“Hmm, I don’t recognize the area,” Tess muttered, brushing the dirt off her black jeans.
“What do you mean you don’t recognize the area?” I asked.
“Every connection I should have knowledge of but this one….,” Tess spoke to herself, not looking at me.
“So what should we do?” I questioned.
“It appears we have no choice but to scout out the area. Stick close by me. I don’t know what kind of things are in here,” Tess decided.
We were in a medium sized track field and I saw a building in the distance. A low link fence separated the field from a nearby sidewalk and road. Wait, was this the field I saw before?
“We can’t proceed past the fences over there. We’ll head toward the building. Michi took that path,” Tess ordered.
“Are you sure? I can see a street beyond the fencing. If I know Ichizen, he probably would have climbed the fence,” I disagreed.
“He couldn’t. Try for yourself,” Tess said.
I walked toward the fence and heard sounds of traffic. I reached out, grasping for the link fence. However, something prevented me from making contact with the fence. My hands were repelled back by some unknown force, preventing me from climbing out just as Tess said.
“I told you. It’s just that kind of place,” Tess said, appearing beside me.
“How is that possible? I mean, it’s physically impossible…,” I protested.
“This world doesn’t operate on those principles,” Tess cut me off.
“This world? Are you implying that we’re in a some kind of different world?” I asked for confirmation, attempting to make sense of her words.
“It is an adequate enough description for now. We’ve wasted enough time,” Tess replied and then walked away.
We arrived at the building. I expected a grand structure but only encountered disappointment. The exterior was falling apart. In fact, a statue perched on top of the building was missing a piece of its head. Tess entered the building without saying a word.
“Come on, Yuki, get it together. Tess already told you that we don’t have a lot of time so let’s stop thinking and just follow her,” I told myself.
I caught up to Tess. Tess ignored me and pulled out her key again. The interior of the building resembled a warehouse. There was limited lighting and items strewn about with no recognizable order. We maneuvered our way around the crates and other junk, finally arriving at a door. I turned the doork.n.o.b and shook my head at Tess.
“I’ll leave it to you,” I moved aside and allowed Tess access to the door.
Tess moved her left hand around the door but nothing appeared. No lock or any bright flashes like the last time. Could a physical key unlock it?
I walked toward a cardboard box. Tess shook her head at me and removed two hairpins from her head. She stuck them in and after a few seconds, there was a click. Tess motioned for me to step back.
Tess slowly opened the door and then waved at me to follow. I took one step through the door and heard….running water? Yet, I didn’t see a possible source for it. Like Tess said earlier, things weren’t as they seemed.
Walking further in, I noticed a small crack in the ceiling. Light shone down from it onto a podium. Ichizen approached the podium, glancing at an item on it. He reached for the book.
“Ichizen!” I shouted.
“Yuki. This place is amazing. I received a message on my phone after the doors shut behind me and found myself here. It sent me another map which told me to come here,” Ichizen replied.
“Wait, you can get signal here? How would that even work if this is a different world?” I questioned.
“Or it’s someone from here who’s been messaging you,” Tess offered an explanation.
“So the person who’s been manipulating everything is here? Who is it?” I muttered.
“Could it have been her? It could have guaranteed his survival…yet I checked but found nothing,” Tess muttered to herself, walking toward Ichizen.
“Guys, you’re missing the point! I finally have arrived at the end of the path of heroism. It’s right here on this podium. All I have to do is pick up this grimoire and I will finally achieve one of my dreams!” Ichizen announced.
“Michi, don’t touch it!” Tess yelled out, a sense of urgency in her voice.
She rushed towards the podium but was repelled back. It matched the situation I encountered at the fence. Tess clicked her tongue and then pulled out a key chain. She wrapped it around her hand, punching the air. I heard shattering gla.s.s and Tess advanced. But it was too late. Ichizen already opened the grimoire, excitement in his eyes.
“Michi, remove your hands now!” Tess shouted, transferring the key over to her left hand and striking Ichizen in the face with her right fist.
Ichizen remained stationary, undeterred by the hit. Pages separated from the book spine and floated into the air. Ichizen’s normal bright eyes were blank. I ran up toward the podium, hoping to smack sense into my childhood friend.
“Tomo, stay back!” Tess admonished, dashing toward me.
I ignored her warning, going straight for Ichizen. The pages formed a barricade, denying me further access. I raised my fists and struck the pages. A force pushed me back and I landed flat on the ground, sc.r.a.ping my hands.
