The gates of the Fifth City were colossal, forged from a matte black metal streaked with glowing yellow lines. Etched onto their surface were images and scenes that appeared like frozen nightmares: distorted faces screaming, figures plummeting into a bottomless abyss, and massive eyes staring with accusatory glares.
"A cheerful entrance," Sariel remarked with bitter sarcasm.
They stood before the imposing gate, marveling at its intricate design. Darkness had almost completely settled, and the city beyond the walls flickered with intermittent yellow lights, making its towering structures resemble ghosts fluttering in the night.
"How do we get in?" Alyana asked, inspecting the gate for a mechanism to open it.
"This is my city," Limon stepped forward. "Let me try."
He approached the gate and placed his hand on the center of a carving resembling a giant eye. At that moment, the eye glowed yellow, and a mechanical ticking sound echoed from within the door.
"Guide from the Fifth City," a metallic voice announced from a hidden device within the gate. "Identified. Accompanied by... visitors."
"I need entry with my guests," Limon responded formally.
"Visitors are subject to inspection," the voice replied.
From the gate, three slender metallic arms emerged, each ending in a device resembling an eye. They moved directly toward the crystals of the three visitors.
"Don't resist," Limon whispered. "It's routine security."
The mechanical eyes examined the crystals closely, emitting yellow light that scanned their surfaces, then quickly retracted.
"Crystals detected," the voice declared. "The bearers are granted conditional entry. The Overseer will be notified."
With a heavy metallic grinding, the massive gate began to open slowly, revealing a long, dark street stretching into the city, dimly lit by scattered yellow lamps.
"Who is the Overseer?" Alyana whispered to Limon as they stepped through the gate.
"The ruler of the Fifth City, Brochard," Limon answered quietly. "He watches everything from the central tower."
As soon as they crossed the gate, it slammed shut behind them with a deafening sound. They found themselves in a city of strange design: narrow winding streets, towering buildings leaning at almost impossible angles, and black spires piercing the sky as if attempting to stab the stars. The air was heavy, laden with a metallic vapor and a peculiar chemical scent. The continuous sound of machinery and gears echoed from every direction, like the heartbeat of a giant mechanical entity.
The city's inhabitants were striking: most were human, but with various mechanical augmentations—an artificial eye here, a metallic arm there, and some with peculiar devices attached to their skulls or chests. They gazed at the group with curiosity and suspicion, particularly at the glowing crystals on the foreheads of the three guardians.
"They've altered themselves," Nayari said in astonishment. "Why?"
"In the Fifth City, the fear of weakness surpasses all other fears," Limon explained. "They strive to transcend the limits of their human bodies, believing it makes them less vulnerable to fear."
"Or perhaps it conceals their true fear," Sariel added wisely.
Limon led them through the city's winding streets toward what appeared to be its center. With every step, the three crystals grew brighter, especially Alyana's blue crystal, which began to pulse with an accelerating rhythm.
"The Fifth Crystal is near," Alyana said. "I can feel it... calling to us."
"Yes, it's in the Watchtower," Limon pointed toward the massive central tower dominating the city. "And so is the Fifth Guardian."
"Do you know him?" Nayari asked.
Limon hesitated for a moment before replying, "Icarus. He was a researcher at the Institute of Advanced Technologies before the Great Day of Remembrance. Then the yellow crystal appeared on his forehead, and Brochard took him to the tower."
"And what is the power of the Fifth Crystal?" Sariel asked.
"Converting fear into energy," Limon answered. "Icarus can sense the fears of others, see them, and transform them into a force that can be used. Brochard exploited this ability to fuel his city and strengthen his control over its inhabitants."
"Just like the priests of the Third City did to me," Sariel said, his face contorting at the painful memory.
They arrived at a large square in front of the central tower. The square was crowded with people, most dressed in black adorned with metallic threads. On an elevated platform in the center of the square stood a strange device—a giant yellow glass sphere slowly rotating, containing a liquid that rippled like condensed smoke.
"What is that?" Alyana asked.
"The Fear Reservoir," Limon explained. "Here, they store the city's fears, extracted through their technologies... and Icarus's ability."
Through the yellow glass, moving shapes could be seen within the liquid—screaming faces, writhing bodies, scenes of collective nightmares preserved as energy.
"This is... horrifying," Nayari said, shuddering.
