Angelo pov:
At that moment, when I accepted to go and infiltrate St. Pavlov Foundation, I never knew it would influence my whole life.
It was then that I found out the truth—the truth of the dream I had.
This is it, the place. I looked around. It wasn't special, unlike the mysterious bar I investigated before. I went to the chair near the counter and waited for Uncle Carlo and his plan. I want to hear it. A few more minutes passed, and he arrived. Discreetly, we had a private conversation. “What's your plan, Uncle?” I asked him as he drank a glass of beer. He answered, “In St. Pavlov, there is an underground airbase with an entrance and an exit to get inside St. Pavlov Foundation. Normally, you have to be checked by agents and guards just to tour around. At night, there are at least 20 guards patrolling everything. I know it may be small, but all those guards are considered high rankings, so be careful…” he said as he drank another glass of beer.
I thought about it for a moment—how to get in and out of the foundation. If that was needed, I'd need a few more details. “So what are we gonna do now? More importantly, what do you want with the foundation, Uncle…” I looked down at the glass of beer I was given by the bartender. I drank one glass before I asked Uncle Carlo again. He gave me a card with an address. “Go to that address; he is the key for you to go inside the foundation. Good luck, Angelo...” he smiled before leaving the bar. Wait! The bartender gave me the bill. That guy… he didn't pay the bill!
A few moments after I paid the bill that Uncle gave me intentionally, it was time to go to that address. It had been more than two days since I chatted with TTT. I purposely asked her not to bother for the whole week. Even though skeptical, she agreed with my intention and didn't communicate with me for a week. Five more days… just wait, TTT. We can see each other again… in person… just wait. I smiled inwardly. It's time to go to that address.
A short while later, I arrived at the address on the card Uncle gave me. It was a shabby house. Scratch that, this house is definitely a haunted house. I steeled myself, ready for what's gonna happen next. I entered the house...
Silence… after that, an uneasy feeling happened. It was as if I was drowning. I decided to make my way to the entrance of the house, and then I knocked. “Hello? Anyone here?” I said, gathering all my strength just to say it. The door opened... on its own. I gulped as I entered the house deeper. I saw someone, glowing blue eyes piercing through my soul. Just as I stopped my movement to try and not provoke the thing that was on the other side of the house, the thing walked closer and closer until I could see their face—an old, wrinkly face, almost eerily normal. The only unnatural thing was the man’s eyes. As he walked closer to me, he said something. “Were you sent here by Carlo?” He asked. I nodded my head, and then the pressure dissipated. I could breathe easier now. “Well, we don't have much time now... hold out your hand.” I reluctantly held out my hand as the old man took it and said some incantations. Suddenly, a piercing feeling came over me...
That was the moment I woke up. I was much smaller? And the old man was now gone, and the house... it turned into a normal house. Could it be... I found a singular mirror at the end of the hallway.
The old man, he somehow turned me back into a kid?! Literally, I looked like I was just a 10-year-old. I scanned the area to find the old man who turned me back into a kid, and I found him. He was wearing a white mask?? It had no holes, but I could see that it was the old man. He held out his hand before saying, “Kid... hold my hand. Let's go now.” He summoned a floppy disk labeled ‘St. Pavlov Foundation.’ This was it. This was the key for me to enter St. Pavlov Foundation to go back to the digital world and hang out with TTT. I quickly held the hand of the old man before he teleported us away.
We arrived inside St. Pavlov. I'm worried. Will they know I'm just a human? Just before I could overthink it, the old man patted my head and said, “Don't worry about anything, kid. The incantation I casted will also let you cast arcanist spells. Just don't overdo it, or it will be dangerous and might turn you back to your real self.” I nodded my head before we entered St. Pavlov Foundation. It was time to pretend.
It was the best I could do.