The Last Trace Of The Guardian

[Goal updated: Find information about the medallion.]

He was in no hurry to leave for Dra'Myr right away. First, it was necessary to find out what else could be squeezed out of the quest.

Where was the old lady?

He headed towards the shopping malls where he had taken the assignment last time. Today the shop looked different: the place was empty.Atlas frowned. NPCs rarely disappeared for no reason.

He approached a nearby merchant.

– There was an old lady standing here, remember? – The merchant, an elderly man with a gray beard, looked at him over the top of his glasses.

– Oh, you mean Mrs. Lina? Yes, she left yesterday. She said that she had "done everything she could" and set off towards the old cathedral.

"The old cathedral?"

Suddenly, the system flashed with a notification:

[You have received a hidden quest!]

["The Last Trace Of The Guardian."]

[Goal: Go to the old cathedral and find traces of Mrs. Lina.]

"What the hell is going on?"

He has already completed the first unique quest. But the game didn't want to let him go–his profession was dragging him back into something more.

Atlas took another look at the system notification.

["The Last Trace Of The Guardian."]

[Objective: Go to the old cathedral and find traces of Mrs. Lina.]

The Old Cathedral… It was located on the outskirts of the city, in an area where there were almost no people. A dilapidated building that has long been abandoned, considering it a cursed place.

–Why did she go there?

Postponing the meeting in the Dra'Myr peace for later, Atlas headed towards the cathedral.

The air shark, as if sensing the change in his mood, flew nearby quieter than usual, without making the usual buzzing sound. Atlas glanced at her– perhaps the animal also felt something strange.

The city was left behind. Wide streets gave way to narrow alleys, then an old cobblestone road overgrown with grass. The further he walked, the stronger the feeling of desolation became.

Finally, he saw the cathedral.Once it might have been majestic – huge stone walls, arches, mosaics. Now it was a ruined building, part of the roof had collapsed, and there were traces of fire on the walls.

Atlas took a step forward, and at that moment the game flashed the message again.

[You have entered a special area: "The Remains of Faith."]

[Warning: There are traces of the past hidden in this area. Activate the "Exploring Lost Artifacts" ability to unlock secrets.]

Once again, this ability…

Atlas opened his inventory and took out a medallion. As soon as he touched it, the ancient symbols on the surface glowed faintly.

The air shark made a small sound–not fear, but alertness.

– Okay, let's see what's here...

He took a few steps inside.The interior of the cathedral was in semi-darkness. The stone benches were covered in dust, and the remains of the old frescoes looked faded but still visible.

There are footprints in the center of the hall.They were small and weak, but they clearly led further to the back of the cathedral.Atlas followed, his heart beating a little faster.

What was Lina looking for here?

And was she alone here?

The old cathedral breathed desolation.Atlas's every step echoed hollowly in the silence, as if the building itself was listening to his movements. The aerial shark glided overhead, but kept closer than usual.

Lina's footprints, barely visible in the dust, led along the central aisle to the altar.

Atlas slowed his pace.

[Activate "Exploring Lost Artifacts" to uncover the mysteries.]

He clutched the medallion in his paws. As soon as he did, a faint vibration passed through the cathedral, and something new flashed before his eyes.

The system did not just highlight the object, but changed the reality around it.The walls stopped looking faded, the arches were no longer cracked. The cathedral appeared as it had in the past – majestic, with huge stained glass windows through which soft light streamed.

And in that vision, he saw Lina.

The old lady was standing in front of the altar. In her hands was a locket, an exact replica of the one Atlas was holding.

She was saying something, but the sound was muffled, as if through thick water.

And then – there was a blow.

Someone else was in this vision.

A tall figure in dark robes, his face hidden by a hood. He stretched out his hand, and chains appeared in the air, surrounding Lina.

–You know too much.

The voice... deep, distorted, as if it didn't belong to a human.

Lina tried to resist, but the chains closed around her, and the vision abruptly disappeared.Atlas staggered, his breath coming in short gasps. He was back in the ruined cathedral.

Atlas staggered, his breath coming in short gasps. He was back in the ruined cathedral.

But now he knew for sure that Lina hadn't just left.

She was taken away.And the medallion he was holding in his paws was the key to all of this.

[Assignment updated: Find the tracks of Lina's kidnappers.]

Atlas took a deep breath, trying to make sense of what he saw.

Old Lina was here. The locket was really important. But who is the man in the dark robes? And what kind of chains did he use?

Atlas automatically clenched his paw into a fist. It was becoming more than just a quest.

But now…He looked at his watch.

[13:27]

"Damn."

See you in the Dra'Myr had just over half an hour left.

It was impossible to just ignore it–whoever wrote to him clearly knew something important.

–We'll have to postpone the investigation. Atlas muttered.

The air shark made a small sound, as if agreeing.

With one last look at the ruined altar, Atlas turned around and walked briskly out of the cathedral.

[Assignment updated: Return to the investigation later.]

Now he had to get to Dra'Myr.

The city of Dra'Myr world greeted Atlas with noise and fuss.

It was much more lively here than in the initial city– merchants were loudly calling customers, players were gathering in groups, and the guild was training in the central square.

Atlas wasted no time and headed for the tavern. "The Copper Bison" was located in the old part of the city. A small building with a massive door, warm light from the windows, and muffled conversations inside.

He stepped inside and looked around.There were a lot of people, but no one paid any attention to him.Who was looking for him here?

Atlas walked deeper into the room.And then I noticed a figure in the corner.

The man was sitting at the table, his hood hiding his face, but as soon as Atlas approached, he raised his head.

–You came after all, Atlas.

The voice was calm but firm.

Atlas sat down opposite her in silence.

–Tell me.Who are you? And what do you want from me?

The man smiled, pulled back his hood– and at that moment Atlas realized that he did not recognize him.But this man's eyes–they looked like they knew more about him than they should have.

Atlas stared at the man in front of him in silence.A man in his thirties, dark hair, short stubble. Ordinary leather armor, a simple dagger on his belt–nothing remarkable.

But here are the eyes…There was confidence in them. And knowledge.

–Well? – Atlas folded his paws on the table: – Who are you?

The stranger grinned and leaned closer.

–It's not a question of who I am. The question is, how much do you know about yourself?

Atlas frowned.

– OK. The stranger raised his mug and took a sip. You recently completed a unique quest for beginners, right?

Atlas tensed: – How do you know that?

–It doesn't matter. But you should know that this quest is not just a part of the game. It opens up access to things that shouldn't have fallen into the hands of an ordinary player.

Atlas clenched his fists.

//To be continued, please like and save…