"The Fifth City derives its power from fear itself," Limon explained. "The machines, the lights—everything here runs on the stored fear."
Suddenly, horns blared across the square, and large screens mounted on the surrounding buildings lit up. On the screens appeared the face of a middle-aged man, half of whose face was entirely metallic, with a mechanical left eye glowing yellow. His voice, metallic and resonant, echoed through speakers everywhere:
"Citizens of the Fifth City, I am Overseer Brochard. Tonight, we have distinguished guests. The legendary Crystal Bearers have come seeking our Guardian, Icarus."
The crowd turned entirely toward the group, hundreds of eyes—both natural and mechanical—fixated on them.
"The tower will honor their arrival. Today, we witness the dawn of a new era."
The screens went dark, and the square plunged into tense silence.
"I don't like his tone," Sariel whispered. "It sounds more conspiratorial than welcoming."
"Brochard isn't known for his generosity," Limon said anxiously. "But we have no choice. Icarus is in the tower, and we must reach him."
They approached the tower's entrance, a massive black metal gate that opened and closed in a rhythmic pattern, like the breathing of a giant mouth. Two enormous guards stood on either side, their bodies human but enhanced with metallic exoskeletons, and their faces concealed by black masks with glowing yellow eye slits.
"You've arrived," one of the guards said in a robotic voice. "The Overseer awaits in the upper hall."
They stepped through the breathing gate and entered the tower. The interior resembled a colossal technological cathedral—a high, dark ceiling, metallic columns ascending skyward, and in the center, a yellow glass elevator glowing as it ascended and descended without visible cables.
"The elevator will take us to the upper hall," Limon said. "But be cautious. Brochard never acts without purpose."
They entered the elevator, which closed its glass doors behind them and began ascending at an incredible speed. Through its transparent walls, they could see the tower's various levels as they rose—laboratories filled with strange devices, halls containing massive machinery, and rooms where humans were connected to devices that seemed to be extracting something from them. The higher they ascended, the brighter the three crystals glowed.
"Icarus's crystal is very close," Alyana said with anticipation. "I can feel it resonating with ours." Finally, the elevator stopped at the top floor—a wide circular hall with a black glass dome ceiling reflecting the night sky, where the moon and sun appeared close in the path of the upcoming eclipse. At the center of the hall stood a raised circular platform, and atop it stood Brochard, the Observer, taller and more imposing in reality than his image on the screen.
"Welcome, Crystal Guardians," Brochard said, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "I have awaited this meeting since the Great Recall."
Alyana stepped forward. "We are here for Icarus, the Guardian of the Fifth Crystal. Where is he?"
Brochard offered a cold metallic smile. "Straight to the point, aren't we? No time for pleasantries."
He raised his hand and pressed a small device on his wrist. Suddenly, a hatch opened in the platform floor, and from it emerged a complex mechanical chair. Seated in it was a young man—thin, pale, and restrained by metallic straps. His head was encased in a complex metal device, his eyes closed, and on his forehead, a faintly glowing yellow crystal.
"Icarus," Brochard said proudly, as if presenting a masterpiece. "The Fifth Guardian. An invaluable asset to the Fifth City."
"What have you done to him?" Naiari shouted angrily, her orange crystal glowing intensely.
"I've enhanced him. Improved him. Utilized his unique ability in the best possible way," Brochard replied calmly. "His ability to transform fear now powers an entire city."
"You're exploiting him, just as the priests of the Third City exploited my ability to transform pain," Sariel said angrily, his red crystal pulsating violently. "This isn't using an ability—it's distorting it!"
Brochard frowned, the metallic part of his face flickering with yellow lights. "You do not understand true evolution, Third Guardian. Here, we do not flee from fear as others do—we harness it. We transform it into power. Isn't that better than wasting it?"
"Transforming fear into power doesn't mean torturing the one with the ability," Alyana said angrily, stepping closer to the platform. "Release Icarus. We need him for the Eighth City."
Brochard laughed, his mechanical voice reverberating through the hall. "Ah, the Eighth City. The ancient legend. How many of you truly know what the Eighth City is?"
"It's a means to restore balance," Naiari said. "A point where the seven aspects of existence converge."
"Or the end of everything," Brochard said, his tone sharpening. "A new cycle means the end of the old one. The end of our world, our cities, our civilization. The end of everything we've built."
