Alexander, standing on a rocky shore, blown by the heat of lava rivers and peering into the distant flashes behind the mountain, whispered under his breath:

- Well, where to look for you now, Charon?

He decided to head towards the source of the flashes, walking along the lava flow, feeling the hot air burn his face. Along the way, he heard voices and screams, fragments of conversations:

- What are you talking about, we are people too...

- Cepat lari... (Let's run, quickly...)

- 私たちは千年前に死んだそのためではありません。(We died a thousand years ago, not for that...)

When Alexander climbed the mountain, in the very center of the clearing, in great chaos, a real massacre was unfolding. Hundreds of people of different ages, dressed in a wide variety of attire, from simple rags to more elaborate and even militant costumes, tried to defend their lives. Each of them is armed with a dagger, but their weapons were powerless against the might of four people in military camouflage with their supernatural abilities.

People, gripped by panic and fear, ran in all directions, trying to avoid a mortal fate. Screams and screams filled the air, creating a desperate and alarming atmosphere. Some of the Forsaken and the Departed tried to fight, but their attempts were almost useless in the face of such power.

Alexander was able to see, among the flashes and chaos, a green-haired guy who was attacking everyone around with lightning. Behind him stood three military men with a US flag on their shoulder, each with unique abilities.

The first of the soldiers was a broad-shouldered man with short-cropped hair and piercing eyes. His right hand was huge, three times its normal size, and seemed to be made of some kind of metal alloy. He used this hand to crush the Dead and Forsaken as if they were ants. Each blow was fatal, leaving behind only bloody ruins and dust. The hand took on its normal appearance and he threw it forward again, increasing in size.

The second military man was thinner and more agile. His eyes sparkled with cunning, and he had strange gloves on his hands. He, deftly throwing clots of mud, turned his victims into hardened statues. Each of his throws stuck around a person, making them unable to move or even scream. As Alexander noted, it took less than a second for the viscous substance to become harder than stone.

The third military man had the ability to blow people up with just a glance. His eyes were dark, almost black, and when he looked at his victims, his gaze became even more intense and piercing. He slowly looked around the crowd, and each of his glances led to an explosion, leaving behind only ashes.

Chaos reigned in the clearing, but the focus was on the people caught up in this terrible situation. Their screams and moans were heard everywhere, and the smell of fear and despair was in the air.

Many of them were simple inhabitants of the Edge, the Dead, who did not even want to return to the real world. They tried to lead at least some semblance of the old life, to organize communes. These people were unprepared for this kind of conflict. Some tried to hide behind rocks and trees, others tried to run away from this nightmare, saving their lives. Among them were young and old, men and women, each with their own history and desire to live.

- Be careful! - the young guy shouted, pushing the teenager away from the huge hand of the first military man, which crushed the group of Forsaken with a flourish. He himself was buried under the attack.

One woman in a hooded cloak tried to lead a group of children who were crying and screaming away from the disaster, leading them to relative safety. Her face was pale with fear. Alexander had already seen children in Grani, but not so many in one place.

A young guy with disheveled hair and a determined expression tried to organize a group for defense, distributing people and urging them to stick together. He shouted commands, trying to create at least some order in this chaos.

An old man with a cane, wounded and exhausted, sat on the ground, clutching his burnt hand and whispering prayers, hoping for a miracle or salvation. His eyes reflected the many years he had experienced and his sadness for the lost world.

On the other side of the clearing, a woman in tears tried to tear the hardened dirt off the guy's face. He could not breathe and died slowly. Her hands were shaking, but she did not give up trying to save him, despite the obvious hopelessness of the situation.

Somewhere in the distance, a young woman screamed in despair as she saw a soldier blowing up a man with just one glance:

- Nil! Conas is féidir leo a bheith chomh cruálach! (No! How can they be so cruel!)

A young woman in shabby clothes, with a dagger in her hand, desperately defended a little boy.

- Hold on to me, don't let go! (Hold on to me, don’t let go!) - she shouted, trying to scare the attacker with a huge hand with her dagger. The boy, terribly frightened, held her hand tightly, his eyes full of tears.

