Chapter 8: Premonition (Part 2)

Dragon: "Fear."

Kais: "Huh!?"

Sona: "What?"

Dragon: "If they fear me and constantly try to appeal to me thinking they'll gain some kind of benefit from it, then they are completely incompetent."

That's harsh. But I do get the point.

Dragon: "If they fear me and try to run away from me, then they are incompetent as well."

That makes sense too.

Dragon: "If they fear me and try to attack me in blind rage, they are incompetent too."

For a moment, he looks at Sona as if telling her – 'Even if you were a psychic, you would have failed'. Her reaction to it is nothing. It is as if she had already expected that remark.

Dragon: "But if they fear me and try to sort out their thoughts because of it and hold a conversation with me, then I'll deem them competent enough to enter."

Finally his gaze and finger both point at me.

Sona: "So you are telling me his cautious behavior is what got him through.

Dragon: "Not exactly."

The dragon denies the statement.

Kais: "Can I ask you something?"

Dragon: "Sure."

Kais: "What would you do … if a psychic came here who wasn't afraid of you?"

Sona and the dragon are surprised by my statement.

Sona: "You don't know?"

Kais: "Know what?"

Sona: "There's a special effect that activates on anyone who sees him. It makes them afraid of him. Doesn't matter how powerful you are and doesn't matter if you can even defeat him, you'll be afraid of him."

Kais: "Oh?"

That's interesting information. So the fear caused to everyone is because of a special effect. That changes some things.

Sona: "You alright?"

Why would he need something like that? He can just make anyone genuinely afraid of him. But he has a special charm of sorts for it. I doubt he was born with it though.

Sona: "Hey!"

My thoughts suddenly break off and I realize I was spacing out.

Kais: "Yeah, don't worry about it."

The dragon tilts his head. This remark reminds me of someone who tilts their head a lot.

Kais: "I don't think you'll want me to go in alone."

Dragon: "Well, I just can't risk it."

Kais: "But you are not coming either."

Dragon: "Huh? Why won't I?"

Kais: "Because I sense no intention of going in from you."

Dragon: "I see."

I just state a fact but the dragon nods many times before continuing.

Dragon: "Indeed, you are right."

The smile is still present on his face and it somehow looks appropriate for his tone right now.

Kais: "So the one who would come with me will be 'her'."

Dragon: "Yes."

The dragon nods while answering and then puts up his right hand, with his palm open to face the ground.

Dragon: "Come forth!"

Brightness strikes my eyes for a second but then it clears up. And there I see the little girl I first met on the island again.

Dragon: "Well, here she is."

Kais: "Now that I think about it, isn't she similar to spirits like that rabbit and Death?"

Sona: "Do I have to remind it wasn't a rabbit?"

Kais: "I know. It's just convenient to call it one. And besides, that's not the point."

Sona sighs, which annoys me a little.

Sona: "I suppose you are not wrong. She is similar, to say the least."

Dragon: "Well, time to wake up."

As soon as the dragon says that, the girl opens her eyes and looks robotic for a moment. Then she turns to how she usually looks – curious and tilting her head.

Girl: "What's going on?"

Dragon: "Not much."

She shifts her gaze back and looks at the dragon. Her expression is of surprise, at the very least.

Girl: "But this … is outside of the tomb."

Dragon: "Did you think I never step outside of the tomb?"

The girl nods. The dragon stands there dumbfounded by that reply.

Girl: "I always saw you inside or on the roof of the tomb."

Dragon: "It's true I didn't really come out at any specific time you were around, but that doesn't mean I would never come out."

That's a fair logic but I can understand why a child may not understand that.

Girl: "But then, wouldn't he … be wrong?"

Dragon: "He?"

That catches my attention too. Who's she talking about?

Girl: "He said you'd never come out. That something bad will happen if you come out."

The girl looks down, holding herself and trembling while she says these words.

