《Ando》


 Chapter 1. Tragedy and Loss

    The day little Ando came into the world was filled with light and happiness.


    "Congratulations, you have a baby boy," said the midwife, carefully holding the newborn.


    The room filled with the baby''s first cry¡ªa sound that changed the young family''s life forever.


    "Dear, have you thought of a name?" asked the young mother, looking tenderly at her husband.


    The father tilted his head slightly, peering into his son''s tiny face.


    "I thought, maybe we could name him after your grandfather?"


    "So, Ando," she smiled. "Well hello, Ando. That''s your name now."


    <h2>Two weeks</h2>


    The small apartment filled with new sounds and smells. A baby crib occupied the corner of the bedroom, and a feeding bottle appeared on the kitchen table. The mother and father, both teachers at the local school, took turns soothing the baby when he woke up at night.


    "You know," whispered the father, holding his son, "when he grows up, I''ll show him all the amazing places your grandfather told us about."


    <h2>Three months</h2>


    "Look, look! He''s smiling!" The mother leaned over Ando, who was lying on a blanket in the living room.


    The baby''s tiny face lit up with a smile that melted his parents'' hearts.


    "Wait, just a moment," the father grabbed the camera, clicked the shutter, capturing the moment. "Grandma and grandpa will be delighted!"


    <h2>Six months</h2>


    "And here comes grandma!" exclaimed the mother, opening the door.


    An elderly woman with kind eyes entered the apartment, holding a bag of treats.


    "Now, where''s my little champion?" She knelt down before Ando, who was crawling on the floor and immediately moved toward her, making joyful sounds.


    <h2>One year</h2>


    Ando sat in a high chair with a small cake topped with one candle in front of him. Around him gathered his parents, grandparents, and several family friends.


    "Happy birthday, little one!" His parents helped him blow out the candle, and everyone applauded.


    Ando, not quite understanding what was happening, happily clapped his hands along with everyone else.


    <h2>One year and three months</h2>


    Ando, wobbling, took his first independent steps from the wall to his father''s outstretched arms.


    "Come on, son, you can do it!" encouraged his father.


    Three uncertain steps, and the little one fell into his father''s embrace, who then twirled him around the room.


    "Our boy is growing up!"


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    <h2>One and a half years</h2>


    "Ma-ma!" Ando clearly pronounced, sitting on the floor among his toys.


    "He said ''mama''!" she exclaimed excitedly, lifting her son into her arms. "Say it again!"


    "Ma-ma!" repeated Ando, pleased with the effect he had produced.


    "And ''papa''," his father asked hopefully, coming closer. "Say ''papa''."


    "Ma-ma!" the little one stubbornly repeated, causing his parents to laugh.


    <h2>Three years</h2>


    "Look, this is daddy''s motorcycle," explained the father, showing Ando his old motorcycle with a sidecar. "When you grow up a bit more, we''ll all ride together to visit grandma and grandpa on it."


    Ando''s eyes lit up with excitement. The motorcycle seemed magical to him.


    "I''ll drive too!" declared the little boy.


    "Absolutely," laughed his father, "but not before you turn eighteen."


    <h2>Four years</h2>


    "Get ready, son! Today we''re going to grandma and grandpa''s village," his mother was packing things into a small bag. "Take your teddy bear."


    Ando was delighted¡ªhe loved visiting his grandmother, who always baked his favorite pies and told amazing stories.


    His father had already brought the motorcycle out of the garage and was checking if everything was in order.


    "The weather is great, we''ll get there quickly," he said with a smile when his wife and son came out of the house.


    Ando climbed into the motorcycle''s sidecar, and his mother sat beside him, embracing him. Dad started the engine, and they set off.


    The road was familiar¡ªthey had traveled it many times. Ando watched the trees and fields rushing by, listened to the sound of the wind and engine, felt the warmth of his mother''s arms.


    And then everything happened too quickly.


    His father''s shout. The screech of brakes. A sharp turn of the handlebars.


    A tractor, suddenly appearing in their lane.


    Impact. Darkness.


    <h2>Fragments of memories.</h2>


    Sirens.


    People in white coats.


    Bright light.


    "The boy is regaining consciousness! Quick, call the doctor!"


    Ando opened his eyes. Everything was blurry. White ceiling. Strange sounds. Pain.


    "Mom?" he whispered. "Dad?"


    But only strangers were around him.


    "Lie still, little one," said the nurse. "Everything will be alright."


    The days in the hospital blended together. His leg, encased in a cast, hung on special ropes attached to the ceiling. Metal pins protruded from under the white shell of the cast, which doctors had inserted to hold the shattered bones together.


    In the hospital, the boy was often visited by different adults. Stern women from social services with folders of documents. Relatives with eyes red from crying. Friends of his parents who stroked his head and secretly wiped away tears.


    But Ando barely understood anything. The severe concussion had erased everything that happened before the hospital. His memory had become a blank slate. The boy often lost consciousness, sinking into darkness, and when he regained consciousness, he would ask again and again:


    "Where are mom and dad? When will they come?"


    The adults exchanged glances and promised that they would explain everything soon.


    One day, a couple¡ªa man and a woman¡ªcame to his ward. They talked with the doctor for a long time, and then approached Ando''s bed.


    "Hello," the woman said softly. "My name is..."


    A faint glow flickered by the window. The world around him began to swim. Sounds became distant, blurred. Darkness engulfed his consciousness again.


    When Ando regained consciousness the next time, he was no longer in the hospital. The white ceilings and smell of medicine had been replaced by a cozy room with blue wallpaper. He lay on a soft bed under a warm blanket. Beside him sat an unfamiliar woman, who carefully adjusted the pillow under his head.


    "Oh, you''re awake," she said quietly. "How do you feel?"


    Ando blinked, trying to understand where he was and who these people were. A man looked into the room, and behind him¡ªa little girl with dark pigtails that curled slightly at the ends.


    "Hi, I''m Tasha," said the girl, stepping forward and curiously examining him.


    Ando''s brain, either deliberately protecting him from trauma or by chance, had completely erased the memories of his real parents. Their appearances, their voices, their life together¡ªeverything had disappeared without a trace while still in the hospital. Now the boy was like a clean slate: knowing no one, remembering nothing.


    A leg in a cast and two crutches leaning against the bed¡ªthat was all Ando brought into his new life, into his new family. Without a past, without memories, but with a whole life ahead of him.

 Chapter 2. From Cast to Countryside

    Four and a half years


    Five months after the accident, Ando came to the hospital with his new parents to have his cast removed. Throughout this time, his leg had been unbearably itchy, and the boy used any long, thin object¡ªa ruler, a pencil, a juice straw¡ªto scratch the skin under the cast.


    "Just a moment, Ando, be patient," said the doctor, taking out massive medical scissors that resembled garden shears.


    Ando looked at the instrument in horror. The scissors seemed enormous, with long metal handles and short, thick blades.


    "Will it hurt?" he whispered, clutching his adoptive mother''s hand.


    "No, it will just tickle a little," the doctor smiled and got to work.


    Click! Click! The scissors crunched as they bit into the hardened cast. In some places, the cast had stuck to the skin, and the doctor had to be particularly careful. When the last piece of cast was removed, Ando stared at his leg in surprise¡ªit was thin, pale, and covered with flakes of dead skin.


    "Ew, how gross!" exclaimed Tasha, who had also come to the hospital.


    "Tasha!" said mother sternly.


    "Don''t worry, in a couple of weeks it will be as good as new," the doctor winked at Ando. "Just don''t overdo it right away with running and jumping."


    At home, Ando and Tasha quickly found common ground. One day, when dad stayed with them while mom was at work, the children locked themselves in the kitchen.


    "Look what I came up with!" said Tasha, taking a bag of flour from the cupboard. "Let''s be bakers!"


    She poured some flour onto the table, and soon they were both enthusiastically kneading "dough" made of flour and water. Then Tasha accidentally dropped the bag, and a white cloud rose into the air, settling on the floor, furniture, and the children themselves.


    Instead of being scared, they burst out laughing and began deliberately tossing flour upward, creating a "snowfall." After half an hour, the kitchen resembled a winter landscape¡ªwhite flour covered everything around them.


    The door creaked¡ªdad peeked into the kitchen.


    "What''s going on here..." he began, but seeing the scale of the disaster, he quickly fell silent.


    Two flour ghosts with shining eyes looked at him. Dad shook his head, but instead of the expected punishment, he simply said:


    "Carry on baking," and quickly closed the door.


    Tasha and Ando looked at each other, not believing their luck.


    "What will happen when mom comes home?" whispered Ando.


    "I don''t know, let''s bake her some pies, she''ll be hungry," giggled Tasha, and they got down to cooking.


    Five years


    In the home pantry, Ando found his old crutches. They were gathering dust in the corner, no longer needed after his leg had healed.


    "Ta-a-asha! Look what I found!" he called Tasha when their parents went out.


    The crutches had large black rubber tips on the ends.


    "Well, what can we do with them?" asked Tasha, examining the find.


    Ando turned the crutch in his hands and suddenly ran the rubber tip along the wall. It left a dark mark on the white paint.


    The children''s eyes lit up simultaneously.


    "Let''s draw something!" suggested Ando.


    They each took a crutch and began "drawing" on the living room walls. Black lines formed into intricate patterns, stick figures, sun, clouds, houses. Engrossed in their activity, the children had covered almost all the walls with writing and drawings when they heard a key turning in the lock.


    That evening, both of them got into serious trouble. The crutches disappeared from the house forever, and Ando and Tasha spent several days cleaning the walls under their parents'' supervision.


    Six and a half years


    First day of school. Ando walked, holding Tasha''s hand tightly. She had turned seven in the summer and already considered herself an experienced schoolgirl, although she was also starting for the first time.


    "The main thing is not to be afraid," she instructed her brother. "If anything happens, I''m always nearby."


    School seemed huge and intimidating to Ando. Long corridors, many unfamiliar children, strict teachers. But he quickly adapted and within a week received his first failing grade for behavior¡ªhe launched a paper airplane right at the back of the teacher''s head.


    "Ando, how could you?" his mother shook her head disappointedly, examining the note in his diary.


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    "I just wanted to see how far it would fly," the boy shrugged.


    Seven years


    Summer vacation was in full swing. The heat was unbearable, and Ando and Tasha invented a new amusement¡ªfilling balloons with water and dropping them on passersby from the balcony.


    "Look, Tash, there''s a bald guy walking!" whispered Ando, creeping up to the railing with a water "bomb" in his hand.


    "I''m a bit scared, what if he sees us," Tasha pulled at him, but there were mischievous sparkles in her eyes. "Let''s aim for that boy in jeans instead?"


    Ringing children''s laughter, indignant shouts from below, quick feet carrying them away from retribution¡ªall this filled the hot summer days.


    One day, when their parents were at work, the children set up a "water park" at home. They brought buckets of water into the hallway, poured it onto the linoleum, and organized races, running and sliding on their backsides across the wet floor.


    "Ha! I slid further than you!" shouted Ando, landing almost at the kitchen door.


    "No way, I went further!" objected Tasha, getting ready for another run.


    When mom returned home earlier than usual and discovered a hallway full of water, and two wet towels on the couch that the children had hastily used to dry themselves. A storm broke out worse than a summer thunderstorm.


    Eight years


    On the TV stand in the living room was a dried flower arrangement in a beautiful vase¡ªa birthday gift to mom. One day, left home alone, Ando wondered¡ªwhat would happen if he held a lighter to the dry flowers?


    One click¡ªand flames engulfed the entire bouquet. Ando, panicking, hit the vase, trying to extinguish the fire. The vase fell onto the carpet, and he stomped on the burning flowers, but black marks remained on the carpet.


    "Darn, I''m toast. Need to clean this up somehow," thought Ando and went to get the vacuum cleaner. He had almost finished cleaning when he noticed smoke coming from the vacuum¡ªsmoldering embers had gotten inside and ignited dust clumps in the container.


    When his parents returned home, they were greeted with an amazing sight: the smell of burning throughout the apartment, a broken vase, a carpet blackened by soot, a smoking vacuum cleaner, and a guiltily smiling Ando.


    "I just wanted to see what would happen if I lit the dry flowers a little," he honestly mumbled.


    That evening, the "experimenter" received a serious talk about fire safety and a long house arrest.


    Nine years


    Not far from home stood an abandoned two-story building. Children from the surrounding houses considered it their territory for games, despite parental prohibitions.


    "Guys, let''s climb onto the roof!" Ando suggested to his friends, bringing an old tape player from home. "We can play hide and seek and tag up there!"


    They climbed up the old exterior fire escape. Ando was scrambling up with the tape player, holding it in one hand. At the second floor level, his friend had already climbed through the window into the building.


    "Hand me the player, and climb carefully," he called to Ando.


    Without thinking, Ando held out the tape player with both hands.


    "Here, take it!"


    And at that moment, he realized his mistake¡ªletting go of the ladder, he lost his balance and fell down, firmly clutching the tape player in front of him.


    A crash, a small cloud of dust¡ªand Ando was lying on the ground with the perfectly intact tape player on top of him like a shield. By some miracle, the boy escaped with only bruises and scratches.


    "You flew so cool! How did you not break anything!" his friends laughed later, remembering the incident.


    Ando didn''t tell his friends, but when he was handing the tape player to his friend, he noticed a strange glow behind him. Later, when he finally succeeded in climbing up, the room looked normal.


    Ten years


    "Guys, let''s be careful, there''s an open manhole around here," Ando warned his friends as they walked along a narrow street after sunset.


