"You tread where mortals are forbidden."
Covered in the cloak of obsidian smoke, the figure of a man appeared as a manifestation of darkness itself.
The swirling tendrils of smoke coiled around its towering frame, obscuring its danger, as if concealing the horrors that lay within.
In its hand, the figure holding a staff in his hand, gnarled and twisted as if appeared from the very roots of the ancient trees that surrounded the shrine.
Its presence was so suffocating, radiating an aura of malevolence that sent chills down Matthew's spine.
The cloak levitating in an unseen wind, echoing the secrets of forgotten tales and ancient curses. In that split second, their gazes met, locking in an inexplicable connection.
He was about to crash into impossible portraying in front of his car.
Startled by the unexpected turn of events, Matthew's reflexes kicked in, causing him to veer off the road and crash the car near an ancient shrine.
As consciousness slowly returned, he was met with a horrifying sight, a massive fire engulfed his vehicle, shrouding the night in thick smoke.
Panic gripped his heart, and his thoughts raced to Sarah's safety. He rushed towards the burning car in search of her.
Time seemed to stand still as fear spreaded through his veins, paralyzing his thoughts.
Instinctively, he stumbled back, attempting to evade the presence, his mind questioning the very fabric of reality,
'Was I hallucinating? Was this some twisted nightmare?'
Amidst the chaoic search in the crackling flames, he discovered the car was empty, she was not in there.
Anxiety clawed at his chest as he searched frantically for his wife, his heart sinking at the sight of her, unconscious beside a centuries-old tomb.
"Sa..rah...?" He kept looking at her,
"Sarah!!" He tried to call her again, rushing to her side.
"SARAH!!!"
(THUMP)
"No, no, no," he muttered, had no idea what just happened. He was trying to unsee what he just saw Sarah doing.
The swift succession of events, from the eerie encounter with the figure to finding his wife in a vulnerable state, had unfolded within five minutes.
Time seemed to stretch, and the gravity of the situation intensified.
As Matthew knelt beside her, gently cradling her head, he whispered, "Wake up, Sarah. Please, wake up."
His mind racing with worry and a desperate need to understand the mysterious events that had unfolded before them.
The ancient tomb, the enigmatic figure, and Sarah's unconscious form created a tapestry of surreal horror.
After a while, Rapid Response Team detected the massive fire erupting in the dark within its treacherous terrain.
Fear gripped their hearts, causing them to hesitate, reluctant to set foot on the cursed land.
They knew that their assistance was essential, yet the supernatural presence that loomed over the mountain filled them with unease.
Deciding it would be wiser to wait for the light of day, the response team remained on standby, biding their time until the first rays of sunlight would illuminate the forbidden mountain.
The minutes stretched into eternity as they kept a vigilant watch, ready to spring into action when dawn finally broke.
As the clock struck 4 am, the helicopter soared through the darkness, piercing the shroud of night.
Guided by the faint glimmer of daybreak, it descended upon the crash site, a beacon of hope amidst the foreboding surroundings.
The rescue team quickly reached the wreckage, their mission to extract the survivors and dead bodies from the crash site.
"SIR, THEY'RE BREATHING!", medics shouted like it was not common for them.
They found Sarah in Matthew's arms who dozed off on her shoulder.
* * * * *
With minor injuries, Matthew rushed to the care unit where Sarah had been admitted.
He held her hand, his voice trembling with remorse as he confessed his mistake of taking the wrong route.
As the rescue team shared the ominous details, Captain Rodriguez's voice echoed through the chilling silence,
"You two don't understand the gravity of what you've just escaped. That mountain is not just a heap of rocks and trees; it's a realm of darkness, haunted by a malevolent force that hungers for trespassers."
Sarah, shivered and asked, "Malevolent force? What do you mean?"
Officer Fumiko, a seasoned member of the team, leaned in and whispered, "It's the spirit of the mountain itself, angered by those who dare defy its ancient sanctity. You're lucky to be standing here now."
