– CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE –

  THE MULAFOSSUR

  The FALL AION TRIP detonated in glare and roar. Americ-Ana only felt the metallic jolt inside Poppandacorn, and in that same instant the plush robot’s body split into valves and petals, spitting cold foam that sealed her into a suffocating cocoon. The air burned in her lungs like molten iron.

  At the same time, the golden light of Reiyel’s wings cut through the flare. The angel drew Popess Rock tight against his chest and, in a single gesture, tore Antichrist from Astyam’s arms, locking them both inside his great wings, which now had become a protective chrysalis.

  The blast struck everything, but where Poppandacorn ground and hissed like a machine about to give way, Reiyel’s angelic wings absorbed the fire.

  From Wwwyye’s and Astyam’s seats, translucent membranes rose on their own, like shells of liquid glass molding over their bodies. The FALL AION TRIP, even in collapse, defended itself.

  Moments later, the flames had dissipated. The heat of the explosion no longer existed. The FALL AION TRIP was back in Director Popess Rock’s laboratory.

  The room’s highly sensitive sensors detected the machine’s return and the abnormal heat. Immediately, the security system activated. From the sprinklers, jets of water began to fall, forming a cold rain that ran down the walls and across the metal floor, turning the laboratory into a fog-laden scene of steam and splatter.

  The foam encasing Americ-Ana began to fracture into fine fissures, releasing muffled cracks until it gave way. Her face surfaced from the white cocoon, breath broken, cold air knifing into her lungs. Poppandacorn still held her, his eyes blinking in code.

  On the other side, Reiyel’s wings opened slowly. Popess Rock slid from the angel’s arms, her monk-white tunic soaked by the artificial rain. Antichrist remained nestled in Reiyel’s left arm, unmoving, sheltered.

  The translucent membranes that covered Wwwyye and Astyam retracted like liquid glass. Both of them coughed hard, choking on the mist.

  The silence lasted only a few seconds, until Popess Rock said, "Interesting… even in collapse, the FALL AION TRIP preserved the survival parameters. The systems’ response stayed within the expected margin."

  Wwwyye coughed, leaning forward, her hair dripping. She tried to straighten her soaked dress. Beside her, Astyam fought to catch his breath as he sprayed nasal mist, his eyes sweeping the room in search of Antichrist. Relief only arrived when he saw it, still motionless, in the arms of the angel Reiyel.

  Americ-Ana could barely hold up her own body. The tremor in her legs was uncontrollable, as if the explosion were still reverberating inside her. Poppandacorn gripped her tightly, his eyes flashing in code, oscillating between binary lines and warning messages.

  "Are you all well, children of God?" Popess Rock asked.

  Right after, she knelt before the angel Reiyel, hands joined in prayer. Her voice echoed with reverence, "Celestial divinity, I pray in this moment that You would use Your infinite mercy and compassion to heal all of us who are here."

  The angel Reiyel’s yellow eyes flared with renewed intensity. Something was said to Director Popess Rock alone, because she immediately bent to kiss the angel’s feet. Then Reiyel touched her head.

  He walked to Americ-Ana and repeated the gesture. Then he moved past Wwwyye and Astyam, returning Antichrist to the latter’s arms before blessing them as well.

  "But what happened to my body?" Wwwyye asked, patting each limb in astonishment.

  "In the infinite mercy and compassion of the Most High God, the angel Reiyel has healed all of us from any harm that may have been inflicted upon our bodies," Popess Rock replied, bowing once again before the angel.

  Astyam spritzed the nasal spray and said, "But what happened? Was it an explosion? An accident? What was it?"

  Finding her voice again, Americ-Ana joined Astyam’s unease. "I’m confused too. One moment we were all inside the FALL AION TRIP, and the next everything became a flare. Suddenly, we were here."

  The angel Reiyel took his place beside Popess Rock. She lifted her gaze and declared, "Creatures of God, later I will review the data preserved by the FALL AION TRIP to understand what truly occurred. But for now, I can tell you one thing."

