Chapter 1 (The Ward)They said there was a place beyond the edge of reason—a vast asylum hidden behind clouds, where the deranged built kingdoms out of dust and swore they were sane. They called it The Ward. No one knew who founded it, or why the gates were never locked.When I arrived, they stamped a number on my wrist: Patient No. 8,247,600,000.Condition: Persistent Hallucination of Meaning. The corridors stretched endlessly—padded walls disguised as cities, ceilings painted like skies. The inmates were everywhere, walking freely, smiling proudly. They believed the asylum was a paradise.In one hall, patients painted invisible borders across