talking with Zulia

We left Arcadio's office and plunged into the streets of downtown Bogotá. The city greeted us with an icy embrace; the biting wind came down from the hills and seeped through every crack in our clothes. The most disturbing thing, however, was not the cold, but the loneliness.

Carrera Séptima, which at this hour should be a hive of voices, vendors and traffic, was practically deserted, submerged in a gray and oppressive silence.

Zulia, however, walked with a magnetic presence that contrasted brutally with the silent chaos that reigned in the world. Or at least, in my head. She seemed to carry her own built-in sunshine, striding with a steady, sure stride and rhythmic cadence, humming a soft melody with complete nonchalance.

The problem-or distraction, rather-was that her every purposeful step set off a chain reaction in her anatomy. Her breasts, generous and voluptuous beneath the fabric of her plain blouse, bounced with a hypnotic freedom and a gravity-defying physicality of their own.

Chia and I stared for a second too long, our eyes involuntarily following the movement before we realized what we were doing.

-Up, look straight ahead!

Chia whispered through her teeth, nudging me covertly, though I saw her own cheeks tinge a faint blue.

-I wasn't looking at anything.

I lied, forcing myself to look at the bricks of a nearby building with sudden architectural interest.

Zulia stopped at the corner and turned to us with a warm, serene smile, oblivious to our little internal crisis. The movement caused her bust to settle gently, drawing our gazes back for an instant. Chia cleared her throat loudly, looking up at the sky.

-Relax your shoulders, girls. So much tension isn't going to help you.

Zulia said, her voice mature and full of life.

-I know the news is alarming and the outlook is not the best, but the situation is much more under control than the rumors say.

His expression became reflective, analyzing us curiously but respectfully. He bowed slightly, crossing his arms, which inevitably enhanced his figure. I pursed my lips and focused on his green eyes.

-By the way, Arcadio told me about your situation.

He said in a casual but direct tone.

-Do you mind if I speak to you in the feminine? Do you prefer that I refer to you as men or women? I want to be respectful of your process.

Chia and I exchanged a quick glance, regaining our composure.

-As girls is fine.

Chia replied, straightening her clothes.

-For comfort.

-Yes, it's better to be treated like girls.

I nodded.

-It's less complicated.

-Perfect. Girls then.

Zulia nodded with a satisfied smile and resumed walking with that same elegant, confident gait.

-As I was saying, the government and the gifted have the portals under control. They have established perimeters and safe zones. It's easier to have your cell phone stolen than to have a monster come out here.

-Then why isn't anyone here?

I asked, trying not to notice her silhouette and pointing to the deserted street.

Zulia sighed, shaking her head softly, like someone who understands a painful truth.

-Fear. People are fragile. Even if we assure them they are safe, they prefer to shut themselves away. Bogota has become lonely, yes.

I looked around, feeling the tension of the empty atmosphere, but Zulia's solid, vibrant presence made it difficult to remain gloomy.

-But we are here.

She said, turning again to look over her shoulder at us, her confidence overwhelming.

-And as long as there are people with the will to defend this, hope remains.

Still, I couldn't help but feel a little reassured by her confidence. Mind you, I kept a small flame burning in my pocket. Just in case.

-By the way.

Zulia said, slowing down a bit but keeping her energetic and elegant pace.

-How much do they really know about the dungeons? Did Arcadio give them the full tech talk or just the rundown?

Chia and I looked at each other for a moment, remembering the conversation in the office.

-We know the basic classification.

Chia answered.

-There are two main typologies: normal dungeons, which act as interdimensional bridges for exotic fauna, and "law monsters."

-Yes.

I intervened.

-Although Arcadio said that those last ones, the ones born from people's fear, are quite rare around here.

Zulia nodded with a smile of approval, crossing her arms under her chest.

-Exactly. They've got the theory straight. But there is one "little" detail about normal dungeons that our dear friend often leaves out.

His expression became a bit more serious, though his eyes still sparkled with vitality.

-You see, most people think that to clear a normal dungeon you just go in, find the biggest monster and cut off its head.

He made a chopping gesture with his hand in the air.

-But that's only half the job. If you just kill the boss, the dungeon destabilizes for a while, but eventually regenerates. To really clear it and make sure it doesn't come back, they have to destroy the core.

-The core?

Chia asked.

-It's the heart of the dungeon, the energy source that keeps the portal open.

Zulia explained.

-And here's the fun part: it's never in plain sight. You have to find it, and believe me, sometimes they are very well hidden.

-Understood.

I nodded, assimilating the information.

-Core and boss.

Zulia held our gaze a second longer to make sure the gravity of the matter had sunk in, and suddenly, as if someone had flipped a switch, her serious expression dissolved into a beaming smile and she gave a resounding clap that made us all gasp.

-That's enough theory class for today!

She exclaimed with her usual energy, bouncing slightly on her heels.

-Now that we've got that technical part covered, it's time for the real priority mission!

-Priority mission?

Chia asked, tensing up, probably calculating imminent threats.

-Shopping, of course!

Zulia pointed up and down at us with a theatrical gesture.

-Look at you girls. Those clothes from your "former life" don't do you justice, you're too pretty for such boring clothes. Besides, the government already deposited the juicy reward for clearing out the Whistler's dungeon, so money is no excuse. You have capital! So walking, the mall awaits us.

Currently, Chia and I were wearing quite particular clothes: sweatshirts and overalls with huge hoods that covered much of our faces. It was a practical strategy to go unnoticed in our new form, hiding our feminine features as we got used to the transformation. The garments were loose-fitting and comfortable.

Chia and I exchanged a glance. The idea of new clothes was tempting. Even though we had shopped online, not knowing our sizes, everything was a little big on us.

