Chapter 9: Answer

[Cyan]: “Even if you wanted to? Master what that means?... do you really wish to become in a monster?”

Arlom shook his head.

[Arlom]: “Of course not! Is more in the literally sense, to become a Monster your points needs to reach 0 and then if you don’t exit this place in the time frame of 1 month, you will be called a Monster automatically... become one, I had seen it happen before, but, my Medallion is…."

Before Arlom could continue explaining Cyan interrupted him.

[Cyan]: “Master, was your medallion stolen from you by someone stronger than you, and now you can’t get it back? I thought that nobody would be willing to steal a medallion if they didn't get rid of you first”

Cyan was pondering over the matter, since Arlom has started teaching him to use his brain at any moment to think, more a more questions would pop up in Cyan mind, and more he would like gather to information.

Arlom shook his head once again.

[Arlom]: “Don’t be stupid child, you said yourself, I am one the three kings, although I hate to be called by that name, I am still human after all, if someone were to steal my medallion, I would just steal it back, no, is something entirely different….. my Medallion was not stolen, but it is broken, is stuck at 1 point remaining and no matter how many other Medallions it absorbs, the counter it won’t go down below 1, so I can't exit this place using the gates, nor I can become a monster either”

Arlom took out his medallion, which it was displaying a red number like if was written in blood, and that number was 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.1, then he took another medallion that was 0.0.0.0.0.0.0.1.2.3.0.

Following that, Arlom put them together, his medallion started to absorb the other with a golden light, but the score, it did not show any sings to be willing to move, it stayed silently in 1, and at the end, the absorbed medallion was transform into a rock, in fact this rock was with the same shape and form of the other rocks that Arlom would throw at him.

A new mystery was born and it has being resolve in Cyan mind, 'so that's where all the rocks come from'.

He has never thought about the origins of the rocks, now that he knows, he came to know how ignorant he was about the simples of things, a rock was not 'just' a rock anymore to him.

Nevertheless Arlom has not finish, there was something else he need to tell Cyan, even if he was a little unwilling to.

[Arlom]: “You in other hand, can't exit this place because there is not enough point's in this forest for that, sigh… I didn’t wanted to tell you, but, that amount point's, is impossible for you to gather it, when you absorb another medallion, the points in your Medallion will only be reduce by 1% of the other Medallion points worth, with a minimum of one point and a maximum of one thousand points, that's to say, a hundred thousand points medallion, will give the max amount of one thousand points, but most medallions in here are in the range of the ten thousand to fifty thousand points, a medallion of hundred thousand medallion is rare, and those in the millions category are even more rare, but never the less they would still give you one thousand points so there is no point in thinking about them"

Arlom could only let another sigh while he carry on explaining the reason to Cyan, as of why he could not leave this forest, like Arlom himself, Cyan was stuck in here too, but at the same time it was for different reasons.

[Arlom]: "That’s is to say, even if you could gather everyone medallion in here, it would be still no enough… Cyan, I am sorry for giving you that medallion, it was my mistake, sigh, nevertheless I didn't wanted to give you a false hope, nor I wanted for you to fall in despair like me, but the true is as you can you see”.

Cyan shook his head, Arlom didn’t have any fault on this, how could he know what would happen after he gave him this Medallion, he was not stupid, 10 billion, the entire population of the earth planet was only 7 billon, no matter how big this forest is, it was not a planet size forest, there would not be a way to fit that many people inside this forest, and even if 1 person was equal to more than one point, Arlom has told him the final nail in the coffin for him, a max out score of one thousand point's.

There was no need to say any more than that, and Cyan was sure he couldn't pull that out now, would he be killing hundreds of millions of people? If not more, just for him to escape? Would not that make him into monster that Arlom was so afraid of? There is no way he would do that anyway.

No, instead of feeling despair, he actually felt relief.

If there was a hope in getting out by using the points, give him some years and maybe he would be tempted to try that way out, but knowing now that it was impossible to do from the beginning, it only would make it more easy for him, there would be less pressured in his mind.

Instead he was now confident, he was in the same boat as Arlom, destiny has brought them together there was nothing more to say, and there was another plus to look at, following Arlom explication Cyan could think something out.

[Cyan]: “So it is like that, sigh, but master aren’t that… actually good news? That means my medallion worth's only 1000 points tops right? Should that not make me less of a target to everyone in here?”

Cyan face was now beaming with a confident smile, Glass half empty? No, the glass is filled right until here.

Arlom could only do a bitter smile, how unlucky Cyan must be, do the heavens hate him or something? Now he has to destroy that smile of his oh not so stupid face, Arlom could only shake his head, of course it was not that simple, it never was...