He circled the platform slowly, observing the three Guardians and their guide. "Do you think the White Axis is your only enemy? That he alone fears what the seven crystals will do when united?"
"You're working with him," Sariel said, a sudden realization dawning. "With the White Axis."
"I work for survival," Brochard corrected. "The survival of the Fifth City, the survival of our world as we know it. The White Axis understood the danger, and so do I."
He pressed the device on his wrist again, and suddenly, side doors in the hall opened, revealing dozens of city guards with their weapons aimed at the group.
"I will not give you Icarus. Nor will I let you leave with your crystals," Brochard declared firmly. "The crystals will be detained here, separated, until the Great Eclipse passes."
"Lemon," Alyana whispered without turning her head. "Is there another way out of here?"
Lemon shook his head slightly. "But there's an emergency system," he whispered. "It disables all the tower's systems when activated."
Brochard advanced toward them, his metallic hand outstretched. "Surrender the crystals now, and your end will be swift and merciful."
At that moment, Icarus's crystal, still bound, began to glow more intensely, reacting to the presence of the other three crystals. Slowly, his eyes opened—yellow eyes radiating a strange light.
"No!" Brochard shouted, turning toward Icarus. "Stay in stasis!"
But the Fifth Guardian had awakened, and his yellow crystal began emitting a beam of light toward the other three crystals, which responded with similar light, forming a luminous network connecting them.
"Now!" Lemon shouted, rushing toward a control panel on the wall. He slammed his fist onto a large red button, and immediately, alarm sirens blared, the main lights went out, and flashing red emergency lights took their place.
"Fire alarm!" one of the guards shouted.
"Ignore it!" Brochard commanded. "Capture them—"
But he didn't finish his sentence. The floor beneath everyone's feet began to shake, and a deep rumble echoed from the base of the tower. Then, suddenly, all systems shut down—the elevators, the room's doors, even the metallic restraints binding Icarus.
Alyana seized the moment of chaos and rushed toward the platform, with Sariel and Naiari close behind. The guards, disoriented by the failure of their auxiliary systems, stumbled in the pitch darkness, pierced only by the light of the four crystals.
"Icarus!" Alyana called out as she reached him, starting to free the remaining restraints. "Can you move?"
The Fifth Guardian looked at her with his glowing yellow eyes. He was a young man in his early twenties, his face thin and pale from prolonged captivity, his short black hair damp and clinging to his forehead.
"You... the Memory Keeper," he said in a faint, broken voice, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time. "I saw you... in my fear."
"We're getting you out of here," she said, helping him rise from the chair.
Sariel joined them, supporting Icarus from the other side. "Can you walk?"
"I think so," Icarus said slowly, trying to regain his strength.
"Stop them!" Brochard shouted, trying to regain control of the situation. "The elevators are down! You won't escape!"
"Lemon!" Alyana called out. "Is there another way out?"
"The maintenance platform!" Lemon pointed to a small door on the far side of the hall. "It leads to an external emergency staircase!"
The group dashed toward the indicated door, Naiari leading the way and clearing the path, while Sariel and Alyana supported the weakened Icarus. Lemon shut the door behind them, locking it with a metal rod to delay the guards' pursuit.
They found themselves on a narrow metal platform outside the tower, the strong winds whipping around them as rain suddenly began to pour, soaking their faces and clothes. The view from this height was both breathtaking and terrifying—the entire city lay before them, intermittently lit by yellow emergency lights.
"There!" Lemon pointed to a spiral staircase winding around an adjacent support tower. "It leads to the ground level!"
They began descending quickly, the rain making the metal steps treacherously slippery. Despite his weakness, Icarus seemed to grow stronger with each step, his yellow crystal glowing more steadily.
"How long were you held captive?" Sariel asked as he supported him during the descent.
"I don't know," Icarus replied. "The days blur together when you're forced to sense the fears of an entire city."
"They used your ability to power the city," Alyana said. "Not just that," said Icarus, his voice gradually growing stronger. "Prochard was... harvesting fear. Storing it. Manipulating it. Using it to control the population, making them more obedient."
"How?" Nayari asked.
"Fear can be cultivated, nurtured, directed," Icarus explained. "Prochard used my ability not to transform fear, but to amplify it, redirecting it in a way that served his authority."
