Gone for the Gold

"Aww, yeah! I look good in there. Hehehe..." Charger mesmerizes his face.

"This is so cool...I could never stop looking at it."

"Woah...amazing..."

*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*

"Huh?" Charger awakes. A Hyperian with a black coat and a fedora awaits as a guest.

"Parcel," The man replies, "Where is it?"

"Oh, you're the client we've been looking for, right? I've been waiting for so long!" He said as he put every piece back into the parcel.

"Correct. Now, parcel."

"Oh, uhm...in a moment! Let me just..."

*Cling* *Cling* *Cling*

"Opened?" The man said calmly.

A rumor from the wind had said that the thief might have sneaked his little hands into the parcel while the librarian was off venturing by her own. With golden bells scattered on the table, he was lost and mesmerized by the glossy reflection of himself—such disappointment could not be tolerated by a petty man who could not wait to show his reward late.

But when he looked forward to the tall man he had betrayed his trust with, he felt ashamed and failed over his greed once more. The glossy golden bells with holes inside remind him of the golds that he had always adored. And when he realizes that the gold is not for him, the thief is displeased and unwillingly eager to return them to the box from which he had torn open.

Yet he, who came to look for those bells, arrived to see the secrecy gone between his package and the sender. He, who had waited with his black bowler hat and long trench coat at the thief's face, had come for the worst time of his life in the tavern. However, he didn't seem to bother for as long as the thief could retrieve everything in one piece.

"H-here you go!" Charger handed the box hesitantly.

"Thank you. I expect you didn't took anything from the bell?"

"There's something in the bells?" Charger looks with awe.

"That's the answer I needed. I'm heading out."

The tall man left the tavern with his parcel without a word. Soon, a blue moon appears in the sky alongside the orange dusk, where townlights begin to shimmer in the thief's loneliness. The work is done, but he doesn't seem to feel satisfied.

The tavern became a lonely palace for the thief as the wind swept through his eyes and left like nothing—not even a bar of gold for another gold to share. The thief felt betrayed for being too kind, but every selfless action would always be better than a selfish one, right? He thought of this as he sipped through the last cup of his Ale.

He had drunk too much Ale in the tavern since noon, and his stomach was starting to swell with alcohol. He could barely distinguish reality from fantasy with his fingers. Yet the thief couldn't stop savoring until he felt like it.

"Aww, I really want a gold now," Charger frowned, "Why can't I get a gold here? I'm a great boy! I deserve that!"

"I guess I wasn't great yet. Buttleboo..."

*Sip* *Sip* *Sip*

Tonight was the hottest day for everyone in this town! It was hard to think clearly with all this heat from the gold-lighted torches and fragrant oil fuming the fresh air with ginger scent. The librarian was right about how unbearable this day was. The thief had to leave the tavern quickly after realizing the time had passed due their objectives.

"Aww...it's getting dark already," He uttered, "Hm. Hey, why hasn't the party gone big tonight? Shouldn't there be a—trumpet or something?"

"Huh, it's warmer than I had remembered. Maybe Eve was right about the early Radlum weather."

*Cling* The bell swings as the door.

"Hey, Eve! The client already took the parcel with him—I can't believe how hot this day was. Maybe Radlum really was—"

"Eve?" He pauses.

When the thief searches for fresh air, the librarian has already left him with her staff scattered down. There's not even a word for him! But he was sure she must have disappeared unwillingly if not for her staff lying there. In fact, it seems she hasn't even left him that long.

There's a trace of grass footprint way too large for a starling to make, for its large interval between steps could only be made by running. The soles of the shoes appear weak and shaped like something sharp as a crystal would do over these grasses. This seems to be a clue left by the librarian to the thief before her leave.

"Did she left me? Without her staff?" He thought for a moment.

"Oh...I guess she's going for that boy herself?"

"Buttleboo! She should've been more cautious if she's trying to walk away without me!" Charger angers, "Now, she must have been stuck with herself."

"Looks like Charger the Great had to help her once more! Hya!" He packs the staff into his bag.

Alone, the thief ventured through the west side of this land following the librarian's disappearance. It was a hard choice to leave after a few beers and an empty keg. But he knew nothing would please him like a little adventure on the unknown side of the land.

The traces led to a lifeless stone, where the green grasses didn't grow, and the gravity was too weak to keep a trace. The footsteps became blurry and messy due to the strong winds from the southwest to the northeast. But the thief was persistent in following the stone-like trail. Pebbles and sand seemed to tell him a story.

The trails end on a creak under a cave, where a hole so big could have dropped someone like the librarian into the darkness. A river passes beside, dripping full of freshwater so stones don't get dry. There was a long, dark way through this darkened space.

