"A mask can protect you…
but it can also imprison you."

Chapter 13 - The Masked Minister

As the Mirror of Eternity closed behind Preet, the universe didn't stand still. It shifted. Shayla, Rosi, Mr. David, and the Bird King found themselves standing in a narrow, dim corridor made of rusted metal and old velvet curtains. Whispers echoed from all directions. Not ghostly whispers. But whispers of promises. Broken promises. A single lantern flickered, revealing a long hallway filled with floating golden masks, each carved into a smile that didn't quite reach the eyes. Rosi's eyelashes stood on end. "Meow... the mask reeks of stale ambition." Bird King narrowed his eyes. "The Broker doesn't work alone." A soft clap echoed through the hall.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A tall man stepped forward, dressed in a crisp suit, walking with elegance, confidence... and emptiness. His face was hidden behind a flawless golden mask, a crack running along his left cheek.

Shayla gasped. "You... are human?" The man chuckled warmly. "No, my child. I am what happens to humans... when they lie for too long." He bowed deeply, almost dramatically.

"I am the Masked Minister." "Former Keeper of Promises. Current Administrator of Illusions." Bird King's wings fluttered. "You helped the Broker steal karma." The Minister tapped his staff lightly. "Steal? No. I simply... adjusted the numbers. People like shortcuts. I simply gave them a mask to hide the cost." He waved his hand. The floating masks swirled, revealing the hollow darkness behind them. Shayla gasped. "Why would anyone want this?"

The Minister leaned in.

"Because the truth hurts. People want comfort. People want applause. People want a version of themselves they can see." His own mask pulsed red. "And over time... the masks became more real than the faces beneath them." Master David swallowed. "And your true face...?" The Minister froze. For a moment, the cracks in his mask widened. A faint light seeped in. "I don't remember," he whispered. Rosi whispered back, "It was... tragic." The Bird King stepped forward. “This corridor leads to the Mirror of Eternity, does it not?”

The Minister twirled his staff elegantly. “Ah yes. The rift is only open to those who have lost themselves… or those who are ready to face themselves.” He raised a finger. “But before you follow Preet… you must answer one question.” The lanterns dimmed. The Minister’s voice lowered. “Which of your masks… are you willing to let die?” The masks on the wall began to melt, dripping gold like tears. A door of light formed behind the Minister, leading to Preet. The Minister stepped aside and bowed. “Go. The mirror is hungry. And your friend is already inside.” The Bird King spread his wings. “Move. We are leaving now.” Shayla glanced at the Minister once more. “Will you… come with us?” The Minister touched his cracked mask. “…No. I must stay here. Someone must guard the masks of the world.”

He smiled sadly. “Besides… I’ve forgotten what I look like. The corridor is trembling.” The door swung open.

And they stepped into the light. As it engulfed them, the corridors of masks slowly faded like shadows of the past that could no longer touch them. The Masked Minister's voice vanished, replaced by a soft chime like the echo of the universe's first breath.

The light around them changed, no longer the light of a portal, but the light of consciousness itself. And when ground finally reappeared beneath their feet, they realized: this was not just a new space… this was the core of the entire Samsaraverse, the place where all journeys end and all truths begin to speak.

- TO BE CONTINUED

🔴 QUESTION:

1. Why is the corridor in Chapter 13 filled with golden masks?

2. What is the Masked Minister's true identity?

A. An alternate-dimensional being

B. A human transformed by lies

C. A guardian of ancient karma

D. An illusion created by the Broker

3. Why does Bird King suspect that the Broker isn't working alone?

4. What crucial question does the Masked Minister ask before they can pursue Preet?

5. Why does the Masked Minister refuse to join the group heading to the Mirror of Eternity?

6. What is the meaning of the door of light behind the Minister?

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