Alexander slowly came to his senses, feeling dizzy and uncertain. He couldn't tell how much time had passed. Everything was in a fog. Looking around, he realized that he was still in the Edge, which was not surprising, given the destruction of his physical shell in the real world. All around him was a dilapidated landscape: broken stones, twisted trees and a strange shimmering atmosphere that made the surrounding area look like a dream. It even seemed that the sun revealing itself through the clouds was unstable.

Next to him were boxes with various items and Charon. The young man lazily examined him: an old man in sunglasses, a raincoat and a cane in his hands. Charon smiled at Alexander and patted him on the shoulder, seeing that he had woken up.

- Well done, you completed the task. I was worried that there wouldn’t be a wet spot left of you, but no, here you are, alive and well. Relatively, of course. Run into the Dark Mirage, and even drink tea in her abode... Don’t you have any brains?

Alexander stood up, feeling slightly dizzy. He nodded to Charon, trying to collect his thoughts. Charon continued:

- Nods here, not a serious approach, my boy... So, what are our rules... I, Charon, consider the deal completed. Judges Grani, please witness this.

At that moment, three figures appeared: Aeacus, Rhadamanthus and Minos - judges of the Edge, each of whom possessed impressive power. They towered over Charon and Alexander, like colossi that held up the firmament.

Eak, tall and stern, confirmed:

- The deal is completed by the Rejected.

Rhadamanthus, with a beard and a penetrating gaze, reminded Charon:

- You must fulfill the terms of the deal, as promised.

Minos, whose face was hidden in the shadow of his hood, warned:

- If Charon refuses to fulfill the conditions, inevitable punishment awaits him.

After these words, the judges disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving Alexander and Charon alone. The old man looked at Alexander with a smile and said:

- I am ready to fulfill three of your wishes if they are within my capabilities. Yes, you yourself remember the terms of the deal.

Alexander thought for a moment, and then said firmly:

- Restore my real body... Please.

Charon shook his head and replied:

- There are things that even I can’t do. The real world where you come from is like this. Therefore, according to our agreement, this will not be considered a fulfilled wish and you can make it again. - Alexander thought for a moment, weighing the possibilities, when Charon continued: - However, I can provide you with information on how you can restore your body. This will be considered a fulfilled wish. Agree?

Alexander, realizing that the information could be valuable, agreed:

- Okay, let that be my first wish. Tell me how I can restore my body.

Charon began the story:

- There is a powerful personality, the Blacksmith Titan or the Titan Blacksmith, whatever you want to call it. He is the creator of most of the artifacts of the Edge and can reforge your soul so that it becomes more powerful and, most importantly, has a stable channel for transmitting forces with your real body. Even if only ashes are left of you, with a soul strengthened by Titan, you can restore it.

At that moment, Eak’s voice sounded somewhere above them:

- Part of the deal is completed.

Alexander thought for a moment, then asked:

- Why was it done? Hey, he didn't tell me how to find him! Hey?! Charon, how can I find this Titan Blacksmith? How can I get his help?

Charon replied with a predatory smile:

- I can tell you, but this will be a separate desire...

- Are you kidding? Are you fooling me again?! It wasn’t there, let me think...

Alexander walked from side to side, assessing his possibilities. Suddenly, he remembered that when they first met, Charon showed him a map. He confidently pointed behind Charon and said:

- I want a map of Grani!

Charon's eyes, hidden behind dark glasses, seemed to light up for a moment as he replied:

- Do you know how many souls this card costs? You want a lot, my impudent boy!

Alexander stood motionless, his gaze firm and decisive.

- Last time you promised any artifact from your collection, but now you’re not happy about this prospect. - he said. - I want a card and I will receive it. The real one, which can lead me to the Titan, and indeed to any creature. Or are you unwilling to obey?

At this moment, the heavens seemed to thunder, as if expressing their indignation. Charon, by all appearances, was not happy with this demand, but the deal was a deal. Reluctantly, he turned to his drawer, from which he took out a map of the Edge. It was a magnificent scroll in which the images changed and moved, creating the feeling of a living map. It radiated a soft light, and every line, every symbol on it seemed filled with deep meaning.

“Here is your map...” said Charon, handing the scroll to Alexander. - Be careful. The Edge Map can take you to incredible places, but it can also lead you to great dangers. And try not to lose it or let anyone take it.

As soon as Alexander took the card in his hands, it seemed to disappear into thin air, sucked into the whirlpool of his own gaze. Just a moment, and there was nothing left in his hands. Alexander, looking angrily at Charon, exclaimed:

- Do you want to deceive me, old man?!

Charon, shaking his head, answered soberingly:

- Watch your language, boy! The Edge Map was created by Hades himself, and it is not like other items. This is living matter, and now it is already in your soul. Just wish to see her and she will appear in front of you. Do you want to find someone? Wish it. If it doesn’t work out, it means it’s hidden from you. You are completely insolent, you give him the best, you tear him from your heart... - the old man grumbled.

