Shattered Mirror

Destiny

"Rin, stay here," Mikuo ordered. He was gone before Rin had the chance to protest. She frowned. How could he just leave her here? Kaiko was her friend too. She was worried for her as well. She wouldn't simply stay down here as Mikuo had ordered. Looking around she decided she would find her own means of escape. She ran up the dried riverbed at full speed, looking for something that would help her in her escape.

As she ran, she noticed the walls of the area getting thinner and thinner as she traveled deeper into the path. It gave her an idea. She ran faster, paying close attention to her surroundings. She was getting there. She sprinted a few meters and stopped in her place. She raised her leg, her foot meeting with the wall of the riverbed and her back leaning against the other. "I hope this works," she groaned.

She pushed herself up, her legs meeting her back's pace. She slowly started to rise, dirt smudging her uniform as her body rubbed against the soil. She was only two meters up and already out of breath, but she didn't let her fatigue stop her. At a slow rate, she climbed up to the surface. She looked up, seeing her destination slowly come to reach.

"Almost..." She breathed. Her feet lost its footing, and she almost fell as a result, but she held on with all her strength. She had already made it up this far, she wouldn't go down so easily. She continued to climb up, using the last bits of her strength. She was almost up to the top. She could feel the wind of the surface blow through her hair. She kicked her feet up to the surface, quickly turning her body around, her hands holding on to the edge. She was met with the empty space of the riverbed. Rin swallowed. It was a long way down.

Rin lowered her feet back down, indenting deep into the dirt. Rin quickly climbed the rest of the way up, both surprised and relieved she was able to escape. She stood up, refusing to take a rest. She ran back to the bridge, running across. She entered Rojin village, deciding to look for Kaiko and Mikuo, but the moment she entered the village she knew something was wrong, and it wasn't Kaiko's scream that had given that away.

The first thing she noticed was emptiness. There was not a being in sight. It was eerie. The last time she was here, it was packed with people. For her not to see anyone...it left her with a strange hollowness in her chest. It was also usually quiet. Even if there were no people, Rin should have at least heard the chirping of birds or the sound of cicadas, but all she could hear was the quiet howl of the wind. It was as if nature had silenced itself for Rin's next discovery.

Rin spotted Kaiko and Mikuo just up ahead. She smiled, glad to see Kaiko was okay. Just as she was about to run up to them, a gust of wind blew bringing forth a foul stench. Rin covered her mouth and nose in disgust. What on earth was that smell? She held her breath, as she hurriedly approached her friends. "Kaiko," she said pulling her shirt up to her nose. "Mikuo..." she trailed off realizing he was on the ground crying. She looked at Kaiko for an explanation, but she turned away, her body trembling, so crouching down to Mikuo's level she said, "Mikuo, what's wrong?"

"It's...it's all my fault," he cried.

"Eh? What are you talking about?"

"Look," he explained. He outstretched his arms, motioning to the sight in front of him.

She slowly turned to his motioned direction, her eyes widening in horror. She had found the source of the stench. The smell emanated from the bodies piled from the inside a large hollow hole. "This...this is..." She was going to be sick. She quickly turned away, vomiting. Her throat burned as stomach acid and chunks of food made their way back up her esophagus. How had this happened? "Why..." She could say no more, realizing she felt more vomit rise up her throat. Again, she turned away spewing the acidic substance.

Mikuo held on to his bloodied sword and clenched the note that had been attached to it. "Dammit," he said, banging his fist against the ground.

Dear Mikuo,