world of silence 2

Chia was the first to break the silence after the man's words.

Despite the terror still pounding in her chest, her analytical mind began to work. They needed information, anything that could help them understand their situation.

—What is this place exactly?

she asked, her voice trying to maintain firmness despite the trembling that ran through her.

The man in the straw hat moved the toothpick in his mouth calmly, considering the question for a moment. When he finally spoke, his tone was relaxed, almost lazy, as if he were commenting on something trivial.

—A dungeon.

he said simply, adjusting his hat.

—You know, like the ones on the news. But this one has its... particularities.

Sue moved closer to the bars separating the cells, ignoring the pain from the severed hands still gripping her wrists. Now that her eyes had adapted better to the greenish light, she could make out more details of the man.

He had slightly tanned skin, with disheveled black hair sticking out under the straw hat. But the most striking feature was his eyes—an intense green that seemed to shine even in the dungeon's gloom. Despite the dirt and the conditions he was in, there was something about his relaxed posture that suggested he was completely comfortable with his situation.

—That monster that brought us...

Sue began, her voice trembling slightly.

—El Silbón... what is it exactly?

The man—who still hadn't given his name—let out a soft chuckle as he moved the toothpick from one side of his mouth to the other.

—El Silbón?

he repeated in a casual tone.

—Well, that's not really El Silbón. It's more like... a copy. A sub-monster, if you want to call it that.

He paused, as if deciding how much more to reveal.

—The real one is out there somewhere, in some part of this dungeon. Hidden. Those things you saw outside are just... extensions. Pieces.

Chia felt her blood run cold.

—You mean there's something worse? That all those monsters are just copies?

The man shrugged disinterestedly.

—More or less. Don't make me repeat everything, I already told you the important part.

There was something about the way he spoke that was frustrating. He answered the questions, yes, but he always seemed to be omitting crucial details, as if he were deliberately withholding information or simply didn't care enough to explain more.

—And who are you?

Chia asked, studying him more closely.

—How did you end up here?

The man yawned before responding, stretching against the wall as if he were in his living room instead of a cell in a hellish dungeon.

—Arcadio.

he said finally.

—I'm gifted. Or was. I joined the government a while back. Thought it would be interesting.

He waved his hand dismissively, as if discarding his own words.

—I was with my squad, doing reconnaissance. We got ambushed. I was the only one who... well, here I am.

His tone remained incredibly relaxed, but Sue noticed that his green eyes briefly looked away when he mentioned his squad. There was more to that story, but clearly Arcadio had no intention of elaborating.

Sue looked around, observing the rusted bars of her cell. Something caught her attention.

The doors...

she said, approaching cautiously.

They're not locked.

She pushed gently and her cell door opened with a metallic screech that echoed in the dungeon's silence. Chia looked at her in surprise before turning to Arcadio.

—Why are they open?

Chia asked, confused.

—Why haven't you escaped?

Arcadio chewed his toothpick for a moment, watching them with those green eyes that seemed to know more than they said.

—Because they don't need to lock them.

he replied calmly.

—The open cells are part of the... design, let's say.

—Design?

Sue repeated.

—What does that mean?

Arcadio stood up slowly, approaching the bars with lazy movements. Now that he was closer, they could see some scars running along his arms, old marks that told stories he clearly wouldn't share.

—It means that if you go out and they catch you...

he paused, rotating the toothpick in his mouth.

—Well, let's just say it's not something you want to experience. I've seen things. Heard things. It's not pretty.

Sue felt frustration growing in her chest. Every answer from Arcadio raised more questions than it answered.

—But what do they do exactly? Why did they bring us here?

Arcadio tilted his head, as if considering how much to reveal. When he spoke, his voice maintained that relaxed tone that contrasted grotesquely with the content of his words.

—The bodies.

he said simply.

—They use them to create more monsters. Those sub-monsters you saw out there... they have to come from somewhere, right?

He moved his hand in a vague gesture.

—It's a process. Don't ask for details because I don't know them all. Or don't want to remember them. One of the two.

The horror of those words hit Chia and Sue like a punch. Their bodies... were going to be used as raw material to create more of those monsters. The idea was so nauseating that Sue felt her legs trembling.

—So...

Chia murmured, her voice barely a whisper.

—All those corpses in the sack... all the prisoners we saw...

—Eventually serve a purpose.

Arcadio completed with that same casual tone that was disturbing given the gravity of the situation.

—Some take longer than others. It depends on... well, on various things.

He shrugged.

—That's why the cells are open. You can walk around if you want. Explore a bit. Just... don't get caught doing something you shouldn't. The consequences are... unpleasant.

