Goro sat in a dark room near a table, looking at a small black stone with a gold seal on it. It suddenly began to spark.

‘It isn’t the first time that somebody had been awaiting me, but you’ve truly impressed me.’

“It is an honour.” The black-haired man said with satisfaction. “I would never dare to expect praise from such a powerful magician.”

‘A magician?’ the voice giggled. ‘I’ve just crushed the worldview of one of you people, maybe I should do the same to you?’

“There is no need for that” Goro calmly answered. “All I care about is your game and what I'll get out of it. Not who you are.”

‘What lovely words... What you can get, you ask? Fulfilling your desires, if you win. I admit that it often happens that someone from the outside, not chosen by me, gets a seal, but you really intrigue me. It would be a sin not to give you a personal invitation.’

“So you chose me, deity” Goro smiled. “Don’t worry, even if you had chosen another country, I would have found you. I have a souvenir of my ancestor here.”

‘Ah, some of my mana?’ the voice laughed again. ‘Delaunay are really smart. I still remember Vinte, who managed to win one time. I understand that I don't have to explain, or ask you if you want to fight, because the decision was made long time ago, wasn’t it?’

“Do I really need to answer?”

‘Oh, I like you. You really are a lot like Vinte, and I don't forget people like him. Seriously, he created one of my favourite wishes.’

“I am aware of which one. After all, he wrote everything that has learned from your game and left it for the next generations. Well, now I guess you should go get the rest of the players. I can't wait to meet them.” ‘

I feel that your actions won’t bore me. When the time comes, I will call upon those who managed to survive. Though who knows, maybe only you will?’ He left laughing. Goro was satisfied with himself.

Hagan was standing behind the door of his room, and heard the whole conversation. He clenched his fist in anger and then quietly withdrew.

‘Goro... I won't let you win...’ he swore in his thoughts.

~

‘God... Does God exist? Is God bad or is he good? Does he care about us or not? I stopped asking myself these questions when my mother died... Do I really not believe in gods? Or did I just hate the Believers of Light so much, that I told myself I did not believe in such beings? In the name of faith they fight countless battles... But I put everything into one bag... I rejected all views that were based on something divine, that is the truth... I despise it all only because my mother died. So does this God, who never gives us any signs, exist? I can’t believe that I think like that now... God? I really am now wondering if God is there? I don't know completely what to think about it, what should I do now? Maybe this is just an opportunity given from... this God to free Peter from pain? I don't know. I don't know anything at all...’

Edward opened the gate, and then walked towards the house. He spent all night outside, and before he realised the sun started rising. He was absolutely terrified, terrified of what Peter had done, terrified of what he had been offered, and terrified of who had given him the offer.

He entered the house and walked through the corridor with his head lowered. He was going to the library, there he wanted to look for some books in hope to find any clues in them. He knew that he had gotten himself into something that an average person wouldn’t understand. An invisible power came to him, in which he doubted for so many years, and had chosen him for something, and he was definitely not safe.

​“WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!” He stopped when he heard Kasei's hysterical voice. “I WAS AFRAID SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED TO YOU, YOU IDIOT!”

She sniffed and wiped her nose with her wrist. The golden-haired sighed.

“I’m sorry... Where is he?”

“He said he wouldn't be able to look you in the eyes, so he decided to go to the clinic while you’re gone…”

“I see... You probably haven't slept all night. Please, get some sleep now, I’ll take care of it all... somehow.” He said and went to the library. Kasei drooped her ears and went to her room.

Ed closed the door behind him, put the key in the lock and locked the door. After that, he lit his hands with magic and began to pull the books off the shelves, which floated around in a golden glow. People were often surprised to see the colour of his magic, since it was quite rare for it not to match with magican’s eye colour. Peter’s magic obeyed this rule, while Edward's was gold instead of green, just like his hair.

He pulled out the books one by one to himself, read the titles, and put those that he believed that could help him on his desk. After he had enough, he started to browse through them. He checked one and threw it away, second one and threw it away, another one and threw it away. He could not find anything but legends about the deity that he had already read before. He searched for two hours without success and felt furious. He thought, if he was to join the game, where should he look for the rest of the participants, and where should he look for those who have known the game for a long time? He didn't know what was awaiting him, but he felt he had to do it... That it might be a chance to reward Peter for everything he couldn't protect him from. But what exactly was he supposed to do? Who should he ask for help? He did not know.

He felt that if he decided to join the game, it would be the hardest thing he would ever do in his life.