Japan 8:14 AM
After picking up his stuff, Isael started wondering how to leave the forest.
At first he thought of waiting for someone to pass with their car, but waiting wasn't really the best option.
"Should we go on foot to deliver the box?"
Isael asked.
Kenji let out a sigh.
"I suppose we don't have many options left."
So the two of them began walking down the road. Thankfully, Isael had a GPS, so they wouldn't lose their way.
Meanwhile in a near city.
A man was walking on the streets of a noisy city.
In his 40's he had built a stable life as a lawyer and had a loving family.
His phone buzzed in his pocket.
"Is this Kasai Retsujo?"
A voice spoke trembling on the other end
"...Yes?"
A pause.
"We...are terribly sorry but...we just got called...It was about your house.. someone burned it down.."
Time froze.
His heart stopped.
His family--his entire world--was inside.
Without a word he hung up and rushed back to his car.
The engines roared as he sped away on the road.
His mind was completely blank.
8:52 AM
Kasai arrived at his home.
The view of the burning structure was truly horrifying for him.
The smoke up in the sky, the flames, the smell of carbonized wood and flesh.
He felt it all.
His mind shattered.
The efforts of the firefighters went unnoticed by him until he noticed it—three bodies, completely consumed by the flames, being retrieved.
His family.
A wave of raw rage and sorrow crashed over him then, marking this easily the lowest point of his life.
His body started trembling as a raging scream went out.
Tears of anger and frustration came down as his pupils were completely dilated.
The firefighters tried to calm him down but their efforts were futile.
His eyes darted furiously around as he saw a hoodedfigure standing in the distance--observing the crimson disaster.
He instantly recognised the few facial features that were visible from that distance.
He was a former client that Kasai wasn't able to defend in a trial as he was clearly guilty.
He surely was back for revenge.
Without a single thought Kasai pushed back the firefighters and rushed in the direction of the figure.
He was sure he recognized him.
He was so full of anger that he hadn't noticed the figure pulling out what seemed like a firearm.
BANG
A shot to the leg.
It wasn't just the blind rage that made it seem fast.
Even the firefighters thought they had seen a flash.
It was instant.
The figure had pulled the gun out so fast that the shot deviated and went to the leg instead of the head.
Kasai passed out.
Everything black.
11:23 AM
The noise of the hospital machines and the smell of medicine woke Kasai up.
He started looking around frustrated as he contemplated the white and empty room he was in.
He noticed the patched up hole in his leg.
A man in a suit was standing beside his bed.
"Morning Legal Eagle"
He paused.
" You're pretty messed up"
It was an old friend of Kasai, now a lawyer like him.
Kasai looked away emotionless, trying to contain his anger.
"Have they gotten him?" Kasai whispered.
The man smirked confidently.
"Yes, they did."
"Can i speak with him?"
Kasai's expression hardened.
"Guess what old friend, if everything goes well we might just let you be his lawyer...but first you have to heal that leg."
He noticed Kasai's mixed feelings.
"Look, I offer my deepest condolences. I can only imagine what you're going through right now, but I can't let you risk breaking your leg, or worse."
Kasai sighed, a heavy defeat in his posture. "Fine. But the moment this leg's healed, I want to speak with him. I... I just need to."
Back in time to Isael and Kenji. 9:00 AM
Since the two started walking, no cars passed trough that road, meaning they had chosen wisely to start walking.
"The GPS says we're only about 20 minutes away on foot."
Said Isael before increasing his walkspeed.
They arrived at the destination at 9:23 AM.
A massive mansion dominated the hilltop, its silhouette stark against the sky.
"They must be incredibly rich," Isael muttered, his gaze fixed on the imposing structure. "I wonder what's in the package.
Kenji remained silent, his focus unwavering.
They continued their approach, finally reaching the grand front door. Isael stretched to ring the enormous doorbell, its chime echoing in the stillness.
A tall middle aged man appeared as the door slowly opened.
"Finally...the delivery." A deep voice thundered.
The man only looked at Isael, as he couldnt sense Kenji.
Isael quickly handed over the package.
ZAP!
Isael felt a stab of pain behind his eyes.
He pretended to feel fine.
"Thanks for choosing our company, goodbye Sir."
As he walked away, Kenji looked worried.
"You okay? You look like someone smashed a glass bottle on your head."
He whispered.
"Yeah, just a slight headache."
"You sure?" Discomfort in Kenji's eyes.
"Yes i am, its just-"
ZAP!
Isael's mind became blank.
Sharp pain. His head felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles.
"Isael, are you alright?" he said, his voice laced with agitation.
A sudden wave of nausea washed over them both. Then, the world around them began to blur, populated by translucent figures.
Ghosts, countless and spectral, materialized from the air, most bearing an unsettling resemblance to Kenji himself.
"Wh-what the—" Isael managed to mutter, though his voice held less surprise than weary acceptance now.
"Ughhh... should we try talking to them?" Kenji whispered, his usual composure cracking.
"I dont know....it might be a bad idea."
Isael was starting to tremble.
Before they could even decide whether to approach the spectral figures, their minds suddenly cleared, and the multitude of ghosts vanished as quickly as they had appeared.
"It seemed like... some kind of ability," Isael mused, a new idea sparking in his eyes. "I hope we can do that again. It might be useful later, to help you get to the Underworld."
"I think...they were in the same situation as myself...maybe deceased people who got stuck in our world.." Kenji's look hardened in sadness.
A car suddendly passed by, alerting Isael.
"Perfect!"
He quickly signaled the driver to stop the vehicle.
Inside was driving a middle aged woman.
"How can i help you young boy? Need a ride?" Said the woman as Isael stepped inside the car.
"Yes please, is it possible to take me to the nearest library?" He explained as Kenji quietly passed trough the metallic walls of the vehicle.
The car's engine roared as the three traveled through the forest roads.
"So what's taking you to visit a library young man?"
"I am....looking for information about a myth." Isael said with a concise tone.
"Ohhh...a myth, my father used to tell me about myths, like that one about-"
As the woman was talking she didn't notice a hooded silhouette roaming down the street.
Isael sensed some kind of danger in that instant, but he was too slow to react.
A distant noise....too distant that it seemed close.
The vehicle suddendly overturned, catching off guard the driver.
Black and Red.
Thats all that Isael could see.
Pain, all over the body.
Thats what he could feel.
He could also hear footsteps.
The voice of Kenji desperately trying to wake him up.
A laugh.
TO BE CONTINUED