Why are You Here

The two figures that emerged out of the gate slowly approached Mezu and Gozu. Their movements were in sync as if they were puppets on the same string. The pair only stopped walking after being between the two generals.

“Okay, Takeda, get off of me now. Mezu and I got business to do!” Gozu shook his body around as Takeda stood still and fell. He managed to safely roll onto the ground, despite falling from that tall height, but even that fall didn’t change his shock at the individuals in front of him.

Takeda was wide-eyed as he walked toward the figures who emerged. “Isamu? Kurea? What are you doing here?” However, the two Onmyoji generals didn’t reply to Takeda. The only one who did was Mezu.

“Takeda, move. We must do our job.”

“No, wait, I know these people. I need to ask them some questions.” Takeda ran to grab Isamu, but before he could, Gozu picked him up by his head.

“Listen here, Takeda.” Spit sprayed in Takeda’s face as the yokai talked. “We can’t let you talk with the dead, so get in the gate and scram. Before I decide to send you where they’re going.”

“Where are they going?”

“Isn’t it obvious?” Gozu smiled as he shared the news. “They’re going to Jigoku for eternal punishment. They’re gonna be there for centuries, and I’m gonna enjoy every second of it.”

“Aren’t—”

“Nope, not hearing you out anymore. Get lost!”

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We couldn’t hear the conversation Takeda was having with Gozu and Mezu. The only thing we could hear was the nearby Suiko chattering his teeth. “The generals aren’t going to punish me for leading you guys to them, right? N-No way… Right? It’s not my fault that living people came in. Actually, I’ll just say I didn’t know… But I was the one who told them!” The Suiko’s hands were gripping its bald spot as I watched Rentarou walk up to it.

“Hey, yokai! Stop your whining before I punish you myself.” I could hear Rentarou cracking his knuckles as the Suiko held his hands up. However, before Rentarou could hit him, I heard something collide with the wall behind us.

Everyone turned their heads at the same time as we all wanted to see what was thrown. It could’ve been anything else in the world, and I would’ve been more okay with it. However, when I saw who was lying down next to the wall, I began to feel my stomach twist. It was Takeda.

Yukimura was the first to run over to him. She held him in her hands, and I may not have been able to see her face, but I could hear her voice cracking. “D… Takeda… are you okay?”

His face may have been bloodied from the fall, but I still saw him smile as soon as Yukimura asked. “Yeah, I just fell is all.” Takeda struggled to stand up with Yukimura’s support. “Damn, if I were only slightly younger, I would’ve gotten up like it was nothing.”

“I can’t believe you fell all the way from there.” Rentarou turned his fist away from the Suiko to point and laugh at Takeda. “What’s wrong? Is the all-strong and mighty Takeda hurt? Do you need a—”

Before Rentarou could finish mocking Takeda, Hinako hit him on his head. “Ow, what was that for?”

“Ozeki Rentarou, apologize to him!”

“Fine, fine, I’m sorry…”

“I can’t hear you.”

“I’m sorry, jeez, sis.”

“Good,” Hinako said last before she raced toward Takeda’s side. I could see her using her yellow mana for something, but I couldn’t tell what. I was about to walk over and ask, but that’s when I heard an ominous creaking sound from behind me.

I reared my head around to see what it was, and it was the gate from earlier: the gate to Jigoku. It slowly opened as Mezu and Gozu stood in front of it, along with two smaller figures with them. However, those two figures didn’t move until the gate was completely open. When it was, I was paralyzed by what I saw.

Torture. Bloodshed. Murder. That was only to name a few of the horrors I witnessed as I watched the pair waltz into that hell. Why would they go in there? I don’t understand. It wasn’t just those two, either. The two generals followed behind them with smirks on their faces. Is the same going to happen to them? Those were the words I wanted to ask, but they already walked too far in before I could use my voice.

I was left staring into the hell known as Jigoku, and I could swear something was staring back. I wanted to turn away, but I couldn’t find the heart in me to do it; instead, I found myself doing the opposite. Just like those two figures, I started to walk toward the open gate. I just couldn’t restrain myself from the urge to walk into Jigoku. And that urge was only heightened when I heard a voice.

It was a familiar ancient voice. I could hear it in the air around me, repeating, “Yasura Shin.” I looked back to see if anyone else could hear the deep and distorted voice, but they seemed not to be fazed by it as they continued to be concerned about Takeda. Am I the only one who can hear it?

“Yes, you are the only one, Yasura Shin.” The voice responded, breaking the repetition of my name. Just like Kishin, it could hear my thoughts, and from that realization, I remembered where I heard this voice before.

Why is it only me that can hear you? Why are you talking to me after being silent ever since my arm was sealed? Why are you here?

“Why are you questioning me when you already know the answers?” The voice mocked me as I walked closer. “You heard my name a few times before.”

I did? Is it… Shuten-douji?

“Correct. But that is all I will tell you for now.”

What? Why?

“If you want more answers, come inside Jigoku where I am.” I was about to follow Shuten-douji’s words unconditionally until I felt myself being pulled back. And when I was being pulled, I saw the gate close in front of my very eyes.

“Shin, what are you doing?” I didn’t even need to look behind me to see who asked; I knew her voice all too well.

“I was trying to get information, Yukimura. He was talking to me!”

“You weren’t going to get any info; you were going to get tortured for eternity if you stepped inside those gates.” She began to walk me back to the rest of the group. “And who was speaking to you?”

“I heard about him from the Yuki-onna. His name… is Shuten-douji. I think he’s connected to my right arm somehow, but I’m not exactly sure.”

“You can try asking Enma once we meet him. According to what Takeda said, he seems interested in meeting you.”

My face lit up as I heard the news. “Takeda is okay? It seemed like he hurt himself pretty badly.”

“Yes, he’s fine,” Yukimura said with a slight smirk on her face. “He’s the one who noticed you about to walk into Jigoku. If it weren’t for him, you’d be getting tortured by Gozu and Mezu.”

Before I could respond to her, I could already hear his loud mouth at work. “Shin, are you an idiot? Why did you nearly walk into Hell willingly? If you wanted to go so badly, I could send you there myself.”

“Because—”

“Shush, Rentarou.” His sister cut me off as she hit Rentarou on the head again. “Apologize.”

“Nope, not to him.” Rentarou refused and looked the other way. As he did, I could hear Takeda chuckling behind them.

“It’s good to see that all you kids are still full of energy. But we need to be serious now before we go meet King Enma. This is the King of the underworld we’re about to meet. And also…” Takeda looked over at the Suiko who was just muttering words to itself. “Suiko, you’re free to go back to your gang. We don’t need you anymore since we can just go through the gate in front of us to meet King Enma.”

“Really?” The yokai sniffled. “You don’t need me anymore?”

“No, we don’t.” When Takeda said that, the Suiko ran away with no hesitation.

“Yes! I’m free! I’m coming back home, alive, Kappas!” Takeda sighed as the Suiko ran off and turned back toward the gate that was befitting of an emperor.

“Now, let’s go in, shall we?”

“Right!” I said that as I followed him, Hinako, Rentarou, and Yukimura inside.