Eyes On You..

"Are you ready?" asked Nara.

"Yes," replied the old man.

They both stepped into the room. The doors closed behind them.

"Hello?" called Nara. "Is anyone there?"

"I am here," answered a voice.

"Who are you?" asked Nara.

"My name is Mira," replied the voice. "I'm here because I need your help."

"Please hurry," said the old man. "Someone's chasing me."

"You mean you're being chased?" asked Mira.

"By what?" asked Nara.

"A monster," replied the old man. "Its eyes glow red. It has sharp claws and teeth. Its skin is covered in scales. It attacks people. Anyone who gets close to it falls unconscious. Once you fall asleep, it takes over your body. The only way to stop it is to cut off its head. Or you have to run away as fast as you can."

"That sounds horrible," said Nara. "Is it still after you?"

"Yes," replied the old man. "It's coming closer and closer. It's almost here."

"Stay calm," said Nara. "I can help you escape."

"You can?" asked the old man. "How?"

"Just wait a moment," said Nara. "The trap door is opening."

She hurried toward the back of the room. The old man followed her closely. When they reached the end of the hall, they saw a set of stairs that led down below the floor.

"This is incredible," exclaimed the old man. "Where did you learn how to build a secret passage like this?"

Nara didn't answer. She opened the trap door.

"Come on," she said. "Before it closes again."

They descended the stairs until they reached a dimly lit room.

"Now what?" asked the old man.

"Follow me," replied Nara. "And stay close."

They entered another hallway. This time, they went straight ahead. No one tried to stop them. When they reached an open room, they saw two figures sitting on a bench. One of them had black hair and green eyes. The other had brown hair and blue eyes.

"It's him!" cried the young man with black hair. "He's finally here! He was supposed to show up yesterday, but he never showed."

"At least now we know where the dragon is," said the young man with blue eyes.

"So, you're the ones who sent the letter to Nara," said Nara.

"Of course we are," said the boy with black hair. "We're friends of hers. We want her to join our group. Do you think she will?"

"Do you really have something to offer?" asked Nara.

"Yes," replied the young man with brown hair. "We've been searching for years for a dragon that lives somewhere in this forest. And we haven't found it yet. But we think we may have gotten lucky. We believe the beast is hiding under the ground."

"Under the earth?" asked Nara. "But how would you find it? You can't just dig holes everywhere."

"No, we wouldn't do that," said the girl with brown hair. "The thing is, we heard about some ruins hidden deep underground. They might hold the answers to everything."

"Can you tell us more?" asked Nara.

"If you agree to join us," replied the young man with brown hair. "Then yes, we can."

"How many members are there in your group?" asked Nara.

"Only three," replied the girl with brown hair. "Two boys and a girl. Me, of course."

"What's your name?" asked Nara.

"I'm Mira," replied the girl.

"And you're…" asked Nara.

"Shu," replied the boy with brown hair. "This is Shun."

"Nice to meet you," said Nara. "Let's talk in my study."

"Wait," interrupted Shu. "I'm curious. Why did you look so surprised when you saw us? Have you never seen two people like us before?"

"Not exactly," replied Nara. "When I was a child, my father took me to the Royal Library. There, I read about how there used to be dragons living in this world. So, you see, I thought you were real."

"Well, now that we're here, you can take us to your leader," said Shun.

Nara walked back to the front hall. When she returned to the study, she told the two boys about her conversation with the old man.

"Does anyone else know about you?" asked Nara.

"No," said Shu. "We don't want to attract any attention."

"Oh, right," replied Nara. "If we're going to search for a dragon, then we need some supplies. Can you lend me your wagon?"

"Sure," said Shu. "Who knows, maybe you'll find what you're looking for."

"Thank you," said Nara. "You won't regret this."

After having a quick meal, they loaded the wagon with food and water. Then they left the old man behind.

***

The party left the village by way of the main road. They headed eastward across the mountains. The journey was long and tiring. By noon of the following day, they had covered only a small portion of their intended journey.

The sun continued its relentless march forward. It slowly rose higher into the sky. Soon, it would reach its zenith. After that, the afternoon sun would become too hot to travel.

"Do you think we should stop soon?" asked Shu.

"There's a good place to rest," replied Nara. "It's not far from here. Let's go."

They traveled farther into the mountains. Shortly thereafter, Nara came upon a rocky area where she spotted a small cave.

"This looks like a perfect spot," said Nara.

"Are you sure?" asked Shu. "You don't think the dragon might be lurking nearby?"

"I'm sure," replied Nara. "Come on. We've got a lot of work to do."

She led the others toward the entrance. As they approached it, they noticed a large boulder blocking the entrance.

"That must have fallen down recently," said Nara. "We'll have to move it out of our way."

She grabbed the rock and lifted it off the ground. She carried it over to a pile of rocks stacked against the wall. With some effort, she managed to push the stone away from the opening.