    And as if jinxed¡ªa second later with a loud "Ah, geez!" he disappeared from sight, falling into that very manhole he had warned about. Fortunately, the hole wasn''t deep, and Ando got stuck at waist level, waving his arms and demanding help.


    "Ando, you''re like a magnet for trouble!" his friends laughed as they pulled him out.


    And indeed, something was always happening to him.


    Eleven years


    School was difficult for Ando. He sat at the back desk, was often distracted, and his best grades were C''s¡ªexcept of course for physical education and computer science, where he was one of the best.


    In English language class, Ando was drawing with a pen on the desk, completely immersed in the creative process. He didn''t notice the teacher approach and stand beside him.


    "Ando, why are you defacing the desk? Are you an idiot?" she asked sharply.


    The boy flinched but answered without thinking:


    "You''re the idiot yourself!"


    Dead silence fell. The entire class froze. The teacher''s face turned crimson.


    After this incident, Ando was transferred to a class for underachieving children who attended school in the afternoon shift. Now he no longer studied with Tasha, but he wasn''t particularly upset about it.


    "At least I don''t have to get up early," he joked when his parents scolded him for what had happened.


    Thirteen years


    The situation at school wasn''t improving. Ando skipped classes, made friends with troublemakers like himself, and even Tasha could no longer influence her brother.


    One evening, his father called Ando to his room for a serious conversation.


    "Your mother and I have discussed this at length and decided that you need discipline," he said wearily. "Starting Monday, you''re going to military school."


    Ando wanted to object, but seeing the determined expression on his father''s face, he realized that arguing was pointless.


    The military school greeted him with early wake-ups, strict routines, and unappetizing food. But even there, Ando quickly made friends and somewhat adapted. However, it was clearly not for him.


    After a week, there was a ceremonial formation. The general in charge of the school was inspecting the line of new recruits, delivering an inspiring speech about discipline and honor.


    "Well, rookies, now a question: are there any among you who do not wish to study at our fine institution?" he unexpectedly asked, hoarsely. "Two steps forward."


    Complete silence hung in the air. Ando looked around, smirked, and suddenly stepped forward.


    "I do!" he said loudly.


    Everyone was surprised, the general probably most of all. But rules were rules¡ªthey didn''t keep those who didn''t want to stay. Ando was given money for a return ticket and sent home.


    His father was stunned to see his son on the doorstep after just one week.


    "Hi, Dad, I''m home," Ando said curtly.


    "How did you... Why..." he couldn''t find words from anger and disappointment.


    "They let me go," Ando shrugged. "The general asked who doesn''t want to study to step out of formation, so I stepped out."


    His father sank heavily into an armchair, covered his face with his hands to muffle his swearing, then slowly turned to the window and said:


    "Pack your things," he pronounced in an icy tone. "Tomorrow morning you''re going to your aunt''s in the village. I can''t take this anymore."


    Ando wanted to object, but the words stuck in his throat. He realized that this time he had gone too far. A village in the middle of nowhere, without friends, without Tasha¡ªit sounded like real punishment. But there was no choice.


    The next morning, with a backpack over his shoulders, Ando silently got into the car. Ahead of him waited a new life¡ªin a small village lost among the forests. There was no easy escape from there.

 Chapter 3. First Encounter with the Unknown

    The village greeted Ando with oppressive tranquility. Deserted streets, crushing silence, occasional passersby. Here it was, yet another new home.


    His aunt worked as a teacher at the local school, and her husband held some position in the district administration. They had known the boy since his early childhood, though he had no memory of them whatsoever.


    Ando got out of the car while his father was talking with his aunt, and slowly looked around.


    What a dump, he thought, taking in the crooked fence and a few chickens.


    When he turned around, his father, without saying goodbye, was already getting into the car. The engine purred, and soon the vehicle disappeared around the bend.


    "Come on," his aunt called him, "I''ll show you your new room."


    The room was in an extension with a separate entrance, around the corner from the main building. The space looked dusty and uninhabited.


    "Make yourself at home," said his aunt and left.


    Beyond the single small window, darkness was already falling. Throwing his backpack on the floor without even unpacking his things, the boy collapsed onto the old creaky bed and instantly fell asleep.


    When he woke up in the morning, sunlight was already streaming through the thin curtains. The house was completely silent. Looking around, he found a note on the kitchen table: "We''ve gone to work, breakfast is on the table, we''ll be back in the evening."


    Ando read the note. His gaze slid across the table¡ªa lonely boiled egg and a couple of slices of bread.


    "Well, thanks," he muttered and demonstratively flicked the note back onto the table with his wrist. "Not hungry," and he went outside.


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    It was quiet outdoors. Ando examined the yard, walked around, found nothing interesting, kicked a bucket, and went out into the street. There wasn''t a soul there; he wandered down the road, not thinking about where it would lead him, just moving forward, lost in his thoughts, processing everything that had happened to him.


    Suddenly, from behind the gates of a house he was passing, came loud growling and barking. Jumping over the fence, a huge yard German shepherd appeared before Ando¡ªan angry face, bared teeth, dirty disheveled fur, and a torn ear.


    "Awesome..." Ando managed to say before his heels flashed, and he ran down the road, not caring where, just trying to avoid the teeth of this village dog.


    He had never run so fast or so long before: jumping over bumps, turning off the road, he fled somewhere into the forest on the outskirts of the village.


    When Ando''s strength was nearly gone, he looked back. Not seeing the dog, he calmed down a bit, but from the sudden stop and fatigue, his legs got tangled, and he flopped face-first into the grass.


    "Well, what''s next?" he snorted angrily, spitting out bits of soil and grass.


    Supporting himself on his hands, Ando rose. While dusting off his clothes, he looked around, trying to understand where he had ended up. Unfamiliar forest, no paths, nothing recognizable.


    I wonder when that mutt gave up chasing me, Ando thought, slapping his pants, where have I ended up.


    He wandered among the trees, examining everything around him, when suddenly his gaze caught a strange glow between the trunks nearby.


    What kind of weirdness is this? thought Ando and began carefully approaching the glow.


    He walked, looking around. He probably wanted to see someone who could explain what was happening. The radiance seemed to lure him and frighten him at the same time.


    Coming closer, he realized that the light was coming from the hollow of a thick old oak, whose branches, like the crooked fingers of an old woman, protruded in different directions. He couldn''t take his eyes off it, step by step approaching closer.


    At a distance of a couple of steps, he stopped. Looking closer, Ando discerned an object in the hollow that resembled a tall crystal with straight facets. Looking at it, many thoughts raced through his head, but one sounded clearer than others: What kind of nonsense is going on here?


    Tilting his head slightly, not taking his eyes off it, Ando reached out and touched the crystal. In an instant, everything changed. The scene changed in the blink of an eye. Inside, he felt as if he was about to vomit, the feeling rising to his throat. There was no oak, no other trees, the location had completely changed.


    "What the..." Ando forced out, looking at the new world surrounding him.

 Chapter 4. The Unfamiliar World

    Instead of the familiar forest, he found himself in a mysterious clearing bathed in soft bluish light. The sky overhead had an unnatural purple hue, and the grass beneath his feet shimmered with silvery sparks. Around the clearing grew tall trees with black trunks and turquoise foliage.


    His heart was pounding as if ready to leap out. The veins on his temples pulsed furiously. Ando took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.


    "Okay, okay, okay, okay," he muttered incessantly, patting his temples with his palms, "this is definitely a dream, there can''t be any other explanation, yes, I''ll wake up now and be lying in my bed, warm and comfortable."


    Ando stopped and pinched his leg with all his might.


    "Aaaah! Ouch! That hurts, damn it!" he yelled in surprise, quickly waving his arms and now stomping his painful leg.


    After calming down, Ando looked around, trying to find at least some landmark. The clearing seemed absolutely empty¡ªno stones, no stumps, nothing but strange shimmering grass.


    Alright, I need to get out of here, flashed through his mind.


    Ando resolutely headed toward the edge of the clearing, where the trees seemed less dense. Zigzagging between the tall black trunks, he pushed further until he reached a dead end. A steep gradual slope cut off his path.


    Please don''t tell me I need to go back, Ando exhaled irritably, lowered his head, and put his hands on his hips.


    Suddenly, a low growl came from the left. Ando turned sharply.


    "Seriously? Another dog?" escaped from him. "Just my luck."


    But the realization of what was happening began to catch up with him. This was no ordinary mongrel, but something strange¡ªlarger than a wolf, with a metallic sheen on its coat and glowing greenish eyes.


    He instinctively stepped back, preparing to flee again, when he noticed movement on the right. Then behind him.


    Four similar creatures slowly emerged from behind the trees, surrounding him in a tight circle. Their bared maws displayed rows of sharp, clearly not dog-like teeth.


    Ando frantically looked around, searching for an escape route. The beasts had blocked all possible directions.


    Damn, damn, damn...


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    Suddenly, an angry shout broke the silence. From above, as if falling from the sky, a figure in dark clothing landed in the clearing, kneeling on one knee. Before Ando could come to his senses, the figure made a sharp turn and kicked the nearest beast right in the side.


    The blow was so powerful that the creature flew several meters with a prolonged squeal and crashed into a tree. A crunch was heard, and the creature lay lifeless at the trunk.


    The others nervously whimpered and, with their tails between their legs, scattered in all directions, disappearing among the dark trees.


    "Are you an idiot? Do you have a death wish?" rang out a clear voice, with a note of reproach. "Is this your first time or what?"


    Ando finally managed to get a good look at his savior. Or rather, savioress. Before him stood a girl about his age, with chestnut hair just below her shoulder blades and incredibly bright blue eyes. She was dressed in black, form-fitting pants and a jacket made of some dense material.


    What first time? raced through Ando''s mind, but all that came out of his mouth was:


    "Uh, well, I..."


    "Yeah, that''s what I thought," the girl snorted, rolling her eyes. "Fine. Bye," she turned and headed toward the trees.


    "Wait!" shouted Ando, suddenly afraid of being left alone in this unknown place. "What''s your name?"


    She stopped, slowly turned around, and looked him straight in the eyes. A slight smile flickered across her lips.


    "I''m Hop," she said.


    "And I''m Ando. Listen, I... I seem to be lost. I don''t know how I got here."


    Hop measured him with an appraising look from head to toe.


    "You really don''t understand anything, do you?"


    Ando helplessly shook his head.


    "I was just walking through the forest, then I saw a bright glow, touched some kind of crystal in a tree hollow, and... here I am, with these dogs, curse them."


    Hop''s eyes widened.


    "Oh, so you''re a newbie, well that explains everything," she said, clasping her hands just below her chest. "I''ve already forgotten that there are people who haven''t been in an artifact yet."


    "Arti-what? What artifact?"


    Hop frowned, carefully studying the expression on Ando''s face.


    "You''re definitely not pretending? You really don''t know anything?"


    "I swear, really!" exclaimed Ando. "I have no idea what''s going on here or where I''ve ended up!"


    Hop took a deep breath and ran her hand through her hair. She was silent for a moment, clearly making some kind of decision. Then she jerked her head toward the thicket.


    "Come with me if you don''t want to become dinner. And stay close¡ªthese creatures might return with reinforcements, and then we won''t get off so easily."


    "What were those things anyway?" asked Ando, hurrying to catch up with her. "Some kind of mutated dogs?"


    "Almost, they were jackal-wolf-monstrous hounds," Hop tossed over her shoulder with a small smile. "This artifact is full of them."


    "Jackal what?" Ando glanced at the girl in surprise.


    Hop stopped abruptly and turned to him.


    "Just kidding, just some kind of dogs," Hop giggled and continued walking. "Listen, we don''t have time for chatter right now. Let me take you to a safe place, and I''ll explain everything there. Just shut up and follow me, okay?"


    Ando wanted to object to her tone, but at that moment a long howl came from somewhere in the distance, sending shivers down his spine.


    "Yes, okay," he quickly agreed, catching up.


    Hop nodded and rushed forward, stepping noiselessly on the unusual grass. Ando followed her, trying his best not to fall behind and not to make noise. Many questions were spinning in his head: what is actually happening? Who is this Hop? Where is she taking me?

 Chapter 5. Safe Haven

    Hop walked ahead, stopping occasionally to listen. Ando tried to keep up, navigating around strange plants and rocks that seemed alive in the purple light. Each of his steps was accompanied by the crunching of silvery grass.


    "Can you walk more quietly?" Hop hissed, turning around. "You''ll attract the entire artifact."


    "Sorry," Ando mumbled, trying to step more softly. "Where are we going anyway?"


    "To a haven," she answered curtly and gestured for him to stop.


    In the distance came a howl similar to the one made by the metallic dogs. Hop grabbed Ando by the arm and pulled him behind a massive tree with turquoise bark.


    "Sit still and don''t move," she whispered, pressing herself to the ground.


    They froze. The howling drew closer, then began to fade away. When it completely died down, Hop exhaled with relief.


    "We need to go there," she pointed to a small hill covered with strange shrubs whose leaves resembled thin glass. "There should be a haven beyond it."


    "A haven?" Ando stared at her. "What kind of havens?"


    "Places," Hop snorted. "They just... exist. They appear with the artifact. Safe zones are scattered throughout this world where creatures don''t venture."


    "And you know where they are?"


    "Approximately," Hop nodded. "In my first artifact, a guy told me that havens are usually located near entrances or key points. I managed to mark a couple on my map before I met you."


    They moved on, weaving between trees and avoiding open spaces. Finally, climbing a gentle hill, Ando saw a strange structure below.


    It was a hut, but unlike any he had ever seen before. It seemed to be made of a translucent material, resembling glass or crystal, with vague, constantly changing outlines. The light emanating from inside shimmered and pulsed like the northern lights.


