Beyond the gate lies the ultimate Treasure

Chapter 7: "The Forgotten City"

The air was still heavy with tension as Denver and his friends approached the gates of what seemed like a ghostly city. The towering walls loomed over them, unscathed by the chaos outside. Unlike the distorted ruins they had left behind, this place had an eerie sense of preservation.

Denver (quietly): "Is this the fortress Ravi mentioned?"

Priyanshu: "It doesn't look like anyone lives here... but it's intact."

Sam (staring at the gates): "No, this isn't just a fortress."

The group turned toward her, confused. Sam's eyes were glassy as she seemed to relive Ravi's final thoughts.

Sam (whispering): "This is... your home, Denver. Your parents lived here."

Denver froze, his heart pounding.

Denver: "How do you know that?"

Sam (tears streaming): "I saw it. Ravi's last thought... he showed me this place. That house over there."

She pointed toward a modest, two-story structure nestled among the streets. It was unassuming, yet something about it felt familiar to Denver.

---

Denver's Parents

As they cautiously entered the house, a wave of emotion washed over Denver. Dust covered the furniture, and cobwebs stretched across the corners, but the room felt alive with memories.

On a wooden shelf sat a row of books, their titles written in a strange script. A faded photograph rested on the mantle. Denver stepped closer, his hands trembling. The photograph depicted a man and a woman, both smiling warmly.

Denver (softly): "Are these... my parents?"

Kartik and Priyanshu stood silently behind him, while Sam touched the frame as though she could feel the people within it.

Sam: "Yes. They're the ones Ravi spoke about."

Denver felt a lump in his throat. He had spent his whole life not knowing who his parents were, and now, here they were—faces frozen in time.

Kartik: "They look like they loved this place. Look at all these books and tools."

He gestured toward a desk cluttered with strange artifacts and diagrams.

Priyanshu: "Denver, they must've been brilliant. Maybe these books can tell us something about what happened here."

Denver nodded, clutching the photograph tightly.

Denver: "We'll look through everything. If this is their home, it might hold answers."

---

The Two Cities

The group spent the afternoon exploring the house and the surrounding city. They learned that this world wasn't entirely desolate. Only two cities remained—the ruined one they fled and this one, a sanctuary untouched by monsters for years.

In the marketplace, they found stalls filled with preserved food and supplies. Some parts of the city appeared abandoned, while others showed signs of life, though they didn't encounter any other humans.

Priyanshu (packing food): "It's strange, isn't it? How can this city be so intact while the other one's completely destroyed?"

Kartik (shrugging): "Maybe it's because no one's been here for years. Or maybe your parents had some magic protecting this place."

Sam, who had been silent, suddenly spoke up.

Sam: "It's not just magic. It's connected to Denver's parents. Ravi's thoughts showed me that much."

Denver turned to her, his brow furrowed.

Denver: "What else did you see, Sam?"

Sam hesitated before answering.

Sam: "Your mother... she built this city as a sanctuary, but she also left it behind. I don't know why, but something made her leave."

Denver's heart sank. He felt closer to his parents than ever, yet they were still out of reach.

---

The Spell's Consequences

That night, the group sat around a table in Denver's house, their plates filled with food from the market. The warmth of the meal did little to ease their nerves.

Kartik: "Let's talk about what really matters. The walls of the other city fell right after we used that spell."

Priyanshu: "You think it's connected?"

Sam: "It has to be. The magic written on those pages... it wasn't ordinary. It was ancient, and it unleashed something."

Denver clenched his fists.

Denver: "But we didn't know. We just wanted answers."

Kartik: "And now the monsters can attack anytime. What if this place isn't as safe as it seems?"

The group fell silent, the weight of their actions sinking in. Denver stared at the remaining pages of the book, their script glowing faintly in the candlelight.

Denver: "We need to figure out what this magic is and why my parents left these pages behind. If we don't... this city could be next."

The chapter ends with the group exchanging determined but fearful glances, knowing their journey has only begun.