Nika Kalmykova returns to her hometown—Starogorsk. But during her year away, strange things began to happen in the scientific town. It seems as if a computer game she plays with her friends has started seeping into reality. And the monsters of Altar are sneaking into the streets of Starogorsk to collect valuable loot from people. Or maybe it all has to do with the research developments at the institute where her father works? What do you do when the game grips you by the throat and forces a terrible choice? How do you protect yourself and your friends—especially when you’re passing the quest and becoming the Guardian of the Pass?