    "What kind of... building is that?" he asked as they descended toward the hut.


    "Havens look different in each artifact," Hop replied. "It depends on the type of artifact. In this white one, they''re usually translucent, as if made of pure energy."


    She carefully approached the door, which looked like a shimmering veil, and listened. Making sure there was no one inside, Hop simply stepped through the glowing curtain.


    "Come on," she called. "It only seems strange, but you can walk through easily."


    Ando took a deep breath and stepped forward. He felt a slight tingling sensation as he passed through the glowing barrier, and then found himself inside.


    "Wow..." escaped from him.


    The interior space seemed significantly larger than one would expect from outside. In the center was a circular platform with something resembling a campfire, though the flame was bluish and emitted no heat. Around this "fire," simple seats resembling stumps had materialized. Against the far wall, the vague outlines of beds or cots could be seen, and tiny luminous particles floated in the air, providing soft lighting.


    "Welcome to the haven," said Hop, sitting down on one of the seats. "We''re safe here... relatively."


    "What do you mean ''relatively''?" Ando sat down beside her, surprised to discover that the seat adjusted to the shape of his body.


    "Monsters won''t come in here, I don''t know why¡ªsome rule of the artifacts," Hop shrugged slightly. "But other Seekers might. And they can be different."


    "Other people, like us?" Ando perked up. "Are there many of them?"


    "More than you think," Hop stretched her legs toward the strange fire. "But not all are friendly. Some might kill you for a trophy or simply out of fear of competition."


    Ando nervously swallowed.


    "And these... havens, are they in all artifacts?"


    "In every one," Hop nodded. "It''s the first thing a Seeker looks for when entering a new artifact. In some artifacts, they look like caves, in others¡ªlike strange rooms, in others still¡ªlike medieval towers. Depends on the type of artifact."


    "And how much time do we have to rest?" asked Ando, beginning to feel the fatigue from all of today''s events.


    "Not much," Hop approached one of the walls, which seemed a bit denser than the others, and looked outside through an opening that appeared in it. "It will be dark soon, and it''s better not to wander around here in the dark. We''ll spend the night, and at dawn, we''ll move on."


    She returned to the fire and took out something resembling a dry ration from a small bag hanging on her belt.


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    "Eat," she handed half to Ando. "In my first artifact, some guys shared this stuff with me. It tastes awful, but it will give you strength."


    "Before I eat this... thing," Ando turned a hard brownish bar in his hands, "maybe you could explain what''s going on? What are artifacts? Why am I here? And who are Seekers?"


    Hop sighed and leaned back.


    "Alright, listen. What you touched in the forest was an artifact¡ªan entry point to a parallel world. There are plenty of such points all over Earth, but ordinary people don''t see them. Only special ones¡ªSeekers."


    "Seekers... and I''m one of them?" Ando bit off a piece of the bar and grimaced at the bitter taste.


    "Obviously," Hop nodded. "Otherwise, you couldn''t have entered here."


    "What about these... monsters? And why is everything around so strange?"


    "Each artifact is a separate world with its own rules and inhabitants. This one is a white or glass type, quite simple, for beginners," she broke off a piece of her ration. "Blue artifacts are full of water and aquatic creatures, red ones¡ªfire and heat. Like in games, different difficulty levels and locations."


    "You play games?" Ando was surprised.


    "Of course," Hop snorted. "Think I''m from the Stone Age? Fallout and Skyrim are my favorites. Although after artifacts, games seem... not as exciting."


    She smiled, and Ando realized it was the first time he''d seen her smile without mockery or irony.


    "So what do I do now?" he asked, beginning to grasp the seriousness of the situation.


    "You have two options," Hop held up one finger. "First: we find the entry point, and you return to the real world. Forget all this like a bad dream and continue living a normal life."


    "And the second?"


    "Second," she held up another finger, "we complete the trial of this artifact. Defeat the final boss and receive a reward. Then you''ll become a real Seeker."


    "Trial? Boss? Reward?" Ando shook his head. "Are we in a game or something?"


    "I''m using words that are easier to understand," Hop shrugged. "In reality, nobody knows exactly why artifacts are structured this way. But the fact is that in each one there''s a main guardian¡ªcall it a boss or whatever you want. Defeat it¡ªget a reward."


    "So what''s the reward?" Ando became interested.


    "Nobody knows in advance," Hop chewed her ration. "Usually it''s some ability or item. In simple artifacts like this one, nothing special¡ªmaybe some minor mental ability or a simple weapon."


    Ando pondered. It all sounded too fantastic, but simultaneously thrilling.


    "How many... artifacts have you completed?"


    "Just one," she replied. "Also a glass one, almost like this. I wasn''t alone, there were four of us. They were more experienced than me and helped pass the trial. I''ve never faced a boss alone yet."


    "And do you have abilities?"


    Hop nodded.


    "One modest one. Allows me to sense danger a bit earlier than usual. Like heightened intuition. Almost useless in the real world, but helpful here."


    "Why useless?"


    "Because of the mirror effect," she popped the rest of the ration into her mouth. "I''ll explain later, there are more important things right now."


    She gestured for him to come to the wall. Ando approached, and Hop touched the surface. A transparent "window" formed in the wall, through which the surrounding landscape was visible.


    "Look," she pointed to a nearby hill.


    What Ando saw made him hold his breath. On the hill stood a creature that could only be described as a "nightmare come to life." It vaguely resembled a human but was much taller¡ªat least three meters. Its skin seemed to consist of glass-like plates, shimmering in the rays of the purple sun. Instead of arms, the creature had long blades touching the ground, and where the head should have been, there was something resembling a shining crown of sharp glass spikes.


    "Holy crap," whispered Ando, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    "This is the boss of this artifact," Hop quietly replied. "The Glass Guardian. It''s what we need to fight to pass the trial."


    "And you want to fight... that?" Ando swallowed.


    "Not now," Hop shook her head. "We''re not ready. We need to make a plan, study the area. Alone, I wouldn''t risk it, but together... maybe we have a chance."


    She moved away from the "window," which became just a wall again, and returned to the fire. She took out a folded sheet of thick paper from her bag and unfolded it. It was a hand-drawn map.


    "Here I''ve marked dangerous zones where patrols of metallic dogs are frequent," she pointed to red circles. "And here," her finger moved to blue marks, "are other havens I''ve found. In case this one becomes unsafe."


    "Where''s the exit?" asked Ando, studying the map.


    "The entry-exit point should be approximately here," Hop pointed to a spot marked with an X. "But to get there, we''ll either have to pass by the Guardian or take a long detour through the mountain range."


    Ando sat back down on the seat and rubbed his temples. His head was buzzing from the excess of information.


    "So what now?" he finally asked.


    "Now we rest," Hop folded the map. "Tomorrow we''ll decide what to do next. Perhaps first I''ll show you the basics of survival in an artifact, and then we''ll try to get out of here."


    "And if I want to... well, try to pass the trial?"


    Hop looked at him intently.


    "Pass it? On your first day in an artifact, without preparation, without skills?"


    "Well, I just..."


    "It''s dangerous," she shook her head. "Only my teammates saved me in my first artifact. But on the other hand... this artifact is one of the simple ones. It''s as if it was specifically created for beginners. Maybe it could work."


    Her words both frightened and inspired Ando.


    "Do you really think so?"


    "I don''t know," Hop answered honestly. "But judging by how easily you found the artifact... Maybe you have some hidden abilities. Who knows."


    She stood up and approached the cots forming from the glowing mist.


    "But that''s all for tomorrow," she said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Right now, we need rest. I''ll lie here, you can take that cot over there."


    Ando didn''t argue. Fatigue was coming in waves, his eyes were getting heavy. He lay down on the strange cot, which turned out to be surprisingly comfortable, and the last thing he saw before falling into sleep was Hop touching the wall of the haven, checking the integrity of their shelter.


    During the night, Ando woke up to a strange sound. He raised himself on the cot, peering into the half-darkness. Hop was sitting by the transparent wall, looking at the night sky, where instead of familiar stars hung crystalline formations, shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow.


    "Can''t sleep?" Ando asked quietly.


    Hop turned around, clearly surprised that he had awakened.


    "Just... thinking," she replied.


    "About what?"


    She was silent for a moment, then shrugged.


    "About how strange it all turned out. Usually, newcomers enter artifacts through acquaintances or die immediately. But you... I don''t know."


    "What don''t you know?"


    "Just that most people walk by without noticing them," she came closer. "But you saw it right away, without hints, without friends. And it''s as if I didn''t find you by accident."


    Hop shrugged and returned to her cot.


    "Sleep. Tomorrow we''ll see how special you are."


    Ando wanted to ask something else, but sleep overcame him again, and he plunged into a magical world of mysterious creatures and strange whispers, calling him somewhere deep into this strange world.

 Chapter 6. A Seekers First Steps

    Ando woke up with a strange feeling¡ªthe haven was quiet, but something had clearly changed. He propped himself up on his elbows and looked around. The light penetrating through the translucent walls had the same purple hue as yesterday. It seemed that time here wasn''t moving at all.


    Hop was sitting by the bluish fire, thoughtfully studying her handmade map. Hearing the rustling, she looked up.


    "Sleep well?" she asked, folding the map.


    "I wouldn''t say that," Ando rubbed his eyes. "How long did I sleep?"


    "About eight hours," Hop shrugged. "Although it''s hard to tell here. Time flows differently in glass artifacts. While you were sleeping, I walked around the haven. Didn''t notice anyone suspicious."


    "So what now?" Ando got up from the cot, which immediately dissolved into the air, turning into a misty haze.


    Hop approached the wall, forming a transparent "window" in it. "Either we return to the artifact exit, and you go your own way. Or..."


    "Or what?" Ando came closer, examining the purple sky and turquoise trees through the "window."


    "Or we try to pass the trial," she pointed toward the distant hill where yesterday they had seen the Glass Guardian. "But for that, you need to learn to at least not run away in fear at the sight of danger."


    "Hey! I wasn''t running away in fear," Ando protested. "I just... okay, I was running. But did you see them? They wanted to eat me!"


    Hop snorted.


    "Yeah, sure. But if we''re going to face the boss, you''ll have to learn how to fight."


    "Will you... help me?" Ando asked cautiously, remembering yesterday''s conversation. "Do you have any weapons or those abilities of yours?"


    Hop silently rolled up the left sleeve of her black jacket. Ando saw nothing unusual on the pale skin of her forearm.


    "And?" he looked at her in confusion. "What am I supposed to see?"


    "Wait," Hop ran her right hand over her forearm, and suddenly a glowing bluish symbol appeared on her skin, resembling an intricate geometric pattern. "Can you see it now?"


    "Holy crap! What is that?" Ando involuntarily stepped back.


    "A Seeker''s symbol," Hop smiled slightly, clearly pleased with his reaction. "It appears after completing an artifact. It''s like... a mark showing that you''ve received a trophy."


    She lightly touched the glowing symbol with her finger, and something resembling a translucent cloud appeared before her, inside which floated a dagger with a curved blade, as if created from pure glass.


    "These are my belongings," Hop explained, noticing Ando''s amazed look. "All the trophies I''ve received are stored here."


    She reached toward the cloud, and the dagger seemed to slide into her palm on its own, becoming fully material. The cloud disappeared.


    "Whoa!" Ando stared at the shimmering blade. "Is that magic?"


    "Call it what you want," Hop twirled the dagger in her hand. "The important thing is that it works. So far I have only one symbol and one weapon¡ªthis dagger. I got it in my first artifact. A weapon symbol, the most basic one."


    "What other types are there?" Ando couldn''t take his eyes off the shimmering blade.


    "Seven types in total: weapon, defense, magic, knowledge, resource, utility, and biological," Hop listed. "The guys I went with to that first artifact told me this. They themselves had three or four symbols each."


    She touched her forearm again, and the dagger disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared.


    "I want that," Ando exhaled.


    "What exactly?" Hop lowered her sleeve, hiding the faded symbol.


    "To learn how to fight, of course. And a symbol like that," Ando straightened up. "I don''t want to just leave this place. I want to learn more about this... world."


    Hop studied his face for several seconds, as if assessing the seriousness of his intentions.


    "Alright," she finally nodded. "Let''s try. But you''ll need a weapon. My dagger won''t be enough."


    "And where do we get weapons?" Ando looked around. "Is there a store here? Some kind of armory?"


    "We''ll have to acquire one," Hop unfolded her map again. "Not far from here, I saw a group of glass goblins. Small creatures, but dangerous when there are many. They have clubs¡ªprimitive weapons, but suitable for a start."


    "Goblins?" Ando swallowed. "Like in Harry Potter?"


    "Something like that," Hop nodded. "Except these are white and glow from within. I think we could lure one away from the group and attack. If we do everything right, the others won''t even notice."


    "And if they do notice?" Ando nervously rubbed his neck.


    "Then we''ll run so fast our heels will be flashing," Hop folded the map. "Ready?"


    Ando took a deep breath. Part of him was screaming that this was complete nonsense and he needed to find a way out of this strange world as soon as possible. But another part, the one that always pushed him toward adventure and trouble, was eager to learn more.


    "Let''s go," he nodded.


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    They carefully made their way through thickets of white plants. Hop walked ahead, frequently stopping to listen. Ando followed her, trying to step just as silently, but he wasn''t very successful.


    "Remember," Hop whispered, crouching behind a large glass boulder, "no sudden movements. They react more to movement than to sound."