Matthew, exchanged a nervous glance with her. "What kind of stories are we talking about? Apparitions? Voices?"
Captain Rodriguez nodded gravely.
"More than that. Those who've ventured there and returned tell of a darkness that consumes your very soul."
"Strange whispers, shadows that move on their own, and voices that beckon you into the abyss. It's like the mountain is alive with malevolence."
Officer Fumiko added, "People have gone missing, vanishing without a trace. And those who do come back... They're not the same. The mountain leaves its mark on them, a scar that goes deeper than flesh."
As the response team painted a vivid picture of the forbidden mountain's horrors, the wind outside howled as if in agreement with their tales.
Captain Rodriguez continued, "You've defied the odds, but don't think for a moment that the mountain has forgiven."
"It's claimed many before you. Consider yourselves warned in fu-."
Interrupting their conversation, a nurse entered the room with an urgent telephone call, asked officers to leave the room for privacy.
It was Dr. Nakamura, Matthew and Sarah listened in disbelief as Doctor's voice BOOMED through the receiver.
The doctor's words were filled with anger and concern, berating them for their reckless expedition into the forbidden mountain, especially considering Sarah's critical condition. The risk they had taken, putting all three lives in danger, left Dr. Nakamura furious.
"I don't know if you need a doctor to remind you, but please, do NOT take such risky steps, Especially when you have an UNBORN CHILD coming into this world," Dr. Nakamura pleaded, her voice filled with a mix of concern and admonishment.
She sighs and continued,"I have checked the baby's health, and thankfully... the baby is unharmed from this traumatic experience you played. The vitals are good."
"However, I will conduct a thorough X#£À exami-&#£§-nation once I come ba-€•∆% to Tokushima."
Matthew and Sarah were stunned, unable to fully grasp the gravity of the situation. Sarah's voice trembled as she mustered the strength to speak, "But doctor, yesterday... y-you told us th-th-that the child had been... dead for a whi-"
Before Sarah could finish her sentence, the phone connection started to falter, and Dr Nakamura's voice grew increasingly inaudible.
The line suddenly went dead, leaving Sarah and Matthew staring at each other in a state of confusion.
Their emotions swirled within them, a whirlwind of shock and disbelief. Conflicting information left them questioning their reality, unsure of how to process the conflicting news they had received.
After the nurse interrupted them, captain and officer started talking to each other.
In the dimly lit hospital corridor, Captain Rodriguez's stern gaze met Officer Fumiko's troubled eyes.
"You shouldn't worry anymore; they're safe now," he assured her.
Fumiko, her voice strained, questioned, "How did they make it out alive?"
"Hahaha, That's rude," Rodriguez replied, an edge to his tone sarcastically.
"We all know how evil that place has been, affected many of us at some point of our lives... Is it like the spirit want something from them, she exclaimed in worrying.
"You've done a great job in that rescue operation, officer. Look, how about a day off?," Captain Rodriguez patted her shoulder and left the hospital.
However, there was an elderly man with little wrinkles around his eyes and a baseball cap on his head, quietly listening to their conversation across the hallway. His presence almost unnoticed.
He also left the hospital after Captain Rodriguez.
The weight of their situation hung heavy in the air, and the couple was left to grapple with the mysterious events that unfolded on the forbidden mountain... Kuroyama .
To be continued....
* * * * *
A foot, steps beside that tomb. It was a man with long white hair down to his waist, wearing shabby torned off clothes. He was walking with a limp as one of his knee was severely injured.
His wounds were opening with every step he took, bleeding from every part like he was coming from a long going war.
His aura was calm, yet so dangerous that spirits residing in the forest rushed place to hide after his sudden arrival. He noticed the lid of that tomb has been unfolded.
In suspicion, he opened the tomb, what he discovers shocked him from his core.
The body that was in eternal sleep, has been degraded, reduced to mere skeletons. The curse.... has been broken.