Demo and Ten make their way through the forest towards the city. Ten still worried and curious as to who Demo is can’t help himself.

“So, who are you?”

“I’m Demo. I already told you. Did you hit your head when you fell?”

“No, I didn’t. I’m asking where you’re from.”

“I don’t know. I don’t remember anything. I woke up not so long ago on a ship. Once I woke up they ejected me and it seems like they sent me over here.”

“Who is they?”

“I don’t know. The only ones I really saw were the ones on the ground and they had on these suits as if they were experimenting or something.”

Ten looks at Demo with his eyes open as if he just heard something really disturbing. He takes a few steps to the side to distance himself from Demo a bit more.

“Why were they experimenting on you?”

“I don’t know. I really don’t remember anything from before I woke up.”

“How come you survived that fall?”

Demo scratches his head as he looks down at his body.

“I don’t know. Maybe my body is just strong like that.”

Ten can’t fathom someone doesn’t remember anything from their past. He looks at Demo with a side eye as they walk.

“Why did you ask me how to get stronger?”

Demo looks at Ten with a look that shows he is trying to remember and the words are on the tip of his tongue.

“I just feel like I have to. As if, if I don’t, something bad will happen.”

Ten looks at him concerned.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, but it’s like this voice in my head that keeps singing the same words over and over. “Get Stronger, get stronger, get stronger.””

“You’re hearing voices too?”

Demo tired of the questions decides to ask a few of his own.

“How come you were all alone in the forest today?”

Tens shoulder slump, his head goes down and his arms dangle from his body as he walks. His face filled with doom and gloom, every bit of happiness has left him it seems. As the fact that he will have to go back to work tomorrow hits him. The excitement of meeting Demo made him forget about his situation, but that one question pushed him right back into it. As if Demo just hit a button that almost shut him down. And then Ten releases a deep sigh.

“I hate work. It’s so boring. You have no idea … “

Ten then starts mumbling to himself about how much he hates his job and his boss. Demo understands that he just asked something he shouldn’t have, looks straight ahead, and doesn’t say a word. The two walk in silence. Oblivious to the fact that the gate that send Demo here has been closed.

Above the planet where the gate was everything is still peaceful. But behind the current dimension the beings that reside in the void gathered to where they felt the signal come from. They have experienced gates opening and closing before. They weren’t expecting an open gate, as they get closed quickly after opening. But they were curious as to what that signal they felt was.

A group of beings stand in silence looking around for a clue or hint. And then one of them notices it. A very minuscule remainder of a gate. It’s an extremely small crack in space that wasn’t completely closed. The rest of the group notices it as well, and they release what can only be described as a war cry. Each member of the group brings forth weapons. Swords, axes, knives, cannons, beams and more. They all start throwing everything they have at the tiny crack. Each attack seems to be useless to the naked eye, but they don’t stop.

They keep on attacking the crack because they know that each attack will enhance the crack no matter how small. So, it’s only a matter of time before it opens.

Back on the planet Demo and Ten make it to the outskirts of the city. And Demo is amazed at what he sees as Ten smiles.

“Welcome to Number City.”

All the buildings in the city are shaped like numbers. From 0 to 9, some are Roman numerals and some are in weird fluid shapes that seem somewhat out of place. Cars shaped like numbers pass in front them, and even hovercrafts can be seen flying through the sky. The sound of a busy city fills the air, but a tense undertone came with it, as if danger was forever lurking. There was a big difference in air quality as well, between here and the forest. They walk into the city, and there on the corner stands a young lady who looks at Demo, and as their eyes meet she walks over to him.

“Want some Glia?”

Demo looks at her confused.

“What’s Glia?”

Ten hears their conversation and immediately steps in.

“No, he doesn’t.”

He gets behind Demo and tries to push him forward as to keep walking. But the moment he actually puts in the force needed he feels an enormous amount of weight, as if he was trying to push a mountain forward. Demo looks back at him and smiles and then continues walking.

“What is Glia?”

“It’s a drug. It basically increases the electric currents in your brain. And enhances all its function.”

“So it makes you smarter? Isn’t that a good thing?”

Ten lowers his head but this time his energy is one of sadness as he answers.

“Smarter isn’t always better. And it does more than just enhance smartness.”

Demo looks at him and again looks forward. After a while the two see a big number one building with the symbol of a dragon holding an atom and the letter 1.

“We are almost there.”

“This is where I can become stronger?”

Ten doesn’t want to give Demo any false hope and just looks up at the building as he answers.

“This is where they will teach you about the Instinctual Method.”

The moment the two make it to the front door, inside the building an old man raises his head with a smile.

“Interesting.”

Chapter 5 Fin