*** Chapter 26 day 53 Gibri - Croa ***

“What is it that you bring?” Elder Ro asked.

Gibri had burst into the tent that was used by the elders for gatherings, two of the three elders were present when she came in. She had used a cloak she carried to bundle up what she presented now, it was the head of the giant white beast.

“Did you kill this?” Elder Ro’s eyes grew wide.

“How did you manage this?” Elder Gro’k asked.

“It wasn’t us,” she responded, as Croa appeared behind her.

“What do you mean?” Elder Ro asked.

“We were scouting the gate and discovered a small group we could later destroy,” Gibri replied. “We were hoping they would lead us to a nest, but before that could happen, they were on the move hunting another group. This group was made of outsiders, much like the beasts, but unlike them, they were more than animals. They wielded weapons and armor that could withstand the blows of the beasts and cut through its flesh.

“One among them appeared to be a champion of its people, as it alone was capable of fighting against all three of the larger beasts on its own. If we can talk to this champion we can gather a great monster slayer to our side. There are five more in our place, he defeated three in one day. How can we not try?”

Silent exchanges occurred between the two elders, they whispered and concurred on an idea between the two.

“If what you say is true then we must convince them,” elder Ro said. “You two will be the ones that communicate with them. What happens afterwards will be up to you.”

“We will do our best, elder,” Gibri said. She had no confidence in her ability for what was to come, but she knew the importance of what needed to happen. Their people were being erased by beasts that they could not overcome, if this group of other worlders could be allied with then maybe, they could survive.

After a few more words were exchanged the duo made their way towards the gate hoping that they would not be too late and that the otherworlders had not yet crossed the gate.

They went towards where they had spotted them first and started trailing towards the gate in the hopes that they had moved back through where they had come from. When that was not the case and they reached the gate before finding them, Gribi felt downcast, but they decided to wait. Maybe they had taken another route.

This patience paid off, they appeared from a slightly different direction. During their time waiting they had thought about how they would communicate with them, but all they could come up with was to stand at the gate and see what happens next.

When the group got close to them they stopped, they did not appear to be surprised to find the two, in fact they moved as if they had expected them. The group spread out in a semi circle their weapons in their hands. Only the one encased in heavy armor did not draw out his weapons. Instead he pointed at his eyes and then directly behind them. They followed his motion and behind appeared two others, they were encircled, the last two had somehow gotten all the way around them without the two ever noticing.

“We don’t want to fight,” Gibri said, but she could sense Croa tensing, readying his fire.

The armored one stepped forward, Gibri felt fear in her heart, how could they tell them that they wanted their help? What if they were just as bad as the beasts? She started to doubt herself.

“Interesting,” the armored one said, his voice spoke fluently in their tongue.

“You speak in our tongue?” Gibri asked, both elated and confused. How did he come to learn it?

“It is a gift,” he replied. “I am still understanding.”

“Great armored warrior,” Gibri began, she swallowed as she gathered up her courage. “We both witnessed how you easily killed the giant white beasts, such a feat of martial prowess is impossible for our people. They have been destroying our kind since they appeared. We are so few in number now. Soon I fear that they will eradicate even all the few that remain. Their lust for killing is insatiable.

“For the sake of our people we come asking for your aid.”

“I see,” the warrior said. “But, what would we stand to gain? We may have achieved victory over those we faced, but it is not something I would pursue willingly without reason.”

“We were from a village of apothecaries before we were brought here,” Gibri replied. “We entered a chaos gate to escape a hostile army that crossed a nearby world gate. We were doomed, thus our elders decided to destroy the chaos core, it would be better to die in peace rather than be ripped apart by a ferocious enemy. Instead of disappearing, a new core spawned as did a new door, we lived, but that mattered little as we have now been besieged by a horde of equally worse enemies.”

“Interesting,” the warrior said. “So even you are from another world.”

“Yes,” Gibri replied. “Are, you not from the world you came from?”

“No,” he replied.

“Then a world gate spawned and you crossed through it?” Gibri asked. “Is your world better?”

“We did not cross through any sort of gate until this one,” he said. “What is the difference between a world gate and a chaos gate?”

“The world gates connect worlds,” Gibri said. “The chaos gates lead to smaller finite worlds, this is common knowledge for our people. Do you come from a world without them?”

“Yes,” the warrior nodded.

“If you would come meet our elders they can tell you more,” she offered.

“Give me a moment,” he spoke, then started to speak with all of the people with him. Their conversation carried on for a while in a tongue that they did not understand. Once the end of their conversation came about, the armored warrior explained.

“Most of them will go back,” the warrior said. “I will stay and listen to what you have to say, if I deem it worth it, I will attempt to convince the others to come to aid.”

“Thank you great warrior,” Gibri said, elated.

The warrior went over to the two that had appeared behind them when they were surrounded and spoke to them, after their conversation was over the two nodded and left with an apparent mission in mind.

The only ones to remain with the warrior were a pair of females of his people.

“Lead the way,” he spoke.

*** Santos and Remaining Company ***

“I apologize for not being able to present proper hospitality,” the one that had greeted them as elder Ro said. “We do not have much.”

They were presented with a small selection of fruits and some salad with a grilled fish as the main dish. The food was steaming hot and considering they had just arrived it was likely that the race of people here had hoped the two who stopped them at the gate would not fail.

“It is fine,” Santos said. “I came here to hear about your situation and what you know about these gates and other worlds.”

“I see,” the elder nodded.

“It will be a long story,” elder Gro’k said. “You will have to forgive us, however, the most knowledgeable of us isn’t present. He was hurt killing a giant white beast and is still recovering.”

“That’s understandable,” Santos said. “So what can you tell me?”