**Episode 63 - THE HUNGER BEYOND ENOUGH**
**Part Four: The Keeper of More**
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The jungle had stopped laughing.
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Not because the joke had ended...
But because...
Someone else was laughing.
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Far beyond the stone arch...
Deep inside the silver mist...
The sound echoed.
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A low...
Quiet...
Almost satisfied laugh.
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The travelers turned.
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Tarzan immediately grabbed a banana.
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"...WHY DO I FEEL..."
"...THAT SOMETHING BAD IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN?"
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Milo adjusted his glasses.
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"Statistically..."
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He paused.
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"...because something bad is usually about to happen."
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Tarzan nodded seriously.
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"...I HATE STATISTICS."
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The Walker looked toward the mist.
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His expression had changed.
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The laughter continued.
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Then...
A voice emerged.
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"Enough..."
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Silence.
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The Walker slowly tightened his grip around his walking stick.
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The voice came again.
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"Everyone speaks of enough..."
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A shadow moved between the trees.
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"But nobody speaks..."
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Another step.
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"...of what happens..."
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Another.
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"...when enough..."
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The shadow stopped.
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"...is never enough."
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The mist parted.
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And someone walked through.
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He was tall.
Very tall.
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His clothes were dark.
Not black...
But the color of something that had once been black...
And had absorbed too many nights.
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His hair was silver.
His eyes...
Strangely bright.
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And in his hands...
He carried a bowl.
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An enormous bowl.
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It was filled to the very top.
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Gold coins.
Jewels.
Precious stones.
Books.
Keys.
Crowns.
Medals.
Machines.
Maps.
Letters.
Photographs.
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Everything.
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Yet the man kept looking inside it.
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He frowned.
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"Not enough."
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Tarzan blinked.
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"...THE BOWL IS FULL."
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The stranger looked at him.
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"Full..."
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He smiled.
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"...is not the same as enough."
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Tarzan slowly lowered his banana.
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"...I ALREADY DON'T LIKE HIM."
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Milo whispered.
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"That is because he represents an interesting psychological phenomenon."
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Tarzan looked at him.
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"...DO YOU EVER SAY NORMAL THINGS?"
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"No."
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"GOOD."
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The Walker stepped forward.
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"Keeper."
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The stranger smiled.
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"Walker."
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Their eyes met.
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Neither moved.
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The jungle became unnaturally still.
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Even the birds stopped.
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The Keeper raised his bowl.
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"You taught them enough."
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The Walker nodded.
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"I reminded them."
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"You weakened them."
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"No."
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"I freed them."
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The Keeper laughed softly.
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"Freedom?"
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He pointed toward the empty road.
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"Look at them."
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"They have nothing."
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Tarzan looked down.
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He still had one banana.
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He quickly hid it behind his back.
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The Keeper noticed.
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"...Except for that."
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Tarzan hugged the banana.
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"...THIS IS PERSONAL."
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The Keeper ignored him.
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He looked at Arjun.
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"Would you like something?"
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Arjun frowned.
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"What?"
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The Keeper opened his bowl.
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Inside...
A golden key appeared.
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The key began glowing.
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A small inscription formed across it.
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**THE DOOR TO EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED.**
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Arjun stared.
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The Keeper smiled.
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"One key."
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"No price."
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"No conditions."
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"Only one choice."
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Arjun looked at the Walker.
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The Walker said nothing.
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Arjun looked back at the key.
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"What happens if I use it?"
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"You receive..."
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The Keeper paused.
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"...everything."
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Arjun swallowed.
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"Everything?"
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"Everything you believe you need."
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A strange silence followed.
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Meera stepped closer.
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"What about the things we don't know we need?"
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The Keeper smiled.
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"Those..."
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"...are the most expensive."
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Diana narrowed her eyes.
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"Why?"
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"Because people spend their entire lives..."
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"...discovering new things to want."
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The Keeper reached into the bowl.
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He pulled out a small mirror.
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He handed it to Diana.
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She looked inside.
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At first...
She saw herself.
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Then...
The reflection changed.
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She saw herself...
Older.
More successful.
More powerful.
More knowledgeable.
More respected.
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Then...
