Follow Me

I couldn’t feel the ground. I couldn’t see my surroundings, either. Everything around me was pitch black. Even when I stretched my arms out in the darkness, I felt nothing.

Where am I? Am I even somewhere? If I am, how did I get here? Wait… who am I? I can’t see my body… Do I have one? Am I even alive… or am I—

Before I could finish that thought, a crimson light permeated the darkness. Where is that light coming from? I struggled to identify it because it moved when I moved. When I was still, it was still. It wasn’t until I looked down that I realized the light was coming from my arm. And when I realized that, I started to remember.

My name is Yasura Shin. I’m seventeen years old, and I’m definitely not dead. I’m in that… Well! I jumped in after Yukimura and that idiot Rentarou. And this is a really long fall. Does it lead to the underworld like Yukimura said? When I questioned that, I could feel a solid surface underneath my feet. And when I opened my eyes, I was met with the sight of familiar faces arguing.

“Why did you bring her to such a dangerous place? Are you an idiot?”

“Why would you guys follow me to such a dangerous place?”

“I’d follow Hinako to the underworld if it means she can be safe.”

“Congrats, you’re here. Now what, Rentarou?”

“Uh…”

“That’s what I thought.” Takeda let out a heavy sigh as Hinako watched the scene unfold. “And Yukimura… I thought I told you not to mind the business Satori was talking about earlier.”

“Sorry.” I saw Yukimura look down at the red sandy surface below us. She didn’t say another word after that.

“It’s too late for that now.” Takeda looked up at the red cloudless sky as he sighed once more. “You’re lucky we had two extra protection talismans just in case, or you might’ve been dead.”

Wait, so there are no more protection talismans? “What about me?” When I asked, it was the first time I saw Takeda look surprised. His eyes widened for a brief second before they began to narrow into a stern expression.

“Shin, you’re here too?” Takeda asked as he walked closer to me, placing his hands on my shoulders. “Do you remember who you are?”

“Y-Yeah, why? I mean, I forgot for a second, but I remember now.” Despite answering his question, Takeda’s shadow continued to loom over me.

“A second is all it takes. Do you remember your name?”

“Of course I do. It’s Yasura Shin.”

“Do you remember my name?”

“Takeda.”

“Good, how many fingers am I holding up?”

“Three.”

“Okay, good. It seems like it isn’t affecting you that much.”

“What isn’t?” After that series of simple questions, I raised my eyebrow. No way, but I should ask to be sure. “Are we in the underworld?”

“Yes, Shin. You three followed Hinako into Meido, to be exact. And the entrance to Meido can cause souls to be detached from their bodies, leaving the body as a memoryless husk. The only ones it doesn’t affect are yokai and the dead. That is why we brought protection talismans to keep our souls anchored to our bodies. We packed extra too, but we don’t have any left for you.”

“Does that mean I’m going to become a memoryless husk?” I asked as I grabbed onto Takeda’s arms. “I wanna keep my soul intact.”

“Don’t worry. You’ll be fine thanks to that arm of yours… I think.”

“Really?” Come to think of it, it did that earlier, right when I was about to forget everything.

“But in any case, even if it all worked out for now, you three still shouldn’t have followed us in here.”

“You should’ve known I’d come if Hinako came!”

“Well, I needed Hinako to undo the seals required to enter here.”

“What seal are you talking about?” I asked before Rentarou could derail Takeda again.

“The well we all entered, I believe, was originally sealed off. I had Hinako open it because I have business to tend to in Meido, but I didn’t expect it to drag us inside immediately when it opened. So, it was a good idea I had Hinako put on a talisman just in case.”

“So it’s your fault Hinako is in danger? You little—”

“Rentarou, stop.” Hinako’s words cut through Rentarou’s like a knife as he approached Takeda. “He’s trying to brief us on the situation so we don’t die. So behave.”

“F-Fine. But answer me this: What business do you even have in here of all places?”

Takeda sighed. “Since you guys are here, I might as well tell you… I’m here to ask the Great King Enma for information about the oncoming war. General Hyon told me to before your second trial. That was the second condition for giving you a week to control the K-word.”

“I’m—”

“Don’t apologize, Shin. The only one you should be sorry for is yourself. And that goes for Rentarou and Yukimura as well. Meido is teeming with yokai all over the place and has so many dangers that are unbeknownst to us.”

“Do you know them?” I asked. And in response, Takeda gave an honest answer.

“A few, not all. But since I am the most experienced one out of us five, I’ll try my best to ensure the safety of everyone here.” Takeda took a few steps forward before pausing. “You four, follow me.” When Takeda said that, without question, we followed him into the depths of Meido.