Entry 003

I had always dreamed of exploring the unknown regions of the galaxy, ever since I was a kid. I was fascinated by the stories of ancient civilizations, exotic worlds, and strange creatures that filled the books and holovids. I wanted to see them for myself, to discover new secrets and mysteries, to make history.

That's why I joined the Galactic Exploration Corps, or GEC for short. It was the most prestigious and adventurous organization in the galaxy, dedicated to finding and studying new planets, stars, and life forms. Only the best and the brightest were accepted into the GEC, and I was one of them.

I had been on many missions before, but none like this one. This was a special assignment, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I was chosen to be part of a small team that would visit a newly discovered planet in the farthest reaches of the galaxy. The planet was designated as GEC-472, but we nicknamed it "The Planet of the Masks".

The reason for the nickname was obvious. The planet was covered by a thick layer of clouds, which prevented us from scanning its surface from orbit. We had no idea what was down there, what kind of environment, what kind of life. The only thing we knew was that there was a faint signal coming from the planet, a signal that resembled a voice, a voice that repeated the same word over and over again: "Mask".

We decided to land on the planet and investigate the source of the signal. We boarded a small shuttle and descended through the clouds. As we approached the surface, we saw a breathtaking sight. The planet was a kaleidoscope of colors, shapes, and patterns. There were mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, forests, deserts, and oceans, all in different hues and textures. It was like a giant painting, a masterpiece of nature.

But what caught our attention the most were the structures. There were buildings, towers, monuments, and statues, all over the planet, all made of metal, stone, wood, and glass. They were of various sizes and designs, some simple, some elaborate, some ancient, some modern. They looked like the works of different cultures, different civilizations, different eras. But they all had one thing in common: they all had masks.

The masks were everywhere, on every structure, on every surface, on every object. They were of different shapes and colors, some human, some animal, some alien, some abstract. They had different expressions, some happy, some sad, some angry, some serene. They had different features, some eyes, some noses, some mouths, some horns, some feathers, some scales. They were the most diverse and fascinating collection of masks I had ever seen.

We landed near a large pyramid, which seemed to be the source of the signal. We exited the shuttle and put on our helmets and suits, which protected us from the unknown atmosphere and temperature. We carried our scanners and communicators, which allowed us to analyze and record our findings. We were ready to explore.

We approached the pyramid, which was covered by hundreds of masks, each one different from the other. We noticed that the masks were not fixed to the pyramid, but rather attached by wires and cables, which led to a central point at the top of the pyramid. We followed the wires and reached the summit, where we found a large metal sphere, which emitted a faint glow and a low hum. It was the source of the signal, the source of the voice.

We scanned the sphere and tried to communicate with it, but we got no response. It seemed to be a transmitter, a device that broadcasted the signal to the rest of the galaxy. But why? What was the purpose of the signal? What was the meaning of the word "Mask"?

We decided to enter the pyramid and look for clues. We found an opening at the base of the pyramid, which led to a dark and narrow corridor. We turned on our flashlights and walked inside. The corridor was lined with masks, which stared at us with their empty eyes. We felt a chill down our spines, as if we were being watched by unseen forces.

We reached the end of the corridor, which opened to a large chamber. The chamber was filled with more masks, which hung from the ceiling, the walls, and the floor. They formed a maze of wires and cables, which connected them to the sphere above. In the center of the chamber, there was a pedestal, on which rested a single mask. It was the largest and most elaborate mask we had ever seen. It was made of gold and silver, and adorned with jewels and gems. It had a human face, but with exaggerated features: a large forehead, a long nose, a wide mouth, and piercing eyes. It had a crown of feathers, a collar of beads, and a cloak of fur. It was the most magnificent and terrifying mask we had ever seen.

We approached the pedestal and scanned the mask. We were shocked by what we found. The mask was not a mask, but a face. A living face. A face that belonged to a being. A being that was alive.

The being opened its eyes and looked at us. It spoke with a deep and powerful voice, a voice that echoed in our minds. It said:

"Welcome, travelers. You have reached the end of your journey. You have found me. I am Mask."

We were speechless. We did not know what to say, what to do, what to think. We stared at the being, the being that called itself Mask, the being that was the source of the signal, the being that was the ruler of the planet, the being that was the creator of the masks.

Mask smiled and said:

"Do not be afraid. I mean you no harm. I have been waiting for you. I have been waiting for someone to find me, to talk to me, to listen to me. I have been alone for so long, so very long. I have been lonely, so very lonely. I have been bored, so very bored. I have been curious, so very curious. I have been longing, so very longing. I have been hoping, so very hoping. I have been dreaming, so very dreaming. I have been living, so very living. I have been masking, so very masking."

We did not understand. We asked:

"What do you mean? Who are you? What are you? Where are you from? How did you get here? Why did you create the masks? Why did you send the signal? What do you want?"

Mask laughed and said:

"So many questions, so little time. I will try to answer them, as best as I can. But you must understand, I am not like you. I am not like anyone. I am unique. I am special. I am different. I am Mask."

Mask paused and said:

"I am an ancient being, older than time itself. I was born in the dawn of the universe, when the first stars and planets were formed. I was a wanderer, a traveler, a explorer. I visited many worlds, many systems, many galaxies. I saw many wonders, many beauties, many horrors. I met many beings, many races, many cultures. I learned many things, many skills, many arts. I experienced many joys, many sorrows, many pains. I lived many lives, many roles, many stories. I wore many masks, many faces, many identities. I was everything, and nothing. I was Mask."

Mask continued:

"I came to this planet long ago, when it was young and barren. I liked it, for it was peaceful and quiet. I decided to stay, to make it my home. I used my powers, my knowledge, my creativity, to shape it, to mold it, to decorate it. I created the environment, the climate, the terrain. I created the plants, the animals, the life. I created the structures, the buildings, the monuments. I created the masks, the faces, the expressions. I created everything, and nothing. I created Mask."

He pointed to the masks around him, and said that each one represented a world he had visited, a culture he had learned, a person he had loved. He said that he had collected them as memories, as souvenirs, as trophies. He said that he had made this planet as a sanctuary, as a museum, as a graveyard.

He looked at us with a mix of sadness and hope, and asked us a question. "Do you want to see my true face?"

We hesitated, unsure of what to say. We wondered what he really looked like, what he really was. We wondered if we could trust him, if he could trust us. We wondered if we were ready for the truth.

He sensed our doubt, and said that he understood. He said that he would not force us, that he would respect our choice. He said that he only wanted to share his secret, his gift, his curse. He said that he only wanted to be seen.

We looked at each other, and nodded. We decided to take the risk, to accept the offer, to face the unknown. We said yes.

He smiled and thanked us. He stood up and walked towards us, holding a mask in his hands. He said that this was his favorite mask, the one that he wore most often. He said that this was the mask that he wore when he met us. He said that this was the mask of a human. He handed the mask to me, as if offering a gift.

He looked at us with familiar eyes, and said goodbye.

He took off the mask, and threw it to the ground. He revealed his true face.

We did not have time to process that which fell upon our eyes.

We gasped.

We screamed.

We died.