The Gates - Book 1 (Chapter 4)

Welcome to another chapter of my book The Gate. I have been trying to find the motivation to write more of the book at the moment due to other projects I have on the go. However, a friend mentioned they are starting a new book series on their substack soon and it seems that was enough for me to get this chapter together and uploaded. As always this is a super rough draft of the chapter and is here for feedback on the story progression. I will get an editor one day I promise lol.

On another note, if sci-fi thrillers are your kind of thing, go and check out my friend’s substack over at Alpha Guard.

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If you’re new to The Gates, start here at Chapter 1.

Chapter 4

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As he walked across the dwell, Simmy reflected on his love for adventure and recalled an event that occurred a few days past his 5th birthday. A travelling man who wore yellow robes had found their way to the dwell and requested an audience with his father Elrik. During that evening's conversations between the two, beer had been flowing easily which Simmy was sure Elrik used as a tactic to get knowledge from people. The man started to tell stories of his journeys across the world, the great battles he had fort in and the darkness he had witnessed; such as an incredible group of people he had met in the mountains who had the most amazing hand-to-hand fighting skills he had ever seen and seemed to be unstoppable in battle. Simmy sat in his room with his ear pressed against the door, not able to believe what this stranger was saying. Being a sea dweller after all and the only trouble his dwell ever faced are the raging storms that engulf their part of the sea from time to time.

 Although Simmy's tribe relied on the storms for one source of power, having learned to cultivate the lightning into storage batteries. The storms always presented a problem of survival. During any given storm the dwell could easily lose 2 - 3 people in the swells and with such a small population this would usually have a huge impact.

From that night on Simmy had always been fascinated to learn of the outside dwells and the world beyond them and wanted to do everything he could to leave and see them, but without permission to study the scrolls from an Elder all reading of the outside scrolls are forbidden and his Father was adamant he did not need to know yet and instead focus on his studies. So for now he could only rely on this tale and any stories he would hear from some other drunk Elders. One of the only reasons he has agreed with Elrik to go into politics is so that one day he would not need permission to read them.

Simmy finally arrived and stood outside the library looking at the sheer scale of it. In this Dwell the library was the oldest and the biggest of the buildings. Its foundations spanned at least 4 shacks long and 3 shacks deep, it is the only building to have 2 floors and that was not including the roof. It was originally the hub where the original settlers lived and survived in the early years on the sea. He often came here to look up at the building and inspect all the small symbols, pictures and words that had been inscribed across all the outside planks, a tapestry of the dwells history from those brave enough to face the Elders if caught. Simmy would often copy these down onto any scraps he had and try to decipher meaning from them but so far all he had concluded was that a lot of couples in love had wanted to leave the love eternal on the walls.

He entered the building through its giant 2 main doors that were made of beautiful carved driftwood. These carved tomes were the only etchings across the building that were not graffiti. It contains a glimpse of the town’s proud history of fishing, the sadness of the great drought where for almost 2 years no fish were caught and the dwell’s population dwindled to a last few, to the modern day automatic fishing harpoons used to catch sharks.

He stood in the front hall of the library with the tube now taken from his pocket and there on the other side of a great wooden desk sat Eloi the librarian Elder. He was the tallest man on the dwell easily reaching over 7 feet tall and when he was younger, Simmy and his classmates would joke that Eloi must be a giant from the bottom of the ocean. The librarian sat with his glasses over his eyes staring down at Simmy. He drew a breath and with a voice that chilled Simmy's soul just said. ‘What do you want young child?' Simmy seemed to automatically find his feet moving and he approached the desk and handed the tube to him. The librarian stared for a few moments before he realised that Simmy intended for Eloi to examine it. Eloi handled the tube, turning it over and over, and end to end, even twiddling it between his fingers and seeming to check its balance. He gave no clue to Simmy of what he was thinking even when he saw the keyhole, his eyes and expression barely changed but all of a sudden he stopped playing with the scroll and before Simmy could blink, Eloi was on the other side of the desk dragging by the arm. ‘Hey! What are you doing you crazy old man?' Simmy shouted but the elder seemed to be taking no notice. He just kept dragging Simmy through the rooms of the building while mumbling the same phrase over and over again. 'Why now, why during my term'.

