Free Web NovelChapter 38: The Alchemists of God
The ruins were left behind, silent and abandoned. As if they had never belonged to that era.
They were only a memory.
Gabriel’s footsteps echoed rhythmically over the puddles covering the ancient stone path. He didn’t look back even once.
There was no reason to. His actions had already spoken for him.
What he had found there would remain stored in some corner of his memory. The chains, the old man, the dungeons, and the inscriptions.
And the unbearable weight of a tragedy that had survived for centuries.
When he finally crossed the edge of the forest and saw the outside, he let out a long sigh. The difference was brutal.
The air seemed lighter, the light felt warmer than ever, and the wind was more refreshing.
Even the colors seemed more vivid.
His lungs filled deeply with that serenity. Even if it wasn’t real, he needed it.
He continued walking.
Little by little, he began to notice something strange. The sound inside the ruins had remained dead, tied to a time it no longer belonged to.
There were no birds, insects, or even the rustling of leaves.
When he finally crossed the outer boundary of the forest, the sounds gradually returned.
First the wind, then some birds, and further ahead the distant sound of running water.
It was like crossing the border between two different worlds. Intrinsically separated by an invisible barrier.
Gabriel didn’t try to analyze it. He simply attributed it to the game’s complex scenarios, which recreated deep immersion.
His march was slow, much slower than usual. The doubts weighed too heavily.
Every time he thought he understood the game a little better, something emerged capable of destroying all his previous conceptions.
Ancient ruins, special quests, secret classes, Blood Crystals, and experiments.
The pieces were slowly coming together. And, for the first time, they began to reveal a more terrifying background. A whispered story, hidden beneath layers and layers of seemingly simple mechanics.
And somehow he found himself increasingly involved. He tried to laugh, but couldn’t.
His hand rose to gently touch the mask resting on his face. That helped clear some of his thoughts.
He quickened his pace, with the village finally appearing before him.
It never changed. Vibrant, noisy, and full of life.
For the first time, it seemed like a strange place to him.
After what had happened in the ruins, that normality felt almost absurd.
He didn’t stop, knowing exactly where he was going. He had to complete the final step of the quest.
He took the routes leading to the alchemist’s shop.
He had already carried the quest long enough.
When he arrived at the establishment, he found the door closed. A small sign hung crookedly.
CLOSED.
Gabriel stared at the sign for a few seconds.
Then he knocked. Once, twice, and three times.
Silence.
Then he heard movement on the other side. And almost immediately came the shouting.
"Damn it! They won’t even let me rest for one day!"
A cry of pain and more insults.
"What kind of illiterate idiot knocks on a closed shop?"
The door burst open and the old man appeared grumbling.
But when he saw Gabriel, he froze completely. Silence fell between them.
The weight of the dungeon had never left his face. In front of the old man, he wore no mask, revealing his blank and exhausted expression.
He looked like someone who had just returned from a grim event. The greatest adversities life presents to forge character.
The old man knew those faces.
For a moment neither spoke. Then Gabriel extended his hand.
"Sir, I’ve returned. I’m sorry for not introducing myself earlier. I’m Gabriel."
The old man blinked. ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom
And suddenly he burst into such loud laughter that he had to hold his stomach.
"By all the love in the world, boy!"
He continued laughing.
"You almost scared me to death!"
Tears appeared at the corners of his eyes.
"My name is Gustav, so we’re even."
He gave him a pat on the shoulder.
"Come on, come in! You’re my guest!"
He observed Gabriel’s serious face.
"Though you should improve that expression if you ever want to start a family."
Another laugh.
"Especially if you want to get a wife."
Gabriel didn’t respond. He simply entered.
The interior remained the same. Clean, orderly, and with that constant aroma of herbs and alchemical products.
His boots touched the ancient wooden floor.
He removed his coat and hung it on the rack.
Then he took a seat.
"I’ll be right back!" Gustav shouted from another room.
Gabriel waited.
It was then that he saw it on the counter. A small portrait showing a smiling young man.
With a confident gaze and proud bearing.
He sighed.
He already understood what was going to happen.
Moments later Gustav returned carrying a tray.
The teapot was still steaming.
