Princes of the Universe.

 

Entering the room, I stifled a sigh. I'd always liked this style. Whatever I'd said before, I'd always enjoyed being in rooms brimming with opulence, yet nonetheless modestly furnished. Rich, yet ascetic. Whatever I'd said before...

Before no longer mattered. Ten years had passed since that fateful conversation. Ten years that had changed everything. Me, us, the world. Ten years during which I had shown that anything could be overcome. Bureaucracy, adversity, politicians, ordinary people. If you set your mind to it.

Ten years.

I ran my hand along the carefully carved back of the chair. We had succeeded.

The door opened quietly. I turned my head, unable to hide a smile. Here we were. Finally. After ten years of fierce battles, intrigues, pretense, and performances. After ten years of slow evolution to become idols. The highest authorities in every field.

-Marcin. "I'm sorry," I finally stated with a slightly questioning lilt. I shook my head in surprise. "If it weren't for the newspapers, I wouldn't have recognized you.

" "The same," the chemist muttered, looking around carefully. Another door opened. "Is it Hanna?"

"Hanah!" I roared, but didn't move from my spot. My smile grew, intensified. "Don't be afraid, there are no cameras here," I turned to the suspicious scientist. "Would they be watching us? Us?"

"Holy words," a slightly mocking voice from behind me agreed. I turned.

"Arek.

" "Yes, young one."

Finally, everyone arrived, and I decided to sit down too. At a round, ebony table with birch decorations. Darek and Mouse were the last to arrive.

We all sat down at a round, black table. Silent. Silent rulers of men, Princes of the Universe. My eyes darted to my left.

Beata. Sister. A legal expert. A dancer of statutes, protocols, precedents, and the constitutions of all countries. And also of those principles that had recently become universal. All over the world. In this respect, there was no one who could equal her. In dangerous moments, when any of us was threatened by the law of states, she appeared. And like the best fencing player, she deflected all the arguments of our opponents.

Magda, Moe, the Unicorn. Most knowledgeable about Earth's ecology. Awoken in the middle of the night, she could randomly list endangered species in the Congo Basin or the dangers of melting glaciers. It was thanks to her that we managed to overthrow every politician who cared nothing for the environment. It was thanks to her that we managed to save the tropical forests. It was thanks to her that neighbors turned on neighbors if they didn't sort their garbage.

Arek, the Great Papa of the Cave. A financier. The eminence grise of this material side of humanity. He was the originator and main executor of the worldwide single currency, he and Beata significantly reduced bureaucratic formalities, he was the one who flawlessly bet on the stock market a few years ago to raise funds for our campaigns. He was the one who, with his rustling banknotes, saved us from trouble more than once.

Jagoda, without whom none of us would have succeeded in shattering old stereotypes. Jagoda, who stood at the podium and thundered, Jagoda, whom millions would have followed. If only she had wanted them to follow. Jagoda, who always offered advice and always chose a risky path. Jagoda, who implemented projects that made the rest of the world tremble. Jagoda, who was responsible for progress.

Marcin, who lost his nickname of "Black" eight years ago, and regained it less than a year ago. A guy who, from the very beginning, chose what he stubbornly called elementary knowledge. Chemist, physicist, biologist, geologist, who knows what else. Together with Adela, he saved Asia and Africa from illiteracy and reformed the education system, introducing a uniform system worldwide shortly after the Ark monetary revolution.

Adela, whom I still called Jaśmina. Marcin's humanities counterpart. Historian, bibliographer, linguist, artist, and polyglot. Together with Marcin, she worked on global education, together with Jagoda, combated stereotypes. She analyzed the world's languages ​​in terms of difficulty, popularity of the alphabet, history, comprehension for the average student, and so-called "catchiness," and then chose four. These four languages ​​were mandatory learning all over the world.

Dorota, looking her best, as always. It was like that wherever she went and with whomever she was. At first, a media darling, then a crowd favorite. In Poland in the early years. Then Europe, America, the world. Singer, actress, teenage idol, and the object of youngsters' affections. Screaming for them. She won the hearts of teenagers because she sang about their problems.

Michał, the Mad Hatter. The only one here who almost never took the stage. Not because he couldn't, but because he didn't want to. Back when we only dreamed of the seats we were now sitting in, he made people chatter their teeth just by talking. Where Beata's legal tricks, Arek's petty financial tricks, or even Jagoda's voice failed, he stepped in. He fought for us, for himself, with nothing more than logic. Whatever he argued about, he won. Even if everyone considered him a loser from the start.

Kuba, Ender's Golden-Haired Bear. He appeared wherever the media were. Wherever journalists or reporters appeared, he was there. From various quarters, it's true. He either commanded them or answered to them, but always to our advantage. And people always believed him. It's amazing, but even at the beginning, few questioned his words. Because he was right.

Hanka, thanks to whom we avoided the threat of war many times. Over those ten years, threats were made against each of us more than once. But then Hanka, or rather the formally nonexistent Quaina, would emerge from the shadows and calmly give us all the information about the attack. Once, three days before the armed attack, a veritable civil war, she appeared at my villa and gave us all the information. I went to see Jagoda. Jagoda stepped to the podium, said a few words, and the ringleaders appeared the next day to apologize.

