Chapter 17 - Sarah's Sorrow

[48:01:42]

"It has now been 2 days since the 3 S-Ranked hunters have entered the gate." The worried reporter announced standing outside the pulsing gate with her microphone. "Unfortunately, because there's been no movement from within the gate, we will now be stopping the live recording."

"Sarah." Marcus knocked on his sister's door, "Sarah, please open the door." He sighed, tugging the doorknob to no avail. "Sarah, we're all worried about you. Please open the door, it's been 2 days since you've last eaten!"

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" A croaked scream responded from the other end and a loud audible thud hit the door and a quiet sniff follows.

Marcus let out a small sigh of frustration as he turned around to see his mother standing by the couch with a worried expression.

"What is going on?" She whimpered, choking on tears as she leaned on Marcus' shoulder. "Why is everything happening now? I don't understand. What is going on with our family?"

"Mum. Mum, calm down." Marcus sat his mother down and wiped her tear. "It's going to be fine. I swear, I'll fix everything. It'll be fine."

His mother nodded with a hesitant smile as she watched the news reporting about the failed gate mission.

"I need to go to work now," Marcus squeezed his mother's hand, "Take care of yourself alright? Sarah will be fine."

His mother closes her eyes and takes a deep breath before looking back at him with a confident smile. "My boy." She pinches his cheeks and gives him a hug, "You've grown up so quickly, taking care of me already. Now go on, don't let me burden you."

She lets go of him and hurriedly shoos him out the door with a genuine smile. "Have a good day,"

"I will," Marcus replied, putting on his shoes and heading out the door.

——

"Mr. Elori," A young boy called out before he left the classroom at the end of the day.

"Yes, Jacob?" Marcus looked over at the hesitant boy with his backpack standing by the door.

"You…" He began, looking down at the floor, his foot kicking the painted wall, "You won't leave me as well will you?" He suddenly asked, looking back up with a hesitant expression.

Marcus frowned as he approached the little boy, "Why would you ask that? Of course, I won't. I'll always be here."

"I-It just… Ever since mommy and Ms. Soreath went to heaven, I started having dreams of you leaving with them…" He muttered, slightly embarrassed as he tried his best to avoid eye contact.

"Jacob." Marcus hugged the boy with a sigh, "Here." He held out his pinky finger. "No matter what happens, I will always be by your side. Pinky promise."

Jacob held out his pinky as well and curled it around Marcus' finger with an assured smile on his face.

"Thank you, Mr. Elori," He gave his teacher a hug before running out the door and out of sight.

Marcus simply stood there as he watched the boy exit his vision, his eyes glancing back down at his finger and he clenched his fist.

"It's alright. You got this." He assured himself packing up his own things and leaving the school.

——

"I'm home." Marcus called out as he entered his house, "Mum? Sarah?"

The lights were turned on, but he received no answer.

"Mum?" He repeated, walking further into the living room to see his mother taking a nap on the couch, her arm slightly dangling down the side.

While as per usual, Sarah's room was locked and dark.

"Sarah?" He knocked on the door once more, expecting no reply. "Mum made food in the kitchen, if you're hungry come out and get some." He said before entering his own room.

He causally turned on the news webpage on reflex and began scrolling down to find any interesting information.

"Breaking News," A new screen popped up in his browser as a news anchor sat behind the reporting desk. "The 3 S-Ranked Hunters has just successfully exited the gate!" She announced while a video of the 3 hunters appearing out the gate was shown behind her. Each of them wearing a relieved expression as their bodies bloodied and battered as they carried each other towards the rest of the standby crew.

"An exclusive interview coming soon." The reporter announced before the video ended.

Marcus instantly jumped up from his seat as he hurried his way to his sister's room.

"Sarah." He knocked once more, "Read the news. They made it out."

However, there was no reply on the other side.

"Sarah?" He called once more, but this time a loud clutter and sobbing could be heard.

A small click echoed out as the door opened, revealing a disheveled Sarah with swollen red eyes looking out the door.

"They're alive!" She giggled, giving her brother a hug and holding back her tears of joy.

"They did," Marcus replied, patting her head, "Now go eat some food, you look like a homeless person."

Sarah obediently made her way towards the kitchen and golfed down the giant plate of leftovers before going to take a shower.

——

"Sir, ma'am, may we ask what you all experienced within that gate?" A reporter attempted to question the 3 hunters as they recuperated within the first aid tent, their injuries bandaged and treated.

"We'll speak to you guys later, we need to head to an important meeting." Fable looked at the reporter with a serious look before nodding at the other two and they all got up and walked out of the tent.

"Have you called them yet?" Rein glanced at Fable with a questioning look.

"Yeah. They tell us to come over now. They got a hovercar ready for us, " Fable nodded, approaching a parked vehicle with a driver anticipating their arrival.

"Mr. Fable, Rein, and Ms. Mally?" The driver looked up at them.

They all nodded as they got in.

"I'll be driving you all to the conference. Please wear this blindfold. We need to keep the destination a secret." The driver leaned back and handed each of them a thick black cloth, which they all wore without hesitation as they had been told this was going to happen beforehand.

"Thank you all for cooperating. I will be driving now," The driver nodded and turned back around, and started the engine.

Within seconds, they began speeding down the road and hovering towards their destination.

——

"We're here." The driver finally announced after what seemed like a 45-minute drive.

The 3 took off their blindfolds as they glanced around. All around them were the sight of illuminating white pillars and dark blue walls surrounding them.

"This way please," The driver guided them down a narrow path and towards a black double door. "The conference room is right behind this door."

Fable nodded as he raised his hand and slowly pulled it open.

Within, the glamorous red and white room contrasted the outside completely, resonating a sense of royalty and riches. In the middle of the room sat a giant round black table with a few dozen chairs placed around it.

"You must be the Hunters." An elderly voice greeted them as they walked in. "I'm Major Connell of the Military Unit." He gave each of them a handshake and let them sit down on one of the seats.

"You're the last one here." Another elderly voice called out as a group of men and women began making their way in through a different door. "You can call me Lee." The elderly man smiled as he sat down at a seat while the rest of them followed close behind.

"Now with everyone here. We'll get the conference going." Major Connell glanced around with a smile.

"The first thing we should discuss." He turns to Fable and his friends, "Tell us all about your raids."

The room fell silent as Fable nodded and began recounting every event in intricate detail. About the time loop, the golems, the specimens, and its daunting final message before it died.

A hushed wave of confusion swept through the crowd as they all began glancing at each other and speaking over each other.

"Quiet." Major Connell ordered before looking at Fable with a serious expression. "Are you sure that's what it said?"

"Absolutely sure, sir." Fable nodded, "Their vengeance will be served. The mighty king will rise. The Keeper of Gates. The Ruler of both worlds." He recounted once more.

Connell rubbed his chin as he began diving deep into his thoughts.

"There's no way this a coincidence right?" He muttered before glancing up and taking a deep breath to explain his train of thought. "Recently, we've traced a signal which seems to be an odd gate opening and disappearing shortly after. But, what if that wasn't just any random malfunctioning gate, but one that was opened and closed on purpose?" Connell explained, looking around to see everyone listening with a serious expression. "What if it was someone opening and closing it on purpose?"

"Then wouldn't that mean!?" A voice interrupted, finally understanding the meaning behind the Major's words, "That means the so-called king is highly likely already in this world, or originally in this world and has disappeared into that world."

The Major let out a grim smile of satisfaction as he pointed at the person who had spoken out. "Exactly, and we may already have a suspect."