Inside a cave, a young man, age sixteen, with a long black wavy hair that is tied with a mint green ribbon, wearing black ancient robes with a tint of mint green, wore a grin on his fair face. His sharp eyes curved a little in excitement as he holds Han Dae down in a kneeling position.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Han Dae exclaimed trying to fight back but it was no use.
Another person put Gideon that is already tinted in pitch black but still made of pure jade, in front of Han Dae and then he smiled. He gave him a warm comforting smile as if he's saying, 'It's going to be fine' or 'It'll be alright' but Han Dae begged to differ,
"No! No don't! Please! Hashi-ni!" as he struggled. "I swore I'd never leave you! I swore I'd protect you!"
He, facing Han Dae with a smile still, knelt in front of him dragging his crimson robe on the ground. His long black straight hair sliding through his shoulders as he caress Han Dae's pinkish cheek stating, "Be good and wait for me to come and get you."
Han Dae is about to complain but the person seem to know him too well. Before Han Dae can even say a thing, he blocked his mouth using his index finger and whispered something to Han Dae's ear,
"I promise..."
With that, he sealed Han Dae inside the cave as he and the other person smaller than he and Han Dae, left together with him. Han Dae kept shouting for him to come back as the rock slowly blocks the path of their eyes.
"Hashi-ni! Hashi-ni!" Han Dae cried trying to move but he can't because of the talismans around him. He shouted from the top of his lungs, "Han Zeno-ni!" before the rock shuts tightly as everything faded to black.
Year 2520; Approximately a thousand years after
A scream of a horrified young woman echoed through the night in the forest. Together with her companions, three young men and one similar to her gender, they ran while being chased by a cunning spirit. She screams repeatedly in tears.
One of the guys with her can no longer take her screaming, "Dang it Chandler! Couldn't you be any louder?!" while covering his ears. The loud thuds from behind them are getting louder and louder, meaning, it is getting nearer to them.
"Fuck you, Trijah! Can't you see how scared I am right now?! Fuck off!" Chandler replied while running for her life.
"No vulgar words!" Daniel shouted as he went in between them. "At least we succeeded to lure this huge evil spirit away from the town!"
"Oh yeah?! So is it a good thing that it's chasing us now?!" Chandler cried furiously.
"Dang it! Where are the Hashis anyway?! Are they coming here to get their Zushis or not?!" Trijah shouted as if he's asking everyone.
"I just fired the signal five minutes ago! Of course they can't come in the forest right away! Heck, I didn't even know whether they saw the signal or not!" Hannah shouted.
"Ugh! Fuck Hannah! You only have one job! Why are you so useless?!" Chandler shouted.
"Well it's not my fault, you and Trijah wanted to face that monster first! Don't blame me! Besides, I'm your ji! Show some respect!" Hannah complained while running and the three argued.
"You guys..." Daniel tried to stop them but he soon felt helpless and gave up. He looked behind him and he saw a guy, from his squad as well, running while busy forming a sword using yellow talismans.
"Asher, need help?" he asked while slowing down a bit so that Asher can catch up to him. Asher faced him, totally with a worried look, but with confidence.
"No need." he answered and the talismans formed a sharp sword. He halted and circled, running back towards the monster. He threw the sword upwards and put his right index finger and middle finger on his mouth as he enchanted some ancient language. The sword multiplied into five stabbing the ground forming a magic circle locking the monster inside it.
However, the monster released a lot of evil energy as if it were a black air. Branches, rocks, and dusts scattered, as if it reacted to something that exploded. A random sharp rock pierced through Asher's right arm. Daniel assisted by adding five white talismans that strengthened the barrier Asher made. Then he took him and they ran.
"That'll keep that monster busy for a minute or two." Daniel stated. "For now, we need a place to hide first. Well done, A-di."
"Da-ni..." Asher uttered while chasing his breath. Then they heard Chandler's voice calling them.
"Captain! Asher! Here!" she said while waving her hand. She stood in front of a cave.
The squad took shelter in the cave and made a fire using a yellow talisman, fire from talismans cannot be put out by strong forces. It can only be put out by the owner of the talisman or if the talisman is already burned down by its own fire, like a candle. While everyone is in there, Hannah took out some ointments, "Here, Asher." she said while giving them to Asher. He took them and said in reply, "Thanks."
Trijah, while massaging his wrists, spoke, "Well, I guess we're safe for now," everyone stopped what they are doing and faced him, "but what if that monster reached this cave, we can only go in deeper, can't we?"
Daniel, "So in short, we're a bird in a cage if that happens..."
Chandler forced a laugh waving her hands, "Hahaha! What are you guys talking about? Surely the Hashis will reach us before that monster arrive--" but their expression suddenly changed when they heard the thuds once again and the cave feels like it is shaking. When the moonlight seemed like it is blocked by a shadow, they slowly turned their heads to the cave's entrance and saw the monster blocking their exit. Now they can see the monster's form clearly - a gigantic filthy pig with one eye.
