Alexander suddenly awoke from his visions, his mind filled with anxiety and awareness. The words escaped him involuntarily:

“Is it possible that he used the artifact to pretend to be the Guardian of the Labyrinth in order to deceive me?” Then it turns out that he planned this from the very beginning. He has a mirror of shadows. He had it all this time! - Alexander turned to Roman and asked - Did you see everything?

To which Roman nodded, then the young man continued:

- We need to collect more evidence, I have a plan to beat him down!

- No problem, do your thing.

Over the next 24 hours, Alexander plunged into work with the souls of the Dead, each of which kept its own unique piece of history. He met souls from different eras: a medieval warrior, whose soul still remembered the cold of steel and the smell of blood on the battlefield; a Victorian woman whose memories were filled with heavy silk dresses and quiet conspiracies in the dark corners of dance halls; a young scientist of the 20th century, whose ideas and discoveries were interrupted so early by tragedy.

Each soul shared with him fragments of their past, providing not only their life stories, but also important clues that could help in the case against Charon. Alexander carefully filtered this information, looking for connections and moments that could help him in the upcoming meeting with Charon.

After a long and tedious process, Alexander finally nodded to Roman, who was already visibly bored as he sat and watched the careful and monotonous process.

- Done, that was the last one. - Alexander looked around, there were no more Dead Ones in the valley. - I have enough information to act. Did you fly?

Roman yawned, stretched his whole body, and then surrounded them both with flames, creating a protective shell that carried them through the spaces of the Edge. The map, which Alexander restored and imbued with his energy, clearly indicated the location of Charon. They rushed towards him, decisively and quickly, every centimeter of space bringing them closer to the decisive meeting.

While they were flying, they had to change the route several times, as Charon unexpectedly disappeared and appeared in another place. It took a couple of hours to fly like a fiery comet over the Edge, until they finally saw the old man’s shop and Charon himself, who looked at the visitors with curiosity.

The place where they found Charon was deserted. They found themselves in a barren wasteland where there was no vegetation or life. The ground was covered with gray sand and gravel, which rustled underfoot. The sky above this place was covered with gloomy clouds, painted in shades of gray and black, through which dim rays of light barely broke through, giving everything around a ghostly appearance.

In the center of the desert stood an old wooden bench, darkened with age and covered with a thin layer of dust. The shop looked like a relic from another era, contrasting with the desert landscape. Charon stood next to the bench, dressed in his usual dark cloak, with black glasses hiding his eyes, and leaning on a cane.

Charon met their gaze, his face expressing curiosity and a slight grin, as if he knew they were coming. He did not move, only watched Alexander and Roman approaching him.

- Well, let's see what's on your mind. - said Charon, his voice was deep and sounded like an echo in the void. Alexander and Roman carefully approached him.

Alexander unfocused the power of his soul, broadcasting his thoughts around. Everyone in this desolate place could hear his words.

- Charon, you owe me a favor!

Charon, standing next to the bench, only smiled slightly:

- Well, now that you can pronounce it, then of course I will fulfill it.

- And also, you owe me an artifact! - Alexander added, his voice sounded confident. - Mirror of shadows.

- Ha-ha-ha, no, we didn’t have such an agreement, and I don’t owe you the artifact! You're confusing something, Alexander.

- I meant well. Your words are lies and I call the Judges of Hell to resolve this situation! - the young man had fears that they might not hear him and would have to ask Roman to call them, but this was not necessary.

With a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning, three Judges of Hell appeared in the desert. Their appearance was imposing and majestic, each figure radiating power and authority. In their presence, the air around seemed to heat up, filling with a sense of inevitable justice.

When the Judges appeared, their appearance was impressive. The First Judge, tall and thin, wore black robes covered in ancient symbols and runes, his face stern and cold, personifying Law and Order. The second judge, massive and powerful, with glowing red eyes, embodied Punishment and Punishment, his muscular body shrouded in armor. The third judge, a woman with long dark hair and piercing eyes, symbolized Balance and Neutrality, her clothes shimmering in shades of gray and silver.

- Do you have evidence that Charon is lying and owes you an artifact? - asked Eak, the first judge, his voice sounded like a clap of thunder.

The hare nodded and began broadcasting memories, using a huge number of souls for this. The memories covered scenes of Alexander's battle with Twilight, a meeting with Charon and the moment of transferring Sonya's soul in exchange for the elixir of life. He also showed snippets of the Dead Ones' memories, including their meetings with Charon and hidden deals.

The judges listened and watched carefully, their faces expressing nothing but concentration. When Alexander finished, the three judges turned to Charon. He just grinned, showing his teeth bared.

- Good move, Alexander! Okay, I won. It's too late to hide anyway. - he said slowly, removing the ring from his hand and breaking it. Having dusted off his hands, he added: “You know, I will reward you, and Zeus too.” When he finishes with the last of the Sisters, Vladi, he will come to you. You'll go to the Titan Blacksmith, won't you? That's where he will test your new body's strength. This is my gift to you.

