Chapter XIII: Eris, Who Cast the Seed.

Standing in the white doorway of the expansive living room, Teodor watched the three men seated on three sofas arranged next to each other. He took a step forward, but before he could move any further, his brother immediately turned around.

- What took so long? - Ignacy complained, clearly irritated. - You've been dressing for almost twenty minutes, - he added, throwing him a quick, almost amused glance.

- What about Nulla? - Teodor asked, looking around the room, searching for his sister.

- They've already left, - Jaśmin replied, staring at him with an emotionless look. - They said they didn't have time to wait, - he added, turning away.

- Right, - Teodor muttered, lowering his head. Then, he started scratching his temple, as if trying to collect his thoughts. - It's almost twelve already, - he said, his gaze moving toward Blue, who sat silently, staring at the floor. The Asian looked strangely stressed, and his silence made the atmosphere even more awkward.

- Oh, by the way, - Ignacy broke the silence, glancing at Blue. - Have you figured out the list of those bars yet? - he asked, keeping his tone light but confident.

- I… I - Blue mumbled quietly, clearly unsure of himself, as though something was stuck in his throat.

- There's only one bar, - Jaśmin replied, looking at Blue with slight concern. - Right, Blue? - he added, casting him a glance that seemed to carry a sense of command.

- So, you don't have much work to do, - Ignacy joked, trying to lighten the mood. - Maybe you should head back even before us, - he added, his tone light but still noticeably tense.

The atmosphere in the room was strangely charged, and the silence filling the space grew almost suffocating. The redhead felt himself growing more uncomfortable. He glanced at Jaśmin, hoping for any help in his dark eyes. Instead of an answer, he only saw his own reflection. He lowered his head.

- It was just a joke, - he replied after a moment, as if trying to calm both himself and others. - A joke, - he repeated, but his voice was weaker.

- I know, - Jaśmin responded, his voice sounding as though he wanted to believe Rudzilec's words. - Teo, - he added, turning to the blonde. - This bar's supposed to be crowded and noisy, so you better keep an eye on Blue, - he warned, standing up from the sofa.

- What are you doing? - Ignacy asked, looking at his brother with slight confusion.

- We're going, - Jaśmin replied, turning toward him. - You should get up too.

Upon hearing the brunette's words, Ignacy stood up as if ordered, forgetting everything that had happened up to that point.

- One more thing, - Jaśmin added, looking at Ignacy seriously. - You need to be back here by six at the latest, - he added, turning to Teodor, as if not waiting for any doubts.

- Six? - The blonde repeated, trying to process the information.

- Yes, - Jaśmin confirmed, his tone firm. - Emi and Nulla said so. They said if they could make it back by six, we certainly can too.

Ignacy puffed out his lips, clearly displeased.

- I could've gone to that point too, - he muttered quietly, as if all of this was becoming increasingly absurd to him.

- You should've gone, - Jaśmin retorted loudly, not paying him any attention. The other two looked at them, not fully understanding what was happening. - If I remember correctly, you were the one arguing the most, - he added, taking a step forward, distancing himself from Ignacy.

He stopped next to the white block sitting on the floor near the sofa, then moved toward the corridor, leaving the room as if expecting no answer.

- Wait! - Ignacy yelled, clearly thrown off balance.

- Nulla! - Teodor shouted.

Jaśmin turned toward the blonde when the redhead had already caught up to him.

- She's with Emi, - Jaśmin replied calmly. - She'll be fine. - The brunette moved toward the door, gently pushing Ignacy, who was still standing in place.

Moments later, the pair disappeared, and the exit door slammed shut loudly. Left alone in the living room, the blonde looked at the hunched Blue. He felt like he didn't know what to do, but the atmosphere in the room was so awkward that he wanted to just go back upstairs. He knew he had to say something. He moved closer to the white sofas, then sat across from Blue. His gaze rested on the boy's lowered head.

- You know… - he started uncertainly.

- You don't have to follow me! - Blue exclaimed, suddenly standing up.

- What?! - Teodor was surprised. - I don't understand what's going on... - He sank deeper into his seat, not knowing how to react. - I'm going, - he denied, trying to keep confidence in his voice.

Blue clenched his lips, trying to avoid looking at the blonde. He felt embarrassed, not knowing how to escape the situation.

- Are you sure? - Blue asked, not wanting to meet his eyes, while Teodor felt something inside him starting to crack under the weight of the tension building between them. Slowly, he stood up and approached the Asian, grabbing him by the left arm.

- Are you ready? - he asked, looking down at him. It seemed that Teodor was about six or seven centimeters taller.

- I… - Blue began, trying to free himself from his grip, but Teodor interrupted him.

- I'm ready, for example, - the blonde replied with slight irritation, though there was a hint of confusion in his voice.

- Right, - Blue turned to him, then measured Teodor up and down.

The blonde was dressed in shimmering blue digital-like clothing, cream-colored jeans that shared the same blueish tone as his white shirt, and sneakers so perfectly fitting that their wearer hardly felt he was wearing them. The same applied to the rest of his outfit, the pale, shimmering fabric ensuring an exceptionally good fit, as if the clothes were tailored specifically for him. All the materials were highly breathable, so the person wearing them didn't sweat or feel discomfort, regardless of the temperature. Teodor thought that some of the people on the streets, even in thirty-four-degree heat, looked great in long flowing coats or huge hoodies.

