Level 25,201: Military Airport.

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

  Hello… I am Alan Heidenreich, I am from a small town in Germany whose name I don't even think you would care about.

  Sometimes I hear their voices even now, taking me back to that cold high school floor, feeling how everyone looked away.

  All my life I had dealt with abuse, always alone, with no one who believed in me or stood up for me. Who would have thought that even planet Earth itself would end up turning its back on me.

  I remember that day in high school well, as if it were yesterday. Three older boys — more like men, bigger, stronger — held me against a locker, threatening to cut my fingers off if I didn’t hand over the money I “owed” them.

  — Give me more, you fucking fatty! — the biggest one yelled, with an undeserved hatred.

  — I don't have any more money… — I replied with a dry throat and a trembling voice. — I gave you all I had.

  They didn't care. They threw me to the ground and started kicking me between laughs.

  — Useless fatty!

  — Stupid piggy!

  — Oink, oink…

  People around me just watched. No one lifted a finger. I only heard more and more laughter, as if my pain were entertainment.

  Sometimes I heard someone murmur amongst the laughter: “Look at poor Alan… the fat boy is getting beaten up again.”

  Fat, stupid, piggy, useless. All those words stuck in me like daggers, over and over.

  Was so much necessary? Why can people be so miserable? What is the need to make someone suffer and enjoy it on top of that?

  While the blows ran through my body, I thought about how it was possible that I kept getting up every morning to drag myself to that school. I didn't even know where those strengths came from, or when exactly I lost my will to keep living.

  No one really cared about my problems, and that was how the Earth, somehow, decided to discard my existence. Perhaps it thought I didn't want to exist either.

  That day the blows were too many, so strong that everything slowly faded around me. When I opened my eyes… I was in Nullaria.

  I never imagined that after the whole world ignored me, the Earth would do it literally, throwing me away like rubbish into this damned limbo.

  And for what? To keep living the same thing. Just when I thought I had at least got rid of my abusers.

  Little by little I left behind that sad memory of my earthly life and returned to the present.

  Now I was on Level 25,201, part of the System of Intelligence and Exploration of Nullaria (SIEN).

  They had rescued me on Level 1 when I arrived here and taught me the basics of surviving in this hell.

  But if you thought I had escaped the abuse… well, let's just say the nightmares hadn't ended; they had only changed shape and location.

  Alan Heidenreich

  Placing some cleaning items on a bench, Alan waited for the footsteps around him to cease.

  He waited for the dressing room door to close and began to take off his clothes.

  The metal dressing rooms of the SIEN base smelled of damp and cheap bleach.

  The shy and scared seventeen-year-old young man struggled to take off his uniform with his clumsy hands.

  He lifted the sweat-soaked shirt, revealing his obese, soft body, marked not by blows... but by that silent shame that accompanied him everywhere, a constant fear of laughter, of existing in a place that never wanted him there.

  He noticed his own reflection in a nearby mirror.

  His brown eyes full of sadness contemplated an image that repulsed him, the same one that was the object of so many taunts.

  He had been enduring what no one else saw for too long.

  He dried the perspiration from his blonde hair with the shirt.

  And it was then that he noticed that the silence and peace didn't last long for him.

  Three young men between twenty and twenty-five years old, fresh from the showers and wrapped in their towels, poked their heads in, laughing with a loud, uninhibited laugh, one of those that fill the space without asking permission.

  They saw him.

  Ryan — Leader of Barracks B, military pride on the outside and human rubbish on the inside — smiled like someone who finds a forgotten toy.

  — Look who's about to have a shower… — he said with that cruel calm —. The little cowardly piggy.

  Alan lowered his gaze, his jaw tight. As if his own prejudices weren't enough. He had learned that protesting only made everything worse.

  — My name is Alan… — he murmured, almost as if the little pride he had left spoke for him.

  A mocking sound came from Luke:

  — Did you hear that? I think I heard an oink.

  TJ laughed loudly.

  — Leader Ryan, I think the piggy tried to correct you — he commented with childish mockery.

  Alan lifted his gaze just a second.

  Fatal error.

  Ryan took a step forward and looked at him with contempt.

  — I didn't know piggies could talk — added Luke —. I think he said, “his name is Alan”.

  And that minimal gesture in Alan's eyes ignited something horrible in Ryan.

  — Don't look at me like that, piggy.

  He picked up a wet towel. He snapped it in the air.

  WHACK!

  The blow against Alan's naked legs was so sharp that it sounded like a real whipping.

  Alan whimpered and tried to cover himself, but the other two were already on top of him. New blows, new laughs, new oinks.

  The towel that wrapped him slipped from his waist and fell to the floor.

  And with that, he was left with nothing.

  Literally nothing.

  The blows forced him to retreat, to cover himself as best he could, to stumble.