Alexander, frowning, but still following Charon’s advice, wanted to see the map. His vision was immediately filled with the map of the Edge. She appeared before his eyes as a bright, clear image, showing him the paths and secrets of the Edge. The changing lines and symbols were now available to his mind.

The map was lively and dynamic, showing different areas, passages and paths that led through unknown corners of the Edge. The colors and lines on the map pulsated and changed like living things.

Alexander, peering at the map, understood how it worked. He could focus on a specific place or creature, and the map could reveal it or indicate that the object was hidden from him.

- Marvelous! He muttered as he examined various aspects of the map. - This is beyond anything I could have imagined.

- Still would. You see, everything is as I said, and this is not the first time you’ve accused me...” said Charon, his voice mixed with displeasure. - Now you have one of the most powerful artifacts of the Edge. And I repeat, don’t lose it.

Alexander, still somewhat confused but grateful for this unusual gift, nodded.

- Okay, Charon. I will accept this as my second wish.

Charon responded ironically:

- I wish you wouldn’t have accepted the card as a wish! - at that moment, Eak’s voice from heaven confirmed part of the deal. Leaning on his cane, Charon asked: “What do you want as your third wish?”

Alexander thought for a moment, then shook his head:

- It's not time for him yet. Thank you for the information. I will return to you later with one last wish. I think it's possible.

A smile flashed on Charon's face:

- You may not have time... You must call the judges and say that the deal has been completed, but the reward has not been received. Since the Sister died without completing the deal, another one can do it for her. Understood me? Tell me, do you understand me?!

Alexander did not have time to comprehend Charon’s words when the earth suddenly began to tremble. Something like a second sun began to form in the sky, emitting heat and flame. And underneath all this stood a girl in a turquoise dress. Alexander recognized her - it was Poela, the Lady of the Elements and one of the seven sisters. The guy felt the tension in the air.

The young man stood next to Charon, watching Poela appear. The sky around the second sun played with all shades of orange and red, creating a backdrop worthy of an apocalyptic picture. Poela seemed like some incredible combination of fragility and power.

“So you decided to appear, Poela,” Charon said quietly, his voice sounding warning.

At that moment, Poela, without any warning, waved her hand, and a giant fireball, blazing like a star, moved straight towards Charon and Alexander. It was the primordial power of fire, ancient and unbridled. Cassandra's whisper sounded in Alexander's ears: "I hope he is not a complete fool, this old man."

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Alexander did not have time to fully comprehend Cassandra’s words when a powerful stream of water suddenly gushed from Charon’s chest, forming a kind of funnel. The fireball hit the water wall with a deafening hiss and roar, evaporating into steam. Alexander had to take a couple of steps back in order to survive the clash of such forces, and then even create a shield of the soul.

Charon, holding his cane with difficulty, slowly turned his head towards Alexander. The flame has already gone out. His eyes sparkled with rage and weariness through his sunglasses.

- Call the judges, what are you waiting for? - he hissed, as if his strength was at its limit.

Alexander, understanding the seriousness of the situation, nodded and said loudly:

- I call the judges Grani! Let them witness the execution of the deal!

At that moment, the sky opened up above them, and three figures of judges appeared in the light gap - Aeacus, Rhadamanthus and Minos. When the judges of Grani towered over Alexander, he said loudly:

- I completed Maila’s task, destroyed the Mirror of Shadows, for which I was given a reward - a kiss. I didn't receive the award. Maila is dead, and I demand that Poela fulfill the deal for her sister. Until then, she didn’t dare attack me. According to the laws of the Edge... - he said the last carefully, fearing that such laws might not actually exist.

- How dare you, you killed her! What do you think, the judges are decreeing me? My sisters and I cannot be put on the same level as them, you fool!” Poela shouted, and lightning began to burst from her hands, each of them sparkling with rage and power.

Eak, the judge with a stern look, instantly raised his hand, and a stream of freezing wind burst out from it, which enveloped Poela's hands, turning the lightning into ice crystals.

Rhadamanthus, with a deep and resonant voice, spoke a spell, and a glowing barrier formed around Poela, which restrained her movements, limiting her ability to attack.

Minos, whose eyes burned with the fire of wisdom and strength, raised his cane, and a network of magical symbols appeared around Poela, each of which pulsated, increasing the power of the barrier and the freezing wind.

Poela, trapped by the judges' magical powers, struggled and screamed, but her powers were muted by their powerful abilities.

- According to the laws of the Border, the transaction must be completed. - said Eak, turning to the girl. - Poela, you are obliged to fulfill the deal made by your sister.

Rhadamanthus, with a stern tone, announced:

- According to the laws of the Border, the transaction must be completed. Poela, you must fulfill the conditions, even if Maila is dead.

