Chapter 3: The Unknown Realm Of Lost Souls (Part 2)
Translator: Park Nambyul
Part 2

Advik looked up to see the face of the Prime Minister, “I don’t know if I should believe your nonsense or not… ugh… I don’t know if I am a soul or not either… well actually I don’t even care whether I’m a soul or anything else.” He stood up again and faced the Emperor to talk, “I don’t really care about myself anymore. I just wanted to leave because there is someone I really care about. I just want to see if that person is alright or not. They were gravely injured, even more than me, so I just want to check. Please let me go!… I promise I’ll come back after checking!”, this time Advik’s voice was serious. He had a courteous feeling in his voice which was different than him of a while ago. His head was a bit low like he was genuinely giving his respect to the Emperor.

“Do you even know how many years it has been since your death?”, Svapn asked in tension.

“Years? Ha! Don’t joke around! I was in that war ground just two or three days ago”, Advik laughed.

“It has been almost two thousand years since your death, to be precise it’s been exactly one thousand nine hundred thirty-seven years since you’ve died!”, Svapn sighed.

“Yeah, even if that person recovered from those injuries they still can’t live this long if they were human,” Sidharth put his hand on the shoulder of Advik.

“I said don’t joke with me and you all are still!!!”

“We are not joking. Believe us”, the King heavily sighed glancing at a wall.

“No!! I can’t believe this! I shouldn’t have believed you guys. Don’t do this to me, please! Let me go, please! I just want to see Your Highness. I just want to apologize for what evil I did to Your Highness! You know Your Highness is the only one who literally cares about me”, Advik kneel down in front of the Emperor, everyone was surprised by the sudden act and change in his character.

“Hey! You don’t have to do this. We really want to help you, trust us”, Sidharth supported Advik to stand up again. “Why are you so desperate to meet this person? Is this person is your lover?”

“No”

“Then family?”

“No! Your Highness… Your Highness is my friend… No enemy… ugh… I-I don’t even know what is our relationship!”, Advik painfully giggled with tears arriving in his eyes. “It’s complicated, even I don’t understand what we are, one day we are enemy then another day we become friends”, Advik looked at the roof and shut his eyes to stop his tears but they didn’t stop even from his closed eyes, they were scrolling down.

The room suddenly went silent…

After a few minutes, the Chief Minister broke the silence with his cheerful voice, “We will try our best to help you, just believe us for one time.”

Advik wiped off his tears and turned back to see the Chief Minister and smiled, “Thank you, this time I will try my best to believe you all.”

“That’s good! Now first we should leave this room and eat something, okay!”, Svapn with his little smile stepped ahead.

“Eat something? Me? But you said I am a soul and I think soul doesn’t need to eat anything”, Advik questioned narrowing his thin eyebrows.

“Well usually they don’t eat but here they change, they become a little like humans and that’s why there are somethings they need like humans to charge themselves”, this time Sidharth was the one who spoke.

“How can that is possible?”, Advik wondered.

“We don’t know either. Souls just change when they arrive here”, Sidharth replied with a tensed voice.

Svapn opened the door and some guards who were standing there surrounded him. Every guard had a bothered and frightful expression, they were sweating, one of them spoke with a trembling and dried tone, “P-prime Minister… Prime Minister… the-the student Samay has left the room”, he gulped his spite before continuing, “He-he went in the direction of the Gate of Lost Soul’s Realm… We-we tried to stop him but he didn’t listen to anything we said. He said he wanted to play and practice his sword arts.”

“Is he alone?”, Emperor asked.

“Yes, My Lord”

“WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!!!?”, Svapn raged.

The guard was afraid and trembling when he said, “Yes! Its true Senior Svapn, we-we tried our best to stop student Samay but he tricked us and went to the Real Gate!!”

Svapn was furious by what he heard from the mouth of the guard, “W-what are you saying?! He can’t go there. He is not strong enough to protect himself there!!”, Svapn was not himself anymore because of the way he was speaking, without any manners or polite tone. Advik was surprised seeing this side of Svapn, because even when Advik made the Prime Minister angry he was just a bit pissed, however, right now he was burning with rage.

Advik came close to Sidharth and whispered, “Chief Minister, why this guy is so angry? Who is that Samay they all are talking about?”, Advik was a little curious to know who the person could be who can make him that furious? The Chief Minister quietly murmured, “Samay is a disciple here. He is a promising student but most importantly he is the little brother of our ex-prime minister Vansh.”

