Mystery Of The Forgotten Medallion (6)

[You have entered the Hidden Fork area]

[ Access to the card is temporarily blocked ]

Atlas clenched his fingers.This was not unexpected.

The games loved such tricks. Cut off paths, deprive of landmarks, leave the player alone with the unknown.He took a deep breath.

The darkness was not emptiness.She was watching.

"A test? Or something more?"

The seconds dragged by slowly.Then there was movement ahead.

No, not the light, but the form.It was as if someone was standing a few meters away from him, but was too dark to become part of the ordinary world.

The shark made a short low warning sound.The figure moved forward.

And at that moment Atlas understood.It was him.

Not a reflection, not a doppelganger. But something bearing his image. And it was walking right at him.The figure approached slowly. Soundlessly.

She moved like a human, but she felt different. Unnaturally smooth, too precise.

Atlas clenched his fingers.He couldn't make out the details, but he knew it was him.

Or something that tries to be.The shark behind him pressed slightly against him, as if confirming that they were not alone here.

" An illusion?"

The shadow stopped a few steps away.

The air froze.

[ Resonant object detected ]

[ Analysis... ]

Atlas felt the new ability activate again.

"Resonance with the world" now gave him more than just a feeling — he could hear something inside this figure.

Whisper.Scattered phrases.

Fragments of memories.

But not his own.

–You're not real." – He said softly.

The shadow froze.Then she made a sharp lunge right at him.

Atlas did not back down.He raised his hand, and the "Resonance with the World" worked again.

The figure slowed down.Not completely, but enough for him to make out the details.

Now that she was closer, it became clear: her face was blurred, her features seemed to be erased. It wasn't just a doppelganger. It was something alien, but connected to him.

The shark, sensing his mood, went on the attack first.She moved smoothly, as if gliding through the air, and at the last moment her body became transparent.

The shadow didn't react.

"Mistake."

In the next instant, the shark pierced through her hull, leaving behind a tearing trail of energy.

The figure wavered. Then she abruptly retreated—and began to crumble like sand.

[Test completed ]

[ Access is open ]

Space shifted.The darkness cleared, and an old stone niche in the wall appeared in front of Atlas.

There was a small object inside.An old, worn locket.

No... more like just a part of it.

Atlas carefully examined the fragment of the medallion.

It was cold, metallic, with faded patterns. There was a slight vibration inside, as if the object was still connected to something lost.

"There is one. There are two left."

He put the find in his inventory.

[Item received: "Fragment of the Forgotten Medallion (1/3)"]

[ Task updated ]

[ Find the remaining pieces of the medallion (1/3)]

The shark, sensing completion, slightly twitched its tail, its body regained its usual glow.

–Let's go. – Atlas said.

The old ruins no longer hid anything.He returned along a familiar path. Now that the test was over, the corridors seemed quieter. No traps, no shadows, no resonant figures.

The exit was the same as before.

As soon as he went outside, the system confirmed the completion of the subtask.

[The "Old Ruins" location has been passed]

Atlas breathed in the fresh air. The sky was still covered with gray clouds, but after the gloomy atmosphere of the caves, it felt like liberation.

The air shark circled above him, as if rejoicing at his return.

Now the question was: where next? Of course, he went back to the old lady who robbed him to the skin, and this time she told him new information for free, in honor of the fact that he still found the first part.

Atlas checked the assignment again.

[ Find the remaining pieces of the medallion (1/3)]

[ Possible source of information: Hunter Graham ]

The old lady did not give a specific name. She just said:

"There is one hunter. It's old, but it hasn't lost its grip yet. They say he saw things that shouldn't have existed. If anyone knows where to look for the locket, it's him."

But where to look for it?

The map showed several hunting camps nearby "Let's start with the nearest one."

He set off.

The forest greeted him with silence. The trees here were tall, the branches were tangled, and the air was saturated with dampness. It smelled of earth and old wood.

The shark moved nearby, hovering between the branches as if it were a part of this place.

Half an hour later, he finally saw the smoke, it was a hunting camp.

A small clearing, several tents, a campfire. A couple of hunters were discussing something by the fire. But Atlas wasn't looking for them.

He came closer.

– I'm looking for someone. – He said.

The two hunters exchanged glances: – Who exactly?

– The old hunter. They say he saw strange things.

One of the men chuckled.

–If you're talking about Graham, he's out there in the woods. He left a couple of hours ago.

–Alone?

–He's always alone. But... – The Hunter paused: – If you go after him, be careful. He doesn't like strangers.

Atlas nodded.

–So it's the forest.

He turned around and moved forward.

Step by step, following the old hunter.The forest was getting thicker.

Atlas moved cautiously, trying not to make any noise. An aerial shark hovered nearby, its movements smooth, almost invisible among the branches.

He was looking for footprints.

Graham left two hours ago. If he was an experienced hunter, he probably wouldn't have left obvious traces. But people, even the most careful ones, always leave something behind.

Ten minutes later, he noticed the first one.

A broken branch. Not fresh, but recent enough to be part of someone's journey.

And then an imprint on the wet ground.

"He's heading northwest."

Atlas moved on.After another fifteen minutes, the forest changed.

The air became heavy, and the silence became tense.

"Something's wrong." Atlas stopped.

The shark too.They felt it at the same time.Not a sound, not a movement, but the very feeling of presence.

Someone was watching.And at that moment, a voice rang out.

–You're too loud, kid.

Atlas whirled around.A man was sitting on a nearby branch, in the shade of the trees.Old, but not decrepit. Rough features, gray hair, eyes accustomed to seeing death–Graham.

He looked at Atlas without interest, but with the attentiveness of a predator.

–What do you want?

Atlas inhaled, holding his gaze.

–I need a [ Fragment Of The Medallion.]

Graham grinned at him: – Is life even important to you?

Graham continued to sit, watching Atlas, his eyes cold but not threatening. He was just evaluating. Atlas didn't look away—he knew that the weak couldn't survive in this forest, and that if he needed to get information, he had to be prepared for anything.

– Medallion...– Graham curled his lips into a slight smile: – Do you really think that I will give it to you just like that? You're not the first one who comes for my stuff.

Atlas clenched his fists, but did not respond. He knew that talking to this person required not only words, but also actions.

–I'm not asking you to give it back. –Atlas said calmly: –I'm looking for a fragment to complete the quest. If you know where to find him, tell me.

Graham shifted on the branch, taking his time. He slowly climbed down from the tree, landing on the ground with the ease of an experienced hunter.

Atlas couldn't help but notice that his movements were so precise that they seemed almost supernatural.

– You are very mistaken if you think that just by talking, you will get information.Anyone who is looking for something here must prove that they are worthy.– Graham said, and his face became more serious: –Do you know how I survived in this forest for so many years?It's not because of my power. It's because of my mind. And if you want to find out where to find your locket, you must pass the test that I will arrange for you.

//To be continued, please like and save…