Chapter 4: The Great Valley Of Yami

They just crossed the intersection. Damien kept on stealing glances at Shane as he's still suspicious of the man.

In his thought, Shane killed his fellow grim reapers. And what would have happened to Mara if he did not arrive there as early as he can?

On the other hand, Shane kept on stealing glances at Mara's sleeping face.

Her dark eye shadows and eyeliners are now gone and her once dark lips turned into a color of cherries. She used the lipstick he bought for her.

Cute.

If he had only known less, he would have thought that Mara is an angel.

"You saw the previous grim reapers who came for you, right?" Damien asked as he sigh. He averted his gaze while waiting for Shane's answer.

"I did."

"What happened to them?"

"Mom was able to keep them all away. A meter away from the demons who depends on my body. But when she fell ill, the demon who Mara fought brought them to their demise," Shane replied.

He may have hid the feeling of regret at his best but being a superior being, Damien was able to sense it.

As both men falls into silence, Mara feels like she's trapped.

She knew she was just riding a car with Shane and Damien. And Shane made it clear to her that it would take hours to reach their destination. So, how come she woke up alone inside the car in the middle of a dark forest? Did they already went and scout the place?

She jumped out of the car and surrounded her gaze on the forest. Mara immediately hid behind a huge tree when she saw two unfamiliar people, walking into the depths of the forest.

"Where are we going, love?" The woman asked the other as she carries her child lovingly.

The man just kissed her forehead and didn't say anything.

For some reasons, her conciousness was slowly swallowed by something that she started losing her control over her mind and body. It's as if she's just another eye watching something she shouldn't have.

The couple walked in a pace which is almost identical to a ritual march. Weird may it be but she and Ron are first cousins. Well, it can't be that weird, right? After all, they both came from a deserted town in the hidden valleys of Yami.

After five minutes, the baby started crying. Rachel tried her best to make him stop but no avail. When she looked around to find something to sit on, she felt electricuted when shivers ran down her spine.

She can smell a faint sceny of danger coming from the deeper part of the woods.

And...

She can see them. The faint presences of the demons her family are associated with watches their every steps. Rachel's heart started beating in a crazy manner when her eyes landed at the creepy altar in the middle of the forest.

She took a step back and then hugged her child as if she's clinging on the last thread of light.

"What's the problem, love?" Ron asked in a loving manner, however, Rachel found it eerie and evil.

Rachel shook her and then surround her gaze. Everyone in the lost town gathered around the altar and are all wearing dark purle cloak.

"No," Rachel muttered in a whispering manner. "No!"

She took three steps backwards and then started dashing their way out of the forest.

Dogs started howling as her father yells, "Chase her!"

Rachel bit her bottom lip and hissed in pain when she stepped on a sharp rock.

No matter how fast she were, they're still faster from her, especially the shadows... the demons who can not fully cross to the land of the living from hell.

They grabbed her by the arm and pinned her down after they snatched Shane away from her grasp.

She slowly raised her gaze. Tears fell down her eyes as if it was a broken faucet the moment she saw the shadow figure of a high demon carrying her baby.

"Shane!" She screamed as they pull her away from her son.

Shane? Mara questioned everything around here. Could it be that this is... the past? And that kid... is the man she's risking her life to save?

Then she must do something, right? This could make the present and the future several times easier than how it actually is.

The demon brought the baby to the altar. Suddenly, the whole forest fell into silence. Even the gusts of winds are inaudible. The insects refuses to make a faint sound. It's as if the time has stopped.

Mara tried to help but the body she's in prevents her from talking or even moving at will. So they really can't interfere with the past, huh?

Shane was just a baby. Just how crazy are these people to choose to sacrifice or use a baby in order to get whatever they want?

She came to realize what they were planninh when a whirpool of dark purple smoke formed above Shane.

They want to open the gates of hell!

Her hands ran cold when the whirpool started growing larger and larger and crimson fire started crawlibg from the middle.

She trembled in mixed emotions she has the moment she saw the baby's soul getting sucked into the whirpool.

She glanced at Shane's mom, almost breaking her wrists from struggling to escape.

For some reason, she was able to move her hands at will. Mara kept on hissing in pain at the hack of her mind as she tries to summon her scythe.

And when she successfully did, she threw it towards the whirpool in the sky, interupting an illegal death and the successful appearance of the gates of hell.

Everyone around was astounded by what happened which caused them losen their grip on Rachel Hoseinzade as well as the mumblings of the elders.

Some high demons vanished and was sucked into the whirpool before it closed, leaving the reamining demons on the land of the living a little weaker since half of their beings are in hell while the other half is stuck in this place.

Rachel Hoseinzade was able to run away with her child while the townspeople darted their gaze towards Mara.

She was ready to fight since she's able to control her body already and no one will be able to recognize her because of the cloak she's wearing which is uniform to their.

When she charged towards them, her soul got suck by an unknown force, leaving the body she's in to  collapse on the ground the moment the spells of the elders strike the body.

Mara chased her breath as soon as she came into her sense. Shane parked the car on the roadside as both men stared at her with worry visible in their faces.

"Are you okay?" Damien asked.

She wanted to reply but it seemed like a her voice got stuck in her throat that she wasn't able to say even a single word.

They gave her a water to drink before continuing the ride.

AS TIME slowly passed by, Shane couldn't help but think about what happened over and over again.

Because before Mara woke up in that state, Shane saw a glimpse of Mara's scythe from the mirror.

Why would she accidentally summon her scythe when she was peacefully sleeping during the ride?

"Shane, is the village located in a valley close to a forest?" The lady asked which weirded Shane out even more.

"Yes," He replied in a faint voice. "How did you know?"

"I don't know," Mara said. "I just feel like I've been there before."

