To where you are

- Then imagine my surprise when I see someone with a matching face of my long dead friend. And oh look, he can't tell me who he is. My day was not great that day.

I look at Aktor and say.

- Then you killed me, for the sake of others?

- Precisely.

*silence*

- Then I think I can forgive you.

- Huh.

- You did what you thought was the best option. How can I blame you for doing that?

- But I killed you.

- Yes. And still I forgive you.

- You do? Huh.

Siel'Kel rises its voice.

- I can't accept this!

- Accept what. I already forgave him. What more is there?

- He killed the one who inherited the fragment of our great mother Ley. If he didn't kill you back then, then you would have come to us sooner.

Aktor replies.

- You might be right. If I were smarter, I could have found a better plan so that he wouldn't have needed to die. If I were faster, I could have made the strike sooner and prevented the spell from being casted. If I knew more about magic, I could have told whether he had the spreading spell in him or not. There were many other outcomes.

- Yet you failed. And perhaps doomed us all. Perhaps it is too late now that so much time has passed.

- But who can tell if his fate is to save the world from something or not? It is just a fragment of a great power. It could be a pure coincidence that it found its way to his soul.

- It's fate is to save us! I'm sure of it! Why else would he be granted the fragment?

- As I told you. Pure chance.

- Impossible! Our great mother would not let just anyone have it.

- And how would you know? You barely knew the person.

- But... But... But then... Why else?

- Pure chance? A whim of an original power? Who knows.

There is a moment of silence.

- You might be right. But you still disrespect our sacrifice and come here unwanted. Hence, You must be punished.

- And what kind of punishment would I receive?

- Your soul shall be sent to a demon prince of ignorance's realm and it shall linger there as long as the world wills it.

- I see. I see. But isn't that a bit too harsh?

- You knew the consequences of trespassing here. And in the demon prince of ignorance's realm, you have a chance to return. Or would you like to be sent to another demon prince's realm?

- I take my chances with the demon prince of ignorance. After all, it isn't my first time going there.

- You might have been in the first layer of that realm, but I will send you to the third layer. There you should find your escape a bit more troublesome.

- Well... Shit.

I intervene.

- Wait. Wait. Do you really need to send him somewhere like that? Could we discuss this a bit more?

- He broke a promise, so he will pay the appropriate price for it. There is nothing to discuss. If you wish to, I can send you later to the first layer to assist him.

Aktor smiles and nods.

- Don't worry. I knew what would happen if I was caught. Besides, it's not like I will die. I will just have some tough trials ahead. If you decide to come, no need to push yourself to the limit. I have a tough mind too, so no worries.

- I...

I think for a while. Then look at him and nod.

- Alright. See you there.

Siel'Kel Does something and Aktor falls to the ground unconscious. I look at Siel'Kel and ask him to send me as well. It replies.

- Personally, I don't think you should go. If he is to spend his time there for the rest of eternity, it must be his fate.

- He is my friend. I wish to save him.

- If that is your wish, then I shall assist you. Perhaps this is one of your trials to complete. I still don't like that you will go there, but it is the wish of the one carrying the fragment of our great mother. Have this.

It throws me something. A ring.

- Use that to return to this world when you wish to. I make sure you are transported safely to this realm and back.

-Thank you. I still feel like you should just have let him go.

- I was expecting a bit of a fight, as well. Perhaps he has grown softer. Nevertheless, I could not let him remain unpunished. He showed disrespect to my kind and to you for coming here.

- I see. Then I'm off.

- Safe travels.

Then I'm suddenly transported to a city of some kind. A tropical kind of city. It looks like a normal town near water with normal people walking around. I decided to ask one of the passersby where I am. It was one of the demon races.

- Excuse me. Where am I?

- Oh another person who was transported to this realm. This is the city of Lo. Here we buy and sell things, not normally available anywhere else. Mostly people, who can travel between realms, come here and every now and then a person comes here involuntarily, like you. And then there are people who died by the hand of worshipers and come here to spend the rest of their existence here. Though mostly they end up in the second or the third layer. My name is Tur, by the way.