  Director Popess Rock drew a deep breath, then continued, saying:

  "What occurred was not a common accident, nor a miscalculation. The FALL AION TRIP did not fail; it was simply unable to contain what we witnessed. Until now, every known record of frequency, whether in classical physics, string theory, or even the scale of consciousness, has always moved toward the positive. From shame to Enlightenment, frequencies oscillated, but they never crossed zero."

  Americ-Ana lifted her eyes, still trembling.

  "But… Director… does that mean we… broke some law of nature?"

  "Not exactly, child of God," Popess Rock replied. "However, you went beyond. For the first time, the FALL AION TRIP captured a negative frequency. We saw it together: –1111 Hertz. And this is unprecedented not only for me or for THE-IMPERIUM, but for the whole history of humankind."

  Wwwyye pressed the top hat to her chest, water dripping down her pink dress.

  "Negative? I don’t like the sound of that…"

  "I understand," the director replied. "Unlike Enlightenment, which lifts, expands, and generates healing, Negative Hertz seems to open a fissure, to invert the logic of vibration. It is as if the very structure of consciousness were turned inside out, revealing not only what upholds the human being, but that which threatens to corrode it from within."

  Astyam sneezed, spritzing nasal spray before speaking:

  "Then what we saw… that thing on our shoulders… it wasn’t a hallucination."

  "No," Popess Rock replied. "You must understand: the FALL AION TRIP did not create that frequency. It only revealed what was already in you, latent, like a shadow never before deciphered. This is not illusion. It is data. It is number. It is science and spirit at the same time."

  Poppandacorn lifted his little arm, still clinging to Americ-Ana, and protested, "Mommy, I don’t want to have a shadow! I’m a good boy!"

  Popess Rock brought her hands together.

  "Creatures of God, do you remember what we saw before the collapse? The three Inner-Child, covered in cosmic darkness, speckled with stars, as if they were fragments of an inverted universe. That image did not vanish with the explosion. It is etched into each of you."

  The director stepped closer to the group.

  "This, children of God, is the greatest discovery ever witnessed in our time. If the 1000 Hertz of Enlightenment represents the fullness of light, then –1111 Hertz is the record of what dwells in the abyss. You were the first to touch it. And we, the first to see it."

  Astyam adjusted Antichrist in his arms, feeling the little fox’s black fur damp. Doubt gnawed at him.

  "Director Popess Rock… this creature that was born from us, this little fox… does it have anything to do with what we just saw in the FALL AION TRIP? With those Negative Hertz?"

  Popess Rock remained silent for a few seconds, only watching Antichrist. Her eyes traced every detail of the small living body, as though searching it for an answer. Then she lifted her head.

  "Creatures of God, remember. The origin of this creature took place when the three of you bit into the apples of the Tree of Knowledge; the fruit did not remain in your bodies. It was expelled, transformed, fused outside of you. What you all witnessed that day was unprecedented: the residue of the fruit became life. And that life took shape in this little fox."

  Wwwyye, still adjusting her drenched top hat, swallowed hard. "You mean we… vomited a living being?"

  "Not only that," Popess Rock replied. "The birth of this creature is as singular as the fusion of three distinct dualities. The coincidence between these two events cannot be ignored. For the first time, the FALL AION TRIP recorded a negative frequency, –1111 Hertz. And at the same time, the first life we know to have originated from the three of you emerged from that fusion."

  Americ-Ana took a step back, hugging Poppandacorn as if seeking support.

  "Then… is Antichrist part of us?"

  Popess Rock nodded slowly.

  "Part of you, yes. Just as much as your Inner-Child. This creature is reflection, it is shadow, and it is the direct consequence of the union of your consciousnesses. I still cannot state what it represents in the whole, but I can already say this: it is a living fragment of what was revealed in the Negative Hertz."

  Poppandacorn lifted his little hand, his eyes blinking in code.