    Ando nodded, focusing his gaze through the gap between the rocks. In a small depression between hills, strange structures could be seen, resembling crudely made huts of glass protrusions. Around them scurried small creatures¡ªno taller than a meter, with disproportionately large heads and thin arms and legs. Their white skin glowed from within with a pale blue light, and their eyes¡ªbright yellow.


    "What ugly things, are those them?" whispered Ando.


    "Yes," Hop nodded. "White goblins. Some have clubs, see?"


    Ando looked closer and noticed that some of the creatures indeed carried something like clubs made of glass material.


    "We need to lure one here," Hop pointed to an empty space between the boulders. "I''ll hide behind that rock. You''ll distract the goblin, make it chase you, and lead it here. I''ll attack from behind."


    "Awesome? Why do I have to be the bait?" Ando protested.


    "Because I have a weapon, and I know how to use it," Hop cut him off. "But if you want, we can switch. Maybe you''ll talk them to death, and I''ll do the running."


    "Fine, fine," Ando muttered. "I get it. How do I attract its attention?"


    "Just show yourself and wave," Hop suggested. "They''re curious; one will likely separate from the group to check."


    Ando took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart.


    "Let''s do it," he nodded. "I''m ready."


    Hop silently squeezed his shoulder and slipped behind the adjacent boulder, practically merging with the shadow. Ando was left alone, and the silence around suddenly seemed deafening.


    Gathering his courage, he slowly straightened up, stepping out of hiding, and waved. For a second nothing happened, and then one of the goblins turned its head in his direction. Yellow eyes stared directly at Ando, and the creature made a strange clicking sound.


    "Hey goblin. Hi! Come here!" called Ando, immediately mentally berating himself for the stupidity. Of course, the goblin didn''t understand his words.


    But it worked. The creature uncertainly moved in his direction, clutching a glass club in its hand. A couple more goblins turned their heads but didn''t follow the first one.


    Ando took several steps back, continuing to keep the goblin in his sight. It quickened its pace, clearly interested in him.


    "Come on, just a bit more," Ando whispered, continuing to retreat.


    And then something happened that he didn''t expect. The goblin suddenly darted forward with incredible speed, rushing at him, swinging its club. The yellow eyes flared brighter, and a piercing squeal erupted from its throat.


    "Damn! It''s running!" yelled Ando, instantly forgetting all of Hop''s instructions.


    He turned and ran, not watching where he was going, completely forgetting about the agreed ambush spot. Behind him, he could hear the patter of small feet and clicking sounds. The goblin turned out to be much faster than one might think, looking at its thin legs.


    "Hop!" Ando shouted in panic, jumping over a small stream. "Hop, help!"


    A loud slap and a squeal sounded behind his back. Ando sharply turned around and saw that the goblin was lying on the ground, and Hop was standing over it with a dagger in her hand.


    "I told you to lead it to that open area," she said irritably, looking at Ando. "Were you trying to wake up the entire artifact with your yelling?"


    "It just charged so suddenly," Ando justified himself, trying to catch his breath. "How was I supposed to know they were so quick!"


    Hop sighed and leaned down toward the goblin. The creature wasn''t moving, and its body strangely began to crumble, as if it consisted of tiny fragments. After a few seconds, only a small handful of sparkling white dust and a glass club remained.


    "Grab the weapon and let''s go," Hop commanded. "The others are surely coming toward the noise."


    Ando hurriedly grabbed the club¡ªit was surprisingly light for its size¡ªand rushed after Hop, who had already disappeared among the trees.


    "Hop... Wait!"


    They ran without stopping until they reached the safety of the haven. Only then did Ando allow himself to collapse onto one of the seats, trying to catch his breath.


    "Damn, I thought it was going to eat me," he exhaled.


    "They don''t eat humans, as far as I know," Hop sat down beside him. "But they can beat you to death. You were lucky I managed to intercept it."


    "Thank you," Ando thanked her sincerely.


    Hop nodded and took the club from him for inspection.


    "It''ll do," she assessed. "Light but sturdy. Perfect for training."


    "What kind of training?" Ando was still trying to control his breathing.


    "What did you think?" Hop returned the club to him. "That you''d go straight for the boss? First, you need to learn at least the basics. Stance, strikes, defense. And most importantly¡ªnot to wet your pants at the sight of an opponent."


    Ando lowered his eyes in embarrassment.


    "I messed everything up, didn''t I?" he asked quietly.


    "It''ll do for the first time," Hop unexpectedly replied softly. "Everyone starts with mistakes. The main thing is to learn from them."


    She stood up and went to the center of the haven.


    "Let''s start with the proper stance," she said, taking a fighting pose. "Feet shoulder-width apart, left foot slightly forward. Distribute your weight evenly..."


    They spent the next three days training. Hop turned out to be a demanding but patient teacher. She showed Ando basic stances, strikes, and blocks, making him repeat the same movements for hours until they began to happen automatically.


    To the surprise of both, Ando picked things up quickly. By the end of the first day, he could properly hold the club and deliver simple strikes without losing balance. By the end of the second, he confidently blocked Hop''s attacks and even tried to counterattack.


    "You''re good," Hop said on the evening of the third day as they sat by the bluish fire. "I''ve never seen anyone learn so quickly."


    "Maybe I just have a good teacher," Ando smiled, twirling the club in his hand.


    Over these days, he had grown accustomed to the weapon; it felt almost like an extension of his arm. The glass surface of the club strangely adapted to his grip, becoming slightly rough in the places where his fingers touched it.


    "It''s not just that," Hop looked at him thoughtfully. "You seem to have... an innate talent or something. There are rumors about Seekers who intuitively sense artifacts and adapt more easily to them. That''s what they told me in the previous artifact."


    "Who were you with there?" asked Ando, suddenly realizing that he knew almost nothing about Hop''s past.


    "Three guys from my town," Hop shrugged. "They were about five years older than me and already had experience with artifacts. One of them, Max, noticed how I was looking at a strange door in a neighboring house¡ªit turned out to be an artifact that ordinary people don''t see. He brought his friends, and they suggested I go with them. They said people like me were rare."


    "And you just went with random guys into some unknown world?" Ando was surprised.


    "Didn''t you?" Hop smirked.


    "I didn''t know where I was going," Ando objected. "I just stumbled upon the artifact by accident."


    "And I was tired of ordinary life," Hop said quietly, looking at the flame. "Of school, of parents who couldn''t care less about me. When a chance appeared to see something... different, I grabbed it."


    They fell silent. Ando thought for the first time about how much he actually didn''t know about the world of artifacts and about his companion.


    "In any case," Hop finally said, standing up, "I think you''re prepared enough to try something more serious than training. Tomorrow we could return to the goblin settlement and test your skills in action."


    "Aren''t they on high alert after our last visit?" Ando asked doubtfully.


    "Three days have passed," Hop shrugged. "They''ve probably forgotten. Besides, we have a better plan now. I''ll show you tomorrow."


    She went to her cot and lay down, turning toward the wall. The conversation was over.


    Ando sat by the fire for some time, thinking about everything that had happened during these days. About artifacts, about symbols, about the strange creatures inhabiting this world. And about the mysteries that seemed to surround him from all sides.


    He rubbed his wrist, imagining how one day a glowing symbol might appear there. A pleasant shiver ran through his body at the thought.


    Tomorrow, he thought, lying down on his cot. Tomorrow I''ll take another step toward unraveling all of this.


    And with this thought, Ando fell asleep.

 Chapter 7. Not According to Plan

    Morning found Ando with the club in his hands. He repeatedly practiced the movements Hop had taught him¡ªblock, step to the side, strike. His muscles had already become accustomed to the sequence, his body moving almost without his mind''s involvement.


    "Not bad," Hop observed, leaning against the haven wall. "But remember, a real fight is not training. Everything is faster and more dangerous there."


    "You think I can''t handle it?" Ando stopped, wiping sweat from his forehead.


    "I think we''ll find out today," she unfolded her map and beckoned him over. "Look. Here''s the goblin settlement. I''ve observed them several times and noticed that every morning a large group leaves to hunt, while only the weak and inexperienced remain in the camp."


    "You want to attack when they leave?" Ando felt everything inside him tighten with anticipation and fear.


    "Exactly," Hop pointed to the perimeter of the settlement. "This is a perfect opportunity for your first real training. The goblins are weak enough for you to handle, but there are enough of them to test your skills in actual combat."


    Ando studied the hand-drawn diagram. Small crosses depicted goblin huts, arrows showed possible approach paths.


    "We''ll enter from the northern side," Hop continued. "There are more tall rocks there to hide behind. We''ll start from the edge, gradually moving toward the center. This will give you a chance to get used to combat before we encounter stronger opponents."


    "And if something goes wrong?"


    "Then we''ll use what I taught you, just against a larger number of enemies," Hop smiled, but her eyes remained serious. "But don''t worry. I''ll be nearby and cover you if needed."


    "Can''t wait to take down those nasty freaks," Ando swung his club, mimicking a strike.


    "Good attitude," Hop nodded. "But don''t forget that this is your first real fight. Don''t stick your neck out and stay close to me. Ready?"


    "You bet," Ando tossed the club up and caught it deftly.


    "Then let''s go," Hop put away the map. "And don''t forget that ration¡ªwho knows how long we''ll be there."


    Leaving the haven, they moved through thickets of white plants. Hop went first, Ando tried to step carefully, though he wasn''t as concerned about noise as he had been in the first days. The purple sky above them gradually grew brighter, which, according to Hop, meant approaching midday in this strange world.


    After a couple of hours, they reached a height from which they could see the goblin settlement. From this distance, their huts looked like shimmering points in a small depression between hills. Small figures moved around them¡ªsome alone, some in groups.


    "Over there," Hop pointed to a path leading from the settlement into the forest. "See, a large group is leaving? Those are the hunters. Now is the perfect time."


    She pulled out her curved-blade dagger, activating the symbol on her arm. In the sunlight, the blade shimmered with strange patterns, as if liquid flowed inside it. Ando gripped his glass club tighter and took a deep breath, trying to calm his pounding heart.


    Carefully descending from the hill, they began to move between tall boulders located around the perimeter of the settlement. Hop often stopped to assess the situation. Ando followed her, anticipating a good fight.


    Suddenly Hop froze and raised her hand, calling for silence. Ahead, just a couple of dozen meters away, two goblins were arguing about something in their strange clicking language, standing at the entrance to one of the huts.


    "They''re yours," Hop mouthed. "Can you handle them?"


    Ando gripped his club tighter and nodded: "Of course."


    "Whenever you''re ready," Hop stepped back, giving him an opportunity to act.


    Ando pressed himself against a boulder, gathering his thoughts. Three days of training. Dozens of hours of exercises. Now he would test what they were worth.


    Taking a deep breath, he slipped out from behind the boulder and in a few quick steps was behind the goblins. They didn''t even have time to turn around when Ando''s club came down on the first one''s head. The creature made a quiet squeak and crumbled into shimmering fragments.


    The second goblin turned around, but Ando was already prepared. Block, dodge, strike¡ªjust like in training. Another moment¡ªand the second goblin followed the first, transforming into a cloud of sparkling dust.


    "Excellent," Hop appeared beside him, nodding approvingly. "Shall we continue?"


    Ando felt adrenaline coursing through his body. This was nothing like training¡ªlive opponents, real danger, genuine victory.


    "Yes," he smiled. "I''m just warming up."


    They moved deeper into the settlement, destroying goblins they encountered along the way. Hop allowed Ando to handle them himself, intervening only when there were more than three opponents. Her dagger moved with incredible speed, leaving a blurred trail behind it.


    With each new skirmish, Ando felt growing confidence. His movements became more coordinated, his strikes more precise. The world around him seemed to slow down, allowing him to see every movement of his opponents, anticipate every attack.


    They had almost reached the center of the settlement, leaving behind only scattered glittering fragments, when Hop gestured for him to stop.


    "Wait," she said, pointing ahead. "Do you see?"


    In the center of the settlement, near the largest hut, a group of goblins was gathering¡ªno fewer than twenty. They were excitedly clicking and pointing in their direction.


    "This will be great training," Ando tossed his club and caught it. "I can handle it."


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    "Remember to stay close to me," Hop took up a position to his right.


    They cautiously approached the group, keeping behind large boulders. The plan was simple¡ªa sudden attack, break the goblins into small groups, destroy them one by one.


    When they were about fifty meters from the central square, Ando decided to lean against a large round boulder to catch his breath.


    "Whew, we''ve almost made it, hold on," he exhaled, leaning on the stone.


    In that same moment, the boulder under his hand trembled. Ando realized with horror that it wasn''t fixed in the ground. The round stone wobbled, and then, obeying the laws of physics, rolled down a barely noticeable slope¡ªright into the center of the settlement.


    The crash was so loud it sounded as if someone was rolling a huge glass ball over a thousand glass bottles. The stone gathered speed, knocking down small obstacles. Straight through a bunch of goblins, until it crashed into the central hut, collapsing its structure.


    For a moment, absolute silence reigned; the remaining goblins along the edges stared with surprised faces at their companions crushed by the stone. Then alarming clicks and whistles sounded throughout the settlement¡ªfrom every crack and shelter, goblins began to appear, many more than they had expected to see.


    Ando slowly turned to Hop with a guilty expression and shrugged: "Damn, Hop, I..."


    Hop gave him such a look that he involuntarily shrank back, expecting a torrent of curses. But instead, she just took a deep breath and held her dagger out in front of her.


    "Well, so much for sticking to the plan," she said through clenched teeth. "Alright, let''s go!"


    And with those words, she dashed forward, directly toward the approaching goblins.


    Ando stood frozen for a second, and then, letting out a battle cry that even to himself sounded more like a frightened yell, rushed after her.


