7 The Beginning Of The End

Masako Hara knew she wasn't alone before her eyes even opened. She felt a strange and familiar presence near her. When she opened her eyes, she looked at the two men that were standing close to her. One was John Brown who smiled at her in delight, the other was an all-black perfect version of Naru. At first, she was actually glad to see Naru waiting for her to wake up, but in closer inspection, she realized that the young man looking at her was no longer among the living. He had a certain energy that made her believe so and that left only one option in that case. Her morning visitor was no other than 'Gene', as Naru called him.

"Gene…" Masako whispered just to make sure she was right and the man smiled at her like he was custom to do so. Yes, that was definitely not Naru.

"Masako, are you OK? How do you feel?" John asked her not noticing Masako's gaze next to him. He also didn't notice the room being a little colder than it should since the sun was up in the sky.

"I'm fine, John. Can you tell me for how long I had been out?" she asked trying not to focus on the other presence in the room. She had the feeling she was going to be a mediator between the brothers.

"What happened? Is everyone alright?" she asked while giving Gene another side glance. Something big must have happened if Gene was willing to show himself to her. She knew about him because Naru had told her his reason for being in Japan, but she had never been aware of his presence near his brother or someone else for that matter. Something really bad must have happened for the young man revealed himself on today time of all times.

"Many things happened while you were asleep. Let me tell you everything," said John, beginning to recount the past events.

Gene

While John told Masako about last night's happenings, he patiently waited for the medium to give him some time. There were so many things that needed to be done and so little time to do them. Naru's team was heading to a dangerous place and Katsumi's team was going to make some discoveries soon. He also needed to take action if he wanted everyone to get out of that hellish place with their lives.

Ryoko was weak. Mai the danger magnet, as the team rightly called her, was going to fall in peril at some point, since Susumu Takeshi was now more determined than ever to capture his fleeting pray. He had watched the evil presence most of the night after Mai's spirit had been rescued from his almost sure grasp on her. He was very furious and eagerly anxious to do what was denied to him. If Naru hasn't managed to exorcise this evil spirit before nightfall, hell will break loose and all their lives will be in danger. He needed to tell anyone all the information he had gathered ever since he came here.

He usually only manifested in Mai's dreams or the astral plane, since for some reason she seemed to awaken him when he slept, gathering energy. This time, however, he was manifesting on his own awareness. He felt his connection with his brother increase and therefore, maybe Noll will be more aware of his presence this time around.

Team Naru

Mai had an odd feeling of being watched and it was beginning to make her feel nervous. After all, with the events of the previous night and the one she just witnessed, she couldn't imagine what more horrors could be left behind. This case sure was creepy in every aspect of the word. She wanted to find Ryoko as soon as possible.

"Shall we head back to base to reunite with Masako?" asked Takigawa, not exactly sure of Naru's plans. He seemed kind of eager to talk to the medium and he understood why. If the spirit of his brother was still around, Masako would be able to both see and hear him.

"No, we need to keep searching while the sun is still up. I have no idea how long it will take us to find her. If Miss Hara finds anything on her side, Lin will tell us. Now, Matsuzaki, I think you should seek the help from the trees in any way possible. Your Shinto incantations will be required to exorcise this monster. The fewer spirits it has to consume, the weaker it will become. We also need yours Monk, John's too," said Naru seriously. He wasn't going to let another episode like last night's repeat itself. It was time to get serious.

He had a feeling Gene would make his own preparations for this event soon enough. The time for their reunion will come and he unconsciously looked at Mai. He had come to terms with his feelings for the petite girl and he even wanted to share a future with her, but was that truly possible? If they all survived this hunt and he finds Gene's body, what will happen to them? He needed to go back to England for sure, but what next? Will he stay in England where his only remaining family lives or will he go back to Japan were his heart resides?

"We should go a little deeper. The trees here will not help us much. This way…" Ayako guided them further in the woods without any hesitation. It was like she was guided by an unknown force she didn't fight against. She guessed that some trees spirits wanted the darkness left behind, from the atrocities committed long ago, to be cleansed and to regain its proper peace.

After walking for what seemed like hours, Ayako stopped in front of one huge tree. She felt its presence at once. This was probably the one guiding her all the way to this place. It was a very beautiful tree with healthy leaves and colors, not like the gloomy ones from before. This one radiates life, even for those who couldn't hear it. Yes, this will do. She thought getting closer to the source of energy she felt, warm and inviting.

"Well Ayako, what now?" Monk asked behind her, not really sure what she was looking for or what to expect. He didn't know how her 'talking' with the trees worked, just how they left their trees to help her.

