Chapter Seven: The Fool

Once again, I didn't gain any points of experience and headed hurriedly towards Gara. He was standing in front of the Dunjin heart.

The beast's head in his hand.

"So, you are telling me that all the monsters in this place were human who gave up"

Actually, the brutality of this place isn't shocking news any more where there is no death and absolutely there is a price for that.

"Let's go Gara. Let go of the beast's head and let's stab the heart and get out of here"

"But his last words were that this gate is like a training area, and all the corpses and the black sand in his area came from the other gates"

When he stabbed the heart of the Dunjin, we heard sounds of drums and Gara was healed completely.

⾨

Three boxes showed up and on each box there was a phrase:

The first "death less than 10 times" the box type is rare.

The second "gaining 100,000 points of experience" the box type is unspecified.

The third "0 points of experience, not killing anything in the Dunjin" the box type is unspecified.

Suddenly, we were moved to the place that we were in before entering the forest.

Again, there are 7 gates in front of us, six of it are illuminated.

The boxes in front of us has a barrier. We can't move; the door of the cave came closer behind us.

A strange unhuman voice spoke to us, the ground was shaking.

╗

Welcome, you have passed the experimental level of the cave

You have now two options; because of an existed secret condition, returning to your normal live has been activated

╚

The demonic gate opened again.

Gara and I were astounded and we wanted to run but the barrier was surrounding us.

╗

Now, you have two options

Returning outside, which I don't actually recommend,

Or the second option, which is entering the second Dunjin so you can have the boxes

╚

"…"

I shouted on Gara "what we are thinking, we will go back to the city of course"

"I didn't say anything, let's hear what he is saying"

╗

the reason behind not recommending going outside is that you have done something impossible, which is gaining high points of experience in a normal gate; and at the same time, you have gained two unspecified boxes. These boxes contain unlimited powers and so many warriors get into here dreaming about it. Powers like going back in time or immortality…and many other things that I can't tell you about.

╚

I didn't care about what he was saying "we want to get out of here without return"

╗

Of course, this is logic

No one wants to continue in this gate.

Since you are coming back to enter one day, I will give one day before I shut the gate

╚

When Gara wanted to speak, the voice shouted "I am not here to teach you everything, the gate is in front of you"

Our date is after one day.

I saw hesitation on Gara's face, so I held his hand and insisted that he got out with me.

"What if our decision is wrong and delusive…maybe we could gain some power enabling us to amend the city situation for the better"

The features of panic and fear were obvious on him, and my voice tone became strange

"We should go back to the city, I don't want them to live a hard life because of us once again"

"Once again the city is everything…"

Gara got may hand off him "do you think that they care about us? They are selfish people and they want to live tirelessly"

Gara grabbed my hand "we have a whole day to think before making our decision…"

I don't know what gets into me that made me knock him down.

"We will go out !!!"

A punch of him knocked me down. Rage was controlling us and we exchanged punches till the matter came to the point of using swords.

"I must go out and at the same time I don't want you to be alone here. It was because of you that we got in here in the first place. Look at what your curiosity has done to us!

You are always distorting the corpses in the forest, and we can't have a good price because of you!!

You don't want to be good with people. The number of people joining the syndicate is low because of you!!!

Why are you always like this!!!

Didn't you learn from our mistake in the past!!!

We were the reason behind the death of half of the syndicate!!!

Doesn't this affect you Garaaaaaa!!!"

Gara replied so calmly "I didn't want to tell you, but as you saw me entering the gate, I saw you entering the gate as well and I followed you"

I paused, then continued "but I saw you entered, and then I grabbed you and the gate forced us to jump inside"

"Me too"

"So the gate has deceived us from the beginning…we must not trust it"

"Regarding the city, yes we made mistakes in the past I can't deny that, but the city didn't care about those who died. They just wanted to live happily"

"Maybe you are a good person and can forgive, but I can't do that. All I can do is helping you"

He caught my head "look at your arm, there is a price"

"Do you want to convince me that there is no trick?"

In fact, it was obvious from the naming that there is a cost for death.

I know that, and I know that all people in the city don't care about us.

I know that, but I have to work for those who died under my command or because of me.

My knees couldn't carry me, worry and overthinking have finished what was remained of logic inside me.

My tears started to fall, I don't know what to do. The image of my daughter and wife is engraved in my heart.

I want to go back, I have no problem in begging the merchant again.

I just want the city to live in peace. This is my dream and goal.

Gara helped me to stand up "I'm your friend, I will not leave you and I will respect your decision"

Every time Gara step down for me. In fact, I don't know why I don't step down.

We don't know how many days have passed in the gate because it was always dark.

Maybe a week or two, or a day or two.

We arrived to the gate.

George, Price: 10

Gara, Price: 9

When we reached the gate, the voice spoke again

╗

You have one day, the gate will remain open

In case you considered coming back

╚

Then, the gate pushed us outside. I tried to hold Gara's hand but he was away from me.

-----------

I opened my eyes, and it was hurting me because of the sun.

Then, I heard the sound of people around me…I really missed humans.

My ears didn't adjust to the loud noise.

"You devil, why you came back!"

"So many people have suffered because of you!!"

"Why did you come back, go to hell with your wife!"

I didn't believe what I am hearing. I stood up and looked at the city state.

It was in a deplorable condition and the people became so thin.

What happened? I ignored the people around me and headed hurriedly to my house ignoring all the insulting words…and at the same time I looked for Gara, why he is not with me?

The syndicate was before my house…there is nothing left of it, half of it was burned. I entered and found nobody. The dust and filth are everywhere.

I ran quickly to my house with fear and negative feeling filling me.

