[Bonus chapter]70. The Gate of Regrets

As the seconds passed nothing seemed to calm down.

The metal walls started to shake in and out as if the building was like the inside of a whale.

Mack, with his two hand covering his face was unable to see it, but even if was, his mental state would not allow him to.

Because when engrossed in a feeling humans could became blind to all around them.

And Mack was puting out all his accumulated rage. All that rage that was kept being hidden under his facade of a strong and untouchable man.

Mack was indeed strong, but even the strongest man would have soft spots, had regrets, had rage, fear and love.

Thats the cruelty of mankind, every single human could achieve enormous accomplishments, but in the process of doing it they would have to sacrifice a part of them. They would have to die.

And today was Mack day to die.

To be able to continue forward, he would need to let his old self die.

"NOOO!"

Screamed Mack, remembering someone stabbing his father, he avoided that memory like he avoided himself from connecting with others.

Essence exploded in a strong momentum all around Mack as he screamed.

The building he was inside shook and a wall by his side bended and was ripped of the building flyng miles away.

~ to live you must die ~

Said a voice inside Mack head, and for a glimpse of time Mack was able to regain consciousness, but was only a glimpse.

"NEVER! I WILL NEVER LET THEM DIE!"

Screamed Mack remembering of his father and the few friends he had in life. He would prefer to truly die than let those memories and their sacrifice be forgotten.

A man, is his own memories, is his own regrets, is his own passions.

That was what make them stronger.

That was what make them move foward. That was what make them never stop.

~ stop struggling and embrace my calling ~

"NEVER"

Screamed Mack admist tears that rolled from his closed eyes, closed so tight that seemed as if Mack would lose himself if he opened them.

Opening his eyes he would accept the true of this cruel world but also lose his himself.

And lose his hopes.

Hia.life seemed to flash before his eyes as every single moment that he already lived was replayed in his mind.

Shame, awkward, joy, tears, rage, lust...

His face now was a reflect of his memories as they replayed in his own mind.

Mack was trapped.

Trapped in a cage inside his own mind, a cage made of hia worst memories.

~thump~

His body fell to the floor while the Essence stop the destruction around him

His battle now was not one that could be won with punchs.

His battle was against his own self.

He needed to face his most deep regrets in life.

Hours passed by and no sign of life was coming from Mack.

The cold breeze of the night entered the restaurant bringing along the stars im the sky.

Outside the restaurant the darkness of the night engulfed the city, but there was no one to lament the ending of the day as the single aoul alive now was struggling in his own mind to keep living.

But just like a nightmare that could not last forever, Mack opened his eyes.

His mind started to feel less sore and he started to feel better, it was like he was waking up from a bad dream.

But now he understood.

He could not have self pity for the rest of his life. Shit happens all the time, he needed to enjoy the good moments and move forward when luck abandoned him.

But he would never forget the ones important to him. Neither the sacrifice they made for him to just be able to breathe.

It was part of him.

But he would never again feel self pity. He would never again blame other for his misfortune.

But his revenge was another matter itself. As the pain he suffered was part of him, his revenge was too.

Mack opened his eyes and looked around to the destroyed building and figured what happened.

"If at least I could do this while concious, would be no need for runespells"

Mack stood up and moved his gaze to the outside and saw a small child running somewhere.

It was Mack, his young self.

The kid was pursuing a blue bird.

Not one second later both vanished in thin air like an illusion.

Mack kept looking to that place for a few more seconds, as if it entranced by a dejavu, or a memory that he could barely remember.

A few seconds later where the kid vanished a gate started to appear, almost the same way as before the gate came from the ground in the middle of the square of the city.

[Congratulations on passing the Gate of Regrets. Albeit not in the correct way, you still passed]

Mack regained his focus and looked around, the food he was eating was nowhere to be found.

~sigh~

"No gifts from granpa this time?"

[No]

"Lets go than"