章 20: Entering the Gate
"Do we really have to meet the king of hell?" Dustan asked Joe as they contacted him immediately when they reached their room.
"I keep telling him that it would be no problem, but he is not listening to me." Adrian argued but Dustan jut glared at him.
"If you want to throw your life then please be my guest but missions with vastly undetermined variables could lead to danger. I still need my life in order to exact my…" Dustan stated but he stopped before he could finish.
Dustan is normally not flustered and even he thinks that he is acting a bit too unreserve. He looked at Adrian and remembered that he is an Empath. He speculated that his companion in this mission is making him more open than he already is.
"What are you looking at?" Adrian asked as Dustan has been staring at him with a scrutinizing gaze.
"You, did you use your ability on me?" Dustan asked as he turned off the call to Joe.
"What do you mean use my ability on you? Let me tell you that I do not like peering into other people's heads. Not only is it rude but the memories of others do not give me pleasure in seeing them because I can also feel what they are feeling at the time." Adrian retorted.
Dustan looked at Adrian and the latter is quite serious with his answer. Dustan is quite sensitive if an ability that can influence other people is attacking him. He has this innate sense of knowing if an invisible force is acting upon him.
"If you are not using your ability on me then why am I acting this way?!" Dustan muttered to himself, but Adrian caught what he said.
"Is that why you are asking me if I am using my powers on you? Although, it might not be entirely wrong." Adrian stated which made Dustan look at him with scrutiny.
"Explain." Dustan stated.
"How should I word it? Empaths release something like a calming aura that makes other people confide in them. The effect is akin to a truth serum, but it should not be affecting you too much unless…" Adrian explained as he thought of a possibility.
"Unless what?" Dustan asked.
"Unless…you have so much pent-up emotions that you are now experiencing a state where you want to tell what you really feel. I am betting that you are a calculative and cold person." Adrian stated which made Dustan reevaluate himself.
As Dustan is reflecting on himself, a text from Joe is received by Adrian. The text basically says that they need to ask the king of hell. It is better for him to guide Dustan that is now confused. It seems Joe wants to immediately carry on with the task as the Deviants in Japan will not be welcoming if they stay for a long time.
"Joe informed me that we must push on so we must. I know you are confused but it is not your emotions that is making you that way. Learning about divinity is difficult for mortals to wrap their mind around. Do not worry as you reacted far calmly than the others I knew." Adrian stated as he remembered all his companions for every incarnation.
Some of them went mad and killed themselves. Some became so devoted that they became a fanatic. Some lost their mind and became brain dead and lastly those who managed to just not think about it as deep.
Dustan looked at his cellphone and saw the text from Joe as well. Adrian activated his ability to somewhat give Dustan confidence which the latter did not notice much because even he is collecting himself. After a few minutes of collecting themselves, they decided to go back and ask Kumi to escort them.
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"Have you finally made a decision?" Kumi asked and both nodded.
"We are ready to be escorted to the other side." Adrian stated but there is still a wary look on Dustan's face.
Kumi no longer asked Dustan despite her seeing that he is wary. She needs to be faithful to her mission because they were asked formally. They even received the payment for the job. She thought that the two guests are just generous with the payment, but it seems that it is intended.
Kumi is also wary of them because they knew the way of guaranteeing a deal with a fox. A fox is a being that is tied through a contract or a promise. If a fox agrees to the contract, then they are bound to it and they would weaken if they failed on that promise. They were not wary as much because foreigners paid them extra, but it seems they need to reevaluate the way they do things.
Kumi, Adrian and Dustan did not walk for a long time as the Torii is not that far from the inn. After walking for 15 minutes as if they are invisible, the group arrived at the gate. Kumi looked at the tow of them and they nodded to signal her that they must proceed.
Kumi held out her hand and the two boys heard the sound of a chime ringing. The sound of the chime is clear and serene that it washed away all of Dustan's worries. After a few minutes, the sound of the chime stopped but nothing changed if viewed from an ordinary person's perspective.
"Nothing changed." Dustan stated as he looked around and everything is still the same.
"No. Something has changed. Do you not see anyone coming and going in the street? We are at the real entrance of the place where the king of hell is currently residing." Adrian stated as he could see an immense swirl of energy is gathering at the gate.
Even in his numerous incarnations, this is the first time that he witnessed the powers of a nine tailed fox. Kumi then entered the gate and signaled for the two to follow.
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