Chapter 9. The Demon Gate and His Riddles

The gigantic Demon Gate was ahead of their eyes, it was a huge wooden gate, even larger than the last one he saw. It was pitch-black in color, resentment black energy was flowing and fluttering and surrounding it.

There was no handle or anything else on the gate except the mantras which were written in beautiful and alluring crimson-colored writing, it was horribly gleaming like it could hypnotize anyone who gave even a glance at it.

The Demon Gate looked outrageous with the demonic air mixed in the atmosphere. Not just mortals but even immortals would be terrified if they looked at it and thought twice before stepping inside it. 

Advik's eyes scanned the Gate from bottom to top in amusement, "Such a big gate. It's even bigger than the one I saw before," he deliberately said with a loud voice, "Pranaam, Shriman Dwaar, Let us pass through you, we need to find someone. Help us!"

The Demonic Gate remained soundless and motionless for a moment before it spoke with a cloud bursting like voice, "WHAT DO YOU WANT? LEAVE THIS PLACE RIGHT NOW. IT IS NOT A PLACE FOR KIDS TO PLAY. DO NOT DISTURB ME!"

Advik was enjoying this situation but chose not to show it on his face, he frankly asked, "We are not here to disturb anyone. Just let us pass through, please!"

The gate was lazy and it didn't want any trouble for itself, it just heavily sighed and opened its mouth and large round demonic eyes–it was frightening, those blazing eyes of it looked at them, its voice thundered again, "OKAY! JUST SOLVE MY RIDDLES AND I WILL LET YOU GO. YOU ARE THREE SO THE RIDDLES WILL BE THREE AS WELL, UNDERSTOOD?"

"Sure, fine by us. Just ask, I can solve them in a second," Advik confidently grinned.

"I HAVE A CONDITION BEFORE I ASK YOU MY RIDDLES AND THAT IS---YOU WILL NEVER COME BACK HERE IF YOU FAILED TO ANSWER ANY OF THEM AND YOU HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THREE RIDDLES CORRECTLY IF YOU WISH TO GO."

There was excitement in the way Advik replied, "Yes-yes, I know, just ask!"

"YOUR FIRST RIDDLE IS – WHO MAKES IT, HAS NO NEED OF IT. WHO BUYS IT, HAS NO USE FOR IT. WHO USES IT CAN NEITHER SEE NOR FEEL IT. WHAT IS IT?"

"Coffin, the answer is a coffin." It was not even a moment since the Demon Gate recited the riddle when Advik with a rapid speed said the answer confidently.

The Demon Gate was furious and anxious at the same time, "How...How? How did you know the answer? You didn't even waste a moment before answering. You are using some wicked kind of method for this, aren't you?" It was unthinkable for it to find someone who could answer his riddles in a moment.

"How you ask…well, I know the person who created this riddle. I know it was not yours from the beginning. The creator of that riddle was a woman. She was a tall, beautiful, and smart woman. She was the one who told me the answer when I couldn't think of the answer to it a long-long time ago."

The Gate just couldn't believe the creator met him but not the Gate, "No! No! No! You are lying! This riddle's creator is unknown. Even I could not find the creator, so how could a lowly life like you could have found them? You are not telling the truth, I am certain!" It just impatiently tried to deny it in every possible way.

"Then, don't believe it. I am not here to prove that I've met the creator of some riddles. If you don't want to believe then do not believe. I also have a precious gemstone ring of hers which she gave me as a parting gift." Advik put his palm on his cheek and looked upwards, reminiscing, "Aha…she was such a beauty, I miss her sometimes."

Seeing the strange youth talking about a precious ring given by the creator of the riddle made the Gate greedy. He suddenly pacified a lot and demanded, "S-show me that ring, then I will believe you." 

Advik smiled hearing the Demon. He put his left hand on his waist where a black cloth was worn around it and inside the cloth, a small pouch was stored. He took out the pouch and opened it to take out the gem-stoned ring.

The stone on the ring was glittering like stars, no, even more than stars. No doubt that the ring was priceless and precious. The breath of the Gate stopped when he saw that ring in front of his eyes. His demonic and fierce eyes twinkled with evil excitement.

