Banquet

Upon entering, Jin decided to walk around the house.

-Everything seems so ... illusory.

Jin still remembers as if it were yesterday, the day he was frozen alive. The day he met Corin and Karth.

Even so, the memories of when he lived with his family are a bit hazy. Although he remembers almost everything, the feeling seems to have changed.

-I think it's time taking effect.

Jin sighed and forced a smile.

"Hey Jin, are you done looking all over the house?"

Corin shouted from the dining room.

Jin just sighed and went to the living room.

There was a small cake on the table, on top of the cake was a 10K candle.

Jin forced a smile and said:

"I think I am the first human to celebrate ten thousand years, even though I am technically dead."

After saying this, Jin noticed that there was a small package wrapped in the corner of the room.

In a shaky voice, Jin asked:

"Hey, who's giving me that gift?"

"Me, why?" Corin asked

Releasing a sigh of relief, Jin shook his head and replied:

"Is nothing..."

Karth, who was present, just looked at Jin and spoke in a tone of disdain:

"You really think big of yourself, Jin"

Jin just remained silent, with a little cold sweat on his forehead.

"What are you talking about??" Corin asked, feeling a little left out.

Jin began to pray and Karth wondered whether to tell the truth.

After a while, Jin suddenly broke the silence:

"Hey, Corin, earlier, you said there was more to come, what would it be?"

Although Corin was still a little suspicious, he replied:

"Karth and I have prepared some things to make this seem as 'earthy' as possible. I think you will like it."

Corin then held out his hand, and, making a small flame appear out of nowhere, he lit the candle.

Jin understood what she wanted to do, and found it very strange to do this with beings he can't even fully understand, besides, he's kind of almost ten thousand years old!

"Happy birthday, to you .."

-My God!

Hearing Corin sing Jin thought he was going to die of shame.

Karth seemed a little pleased with Jin's reaction and materialized his arms to clap while Corin sang.

After a while, Corin started tapping Jin on the shoulder and aiming for the candle while singing.

Jin swallowed the curses and, with a blood-red face, blew on the candle.

Karth couldn't help himself, and started laughing out loud.

Corin looked satisfied and went to get the gift to give Jin.

"I know that today is probably not even your birthday, but I thought you would understand our intentions. Congratulations Jin, for growing up so much in these, earthly, ten thousand years."

Upon receiving the gift, Jin couldn't help but be moved a little and said:

"Thank you, Corin. If it weren't for you, maybe I would still be lost to the astral dimension."

Corin just nodded, and although Jin couldn't say for sure because of the shadows, he seemed to smile.

Jin then looked at Karth.

"hehe" Karth just laughed

"..."

A silence reigned in the strange atmosphere that formed.

Finally, an arm formed in the ball of light (Karth), and in its palm, a box materialized.

"Here is Jin, what you wished for a while ago" Karth handed Jin the box.

For some reason, when Jin received the gift, he shivered.

"So, why not open the presents right now?" Karth asked slowly

Jin's discomfort increased, and before he could say anything, Corin agreed

"I also see no reason to leave it for later, Jin."

Jin swallowed his own saliva and placed the box on the table, first opening the gift he received from Corin.

Seeing what he won, Jin almost cried.

"... Thank you, Corin." He said as he held back the tears

They were robes!

In fact, since Jin stopped in the astral dimension, he was naked.

Although Jin found it pointless to worry about it, since everyone who saw him was an omniscient being and another being who probably lived for thousands of thousands of years, he was a little uncomfortable.

If it weren't for the shame of asking Karth for some clothes, he would have been dressed by the time he started being beaten by Corin.

Seeing Jin's reaction, Corin looked satisfied and explained:

"These robes are a little special, they will connect with your soul the moment you wear them. Although they can only dress your soul, I think that in a mortal body you will have other ways to dress"

Jin nodded and took a closer look at the robes.

They were a gray jacket, black pants and white shoes.

-She must have had help from Karth with that, since these robes look a lot like what was on earth.

Jin thought.

"So Jin ... Aren't you going to open my gift?" Like a bucket of cold water falling on his head, Jin heard Karth ask

Jin then looked at the small box and thought as he gave Corin a furtive look:

-This box ... is Pandora's box. If I open it ...

