Chapter 42 – Gate of Guts
Chapter 42
Gate of Guts
Date: Day 29 of Harvestmoon. 1024 Aethellgard Concord Year.
Hyoren and Elise woke up the next day almost at the same time. The final day of their journey.
They stood from their makeshift bed. Then they walked to the faucet in the middle of the waystop. They washed their faces. They fixed their hair. Elise gathered her silver locks into a ponytail. Hyoren tied his black hair at the back.
After that, they quickly ate. Field rations again. The same hard tacks. The same jerky.
After the camp was clear and the four square Ward Stones secured in Elise's bag, they prepared to depart. The final stretch. The end of their journey.
Elise turned to Hyoren. Her emerald eyes bright. Her expression eager. A smile played on her lips. The anticipation was visible. Radiating from her. They were close.
"Let's go, Hyoren."
Her voice carried excitement.
"Today, we definitely arrive at Akela."
She emphasized the word.
"Are you ready?"
Hyoren adjusted his bag on his back.
"Can't wait for it, Elise."
He smiled. Genuine.
"Let's go."
They resumed their journey. Steps falling into rhythm. Side by side. The King's Highway stretched before them.
The peaceful morning journey stretched. The road was smooth. The sky was clear. The suns climbed higher. The autumn wind was gentle.
Travelers passed them. Farmers with wagons. Merchants with caravans. Knights on patrol. The road was busy. But not crowded. The traffic flowed. Moving in both directions.
After two hours of peaceful walking, finally Hyoren could see it.
A looming city in the distance—tall walls covering it—Frontier City Akela.
The view moved Hyoren. Struck him.
He stood still. Speechless.
The walls were massive. They rose from the landscape like a mountain. Behind the walls, he could see buildings. Smoke rising from chimneys. The signs of civilization.
His first city of this world. After almost fifty days outside civilization. Fifty days of survival. Fifty days of sleeping on the ground.
And now—this. A city.
The sight overwhelmed him. The relief. The joy. The disbelief. He had made it. He had survived. He had reached this point.
Elise noticed him. She had walked a few steps ahead. But she stopped when she realized he was not beside her. She turned around. Her eyes found him. Standing. Staring. Frozen.
She smiled. Understanding. She knew what this moment meant. What this sight represented. She had been his guide. His companion. She had seen him struggle. Had seen him grow. Had seen him survive. She knew the weight he carried. The journey he had endured.
But she let him bask in the feeling first. The moment was his. The realization was his. The victory was his. She did not rush him.
She simply waited. Giving him the time he needed.
After a while—when the silence had stretched long enough—she called him. Her voice gentle. Teasing. Breaking the spell.
"Hey, if you just stand there, I will leave you, you know."
She was teasing him. The words were light. Playful. But the intention was clear.
Hyoren finally woke from his stupor. The words penetrated his reverie. Pulled him back to the present.
"Oh. Sorry... sorry, Elise."
He stammered. His voice rough. Thick with emotion.
"It's just... the feeling of finally seeing the city after all this..."
He trailed off. He couldn't even describe his feeling. The words would not come. The emotions were too complex. Joy. Relief. Disbelief. Hope. Fear. Anticipation. All mixed together. All swirling within him.
"It's fine."
Elise said. Her voice soft. Understanding.
"And understandable, Hyoren."
She smiled. Warm. Accepting.
"Let's go."
He finally moved. His legs unstuck. His body remembered how to walk. He caught up with Elise. Falling into step beside her.
***
As they continued walking, the city loomed ahead. Growing larger with every step. The walls rising higher. What had been a distant shape on the horizon was now a looming presence.
The King's Highway carried them forward. As they moved closer, a wide river joined the road beside them on the south side. The water flowed steadily. The surface reflecting the sky. The banks lined with grass and reeds. Boats dotted the waterway.
Hyoren looked at the river. The familiarity struck him. The feel of the water. Something tugged at his memory.
"This river..."
He spoke slowly. Remembering.
"Is it the same river we always followed in the forest and grassland, Elise?"
