[Elliot art]

  

  In the evenings we gathered for dinner. Count and Countess Waldberg told us about their lives, shared stories from the past and plans for the future. In such moments I felt we had found a new place where we could start everything with a clean slate.

  Besides playing with Elliot, I studied the local culture. I had found a pursuit that I enjoyed.

  

The world we lived in was one enormous continent, surrounded by islands and endless oceans. The islands were small, but each held its own unique history and secrets.

  Most people rarely left their region—every corner here seemed like a separate world. Even twenty years ago, life in Ailenor wasn't much different from medieval times. People wore simple clothes, used horses and carts, and magic was part of everyday life. But then everything changed.

  The otherworlders appeared suddenly. They called themselves Earthers, and with them came the future: machines, flying vehicles, and weapons without equal.

  How did I know all these things? No idea. But when I saw fighter planes and machinery, fragments of knowledge surfaced in my head. Auntie tried to explain some things, of course, but even she understood little. The Earthers kept their secrets to themselves. In the first years they didn't share technologies. Later they began selling devices and machines, but demanded access to natural resources in return.

  I understood how it all worked. Companies received mining rights for almost nothing, then extracted wealth many times greater than what the deal was worth. They built factories and plants where locals labored, but all the profit went into their pockets.

  Life improved, of course: roads became stronger, cars appeared, villages got electricity. But these conveniences came at a price. The Earthers didn't just take our resources—they gained more control over governments. They protected cities from demons and acted like saviors, though it was clear to everyone that this was just a profitable arrangement

  It was especially hard in the first years after their arrival. In one country, the otherworlders tried to close the pass leading to demon lands. But something went wrong—they accidentally bombed the garrison that was holding the passage. Demons poured onto the continent. Now the Earthers only kept large cities and key settlements under protection. Everything beyond their control was slowly turning into wasteland. People gathered in small communities to protect what remained of farms and roads, but their options were limited.

  This new world seemed a strange mix of old and new: magic neighboring the future, while castles and palaces stood alongside factories and towers of alien corporations.

  I sat in the main hall reading another book when the Countess walked toward me.

  " Luten, listen. I'll tell you something important. This is an ancient story. It may be partly fictional, but people have believed it for many centuries."

  She adjusted the lamp by the bed and continued:

  "Long ago, when this world first appeared, the gods placed three Hearts within it. These Hearts keep our world in balance. The first is the Heart of Flesh. It gives strength to all living things: body, muscles, blood. The second is the Heart of Souls. It makes sure people have thoughts, feelings, and dreams. And the third, the Heart of the World, connects everything together so the world remains whole."

  "So without these Hearts everything would fall apart?"

  "You could say that. Without them the world would stop moving, like a clock with its spring removed. But keeping these Hearts in order isn't simple. So the gods left Gatekeepers—those who watch over the Hearts and protect them."

  I frowned:

  "If they're just people, how can they control something so important?"

  "Oh, they're far more than ordinary people. Gatekeepers are those chosen by the gods themselves. They were given power, and with that power—responsibility. Each Gatekeeper has figurines connected to one of the three Hearts. These figurines allow people to touch magic. The closer a person is to a Heart, the stronger their power."

  "So people only have magic because these figurines exist?"

  "Yes. Without the Hearts, magic simply wouldn't exist. It flows through us, but doesn't belong to people by itself. That's why there are so few in the world who can truly control magic. And even fewer who know where it comes from."

  " And if something happens to the Hearts?"

  "Then magic will disappear. Maybe not immediately, but it will disappear. And with it everything that keeps this world in order. That's why the Gatekeepers must always be vigilant."

  I thought about it—something didn't add up here... But I nodded politely anyway. The Countess's words sounded simple, but some truth could be felt behind them.

  This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

  "Why are you telling me this now?"

  "I think inside you're more mature than Elliot. You'll understand more."

  She smiled slightly and extinguished the lamp.

  " Go to sleep, Luten. Morning will be long."

  I read a little more and thought. Where do these Hearts get their power? Why did demons break into our world, but the Gatekeepers don't act? Too many questions. Maybe if I get to the city library, there will be books that explain everything?

  I glanced out the window. It had indeed grown dark. I walked down the long gallery, decorated with paintings under each light fixture that the Count and Countess had painted, while large panoramic windows let in bright moonlight. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed something flash, but when I turned around, I saw only swaying tree branches in the windows.

  This still made me wary, because the wind shouldn't have been that strong. I decided to take a longer route to my room. Entering the central hall, I caught sight of shadowy figures on the stairs below, by the entrance.

  Strange, everyone should be inside already. I decided to quicken my pace as anxiety grew. And not without reason. An ajar door to the cellar appeared, with blood on the steps. I decided to run not to my room, but to the storage room for my things. Alice had left me a certain object and told me to press the button if anything happened. I think help would come.