[Arlom]: "I had no finished yet. There is also a legend that says, a Medallion that is worth billions would give anyone that gets it a free pass out of here, and even more, for each billion it will give one pass, that's to say, it makes you… even more of a target to everyone, even the humans in this forest would be willing to be coming after you, of course… this it is just a legend, but I doubt anyone will stop and ask if the legend are true or not"

Cyan was frowning, can he not have something of luck? Arlom would give him ‘good’ news, only to bring the bad news after that, ‘sigh this master of mine it is too evil, he can’t even give me even a moment of peace, but…’

Nevertheless Arlom would tell him the cold hard true, it will not dressed in pink, and it will be told to his face, if Cyan can’t handle it and accepted it, and then move on, what was the point of his training then?

[Cyan]: “Sigh, Master, I had already guess that out, that the amount of points would be almost impossible to gather… and on top of that, everyone would become my enemy in here, of course, I never knew that it was to such degree, but Master, there is something else that, I want to know".

Making a pause, Cyan raised his lowered head, he was beaming with confidence before but now his face was making a serious expression, now he was looking directly into Arlom eyes.

There is was actually only one thing, that was making Cyan worry right now, something he could get an answer on his own, it was something he needed the help of Arlom to know.

[Cyan]: “I have only one question, one that, I want to know the answer no matter what... Master, are you my... enemy?"

Arlom was struck by Cyan question, and a small word escaped his lips.

[Arlom]: “enemy?”

That question has come from nowhere to Arlom, it was impossible for him to think he was Cyan enemy… no, Arlom clearly understood Cyan intentions by asking this now.

When they first met, Arlom has said to him, ‘If you are not my enemy, I will not kill you’.

Then what is an enemy? Naturally, it is someone that has come after your life.

Then why he would go after Cyan life? If not Cyan his last hope to get out of here? He needs him to reach the seventh gate, after all his medallion was stuck at 1 point left, and no matter what other medallions he used for that final single point, nothing changed, but, what if… the legends are true?

What if Cyan medallion is truly especial?

Then would not that mean that, if he kills Cyan and use his Medallion, wouldn’t he be able to leave out of this forest right this instant?

For Arlom it was obvious that Cyan was not his enemy, but was Arlom, Cyan enemy?

Arlom has tried to leave this forest using one of the six exists since the beginning, after all, which was his chosen path since he was thrown inside this forest?

And he has stopped almost at nothing to do just that, but always trying to no cross the line that separates him from a monster, nevertheless, he has failed after all that in the end.

And the only thing it remained inside him was an infinite regret that filled his mind and eyes, everything he had done was worthless, every single sacrifice he has made, all of his struggles were in vain.

Then to that infinite regret, what was one more sacrifice to make? A drop of water thrown into an ocean.

Wouldn’t be that easier? If he sacrifice Cyan now he could fulfill his wishes.

Wouldn’t that be faster?

Wouldn’t that the best end for Cyan too?

Instead of making him suffer in this hell in form of a forest?

Instead of dragging Cyan throughout a hell, searching for a gate that, you are not even sure that it even existed in the first place.

Wouldn’t ending Cyan history here, make Arlom a hero in Cyan eyes?

You only need to make one… little… swing… with that axe at your back and everything would be over. Cyan would be free, you will also be free, a happy ending for everyone, it isn’t that what you want Arlom?

That voice in Arlom head that grew stronger and stronger as the time went by, that voice that sounded just as himself, but Arlom could not admit it, he could not admit the darkness inside him.

Arlom has never thought he could be Cyan enemy because he was blind to his own darkness, he could not even look at it, but Cyan could, and asking directly to Arlom was the only method for Cyan to make Arlom see it too, but this was very dangerous thing to do.

While Arlom was in a trance, his hand has come very closely to the axe at his back, if Arlom choose to be Cyan enemy it would be over for him, but Cyan didn’t wanted to live with a load gun by his side, this was the only way, it all depends on Arlom now.

And Arlom choice was…

‘ENOUGH!!!’ With cheer mental strength of a person that has live most that anyone else in this forest, the voice was silenced in an instant.

‘My quest, is to find my son, not to go around killing kids for my own selfish benefit, and I absolutely refuse to become a monster!’

'I am Cyan enemy?' Arlom could made that question to himself, now he could answer it.

Was Arlom the enemy? After everything Arlom has gone through, Arlom could only reply Cyan with the true.