"What is she doing here?" The thief stops when the trail ends on a creak under a cave.

"She must have fell into this cave! But I don't know where she would be with such darkness."

"I know! I could use some of my apparatus for this!" Charger pulls out his bag.

But the thief was not afraid of the dark—perhaps because the beer had made him drunk enough to fear. But he knew that entering a cave this dark would require light. And there was only one thing that could help him see other than his dim antenna.

*Crank* *Crank* *Crank* The cranking flashlight radiates a dim but slowly brighter light.

"I hope she's not afraid of flash. This would be—a flash."

"And I hope there's a gold here~!"

*Crank* *Crank* *Crank*

The thief is very good at using scrap and old things! Sometimes, he will bring his own if necessary. Since blindness is fundamental to all problems, a flashlight to your trouble is a wise decision. So, with a small body but a big brain, this creative scheme makes a great entrance to the cave. For a dark corner at the edge of his mind is the curiosity that hasn't been laid with an idea.

The thief's torch was very bright but very limited. Perhaps because its design was made of old scraps, he could only see a few seconds at the cave's face. Of course, the cave was not very helpful to blind people. But what is greatness if it is guided?

*Flash* A cave is so huge before Charger the Great.

"My, with a place like this, she would've went far. Will she?"

"And without a staff, I imagine this could go so wrong..."

Bwoosh! The sky was shimmering with yellow. The party must have been livid with the gold light flames all over the town.

"Must be a great party outside." Charger mumbled.

*Flash*

"Is that a firepit? It's not even lit! Hm, a poor one, too..." He thought.

"Yep. It must be her."

The thief entered the darkness through the gap in the cave that the librarian had once fearlessly passed through. The light continued to flicker, guiding the thief to the west. The size of the cave made him realize how deep he was and how far away the librarian was.

"It's just like old days. There's always been a lot of cave to hide lately..."

"Good thing I always came with a perk for that! A great Quasarian, I am!"

"If only Eve could see and understand me like that, too." He looks frowned.

On his journey, the thief kept cranking his flashlight to ensure the cave's atmosphere did not change when the light went out. The rotating tool echoed loudly among the rocks and the ceiling. He walked the path patiently and calmly because his stomach filled with random beer. The thief could not fear a thing!

"This was so easy! I didn't even knew how this ended up so bad before." Charger boasted.

"If I am really this well-suited for a criminal, how can I be a bad guy before? This doesn't make any sense! I should've been good at this!"

"Except...maybe they didn't care about my goodness and just want to dunk on me! All tiny creatures always have that."

"Pfft! This whole journey is too much for an old man like me! Ugh..."

"I should've been a mechanic instead." He thought.

"Pweh! That Ale is strong! I need to wash it off of my tongue now. Where is water when I needed one?" Charger thought.

The path was not only steep, but its skin was slippery like coastal sands. Water from the river outside entered the cave and flowed rapidly in the darkness for a long time. The thief became thirsty after seeing the cold, fresh water descending the sharp rocks and forget how important his best friend was at the end of the cave.

"Aah, fresh water. Just what I needed." He said.

*Glug* *Glug* *Glug*

"Focus, Charger! You have to get your friend off of here! There's no time to look away!"

But as the thief wandered through the river in utter boredom, he did not expect what the river would give him. The strong current from north to south carried a few rocks and gravel from the large hole and buried the treasures under his feet.

Right below the riverbed, some rocks were more striking in color than others. The thief, who had just refreshed himself with clean water, realized that what was under his feet were gold nuggets. They were all shining and beautiful as the sun, too.

"Oh?? Is that a gold??"

"Today must be my lucky day!" The thief looked at himself cheerfully.

"Gold! Come to Papa!"

The thief lunged into the river and dived into the water to reach for the gold nuggets. His sack had been waiting to be filled with precious ores for so long, and it was a perfect time to fill it. He was lucky how small the ores were to be grabbed out of the water and how glossy they were on his hands.

"Woah...I hit the jackpot! Jackpot! Woo!" He yelled.

"This is the best day of my life! The best day!"

"What can I do with this gold now? I wonder..."

What a brilliant gold! Maybe it is worth a million? Or perhaps it can be forged into a gold bar that looks more magnificent? The thief really did not know what to do with the gold. But he knew today he would go home rich with a big house and more sacks.

The thief was so tempted by the gold that he forgot the time and the more important moments. For his bright flashlight to shine at the sparkle from the surface of the nugget reflected his simple yet glossy face. Even with his clothes soaked, the gold brims with light and value.

"Hm... I really didn't think that far ahead," The thief analyzed his gold nugget. "Especially with my situation in a bad spot with the authorities, maybe I should reconsider the crazy purchase idea."

