain.

  She was frozen by HOPE.

  A feeling so rare that Americ-Ana barely allowed herself to experience it.

  Frozen wasn’t quite the word that described her in that moment.

  In truth, she simply wanted to hold it. To store in her memory, and in her heart, that wonderful sensation, even if only for a few seconds, that life could get better. That life was getting better. That the future was a place she didn’t need to fear.

  Poppandacorn noticed Americ-Ana’s hesitation before pressing the button. So he said:

  "Mommy, are you okay? Should I activate red alert mode, danger, again?"

  Upon hearing that automatic phrase from the plush robot, Americ-Ana reflected on those words: “red alert mode, danger.” For the first time in so long that she couldn’t even remember when, those words made no sense at all.

  Americ-Ana looked at Poppandacorn and made a request.

  "Poppandacorn, could you please take a picture of this moment?"

  And so Poppandacorn fulfilled her request. He captured the exact moment when Americ-Ana was about to press the button of HOPE.

  Americ-Ana pressed the “SHARE CELL” button.

  Immediately after, she pressed the button labeled “LEVEL 33.”

  Then, the elevator door opened.

  A colossal volume of water burst inward like a liquid punch, sweeping Americ-Ana away in a single blow. What she saw next resembled a surreal blur, like those dreams everyone has had at least once. The sensation of falling into a dark, bottomless abyss. But this wasn’t a dream. It was a waking nightmare.

  The images around her were distorted, but Americ-Ana was able to distinguish, even through murky fragments, what was happening beyond the water.

  The entire cubic hall, made of translucent glass, was completely submerged. The light filtered through the water tinted everything in a greenish hue, as if the whole world had sunk beneath a foggy, spectral lens.

  In the distance, she glimpsed a diver swimming toward the lifeless body of a girl lying at the bottom of the hall. Her hair and dress floated in gentle, ghostlike motions. She might already be dead. Her lungs might already be filled with water.

  The diver approached, carrying a cylinder of compressed air.

  Americ-Ana looked away. In other directions, she saw the same: multiple lifeless bodies and several divers “rescuing” people... but far too late.

  When she turned her eyes back to herself, she realized. One of them was already watching her closely. He held a cylinder of air in his hands, simply waiting for her lungs to surrender to the water so he could then "save" her.

  Then she felt something furry wrap around her arm. She was being pulled. She was being carried. She was being rescued.

  Poppandacorn had returned.

  The plush robot had been swept away by the surge of water that flooded the elevator when the doors first opened. But now he was there. He had spotted Americ-Ana among the submerged bodies and divers, and was pulling her toward a part of the cubic structure that had not yet been fully submerged.

  Poppandacorn had dragged Americ-Ana toward the base that connected a massive crystal chandelier to the ceiling of the cube. When she surfaced in that small space, only her head remained above water. There were just forty centimeters left before the entire cube would be underwater. Those forty centimeters, the distance between the ceiling and the already-rising water, were the only space where Americ-Ana could still breathe.

  "Mommy! We are in critical red alert status. Your body temperature is dropping rapidly. We must locate a safe zone. Critical red alert activated," said the plush robot as he emerged beside her in the last unfilled pocket of air.

  Then, Poppandacorn opened the compartment in his belly and pulled out two small inflatable armbands. He handed them to Americ-Ana, who quickly slipped them on. After that, the plush robot pulled out a miniature compressed air cylinder and gave it to her so she could breathe more easily.

  "Activating submerged scan mode, 360 degrees. Mission: locate a safe zone outside the red alert danger zone," said Poppandacorn, as a green light projected from his body and swept across the entire cubic structure.

  Suddenly, the robot’s eyes flashed yellow.

  "Life forms detected. Life forms detected. Life forms detected," Poppandacorn announced.

  He dove under, disappearing into the greenish darkness of the water that had now consumed the entire structure. A few seconds later, the plush robot resurfaced, emerging from the water with two bodies in his arms.

  "Mommy, I’ve located two life forms still breathing. Critical condition, red alert," Poppandacorn declared.

  He had rescued Wwwyye and the boy with glasses and a nasal spray.

  After coughing and vomiting up large amounts of water, the two became aware that they had been rescued by Poppandacorn.

  "I can’t believe I’m still breathing," said the boy with the glasses and nasal spray.

  Wwwyye realized it was Americ-Ana beside her.

  "Thank God you’re okay. Thank God you brought a Poppandacorn to this initiation," said Wwwyye, still struggling to catch her breath.

  Americ-Ana leaned against Poppandacorn, removed the two armbands from her arms, and handed one to each of them.

  "I can’t believe I got tricked by that hysterical little brat," Wwwyye began.

  The boy with the glasses and nasal spray lowered his head and spoke softly, his voice barely audible.

  "The other half of my duality was so kind to me that, when the elevator door opened and the water rushed in, I thought I had reached LEVEL 33. I only realized I’d been deceived when I saw a diver coming toward me. After that, I felt my arm being pulled. I’m here now thanks to Poppandacorn."

  "I am a hero," said Poppandacorn, as Americ-Ana held on to him, using him as a life vest.

  "The other half of my duality said he would share the cell with me. He even made plans for us to study and cook together," Americ-Ana confessed, now realizing how manipulative that boy's behavior had been.

  "I’m more upset with myself for believing that little punk. If I had known he was going to press ‘DO NOT SHARE CELL,’ I would’ve pressed the same button. I would’ve waited for the elevator door to open and swum or dived straight to him to teach him a proper lesson," Wwwyye confessed, burning with fury.