Advik didn’t know what to say anymore so he just said “Oh!” in a satisfied tone for the reply he got from Sidharth.

Svapn grabbed the collar of the guard who was answering his questions, “Take me there! Take me there right now! If anything happens to him, what am I going to say to Vansh?!” The guard was so scared by the furious Prime Minister that he started to beg to spare him. But Svapn did not want to spare him it was like he wanted to kill this guard right there, still, he won’t do it because his righteous self won’t let him murder a weak old guard.

One by one some guards who were behind started to speak in a hesitated voice, “Even if that kid is a talented kid he still is a child. He can never make it out if he went inside the Real Realm, don’t you think Prime Minister?”

“Yes, you are right. That place is terrifying, no one can leave that place even after they die.”

“P-Prime Minister Svapn… I-I think you should forget to save Samay. Don’t put our lives in danger just-just for one person, please!”

“What did you say?”, Svapn raged and raised his hand to slap the guard. However, just when he was about to hit the guard the Emperor spoke a little loud and command him to stop. Svapn stopped halfway and turned to see the Emperor who was standing behind and listening every word thoughtfully.

The Emperor spoke, “What are you doing Prime Minister? You cannot forget your position. Don’t hit those who are weaker than you.” The Emperor came closer to him, “You know how Samay is, how stubborn he becomes when someone orders him to not do something, he will do the exact same thing to annoy them. No one knows that better than you.”

Sidharth was standing there noiselessly, but then he also stepped in there to chat so he spoke, “Samay is a clever and intelligent child. It won’t be any problem for him to trick them, don’t you think, Senior? Even you were tricked by that little devil, once! Please calm down first and then start searching for him”, Sidharth tried to make Svapn find his usual calm and gentle nature.

Advik was just confused by everything. He didn’t understand anything except that someone named Samay was missing and everyone there was very anxious to find the kid as soon as possible. Because he was so confused and clueless about the whole situation, he lost his interest easily.

When the Chief Minister left him to talk with the Emperor and others, he started to look around out of boredom and in amusement. Nothing else but walls of gold decorated with precious stones were encircling him. He looked around to see everything and examining everything because he was still unsure whether to trust these people or not. “I can become a millionaire if I can steal just one gemstone from here”, he was touching and feeling everything near him with an amazed look on his face.

“This place is really heaven for a thief like me”, he thought. The prosperity of that palace was unreal even if it was only the corridor where he was standing he still felt the wealth of the palace. The corridor was furnished by many things that were making it extremely fancy and royal.

Advik was wandering around aimlessly while exploring the palace, he wasn’t that far away from others but not that near to them as well. He paused when his eyesight froze on a flower pot, a beautiful white flower pot that had different kinds of flowers in it. However, his eyes were only seeing those blue flowers – those forget me not – he walked closer to touch them without even blinking his eyes. He creased the flower’s petal gently, it was smooth and fragile. The touch of the flower made him remember about someone, his lips curved upwards thinking about it.

The Emperor and others were still discussing. “Emperor I–“, Svapn was hesitantly going to say something but before he could finish what he wanted to say the Emperor smiled and said, ” You can go, I know how important Samay is to you. No need to ask for permission.”

Svapn had a surprised look on his face hearing that one simple line from the Emperor’s mouth, “Mmm… Thank you so much, my lord!”, Svapn nodded to him before hastily leaving to find Samay. He just took a few steps when he heard a voice, “Wait, Senior, I am coming along with you”, Chief Minister waved his hand to stop Svapn. Sidharth ran as fast as he could to catch up with his senior. When he catches the pace of Svapn he humbly asked, “Senior, we should also tag Advik with us. Maybe this small journey could help him in some way. Can you ask the Emperor to tell him to follow us.”

Svapn carefully thought about what Sidharth just said before he spoke, “I don’t know if it’s a good idea but if you are insisting then I’ll ask Emperor by mind connecting technique.”

Sidharth just hummed in the reply. Svapn concentrated to connect with the Emperor while running at a rapid pace in the direction of the Real Gate. After a few moments, Svapn got a voice in his mind, “What happened, Prime Minister?”, Emperor asked in his mind.