Arlom only thought was 'this stupid kid goes and do it again, sigh'

[Arlom]: "Cyan, are you my enemy?"

This was it, this was everything Arlom needs to say.

Only a monster would say, he is not your enemy, no, Humans rules were even simpler, if you are not my enemy then I am not yours, and that was it.

Cyan could only do a bitter smile to this cheating Master of his, what a cheat trick to push all the responsibility on to him.

Cyan could only reply

[Cyan]: "If you are my enemy then I am yours Master”

Arlom nodded his head.

[Arlom]: “Good, don’t forget that, if you come after my head you will become my enemy at that moment”

It was time for Cyan to agree.

[Cyan]: “Right back at you master, if you become my enemy then I will become yours”

Friendship? Trust? None of that matter in this forest, but there was a thin line between, hunters, monster and humans.

And the line was only reduce to, if you attack me first, I will attack you back, and only a hunter or a monster would attack you first, this was the rule set of the human in this forest, and that’s how the humans were able to stay alive in this forest, Arlom has told this rule to Cyan without telling him it was the rules of the humans.

And this was the rule that Arlom has never crossed, at least that’s how Arlom remembers it, if he has never crossed it, then why he is known as the hunter king? And why he… was banish of the humans side…, like he had told Cyan, it was the day his counter was stuck at 1 point, trapping him between a human in denial, a hunter in title, and… a monster hiding in the darkness.

Arlom was afraid that the temptation of Cyan medallion would make any humans attack first, he himself has felt tempted but he overcome it at the end.

Not middling Arlom struggled was Cyan, that had recover from his worry face.

[Cyan]: “Master, I am not stuck in here too? just like you, and like yourself, I need to find the seventh gate to escape, without giving up or without losing hope, what if my enemy’s is the entire forest? As long are you are not my enemy Master, then there is nothing to be afraid of right? Now let's find the seventh gate and escape this forest”

For Cyan, Arlom was his role model, Arlom has never give up, and he still have hope in his eyes, how could he not look up to him.

Cyan extended his hand, requesting a shake of hands.

Arlom nodded his head, Cyan was not panicking nor despair could be seen in his eyes, but hope, but to have hope in his eyes, Arlom could only think that something was not quite right with this stupid in front of him.

Nevertheless Cyan was not his enemy and he was not the enemy of Cyan, after so many sacrifices and so many regrets, Arlom choose not to sacrifice anything more to fuel even more that regret of his, extending his hand he reply back Cyan hand shake, with a strong hand shake of his own.

Cyan was now a little a shame of himself, even if say he only have one last question, he in actual fact has a ton of them.

[Cyan]: “Master actually there is some other thing I wanted to ask you about, it is about this place, I mean not this forest but….. This planet, this… this is not planet earth right? You said there was mana, and mana is something that…. doesn’t supposed to exist in my world, you can only find about it... in books and legends”

The missing piece of the puzzle in Arlom brain finally come together. ‘So it was like that’

Arlom could only try to explain to Cyan to the best of his knowledge.

Going back to his ‘serious-serious’ face was Arlom trying to explain Cyan where he was.

[Arlom]: “Sigh, Cyan you are in planet... Athem, in Athem mana is the universal law, everyone knows about it, because they were born with it, and most people know how to wield it, but only those with a high degree of control are called true wizards”

[Cyan]: “Then planet earth”

[Arlom]: “I don’t know anything about other planets, but did you actually come from another planet with no mana? Then that would mean that you are!!!.......”

Cyan eye lighten up, this is the answer he was looking for! He have a few answers of his own, he have read a lot of novel of transmigrations and rebirth into another planet and what not, but maybe his master could give him a complete answer now.

[Arlom]: “An Interplanetary idiot, helplessly ignorant about this place, I understand now, I have being too soft on you, you were not just a stupid, but the king of idiot’s, but to think you where this stupid for other reasons and I did not took notice, sigh, I need to apology with you, it is not your own fault that you are so stupid”

Arlom could only shake his head, this was worse than he has thought, well not really.

With a DOM! Cyan was in the floor twisting his face in pain, the words his master just say was like a hard slap in the face, it was not his fault not to know anything at all but more than that.

With his face aching in pain, he sit down again, this was not the time to get angry at Arlom, so Cyan did not waste his time saying things like “DON CALL STUPID, YOU ARE THE STUPID, YOU ENTIRELY FAMILY IS STUPID”, but of course, his mind was burning with those exact words.

Arlom nodded seeing Cyan was not replying back and was still focus in the conversation.