Elise nodded. Her pointed ears twitched.
"That's right, Hyoren. This is the Akela River. Same river."
She gestured at the water.
"It starts from the mountains far to the south. Runs through the Forest of No Return. Through the grasslands. And finally here—to Akela. The city was built near the river for a reason. Water… And transportation."
Hyoren then noticed a few small ships. Sailing through the river upstream. Moving against the current. He frowned. The ships had no sails. No oars. No visible means of propulsion.
"How can those boats move upstream without sails or other mechanism, Elise?"
He asked. His curiosity piqued.
"Don't tell me they use magic too."
Elise followed Hyoren's direction. Her eyes tracking the boats.
"Yeah. I think they use magic tools to move water below the waterway to move forward."
She explained. Painting a picture with words.
"The river is an important transportation route too."
She gestured at the boats. At the cargo they carried.
"Some logging villages use water transportation to move logs to Akela City. It's faster than wagons. The river does the work."
Hyoren nodded. Understanding. The logic was sound.
"I see. Big logs are indeed easier to be moved via river."
He looked at the water again. At the boats. At the invisible magic that propelled them. Another marvel of this world. Another application of magic to solve practical problems. The infrastructure of this world continued to surprise him. Roads maintained by earth magic. Water provided by magic tools. Boats propelled by enchantments. This was not the crude medieval world he had expected.
They continued walking. The city growing larger. The walls rising higher. More details becoming visible.
And as the gate started looming over them, he noticed how tall it was.
The grey stone wall loomed over five meters high. With ramparts. Battlements. The fortifications of a city that had seen war. That expected war. That prepared for war. Guards walked along the top.
"Wow."
Hyoren breathed. The word escaping him.
"The stone wall is... massive."
He looked up. And up. The scale was impressive. Intimidating. The wall was built to keep things out.
"But it looks battered."
He noticed. The details becoming clearer. Some parts had small indentations. Pockmarks. Scars. Few cracks ran through the stone. Evidence of impact. But the wall still stood. Majestically. Despite the damage. Despite the wear. It had endured.
Elise nodded. Her expression grew serious. Her eyes darkened with memory. With knowledge.
"That's because this wall is a witness to how relentless the Goblin King's Army is."
She spoke. Her voice low.
"The attacks. The sieges. The constant pressure from the forest."
She looked to the south. To the direction of the Forest of No Return. The source of the threat. The origin of the danger.
"The last attack eight years ago was quite devastating."
Her voice carried the weight of history. Of tragedy. Of loss.
"Plenty of casualties. The gate was breached. The city was nearly overrun."
She paused. Her jaw tightening.
"This is why this time it seems Baron Akela is going all out."
Her gaze returned to the wall. To the city. To the defenses.
"The potions stockpile seems to be his way of securing supplies for the looming attack."
She explained. Connecting the dots. The merchant's words from before. The high price of potions. The shortage. The stockpiling. It all made sense now. The Baron was preparing.
Hyoren shivered a bit. The information settled on him. The reality of this world. The danger that lurked beyond the walls. The forest they had traveled through. The goblins they had fought. The Goblin King they had heard about. It was all connected.
"This is why your quest and report is going to be important..."
Elise nodded silently. Her eyes still on the south. On the forest. The information she carried was not just data. Not just a report. It was intelligence. Warning. Preparation. Lives might depend on it. The city might depend on it.
They walked closer and closer. The city rising above them. The wall towering over them. The gate approaching. And finally, they could see it clearly.
The majestic gate stood tall with two gate towers. Flanking the entrance. Guarding the passage. The towers were high. Armed with archers and ballistae. The defenses were comprehensive.
The gate itself was made from black wood. Lustrous with a metallic sheen. Hyoren was already familiar with it. The Ironwood logs. The same material he had encountered in the forest. The same dense, hard, resilient wood. But here—used for gates.
The gate was open right now. Commerce flowing through. A few gatekeepers manned it. Knights in armor. Guards in uniform.