“Majesty, can you tell Advik to run in our direction. Chief Minister said that if he comes along with us he’ll get some help by seeing everything himself.”

“Hmm… That’s very thoughtful of him but the kid has already left this place when you two left. He is also running in the direction of the Real gate”, the Emperor said.

“Oh no! I am afraid that he’ll get himself in trouble”, Svapn was worried.

The Emperor spoke again, “Don’t be afraid you don’t know how capable he is. His cultivation skills are extremely high. Advik can help himself in any danger I am sure. You just focus on finding Samay.”

Svapn was not so satisfied with what the Emperor said, still he just respond, “Yes, Your Highness.” He disconnected himself and tried to focus his eyes on the path with a troubled face.

When Sidharth saw his senior having a troubled look he couldn’t stop himself from asking, “What happen, Senior? You are looking a bit troubled by something.”

“Advik has already left the palace and maybe he is following us”, Svapn sighed.

“What!!?”

“Yes, but the Emperor said not to worry about him for now and concentrate on finding Samay.”

Chief Minister thought and then spoke, “That child, Advik. There is something very wrong with him.”

“Yes, there’s something demonic in him. I sensed it when I was trying to get his memories back”, Svapn said in a worried tone.

“He can be a big problem for us in the future, don’t you think, Prime Minister?”, Sidharth was also bothered.

“I also worry about that but if Emperor didn’t point out anything in specific then I believe that it’ll be fine”, Svapn smiled.

Sidharth nodded and smiled as well, “Right! For now, let’s focus on finding this troublesome brat.”

“Yeah, this time I am not letting him go that easily, I swear!”, Svapn said in a heavy voice. Then both of them ran in a darker path.

—

The fast and light as air steps were moving in the direction of the back of the palace. It was day time. The backyard was so huge to be called a backyard rather it was more like a big garden or forest with many trees, plants, bushes, fountains, lakes, and flowers. It was a beautiful sight because of all those things in the garden and the atmosphere was very calming as well. “Haha, it wasn’t difficult to escape from those people. I can’t just sit and watch everything. I have to do something on my own or else I’ll be stuck here forever and that’s something I would never let happen.”

Advik’s speed wasn’t rapid because of his weak body but he was still running with his all might. He had all his concentration on the road yet he was examining the environment around him. Everything was different and unusual for him. The sun was bigger than normal, the sky was higher and bluer than he had ever seen, the breeze had a very high spiritual energy flowing with it which was totally new for him.

“They think they can chain me in that palace, huh, that’s impossible. Not even God has that kind of power. I am the infamous Diabolic Cultivator Thief, how can they even imagine to stop me, fools”, Advik was having some thoughts on his mind until he stopped seeing a mountain like a gate in front of him. There were two guards protecting that huge gate. So, Advik hid behind a tree to check upon them, he was heavily breathing, some drops of sweat were rolling down from his tensed forehead and neck, he was tired because of his weak body. He glanced at those guards from behind the tree.

He tried to hear the guards but they were standing there like a statue, he couldn’t hear anything even if he wanted to. Advik just wanted to stay away from any unnecessary attention because right now getting noticed by anyone could be a trouble for him.

He saw the fifty meters high walls were stood both sides of the gate. It was unimaginable to cross them. The only option was to pass through that gate. “Why these two guys aren’t saying anything. How can I pass from that gate, it’s so huge as a mountain. What can I do?”, the desperate and troubled thoughts were filling in the head of his.

He was a little exhausted after running because of his weak body. He couldn’t think of any idea to make himself free from that place. Even if it was just for a moment he wanted to rest. He leaned his back over the tree and slowly slid down. He squatted down himself to collect his energy.

Should he climb those walls, should he try to ask the guards to let him go, should he try to cross the gate secretly, should he try to dig a small tunnel, should he just kill those guards or should he go back to the palace and wait for things to settle down on their own, there was so many thought rushing in his mind.

He was trying to think every possible way to pass from the gate but most of them were just useless. Tricking or killing those guards was the easiest option for him it was as easy as killing an ant to him however he didn’t want to do it. The bloodthirsty scenes he had witnessed in that war was enough for him. He just wanted to stay away from blood and killing as far as he could. And the last option of going back to that palace was something he will never ever choose.

