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Abandoned Archives Saga - Chapter 15: Hex Carnival

The transition back to the Abandoned Archives was smoother this time, the crystalline sphere dissolving around them as they materialized in the now-familiar wooden grandeur of Aleister's domain. The Fragment of Memories pulsed gently in Io's hand, its energy harmonizing with the Fragment of Blood they had acquired from their first Gateway journey.

What greeted them, however, was entirely unexpected.

Seated at a small table between two towering bookshelves were Aleister the Archivist and—to everyone's astonishment—Tezcatlipoca, Guardian of the Bloodstone Ziggurat. The tall, athletically built young man they had fought against now sat casually across from Aleister, staring with mild frustration at the cards in his hands.

"Full house," Aleister announced calmly, laying down his cards with a subtle flourish.

Tezcatlipoca sighed dramatically. "That's the third time. I'm beginning to suspect you're using that archival knowledge of yours to count cards."

"I would never—" Aleister began before noticing the six programs staring at them in stunned silence. His eyes crinkled with amusement. "Ah! Our fragment seekers have returned! And with success, I see."

"Tez?" Lumen exclaimed, bouncing with confusion. "How are you—what are you—when did you—?"

"Tactical assessment failure," Cipher stated flatly, his formal precision giving way to genuine bewilderment. "Parameters do not compute."

The twins exchanged synchronized glances of analytical surprise. "Probability calculations for this scenario—" Rin began, "—were effectively zero," Ren finished.

Tezcatlipoca's laugh filled the Archives. "Your expressions are priceless! Almost makes up for losing three hands in a row." He gestured to the Fragment of Blood that Io had carefully stored alongside their newest acquisition. "Since you claimed the Fragment of Blood, I am finally permitted to leave the Ziggurat and enjoy a friendly game with my old colleague."

"Colleague?" Io adjusted her glasses, violet eyes darting between the two entities with scholarly curiosity.

Aleister collected the cards with practiced grace. "Tezcatlipoca and I have known each other for quite some time. He serves as the Overseer of Sanctuary."

"Sanctuary?" Kukulkan asked, clutching his stone tablet closer to his chest.

Tezcatlipoca nodded, maintaining that casual confidence that somehow conveyed both power and restraint. "Sanctuary is the collective name for all eight Gateway environments. The Bloodstone Ziggurat, Hollowpoint Mine, and the six others you have yet to explore—together they form Sanctuary."

"But you said you didn't know what was beyond the Gateways," Io pointed out, looking at Aleister with a mixture of confusion and amusement.

"I said I knew nothing of where the Gateways led or what those locations were like," Aleister corrected with that paradoxical blend of ancient wisdom and youthful mischief. "I did, however, know of Tezcatlipoca as the Overseer of Sanctuary."

Io giggled, the sound surprising even herself after the intense experiences of Hollowpoint Mine. "You two were teasing us this entire time, weren't you?"

The guilty glance that passed between Aleister and Tezcatlipoca was answer enough.

"I?" Aleister pressed a hand to his chest in feigned offense. "I am nothing more than a humble servant of the Architect, performing my function to the best of my abilities."

Tezcatlipoca, in contrast, simply shrugged his shoulders. "Guilty as charged," he admitted with a grin. "But it wouldn't be nearly as much fun if I told you everything at once." His expression sobered slightly. "Not to mention that I couldn't tell you everything even if I wanted to. While we stand above the Regulators, we do not stand above the Moderators."