Chapter 5 - Memory.

Dominus9 clicked ‘Sacrifice’.

Immediately, a jolt of energy pulsed outwards from the altar, washing over Dominus9’s avatar. His projected character sheet flickered, the ‘Unallocated Skill Points’ counter dropping to zero.

A line of text appeared in the chat, system-generated, in that same jagged, unsettling font as before.

System Message: Player Dominus9 has offered a sacrifice of Strength to the Corrupted Heart.

The guttural hum intensified for a moment, then subsided slightly. The sickly green light around the altar pulsed faster, and the distorted stone of the temple seemed to shift again, revealing new details, new angles.

And then, a new section of the temple structure shimmered into existence, opening up a previously unseen passage leading deeper into the Corrupted Zone.

“Whoa” Sera breathed, her mana-light illuminating the newly opened passage. “It worked! Sacrifice accepted.”

Dominus9, despite the loss of his precious skill points, seemed intrigued.

“Stat point sacrifice interesting mechanic” he typed.

“Okay, my turn” Sera typed, her avatar stepping forward, her character sheet projecting beside Dominus9’s. “I’ve got a healthy stash of unallocated mana regen points. Time to share the wealth, I guess.”

Sera sacrificed her mana regen points. The altar pulsed again, the temple shifted further, and another passage opened up, branching off from the first one, leading in a different direction.

“Two paths,” I observed, looking at the diverging passages. “Strength sacrifice opened one, mana sacrifice opened another. What’s left defense? Dexterity? My dragon armor that’s all about defense.”

I opened my own character sheet, the familiar stats now feeling. My unallocated defense points were minimal, but I had something else.

My dragon armor itself. A powerful, rare item, painstakingly crafted, a symbol of my dedication to the game, my status as Guild Leader Anythng.

A chilling thought struck me. What if the sacrifice wasn’t just stat points? What if it was items? Personal possessions? Things of value?

The text above the altar shifted again, the runes swirling faster, the green light intensifying to an almost blinding level. The new message was shorter, more direct, and even more unsettling.

“The Heart hungers for what you cherish.”

Cherish. That word hung in the air, heavy with personal weight. What did I cherish in 7 Haven? My rank? My skills? My guild? My dragon armor.

A cold certainty settled in my gut.

The sacrifice wasn’t going to be cheap. It wasn’t going to be just a few unallocated stat points. It was going to be something meaningful. Something personal.

I looked at my dragon armor, the intricate details, the glowing runes, the symbol of my in-game identity. Could I sacrifice it? Could I give up a part of Anythng, a part of myself within this digital world, to uncover the truth of this ARG?

I hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on me. Then, I looked at Sera and Dominus9, their avatars standing beside me, their faces digital as they were reflecting a mixture of anticipation and shared resolve.

We were in this together. We had come this far. We had to see it through.

With a deep breath, I typed in guild chat, my fingers trembling slightly.

Anythng: I think I think the sacrifice is my armor. My dragon armor. It’s the most ‘cherished’ thing I have in-game. And I think it’s what the Heart wants.

Silence descended again, a heavier silence this time, laced with the weight of the impending sacrifice. Then, Dominus9 responded, his voice quiet, respectful.

Dominus9: If that’s what it takes, Anythng then we’re with you. It’s your call. But we’ll back you up, whatever happens.

Sera didn’t type anything, but her mana-light flared brighter, casting a warm, supportive glow around my avatar.

I steeled myself, my heart pounding in my chest, a strange mix of dread and exhilaration. This was it. The final step. The ultimate sacrifice. For truth. For answers. For the thrill of the unknown.

With a decisive click, I initiated the ‘Sacrifice Item’ command, targeting my dragon armor. A confirmation window popped up, stark and unforgiving.

WARNING: Sacrificing this item is irreversible. Are you sure you wish to proceed? YES/NO

I took one last look at my avatar, clad in the magnificent dragon armor, a symbol of my in-game power, my in-game identity. Then, with a deep breath, I clicked YES.

