Morning came — without sun, without light. The clouds seemed to harbor malice, letting not a single ray through. But in the Dusk City, that was normal. And for Lein, living in a cave near Raine, even more so.
He woke up in a foul mood. As if he'd gotten up on the wrong foot — his head buzzing with fatigue and laziness. His body ached from yesterday's training, but the worst part was the strange heaviness inside.
«Is this… because of yesterday's failure?»
— Awake already, you little devil? — came Raine's voice.
Lein turned his head slowly. That talkative old man again. Always showing up at the worst times.
— What are you staring at? Get up! Today you'll keep swinging that wooden sword!
Lein rose without a word, tidied his bed, drank some cold water, and started up the stairs. Outside, the sky remained dark — it had rained at night, and the air still smelled of dampness. He sat on a chopped log by the lake, staring into its gray reflection.
Memories of yesterday weighed heavily. The pain hadn't faded — if anything, it had worsened. As soon as he stood up, he knew: he'd have to cut the training short. No more than two thousand swings today.
Raine climbed up after him, breathing in deeply.
— Ah, the smell of rain. Nothing better!
Lein stayed silent. Inside, he felt hollow. He hadn't just exhausted his body — he'd burned a part of his soul.
«It's unpleasant. I can't even think straight.»
Raine seemed to notice.
— You look like hell. Fine, we'll cut your training down to two or three thousand swings. But don't try drawing power from your soul again — more than one fool's died doing that.
Lein nodded silently.
— Worse than I thought... All right, today's a day off. Go to the city, clear your head. Have fun like it's your last day. Might be, for all we know.
Lein looked at Raine, then gave a quiet nod and headed toward the Dusk City.
Raine watched him go and muttered:
— His state is worrying… But it doesn't matter. Princess… Your move now. I hope you keep your word.
---
City Gates and Quarantine
The road to the Dusk City took a few hours. It was empty. As always.
Lein carried a torch. His silhouette was spotted from the walls as he approached the gate.
The massive gates creaked open, and a knight descended wearing a helmet. He held a torch in his left hand, cutting through the darkness.
— Raine's student? — he asked coldly.
— Yes, — Lein replied curtly. He didn't feel like talking. Anticipating the knight's next question, he immediately showed his token. The knight inspected it closely, then nodded.
— All right. But you must follow the rules while on the third level. As of today, the third zone has been declared under quarantine. The situation's under control for now, but soon it'll be harder to reach the second level through the third. I'd suggest settling inside… but your master Raine is too stubborn for that.
Lein just nodded.
They walked inside. The gates began closing behind them.
— I stay here. No funny business. Do what you came for and leave quietly. And try not to linger on the third level — don't interact with anyone. I'd explain things better, but I'm in a hurry.
The knight turned right and quickly climbed back up to the wall.
«What's going on? Ah, whatever. I just want to get to the second level...»
Lein moved forward — toward the next gate.
The third level hadn't changed: filth, decay, stench. Poverty, elders, children. The darkest parts of the world lived here.
At the second level gate, he stopped and waited for the guards.
— Who are you and what do you want? — came a voice from the wall.
— Raine's student. I want to enter, — Lein answered, without enthusiasm.
Some people on the third level glanced at him and began whispering, casting side-eyes his way. He didn't care. He just wanted to get through and forget everything.
A sigh came from above. Then the gate groaned, and several knights emerged with drawn swords.
«That didn't happen yesterday… What's going on?»
Among them, Lein recognized Will. He held his helmet in one hand and gripped his sword hilt with the other.
— Lein, inside, now. King's orders: nearly all knights have been pulled from the third level. Some kind of virus is spreading. First and second levels are under tight watch.
Lein looked back. An old woman nearby looked… rotten. Gray skin, sickly eyes, sores all over her legs.
— What about me? Am I infected? — Lein asked suspiciously.
— No direct contact. You've been here less than a minute. Move!
Something in Will's tone made Lein uneasy. He sped up. Once inside, he felt a wave of relief.
Shouts rang out behind him:
— Let us in! We're not to blame!