Advik stretched out his hand to show the ring to the Gate while he calmly questioned, "Do you want this ring? It's very precious to me because she herself gave me this but right now I am just a wandering soul and I don't think I need this and it's bigger for my fingers, so, I can give you this. Don't you want it?" He gladly smiled at the Gate, his eyes shone with a hint of wickedness. 

The Black-Fireball interrupted him hearing that statement of Advik, "Child, what are you doing? This demon is greedy, do not give him something which is so important to you, and what about the feelings of the lady who gave you this ring as a present, don't you care about her feelings that are attached to this jewelry?"

Even the Firefly looked at him with anger and buzzed sharply. 

"Who isn't greedy?" Advik was shockingly calm in the circumstance, his lips curled up looking at the Fireball, he candidly added, "She gave me this ring and I can do whatever I want to do with this because she said that I can use it if I ever met any danger. And after she gave me this ring it became mine, therefore I can do whatever I want with it." 

"HEY! DO NOT TALK ON YOUR OWN. I AM ALSO HERE," the thunderous voice of the Gate rang again.

Advik's eyes again looked at the Gate, there was a childish excitement in his tone as he cheerfully asked, "So, you want it? You can have it!" He put away his hand and clenched the ring inside his fist. His voice turned icy-cold, "You can have it but I want something in return, you see…I am not a saint who gives everything without asking for anything in return."

The Gate was more composed than before, his tone doubtful, "What do you want?" His demonic eyes gazed at the man in front of it with an unusual desire. 

Advik started juggling the ring as he nonchalantly replied, "I think you know what I want, we just want to enter in the Real Realm and we don't want to answer any more riddles of yours, " he crossed his hands, "You can have this ring if you make this deal with us. Think about it. It's a very special ring which was given by the creator of many famous riddles."

The Gate looked like he was seriously considering the offer. It went silent and Advik again carefreely started to juggle that ring in his hand again, "Are you thinking about it, Shriman Dwaar."

"Yes, stay silent for a moment," the Gate said seriously.

Advik wickedly smirked and hastily added as if he was a vendor selling his goods, "Don't think about it, just say yes already. It's a lifetime offer," he again waved his hand which had the ring, "see-see this ring." 

"I am thinking!"

"Just say yes."

The Demon gate, ".....!!"

The Black Fireball, "......????"

Even the Firefly, "........"

"Accept my fabulous offer, hurry up!" Advik was getting impatient.

The Gate, "..........."

"This ring is truly precious and one of a kind, see!!" Advik again showed the ring to the Gate, "Look, look at it."

".......BE QUIET, CAN YOU? I AM TRYING TO THINK SOMETHING!!!!"

"Oh, ok…ay," Advik took his hand back and became silent.

The Gate looked at Advik who was mutely standing in front of it. Hmmm…this ring is really beautiful and I think its value is more than thousands of bags of gold coins and this soul seems to be extremely naive to give me this valuable ring in exchange to let them enter the realm which is incredibly deadly even for high ranked demons. I should accept this deal, there is no loss for me.

While the Gate was pondering, Advik spoke loudly, "I feel you don't want to accept my once in a lifetime offer, then it's no use to stay here. We are going back. You can think as much as you want when I'm gone," Advik turned and stepped a little ahead. There was a cunning smile in his eyes. 

He was going back in the opposite direction of the Real Realm when he heard the Gate. "Hey, Soul! I accept your offer. You can enter the Realm and you do not have to answer the remaining two riddles as you wished. However, first, give me the ring and I assure you I will let you all go."

The Fireball commented, "How can we believe you? You might not let us enter inside after getting what you wished for, what will we do then?"

"I will not do anything like that, trust me for once. I have a curse on me which made me unable to lie ever," the Gate assured them calmly.

"Mr. Fireball, just trust him," Advik comforted the Fireball then stepped ahead to give the ring to the Gate. He opened his fist and the ring which was on his palm flew towards the gate.

After gaining what it wanted, the Gate replied, "You can go now, be careful because inside of the realm is not for fun," the Gate opened itself, the sharp-piercing creak of it was the signal that it was opened. 

"Thank you for your advice, we'll take care of ourselves," Advik softly glanced at the Demon Gate. He looked at the Fireball and the Firefly which was floating there for a while, he smiled at them and hastily went inside the Gate. The two flying companions followed him.

The Gate closed itself behind them with a loud 'bam'. The Real Realm was frightful, exceedingly dreadful. It was dark with highly body-shivering negative and demonic energy filled in every inch of it.