Simmy was thrown down onto the floor in front of a massive book case, the books were the oldest in the library and right in front of him was the place in the town he had always wanted to visit. The histories of all the known dwells were contained in these shelves. The librarian then turned to Simmy and demanded 'where did you get this item?'

Simmy told Eloi the story of the stranger in as much detail as he could and after he had stopped talking he realised that Eloi was now sitting on a chair twisting his beard between his fingers. He looked a lot paler than he did a few minutes ago. Whatever this scroll was, it scaring the librarian.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity of silence, the Librarian stood up and walked over to Simmy. 'Stand up boy, do you know what this tube is'. Simmy looked at the librarian with puzzlement.

'No sir. I have not laid my eyes on this type of item before, the man requested I bring it straight to you and here I am'

'Very well boy follow me, it seems you have taken on a debt along with this message Simmy, Son of Elrik' he picked Simmy up from under his shoulders and dusted him down. He then proceeded to walk over to one of the book cases. It looked to be the oldest of them all and each of the books was attached using chains. He reached out to a book on the top shelf, third from the right and pulled the big brown book towards him, the shelf made a massive hiss ­­­­­followed by the case moving jerkily forward opening to reveal a space behind covered in spider’s webs. Eloi reached into the space and pulled apart the cobwebs making a pathway in which they could walk down. The room was tight and only 6 paces in, Simmy had to stop himself from walking into Eloi who had stopped abruptly and had turned to face him. 'Boy do you know anything about the man who died in your house, be honest with me child' the elder questioned Simmy.

'No sir, I do not, the first time I saw him was when he appeared and fell through my door'

‘Simmy, that stranger that found you was a messenger of sought. He's job when the time came was to deliver this tube to an individual they found worthy. It seems that will be you. You know me Simmy as Eloi the librarian but I am also known as a Guardian. By you arriving at my place with a scroll my Job is to prepare you for the next part of this journey of which you have no choice but to take part or your life must be forfeit and another chosen.'

‘What!Why would I need to die?’

'You see Simmy this tube holds a code. I was told by the Elder before me who was informed by his Elder and so on since the beginning of the dwell. We were told that when this arrives, we must give the bearer the choice and if you agree. Open the scroll and reveal the code. However, the scroll has a safety mechanism. To stop anyone from just stealing the key and the scroll it can only be opened by an individual whose life essence has been bonded with it. The stranger when he died passed that into you when you touched it for the first time. So in order to pass it on if you do not wish to take on this burden you must die. just as the man did with you.’

He reached into his pocket and produced an old golden key just as faded as the dead man’s belt had been. ‘Simmy. are you ready to take on this journey and accept the fate that has now been perspond onto you?’. Simmy stood in silence unsure of what this all even meant. He wanted an adventure but this seemed serious and involved Death. He was thinking it through when he seemed to find himself nodding a yes. ‘Great’ Eloi replied and he put the golden key into the lock on the tube, put it in Simmys hand. ‘Now turn the key,’ Eloir said. Simmy took a deep breath and turned it slowly. The tube broke into two pieces and out of the chamber smoke started to leak into the air and within seconds the smoke was all consuming in the space. He could no longer see or hear anything. Simmy stumbled around reaching out into the darkness trying to reach for Eloi but he found nothing. Then within the chamber still in Simmys hand a small glow appeared filling his hand with heat before it became too much for him and he dropped it. The chamber dropped from the floor and smashed into pieces releasing the glowing orb which shot straight up into Simmys chest. Simmy fell to the floor screaming in pain as the heat coursed through his body via his veins. He curled up onto the floor and screamed for the pain to end and it did. The pain stopped and the smoke slowly started to fade away and the room became clear once again. Eloi was there once again to pick Simmy up from the floor. Simmy looked at his arms where the last tingles of pain were radiating but on his skin were now markings in the shape of 4 circles and a square. Eloi grabbed his arms and inspected the arms and a smile reached across his face. ‘Now it all makes sense,’ he exclaimed. ‘What does?’ Simmy has in return. ‘You're markings Simmy’ they match the object I have been entrusted to give you next.

