The Mist Games

Dom started reorganizing and converting the closet into a new bathroom. Meanwhile, I lay on the couch, scrolling through the phone in search of any clues. I went through several pre-installed apps; their interfaces looked similar to well-known ones, but they felt different and had distinct names, almost like a pirated version.

Only one app stood out and caught my attention: Versus. Its icon was a simple 'V', and inside I found options for equipment and skills. It looked like a game, but I couldn’t play it, everything was locked.

Dom finished tidying up and called me over to see his masterpiece.

“I looked up some images online and tried to make it look like a real bathroom. Look at this!” he said, showing it off.

He placed the toilet at the far end of the closet, away from the door, set up a stool and a bucket for bathing, and, to my surprise, even added a mirror. The walls of the closet had a porcelain-like finish too; I have no idea how he managed that. Dom had clearly put real effort into it and looked proud of his work.

I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Thank you, Dom… you really saved me.”

“Now... make yourself comfortable,” he said with a grin.

He wasn’t embarrassed; on the contrary, he was overly enthusiastic, as if he actually wanted me to try out his masterpiece. I wouldn’t have been surprised if he waited outside the door, eager for my review afterward.

It was a bit uncomfortable, but it worked out.

When I stepped out, I saw Dom in the same machine Alba had used. The mist had to be extremely toxic, so lethal that even non-human bodies required detoxification.

With few options, and Rei probably still asleep, I decided to research more about the current world using Dom’s knowledge through Linkedia. I clicked on general knowledge, which opened a range of specific topics. The first one I chose was geography and geopolitics.

It seemed that everything I researched was being displayed on the globe in the living room, which was also paired with Dom. And… I had never thought about this before, but when we try to recall information, it comes to us through visual memories, narrated by our own consciousness.

So all the knowledge on the topic began to be explained in Dom’s voice, as if they were his memories, accompanied by images from his mental archive. It felt like being in a 3D cinema.

I clicked on an item called 'supercontinent.' Dom’s memories began explaining that in a very short time, the entire planet had been consolidated into a supercontinent, much like the ancient geologists’ theories about the formation of Aurica, all due to the numerous earthquakes and natural events triggered by the mist. What should have taken 200 million years on Earth had occurred in just 2,000 years.

The supercontinent came to be called Ena and was divided into five distinct geographic regions: a central one, Nowy, which split the entire continent and served as its famous center. To the west of Nowy were Lapa and, beyond it, Mogi. On the east were Una and Kera, both sharing land borders with Nowy and each divided into north and south, with Kera situated further south.

The five regions were sovereign, but the entire economy, politics, and culture revolved around Nowy.

“We’re right here,” Dom said, having already stepped out of the machine, as he pointed to a region in southern Kera.

“Kera today comprises what used to be South America and Africa. We live here, near the border with Nowy. It was one of the conditions Alba’s father set for her to continue living with us. That way, he would have easy access to her if necessary.”

“So… people from other regions can’t get into Nowy?” I asked.

“Nowy is a completely different region from ours, almost like a new world among the others. No… Nowy is more like the old Earth before everything was destroyed. It’s a completely isolated space, and no one from the outside can enter, either by land or air. There, bodies are more human-like, vegetation thrives, the soil bears fruit, and the air is clean. But only the richest and most powerful have the privilege of living there.”

“Why don’t they share it with everyone?”

“It’s a whole political and economic issue. The entire foundation of the central land was rebuilt to withstand natural phenomena, all financed by the elite, so…”

It was a naive question. Of course, inequality still exists.

Dom continued, “There’s only one way for people from other regions to gain access to the center and become one of them nowadays. You know… the elite hasn’t changed; they still hold political and economic power, but they’re completely eccentric. They love spending on crazy bets and unusual entertainment. They don’t accept a poor person reaching their level or being in the same place as them. But there’s one exception: fame. Being famous is a free pass to Nowy, so some people manage to get in that way.”

“Any kind of fame? Like music, sports… is that it?” I asked.