A small line had formed. Travelers on foot. Merchant wagons. Farmers with carts. The line moved quickly. Efficiently. But as traffic was plenty, it still created some queue. A wait. A delay. But not long.
Hyoren observed. His eyes taking in the process.
"What are those people and wagons lining for?"
He asked. Curious. Unfamiliar with the procedures of city entry.
Elise looked up. Following his gaze.
"Oh. That's the entry checkpoint."
She explained. Her voice carrying the knowledge of experience.
"Everyone entering the city needs to be checked. Identified. Registered. It's for security. To keep track of who comes in and who goes out."
Hyoren's head turned to Elise. A thought struck him.
"Should I worry? I don't have identification..."
His voice was uncertain. He remembered his status. His lack of documentation. His existence as otherworlder. In the wilderness, it had not mattered. But here—in civilization—in a city with guards and checkpoints—would it be a problem?
Elise smiled. Reassuring. She had anticipated this. She had prepared for this.
"Don't worry. The check will be thorough if you don't have identification. The knights might detain you for a few days."
Hyoren tilted his head. Confused. That did not sound reassuring.
"Then that's bad for me, right? They're going to detain me?"
Elise chuckled. A soft sound.
"That's if you barge in alone."
She clarified. Her smile widening.
"You're with me. A person without ID can enter with a guarantor."
She explained.
"From someone with a legal ID. The guarantor will vouch for you. Take responsibility for you. The guarantor will get arrested too if the person they guarantee makes a ruckus."
She patted his shoulder.
"I will act as your guarantor."
Hyoren felt some relief. But another concern surfaced.
"Is that all?"
Elise continued.
"ID-less persons need to pay entry tax too. 30,000 Kres."
She stated the amount. As if it were a small thing.
"But don't worry... I'll pay for now."
She added. Anticipating his concern about money.
"Also, when they ask who you are, use the backstory we prepared, okay?"
Hyoren nodded, ready to tell the backstory. And as he didn't have any money. He needed to keep relying on Elise for now. The debt was growing. The dependence was real. But there was no choice.
"I feel bad for it."
He admitted.
"But it can't be helped."
Elise chuckled again. Dismissing his concern.
"Hyoren… You'll earn a lot of money after this."
Hyoren tilted his head. Confused again.
"Huh? How?"
He had nothing. Just wild clothes on his back and the weapons at his belt. How could he earn money?
Elise then gestured to her bag.
Then she pointed at his pouch. The pouch at his belt.
"This."
She said. Meaning the bag. The pouch. The contents.
"The Alpha Green Wolf material will fetch a lot of money."
She explained. The monster they had fought. The creature they had slain. The materials they had gathered.
"And you kept all the magic stones you harvested, right?"
Hyoren nodded. Remembering.
"I see. Okay then. That makes me feel less bad."
The guilt eased. He would have a way to repay her. A way to stand on his own. The materials from the monsters would provide income. The magic stones would translate to currency.
They arrived at the gate. The line moved. One person. Another. A wagon. Another. The queue shortened.
They started queuing. Taking their place in the line. Behind a farmer with a cart of wheat. In front of a merchant with a wagon of goods. The wait was not long. The process was efficient. The guards were professional.
***
The gate loomed above them. The towers rose on either side. The Ironwood entrance waited ahead.
They continued queuing. The line moved steadily. The process was efficient. But the wait gave Hyoren time to observe. To absorb the details of his first city gate.
Hyoren started to notice the gate looked new compared to the wall surrounding it. The stone walls were weathered. Battered. Scarred by time and conflict. But the gate—the Ironwood beams—were fresh. Unmarked by battle. The contrast was stark. The wall had history. The gate was a replacement.
"Elise."
He spoke quietly. Not wanting to be overheard by those around them.
"The gate was new, huh?"
Elise looked at him. Following his gaze. Seeing what he saw. Understanding his observation.
"Yeah."
She confirmed. Her voice low. Carrying the weight of memory.
"As I said before. It was breached eight years ago."
She paused. Her eyes on the gate. On the iron-banded wood. On the fresh timber.
"The reason the city was not overrun despite the gate being breached is the Baron. Baron Guts Akela."