"I will ask this tree for help, just stay quiet and let me do this without interruption. If he gives me his blessing, I shall perform my ritual later. Now just wait until I'm done,"she said and put one hand over the tree bark. Immediately she felt a welcoming feeling she embraced and then, only the spirit became her all, she lost notice of her surroundings. Yes, he had accepted her. It was matter of time before she knew it all.

Team Katsumi

"Did you find anything there?" asked Ethan trying to have a better look at the room below him where Katsumi was searching. Surprisingly enough, they had found a few rooms hidden below the tatami mats. The marking Katsumi had spent most of the night doing was paying off. They have searched six of the rooms he marked as must active during the night and found four hidden rooms already.

No bodies or bones were found, but they had traces of blackened blood in most of them, so he guessed people were killed or tortured there. Yet, it seems to have happened long ago, there was nothing recent that could help them find Ryoko. There was no trace of her being there at all.

"Did you find something?" Ethan asked again, really wishing for some clues. There were a few more rooms to look at and with each one being empty, it increased his anxiety more and more. Just were the hell was Ryoko? He should tell his father just to burn up the place once the woman was found and saved. This was definitely not a resting place for anyone, just an extension of hell. One life in his family was already taken because of this place, even if it was indirectly.

"Nothing here either, just more dry blood, like the others," said Katsumi back at Ethan. He didn't like those rooms at all, they felt oppressing even for someone like him with no paranormal perception of any kind. Who knows how many atrocities were committed there and his sister was just so close to being a part of it. Damn it all! Just where was she? He only needed one clue to find her. Just something to point him on the right direction. "I will be coming back now," he said illuminating the room for the last time, when something caught his attention.

In one of the corners, something seemed out-of-place. He couldn't put a finger on what exactly, but there was definitely something odd there. Curiosity or probably eagerness to find his sister made him venture closer. Step by step he made his way to the farthest corner, not noticing the sudden drop in temperature inside the room. He tried to focus more on the spot that caught his attention when the noise of the radio made him jump and almost yell in fright. Who said that grown men didn't fear, he sure did.

"Katsumi, you should get of there now, there is a temperature fluctuation there," Lin said and Katsumi was glad to comply with his suggestion when he felt an icy cold touch on the back of his shoulder. He froze in fear and was pushed from the back making him fall. This time he did yell and soon after, Ethan hurried down the ladder to help his friend. He illuminated the room left first and found Katsumi sitting on the floor, looking at the ground like it was the most amazing thing on Earth. He was obviously scared to death, but otherwise seemed fine.

"Are you okay, Seiji?" he asked getting closer to the man. Katsumi looked back at Ethan and pointed toward the floor. His kanji was good enough to distinguish the writing in what seemed like fresh blood that read, 'here', 'below' and 'hurry'.

"Bloody hell, she's down below us…" said Ethan staring at the artificially illuminated floor. They had found her, now the problem was getting her out of there. The floor was covered with concrete and who knew how deep below it was. It wasn't going to be an easy task at all and they were running out of time.

Suddenly, up in the upper room they heard the door slide and someone walk in. Both Ethan and Katsumi went back to the main room and found Masako Hara standing there, followed by John Brown and surprisingly Lin and Akihiro. Did they find something else? Did the medium contact a spirit who could help them?

"There is another way in, but it's just as dangerous," the medium said and Ethan looked at her closely. He swore he could distinguish a translucent figure behind her. He wasn't able to see it clearly, but he almost distinguished black hair and…blue eyes? Could it be... Gene was actually there?

"Gene…?" he said unconsciously and the medium looked his way a little surprised. Tadashi also looked back at the entrance where Ethan had looked, but saw nothing other than the living.

"Are you able to see him too?" asked Masako with curiosity. She didn't expect anyone else to see him. Although, it shouldn't be really that surprising considering Gene had been in closer contact with those people when alive than her.

"Not clearly, but yes. It was about time to join us, Gene. We really need your help. Ryoko seems to be below us, but it will take us all day to reach her if we simply break the concrete. Is there really an easier way in?" he asked in hope and Katsumi readied himself to go to his sister's aid as soon as possible. After a moment of what seemed like a silent conversation between the girl and the spirit, Masako looked his way.

"Her location can't be reached by normal means inside the house. Only with the right aid she can be found. I believe that the one who pushed you was the spirit of Asami Megumi. She was the second victim of Susumu Takeshi, the one you called a monster and she was killed on one fogy morning in the woods. She felt so much hatred for him since he had killed her sister in cold blood that she cursed the man for an eternity of pain and fear before she died."