"What's wrong, Jin?" Karth asked in an indifferent voice

"... If this gift is what I wished for a while ago, I think it's best to open it when I'm alone." Jon spoke slowly

"Why?" Corin asked

"It's just ... I wished for something very shameful. If I open it here and now I don't think I will have the face to face you" Jin answered honestly

Corin, in a tone of understanding, said:

"ohh, I see. In that case ..." Before Jin could react, Corin took the box quickly.

"I don't think I have a choice if I don't open it myself."

When Corin opened the box so that everyone could see what was inside, he stagnated.

Jin was surprised and Karth remained silent.

Inside the box was a small book with "Apex of illusions" written

Corin looked at Jin and asked:

"Were you ashamed of a book?"

Jin just shook his head and sighed in relief.

Jin then heard Karth's voice in his mind

- "Actually, Jin, I would really give you what you thought. But because of your honesty at the last moment, I decided to give you this book."

-Thanks, Karth.

Corin then started to turn the pages of the book, as if looking for something, and then handed the book to Jin.

"So ... I think this ends our celebration. What should I do now? Should I go to the other universes already?"

Corin patted Jin on the head and said:

"What are you talking about? What kind of celebration doesn't have drinks and food?"

Suddenly, above the table, a banquet materialized.

Jin then asked doubtfully:

"Can souls eat?"

It is not strange for Jin to have this doubt, since in these ten thousand years he has not eaten or drank, yet he never felt hungry.

Corin seemed surprised by Jin's question

"What have you been doing in those libraries all this time? Not to know something so simple"

"... There were very few books about the astral dimension in those libraries. Isn't it normal for me not to know something like that?" Jin replied

Corin then looked at Karth

"Those libraries hold, almost entirely, knowledge about the universes and the fundamental principles of their existence. I just thought it was unnecessary to have added more content about the astral dimension, since Jin will spend most of his time in the universes on his mission." Karth explained and turned to Jin

"However, some of the few books available explained that souls could eat. Perhaps Jin also thought that was unnecessary to learn these things."

Jin nodded his head.

"Got it ..." Corin said and then filled the glasses with wine.

Jin then watched in amazement as Karth 'drank' the wine. The liquid simply disappeared into the light.

The three ate and drank, and, to Jin's amazement, he seemed to have a bottomless pit in his stomach.

Every time the food for the banquet ran out, Karth made another feast appear.

For several hours the three of them just enjoyed the moment.

They knew they were going to be apart for a while.

Jin seemed to reach his limit because the drinks and lost consciousness.

Seeing this, Karth led Jin to his room, while Corin continued to enjoy the banquet.

When Karth returned, Corin asked.

"Hey ... what gift you give Jin first?"

Karth did not seem surprised and replied:

"I can not say."

The shadows around Corin began to disperse and its figure appeared.

Corin is a woman with long hair and tanned skin. She has the same characteristics as a human being, apart from the brown eyes that had no pupil and slightly pointed ears.

She has a figure and face that can be considered by the Terran standards as almost perfect.

"Actually, he doesn't have to. I think I know what he wanted. Heh, after all, he's just a little boy, how could he resist my charms, even with those shadows."

"..." Karth was silent, preferring to leave Corin with her imagination.

"Come Karth, why don't we drink for a little while longer?" Corin looked at Karth intently

Karth let out an artificial sigh, as it simply couldn't read Corin's thoughts.

"What do you want? Corin."

"I was thinking about what you think about all of this."

"???"

"I mean, don't you think everything that is happening is ridiculous? These resonances between the universes, Jin appearing so conveniently. At first I didn't suspect anything, but in some time I started to think more deeply."

"..."

"I think there's something you've been hiding from me, Karth."

The two then remained silent for a while, until Karth spoke:

"I really have been hiding something from you, but it doesn't interfere with your goals, I can guarantee that."

"That's it, we are cooperating, right Karth? So when you say "your goals" you should be referring to OUR goals. How can I be sure that we are really cooperating when you are hiding something from me?"

Karth was then silent for a while.

Corin continued to eat and drink until finally Karth said:

"If it bothers you so much, I can tell you ... But, I have a condition!"

