The underground corridors unfolded like a web spun from madness. Torchlight threw unstable patterns across damp cavern walls, barely penetrating the heavy darkness saturating the air. Every footfall spawned forbidding reverberations, constantly reminding Yasushi of the potential dangers awaiting each bend.

  His left hand clamped around the rat yazumi's neck in a vice-like grip while his right hand clutched the crowbar. The yazumi lurched forward in near panic, following his lead through the winding passages. Its fur glistened with sweat, wafting a musky stench of pure terror. Breath escaped in short, ragged gasps punctuated by a constant wheeze, setting Yasushi's teeth on edge.

  Steadily advancing forward, their ears tuned in to the far-off noises bouncing through the tunnels. Clanking metal, muffled voices, and for a moment, a ghastly scream abruptly died mid-wail horrific, further agitating the yazumi's dread. As they navigated the twisting tunnels, the yazumi's whispers escalated hysteria, its voice raw from repeating its terrified mantra.

  "We're going to die."

  "We're going to die!"

  "We're going to die!!"

  "WE'RE GOING TO DIE!!!"

  "DIE!!!"

  "DIE!!!!"

  "DIE!!!!!!"

  WHEEZE

  "THEY'RE GOING TO CHOP ME UP ALIVE AND FEED ME TO THE TROLLS!"

  WHEEZE

  "Or even worse..."

  WHEEZE

  "THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE RATATOUILLE FROM MY BODY PARTS THEN BEAT ME BECAUSE I DON'T TASTE GOOD!!!”

  WHEEZE

  Yasushi glared at the manic creature, its persistent ramblings wearing down frayed nerves while a conflicted odium challenged everything taught about them.

  "How can a yazumi behave so pathetically?" he hissed, his voice sharp with contempt. "Your kind terrorizes villages on the slightest of whims and murders the innocent without any regard for life!"

  "Terrorize?" it questioned, twitching its whiskers. "I nor any member of my colony has ever hurt anyone! It is your kind who are the murderers and bringers of calamity."

  His grip instinctively tightened, forcing a small squeak from the yazumi's throat.

  "What did you say?"

  The yazumi quivered as he jerked it to a halt, the newfound courage barely sustaining its words. "Though our kind have always desired peace, never harming any living creature, we're judged by the few and slaughtered by the many! Solely based on our appearance and existence! The history your people feed you are lies!"

  Its voice heightened in pitch, feeling Yasushi's growing impatience. "A yazumi wasn't the one who brought harm to that woman or kidnapped you and that child... So who's kind really the monster here?"

  Glancing sideways, the corner of its eyes beaded, holding back the bubbling wetness. "My colony, along with many others, are forced to live as slaves until death. A life we endure because of mortals like you.”

  Yasushi's eyes flared wide, the words striking a chord. Resisting its assertion, he averted his eyes forward and propelled the yazumi onward. "You got what you deserve, yazumi…I don’t care about your sob story." He then reinforced his grip around its neck, burying all doubts and clung to his beliefs. "Your viewpoints mean nothing to me."

  Suddenly, distant voices interrupted their exchange, freezing both of them in place. His attention snapped around the corridor, promptly glimpsing a darkened nook hollowed from the wall. Without hesitation, he yanked the yazumi inside and shoved the crowbar between its jaws, silencing its squeaky whimpering.

  Wedged against the damp stone, he held his breath, straining his ears to discern the direction of the approaching voices. The crowbar clutched tighter into his sweating palm, mildly suffocating the yazumi as the voices drew nearer.

  His muscles tensed, heart pounded, steeling himself to attack. Watching silhouettes materialize across the opposing wall, the distorted human forms bulged and contracted against the craggy surface, intensifying the yazumi's muffled gurgles.

  As he slowed his breathing to nothing, knuckles white around the crowbar, the nearing shadows gradually faded. Their voices veered into a separate corridor, bypassing their position.

  Tentatively, he edged out from the hollow, surveying the passage to ensure solitude before releasing his held breath. Extracting the crowbar from the yazumi's jaws, saliva connected the metal to its mouth in thin strands, breaking as he pulled away.

