Chapter 2: Jack And Jill (Part 2)

Kais: "So then, what did these people do after you met them and all this talk we just had was over?"

Girl: "Let's see …"

Again, she puts her finger on her lips and looks up.

Girl: "They ask me to take them to the tomb."

If she really lives here, then it would be really convenient if she could take me to the tomb. That's the line of thinking that most people would follow and so it makes sense they ask her to take them to the tomb. But it's kind of hard to believe no one would try any different approach.

Kais: "Did everyone asked you to take them to the tomb?"

Girl: "Yep! No exceptions."

Kais: "The heck!"

That's suspicious. I myself definitely thought that as well and I do think it's the best course to take, but that's not the only option. Someone should have taken a different route.

Kais: "So do you know, about how many people have come here before me?"

Girl: "Hmm … I didn't count."

Not helpful.

Girl: "But there have been a lot of them, at least fifty."

Kais: "Fifty!"

That's too large a number for there to be no exceptions. If I take into account that they all should have been psychics, it's just next to impossible.

Kais: "Didn't you ever feel curious how they got here or where they're from?"

Girl: "I did. But when I ask about it, everyone says the same thing – that they are unable to tell me."

Kais: "Unable to tell, huh."

Now that's a clue. If they are unable to say it, then what could that mean? Does that …

Girl: "Something wrong?"

A realization suddenly hit me. I was brought here by the people Ro, Mohammed and whoever that woman was, worked for. In other words, I was brought here by Vermillion, but I never agreed to join them.

When they kidnapped me, they left me here. I was brought here against my will. But what if others like me who actually agreed to join them were also brought here. But unlike me, they came here willingly and so Vermillion could have given them some instructions. It would make sense that they would then follow those instructions and not pointlessly take risks.

In short, people who agree to join them are brought to this island, told to get to the tomb and to do something there. They may also have been told about this girl. Now that I think about it, if you tell someone there's someone like a guide here and then they find her and think that this little girl is the guide, people would surely drop their guard. I think it is a little loose logic, but for now, I don't see any major holes in it.

Girl: "Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

Kais: "Nothing, why?"

Girl: "Then why did you just go silent all of a sudden?"

It's the tilting-head-curious-expression right now. Ignoring that though, I need to know how these predecessors of mine proceed from here.

Kais: "Anyway, when they ask you to take them to the tomb, what's your answer to them?

The answer to this question will determine whether the guide part of the theory is right or not.

Girl: "I tell them they shouldn't travel through the forest in the night and that I will take them at morning."

I see. So maybe she is a guide after all.

Kais: "And does everybody listen to you?"

Girl: "No. Not everybody does. Some do, some don't."

Kais: "What happens to the ones who don't?"

Girl: "I don't know, but I never see them again."

Kais: "Uh …"

Girl: "And when I walk through the forest after that in the morning, I see blood on a lot of places many times."

Damn! That's one way to scare people. No, looking at her expression right now I feel like she might actually not know why she doesn't see anyone again.

Kais: "So, if I happen to wander off into the forest in night too, you might see blood in the forest in the morning."

Girl: "Yeah, and also I sometimes hear Hans chomping on something."

Kais: "Who's Hans?"

Girl: "Hans is Hans. He is as big as you and has golden fur like Jack and Jill. He has a snout and really sharp teeth and is really powerful."

Sounds like a bear; yeah, I'm not even gonna think about going in at night. There's no reason to take risks right now.

Kais: "So then, what about those who actually stay till morning? Do you take them to the tomb like you promise them?"

Girl: "I do."

Kais: "Do they reach the tomb safely?"

Girl: "Yeah!"

She nods along with answering. Well, it's going to be night in a while. From what she has told me, I would become food if I go in at night. So should I ask her to take me to the tomb in the morning as well? Before that though …

Kais: "I think I should have asked this sooner, but are you the guardian of the tomb?"

Girl: "Huh?"

She tilts her head in curiosity as if to say that was the stupidest question ever.

Girl: "Of course I'm not. The dragon is the guardian."

I see. So the dragon really has been alive for that long. Well, it could be some different dragon but I really doubt it.

Kais: "Then can you tell me more about this dragon?"

Girl: "I've never seen him."

Kais: "Wait! What!"

Girl: "I never go inside the tomb and he never comes out. But the dragon definitely is in there. I see his silhouette on the roof of the tomb sometimes."

Kais: "I … see."

Well, that's that I guess. There has been a lot of talking between us. Well, it was actually just me asking and her answering.

Kais: "So, will you take me to the tomb tomorrow morning?"

