Mobius—Stairwell
The highest level, beyond William's line of sight,
contained a door that only Ruben's physical body could pass through. Inside was connected to Ruben's real mansion—the material projection of the concept of home.
It was an extremely luxurious French manor. A massive family oil painting hung right by the entrance,
depicting the golden-haired handsome youth, the sister in a red dress, and their parents with their eyes gouged out.
The camera moved continuously along the side corridor on the first floor, rounding several forks before arriving at a children's room. Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be the bedroom of the golden-haired youth from the family portrait.
Yet even this simple children's room contained a hidden passage concealed behind the wardrobe, leading straight to an old, abandoned basement.
The basement contained a large number of animal specimens that had undergone vivisection—or, more precisely, brain dissection. The brains of different animals had been removed for study and then soaked in a solution with active preservation properties.
Scattered brain tissue could even be seen on some of the wooden tables, along with a pig's brain that had not yet been put away, various probes still sticking into it.
A huge blackboard hung at the deepest part of the basement,
its surface covered in chalk drawings of the human body, especially the brain, along with related research notes.
Two voices could be heard discussing something.
One of them belonged to Ruben. The other, if heard in the Old World, would have been instantly recognized as Lorien of New Moon Origin.
The two were discussing the brain, dreams, and matters related to the Void Seam.
When the camera drew closer, it became clear that they were not both physical beings.
Ruben was physical, while Lorien was merely a temporary image projected by