A NEW BEGINNING

Final entry from the journal of the hanged guard:

Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon,

Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon

Nonon, Nonon, Nonon, Nonon

Nonon, Nonon, Nonon

Nonon, Nonon

Nonon...

Ela, technical chamber, the Beacon

The synchronization pod stood in the center of the technical chamber deep within the Beacon’s core, where near-absolute silence reigned. Ela stood before the glass panel, her hands tightly clenched. The muffled, almost inaudible whimper of machines within the walls reminded her of the hidden mechanisms powering the entire Beacon.

Tonot’s metal shell remained motionless, firmly secured to the synchronization platform. Nothing indicated that Vin’s repairs had succeeded. Still, Ela clung to hope that this was only temporary. Her eyes scanned the control displays where symbols flickered across the interface. Out of ten, nine had already locked into place. All of them were identical.

"It’s going to work," Vin muttered nervously, shifting on his heels as he paced. "It has to."

"When he wakes up... will he recognize us?" Ela asked, voicing the fear that haunted her most. If Tonot awoke confused, he would be of no use to them.

"Stay calm," Seren said softly, though her tone was firm. "Panic won’t solve anything. When he wakes, we’ll need you to be ready."

The ghostly figure moved slowly through the technical room, stopping right at the pod. She looked at the immobile body inside with something close to hope in her eyes.

"But if there are complications, I’ll do everything I can to help you," she added with confidence.

Ela looked at her but said nothing. Vin wouldn’t have understood her talking to herself.

The final symbol on the display clicked into place. Synchronization was complete.

"Here we go," Vin sighed and took the final step. He placed a chip onto the reader, the same chip that not long ago had been part of the creature they called the Sleeper. Everyone waited in tense silence. Then the display lit up and continued the standard synchronization process. Ela could see Vin’s stiff shoulders drop slightly as the tension in him finally eased.

With a soft hiss, the pod opened and a harsh light illuminated Tonot’s metal face. Ela held her breath. His body, aside from a few dents on the shell, was the same as before. Cold and polished. His features were still unmoving, but then he suddenly opened his eyes. At first they were empty, but then a real expression began to stir in them. Ela swallowed hard. The moment everything would be decided was drawing near.

He slowly raised his arms and looked at them with evident curiosity. He seemed bewildered. His hand reached toward the glass of the pod, where his reflection stared back at him. He stared at the cold, gleaming face as if seeing it for the first time. His fingers touched the metal, then jerked back, as though the contact had caused pain. Then, for the first time, he moved forward and took a careful step out of the pod. His metal foot struck the floor with a muffled thud. His movements were rigid, unnatural, like someone relearning how to walk.

"Tonot?" she called out gently, trying to reestablish their connection through the meco.

It worked. She felt his confusion, his uncertainty, and... fear? He turned his face toward her voice, and for a moment, she thought his gaze wasn’t the same. There was life in it. Or at least, she wanted to believe there was.

"Ela..." his voice trembled, as if forgotten memories were rising from the depths of his mind. But she felt relief. He recognized her. But when his gaze slid past her and landed directly on Seren, Ela realized he could see her too. And not just see her… he recognized her.

"You did it," he said quietly. "I’m really here. Whole."

Behind her, she heard Vin take a nervous step back toward the control panel.

"Something’s off," he muttered, reaching for the switch. "His readings... this isn’t right. The shell’s reacting wrong."

"No, wait!" Ela shouted to stop him. "This is fine. Trust me."

Vin hesitated but ultimately obeyed, though his frown showed he wasn’t convinced. She didn’t blame him. But she promised herself she’d explain when the time was right.

"Not me, her," Seren answered with a smile, nodding toward her daughter.

"Is everything going according to plan?" Tonot asked, his voice full of cautious hope.

"Not exactly," Seren shook her head. "They gave Reng to Nonon."

Tonot froze. "Nonon...?"

"Exactly," Ela answered, anxiety rising. "He’s been there for two days."

"That’s... too long," Tonot said quietly. "Far too long. He’s not ready to face him yet. We can’t lose him."

"Then do something," Ela urged, and to her surprise, Tonot actually listened.

***

Ela wasn’t surprised when they descended into the lower levels of the Beacon, into places she had never seen before and hadn’t even known existed. But if she had ever imagined a place within the Beacon where a monster might dwell, it would have looked exactly like this.

Tonot clearly knew his way. He walked with confidence through the dark corridors of the lower sectors and glanced back at Ela from time to time, as if to make sure she was still following. He had to feel the unease this place stirred in her.

