Take Responsibility

Even in the dark, the spectral man was seeable so Renir kept his eyes open. He then sent a thought;

'What and who are you?' Renir continued his thought to himself, 'Never thought I will have a chance to ask such a question that only comes in fiction.'

[Okay, I'll start from the introduction. My name is Olmen, a Rank 6 Rune User!] from the spectral man. Olmen's expression and tone, it was obvious he was very proud of himself when he stated his rank.

Hearing this, Renir's eyes widened, 'Rune User?' strangely he missed the part earlier when Olmen called him a Rune User the first times but hearing it now again made a click in his mind.

[Pretty awesome, right? My transcendent skill allowed me to reached the original world. Although in turn, I became a public phone for True Rune Users. Haah~ I just couldn't defeat them, can I?]

Renir's racing heart became faster than before then he asked, 'Gantlet is real....?' the question he most wanted to have the answer.

He looked at Olmen for an answer. His stare was like a predator looking at its prey. It was conflicting since, although it was heart-wrecking at the start, he began to accept that it was fine that it was just a dream. Pain, sadness, desperation, fear, and hopelessness were the most he could remember from it if he looked back.

Thanks to it, he learned he should change and changed. He no longer need the power from the otherworld. However, if it was real, then thinking that all those pain, sadness, desperation, fear, and hopelessness are not for nothing.

There are only two answers at that moment before Olmen could answer. One was that after all the hardships he endured in his life, he finally broke down, and everything until now was a hallucination. A fake change.

The second was that Gantlet is real and Renir's experience there was not regrettably a dream.

Then Olmen began to speak while feeling a bit uncomfortable from Renir's stare.

[Why, why would you ask that? Isn't it obvious when you still have your power when came back here?]

'Huh?' Renir's eyebrows furrowed when he heard those in his head.

'When I woke up from the hospital, all that I have is this body that is weaker than before.' Renir complained when he remembered that painful moment. Having brought to a world filled with trials then enduing everything to survive until he gained the power to overcome it only to wake up weaker than before. That experience was one of the most painful moments in his life, Even though his life is already filled with pain from the start.

[You're Rune User Renir, right? The first human to ever open the Door of Salvation?] Olmen scratched his balding head as if confused.

'That... was me.' thinking back, it made Renir smile a little. Someone recognizing his achievement was a rare feeling but a great one.

[You didn't get yours? How are you the only one who didn't get his power with him?]

'Wait, why are you saying as if the others got theirs?' Renir then thought to himself, 'Did Sceke and the others got theirs?'

[Yeah... the only explanation is that since the Door of Salvation opened only for you, others are irregulars. And you got back to your original world and original body. That just proves that what we are about to do is correct. However...]

'What are you talking about?'

Olmen looked at Renir then remembered something [Oh, forgive me, I forgot to tell you the whole details.]

He then cleared his throat and made his voice loud and clear for Renir to hear it.

[Rune User Renir, the Supreme Councils acknowledged your strength for the first human to ever open the Door of Salvation. Now we shall ask you to take your responsibility because when you opened the Door of Salvation, you did not close it afterward.]

'...huh?' Renir stared baffled while confused at the same time, 'Close it?'

[Now, the despicable people from the City of Misfortune found it and had crossed through that open door. This is determined as a crisis by the Supreme Council. Since you have proved your strength by defeating the Demon Marionette by some unknown means, you are trusted to put these stigmatized people back to the City of Misfortune. We cannot let the innocent people in this world be disturbed by the powers of Gantlet!]

Renir's faced blackened. He had heard about the people in the City of Misfortune. They are people that would rather kill and get stigmatized, the Feluxers, With their powers, what can they do to others?

'But what about Xenaphez?'

[Xenaphez? Who?]

'The demon general. The one who guards the Door of Salvation. Didn't he close it?'

[I don't know what you are talking about. Although it is unknown how you defeated the Demon Marionette, it didn't close the door.]

Hearing this, Renir worried 'Is Xenaphez alright? I remember that something very powerful descended to the Gantlet and even that Demon General was scared of it.' he thought to himself.

After a lot of thinking, he asked, 'How many Feluxers crossed the door?'

