EPILOGUE III
In the cold, dimly lit underground chamber, a group of shadowy figures gathered around a round table, made to seat five. A holographic sphere hovered above the center. The air was frigid and cold, but not cold enough that it was a problem. Each of the figures wore a mask, their true faces hidden for precautionary measures.
The masks were intricate, crafted with a level of detail that made them almost lifelike, yet there was something unsettling about them—a sense of otherworldliness that permeated the room.
These were the Cosmic Weavers.
Ravenmask spoke first, “They were…successful.”
There was a hint of disbelief in there but J didn’t blame her. He himself had been surprised when the news had reached him. He’d begged his boss, Kenji, to let him leave immediately, claiming a family emergency, and Kenji agreed.
“This was only the first wave, so I wouldn’t be too happy if I were you,” Hawkmask chimed in.
“Yes, this was the first, but in all the worlds we’ve seen Bellum attack, how many of those survived the first wave?” Ravenmask retorted.
Hawkmask had no answer for them.
They continued, “For the first time in a while, I actually have hope. This could be it, the answer we’ve been waiting for.”
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“Now now, let’s hold on a minute,” Penguinmask spoke, “Of course, we’re all happy that they were able to successfully fend off Bellum’s advances, but what about the bomb?”
J looked confused, “There was a bomb?”
Ravenmask signaled to the floating sphere on the table before them. A scene played out, depicting the group in the cave trying to stop the portals from letting Bellum through, “To close the portal, Cyber-Dang threw a device into it, which caused an explosion.”
“He threw…a bomb?” J asked, still confused.
“We don’t know what kind of device it was, only that it exploded at the portal’s boundary, unleashing a wave of stored-up multiversal energy. Energy that he’d gotten from the portals that were supposed to take him and Dante home.”
Penguinmask spoke again, “Yes, it is unfortunate that they didn’t take those portals home, but even more unfortunate that Cyber-Dang used that opportunity to his advantage. His device didn’t just close the portal, it disrupted the entire network, creating a multi-dimensional EMP that caused shockwaves across the multiverse.”
“What does that mean?” J asked.
“It means,” Catmask spoke up, “that the barrier between universes is weakening because of his bomb. When a portal is opened, it acts as a bridge between two worlds, but the activation energy required is too high. That bomb just messed up the energy threshold.”
“So, you’re saying, it’s easier for portals to open now?” J couldn’t help but feel a pang of excitement. The one thing he’d hoped for – easy multiversal travel - was quickly becoming a real thing.
“Actually, the opposite,” Ravenmask responded. J’s excitement faded, “For the foreseeable future, portal travel is a no-go. The good thing with that is, Bellum cannot invade any more worlds in the meantime.”
“Does that mean no more multiverse?”
“The multiverse still exists, but it cannot be accessed willingly right now. It’s very unstable…but I suspect that random anomaly events could still happen from time to time.”
Catmask, with piercing golden eyes, spoke next. “In any case, the team has exceeded our expectations," he began, his voice smooth and calculating. “I am now more than confident in their ability to handle whatever threat comes their way.”
“Indeed,” Ravenmask added, “They are at the center of all of this, and I have a feeling that whatever’s about to happen next, they’ll need to rise up to the occasion. Especially Dang.”