The air was heavy and stale, filled with strange smells. The distant hum of machinery sounded more like the slow pulse of a giant heart buried deep beneath their feet. Above her, she saw old pipes running along the ceiling, and even in the poor light, she could tell they were caked in rust. Some were dripping condensation into stagnant puddles that never seemed to dry. It was clear no one came down here. A perfect home for a monster.

At the same time, she observed how the werren was regaining his balance. His first steps had been shaky, as if he were still adjusting to his shell, but now he walked with steadiness and confidence. At first glance, he seemed just as he had before, but something deep down told her this Tonot was truly different. He wasn’t the same old friend she’d known. Even what she felt through the meco was unfamiliar and, to her disappointment, oddly impersonal. But she couldn’t say she felt threatened by him. It was simply something other.

"We’re close," Tonot said quietly, his voice sounding muted in the narrow corridor.

Suddenly he stopped, so abruptly she nearly bumped into him.

"Have you ever encountered a Sleeper?"

The mention of the creature sent chills down her spine. Her mind jumped back to the cursed simulation she had been lured into, trying to speak with Reng. She didn’t remember much. Just fear and helplessness, the smell of blood, and the fact that Reng had been there to save her. This time, their roles were reversed. And this wasn’t a simulation. This was harsh reality, where failure could mean the end of everything.

"Back in the arena I met one," she admitted. "But I can’t say I got anything from it... other than being terrified and doing absolutely nothing."

The werren frowned, and through the meco she felt a ripple of displeasure. But the reason for it surprised her.

"Ah. That simulation. That was a cruel trick on my part."

She didn’t know what to say, so she merely shrugged and offered a dry response.

"But it helped Reng."

"It did. But not enough. Nonon won’t spare either of you. Thanks to the neuroregulation module, Reng should be able to resist him for a while. But you? You’re completely defenseless. An easy target. And the last thing we need is for him to pull you in."

"I’ll do everything I can to protect her," Seren joined them, giving Ela a reassuring look.

She knew she meant well, but it didn’t ease her nerves.

They finally reached a massive door. Tonot paused and listened intently to what was happening on the other side. Then his metal fingers dug into the edge of the door, and he pulled with all his strength. Until now, Ela had never truly realized how strong the werren were. It wasn’t until she saw the metal bending under his grip that it hit her, he could crush living flesh just as easily.

Under pressure, the inner mechanisms gave way, and the heavy door creaked open with an unsettling groan. It revealed a darkened room with a single source of light shining down on something that, just two days ago, had been a man in his prime. Now, all that was left of him was a shadow of what he had been.

"Oh no..." she whispered, her heart pounding with dread.

The thought of what he must have endured over the last two days crushed her. She couldn’t look at him without feeling the weight of guilt for being too late. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Was he dead? He looked it at first. But then his body jerked with a ragged breath, a faint sign that he was still alive.

But Reng wasn’t alone in the room. The modificant standing just a few steps away from him, hidden until now in the shadows, was unmistakably Kreš. He looked visibly startled by their unexpected entry through the locked door and stepped forward into the light.

"That little runt from the workshop really is something," he said with a surprised smirk as he recognized Tonot. "Who would’ve thought he’d put you back together this fast."

"No one has the right to lay a hand on this modificant. He’s mine, and everyone here knows it well." Tonot’s voice boomed through the room, making Ela freeze in shock. She had never heard him speak like that.

"He only got what he deserved," Kreš replied. "He attacked a werren. Practically killed you. It’s our duty to punish him. Or do the rules no longer apply in the Beacon?"

"It is first and foremost MY right to determine what punishment he deserves," Tonot shot back. "And what I see here is not justice. You’re just feeding the beast. That’s sadistic and frankly revolting."

"Nylen disagrees. The boy’s full of interesting information. Stuff Nylen and Lazzal both want. And let me tell you, it doesn’t exactly cast you in a favorable light."

"I don’t give a damn what they think..."

Ela tried to focus on the argument unfolding between the two, but it was hard. Her eyes kept drifting back to the collapsed figure. Reng clearly hadn’t noticed them yet. He wasn’t responding. Barely breathing. His body occasionally twitched in weak spasms.

"He’s gone," whispered a voice in her head, and she furrowed her brow, looking around.

The voice sounded familiar.

"His mind’s already lost. More dead than alive. He’ll never be the same."

She shook her head as if to rattle the whisper loose, but it didn’t help. The voice remained.

"Ela!"

She spun around sharply and her eyes widened in disbelief. Right in front of her, within arm’s reach, stood Reng.

Pale as death, but alive. And judging by his expression… furious.

She blinked in confusion and glanced toward the spot where he had just been slumped. Now, all that remained was an overturned, empty chair.