"Is that all of them?" asked Shu.

"Looks like," replied Nara.

Once inside, they discovered the cave wasn't very big. There was barely room enough for everyone to sit down.

"We can make two groups," suggested Shu. "One group stays here while the other goes on ahead to scout the area."

"That sounds good," replied Nara. "But I don't think I'd like to leave the cave unguarded. If the dragon shows up, we shouldn't be surprised. Anyway, let's divide the chores. You take care of the cooking, Mira. I'll look after the fire. Shu, you can keep watch."

"Alright," said Shu. "Let's get started."

***

After dinner, Nara settled down next to the fire and began reading a book that had been left at the cave.

"I wonder why the old man gave us this," she said. "He seemed reluctant to share anything about himself or his past."

"Maybe he just wanted to know about us," replied Mira. "Didn't you notice how he kept staring at us?"

"Yes," replied Nara. "I'm sure that's it."

"Well, if you're ready to sleep, I'll take first watch," said Shu. "Mira, you can take the second shift."

"Thanks," replied Mira. "I'm tired anyway."

Shu took out an oil lamp. He lit the wick and put it on the table. Then he climbed into a corner of the cave.

"Don't worry," he whispered to Nara. "I'll wake you in the morning."

"Good night," she replied.

***

When Shu woke up, Nara was already awake. She looked exhausted.

"How are you feeling?" asked Shu.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I guess I didn't sleep well last night."

Shu got up and went outside to check on the horses. They hadn't moved since the previous evening. He brought some water from the stream to give them another drink. Then he returned to the cave and sat down next to Nara.

"What did you mean when you said you weren't sleeping well?" he asked.

"Do you remember last night? I told you I couldn't sleep because I was worried about the dragon."

"Yes," replied Shu. "You were having bad dreams."

"I had a dream," she replied. "A really strange one."

"What kind of a dream?" asked Shu.

"I dreamed that I was standing under a waterfall in a mountain canyon," she said. "Then I heard a loud roar and saw something flying toward me. It was the biggest dragon I had ever seen. Its wingspan was as wide as a house! When it landed, there was a flash of light, then everything went dark. When I opened my eyes, I was lying on the ground. I could hear someone calling my name. But I couldn't see anyone. Suddenly, the dragon reappeared. It stretched its huge mouth to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth."

"That must have been terrifying!" said Shu.

"It was horrible," replied Nara. "I thought it was going to eat me. I tried to run but I couldn't move. Then, I realized I was dreaming. The dragon disappeared, and so did I."

"I wish I could help you forget the dream," said Shu. "But it seems to have stuck with you for some reason."

"I guess it has," replied Nara. "I've never dreamt about a dragon before, and I've only ever seen one in pictures. But this was no ordinary dragon. I felt like I was actually there. It was like I was looking at the real thing through a magic mirror."

"Well, I hope your dreams won't keep bothering you anymore," said Shu. "Are you ready to start our new adventure?"

"Yes," replied Nara. "Let's go find the cave of the spirit guardian."

***

After breakfast, Shu led Nara and Mira along the path leading out of the cave. They passed by a small river. As they walked, a mist began to form. Shu stopped and looked around. There were no trees or bushes nearby.

"Do you smell that?" asked Nara. "It smells like smoke."

"It does," replied Shu. "There is a campfire somewhere close by."

He pointed at the rocky hillside on their right. A few seconds later, a figure appeared. It was a young boy, maybe ten years old, wearing nothing but a loincloth. Shu recognized him immediately.

"Hi," he said. "My name is Shu. What's yours?"

The little boy didn't answer. He just stood there, staring at Shu and the girls. His eyes darted back and forth between them.

"Who are you?" asked Mira. "What do you want?"

"I don't understand what's going on," said Shu. "Can you tell me who you are and why you're here?"

"My name is Keiko," said the boy. "And I'm not supposed to be here. My mother warned me not to come near this place. She said that evil spirits live in these caves. I just wanted to look for food."

"What's wrong with the food you found?" asked Shu.

"Look," said the boy. "I'm starving, okay? I came to find food, but instead I found three strangers."

"I'm sorry," said Shu. "We didn't mean to scare you. We just needed some water."

"Go away!" shouted Keiko. "Now! Before I lose control!"

Keiko ran off. Nara and Mira watched him disappear behind a boulder.

"Did you see his face?" asked Nara. "He looks like a monster."

"Yeah," replied Shu. "I think he was possessed."

"Is that possible?" asked Nara. "Possessed by a demon?"

"I don't know," replied Shu. "But I suspect that a spirit guardian dwells in the cave to which we're headed."

They continued walking until they reached the cave. Mira climbed up onto a large rock and peered inside.

"It's pitch-black," she whispered. "I can't see anything."

