Enter the Immortals

The group followed the girl through winding forest paths and small mountain ridges as she guided them safely back to her village. The journey wasn’t short, but it wasn’t quiet either.

The girl was surprisingly talkative.

She bounced with energy, pointing at everything with excitement, and asking questions nonstop—about their weapons, their clothes, even what kind of food they liked. It was like the kidnapping hadn’t shaken her at all.

Kazuma finally sighed.

“I don’t understand why those guys kidnapped you,” he muttered, glancing at her with a mix of amusement and exhaustion. “I can’t even handle you for a few minutes.”

The girl just laughed. “They weren’t after me,” she said cheerfully. “They want something from our village. Something hidden. The elders won’t talk about it… but people have attacked us before, looking for it.”

Her words made everyone pause.

“What is it they’re looking for?” Rachel asked.

The girl only shrugged. “I don't know. But... it’s important.”

They exchanged glances, uneasy. Whatever was hidden in her village, it clearly held value—enough to make people willing to kidnap and raid for it.

After a long trek through thick woods, they reached a clearing. A waterfall cascaded down smooth stone walls in the distance, sparkling in the sunlight.

“There it is!” the girl said brightly, pointing.

They all stared in confusion.

“I don’t see any village,” Kazuma said.

The girl smiled and skipped ahead. She led them toward the waterfall—then stopped just before the curtain of falling water and motioned for them to follow.

Ren raised an eyebrow. “Is she serious?”

Without hesitation, the girl squeezed between a narrow gap behind the waterfall. The group followed, one by one, pressing through the damp stone path. A low tunnel opened up behind the rushing water, carved naturally over time.

“A secret village behind a waterfall, huh? That’s pretty epic. But… if this really is the village of the Immortals, why go through all the trouble to stay hidden?”

No one had an answer.

They continued forward, the cave walls damp and echoing with each step. The tunnel twisted and split like a natural maze—narrow, dim, and almost endless. Without someone from the village, they might’ve wandered in circles for hours. The way she moved—confident, precise—it felt like she’d rehearsed this path a hundred times. Maybe that was why outsiders knew so little about the village.

 You couldn’t find it unless you were raised in it. More than once, the girl stopped them just before they triggered an old trap—tripwires, pressure stones, things hidden too cleverly for outsiders to notice. Thankfully, she knew exactly where to step.

Finally, after what felt like a long, tense march, they reached the end of the tunnel—and stopped in awe.

Before them opened a vast, hidden valley bathed in sunlight.

A village lay nestled inside the mountainous basin, surrounded by natural cliffs and greenery. Traditional wooden houses stood neatly along stone paths, their roofs curved in classic Japanese style. Paper lanterns swayed gently in the wind. Bamboo fences bordered small gardens. In the distance, they saw shrines, prayer boards, and a peaceful river flowing under a red bridge.

“No way…” Kazuma muttered, eyes wide.

It was beautiful.

And completely unexpected.

“It feels like I just stepped back into Japan,” Ren whispered. A soft pang hit his chest. It reminded him of home—of his old life. He hadn’t felt that in a long time.

Even Rachel and the others looked stunned. They had never seen architecture like this before.

People in the village paused to look at them—strangers were rare here—but when they saw the girl among them, their expressions changed to relief. A few whispered her name. Yet, beneath that surface calm, the group couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched.

 There was a tension in the air, a prickling at the back of their necks—as if unseen eyes followed their every step. But no matter how they looked around, they couldn’t make out where the gaze was coming from.

Then a man came rushing down the street, eyes wide. “Hiyori! Are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

“Dad!” the girl cried, running into his arms. “The bad guys took me, but these big brothers and sisters saved me!”

The man hugged her tightly. Then he turned to the group and bowed deeply.

“I don’t know how to thank you,” he said. He was dressed in elegant robes, clearly someone important in the village. His tone was calm, noble, and sincere.

