Gipir and Labong

Marcus sat in his car, gripping the steering wheel tightly as he navigated the winding roads toward Mathias' apartment.

The weight of the world felt heavy on his shoulders; day after day, people entered the game known as Drerealm, and day after day, they didn't return. He couldn't shake the feeling that there had to be a way to prevent the deaths, to save those caught in the cycle of peril. His mind raced, and after contemplating the possibilities, he resolved to seek Mathias's wisdom.

He stepped into the living room, where Mathias, Abraham, and a few others were gathered. Jacob and Abby were absent, it was their turn in the game.

Mathias's face was etched with worry, a stark contrast to his usual composure. Concerned, Marcus approached Abraham.

"What's wrong with Mathias? Is he having a game soon?"

Abraham's voice dropped to a whisper,

"He's about to face Gate eleven… But it's the hardest level of Drerealm. There are no hints, and no one knows what lies ahead."

Then he lowered his voice.

" No one has ever come out of it alive..."

The revelation sank into Marcus like a stone. He felt a rush of empathy for Mathias, a man who had always stood as a pillar of strength for their group.

"What was the hint you got from the previous gate?"

Marcus fished the card from his pocket, revealing its cryptic message:

"Bead and Spear?"

Flipping it over, he read the names,

"Gipir and Labong."

A chill crept over the group as Marcus shared the card's contents.

" What the hell is this?.

Worry painted the faces around him, especially Mathias, who seemed lost in thought.

They decided to wait for Jacob's return from the game before diving into their research. Minutes felt like hours until Jacob and Abby emerged, visibly injured and drained.

Jacob, panting and wincing, collapsed onto the couch.

"It's so hard to past Gate Six. It's brutal in there."

Without hesitation, Marcus took charge of the situation. "I'll use your computer. We need to uncover the significance of 'Gipir and Labong'."

He raced over to the desk, fingers dancing across the keyboard.

"Yes! I've found something!" he exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with discovery. He gathered everyone around the laptop, a mix of anticipation and dread hanging in the room.

*********

"Listen to this,"

He began, reading aloud. "Gipir and Labong were brothers descended from Nilo Hamites. On their father's deathbed, he bestowed upon them their family regalia: a royal bead for the younger brother, Gipir, and a royal spear for the elder, Labong, who was meant to be the protector of their tribe."

As he continued, an elephant rampaging through Labong's home when he was away, and in a hasty attempt to save his wife's prized pigeon pies, Gipir unwittingly threw the sacred spear at the beast, only to see it vanish with the creature.

Labong's fury was palpable as he sent Gipir on a perilous quest through the forest filled with dangerous in search of the sacred regalia.

Although, gipir offered to replace the spear with a new one, yet his brother rejected as he says.

" I want my very spear."

Left with no choice, he embarked on a most dangerous journey, day and night he searched the forest. Weeks went by ,he was still searching. His foots got sores that got infected and was going to die if not treated.

Luckily, he meant an old kind woman.

Marcus sensed the shock in the room as he described Gipir's struggles.

The old woman who helped mend his wounds and the treacherous journey that almost cost him his life.

After days of treatment, he got better and continued with his search for a spear, for days again.

"Ugh! Finally.

From a distance he saw the elephant lying lifeless in the middle of the forest ,got the spear and went out of the forest.

But it was the tragic end that drew the group's breaths tight.

Labong's daughter, while playing picked the bead and accidentally, swallowed Gipir's bead, leading to an irreversible conflict that resulted in a heartbreaking decision.

Gipir also refused the bead to be replaced as he wants his own bead.

" I want my own bead, not a new one."

Of course, there was only one way out.

Slaughter the child ....and get the bead out of her belly.

"That poor girl…"

The weight of the tale heavy on thir hearts. But it wasn't just atale, it's what happened long time ago , that led to the separation of the alur tribe from the acholi tribe of uganda.

The connection hit them deeply; their fates felt intertwined with that of the brothers.

"We may not know how the game designers is going to set this hint," Mathias said, finally finding his voice, "atleast, we have some knowledge of what occurred."

"What do you mean?" Marcus asked, intrigued.

"The brothers fell apart over pride and vengeance.