    The first goblin appeared right in front of him, waving something resembling a shovel made of glass. Ando remembered his training¡ªblock, dodge, strike. His club met the goblin''s weapon with a resounding crack. The creature staggered, and Ando, not giving it time to recover, delivered an upward strike, sending his opponent flying.


    It worked! The thought flashed through his mind, and it filled him with a kind of wild delight.


    From the corner of his eye, he could see Hop dancing among enemies¡ªher movements looked unnaturally fast and precise. The dagger in her hand left a faint trail, and goblins fell one after another, crumbling into shimmering fragments.


    A new opponent rushed at Ando from the left. He barely had time to turn and raise his club, accepting the blow. The force of the collision pushed him back a couple of steps, but he maintained his balance and immediately counterattacked, putting all his strength into a sideways swing.


    Goblins surrounded them from all sides, but Ando and Hop, standing back to back, methodically destroyed one after another. Ando''s club crushed white bodies, Hop''s dagger sliced them with surgical precision.


    "You''re doing great!" Hop shouted, ducking under an attack from another goblin. "But there are too many of them!"


    "I''m just getting started!" Ando struck two opponents at once, sending them flying.


    Suddenly the ground beneath them trembled. The goblins retreated, making way for something large. From behind the destroyed hut appeared a creature resembling a goblin, but much bigger¡ªalmost two human heights tall, with a huge club studded with glass spikes.


    "Their leader," Hop exhaled. "Let''s be careful, I think he''s much stronger than the regular ones."


    The giant swung his terrible club, and Ando dove under the strike, rolling across the ground. The gigantic weapon crashed into the earth, raising a fountain of glass shards.


    Jumping to his feet, Ando didn''t wait for the next blow. He rushed forward, aiming his club at the giant''s knee. The strike reached its target, but the creature merely swayed and immediately responded with a fierce swing of its weapon.


    Ando barely managed to jump away, but the edge of the spiked club still grazed him, throwing him to the side. Pain shot through his shoulder, and dark spots danced before his eyes.


    "Ando!" Hop rushed at the giant from the side, her dagger leaving a deep wound on its arm.


    The creature roared in pain and turned sharply, trying to reach Hop. But she was too fast¡ªeasily dodging and delivering another strike, this time to the leg.


    Ando rose, ignoring the pain in his shoulder. He saw that Hop was distracting the giant, giving him an opportunity to attack. Without wasting a second, he picked up a sharp fragment from the ground and hurled it with full force into the creature''s back.


    The fragment went deep into the sturdy body, and the giant, turning around, let out a deafening roar. Now its yellow eyes were fixed on Ando, full of hatred.


    Look at me, that''s right, Ando thought, backing away and preparing for an attack.


    The giant rushed forward, swinging its club. Ando waited until the last moment, and then, when the blow almost reached him, dropped to the ground and rolled between the creature''s legs. Finding himself behind it, he jumped up and brought his club down on the giant''s back, right where the fragment was sticking out.


    There was the sound of breaking glass, and bright light poured from the giant''s back. The creature froze, then slowly turned around, still holding its enormous club.


    "Hop! Together!" Ando shouted, preparing for the final blow.


    She instantly understood his plan. They attacked simultaneously, from two sides¡ªAndo''s club and Hop''s dagger met at one point, in the center of the giant''s chest.


    A moment¡ªand the giant crumbled into glittering ash, settling on the ground of the settlement.


    The remaining goblins, seeing the death of their leader, panicked and scattered in all directions, disappearing among the ruins of the settlement.


    Ando stood, breathing heavily, with his club in hand, not believing what had just happened.


    "Are you okay?" Hop approached him, her face smeared with something resembling silvery dust.


    "I think so," Ando winced when he tried to move his shoulder. "Seems like I got a little scratch."


    "It will heal," Hop smiled. "For your first real fight, you did pretty well. Even if the plan went to hell because of your clumsiness."


    "I said it was an accident!" Ando protested, but immediately smiled. "But at least half of them got crushed right away! And I killed their leader!"


    "What?! We killed the leader," Hop corrected him. "And this is just the beginning. Imagine what the artifact''s boss will be like."


    They looked around. The settlement was in ruins, glittering fragments lay everywhere¡ªall that remained of dozens of goblins.


    "We need to leave," said Hop. "The hunters will return soon, and they won''t be thrilled about what we''ve done here."


    Ando nodded, and they headed toward the exit from the settlement, choosing a route that should lead them back to the haven.


    When they climbed a small hill and looked back, the sight of the ravaged settlement gave Ando a strange feeling¡ªa mixture of pride and a kind of childish delight.


    "Come on, admit it was cool," he said, smiling. "When''s the next training session?"


    "First we''ll rest and heal," Hop shook her head. "Don''t rush, we have plenty of time..."


    Suddenly behind them came applause¡ªslow, measured clapping. Hop and Ando turned sharply, preparing for a new danger.


    On the hilltop sat three people¡ªtwo guys and a girl, all several years older than them. They were dressed in black, like Hop, only their clothing looked more sophisticated, with multiple pockets and strange symbols on the sleeves.


    "Bravo, kids," said one of the guys, tall and thin with shaved temples. "You put on quite a show."


    "Who are you?" Hop held her dagger in front of her, taking a defensive stance.


    "Relax, we''re not enemies," replied the girl with bright purple hair, raising her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "Just... interested observers."


    "You were spying on us?" Ando gripped his club tighter.


    "We were observing," corrected the second guy, stocky with short blond hair. "And, I must say, we''re impressed. Especially with you, kid."


    Hop didn''t lower her weapon, clearly not trusting the strangers: "Who are you? Why were you watching us?"


    The girl with purple hair stood up and took a step forward.


    "My name is Nika," she indicated her companions. "This is Kir and Mark. We''re Seekers, like you. And... we have a proposal that might interest you."


    "We don''t need anything," Hop was still tense.


    "What if I tell you about the Glass Guardian," Nika smiled. "About how to defeat it. Together."


    Ando and Hop exchanged glances. Tension hung in the air, mixed with curiosity.


    "Speak," Ando finally said, lowering his club.


    And from that moment, everything changed.

 Chapter 8. The Test of Trust (Part 1)

    The girl with purple hair, who introduced herself as Nika, rose easily from the rock and took a step forward. In the evening light of the artifact, her hair seemed almost luminescent.


    "As I already mentioned, my name is Nika. These two are Kir and Mark," she gestured toward her companions. "And we have a proposition that might interest you."


    The slim young man with shaved temples¡ªKir¡ªgrinned, casually twirling a strange boomerang made of an unknown metal with a bluish tint. The second one, a stocky blond named Mark, simply studied them silently with his arms crossed over his chest.


    "We don''t need any propositions," Hop cut in, still holding her dagger at the ready. "First, explain why you were following us."


    "We weren''t following you," Nika raised her hands in a conciliatory gesture. "We were observing. There''s a difference."


    "And what would that be?" Hop narrowed her eyes.


    "Spies follow, researchers observe," Kir interjected, his voice tinged with mockery. "And you two put on too loud a show to remain unnoticed."


    Ando felt a wave of irritation rising inside him. This Kir spoke as if they were children who had caused a disturbance in an adult world.


    "So what, do you know how to defeat the Glass Guardian?" he asked unexpectedly, remembering Nika''s promise.


    The three exchanged glances. Nika nodded and said:


    "To kill the Guardian, you first need to obtain a legendary weapon; without it, there''s almost no chance. But that requires at least four people."


    "And why should we help you?" Hop stepped forward.


    "Because you''ll get the same thing we do," Nika pointed to the distant hill where the Guardian dwelled. "The artifact''s trophy. A symbol, an ability, maybe even a rare weapon."


    Ando and Hop exchanged glances. After all their training and the battle with the goblin leader, the thought of defeating a real artifact boss seemed both frightening and exhilarating.


    "Let''s say we agree," Ando said cautiously. "What then?"


    "We have a better shelter than yours," Nika nodded toward the forest. "We''ll discuss the details there."


    "I''m not going with you until I''m sure we can trust you," Hop shook her head.


    "Reasonable," Nika unexpectedly agreed. "Then I suggest something else. There''s a way to test if we can work together."


    "What way?" Ando was interested, despite his wariness.


    Nika pointed east, where a faint bluish glow was visible above the treetops.


    "The Temple of Four Guardians. One of three minor artifacts within this one. A weapon capable of seriously damaging the Glass Guardian is stored there. But to obtain it, we need at least four people."


    "We tried to find the entrance with just the three of us," Kir added. "All entrances remained sealed."


    "And you''re just going to tell us about a secret weapon?" Hop asked skeptically. "What''s stopping us from going there ourselves?"


    Mark, who had been silent until now, unexpectedly laughed¡ªa low, raspy laugh.


    "This temple tests not only the number of Seekers but also their ability to work together," he finally said. "Four of you, but each for themselves¡ªyou won''t make it through."


    Hop opened her mouth to object, but Ando touched her shoulder.


    "Let''s at least hear their proposal," he said quietly. "We wanted to try completing an artifact anyway, and with experienced Seekers, our chances are better."


    Hop stared at him intently, then back at the trio, and finally nodded reluctantly.


    "Fine. But first, show us your shelter. And if anything goes wrong..."


    "Then we''ll all get into trouble equally," Nika finished for her. "Believe me, deception is not part of our plans."


    <hr>


    The shelter of the senior Seekers amazed Ando with how well-equipped it was. Unlike the empty, almost transparent dome where he and Hop had been hiding, there was plenty of handmade furniture crafted from local materials¡ªsturdy-looking tables and chairs, lamps made from glowing minerals, maps hanging on the walls, and even something like a kitchen corner with food supplies.


    "Wow, how did you make all this?" Ando couldn''t hide his admiration as he looked at the tools laid out on the table¡ªfrom knives to strange pliers and even a primitive saw.


    Mark, who had seemed the most reserved until now, unexpectedly showed interest in the question.


    "Utility symbol," he rolled up his sleeve, showing his forearm where four different signs were glowing. He touched one of them, and a semi-transparent cloud appeared in the air with various tools floating inside. "It allows creating simple things. Each of us has our own set of symbols."


    Ando stared enchantedly at the floating tools. Hop also came closer, though she tried not to show her interest.


    "And how many artifacts have you completed?" Ando asked.


    "I''ve done five," Mark replied.


    "Seven," Kir grinned, clearly proud of his achievement.


    Nika, who was laying out a map on the table, turned around:


    "Six. But quantity isn''t the main thing. What matters is what you get and how you use it."


    She called everyone to the table where a detailed map of the entire artifact lay¡ªmuch more detailed than the one Hop had sketched. It marked not only the zones they knew but many others¡ªwith names and danger indicators.


    "Right here," Nika pointed to the eastern part of the map where a blue dot glowed, "is the Temple of Four Guardians. A minor artifact within the larger one, one of the few places where you can get something valuable without defeating the final boss."


    "What exactly is stored there?" Hop leaned over the map, studying the route.


    "The Fragmented Blade," Nika answered. "A weapon made of four parts, capable of piercing any armor in this artifact."


    "Perfect for battle with the Guardian," Kir added. "But, as I said, the temple doesn''t admit fewer than four people. Each entrance has a statue, and all need to be activated simultaneously."


    "And if we get this weapon..." Ando began.


    "Then we can attack the Guardian together," Nika finished. "None of us could handle it alone, even with such a sword."


    Hop thoughtfully tapped her fingers on the table.


    "And when do you want to set out for this temple?"


    "Tomorrow," said Nika. "Early morning, so we can make it before dark."


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    Ando and Hop stepped aside to confer.


    "I don''t like this," Hop whispered. "They''re not telling us everything."


    "Come on," Ando objected. "We''ll find out if we can trust them or not."


    "What if it''s a trap?"


    "Then we''re already in it," Ando shrugged. "They know where our shelter is, they''re stronger and more experienced. If they wanted to kill us, they would have done it already."


    Hop stared at his face for a long time, as if searching for an answer to some unspoken question.


    "Fine," she finally said. "But we''ll stay alert. I don''t know what they''re thinking, but it''s worth checking out this temple."


    They returned to the table and announced their decision.


    "We''ll head to the temple at dawn," Nika nodded, rolling up the map. "Get some rest. Tomorrow we''ll need all our strength."


    <hr>


    The purple sky of the artifact had barely begun to lighten when the group of five Seekers left the shelter. Nika led the way, consulting a small device resembling a compass, which she had extracted from her magical symbol. Kir stayed close to her, periodically looking around. Mark walked behind everyone, as if covering the group''s rear.


    Ando was in high spirits, despite Hop''s distrust. Yesterday evening, Mark had offered to improve his club. He carefully examined Ando''s weapon, and then, using his symbol, modified it¡ªmaking the handle more comfortable and adding several sharp edges.


    "This is a temporary improvement," Mark explained. "If all goes well, by evening you''ll have a real weapon."


    Hop declined the offered modifications for her dagger, preferring to stick with what she had already tested in battle.


    The path to the temple led through territories unfamiliar to them. At first, the group walked through a forest similar to the one where Ando had first encountered the metal dogs. Then the landscape changed¡ªthe trees became sparser, and the ground beneath their feet turned into a scattering of small, shimmering crystals that crunched with each step.


    "Try to walk more quietly," Nika warned. "That sound attracts lightning snakes."


    "What the heck!?" Ando asked, puzzled.


    His answer came in the form of a whistle through the air¡ªsomething long and writhing flew right over his head, sparkling like lightning.


    "Those," Kir pulled out his boomerang with lightning speed and threw it upward.


