Jigoku: The Unknown World

Chapter Seven - Visions Of The Past

The ringing in my ears would not stop. It was like all the sound in the world had been swept away in an instant and now all there was to hear was a terrible ringing noise. I found Azala and helped her to her feet, she was just as out of it as I had been. With the smoke now cleared we all could see again. The servants were hiding in fear, and the rest of us were getting to our feet now that the rumbling stopped too so we could see what was going on. We all looked up and we hadn't been dreaming. Sure enough that eyeball was still there and though it didn't have any eyebrows it looked like it was scowling at us angrily.

"Foolish humans!" That voice, it was so strange. Like I could hear it in my head. We all knew it was coming from the eye but we didn't want to believe it. The eye cackled a horrendous laugh as he spoke once more. "Look at you all, unaware of what's been going on around you for more than a thousand years! Living your lives peacefully with no cause for concern. Feeling safe inside your little walls! Hahaha you will all soon die, so enjoy it I guess!" This creatures words stung. What was it talking about? It didn't let any of us have time to think though, as it clearly had more it wanted to say. "I am Orichimea, humble minion to the Ruler of Death. None of you puny trash shall live much longer. Tell me, how's your memory these days? Hahaha." 

"What are you speaking of, demon?"

"Oh so the king wants to speak does he? You're memories are gone, true. But you can get them back."

"So you're the one taking everyone's memories?"

"Oh no, that would be my master. You trash don't even know why you're here and yet you've been here for so very long! Hahaha." King Harr was enraged, we all were too but he quickly drew his two great swords and looked ready to attack.

"Give us back our memories you fiend! I will not sit here while you mess with our heads so!"

"Hahaha you want them back? You'll have to defeat my master, the Ruler of Death to get those worthless memories back."

"Then where is he?"

"Oh no, you'll never be able to defeat him, not trash like you. In fact, you'll never even see him! The Terrible Ten will have you dead long before then!"

"Shut up!" King Harr lunged at the eye, slashing his swords in an X shape. Just before he hit it though, Orichimae disappeared. Though he appeared gone his voice still rang out in the room one last time.

"Bye for now, hahaha enjoy your little lives, they'll end soon enough." The voice echoed in the small throne room until it was no more. None of us knew what to do or say, we were all still trying to process that whole conversation.

"Damn!" King Harr slammed his fist down on a nearby table, startling all of us out of our thoughts. "Who is this Ruler of Death, and why does he only appear to us now after so long?"

"Do you think this Orichimae monster was lying to us?"

"I wish that were the case, but if a monster appeared before the king of all humans to display power wouldn't it glorify itself? Instead it referred to a master it humbly serves."

"Have you seen this monster before?"

"Never, I don't think we have any record of a monster who speaks our language since we have been in this world."

"My king, please allow me to gather some of my men and hunt down that monster, we cannot allow it to mock us and say that we're mere trash."

"No, we don't know this new enemy. If we charge after it blindly and do end up finding even the eye minion we could get hurt. Look at what it did while it was here. That was magic it was using." Alexander almost choked as he stared wide eyed at King Harr.