But there was one thing we had pending.

-Zulia...

I began, biting my lower lip.

-We'd love to, really. But... before we go to the mall, could we stop somewhere else?

-It's... a personal matter.

Chia added in a soft voice, lowering her gaze.

Zulia looked at us curiously, but seeing our expressions, she nodded with an understanding smile.

-Of course you do. You lead the way.

The place we went to had nothing to do with the commercial bustle. It was an old cemetery, where the cold of Bogota seemed to creep in deeper, seeping between the gray stone tombstones and dark cypress trees.

As we entered, we greeted the caretaker, an older man with an unfriendly face who, however, softened his expression when he saw us. Chia had arranged all the paperwork with him a few days ago, to secure a small lot on a secluded hill.

We walked in silence until we got there. The tomb was simple, no ostentatious marble, just a clean, well-carved stone surrounded by flowers. The inscription, chosen by us, read:

"Here lies Esmeralda and her brother. May they have eternal fun on the other side."

We stood in front of it. The wind stirred the leaves of a nearby tree, a gnarled old oak that seemed to watch over the place. Zulia approached the tree and rested her hand on the rough bark, closing her eyes. A faint green glow emanated from her fingers, connecting with the life around her.

He frowned slightly and opened his eyes, looking at us gently but with confusion.

-I don't feel anything downstairs.

He murmured, tactfully.

-The roots tell me that... the earth has not been disturbed. There is no one there.

Chia hugged herself, looking at the inscription with a deep, logical sadness in her eyes.

-We didn't find the bodies.

She admitted in a whisper.

-It was... impossible to recover them. Circumstances did not allow it.

-But we needed a place.

I continued, feeling a lump in my throat.

-A physical place to say goodbye. Now that we are part of the volunteer corps, we don't know when we will be able to return, or if we will have time for... for this.

Zulia looked at us, and her usual cheerfulness turned to respect. She didn't ask who Esmeralda and her brother were, or what exactly had happened. She simply nodded and put a hand on each of our shoulders, offering warm, solid comfort.

We stood there for a few more minutes, letting the silence and the wind carry away the words we didn't need to say. It was a goodbye, a necessary closure so we could move on in this strange new life we had been thrust into.

Finally, Chia wiped away a furtive tear and straightened up, regaining her composed posture.

-Ready.

She said, exhaling steam into the cold air.

-Yes.

I said, forcing a smile, though my heart felt a little lighter.

-Let's go. That mall isn't going to vacate itself. But one condition.

I paused for a moment, looking at Zulia firmly, or at least as firmly as I could muster.

-We pick the clothes.

I sentenced.

-We don't want you to choose for us. We want to decide our own style.

Chia nodded beside me, supporting the motion earnestly.

-Right. The clothing selection will be executed by us. We need to maintain an appropriate... profile.

Zulia looked at us for a second, and then a mischievous smile broke out on her face, lighting up her green eyes with a spark of mischief.

-It's okay, it's okay.

He said, raising his hands in mock surrender.

-It's a deal. It's your choice.

He turned to lead us out, but couldn't help but add as he walked with that hypnotic gait of his:

-Although that doesn't mean I can't give my expert opinion! Let's go find them something that will make them feel divine! They deserve it.

With our hearts a little lighter after our farewell, we set off for the mall.

Zulia guided us with her contagious energy, and we followed her, ready for this little worldly adventure that, after all we had experienced, felt strangely liberating.

The Andino shopping mall greeted us with an unexpected surprise.

When the automatic glass doors opened, we expected to find empty, ghostly aisles, shops closed with metal curtains and that eerie silence that had characterized the streets. But that was not the case.

There were people.

Not the overwhelming crowd of a normal Saturday, true. There weren't whole families strolling around with shopping bags or groups of teenagers laughing on escalators. But there were people. Enough to make the place feel alive, if a little quiet.

I looked around. Some people were walking in a hurry, as if they wanted to get in and out as quickly as possible.

Others, however, strolled with an almost deliberate calm, as if this mundane act of shopping was a way to regain normalcy, to hold on to something everyday in the midst of the madness that now plagued the world.

-Wow.

I muttered, genuinely surprised.

-I hadn't expected this.

-People need safe places.

Zulia commented, looking around with a thoughtful expression.

-The malls have private security, evacuation protocols, and in many cases, even volunteers patrolling. For many, it's safer to be here than at home.

Chia scanned the environment with her methodical gaze.

-Besides, commerce can't stop completely. People need clothes, food, basic supplies. The economy would collapse if everything shut down.

It made sense. As we walked around the second floor, I noticed that not all stores were open. Some stores remained closed, with signs saying "Temporarily out of business" or "Reopening soon." But enough were operating: there was a sports store, several clothing boutiques, a bookstore, a coffee shop with a few tables occupied.

Most impressive was the forced normality of the atmosphere. Soft music blared from the speakers, lights shone brightly, and some vendors even smiled from their counters, offering promotions as if nothing had changed.

It was comforting.

-Well.

Zulia said, clapping her hands and regaining her usual energy.

-We have more options than I thought. Perfect! So, ladies, where do we start?

I looked at Chia, who was staring at a wall-mounted map of the mall. Her eyes were moving quickly, processing the available options.

-Second floor.

She said finally, pointing to a section.

-There are several casual and formal wear stores. We can start there.

-Sounds good.

I nodded, feeling a strange mix of nervousness and excitement.

It was strange to think about something as simple as shopping for clothes when we'd only been fighting the Whistler for a few days. But it also felt... good. Like for a moment we could be normal people again.

Zulia led us to the escalators, humming that happy tune again, and we climbed up to the second floor, leaving the contained bustle of the first level behind.