  He hurriedly exited their hiding spot, tapping the yazumi on its back with the crowbar and motioned for it to come out. Cowed by the savage intent in Yasushi's glare, it hastened to comply, scurrying from the niche and stepping beside him.

  The cavernous passageways incrementally narrowed as they ventured into its depth. Torches thinned to isolated points, their spacing widening until impenetrable shadow dominated the intervals. The air warmed to a moist heat entering a roundabout isolated from the underground network.

  Ceasing its stride, the yazumi pointed its trembling finger into the gloom and quickened its breathing. Each exhale faster than the last, peaking into the verge of hyperventilation. Following its finger, he squinted into the darkness consuming the passage's end. As his eyes adjusted in the dying flare of the last torch, a rustic wooden door with iron bands reinforcing its structure hung partially open, positioned at an angle camouflaged against the dark corners surrounding it.

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  "Move," Yasushi commanded, firmly pushing the yazumi ahead of him. Its clawed feet scraped backward across the soil, backing away from the entrance.

  " N… N…. No!! I've done all that you asked of me! B… B…. Buu… But… There's no way I'm getting any closer to HIS room!”

  He inched warily towards the door, distracted by the quiet jingling resonating through its hinges. Seizing the opportunity, the yazumi spun on its heels and bolted back down the passage, its paws pattering into the obscurity.

  "No, Stop!" he shouted, raising his crowbar. As he pivoted to give chase, a soft murmur floated from the cracked entrance, paralyzing him mid-step.

  KANA?!

  The thought seized his consciousness, stripping him of his intentions. Leading with the crowbar, he repositioned his grip and advanced. His eyes probed through the gap, laboring to penetrate the bleakness within.

  The room's left side resembled a disturbing study, devoid of any comfort or normalcy. Bounded volumes rested haphazardly amid strewn documents while various arcane objects lay toppled over in incomprehensible disorder. The surface of the bare cavern walls marred long, dark stains trailing from ceiling to floor like macabre tears.

  A large wooden chair dominated the room's center, its high back ostentatiously decorated with winding blue whittlings depicting scenes of torment and suffering. The armrests terminated in clawed hands, fingers curling inward as though grasping for any unfortunate soul daring to sit. A large circular rug spread beneath it, its pattern a whirled spiral producing a nauseating sense of vertigo. Two tall wrought-iron candelabras flanked the chair, their unlit candles crusted with congealed blood. In one corner stood a tall narrow cabinet with its fractured doors ajarred, exposing glimpses of exposing odd instruments and containers of unnatural hues.

  Shifting his eyes to his far right, his eyes widened upon Kaname chained by her wrists and ankles, resting on the padded mattress; her attention already fixed on his location.

  FINALLY! I FOUND YOU!!!

  Submerged in relief, his composure slipped as he took in her appearance, momentarily losing himself in admiration.

  AHHH... She's so pretty even in chains!!!

  Realizing his thoughts drifting, he slapped his cheek, rubbing away its sting.

  Focus Yasushi! It's not the time for this. Don't get distracted!!

  He pushed the door wider and slipped inside, his attention sweeping continuously from left to right searching for any threat lurking in the shadows. Relief and anxiety collided in his chest as he dropped to his knees in front of her, reaching out to gently caress her hair.

  "It's gonna be alright, Kana. I'm here now. I'm so happy to s—"

  Her hand lashed out and grabbed his wrist, cutting his words short. Her firm grip sent a jolt of pain shooting up his arm, creating a tension meandering awkwardly between them. Catching sight of his pained expression, she immediately loosened her hold and tilted her head in confusion.

  Yasushi dropped the crowbar on the ground beside him and rubbed his wrist, easing the lingering ache. "Sorry..." he muttered, masking his shock at her unexpected reaction. "I… I didn't mean to startle you."

  Unable to shake off his discomfort, his hands moved to examine the shackles binding her wrists while his fingers tested the metal for hidden mechanisms.