The deafening resentment screams and cries were coming from all directions. The awful scent in the air was of blood and fleshes hit his nostrils and made him feel nauseous. The freezing wind was slowly blowing. Advik's eyes widened after watching such an outrageous scene, his legs froze, he couldn't even find the smallest place to put his feet. Everywhere was just trees and trees. If what they all saw before was just a deadly place then this time this was the hell itself in front of them!

New and old fleshes, corpses, and bones of various kinds of beings were scattered everywhere. The smell of decomposing flesh was overwhelming, the cut-off limbs were everywhere even over the trees, blood was dripping on the ground like it was pouring there for years. The Firefly flew close to Advik. Advik covered his nose and mouth after he smelled those unbearable smells, "It is so absurd and terrifying here. Who can do something so cruel? Are you sure that this is the Real Realm, not the hell itself!?"

The Fireball replied with a plain, low voice, "No, this is just the real Lost Souls Realm nothing else." 

Advik scanned every direction with squinted eyes, "H-how it becomes like this, or has this place always been in this condition?"

"This Realm has always been like this because," the Fireball explained, "demons, ghosts, spirits, monsters, devils and other fiendish creatures live here or I should say they all are stuck here; imprisoned here by Hell or Heaven. They all have to fight for the food here which is one of the reasons why this place became like this." 

"Ohhhhh," Advik was still struggling to find a clean place. He was not afraid, not at all but it was the heavy smell and corpses that were making him feel disgusted.

The Fireball continued, "For some years this Realm has become even more dangerous even for the demons and ghosts who have been living here for decades."

Advik glanced at the Black Fireball, wearing seriousness all over his face, he asked, "Why did you take me over here if you knew about this situation. Do you want me to die? Well, I cannot die anymore if what the gods said is true but still, why do you want to put me in danger?"

The Fireball softly denied, "No, I do not wish anyone to die. I am really trying to help you, nothing else, I swear to my God."

Advik remained quiet, he again examined the impenetrable forest. Everywhere the situation was worse than what he was seeing a moment ago. It was a frightening and horrible forest that could make anyone stop breathing. There was an unusual pressure surrounding him. After some minutes of silence, he spoke grimly, "There is something wrong in this Realm. Do you know anything else about this place?"

The Fireball serenely advised, "Child, this is not a place to talk. We have to find a more secure place or we will be the new prey for the demons. It is a place where many different kinds of beast and monster come to hunt for their food, therefore we must leave this ground as soon as possible."

Advik, "Hummm-ed," he sat down on the spot, staring at the ground. He thought something, with a tensed face he grabbed some mud from a clean place. He tightly closed his palm which had mud. After a moment he gently let the mud slip out of his palm, there was a calm smile on his lips as he carefully and gently stared at the mud which was slowly falling out of his grasp. 

With the mud gone from his palm, the terrifying and wrathful screams and cries gradually subsided.

The whole place… just like an empty room--went silent.

The Fireball and the Firefly were quietly watching him. He smiled peacefully and sideways peeked at them as he asked curiously, "Why aren't you asking anything? Don't you think playing like this is very childish and silly in this scary circumstance?"

The Fireball's voice was amused and respectful in a way, he softly commented, "You purified this area by what you just did, correct?"

Advik's eyes extended amusingly then he closed them and chuckled. He looked at the Fireball, "So, you knew? That was unexpected, that is why you both were so quiet."

A hint of worry showed in the way the Fireball asked, "Why did you do that? It will not change anything here. It can only temporarily pacify the resentful screams and cries, however, this cannot be a complete solution for it." 

Advik stared at the boundless sky which was dark and starless, "Hmm…you ask me why. I don't know why either. I just did it because I don't want to see any other soul wander and scream like me," he stood up and patted off the dirt from his back, looking at them, he said, "I know I cannot do much but as long as I can help, I will help." He glowed again and put his hands on his waist, "So where should we head next? I'm clueless about this Realm."

The Fireball was in thought, it murmured, the voice of the Fireball was so low that even Advik who was nearest to it didn't hear what it just murmured:

"You have changed a lot, Advik."

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Dictionary:

Shriman Dwaar: Mr. Gate/Door 

Shriman: The word prefixed to men's names, Dwaar: Gate