    The weapon whistled through the air, struck the flying snake, and returned to Kir''s hand. The creature, split into two parts, crumbled into sparkling dust before reaching the ground.


    "Whoa," Ando exclaimed.


    "The weapon always returns to its owner," Kir shrugged, though it was clear he was proud of himself.


    "Less talk, more attention," Nika reminded them. "These snakes usually hunt in groups."


    As if to confirm her words, three more snakes appeared from behind the nearest pile of crystals¡ªlong creatures that seemed woven from glowing lightning, with needle-like teeth and forked tails that looked as sharp as blades.


    "Back to back!" Nika commanded, drawing her dagger¡ªmore elegant than Hop''s, with a handle adorned with bluish stones.


    The five Seekers stood in a circle, ready to repel the attack. The snakes circled around them, as if looking for a weak spot.


    "They always attack the most vulnerable," Mark said, pulling a short sword from behind his back. "Keep your weapons ready."


    Ando gripped his improved club tighter, watching the snakes'' movements. One of them suddenly lunged forward¡ªstraight at him.


    Without thinking, he deflected the attack with a strong blow, sending the creature flying. Before the snake could recover, Hop threw her dagger with lightning speed, which deeply pierced the glowing body. The creature disintegrated into sparks.


    "Not bad for novices," Kir nodded approvingly, dispatching the second snake with a single throw of his boomerang.


    Nika and Mark took on the third¡ªthey moved with remarkable synchronicity, as if they had fought side by side many times. Nika distracted the creature with a series of feints, and Mark, seizing the moment, delivered a crushing blow from above, splitting the snake in two.


    When the last sparks fell to the ground, Ando noticed Hop observing the senior Seekers'' coordinated actions with respect.


    "Where did you learn to fight like that?" she asked, retrieving her dagger.


    "In artifacts, you either learn or you die," Nika simply replied. "Let''s keep going. The temple is still about two hours away."


    They continued on, now moving more cohesively. Ando noticed that Mark, who had kept his distance before, gradually began giving him advice¡ªhow to better hold his weapon, when to strike.


    "You have good instincts," Mark remarked after another brief skirmish with the local fauna. "Not many can adapt to artifacts so quickly."


    "Hop told me the same thing," Ando glanced at his friend, who was quietly conversing with Nika up ahead. "It just comes naturally somehow."


    "That''s a Seeker''s intuition," Mark patted him on the shoulder. "You should develop it."


    Soon the crystalline wasteland gave way to a strange area¡ªthe ground here was covered with blue, seemingly frozen fog, and the air was filled with shimmering particles of light, slowly drifting in different directions.


    "We''re almost there," Nika announced, pointing ahead. "But first we''ll have to cross the Valley of Reflections."


    "What kind of valley?" Ando asked, looking at the swirling fog before them.


    "A zone of perception distortion," Kir explained. "Everyone sees what they want or fear to see. Don''t react to the visions, whatever you see¡ªthey''re just illusions."


    "Hold hands," Nika added. "So we don''t lose each other."


    They lined up in a chain: Nika in front, then Hop, Ando, Kir, and Mark bringing up the rear. Holding hands, they entered the shimmering fog.


    For the first few steps, nothing special happened¡ªjust a strange sensation, like walking through very light water. Then Ando began to notice images forming in the fog around him. At first blurry, they gradually became clearer.


    He saw the figure of a woman standing with her back to him. Something about her silhouette seemed vaguely familiar. The woman slowly turned around, and Ando saw her face¡ªyoung, with kind eyes and a warm smile.


    Mom? he thought, though he clearly understood this couldn''t be his mother. He didn''t even remember her face.


    But the image was so distinct, so... right, as if part of him had always known what his real mother looked like. The figure reached out to him, her lips moved as if saying his name, but without sound.


    Ando felt himself being drawn to this vision and involuntarily loosened his grip on the person in the chain.


    "Ando!" Hop''s voice broke through the fog. "Don''t let go!"


    He blinked, and the vision began to fade.


    "This isn''t real," he reminded himself. "Just an illusion."


    But the images were so vivid, so convincing that he began to stray from the path again, following them.


    "Ando, stop!" this time it was Mark''s voice. "Don''t leave the path!"


    Ando felt someone firmly grab his shoulder and turn him around. Mark stood before him, his figure seeming the only solid anchor in the shifting world of fog.


    "Look at me," Mark said firmly. "The visions are just manipulations of your memories and fears. Focus on what''s real."


    "But I saw..." Ando began, but Mark interrupted him:


    "Whatever you saw, it''s not worth your life. Come on. The others are already ahead."


    Mark took his hand firmly and led him forward. Gradually the fog began to thin, the visions became less distinct, and soon disappeared altogether. They emerged into an open space where the others were already waiting.


    Hop immediately rushed to Ando:


    "Are you okay? I was so scared when you let go of my hand!"


    "I''m fine," he replied, though inside he was still reeling from what he''d seen. "Just... the visions were very realistic."


    "They''re like that for everyone," Nika put her hand on his shoulder. "The Valley is specifically designed to test your willpower."


    "If not for Mark, could I have been lost there forever?" Ando asked.


    "Possibly," Nika nodded. "Good thing we''re going together."


    Ando turned to Mark:


    "Thank you."


    He simply nodded, but in his eyes Ando noticed something like approval. For the first time since their meeting, he felt that the senior Seekers genuinely cared about them, rather than just using them.


    "We''ve arrived," Kir announced, pointing ahead.


    Ando looked up and froze in amazement. Before them, hovering several meters above the ground, was a structure that could only be described as an architectural marvel. The temple was a complex geometric construction of shimmering metal, with multiple facets and turrets sparkling in the rays of the purple sun. In shape, it resembled a huge polyhedron, positioned so that its lower part did not touch the ground.


    "The Temple of Four Guardians," Hop said reverently.


    "So how do we get in there?" Ando asked, seeing neither stairs nor any other means of reaching the floating structure.


    "We need to activate the entrances," Nika pointed to four statues positioned around the perimeter beneath the temple. "See? Each statue represents one of the temple''s guardians."


    Ando examined the statues¡ªthey depicted warriors in different battle stances, each holding a strange metal object.


    "To open the entrance, we need to activate all four statues simultaneously," Nika continued. "For this, each of us must stand in front of a statue and replicate its stance, touching the metal object with our weapon."


    "And what will the fifth person do?" Ando asked, counting those present.


    "I''ll coordinate," Mark answered. "We need to activate all the statues at exactly the same time, otherwise it won''t work."


    They approached the temple. Now Ando could see the statues in detail¡ªeach was carved from the same metal as the temple itself and seemed almost alive thanks to the play of light on its surface.


    "You''ll stand here," Nika directed Ando to the statue of a warrior with a weapon raised above his head. "Hop¡ªat the eastern statue, I''ll take the northern one, Kir¡ªthe western one."


    They dispersed to their positions. Ando stood in front of his statue, studying its pose. The warrior stood with legs wide apart, both arms raised above his head, gripping the metal object. He tried to mimic the pose, raising his club.


    "Not quite," Mark called from the central position. "Your right foot should be slightly forward!"


    "Yeah, I get it, I get it," Ando muttered to himself, moving his foot.


    From the corner of his eye, he could see the others also taking the poses of their statues.


    "Ready?" Mark shouted. "On the count of three, touch the metal objects with your weapons! One... two... three!"


    Ando resolutely touched the strange metal object in the statue''s hands with the end of his club. At that moment, the statue began to glow with a bright blue light. The same happened with the other three statues. Beams of light extended from one statue to another, forming a glowing square.


    The ground beneath their feet trembled. The temple hovering above them began to slowly descend, and four arched entrances formed in its lower part, precisely above each statue.

 Chapter 8. Test of Trust (Part 2)

    "Excellent!" exclaimed Ando when the temple stopped, hovering a few meters above the ground¡ªnow low enough to enter through the arches.


    "Let''s go," Nika quickly moved toward her entrance. "The temple won''t stay open forever."


    They hurried to the arches. Ando stepped into his entrance with some trepidation and found himself in a corridor made of dark metal with bluish veins that seemed to glow from within, creating soft lighting.


    The corridor led to the center of the temple, where the travelers met again in a large circular hall. In the center of the hall was a pedestal on which hovered a hologram¡ªa miniature copy of the temple itself, showing its internal structure.


    "Look," Nika pointed to the hologram. "The temple has four wings extending from the central hall. Each wing has its own trial."


    "Do we need to pass all four?" asked Ando, examining the intricate passages and halls on the hologram.


    "Exactly," Kir nodded. "Only after successfully completing all trials will we gain access to the treasury."


    "So we''ll have to split up," Hop noted. "Four wings, five people."


    "I can go alone," offered Mark. "I''ve been in similar temples before."


    "No," Nika shook her head. "Better if Ando and I go to one wing, Hop and Kir to another, you, Mark, to the third. We''ll leave the fourth for last and go through it together."


    Hop frowned, clearly not thrilled with the idea of splitting up, but remained silent.


    "Before we separate," Nika touched her weapon symbol on her arm and extracted four small glowing stones from the appearing cloud, "take one each. These are binding stones. If you get into trouble, just squeeze the crystal in your palm¡ªthe others will change color, and we''ll know you need help."


    Ando took the crystal¡ªwarm to the touch, slightly larger than a coin. Hop, after hesitating, also accepted hers.


    "Meet back here in an hour," said Nika. "If someone doesn''t return, the rest will go help. Good luck to everyone."


    The group split up. Ando followed Nika to the eastern wing, Hop reluctantly went with Kir to the western wing, and Mark headed alone to the northern wing. The southern wing remained waiting for their return.


    The corridor that Ando and Nika walked along gradually widened, turning into a spacious hall. The floor here was not solid¡ªinstead, multiple floating platforms of different sizes were positioned above an abyss. Some hung motionless, others slowly moved in circles.


    "The trial of balance," said Nika, carefully examining the hall. "Apparently we need to cross it by jumping from platform to platform."


    "That''s not difficult," Ando remarked, assessing the distances between the nearest platforms.


    "Don''t rush to conclusions," Nika pointed to the far end of the hall. "See that pedestal? There''s a key on it that we need. There''s some kind of pattern here; apparently the platforms only activate under weight."


    "So what?"


    "So we have to move synchronously," she explained. "When you jump to the next platform, the one you were standing on disappears. If we move without coordination, at some point we''ll be trapped¡ªwith no possibility to move forward."


    Ando carefully studied the arrangement of the platforms. Now he noticed that they formed a kind of labyrinth, and some paths clearly led to dead ends.


    "You''ll have to trust me," said Nika. "I''ll lead first, you follow me step by step. When I jump onto a platform, count to three and jump onto the one I just left."


    "What if I make a mistake?"


    Nika silently looked down, where something faintly glimmered in the darkness of the abyss¡ªsharp spikes, ready to impale anyone who fell.


    "Awesome," Ando swallowed. "Okay, I''ll trust you."


    They stood on the first platform¡ªa round disc about two meters in diameter. As soon as their weight was on it, bluish lights flashed around the edges.


    "Ready?" asked Nika. "I''m going."


    She easily jumped to the next platform. Ando mentally counted to three and followed her, landing exactly where Nika had just stood. At that moment, the platform he had jumped from dissolved into the air.


    "Excellent," Nika approved. "Let''s continue."


    They began to move across the hall, jumping from platform to platform in a precise rhythm. Nika chose the path, sometimes pausing for a few seconds to evaluate options. Ando fully trusted her, focusing on following her exactly.


    "How long have you been a Seeker?" he asked after another jump, trying to ease the tension with conversation.


    "Almost three years now," replied Nika, balancing on a particularly small platform. "My first artifact was similar to this one¡ªwhite, with strong energy."


    "And how did you find it?"


    Nika jumped to the next platform, waited for Ando to follow her, and continued:


    "It found me. I was visiting my boyfriend''s place for the first time, and he had some old figurine, like a Buddha, on his shelf that was glowing. No one except me noticed its glow. I touched it and... ended up in the artifact."


    "Were you alone?"


    "Yes. It was scary," she admitted. "But then I met other Seekers. They helped me understand what was happening, taught me how to survive. Since then, I''ve been going into artifacts."


    They had already covered more than half the distance. The pedestal with the key was visible ahead.


    "What about you?" Nika suddenly asked. "How did you get into your first artifact?"


    "Just by accident," Ando replied. "I was running from a dog in the forest, came across a strange glow in a tree hollow. Touched it and... well."


    Nika smiled:


    "What a long story. Many Seekers find their first artifact in a moment of danger or severe stress. It''s as if artifacts sense when a person is most... receptive."


    They were approaching the goal. Only a few platforms remained, but they were positioned further apart from each other, requiring longer jumps.


    "Final push," Nika prepared to jump. "Be especially careful."


    She jumped, landing on the edge of the penultimate platform. Ando, after waiting three seconds, followed her. But at that moment, the platform he landed on unexpectedly tilted. He lost his balance and began to fall.


    "Ando!" shouted Nika, turning sharply.


    At the last moment, he managed to grab the edge of the platform. Now he was hanging over the abyss, feeling his fingers slowly slipping off the smooth surface.


    Nika, risking her own safety, returned to the edge of the platform and extended her hand to him.


    "Hold on! I''ll pull you up!"


    Ando looked into her eyes and saw genuine concern. Not a shadow of doubt or calculation¡ªonly determination to help. Gathering all his strength, he pulled himself up and grabbed her hand.


    With Nika''s help, he climbed onto the platform, breathing heavily from the fear he had experienced.


    "Thanks," he exhaled. "You saved me."


