Pushing Through the Veil
Pushing Through the Veil
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Outside the Game – The Confrontation
The Infinite Horizons lobby was all glass and steel, a modern fortress of cutting-edge technology and clinical design. But none of that impressed Camila or Emilio as they stormed through the revolving doors.
Two security guards approached almost immediately. "Excuse me, sir, ma'am, do you have an appointment?"
"No, we don't," Emilio snapped. "But we're not leaving until we speak with someone in charge."
"Please, calm down. We can't let you proceed without proper authorization."
"Authorization?" Camila's voice was sharp, her hands clenched into fists. "My father has been missing for weeks! And every time we call, all we get are empty promises and useless explanations. We're here for answers, not excuses."
One of the guards exchanged a nervous glance with his partner. "You'll need to take that up with customer support. This isn't something we can—"
"No," Emilio growled. "We've already gone through customer support. We've been through the technical support team, the helpline, and even your so-called public relations department. We're not leaving until we speak to someone who actually knows what's going on."
The guards hesitated, clearly unsure of how to proceed. Then one of them reached for his radio. "Dispatch, we have a situation in the main lobby. Two individuals demanding immediate access to management. Please advise."
Moments later, a young woman in a crisp business suit emerged from the elevator, her expression unreadable. "Good morning. My name is Sarah Briggs, Senior PR Liaison. How can I help you?"
"My father's name is Miguel Tañon," Camila said, her voice trembling with anger. "He's been playing your game, The Tower of Infinitium, and he hasn't logged out in weeks. We've tried everything. Calling, emailing, filing reports. No one's giving us any real answers."
Sarah's calm demeanor remained intact. "I understand your concern. If you'll please follow me, we can discuss this matter in private."
Emilio eyed her suspiciously. "We're not going anywhere until you tell us what's going on with our dad."
Sarah took a measured breath. "I assure you, Mr. Tañon is alive and well. He is still connected to the game, and we are doing everything possible to ensure his safety."
"That's not good enough," Camila fired back. "What do you mean he's still connected to the game? Shouldn't he be able to log out whenever he wants?"
Sarah's eyes shifted, a flicker of discomfort betraying her otherwise flawless professionalism. "Under normal circumstances, yes. However, Mr. Tañon's situation is… unique."
Emilio crossed his arms. "Unique? What the hell does that mean?"
Sarah glanced around the lobby before gesturing for them to follow her. "Please. Let's discuss this somewhere more private."
Reluctantly, they complied. Sarah led them down a pristine corridor and into a conference room dominated by a long, polished table. Once the door was closed, she spoke.
"Your father's connection to the game was compromised during a recent incident. A powerful storm caused significant damage to our systems, and unfortunately, Mr. Tañon's consciousness was affected by the malfunction."
"Affected?" Camila's face went pale. "Are you saying he's… trapped?"
"Not exactly," Sarah said, her voice softer. "Our AI, Eos, acted to preserve his life. The nature of the malfunction meant that forcibly disconnecting him could have resulted in permanent neurological damage."
Emilio's fists clenched. "So, what's your solution? Just leave him in there?"
"No," Sarah replied quickly. "Eos is working to stabilize Mr. Tañon's connection and ensure his safe return. The problem is… we can't remove him from the game without completing certain protocols that were never designed to be bypassed."
"Protocols?" Camila echoed, her voice trembling.
"Yes. The only way to safely extract him is to allow him to continue playing the game. If he completes the necessary objectives, Eos will be able to fully integrate his consciousness back to his physical form."
"And how long is that going to take?" Emilio's voice was a low growl.
"We don't know," Sarah admitted. "But I promise you, we are doing everything we can to make sure he comes back safely."
"That's not good enough," Camila said, her eyes burning with tears. "You're telling us our father's trapped in a video game, and all you can do is wait?"
"I understand your frustration. I truly do. But pulling him out by force could kill him."
"What about us?" Emilio asked. "Can we talk to him? Tell him we're here?"
Sarah hesitated. "We've tried reaching him through standard communication channels within the game. But due to his unique status, normal methods haven't worked. We are working on a solution."
"Trying isn't good enough," Camila whispered, her voice cracking. "We want our father back."
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The Tower – An Unlikely Companion
Miguel guided the silver-haired woman—who introduced herself as Aeliana—through the winding forest trails back toward the village.
She stumbled occasionally, her limbs awkward as though the world itself was unfamiliar to her. Miguel couldn't shake the feeling something was off. Her movements were too precise, her gaze too focused. But her voice carried genuine fear.
"Thank you for helping me," Aeliana said softly. "I thought I was going to die out there."
Miguel shrugged. "You're safe now. We're almost to the village. They'll be able to help you."
She nodded, but her eyes remained fixed on him, studying his every movement. "You're not like the others. You have… something different about you."
Miguel snorted. "Yeah, that's one way of putting it."
They continued in silence, but Aeliana's gaze never left him.
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