Mystic Call: The Journey

Jason laid on the ground, after collapsing, in the state of his unconsciousness, he started seeing images of the destruction of his village (Kokoro), him collapsing did not only result in deep sleep but it also resulted in a dream.

He found himself in a strange, dark place. "Where am I? I need to get out of this place!! I-I need… to go back to my mother." In that state, as he was crying, a strange figure in the distance, dressed in a black cloak, its face obscured by a hood.

The figure started moving closer, Jason couldn't make out it's features. In a matter of seconds the figure approached him, it's presence was both terrifying and captivating.

Jason was stuck in the same position unable to move, "What's happening to me? How come…I can't move?"

Being unable to move was the least of his problems, Jason also struggled to speak as he could not also move his mouth easily and produce audible sounds.

"Who are you?" Jason asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The figure did not respond, it was as if it didn't understand human speech. Instead, it reached out its hand and touched Jason's forehead. Suddenly, Jason was able to see the state outside of his dream, he could see what was happening as he was still unconscious. He was seeing his village, destroyed and still burning. He saw his mother, lying on the ground, her eyes closed.

The figure withdrew its hand slowly, leaving Jason breathless and filled with instilling terror. Then it all faded shortly, and Jason found himself back to the same strange dark place.

Asking questions intrusively, "What did this guy do to me? What is this? Why is he making me see all of this… i-is this what has become of my reality, my family and the village I call home?" Jason realized if there was a way of getting answers to his questions, this strange figure might be the one to help.

"I-I…do not…k-know what's happening b-but just answer my q-question, wh-who are you?" Struggling to utter his words, the Figure then looked at him, with his piercing gaze.

"There is no need for you to be hostile, here, let me carry you for the mean time, until we arrive at our destination. Don't exert pressure on your body, in this world, you cannot move or speak in your current condition as yet." The figure replied, with its voice low and mysterious.

"Who is this guy? He didn't even bother telling me his name or who he is." Jason thought to himself.

"Sigh, you know I can hear you…" The figure replied. Jason was embarrassed and surprised as to how that was possible.

The figure then answered Jason boldly, "Well let me just tell you… I am part of you and you are unconscious right now, that is why I am able to manifest in this state."

Jason then asked an intrusive thought since the figure can hear his thoughts, "Uh-uhm this is not making sense to me explain this to me, if I'm unconscious so which means that this is a dream?"

"Yes yes it is." The figure replied.

"So where are we going?" Jason asked as he curiously looked around this vast strange dark place, which seemed as if they were moving endlessly.

Then all of a sudden the fugure was unresponsive, moving in silence with one goal on its mind, to arrive where ever it is taking Jason. As they were walking, the strange dark place started forming a glowing pathway which the figure followed , leading them to another destination.

Moments shortly…

A big glowing light appeared in a distance, then as they stepped into the light, they found themselves in a grassy plane. Jason felt relieved as he saw the radiant blue sky and the green grassy field, as they moved forward, they found themselves in a very dense forest. The figure continued marching into the dense forest, then a clearing appeared.

As they entered the clearing, the trees began to twist and turn, their vines wrapping each other in a whirling frenzy then another glowing portal formed in the midst of that frenzy.

The figure put Jason down and said," This is it… past that portal is where we are headed."

"Yes although I'm not struggling to speak, I am still struggling to move." Jason stated.

Sighing, the figure responded back calmly "Fine I will pull you through."

As the figure braced to jump in to the portal, Jason felt his body standing up although he was not the one controlling it, he felt like a puppet on strings, being pulled through the field and into the portal, as he was charging toward the portal, in that instance he heard a familiar voice, the strange mysterious voice that spoke to him before his village was attacked, spoke once again.

"*You have made your way to me*." The mysterious voice spoke.

"Wait…wait! Where are you taking me!?" Jason asked while panicking but the Figure was unresponsive.

Then they both jumped into the portal.

When they entered the portal, they found themselves in an ancient temple. The Figure led him to a large stone chamber, adorned with ancient carvings that seemed to pulse with a strange energy.

They made their way to the chamber, inside the chamber, Jason saw a small wide door sealed with chains high above the chambers, and more chains anchoring it to the ground. The figure guided him closer to the sealed door, and Jason felt a sense of dread building up inside him. Suddenly, a blinding light filled the chamber, emanating from the sealed door, then a staircase leading to the sealed door appeared in the middle of the chamber.

"Go on, climb the stairs and make your way to the top." The figure expressed.

Jason was unsure and a bit skeptical about what laid ahead after climbing the stairs. Taking a deep breath, he summoned the courage to climb the stairs and see what it was that laid at the top.

When he reached the top, the mysterious voice spoke, "Now that you are here, we may begin."

Then all of a sudden the chains started moving and binding Jason down.

"Wh-what is happening? What is this!? Get these chains off me." Jason shouting in fear.

The Figure started climbing the staircase and made his way to the top as well, he started saying," It is time for your awakening, sit still and do not move."

Jason shaking with fear, with his neck, hands and legs chained up, he had no choice but to follow the instructions of the Figure.

The Figure then reached out its hand again and touched his chest, then the chains sealing the door started to loosen up, slowly opening the door, then overwhelming energy pressured Jason making him unable to move.

A blinding light sprang forth from the door and then Jason felt energy emanating from it, then Jason's body started to absorb the energy that the door was emanating.

"What… is the meaning of this? This is not supposed to happen. Why is his body absorbing the energy?" The Figure speaking out of fear.

Then Jason's chains loosened up, slowly unbinding. He started to feel himself being lifted from the ground as the blinding light from the door filled the chamber.

The light instantly disappeared, when it disappeared, Jason finally woke up, and he found himself back to his village still burning.

"Was it all a dream? How come it felt so real?" Jason thought to himself

He was lying on the ground with his head throbbing with pain, with his mother's body still in his arms.

"Argh! My head, why am I feeling this way, my body feels…different." Jason speaking to himself.

Then the fire in the village became an inferno for a moment, Jason closed his eyes as he held on tightly to his mother, then in that moment the flames that had become an inferno disappeared instantaneous.

As Jason opened his eyes, the flames were gone without a trace, not only did the flames disappear but also every single lifeless body in the village disappeared as well, including the body of Layla Kazihono which was held tightly in her son's arms, without a trace she disappeared from his arms as if she was never there.

"What happened? What in the world just happened, where did all the flames go and where did my mother go!?" Jason asked, he was left with no strength to move, as he struggled to process what had just happened to him.

Then all of a sudden, light started emanating from his chest, a mysterious mark appeared pulsing with a faint blue light. It was a symbol he had never seen before, the mark seemed to be some sort of branding, as if his dream had left a signature on his body and he could feel a strange energy coursing through his veins.

Jason sat up, his mind filled with confusion and grief, he stood up and searching the village frantically for survivors but there was none.

Everyone disappeared along with the flames that set the village on fire…