Two months later, summer break had arrived at schools around the world. Jake's Translator System was finally ready for his expedition. Yon, on the other hand, had convinced her uncle that she was going on an expedition in their hometown. Nicolas's family was also excited and fully prepared for their son to embark on this awesome trip. As for Jake, things were a bit complicated. His father, Mr. Charles Philemon, one of the most prestigious members of the Philemon family. A Doctor in Archaeology, fully supported Jake's trip to Japan. But his mother was the problem.
Jake's mother, Mrs. Alice Philemon, was afraid of her son going to Japan alone. Early in the morning, Mrs. Alice was quarreling with her husband. "Charles, please stop your son! What he's trying to do is dangerous. We don't know what could happen to him in Japan. They have a high security system. If Jake makes any mistake, we won't be able to help him."
Mrs Alice began to cry for his son. "Honey, keep yourself together! Our son has worked hard to be who he is today. Even though I don't like the idea of him leaving, I have no right to stop him. He's a man now. He earned his name by moving and searching, not sitting still and doing nothing. We should just pray that all his research bears fruit." Mr. Philemon cuddles her wife on the ground, wiping the tears from her face.
The group decided to take a plane to Japan. Yon and Nicolas were already at the airport waiting for the flight. Jake was the only one who was not at the airport. They waited for him, but Jake was showing up late. They thought he had called off the expedition. Just fifteen minutes before the flight had taken off, they saw Jake with his bags hanging around him.
Nicolas quickly rushed to Jake and retrieved some of his bags, "We thought you were not coming. "Jake was smiling when he saw Yon, "Hey, I thought you were not coming." He gave a playful grin. "Why shouldn't I come, you promise to do my project work and I know Japan better than both of you." She giggled softly. "Look! That's our flight. Let's get going then." Nicolas said.
A few minutes later, they entered the plane and it took off. It took about seven hours to travel from the United Kingdom to Japan. The plane landed slowly onto the runway.
All the passengers moved straight to the arrival area. Jake, Yon and Nicolas were holding their luggage. The airport terminal was filled with many security personnel. Jake and his group moved to the customs to get themselves checked before they left the building.
Yon and Nicolas finished quickly and went ahead for their final check-ups at the immigration officers. However, Jake had an issue with a custom officer. They believe he has a confiscated device inside one of his bags. Jake explained himself repeatedly but they didn't believe what he was saying. Jake quickly called Nicolas for help with the device. Nicolas asked him, "Why are you using it here?" Jake replied, "They think it is a dangerous device so start typing the panel screen so it is activated."
Yon, seeing a commotion around the customs area, rushed over to them. "What's going on here?" She asked. Jake quickly tapped her, "Speak Japanese now for Nicolas to translate it." Tension was rising, so she couldn't ask the reason and did as she was told, at the moment Nicolas activated the translator system and everything Yon said displayed In front of the device and translated it to English. The Officers were stunned.
They never thought a device like that existed. After that, they apologized to Jake and let them leave the Airport. The taxi drove them to a bus station to Kawasaki, Yon's hometown. Yon wasn't very excited about going back. She had already left the country and coming back three weeks later wasn't something she was looking for.
They bought the bus which is heading to Kawasaki town. Jake was excited to know the historical values about Japan and the Kawasaki clan. Two to three hours later, they arrived at Yon's hometown. The surrounding of the city was filled with bright lights glowing in the evening. The bus finally stopped and they allowed all passengers to leave the bus. Yon's elder sister and Aunt were standing outside, waiting for them to come out of the bus.
As soon as Yon stepped down, her sister gave her a tight hug, clearly overjoyed to see her after three months apart. Yon noticed an earring her sister was wearing. A ridiculous, overly long earring that almost brushed her shoulders. It was a tradition for every maiden from their family to wear it and seeing it again made Yon wish she hadn't returned.
On a more serious note, She explained to them she wasn't alone, so they took a taxi and headed back to Yon's family house. Yon's family prepared a grand feast to celebrate her return after three months abroad. Her mother and grandmother waited eagerly outside the entrance, each holding small round bowls filled with garnished herbs with powdered ashes in it. They were ready to begin the traditional welcome ritual for Yon's safe return from abroad.