"She stayed behind making sure the man would suffer and she haunted him to madness and death, but he also became a vengeful spirit full of hatred for her and of her kind. Eventually, he absorbed enough energy to keep killing and soon became what he is today. Because he got stronger than her by feeding on spiritual powers of many women over the years, he managed to trap Asami inside that room, but she was released when you broke in. Now she is beyond furious and wants to guide us to Ryoko. Hopefully, this nightmare will end today," she said, wishing it will really be so.

"There's no time to waste. We need to move on," Masako said not waiting to see if anyone was following her. Still, she could feel John's presence right behind her and she smiled.

Team Naru

Ayako gasped at the intensity of the images shown to her. So many horrible things had taken place on these grounds. She questioned herself about how humans can fall so far below that are capable of inflicting such pain on other humans. Was all really just insanity, cruelty and desire to inflict damage on others or was it that humanity was just simply a void word these days and didn't really hold any meaning to those who fear nothing but to lose mundane things?

"Are you all right Ayako? You look pale to me," said the Monk with visible worry. He held her just in case she fainted or got sick and to his big surprise, she didn't push him away. Quite the opposite, she held him like her life depend on it and unexpectedly the action made his heart beat a little faster. Just what was wrong with him? This wasn't the time to struggle with repressed feelings.

"There was so much violence committed in this place…it's overwhelming," Ayako said and Mai understood her meaning clearly. She had witnessed the same circle herself and it saddened her heart a great deal. Death was always hard to deal with, she knew that by heart.

"Did you find something relevant?" asked Naru in his usual cold tone. Mai gave him an angry stare at his insensitive nature. Geez, he can be so heartless sometimes, Mai thought. Then again, if he wasn't a cold headed narcissist, he wouldn't be Naru, right?

"There are tunnels that were made by an underground river a long time ago. The river dried up when a nearby dam was constructed and an earthquake revealed a small part of the natural tunnels underground. The mansion had been constructed over the tunnels at that time and it required a lot of effort to make the place stable again, but there were no further problems with the terrain. This monster now had free entry to them by draining spiritual powers of women," she said already feeling a headache coming.

"Is there another way in we can use?" asked Naru having a better picture of the events that unfolded there. He was so close, oh so close.

"There is an abandon water well that can be reached. If we find it, we will be able to reach the tunnels. She is somewhere down below, although it's very dark and infested with spirits lurking there. Even if we are lucky enough to find the well, the monster will be in his hunting ground and element, while we will be going in blind and lost," said Ayako almost giving up the search.

"Then we begin the hunting ourselves. Can you perform your ritual effectively?" Naru asked.

"Yes, the trees are willing to aid me in this process," she said stilling herself. This was not the time to doubt, it was time to act and she knew she can do the cleansing perfectly. She never had the chance to use a tree who felt so alive and full of energy. She was definitely capable of cleansing the whole forest and mansion if necessary.

"Good. Let's find the well and Ryoko first. Mai, do you have any inclination to go somewhere? If you were to run away from us on your own, which way would you go?" he asked the girl who looked insulted. Monk chuckled a bit at this. Give it to Naru to find a useful insult that can't be denied. Mai after all, did go on her own to the most dangerous places her instincts could find.

"I'm not an animal, you know. Geez..." she said sighing. Why did he have to insult me in such a logical way? "Even so, I would go that way," she pointed to the east and so they began to walk in that direction. That was what her gut feelings told her and for some reason she didn't like it. Her last experience there was horrifying at the very least and the thing did want her. Oh, man… I hope the charms work well. Lin said they were stronger, but will they really hold? She asked to herself and was surprised when Naru took her hand in his.

She looked at him and flushed at his gaze. Lately he had been more physical than ever, not that she complained. She liked him, there was no denying that one, but she never thought he would ever show her any kind of feelings beyond being his annoying assistant. Does that mean he liked her back? Could she hope? Will she be proven wrong later? He was so hard to read most of the time, yet hope was what kept people going in life.

"There is no need to be afraid, Mai. You will be fine," he said trying to give the scared girl some courage. Hell would freeze over before he let the monster touch her. He already experienced—for a short time—what it would be like to lose her and he hated it. Miraculously enough, he managed to stay calm and collected during that last episode, but if Mai were to be seriously injured, or worse be killed, he would definitely succumb to madness.

One close death was bad enough, two would destroy him completely. Gene's death was still recent in his mind and he even relived it sometimes when he was tired enough or upset. No, he would protect her even if he ended up giving up his own life.

"Noll, watch out!" A very familiar voice yelled inside his head and soon after, he felt the sensation of falling while holding Mai's hand.

"Naru, Mai!" yelled Ayako when she saw the earth break under both of them and the pair disappeared down the hole, nothing visible but the darkness below.

AN: Thanks for reading.