Elian was one of the most powerful warriors of his time. His best friend, who had been through so much with him, became his brother in spirit and an ally in battle. But one day their paths diverged. Elian became too dangerous — not only for the world, but for himself. In a battle where they faced each other, his friend, realizing that Elian could destroy everything around him, made a decision: to seal him in a barrier created specifically for him.

This barrier was not just a prison, but a space where time did not exist. Elian was locked in a void where he neither aged nor lived. His mind changed, and his body became something else. He communicated with shadows and entities within the barrier that altered him. He was neither human nor something entirely foreign.

One day, the barrier shattered. The reasons behind this remained a mystery. Perhaps Elian had grown stronger than the barrier, or perhaps someone from the outside deliberately destroyed it. The world he knew had changed. He found himself in a place where no one remembered him. But his enemies — those who had sealed him — were still alive, and they were beginning their hunt.

Elian was no longer sure that his release had been a blessing. He could not forget his friend, who had become his enemy. His goal was to find the one who had sealed him, to understand why it had happened and what lay behind that decision. But with every passing moment, he realized that his power and his transformations were unsettling him. He was no longer human, and his path now might lead to the destruction of everything.

Elian — a prisoner who had become something else — and his return marked the beginning of a new era. Sometimes, It seems that Elian is not from this world.

Elian stood on a bustling street, observing the flow of metal boxes speeding down the road. Occasionally, they stopped, their doors opened, and people stepped out. He recalled the books from the library and realized—this was city transportation. Studying one of the stops, he saw a sign: "Bus to the Central District."


"So this is my road to the Circle of Keepers," he thought and quietly took his place in line.


Inside the bus, he was met with cold lighting, cramped space, and the murmur of quiet conversations. Elian sat near the window, watching the city, but soon he felt something strange. Someone's eyes were boring into his back.


He glanced at the window's reflection and noticed two men in dark clothing sitting at the far end of the bus. Their postures were relaxed, but their focus was clearly on him.


Elian didn't react outwardly but began analyzing the situation. He didn't know who they were—agents of the Circle of Keepers or someone else. He had to decide quickly.


Drawing on his power, he subtly extracted energy from the surrounding matter and wove a tiny warrior—a shadow puppet, nearly invisible to the human eye. The small figure glided through the bus, creeping closer to the pursuers.


A second later, one of the men flinched, as if something had pierced his mind. He quickly stood up and headed for the exit, whispering something to his companion. The other remained but now looked much more alert.


"So, they're not ordinary people," Elian concluded.


When the bus arrived in the Central District, Elian was the first to step off. He took a few steps before his pursuer followed. At that moment, the shadow puppet, which had hidden beneath a seat, suddenly soared upward and dissolved into the air. The man sensed something was wrong and glanced around, but it was too late—a dark thread had wrapped around his wrist.


"Now I know who you are," Elian thought.


Without stopping, he moved toward the headquarters of the Circle of Keepers. The answers were close, but with them, th


Chapter 8 - In the Shadow of Surveillance