"Forgive my poor hospitality."
He placed two cups.
"As a host, this is all I can offer."
Gabriel made a small gesture indicating it was enough.
Both remained seated for a few seconds. Face to face.
The old man ended up observing him attentively.
"Boy..."
His voice lost some of its joy.
"Are you okay?"
Gabriel held the cup, taking a long sip.
The heat slowly descended down his throat. Then he opened his inventory and a heavy box appeared on the table.
The sound of wood echoed softly.
Gustav froze.
Gabriel spoke calmly.
"I have completed the quest you entrusted to me. Here lie the results."
Gabriel’s voice grew quieter.
"I’m sorry."
Gustav’s hands began to tremble.
The cup shook, threatening to break.
Some drops of tea spilled. He had to set it down on the table.
His eyes slowly lowered toward the box. And remained there for several seconds.
He didn’t open it, nor did he ask anything.
He simply stared at it, as if he already knew the answer.
As if he had been waiting for that moment for years.
His lips trembled and his eyes began to water.
"Thank you."
Nothing more.
He stood up and left the room. Gabriel remained seated.
Staring at the reflection of his face on the tea. He heard no crying, no screams, no laments.
That was far more painful. He knew many perspectives, but silence was tragically destructive.
Several minutes passed and finally Gustav returned.
His eyes were still red, but his posture had regained some firmness.
He carried a tightly tied linen bag. He placed it on the table.
"Forgive my earlier behavior."
His voice was hoarse.
"I... I broke. But I thank you for this. Finally I will be able to rest from a burden I carried for too many years." A tired smile appeared on his face.
The bag lay in front of Gabriel and his interface glowed.
______________
[Special Quest: The Evil in the Ruins]
[Completed]
[Reward Obtained]
______________
The notification disappeared. Gabriel observed it without emotion.
At no point did he feel joy, satisfaction, or enthusiasm. On his face there was only a vague sense of exhaustion and monotony.
He took the bag from the table, placing the silver necklace next to the portrait. It was the same one the young man had worn.
Gustav’s fingers trembled when he saw it. freёwebnovel.com
He said nothing. Gabriel stood up.
"My work is done. I hope you find the peace you seek," he said while observing the old man’s grief-stricken face.
Gustav bowed his head.
When Gabriel opened the door, one last question left his lips.
"Gustav, what motivates you to keep going?"
The old man looked up.
The answer came after several seconds.
"Many things motivated me once. Gold, beauties, glory, and possessions... I abandoned them all. In my old age, satisfaction simply consists of waking up another day." He smiled weakly.
"I have already abandoned my fears."
His eyes seemed calmer.
Gabriel remained motionless for a few seconds and then nodded.
"Thank you."
And he left.
***
The tavern was packed. Laughter, conversations, and music.
Gabriel took a seat at a secluded table.
He ordered meat, bread, and a jug of beer.
While waiting, he began examining the documents he had arduously obtained from the ruins.
The food arrived shortly after, but he barely touched it. The smell of cooked meat seemed strangely unpleasant.
His gaze was fixed on the papers. The documents were damaged, with many fragments illegible.
Others were stained, burned, or incomplete.
Even so, he began to read.
One page spoke of mutations, another of compatibility, and another contained lists of crossed-out names.
All marked with the same annotation.
FAILED.
He continued checking until he found one that was different.
It bore a partially preserved dark seal, with several signatures.
He read the document several times, gripping the paper tighter. He observed every exposed letter carefully.
Because that document contained essential information.
The last line remained noble. Engraved on the paper like a sentence.
His eyes did not leave those words for a moment. The signature was solid.
A name.
Simple and refined. Its presence was imposing enough not to need many words.
And, above all, he obtained a real clue. A path that could guide him in that raging river of doubts.
It was an organization, but the feeling it conveyed was oppressive.
The Alchemists of God.
Gabriel mentally noted those words. They revealed a grandiose and mysterious background.
But, at the same time, they reminded him of the Black Raven Order, of which he was the leader.
His fingers tapped the table. He called the waitress for the bill.
He paid and left the establishment.
The document crumpled in his hand, like a fundamental fragment of an even greater mystery.