"Besides, isn't there anything more fun than bringing home a sack of scrap and gold like old times?"

"They don't call me a thief for nothing."

His smile widened and was full of happiness. The thief felt full and reflected on the day for all his successes in small jobs. However, he still felt something was wrong. Maybe he was short of gold? Or perhaps he needed more water to clean those beers.

"Did I put too much pressure on myself and Eve? Maybe I was too harsh as her friend..."

"I should have anticipated those people more before I brought her here. Now I look like a cheapskate holding an innocent at stake. So ungreat, Charger..."

The drunken thief felt dizzy, wanting to rest after all those walks to this cave. The Ale must have been strong for his mind that his legs were shivering too much. So he lay near a stalactite with his head brushing through the coarse ground and watched as the ceiling wonders for itself in the dark.

"Zzz..."

The peace made him sleep, dreaming of things yet unreached from his tiny, cunning hands. The thief yearns for his greatness, even in his dream, for gold and glory unmatched. He slept with a gold nugget on his chest like a charm of fortune.

"Aah! My ticket!" He yelled. "I had to go there! Wait for me!"

"Hya!"

But in his dream, glory is not found. His dream is so deep that he can feel his soul leaving his body as he reaches for that golden gate ahead. But before he could touch the cold yellow bar with his weak, unfulfilled hands, the gate vanishes as how he feared. The greatness is not enough, and he was denied entry alongside the greater ones.

"Aww..."

"Not again."

The thief lay on the ground, contemplating the lost opportunity and the time that had passed. He thought of that moment with a sense of emptiness and sadness, like losing something precious. Luckily, he always had a gold in his hand that wouldn't leave him.

"This isn't fair. I've tried my best to be there," Charger uttered, "I should've been there. I was great!"

"This is a long way to the top. I said as I spent one decade in this realm for reaching my goal."

"What did I need more to do? I'm already famous! Well—infamous."

"But I could have reached the glorious gate anytime! What Quasarian could ever achieve my level? No one!"

What a cold cave for a poor thief to live in. This cave is as cold as winter on a long night. The thief did not like snow—it made him uncomfortable.

If only there was someone who would be willing to join him in this darkest place.

"What did I do wrong to be a criminal?"

*Whisper* "Maybe you wouldn't be if you weren't so naive,"

The voice came from another passage, where a large creak led to another tunnel. It sounded like the librarian's voice, and it seemed like he was calling out to the thief from a distance. What a perfect time to remind the golden brain of his mission.

"Eve?"

"You think I wouldn't have been here if it wasn't for you? You dork..." She replies unpleasantly.

"Hehe...yeah,"

The librarian was relieved to be saved in this dark cave, but her face didn't seem to reflect much content with the thief. She looks helpless and pale for eating less, and it seems she could starve anytime. Luckily, the thief came in time to save her poor soul from this darkened place.

"Eve! Eve! Look what I found! I got a gold on our journey, isn't it amazing?" He shared a gold for her.

"Yeah? And what about the job? Have you got the client on check?"

"Obviously! But, we didn't get anything in return..."

"And why didn't we?"

"I don't know! He just left with the package! Maybe he was about to tell Jovial about it?"

"Really? And I wonder how?" Eve quipped.

The librarian could not be more grateful for the thief, as he led her out of the cave and shimmer at the sun once more. Although once she resent the heat, now she felt in need of it—it was such an irony for her. The thief pushes forward to a large creak, where he ponders at how humongous a darkness could be.

"Woah, you haven't eaten yet, Eve?" He asked her, but she stayed quiet for too long.

"I see. I got you some water. Have you drunk one yet?" He offered, but she didn't say anything.

"Oh, I assume you already, then."

"Why didn't you understand, Charger?" Eve replies coldly.

"Understand what—Umph!"

The thief ventures into a deep cave, where he finds a leftover blue shard on the floor and piles of stone stacked on a wall. The shard is cold as ice, emanating a blue light with a freezing and painful sensation, like cold, sharp fingers grasping his soft hand. He finds not only a dead end but also an unnecessary discovery of pain.

"Ouch...I don't like that." Charger drops the ice.

"You don't like what? You don't like what I did to you?" Eve scolded him.

"N-no! It's just the ice was too painful! That's all!" Charger brushes off, "Wait, is this a part of your sweater, Eve? It feels cold..."

"Why did you leave me?? Charger, look at me when you're talking!" Eve stomps.

The librarian was angered at this dead end. Her thin, pale skin had begged for food after being too lost, and the thief could not think clearly with the rubbles on the way. Frustrated, she led her wrath upon the thief for being too loose with himself. Her hunger was too unbearable to be held by silence.