She spoke the name with respect. With reverence. With awe.
"The former Silver Rank adventurer. He held his ground with his wife… She was a Silver Rank warrior, a member of his old party. Two of them managed to hold the gate so the goblins could not overwhelm the city."
Hyoren was awed. His imagination painted the picture. The breach. The goblins pouring through. The defenders falling back. And then—two people. Standing at the gap. Holding the line. Refusing to yield. Two people against an army.
"Wow…"
The word escaped him.
"So the Baron is actually not a pushover, huh."
He spoke slowly.
"No wonder the Akela house has such a tradition of requiring the child who is going to inherit the title to become an adventurer."
The pieces fell into place. The strength was necessity. The tradition was survival. The Baron was not just a noble. He was a warrior. A hero.
"The strength is necessity."
He repeated. More to himself than to Elise. The frontier demanded strength. The city demanded defenders. The title demanded capability.
The farmer in front of them moved. His cart rolled forward. The line advanced. They also moved. Closer to the gate. Closer to entry.
Elise then tried to relive memory. Her hand held her chin. Her eyes distant. Seeing the past. Seeing the battle.
"I was part of the defensive battle too."
She spoke quietly.
"Of course the Baron and his wife got support from adventurers and knights. Many fought. Many died."
Her voice carried the weight of loss. Of friends fallen. Of comrades lost.
"But I think more than half of the goblins were killed because of the Baron."
She looked at the gate. At the Ironwood beams. At the rebuilt entrance.
"His fire magic scorched and decimated the goblin horde. Wave after wave. They came. And wave after wave—they burned."
The image was vivid. Flames. Screams. The smell of burning flesh. The relentless advance of monsters. And one man—standing against the tide. A wall of fire between the city and destruction.
She paused. Her eyes still on the gate.
"That's why, after the gate was rebuilt, the populace and adventurers named this gate the 'Gate of Guts.'"
Her voice softened. With respect. With memory.
"To commemorate his achievement. To honor his heroic feat. To remember what he did."
Hyoren nodded. Understanding. The name was not just a name. It was a memorial.
"I see. Such achievement warrants that recognition indeed."
The line kept moving. The queue shortened. The gate grew closer. The details became clearer. The Ironwood grain. The iron bands. The fresh timber smell mixing with the scent of the city beyond.
And then—it was finally their turn.
Two gatekeepers stood in front of them. The guards wore armor with Baron Akela's Crest. Each held spears. Weapons at the ready. Not threatening—but present. A reminder of the order they maintained.
One of them—the taller one—spoke to them. He seemed to be the higher rank. His bearing was more confident. His voice carried command. The other watched them in silence.
"Oh."
The tall guard's eyes recognized Elise.
"Elise the elf ranger. If I recall correctly, you went out to scout the Forest of No Return, right?"
He tilted his head.
"Finally coming back, huh. I heard the Adventurer's Guild started to make a fuss as you passed the time of your supposed return."
Elise stepped up. Providing her guild card. The small rectangular identification that proved her status. Her membership. Her legitimacy. The guard checked it briefly. Glancing at the details. Confirming the match. Before returning it to her.
"Yeah, Porzol."
She used his name. They knew each other. Had met before. Perhaps many times.
"There were circumstances which delayed my return. But I'm fine."
Porzol then looked at Hyoren beside her. Assessing him. The wild looks. The unkempt hair. The fur rabbit gear. The rough clothing. The appearance of a man who had lived in the wilderness. Who had survived outside civilization. His eyebrows furrowed. A suspicion arising.
"So who is this?"
He pointed at Hyoren. The question of a guard doing his duty.
"This is Hyoren."
Elise answered. Her voice calm.
"He is the reason I can return safely, actually."
She vouched for him. Placed her credibility on the line. Associated his survival with her return.
Elise then stepped back. Giving space for Hyoren to say his story.
Hyoren understood. He stepped forward. Meeting the guard's eyes. Honest—or at least appearing so.
"Pleased to meet you."
He bowed slightly.