EVERYONE was gathered around the altar.

The marble where they locked Rachel's soul kept on rolling on the table and blinking gold and red. Her soul is desperately trying to get out of the marble as she senses her son's presence getting closer and closer.

She can't help but cry as soon as she saw them summon high demons one by one. It's as if what had happened in the past is going to happen again. But this time, they'll succeed.

After all, Rachel isn't able to take her son away from here this time.

She gasped when she saw a demon take a human form.

How? The gate isn't open yet.

"Hello there, young Madame," He said in a raspy voice.

It sent shivers on her spine as she slowly recognized the human form he morphed into.

"Ron," She mumbled.

A roaring laughter of a demon echoed inside the forest. It was eerie. It was so eerie to the point that even the birds can't bring themselves to fly.

"Handsome, isn't he?" The demon asked while caressing his chin.

He played with the marble and then laughed. "If only I was able to take that kid's pure soul, I would have been here completely years ago."

Rachel prayed that for Shane to have a second thought and just live a normal life somewhere far from here.

When the demon stood on the altar with pride, all of the people present in that event kneeled and praised the demon as if he was their lord.

He hopped into the air playfully as he gives them something in return one by one. He then stared at Rachel in an eerie manner and then clicked his tongue.

"If only you did not sent a half of me back then, you would have been a demonoid too. Just like the rest of your dear townspeople."

Everything just got darker at this moment. The place, the people, the sky, and also Shane's future.

"All hail, Gideon our lord," They all cheered.

The demon is clearly enjoying everything he has right now. Rachel can't help but think that soon after the demon get whatever he needs from these people, they'll die.

They carried the golden palanquin with Gideon riding it and acting like a King. Evilness creeps out of his body as he radiates proud and dominant aura.

The people following their trails to the village kept on cheering and singing their praises for the demon.

They all feel superior among all humans living in this world. After three long decades, they finally summoned a demon who's able to cross both worlds whenever he wants.

The eerie sound of the drum invaded their ears as they party and dance for Gideon.

The giant trees stilled and everytime the wind blows in the area, thousands of leaves keep on falling as if they're dying due to a presence of an unearthly being.

The townspeople butchered ten sheeps and cooked in a giant cauldron. And as the meat gets tender and tender, Gideon jumped in and decided to bath on a boiling water.

Everyone cheered and took their share one by one as they believe that if they ever get enough essence from this high demon, they will be able to convert themselves from demonoid to a low demon who can cross from the land on the living to hell.

The wolves howled when the townspeople started biting one another and healed in an abnormal manner until they were satisfied.

"Now, who wants to be my meal?" Gideon asked in a pleasingly dangerous manner which allured one of the elders to offer himself.

In his thought, it is an honor to be their lord's feed as it is the most nobel thing to do in the day their new lord has arrive.

It was glorious in the eyes of the townspeople. They admired it when Gideon transformed into something monstrous and the bit of the man's head.

They all found it pleasurable when Gideon opened his feed's stomach and feasts on his internal organs.

They all found his creepy moans and groans as he drinks his feed's blood like a psychopath.

While Rachel cried and kept on puking out of disgut. She witnessed everything.

They shouldn't have brought this demon to this world. They shouldn't haave created a way to open a portal to hell.

Everyone in this town are driven by madness and greed and power and stupid ambitions.

Figuratively and literally speaking, they're all personifications of the word evil.

SHANE'S HEART suddenly raced as chills runs down his spine.

It's been six hours and they finally reach the entrance of the forest. He slowed down a little.

"The trees," Damien mumbled. "They're starting to rot."

Shane felt like puking when his gaze landed on several dead boars and deers. Fly are feasting on its chopped rotting body.

"Are we still on Earth? Or are we already behind the gates of hell?" Mara asked.

No mattter how Mara deny it, her familiarity to this place is undeniable. Deep within her soul, she knows almost everything in this place.

Shane and Mara could smell the sweetest yet most dangerous scent ever. Both can feel their body tingle as they sense the vibration of the drum and hear faint noises coming out of nowhere.

Damien has this gut to hide his scent as he can visualize some dangerous peoplw waiting for them several meters away.

"Are we sure about this?" Shane asked.

His companions nodded in a serious manner.

One wants to leave.

One wants to look for answers.

One who is ready to fight.

Three who are worried.

As soon as they enter the arc made with thick vines and thorny woods, they were welcomed by an almost normal neighborhood.

There is not a single trace of blood from what had happened earlier.

There is not a trace of madness from the people.

There is not a trace something unimaginable.

But...

The scent of evilness is too strong to the point that they feeli like puking.

"Visitors? I'm glad you guys chose to check out our place!" They were startled when a kid suddenly approached them and talked like a normal child. "We've got it all here! Potions, pastries, cottages, and fun!" She beamed.

Shane's lips parted as he stares at the little girl's yellow pointy teeth. Mara smiled and bond with the kid as if her guard isn't up. Damien remained silent and just observed the whole place.

"I can tour you around," The kid offered.

Mara flashed a small smile and then surround her gaze. "Sure, but... the tour can wait, right?" She said. "Maybe after we settle on a place? Do you know a place where we can stay, baby girl?"

"Sure!" The little girl said and then gestured them to follow her.

They exchanged glances, warning each other not to give in to anything.

The huge temple in the middle of the town is their target place as it radiates the most dangerous and evil place.

Every answer they need must be lying in there, together with the deadly plots and traps.

Surprisingly, the kid brought them there.

"The elders and everyone has always brought the visitors to this fancy place!" She said. "Just get in and have fun, our dear visitors," She said and then ran off while waving her hand.

She was already a few meter away when she turned around. Her innocent smile feels eerily dangerous.

"Welcome to the Great Valley of Yami, friends!"