When I arrived, I remembered Gara's words "do you think they care about us?"

Maria and my daughter Mona…

I hope they are fine…

I don't want to think negatively…

The house was totally burned. I entered and found a clean bed and new clothes…

Does somebody live here?

I went out and found my friend Gairo, he was my second assistant in the syndicate and it seems that he grow old. He looked at me astonishingly, then he fell to the ground apologizing sincerely and crying…

His behavior made me prepare myself for shocking news "don't apologize, tell me what happened during the past days?

Gairo said weeping "days..? You mean 10 years!"

I recalled Gara instantly "the price…"

Yes, the price was 10….

I collapsed on the ground. Actually, after getting out of the gate I didn't expect that there is anything in the world would shock me like this.

"Didn't you know that 10 years have passed?"

I nodded

"One year ago, Gara returned alone and the same thing that happened to you, happened to him…

Stupid Gara never talks and because of him nobody know what happened"

I shouted "where is Gara, where are my wife and daughter"

I saw so much sadness in Gairo's eyes before he continued.

I interrupted him "tell me everything, I have no patience"

"Ok…I hope you would forgive me…

At first, Maria came and told me that you hadn't come back and the gate had closed…after searching, we have found the necklace in front of the gate so we guessed that you and Gara had entered the gate. But the citizens of the city didn't want to believe that. We kept searching for you in the woods and fighting the monsters for a week.

After a week, you were forgotten and at the same time, the guys at the syndicate took advantage and obliged me to give up my position because of their strike"

I remembered myself in the past… I sighed because I know where the events are going.

"As I expected, the adventurers started to break the rules and head towards deep places in the woods. After a year, many have injured and at the same time exploring in the woods became harder, especially that the merchant decided to never deal with the guys. Here, we didn't sell anything and your wife knew about this matter so she came and continued with us in the syndicate and convinced the merchant to deal with us again. For two years, we were able to provide for the minimum of our living needs…the city didn't reach poverty, but the inhabitants of the city started to bother the adventurers and accused them of being a disgrace to the city, and because of them the city become like this. This made your wife go deeper in the woods and reaching dangerous limits till she received a sever injury in her foot prevented her from moving the way she used to, and she couldn't fight.

Five years ago, the syndicate has stopped completely and the period of poverty began. During the past four years, your wife and daughter have been bullied by the inhabitants in so many ways. All people in the city had participated in setting your house on fire"

I talked "so they are blaming my wife because I wasn't here"

Gara was absolutely right.

"Then there was Gara's incident before a year ago. He returned but didn't care about anyone. Rage took over him when he saw what happened and began to beat whoever came in his way. He and your wife decided to go to the gate to bring you back"

I screamed loudly "what did you say !!!!!"

I grabbed him strongly "haven't they left me any message? And where is my daughter? You didn't say a word about her! If they did anything to her, I will kill everyone in the city!!!"

"Calm down George, actually Gara expected that and he told me to tell you to go back to the gate and think about the box to correct everything. I honestly don't know what he means"

"I don't care… where is my daughter?"

"Don't tell me that something wrong happened to her??"

"In fact, at the same day your house has burned, she disappeared and no one have found her. Some warriors told me that sometimes they have seen her fight alone at the woods till this day"

"She is now 18 years old…you are telling me that she was training since she was 14? And fighting in the woods?"

"You didn't see her, she is so talented. When she was 13, she has been better than so many adventurers"

I don't know what to do…I have to get back to the gate…it might be the best solution for me now. Maybe the box has the power of going back in time or it has other powers that could solve the situation that I am in right now.

"I have to go back…Gairo…I must go back but I can't leave my daughter"

"Don't worry George, I'm sure she is fine and has become so strong. You have only one day as I have heard"

I arrived at the gate and found the adventurers waiting for me.

Most of them were youths but their eyes show that they are fierce fighters.

"We want to go with you"

Before I could say anything,

"We have nothing in the city, no family, no life. We are fighting the monsters everyday for others only. This city don't deserve our efforts"

I noticed a brave girl with decisive eyes, what kept me silent is that her whole right hand and half of her face were burnt. I knew that she is my daughter from her eyes.

Eventually, Gara has told me about this bitter reality. I didn't learn from it in each time we return from the task. Everyone is asking about the goods, food or money. At the winter days when we minimize hunting and trade, everyone become gloomy and stop treating us like friends, colleagues or neighbors.

The have burned my house, and they haven't mercy for my daughter and wife, and so many adventurers have dies following the city policy before everything.

"Please, don't go"

"Go back to the woods and kill the monsters"

"Do you want to run away and make us suffer for years again"

"The merchant told us that he will never deal with someone that no one knows where he is"

"You are powerful, you should serve us"

I have heard so many things like this.

…then I remembered the sadness of my daughter Mona when I told her that I can't play with her, or coming home early to stay with my family, and me being late for everything and each time I arrive home I would be tired and sleep.

Then, my dialogues with Gara and my wife came to my mind when they told me that the city don't care who is doing that, they only want to live in prosperity.

Then I remembered that we don't know why we are isolated from the world.

Why they don't want anyone coming in or out from it.

Why we have strange power and numbers on our arms since childhood.

I smiled, then I remembered one sentence that described me, which is how fool I was.

"Who wants to come is free, I am not responsible for anyone inside the gate"

I entered inside the gate hoping to see Gara and my wife.

Not a day went out without the voice telling me

╗

Welcome back, your friend have returned a year ago

╚

Really…

The voice has manipulated us

The day when Gara returned a year ago…

Fortunately, my box is still there.

I looked back.

The girl with the burnt face has followed me.

- The End -