    "We''re a team," she replied simply. "I wouldn''t leave you."


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    These words, spoken so sincerely, made Ando reconsider his attitude toward the older Seekers. Perhaps Hop was wrong. Perhaps they could really be trusted.


    Together they made the final jump and reached the platform with the pedestal. On it lay a key¡ªa small metal object of strange shape.


    "You take it," Nika offered. "You earned it."


    Ando carefully picked up the key. It glowed in his hand, as if recognizing its new owner.


    "Trial of balance completed," announced a disembodied voice that echoed throughout the hall. "Path opened."


    On the opposite side of the hall, an arch appeared, leading back to the central hall of the temple.


    "Let''s go," Nika pointed to the exit. "Let''s see how the others did."


    Returning to the central hall, they found that Mark was already waiting for them, holding his key.


    "How did it go?" he asked, seeing them.


    "Fine," replied Nika. "And you?"


    "A labyrinth with changing walls," Mark shrugged. "Nothing special."


    A few minutes later, Hop and Kir appeared. Each had a key in hand.


    "How are you?" Ando immediately asked, noticing that Hop looked a bit pale.


    "I''m fine," she nodded. "It''s just that our trial was... emotionally challenging."


    "The room of opposites," Kir explained. "We had to simultaneously activate ice and fire symbols. It required complete mutual understanding and trust."


    "And did you work well together?" Nika asked with a smile.


    Hop unexpectedly smiled slightly:


    "Surprisingly, yes. Kir turned out to be not as much of a jerk as he seems."


    "I''ll take that as a compliment," Kir smirked.


    The atmosphere in the group had noticeably changed. The initial tension had disappeared, replaced by something resembling team spirit. Even Hop, usually wary, seemed more relaxed.


    "One last trial remains," Nika pointed to the southern corridor. "Shall we go together?"


    The group headed to the southern wing of the temple. The corridor led them to a spacious circular hall with a high domed ceiling. In the center of the hall was an unusual pedestal with four recesses for hands. The walls were covered with strange symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light.


    "Hall of Sacrifice," Mark said quietly, looking at the symbols. "I can read part of the inscriptions."


    "What do they say?" asked Ando.


    "''Only through sacrifice is power gained,''" Mark slowly translated. "''Each must give a part of themselves.''"


    "What does that mean?" Hop approached the pedestal.


    "Four types of sacrifice are indicated here," said Mark, examining the symbols around each recess. "Blood, memory, energy, and emotion. Each must choose one, but all four types must be represented."


    "And what happens after we... sacrifice?" Hop crossed her arms over her chest.


    "If everything works, we''ll gain access to the vault with the Fragmented Blade," replied Nika. "But the choice must be voluntary. No one can force another to give something against their will."


    Silence fell. Each contemplated what they were willing to sacrifice.


    "I choose blood," Nika said first. "It''s the simplest."


    "I can give energy," offered Kir. "It will restore over time."


    "Memory," nodded Mark. "Not the first time I''ve encountered something like this."


    Everyone looked at Hop and Ando.


    "Emotion remains," Hop said quietly. "But I''m not sure..."


    Ando thought. Something about this trial seemed wrong to him. Why should they sacrifice individually? After all, the entire path to the temple had taught them to act together.


    "Wait, what if we do it differently?" he unexpectedly suggested.


    "What do you mean?" asked Nika.


    "Well, why should anyone sacrifice something major? Maybe we all give together, but just a little bit?" said Ando. "A small amount of blood, an insignificant memory, a little energy and emotion from each person."


    "Could this actually work?" Kir looked at Mark.


    Mark studied the symbols again.


    "The inscription doesn''t say that the sacrifices must be individual, only that all four types must be represented," he said slowly. "It''s... an unconventional solution, but it might work."


    "But for this, we''ll have to completely trust each other," added Nika. "Probably all five of us should touch the pedestal simultaneously."


    "Why?" Hop grew wary.


    "I don''t know, maybe then we''ll all be somehow connected," suggested Mark. "Possibly, we''ll temporarily feel what others feel."


    Hop looked uncertain.


    "I don''t know, Ando. This is too... personal."


    "It''s our only chance to get a weapon against the Guardian," he said quietly. "And maybe it''ll even be better this way¡ªno one loses anything important."


    Hop looked at him for a long time, then shifted her gaze to the three older Seekers waiting for their decision.


    "Okay," she finally said. "Let''s try your method."


    They stood around the pedestal¡ªfive Seekers forming a circle. Each placed their right hand on the surface of the pedestal and with their left hand, held the hands of those next to them.


    "On the count of three," said Nika. "Just open yourselves to the process, don''t resist."


    "One... two... three!"


    At the moment when they all touched the pedestal, Ando felt a strange warmth spreading through his arm. Then the sensation intensified, turning into a flow of energy circulating between them. He felt something leaving him¡ªa drop of blood, a glimpse of memory, a spark of energy, a surge of emotion.


    But in return came something greater. Suddenly, fragments of others'' memories appeared in his consciousness¡ªbright, fleeting images of the lives of four other people. He saw Hop''s childhood, her loneliness in a large house with perpetually busy parents. He felt Nika''s determination when she first encountered an artifact. He shared Kir''s excitement at the moment of his first victory over a boss. He sensed Mark''s calm wisdom, accumulated over years of research.


    Among this stream of memories flashed something strange¡ªa cozy home, the laughter of some children, playing in the yard. The memory didn''t belong to anyone specifically, like a fragment of something shared.


    Before he could examine the image more closely, the connection broke. The pedestal glowed with bright light, then slowly transformed. Its surface melted away, revealing four metal swords floating in the air.


    "It worked!" Kir exhaled.


    Each sword was unique¡ªwith different patterns and shades, but they all glowed with the same bluish light. Ando noticed that the hilts had special attachments allowing the swords to be connected together.


    "The Fragmented Blade," Nika said reverently. "A legendary weapon capable of piercing any defense in this artifact."


    "And how do we use it?" asked Ando, carefully taking one of the swords. The weapon was surprisingly light, as if made of solidified light.


    "Each of us will take one fragment," Nika explained. "In battle, they can be used separately or combined into one whole. When all four parts are united, the blade''s power increases manifold."


    They took the swords. Ando received a fragment with a wavy pattern on the blade, Hop¡ªone with straight lines resembling rays of light. Nika took a sword with a spiral pattern, and Kir¡ªone with a zigzag pattern.


    "Now we just need to learn how to use them," Ando remarked, making a test swing with his sword. The movement left a trail of glowing mist in the air.


    "We''ll have time for that," said Nika. "First, let''s return to the shelter. The temple is beginning to collapse."


    Indeed, the walls and ceiling around them trembled. Small metal fragments began falling from above.


    "Quickly, to the exit!" Mark commanded.


    They ran down the corridor leading to the central hall, and from there to the nearest exit. Behind them, the temple began to fold up like a giant puzzle, returning to its original position.


    Getting outside, they managed to run away from the temple just in time as it rose into the air and again hovered high above the ground, becoming inaccessible.


    "That was close," Ando exhaled, looking at his sword. "The important thing is we got what we came for."


    The return journey to the shelter took place in a completely different atmosphere than their morning journey. The wariness that had previously divided the two groups of Seekers was gone. After completing the trials together, and especially after the ritual in the Hall of Sacrifice, where they momentarily gained access to each other''s memories, something resembling genuine trust had emerged.


    Hop, previously the most suspicious, now calmly conversed with Kir about the peculiarities of various artifacts. Mark gave Ando advice on handling the new weapon, showing techniques best suited for such swords.


    "Hold the hilt firmly, but without tension," he explained. "These swords are lighter than normal ones, so beginners often overdo it and make too wide a swing."


    Ando listened attentively, trying to remember every piece of advice. The new weapon felt like an extension of his arm, even more natural than his club.


    "What about the Guardian?" he asked. "When will we go after it?"


    "Tomorrow," replied Nika, walking ahead. "Today we''ll rest and practice. The Guardian isn''t going anywhere."


    "What if it gets stronger?" Hop remarked. "I heard that artifacts become more complex over time, especially if they can''t be completed and people die."


    "True," Kir nodded. "But rushing would only lead to mistakes. Better to be fully prepared."


    When they reached the shelter, the artifact''s sun was already setting toward the horizon. Mark lit a fire using unusual glowing stones, and all five gathered around it, discussing the upcoming attack on the Glass Guardian.


    "It''s strong," Nika drew a diagram of the upcoming battle on the ground. "Its main defense is invulnerable glass armor. But even with our swords, we need a strategy."


    "We attack simultaneously from different sides," suggested Kir. "Distract its attention, look for a weak spot."


    "And where is this spot?" asked Ando.


    "Center of the chest," replied Mark. "That''s where its heart is¡ªa glowing crystal. But reaching it isn''t easy."


    The discussion continued until late at night. They developed a detailed attack plan, assigned roles, and even practiced synchronizing their movements with the new swords.


    "The Guardian is finished," Kir confidently declared, raising his blade fragment. "With such weapons, we''ll definitely defeat it."


    Hop and Ando exchanged glances. After everything they had been through today, the possibility of defeating the artifact''s boss seemed much more realistic.


    Before sleep, Ando went outside the shelter and looked at the artifact''s night sky. Unlike the real sky, it was purple, with large, slowly drifting stars of unusual shapes. On the horizon, in the direction of the Guardian''s lair, a strange glow was beginning¡ªas if the artifact was preparing for the final test.


    Ando looked at his sword, thoughtfully studying its glowing blade. Just a few days ago, he was an ordinary teenager, exiled to a remote village for bad behavior. Now he stood here, preparing for battle with a fantastic creature from another world, in the company of other Seekers.


    What adventures we had today, he thought. But I like it.


    "Can''t sleep?" a quiet voice made him turn around. Hop was standing at the entrance to the shelter, her silhouette outlined against the glowing interior.


    "Just thinking," replied Ando. "About what happened today."


    Hop came over and stood beside him, looking in the same direction.


    "Do you trust them?" she asked.


    Ando pondered. This morning he would have hesitated to answer, but now...


    "I think so," he finally said. "After today¡ªyes, I think I do. And you?"


    "I don''t know," Hop answered honestly. "During the ritual, I felt their sincerity, but... something still troubles me."


    "What troubles you?"


    "I can''t explain it. Just be careful, Ando. Tomorrow everything will be decided."


    She gently squeezed his shoulder and returned to the shelter. Ando stood outside for some time, reflecting on her words.


    Whatever happened tomorrow, he was certain of one thing¡ªafter this battle, nothing would be the same. And he was ready for change.

 Chapter 9. Battle for the Artifact

    Dawn greeted the seekers'' refuge with the quiet shimmer of a bluish fire. Ando woke up earlier than the others and discovered that Hop was already sitting by the entrance, observing the slowly brightening purple sky of the artifact.


    "Morning. Can''t sleep?" he asked, sitting down beside her.


    "Just thinking about what''s waiting for us," Hop replied, not taking her eyes off the horizon. "The Guardian will be stronger than anything we''ve faced before."


    Ando twirled his blade fragment in his hands. Within a day, he had grown accustomed to the strange weapon¡ªlight as a feather, yet deadly in combat.


    "We''ll manage somehow," he shrugged carelessly. "We''ve got four parts of this super-sword and five seekers. What could pawsibly go wrong?"


    Hop snorted, but a smile still touched her lips.


    "Are you always such an optimist?"


    "Why not?" Ando tossed his sword up and deftly caught it by the handle. "Either we get him, or he gets us. But I''d much rather we''re the ones doing the getting."


    Gradually, the others woke up. Mark built the fire stronger and began preparing a strange liquid that resembled coffee but had a bluish tint.


    "It''s an essence of energy crystals," he explained, pouring the drink into makeshift cups. "It''ll help restore your strength before the battle."


    "What does it taste like?" Ando asked suspiciously, accepting a cup.


    "Like crap," Kir answered honestly after taking a sip, grimacing. "But it works without fail."


    Nika spread a handmade map on the ground and began explaining the final attack plan for the Guardian.


    "Here we''ll split into two groups. Kir and I will approach from the left, Mark and you two from the right. Our job is to distract his attention while you get close to the vulnerable point on his chest."


    "And if he notices us?" Hop asked.


    "Then you run like hell," Mark replied. "The main thing is to stay together and¡ª"


    His words were interrupted by a sudden vibration. The ground beneath their feet trembled, and small stones fell from the refuge ceiling.


    "What the¡ª" Ando didn''t finish his sentence.


    The rumbling grew louder. Nika was the first to rush outside, with the others following her. What they saw made them freeze in place.


    Hovering above the artifact, cutting through the purple sky, was a strange black aircraft resembling a cross between a helicopter and a futuristic drone. On its side, a logo stood out clearly¡ªa stylized letter "H" in a hexagon and the inscription "Hyper Dynamics."


    "Where''d a helicopter come from?" Ando exclaimed.


    Mark''s face darkened.


    "That''s not just a helicopter. Looks like a military modification."


    "Who cares!" Ando interrupted him. "How did it get here? We''re inside an artifact!"


    "Exactly," Nika nodded. "But any objects that a person is holding or touching when entering an artifact cross over with them."


    "And you didn''t think to mention this before?" Ando asked in surprise.


    "Never really came up," Mark grimly confirmed. "Corporations often use this feature to deliver equipment and weapons into artifacts."


    The aircraft descended and hovered about ten meters above the ground. A ramp extended from its underside, and six people in black high-tech uniforms descended. Their gear looked impressive¡ªlight armor with some built-in devices, helmets with visors, and weapons completely unlike ordinary knives or swords.


