Meanwhile, there were four people standing in the [ Egg Zone ]: three players and the toad-furred me. The silence here was unnatural, as if even the air was holding its breath.
Pale green patterns like cracks shimmered between the giant eggs, although they didn't move or grow; they simply flickered as if they were breathing.
We waited for exactly two minutes, and no one said a word. No one wanted to accidentally move or whisper something inappropriate near the eggs of unknown creatures.
Zikei finally exhaled and said:
—We can go now.
He stepped forward and reached out his hand. His fingers once again rested on the surface of the giant ant egg. The egg trembled as if it were responding. This time, the light intensified, filling the entire space with a golden glow.
The floor beneath their feet slowly opened up, revealing a staircase leading down into a dark, warm depths.
— This mechanism is truly impressive...
Katzu commented quietly, and his voice didn't sound in the air, but right inside my ear.
My eyes widened slightly, but I wasn't surprised.
Katzu, with my permission, had connected to my game using a video call, which allowed him to not only communicate verbally but also connect to a live video conference through the system's interface.
He had a clear view of the players' positions, their movements, and even the reflections of light on the eggs.
Before their group entered the [Egg Zone], Katzu and I had a short but important conversation.
Katsu already saw content that would blow up the network in this place. The lower floor of the Adalaza Ant Hill was a rare, hidden dungeon that was only rumored. No one had shown it in its entirety.
He said:
—If we're the first to complete it, it'll be a sensation. I'm betting we'll be at the top of the recommendations. Millions of views are guaranteed.
I scrunched my nose, as I always did when I was thinking.
—Just don't use my real name, okay?
I said seriously, looking at the earpiece in my hand.
—I just want my username to be heard.
—Of course, of course, Disava and nothing else.
—I don't want anyone to find me in real life. Not the guild, not... anyone else.
Katzu, although talkative, understood the importance when he heard it.
—Sister, you can trust me. I'm recording a playthrough, not your life.
He activated the image capture mode, and a semi-transparent recording from my camera appeared in his interface. To the viewer, it would appear as if the camera was floating slightly above my shoulder.
An inscription lit up on the screen:
LIVE RECORD: Walkthrough of the secret location [Adalaza's Ant Hill]
Player session: Disava
Mode: Gameplay recording
Comments: Katzu
— Well, it's official!
Katzu said in a pleased voice.
— We're starting a story that will be retold.
I just snorted.
— The important thing is not to mess up.
Katzu laughed.
— That's on you.
The journey down took longer than it had at first appeared. A spiral staircase, carved directly into the rock, led deeper and deeper, and with each step the air grew cooler.
A dim, golden-green light filtered up from below, as if the sun were shining through the earth.
I felt my breathing becoming more cautious, more quiet, the atmosphere itself making me slow down.
The walls were covered with moss in places, as if the dungeon was breathing and not made of stone, it was alive.
Finally, the stairs came to an end, revealing a vast valley hidden beneath the earth. This place was completely different from the usual game dungeons.
In front of us is a garden of emerald moss, delicate, soft, glowing with its own faint radiance. There were stumps among the moss, leveled and smooth, as if someone had once specially cut down giant trees and left them here.
They formed neat rows, disappearing into the misty distance in lines.
And she was sitting on one of those tree stumps. A little girl who looks like a child
Above her head, a light, almost invisible haze formed into a game hint:
[Maraina - Daughter of the Abandoned Laboratories]
Maraina's voice was soft and haunting. It was crystal clear, as if it were coming not from her ears, but from her soul. The words flowed smoothly, as if the earth itself was singing along with her.
The sound filled the space, echoing through the distant corridors and resonating in the air. Zicay abruptly raised his hand, signaling a halt. The three of them stopped behind him, as if compelled by an instinct.
—Don't interrupt her.
He said softly, his eyes fixed on the girl. His voice sounded, for the first time, not calm, but almost reverent.