  "Mommy, Mommy… so does that mean this thing is like a magical poop? Because it came out through vomit, but it looks like poop that gained life!"

  Americ-Ana blushed with shame and hurried to cover the robot’s mouth.

  "Poppa! Be quiet, this isn’t the time!"

  For an instant, the weight of the revelation cracked, and even Wwwyye let out a nervous laugh, while Antichrist absentmindedly licked the sleeve of Astyam’s arm.

  Popess Rock drew a deep breath and resumed.

  "Be that as it may, the appearance of this creature is no accident. I need time, tests, analyses. Only then will I be able to understand how far the connection goes between the Negative Hertz and the origin of this little fox. Until then, consider it an inseparable part of the three of you."

  Then a sudden noise, coming from outside the laboratory, startled them all.

  The angel Reiyel reacted at once, spreading his wings and forming a shield around Director Popess Rock.

  Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam shrank back behind Poppandacorn. The small plush robot thrust his body forward, ready to defend.

  The door opened.

  "But what happened here?"

  It was Nome-Rocky. His eyes swept every corner of the laboratory, and his expression shifted quickly.

  "Better I don’t even want to know."

  Then he fixed his gaze on Americ-Ana, Wwwyye, and Astyam.

  "I didn’t know you were here... well... anyway."

  Now his eyes settled on the director.

  "Excuse me, ma’am Director. Orientation is about to begin."

  Nome-Rocky closed the door and vanished down the corridor.

  "I confess I lost myself in the middle of everything that happened and ended up completely forgetting that we still have an orientation, and that right after we’ll be heading toward the SOLOMON COLISEUM bunker," Popess Rock said.

  She turned to the three of them and added, "I know we have much to do, but I would like to ask something of you. For now, could you leave the creation of God called Antichrist in my care? As you have seen, we have more questions than answers."

  Astyam spritzed the nasal spray and replied, "I’m fine with it, especially because we need to understand what Antichrist truly is and why it is with us... I mean... why it originated from us."

  "I agree as well," Wwwyye said, adjusting her top hat.

  "Thank you for helping us, Director Popess Rock. We need answers," Americ-Ana concluded.

  Astyam stroked the head of the little black fox and held it out. Immediately, the angel Reiyel took the small fox into his arms.

  Moments later, they were moving through corridors carpeted with green grass.

  They stopped before an immense, ornamented wooden door.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  Director Popess Rock touched Americ-Ana’s shoulder and said, "Child of God, your safety and well-being are my priority. I want you to feel protected. If anything troubles you, speak to me whenever you need."

  "Thank you, ma’am Director!" Americ-Ana replied, moved.

  The door opened slowly.

  On the other side was an auditorium. A stage dominated the center, where Nome-Rocky, Parys Bloodpure, and Patron Uvo stood in position. In the seats, all the other initiates were already gathered.

  Parys Bloodpure took the floor onstage.

  "To conclude the introduction, as Ambassador of the Equal One Zero Academy, I welcome all initiates. And don’t forget: if you want an active, complete academic life, count on Poopghene products. Official sponsor of the KING MatNat games. Fac Foedus!"

  As she finished, the Poopghene franchise theme music boomed through the auditorium. Characters from the animated series appeared onstage and began to dance in perfect choreography. Parys Bloodpure, at the center, led them while singing the theme song of the Poopghene Universe.

  In Americ-Ana’s arms, Poppandacorn jolted with excitement.

  "Mommy!... It’s my song! Look! My whole class is onstage! Come on! Let’s sing and dance!"

  Before Americ-Ana could react, he wriggled free and sprang to the floor, dancing and singing at the top of his lungs. At once he began tugging at the hem of her dress toward the stage.

  "Poppa! No! Quiet! Let go of me, Poppa! Get back here! Stop right now!" Americ-Ana tried to resist the pull, desperate not to be dragged in front of everyone.

