"You've come a long way, Emilio. I must confess that I wasn't sure how this was all going to pan out, but I'm glad to see how far you've progressed." Asket said, her face confident and proud. She stood before Emilio, measuring him. "This journey has been amazing, Asket. You and your - our - people have been a blessing to me. You've rescued me from the darkest place one could ever know and brought me freedom. I hope that one day I will be able to repay you for the kindness and selflessness you have given me." Emilio said softly with tears forming in his eyes. "Emilio, the honor was mine. After all, you asked me to rescue you." She replied. Emilio's brow furrowed. She had made this expression a handful of times but the context has eluded him. He was about to ask her meaning when Asket moved close to Emilio and offered her hands to him. He took them and rose as she tugged. They stood together in his solitude chamber, bathed in the glow of ambient sunlight that poured through the window at the top of his small room. She gestured towards the portal door. "Come with me. There's someone you need to meet. We think it's time." Emilio was about to ask again when she waved her hand in front of the portal and it slowly glided apart. He reached back and grabbed his refreshment container from the solitary white bench, then accompanied her through the portal, hands clasped. They stepped into a glade that was covered with all the beauty and magic that nature could provide. Trees, shrubs, and grasses whispered and swayed in the soft, warm breeze. The smell of salt and pollen was rich in the air. Mountains towered on the horizon, grey and hazy from the distance. Emilio always closed his eyes and breathed deeply when first passing through. Closing his eyes allowed his ears to capture the mechanical whirring of insect wings pulsing around him, as the fluttering of butterflies danced throughout. There, above it all, shone the yellow Sun, Sol. Its gentle rays caressed and tickled Emilio's flesh, demanding monotony from the pigments. This was a battle that he gladly wanted to lose. This glade was a facsimile, however: a gift of technology, though it was benevolent and made precisely for him. Somehow, these beings were able to conform their surroundings and bend reality to whatever they chose. Emilio, having known nothing but Space and stilerium, chose the Earth that his ancestors came from. It was his attempt to re-create the mythical Garden of Adam. He felt like the Creator of his own world. They walked until Asket found a suitable and comfortable log where they could sit together. After finding one and making themselves comfortable. Asket looked deeply into Emilio's eyes and shared more of herself with him. "You know that I have always wanted you to have the Truth with all the love and sincerity that it means, Emilio. Today is no different. I...we want to hide nothing from you. It's important that you always remember that the love we have for you is unlike these holograms you've created. It's more real than the place you came from, the darkness, and more real than anything you will experience for the rest of your days. Here or elsewhere." Asket said softly to him. There were birds and insects singing in the background, songs carried on the breeze that kissed their skin. Sol's fingers moved over Asket's face and hair, causing her to radiate. She still wore the white garments from when she first appeared to Emilio. Intricate symbols and shapes tracing along the seams, woven throughout. Under this sky, with the Sun shining down, Asket was iridescent and impossible. "I know that, Asket." Emilio said. "This is my home - the home that I will take with me everywhere I will ever go." he said, his eyes full of sincerity. "I know that some time has passed since you came to me, though I can't tell exactly how long I've been here. Even though it seems so short a time, I feel like I've always been here...and with you." Emilio's voice was steady and it reflected the calm in his mind. It was true: since having been taken to this place, Emilio's chemical transition had been smoothed out. Not only did he have a sanctuary from Raemus and The Council, he was given the chance to learn his emotions and tame them. Asket smiled with her eyes and took his hands, squeezing them gently. "Then I want you to meet the one who is responsible for you. He has been wanting to see you for a long time but knew that your transition took priority...and you haven't been ready until now. Prepare yourself, though, you may be in for a surpri--" "Let's not build the suspense too much, Asket." came a voice from behind a tall, dense bush. "He's liable to turn this little oasis against us if we aren't careful." said the voice again, chuckling. From behind the bush came a man roughly six feet in height with silver hair and eyes. He displayed a smile across his face and showed love in his eyes. He looked exactly like Emilio Sanchez, though his skin was uniform, a caramel brown. Emilio recoiled at the sight and fell, off-balance. He scurried backward on the ground for a few feet, then clumsily stood. Emilio stared at himself for a minute, searching for a trace of difference. "Are you from my mind, as well?" he asked. "No, Emilio, I am not." the doppelganger said. The imposter gestured his hands outward with his palms raised. "Please sit down and let me explain. Surely you have experienced many things here that you could not explain. Is it necessary to panic at every turn?" he said gently. There was a change in the air. Emilio could feel a trace of electricity. Static. He moved reluctantly back to the log and sat down slowly. He continued looking at his reflection, trying to incorporate his reality. Emilio thought that he heard the rumblings of thunder in the distance. "Ok, so first, let's not call each other Emilio. That would be even more confusing. You stay Emilio since you are younger than me. You may call me Old Man." he said proudly as he raised his chin slightly. He looked over at Asket. "I have come a long way, indeed, Asket. I remember this! Simply remarkable!" he laughed. Asket smiled warmly, exchanging a look of familiarity. "Not even my Light can express the amount of pride and humility I feel towards you, my love." she beamed. She looked as if she were crying but no tears fell. Emilio was switching his gaze between the two of them, not able to wrap his mind around the information unfolding. Younger? Old Man? My Love? "What the hell is going on?" he demanded. "Ahh, there it is. The fire!. You have come a long way, my friend, but a rough and rugged road still lies before you." the Old Man rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "So here is the short version, Emilio." the Old Man said. "I am you and you are me. The difference between us is time and space." he said. I'm not able to give you all the details because it's over your head a few hundred times. However, that will change, as we are a fast learner. In the meantime, I need you to trust me and trust Asket. There is something you must do now, and it can't wait, but when we see each other again we'll have more time to talk. I promise that I will answer your questions." the Old Man said. Emilo's brow furrowed. His eyes darted back and forth as he tried assimilating these experiences. He wasn't able to keep up. "This is moving too fast. Why are you being so cryptic? If we are the same then why can't we share the information you have? Shouldn't I know it already? This doesn't seem right!" Emilio sputtered. Asket, still seated beside him, placed her hand on his shoulder. "Emilio, please. This is a long journey that you are traveling. Do not ask for more than you can handle. I am many more times evolved than you are but even I have difficulty explaining what has been happening to my - to you. It's simply too instinctive and difficult for language" she said softly. Asket looked away from Emilio and focused on the bare ground beneath her feet. "And some things must be encountered at a specific time and place - in a strict order - and you must be prepared. Otherwise, your chance to experience and gain acceptance may be lost and what is coming is much too important to take any risks. We've achieved far more than we expected and don't want to take the chance to miss our mark." she said. Asket looked up at Emilio again and placed her hand on his cheek. He could feel her on his face and deep inside him simultaneously. He closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. "Good." she said. After a few moments, Emilio opened his eyes and looked over to The Old Man. "You must tell me something. I need to know something about what will be happening." The Old Man considered and gave Emilio an answer. "Change."