The reflection changed again.
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Even better.
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Then again.
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And again.
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Diana's eyes widened.
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The Keeper whispered.
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"See?"
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"Your future..."
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"...can always be improved."
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Diana stared at the mirror.
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For the first time...
She looked uncertain.
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The Walker spoke quietly.
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"That is the trap."
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Diana lowered the mirror.
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"What trap?"
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"The belief..."
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"...that becoming more..."
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"...automatically makes you more whole."
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The Keeper laughed.
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"Beautiful words."
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He turned toward the Walker.
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"But words do not fill empty hands."
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The Walker looked at his own hands.
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"They don't need to."
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The Keeper shook his head.
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"Everyone wants something."
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"Power."
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"Love."
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"Recognition."
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"Security."
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"Knowledge."
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"Beauty."
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"Immortality."
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"Even peace."
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He smiled.
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"People will eventually..."
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"...turn peace into another possession."
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Milo raised his hand.
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"Technically..."
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Everyone looked at him.
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Milo lowered his hand.
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"...Never mind."
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Tarzan whispered.
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"...GOOD DECISION."
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The Keeper walked toward Gandalf.
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His bowl shimmered.
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A magnificent staff appeared.
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Ancient.
Golden.
Covered in glowing symbols.
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Gandalf stared.
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His mouth opened.
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The staff floated toward him.
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"This..."
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He touched it.
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"This is magnificent."
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The Keeper smiled.
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"It is the most powerful staff ever created."
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Gandalf's eyes sparkled.
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"How powerful?"
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"It can command storms."
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Gandalf gasped.
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"It can move mountains."
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Another gasp.
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"It can open dimensions."
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Gandalf's beard trembled.
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"It can even..."
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The Keeper leaned closer.
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"...make tea without boiling water."
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Gandalf froze.
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Everyone stared.
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Tarzan whispered.
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"...THAT IS TOO POWERFUL."
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Gandalf immediately took the staff.
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The Walker sighed.
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"Gandalf."
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The wizard looked guilty.
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"What?"
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"Do you need it?"
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Gandalf looked at the staff.
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Then at the Walker.
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Then at the staff again.
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"...No."
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He handed it back.
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The Keeper looked surprised.
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"Why?"
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Gandalf smiled.
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"Because..."
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He lifted his old crooked staff.
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"...this one already knows me."
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The Keeper's smile disappeared.
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For the first time...
He looked angry.
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Very angry.
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The bowl in his hands began shaking.
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"Sentiment."
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He spat the word.
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"That is how people justify staying small."
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The Walker stepped forward.
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"No."
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"Sometimes..."
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"...staying with what you love..."
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"...is not staying small."
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"It is knowing..."
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"...when you are already home."
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The Keeper stared at him.
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Then...
He laughed.
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"Home."
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"Another illusion."
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The ground trembled.
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Suddenly...
The empty market returned.
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But this time...
The stalls were enormous.
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Gold.
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Diamonds.
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Palaces.
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Fame.
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Power.
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Immortality.
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Every possible desire...
Displayed perfectly.
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Tarzan's banana stall returned.
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But now...
There was something new.
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A giant sign.
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**UNLIMITED BANANAS - FREE FOREVER.**
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Tarzan's jaw dropped.
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He stepped forward.
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The Walker grabbed his shoulder.
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"Tarzan."
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Tarzan trembled.
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"...YES?"
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"Think."
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Tarzan stared at the bananas.
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His face became serious.
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He thought.
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And thought.
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And thought.
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Everyone waited.
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Finally...
Tarzan spoke.
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"...I THINK..."
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"...I WANT..."
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He paused.
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"...ONLY THREE."
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The Keeper looked shocked.
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"Three?"
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Tarzan nodded.
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"One for now."
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"One for later."
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"And one..."
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He smiled.
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"...because I am Tarzan."
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The jungle seemed to breathe again.
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The Keeper looked genuinely confused.
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"Why not a thousand?"
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Tarzan shrugged.
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"Because..."
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He peeled one.
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"...after three..."
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"...I stop tasting them."
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Silence.
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The Walker smiled.
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"That..."
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"...is wisdom."