A group of young Forsaken formed a circle in the corner of the clearing, trying to protect themselves from the attacks.

- If we stick together, we have a better chance of surviving! - shouted one of them, a guy with red hair and a determined look.

Next to them, an old woman, dressed in a worn-out dress, stood alone, silently saying a prayer. Her lips moved, but her words were drowned in the roar of battle. Her face showed acceptance and peace in this sea of chaos. At that very moment, lightning burned her, turning her to ashes.

At the other end of the clearing, a man in rags with a dagger in his hands tried to save a woman who was caught by flying clots of dirt.

- Dözün! Mən səni azad edəcəyəm! (Be patient! I will free you!) - he shouted, trying to break the hardened dirt with his dagger and he would have succeeded, but the explosion took the lives of both of them.

In the center of the clearing, a group of Forsaken and Departed have teamed up to fight against a military man with an explosive gaze.

- Look at the ground! Don't make eye contact with him! (Look at the ground! Don't meet his gaze!) - shouted the leader of the group, trying to coordinate their actions. He thought that this was how his power worked, but by doing so he destroyed the others. The explosion claimed many lives.

Suddenly, amid the screams and chaos, there was a loud cry of despair from one of the Dead as she saw her friend die at the hands of a military man with a huge hand. Her scream was so piercing that for a moment everyone froze, overcome by a sudden awareness of the cruelty of this battle.

The main source of chaos in the clearing was a guy with green hair who had the ability to create lightning. He destroyed dozens of those who dared to gather close. Reveling in his strength and power, he soared tens of meters into the air, cutting the ground with lightning.

On the battlefield, some Forsaken began to create spiritual shields - round spheres around their bodies. However, only a few possessed such skill. In this chaos, one of the Forsaken, concentrating on creating a protective barrier around himself, noticed the figure of Alexander on the top of the mountain.

- Gloomy Wind! Hey, Shadow Wind. Guys, it's him! Help us! - he shouted with all his might, trying to attract Alexander’s attention.

This cry attracted the attention of the military to Alexander. The guy with green hair, Zeus as he was called in the news, turned his gaze towards Alexander and instantly attacked him with lightning. A huge bolt of lightning split the sky, aiming straight for Alexander.

The young man instantly jumped to the side, thanks to the Shroud of the Lost, dodging the deadly attack. He realized that his presence on the battlefield had become even more noticeable, and that he was now the target of powerful attacks by the military. He tightened his grip on the dagger, preparing for the inevitable clash.

Alexander muttered under his breath:

- You shouldn’t have come at me, dude. -then he concentrated and entered a state of invisibility, hiding from the enemy's sight.

Zeus, having lost sight of Alexander, shouted in rage:

- Have you disappeared?! Come out and fight like a man! (Have you disappeared?! Come out and fight like a man!)

At the same time, the battle continued on the ground. The Forsaken, with the ability to create shields, tried to protect the others, but there were too few of them to stop the military advance. Screams and groans rang in the air, and each lightning bolt of Zeus left behind destruction and grief.

Meanwhile, Alexander, using his invisibility, quickly and silently approached the three military men. Among them, he was especially afraid of the black-eyed guy who could create explosions. According to Alexander's observations, this ability was limited to medium distance and required a significant expenditure of energy.

In addition, he noticed how a military man with a huge metal palm periodically fed energy to his comrade, giving him the opportunity to restore strength to create new explosions.

Alexander calculated his actions, knowing that he must act quickly and decisively. He approached the military from behind, trying to use the element of surprise. His goal was to first neutralize the military man with the explosive gaze, since he was the one who posed the greatest threat.

When Alexander was close enough, he quickly emerged from his state of invisibility, pointing his dagger straight at the black-eyed military man. At the same moment, he was ready to quickly maneuver to avoid the attack of the military man with a metal palm and a possible retaliatory strike from Zeus.