"Eve? What's the matter, friend?"

"I can't believe you did this to me! You left me and you decided to walk off here thinking for nothing but yourself!"

"Eve, what are you talking about?"

The cave was colder than before, and the thief began to shiver unpleasantly. The cold felt so resentful, like a snow that he hated. The librarian could only stand, berating and yelling at him for his failure to help her. Yet the thief seems to not be bothered that the ice shard in her sweater had melted into the snow.

"F-friend?" Charger looks terrifyingly.

The librarian didn't look as usual. Her clothes weren't cold and her eyes didn't look after the thief for so long. She stood seemingly taller than the thief had remembered, especially when she had a skirt longer than her foot. This is truly not the one that the thief had been looking for. But then what is it standing at him right now?

"You're not Eve..." Charger whispers quietly.

"I had to...I had to go. Friend, I'll find a way out!"

"What?? You're leaving me?? Charger??" Eve yelled furiously as the cave echoed. Her voice sounds oddly terrifying, too.

"Ok! Ok! I'll search for a way out! Hold on, friend!" Charger rushes out.

"Fine, go ahead! Leave me! If that's what you wanted the most!"

"Get away!" She yelled loudly.

The thief didn't know what to do, so he had to run and search for an exit as the librarian's yell echoed in his ears. Her anger spread across the walls and reverb to him yet she wasn't running at him. The thief was confused and wondering why his friend become so odd, but he had no time to look behind for her, for the lights awaited.

The road leads him to a path small but heading upwards in a tunnel he hasn't seen before. Through creaks, he swings his loose arms swiftly and reaches out to another tunnel, where the echoes disappear and the thief can hear wind and drums banging faintly as if the town's party had been starting at the center.

There was a light outside, shining yellow as the sun—it was close for the thief to escape with his friend. But as he looked behind with relief, only then an empty pocket became a terror. His gold fell into the ground, yet he had no eyes to look back and realized that.

"Wait...my gold! My gold!" He looked back to find his pocket empty.

"No, my gold!"

The thief was persistent with it. He returned to the creak and rushed out to search for his treasure as he had left his bag behind. The gold is shiny, so he can still remember its look when he flashes it. But it was a long way to return to where he had left his friend.

"No, no, no! Don't disappoint me yet!" Charger collected every gold on the floor he could find.

He collected each of them—a diligent worker when it comes to gold, but not fast enough to catch up from the terrible fate coming onto him. The darkness expanded and the voice of his friend came yet again, mimicking the very false image of her. But the thief was distracted, trying to pack a bunch of nuggets with his own hands without a backpack.

But he was too late. The false image had found him lost and distracted in a tight situation. The thief was perched for too long, searching for every bit of scattered gold nuggets he could grab into his hands until it became too heavy for him.

"Yeah! That's the last one! Yeah!" The thief cheered, "Time to leave before—huh?"

"Why????" Eve grasped him by the neck.

"Why did you leave me???"

The thief's greed had led the false image to earn enough time to find him among the rubbles. Without his belongings, he was trapped and could not rely more than his falling nuggets. For once, he felt a struggle he could not withstand on his own.

"Get off me! Hrgh! Hya!" Charger throws a pebble from his elbow, blasting shock into the image's eyes.

"Aagh! My eyes!" Eve ungrasped.

The thief struggled, refusing to submit under the false image's grasp, and made his way to escape from her with his gold. Confused but afraid, the thief watches as the cave shivers and a strong gust carries snow into his position. All under the image's commands.

"You have sworn your last leave, Charger." Said the image, "You shall see what I could do to you."

He ran as fast as he could while holding every gold nugget in his arms, watching chaos ensue through the loudest storm he had ever heard. The snow is long and stronger, terrifying the thief who had resent its looks and touch. But the snow keeps growing, piling and even storming through his way.

But he was lucky that he was not far from his spot. The creak he had entered and left remains there with its light shining for glory. Through it, the thief struggled to navigate with arms full of gold, and the snow growing behind his eyes as the image stood persistent and threatening at him.

"I need to go! I need to go! With my gold!" He yelled.

"There it is!"

His loose arms eventually stuck and dropped every inch of his gold out of his hands as he leap away from the cave and onto the light. The thief looks displeased but is forced to ponder as the false image glances angrily at the loss of the reach. A bittersweet escape.

"Charger!!!!!" The image yelled.

The thief escaped, barely taken alive by the cave's darkness, and went to see the sun brightly once more in the night sky. But all his gold vanishes into the cave, as he fails to reach out a piece safely through the crack, and he is left to ponder—how can he earn that gold back after everything he had done?