[So you know of them. This will be easy to understand what they can do then. However, the bad news is that every Feluxers crossed back here - the whole City of Misfortunes with a few left behind.]

'How many exactly?'

[They reached a thousand in numbers...]

Like a flash of lightning that created thunder, shaking his very soul and came to a mountain falling onto him a great burden. Renir's expression slowly transformed into sadness as the burden began to hurt him. When he finally experienced happiness in this world, it didn't last long.

Olmen saw Renir's pained expression and couldn't fathom the depth of it that even he was affected by it.

However, the next moment made Olmen's eyes widened in surprise. Instead of crying and whimpering, Renir quietly sighed and his face turned cold, The familiar expression when he had enough of the trials in Gantlet.

'I'll do it.'

Hearing this, even Olmen was conflicted [I know it's your responsibility but don't push yourself too hard. After you completed this mission, the Supreme Council will greatly reward you!]

'Sure. But what is this Supreme Council about?'

It was obvious that Olmen's motivating words were useless as Renir didn't of it that much. A reward from the otherworld... if that reward was to ensure Renir's peace in this world or maybe something that could protect him and Imee, only would then he would take an interest.

Olmen then continued, knowing that he did try to lift Renir's spirit even if it failed [Oh, they are the council that governs over the Moon Bridge. They are filled with True Rune Users. If you don't know what's a True Rune User is, they are Rank 7 Rune Users that can use the powers of the rune themselves! Their power is unimaginable!] Olmen spoke as if it was something he greatly desired.

'Moon Bridge, I remember that Sceke told me once. Is it him or Hanzee? I forgot..." Renir thought to himself. He couldn't deny that he didn't expect to hear that mysterious place again while ignoring Olmen's fascination about True Rune User, because he himself is a True Rune User,

'But...' Renir then went to the point, 'How do I even bring them back to Gantlet and most importantly, if I don't have the strength that I had before in Gantlet, how can I face them?'

[Oh, the first one isn't a problem at all. We have found a way for that and that is to knock them unconscious then force them to teleport back by adding a special rune to their beads.]

'Okay...'

[However, your second question is a bit problematic since we didn't expect for you, the one who opened the door himself, wouldn't be able to retain his power.]

'Then how?'

[I guess I have to speak with my superiors about this.] Olmen looked as if he pondered [So, in the meantime, enjoy your time tonight.] he then leaned forward to whisper even though it was unnecessary [I suggest you take this opportunity if you know what I mean.] he winked at Renir.

'Ugh... after all the things you said to me, do you think I have the mood to be thinking about that?' Renir rolled his eyes.

[Well, just trying to cheer you up. Not every guy has a chance to be in the... situation you have there. For her to let you in the bed, spoiler, she really likes you.] Olmen chuckled as he stood up and continued [That's about it. I'll come back next time to bring you news] after a single wave of goodbye. Olmen's translucent figure began to fade until transparency and disappeared completely.

'Scary thinking that next, there's someone who can read my thoughts.' Renir sighed. His eyelids fell half-closed as he gazed upon the space.

While Renir brood over what he just learned, Imee had her eyes wide open while holding her chest;

'Stop!- no... I mean, slow down. I won't be able to sleep a wink at this point!' her mind was still filled with 'butterflies', not knowing that one of her worst fears happened.

They are so close together yet Imee was unable to do anything about Renir's emotions for she does not know. Just a little bit of comforting words or just a touch saying that she's there for him would have greatly helped Renir's deteriorating sanity.

However or fortunately for them, just her presence and because of Olmen's spoiler earlier, Renir smiled amidst the conflicting emotion he had...

Both of them had a hard time sleeping that night, one with different reasons. Only when time passed did both of them went to sleep.

While they both slept so did the others woke up. One by one, in different parts of the country, they woke up in their bed as power surged through them. Some of these people have wishes they wanted to acquire.

Now that they have the power to do so, can anyone stop them? Was one of the "evil" thoughts spiraling in their minds. While some found peace in salvation, some found ambition for selfish purposes. If they can, why wouldn't they?

What is the reason for there to hide if they can control people with their new-gained power?