  Hypnotized by the music, Poppandacorn seemed to be in a trance. With the strength of his robotic frame, he yanked the dress so hard the fabric tore. Holding the piece, he kept dancing and singing without noticing the damage, until he climbed the steps and joined the performance.

  "My God! What am I going to do? Look at this!" Americ-Ana exclaimed, staring at the torn dress in shock.

  Noticing the commotion, Director Popess Rock stepped closer.

  "I told you, child of God. You must be strict with him. Poopghene models possess an inestimable intellectual capacity, I would say. However, they were also programmed to be educated and shaped according to their owners’ needs. Here, I’ll help you."

  The director touched a finger to Americ-Ana’s earring. In the blink of an eye, the torn hem of the dress mended itself completely.

  "THE-IMPERIUM technology. You would be surprised how many times this monk-white tunic of mine has already torn. And yet, look, it’s still completely new," Popess Rock remarked, letting her fingers glide over the flawless fabric.

  The Poopghene franchise theme music came to an end. Onstage, the plush robots formed a pyramid. Parys Bloodpure climbed the fuzzy bodies like steps until she reached the top. The instant she raised her arms, all the models fired colorful fireworks that burst in the air, spelling the word, "Fac Foedus!"

  The entire auditorium rose to its feet, applauding.

  Only then did Poppandacorn glance at his own little hand and realize he was still holding a torn piece of Americ-Ana’s dress. His eyes drifted over the auditorium until they found her, on the right-hand side.

  "Mommy!!!"

  The little bear sprinted straight toward her.

  "Mommy, did you see me onstage? Mommy, I danced and sang, did you see? What did you think, Mommy? Was I good? Did you see me, Mommy? Are you proud of me?"

  He bounced and hopped with his little arms raised, begging to be picked up, the questions spilling out without pause.

  By then, Parys Bloodpure and the characters from the franchise had already left the stage. The lights swung toward Nome-Rocky, who stepped into the spotlights.

  "Fac Foedus!" he said.

  Then Nome-Rocky pulled two knives from the pockets of his velvet blazer and threw them upward with astonishing skill. As they spun in the air, he drew two more from his trouser pockets and flung those as well. The first pair dropped back into his hands with an almost inhuman delicacy, and he sent them up again.

  The four blades whirled overhead when, without missing a beat, he drew two more knives strapped in leather holsters fitted to his legs. He tossed them up, and in that same instant the other four returned to his hands. With an agile twist, he threw them again.

  Now six knives danced in the air, spinning in perfect cadence. Then, inexplicably, they remained suspended, hovering as if gravity had ceased.

  Nome-Rocky brought a hand to his buckled belt and drew the seventh knife. He threw it next, and soon the seven blades were turning in absolute synchrony, like gears in a single invisible mechanism.

  Nome-Rocky began to say, "As Ambassador of the Equal One Zero Academy, I welcome you all. This is the place where each initiate finds their own flame."

  As Nome-Rocky spoke the words, images emerged from the center where the seven knives were spinning in midair, figures forming out of the blades’ hypnotic motion, each one representing the symbol being spoken aloud.

  "Here, the knife does not cut flesh alone, but opens pathways to destiny. The blood you offer will be the bridge between heaven and abyss, between the angels who bless and the demons who demand. Do not fear the trial, for it exists to reveal who you already are. Together, we uphold the tradition that joined generations and shaped immortal pacts. You are not alone; you are part of something greater, and today that bond begins."

  The seven knives spinning in the air began to fall, one by one, toward Nome-Rocky. He caught them with impeccable skill. When the last blade settled into his hand, the entire auditorium erupted in a standing ovation.

  Nome-Rocky bowed in thanks and announced, "Now welcome the greatest KING MatNat player of all time. Director Popess Rock."

  The audience answered with excited cheers and applause.

  Director Popess Rock stepped onto the stage accompanied by the angel Reiyel. She gave Nome-Rocky a slight nod, and he withdrew in silence. Then she took her place at the center of the stage, with the angel standing just behind her.

