The chamber we entered was beyond anything I had ever imagined, a cavernous, towering expanse that stretched as far as the eye could see. The ceiling was lost in shadow, the dim light barely reaching the tops of the immense, cylindrical pods that lined the walls. Each pod was cold and clinical, encased in metal and glass, illuminated by an eerie, sterile glow.

Because she made sure of it. Jatari released a neurovirus into the city—a virus designed to target the neural implants that nearly every citizen had. It was supposed to be a solution, a way to force the city’s population into a state of suspended consciousness, so she could harvest their minds before their bodies gave out. She didn’t just predict their deaths—she caused them, she said looking around at the thousands of pods surrounding us. Her expression held deep pain, as if she felt responsible for every single person that suffered here.

I stopped in my tracks, my breath catching in my throat as her words sank in. My mind raced, trying to reconcile the image of Jatari as a savior with the grim reality Freya was painting. She killed the city... I whispered, more to myself than to Freya.

Freya didn’t respond immediately, but when she finally spoke, her voice was barely audible, as if the words themselves were too painful to utter. What she did was monstrous, but in her mind, it was the only way to ensure humanity’s survival. And now, those who died are trapped in this place, their minds existing in a limbo between life and death.

As we continued moving through the chamber, I felt a wave of nausea wash over me. The scale of the tragedy was overwhelming—the chamber was a tomb, a graveyard for the living dead, and we were standing in the middle of it. I glanced at the rows upon rows of capsules lining the walls, each one containing a person whose mind had been torn from its body, forced into a hellish existence. The cold blue light from the screens cast eerie shadows across Freya’s face as she continued speaking.

She thought she was giving them a chance to be part of something greater, to live on through her. But it’s not life. It’s like being in a coma, with the voices of an entire city’s population constantly echoing in your head. It’s a nightmare that never ends.

Freya moved toward one of the pods, her fingers brushing against the glass, and she looked back at me. Her face held a rare softness, a hint of regret that I hadn't seen before. I brought you here because I thought you’d want to see them again, she said quietly. I’m sorry, Nyers.

My breath caught in my throat. I could feel the tension building, a mix of anger and something I couldn’t quite name. My... but before I could react, Freya touched the glass in a trained code pattern. The glass cleared, revealing a man, his face frozen in time, eyes closed, almost as if he were just sleeping. My heart pounded in my chest. Old memories came in like a flood. Childhood, and all the years I spent alone. Dad... The word left my lips in a whisper. I was a child again, calling to someone who now couldn't answer back.

Freya moved to the next pod and did the same. The glass cleared slowly, like an unveiling, and there she was—my mom. Her hair, the same deep black, even the way she rested, a hand curled gently against her cheek like she was dreaming. A wave of emotion hit me, a sharp ache, seeing them again for the first time since I was a child. A part of me wanted to collapse right there, to run to them and hold them. But another part of me—the part that's been hardened by my past, by everything Jatari did—was furious.

Why are they here? I asked sharply through tears, my voice suddenly rising, harsh and raw. I thought they died in the outskirts! I thought… I thought they were gone.

Freya looked pained, like she’d expected this reaction. It's part of working for Neurogenesis, Nyers, she explained softly. She owned all of us, whether we knew it or not.

Anger flared in me, searing hot, my fists clenching so tight I could feel my nails cut into my palms. I will burn this place to the ground. I could barely see through the blur of tears welling up in my eyes. My whole body trembled, rage and grief tearing me apart. Suddenly, I saw movement—a hand pressing against the inside of the glass. My mother's hand, fingers splayed, touching the cold barrier that separated us. I flinched in fear, but then something broke inside me. I reached out, pressing my hand against hers, feeling the glass between us. I couldn't look at them. The more reality set in the more unbearable the emotions became. I closed my eyes as a tear ran down my cheek.

Freya whispered, I’m sorry, Nyers... I truly am.

I shook my head, wiping my face roughly with my sleeve. It's not your fault, Freya. This is on Jatari. She did this.

As we stood there, trying to make sense of everything, a sudden flash of light cut through the shadows above us, a sharp explosive flicker. It startled me into the familiar sense of danger and adrenaline. My head snapped up, looking for the source. I noticed a long balcony on the other side of the room, and a shadowy figure taking off running from it.