Jake stood by the window in his new room in Echo Crystal City, watching the pulsating crystals illuminate the streets below. A week had passed since he arrived in this strange world, and his head was still spinning from all the new information and impressions.

"How can I be a traveler between worlds?" he thought, twirling the glowing stone that brought him here in his hands. "I'm just a scientist..."

Suddenly, the door burst open, and Lyra ran into the room, her silver hair flowing behind her.

"Jake! Hurry! The Council is gathering. It seems the darkness has begun its advance!"

Jake's heart began to race. He knew this moment would come, but he still didn't feel ready. Nevertheless, he nodded and followed Lyra, understanding that his life was now tied to the fate of this world, whether he wanted it or not.

The Council was already in full battle readiness, and Jake immediately felt out of place. He was a scientist, not a warrior, and it was difficult for him to get used to this new role.

"I don't want to be a warrior," he said when they met on the porch.

"We can't allow you to be weak," Lyra replied, her eyes glowing brighter than the crystals that illuminated the city. "You must learn to protect us all."

Jake nodded, unable to refuse. He knew he needed to be strong to protect his new friends and fight against the darkness that loomed over the world.

Entering the hall, Jake saw his new friends, the deer, standing in their places, their eyes filled with anxiety.

"Jake, we need to form a squad to fight against the darkness," said one of the deer, its antennae glowing brighter than the crystals that illuminated the hall.

Jake nodded, unable to refuse. He knew he needed to be strong to protect his new friends and fight against the darkness that loomed over the world.

"Deer from my head in this world," Jake thought as he saw the deer standing in their places, their eyes filled with anxiety.

The deer looked at Jake and smiled. "Jake, we need to form a squad to fight against the darkness," it said, its antennae glowing brighter than the crystals that illuminated the hall.

"The Council consists of 12 deer, 12 humans, and 12 elves," Jake thought in amazement.

"And so, Jake, you must find an ancient artifact that can destroy the darkness," said the deer.

"But wait, what is the darkness?" Jake asked.

"The darkness is an invisible enemy that attacks us at night," the deer replied.

"And what is an artifact?" Jake asked.

"An artifact is an object that can destroy the darkness," the deer replied.

"And what does 'ancient' mean?" Jake asked.

"An ancient artifact is an object that was created in ancient times," the deer replied.

"Will this artifact help see the darkness?" Jake asked.

"Yes, it will help see the darkness," the deer replied.

"But how do I find this artifact?" Jake asked.

"We don't know, but we believe it's somewhere nearby," the deer replied.

"Are you serious?" Jake asked.

"Yes, we are serious," the deer replied.

"But how do I find this artifact?" Jake asked.

"There is an ancient map that can lead you to the artifact," one of the elves replied, stepping forward. "But it's divided into three parts, and each part is hidden in different corners of our world."

Lyra put her hand on Jake's shoulder. "I'll go with you. Together we can find these parts of the map."

"The first part of the map is in the Crystal Caves," the elf continued. "The second is in the Whispering Shadows Forest, and the third is on the top of the Mountain of Eternal Winds."

Jake took a deep breath, feeling the weight of responsibility. "Alright, I'll do it. But I'll need help."

"You're not alone, Jake," said one of the humans on the Council. "We'll give you everything you need for this journey."

"And remember," added the deer, its antennae flickering, "your scientific knowledge might be the key to solving many mysteries of our world. Don't underestimate yourself."

Jake nodded, feeling determination growing within him. "When do we leave?"

"At dawn," Lyra replied. "The darkness is growing stronger every day. We have no time to waste."

The Council ended, and Jake returned to his room to prepare for the upcoming journey. Looking at the stars through the window, he thought about how much his life had changed in the past week.

"I can do this," he whispered to himself. "I must do this. For this world and for my own."

With these thoughts, Jake went to sleep, knowing that tomorrow would begin the biggest adventure of his life.

The next morning, Lyra woke Jake up.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Jake, we need to set out," she said, her eyes filled with anxiety.

Jake nodded, getting out of bed. He knew he needed to be strong to protect his new friends and fight against the darkness that loomed over the world.

Jake quickly got ready, taking the glowing stone and a few items given to him by the Council members. Leaving the room, he saw that Lyra was already waiting for him in the corridor.

"Ready?" she asked, handing him a small backpack.

"As much as I can be," Jake replied, trying to hide his nervousness.

They left the Council building and headed towards the border of Echo Crystal City. Along the way, Jake noticed that the streets were deserted, and the crystals, usually brightly glowing, seemed dim.

"Is the darkness already affecting the city?" he asked Lyra.

She nodded, her face serious. "Yes, and it's getting worse every day. That's why our mission is so important."

When they reached the city border, Jake saw that a small group was waiting for them: two elves and one deer.

"This is our team," Lyra explained. "The elves Arwen and Legolas are the best trackers in our world. And the deer Svetozar is the wisest of his kind."

Jake greeted them, feeling a bit awkward. "I... I'm glad you're with us. I hope I won't let you down."

Arwen smiled at him. "Don't worry, Jake. We're all here to help each other."

"So, where are we heading first?" Jake asked, looking at the horizon.

"To the Crystal Caves," Svetozar replied, his antennae softly glowing in the morning light. "It's the closest place where a part of the map is hidden."

The group began their journey, leaving the safety of Echo Crystal City. Jake felt his heart pounding with excitement and fear of the unknown. But at the same time, he felt a strange excitement. Perhaps this was the beginning of something great.

As they delved deeper into the forest surrounding the city, Jake noticed that the plants here were nothing like those he had seen in his world. The leaves glowed with a soft light, and some flowers seemed to sing a quiet melody.