"I'll go first," said Shu. "Follow me. Stay close to me so you don't get lost."

"Okay," replied Mira.

Shu took a deep breath and stepped into the cave. Immediately, he felt an icy chill. He let out a soft whimper and turned back.

"I can't do this," he said. "I need some light."

Mira nodded and pulled out her torch. After lighting it, she handed it to Shu.

"Here," she said. "Hold this while I search the cave. Be careful. The darkness is very thick."

Shu held the torch close to his face and slowly entered the cave. As soon as he stepped inside, he felt another jolt of fear. It was worse than the time he had been attacked by the wolf. He felt like there were hundreds of eyes watching him from every corner.

"Stay close to me," whispered Mira. "Don't wander off."

Shu followed Mira deeper and deeper into the cave. The cave walls grew darker and colder. Soon, the flickering light of the torch barely illuminated their surroundings.

"Keep going," urged Mira. "I think I heard something."

"I hear it too," said Shu. "Something is moving ahead of us."

As they moved forward, they could hear the sound of heavy footsteps approaching. The sounds grew louder and louder until suddenly, the ground trembled beneath their feet. An immense roar filled the cave, causing Shu to cover his ears. The giant creature that emerged from the shadows was nearly as tall as the ceiling of the cave. It was covered in black scales and glowed red with fire. Its mouth opened wide and revealed rows of sharp teeth.

"A dragon!" gasped Shu.

The beast roared again, sending a shock wave through the cave. The girls screamed and jumped back. Keiko appeared beside the dragon and bowed down. He dropped to one knee and touched its head. The dragon lowered its massive body and sat on the floor. Keiko crawled around its neck and stared at the two girls with his big round eyes.

"I am called Seiya," said the dragon in a deep voice. "I was summoned to protect the people of this world. If you have come here seeking help, then you may speak freely."

"Yes, we need your help," answered Shu. "We were attacked by a wolf earlier, but now there's a bigger problem. Three children are in danger. Can you save them?"

Seiya lowered his head and looked at the girls.

"Do you have any proof?" he asked.

Shu took out the stone mask from his bag and showed it to the dragon. He also held up the map containing all the information about the three children.

"This is the map that Master Ranga gave to me," he explained. "I believe it contains the location of a dangerous spirit guardian."

"There are no such things as spirits," said Seiya. "If I believed in ghosts, I would have already eaten them."

"You're wrong," said Shu. "A spirit guardian lives in this cave. I saw it with my own eyes."

"That doesn't make sense," argued the dragon. "Why do you say there's a spirit guardian? You're just guessing."

"Because I've seen the effects of its magic," replied Shu. "Its power is great enough to cause earthquakes, and when it attacks, the ground shakes violently. It must be incredibly powerful."

Seiya was silent for a moment. Then he looked at Mira and Nara.

"Are you certain that these children are in danger?" he asked. "Or are you trying to trick me into helping you?"

"Of course not," replied Shu. "We came here because we believe that this spirit guardian poses a real threat to the people of this village. We want you to defeat it before any more damage is done."

Seiya glanced around the cave, trying to find a way to escape. But as far as he could tell, there was no door or opening in the cave wall. He put his head between his legs and hung his arms over the side of the cave.

"I will give you three days," he said. "On the third day, I shall confront this spirit guardian and decide whether or not it deserves to live. During that time, you must keep the children safe. Do you understand?"

Shu nodded.

"Understood," he replied.

"Very well," said the dragon. "But I cannot guarantee that this spirit guardian will be defeated within three days. Perhaps it has already escaped the cave. In which case, you won't be able to save the children. And if that happens, I will eat them."

"How long does it usually take to defeat a spirit guardian?" asked Shu.

"It depends on the strength of the guardian," replied Seiya. "But normally, it takes several weeks."

Shu and Keiko looked at each other and shrugged. They had no choice but to trust the dragon's word.

"We'll try our best," promised Shu.

Keiko smiled and bowed down to the ground.

"Thank you very much," he said. Then he got up and walked toward the exit of the cave. "I have some preparations to make," he added.

The dragon turned back to face Shu and Mira.

"Come with me," he said. "I can't leave the children alone."

***

Shu and Mira followed the dragon down the long cave tunnel. As they travelled deeper inside the mountain, Shu couldn't stop thinking about what Seiya had told him.

What if this spirit guardian is really strong? he wondered. What if it escapes the cave in three days? How are we going to save the children?

He glanced at Mira, who looked anxious and worried. She was carrying the baby in her arms, and her forehead was beaded with sweat.

"Don't worry, Shu," she whispered. "I'm sure we'll be fine."

Shu looked at the baby in Mira's arms and sighed.

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said. "After all, we've never lost against a spirit guardian before. Right?"

Mira shook her head.

"No, not right," she insisted. "Last time, we were lucky; that's all."