The Judges gave off an unkind aura; their presence became noticeably ominous. Charon, not paying attention to this, took out a mirror from under his cloak and handed it to Roman.

Roman accepted the mirror, feeling the heaviness and power of the artifact.

As soon as the mirror touched Roman's hands, Charon's body began to change. His cloak was splitting at the seams, his skin was covered with chitin, and he began to turn into a huge, two-meter mantis. A powerful aura of water gushed out from his new form, breaking the veil cast by the Judges. Around, in the expanding field of vision, hundreds of the same mantises with emerald eyes, ready to attack, became visible.

- So we were right, the real Charon is dead. He couldn't have changed that much. For what you have done, you are sentenced to death!

One of the Judges waved his hand, and the bodies of Roman and Alexander were thrown up, throwing them away from the epicenter of the battle. At that moment, the mantids rushed to attack the elder creatures of the Edge, and a bloodbath began.

The mantises moved with incredible speed and strength, their razor-sharp claws tearing through the flesh and armor of the Judges. The First Judge, the personification of Law and Order, surrounded by darkness and magical symbols, tried to repel the attacks, but his protective barriers shattered under the onslaught of sharp limbs. His cries of pain and rage echoed across the wasteland.

The Second Judge, representing Punishment and Punishment, grappled with his attackers, tearing their bodies apart, but even his might could not hold back the endless wave of attackers. His armor cracked and blood flowed from the many wounds left by the sharp limbs of the mantids. He managed to send ten people into oblivion.

The Third Judge, the embodiment of Balance and Neutrality, created magical circles of protection and tried to hold back the onslaught, but her efforts were in vain given the numerical advantage of her enemies. Her piercing scream sounded at the moment when she was surrounded and began to be torn apart.

Roman, meanwhile, grabbed the hare and flew up, escaping from the bloody battlefield. Below them, the one who was called Charon stood and grinned with his green muzzle.

- Where to go? To the Titan Blacksmith? - he shouted, trying to cover the sounds of battle and wind.

“To the Titan Blacksmith!” - Alexander answered, pointing towards the distant mountains where Titan lived. They raced towards their new goal, leaving behind a field of bloody battle and destruction.

While they were flying, Alexander reasoned, and Roman, thanks to a mental connection, heard his thoughts:

- I brought the souls of the two Sisters to Charon. Zeus definitely killed Sonya, it turns out that while I was away, he managed to kill three more Sisters.

Roman asked thoughtfully:

- Who are the Sisters?

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- Yes, I don’t really know... It turns out I never knew. - Alexander answered and, half jokingly, turned to Cassandra, who was usually silent: - Cassandra, who are the Sisters?

Cassandra unexpectedly replied:

- This is the soul of Death itself, broken into whole pieces.

Roman, stunned, said:

- So he collects the soul of Death? The same Death?

“I can’t judge for sure... Damn, it seems that I helped Charon, who is not Charon, gain power over the Edge...” Alexander said thoughtfully. Then he turned to Roman: “Roma, can you defeat Zeus?” Can you stop or kill him?

- To win... I’m not sure, we’re both on the third evolution, but the forces are unequal. Do you want to save the last sister? More precisely, for me to save? - Roman answered.

- Yes, friend. Want. I want to fix all this. - Alexander answered with firmness in his voice.

- You won't get bored. Okay, where to look for it? - Roman asked, and Alexander quickly found her abode on the map. Fortunately, Charon named her name. Vladi. Her abode was far away and constantly shifting.

- Take me to the mountain, there I will give you the map. We must have time to save her, don’t you agree?

- Of course, Alex! I already said it. - Roman said confidently.

They flew towards the mountain, covering a huge distance. Finally, having reached it, Alexander began to transfer the map from his soul to Roman's soul. The process was not the easiest and required concentration, but they had already managed to practice this during previous training.

When the card was successfully transferred, Roman concentrated, trying to get used to its controls and then burst into flames, preparing for the next stage of his journey. He looked at Alexander and said:

- I'll come back for you. We will definitely have time to save her.

- I believe in you, Roma. “Good luck,” Alexander replied, releasing his friend and watching him rush into the sky, heading to the last abode of his sister Vladi.

Roman landed next to Vladi's abode, covered with dense forests and high hills. The place was quiet and calm until his presence upset that balance. Suddenly, the sky over the forest became cloudy, and the air became charged with static electricity. Zeus appeared in front of him, his eyes sparkling with anger, and lightning swirled around him.

Without warning, Zeus released a powerful bolt of lightning that pierced the space in front of him. The dome of the monastery began to crack, and residual discharges destroyed several trees, scattering debris and flames around. Roman, reacting instantly, flew into the air, surrounded by a fiery cocoon. He responded with a fireball that exploded right in front of Zeus, creating a whirlwind of fire.

- Traitor! I knew I couldn't trust you! - Zeus shouted in English.

- Fuck you! - Fireball simply answered and continued to attack.

Fire and lightning collided in the sky, creating blinding flashes of light and thunderclaps that echoed throughout the monastery. Each blow of Roman was filled with the power of the third evolution, but Zeus also did not yield, his lightning tore the air and burned everything in its path.