Alexander, taking advantage of the moment, made his blade even more powerful, imbuing it with the power of his soul. The blade became covered with a silver haze and lengthened to one and a half meters. He moved to attack, and the black-eyed military man, taken by surprise, did not have time to react. His body was cut in half.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Alexander enjoyed the absorbed energy. The guy was pumped up with souls and they all went to the Rejected One with a light blade. He decided to hit the military man with a large hand, but he, being unexpectedly dexterous, reduced the size of his hand and jumped to the side.

The soldier who used dirt as a weapon did not think about retreating. He threw a couple of lumps at Alexander, limiting his movements. At the same moment, lightning from Zeus struck Alexander.

Instinctively, Alexander directed all the energy of the blade into its edge, creating a spherical shield around himself. The protection managed to absorb impacts from dirt and lightning. At the same moment, Alexander's body reflexively moved to the side, and the enemy's giant metal hand hit the place where he had just been standing, raising a cloud of dust and creating a powerful push. The Shroud of the Lost has worked well against surprise attacks so far.

Shifting the military's attention to Alexander allowed the rest of the Rejected and the Departed to use the moment to escape from the clearing. Alexander realized that he was now the enemy's main target, but his determination only intensified.

Alexander, using his new understanding of his abilities, dispelled the shield and transformed it back into a blade of light. He sought to get to the military man who was using dirt as a weapon, but the situation remained extremely tense. Zeus attacked him with lightning with insane intensity, but Alexander discovered that his light blade could attract lightning, making it easier for him to defend and allowing him not to constantly switch to the shield, wasting energy and time on it.

Suddenly Zeus reduced the intensity of his attacks. At that moment, Alexander heard Cassandra whisper: “Don’t forget to experiment.” And then he found himself in the void, seeing the upcoming powerful attack of Zeus - a snake woven from lightning, capable of devouring him along with his shield. In all visions, except one, the end was sad. One vision gave Alexander a new way to use one of his abilities. The young man did not know that this was possible. After all, learning about the ability from the future canceled that future. Alexander immediately remembered the film Back to the Future, which he watched with his parents.

Returning to Gran, where time seemed to slow down, Alexander felt a warm wind. He rejected stupid thoughts and concentrated on seeing and repeating what he saw there. The young man did not attack directly, but instead harnessed the wind with his power, wrapping it around his body. He directed the wind, changing its trajectory, and made a sharp jerk. His body, enveloped by the force of the wind, instantly shot away from the battlefield.

While in flight, Alexander saw an explosion that illuminated everything around him - it was a powerful attack from Zeus. Thanks to his new discovery and quick reaction, Alexander was able to avoid the fatal blow and at the same time allowed the other Forsaken and Departed to escape from the battlefield.

Alexander, flying at great speed and having lost sight of Zeus and his comrades, suddenly realized that he had accelerated too much. In an attempt to slow down, he dispelled the wind and formed a protective soul shield around himself. But the blow to the rock was so powerful that his soul seemed to shake, losing its integrity. Then there was complete silence, and Alexander lost consciousness.

In this state of unconsciousness, he dreamed. In one of them, Sonya approached him. She seemed extraordinarily real, her hair fluttered softly in the invisible wind, and her eyes were full of seriousness and concern.

- Alexander. - she began, her voice sounded soft, but there was a sense of certainty in it. - You're in big trouble. The sisters learned about Maila's death. They won't stop until they find the culprit. And it will be very easy to understand that it is you.

Alexander, listening to her, felt a heaviness in his heart.

- What should I do now? - he asked.

- You must be ready. Recover your body and return to the real world. - Sonya continued. - Retribution will be brutal. The sisters are powerful and do not forgive betrayal. You'll have to be careful and resourceful to survive.

Her eyes reflected concern, but also a hint of despair.

“I won’t be able to help you directly, but know that I believe in you.” Be brave, Alexander. And wake up, urgently! Wake up, my Rejected One!

Alexander woke up abruptly and saw that he was in a strange but calm place. Around it lay an endless landscape, covered with lush green grass and rare flowering trees, creating the feeling of a secluded garden of Eden. The sky was clear and the sun gently warmed his skin.

