Chương 38: Bonus Story : Stars Wars : Part 2 : The Cinema Dungeon

"Come on." Hundreds of moviegoers were making their way calmly toward the entrance. No one seemed to be in a hurry. Some were laughing, while others were still taking pictures in front of the posters covering the front of the building. The closer he got, the more colossal the structure appeared. Its fully glass-covered façade reflected the sky, multiple entrances provided access to the building, and an endless stream of people flowed inside without pause.

He finally stopped at the foot of the multiplex and looked up. His gaze traveled from one wing of the building to the other, assessing the entrances, vantage points, and various exits. In his former world, a fortress of this size would have required several thousand soldiers to defend effectively. Yet here, entire families walked in and out without the slightest concern.

"Impressive..."

"Yes, it's pretty big." Aldric continued his assessment. The numerous entrances would allow a large crowd to be evacuated quickly. The enormous glass façades offered excellent visibility of the surrounding area, even if they seemed strangely fragile for a defensive structure. The long lines were evidence of a remarkable daily attendance. As for the endless stream of visitors… It never seemed to stop.

"This fortress houses a considerable population." Emma smiled.

"It's not a fortress."

"No?"

"It's just a movie theater." Aldric turned his attention back to the enormous building standing before them. The longer he studied it, the less he understood. Why build such a vast structure simply to watch movies? Why so many entrances, so many auditoriums, and so many staff members devoted to an activity that, in his eyes, seemed so simple? This fortress looked as though it had been built to accommodate an entire population. They continued toward the main entrance when something caught his attention.

Every time a visitor approached the enormous glass doors, they slid open on their own before silently closing again a few seconds later. No one pushed them. There were no visible handles. No guard or servant appeared to be operating the mechanism. His hand instinctively settled on the hilt of his sword as he watched visitor after visitor walk inside. The phenomenon repeated itself without fail. The doors seemed to anticipate their arrival, opening before anyone even reached them.

When a family approached, the panels slid apart while the youngest child had not yet even reached out a hand.

"They detected us." Emma rolled her eyes.

"Yes. Thanks to a sensor."

"A magical sensor?"

"No."

"Then how does it work?"

"It's a motion sensor." Aldric watched the doors once again as they continued opening and closing with almost perfect regularity. He silently repeated the words motion sensor. The technology of this kingdom truly employed vocabulary every bit as mysterious as its inventions.

"I understand."

"You do?"

"Yes. They are high-level enchanted doors." Emma sighed, shaking her head. Even so, Aldric stepped across the threshold cautiously, as though expecting to trigger a magical trap. He cast one last glance over his shoulder.

"Most impressive..." No sooner had they stepped into the lobby than Aldric's attention was drawn to the enormous posters displayed on either side of the entrance. They advertised several films currently showing. Heroes clad in armor. Adventurers. Gigantic monsters. Starships. The colors were vivid, and beneath the lights, the characters seemed almost alive. Aldric approached the first poster and studied the face of the hero depicted on it.

He continued his inspection, stopping before a second, then a third, until his gaze settled on a Star Wars poster. Darth Vader dominated the entire composition, lightsaber in hand, his eyes fixed on the horizon like a commander surveying the battlefield before the assault. He stared at the Dark Lord for several long seconds. Then he slowly placed his fist against his chest and began to bow his head respectfully.

"Aldric!" He stopped.

"Yes?"

"What are you doing?"

"Paying my respects to one of the greatest commanders of this war."

"You were actually about to salute a Darth Vader poster?"

"Is that not the proper way to honor the heroes of an ancient campaign?" Emma ran a hand down her face.

"No... definitely not." Aldric gave the enormous poster one last look. Then he nodded solemnly.

"Your customs are truly very different from ours." He resumed walking beside Emma, convinced that he had just entered one of the most fascinating fortresses he had ever had the opportunity to visit. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Before him stretched a vast, brightly lit hall filled with hundreds of visitors moving in every direction without ever seeming to get in one another's way.

Dozens of ticket counters occupied one side of the building, while mysterious glowing kiosks welcomed new arrivals. Farther inside, large screens displayed moving images above the crowd, and several machines dispensed drinks and snacks without a single merchant standing watch over them. The hero slowly turned in place, taking in every detail before quietly murmuring:"This dungeon has a remarkably well-organized reception hall."

"Come on. We need to validate our tickets." She led him toward a row of self-service kiosks. Visitors would stop for a few seconds in front of these strange glowing columns, hold their phones against a small black screen, then collect a printed ticket before immediately moving on. No one appeared to be giving orders. No one checked anyone's identity. Yet everything operated with remarkable precision. Emma took out her phone, held the electronic ticket against the scanner, and waited a few seconds.

The machine let out a soft beep. A ticket immediately emerged from a narrow slot. Then a second one.

"An administrative golem..." Emma picked up the tickets with a sigh.

"It's not a golem."

"No?"

"It's a kiosk."

"So it issues entry permits?"

"Yes."

"Then it is, in fact, an administrative golem." Emma opened her mouth. Then closed it again. There was simply no arguing with that kind of logic. They continued toward the access gates. Each visitor presented a ticket to a scanner, another beep sounded, and a small green light granted permission to enter. Emma scanned both of their tickets. Beep. The light turned green. The gate opened.

"Remarkable..."

"What is?"

"Their discipline is exceptional. No guards are required. The visitors naturally follow the procedures. Entry permits are issued without error. Access is controlled automatically. An organization like this would require dozens of officials in my kingdom." They had gone only a few more steps when a man in a dark suit approached them.