"How...?" she whispered, stunned. But he didn’t seem to hear her.

"Why did you do all this to me?! I ended up here just because you only ever thought about yourself!"

"I... I didn’t mean to," she whispered, shaken by the fact that the one she had come to save now stood right in front of her, and in his eyes, behind all the pain, burned something dangerously close to hatred.

"Self-centered," added another voice, and Ela turned in horror to face Miren, whose artificial eyes pierced her with open resentment.

"You knew I was falling apart, but you did nothing to help."

"No... no, that’s not true!" she cried, but Noel was already standing behind her.

"Faithless daughter. You disgraced the family name forever. You disappointed not only me but your brother as well," her father added, and behind him Ked was grinning, that same eternally smug look on his face.

Ela turned helplessly among the fury, the resentment, the hatred, the accusations pounding her from all sides. Panic overtook her. Her mind may have known they were hallucinations, but overwhelmed by their intensity, she suddenly began to lose all sense of what was real.

"Ela!" Seren’s voice thundered through her mind.

"Ela, stop!"

With effort, she obeyed and looked into the reflection of the woman who had given her life. Seren stood before her, trembling like the ghost she was, and somehow managed to silence the overwhelming whispers that had gripped Ela’s mind.

"This is Nonon. Don’t let him lead you. Focus on Reng. He needs you!"

Ela nodded slowly, though she still felt the phantoms reaching for her. But then, through the meco, she felt something else. Acceptance. Real trust.

Tonot.

He believes in me, she realized, and the thought filled her with strength. For the first time, the werren truly trusted her, and he knew she could do this. She didn’t want to let him down.

She stepped forward toward the empty chair. Nonon might have fooled her for a moment, made her believe that the restrained Reng was gone, but now, with her mind fully focused, the Sleeper, lurking somewhere just out of sight, no longer had the strength to keep her under control.

It only took two blinks. And suddenly, Reng was exactly where she had first seen him.

She didn’t hesitate. She ran to him.

He was slumped, limp, unresponsive. His undersuit was soaked with sweat, dampness… and something else Ela refused to name. His body trembled faintly, bruised, stiff and utterly drained. His face was marked with dark bruises, remnants of his resistance against Borin. His wrists, raw and oozing beneath tightly fastened restraints, bore the result of desperate attempts to break free.

When she touched him, she felt how cold he was. His face was pale, his eyes glassy.

She leaned over him and gently touched his shoulder, as if even the slightest contact might be the one thing that would finally shatter him.

"Reng... please, come on..." Her voice was soft and trembling, thick with anxiety and pain. She saw his eyes slowly beginning to open, but behind those swollen lids, he wasn’t truly there. At least not fully. Nonon still held him tightly. His mind was being shredded, torn apart, and he no longer had the strength to resist the dark visions.

"Reng..." her voice rose in desperation.

She had to wake him, had to bring him back. She cupped his face in her hands and leaned in so close that he would be forced to look her in the eyes.

"I came back for you," she whispered. "Do you hear me? I’m here!"

For a moment, their foreheads touched, and in horror she felt his pain flow into her completely. He was drowning in despair, anger, clinging to anything solid. He was fighting to survive... and losing.

The wave of his suffering hit her like ice water. Nonon’s presence wrapped around his mind like tendrils of shadow. Ela caught flashes of what he was seeing. Twisted images of his own hands holding weapons. Screams of people whose faces and voices were fading. She felt his thoughts, his fear, his horrors and nightmares.

Then she managed to pull back, suffocating under the weight of what she had just experienced. She wanted to scream, to sob. Her body was locked in helpless tension, but all she could do was breathe, ragged and shallow. When she finally withdrew, all that remained was the bitter aftertaste of pain. Her face was flushed, her eyes filled with tears, but she couldn’t let go.

"You have to fight it," she whispered hoarsely as their eyes finally met.

She saw all the horrors he had faced flickering in them. His gaze was dark, but within it still lingered the man she knew. She had to believe it, because otherwise it meant she had come too late.

Then his gaze cleared. She felt his body begin to loosen, just slightly. Though his breathing was still labored, he tried to straighten up. He didn’t speak as she released the restraints and freed him. Finally unbound.

Slowly, he raised his arms as if to test whether his body still worked. Then he clenched his fists, perhaps to smother the fury boiling inside him. Nonon had let him go, but the imprint he left was undeniable.

Ela turned to check whether Tonot had noticed what was happening behind him. To her surprise, Kresh was gone. Vanished like a shadow that understood his moment had passed. She had no doubt he would rush to inform Nylen of Tonot’s return and that he had reclaimed what was his. Reng.