    Leading them was a middle-aged woman with short graying hair and a cold, hard gaze. Her shoulder bore patches with the same emblem as the aircraft.


    "Lieutenant Cole," Mark whispered. "Elite unit ''Mirror.''"


    "Friends of yours?" Ando joked nervously.


    "I wish," Mark shook his head. "Some of the most dangerous corporate seekers."


    The woman stopped a few meters away from them, evaluating the group. Her people spread out in a semicircle, keeping their hands on their weapons.


    "Interesting company," she said with slight mockery. "Three experienced loners and... children? Are you taking schoolkids on trials now?"


    "What do you want?" Nika asked coldly, stepping forward.


    The woman smiled, but the smile didn''t reach her eyes.


    "I officially declare that this artifact falls under the jurisdiction of Hyper Dynamics Corporation according to the decree of the Consortium of Seven."


    She raised her hand, on which was fastened a small device. Pressing a button, Cole activated a holographic projection of a document with numerous seals and signatures.


    "What''s this Snore-sortium?" Ando whispered to Hop. "Who the heck are these people anyway?"


    "Seven major corporations controlling artifact research," she whispered back. "But I thought they were just legends."


    Cole put away the hologram and took another step forward.


    "I have information that you''ve discovered and removed the Fragmented Blade from the Temple of the Four Guardians. This artifact is of special interest to the corporation."


    "We found it first," Kir objected. "By seeker rules, it belongs to us."


    Cole laughed.


    "Seeker rules? Sweet boy, those romantic nonsense stayed in the last century. The world of artifacts is now ruled by those with more resources and better weapons."


    One of her subordinates, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward.


    "Lieutenant, permission to take the blades? We''re wasting time."


    "Patience, Ryker," Cole checked him. "I prefer to resolve issues peacefully... when possible."


    She addressed Ando''s group again:


    "You have three options. First: voluntarily hand over all four fragments of the blade and peacefully leave the artifact. We''ll even provide safe escort. Second: we take the blades by force, and you... have an unfortunate accident. Third: I don''t care about your opinions, I''ll take them anyway."


    Hop instinctively clutched the handle of her dagger. Ando noticed Mark discreetly activating the symbol on his hand, while Kir repositioned himself to better see all the corporate seekers.


    "Isn''t that too many options?" Ando asked with feigned nonchalance. "Maybe we could join forces against the Guardian and split the reward?"


    "Unfortunately, Hyper Dynamics doesn''t practice joint ventures," Cole replied coldly. "Especially with civilians. Particularly snotty ones."


    "Listen," Nika intervened. "Why complicate things? We can join forces. The Guardian is dangerous even for your group."


    "We have the necessary equipment," the lieutenant cut her off. "And I''m not used to repeating myself twice. Decide."


    Mark coughed, drawing his companions'' attention.


    "Unfortunately, we cannot accept your proposal," he stated in an official tone. "The blade fragments were obtained by us during an honest completion of the trial and are our property."


    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    Cole sighed with feigned regret.


    "Well, you''ve made your decision."


    She gave a barely noticeable nod to her people, and they instantly changed stance, preparing to attack. But before anyone could make a move, two corporate seekers activated some devices on their wrists. The air around them shimmered, and Ando suddenly felt dizzy¡ªas if all the space around him had distorted.


    Taking advantage of the confusion, one of Cole''s people lunged forward and grabbed Nika, twisting her arm behind her back. Another pressed a strange dagger with a shimmering bluish blade to her throat.


    "What the hell are you freaks doing!" Ando shouted, but Mark held him in place.


    "Quiet, don''t make it worse," he whispered.


    Cole slowly approached Nika.


    "This is a blade from a red artifact," she explained, running her finger along the bluish blade. "The poison it''s infused with kills in seconds, and there''s no antidote. Now I''ll repeat one last time: blades on the ground, and your friend stays alive."


    Ando saw Kir and Mark''s faces pale. The situation seemed hopeless. But then he noticed Hop slowly moving a step to the right, catching his gaze and nodding almost imperceptibly, shifting her eyes to the man holding Nika.


    Mark seemed to understand her plan too. He discreetly lowered his hand to one of his symbols.


    "Alright," Kir said loudly, stepping forward. "We''ll give you the blades. Just don''t hurt her."


    He slowly lowered his hand to his blade fragment, diverting attention to himself.


    "Smart decision," Cole nodded. "Put the weapons on¡ª"


    Everything happened in a split second. Mark activated his symbol, creating a bright flash of light. Simultaneously, Hop threw her dagger with amazing accuracy. The blade plunged right into the head of the man holding Nika at knifepoint. He cried out and collapsed to the ground, dropping his poisoned dagger and releasing his grip.


    Ando, not wasting a moment, lunged forward and struck Cole''s leg with his blade fragment. The blade cut through the armor, and the woman fell to one knee with a cry. But despite her injury, she instantaneously parried Ando''s second attack with her weapon, knocking him back.


    "Kill them all!" she screamed to her people.


    The air filled with the whistle of energy discharges. One of the corporate seekers fired from a strange weapon at Mark, but he managed to create a protective barrier. Kir threw his boomerang, knocking down another opponent.


    Nika, now free, drew her blade fragment and jumped into the battle. Hop appeared next to Ando, covering him from an attack from the side.


    "There are too many of them!" she shouted, dodging an energy discharge. "We can''t hold out!"


    Ando saw that she was right. Despite their successful start, the advantage lay with the corporate seekers. They had better equipment, more experience, and numerical superiority. Mark had already received a shoulder wound, and Kir was barely standing after a powerful blow.


    Cole, despite her injured leg, regrouped her people. One of them activated some device that created an energy shield around them.


    "We only have one chance," Kir said, struggling to his feet. "We need to unite the blades."


    "But we''re not ready!" Mark objected. "The combined power might be too great for us."


    "We have no choice," Nika cut him off, deflecting another attack. "Either we risk it, or we die here."


    One of the corporate seekers broke through their defense and swung at Hop. Ando barely managed to push her aside and block the strike with his blade. The force of the collision threw him back, and he fell to one knee.


    "Ando!" Hop cried, rushing to him.


    "I''m fine," he exhaled, rising. "How do we unite the blades?"


    Mark, maintaining a protective barrier, nodded:


    "Stand close together and connect the fragments by their handles to each other!"


    They quickly formed a circle¡ªAndo, Hop, Nika, and Kir¡ªholding their blade fragments with the blades facing outward. Mark covered them, deflecting attacks from the corporate seekers.


    "On the count of three!" Nika commanded. "One... two... three!"


    They simultaneously connected the handles of the fragments. For the first moment, nothing happened. And then everything around was flooded with blinding light. Ando felt a powerful energy surge running from his hands throughout his body. The air exploded with a wave of force, throwing the corporate seekers in different directions.


    When the light dispersed, Ando was no longer holding a fragment, but a complete sword¡ªlong, with a curved blade of incredible beauty. The blade emitted a bluish glow, and symbols of the four elements shimmered on its handle.


    "It worked..." Hop exhaled, looking at the weapon in Ando''s hands.


    "Why do you have the sword?" Kir asked in surprise. "We all connected the parts."


    Ando himself didn''t understand why the united blade appeared in his hands. But the weapon felt so natural in his grip, as if it had been created specifically for him. The blade vibrated slightly, and with each movement, it left a trail of glowing mist in the air.


    "We''ll figure it out later," Nika said, seeing that the corporate seekers were beginning to rise. "Use it, Ando!"


    Cole, leaning on her weapon, got to her feet. Her face was distorted with a grimace of pain and fury.


    "Fire to kill!" she ordered. "Get that blade at any cost!"


    The corporate seekers opened fire with their energy weapons. But to everyone''s amazement, Ando intuitively swung the sword, and the blade absorbed all the discharges, becoming even brighter.


    "Holy blade!" he exclaimed, feeling power filling him. "I''m like..."


    He didn''t finish his sentence. Instinctively obeying some inner knowledge, Ando pointed the blade toward the opponents and imagined a wave of energy. The sword responded instantly¡ªa powerful stream of glowing force erupted from the blade, which knocked all the corporate seekers off their feet and destroyed their protective devices.


    "How did you do that?" Hop asked in amazement.


    "I... don''t know," Ando answered honestly. "It''s like it told me how."


    Cole, seeing the changed balance of power, activated the communicator on her wrist.


    "All groups! Red code! I repeat, red code! Requesting immediate reinforcements!"


    She looked at Ando with hatred:


    "You don''t know what you''ve gotten yourself into, boy. Hyper Dynamics doesn''t forgive those who stand in its way."


    "Couldn''t care less," Ando replied defiantly, raising the blade. "Go back to your Hyper Lame-amics and leave us alone."


    The ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled harder than before. A strange metallic sound echoed around the area. And then, from behind the nearest hill appeared a huge pack of metallic dogs led by a gigantic leader¡ªtwice the size of normal ones, with bright green eyes and spikes along its back.


    "Well, damn," Kir whispered. "That''s all we needed."


    But instead of attacking them, the dogs lunged with growls at the corporate seekers. The leader emitted a piercing whistle, coordinating its pack''s attack.


    "They seem to have sensed the blade and came running," Mark said, approaching Ando. "Maybe they feel threatened and are defending themselves."


    The corporate seekers opened fire on the approaching creatures, but they were too fast and numerous. One by one, Cole''s people fell under the onslaught of metallic jaws.


    "Retreat to the chopper!" Cole shouted, fighting off two dogs at once. "Ryker, call for evacuation!"


    Taking advantage of the battle chaos, Nika grabbed Ando''s arm:


    "We need to go while they''re distracted!"


    "What about the dogs?" Ando asked. "What if they attack us too?"


    "I don''t think so," Hop shook her head. "They only attacked the intruders."


    The group hurriedly moved in the opposite direction from the battle, circling the hill. Ando still firmly clutched the united blade in his hands, which now glowed with a steady, calm light.


    They had almost reached a safe place when an angry shout was heard behind them. Turning around, Ando saw Cole pursuing them despite her injured leg and the general retreat of her squad. Her face was distorted with hatred, and in her hand, she held some unfamiliar weapon.


    "Think you''ll escape so easily?!" she shouted. "Hyper Dynamics never forgets its enemies!"


    She aimed the weapon at Ando and fired. The energy charge was so powerful and fast that it penetrated the protective barrier that Mark had managed to create. The last thing Ando saw before the explosion was Hop throwing herself in front of the charge, trying to push him aside.


    Then everything was enveloped in smoke and dust. The ground beneath their feet cracked, and they fell down. Ando felt himself falling, tightly gripping the blade and holding Hop''s hand. But Nika, Kir, and Mark were on the other side of the collapse.


    "Mark! Nika!" Ando shouted, but his voice was drowned in the rumble of falling rocks.


    He and Hop continued to fall until they landed on some ledge deep underground. The dust slowly settled, revealing an unfamiliar part of the artifact¡ªa cave with crystalline walls, dimly glowing from within.


    "Are you alive?" Hop asked, getting up and dusting herself off.


    "I dunno, I''m pretty beside myself," Ando examined himself. "How about you?"


    "You and your jokes," she looked up, where a small piece of purple sky was visible. "Looks like we took quite a fall."


    Ando looked around:


    "Where''d we end up?"


    "The others must still be up there," Hop sighed. "The collapse separated us."


    Ando lowered his gaze to the blade in his hands. The weapon was still glowing, but slightly differently¡ªit seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.


    "What do we do now?" he asked.


    Hop sat on a rock, gathering her thoughts.


    "First, we need to find a way out of here. Then we''ll try to find the others."


    Ando nodded and tried to separate the blade back into fragments, but nothing happened.


    "Strange," he muttered. "I can''t separate it."


    Hop came closer, carefully studying the united blade.


    "Yes, something''s changed," she touched the blade. "Look how much brighter it glows when you''re tense or worried."


    And indeed, as soon as Ando thought about the upcoming dangers, the sword''s glow intensified. When he tried to calm down, the light became more even and muted.


    "It''s like it''s connected to you," Hop said thoughtfully. "Reacting to your emotions. That might be why you were able to control it, not one of us."


    Ando turned the sword in his hands, trying to make sense of everything that had happened in the last hour.


    "It''s so crazy," he said finally, "when I was running from that dog in the forest, I thought the worst that could happen was getting a couple of bites. And now we''re in some parallel world, for blade''s sake, fighting with some military types, and I''m holding a magical sword that I really like."


    Hop unexpectedly laughed:


    "Welcome to the world of seekers. You never know what awaits you tomorrow."


    Ando smiled too, feeling a strange relief. Despite all the dangers, in this crazy world, he felt... in his place.


    "Alright, let''s get out of here," he stood up decisively. "We''ll find a way out of this cave, then find our friends, and decide what to do with that glass beast."


    "You mean the Guardian?" Hop clarified.


    "Yeah. If these Hyper Whatever-ics want its energy so badly, then I guess we should hurry."


    Hop pondered:


    "Are you sure? We could just find a way out of the artifact and return to the real world."


    Ando raised the blade, and it responded with a bright glow.


    "Just look at this! What real world? The real fun''s just beginning here! And I really want to understand what''s happening. Why do artifacts exist? Why can I see them? What happened to my parents? No way I''m running away!"


    Hop silently nodded, acknowledging the fairness of his words.


    "Then let''s go," she rose. "First, we need to get out of this cave and find the others. And then... we''ll decide if we''re ready to face the Guardian."


    They moved deeper into the crystalline cave, lighting their way with the glow of the united blade. New dangers and mysteries awaited them ahead, but now Ando was sure of one thing¡ªthere was no going back. He had become a seeker, and his journey was just beginning.