"Right," agreed Shu. "And besides, since this spirit guardian is so powerful, I don't think we'll have to fight it. I bet Seiya will come up with another plan. We just have to wait patiently until he finds us."

"I hope you're right," said Mira.

They continued walking through the dark cave. The only light in the cave came from the moonlight shining through the ceiling. They passed by a bunch of stalactites hanging from the roof and a huge boulder blocking their path.

Eventually, they reached a small room filled with many rocks and boulders piled on top of one another.

"Here we are," said the dragon.

There was a large rock sitting on the ground. The dragon picked it up and placed it next to the entrance of the cave.

"I want you two to stay here," he instructed. "Do not move from this spot. Understood?"

"Understood," replied Shu and Mira.

The dragon backed away and disappeared into the darkness of the cave.

"Stay here!" called the dragon.

Shu and Mira sat down on the pile of rocks. Shu laid down flat on his stomach, then curled up like a cat and closed his eyes.

"I guess this is where we sleep," he mumbled.

Mira lay down beside him and rested her head on his shoulder.

"You're right," she replied. "This is a good place to rest."

She looked up at the ceiling of the cave, which was made of stone. She noticed that there were many holes in the ceiling, and the stars shone down on them.

"Hey, Shu," she said. "Look at that."

Shu opened his eyes and looked up at the sky.

"Wow," he said. "So beautiful."

Mira took out a blanket from her bag and covered herself with it.

"Are you cold, Shu?" she asked.

"No," replied Shu. "I'm fine."

Mira looked at her husband's face, and she saw that he was still lying on his back without moving. She could tell that he was exhausted.

"Wake up, Shu," she said. "Let's get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day."

Shu slowly lifted his head and looked at Mira. He felt sleepy and wanted to close his eyes again. But he knew that if he did, he would fall asleep instantly.

Instead, he decided to sit up and lean against a nearby rock.

"Sorry," he said. "I'm tired."

"Don't apologize," replied Mira. "That's okay."

Shu stretched out his legs and sat up straight. Mira wrapped her arm around his shoulders, and the two of them fell asleep in each other's arms.

***

When Shu and Mira woke up the next morning, they found themselves alone in the cave. Shu was feeling groggy and confused when he remembered the events of the previous night.

"Where are you?" he asked. "Did the dragon go home already?"

As he searched for Mira, he heard voices coming from somewhere near the pile of rocks.

"We're here! We're here!" shouted a voice.

Suddenly, Shu realized that the sound was coming from the pile of rocks where he and Mira had slept.

"Is that you, Shu?" asked a familiar voice.

Shu stood up and walked over to the pile of rocks. Then he saw the dragon sitting on the ground, looking pleased with himself. His tail was wagging back and forth as he smiled at Shu and Mira.

"Good morning!" said the dragon.

Shu and Mira exchanged looks.

"What?" asked Shu. "Why are you here? And what happened last night?"

"Yesterday, you two were supposed to stay here and wait for me," explained the dragon. "But I got bored waiting, so I came back early. Sorry about that."

"It's okay," said Shu and Mira.

"Okay," added the dragon. "Now that I've told you, let's talk. Where are your friends?"

"They're still missing," said Shu. "And so are you, apparently."

"Oh yeah," said the dragon. "I forgot. It's my fault for leaving you guys here alone. Let me explain everything."

He turned to the side and pointed behind him. Shu and Mira looked in the direction he indicated, and they saw Seiya, who was standing next to the pile of rocks.

"Seiya!" cried Shu and Mira.

The two of them ran toward him, but the moment they arrived, a giant pillar of water shot out from the ground under their feet and sent them flying out of the cave and into the air.

"Agh!" cried Shu.

Shu and Mira hit the ground hard and rolled across the rocky landscape outside. When they stopped rolling, Shu finally regained his senses. He opened his eyes just in time to see Seiya walking toward the cave.

"Woah!" shouted Shu as he tried to stand up. "What was that?! Did you do that?!"

"Nope," responded Seiya. "I didn't do anything."

"Then how...?"

"I don't know," said Seiya. "Maybe because I'm the Spirit King?"

Shu frowned.

"How can you say that with a straight face?" asked Shu.

"Hey, relax," said Seiya. "I'm kidding."

Shu and Mira both laughed, and then they sat down on the ground and waited for Seiya to join them. When he did, they all began talking.

"Well, guys," said Seiya. "Apparently, yesterday wasn't just a dream."

"Not a dream?" asked Mira. "What do you mean?"

"Yeah, what does he mean?" asked Shu.

"You remember the village we were headed to?" asked Seiya. "The one where those children were being held captive by the spirits?"

"Of course I remember," replied Shu.

"Well, the spirits are gone now," said Seiya. "And I think I know why."

"What do you mean?" asked Shu.