"What condition?" Corin asked in a sharp tone.

"Eternal oath of origin!" Karth said sternly.

Corin then stagnated for a moment, widening his eyes in surprise soon after.

"You ... So this must be really serious as I thought it would be."

"Do you accept my condition?" Karth asked

After thinking hard for a few minutes, Corin agreed.

Suddenly a small rope appeared in the air, it was similar to the one Jin had sworn before, however, it had an intense red glow.

***

Jin's conscience slowly awoke.

As he sat on the bed, Jin realized he was in what used to be his room on earth.

Without remembering going to the room, he soon understood that Karth or Corin must have brought him.

Jin took a deep look around the room, and realized that everything is exactly the same as when he left the house the last time.

The notebook on the desk, the old closet, the messy bed, the dirt under the bed.

The pictures of women, pasted in the closet, made Jin blush in shame.

"Finally woke up, huh."

Suddenly, the bedroom door opened and Corin, shrouded in shadows, entered.

"Good morning, Corin" Jin spoke nonchalantly

"I think you better have a good rest, today you go on your mission." Corin said as she tapped Jin on the shoulder as if she were encouraging him.

"... Minutes" Jin stood up slowly, took a deep breath and said

"Finally the day came, it seems like yesterday that you were chattering in my ears, explaining nonsense to me."

"It seems that time has made you forget what happens when you piss me off." Corin spoke coldly

Jin then smiled slightly and said

"I haven't forgotten, and I'm still grateful for that"

"???" Corin then stagnated

-This kid ... didn't develop a fetish, right?

"Hahaha" Jin then laughed when he saw Corin stagnate and ran towards the bathroom.

Despite having no 'mundane' needs, Jin just want to feel what it is like to wash his face again after waking up.

Turning on the sink tap, Jin then started to wash his face. Seeing the toothpaste and the brush beside it, Jin also decided to brush his teeth.

After finishing, Jin headed for the kitchen. Taking milk and cereal, Jin had his first "breakfast" in ten thousand years.

"Taking advantage" Karth, who suddenly appeared, asked

Jin just nodded and continued to eat.

"... I also thought about materializing your parents." Karth spoke, causing Jin to stagnate.

"But I don't think you would like it."

Jin then looked seriously at Karth and said

"Thanks for all of this, Karth. And yes, I really wouldn't like it very much if you just made a copy of my foster parents." He then went back to eating.

After finishing his "morning" breakfast, Jin was called by Corin and Karth to the living room.

Once there, Jin saw something like a portal on the floor in the middle of the room. And, all over the walls, inscriptions he had never seen before moving slowly.

Corin was at all times with her hand next to the portal, Jin figured she was the one keeping it.

"Hey boy, better be quick. Even I can only keep this portal for a few minutes."

Nodding, Jin asked Karth:

"Hey Karth, even though I've learned a lot I just have no idea how I should find these sources, nor even how I should "possess" any living being to go on with the mission. Furthermore, what kind of universe am I going right now? I mean, what am I probably going to find ahead of me? "

"First of all, Jin, you can only enter these universes because their respective consciences allow. So you can expect to get some support from them when you are there. As for having a living being, I am not entirely sure how you should do it. that, and I don't think other consciences either ... "

"I can only say that the likely most favorable moment for this is during the death and birth of a living being."

"As for what kind of universe this is ... When you get there, you will be surprised."

Upon hearing Karth's explanation, Jin wondered if he still had any doubts.

"Cheer up Jin! When you possess a living being, you will discover the true value of that beating." Corin then said.

After hearing this, Jin looked a little confused but just nodded.

"Well ... I think it's time." Jin spoke as he walked towards the portal.

"Good luck, Jin" Karth and Corin spoke simultaneously.

Jin then took a deep breath and said as he entered the portal.

"I hope I won't disappoint you..."

After seeing that the boy disappeared through the portal, Coron's gaze became serious.

"Now, Karth!"

Karth then materialized an arm and started energizing the inscriptions.

Inscriptions then began to shine and retreat to the portal.

When the last inscriptions retreated, the portal disappeared.

"He's gone ..." Corin murmured

"He'll be back soon ..." Karth said

Karth and Corin then disappeared from the scene.