The place where I must survive. Part three.

"Just look at them. Do you think I can go with them?"

"If you can't, you can always throw them off the mountain or leave them behind. Don't think about them. Think only of yourself. In fact, I'd love to send just you. But as the law says, every unhappy person is entitled to a better life. And they're so miserable I hate to look at them."

Laughing, Bannard drank all the icy water in his cup completely and felt a hand on his thigh. Looking at Isolda, at her sly expression, he smiled again.

"Don't worry. I'll do anything," he replied, remembering that Arlo hadn't come to dinner after all. "Well, I guess I'd better get back to my room. I'm going to have a beautiful night tonight," he said with a wink.

Laughing, Isolda drew him sharply to her and kissed him right in front of everyone and whispered, "If I were an ordinary woman, I'd be jealous of every guy you have fun with. But I hope I see him tomorrow. I wonder who he is and how does he look. After all, poor Luca. What happened to him is so awful, isn't it? Right?" Looking at his face in the hope that she could see the pain there at the memory of Luca, she saw only coldness.

"What I did was right," Bannard replied, answering Isolda's kiss.

"Are they kissing?" Blake asked in a whisper and immediately heard someone's sigh. Turning around, he noticed a girl who suddenly appeared beside him. "Where did you come from? Klaus was sitting here, after all."

"I noticed you were the most curious and talkative. I don't think you could survive in a place like this."

"How about we survive together?" With a wink, a guy with yellow hair and an earring in one ear asked, putting his arm around her shoulders. "Don't fight it. You know you can't survive in this place without a guy. You want it, don't you. We have a very long way up ahead of us. So let's spend it with enjoyment."

"Let me go."

With a forceful grip, the guy dragged her behind him, causing her to fall. No one was even paying attention. No one but Zale and Blake, who weren't afraid to draw attention to themselves.

"Hey you! It's not like she wants to go with you."

"What do you care? I mean, she doesn't even have the strength. What is she doing here? Do you think she can climb a mountain and go through all the worlds? Of course not! As long as she's alive, let me use her. Now back off, or you'll be sorry," the boy said, pulling a dagger from his pocket.

Quickly and deftly lifting his leg, Zale kicked him gracefully and just as sharply snatched the dagger from his hand.

"If you're going to attack, hold the dagger tighter, or don't you have the strength?"

Grabbing the girl's hand, he didn't let her go until the guy walked away, leaving his dagger in Zale's hands.

Everyone watched this evening's show with amazement and some were even frightened.

"You! What's your name?" Isolda suddenly asked, rising from her chair.

"Zale."

"And what's your name?"

"Matilda," the girl replied, pushing Zale's hand.

"You're a very brave fellow, Zale. And judging by your body, you're strong, and I have no doubt that you can reach at least the Fourth Realm. But since you're new here, I don't think you know much. You see, there is no friendship, no respect, no understanding, and most importantly, no compassion. It was decided this way years ago and don't think it was invented by someone with a heart of stone. No. It was decided that way to make it easier for all of you to reach your goal. You see, there is a very, very hard road ahead of you. And on that road, each one of you has to survive. You won't have a second to rest. Every second you will be taking a risk. Therefore, you must forget about all emotions and feelings, and most importantly, compassion for other people. If you have a friend, we will do everything we can to make him your enemy. If you are in love, we will teach you how to hate. To achieve your goal, you must become a solitary person without a heart. Believe me, this is the kind of person who can survive.

There is no room for love in this place. But because we are all human, and we are alive, we have needs and very important needs. To be strong, a man needs someone who can satisfy his desires. To be strong, a woman also needs to enjoy herself. Still, we have a right to please our bodies. Zale, if you want someone, there's no problem with that. Lust is allowed in this place, but not love. I hope you'll remember that."

"What kind of place is this?" Zale exclaimed and then Blake grabbed his arm.

"Please be quiet."

"Let him talk. Why should he keep quiet? Why keep quiet at all when you can sing!" Having said that, Isolda suddenly began to sing. Her loud voice filled the whole hall. She sang in a language everyone did not understand, and she was getting funnier by the second. Many people were very surprised and when she grabbed Bannard and twirled with him in a dance, everyone was frightened.

"We're in a madhouse," whispered the girl at the very end of the table.

"Everybody dance!" Isolda exclaimed, kissing Bannard again and moving her hand lower to encircle his bulging muscle in the back that was below his leather belt.

"Dance! Dance!" a man with long white hair and white eyebrows exclaimed, as if appearing out of nowhere.

"Who the hell is that?"

"I thought this place taught how to be strong and how to survive in the most dangerous situations. But it doesn't seem to teach anything here except how to go crazy."

"I don't think we have to follow all these abnormal rules," Zale said, deciding to leave this place where many people had already started dancing. Determined to find his friend, he quickly headed toward the stairs. Spotting him, Bannard kissed Isolda's hand and headed after him.

"Where are you going? Your room is on the second floor!"

"Where did you take my friend and why?"

"There must be five people in each room. There is no room for him."

"And where is he now? Can I see him? Why didn't he come to dinner? You did something to him, didn't you? Don't think we'll obey you."

"Look, boy, I can throw you out the window right now. If you're unhappy about anything, get out while I'm being kind."

Pushing him with ease and making him fall, Bannard laughed softly and quickly climbed the stairs.

"Where is he! Answer me!"

"Or what? What are you going to do to me? Go ahead and do it," Bannard said, stopping in front of an enraged Zale.

Letting him punch him in the face, Bannard laughed louder.

"Is that the best you can do?"

Swinging his arm, Zale wanted to strike again, but Bannard quickly outpaced him, hitting him with all his might so that he flew far forward. Zale's head struck the wall and he could not bring himself to get to his feet. He lost consciousness altogether.

"Good night," Bannard whispered and quickly, while no one was there, headed toward his room.

When he opened the door, he found Arlo nowhere to be found. Looking under the bed and not finding him there, Bannard went to the window.

"Too bad. Too bad. So young and already dead," he said, looking out into the darkness.