Chapter 1: The Silent Device

Emma took a step back, her voice trembling. "How... how do you know my name? I only met Johan through a random post on social media!"
Johan’s father gave a sad, knowing smile, his image glowing brighter within the crystals. "Emma, it wasn't by chance that you received Johan's message. I knew only you could repair that device, because half of the codes inside it were written by your father."
A heavy silence filled the hall. Johan looked at Emma in shock. Emma whispered, "My father? He... he’s been missing for years. The police said he died in a lab accident."
Johan’s father shook his head. "No, he didn’t die. Your father, Professor Sarko, and I started this project together. He was the architect of the codes; I was the guardian of the map. When we realized that Arthur and his group wanted to weaponize this technology, we chose to disappear. I hid the device, and your father hid the override codes inside an old electronic game, knowing only you would eventually solve it."
Recognition flashed in Emma’s eyes. "That’s why the code felt so familiar... it was my father’s signature style!"
Arthur, trembling with rage, roared, "So all these years, I was played for a fool! Enough! Time is running out!"
The timer hit: 00:25:00.
The cave began to collapse violently. Johan’s father pointed toward the center of the hall, where a dark, swirling vortex had appeared. "Place the device in the core. It’s the only way to stabilize this parallel dimension and send you home. But Johan... if you do this, all the memories stored here—including mine and Emma’s father—will be erased forever. You must choose: the memories, or your lives?"