A blinding flash of green light erupted from the altar, engulfing my avatar. The dragon armor dissolved, pixel by pixel, rune by rune, fading into nothingness, leaving my avatar standing in simple, unadorned leather.

A wave of emptiness washed over me, a strange sense of loss.

But then, as the light subsided, something else happened. The entire chamber shimmered, the distorted textures resolving themselves, the guttural hum fading away, replaced by a clear, resonant tone.

The sickly green light vanished, replaced by a soft, warm golden glow that emanated from the altar.

The distorted temple structure transformed. The warped angles straightened, the glitched textures smoothed out, the cryptic runes resolved into elegant, flowing script. The ruined shrine became whole again. Beautiful. Serene.

And above the altar, a new message materialized, not in jagged, unsettling font, but in clear, elegant script, shimmering with golden light.

“The Heart is open. The truth awaits.”

The altar itself seemed to part, revealing a shimmering portal of golden light, swirling with unseen energies.

It wasn’t a gaping maw of darkness, like the entrance to the Corrupted Zone. It was inviting.

Welcoming.

We stepped through the portal, Sera and Dominus9 following close behind. We emerged into a different space entirely.

Not a cavern, not a dungeon, not even a game environment as we knew it.

It was white. Pure, pristine white. A vast, endless white void, stretching out in all directions, with no discernible boundaries, no textures, no features.

Just white. And in the center of the void, a single object floated, bathed in soft golden light.

A message window. Floating in the void. Directed at us.

At Anythng, Seraphina39, and Dominus9.

The message window opened automatically. The text was simple, direct, and undeniably human.

Greetings, Anythng, Seraphina39, Dominus9.

If you are reading this, you have successfully navigated the Corrupted Heart. You have uncovered a layer of 7 Haven that few were meant to see, a secret we have been cultivating for fun.

Sorry Anythng for using MoonVoid against you! I just thought since you were a veteran it would make you intruiged and want to solve this little mystery we have. It was a key. It was designed to test players, to identify those who were perceptive, persistent, and willing to look beyond the surface.

This ARG, was created to explore the boundaries of immersion withing the game, the potential of interactive storytelling, and the power of player agency. We wanted to see how far players would go, how deeply they would engage, when presented with a mystery that transcended the normal rules.

You, Anythng, Seraphina39, Dominus9, have proven yourselves to be exceptional players.

You have shown curiosity, ingenuity, and a willingness to sacrifice for knowledge. You have embraced the unknown, and you have uncovered the truth.

Thank you for participating. Thank you for believing in 7 Haven. And thank you for reminding us why we create games in the first place to explore, to discover, to connect, and to be amazed.

Sincerely,

The 7 Haven Development Team.

Silence descended in the guild chat, a profound, awestruck silence. We just stared at the message window, floating in the endless white void, the words sinking in, resonating with the journey we had just undertaken.

Then, Sera’s voice broke the silence, her usual enthusiasm returning, but now tinged with a genuine sense of wonder.

Seraphina39: Whoa Dev message They were watching us The whole time This is insane! Amazing! We actually solved an ARG! In 7 Haven! This is going straight to the forums! We have to tell everyone!

Dominus9: Forum post, definitely. Detailed breakdown of the clues, the sacrifices, the whole experience. We need to document this, share it. They’ve created something truly special here.

I, myself, was still processing everything, the adrenaline slowly fading, replaced by a sense of satisfaction.

And a strange, unexpected warmth. I had lost my dragon armor, a part of my in-game identity. But I had gained something far more valuable knowledge, experience, and a deeper connection to the game I loved, and to the people I played it with.

“Yeah” I said, a genuine smile spreading across my face in the real world. “Forum post. Definitely. Let’s let’s tell everyone about the Heart of the Code.”

As we stood in the endless white void, bathed in golden light, the four of us.

Anythng, Seraphina39, Dominus9 and Stormc7ut weren't just friends or ARG solvers anymore.

7 Haven had become more than just a game.

It was a memory.

A memory we would cherish, no matter how much time passed or where life took us. Because in the end, all that mattered was that, for a while, we had fun.

The end.