Finally, Mysza and Darek. Fate—or perhaps something more powerful than fate—decreed that this particular pair would plunge into a difficult, perhaps even the most difficult, fight. Paradoxically, they thundered to the consciences of local rulers and governments about health standards. When that didn't work, they stepped in themselves. They made people, ordinary, unenlightened people, aware of the threats. Bacteria. Viruses. They fought for nothing more than health for everyone. In the whole world.

And me. I, who took on this role practically without my choice. Together with Jagoda, Marcin, Darek, and Dorota, I convinced Islamists to introduce equal rights without abandoning their religion. I discussed propaganda with the head of the Church, dispelling myths about sects. They said that thanks to me, religious tolerance reached such a level that a Jew knew by heart not only the Torah but also all the differences between it and the Bible.

They said so.

But only we, as we sat here, knew the truth.

And the truth, needless to say, was banal.

We worked together. One by one, except for Dorota and Michał, we all tried to take over the government in some part of the world. From America in my case, to Tajikistan in Adela's. But we tried. And each of us succeeded.

Because we weren't alone.

We sat there, thirteen of us, each specializing in something different. Each of us knew the problems from every side, each benefited from someone else's help. I wouldn't have been able to successfully conclude the negotiations with the Pope on the introduction of new Church law if it weren't for the second Magda. Dorota wouldn't have been promoted without Kuba's help. There was a moment when Darek was within range of a sniper in sandy ruins somewhere in southern Iran, and the sniper gave up when he heard Michał's cold, mocking voice behind him. Who, by the way, would not have arrived at the right time if it weren't for Hanka's information and Arek's safe conduct.

We helped each other. Together we climbed the ladder to the very top.

To those chairs.

"Hello," I finally said. "Hello, when each of us finally managed to snatch some of our precious time and make sure no one tried to kill us in the meantime."

Hanka laughed brightly. Of course, it was she who had been busy choosing the right date among the many offers of possible death.

"Indeed, a momentous occasion has arrived," Marcin agreed with a serious face. "Finally, we're all meeting together. All of us. And officially."

"A crowd of reporters," Dorota said in a melodious voice, grinning. "We won't say anything about this meeting, do you understand?"

This time it was Kuba's turn to laugh.

"Nothing real, of course," he stated. "It's none of their business this time, what the group of friends who have known each other for over a decade are discussing.

" "Yes..." I muttered thoughtfully. "Today marks ten years since that conversation I had on some Gadu-Gadu chat room." I grimaced slightly. "Remember that rubbish?"

Understanding flickered in Darek's eyes.

I stood up, grabbed my glass of wine, and raised it.

"Ten years ago," I began, "I dreamed. I dreamed of ruling the world, a dream I knew had no chance of coming true. Until I started talking to Brother." The "doctor" smiled, saying nothing. I continued. "We swore to each other then. That someday. In a few years, a dozen or even a few dozen, but someday. We will meet again. In a room like this. That in front of the building there will be a crowd of reporters waiting, fainting with impatience. I will wait first. And he will be the last to enter. We will meet here as rulers. Idols. Authorities. Of the entire world."

I fell silent for a moment, my gaze sweeping over those present. No one said anything; a faint smile lurked on every face. "

That's not all," I continued after a moment, raising my glass a little higher. "We swore to each other that we wouldn't be alone here. That we would all be here together, with a crowd waiting for us outside the door. We swore that the silly scuffles from Krakow's "Poczekalnia" weren't so silly after all. And we've kept our vows. Ten years after that conversation, we're in the same room. There's no one else in the building. There's a crowd of journalists in front of the building. And an equally large crowd of security guards. Either a limousine or a private plane is waiting for each of us. They're willing to wait, even for three days."

I paused again, looking at their faces again.

"And here we are. They laughed at us, remember? We laughed at them. Their laughter was louder, that's true. More rational, more solidly grounded. But we managed to tear down the foundations, plow the earth, sow the seeds we are now reaping. We are the de facto rulers of the world. Millions treat us like walking deities. We are the embodiment of what they aspire to be."

I fell silent again. The glass in my hand trembled slightly. I held back the tears welling up in my eyes.

"Today, as you probably know, not only marks ten years since that conversation and that oath. Today, finally, each of us officially takes over the rule of this planet. From today on, we constitute the Council of the Future, as we were immediately proclaimed. They call us Hope, Future, Trust, and Encouragement... We call ourselves the Cave. The people of the world have joyfully chosen us as their leaders." Dear Cavern People: we stand at the head of billions of people. People who love us, who adore us. We are their Future, their Hope. From today. From today, the Cavern People have finished climbing the ladder, they have reached the top. A top no one has ever reached before.

I paused, took a breath. I closed my eyes.

"From today, we are the rulers. From today, we stand at the top. From today, we are responsible for all of them, and above all, for ourselves. From today, we are the Cavern again. From today, we are the Council of the Future. Let us drink to this Council, dear Councilors. Let us drink to the Princes of the Universe. Let us drink to us."

I raised my glass. A ray of light reflected in the glass.

I tipped it and drank the entire contents in one gulp.