Chapter 5 (English)

< "Take care of yourselves" > said the boat driver just before the finish.

< "There are supposed to be strange beings here. Shadow-like beings. They have been seen many times, but only fleetingly, which is why no one can say exactly what they are and whether it is not just a rumor. Nevertheless, you should be careful" > the boat driver warned us.

A short time later we were already at our destination and we thanked and said goodbye to the boat driver.

< "Thank you so much for giving us a ride. Without you we would never have made it this far" > we said and went on our way.

I wasn't worried about the rumors, since I only know something like that from Ake's stories, and as I said, they are just stories.

The path led between big long trees and everything was misty, so we stood close to each other not to get lost.

As it got darker, we built a campfire and to relieve our boredom, we started telling scary stories.

< "In one of my books about dark mysteries of this world, it was said that there is a world outside of ours that is ruled with hatred and violence. In this world, there are said to be shadow-like beings that resemble a human form, but they are monsters that cause only hatred and destruction.

They are said to be stronger than conventional humans and supernatural powers are said to be used by them as well.

It is in their nature to lose everything, no matter what they do and or where they go. They delight in suffering and oppressing others. You are never supposed to see them, but when they come, they come out of nowhere" > Ake told us.

I thought this story was pretty silly, but Nima was completely blown away by it.

She even said that she would see any shadows, but wasn't sure.

< "You can't scare me that easily Ake and you dragging Nima into it was a good try but easy to see through" > I said but Ake replied back < "I didn't drag Nima into it at all, she says that all by herself" >.

Then Nima added < "I'm not kidding Jun. I really think I've seen shadows. They move from everywhere, but maybe they were animals" >

< "Don't worry, if something comes I will try to protect you with everything I have. Besides, you're probably imagining it since you were so carried away by Ake's story" > I said to reassure Nima, but at that moment, I saw two dark figures come out from behind Nima and Ake.

I was about to get up and warn them, but only seconds later something hit me from behind and I went black.

When I woke up after an uncertain amount of time, I was tied up and when I looked around, I saw Ake and Nima also tied up.

We were in a cell and in front of the cell were two guards dressed completely in black and completely covered, who didn't answer me no matter what I said and did.

< "What do you want from us? What are we doing here and why are we tied up? We didn't do anything to you. You probably confused us with others because we are newly arrived on this island" > I told them but got no response.

Ake and Nima also woke up after some time and wondered what was going on.

< "Don't worry about it. They must have, mistaken us for others and that's why they locked us up. I'll wait until their leader comes, then I'll talk to him and tell about the misunderstanding" > I tried to calm them down.

Suddenly a somewhat different looking man came in.

He had long hair and was dressed in very festive or traditional clothes.

He came in front of our cell and was accompanied by two other black-robed people.

< "My name is Makoto and I am the leader who assigned these guards to capture you. This island is very remote and the path you used is almost never used because they people fear the shadow creatures. They prefer to drive around the island one day longer instead of walking this path. The only ones who dared to go that way in the last years were bandits or the government. So my question is simple. Who are you and why are you here?" > he asked with a very serious look and tone.

I explained to him that it must be a misunderstanding because they never knew the island before and were dismissed by a boatman at the beginning of the island.

Then I said < "After all, it wouldn't make much sense for us to move so conspicuously along this path and then build a campfire on top of that" > I tried to convince him.

Makoto remained very cold in his outward appearance and turned and left.

As he walked away he said < "Wait for my decision, until then you will stay in this cell. Shiro you are the strongest. Stay with them until you hear something new.">

We were left just like that, further in the cell and for a long time.

It felt very long, having nothing but silence and boredom.

As time went on, hunger was also added.

The cell was also very dirty, cool and cramped.

The guard, who was left here by the leader Makoto to watch, was apparently a girl, which one could not recognize at all by her clothes.

I tried to talk to her, but she did not react to me at all.

After about 3 days Makoto came back in front of our cell and told us <"I 3 don't have much time, but I'll explain why it took days. Normally you should die when enter the path, your destiny has something else standing for you. We guards who orders to kill anyone steps on that was not case with It because were killed. I left in cell see if had anything do deaths, there no traces or clues. Now am sure, will give decision. You can make decision be released. Then escorted by my harbor and leave this island forever tell about us decide against stay here rest of life, stays here, forever.">

The decision wasn't hard at all, which is why I decided to leave right away.

< "Just a warning. If you ever come here again, you will be punished with the death penalty and without mercy" > admonished Makoto to Jun, Ake and Nima.

<"Don't worry, we have another target anyway, so don't worry about it"> I said, and shortly after, we blacked out again with a thud.

When we woke up again, we were tied to the ground, at the edge of the forest.

Then one of the guards came to us and cut our bonds, then she came next to me and said softly in my ear <"You are lucky to have been released. Be thankful for it. Your chances what many wish for. So if you come back, I will kill myself">

Before I could say anything to that, she was gone.

Without hesitation or thinking about what had happened, we made our way towards the port.

Thanks to the escort, we arrived in just 10 minutes.

When we looked for a ride, we found only one ship sailing to the next destination, Lubai.

The problem was that we only had enough so that one could go and the others could not.

I knew I had to raise money somehow.

It was a very small town, but there were a few stores and we went around asking for a job so we could afford to keep going.

After some searching, I found a job putting goods into the ships at the port.

I would get the payout I needed after a week so we could afford to continue our trip.

After 6 days of hard work, the last day came and I was about to deliver the new goods into the newly arrived ship, but while putting them away I heard two men talking.

< "Why do we have to attack the village? I would rather be with my family right now instead of massacring a village. Besides, what are people thinking. We are part of the government that has everything under its power, why don't people just obey but stand against us? I will never understand these people" > said one of the two soldiers.

All my feelings came up again, but I quickly calmed down, because there are too many soldiers here and I couldn't even do anything against two of them.

In addition, Ake and Nima are here, so if something should happen to me, they would be left here completely helpless.

So I pulled myself together and finished the work.

But I knew exactly which village they were talking about and no matter how badly they treated us, I couldn't just let them die when I could have warned them.

Even if they threatened me with death, I couldn't ignore the information that they were being attacked and pretend I hadn't noticed.

So I made my way to Ake and Nima, with whom I had been sleeping in a small hotel in a cramped little room for 6 days, and told them what had happened and that I was going to make my way to the village.

< "You are going to die Jun. You know what they said. You can't go back," > Nima said, trying to turn me away, but I could never reconcile it with my conscience to leave her to her fate just like that.

< "Here is all of our savings. If I'm not back in 4 days, then get off this island without me and continue on your way to Luceli. Our goal is to get to this island. Got it?" > I asked both of them.

Just as Nima was about to contradict me again, Ake interrupted her and said <"I trust you Jun. We'll wait for here. If don't come, I will take care of Nima and continue to Luceli. promise.">

I hugged them both and immediately headed to the village in the middle of the night to warn them of the impending danger.