—This is the mechanics of the game, if we interfere, we won't get the Unique Offer.
[ The Song of the Lost Piglet begins ]
He was kind, funny, and rosy-cheeked,
He ate from my mother's hand and slept by the door.
And his mother laughed, "He's going to be stubborn!"
And she sewed a collar for him out of pink sewing threads.
He loved apples, red and sweet,
He rolled them in the mud and dreamed of growing up.
But one day, the house became quiet and damp,
And a medicine fell on the piglet, icy and empty.
After that, I called him for a long time, until morning,
And I heard a grunting sound somewhere in my dream.
But instead of a pig's shadow, the mud reflected
A black mass that called me to it.
He was kind, but he became very sad,
He didn't recognize me, and he didn't even nudge me.
I realized that the medicine had made my friend disobedient,
He now guards the roots and the pain of my dreams.
Sleep, my piglet, sleep underground,
Let you dream of a garden without guilt or trouble.
And I will wait where the mosses are blood,
And the apples smell like swamp water...
When the song was over, the silence seemed almost tangible, as if the sound had lingered in the air and continued to vibrate in the moss beneath their feet. Zikei took a step forward, moving slowly and deliberately, as if approaching a wild animal that might disappear if he made a sudden move.
Now they could see the girl more clearly.
Her dress was indeed made of moss, a delicate and soft material that seemed to have been woven with the intention of growing with her.
The sleeves and hem moved slightly, as if reacting to the movement of the air. Thin strands of algae and tiny white flowers could be seen on the shoulders and around the neck.
Her eyes were the color of a clear sky, clear but deep empty like a child who had seen too much or too little.
Seeing Zikei and the others, she smiled slowly, warmly but strangely slowly, as if her inner world lived at a different speed.
Zeke asked softly, in a voice without pressure:
—Are you lost?
The girl tilted her head, as if listening to the question not with her ears but with her heart. And only after a pause perhaps a little too long, she said:
—No. I'm not lost. I'm sitting here waiting for my piglet.
Her voice was crystal clear, like the echo of a glass bell in water.
—And who are you?
She didn't say it with suspicion, but rather with genuine curiosity, as if she were seeing people for the first time.
—Hi, dear, my name is Disava.
I was the first to step forward and introduce myself. Behind me, Zikei introduced himself with a slight bow, politely, as if he were truly a noble person.
—It's a pleasure to meet you, I am Zikei.
Elk called out his name loudly, with his usual directness.
—I am Elk!
Aka-32, with a light, mechanical, playful tone, as if it were a formality.
—Oh, I don't know what to say, I can't explain what my name means, but I don't think it's necessary. My name is Aka-32.
As each of us introduced ourselves, Miraina seemed to listen not to the words, but to the breaths, the intonations, and the vibrations of our voices. It was as if she was reading us not from the outside, but from the inside.
When the last name was spoken, the girl gracefully stood up on her bare feet and began to walk around.
With each step, the moss remained motionless beneath her feet, as if it accepted her as a part of itself. She didn't touch the weapon or the clothes, just looked, but that look was deeper than any touch.
Suddenly, Miraina stopped next to me. It was as if there was no doubt that Miraina had been walking towards me all this time.
The girl slowly reached out and touched my arm with a light, almost weightless touch. It was the place where the debuff of the Metal Lizard Barnadat was hidden, like a burn mark or a memory of a meeting.
Her face became so serious that it almost looked unchildlike. But then a soft, sad smile appeared on her lips.
—You carry his mark...
She whispered, but her voice was not surprised, but understanding. Then her gaze became clear and direct, so sincere that it made it difficult to breathe.
— Can I trust you to save Him?
Her voice trembled slightly, like a note hanging in the air. At that moment, the space dimmed slightly, as if the game itself was holding its breath.
A system notification appeared in front of my eyes and those of others:
[Would you like to accept the Unique Offer?]
[ The Song of the Lost Piglet]
[ Yes / No ]