These were strange creatures with some additional limbs and unusual facial features. One of them had three arms, one of which stretched out from under his cloak. Another's face looked somehow blurry and indistinct, as if its features were constantly changing. What were these creatures?

Entering the room, they stared at Nia, restrained by the shirt. Some impatient anticipation was read in their eyes. Their gazes were sticky, disgusting.

– Where is the artifact? – asked one of them, the one with three arms. His voice was low and hoarse, as if he had been silent for a long time.

Nia didn't understand what they were talking about. Artifact? What artifact? Moreover, she couldn't answer. The fabric of the shirt was squeezing her throat and arms, not even allowing her to breathe.

Lira stepped forward.

– Loosen your grip, – she said to the shirt, as if addressing a living creature. – We need her to be able to speak.

The shirt loosened its grip a little. Nia was able to breathe and cough. Air… How wonderful it was.

– What artifact? – she asked hoarsely, looking at Lira with horror. – What are you talking about?

Lira no longer seemed like the kind and caring girl who had helped Nia on the road. Steel and determination were read in her eyes.

– The artifact should have been with her, – Lira said, her voice now sounding cold and detached.

Lira began to quickly search her belongings, or rather, the little that she had. The hospital clothes that she had worn since the escape, the nightgown that turned out to be a trap… Nothing more. There was nothing to search…

– She has nothing, – one of the freakish creatures stated.

– It can't be, – Lira objected. – It had to be with her. It's always with them.

Lira came closer to Nia and leaned into her face. Her breath was cold and unpleasant.

– Where is it? – she hissed. – Where is the artifact? Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.

Nia shook her head.

– I don't know. I don't remember anything. I really don't know what artifact you're talking about.

Lira recoiled.

– She's lying, – she said to her companions.

Some more time passed. They tried in various ways to find out where the artifact was. They asked questions, threatened, even tried to look into her thoughts with the help of some strange devices. But it was all useless. Nia really didn't remember anything. Or didn't want to remember?

Finally, Lira retreated.

– It seems she really doesn't know anything, – she said. – At least, not yet.

– And what do we do now? – asked one of the members of her gang. – Kill her?

Lira pondered for a moment.

– No, – she said. – We can't kill her. The artifact is connected to her. If we kill her, we may lose it forever.

– Then what?

– We'll keep her with us, – Lira said. – Until she remembers. As soon as she remembers where the artifact is, we'll take it first.

From that moment on, a new chapter began in Nia's life. Life in Lira's gang. She was a prisoner, but at the same time, a valuable asset. They watched her every step, not trusting her for a second. She lived in constant fear, not knowing what awaited her in the next moment.

But deep down, Nia still hoped. Hope that she would be able to remember her past. Hope that she would be able to escape from these monsters. And hope that she would be able to find out what this artifact was that they were hunting so much. “I will find out everything. Or die trying,” she thought.

Nia spent about a month in Lira's gang. Time dragged on slowly and monotonously, like a gray ribbon, like the roads surrounding their hut. During all this time, not a single new person appeared in their hut. It seemed that they lived in some isolated little world, cut off from the rest of the world. A sect. A godforsaken place.