But through the meco, she could feel it clearly. An immense tension within the werren’s mind. Nonon wasn’t willing to let go of his prey.

She looked around nervously. The room unsettled her with its darkness and that single pool of light. But the worst was lurking outside that lit circle. Out there, beyond the walls. She rose from Reng and took a cautious step forward.

"Stop," said Seren, stepping in her path.

"What’s out there?"

"His lair. Tonot is trying to convince him right now to let go of Reng and return to it."

Ela looked again at the werren and saw how his eyes, always so clear, were now clouded. His metal lips whispered softly in a language she didn’t recognize. It was eerie, all the more so because she could still feel those invisible tendrils searching for another mind to enslave.

A sudden sharp crack shattered the icy silence. Ela jumped, whipping around. Reng had tried to stand but had overestimated his strength and collapsed to the floor. In trying to catch himself, he knocked over the chair, nearly giving her a heart attack. She didn’t wait another second. She rushed back to him and knelt at his side.

His eyes finally focused as he looked up at her.

It was a good sign. Even after everything, after being broken again and again for two days, he still had enough will left to fight for his life.

He gritted his teeth and forced himself to his knees. The effort left him gasping for breath. His gaze was dark, full of pain and anger. He acknowledged her presence, but there was no affection in it. No warmth. Only bitterness and despair.

Ela moved closer, but he shoved her roughly away.

"No," he whispered hoarsely. "Not anymore..."

But then he stopped, as if memory returned to him. His hand paused, and his fingers lightly touched her lips. He recoiled. As though that touch brought back another flash of pain. There was so much rage in him, but also disappointment…disappointment in himself. Years of wasted hope. The realization that he'd long squandered his chances. He had sunk so deep into his own soul’s abyss that he no longer believed he could ever rise again and breathe freely.

"We have to go," she urged him.

"Not yet!"

Tonot stopped them both unexpectedly. He crossed the few steps separating them and leaned down, staring Reng directly in the eyes.

"You can tame him. Control him. Right now... right here..."

Reng trembled in Ela’s arms again.

"I... I... can’t..." he choked out.

"You must," the werren insisted, and this time he gripped Reng’s shoulder firmly, a gesture of trust.

"This is what I trained you for. Remember. Push that creature back and force him to return what isn’t his, and I promise you, you’ll never have to deal with me again."

Ela swallowed hard. She knew how much this meant to Tonot, but she also sensed he would be disappointed. She could feel how weak Reng truly was. He could barely stand. Whatever Tonot was asking of him... he didn’t have the strength for it now.

And Tonot understood. Maybe he had hoped, and now he was disappointed, but he didn’t show it. He straightened and looked into the darkness where they all sensed the monster’s presence.

"I’m taking him back, but know this. We are not done here!" he called into the shadows.

"You hear me? The time will come to end this!"

Nonon vanished. He retreated into his lair, and it felt like a dark veil had been lifted from their eyes. Suddenly, they could breathe again, even if deep inside they still felt the slimy residue of his touch. Memories, once untainted, would now remain defiled. When they closed their eyes at night, they would return in the shape of nightmares. And over everything hung the awareness that what happened here was only the first tremor of a greater quake that might one day turn the entire Beacon upside down.

Ela supported Reng, who still lacked the strength to walk on his own, and finally they could leave this cursed place. She hoped they would never return, though Tonot clearly thought otherwise. Either way, she had much to think about.

They walked in silence. The werren’s heavy steps echoed ahead, and behind him, they trudged slowly forward. Then, suddenly, Reng stopped. When she turned to him, alarmed, she saw his face twisted in despair, as if all light had drained from his soul.

He lowered his gaze, ashamed of his own weakness.

"I miss you so much," he whispered with unexpected sorrow, but there was no hope in his voice, only deep disappointment.

"But every time you’re near, everything around us only gets worse.

I’m starting to believe we really are cursed."

She smiled sadly. He wasn’t saying anything new. She too had tried to break the cycle of leaving and returning, just like he had. But every time, fate, desire, or chance brought them back together.

It was cruel. They kept hurting each other again and again, though they never meant to. And now he stood here again, speaking those few words that would cost her another night’s worth of tears into her pillow.

She wanted to be strong. After all, she was the Mediator of someone as extraordinary as Tonot. That had to count for something.

But she also knew she was still just the girl from Karhen Rouz, the one who had made a tall, sunburnt boy lose his mind during the sowingdays festivals. The boy who used to bring her white bellflower blooms from the Heights so she could braid them into her hair. The boy who had become a man. And who now stood before her, broken and worn down, hoping the world might finally let him breathe in peace.

Maybe fate was trying to tell them something.

But neither of them wanted to listen.