A few minutes later, the sound of a car horn echoed through the air, and smiles spread across their faces as Yon stepped out of the car, her beauty glowing like the sun. Her mother called her siblings to help them with their luggage. Yon's eyes filled with tears as she saw her mother waiting for her.
They performed the ritual, carefully applying the mixed herbs and ashes to Yon and her guests shoulders and their heads before allowing them to enter the entrance of the house. Jake was thrilled, fascinated by the new culture and traditions he was experiencing in this foreign land. Afterward, they were instructed to go take a bath before joining the family at the dining table.
Yon's sisters were eager to know the strangers who had accompanied her. After their baths, Jake and Nicolas relaxed in their guest room. Nicolas turned to Jake and asked , "Hey Jake, you have been jumping around ever since we landed in Japan. What's going on?" Jake chuckled softly and answered,"Yeah, you're right. Back In the UK, every expedition I joined, I was always a student practitioner tagging along the professionals. Even trips to neighboring countries required moving with senior archaeologists. But this... this is the first time, out of about 216 expeditions, that I have been given the freedom to lead my own expedition in a foreign country."
Nicolas smiled and tapped him on the shoulders, "Well, I'm happy to be part of it too." As they continued chatting, a young lady peeked into the room. "Dinner is ready." They both responded in unison, "We will be there soon!" After changing into fresh clothes, they made their way to the dining room.
As they walked in, all eyes turned towards them. Jake and Nicolas exchanged a glance, trying hard not to laugh. Yon was dressed in a very tight outfit, and ridiculously long earrings brushed her shoulders. They managed to compose themselves and took their seats. Soon, dinner was served. Jake was overjoyed as he tasted the delicious meal.
Yon's mother, Miss Taiku, stood up and addressed the guests," I greet you, guests of my daughter. I am thankful you returned her safely . But I must ask... which one of you is marrying my daughter?" The room fell silent before laughter broke out among Yon's siblings. Jake's face turned red as stammered, "N..no, ma'am, that's not why we came with her." Miss Taiku raised an eyebrow, "Then why are you here?"
Jake composed himself and said, "We are here classmates from the university of science and archaeology in the UK. I am here to study about the Kawasaki clan and the legendary helmet. Yon is only acting as our guide." The moment those left his mouth, Miss Taiku's expression changed.
Her face flushed with anger, "You came to study my clan? You archeologists are all the same you come, take what you want and leave us with nothing. For the past ten years, so-called experts have walked in and out of this town. What do we get? Nothing. I warned Yon not to be like them!"
She was shaking now, filled with rage. "You want history? I will give you history. Because of the insecurity Japan has with other nations, our country began recruiting military personnel. My husband and sons were among them. They were killed! They died defending this land from terrorists."
"You see no men here... because they're all gone!" Tears welled up all her eyes. Her eldest daughter and her sister rushed over to her side to comfort her. The room was silent. Jake sat still, devastated by the weight of her words. "Miss Taiku," he began gently, "I..I understand," "You understand?!" She snapped. "No, you don't. You never will!" Yon stood quietly and left for the garden.
Jake and Nicolas followed soon after. But as Jake passed through the hallway , something caught his eye, a statue of the Legendary Kawasaki Ninja. He walked towards it, drawn by an invincible force.
Standing in front of it, he spoke with conviction, "They have robbed this country for too long, this time when I find your helmet I will return it back to the people of Japan." His voice echoed through the hall. Everyone rushed to the statue room and saw Jake standing solemnly before the monument.
Yon's grandmother stepped forward, spoke softly in Japanese, and placed her hand on his shoulder. Tanpopo, Yon's eldest sister translated: "My grandmother says, she see's, the spirit of our hero in you. She is begging you please, find the hero's helmet for us."
A quiet hush fell over the room. No one moved. Jake bowed slightly, then walked out silently into the night. Jake sat beneath a tree in the quiet garden, eyes fixed to the sky as he wondered through his thoughts, "Did I make a mistake?" He wondered.