"I'm Hyoren Enjo. To tell the truth... I'm from a village called Shimoda..."
He began. The story flowing from his lips. He spoke of the village in the southern mountain range. He spoke of the plague that wiped it out. The survival that left him alone. He spoke of his journey to find a new place to live. To find meaning after loss. To find a future after tragedy.
And saving Elise on the way. The goblins. The capture. The rescue. The partnership.
Elise added details a bit. Supplementing his story. Filling gaps. Providing context. Making the narrative whole.
Porzol listened. His expression shifting. From suspicion. To interest. To sympathy. The story was tragic. Believable. The kind of story that happened in this world. In this frontier. Where danger lurked.
He nodded slowly.
"I see."
He spoke quietly. His voice carrying the weight of the story.
"That was unfortunate."
His eyes met Hyoren's. Genuine sympathy.
"Those areas... should be still in the territory of Akela..."
He rubbed his chin. Thinking. Recalling.
"But as our focus is containing the Shadowden Collective… and those areas are so far. Need to traverse the Forest of No Return. We never really knew a village existed there."
He shook his head slowly. Frustration.
"And now it seems it got wiped, huh."
He looked at Hyoren. Sincere.
"My condolences to you and your village."
Hyoren smiled. The story was believed. The identity was accepted.
"Don't worry, Mr. Gatekeeper."
He responded. His voice carrying gratitude.
"I've already moved on. And Elise here is now my reason to continue living."
He glanced at Elise. A small gesture. A hint of the bond they shared. And this time it’s real—it added truth to the story.
Hearing that Elise's pointed ears started to become a shade of pink. She tried to maintain a composed face. Trying to hide her ears with silver lock of her hair. Without result.
"But thanks for the care."
Porzol shook his head. Dismissing the formality.
"Just call me Porzol!"
He said. His voice warming. The suspicion gone. Replaced by friendliness.
"Our age is not too far apart."
He then gestured to the other gatekeeper.
"Hey, Rull. Go check him."
He turned to face Hyoren. Apology in his expression.
"Sorry, Hyoren. But the procedure is necessary."
Hyoren smiled. He had expected this.
"Don't worry."
He responded. Open. Cooperative.
"I understand procedure is needed to avoid unwanted criminals entering the city."
Porzol smiled. The expression genuine. Warm.
"I like you already, Hyoren."
He laughed. A short. Amused sound.
"Haha. Now, Rull. Go."
The other gatekeeper—Rull—stepped forward. He began inspecting Hyoren. Checking his gear. His bags. His clothing. His weapons. Making sure no prohibited items were hidden. Making sure no threat was concealed.
Hyoren stood still. Patient. Cooperative. He had nothing to hide. Nothing to fear. The Cinder-Maw daggers. The makeshift steel dagger. The magic stones. The rabbit fur gear. All of it was legitimate. All of it was acceptable.
Rull finished his inspection. He stepped back. Nodded to Porzol. All clear. No threat.
Elise then stepped forward. She reached into her pouch. Retrieving coins. She gave Porzol three bronze coins. The metal glinted in the light. The payment for entry.
"Here, Porzol. His entry tax. 30,000 Kres, right?"
Porzol took the coins. Confirming the amount. He gave them to Rull. Who placed them in a box nearby. The transaction was complete. The tax was paid. The entry was authorized.
"Right. Tax received."
Porzol confirmed. His voice official. Formal.
"I suggest you get an ID card soon, Hyoren."
He advised.
"Or you'll need to pay every time."
He then raised his arm broadly. A gesture of welcome. A sweep that encompassed the gate.
"Welcome to Frontier City Akela."
His smile was warm. His tone was sincere. The city awaited.
Hyoren and Elise thanked the gatekeepers at the same time. Their voices overlapping. United in gratitude.
"Thanks, Porzol, Rull."
"Thank you for the time, Porzol and Rull."
The gatekeepers nodded. Acknowledging. Accepting. Hyoren and Elise entered the city. Passing through the Gate of Guts. Beneath the Ironwood beams. Through the massive walls.