He was idly sitting while his back was leaned over a tree, his slim fingers were playing with the grass while he tried to think of an idea with closed eyes. His one leg was lying straight on the ground while another one was making an arch which was also supporting his hand. Even after some time passed nothing came up in his mind, it made him frustrated. Every moment and every second was important for him but he just couldn’t find anything. He thought he was definitely lost this time.

Advik was disappointed, frustrated and angry with himself. It was useless for him if he can’t use his cultivation power. It was the despair he felt, “What can I do? What should I do? It’s like I am even more powerless than these bugs. Is there anyone who can help me? Who would want to help a thief like me? I deserve this, I always knew that I deserved something like this. Guess this is the fate I cast upon myself… Hey! Hey! Hey! Why am I being so hopeless? I am a very optimistic person, right! I should think of something. It’s not that big of a problem. I can do something, I should do something! But what, what can I do? My cultivation is gone its not within me anymore. I am nothing without my cultivation”, Advik took a deep sigh.

His eyes were closed and he was feeling dizzy and sleepy because he needed rest. Suddenly he felt a tingling sensation on his index finger, it was like an insect or a tiny ball was trying to sit down on his finger. He tried to ignore the thing but it didn’t leave him. Every time he tried to move his finger to brush it off, it flew away and then came again to sit down again when the finger stopped moving. The thing was stubborn to leave him. Eventually, he had to open his eyes to see what it was.

His lips curved upwards when he saw the thing because the thing was a Firefly, it was a bit bigger than a standard one, still, it was shining and sparking in a bright green color even in daylight. The thing was constantly trying to sit down on his finger but Advik always moved his finger away, never letting the Firefly to sit down on his hand. The Firefly was also very obstinate so it was always going upward in the air and coming back. The Firefly looked like it wanted to show him something.

The strange behavior of it made him think about it, “Is this Firefly just playing with me or it really wants to show me something? Should I go with it to find out? It could be a demon’s work? Hmm… Let’s just see what misfortune can fall upon me this time”, Advik smiled and stood up, “So? Do you really want to show me something?”, Advik laughed.

The Firefly tried to pull his finger in a direction like it was trying to show him a way out from the place. Advik looked surprised when the Firefly took his hand but he didn’t say anything and choose to follow it. The Firefly was flying on the same level as his sight, a bit further than Advik. His mouth was shut but in his mind, he thought that this time he surely become a joker who is trying to get help from a Firefly! He giggled and then silently walked behind it.

The sound of crushing some dried branches and leaves were the only thing he heard along with his breath. He passed by some trees, plants, and bushes before the Firefly stopped abruptly in front of a wall. Advik was confused when he saw another wall, “Hey! Why do you take me to another wall? I am tired of seeing them! If you wanted to help at least find a door or a small tunnel for me, stupid fly!”, Advik roared at the Firefly. If the Firefly was a human it would have sighed hearing Advik’s stupid complaints or it would have a face of – “I am the one helping you here, so at least try to look around, would you” – kind of face.

Advik was feeling a bit restless and anxious. He tried to touch the wall to see if it had some hidden door or something. The walls were not that high he could climb up on the wall but it had big thrones on the top of it so it was not possible to cross the wall. “Stupid fly, now I’m stuck here! I don’t even remember the road to go back. Fuck…”, Advik sighed.

The Firefly again sat down on the wall and flew away from it as it did with Advik. It was trying to show him something again. Advik carefully looked at it, “Huh? Does it really have an exit? Are you trying to show me something again? Is there some kind of hidden door on this wall? Stupid fly! Why didn’t you tell me before?”, he touched the place where the Firefly was sitting again and again. Advik tried to push the wall but nothing changed. He again pushed it with more force, still, it didn’t work.

He again pushed it with his whole body. The Firefly was also trying to push the wall it was as if it also wanted to help him. After a few pushed from his whole body a sound came like when a door opens come. The part which they were pushing, moved an inch. Seeing that he pushed it more and in the end, it opened. The exit wasn’t that big only one or two people could pass through it together. Advik fell inside the gate when he pushed it, his own force made him fell abruptly inside.