"Coming to Japan for this expedition felt like a dream, but now it feels like I've brought pain to others. "on saw him under the tree, and quietly walked over and sat beside him."I am sorry for dragging you into my family issues," She said softly. "No, it's my fault. Traveling to Japan was my idea. I'm truly sorry for what happened to your family."
"You don't have to worry about it. What was meant to happen, happened." Jake gave a small nod as he stood up, " I will be heading to bed, then." "Okay," she said, watching him walk away under the fading evening light. Early in the morning, Jake and Nicolas sat quietly in the room. Nicolas finally broke it,"Hey," he said glancing over at Jake, "I have been thinking about last night. Maybe we should leave and stay at a hotel for a few days. We couldn't complete the expedition anyway, so we might as well spend some quality time in Japan before heading back to the UK."
Jake looked at him, concerns in his eyes, "You're right. We can't get involved with things that might hurt others. We will just inform our professors about the stories we heard about the Kawasaki legacy." Just then, a knock came at the door.
Jake called. "Please, come in." The door opened, and a woman stepped in carrying cups of tea filled with teabags and sugar neatly placed besides them. It was Miss Taiku. She stood there for a moment, then spoke softly, "Jake right?, I overheard what you said just now. I'm deeply sorry for how I reacted last night. You are like my sons, and yet I shouted and lashed out."
Her voice trembled. "I saw how your eyes lit up with passion and wonder. You're an innocent soul, just like our Hero. No wonder my mother said he sees him in you. Yon told me about your gift for discovering things since you were a child. So, I beg you. Don't leave! Help restore the honor of the Kawasaki clan."
Tears streamed down her cheeks as she finished. At that moment Yon and her siblings entered the room. When they heard their mother's plea, they knelt down In front of Jake and Nicolas, hands clasped full of hope. "Please," Yon whispered, "Stay." Miss Taiku gently pulled out a folded aged parchment from her pocket.
She held it out with care. "This... This is the map for your expedition. Many experts who've come here used this same map for their research." She handed it to Jake. He unfold it with curiosity and studied the ancient markings, "Miss Taiku," he said, pointing to the symbols, "could you decipher this language?" She nodded slowly.
Then pointed to two of the symbols. "These two symbols mean 'A craven mountain'." " A craven mountain?" Jake echoed" What does that mean?" "All I know is our hero visited this craven mountain before heading off to war. But for some reason, the archeologist who goes there comes back saying it's an endless desert."
Jake listens carefully, and eyes narrowed in thoughts. "Okay....and this third symbol? Do you know what it means?" Miss Taiku hesitated. "Unfortunately, no. That symbol is so arcane, even my mom couldn't translate it." A grin lit up on Jake's face. He tapped Nicolas's shoulder excitedly."Go..go... go get the translator system!" Nicolas didn't wait for a second.
He dashed off and returned the device. From the system, he pulled out a small gadget resembling a camera and captured the image of the parchment. As he worked, the device projected a soft holographic glow.
The mysterious symbol appeared in the mid-air and moments later, the translation appeared beneath it. Everyone in the room gasped in wonder, mesmerized by the brilliance of the technology.
"So what did the inscription say?" Tanpopo asked. "Temple," Jake replied. Miss Taiku echoed in confusion. "What could that mean?" Jake smiled awkwardly. "It means the hero went to the temple to pray. Before going to war."
Overjoyed with the clues finally coming together, Jake turned to Yon. "Yon, we will be going this afternoon, so get ready." Yon made a puffy face. "Why me? You've solved all the clues, go there yourself." Miss Taiku raised an eyebrow, "Don't talk to your future husband like that?"
Yon dashed out, flushed, and laughter exploded behind her. That afternoon, the three of them gathered their gear and prepared for the journey. Yon's mother and grandmother handed them good-luck charms, gently hanging around their necks. Miss Taiku hugged Jake and whispered, "Please.....look over my daughter for me." Jake nodded. They hailed a taxi bound for the outskirts of the city. As the car pulled away, they stood waving until they disappeared from view.
After a few hours, they arrived at the edge of the city. Jake glanced around. "This place looks completely different from the city center." Yon agreed. "I've never been out this far before."
