Mrs. Amy: "Hi, Rain. How are you today? Thank you for worrying about Mr. Andrew," she greeted warmly, reaching out to hug Rain.
But before she could embrace him, Rain instinctively stepped back. He felt awkward, anxious, and trembling, still haunted by Mr. Andrew's words in his dream last night that Mrs. Amy was the mastermind behind his death.
Rain stood frozen in place, staring at Mr. Andrew.
His eyes were kind, but his face despite the bruises felt familiar, just like in her dream. Yet something was different. Or was it her imagination?
Mr. Andrew: "Rain... it's good to see you here. Thank you for coming," he said with a weak smile.
Rain: "I... I was worried about you, sir."
She tried to speak calmly, but her voice trembled.
Mrs. Amy: "The accident really gave us a scare. The doctor said Andrew needs to rest for at least a week. He hasn't been talking much since yesterday."
Rain blinked. Since yesterday? But in the dream, he said he died last night...
Aunt Anna: "We brought some food and flowers. Just a little something to cheer you up," she said cheerfully.
Mr. Andrew: "Thank you, Anna. I really appreciate it."
Rain walked slowly toward the bed. Her heart beat faster the closer she got.
She glanced at his hands, his eyes, the way he sat. All of it felt real… but she needed to be sure.
Rain: "Sir... do you remember what happened before the accident?"
Mr. Andrew looked at her, surprised by the question.
Mr. Andrew: "Not clearly. I was driving home... and then everything went black. They said I crashed into a tree. That's all I know."
Rain's eyes narrowed slightly.
If that's true... then who was the Mr. Andrew I met last night?
She swallowed hard. Something wasn't adding up. And worst of all there was still no proof it had been just a dream.
Thirty minutes passed, and visiting hours had ended, forcing Rain and Aunt Anna to quickly say goodbye to Mrs. Amy and Mr. Andrew.
Aunt Anna: "I'm glad you made it through that incident, sir. I hope you recover soon and can go back to coaching the kids."
Mr. Andrew: "I hope so too. Thank you, Anna and Rain, for your concern and thank you for the gift," Mr. Andrew replied with a broad smile.
Mrs. Amy: "Let me walk you downstairs."
Aunt Anna: "No Thanks, Mrs. Amy. You should stay here and take care of Mr. Andrew. Besides, I'm with Rain."
Mrs. Amy: "Alright, thank you, Anna."
Aunt Anna and Rain left the hospital and headed home. During the ride, Rain barely spoke a word. Even though she had just seen Mr. Andrew in person and confirmed his condition, there was still a strange, unsettling feeling she couldn't explain. Something about Mr. Andrew's mannerisms and way of speaking felt different unfamiliar. And the dream from last night lingered heavily in Rain's heart and mind.
Screeech... The sound of brakes echoed as the car stopped at a red light. Rain, staring absently out the window, happened to catch sight of the fortune teller she had met the day before. A strong urge surged within her she had to talk to the fortune teller, to ask and uncover the mystery behind what had happened to her last night.
Rain: "Aunt Anna, drop me off here. I have something urgent to do. Go home first, I'll follow shortly." Rain quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door.
Aunt Anna: "Where are you going, Rain? What's so urgent?" she asked, her voice panicked and confused by Rain's sudden behavior.
Rain: "It's important and urgent. I'll be home soon," Rain replied as she hurriedly left Aunt Anna in the car.
As Aunt Anna reached to step out and follow him, the traffic light turned green she had no choice but to continue driving and return home, anxious and heavy hearted, without Rain.
*****
Rain approached the fortune teller.
Rain: "Hi, sir. It's me. The one from yesterday," Rain greeted.
Fortune Teller: "You… Has something happened?"
Rain: "You were right. I had a nightmare last night. In it, I met someone I know someone quite close to me."
Fortune Teller: "Who? That must have been their soul. It means they're dead."
Rain: "But, sir, I just visited him at the hospital and saw him with my own eyes. He seemed perfectly fine."
Fortune Teller: "How is that possible? Are you sure it was really him?"
Rain: "I don't know… I'm confused too, sir. And in the dream, He told me that he had a twin."
Fortune Teller: "What your friend said in the dream is true, Rain. The one you saw this afternoon was not him."
Rain: "What should I do, sir? This is all so new to me. I don't know how to help him escape from that dimension," Rain said with frustration.
Fortune Teller: "You have to find his body, Rain."
Rain: "But how? And something strange happened to my body too. I was frustrated, trying to figure out how to return to the real world… then suddenly my body became transparent and disappeared, and I woke up back in reality."
Fortune Teller: "Yes, your soul automatically returns to your body when the sun rises in the real world. That means you only have time until sunrise. As for helping your friend, as long as he remembers who killed him and how he died, he can guide you to where his body is, Rain. Tell him to recall his final moments it will lead you to the time and place where it all happened."
Fortune Teller: "And your soul will be alive there. You'll be able to act like a normal human. But one thing you must understand, Rain. You cannot change his death! Your task is only to witness how he died and help his soul pass on peacefully by finding his body and placing a lotus flower on it."