  What's wrong with her?! This... this isn't how I wanted her to react! And how did she get so strong? It felt like she was going to snap my wrist off! Is she not happy to see me?!

  Sweeping his attention around the room, his eyes wandered in the darkness regrouping himself.

  I can deal with her later! Right now, I need to focus on removing these chains so we can get out of here!

  As he pushed his concerns aside to look back down at the shackles, he centered his thoughts and whispered while flexing his fingers.

  "I'm going to try to break these chains. Just... just stay still, alright?"

  Not hearing a response, he briefly lifted his eyes toward her face then whipped his chin downward, unable to hold her intense gaze assessing his every movement.

  WHY IS SHE STARING AT ME LIKE THAT???!!! WAIT… IS SHE HURT?

  He scooted towards her feet and lifted her kimono, rattling the metal links in his hands. Tightly buckled to both her ankles and wrists, the shackles tore bloodied, discolored bruises into her delicate skin. Bringing the chains closer to his face, he traced the markings etched with his fingertips.

  NO IT CAN'T BE!

  His face wrinkled in frustration, jerking his finger away from the carvings. Summoning his water abilities, he closed his eyes as droplets coalesced around his hands. The water swirled and gathered under his command, forming a shimmering glove-like layer encasing his forearms. He grasped the chains, concentrating the water to seep into any microscopic cracks. The water responded, probing and pushing against the unyielding metal. As he intensified his energy, the carvings on the chains ignited with eerie, pulsating light, sucking in the water like a drain.

  Crap!! This isn't going to work! It's just like the markings from the cage but worse!!

  Gritting his teeth, he refused to give up.

  There has to be a way!! I have to get us out of here!

  Yasushi pushed harder, intensifying his energy to draw moisture from the air itself. Water coalesced around Kaname's restraints, building pressure against the metal. Beads of sweat materialized on his brow before bubbling into the flow of his ability. The glowing carvings brightened in response, feeding on his energy while the chains remained stubbornly intact.

  "Come on," Yasushi panted through clenched teeth. The water around his forearms dissipated, splashing uselessly to the floor. The carvings dimmed, returning to their barely visible state.

  Delirium trickled in as reality crystallized. The chains dropped from his grip as he scrambled to his feet, tearing apart the room in desperate search for anything that could break through the restraints. Tears welled in his eyes while his determination crumbled into defeat. Overwhelmed by emotion, his cries stung racing down his face.

  "Kana, I... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything I said to you."

  Powerless against containing his weeps, he squeezed his eyes shut and abandoned his search; knees buckled as he walked back in front of her, collapsing to his knees.

  "I... I didn't mean it. Please forgive me. I just have to be a son, mother and father are proud of!" His fists clenched, body trembling. "I have to be the best, I have to be the strongest! And I..."

  His words trailed off as Kaname ran her hands through his hair, smoothly transitioning to stroke his face. She clasped his chin in the palm of her hand and sharply lifted his head, stunning him with her narrowed and bleak eyes.

  "Yasu... Why are you here?"

  Confusion raised his eyebrows, stammering to respond.

  "Wha... What do you mean? I'm here to rescue you."

  Silence settled between them, thick with restrained anxiety at the jangle of shuffling keys. A malevolent tone breached stillness, freezing terror into his bloodstream. Malice soaked the air like blood clouding clear water, shifting her gaze past Yasushi to placidly watch the footsteps approach.

  "The fact you made it this far is impressive, kid… but you're way too predictable."

  Zei stepped through a swirling portal, bathing the room in fiery light. Yasushi's jaw dropped as he spun his body around, hand desperately lunging for the crowbar.

  The portal contracted behind him, taking the light with it as he positioned himself between the children and the exit. His arm lifted, holding the rat yazumi by its head. Disemboweled, its missing lower body reflexively twitched, spilling a growing puddle of blood and excrement beneath Zei's feet.

  His eyes went dark in the fading illumination, fixated on the children before him while setting free a twistedly, sinister smile.

  "Clearly I need to teach you a lesson in obedience."