179 The gray pill

Erwin gazed at three shimmering golden coins in his hand. Two of them had been given to him by Leila and Marees, who had tragically taken the lives of two hooded individuals during the festival night. The third coin was discovered within the space ring of his late tormentor, Aston, whose killer turned out to be the same person responsible for the deaths of the two individuals, Marees. Unbeknownst to them, Marees and Leila had unknowingly given Erwin a coin that he already possessed.

Each of these gold coins shared a common feature—a four-pointed golden star engraved upon them. Erwin's recollection took him back to the library, where he had observed a circular formation comprised of four-pointed stars on a bookshelf. It was from this very spot that he embarked on a journey into the darkest realm he had ever encountered.