  He ran through the changing rooms, naked, trying to cover himself with his hands while the laughter pursued him without mercy.

  While the three repeated:

  oink… oink… oink…

  with each lash that marked his legs and his glutes more and more.

  He left the changing room without realising.

  And entered the worst possible scene.

  The SIEN common room was full: recruits, agents, maintenance personnel.

  Everyone saw him.

  Everyone fell silent for a second.

  And then burst into laughter.

  Alan, with tears of shame and rage, tried to escape as best he could.

  Ryan and his subjects didn't stop. They followed him with blows and shouts, pushing him, cornering him, almost guiding him like a scared animal.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Oinks. Laughter. Lashes. More oinks.

  They intentionally directed him towards a dimly lit room, where a bright sign flickered:

  ARCADE

  Alan fell backwards trying to get away.

  To avoid the blow, he reached out his hand and touched the luminous sign.

  Upon touching the sign, the light exploded.

  And reality sucked him in.

  Ryan dropped the towel, satisfied.

  — Awww… piggy Alan escaped to another level — he said, feigning compassion before bursting into laughter —. Hahaha… what a shame.

  Luke and TJ laughed with him.

  For them, humiliating Alan was not an excess.

  It was not cruelty.

  It was not abuse.

  It was routine.

  It was power.

  It just was fun.

  After a few seconds, the laughter, the blows, the oinks… were no longer there.

  Only Alan remained.

  Crying heartbreakingly, with rage and helplessness, sitting on the red carpet. Surrounded by old arcade machines and neon lights flickering as if nothing had happened.

  An Echo dressed in blue overalls and a white shirt sweeping the floor stopped suddenly upon seeing him. He didn't say anything. He just watched him… like someone who had witnessed that scene too many times.

  Alan looked up, startled, and tried to dry his tears clumsily while looking away.

  — Yes… it’s happened again — he murmured as if the Echo really spoke to him.

  He stood up, still trembling.

  — Yes… lately it’s too frequent… There’s nothing I can do.

  The Echo tilted his head, shaking it with a slow, almost paternal gesture, as if reproaching that this continued to happen.

  Alan swallowed.

  — If it’s no bother…, could you give me some clothes again? I'll return them later.

  There were no words.

  But the Echo made a slight movement with his hand, inviting him to follow him towards a side corridor, as he had done countless times before.

  And while Alan advanced still naked, the neon lights flickered as if they were registering his presence… or his tragedy.

  And, as if Nullaria itself changed channels…

  In another remote point of that realm, Kar’Nix guided Dante into the secret treasure room of his palace.

  With a thought, the raven proudly opened access to his hidden sanctuary, concealed behind a thick enchanted wall.

  The rock vibrated, retracted… and a huge room unfolded before them, illuminated by floating spheres of blue light. Piles of objects shone stacked without any order: relics, fragments, weapons, artefacts and, mostly, worthless shiny stones that Kar’Nix loved to collect… all mixed up like in a magical attic.

  The air smelled of old dust… and condensed magic.

  — Here they are! — exclaimed the raven, puffing out his chest with almost childish pride —. My treasures! The artefacts that will help defeat the Fifth Terror! What do you think, Dante?

  Dante remained perplexed.

  The raven interpreted his expression as astonishment at the quantity of relics…

  But the truth was another.

  — This place… it’s a mess. Couldn't you be tidier? — murmured Dante, squinting his eyes.

  — What, do you not see that I am a raven? Order is something I'm little interested in — grumbled Kar’Nix, flapping with evident discomfort.

  Dante let out a sigh.

  — I see that… — he murmured, not surprised in the least.

  — Besides, I like things because they shine. And their magical essences keep this place protected — added the raven, as if that justified the absolute mess in front of them.

  Dante did not reply. He walked slowly through the mountains of objects, dragging his feet with apparent disinterest, but his eyes scanned every corner looking for something, or several things.

  He passed a set of coloured pearls, broken weapons, potions that bubbled on their own, torn scrolls with burned symbols, jewels that vibrated slightly. With the tip of his foot he moved a couple of objects aside as if scavenging through rubbish.

  — And tell me… — he asked —, what relic will it be that helps destroy the Fifth Terror? I'll be the envy of the other two Great Mystic Beasts!

  Dante didn't even bother to turn around.

  — Do you have contact with them? — he asked coldly.

  — With them? Pff! I haven't seen them for centuries. Sometimes they cross this level in passing, I can feel their energy… but they don't even stop to say hello. It's not something that interests me either… — the feathers on his chest shrank barely —. Many times I also saw them through the eyes of my disciples. But proximity, in itself… no. None. There’s no such thing between us.

  Dante perceived that hint of sadness but said nothing.

  — I never came across the other two — commented Dante with a dry tone.