He lay on the soft grass, feeling its coolness beneath him. Alexander tried to remember how he got here, but the last memories were vague - a powerful blow, silence, and suddenly this peaceful landscape.

Rising to his feet, he looked around. The place seemed unusually calm, with no signs of the chaos and destruction that had been present in the battlefield. Neither Zeus, nor other military men, nor signs of battle were here.

In the distance, Alexander noticed a figure standing by one of the trees. He decided to get closer to find out who it was and where he was. With every step he felt his strength return, and although he still felt weak from the strong blow, he knew he had to keep moving and search for answers.

Approaching, Alexander saw the one he was going to. It was Dark Mirage. The woman smiled at him like an old friend, and her words sounded easy:

- I knew you would come back, Alexander.

He stumbled back, looked behind him and saw a mark in the rock next to the ruins. This was the same place where he first met her. And the mark appeared from her enchanting landing. Alexander realized that his evil fate had brought him here again, and felt that he needed to leave immediately.

But as he took a step to leave, the landscape around him suddenly changed. The landmarks had shifted, and what had just been in front of him was now in a completely different place. Alexander tried to take a step again, but again the world around him changed.

He turned to Dark Mirage, who calmly pointed to a table set up in the middle of the clearing.

- Tea? - she asked with an impenetrable smile on her face.

Alexander realized that he had fallen into Mirage's trap, where space and reality were subject to her will. He had to make a decision: try to escape again, risking getting lost in this manipulated world, or make contact with the Dark Mirage and find out what she wants.

Alexander, realizing that attempts to escape might be futile in this illusory world, decided to accept the Dark Mirage's offer. He slowly approached the table, where cups and a teapot were already placed, emitting light steam.

- So what do you want from me? - he asked, sitting down opposite her.

The woman poured tea into the cups, slowly, as if they had been taking forever.

- I want to offer you a deal, Alexander. - she began, her voice sounded confident and mysterious. - You find yourself in a difficult situation, and I can help you.

Alexander became wary.

- What kind of help? And what do you want in return? - his gaze was penetrating and cautious.

“I know about your clash with your sisters and the threat they pose to you. - Mirage continued, slowly stirring the tea. - I can offer you shelter that will help you survive. In return, I need your help in one delicate matter.

Alexander realized that this proposal carried both opportunities and risks.

- And what exactly do you want from me? - he asked, looking intently at Mirage.

She smiled, hiding her true intentions.

- Let's drink tea first. And then I will tell you all the details. You will find out what I need and you can decide whether you agree or not.

Alexander understood that every decision he made could entail serious consequences. He took a cup of tea, but his thoughts were focused on what kind of game Dark Mirage was playing and what dangers might lie ahead.

Alexander, having sipped his tea, felt his consciousness begin to float. Animals began to appear around the table, deer and bears, woven from light, they approached the table and began to eat cookies and bread. Everything seemed unreal, like a dream. The Dark Mirage before his eyes became younger and younger, her facial features blurred, creating the illusion of youth and innocence.

Suddenly, Alexander’s body jerked sharply to the side, and he fell to the ground. It was the Shroud of the Lost that triggered when the woman tried to touch his hand. Dark Mirage, with an ironic smile on her face, said:

- Where are you going? We want to make a deal, remember?

At that moment, a new figure appeared, terrifying with its appearance. It was like the lord of darkness, whose body was shrouded in darkness, and whose eyes burned like coals, radiating power. His huge wings were like clots of night, and his hands were decorated with terrifying symbols, flaming and carrying a meaning that was inaccessible to Alexander...

The Lord of Darkness easily grabbed Dark Mirage by the throat, lifted her above him and growled angrily:

- Did you want to eat him, old woman? He is the first of the Forsaken and does work for me and YOU know about it! - then he threw her, and she hit the tree, remaining motionless.

Approaching the frightened Alexander, the Lord of Darkness asked:

“You don’t know fear, so why do I feel that you are afraid of me, my boy?”

He took Alexander with one hand and lifted him, carrying him somewhere through the gloomy landscape. From sudden movements and stress, Alexander lost consciousness again, plunging into darkness.