“Wow, Ichizen, I’m impressed that you actually resisted for once. Good for you. Maybe if you did that more often, I wouldn’t be so mad all the time,” I said, getting back up.
“Tomo, I’m afraid my powers alone aren’t strong enough to defeat him,” Tess said.
“Defeat him? What are you talking about?” I asked with a quick glare.
“The contents have taken over his body,” Tess explained.
“Look, I don’t really have time to question this right now but we came in to save him. And we will, okay?” I pointed at Tess.
Tess said nothing and glanced down at the key in her left hand. The pages forming a barricade dissipated and ascended through the hole in the ceiling. I looked upward, waving at Tess.
“Tess! Can you plug up the hole there?” I asked.
Tess nodded. Chains appeared in the air, covering the hole. I watched the pages shatter Tess’ chains upon contact, continuing their ascent. So much for that plan. Was there anything else I could do?
“Fine, we’ll just have to get to Ichizen some other way,” I decided.
Ichizen still stood at the podium. He stared at the blank pages flying up. He finally raised his left hand in the air and then grabbed one of the pages. Unrecognizable symbols appeared on the previous blank paper and Ichizen muttered inaudible words. A circle with a star formed underneath his feet. I saw Ichizen’s eyes revert back to normal for a brief moment but returned back to a blank look soon after.
“Ichizen! Come on, Ichizen, I know you can hear me! If you don’t snap out of it, I’m going to hit you and you know I will!” I warned.
Ichizen cackled and the pages ceased their upward movement. A few blank pages glided down onto the floor. The light originally coming through the hole vanished and darkness filled the room. No, it wasn’t that the light disappeared. The numerous pages sealed the hole, blocking light from entering. The only light source was the strange circle on the floor.
Tess’ key provided illumination and I saw anger but also concern on her face. My childhood friend departed from the podium, tucking the grimoire underneath his left arm. He stopped three feet away from us, a cold expression on his face.
“Tomo Yuki, it seems you have been friends with him for a long time,” Ichizen spoke.
This was not Ichizen’s voice. His mouth moved but nothing out of it resembled the person I knew. It was sinister and brooding.
“The same obedient Gatekeeper as always. Did you really think you and those other so called heroes managed to seal the Traveler away? It was only temporary, you know,” Ichizen continued.
“And?” Tess responded, a scary expression on her face.
“This vessel is quite an interesting person. He believes so much in heroes and I can’t help but laugh at his nativity. It really gives me a good laugh,” Ichizen replied, shrugging his shoulders in a nonchalant way.
“Give him back!” I shouted.
“Oh I would love to do that but there’s one problem. I need him and guess what, both of you just aren’t at my level. It’s quite a shame, I expected more from the Gatekeeper,” Ichizen refused, shaking his head.
I balled my right hand into a fist and took a few deep breaths. Clearly, this was not Ichizen. I wanted to punch him but lacked the power to do so. If Tess, the “Gatekeeper”, couldn’t touch him then how could I?
Three daggers suddenly flew straight at Ichizen. Ichizen laughed and with one wave of his hand, all the daggers clattered to the floor. Another three flew in, approaching his backside. These daggers almost struck Ichizen but missed in the end as well.
“Oh come on!” a voice shouted.
I turned around and saw Ichaival standing there. He wore a puffy vest and jeans. Tess acknowledged him with a slight nod. Ichizen glanced at Ichaival with an amused expression.
“What’s this? Ichaival Darryl! I still see you possess the portal archer power. Useless as always,” Ichizen mocked, picking a blade off the ground.
He examined the dagger with a grin. I grimaced because it was so much like Ichizen but now contained a warped sense of malice. Ichaival gritted his teeth. Daggers converged on Ichizen from both the left and right side. Ichizen sighed and with the blade in his hand, knocked every single one down.
As Ichizen knocked down the blades, Ichaival rushed at Ichizen and revealed a hidden blade from underneath his sleeve. Tess also joined in on the attack.
“I get tired of you lower tier heroes. When will you start bringing me the true heroes?” Ichizen remarked, knocking the two away with a simple wave of his hand.
One of Ichaival’s blades slid over to my feet. I picked it up and then looked over at Ichizen. He appeared distracted, occupied with mocking the two people on the floor. I made up my mind and charged at Ichizen. d.a.m.n it, Ichizen, you’ll have to pay me back for this! I aimed my knife at the grimoire Ichizen held and prayed for contact.
I felt a sinister chill from him the closer I got. I felt my hand go numb from the sudden fear that entered my body. No, I needed to go through with it no matter what!
