A Guide, Is What You Need (2)

"Do you all, need a Guide?"

The individual spoke once more, their voice carrying a hint of curiosity and seriousness.

All three parties remained silent, each one having a complex expression across their faces.

However, the one to break this silence was Natalie.

"Yes, I for one do need a guide"

She spoke confidently, though her tone had a mix of caution blended into it.

The individual glanced over at her, once more eyeing her up and down. Their eyes narrowed a bit as if trying to glimpse at something.

"Verify…"

The individual spoke, their voice a bit robotic in tone.

"…?" Natalie looked at them with a puzzled face, tilting her head a bit.

"Please, Verify your participation"

The individual spoke again in the same robotic tone of voice. Their eyes once again narrowed.

Natalie looked at the person, her face conveying a mix of confusion and a bit of anxiousness.

Johnathan however, looked at this scene a bit differently. Though his guard was up, he did his best to analyze the situation.

'Verify? Do we need to show them our IDs or something?..'

Johnathan glanced over at Natalie, noticing she was just as confused if not more. He clicked his tongue In annoyance, placing his hand under his chin, indicating he was in deep thought.

...….

As I stood by and listened to what the individual by the wall of transparent light said, I couldn't help but reach into my backpack and grab the letter my sister had left me.

At first, I got a bit apprehensive. Looking over at the individual once more, trying to read their body language.

But they kept their eyes on the woman across from me. I sighed visibly nervous, but I managed to gather my composure and pulled out the letter.

"Does this make me Verified?" I asked my voice neutral, but conveying a hint of anxiousness.

The individual turned their head over towards me. Their eyes glazed over my body as if trying to assess something.

But once their eyes landed on the letter in my right palm, their eyes began to relax. A feint ethereal glow could be seen in the red eye of the individual. Shortly after, it appeared normal again.

I stood there awaiting a response to my previous question.

"Pass…"

The individual spoke subtly. My eyes widen a bit, as my face conveys a sense of confusion.

Once more, however, the individual spoke a bit more louder and clearer.

"You Pass, thank you for verifying your participation"

"Mm…"

I nodded. The individual nodded back to me, gesturing with their hand over the wall of transparent light.

Putting the note away back into my backpack, I glanced over at the two other parties present. The woman had a dumbstruck expression on her face, while a sense of realization overcame her.

The man in the blue suit, however. had a face of both confusion and a bit of annoyance, rubbing his chin with his fingertips, he glanced over at me.

Not sure what to make of his expression, I merely turned away, not giving the person a second thought.

But before I reached the wall of transparent light, the individual spoke with a neutral tone and face.

"Please leave any unnecessary Luggage behind during Crossing"

Turning my head over to them, I couldn't help but flash a confused face. But, only a second did it dawn on me that they were referring to my bike.

Looking down at my bike, I sighed a bit. Slowly closing my eyes, I thought back to when I first bought it to get to work when the bus arrived later than usual.

It really got me out of sticky situations as well. Gripping the handlebars of the bike, I opened my eyes, accepting the reality of leaving it behind.

"I understand"

I spoke with a neutral voice, pulling my bike over towards a nearby tree. To ensure that it didn't get stolen when I came back. I ended up Tying it down to the said tree.

Nodding, I stepped back and looked over my shoulder towards the two parties. In that short amount of time that it took for me to properly tie down my bike.

Both parties showed the individual their own respective letters, to which the individual or rather the Guide nodded. Allowing them to go through the transparent wall of light.

...…..

As both parties approached the wall of transparent light, they each had mixed feelings appearing across their faces.

Natalie looked at the brining patterns appearing and disappearing from the transparent wall of light. Her eyes conveyed a sense of wonder and fear, gritting her teeth and a slow shake of her head, her resolve became apparent.

And slowly she walked through the transparent wall of light, leaving behind the world she had inhabited for so long.

Meanwhile, Johnathan approached the wall of transparent light, his expression a mix of curiosity and awe. A small grin could be seen curling up his lips.

His eyes showed a sense of determination and purpose. His motives are still unknown, his journey set for another time.

Unfortunately for the bodyguard that was with Natalie, he had to stay behind. Despite his best efforts to follow his employer, the Guide didn't allow him to pass through the wall of transparent light.

"Let me through" The bodyguard spoke, his voice a mix of annoyance and authoritative anger.

"In Oder to pass you must show verification" the guide spoke, their tone neutral and composed.

The bodyguard now agitated, gritted his teeth. In a brief moment of anger, he attempted a straight punch at the Guide.

However, before the bodyguard could make a clear-headed move forward. The guide sidestepped more than 1 foot away from the incoming attack.

In that same motion, the Guide slowly raised his arm overhead. And as the bodyguard's weight moved him forward, it gave the guide an opening to exploit. The bodyguard's back neck was now exposed, the guide lowering his arm down with an equal if not more force than the punch the bodyguard attempted.

The guide landing a swift chop to the back of the bodyguard's neck left the bodyguard both in shock and paralyzed.

"AUGH!" His weight betrayed him, slamming heavily onto the grassy ground beneath his feet.

The guide let out a sigh, his face showing no sign of exhaustion or emotion other than disappointment.

Turning his head over his right shoulder, the guide looked at Ray.

.

.

.

Ray looked at the guide for a moment or two, his eyes showing a mix of shock and surprise.

He was taken aback by the guide's seemingly discreet skill. Or was it an ability he had yet to understand? With the little information he has from his older sister's letter he could only assume and speculate.

"Will you proceed?" The guide asked with a neutral tone.

Ray stood there on guard, he was about to speak but stopped himself before saying anything unnecessary.

The guide remained silent, staring at Ray. The guide's eyes seemed to look over Ray, his gaze stopping at Ray's eyes.

"You're determined, for what? Strength? Wealth? Purpose?" The guides asked, their voice remaining neutral.

"..Revenge…" Ray responded, his tone neutral and bitter.

The guide's eyes slightly raised a bit, until returning to their neutral look.

"You'd enter into unknown territory, for such a trivial thing?" The guide asked once more, their voice still neutral.

Ray's face slightly furrowed, but returned to his neutral expression. He thought for a moment, looking back on the times he spent with his older sister and his mother.

Despite those memories being short, meaningless, and even forgettable. He cherished them greatly, his gaze was towards the night sky.

"It might be trivial, yes. But to me, it's something I have to do. I won't- no, I will not let this go. It may not be something righteous, noble, or even worth the risk…but we all have our reasons for living in life..and this is mine" Ray responded, his voice laced with sadness and pain.

The guide looked at Ray, their lips parting about to say something, but stopped halfway. They stood there merely looking at Ray, pondering the young man's sad eyes.

"Very well, then please pass through the gate. Prove to yourself, to the whole everything you are taking revenge for. That those aren't just empty words" The guide spoke, their tone a mix of encouragement and curiosity.

Ray's gaze fell back onto the guide, and then his eyes fell over to the wall of transparent light. He walked over to the light, but as he approached he thought to the last conversation he had with his mother about his sister.

'Regardless of Nya's choice, Mom never hated her. She loved her, she even wished her to be happy…the thought of hearing that her daughter was dead was too much to think about.

I won't let Mom go through that pain. The bastards that drove my sister into a corner, the lives lost during her journey, and the countless hurdles she and her companions might've faced.

Won't be in vain, I won't allow it. I swear, by the en dog this all. One way or another someone's gonna pay…dearly" Ray thought, his determination visible in his eyes.

As he looked back one last time at the world he was leaving behind. He sighed, turning back to the wall of transparent light, finally passing through it.