Lena dashed between the tall hedges, careful not to snag the sharp thorns of the wild roses. She was followed by Philip, her younger brother, clearly bored on a quiet Friday afternoon. They were on holiday with an aunt on the outskirts of town, where there was no Wi-Fi or even decent shops. But Lena loved the place, especially the old garden behind the house. The garden had always seemed different from everyone else's. The trees grew so thickly here, as if competing for the sun's rays, and the smell of herbs and freshly cut grass was in the air. In one nook, hidden under the horseradish leaves, was a rusty key. Lena had found it by chance the previous summer, but only now dared to take Philip on an 'expedition'. - 'Come on, this time I'll really show you something,' she whispered, leading him towards a small gazebo by an old oak tree. It was almost invisible, overgrown with vines, and its door locked with a padlock larger than Philip's hand. - 'And what's all this for? - burbled the boy. Lena showed him the key. The padlock opened with a quiet clatter. The gazebo door creaked and began to open slowly, revealing the interior. Inside stood a carved armchair, books with yellowed pages and a huge mechanical clock on the wall. Scattered around were notes scribbled in neat handwriting: "Phase II", "Wheel of Time", "Remember: do not touch the key while working". Philip, who until then had only been fussing, was suddenly silent. Lena picked up a thick, heavy book from the floor. Flipping through the pages, she came across a diagram of something that looked like a fusion of a bicycle, a clock and a magic box with cogs. Suddenly, in the darkest corner of the gazebo, something murmured quietly. Lena looked deep into the shadows. Then the clock on the wall began to tick rapidly, the hands turned in the opposite direction, and the whole room was filled with a pulsating blue light. Philip moved to the door, but it slammed shut with a bang. Lena heard a strange, metallic voice just behind her: - Are you ready for a journey you won't forget? At that moment, everything around her began to whirl....