Minos, his eyes reflecting infinite wisdom, added:

- Attacking a Forsaken who legitimately demands the fulfillment of a deal is a violation. You must keep your word.

Poela, sparkling with rage and inflexibility, stood before the judges of the Grani, causing tension in the air with her words.

- Do you think you can tell me? Yes, you are nothing compared to us! And I won’t kiss my sister’s murderer! - she shouted, her voice full of anger and contempt.

Alexander, sensing the escalating situation, tried to look at Poela and their eyes met. He completely involuntarily activated Cassandra's gift. At that moment, he was suddenly thrown back, as if an invisible blow had struck his chest. He flew several meters and fell to the ground. The pain was as if his chest had been broken.

Minos instantly appeared on the guy. Towering over Alexander, the judge said menacingly:

“Don’t you dare even think that we are weapons in your plans and hands.” Our goal is the balance of the Edge. You know this and continue to ask for trouble!

Poela, seeing that the judges did not intend to attack her anymore, shouted:

- Let me go! I'm not going to comply with the conditions, but I won't attack either. - after these words, the judges lifted all restrictions, and the girl was able to straighten her shoulders. She turned to Alexander, her voice was full of threat and warning: “This is not the end, Rejected!” I will make sure that your life, and the lives of all the Forsaken, are turned upside down. You will regret taking this path. That he went against the sisters. Find the farthest hole in reality, maybe you can survive there!

Poela's words made the ground around them seem to heat up with her anger. She disappeared in flashes of various elements, leaving behind traces of her power and anger. The Edge Judges disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared, leaving him alone with a new threat hanging over his head.

Alexander, rubbing his chest from the blow, slowly rose from the ground and turned to Charon. His gaze was full of questions and bewilderment.

- Unexpected help, and they are very strong... I wonder if this deal will really keep the sisters from taking revenge? - he said, once again remembering the moment when the Grani judges intervened in the situation with Poela.

Charon, with a slight grin, replied:

- Don't be mistaken about them. They see everything and know everything. This deal, its terms and so on, all of this, as they say, is sewn together with white thread. The Edge judges just needed a reason to finally put the sisters in their place, and you gave them that opportunity. But don't think that their motives are primitive and can be manipulated. Minos remembers everything and one day may not forgive you for your antics.

“I didn’t do anything like that...” Alexander, whose mixed gaze slid between bewilderment and disappointment, asked: “You’re all using me, aren’t you?”

Charon just laughed, his eyes sparkling through his dark glasses. He waved his hand as if giving final advice:

- Find me when you are ready to make your third wish.

After these words, a powerful stream of water gushed from his chest, which created a whirlpool. The whirlwind quickly consumed all of Charon's goods and Charon himself, leaving Alexander completely alone.

Standing alone in the clearing, Alexander thought about how to use his newly acquired Edge card. He closed his eyes and concentrated, conjuring up the image of the map in his mind. Instantly, a visualization of the map appeared before his mind's eye, emitting light and pulsating with energy.

Alexander decided to explore the map in more detail. He mentally touched one of the luminous points on the map, and images of an unknown landscape arose in his mind - dense forests, dense and full of mysteries.

- Show me the place where the Titan Blacksmith is. - he whispered, and the card instantly responded. Images of an abandoned forge, hidden in the depths of a mountain system that seemed impregnable, appeared before his eyes.

Surprised and delighted by the power of the card, Alexander felt his curiosity growing. He decided to check out the card's other capabilities.

- Show me where Poela is now. - he said the next wish. The card, however, reacted differently. Poela's location was hidden, obscured on the map, as if protected by a magical barrier. And the area of concealment was comparable in size to the Moscow region.

- Interesting... She is protected from persecution... Maybe, like the others, she sits in the monastery? - Alexander said thoughtfully, noting to himself that not everything is as simple as it seems.

Alexander, standing in the clearing, suddenly remembered the computer games he once played, and thought about creating a mini-map in front of his eyes, inspired by the map of Grani. In his youth, when dad bought a computer for work, Alexander used it for games. There, many adventure games had mini-maps. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to manipulate the image of the map in his mind to turn it into a smaller, easily manipulated version.

After several attempts, a miniature version of the map appeared in his mind's eye, hanging in the air in front of him. This map showed nearby areas and marks that Alexander could easily recognize. He was surprised and pleased that his experiment was a success.

Then Alexander decided to move forward and began experimenting with route planning. He chose a point on the map that he wanted to explore and mentally began to build a route, carefully drawing a line with the power of his thoughts. The mini-map responded, highlighting the path with a glowing line that seemed to guide him through the complex landscapes and territories of the Edge.

Alexander frowned, watching in surprise as his carefully laid out route on the mini-map suddenly disappeared, as if it had been erased with an invisible eraser. Frustrated but not giving up, he decided to try a different approach: trust the map and let it guide the route.