Eloi rumbled around in his pockets for yet another key, except this time it was more modern and looked like it had been really looked after and used often. He clicked a secret latch on the circle table in the centre of the room opening up another hidden chamber inside. The key opened up this chamber and inside was yet another box. But this box was unlike any Simmy had ever seen before.It was covered in hundreds of intricate carvings of people and weird shapes all looking dancing around the same 4 circles and square symbol on his arm. The box was made of a shiny material he had never seen before. Elrik started to speak again. 'What you hold in your hand boy is this dwells oldest secret, handed down from Elder to Elder with a hope that it never was to be opened.Yet sadly it appears that time may be coming soon.’

‘But what is it?’ Simmy asked.

‘That I am afraid, boy. I do not know!. It has been so long I am afraid the stories of its contents have been lost to me and the other Elders, all I know is what must happen next.’

‘And what is that?’

‘Boy, This box needs to be opened, why as I said is lost to us. However, I know that you are only the first part of the key to unlocking the box…’

‘What do you mean?’ Simmy interrupted.

‘Give me a chance boy, I am telling you what I know’

‘Sorry,’ Simmy said, looking down at his feet apologetically.

‘As I was saying, you are the first part of a two person key. You must head to the first land you see due East, at which point you will see in the distance a large mountain region. This mountain is home to a small tribe called the Clavis’ who live in a small cave called Huntlor. You must head there and seek their Librarian and he will tell you the next steps.’

Simmy took in the Librarians words but as the adrenaline of the moment had started to wear off the realisation of what was happening started to hit home. ‘I’m sorry sir, but this all sounds a little crazy, you expect me to just go across the sea to some people in a mountain based on some crazy story some Elder told you a long time ago. It makes no sense. Can’t you tell me what this is about.’

The librarian picked Simmy up leaving his feet dangling and shook him. ‘Boy, this is not a game. You are to do your part as I have done mine. If you choose not to. You know the consequences. The journey must be taken now that it has started. That is ever you or we can make it someone else. Your choice.’

He placed Simmy down back onto the floor. He stumbled slightly and rested his weight onto the round table and stared at the whole where the box had called home. ‘I can not just leave, what about my father?’

‘Your’e father will understand Simmy. You see, he too knows that I have been entrusted with a secret. Of course he does not know what that secret was but he knows that when the day comes he must listen to my wisdom on the matter, now listen there is one more bit of information that is vital.’ He walked over to Simmy and looked him dead in the eye. ‘This quest you may call it, has a deadline. You see once you open that box, you only have until the third passing of the full moon before the markings on your arms will once again ignite but this time you will not survive the ordeal.’

‘Why is everything death with this thing?’ Simmy exclaimed

‘As I said Boy, I do not know the reason but I imagine if there is death the reward must be great. Now, Simmy you must take this box and start to head East from the city tonight, use the great northern star as your compass and do not tell anyone of where you must go or why. This I am afraid is for your safety as well as mine. Now go and do not ever come back here' The librarian's eyes looked tired and he sat down in a chair, he took a deep breath and just said ‘Good Luck’ and pointed towards the open door.

Simmy was confused and tried to talk to the Librarian again but he seemed to have closed in on himself and was no longer speaking or even seemed to be breathing. He just sat with his eyes closed in the chair. Simmy headed out of the small room and closed the door behind him.