- How many degrees do we have? - Teodor asked, wanting to confirm his thoughts.

Blue looked at him, not immediately understanding what he meant.

- It's unusually hot today, - Blue started, looking around. - So probably around thirty degrees.

- I thought so, - Teodor replied, nodding. - Shall we go? - he asked, looking him straight in the eye.

Blue glanced at him once more, then waved his hand, silently moving toward the door. Teodor followed him.

***

In the light of day, the White City revealed its second face to Teodor, no less unsettling than the one at night, but far more dynamic and full of the appearance of life. The sun, although high in the sky, couldn't break through the heavy layer of clouds, causing its light to be muted. The streets of the city, which had seemed white at night, now took on a more gray, matte tone. All around, there was movement and haste, yet everything seemed to be masked by an air of perfection and idealism. People filling the streets seemed not to distinguish one from another. Each one was impeccably beautiful, with perfectly proportioned facial features, smooth skin, and perfectly tailored clothes, as if they had all come from the same designer's hands. Their bodies were slim and harmonious, their movements fluid, reminding Teodor of the mechanical steps of cyborgs, as if they were the result of precisely programmed sequences. People walked at the same pace, staring intensely at the 3D digital faces of their watches, which flickered and pulsed before their eyes. They looked as if they were constantly occupied, absorbed in counting time, which, however, seemed like an abstract concept, detached from reality. Above Blue, Teodor, and the other passersby, huge 3D digital advertisements floated, seemingly dancing in the wind, though the breeze was not natural but created by the city's ventilation systems. The ads showcased the same perfect, smiling faces seen on the streets, promoting products and a lifestyle that seemed inseparable from this reality. Their vivid colors, full of pink, blue, and purple, contrasted with the gray streets, though their constant flickering induced a kind of disorientation, as if they were trying to dominate the field of view of anyone who looked at them. Among the crowd moved bald, male cyborgs, who in the full light of day appeared even more inhuman to Teodor than at night. Their white uniforms, which fit perfectly on their muscular bodies, reflected the pale light of the day, but their movements remained as mechanical and precise as before. The cyborgs paid no attention to the people around them, treating them as though they were mere elements of a larger puzzle. Their tasks were clearly defined—patrol the streets, monitor the surroundings, ensure that everything proceeded according to plan.

- They're terrifying. - Teodor said, turning to face the Asian.

Blue remained silent. He felt how his suppressed emotions turned into a storm trapped within his soul, like an angry storm hidden beneath the calm surface of a lake. He wanted to respond, he longed to release these accumulated emotions, but something held him back. It was as though his throat was clogged with mist. Words were like birds trying to take flight, but they met an invisible wall—a barrier of thick, suffocating air that prevented them from escaping.

- You really don't want to talk to me? - Teodor remarked, staring at the empty space before him. He felt that, twice as much, he would rather be flying in an air-conditioned ambulance, admiring the city's panorama from above.

Blue, slightly shorter, with long blue hair that flowed behind him like ocean waves, didn't even look at him. He walked, immersed in his own thoughts. Teodor had an irresistible feeling that everyone was looking at them as if they were something foreign. He stopped for a moment, lowered his gaze to the tips of his white shoes. He didn't understand what about them caught everyone's attention. During that time, Blue passed him, and then Teodor noticed something that troubled him even more—thousands of eyes focused on the shiny blue hair of the Asian, which stood out from the monotony of the city.

The blonde shook his head, as if trying to shake off the unease, and then hurried over to Blue.

- Doesn't it bother you? - he asked, getting closer to him, feeling the tension rising in the air.

It was the calm before the storm. The wind stopped, and the air thickened with inevitable emotions.

- YOU HATE ME! - Blue finally shouted, his voice trembling, as if releasing the emotions he had suppressed all day. He felt, for the first time today, that he could finally take a breath. The Asian slightly staggered and, collapsing, fell into Teodor's arms, who smiled awkwardly at the passersby, embarrassed, as if he were standing on cracking ice.

- Are you crazy? - he whispered angrily, pushing Blue forward.

- You hate me. - Blue replied, his voice fading, his gaze empty, paralyzed.

The blonde, seeing their surroundings, carefully approached him. He noticed four imposing cyborgs observing them, patrolling the area.

- What are you talking about?! - he whispered, looking at him with a shocked expression. - I never said I hated you. - he added, trying to stay calm, though his heart raced. He realized that he was standing next to an activist who couldn't keep it together and was drawing attention to them, and with his zero social skills, he was only getting them into more trouble. Embarrassed, he hid his face in his hands.

- What are you doing? - Blue asked, turning to him.

- No, I don't hate you. - Teodor replied, peeking out from behind his fingers.

Blue remained silent, watching him intently.

- Okay. - he nodded. - Then why did you leave me? - he asked, turning away from him.

- I didn't leave you. - Teodor answered, letting his arms hang freely by his sides. - I was just tired. - he explained, still feeling the weight of the words left unspoken.

