--
Jonathan Blake awoke with a pounding heart the sound of waves that usually lulled him to sleep now roared like a distant scream.
Through the cabin window of his small boat, the Atlantic Ocean shimmered purple, a reflection of the black vortex that had suddenly appeared at the coordinates marked "Carcosa" on his dream map.
Jonathan knew the call was real.
---
At the snowy peak of Mount Nagano, Ayaka Murakami closed her eyes, feeling a warm breeze among the snowflakes.
The soft cracking of whips and whispering chants filled the ancient shrine as purple pillars of light danced in the sky just as she had seen in her dreams.
With trembling hands, she wrote the final verse of the ritual song on her scroll a chant that would melt the space between worlds.
---
Soraya El-Mansour stood at a remote oasis near Erfoud.
The sand around her danced, forming a giant eye staring with hope and dread.
In her hand, the wooden doll from Java pulsed as if it had a heartbeat.
She carefully wrapped it in silk, preparing it as a key to bind the entity waiting in Carcosa.
---
Wulan Adiningrum felt a subtle tremor at the sacred Pageralas site as piano echoes from a distant castle rang in her mind.
The ritual water boiled, transforming into a black mirror reflecting the faces of Jonathan, Ayaka, Soraya, Mirek, and Thiago the five chosen souls.
In her heart, she whispered, "One frozen second, one gate opens."
The offering of blood dripped onto the black stone, casting a violet glow.
---
In the seventh room of Vešnica Castle, Mirek Varga held his breath as a tropical shadow veiled the window.
The piano notes echoed from the Amazon caves, and he knew the time was near.
His fingers traced the time-map hidden pathways only revealed behind the Open Eye symbol.
With the map in hand, he prepared to cross space and dreams toward Carcosa.
---
In the darkness of Juruá Cave, Dr. Thiago Costa led the final rite.
Five eyes carved into the cave wall glowed softly.
A Kulina conch shell trumpet broke the silence the welcoming sound for the gate soon to emerge.
Thiago raised his hand, feeling the universe's heartbeat sync with his own.
---
That night, in six corners of the world, they all felt the same pull,
A circular gate awaited on water's surface, atop mountains, in swirling sands, in ritual mirrors, in castle corridors, and within the cave.
No more distance only a cosmic summons driving them forward.
In the last whisper before waking, they each heard the same sentence burned into their minds:
"Come to Carcosa, between worlds and dreams."
And they knew,
The day of meeting had come.