  In the audience, Americ-Ana, Poppandacorn, Wwwyye, and Astyam took their seats among the other initiates.

  "Fac Foedus!" Director Popess Rock greeted them. "It is with great honor and joy that I, as Director of the Equal One Zero Academy, welcome all initiates."

  Applause echoed through the auditorium. The director continued:

  "The Equal One Zero Academy is far more than merely a home for knowledge. And when I say 'far more than merely,' do not think I am diminishing the grandeur of an institution of learning. On the contrary. I mean that what complements this academy is not a competitor, but an ally. When both are aligned, glory becomes a mere consequence."

  Popess Rock began to walk slowly across the stage. Behind her, like a silent guardian, the angel Reiyel matched her every step.

  "When I say 'far more than merely,' I invoke the true meaning of what makes us demigods. And when I speak of demigods, I do not refer to the human effort to rise in life in search of success. I refer, children of God, to a gift, a present, a blessing that the Creator Himself granted to man so that man might draw near to Him."

  The director fixed her gaze on each face in the audience.

  "I speak, children of God, of the wondrous night when the Eternal God appeared to King Solomon, king of Israel, and asked him what he desired. In that instant, God Himself was willing to grant anything. Anything!"

  She let out a deep sigh and continued, her voice vibrant.

  "And the creature Solomon, humble in his ambitions, asked the One and Supreme God to be given wisdom. Just imagine: the Creator of the Universe before you, offering everything you could desire, and still the only answer is, 'Give me wisdom, Supreme Creator!'"

  Popess Rock brought her hands together in a gesture of prayer.

  "The Supreme God, whose essence is neither flesh nor blood, but light, glory, and splendor, beheld the sincerity of that human heart. Seeing such humility in King Solomon, He not only granted the request, but declared that, because he had not asked for the death of his enemies, nor for riches, power, or glory, He would give him dominion over the Heavens and over the Abyss. It was then that the KING MatNat sphere was delivered, by the One and True God Himself, to the creature King Solomon."

  Popess Rock walked to the center of the stage, knelt before the audience, and lifted her hands toward the heavens.

  "KING MatNat is a Hebrew word that means 'a gift given by the king.' KING MatNat is dominion over angels and demons that the god Jehovah granted to men of good heart. Hallelujah!"

  Popess Rock pressed her face to the floor. The angel Reiyel raised his great wings upward and, with yellow, glittering eyes, seemed to be staring at something far beyond the auditorium ceiling.

  Suddenly, the director fell into a trance. Her lips babbled disconnected words, her eyes rolled back, and her body began to jerk into clapping and frantic movements. For nearly a full minute, she performed what seemed to be an ancestral dance, almost a tribal rite. The long sleeves of her white tunic dragged along the floor and cut the air with each gesture, as if they too were part of the choreography.

  Suddenly, Popess Rock brought her hands together, stilled her movements, and, with eyes closed, declared, "Children of the God who created all things, follow me in this praise."

  The angel Reiyel folded his wings for an instant and, when he unfurled them again, a golden harp gleamed between his hands. He began to play.

  Above the director’s head, the words of a song materialized in golden letters.

  The Mulafossur

  The polarity is the portal to the balance of the universe.

  But to reach this balance demands sacrifice.

  One must crawl through hell on their knees,

  love the abyss before desiring the sky,

  learn to fly not only upward,

  but downward as well.

  So it was with the fresh water.

  In search of its polarity,

  it cast itself from the highest cliff,

  surrendering to the abyss in the certainty of the fall.

  Yet when gravity seemed ready to triumph,

  the wind enfolded it in its force.

  Part of the water was lifted, part of it died,

  becoming cloud in a single instant.

  This was the sorrow of the fresh water:

  to die in part, in order to reveal the whole.

