Chapter V: Foundation
The silence that followed the oath was thick—like a heavy blanket over all of us. No one moved. Only the portal still shimmered, constant, soundless, like a wound in the air that refused to close.
It was Grandma Carmen who spoke first, breaking the spell.
"Very nice," she said. "But now let's be serious. What exactly is on the other side?"
My father nodded. He had been waiting for that question.
"We don't fully know. We sent a drone. What we saw was a different world—vegetation, sky, weather... But there's been no human contact yet. And before we take that step, we wanted you all to know."
"What if it's dangerous?" Uncle Elías asked. "What if there are people over there, or worse?"
"That's why we won't go in without a plan," my mother replied. "And that's why we need you."
The conversation stretched on. More lights were turned on. Coffee was brought in. Some people grabbed blankets from upstairs. The atmosphere shifted—less ceremonial, more tense. Practical.
"Who goes in first?" Aunt Rosa asked. "Because I'm not stepping in until I know we can come back."
"The portal is stable," I said quietly—I rarely spoke. "We've kept it under constant observation. It always opens in the same place. The drone returned. Round trips are possible."
"And what if it stops working? Or something closes it from the other side?" Isaías pressed.
My father took a deep breath.
"That's why the first expedition will be short, precise, and made up of adults with specific skills. Reconnaissance, cartography, environmental assessment. Nothing more."
"No weapons," my mother added. "But protective gear, proper clothing, medicine, communication tools."
"I still can't picture it," said Elías, arms crossed. "I don't want to be at anyone's mercy—not even yours."
After hours of talking, concrete decisions started to form.
One uncle—who had studied architecture in his youth—stood up.
"What if this is real? If what we saw in the footage is accurate, that place has resources: water, fertile land, wood. If that's true... then this isn't just an expedition. This is a founding."
"A city," someone else whispered.
"Not like any modern city," I said. "Something simpler. More human. But with vision."
"Then we have to think about everything," Grandma Carmen added. "Who's in charge? Who manages things? How are decisions made?"
Ideas started to flow—some practical, others more visionary, but all necessary.
Initial decisions:
Provisional name for the project:Kaedra
1-year goal: establish a safe zone and build basic structures—shelter, observation post, storage, water access, perimeter walls.
5-year goal: found a sustainable community with clear rules, internal structure, and basic self-sufficiency.
Founding committee: formed by representatives of each of the 8 family branches (the father's three siblings, the mother's two sisters and one brother, plus the parents).
Grandparents: not part of the committee but serve as senior advisors with moral veto power.
Division of key roles:
Logistics and supply
Engineering and construction
Security and exploration
Medicine and health
Archives and documentation
Relations and diplomacy (in case of other beings or communities)
Then came the uncomfortable question. The youngest aunt, who had been quietly sketching the entire time, finally looked up:
"And who's going to own all this?"
A brief silence. Heavy. Loaded.
"No one," said my mother. "But also… everyone."
"We need structure," added my father. "Like a company, but without a boss. A council. And shares—for now, among the founders."
"And what about the children? Do they inherit?" someone asked.
"Yes," I said. "But with conditions. No one inherits just because of their last name. They must serve, contribute, protect. Otherwise, their shares return to the council."
It was put down on paper, in clear handwriting:
Founding Shares:
100 initial founding shares
Divided equally among present adults
Each share grants a vote, a responsibility, a duty
Key decisions require a reinforced majority (over 66%)
A share can be revoked if the pact is broken
Temporary Council of Administration:
Term: 10 years or until Kaedra becomes habitable
Members elected among the founders
Limited power, subject to council oversight
Before heading back upstairs, one of the uncles stood before the portal, still glowing silently.
"Tomorrow, we'll say it was just another family gathering," he murmured. "But tonight… a story began."
My father turned off the lights. The curtain fell back into place over the shimmering rift. Darkness returned.
But none of us would ever be the same.
The decision had been made: the first expedition would take place in one month.Thirty days to prepare for the unknown.