— My children are starving — at least let them in!
— Why can he go in and we can't?! — someone yelled, approaching the knights with a stick.
Will stepped forward… and without a word, beheaded him.
— Knights! Kill anyone who comes too close! — he ordered his men.
Blades were pointed at the crowd. People froze. Fear and despair merged into a single cry.
The gates slowly began to shut.
Will nodded to Lein and returned to the wall.
One of the knights approached Lein and, without warning, splashed him with water from a mysterious bottle marked with a crescent moon. Then again. And again.
Finally, he soaked Lein completely, gave a satisfied nod, and walked off.
— What the hell… Was that their way of disinfecting me? Although… the smell's not bad.
The water absorbed into his skin quickly. As if it vanished. And strangely enough — Lein felt a bit better. Even his mental exhaustion seemed to ease.
«I'll have to find out what that stuff is… Maybe buy a few bottles.»
— Wait! — came a voice from behind.
Lein turned and saw another knight.
— Sir Will ordered me to tell you about the safe route. I'll be brief. On the west side of the second level, you'll find a Tunnel leading straight outside the city. It runs beneath the third level and is tightly guarded. Leaving the city won't be a problem for you, but next time — don't be hasty, and follow security's instructions. Otherwise, they'll mistake you for a monster and kill you on sight. There's no entry or exit fee for now. That's all! — he said, and walked off.
«Didn't even let me ask anything. Whatever, I got the gist.»
Inside the second level, Lein felt a wave of relief.
The people here seemed completely unaware of what was happening beyond the walls.
Children ran and laughed without a care, food stalls and shops buzzed as if nothing had happened.
Wandering the streets, Lein again succumbed to the charm of the atmosphere. The air was warm, tinged with the smell of roasted spices and ale. Lantern light cast soft shadows on the stone-paved roads, creating a sense of coziness so unfamiliar to his life.
Knights patrolled the streets at a leisurely pace. Their armor glinted in the torchlight, and their quiet, steady conversations blended into the background hum of the city. They looked relaxed, yet alert — their eyes scanning every alleyway.
Mothers sat on benches beneath lanterns. Some were feeding infants, others chatted while watching their children play nearby. Peace reflected in their eyes, as if they believed everything was under control in this place.
From the stalls came the calls of merchants:
— Fresh flatbread! Still warm from the oven!
— Monster meat, grilled and juicy! Just off the fire!
The scent of baked goods and spices teased the nose, and street musicians added a pulse to the city — a light rhythm of a lute and the soft melody of a flute.
«Of course the king would give up on the third level.»
And then Lein spotted a familiar figure — Princess Alice. She walked with her head slightly lowered, seemingly deep in thought. Her steps were weary, her movements sluggish. Her gray eyes were unfocused, filled with a kind of inner storm.
Suddenly, she looked up, saw him, and… smiled. A simple, warm, almost human smile. Lein hesitated. Did she recognize him?
He wasn't sure. In response, he gave a small, awkward smile — almost mechanical.
— Nice atmosphere in the city, isn't it? — she said suddenly, breaking the silence as she approached.
Lein nodded.
— Yeah. The second level's always been… livelier.
Alice giggled and nodded toward one of the stalls.
— That place over there, we could talk — if you don't mind, of course.
Lein looked where she pointed and instantly recognized it. It resembled a tavern — modest, dimly lit, the kind of place knights liked to gather. It was rarely crowded, with a muted, trustworthy atmosphere.
«She wants to talk? I wonder what she wants to discuss.»
— I don't mind. Why not?
Alice nodded, but suddenly paused, as if she remembered something.
— Mm... Listen. Could you go in ahead? I'm still looking for my friends. They wandered off without saying a word!
— Sure, — Lein shrugged and headed toward the door.
He opened it and stepped inside. The air was heavy with the smell of alcohol, smoked meat, and torch smoke. He expected it to be empty — as usual — but in the back of the hall, at a roughly built wooden table, sat three people. Their conversation was lively, but tinged with irritation.