Once he was back out of the corridor and into the restricted section he looked around and thought to himself that he did not want to miss out on the one chance he has ever had to have a look around the books. Under any other circumstances he would have never been able to see all these wonderful scrolls, books and maps and he would never get a chance again. Then another thought jumped into his mind, A Map. Without one he would not get very far. He looked around the room noting the labels on the shelves. Southern Water dwells. Northern water dwells his village and then he got to the Land dwellers map collection. Rows and Rows of maps. There was no way he could carry them all. He looked along the spines of the maps and each had a different location name, none of which he recognized until he came across one with a symbol matching his arm and underneath was just written the name of the cave. Huntlor. He pulled it from the shelf, quickly rolled up the scroll inside the book and started towards the door. Once outside he took off his shirt and wrapped it around the map. Paper was still very valuable in this city and he would hate it if he got stopped and had to explain how he had this piece of paper and even more if he had to explain a very old map.

As simmy walked off back towards his hut, In the shadows of the library walls came into view a figure. He was clocked in a hooded jacket, under which a glimmer from a silver sword could be seen hanging. He saw Simmy walking off and headed into the library.

The walk back towards his hut was the longest in his life Simmy thought to himself. He still did not believe everything that had happened. He walked through the village market, however he was supposed to be at school like all the other young people. So everyone was staring at him. Many had just seen him leave the library and by this he hoped they assumed he had been sent to collect some documents by his teacher. Which was frequently asked of students but still people leaned over and whispered. He told himself that If a guard stopped him this is what he would tell them.

The market had got busy which meant it had been hours since he had entered the library and the sun was high in the sky. The heat was at its summer peak and all around him Elders were walking around in their summer robes. The reminiscence of the night’s weather was no longer around. There were people sitting in the centre pool watching men fish for their meals and again they all looked when Simmy walked passed. The news of last night had surely reached every one by this point and he wondered if this was also a reason no one questioned why he was not in school. Then he walked past the Tavern which was now open. Simmy had explored these taverns once, being tall for his age and wearing an old cloak it was easy to get in. Once in no one would bother him as no one wanted to be associated with the place. The stories that had evolved from these places were a lot worse than the stories themselves. He found the barkeep company friendly and full of advice. The juice he tried, which they called grog, filled his stomach with warmth and happiness and before he knew it he was the attention of some ladies, unfortunately Simmy was sick before he could even get a kiss, however he left with a wonderment and excitement in life. It was however expensive and with this limited access to money he could not participate in the tavern's activities as regularly as he pleased. Simmys mind started to wonder of a story he heard from an old sailor who lost over 600 men in his lifetime on the hunt for a mysterious sea creature called a Whale and yet no one had managed to catch it yet.

Simmy's imagination created a creature so big it could swallow the whole dwell in one swoop and with a stomach so big it would take years before the dwell would be digested. Meaning people would be living inside the whale waiting for their inevitable end.

He walked all the way back to his father's hut lost in his own thoughts of the monster and then about the quest once again. What is inside this box? Why is it so dangerous? Why was he going? How was he going to get there? The questions seemed to be endless but the answers were all the same. I shall find out when I get there, after all he told himself. ‘You always wanted an adventure Simmy, and this is what an adventure is all about!’

The door to the hut was open when he returned and in the front room was his father. Elrik looked up from the fire and stared at Simmy, His pipe was dangling from the side of his mouth and the smoke filled the air around his face. This made it hard to see the expression on Erik’s face. Elrik took hold of his pipe and inhaled a large breath. The smoke filled his lungs and he felt a little release as a calm came over him. Elrik was smoking the herbal substances imported from the desert tribes they left behind when they passed through once every few years looking to trade for fish.

Elrik cleared his throat and looked at Simmy deep into his eyes. 'Simmy my lad come sit next to the fire we need to chat' Elrik did not sound angry or have a slight sound of deceit in his tone. Simmy walked over to the fireplace and sat down on the chair. Only last night had this spot been covered in the blood of the travelling stranger. Then Erik saw the markings on his arms.