  — And you're not missing anything — commented Kar’Nix —. I am the most powerful of the three, after all.

  Dante raised an eyebrow.

  — Of course, you are… Surely that must be the case — he murmured with irony.

  It was then that something silver caught his attention. Among broken potions and mini skulls, a metallic watch covered in dust peeked out. Dante unearthed it, examining it carefully while, almost automatically, he stored other useful pieces: coloured pearls, a couple of grey mini skulls and two potions — antidote and antifreeze — in his Dimensional Storage.

  Kar’Nix puffed out his chest, ready to boast.

  — That watch — explained the raven upon noticing Dante's interest — is used by members of the SIEN special forces, from the Level 25,201 Camp. It measures combat and defence statistics. But this one is special. One of my disciples belonged to the NanoNexus faction and possessed it.

  The raven raised his chin with an almost solemn gesture.

  — Those bastards found a strange level teeming with high-complexity technology. More advanced than anything created in Nullaria… even more than they themselves understand. This watch is the result of that technology. This improved version not only offers basic statistics, but advanced analyses of resistances, hidden abilities and weapon synergies. Far superior to what SIEN has managed to manufacture.

  Kar’Nix tilted his head, proud.

  — I just loved its beautiful silver shine.

  Dante didn't need more. Although he had never met anyone from NanoNexus, he understood the value of what he was holding perfectly.

  It was not a relic.

  It was a vital advantage.

  He placed it on his wrist without hesitation.

  He continued rummaging through piles of junk and mixed treasures, until a soft golden glow caught his attention.

  He picked up a map bathed by a faint warm halo.

  — A Blessed Relic — he murmured, arching an eyebrow with an almost satisfied smile —. The Dragon's Heart Map… I will need it later.

  Beside him, a blackened, pulsating ring made him frown. Kar’Nix, curious, approached to look.

  — Can you purify that Cursed Relic for me, please? — asked Dante —.

  The raven opened his eyes wide.

  — That is the Celestial Ring of the Fifth Virtue. It grants the Strategist's Ability. Ideal if you ever come across SIEN commanders. Believe me, they will bring you trouble if you are not prepared for complex strategies and military matters.

  Dante looked at him confused.

  — Who the hell names these things? Celestial Ring of the Fifth Virtue. What is that supposed to mean?

  Kar’Nix let out a thoughtful croak.

  — I don't know exactly what those Virtues of Nullaria are… but it's not the first time I've heard of them. I know for a fact that there are at least five.

  Both fell silent.

  Dante had indeed heard of the Virtues in previous regressions… but had never come across one.

  While Kar’Nix absorbed the ring's curse, Dante picked something off the floor: a small purplish skull, the size of a walnut.

  — This will be ideal to merge with a ring — he commented happily.

  The raven looked at him without any interest.

  — That is just a purple skull…

  Dante froze.

  — It is an Ancestral Category mini skull… This is extremely rare. How do you have something like this lying here?

  Kar’Nix shrugged his wings, as if downplaying its importance.

  — I force my subjects to leave all their treasures in this place. And I also find many others by seeing through their eyes when they investigate levels. I don't remember exactly where that one came from. But it doesn't even shine… Even if it's “whatever” category to you, it's rubbish to me.

  Dante frowned, reading the description floating in his retina.

  [Purple Skull — Category: Ancestral]

  Rarity: Absolute.

  Element: Socketable.

  Grants a +50% bonus to Good Luck.

  He held it between his fingers carefully.

  Once Kar’Nix finished purifying the ring, Dante inserted the skull.

  A golden glow enveloped both objects… and they merged.

  Dante placed it on his finger with a satisfied smile.

  Then he saw it.

  What he had been looking for so much.

  A Cursed Relic in the shape of a toy car: faded plastic, dented, dirty, with twisted wheels.

  So insignificant it looked like a joke.

  Kar’Nix turned his head in shock when Dante asked him to purify it.

  — Are you kidding me? Do you plan to throw it at the Fifth Terror's head?

  — Do it — insisted Dante.

  With a frustrated croak, the raven obeyed.

  As soon as he touched the car, he shuddered. His wings vibrated as if he had touched lightning.

  — What… is this? — he murmured —. I feel immense power…

  After being purified, Dante turned the car between his fingers with delicacy.

  — Don't underestimate the insignificant — he whispered.

  Every fragment of Nullaria… every decision… everything has a purpose. This toy car, as ridiculous as it seems, is the key to escaping this hell.

  Kar’Nix observed him without understanding anything at all.

  Dante contemplated the tiny toy car with a smile; his work here was already finished.

  Finally, after several minutes, both left the white palace, followed by Jonathan and Horacio, zombified.

  — Send them on a mission — he asked —. We need another important relic that could give us more information about the Terrors. The Cursed Book of the Dead.