— I'm telling you, this whole Story is a damn joke! Six years — and not a single trace of the dragon! Maybe our goal isn't to kill it after all? — snapped a dark-haired knight in black armor. His voice was sharp, like someone who had held in his anger for too long.
— The first fragment was creepy enough, — noted a white-haired guy. — I don't even want to imagine what's waiting in the second one. It's bound to be worse.
— And what if time here...
The third didn't finish — all three suddenly fell silent, their eyes locking onto Lein.
A moment stretched into eternity. The room's atmosphere shifted — as if a shadow crept through the air.
Lein knew them. Of course he did.
That was the Four.
The Hero Team.
Princess Alice — the healer.
Dark Knight Ed — the swordsman.
Mage Kai — master of ice.
And finally, the shadow scout Lenar — a ghost among shadows. The team's eyes and ears.
Four of them. Terrifying. Powerful. And... not fully understood.
The old man once said: "They're different. Not Beyonders, but somehow they can use abilities."
Which was impossible. No core — no abilities. Yet they defied that law.
— What're you staring at, kid? — Ed growled, slowly standing.
Lein raised a brow.
— You're just… powerful. I admire that. Guess that's why I froze up, — he said. His voice was steady, almost emotionless.
It didn't sound like a compliment. More like mockery.
— Are you messing with us? — Ed scowled.
Lein shook his head. He knew — his tone had been off. But maybe that was for the best.
— I'm just curious… how do you use abilities? Without a core. It's impossible unless...
— Hah, you serious? — Ed cut him off. — And why would we tell you anything?
— Maybe… you don't know yourselves? Maybe it's not you at all. Maybe it's something else — something letting you use power. Something you look at, like only you can see it?
Shock flashed on Ed's face. Just for a split second — but it was there.
Lein pressed on, staring straight at them:
— You're strange. Sometimes, they say, you speak in a language no one understands. Sometimes you make hand signs. And the princess… she understands it. Even though no one in this city should.
He paused, then slowly added:
— I wonder… does the king know?
Silence. It was like the entire room froze.
— Or should I tell him myself? — Lein added casually, leaning forward. — He'd believe me, wouldn't he? And Raine?
The three tensed. The air grew heavy — like the calm before a storm.
— Enough.
A voice. Cold, steely, female.
Lein slowly turned.
Princess Alice stood in the doorway. Her gaze was no longer soft. Only tension and threat remained. She stepped between the three men.
— You've come too close. But know this, Lein — sometimes, just knowing is enough to get you killed.
A direct threat. And Lein… laughed.
Suddenly, he pointed toward the window and shouted:
— The king! You all heard, right? You believe me now, don't you?
All three turned toward the window, unsure.
«Could it be… part of the king's plan?» the thought flickered in their minds.
But then they realized…
The window was empty.
And when they turned back —
Lein was gone.
The door slammed shut behind him.
— He just… left? — Kai whispered, stunned.
— He ran. — Alice clenched her fists. — A twelve-year-old brat outplayed us like children.
— Why didn't you stop him? — Ed hissed. — You blew it!
Alice shot him a look so sharp he immediately shut up.
— Enough, — Kai said with a lazy smirk. — He won't get far. We've got Lenar.
Alice, still seething, exhaled heavily and nodded.
— Lenar. Find him. I didn't mean to scare him… It was just a bad joke.
— Yeah, he totally appreciated the humor, — Ed muttered.
Alice snapped — and kicked Ed hard in the leg.
Lenar, meanwhile, finished his mug and said calmly:
— He just reached the tunnel leading out from the second level. Looks like he's planning to leave the city.
The three men got up and headed out.
— Alice?.. — Lenar asked, pausing.
— I'll pay the bartender and catch up.
The three nodded and headed west — toward the Tunnel.
Alice paid the bartender and sighed.
— Lein… The key to solving this fragment… We can't lose him.
The bartender, who had heard her words, acted as if he'd heard nothing at all.
— Did you say something, Princess?
— Oh, nothing. I just said the weather's nice today.
With that, she too left the tavern, heading west through the city.