Just then, Nicolas spotted an old man walking with a cane. He approached him, "Excuse me, sir. Do you know where the desert is?" The old man began to speak in Japanese. Nicolas called Jake and Yon over. Yon listened closely, then translated: "He says, the desert of darkness is not a place for the living. You children must not tamper with things you don't understand." "Thanks, old man." Jake said awkwardly.
Yon snapped."Hey! take what he said seriously. Just because we're archeologists, that doesn't mean we should act like we're invincible." Okay, okay, got it. We'll be extra careful." Jake replied with a light chuckle. They began walking towards the direction of where they'd notice desert traces.
After about two hours of trekking under the sun, they sat down to rest and drank water. to quench their thirst. Jake pulled out the map and began to study it. He widened his mouth in surprise. "We are here!" He shouted in excitement.
The others jumped up, sharing in his joy. Yon asked, "so, what's next?" Jake closed his eyes. Suddenly , vivid flashbacks played in his mind visions of a man walking through the desert path, holding an object in his hand.
At the entrance, Jake followed the steps of the vision, mimicking the man's movements across the sand. He walked a specific distance, then turned, moving further until he vanished. Nicolas and Yon quickly screamed and rushed to the spot. They dug frantically, calling his name, but Jake was gone. Yon dropped to her knees in frustration and fear. Meanwhile, Jake found himself in a hidden underground tunnel.
The fall was rough, he winced in pain, limping through the eerie of silence. He switched on his flashlight and followed a narrow path surrounded by darkness. Then something caught his eye a glint ahead. The beam of light reflected off a shining object. He limped toward it slowly. As he got closer, he froze. There it was. "Is..is this what I think it is?" He whispered. "The Kawasaki helmet! Finally, the legend is real." Despite the pain, a smile of awe crept across his face.
He tried to touch the helmet, but strange noises echoing through the walls of the tunnels. The noise vibrates through his head, whispering, "Wear it, wear it, wear it, wear it!" The noise became unbearable, giving Jake a pounding headache.
Desperate for relief, he grabbed the helmet and placed it on his head. "That's better. "He muttered, as a wave of relief washed over him.
But his celebration ended quickly. Mysterious blue energy surged from the helmet into his body. His eyes glowed blue, and a strange war outfit began weaving itself around him. Suddenly, his body lifted off the ground, floating into the air with his arms hanging loosely by his sides.
His consciousness began to sink through the helmet. A sharp pain shot his skull. The energy wrapped tighter around him until he lost consciousness. Jake's eyes opened again, as if in a dream. A blue mist danced around the area. "Hello? Who's there?" he called out. Footsteps echoed in the distance.
He ran towards the sound and was stunned to see a man sitting calmly on top of a blue rippling energy. The man spoke: "Hello, Jake." Jake froze. "How do you know my name?" The man said to him in bold. "It was I, who led you here..." "You mean, all those flashbacks were you? But why me? So many others came searching for the helmet."
The man replied, "They just want to explore the mystery because they have heard the legend, but you believed in my existence. You shall become my successor. "Successor? Who are you?" Jake asked. "My name is Zaki, once the leader of the Kawasaki clan." Jake's eyes widened in disbelief." I think we'll do a proper introduction another time." Zaki said, tapping his forehead.
Jake instantly fell asleep again. Back in the real world, the tunnels trembled violently. The sand shifted above as his body rose into the air, spinning around its axis. He burst through the surface, flying to the sky. Meanwhile, Yon and Nicolas, who were still on the desert's surface, felt the quake.
"What's going on?" Nicolas shouted. Suddenly, a figure flew at an incredible speed across the sky and hovered above them. Yon looked up and gasped. The figure resembled the statue in his family home. And his glowing blue eyes matched the legends of the hero. With a burst of speed, the figure flew down towards them. Nicolas stumbled backwards and fell into the ground. Yon stood frozen.
In a calm but firm voice, the figure spoke in Japanese:" この肉体は限界を迎えた.最後の血統がまだ生きていることを嬉しく思う." ("This body has reached its limit. I am happy to see my bloodline is still alive".) He removed the helmet. Jake collapsing to the ground, unconscious right beside Yon.
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