Raiyokan and the Fibonacci Sequence

Chapter 11: Identity Crisis and the Fibonacci Prophecy

The last conversation I had with a Raiyokan was with Eliseu; we were the only survivors, and the moment was tense.

— I was wrong. Our last chance is at Shinten Church. — Eliseu said, remorseful and with an air of self-reproach.

— We won't get there in time. And we can't be sure the symbol will even be there. — I replied, alarmed.

Eliseu ignored my words and said:

— If I hold off the Thunders, you'll have time to reach the church.

— But, Eliseu, I... I... I don't believe in this prophecy anymore.

— I know it exists. I saw this symbol in a revelation myself. Mei didn't tell me; I'm certain it was this church. — The situation had reversed; now it was Eliseu who believed in the prophecy.

However, Eliseu was mistaken. Even in the depths of the dream, I confronted the harsh reality that the prophecy had not come to pass. I found no symbol in the church, and I was killed in battle. Reflecting on this entire life, many of the internal conflicts in my existence here, as Diego, began to make sense.

My propensity for skepticism was rooted in the disappointment I had experienced as Kenzo. In my previous universe, our powers were not manifestations of the spiritual but natural phenomena. The truly supernatural would have been the Fibonacci prophecy, which had not come to fruition in our lineage. Remembering this story, I began to understand the absence of my faith: all my ancestors had been killed, and no divine intervention had manifested.

Returning to the Nexus universe, even before having all these memories, I discovered that somehow experiencing human existence had strengthened me. I eliminated all the Thunders, yet the scar in my soul persisted.

Though it may seem contradictory, I still appreciate the sense of spirituality here on Earth, even without believing in the supernatural that underlies it. I am drawn only to the good that this feeling brings. I learned this from being human; it is not uncommon to find people who are skeptical yet incredibly spiritual, even without belief in any deity.

I realized that belief in miracles is, in fact, a limitation of our perception. I can illustrate this with my abilities: even in a world where many people are skeptical, even the most fervent atheist would feel compelled to consider the supernatural upon witnessing my powers. Yet I am aware that these powers are not as spiritual as they might be perceived here on Earth.

Still, by immersing myself in the aura of the sacred, I can establish a bridge connecting human belief to the reality of my superhuman gifts. I could not precisely explain this connection, but it was for this reason that I found myself at Niemeyer Church, seeking that spiritual experience capable of guiding me through existential crises. It was during this moment of search that the world of the Raiyokans was mentioned for the first time by someone here on Earth, now known as Peter.

That mention struck me deeply, and now, more than ever, I understood the nature of its impact. My refuge, where my world should have remained known only to me, had crumbled. When Peter mentioned my universe, I thought my greatest fear was the threat of my origins being revealed. Though that fear existed, I now realized that my main concern was discovering that the only event that could be considered supernatural here on Earth was not exclusively tied to me.

This triggered an internal conflict. For some reason, after this experience, I realized that to truly experience spirituality, I needed to genuinely believe in its truth. This event stirred my emotions; I could no longer enjoy that feeling without believing that a supernatural world was connected to it. But to embrace the possibility of supernatural events, I also had to accept its existence in my former universe—something I had resisted due to my disappointment with the Fibonacci prophecy. My disillusionment with my old universe represented a barrier to be overcome to transcend this limitation.

Now, I understood why I experienced such a positive sensation in Mariana's company. As a spiritual woman, she could discern the supernatural without reducing it to a mere feeling. In my mind, this perception gained solidity in her presence, something evidenced in the revelations she made about our bond, which transcended human limitations, even when she was not conscious of these revelations.

The perception of the supernatural also manifested in the thoughts of my master, Nakamura. Though he did not share the same belief in a God as Mariana, he believed in an energy that permeates the world. In Buddhism, which has no supreme or creator god in the traditional sense, the focus turns to understanding human suffering and the path toward liberation from it.

During classes with Nakamura, I perceived his conviction that nature is perfect, with the human mind being the cause of the health problems we face. While he recognized that our posture and attitudes can greatly influence our health, he understood that nature is not perfect; he knew there was no standard behavior or religion that exempts us from problems.

For all these reasons, I remained hesitant to embrace belief in miracles. All the unusual events in my life were intrinsically linked to my former universe, something that did not exceed natural limits. Just as in Nexus, where warriors strong as steel existed without being considered supernatural phenomena, my inexplicable connection with Mariana and Peter also did not defy nature; it was simply unusual.

In this dreamlike contemplation, I found myselftraversing the path of life, facing all these uncertainties, now withoutMariana's presence. Memories began to fade, yet I sensed that in my next dream,I would have new revelations.