The moment he fell inside the gate he felt strange chills down in his spine. It was very rare for him to feel like that. The view was completely different than the one outside the gate. When he looked around he was shocked and scared by the dark night which was fallen there. It was as if he was in a whole new world. The gate closed itself before Advik could understand anything. He wobbly stood up to see the dark life of there. The place was different from the place he came from. It had extremely dark energy filled in the air, everything seemed demonic, there wasn’t any sign of life but it still had many resentful screams and cries coming from all directions. It was a scene no one would be pleased to witness.

Advik collected his strength, “Where is this place? Hey fly, is this the place you wanted me to see?”, Advik wasn’t feeling that much out of place like a while ago. There was a big red moon above him which catches his attention the most, “Hmm? Red moon? I am literally not on earth? Where the fuck is this place?”, he was just loudly talking to himself and the Firefly was voicelessly floating in the midair.

“This is the Real Realm of The Lost Soul, child”

“Ohhhhhhh! It’s quite dark here. I can’t even see myself properly. And too much resentful and demonic energy is filling here”, Advik said while glaring at the moon in amusement. Advik glanced at the Firefly which was jumping there like it had seen something delightful. It was weird for the Firefly to jump like that in excitement.

Advik swiftly moved and picked up whatever was on the ground. He turned towards his back, “Who are you?”, Advik said while trying to protect himself with a small piece of branch. But when he turned around there wasn’t anyone except the darkness and trees. He was a little scared because he clearly heard someone talking to him.

He again felt like someone was behind him again, so he again turned with a rapid speed holding the branch like a sword to shield and protect himself. Still, there was no one behind him then suddenly a fist size of a Black Fireball came in the air out of nowhere. The Fireball was floating like it didn’t have any weight in it. Even though it was pure black yet it was illuminating the entire area which was pitch black before it appeared.

Advik stepped back because of the sudden encounter with that Fireball. Advik forgot about the voice and looked at the Black Fireball in surprise. But the voice came again, “Don’t be afraid. I can take you to where that guy has gone.”

Advik glanced everywhere in shock, “Who? Who is here? Why I can’t see you? Come out right now.”

“I am right in front of you just look carefully and closely”, the voice was calm and soothing. It was a matured voice of a male, that was guaranteed.

Advik watched again, “Huh? There’s no one here”, he was not scared now but a bit restless to know who is behind this voice. He looked everywhere and then his sight froze on the Fireball, “……… Wait! Wait! Wait! So are you saying that this voice, I mean, you are this Black Fireball?!”, Advik said with disbelief in his tone.

The Firefly was jumping in the air with joy hearing their conversation as if it was also confirming that what Advik just said is true. Advik looked at the Firefly and then at the Black Fireball which was ahead of him. He felt even more stupid because now a Fireball was also talking to him after the Firefly led him in that horrible place! “Am I really gone crazy?! How can a Black Fireball is talking to me?”, Advik put his palm on his forehead and started to doubt himself. “Is this also a dream? Fuck! I don’t understand anything anymore!”, he kicked a small stone in irritation.

The Fireball came in front of him again to stop him, “Don’t be reckless. I can really help you just listen to what I’m saying if you want to find the kid who has left the palace and came in this direction, I can tell you where he might be, believe me!”

Advik thought something, looking at the Fireball. Even though it was just a Fireball it still gave him some kind of security and a close friend or a family member like feeling. He just believed the Fireball unnoticeably. It was just a feeling but he was pretty sure that these two could help him. He glanced at the Black Fireball, “Well… hmm… So how can you help me? You said you can tell where that kid is, right? I am actually lost at words… Seriously, first a Firefly and now a Fireball! But if you can help me then hurry up!”

The fireball and the Firefly were just staring and listening to Advik. Even if the place was dark, pitch-black it was still glittering a little because of them.

Advik smiled and looked ahead at the destroyed path, “Which direction then? ”

The Fireball was calm but it looked happy when it heard that Advik will follow them, “This way and stay close to me both of you. This is gonna be dangerous for us”, the Fireball said and lead him on an unknown path.

Advik was astonished, he thought, “Wow! Now a Fireball and a Firefly are going to protect me and I have to follow them as well, haha, it seems fun.”

Advik was lost in his thought so he didn’t notice when the two left him behind. The Fireball looked around when it didn’t find Advik beside himself. It saw him standing behind so it called for Advik. He abruptly woke up from his thought, “oh wait, I’m coming, let’s go! We need to hurry.”

Author’s Note:

Narak Dvaar – Hell’s gate