Fortune Teller: "The lotus flower will guide you to the place where the eternal light of that soul is trapped, guarded and sealed tightly. There, you might encounter creatures who are cruel, devious, terrifying, and without mercy. They are gods and demons devourers of souls. No matter what, you must face them! You may negotiate, deceive, fight, even kill if necessary until you achieve your goal: to free and send the soul to the realm of eternal light. In return, the soul of the one who committed murder will be taken and sent to the Hased Dungeon dimension to atone for their crimes. It's only fair."
Fortune Teller: "However, if you break your mission by interfering or trying to change someone's death, the consequence is that your soul will never return to your body in the real world you will be trapped in the Hased Dungeon forever with the soul you tried to save."
Rain: "Isn't that insane? How can I just stand there and watch someone die tragically in front of me and do nothing? Isn't that cruel? I don't think I could even bear to witness something like that… I've never seen anything so horrific in my life."
Fortune Teller: "As brutal as it is, those are the rules, Rain. And… you have seen it before."
Rain was slightly shocked by the fortune teller's last statement. What did he just say? That Rain had seen something like that before? When?
Before Rain could ask, the fortune teller continued.
Fortune Teller: "And remember, Rain, the soul devouring gods and demons are far more cunning and deceitful than you imagine. Every thousand years, someone is born destined to become the savior of lost souls in the Hased Dungeon. But most of them fail and end up trapped there, unable to be saved by any means. These gods and demons always set a trap a bait you must resist."
Rain: "What kind of bait?"
Fortune Teller: "The trickery of someone who will break your defenses and tempt you to violate your mission. If you give in, your fate will be no different than those before you."
Rain: "Is that someone also one of the gods or demons? Or just one of the lost souls?"
Fortune Teller: "The gods and demons cannot leave the realm they guard. So of course, they use a soul as bait. Before sending them, the gods and demons cleanse them erasing all memories except for their name. That's the advantage for you: someone with no memory might become your ally and help protect you, even fight the gods and demons with you."
Fortune Teller: "But again, remember this, Rain. Never forget your mission! Stay focused, and do not falter if you wish to return safely to your living body."
Rain: "But… can I really fight them, sir? The gods and soul devouring demons? What should I do?"
Fortune Teller: "Each one is different and has their own weakness. Observe carefully. Your task is to find and strike at that weak point. Only do this if your negotiation fails."
Rain: "If I have to kill them, what would I use? I have no weapon."
Fortune Teller: "In front of the gate where the sealed soul is held, there will be a weapon you can use to fight, to kill, and to break the seal. You must claim it before the battle begins."
Rain: "Even so, I'm afraid I'm not strong enough, sir. I'm just an ordinary human, and they're powerful supernatural beings."
Fortune Teller: "You'll be fine, Rain. In that dimension, all souls are equally capable in terms of strength. You won't die from being stabbed or hit just injured, and you'll recover later. Yes, they are stronger because of what they are, but remember they have weaknesses. And you can only truly die if your soul is devoured."
Rain: "Alright then, sir. I'll do my best to carry out this mission and help those who have been denied justice. Thank you for your guidance it helped answer the questions weighing on my heart and mind."
Fortune Teller: "Yes, Rain. Whatever happens, remember your body is waiting for you in the real world. Don't linger too long in that dimension."
Rain: "I will, sir. I won't forget. I'll take my leave now."
Rain left the fortune teller and hurried home.
Fifteen minutes later, he arrived. As always, Aunt Anna greeted him warmly and told him to wash up and prepare for dinner.
Aunt Anna: "I'm grateful Mr. Andrew only suffered minor injuries. He's tough and he truly deserves to be a coach for young athletes," she said as they ate dinner.
Rain: "Yeah, I'm grateful too."
Aunt Anna: "But I'm a bit worried, Rain. Do you think he's in shock or something? He completely forgot about next month's fencing competition and he's usually the one reminding everyone about it."
Rain: "It's not strange… because that man isn't the real Mr. Andrew," Rain answered flatly.
Aunt Anna: "What do you mean, Rain? Do you know something?"
Rain: "It's... nothing," Rain answered, making Aunt Anna even more curious and puzzled.
They continued dinner in silence. Afterward, Rain went upstairs to her room. Before bed, she worked on her school assignments and practiced a little. She usually went to sleep around 10 or 11 p.m.
The night sky appeared calm, with a gentle breeze that was slightly piercing, and the glow of the full moon seemed to accompany the silence in Rain's room. After finishing her tasks, she lay down on her bed. Her gaze was blank, staring at the ceiling. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind, still haunted by the memories of her conversation with the seer.
It didn't take long before her eyelids began to close, and Rain's consciousness slowly faded...
*****
Rain opened her eyes. She was standing in the middle of a foggy forest, with towering, silent trees. Dark clouds hung low, and the air was damp and cold, illuminated by a blood-red moon. This wasn't the real world. This was Hased Dungeon.
She walked cautiously. The sound of twigs snapping beneath her shoes echoed in the silence... (for more https://www.patreon.com/posts/127992052?utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=android_share)