All of them shouted in horror after realizing that it's already in front of them. They had no choice but to ran deeper the cave that is the opposite of where they should be running.
"Moooommmaaa!" Trijah exclaimed. "I swear I won't be eating pork anymore! I love roasted pigs but I won't anymore! Spare me!" they all keep running deeper.
"Why is it a pig?!" Chandler cried. "Its smell is horrible and stinky! I might die just from the smell of that fatso!"
"Isn't it obvious?!" Hannah answered.
Daniel continued, "Every monster was once considered human. They live their lives in comfort but do bad things. If they died in a miserable way, of course they'd be hungry for revenge!"
"But why a pig?!" Chandler repeated.
Asher, "This is just a hunch, but I think that, that person lived a luxurious and extravagant life. And he loves judging people based on their looks. His people, enraged by his disgusting life, cannot take it anymore and murdered him. That pig is missing an eye, I think someone removed his eye on purpose to punish him."
Hannah, "How did you come up with that conclusion?"
Daniel, "Remember when we reached the town and asked the people what kind of cunning spirit it was?"
Chandler, "Right! No one knows but a lot of people are gossiping about a young boy gouging the eye of his boss before committing suicide!"
Trijah, "Hmph! That fatso deserves death, but we don't deserve such a thing!"
"Ah!" Hannah shouted in shock when she faced Asher, "You're bleeding!"
Asher's blood stained his white long sleeve into crimson, even if he cover it tightly with his other hand, his blood continue to flow down from his arm.
"I'm fine... this is no big deal." he forced a smile on his face while facing Hannah, hiding the pain he feels.
"What the fuck?!" Chandler shouted when they all saw what waits in front of them.
They all stopped while the shaking of the ground and the loud sounds from behind continue as if it serves as their timer.
In front of them is a huge rock. With a little spiritual energy left from them, they might still be able to breach the stone, the problem is, the stone have markings of Baybayin, meaning, the stone is used to seal something, and the seal mark is also unfamiliar to them. They cannot remove the seal without knowing what is inside. It may even be a much more dangerous monster.
They all leaned on the stone including Asher and his breathing starts to disrupt. The monster finally reached them and all of them call just wait to be devoured.
Chandler burst into tears while trembling, she said, "Alright! I'll say it! Sorry for cursing until today! I was born like this! I don't hate you guys, in fact, I fucking love you so much!"
Asher's still trying to think of a way how to get out of the situation they're in.
Trijah, "Me too! Even if you're shitty as fuck, I love y'all!"
Hannah, "If this is a goodbye message I'll say it too! I treasure you guys! You're the best!"
Daniel helplessly grinned, "This squad is signing off huh?"
Asher shouted, "Not yet! I can still think of a way!"
His eyes watered as he clenched his wounded arm tighter, "I can get us outta here! I can still..."
Accidentally, his blood dropped on the Baybayin characters on the ground making it shine a bright red. No one noticed what happened because they are all focused to the enemy in front of them.
Asher gathered all of his courage and stood in front of his comrades as if he's shielding them from the monster who's already ready to bite someone who's nearer to it.
"Asher!" they all exclaimed.
Suddenly, the huge rock Asher's comrades are leaning to break like a shattered glass. They all covered their eyes and head, protecting themselves from the blast. After things calmed down, they hastily faced Asher who's already gone from his place.
In a huge piece of rock that is thrown from the blast, stood a young man wearing a crimson robe holding a black flute, his long black straight hair that is tied in a ponytail with a red ribbon flowing even without wind.
Asher and the rest froze in shock. He faced the monster and Asher who is sitting on the same rock beside him, saw his face clearly - snow white skin, long black lashes and reddish purple eyes. Face stiff he asked, "You... are you hurt?"
Asher quickly covered his wound and answered, "It's not that bad."
The monster let out a loud groan and started attacking everywhere - punching, scratching, biting and kicking.
Asher clicked his tongue, "Tch! If this goes on, this place will surely crumble!"
Chandler, "Well it's already crumbling!"
The guy in crimson robe put the black flute into his belt and advised them to leave while he distracts the monster. With no complaints and further delays, they agreed and grabbed Asher as they ran outside without looking behind.
The moment they got out, the cave crumbled. Everyone looks surprised because they have no idea what happened and what's happening still. After the smoke cleared up, their eyes easily caught the crimson robe of the guy as the wind blows. The moment he looked down to face them, they got surprised when they saw him standing on the pig-monster's huge belly as the place is covered with blood.
It is dead meat.
He flew towards them and faced them. They did the same to him then all of them simultaneously asked,
"Who are you?" in different ways as they see fit.
The guy tilted his head as if he seem clueless. The squad did the same for they are also clueless.
"You guys look weird." he said.
Then the squad thought at the same time as if they're answering him, 'You're the weird one!'
Then Asher looked up, because he is sitting, energy drained, he asked, "Who are you?" once again.
The guy looked at him and kept silent for a second, then, his eyes slowly shifted to Asher's bleeding hand before looking him into the eyes once again.
"Han Dae."