From that night on, the house ceased to be just a home and became a base of operations.The living room turned into a strategy hall, the kitchen became a negotiation table, and every corner buzzed with plans, doubts, sketches, and calculations.
Everyone had a task.Uncle Arturo, a former builder, took charge of the materials list. Aunt Rosa and Isaías contacted suppliers with vague excuses, buying solar chargers, water purifiers, lightweight tents, reinforced boots, antibiotics, and climbing gear. None of it raised suspicion—it all looked like preparations for a remote humanitarian mission or a survival adventure.
But the real turning point came three days later.The family created an official company.
Kaedra S.A.S.
In theory, it was a company focused on ecological research, sustainable development, and alternative communities. The registration was clean, the finances were legal. No outsider suspected what was behind it. Beyond the shipping of materials and strange items, to avoid drawing attention to new species or resources, it was agreed to treat ores like iron and copper quietly, selling them without justifying their origin. The same with trees: turned into furniture, or sold in logs without raising questions. Food production would also justify purchasing more land and selling it. A vast web, made to maximize utility while staying hidden.
Every adult invested something.Some brought savings. Others, tools, vehicles, knowledge. That small financial commitment changed everything—it was no longer just a dream, but a shared risk.
And with that came the structure.The shares assigned during the founding pact were officially recognized as capital in Kaedra. Discreet lawyers (cousins of cousins) were hired. Bank accounts were opened. A warehouse was rented on the outskirts of the city to store everything that couldn't fit at home.
In one way or another, we were all part of it.
Meetings were held every weekend at Grandma Carmen's farmhouse.The kids stayed outside or distracted. Laptops were opened, showing maps, budget spreadsheets, supply and personnel lists.
—"What if someone disappears over there?" asked Aunt Mariela. "Do we have a legal contingency?""Register them as missing during a foreign expedition," Kael said. "It wouldn't be a lie. But we'll have protocols to prevent that.""And how do we know time flows the same way there?" Isaías asked."No," I said. "But the drone's clock was synced. It didn't lose time. So far, everything matches."
On day 10, the uniforms arrived.Not military—more like expedition gear. Functional, neutral colors, with a small logo embroidered near the heart: a mountain, split by a golden crack, with the word Kaedra beneath it.
It felt real.The company began operating independently. One group drafted the internal manual: mission, values, operational ethics. Another prepared reports for external audits. A third organized first-aid training for volunteers.
No one wanted secret fame.Everyone wanted a purpose.If you had a mountain of gold in front of you, you'd rather guard it than shout about it—and divide it wisely. No one wanted to lose it.
The portal remained stable.Every day, someone from the monitoring team checked its behavior. No changes. No fluctuations. Just that vertical golden wound in the air, glowing gently in the basement.
The final week was the most intense.A vehicle was modified to transport heavy equipment. Satellite phones were bought. Insurance was contracted. Everyone practiced using the radios.
Then, on day 27, Grandma Carmen said something that struck a chord in all of us:"We can't control what's out there. But we can control who we are when we arrive."
Silence fell.That night, a new oath was made. This time it wasn't about secrecy, but about intent.No greed. No conquest. Only a seed.The most important thing was achieving the first milestone: to know everything—what creatures exist, what can be harvested, and how to plan it all properly.
By night 30, the backpacks were ready. The checklists were complete. Every role was assigned.
Kaedra was ready to take its first step—into the unknown.
We all gathered in the basement. We were all there.Uncle Arturo, head of infrastructure, was essential to survey the land and begin designing.Uncle Isaías, to establish the first communication point and assist Arturo.Aunt Mariela, in charge of logistics and supplies, was helping carry things and would manage rations during the initial weeks under strict controls.Aunt Rosa, a nurse, brought first-aid skills, a rural health kit, and calm presence. Though we planned only an hour inside, we had to start adapting to the new environment.Uncle Ernesto, a gifted illustrator and the security lead, carried a crossbow and several bolts, just in case.
Then, as I looked around, I saw expectations, hopes, and many emotions on everyone's faces.But deep inside, I held to one truth:
Before the apocalypse begins, I will do everything I can to protect what I love. And I will not let it be lost.