Into the Forbidden Place

20. Emtiness

"I have no idea where we are right now," Ikara broke the silence, "but if we find the wall and the exit, have you guys thought about how we'll go back without the key?"

Tim had been pondering this question for a while too. But deep down, he felt the need to return to Mara, demanding some explanation or just seeking revenge, not expecting an answer. But these thoughts emerged so unexpectedly from such a small part of his brain that he didn't want to deal with it; he'd rather dismiss it. The feelings of guilt and self-torment were stronger. They suppressed any other feelings or thoughts.

"Well, if we find the wall, we could climb over it," Lenny said. "If the others came through the wall, maybe we'll find some climbing gear hidden. I don't think they carried everything, even in the desert."

Yeah, that sounds good to him, Tim thought, he didn't need to decide anything, he just followed his companions. He followed them and tried to focus on his steps and how he breathed.

It seemed like they had been marching for days when they finally spotted the wall from the top of a dune to the right, and to the left, the mountain peaked in the distance. They started heading towards the wall. They didn't reach it that day; they had to spend the night in the endless sea of sand.

Tim fell into a deep sleep but kept waking up. He dreamed of Mara, who kissed him, then mercilessly stabbed him with a dagger. This dream repeated several times during the night, starting differently each time, finding the girl in different circumstances, but always ending the same: Mara killing him.

He felt relieved when morning finally came, and he could escape the trap of the dream.

As they walked along the wall, Lenny scanned it for any climbing equipment or signs of it; he knew these devices well. Ikara and Tim searched the ground for tracks, hidden objects.

Then, after a long time, when they were about to give up, Lenny stopped and watched the wall.

"Do you see those holes below each other?" he asked, squinting and pointing in the direction. "I think we found it. The equipment must be somewhere here unless they took it with them."

They hadn't taken it with them because they noticed a few stone pieces stacked next to each other at the base of the wall as if covering something. Yes, there was a rope, spikes, and harnesses.

Lenny went first, with the most challenging task of placing the spikes in the wall as he climbed up. He also took the rope, which he would lower from the top of the wall to make it easier for the others. Ikara said she would go last because she slightly feared heights; if she slipped or something happened, the boys could pull her up.

From the top of the wall, they had a beautiful view of the Steel Citadel, and they also saw that they still had a long way to walk to their base.

They marched wearily and silently until they finally saw the small gatekeeper's hut. They hadn't thought they would be so glad to see it. It was almost dusk, and suddenly, Noir emerged from behind the spot.

He couldn't believe his eyes; he was so surprised.

"My dear ones, what happened to you? Where did you come from?" concern was evident in his voice. It was like when a father asks his children.

Ikara roughly recounted what had happened, but Noir could see how tired they were, so he let them return to their rooms to rest and eat. At eight, he'll relieve them; then, they can meet and tell him everything.

Tim wandered around like a living dead man, and it didn't help that the whole building seemed deserted to him. He didn't see any soldiers, so they didn't come back.

Noir followed them to the dining room. One of the things they were shocked about was that Noir didn't know anything. But Morin came back to tell.

Noir shook his head when they told the battle where their comrades were killed.

"You didn't pay enough attention. Are you sure you saw them die? Or did they want to make you believe it?" Noir said.

Tim's head hurt. He thought of his garden. He was tired of all the mysteries.

"This doesn't make much sense; why would they want to make us believe that?" Tim asked.

"I didn't pay enough attention either. I apologize for that. But it seems, then, that all gatekeepers are on their side. Only you, the most recently appointed gatekeepers, remained on our side, perhaps they haven't had time to trap you yet..." Noir replied with a worried look.

"So you mean everyone is on the FYI side, and this has been their plan all along?" Ikara spoke up. "Even Judith?"

"Judith certainly not; that's why she had to die. You don't know yet that the three inquisitors have arrived, and they went over. They said most of the gatekeepers have already joined the movement. Perhaps they can do something against them." Noir replied.

"And who is the enemy? Who is their leader?" Tim asked. He feared the answer he already suspected.

"I think you already know, Tim. It's the girl you let through. And I didn't make this up; I also learned this from the Inquisition. The only thing that doesn't make sense is that she didn't even try to trap you." the old man stroked his beard.

"So, then, we can't do anything? We wait for the inquisition to do something?" Lenny frowned.

"They have means; they can paralyze the system to prevent data from leaving here. Of course, only if they manage to intervene in time. I'm a little worried that old gatekeepers like Guldar, Udine, and Emorah are already helping them... and Morin. But he turned back before the labyrinth?" Noir sounded worried.

The others nodded. They agreed that they couldn't do anything. Everything is in the hands of the three strange people, whether they can prevent them from stealing data from the forbidden place.

Noir sent them to rest and assigned them gatekeeping duty. Since they left, he and Dean have been guarding the gate continuously, and they were eager for others to join in the task.

This is the feeling, Tim thought. He feels it even more here. The emptiness that there is nothing he can do...