"This world... it's amazing," Jake whispered.

Lyra, walking beside him, smiled. "Yes, and we must do everything to protect it."

Suddenly Legolas, who was walking ahead, raised his hand, calling everyone to stop. "Quiet," he whispered. "I hear something."

The group froze, listening. And then Jake heard it - a strange hissing sound coming from the darkness of the forest.

"What is that?" he asked in a whisper.

"Shadows," Svetozar replied, his antennae beginning to glow brighter. "Spawns of darkness. They've found us."

Jake felt fear paralyzing his body. But he knew there was no turning back. Their journey had only just begun, and already they faced their first trial.

"What should we do?" he asked, looking at his companions.

Lyra pulled out a strange glowing crystal from her belt. "We will fight," she said resolutely. "Jake, remember what I said about your power? Now is the time to use it."

Jake swallowed but nodded. He didn't know exactly how to use his "power," but he was ready to try. After all, not only his life depended on him now, but the fate of an entire world.

Jake closed his eyes, trying to concentrate. He remembered the deer's words about how his scientific knowledge could be the key to solving the mysteries of this world. "Maybe," he thought, "I can use logic and analysis to understand the nature of these shadows?"

Opening his eyes, he saw the shadows approaching. They looked like clouds of black smoke, but moved purposefully, as if possessing intelligence.

"Lyra," Jake whispered, "these shadows... do they react to light?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes, light repels them, but doesn't destroy them completely."

Jake quickly looked around. There were glowing plants around them, and each team member had a glowing crystal.

"I have an idea," he said. "We need to create a circle of light. Arwen, Legolas, stand on the sides. Svetozar, you're in the back. Lyra, you and I are in front. Point your crystals outward."

The team quickly followed Jake's instructions. When the shadows approached, they collided with the light barrier and recoiled.

"It's working!" Lyra exclaimed.

But Jake understood that this was only a temporary solution. "We need to move," he said. "Slowly, maintaining formation. Direction to the Crystal Caves?"

Svetozar pointed the direction, and the group began to slowly move forward, surrounded by a protective circle of light. The shadows circled around them but couldn't break through the light barrier.

As they progressed, Jake noticed that some of the plants around them began to glow brighter, as if reacting to their presence.

"Look," he said, pointing at the plants. "It seems they're helping us."

Lyra smiled. "The nature of this world is on our side, Jake. You're beginning to understand how everything is interconnected here."

Suddenly, ahead they saw the entrance to a cave, sparkling with crystals.

"The Crystal Caves," Legolas whispered. "We've made it."

But as soon as they approached the entrance, the shadows seemed to become even more aggressive. They thickened around the entrance, as if trying to prevent the group from entering.

"What now?" Jake asked, feeling his heart pounding with tension.

Lyra looked at him hopefully. "Jake, you led us here. Do you have any ideas on how we can get through?"

Jake took a deep breath, understanding that the fate of the entire mission depended on his decision. He had to find a way to pass through this dark barrier and enter the caves where the first part of the map awaited them. But how?

Jake carefully examined the cave entrance, analyzing the situation. Suddenly, it dawned on him.

"The crystals," he whispered. "They don't just glow, they resonate."

He turned to his companions. "Lyra, give me your crystal."

Without hesitation, Lyra handed him her glowing stone. Jake took it and began to gently tap on the crystals at the cave entrance.

"What are you doing?" Svetozar asked, his antennae flickering with curiosity.

"Creating resonance," Jake replied, not taking his eyes off his task. "If I'm right, the vibration frequency of these crystals can create a wave of light that will disperse the shadows."

After a few seconds, the crystals at the entrance began to vibrate, emitting a pulsating light. The shadows around the entrance darted about and began to dissipate.

"It's working!" Arwen exclaimed.

"Quickly, inside!" Legolas commanded.

The group rushed into the cave while the passage was clear. As soon as they were inside, the shadows thickened again at the entrance, cutting off the way back.

"Incredible, Jake," Lyra said, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You're really starting to understand this world."

Jake smiled weakly, still not believing what he had managed to do. "I just... applied what I know."

"And that's exactly what we need," Svetozar said. "Your unique perspective on things might be our main weapon against the darkness."

The group moved deeper into the cave, lighting their way with their crystals. The walls around them sparkled and shimmered, creating intricate patterns of light.

"Look!" Legolas suddenly exclaimed, pointing ahead.

Before them opened a huge underground cavity, in the center of which a glowing object lay on a stone pedestal.

"This must be the first part of the map," Arwen whispered.

But as they approached the pedestal, the ground beneath them suddenly trembled. Strange crystalline creatures began to emerge from the cave walls, blocking their path.

"Guardians," Lyra exhaled. "They're guarding the map."

Jake felt his heart beating faster. They were so close to their goal, but now a new, unexpected obstacle stood before them.

"What should we do?" he asked, looking at his companions.

Lyra squeezed his hand. "The same as before, Jake. Think. Observe. Find a solution."

Jake nodded, understanding that the fate of their mission again depended on him. He began to carefully study the crystal guardians, looking for a key to solving this new puzzle.

Suddenly one of the guardians stepped forward, its eyes glowing with a bright light. And then Jake heard a strange, vibrating voice in his head:

"Stranger from another world, prove that you are worthy to receive a part of the map. Pass the test of mind and spirit."

Jake swallowed, feeling the enormous responsibility settling on his shoulders. He didn't know what lay ahead, but he understood that not only their mission depended on this test, but the fate of this entire world.

"I'm ready," he said, taking a step forward.

And at that moment, the world around him began to change, plunging him into the unknown...