“I can’t believe I have to do this again,” a familiar voice said.
Property by © Fantasy-Books.live; outside of it, it is stolen.
I noticed a surprised look on Ichizen’s face for the first time. Yes! I actually plunged the blade through! I stepped back, unsure of my next action. Zhuyu, wearing a zipped up gray hoodie, yanked Ichaival back up onto his feet. He gave me a brief glance and turned his attention to Ichizen.
“Michi? No, of course not. Man, I thought we were finished with this already,” Zhuyu said, pushing his hair up with his right hand.
“Oh, an actual challenge…. No, you’re weak now. If only you didn’t….,” Ichizen remarked, pulling the blade out of the grimoire.
The damage done by the dagger disappeared. Ichizen gave the book a quick pat and smirked at Zhuyu. Zhuyu gave a serious glare in return.
“So, that’s how she managed to hit my book. Your powers have changed,” Ichizen nodded with a knowing look.
“That doesn’t really matter right now, does it? What do you want with Michi exactly?” Zhuyu dismissed his comment, disinterest on his face.
“Fine, fine. Michi, this boy, is quite a specimen. A burning sense of justice and the willingness to follow through with it. I quite admire a person like him. A very good vessel indeed. You believed that you managed to destroy the Traveler, right? Well, I am happy to report your mission failed. You don’t know but he was part of a much bigger plan and so here I am,” Ichizen explained, giving Zhuyu a thumbs up.
“The Traveler is alive?” Tess asked, anger in her eyes.
“Very much so,” Ichizen replied with a big smile.
“Look, all this c.r.a.p about the Traveler and these heroes, I don’t really care about any of this. Ichizen’s dumb, there’s no denying that but even he’s not stupid enough to deserve this,” I shouted, fed up with the entire mess.
“Oh but Tomo Yuki, you actually should care a lot. You have a big role in all of this so don’t go denying anything. It’ll be bad for your health,” Ichizen revealed, stroking the grimoire as if it were a cat.
I stood there, shocked by his words. No one said anything. Really? The one time I needed information and nothing. I should have never agreed to go with Tess in the first place. But Ichizen had to go straight through the door. If anything, it was Ichizen’s fault I was now in this mess.
“What do you mean that Tomo is a big part of this?” Ichaival questioned, looking at me and then Ichizen.
“Didn’t Michi Ichizen tell you anything? Tomo Yuki, why don’t you enlighten them about those messages you’ve been receiving from me? I think they will be very interested,” Ichizen suggested, pulling out his phone.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It seems to me it was always Ichizen destined to be the hero, not me,” I countered, shaking my head.
“Oh was that really the case? Did you ever consider the messages you received were intended for you?” Ichizen asked, waving around his cell phone with a big smile.
“What do you mean by that? It’s obvious the recipients of your messages has always been Ichizen. You’re possessing him right now so how could you say that the messages were for me?” I demanded, not following his logic.
“It’s true that I have been sending you messages but those other messages you received, well, that was not me at all. So tell me, Tomo Yuki, who really is the intended hero?” Ichizen asked one more time.
Zhuyu, Ichaival, and Tess glanced at me after Ichizen’s question. What did he mean by other messages? All the messages I got were the same as Ichizen’s. There were no other messages, right?
“No, no, you’re lying. There are no other messages, what are you talking about? Everything I received, they came from the same numbers that sent Ichizen’s message,” I replied.
“Hmm, are you really sure? Are you absolutely certain that you read every single message or did you just make a.s.sumptions? Tomo Yuki, please, look at your phone one more time!” Ichizen directed.
“I’m not going to check it,” I shouted.
Tess glanced over at Zhuyu and he shook his head. What were they doing? Could it be they were going to abandon me and leave? No, no, I would get out of here alive. d.a.m.n it, d.a.m.n it. I was getting too paranoid.
“Tomo Yuki, all you have to do is check your phone and you’ll know I’m right,” Ichizen prattled on.
I shook my head but found myself looking down at my phone. My right hand shook pulling it out. Was it fear or just nervousness? I unlocked my screen and went to my messages. Scrolling down, my eyes fell upon a new message, different than the ones from before.
How could I have missed this? No, this had to be a setup, right? This message must have been sent now. The contents contained a contract, specifically asking for my confirmation of becoming a hero. My right hand continued shaking and I lost my grasp. My phone fell to the floor with a thud.
“The look on your face tells me that I was right. You can no longer deny your involvement in this. Buried deep in it now,” Ichizen lectured, putting away his phone.