The Universe Beyond Ours

Chapter 12 (Part 2)

     Soon, the car eventually reaches its destination, prompting it to halt, its tyres screeching. As everyone hops out of the vehicle, Philip opens the car's back where they store their gleaming swords. With an eager smirk, Philip distributes the sword to everyone.

"What're the swords for?" Denis wondered aloud, inspecting his sword.

"It's to fight with the goblins," Philip answered with a calm smile.

"W-w-wait! So, we'll be killing innocent goblins, then??" Denis gasped in shock and disbelief, his eyes widening and his brows furrowing.

"Actually, goblins are mischievous entities! So, don't you compare them to puppies and kittens," Meredith interjected, brandishing her sharp sword. "Also, if you have ever played an RPG game, you know those creatures just die if you kill them... then respawn! So, they never multiply as they live on forever anyway," she added.

"Oh," Denis nodded, absorbing the information.

That piece of information was just plain shocking.

"Can I come??" Felix asked keenly.

"No, stay in the car with Chloe," Meredith ordered.

"But!" Felix countered.

"Now!" Meredith commanded sternly.

Felix pouted and returned inside the car with Chloe.

     Denis, Harris, Philip, Meredith, and Presley then walk down the grassland. As they walk, Denis looks around, seeing an endless green. It is like an ocean, but everything's made of grass.

"Halt," Harris whispered.

     In the distance, Denis, Harris, Philip, Meredith, and Presley see a den, a mound with a cave-like hole on the side. They proceed onward. And there, they see goblins. Inside the cave-like opening on the mound, they see the two totems glistening with a lustrous sheen. Harris, Philip, Meredith, and Presley fight with the goblins, slashing their swords, while Denis freezes, not knowing how to fight.

"I- I don't know how to fight with swords!" Denis stammered.

"It's alright! Just stay back, and we'll handle this!" Presley reassured with a smile as he slayed a goblin.

"I knew it; you have no talent for fighting. Sad," Harris remarked sarcastically, swaying his blade.

Annoyed, Denis stepped onto the battlefield with Harris to prove his worth. With his instincts kicking in, he began fighting with the goblins. "Ha!"

"Stay away from this!" Harris scoffed as he lunged forward with his sword.

"Why should I?? Just proving my damn worth here!" Denis argued as he thrust his sword.

"Well, come on! We know you're weak! You have no skills in fighting! You grew up in a different realm full of crappy people!" Harris derided, smirking.

"What do you mean!?" Denis' voice cracked as he glared at Harris.

"Just silence yourself, for God's sake, Denis, we're in the middle of a fight!" Harris yelled.

"Answer me, Harris, what do you mean by that!?"

"Your realm is full of snakes! That's what I mean! Now shut up! Can't you see I'm busy warding off these goblins!?"

"No! What I mean is, what do you mean by me being weak!?"

"As I said, we know you are weak! You have proven it to us with your silly stories! You literally had to cry and run away from home when you didn't earn anything!"

"What!?"

"What I'm trying to say is that you're being a spoiled brat, who is weak and naive, so stay out of this field! I'll handle this!"

"Take back what you said, Harris!"

"Why should I take back when, in fact, I've spoken the truth!?"

"Well, I say, you make me cringe with your stupid personality! Why do you have to be a suplado!?"

"What did you just say!?"

"You heard what I said! You're a monotonous boy who thinks he's cool by being a dry texter. In short, a suplado!"

"What in the world is a dry texter!?"

"Ugh! Just take back what you said, Harris! And help me get those totems!"

"I'm doing what I'm doing already, Denis! And no! I'm not taking back what I said! I mean it!"

"You know what!? Fight by yourself then! Then, if you get hurt, don't come at me crying like a baby!"

"Shut up!"

"Wah! Wah! Wah! I don't wanna hear it!"

"I say, you're nothing but short of a famous wanna-be!"

"Excuse me!?" Denis gasped in disbelief. Swiftly, he slayed all the remaining goblins. "I've been working day and night, every day, for many freaking years, only to earn nothing, and you'll judge me for being a famous wanna-be?? Like, be for real, Harris. If you were in my predicament, you'd feel how I feel! I feel stuck, worthless, unloved, and invisible in the crowd! Yet, here you are judging me as if you're a saint!"

"Ugh..."

"No, don't give me that look, man. I am tired of everything! Tired! Everything sucks! Especially with you! I have been grinding and grinding for years, only to merit nothing, and I mean nothing, but jealousy!"

"That's what's wrong with you! You're always jealous of stuff! You're being a toxic butthole!"

"That's easy for you to say, as you are not me! You will never know how I feel, being stuck in the darkness like I'm the shadow, present everywhere, where there's light but left unnoticed!"

"Oh... Denis, I..."

"I'm sorry. You're not a suplado. You're just you," Denis apologised, turning his back on Harris.

"Wait, Denis. I... I have something to say."

"What?"

"I... I never knew that's how you truly feel in your world. I know, it sucks. But, it's your reality. And... there's nothing we can do but be ourselves to shape how we want the next reality will be."

"What are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for being mean to you. I'm sorry for being a snobbish boy, who thinks he's being cool by being a dry tester."

"A dry texter."

"A dry texter. And... I don't know what to say. But. I know I'm just... forcing myself to be one of the crowds. Blending in society... I'm not me. The Harris you know, the one who is so monotonous, is... just a fraud, as the real me is... is..."

"Harris?"

"Is nothing you've seen before. You see... we're the exact opposite. You want to stand out in the crowd. I want to blend in with the crowd. We have nothing in common... except that you and I have a problem with how our world works. And now that you've said how you truly feel, something within me happened. So surreal. It is as if... I know you more than I could ever know. And now, I know how you feel. So, all I can say is... I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Denis..."