[Cyan]: “Will you leave me behind when we arrive at the seventh gate”

[Arlom]: “If the Seventh gate can only take one person yes I will, I had already told you that at the doors they check for the medallion, this is done not by a person but by a statue, if there is a statue in the seventh gate and you don’t pass the requirements you will not be able to escape, I can only train you until we reach them, and…. I can’t beat those statues even if all the people in the forest would be there to help”

That has happen a few times in the past, and it was always the same result, today there was not even a point in trying, unless you want to die, but there will be always those fools that think they are better than anyone else, that would gather a bunch of people and challenge the guards, the guards would receive them with open arms of course.

Cyan was shock, there were not living persons are guard but living statues? And Arlom could not beat them? Then what was Cyan in front of those? And ant would not even compare. But more importantly.

[Cyan]: “How do you plan to find the seventh gate?”

[Arlom]: “You will take me there”

Cyan almost hit the floor at match 1 speed this time, but he manage to get a hold of himself and stayed glued to the chair.

[Cyan]: “How”

[Arlom]: “I do not know, the same way I found you, I trust that you will find that place somehow”

[Cyan]: “Then if the statues are there, and the requirement is the medallion points then what”

[Arlom]: “I will think about it when the time comes, in the worst case we will have to fight them”.

In Cyan mind he was flipping the table with every answer he got, ‘is this a test? Do you think I am so stupid I can’t understand anything?, what happen to the dependable Arlom he was looking up to, where did he go, I can’t find him anymore.

Arlom took notice of the face that Cyan was making, he need it Cyan to trust in him, at the end of the day.

[Arlom]: “I know there must be another way to escape this place, if I am unable to use one of the six gates then it means the seventh gate can be use with or without a medallion and my only lead to there is you”.

‘And the thing that lead me to you...’ Arlom was holding onto something in his hand but Cyan did not took notice of anything as he was thinking in other things right now.

In first place the person known as Arlom was… crazy.

[Cyan]: “But that’s insane how many years do you have in here, how do you know that your medallion is not just broken and there is not fixing it”

[Arlom]: “That, I do not know, called fate, destiny or hope, that keeps me going forward, I have spent 25 years, 9 month and 14 days inside this place already, I count each and every single day that had passed”

[Cyan]: “What hope can you have left?”

[Arlom]: “I though the same, until… you arrived, in some ways you are my last hope Cyan, but I don’t want to just use you to escape I want you to escape too, but I can’t promise you away out, please forgive this weak old man”

This time Arlom bow down to Cyan, maybe the past him would have force Cyan into helping him, that was known as his rampage era, that lasted 5 years, he learned that, after 5 years of countless kills, the counter in his medallion will not go down no matter how many points he gather, in was in this era that he had earned his hunter king tittle.

Cyan let out sight, ‘this old man is crazy, hope after so many years’, Cyan could picture, 25 years of watching people like Serah going after your life, ‘… I just want to go home, being in here this is too much for me, but it is too late now, I am already here’.

Arlom was still bowing down to Cyan with his face over the table, this was him putting down his guard in front of Cyan, he need it Cyan more than anything else right now.

He has learned that brute force was not everything in the world, he tried to save his wife with brute force only to fail, he tried to find his own son using brute force only to be thrown in here, he tried to escape this place using his strength only to be block at the exit by something he could not beat.

He did not say it but, he has had a fight against the gigantic statue at the exit, escaping with his life after that fight, was proof that he was strong, worthy to be called one of the tree kings.

Cyan could see the sincerity in Arlom Actions. ‘What other options do I have stupid master, I am in the grasp of the people that put me in here, I can only move forward’

[Cyan]: “I do not know where is this exit you talk about is but, if this place is as dangerous as you said it is, the truth is, I don’t know anything at all and my only option is to get stronger, Master, if I can, no, Master, I will lead you to the seventh gate no matter what, this my way to pay you back for everything you have done for me so far”.

Arlom was somewhat stunned, was not him bowing down to Cyan? Why was now Cyan bowing down to him?

‘You stupid Master, why is there the need to earn my trust when you already have it?’

‘So it was like that after all’ Arlom Could almost read Cyan nagging face that was not visible right now. ‘So I am stupid too after all, sigh’, a new light was in Arlom eyes.

Arlom nodded his head.

[Arlom]: “Very well then, what other questions do you have, I can answer them all”

It seems Arlom was in a good mood this time around.

[Cyan]: “Then master the color pills in the food, I am actually very hungry and I want to eat, but…. The poison from before…”

It has being a while that they were talking and the food was already cold, Cyan did as he could to hold his stomach back that was like ‘Poison? Let them come, I would handle that stupid poison so hurry up and eat I am dying over here’

Arlom nodded again.