  I quickly grabbed the button from storage and rushed to Elliot's room. He was still sleeping, curled up under the blanket.

  "Elliot, get up! Come on, we need to go!"

  He only grumbled and turned to his other side, clearly not understanding what was happening. When I shook his shoulders, trying to wake him, our consciousnesses merged again. I saw his dream: his mother in the fire of illness. And he saw my fear, the cosmic void.

  "Get up, we have problems!"

  He opened his eyes but was still half asleep.

  "What? What do you want? It's night..."

  "We need to leave. Just trust me. We'll talk later."

  I pulled him to his feet and led him toward the exit. He stumbled, not yet fully understanding what was happening. When we got outside, his eyes widened.

  "Where are the Count and Countess? We need to go back for them!"

  He started pulling, trying to return to the house.

  "No! They... they'll manage without us. We'll only get in their way. We need to run."

  "But... we can't abandon them!"

  I squeezed his hand and pulled him forward.

  "Elliot, if we stay, we won't get out. Let's run to the village!"

  We took off and ran down the path. But at the turn I noticed those same silhouettes in the darkness. They stood motionless by the wall and were setting the house on fire. Flames flared right in their hands—magic.

  Elliot stopped dead in his tracks. His breathing became uneven.

  "Luten... What is this? What's happening?"

  I grabbed his hand again.

  "I don't know. Run!"

  The first thing that came to mind was to go call for help, but approaching the village, I somehow saw no signs of life. No lights, no smoke from chimneys. I decided to check the forester's house. It stood farther from the village, where Aura lived with her father. We'd become good friends over the past week, and I hoped to find at least her.

  We ran with all our might, but Elliot kept sobbing while I encouraged him as best I could. At the place I saw Aura sitting by the fence, holding her knees and whimpering.

  I rushed to her side.

  "Aura, it's us! What happened, why are you crying?"

  She whispered.

  "Papa... He told me to hide, and he... himself..."

  Elliot hugged her. I felt her trembling, her terror through him. It was too much. Too much foreign pain.

  She pointed with trembling hands toward the house. I stood up, and behind the fence a horrible picture opened before me. The entire garden was bloodied, the door and half the wall were smashed out, and pieces of their livestock were scattered across the field.

  I vomited, couldn't control myself. At least I managed to keep Elliot from seeing it. Though I was ready to collapse and cry right then and there myself. But I believed help was already on the way.

  "Pull yourselves together, let's go to the stream, they won't find us there."

  No one tried to resist, and we ran farther. I looked back.

  A demon stood in the darkness. Its tar-black body merged with the night darkness. It was elongated, emaciated, as if skin had been torn from it. Dark viscous liquid flowed down the cracks. It raised its head. It had no eyes, but I felt it watching us.

  We ran for about half an hour and, falling, scraped up all our knees. The monster quietly followed us, as if mocking.

  When we approached the stream, the ground exploded right in front of me and we scattered in different directions. Looking back, I saw a group of people in cloaks and dark armor running toward us. Apparently the demon didn't want to share its prey and leaped at them.

  "No! NO! Why are you..."

  In moments the monster tore them all to pieces. Nothing helped them. The lanterns in their hands went out as it approached, and their guns wouldn't fire.

  The monster very roughly, first making a hole in the man on the right, then tearing off his head, hurled that head at the second pursuer. It hit the poor soul in the head and killed him. The third tried to run and was whispering something under his breath, but in an instant he simply fell, and the monster calmly approached him and with digging motions spread the remains across the field. I remember barely keeping myself together. My legs shook and everything around spun so much I could barely understand what was happening. Adrenaline stopped helping, and now I couldn't move from fear.

  Just as slowly and carefully, the demon approached me. I felt wild pain in my stomach area.

  "Well, well, well, and who do we have here lying so helplessly? Where's that former boldness now, oh yes..."

  The pain dulled, the monster's silhouette was swept somewhere to the side.

  A cheerful voice called out from above.

  "Hiya!"

  I was looking at the sky when some guy about twenty stood over me. He was tall and fit, with ash-gray hair falling freely to his shoulders. His dark, penetrating eyes were mesmerizing—for a second it seemed he knew me and was looking not at my face, but straight into my soul.

  Around the guy's neck hung a gryphon figurine carved from black stone, emanating a weak bluish glow. His long dark blue cloak concealed simple clothing.

  "Listen, be more careful. I've got tons of things to do. See ya!"

  What the... What just happened?

  I closed my eyes. Opening them, I saw Alice. She was worried, and her eyes were red for some reason. Unfortunately, by that time I lost consciousness again.

  "We've given him sedatives, now he just needs rest."