  "So what do we do now? Wait for the water to fill everything, drown, and let the divers rescue us?" Americ-Ana asked.

  "We could use Poppandacorn to scan the area and look for a way out," Wwwyye suggested.

  "Does that mean that even if we don’t drown, we won’t get to study at Equal One Zero anymore?" Americ-Ana asked.

  Wwwyye replied:

  "Actually, our spot is still guaranteed, but we’ll have to wait until the next academic year to take another test. I have older sisters who graduated from Equal One Zero. They said every year they run a trial, kind of like an initiation. A baptism. The test changes every time. No two are ever the same."

  Americ-Ana wondered what it would be like to wait another year just to be able to study at Equal One Zero.

  Would they really let her stay all that time inside the THE-IMPERIUM bunker without attending classes?

  Would she go back to Malibu, to Aunt Karen, Miss Lily, and Mister Bacon?

  Would she return to work at the Golden Glow Studio?

  Would she be arrested again?

  Would she be deported?

  Would she still be able to send help to her grandparents?

  Then, the boy with the glasses and nasal spray said:

  "I think we might be able to try something."

  Americ-Ana and Wwwyye looked at him with wide eyes, as if they were about to hear a great prophecy that could change the course of their lives.

  The boy shrank slightly, embarrassed by the intensity of their stares. He lowered his head and spoke in a quiet voice:

  "From what I understood, and what the Chancellor explained, this initiation process uses a system of dualities. Each of the forty people received one half of a duality, and with it, a riddle. The goal was to form complementary pairs. Two names. One destiny."

  He raised his eyes, now with more conviction:

  "But maybe... maybe the system has a loophole. Or maybe it was designed with a flaw on purpose. What if... two different riddles aren’t truly different? What if they can complete a third one, creating something the system itself didn’t foresee?"

  He pulled his key from his pocket.

  "Before I try anything, can you both read me your riddles?"

  Americ-Ana took out her key and read:

  "The twins of the temple were conceived by the king’s architect. But they were only born when the master builder sent his chosen one."

  The boy nodded slowly.

  Wwwyye spun her key between her fingers and read:

  "We are twins of the same Empire. Yet our army divides between those who fight in the dark, and those who fight in the light."

  He then raised his own key and read:

  "We are twins of the same father. But the first awoke in a cradle of clay, while the second still sleeps in a cradle of bones."

  There was a silence.

  The boy then whispered:

  "Twins..."

  He looked at Americ-Ana.

  "You received Boaz, from the Boaz–Jachin duality, didn’t you?"

  Americ-Ana nodded.

  "And you, you got Yin, from the Yin–Yang duality?"

  "Yes."

  "And I… I am Eve, from the Lilith–Eve duality."

  The boy continued:

  "Do you realize what this means? These three dualities, distinct from one another... are not just names thrown around. They are foundations. Boaz is the silent base of the temple, the column that supports what no one sees. Yin is the nightward force that retreats, receives, and balances. Eve is the one who accepts the burden of obedience before she even desires."

  He lifted his key again.

  "None of the three are offensive in nature. No conquest. No imposition. No cry. They uphold. They are the hidden axis of the world. If these three were placed into different dualities, maybe it was to keep that hidden. But… the riddles don’t lie. The three of us carry fragments of the same thing. Yin and Eve are shadows that cast the shape of Boaz. When they unite, they don’t create something new. They reveal what was always there. And if we combine our keys, they might show what they’ve always been: parts of a single truth."

  The boy looked at Americ-Ana.

  "The answer… it isn’t Yin. And it isn’t Eve. It’s you. It’s Boaz. The structure."

  Americ-Ana swallowed hard. She extended her key.

  "Then… let’s try."

  Wwwyye held out her key.

  The boy gripped his with both hands.

  "Turn them. Now."

  Though from different dualities, all three keys had the same golden cut. Americ-Ana’s formed the base. The boy’s slid in beneath it. Wwwyye’s locked in from above.

  When they fused, the green light pulsed into violet-purple.

  A sharp crack echoed through the cube, like the sound of a stone splitting inside a bronze bell.

  The new key, made of three different parts, began to tremble. A new riddle had appeared:

  "The daughter of structure, the daughter of silence, and the daughter of obedience became one to bear the weight of the temple no one sees."

  The boy looked at Americ-Ana and said:

  "The answer is you, which means Boaz. We need to go to the Boaz elevator, insert the key into the keyhole, and then we’ll see if the union of Yin, Eve, and Boaz worked."

  Poppandacorn gathered the armbands and the small compressed air cylinder. Then, he took Americ-Ana’s hand.

  Americ-Ana held onto Wwwyye’s.

  Wwwyye took the boy’s hand.

  Poppandacorn dove into the green-tinted water, which by now had filled every inch of the cubic structure.

  He activated the small motors hidden in his feet. All of them, hand in hand, moved toward the Boaz elevator.

  Poppandacorn entered first and turned on the lanterns built into his eyes so that Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and the boy could see.

  Together, the three of them held the key. They inserted it into the keyhole, and the key turned automatically.

  The elevator door began to close, letting the accumulated water drain out through the corners.

  At last, they were dry.

  The three looked at one another and pressed the “SHARE CELL” button together.

  At that moment, the tension was visible on each of their faces.

  They gathered their strength and pressed the button labeled “LEVEL 33.”

  The elevator let out a metallic sound.

  Then, it began to move.