[Arlom]: “Listen well you stupid child, the green pills are the only one with poison in it, there are 3 kind of poison pills, middle green, dark green and light green, each of them have a different effect, for example the one in the middle, well that one you already know what it does, it gives to pain to your whole body, but it do not touch your skin, it would be bad if you grow immune to pain in your whole body, actually resistance to pain would be enough of a skill to get, the light green will give you diarrhea for a whole day, that one is really nasty, actually don’t eat that one, and the last the dark green is death aura, eat too many of those and nobody will save you, but you need to grow resistance against instant death spells so there no other option to eat one of those at month”

Arlom was putting a solemn face, why there is a diarrhea pill and you just said “don’t eat that one” but eat the one with the death aura, are you joking with me, was that one just a prank, the respect and trust Cyan has put in Arlom has instantly vanish without a trace now.

Arlom did not mind it and keep going his explication over the pill in the food.

[Arlom]: “The blue pill is to help you grown accustom to the mana in this world, the red pill is supplements you need in your body, that this food doesn’t have, the yellow pill is to the remove the impurity’s in your body, and help you reform your body, and the white pill is to help develop that stu…coughs, that brain of yours.

‘You were going to say stupid just now don’t you, you stupid master!!!!’

[Cyan]: “To get accustom to the mana then you knew I was not from this world?”

[Arlom]: “I did not knew that, it just that… the mana around is in chaos, I thought you were doing stupid things with it, but I now understand…. you are sucking the mana around you, like…. If you were empty?”

Arlom was inclining this head to the side, he has never before seen some with no mana in their body’s, but to suck the mana around you making the mana go in chaos this was… unprecedented.

‘Whatever, common sense don’t work with this stupid child anymore, it must be like this if we want to find a gate that can’t be found’.

Was not this a forest full of hunters, a place were no secret could be hide for long? How can a door remain hidden then? The logic conclusion was that, there was not such a door, but there were always those fools that would try to find what nobody else has find before, not because they thought they were better than anyone else, but because, they don’t have other anyway.

Cyan could not help to ask, but he already knew the answer to his own questions.

[Cyan]: “Master are you really telling to eat the poison and all the other pills but no this one right?”

Arlom nodded his head, he did not need to say anything else, that last pill, well is was more like a joke to teach him if he failed to check the food again.

With another sigh Cyan started to eat well more like devouring the food, it was already cold but still was delicious, Poison? His master has already said to him to eat it, it was for his own good, even if there was a prank pill in there, he could at least avoid that one, but the rest, if he guess was right, he need it to get stronger, a lot stronger in a very short time.

Cyan could only watch the man in front of him, he must have like 50 years, his figure was like a sturdy tree, his face was a calm, and in his eyes shined with a bright like, like if there was a calm fire behind them, still burning, waiting for the time to escape this forest.

This man was feeding him poison, of course Cyan could chose not to eat the poison, but he trusted this man, he did now why but the eyes of Arlom he could see his own reflection very clearly.

After Cyan finished his food, Arlom guide him to the bathroom it was time for him to clean up, it was not long after he was tired to dead because of the previous training, it would be better to do things in reverse, but Cyan stomach was growing uncontrollable if it was not feed soon, so Arlom chose to make the food first.

Cyan now took notice that in this cave there was actually a wooden house, and there was a bathroom where he could shower.

After Cyan took a shower he found clean clothes outside and exited the house, he was death tired and he did not know if the pills will act up and prevent him for sleeping, but he just wanted to find a rock and sleep, his mental image of a bed has change so much, when he could only think of a rock as hid bed, his mind was filled with rocks by now.

Letting a sigh he started to walk to his bed when he heard a voice calling him, this of course was his master.

[Arlom]: “Cyan I prepared a room inside the house, it would be better if you sleep in here from now on”.

Cyan eyes brighten up like start ‘A proper bed, finally! This master of mine is not that bad after all’

Of course knowing how Arlom was, when he arrived to his new room, he found out that his ‘new’ bed, was made of rock, and not even a ‘new’ rock, it was the same exact room than the one he was using to sleep before, Arlom has just move them in here.

Cyan would flip his bed if he could, but how can you flip a bed made of rocks, the wooden floor was better than this… but he still laydown over the rock, he was too tired to argue with himself.

[Cyan]: “Whatever I don’t even care”

Cyan brain has stopped working by now, he just lay down in the bed and close his eyes instantly sending him into a deep sleep in record time, the 2th day in Planet Athem was over.