Girl: "That a war would be about to break out; that the last days of this island would have come."

Sona: "Who's she talking about?"

Kais: "I'm as clueless as you are."

Neither of us knows who she is talking about but this still gives me a bad feeling. The dragon, however, waves his hands as if to dispel my worries.

Dragon: "Don't think too much of it. Probably a psychic I deemed unworthy of entering the tomb spouted that rubbish to her."

Girl: "No!"

The girl denies the dragon's statement as soon as he says it. But then, who said these things to her?

Girl: "He was a man … who didn't come here to go to the tomb, but to tell me this."

Dragon: "Wait, what?"

Girl: "He said you won't be able to sense him because he's not a special person."

Kais: "Not a special person."

Girl: "He said he's not a psychic, not a spirit-user, not any other sort of supernatural, but just a simple human."

Sona: "How the hell did he come here then?"

The girl looks down, not answering the question.

Dragon: "Hey, come on, answer her. Did you see how he came here?"

Girl: "I did. That was the only time I saw someone coming here."

Kais: "So how did he come here?"

Girl: "By a wooden something he called 'boat'."

Kais: "Boat!?"

This just got a whole another level of crazy. He came here by a boat? Is that even possible?

Girl: "He told me he came to warn me. When I see you out of the tomb …"

She looks at the dragon,

Girl: "There will only be a few days left for this place."

The dragon's angry. I can feel it. It isn't on the face, but it is inside him. In fact, the aura he is emanating has gotten so intense the other two can also feel it, so there's no point trying to hide it.

Girl: "HCK!!!"

The girl's shoulders jump in fear and she tries to get back. The dragon looks straight at her and says,

Dragon: "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you, but do tell me – this human who dares to foretell the fate of this island. Do you remember anything else about him?"

The girl is still afraid, and it's pretty understandable. You just have to be afraid after being in this aura. I can't even feel my own legs right now, but they are probably shaking.

Still, the question he asked is one I want the answer to too.

Kais: "Don't worry."

The girl turns to look at me, the fear still in her eyes.

Kais: "He really won't do anything to you. So think calmly and answer him."

I can sense the killing intent coming from him, but it's directed at none of us, but the man who claimed that this island would end in a few days.

Girl: "He had … brown hair, tall as Kais and …"

The girl looks down, trying to avoid eye contact with the dragon.

Girl: "he said his name was … was … Ethan … Kales."

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In a place that can be defined only as darkness, someone opens their eyes.

What's this place? He wondered.

Am I in hell? He wondered.

He doesn't remember everything that happened, but does remember that he died. He got shot in the stomach by deception and ended up dying.

Why am I here? If I am dead, then … that should be it. He wasn't sure of what to think when faced with such a bizarre darkness.

Wait! There … there was … yeah! And suddenly it becomes clear to him. Suddenly, he remembers the talk he had with the person who killed him. And then he remembered the realization that had hit him before dying.

That means … it means … I'm a …

???: "Ghost."

Finishing his sentence for him, there is a voice that echoes through the darkness.

Who? Who's there? Then he realizes he can't speak. No matter how much he tries, he can't feel his mouth moving.

???: "Don't worry. You'll be able to speak after a while."

The voice comes again. It sounds like the voice of a man, but he weren't too sure.

???: "Just be patient for now, Ro."

Ro is surprised to say the least. This voice doesn't sound very familiar but there is a distinct feeling inside him that told him who it belongs to. Yet Ro denies the possibility knowing full well it's the truth.

Who are you? Tell me … who are you? He asks in his mind.

???: "You already know it, don't you? Don't deny it, you do know it."

No, don't be absurd. I don't know who you are. He says in his mind.

???: "Really?"

Yes, I don't know who you are. I don't know. I don't know I don't know I don't know I … he keeps repeating in his mind, until the voice decides to give in.

???: "Have it your way then."

A figure emerges in the silhouette of a young man.

???: "My name is Barry."

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