They reached the middle of the tower when they heard an explosion above them. They looked up to see Prochard standing on the platform they had just left, accompanied by several armed guards.
"Don't think you'll escape so easily!" he shouted, his metallic voice amplified through a speaker. "The entire Fifth City will hunt you down!"
As if to confirm his words, sirens began to wail across the city, and searchlights from watchtowers swept the streets in search of them.
"We need to hurry," urged Lemon. "They'll close the outer gates soon."
They continued descending at a faster pace until they finally reached the ground level. But they found themselves in an open courtyard, surrounded by armed guards slowly advancing toward them.
"Trapped," Lemon said despairingly.
Icarus, who now appeared stronger, stepped forward. "Not yet," he said, placing his hand on his yellow crystal. "Let me show you my true power, the one Prochard kept hidden from me."
He closed his eyes, and the yellow crystal began to glow intensely. Suddenly, the guards started retreating, their faces reflecting genuine terror, as if witnessing their worst nightmares come to life.
"What are you doing to them?" Nayari asked in astonishment.
"I'm showing them their true fears," Icarus replied, his eyes shut in concentration. "I don't create them—I make them visible to them. I reveal what they hide from themselves."
As the terrified guards continued to back away, Icarus opened a path through them and signaled to the group to move forward. "Quickly, I can't hold this for long!"
They rushed through the open path, bypassing the paralyzed guards, heading into the narrow alleys of the city.
"Where do we go now?" Saril asked as they delved deeper into the maze of tight streets.
"To leave the city, we'll need a side gate," Lemon said. "The main gates will be heavily guarded by now."
"I know a way out," Icarus said. "An old maintenance gate in the eastern wall. I used it... before Prochard captured me."
He led them through a labyrinth of alleys and backstreets, the city around them in full alert, with the sounds of sirens and approaching guards echoing from all directions.
"How did you know the other crystals were coming?" Aliana asked Icarus as they walked.
"I saw it in the 'Fear Network,'" he replied. "While connected to the city's fears, I sensed a different, deeper fear coming from afar—the White Axis's fear of the circle being completed, of the crystals reuniting."
"What is the role of the fifth crystal in the Eighth City?" Saril asked.
"To transform fear into courage," Icarus said. "Not to suppress fear, but to overcome it, to understand it, to use it as a driving force. That's what Prochard tried to prevent. Because a people without fear cannot be controlled."
They finally reached an abandoned section of the city wall, where a small rusty gate was hidden behind piles of scrap metal. Icarus pushed a metal sheet aside, revealing an old locking mechanism.
"Prochard doesn't know about this exit," he said as he worked skillfully to unlock it. "It was my personal way out of the city when I needed solitude."
With a faint click, the lock opened, and the small gate swung inward, revealing a narrow passage leading outside the city.
"We need to leave now," Lemon urged the group. "They'll soon notice we're missing from this sector."
One by one, they passed through the gate, finding themselves on a rocky path descending away from the city, toward a series of shadowy hills on the horizon.
The rain was still falling, and darkness surrounded them on all sides, but the four crystals—blue, orange, red, and yellow—shone brightly enough to light their way.
"Where to now?" Saril asked.
"The Sixth City," Aliana said, pointing southeast. "The City of Peace. That's where the sixth guardian is."
"And how much time is left until the Great Eclipse?" Lemon asked.
They all looked up at the sky, where the clouds had briefly parted, revealing the moon and the sun, now closer to each other than ever.
"Three days," Nayari said, her dreamy eyes fixed on the sky. "Only three days to gather the remaining two crystals and return to Idolith."
"And Prochard and the White Axis won't give up easily," Icarus added. "They'll send everything they have after us."
Aliana stood gazing at the Fifth City from a distance, its black towers rising toward the sky, emergency lights flashing yellow around its perimeter.
"But now we are five," she said, gesturing to the group. "Four guardians and a loyal friend. Closer than ever to completing the circle." She turned toward the distant horizon. "The Sixth City awaits us. And the Eighth City is beginning to take shape."
With those words, they embarked on their new journey, heading toward the City of Peace, while a deeper, more dangerous pursuit was forming behind them. Back in the Fifth City, Prochard and the White Axis united under one goal: to prevent the Eighth City from emerging, at any cost.
And time was running out, with each passing minute bringing the sun and the moon closer to their destined meeting.