Girl: "Yeah, sure."

Kais: "Okay then, I'll rest on the beach for now."

Girl: "So all your questions are over?"

Kais: "For now."

She nods and smiles.

Girl: "Then I'll go back."

She quickly runs past me into the forest. Jack and Jill look at her as she disappears into the forest and then turn their heads around to look at me. They are no longer on edge but still look like they won't let me take a single step forward.

Kais: "Don't be that cautious now."

Doesn't look like that changes anything, not like I expected it to anyway. Well, I'll go back to the beach for now. Thanks to all the questions I asked, I have a general idea of what's going on here. Until a few moments ago, it was just a theory that I tried to put my faith in, but now I know for sure that this place really is the island in the stories.

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That dragon was given the power to take a human form. But even in that form, he would never show his face to anyone. At the end of the story, when the god dies due to reasons unknown, he would take the initiative to guard his grave. He would never allow anyone to come near it unless he deems them worthy of it. But since he doesn't like showing his face, he materialized a huge mass of energy and made it look like a human. Then he scripted human intelligence with the function of judging others in it. Even to that mass of energy who thinks they're a human, he would never show his face after he had made them. And obviously, that 'mass of energy' never got a name because even if the dragon gave them one, he would never actually meet them and so they would never really know it.

If I'm going to meet that dragon in the tomb, then I also understand why psychics will be send here. After all, Ozyllus, a psychic so powerful people started calling him a god, is the one resting in the tomb. Obviously, having befriended that psychic, the dragon's feelings toward psychics would at least not be of hate. And so there's a chance the dragon may consider one of those psychics sent here to be worthy.

Kais: "Damn you all! You people think everything will go your way, don't you? I bet you're thinking I'll have no choice but to join you all after this. Well, too bad. Bringing me here was your biggest mistake."

As I prepare myself to go to 'The Cage', I almost burst out laughing.

I can't take anymore of this. If I keep thinking about what's about to happen, I'll lose my sanity. Whatever happens; happens tomorrow.

I think that to calm myself while my face contorts into a smile – no, a grin.

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Ro: "We have managed to safely take him to the island and leave him there."

Ro says to the person he had called. The man he's talking to is Garfield Jacob. He is leader of the small division of Vermillion Ro works for.

Garfield: "I see. Then everything on his end should be fine now."

Ro: "Yes, sir."

Garfield: "I assume you're still with Mohammed. What about her?"

Ro: "Actually, Mohammed had to carry out different orders from the northern branch, so he has already left. And as for her, she left Kais to us after knocking him unconscious and disappeared. She has refused to pick up any phone calls since then."

Garfield: "I see. Well, like Mohammed, you too can't rest. Your next orders are already here."

Ro: "And they are?"

Garfield: "Look for the man I'm sending you a picture of."

Ro: "Should I report back when I find him?"

Garfield: "No. Eliminate him as soon as you find him. You can call for as much back-up as you want for this."

Ro: "So this man is that dangerous of a psychic?"

Garfield: "No, he's just a human."

Ro: "Just … a human!?"

Garfield: "Yes. Even though he is just a human, he dares to meddle in our affairs. And he has proven himself quite a hassle too. Just don't take any chances and finish him for good."

Ro's surprise at what he is hearing is justified. No human can ever win against a psychic. It is a saying Ro has complete faith in. In fact, for him, it is a fact. So hearing how some human is trying to interfere with their business, he's shocked at the man's foolishness.

Ro: "I understand, sir."

Garfield: "Well then, I'll send you the picture and other minor details."

The phone call ends there and shortly after, Ro's phone rings. He checks the picture. It's a man with brown hair, average built and a normal face. His age is 20. His name is …

Ro: "Ethan Kales"

He puts his phone away as he walks through the side-walk at night. There aren't many people on the road at this time. Ro finds this peace to be perfect to think of a strategy. Even if his target is just a human, he would never go unprepared. This probably is why this case was given to him, because there's no way he will end up underestimating his opponent, no matter who they are.

Ro: "Well, let's see what this man's made of."

In some distance to Ro, there is a black Safari. It is a pretty old model and looks like something a person living in this developing neighborhood might have. This is why people don't give any mind to it. If someone not living here were to be inside it, no one would notice it. And so the 20-year-old, brown-haired man sitting inside will not be noticed by the man walking on the side-walk.

Ethan: "Well, looks like I'm getting really popular with these people."

Seeing Ro thinking of how to kill him unaware of how close to his target he was, he smiles.

Ethan: "Let's see then, how capable of a person is out to kill me?"

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