There was something about the way Arcadio spoke—so relaxed, so indifferent—that made the information even more terrifying. It was as if he had completely accepted his fate and now simply existed, waiting for the inevitable.

—How long have you been here?

Sue asked, observing the scars on his arms.

Arcadio scratched his chin, thoughtful.

—Time? It's hard to tell down here. Days blend together. Nights too, if there even are nights.

He smiled slightly.

—Long enough to know the rules. Not long enough to forget what the sun is like. Not yet.

Silence fell over the dungeon again. Chia looked at Sue, and in her eyes she saw the same terror she felt in her own chest. They were trapped in a place designed to turn them into fuel to create more monsters, with a man who knew more than he said as their only source of information.

And somewhere, in the dark depths of that cursed place, the true El Silbón waited.

Arcadio returned to his position leaning against the wall, adjusting his straw hat over his eyes.

—Get comfortable.

he said with a yawn.

—We have time. Lots of time.

But something in his tone—so calm, so resigned—suggested he knew exactly how much time they had left. And that it wasn't as much as they wanted to believe.

Sue looked at Chia, and in that silent exchange they both reached the same conclusion. They needed to get out of there, one way or another.

—How can we escape?

Chia asked, turning to Arcadio with renewed determination.

—There has to be a way out of here.

Arcadio watched them from beneath his hat, his green eyes gleaming with something that could have been curiosity or amusement. He moved the toothpick in his mouth before responding.

—Escape? Well, that depends.

He sat up slightly, leaning forward.

—What exactly can you do? Your powers, I mean.

Sue and Chia exchanged a glance. They weren't sure about trusting Arcadio completely, but if there was any chance he could help them, they needed to try.

—I can...

Sue began, extending her hands.

—I can create light, fire, and... I have healing abilities.

Chia nodded, adding:

—I can create protective barriers, manipulate darkness, and control ice.

Arcadio remained still for a moment, processing the information. Then he removed his straw hat, running his hand through his disheveled hair while studying them with an intensity he hadn't shown before.

—Wait, wait.

he said, raising a hand.

—Three powers each? Seriously?

His tone had changed, the previous indifference replaced by genuine confusion.

—I've never seen anyone with more than two powers. Not even in the government. How...?

He stopped, his mind evidently working at full speed. After a moment, a slow smile formed on his face.

—Interesting. Very interesting.

He stood completely, approaching the bars separating his cell from theirs. There was something different about his posture now—less relaxed, more focused.

—Look, I'm going to tell you something. A secret the government discovered recently.

He paused, making sure he had their complete attention.

—You have potential. Much more than you probably know. But first... let me ask you a question.

His green eyes locked onto them.

—Where do you think you draw the energy from to manifest your powers?

Sue and Chia looked at each other, confused. It was something they had never really thought about. Their powers simply... worked. They appeared when they needed them.

—We... we don't know.

Chia finally admitted.

Arcadio nodded, as if he'd expected that answer.

—Exactly. And that's the problem.

He leaned against the bars, his expression serious.

—You see, all powers have an origin. A source from which their energy comes. When you know that origin—when you truly understand it and connect with it—you can draw unlimited energy from there. You become exponentially more powerful.

He gestured with his hand, as if trying to illustrate his point.

—But if you don't know your origin, if you've never made that connection... then you can only draw energy from the environment around you. And that energy is limited, insufficient. It can run out at crucial moments.

—And you know your origin?

Sue asked, fascinated despite the terror she still felt.

Arcadio smiled, extending his hand. A gentle breeze began to circulate around them, moving the dust and particles in the air in a controlled pattern.

—My ability is wind.

he explained, pointing to his wrists where two strange metallic appendages that suppressed his abilities rested.

—And my origin is the air itself. As long as air exists—and believe me, it always does—I can draw unlimited energy. I never run out of power.

The breeze intensified briefly before fading.

—That's why I survived when my squad fell. That's why I'm still alive here. I know my source, my origin.

He put his straw hat back on, but this time his gaze remained alert.

—Even with these suppressors.

he added, moving his wrists so the two severed hands gripping his wrists tightly caught the dim light.

—When you know your true origin, you can manifest a bit of your powers. Not at maximum, but enough to survive.

—If you want to escape from here, if you want to have any chance against whatever this place throws at you... you need to discover your origins.

Chia felt something resonate inside her with those words. Barriers, darkness, ice... what was the connection? What was the source?

—How do we discover it?

she asked, her voice firm despite the uncertainty.

Arcadio smiled, that lazy smile returning to his face.

—Ah, that's the right question.

he said, leaning back against the wall.

—And I have some ideas about that. But first... we need a plan. Because once you start manifesting that kind of power, the monsters are going to notice.

He paused significantly.

—And then things are really going to get interesting.