Blue glanced at him over his shoulder.

- I'll help you. - he replied, watching Teodor approach.

The blonde, feeling the weight of responsibility grow inside him, held onto the Asian and both moved forward at the same pace.

- I'm telling the truth. - Blue responded after a moment. - I will really help you.

Tired and scared, Teodor turned to face him, his blue, cold eyes full of doubt.

- Sure. - He nodded, though his voice betrayed uncertainty.

- Really. - Blue assured him, his voice firm. - I'll find that girl as soon as we get past the fourth wall. - He continued, the 18-year-old Asian looking at Teodor, who didn't answer immediately but repeated after him: - Girl?

- The one who isn't me. - Blue answered with a sigh, as if he was sure Teodor would understand. - She must be from the second wall... or maybe the first. People from there often have colored hair.

- I'll look for her myself. - Teodor interjected, unwilling to continue the conversation. - You'd better focus on finding that bar. - He added.

The Asian looked at him, studying his straight, almost sculpted jaw.

- What's it like beyond the wall? - Teodor asked, continuing on, glancing at Blue, who turned away from him.

- Depends on which one. - Blue replied, his voice calm, but something inevitable lingered in it.

- The third. - Teodor said, stopping.

Blue nodded, then continued.

- Hypnos, a city of zombies. - Blue spoke. - People, buildings, advertisements, everything there looks tired, like it's been drained of life. The buildings are much older than what you see here. Decaying gray panels. The color scheme... - He paused, as if gathering his thoughts. - The color scheme is different, more muted.

Teodor didn't fully understand what he meant, but nodded.

- Sure. - He responded, though he didn't really know what he was confirming. - Do the second and first walls differ? - He asked.

- You mean Avernus and Tartarus. - Blue said aloud.

- I guess. - Teodor nodded.

- Essentially, not at all. - Blue answered. - The people there are involved in clearing the flora. It's mostly heavy physical labor, except the people from the first circle often have to go beyond the wall.

- Is the land contaminated there? - The blonde asked, feeling the conversation shift to something more troubling.

Before Teodor's eyes, images began to blur, and a profound silence surrounded him. He felt his body starting to fail him. Pain shot through his system, and his heart began to beat faster, as if something was forcing it. He was sure he was seeing something, though it wasn't the city. It felt more like a faded memory, something that should have been forgotten but suddenly came rushing back with full force. The world, which had been rushing forward in its relentless pace, stopped. The air grew heavy, and the space around him lost its reality. The sounds that had surrounded him so far became distant, muffled, as if coming from another dimension. He felt a sudden prickling sensation—something like a light shiver running down his spine. In that moment, everything froze. A translucent memory lit up his mind. All he could see were blurred images, numbers, diagrams, and strange abbreviations, all surrounded by a blue glow. He felt as though these memories were suddenly uncomfortably important.

- IT'S YOU. - A hard, male voice rang out in his head. It was loud, like it was slamming against the walls of his mind.

Teodor felt his thoughts spiraling, trying to piece together even a single image that was now opening up before him. There was something oddly familiar about it, as if, right now, in this moment, he was face-to-face with something that once was, and now had to become urgently significant. He felt like he was crossing the boundary between two worlds—the one he lived in now and the one that held this memory. Suddenly, he felt a bright light, almost blinding him. He stood before his own reflection. It was him, but completely different. The desire that tormented him felt alien, and his body was almost entirely covered in blue light. The moment his own face turned to look at him, he felt the world begin to shatter once more.

- Sometimes you might encounter the living dead there. - Blue said, unfazed, as if nothing was happening. - The machines go crazy there, so only humans can go beyond the wall. - He paused, thinking about something. - Unless the military, but that depends on which sect you belong to. - He added, as if that explained everything.

Teodor remained silent, still staring at Blue's long blue hair. The sounds of the world around them began to fade, and he felt fully absorbed by the sight. What he was experiencing was unclear, like a memory slipping away just before it could be forgotten.

- We're here! - Blue shouted, pulling him out of his trance. Teodor looked around - everything had vanished, replaced by a cold, automated cityscape. - I mean... we're here. - Blue corrected quietly, embarrassed.

He turned, looked at Teodor, and called out: - You coming?

The blonde stood frozen, motionless.

- Something happened? - Blue asked, taking a step back to look at him more closely.

Teodor shook his head, as if trying to wake up from the trance.

- Are you sure we don't know each other? - He asked, looking directly into Blue's eyes. - Even by sight?

Blue looked at him, clearly uncomfortable, taking a small step back.

- No. - He answered, breaking the silence. - We don't know each other. - He reassured him, as if trying to convince himself.

Teodor looked to the left, unknowingly locking eyes with four bald cyborgs patrolling the area. Their cold, metallic faces reflected the light in a way that made them seem even more alien.

- We're here. - Blue repeated, looking at Teodor with a faint smile, though his eyes betrayed some unease.

Teodor didn't answer right away, still feeling a strange pressure in the air. Something was wrong. He felt as if he was on the border of reality, as though something waited around every corner that he still didn't understand, something that needed more time.