• Lost Of Leberai



    Part VIII: When Hikaru Heard



    Far below the cliffs and clouds that conceal Leberai; Akito finally stops running as he reaches his father's sushi shop.

    "Chichi! Chichi! Hiroshi! Kare ha abunai desu yo!" (Father! Father! Hiroshi! He is in danger!) In panic Miyako and Akito cry.

    Before anyone can blink; their father and a younger man sprint to the shrine. When they arrive; the shrine is in ruins.

    "Nani ga okorimashita ka?"(What happened?) Quietly the younger man questions.

    Swiftly Hiroshi's father falls to the ground before his son's lifeless body. Heavily he begins weeping as he takes his child into his arms.

    "AHHHH!!!" He screams in grief. His oldest son, his precious child.
    "Dare, dare kono ha suru kotoga dekiru ka?!"(Who, who would do this?!) Angrily he cries.
    "Kare ha dake kodomo desu yo!"(He is only a child!) Hiroshi's father yells.

    Thoughtlessly Hiroshi's father rakes his son's body and begins carrying it into the village. In understanding the younger man walks with him. Anxiously some of the villagers await their return. When they come into sight Hiroshi's father and the young man are swarmed.

    "Hikaru! Komichi! N-nani ga okorimashita ka?"(Hikaru! Komichi! W-what happened?)

    Hikaru's eyes are swollen with tears; Komichi pushes everyone back from him.

    "Watashitachi mada shirimasu. Dareka omou wo hitosuru... boku ha omoimasu."(We don't know yet. Someone tried to open a gate... I think.)

    Among the small crowd crawls Hikaru's other children; eager and worried to know what has become of their eldest brother. Both Miyako and Akito try to jumping to see over the taller people.

    "Chichi! Chichi! Doko ha Hiroshi-ni-san desu ka?!" They call to him.

    For Miyako and Akito everything suddenly grows quiet. The crowd clears slightly to reveal what Hikaru carries.

    "Hiroshi?" Miyako whispers.

    Her brother is blood laden and lifeless. The little girl's mind falls blank as she stares at him. A river of sadness seems to dam in her soul. All the tears that should fall are stopped by a small twinge of pain. It is as if to say this is not the worst to come. In Miyako's mind everything begins to move slower and quieter. She closes her eyes in meditation; sweetly the wind seems to embrace her. When she opens her eyes she finds herself gazing up at the cloudy sky. For a brief moment she can see her brother and mother smiling down upon her. As soon as she blinks, the image is gone but the memory stays. Torrents of tears fall down her face and she cries. Each tear fills her with a strange sense of peace. Within that village, everyone closes down their shops and mourns for Hiroshi Ayame. For five days they grieve; but also Komichi and another villager try to figure out what happened at the shrine. Just before sunset, Komichi Nagayaki and his partner Utau Akasaki go to investigate the shrine. At first all they can see are many marks from fire. The fire marks seem to pulse with malevolence. About 10 feet from the fire marks are small symbols. Each different, all of them creating a circle around the shrine. Twelve symbols in a circle. Now it is clear what has happened.

    "Dareka oni wo okosutosuru."(Someone tried to call forth a demon.) Komichi notes,

    "Ima, suikaimasu ka?" (Now, was it successful?) Utau questions as they gaze out onto the forest.

    Somewhere near the other side of the mountains, the group of summoners stops to nurse their wounds.

    "Shippaisha! Shippaisha ha minna desu yo! Baka! Kutobare! Ima, renraku ha chikara yondeimasu." Their infuriated leader screams.

    "Gomen nasai rida-sama!" They all cry.

    Angrily he snaps at them. "Rida-sama, hokano yari kata ga arimasu." One his henchmen utters.

    Immediately the henchman has his boss' attention. "Watashitachi ha yondeimasu chisai oni. Reberai ha tokoro o yondeimasu. Oni ni Reberai okuru. Reberai ni, chikara irimasu."(We need to summon a small demon. There is a place called Leberai. Send the demon there. In Leberai lies the power we want.)

    Clearly the leader is intrigued but annoyed. "So desu ka? Shikashi..."(Is that so? However...)

    Instantly the man is sliced in half with a wave of their leader's hand. "Dareka houhou ni boku ga hanashimasu, boku ha korosu." (If anyone talks to me like that; I'll kill them.)

    Quietly the others shutter in fear at the fallen, bloody mass. "Ima, minna-san, junbimasho!"(Now, Let us prepare!) Swiftly he begins devising a devious plan to summon a demon an learn more about this place called Leberai.



    Until Next Time,

    Rakashael