worse than death.
She opened her eyes and looked at the city model before her. This was her project, her creation. But now she saw it as something more. It wasn’t just a city – it was a prison, a prison she was helping to build. And she knew she had to do something. But what? A sense of helplessness overwhelmed her. Elira picked up the piece of paper with Renn’s name on it. She stared at it, as if hoping it would give her an answer. But the paper remained silent. The answers, she realized, she would have to find herself.
Chapter 4: Arkady’s Archive
Elira stood once again in front of Archive No. 17. For the entire week, the need to return had gnawed at her. Her heart pounded so loudly it seemed to echo through the deserted street. She glanced around, checking if anyone was watching her. The street was empty, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t being seen. Cameras could be hidden anywhere, and agents of the Council of Observers were masters of invisibility. She clenched her fists, feeling cold sweat trickle down her back. But it was too late to turn back now. She had already taken the first step.
The door was locked, but Elira knew that wouldn’t stop her. She pulled a small tool from her pocket – a device she had designed herself for situations like this. Compact and nearly invisible, it was powerful enough to bypass simple security systems. She inserted it into the lock, and after a few seconds, a soft click sounded. The door opened.
Inside, silence reigned, broken only by the creak of floorboards under her feet. The air was heavy, saturated with the smell of mold and dust. Elira stepped in cautiously, her eyes slowly adjusting to the dim light. The archive was old and abandoned, but its walls seemed to breathe with history. She walked down the hallway, her footsteps echoing as if the building itself were alive.
The rooms were in disarray, as if they had been hastily searched. Tables were overturned, cabinets smashed, papers scattered across the floor. Elira bent down and picked up a few sheets. They were covered in blueprints, diagrams, and notes she couldn’t immediately decipher. But she sensed their importance. She folded them and placed them in the bag she had brought with her.
Her attention was drawn to a door at the end of the hallway. It was slightly ajar, and a faint light seeped through the crack. Elira approached it carefully and pushed it open. The room was small but chaotic. Shelves lined the walls, filled with books, folders, and strange instruments. But her gaze immediately fell on a painting hanging on the far wall.
The painting was unusual. It depicted a city, but not like the ones in Novoteria. This was a city of light and color, with towering spires crowned by golden domes and streets filled with people. People who smiled, laughed, and lived. The sky above the city was a vivid blue, and the sun bathed everything in its warm glow. Elira froze, staring at the painting. She had never seen anything like it. It was a world she could only dream of.
But something about the painting was off. It hung crookedly, as if it had been put up in a hurry. Elira stepped closer and gently straightened it. As she did, she noticed a hidden niche behind it. Her heart raced. She removed the painting and peered inside.
In the niche lay a small, elegant wooden box, intricately carved. Elira picked it up, her fingers trembling slightly. The box opened easily, revealing three items: a strangely shaped key, a pencil sketch, and a book.
The key was made of dark metal, its form unusual, with intricate patterns she couldn’t decipher. The sketch depicted a building she had seen in the city but never paid much attention to. It was old and abandoned, but in the drawing, it looked majestic, almost alive. And finally, the book. On its cover was written: Arkady Renn. The Will of the Few.
Elira took the book in her hands, her heart skipping a beat. This was what she had been searching for. She opened the first page and began to read.
Elira sat on the floor of the archive room, Arkady Renn’s book resting on her lap. She had been reading for hours, oblivious to the passage of time. Every word, every sentence made her heart race. Renn wrote about freedom, about how a person could be more than just a cog in a machine. He wrote about the importance of preserving one’s individuality, even when the world sought to destroy it.
Her mind filled with new ideas, new questions. She realized she had found what she was looking for. But she also understood that this was only the beginning. The key, the sketch, the book – they were all part of something greater. And she needed to find out what that was.
She closed the book and placed it in her bag alongside the key and the sketch. She had to leave before she was discovered. But she knew she would return. Arkady’s archive had become more than just a place to her. It was the start of her journey.
Elira stepped out of the building, glancing around. The street was empty, but she felt eyes on her. She walked quickly toward her home, trying not to draw attention. Her thoughts were a whirlwind. She knew her life would never be the same. And she was ready for it.
When Elira returned home, she locked the door and turned on the light. Her apartment was the same as always: small, cozy, but impersonal. She placed the bag on the table and took out the book. She stared at it, feeling her heart swell with hope.
She knew she now had a choice. She could continue living as she had before, or she could follow the path Arkady Renn had opened for her. And she knew which one she would choose.
Elira sat at the table and opened the book. As she read, her resolve grew stronger with each page. She knew the road ahead would be difficult, filled with trials and losses. But she also knew this was her chance. A chance to change not only her life but the lives of everyone living in this gray world.
And she was ready to fight.
Elira spent the entire night reading the book. She couldn’t tear herself away from it, as if the words written by Arkady Renn were a spell she had fallen under. Each page seemed to open new horizons and illuminate the shadows of her own existence. «Freedom is not just a word; it is a state of mind,» she read, feeling a fire ignite within her. Renn spoke of the importance of preserving one’s individuality in a world where everyone sought to become part of a well-oiled machine.
Elira immersed herself in his thoughts, catching every note of protest against the gray monotony surrounding her. «We are all meant to be unique. To deny this is to deny ourselves,» echoed in her mind, bringing order to the chaos of her thoughts. She felt her mind filling with new questions about her place in the world. So many questions, so much uncertainty, but also so much hope.
Now, holding the book – the key to this new reality – Elira understood that her life was stretched between two choices: to remain in the quiet, safe gray world or to risk everything in search of something greater than mere existence. She realized that the path Arkady Renn had opened for her would require courage, inevitable trials, and losses, but it also promised new possibilities and freedom. And that was something worth fighting for.
Gathering her thoughts, she closed the book and looked at the key and the sketch lying on the table. These objects weren’t mere trinkets; they had become symbols of her new understanding of life. «This is the beginning of something greater,» she realized, her heart racing. She had to find out what it meant.
Elira felt her resolve hardening. She knew there were countless unknowns ahead. But the contradictions and complexities didn’t frighten her – they inspired her. With the newfound power the book had given her, she decided: she would not only seek the truth but also embrace it. And perhaps, in this search, she would discover not only herself but also those waiting for her on this challenging yet extraordinary path to freedom.
Chapter 5: The Spark of Doubt
Elira Valtorn sat in her apartment, surrounded by a silence that now felt louder than any noise. On the table before her lay Arkady Renn’s book, the key, and the sketch. She stared at them, feeling her mind torn between fear and hope. Every word she had read in the book seemed to ignite something long forgotten within her, something she