  Kar’Nix blinked in surprise.

  — Do you want me to send them to Delta Level? That place is chaotic. They could get trapped forever.

  — I've seen it before — Dante replied —. They won't die. At least… that is one possible future. They will find the relic and get trapped. Then we will go for them. It will take them a while to find it, but they will find it.

  The raven observed him, uneasy.

  When he saw Dante approach the edge of the floating island, he understood that the farewell had arrived.

  — Are you leaving already…? — he asked with a sadness he tried to conceal.

  — We are leaving — corrected Dante —. Now that you and I have formed a Mystic Bond Pact, I can take you out of this place. I promised you freedom, remember?

  Kar’Nix hesitated.

  — But… are you sure? I have always been tied to this level. I could only leave through the minds of my subjects.

  Dante smiled.

  — Trust me. I've seen it already. That's why I proposed the pact to you.

  Kar’Nix tilted his head, bewildered.

  — This type of pact links us — continued Dante —. I am your anchor. And you, mine. Thanks to that you will be able to leave this place. But I don't want to risk falling into separate levels. So… transform into your energy orb form and enter my body. You have my permission.

  The raven jumped up excited… then stopped dead.

  — Have you seen my transformations too?! Wait! Wait! Where will we go?

  — To Level 101 — Dante replied —. To the Neighbourhood of Echoes. We have to get there as soon as possible.

  Kar’Nix swallowed.

  — Then concentrate. When you jump towards the clouds, mind your thoughts. A single mental deviation can send you to another level. Calm your heart. Close your eyes. Think solely of something from Level 101. Don't let go of it. Don't stop thinking about it until you reach your destination.

  Dante nodded calmly. He already knew how it worked.

  Kar’Nix transformed into a nebulous purple orb with a beak and eyes.

  It floated towards Dante's chest… and merged into him.

  Dante breathed deeply.

  He looked at the floating island one last time…

  And jumped towards the clouds.

  He closed his eyes.

  He thought about the Neighbourhood of Echoes.

  And disappeared.

  Dante was lost among the clouds, unaware that, in another corner of the realm, Nullaria was already accommodating the next piece of the board.

  In the Infinite Arcade of Level 7, the Echo attendant's silence was filled with bites of greasy pizza and sips of cheap beer.

  Alan, calmer, chewed unhurriedly at a bar covered in colourful bottles.

  The Echo attendant looked at him.

  Alan raised his eyebrows, understanding the silent question.

  — The legal drinking age in Germany is 16 and I am 17, almost 18 — he said, proud —.

  And yes, the overalls fit me perfectly. Thank you very much.

  The garment, identical to the Echo's, adapted to each body.

  Although the attendant was skinny and Alan… clearly not.

  Then something caught the Echo's attention.

  He turned his head towards a corridor.

  Alan strained his neck to look…

  And he saw her.

  Bealuna.

  Walking with lost eyes.

  Attracted by an invisible murmur.

  A whisper crept through the air:

  Bealuna… Bealuna… come… come… it's this way...

  She did not react.

  She just walked among the arcade machines as if responding to a call.

  She turned into a corridor.

  A rusted sign on a wall said:

  EXIT

  The atmosphere became narrower, darker, and without any sound.

  Until she reached a gigantic oval room.

  Empty.

  Above it, instead of a ceiling:

  Distant galaxies rotating slowly.

  In the centre: a single lit arcade machine, surrounded by a golden aura.

  At the back, a hand-carved sign on the wall cited:

  "Last Level. Do not enter if you are not ready."

  Improvised Omega symbols of different sizes covered the walls around it, like desperate scrawls.

  The murmurs grew.

  Bealuna… come… here… come…

  She extended her hand, about to cross a circular golden barrier that surrounded the arcade machine.

  Just as her finger touched the threshold, a hand forcefully gripped her arm.

  Alan.

  — MISS! — he shouted, dragging her backwards — Please, don't go in there! That place is the Final Level! It's extremely dangerous!

  Bealuna's eyes opened, coming back to herself.

  She looked at Alan, confused… then at the arcade machine and everything around her.

  — The… Final Level? — she whispered trying to understand what was happening.

  End of Chapter Fifteen.

  Chapter 15.

  Thank you for enduring Alan’s introduction. It's a heavy start, but a necessary one to understand the stakes of this world.

  SIEN, mirroring the cruelty of his high school bullies, shows that Nullaria only amplifies humanity's worst instincts.

  Infinite Arcade, we see a crucial shift: Alan saves Bealuna from something unknown, a moment of action that sets him on a different path.

  Kar'Nix? Did the different narrative voices help you feel the weight of Alan's past?

  realm of convergences, nothing is insignificant. The stage is set for a collision course between these characters, and it is no coincidence.

  — Alberto Báez