Rachel stepped forward. “What is this place?” she asked. “We were searching for the village of Immortals. But... this doesn’t seem like a place anyone should fear. People back in town... they acted like this place was cursed.”

The man gave a faint smile.

“So you’ve heard the legend,” he said.

He straightened up and gestured politely.

“If you’ll come with me, I’ll answer every question you have.”

They followed him to his home, which stood at the center of the village.

It was a beautiful traditional Japanese-style house, complete with a wooden engawa—the kind that wrapped around the outside, overlooking a serene garden. A bamboo shishi-odoshi sat beside a bed of mossy stones, its rhythmic knock echoing gently as water tipped and fell.

Inside, they were guided to a low table, where they sat on soft tatami mats. Servants arrived quietly with cups of tea and a small tray of local sweets.

The atmosphere was calm. Peaceful. Almost surreal.

He sat across from them and offered a polite bow.

“Forgive me, I didn’t introduce myself earlier,” the man said, voice tight with emotion. He placed a hand on Hiyori’s head, holding her close. “My name is Tatsumi. I serve as the head of this village. When I heard she was taken…” he paused, exhaling shakily. “I feared the worst. But seeing her safe—thanks to all of you… I’m deeply, truly grateful.”

They were a little surprised. For someone holding that title, he was humble—soft-spoken and warm, nothing like what they expected.

“We came here because your daughter said this was the village of the Immortals,” Ren said. “Is that true?”

Tatsumi nodded. “Yes, it is.”

Rachel frowned slightly. “But this place… it doesn’t match the stories at all. People called it dangerous. Said the Immortals were ruthless. But everything here feels… normal. Peaceful.”

Tatsumi let out a small laugh. “Ah, yes. We’ve heard those rumors. That we’re monsters. Demons in disguise. Merciless warriors who live forever and kill without reason. But as you can see...” he spread his hands lightly, “we’re just people. We live quietly, away from the rest of the world, and we prefer it that way.”

“Then why the name ‘Immortals’?” Kazuma asked. “You all look pretty normal to me.”

Tatsumi’s expression shifted, a bit more serious now.

“That… is a long story. And honestly, I’m not the best person to tell it.”

“Then who is?” Rachel asked, leaning in.

“My father,” Tatsumi replied. “He’s the elder of this village. I inherited this role from him, but the village still follows his wisdom. If anyone can answer your questions—it’s him.”

He gestured toward the window.

“You can find him in the temple. It’s on that small cliff just over there.”

The group looked where he pointed. A narrow path climbed up to a quiet shrine overlooking the valley.

Tatsumi stood and bowed once more. “Again, thank you for saving my daughter. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you’d like. Please rest. This village owes you its gratitude.”

With that, he gently patted Hiyori’s head, then turned and left the room to attend to village matters.

The group sat in silence for a moment, sipping their tea and enjoying the gentle breeze drifting through the open windows.

“He seemed honest,” Melissa said softly.

“Do you think he’s telling the truth?” Rachel asked, eyes on her cup.

“I don’t know,” Ren replied. “But they haven’t lied to us yet. And the elder might have the answers we came here for.”

Rachel nodded. “Then let’s go meet him.”

They didn’t know what secrets this village held—but they were finally in the right place. It wasn’t what the legends described. It was the opposite, really.

But sometimes, the quietest places held the loudest truths.

After resting for a while and bidding goodbye to Hiyori, the group finally set out toward the shrine perched on the nearby cliff.

The climb wasn’t difficult, but it did take some effort. As they followed the narrow trail, the view opened up beneath them. The hidden village below looked peaceful—serene, even. A gentle wind brushed past them, carrying the sound of birds and the scent of moss and bamboo. It felt untouched by the outside world.

And yet, that same world feared this place.

Rachel spoke softly, as if voicing their shared thoughts. “It doesn’t make sense... why are people so afraid of this place?”

Just as the words left her lips—

Whoosh.

A single arrow tore through the air, fast as lightning. It came out of nowhere, aimed straight for Rachel’s head.

To be continued...