Let’s Go Say Hello
Kael took one last look behind him.
His friends stood at the edge of the marble hall, their eyes full of silent hope. They didn't say much—but they didn't need to.
Over the past few days, even if short, they'd gone from strangers to something more. Not quite comrades. Not quite friends. But something solid enough that he felt it.
He didn't trust easily. But as he watched their worried faces, he realized—he trusted them now.
"I'll be back soon," Kael shouted with a half-laugh, waving. "So don't go ditching me, alright?!"
"Just go already!" Riven's voice echoed through the grand chamber. "We're not moving an inch till you return!"
He smirked, knowing she probably couldn't see his face clearly from this far.
He had already begun climbing the wide white staircase leading to the final gate.
The sound of his boots echoed with every step, each one heavier than the last.
Stone beneath his feet. Gold-framed walls on either side. The spiral vortex up ahead shimmered like a whirlpool made of clouds and lightning.
The Third Gate.
The final one.
Every step he took brought it more into view. Its pull grew stronger like it was eager to swallow him whole. And maybe it was.
He paused a few steps from the top.
"If there's something in there… something I forgot… do I even want to remember?" he muttered under his breath.
Did it matter?
No. He didn't have the luxury of doubt. This was the only way forward.
Kael reached the top step and walked slowly to the gate. His hand brushed the white-gold frame.
It was cool to the touch. The vortex churned in its center, slow and endless.
"So this is it," he whispered. "The third and final Gate."
No flashbacks. No visions. Nothing like before.
He stared at the swirling mass in front of him, exhaled slowly, then reached behind him.
His fingers wrapped around the hilt of Nightfall, the sword he'd carried through so many close calls.
The weight of it gave him some strange comfort. Familiar. Reliable. Not like his memories.
He held the blade tight, squared his shoulders, and muttered, "No way I'm dying now. Not here."
Then, without another word, he stepped into the vortex.
***
The moment he crossed the threshold, everything changed.
No mysterious figures. No cryptic visions.
Just... darkness.
Total, suffocating black.
It clung to him like a second skin, so thick it felt like he was underwater. He couldn't breathe, couldn't move—then, just as suddenly—
Light.
A bright beam of white light cut through the darkness. It lit up the space and made him raise a hand to shield his eyes.
His other hand gripped Nightfall like an anchor to keep him grounded.
"Ugh… what the hell is this light?" he muttered.
As the glow faded, Kael lowered his arm and blinked hard, letting his eyes adjust.
He stood inside a cavern—huge, stone walls stretching out in every direction. The air was dense and dry. No sun. No wind. Just… rocks, shadows, and silence.
He took a cautious step forward, and—
WHAM!
Something slammed into his ribs from the side. The impact sent him stumbling to his knees.
"Shit!" he gasped, clutching his side. It wasn't broken, but it sure as hell hurt.
Eyes wide, he scanned the area.
Nothing. No movement. No attacker in sight.
"The hell just hit me?" he growled.
Another hit—this time from behind—sent him face-first to the rocky ground.
He gritted his teeth, rolled to his feet, and staggered back.
"Okay, enough of this."
He squinted into the shadows. Still nothing. Just an empty cave.
"System, show me the damn pests!"
A screen blinked to life in front of him. A minimap appeared, dotted with a dozen red points—surrounding him.
He cursed.
"They're invisible?!"
Just then, one of the red dots moved toward his right. Instinct took over. Kael sidestepped, drew Nightfall, and swung in a single motion.
SWISH!
At first, nothing.
Then—SKRIICH!
The air split open.
A creature—rat-like, but twisted and grotesque—appeared midair, bisected by his blade.
Its uneven limbs twitched as the body slowly faded back into view, now that it was no longer cloaked.
Kael's face twisted in disgust. "You little bastards can turn invisible?"
The moment he kicked the corpse aside, a wave of screeches echoed through the cave.
Dozens of glowing red eyes appeared in the shadows.
He grinned.
"Oh, you're pissed now?"
He raised Nightfall and pointed at the closest one. "Don't worry. I'll personally send you to hell."
And with that, he charged.
***
He didn't know how long he fought.
Every time he swung, another creature fell. Their screeching never stopped, filling the cave with a chorus of rage and pain.
He moved like a whirlwind—dodging, slashing, ducking, killing.
"I'm so tired of your damn screeching!" he shouted, driving his blade through another beast's chest.
A final swing decapitated the last one.
Kael stumbled backward, panting, and looked around.
Corpses piled at his feet. Dozens of them. Their blood was thick and black, seeping into the cracks of the cave floor.
He dropped to the ground with a grunt, sitting atop the bodies like a very tired, very annoyed war hero.
"Finally," he exhaled. "That's all of them."
He wiped the sweat from his brow and leaned on his sword.
His muscles ached. Not from wounds—the creatures hadn't cut him—but the constant impact, the raw force, the exhaustion.
This body was strong, but… not invincible.
"How long have I been here?" he muttered.
"System. Time check."
The screen blinked.
[TIME CALCULATION IMPOSSIBLE IN CURRENT ZONE.]
Kael frowned. "What do you mean impossible?"
[GATE ZONE EXISTS OUTSIDE OF TIME. INTERNAL FLOW IS NONLINEAR.]
"Great. Timey-wimey crap," he groaned.
Still, it wasn't all bad. He was alive. That counted for something.
He stretched his arms and sighed. "Hey, System. Is there any way to get my full memories back?"
[QUERY ACCEPTED. SEARCHING OPTIMAL SOLUTION.]
The screen flickered.
[…]
[…]
[CODE #283 – DATABASE LOCATED. TO UNLOCK MEMORY FRAGMENTS, HOST MUST DEFEAT SPECIFIC TARGETS INSIDE THE GATE.]
"Specific monsters hold my memories?" he asked aloud, eyebrows raised.
[CORRECT. ELITE BEASTS CARRY MEMORY SHARDS UNIQUE TO THE HOST.]
Kael looked around at the quiet battlefield.
"So… basically, grind until I get lucky," he muttered.
[MAP UNLOCKED.]
A full map of the current Gate zone appeared in front of him, glowing softly. A red marker blinked nearby—presumably his next target.
Kael cracked his neck and pushed himself to his feet.
"Alright. One step at a time."
He looked down at the creatures he'd just killed and smirked.
"System, find me the weakest target nearby."
[MARKER SET.]
A new red light pulsed on the map, not far from his position.
Kael dusted off his coat and shouldered Nightfall.
"Let's go say hello," he muttered.
He marched further into the Gate, facing monsters, memories, and whatever awaited him next.