Michikosama

Episode 8: The Riddle Of Death Means Nothing.

"I thought you said you knew where the Mountain Of Bones was?" I sigh, tiredly. We've been walking forever, and my feet needs a break.

"I do. I mean... I think I do. I thought I did. Truthfully, I don't know." Ruben says defeated, and I groaned loudly at him finally admitting to his fault. I knew he didn't know where the Mountain Of Bones was, because we have been walking around in circles this whole entire time. It's wrong to doubt Ruben, but I am starting to get hungry and irritated.

"Maybe we can ask them." I pointed at two demon dogs just sitting in the middle of nowhere.

"Yeah, that would beneficial." Ruben agreed. There was no need for me to be frighten of the demon dogs or any demon at that. This was there territory as well as mine. After all the reason I am in Hell is, because i'm a half demon. 

Part of the reason why I gave up on the scared act was that I was hungry, and ready to go back home. Ruben was just as lost as I was. Why did he say he knew where the Mountain Of Bones was anyways if he didn't actually know? I rolled my eyes at the question in my head, knowing he would get offended if I asked him that directly. Demon or not males still have their egos to protect. I walked confidently over to the two dogs.

"Ah- the half demon. We were expecting you." They spoke simultaneously, making me freeze in my step. I wasn't expecting that. Ruben looks over at me smirking at my reaction, and I can only sigh as he witness my change in demeanor. "You are looking for the Mountain Of Bones."

"How do you know that?" I asked, confused and surprised.

"Lost souls in the Mountain Of Bones dead souls in the graveyard." They say.

"I didn't lose my soul."

"And, yet you want to find it."

I frowned at their word play from twisting my mind around. What was they trying to say? They are confusing me.

"Where's the Mountain Of Bones ?" Ruben asked.

"If you answer this riddle we will show you." They say.

"Another riddle?!" I was annoyed, again. I hate riddles, and Ruben won't know either. That is how we got in our predicament in the first place, but seeing as the two dogs know where the Mountain Of Bones is it can't hurt to try. I sigh. "Say your riddle."

"What is greater than God,more evil than the devil,the poor have it,the rich need it, and if you eat it, you'll die?"

"A soul." Ruben answers.

"That's not right." I say. "Humans can't eat souls, but if a demon eats souls it doesn't make you die."

Ruben huffed. "You're right. I don't know what I was thinking. I'm not good at riddles as you can see."

"I'm glad you finally admit to that." My sarcastic tone makes Ruben growl.

"Sorry that is incorrect." The dogs say.

What can it be? Money? "Money is greater than god to some people it's what make the world go around. It is also evil, because it causes people to do bad things-"

"But the poor doesn't have it." Ruben chimed in, and all my handwork goes down the drain.

"You're right."

"I'm afraid that is wrong." The dogs say.

"I got it!" Ruben places a smile on his face. "Trust-"

"That is wrong." The dogs cuts him off.

"Argh! What can it be!?" I shout angrily. "Just tell us." I try to plead with the dogs, but they look like they weren't budging.

"A hint?" Ruben was following my lead, and it was out of his character. The dog sat staring at us like fools. And, out of nowhere in the ongoing silence between us, my body stiffen. I felt weak, and tired as if all of my energy was somehow being drained out of me. I was immobile, and fell down to the ground. What is happening to me?

"Michikosama!" Ruben yells, coming to my side. "Are you okay?" He asks.

"I-I can't m-move. I feel tired." My breathing starts to quicken as I try to breath, finding no air was getting in through my nose.

"What's wrong with her?" Ruben turns his attention to the dog.

"This place is a place not meant for the living. This is the land of the dead and creatures who sinned." The dogs sounds like they have been reciting something off of a script of some sort. It sounds unnatural, memorize like they done this before, and it makes me fear what was going to happen to me. Their words are distorted, because I know it's the truth.

"She's a half demon." Ruben wasn't ready to quit, and it made me happy he wasn't going to leave me here in this condition.

"Yet she has no power. She has nothing to save her. If you cannot not answer the riddle the girl soul is ours to keep. For we are the guards of the sacred Mountain Of Bones. This is where she leaves."

Ruben picks up, pulling me on his back. "You're not going to die in a place like this. I'm going to find help."

I don't like watching Ruben looking so confused, unable to find an answer. This is out of his character this isn't like him. He is more confident, but even he knows in this situation he is useless. "R-Ruben?" I call out to him weakly.

"Please don't talk. I'm going to find a way. I'm not going to let you die in a place like this. Your soul doesn't belong in this place."

His words comforts me, but I don't want to cause him any more unnecessary trouble. I love Ruben, and I don't want to see him in pain. I don't want him to go through  when I saw my dad. "It's okay." I whisper.

"Huh?"

"It's ok..."

"Michikosama-" Before I realized it, tears are falling down from my face. Not happy tears, but parting tears. "Don't cry." 

"If I die I will be nothing to you-" I stopped mid sentence as the dog riddle comes to into mind. What is greater than God,more evil than the devil,the poor have it,the rich need it, and if you eat it, you'll die? Nothing. The answer was so simple, and right in front of Ruben and I. "Nothing." I say weakly, and instantly I can feel my energy being absorbed back into me.

"What?" Ruben turns to look at me.

"Nothings is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich need nothing and if you eat nothing you'll die."

"That is correct." The dogs say.

"How did you know? You hate riddles."

"I do, but the dogs did give us a hint by emphasizing the word nothing." I rest my head on Ruben shoulder, taking in his scent I grown accustomed to. Maybe I won't die here. "She has nothing to save her." I repeated the dogs words to Ruben. "To exist in this world you need to have nothing to have something, you can be nothing or be something, and in the end doing nothing or being nothing is true tortured. That is why humans strive to perfect themselves. Why demons want life. Why the poor steal. Why the rich is attacked. Why God is put on a pedestal. "

"I...still don't get it." Ruben flatly says, and I face palmed myself. 

"Forget it you're oblivious to anything pertaining to me.." I guess I don't know Ruben as much as I think I do. He too, can get flustered like a human. Demons and Human are the same rather they admit or not. The dogs moves from the spot they were most comfortable in to the far right, and out of thin air the Mountain Of Bones appears. "That wasn't there a minute ago."

"It is designed to appear invisible to those who does not answer our riddles correctly, but you did. It is now visible. You may enter." The dogs motions me in with a bow of their heads. 

"I feel well enough to walk, please put me down." I ordered Ruben, and he complies. This is it. If we walk through the entrance of this mountain there's not going back, and strangely I'm okay with that. To see the truth of my existence. I have to be here, and right here is beyond those doors.