Chapter 17

"It's going to be really cold tonight. I hope my friends are alright they better not run off again." Douma sat on his beanbag and looked at the paintings on the walls of the main hall thinking about the stories behind them. They were interesting for sure, the three he was holding stuck out to him the most.

The shrine was quieter than before, a sign that no one will ever set foot on it again. With that said, the shrine will be disbanded and Douma won't have to sit around again listening to people's problems, his identity will be safe at last.

Suddenly a strange sound echoed outside, it sounded like a siren. Curious, Douma got up and headed outside the chilly night. It was strange to hear something especially being the only one in the vicinity. Maybe an animal but to Douma's knowledge it was abnormal for an animal to be making sirens loud enough for everyone to hear. 

There was nothing outside, nobody was out of their homes looking for the source like he'd expected. This was starting to get a little disturbing because the mountains rarely had any interference.

Douma waited for a few minutes before taking a few steps back, there was no sign of life outside just him and the large Cherry Blossom tree. The more he thought about it, he could only come to one conclusion. The sirens were trying to send a message to something and it definitely wasn't human because the soundwaves pitch wouldn't be inaudible to humans.

"What a strange sound I wonder why it's here of all places." Douma wondered if it was directed at him but the waves of molecules were travelling further down, so it was unlikely.

The sound continued whoever was responsible for this forgot about the tales of the mountains, Douma was contemplating on whether he should follow it perhaps this will lead him to something important. Many strange events have occurred these past few days maybe he will finally get an answer once and for all.

~~~

Since the arrival of Paradise Shrine's Leader, the people of Hasu Mountains visited him for help and advice. They couldn't believe such a high-ranking being would visit them someday, it was certainly the unexpected. Let alone spread change with supernatural powers capable of rewriting events. Some people believed that the country could solve most of its problems just by the Founder's reiteration abilities, society could move on from them.

The villages suffered from a great famine, for months the crops withered and animals starved. Feeling hopeless, the people waited and told themselves, "Help will come," starting from the day of the downfall.

Until help finally arrived in the form of a young angelic-looking male with iridescent eyes and platinum blonde hair that shined in the moonlight. This was something new the villagers couldn't believe something physically similar to them was beyond their level of capabilities, they respected and envied him at the same time.

A farmer named Izayama visited the Paradise Shrine that everyone was talking about. The river near his home had been hit by a landslide, obstructing the flow of water for the crops nearby.

"Gracious Founder, a landslide happened near the village again. Unfortunately the river and my crops were affected, how is my family going to eat, we're merely earning much from the fruits and vegetations I've grown, business is slow. I never thought I'd have a hard time keeping up for my family this is the first time in a while there's nothing much I can do what is your advice." 

Everyone watched the man pleading with Douma, desperate for answers. 

"May I take a look?"

"Yes of course! It's been days since I called for help. No one came!" 

"Then I shall stop by and bring a cultivation of food your way."

The founder got up from his seat as Izayama led the way to his house. The other people started whispering among themselves and observed, even though the shrine was said to be peaceful, the people probably weren't.

When they got to the house, the river was still and rocks were piled up against each other in between a fairly large waterfall. It was a pitiful sight, the river was clogged with soil, branches and a few fallen trees. The crops beside the stream were crushed. Douma got one of his fans out and faced the devastated family.

"Turn around."

"What do you mean?" Izayama and his wife were confused this was no secret.

"It's dangerous you two could get seriously hurt."

They nodded and stepped away, turning around the suspense made them nervous, something big was about to happen but their very eyes couldn't see it.

In a few seconds they heard the sound of a clash and rocks collapsing. The ground shook from the impact. Izayama knew the rocks were destroyed but how did the Founder do it?

They spun around and gasped.

The rocks were broken down to the size of pebbles and the river returned to its crystal blue flowing down the stream. 

"This is wonderful! You truly are a blessing thank you so much Gracious Founder!"

Since then, Paradise Shrine was bustling with people they truly believed Douma was the answer to everything.

The Earth's climate undergone a change within the span of a few months. International organizations warned people of rising temperatures.

"Cooldown the atmosphere," They would ask, the soil was drying up. "It's getting warmer by the minute," It was awfully humid that one particular week. "We're literally surrounded by fuel." 

Douma fulfilled their requests but at some point he got hesitant.

"The Founder doesn't want to help us anymore," A man observed the people crying for help. Crossing his arms, he stood there and thought about what needed to be done to get Douma to help them already.

Grabbing his son's baseball bat, the very same man went to the shrine at dawn. Unhappy with how Douma was "neglecting the villagers' well-being."

"This can't continue any longer I will put a stop to this." One of his henchmen looked at him concerningly he had a bad feeling about this. 

They walked briskly to the platform and stopped right in front of the Leader who seemed calm about their arrival despite the bat one of the men was holding. 

"The village doesn't need you anymore. You're wasting our time with your tricks and lies we were doing fine before you got here. This is goodbye." Swinging the baseball bat to the back, the man rushed over to the young man who was still sitting on his beanbag, kaleidoscopic eyes peering at every one of the men apart of this scheme.

The baseball bat swung towards him as the other men standing at the back watched in anticipation thinking the job was done.

But they thought wrong.

Before the baseball bat landed a hit on him it swiftly changed direction and knocked the man instead, causing him to fall back and pass out from the impact.

Douma watched as the man's henchmen rushed to his aid trying to wake him up, but it was no use he was out cold. They needed help but after this incident was anyone willing to help them? Even if the man was still breathing there may be side-effects from the hit. That was something they were going to have to deal with themselves and Douma wasn't going to waste his time on a bunch of ungrateful fools.