- Tur... huh. You are quite friendly and talkative to strangers.

- What can I say? Where there are new faces, there might be other business partners. Now What is your name, young lad.

- Nor is my name. If I may be frank, I need to find a friend of mine who ended up in the third layer. Would you know how I could get there?

- Oh, young lad. I do know how, but I don't think you should go there.

- Why is that?

- Follow me. Let's get something to eat first.

We went to some restaurant not far from where we met. We ate some and the Tur started talking about the layers.

- You see. This first layer is for the creatures the demon prince of ignorance created and the people that end up here are usually just lazy people or people who like to make life more easier. Thus many merchants gather here to make an easy living. Hunters come to hunt and sell the parts of the creatures only found in this layer. It is business all around in this layer.

- Then what about the second and third?

- The second layer is for people who died due to laziness. The layer is dark all around, with glimmering stones the only source of light. People there tend to not move a lot and sleep all the time.

There is a small pause.

- Then the third layer is for the people who ignore the guidance of godly beings. They are usually self centered people or warriors who think too much for themselves. Thankfully, to be sent to any layer requires a certain type of power, so it is not easy to end up in any of the demon prince's realms. Especially the realm of ignorance, since the followers of that demon prince are quite quiet all the time.

- I see. So how do I get from one layer to another?

- Simple. You just need to find a gate between the layers and you are good to go. As for where to find one. This island has one, but to use it you have to pay quite a hefty sum of money.

- Money is quite tight right now. Does it use the same currency as in the original realm?

- Depends where you are from. If you got some lux then we are good to go.

- That is the currency I'm used to. I have some.

- How much?

- About the worth of 120 lux.

- That's enough then. Now pay up.

- Pay up for what?

- The information and the meal, of course. Did you think I was giving it to you for free?

- I thought you were too friendly. Now I see the reason why. Here.

I handed 120 lux to Tur.

- Pleasure doing business with you. Now follow me.

He rose up and started walking away. So I started to follow him.

- To where?

- To the gate, of course. Where else?

- But I don't have any money left on me. How am I going to get past it?

- I have the authority to let you pass, since you paid me the fee.

- Wasn't that for the information and the food?

- Yes. But I decided to invest in you. I can easily get you past the first gate. I am a seller of information after all.

- What does being an information seller get by helping me?

- Soon, I will start to charge you more if you keep asking more questions. But since I like you I tell you that you might be worth some information some day. The friend of yours being sent to the third layer tells me that you came here because of some big person in the overworld. And since you two were sent to different layers means that you have the favor of the person who sent you here. That or the person was less angry with you.

- You are something. Huh. Can I ask one more question?

- Sure young lad. After that I'm going to charge you.

- When I get to the second layer, how do I find the gate to the third?

- Simply follow the brightest path of the glimmering stones and you are golden. It is quite a walk though so you better be prepared. Don't worry about eating or drinking. In the other layers you don't need to eat or drink. You get tired though so remember to sleep. Don't worry about the wildlife, they are harmless. I would be worried about the other passerbys though. At least a bit.

- Thanks for the info. Now how far.

- That's a freebie. Only a little more.

We got to the gate and Tur told me to wait a bit. He whispered something to the guard's ear and they started moving. Soon After the soldier returned we were free to enter the premises of the gate.

- Now don't disappoint me now young lad. If you come across something I might not know, I will give you information you might desire.

- Thank you for everything. If I get some, I'll be sure to talk to you. Now I will go. Goodbye.

- It's not hopefully a goodbye. I would rather use, see you later. See you later, young lad.

- See you later then.

We wave our "goodbyes'' and I enter the gate. Suddenly The world goes black. All I can see is small sparkles when I look around, and I realize that I made it to the second layer. Tur told me to follow the brightest path after looking back at the gate, to confirm what it looks like. Now is time for a long walk.