Chapter Two: The Gate

Location: the guard in front of the gate.

George arrived to the guard's place which is located within the city borders and facing the mountain which has the dark gate.

I have always the same feeling every time I arrive and see it. A large black gate with strange signs that are more like symbols than shapes. When you try to look to what is there inside, you will only see darkness…no matter how hard you try to focus. The light never knows its way within.

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Gara wasn't conscious about anything around him, he was just staring at the gate. I put my hand on his shoulder and shouted "Gaaaaaaraaaaa"

"Why did you come? Stay with your family!" Gara said annoyed from my arrival.

"I can't leave my friend in a dangerous place and get rest with my family peacefully"

Gara was used to my replies which were always succeeding in provoking him, so it didn't affect him anymore and he just kept silent "you believe the rumors about the gate, do you really think that it will call you to come close… all of them lie and nobody believe that. All they know is that you are from the cautious type"

I smiled "your perspective about people should be better, or you will never find the woman of your dreams"

Gara: "once again you are trying to cheer me up and change the subject… all of them wanted to sit in their homes and rest, and you come here to guard in their place".

Gara continued to ignore me which made me burst in laughter suddenly when he looked at me.

Gara: "you should show them this personality too… there is no need to hang on the past and fear from repeating the limit incident"

George: "the warriors didn't show their personalities… that made us try harder… or you are saying that you didn't notice"

Gara: "their last words are still in my mind every time"

George: "at least the personality I show is perfect to them, as if I'm not an assassin"

Gara ignored me again then said "go to sleep or go home"

Actually, drowsiness took the best part of me, so I took his advice and went to sleep.

I have been waking up every hour and saw him staring at the gate…still ignoring me.

It was three in the morning, and it was only two hours to go back.

I prepared some food to share. Gara accepted the food and kept watching the gate. My mind wanted to warn me and remind me of the previous guards' words, "If you stayed longer, you would go to see what is there inside the gate that we are suffering from".

I started: "Gara, don't you see that you are staring too much at the gate".

Gara took a long time to answer "I think that we are suffering from this gate, and we have been completely suppressed because of the nasty old woman's silliness who said that the monsters which will destroy the world are coming out of it".

We repeated the discussion that we are used to till I fall asleep.

I wasn't aware of myself and I felt cold… it seemed that Gara forgot to put some wood to the fire and it went out…I sensed a terrible feeling so I got up hastily searching for Gara with my eyes and didn't find him. I ran calling his name, he didn't look at me… I kept running although he was close. I ran so hard without anything, my mind telling me that my first priority is to stop him from getting in. he stepped onto the dark ground inside the gate, luckily I stopped him. I slapped him to get the soul back to his eyes.

Gara: "what am I doing here?" he was shocked that he was about to enter.

My feet and my stomach were hurting me because of the sudden run, I let down my body to touch my feet and the necklace which was a gift from my wife dropped from my pocket. I reached out and didn't feel anything except Gara's scream "the gate is closing, hurry!!!".

The gate was closing quickly, and because of the place we were in, we will be crushed if we tried to get out. So, in order to protect ourselves we jumped in and entered the dark gate.

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*The Dark Gate*

After jumping inside, all I thought about was the city and my wife and what will happen to us.

I shook Gara angrily "what are you thinking about, are you satisfied now"

"I don't know, I wasn't…I felt something attracting me without any resistance"

I didn't accept his excuse then I looked around, everything was dark. There was only a far place that has some sunlight after the gate was completely closed. Then, the light started to spread through the distributed mirrors and filling the gaps in the ground making the place divided into more than one track.

The ceiling was so high and dark, and the rest of the place was carved in more than one shape, and there were statues everywhere.

Gara: "everything here is rocky. I don't know if it was the work of human or beast. Everything is carved neatly and beautifully"

My mind was still distracted and it tried to organize the situation before us because of the light that forced us to avoid the unknown two tracks.

The ground was rocky and covered with soft soil that cause sliding. Gara told me to not speak and pointed with his hand to a group of Goblin similar to those in the woods. However, what confused me was the number of the scattered corpses and gear. I can see other tracks where the light didn't reach, and there were lots of Goblin around the place. Fortunately, they are from the same kind existed in the woods so we can handle them. What confuses me is the amount of shields and swords that are spread around.

Moreover, there were a lot of knights' bodies.

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"Ok, let's move very carefully and see why this gate is the reason of our village's misery"

The color of the rocks scattered around the place is as black as coal, and the rocks that paved the way is radiant blue, so we followed it and got near to the first Goblin.

I have prepared my sword and told Gara to follow me with his dagger after I charge with all my strength.

This way is always effective against dump Goblin, since my weapon requires using my both hands and my full strength to nail him down. Even if he succeeded in blocking the hit, Gara would continue the attack. Fortunately, the Goblin didn't notice my attack until late so I smashed him to the ground. I raised my sword quickly and petrified wondering why there was not any blood gushing out of him? Why? Is he good? I looked at my arm to know if I gained experience points or not; it were zero and I felt someone pushing me.

It wasn't a push, but a kick from behind and Gara said shouting: "nail him to the ground" I fell over the Goblin trying to hold him on the ground, but the difference of strength was way too big, and then I heard the sound of Gara's dagger broke in the Goblin's head.

Our minds couldn't comprehend what happened till the Goblin's dagger came to my head.

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At the beginning I have died, me who opened my door to you!

I have waited those who are the same as you.

But don't be afraid, the opportunities at the gate will never end till you win.

The number of attempts here are endless.

However, could your mind stand the shock?

Or

You would turn into a beast in this place?

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