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Tarzan took a bite.
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He chewed.
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He smiled.
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"...ALSO..."
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"...IT IS DELICIOUS."
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Milo laughed.
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The Keeper's bowl began overflowing.
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Not because something had been added.
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But because everything inside it...
Was trying to escape.
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Coins spilled onto the ground.
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Jewels rolled between the trees.
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Crowns fell into the mud.
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Books opened themselves.
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Machines started operating.
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Keys turned without locks.
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The Keeper struggled to hold the bowl.
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"Stop!"
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Nothing stopped.
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"STOP!"
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The Walker watched calmly.
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"What is happening?"
asked Arjun.
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The Walker answered.
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"He has spent his life..."
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"...collecting answers."
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"But he never learned..."
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"...how to live with a question."
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The Keeper screamed.
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"I WANT MORE!"
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His voice shook the jungle.
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"MORE!"
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The bowl cracked.
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A thin line appeared across its surface.
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"MORE!"
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The crack widened.
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The Walker closed his eyes.
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"Enough."
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The bowl shattered.
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Everything inside disappeared.
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Gold.
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Jewels.
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Crowns.
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Books.
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Keys.
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All gone.
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The Keeper fell to his knees.
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His hands were empty.
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Completely empty.
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He stared at them.
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For the first time...
He looked afraid.
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"What..."
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He whispered.
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"...do I have now?"
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The Walker approached.
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"Nothing."
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The Keeper looked up.
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"Nothing?"
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The Walker nodded.
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"And that..."
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"...is where you can finally begin."
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The Keeper laughed bitterly.
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"You think nothing is enough?"
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"No."
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The Walker smiled gently.
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"I think..."
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"...nothing can teach you..."
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"...what enough means."
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The Keeper looked toward the travelers.
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Then toward the jungle.
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Then at his empty hands.
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Something changed in his eyes.
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Not satisfaction.
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Not peace.
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Something smaller.
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Something fragile.
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Curiosity.
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He slowly stood.
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"Then..."
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He whispered.
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"...what do I do now?"
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The Walker pointed toward the road.
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"Walk."
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"Where?"
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"Anywhere."
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"Why?"
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The Walker smiled.
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"Because..."
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"...for the first time..."
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"...you don't need to arrive."
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The Keeper took one step.
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Then another.
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And another.
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Behind him...
The Market of Endless Wants disappeared.
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No stalls.
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No advertisements.
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No promises.
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Only trees.
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Only wind.
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Only the sound of footsteps.
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Tarzan watched quietly.
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Then he looked at his banana.
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"...I HAVE A DEEP THOUGHT."
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Milo sighed.
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"Here we go."
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Tarzan nodded.
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"If I eat this..."
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He took a bite.
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"...then I have one less banana."
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Milo nodded.
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"Correct."
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Tarzan smiled.
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"But..."
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He held up the banana.
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"...I also have one more happy."
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Everyone became silent.
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The Walker looked at him.
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"Perhaps..."
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"...you understand more than you think."
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Tarzan grinned.
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"...I AM VERY CONFUSED."
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"That helps."
said the Walker.
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The group laughed.
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But far away...
Beyond the trees...
Beyond the mist...
Something else was watching.
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Not the Keeper.
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Not the Walker.
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Something older.
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Something that had been waiting...
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Since before the first market...
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Since before the first traveler...
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Since before humanity learned...
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...to say the word **more**.
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Two enormous eyes opened inside the darkness.
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A voice whispered...
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"Enough..."
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A pause.
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Then...
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"...is only the beginning."
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The jungle suddenly went silent.
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The Walker stopped walking.
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His smile disappeared.
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For the first time...
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He looked afraid.
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Very afraid.
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He whispered only three words.
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"Not him..."
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Tarzan stared.
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"...WHO?"
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The Walker looked toward the darkness.
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And answered...
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"The one..."
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"...who taught the world..."
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"...to want."
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A distant bell rang.
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Once.
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Twice.
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Three times.
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And somewhere beneath the jungle...
Something ancient...
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...woke up.
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**To Be Continued...**
Written By,
Ivan Edwin
Pen Name :Maximus.
©All Rights Reserved