  It did not know that by obeying the universal Law

  the Law that all is dual

  its sacrifice would grant the world

  a vision surpassing Adam’s exile:

  a glimpse of the lost Paradise,

  etched in the memory of creation before the Fall.

  Welcome to the Kitchen of Crown Eden.

  Welcome to Mulafossur.

  As soon as Director Popess Rock finished singing, she rose slowly and walked to the angel Reiyel, who still plucked at the golden harp.

  They moved forward side by side until they stood facing one another. In that instant, the stage curtains parted, revealing a Jump Chronos Station.

  The portal was already active. Inside it, a waterfall could be seen pouring from a tall, rocky cliff straight toward the ocean. Yet the force of the wind prevented the water from reaching the sea. Instead, it was blown back upward and dissolved into a white mist that spread through the air, forming small clouds.

  The angel Reiyel continued to pluck the golden harp. He and Director Popess Rock remained facing each other, like guardians of the Jump Chronos Station.

  "Come, creations of God. Come toward the first portal that will lead you to eternal life. Do not be afraid, creatures of the Most High. Come, all of you!" Director Popess Rock announced.

  One by one, the initiates rose and climbed onto the stage. Americ-Ana carried Poppandacorn in her arms, followed by Wwwyye and Astyam. Soon they formed a circle before the portal.

  "Who will be the first child of God to test their own faith? Who will be the first to tear the veil between the natural and the supernatural?" the director asked, her voice echoing through the auditorium.

  From the right side of the stage, emerging from the darkness behind the curtain, Patron Uvo appeared.

  "Excuse me, Madame Director. If you permit me, I believe it would be an honor if the scholarship girl made the first entry. After all, as they say, she is making history, isn’t she?" he said, fixing Americ-Ana with half-lidded eyes.

  The director considered for a few moments and then replied, "You are right, child of God, Patron Uvo. I had not thought of that. We are, indeed, making history as we receive among us our sister, daughter of the same Most High, the creation Delsilva. Please, child of God, come forward. Do the honors."

  Americ-Ana swallowed hard. Still holding Poppandacorn in her arms, she began to walk toward the Jump Chronos Station.

  As she neared the portal, Popess Rock declared, "Have faith. Do not doubt. God has given you power to walk upon the waters. Only take the first step, and He will provide the rest of the way."

  At the boundary between the stage and the passage projected by the portal, Americ-Ana’s heart lurched into a gallop. Cold slid through her stomach when she realized the portal’s destination opened from the height of a building over the ocean.

  She swallowed hard, turned to the director, and said, "I think I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do, ma’am Director."

  "Only take the first step, child of the Creator. Then God will provide the rest of the way," Popess Rock replied.

  Americ-Ana looked beyond the portal again. Straight ahead, she could see the cliff from which the waterfall plunged, while the wind scattered the current through the air. It was humanly impossible to reach that point. If she crossed the portal, she would fall straight into the ocean, many meters below.

  She thought that if she didn’t drown, she would certainly die on impact with the water. The height was terrifying.

  "Then I need to reach the cliff, where the waterfall comes down, even though it’s visibly distant?" she asked, wanting to make sure she had understood.

  "Exactly, child of God!" Director Popess Rock confirmed.

  "But if I do that, I’ll fall straight into the ocean right below," Americ-Ana said, her voice trembling.

  "Only have faith, child of God. If you take the first step, God will provide the rest," Popess Rock replied, bringing her hands together in prayer.

  "Mommy, Poppa heard very well what the director said, but my sensors indicate I must trigger RED ALERT! DANGER! Immediately!" Poppandacorn said.

  The director turned to Americ-Ana.

  "This is your trial, child of God, Delsilva. If you listen to the reason that comes from the robotic creature, you will show that you are not ready to advance into the mysteries beyond the veil. But if you listen to faith, it will be a sign that the paths of the invisible recognize in you a soul worthy of venturing into the supernatural."

  Sweat began to run down Americ-Ana’s forehead. All around, everyone watched her in expectation. Wwwyye bit her nail until it bled. Astyam kept rubbing at his nose, as if the tension were worsening his allergy.