"Good evening."

"Good evening," Emma replied. The attendant turned his attention to Aldric.

"Sir... your sword."

"Yes?"

"You can't bring that inside." Aldric turned toward Emma.

"They wish to disarm me before allowing me into the dungeon."

"Exactly."

"That is only logical." The security guard, who naturally understood none of their conversation, waited patiently. Aldric unfastened his sword.

"A proper fortress never allows an armed stranger to enter."

"Don't worry, it's part of his cosplay. The sword isn't real." The guard examined the weapon. Despite Emma's explanation, it looked incredibly realistic. He hesitated for a few seconds before signaling to a colleague. The two men inspected the sword, then the armor, and finally Aldric himself. After exchanging a brief glance, one of them broke into a smile.

"I have to say... your costume is incredible." Aldric inclined his head slightly.

"Thank you." The security guard laughed.

"Even the way you talk is perfect!" Emma decided not to add anything. The more she tried to explain the situation, the more likely she was to make it worse. The second guard then took out his phone and raised it.

"Would you mind if I took a picture?" Aldric immediately turned toward Emma.

"Is this a local custom?"

"Yes... well... more or less."

"In that case, I accept." A few seconds later, the two guards were posing on either side of Aldric with broad smiles while Emma captured the moment on one of their phones. Several visitors even stopped to admire what they believed was an exceptionally well-done cosplay. When the impromptu photo session came to an end, the guards warmly thanked Aldric.

"Thanks so much! Enjoy the marathon!"

"Thank you for your hospitality." The two guards stepped aside to let them pass. A few yards later, Aldric discreetly leaned toward Emma.

"The guards of this fortress are exceptionally courteous."

"You think so?"

"They wished to inspect my equipment, then honored me according to your customs by requesting a shared portrait." Emma laughed softly. Aldric already wore the small, satisfied smile that always appeared whenever he encountered an efficient military organization. In his mind, the defenses of this strange fortress had simply passed their first test with flying colors. They finally left the security guards behind and ventured deeper into the complex.

The farther they went, the more architectural marvels Aldric discovered. The main lobby opened onto several galleries where visitors constantly crossed paths. Large hanging signs pointed in different directions, while glowing screens displayed the times of upcoming showings. Every detail seemed designed to guide this veritable army of moviegoers as efficiently as possible. Emma stepped onto an escalator leading to the upper floor.

"Our auditorium is up there." Aldric studied the strange mechanism for a long moment. The steps seemed to emerge from beneath the floor before disappearing at the top in one continuous motion. Dozens of people were carried upward without the slightest effort. No horses. No levitation spell. No visible mechanism.

"Let's go." Emma stepped onto one of the moving steps and was carried upward. He waited a few seconds before following her. The instant his foot touched the metal step, it began carrying him upward as well. Caught off guard, he nearly lost his balance, and his hand immediately closed around the hilt of his sword. His other foot searched for solid footing while his eyes scanned the mechanism suspiciously.

"The floor is alive!" Several people turned to look at him. Emma, meanwhile, burst out laughing.

"It's just an escalator!" Aldric remained perfectly still all the way to the top, his knees slightly bent as though he expected to be attacked at any moment. When he finally reached solid ground again, he took a deep breath before turning around to study the mechanism once more.

"Remarkable..."

"You'll get used to it." The hero slowly shook his head.

"It carries visitors without requiring the slightest effort from them. That is a remarkable invention." They continued down a corridor covered in thick carpeting that almost completely muffled the sound of footsteps. Numbered doors lined both sides of the hallway. Above each one, a glowing sign displayed the auditorium number along with the film being shown inside. Groups of moviegoers constantly entered and exited, guided by the illuminated signs.

"Auditorium Four..." A few yards farther.

"Auditorium Eight..." Farther still.

"Auditorium Twelve..." At last, he turned toward Emma.

"How many battles are taking place simultaneously within this fortress?"

"You mean how many movies?"

"Yes."

"Around twenty, I think."

"Twenty historical chronicles being presented at the same time..." He pictured hundreds of spectators spread throughout the building, each studying a different war. The scale of the organization surpassed anything he had ever known. In his former world, gathering so many chroniclers in a single place would have required years of preparation. They continued to the end of the corridor before arriving beneath a Star Wars poster hanging above the entrance to their auditorium.

An especially dense crowd had already gathered outside the doors. Unlike the other moviegoers, many were fully dressed in costume. Jedi chatted casually with several Stormtroopers. A Darth Vader posed for pictures with children. Farther away, two people dressed as Rebel pilots laughed with a man dressed as Emperor Palpatine.

"So the participants wear the official uniforms of this campaign."

"If you say so..." A few moments later, the auditorium doors finally opened. The audience began filing inside. Aldric followed the crowd while studying the interior. A vast darkened hall stretched before them. Long, perfectly aligned rows of seats descended gradually toward a gigantic white screen covering the entire front wall. The lights were still on, and everyone calmly searched for their seats while chatting with the people around them. Emma quickly checked the numbers printed on their tickets.

"Row H... seats fifteen and sixteen." They made their way to their seats. Aldric remained standing for a few seconds before sitting down. His eyes slowly swept across the entire auditorium. The hundreds of seats. The enormous screen. The audience still settling into place. Then he took a deep breath.

"So we have arrived in the war council chamber."

"Sit down... it's about to begin." Aldric nodded solemnly. Convinced he was about to witness the opening of a vast military campaign, he sat with his back perfectly straight and his hands resting on the armrests, ready to discover the priceless chronicles this strange civilization was about to reveal.