The institute was huge. EYet even grander was the space surrounding it: sprawling gardens and intricate fountains where employees could sit beneath the filtered sunlight, sip coffee, and chat with their colleagues away from the confines of the walls.
The cab rolled to a stop at the security gate. I wasn't sure what purpose it truly served; with no walls in sight, it looked as though anyone could wander in whenever they pleased. Still, Fiona spoke with the guard. The administrator inside the cabin made a few notes, updated some records, and waved us through. The driver, however, had to remain in the parking area — no vehicles were permitted beyond that point.
Halfway along the path, Fiona and I were joined by a missus.
"Hello! Sorry about that — we're not used to people being this punctual these days. Name's Lily, and I'll be your guide," she said, her words carrying the easy assurance of someone who'd repeated them a thousand times. The lab coat and the name tag on her chest confirmed her role.
"Now behold, the Awakeners Institute of Vrath. This particular branch serves as the headquarters of the Awakeners Institute, and as a result, you'll notice it's also the primary research facility for just about everything. The place you're headed to is the Awakening Center, which is within the institute itself. We initially had a separate branch, but not as much traffic these days — so now we just dedicate a section to it. You know, cutting costs! Haha." She handed over temporary passes to the two of us. "These should grant access to all the places you might need. Helps prevent people from getting lost! Haha!"
"Haha," Deon muttered, adding his own awkward chuckle.
--
Sometimes one wonders whether a person is bullied because of the way they are, or if they are the way they are because they're being bullied. This missus was clearly one of those cases.
"Now, to brief you — we use a Chaos Catalyst to awaken people. The success rate varies a bit depending on the catalyst and the purity of the essence, but given your sponsor, I doubt there'll be any issue. Rest assured, your awakening, statistically speaking, is all but guaranteed. As long as no disaster strikes, you'll be completely safe. So, no need to get nervous — just remain in an absolutely neutral state of mind, as that too affects the probabilities. Think nothing at all, but don't drift off either — that might lead to complications... haha."
If anything became clear from her explanations, it was that there were no official tour guides here — just a junior staffer who'd drawn the short straw and now found herself stuck playing escort duty.
It wasn't long before we arrived where we were meant to. The interior was just as magnificent as the exterior — pure, deliberate simplicity. Nothing overly ornate or gaudy, yet everything was pristine, structured, and balanced. A vast reception area greeted us: black flooring, a ceiling as high as the roof itself, light peach carpets and lamps, white walls, black floors, and the occasional touch of gray — in the doors, hinges, elevators, and stairs. There was barely any furniture or decoration, only open space branching off in multiple directions — toward the stairs, the elevators, the basement, and the offices — all visible from the reception desk.
Our particular business required us to go left and then up two floors by the stairs. A right turn later, and there he was: Fiona's father, waiting. His face lit up when he saw the two, but instead of offering a hug or pleasantries, he simply opened the door, ushered Deon in, and closed it behind. It was time to begin.
The room was modest — almost clinical. A desk and chair stood to the right of the entrance, where the good doctor sat, surrounded by scattered reports, a lamp behind him, and a shelf stacked with files. That was all for the consulting space. Barely three steps forward stood another door — transparent, mostly. Beyond it, four awakening pods waited, each one sealed and fitted with tubes and pipes curling along their sides and backs. They looked eerily like deprivation tanks.
"Right on time. The rig is all set up. Just step in, and the AI will handle most of the process. For security and emergencies, we have personnel on standby, so no need to worry. Dr. Grimory Fhaust, by the way," he said, extending his hand.
"Er... Deon," I replied, returning the handshake.
"Alright, Mr. Ashr," the doctor continued, turning to Fiona's father. "As requested, it's the latest model — a prototype directly connected to the GRID. Most of it runs outside human control, and since we're using the finest equipment available, there shouldn't be any problems — unless, of course, we get hit by an earthquake or something, haha. Don't know how you managed it, but this is as close as we've come to an ideal environment."
"Ah, no problem at all. Help me help you," Mr. Ashr replied, shaking his hand.
Meanwhile, Deon was escorted into the adjoining room and toward the rig, where he was promptly stripped and sealed inside, awaiting the next steps. Feeling extremely uncomfortable with a sense of impending doom. Something was about to go wrong, and Deon could feel it in his gut.
To Be Continued==>