  In Americ-Ana’s arms, Poppandacorn writhed in desperation.

  "Mommy, no! You’re going to fall! The calculations are clear, it’s impossible! I won’t let you! RED ALERT! DANGER, DANGER!"

  He clung to her dress with force, his plush-metal paws digging in like claws.

  Americ-Ana tried to pry him loose, but she couldn’t.

  "Poppa… please, calm down… I…"

  Her voice failed. She looked at the portal and felt her legs begin to shake. The emptiness ahead seemed to swallow her just from the act of staring into it.

  "Mommy, if you take one step, you’re going to die! I was made to protect you, and I won’t let you throw yourself into the abyss!"

  Poppandacorn’s voice rang through the auditorium, heavy with desperation.

  Americ-Ana lifted her eyes to Director Popess Rock.

  "Ma’am Director, I… I don’t know if I can!"

  The director’s gaze settled on her, unwavering.

  "Child of the Creator, all our lives we have trusted only what can be touched. But faith begins where reason ends. Your robotic creature’s calculation is true, but limited. There are laws above mathematics, above physics. Only take the first step. The path will form beneath your feet."

  Americ-Ana’s breathing was quick and shallow. She looked beyond the portal: far below, the ocean churned, black and threatening. She looked back at Poppandacorn: he was crying, clinging to her arm, shaking his head in refusal. Then she looked at Popess Rock: serene, unshakable.

  Americ-Ana’s heart seemed split into two halves.

  "I… I don’t know if I can…" she murmured, her voice thick, nearly in tears.

  She remained frozen before the Jump Chronos Station, her heart hammering like a drum.

  "You can do it!" someone shouted among the initiates.

  "Just shove her already!" another mocked, drawing nervous laughter.

  Some stirred with anxious voices, but many remained silent, eyes wide, as if waiting to witness a miracle or a tragedy.

  Poppandacorn squeezed Americ-Ana’s arm harder and harder. His glassy eyes were brimming with light.

  "No, Mommy, no! Listen to me, not them! I have protocols, I have sensors, I know what’s going to happen! You’re going to fall, you’ll get hurt, and I’ll never have you again! I won’t let you, I won’t let you!"

  Poppandacorn began to shake uncontrollably, as if his gears were about to snap.

  Americ-Ana’s legs faltered. Her gaze locked on the abyss beyond the portal. The wind blew hard, scattering the water into white clouds. If she took a step, she would plunge into the dark ocean. Her throat went dry, and cold sweat slid down the back of her neck.

  Popess Rock raised her voice.

  "Americ-Ana Delsilva, child of the Most High. Faith does not erase fear; it passes through it. If you stop now, you will live forever under the yoke of reason. But if you take the step, even without seeing the path, the invisible will become solid beneath your feet. This is the beginning of eternal life. The portal opens only for those who dare."

  Americ-Ana’s eyes filled with tears.

  "But… what if I die?"

  Popess Rock brought her hands together in prayer.

  "Then you will have proved that you believed to the end. And that alone is victory."

  Silence spread through the auditorium, dense and absolute. Only the metallic sound of Poppandacorn’s "RED ALERT! DANGER!" broke the air. He still clung to Americ-Ana’s dress until he said, his voice thick with emotion, "Mommy… if you go, I’m going with you… even if I break... even if I’m destroyed…"

  Then he deactivated alert mode. He climbed onto her back and, with a mechanical snap, his little hands and feet transformed into straps that latched on firmly, like a backpack.

  Americ-Ana took a step toward the Jump Chronos Station. On the other side, the immense cliff rose up, the waterfall breaking apart into white clouds.

  Below, the dark, heaving ocean waited dozens of meters down.

  Americ-Ana took another step. Now she stood at the portal’s threshold. She felt the wind roar against her body.

  Then Americ-Ana leapt into the abyss.