The trees burst into flames, turning into torches, and the ground beneath them exploded and split apart from the force of their attack. The surrounding forest was quickly turning into a field of destruction, each clash of their might leaving a trail of chaos in its wake. The clouds in the sky became darker and heavier, as if they were about to unleash their wrath on them.

Roman, surrounded by a protective cocoon, began to create waves of fire that rolled along the ground, incinerating everything in its path. His hands became sources of fiery whirlwinds, which, as if alive, rushed towards Zeus, trying to burn him and weaken his power.

Zeus, noticing this, raised his hands to the sky, summoning lightning with even greater fury. Discharges of electricity rushed down, striking Roman's fiery whirlwinds. The ground under Zeus's feet split and cracked from the force of lightning, turning a section of the forest into a charred field of destruction. Each bolt of lightning was precise and deadly, leaving behind deep craters and smoking debris.

The echo of their battle resonated with the dome of Vladi's monastery and with each collision, it burst at the seams. These two were among the strongest Forsaken that were currently in the Border.

Roman, without giving up, continued the attack. He rose higher, trying to bring down the power of a firestorm on Zeus. The whirlwinds of fire became even more intense, trying to surround and suppress Zeus. The heat from the flames heated the air, creating the illusion of dancing fiery ghosts that surrounded the battlefield.

However, Zeus was not going to give in. He concentrated his energy, creating a protective field of lightning around himself. Every time Roman's fiery whirlwinds approached, they crashed into this field, turning into blinding flashes of light. Lightning, like living snakes, rushed towards Roman, trying to break through his defenses and hit him.

The surrounding forest was almost completely destroyed, leaving only the charred remains of trees and smoking craters. Storm clouds swirled in the sky above the battlefield, as if watching the battle. Lightning and fire continued to collide, creating blinding explosions and thunderclaps that echoed for miles around.

Roman and Zeus fought with a fury that only grew. Lightning and fire intertwined in the air, creating a storm of destruction around them. During their confrontation, the barrier fell and they, without realizing it, moved to the abode of the last sister, Vladi.

Vladi, a young girl with long white hair, surrounded by a mystical glow, stood in the center of her sanctuary, surrounded by ancient trees and glowing flowers.

Roman, seeing Vladi, quickly rushed towards her, hoping to save her before Zeus dealt a fatal blow. He sent out a powerful wave of fire, trying to push Zeus back, but he, aware of his target, attacked fiercely. The girl thought that her opponent, Fireball, and with her own strength, simply stopped time for him. He had a chance to make it, but the girl made the wrong choice.

Zeus also began to slow down when her power touched him, but the lightning was faster. He has already released a powerful bolt of lightning directly at Vladi. The flash was blinding, and the last of the Sisters fell to the ground screaming, her body mortally wounded. At that moment, Roman froze and could not understand what had happened. For him it was a flash. He, with despair in his eyes, attacked Zeus with even greater fury, bringing down the power of all his forces on him.

The battle reached its climax, and Roman's fire was able to penetrate Zeus's defenses, leaving terrible wounds on his body. The skin melted, the armor baked to the body. Zeus, having fulfilled his goal, decided to flee. With great effort, he rose into the air, rushing away, leaving a smoking trail behind him.

Roman ran to Vladi, but it was too late. Her eyes closed forever, and her body gradually disappeared, turning to dust. Roman, overcome with anger and despair, sank to his knees, feeling the weight of loss squeezing his heart.

- Did not have time!

The battle was lost and the price was too high. Vladi's abode is destroyed, and its light has gone out forever.

Meanwhile, Alexander entered the depths of the mountain where the Titan Blacksmith was working. In the huge kitchen, filled with hot metals and powerful mechanisms, the loud blows of a hammer could be heard. Titan, a giant with powerful muscles and a fiery mane, worked intently, not paying attention to the approach of the hare.

However, when Alexander took out the Mirror of Shadows from his soul, the Titan immediately turned around and said loudly:

- So our agreement is valid. - his voice, like thunder, rang through the forge, causing the walls to tremble. He took the artifact, and, lifting the hare by the ears, carefully placed it on the anvil.

Squeezing the artifact in his mighty hand, the Titan destroyed it by simply squeezing his palm and a wave of energy rolled through the bowels of the mountain like thunder. Then he placed his hard palm on Alexander's forehead, and he seemed to fall out of reality.

In a vision, Alexander saw his two bodies: one in the oven, a handful of ashes, and the other - a hare, which Sophia was stroking and mourning. Then he heard the Titan's deep voice:

- Begin. - and immediately felt an excruciating pain piercing his soul.

The long minutes of agony seemed like an eternity. The pain was all-consuming, and only the dull blows of a forge hammer, sounding like an echo, made their way through this agony. The blacksmith worked methodically, his every movement precise and powerful, aimed at restoration and re-creation.

After endless minutes of suffering, the pain began to subside, and Alexander felt his soul taking shape again. He opened his eyes and was surprised to realize that he was again in a human body. His arms, legs and whole body regained their usual shape and strength.