“Exactly, and there’s one main way: The Mist Games. We humanoids can adapt and change our bodies, right? With that in mind, they created a combat sport where you can invent and use any kind of device to win a physical fight — of course, without causing the opponent’s death. Every four years, four finalists, one from each region outside the center, gain access to Nowy, and the winner among them also receives a massive prize in Eterno. That’s equivalent to gaining a long life and immense wealth, depending on how the winner chooses to use it.”

“How long does an Eterno last? How much is it worth?” I asked again.

“It depends on the size of the fragment, the smallest one lasts a hundred years. I don’t know how to convert it into your era’s currency, but it’s extremely valuable.”

“...and when it runs out, how do you get another Eterno?”

“Some people spend their whole lives working just to buy another hundred-year Eterno, and it turns into a never-ending cycle.”

This is bizarre... what’s the point of living longer if life itself turns into nothing but struggle?

“And what happens if it doesn’t work out?” I asked, my curiosity slipping through.

“There are some Eternos in Nowy reserved for consciousness storage, but even those come with an expiration date. If the time runs out and the recovery deadline is missed... it’s over.”

“And what about currency? How does it work now?” I asked, trying to piece together how this strange world sustained itself.

“Gold was replaced by a more valuable mineral, Eterno itself. The currency is now virtual and unified. Sorry, I can’t explain it in detail, but it works somewhat like it did in the past.”

Suddenly, my phone rang — it was Rei.

“Hello, Rei?!”

“Inertia! I must have fallen asleep and didn’t notice… is everything okay over there?" he asked, still sounding startled.”

Rei’s hair was a mess, with pillow marks on his face. He’d clearly just woken up and looked disoriented.

“Yes, everything’s fine. Dom’s here with me, and Alba went to get something for me to eat.”

Dom appeared behind me, trying to get into Rei’s line of sight.

“Still don’t trust us, Rei? I even set up a bathroom with a beautiful, eco-friendly toilet for her,” he said with a mischievous grin.

“I’m sorry, Inertia, for not being with you,” Rei apologized.

“Don’t worry, Rei. You probably still have time to make it to school. It’s actually safe here.”

After everything that had happened, I began to trust them more. I didn’t feel in danger, even though I was alone with a man who could freeze me and kill me in an instant with a single breath.

“You can keep this call open while you’re in class, too,” Dom suggested.

Good idea. He could use a headset to make sure no one overhears. My life shouldn’t disrupt his.

“That’s true. Use a headset and keep in touch with us!” I said to him.

“No… I need to do more investigating about you in here too, Inertia. I can’t waste time going to school while you’re stuck there.”

I appreciated his concern, but this wasn’t good at all.

“Of course not, Rei. You can do that over the weekend or after school. I wouldn’t forgive myself if you failed because of me.”

He paused, thought for a moment, and replied, “...I promise I’ll go tomorrow, but not today. I also need to learn more about this app. There’s a manual for it here...”

Rei was interrupted by a knock at the door. He quickly turned his phone toward the bed, and my screen went black, but I could still hear the conversation.

“Rei?! Are you awake? It’s already time.”

“Just a second, Mom,” he replied.

I heard footsteps moving away, followed by the sound of the door opening. Almost immediately, a chaotic mix of paws and barking filled the room, along with the thudding of a wagging tail against the door.

“Oh wow, how could I have forgotten this dog!” Rei exclaimed.

“Exactly. Your sister has already adopted him and is taking care of him,” his mom replied.

“Where… where is it? Here! Whew! I’ll get ready and come down,” I heard him say.

“Hurry up, you’re running late!” she replied.

Rei shut the door and returned to his bed.

“How could I forget that! Do you have a dog, Inertia?”

A dog?

“I don’t remember ever having a dog...”

Then he picked up his phone and showed me the dog through the screen. The moment I saw it, a sharp pain shot through my head, followed by an intense ache that lasted a few seconds. I quickly pressed my hands to my head. It didn’t last long, but this new information hit me like an arrow.

Because of it, the phone slipped and hit the floor. But as soon as the pain subsided, I remembered — it was Toby, my dog.

End of Report 08.