The village was on fire.
The screams of humans and spirits alike echoed across the night, rising above the crackle of burning rooftops.
At the center of the chaos, a decisive battle unfolded between a veteran exorcist and the wicked spirit beast, Orochi as its eight heads and eight tails thrashing with malice.
"Do you think you can seal me, human?" Orochi mocked.its many voices filled with disdain. To the beast, the woman before it was nothing more than a tiny challenger daring to oppose its might.
The exorcist did not reply. She was too exhausted to waste even a word. For three relentless days she had fought without rest, and now, every shred of her strength was focused on the single paper charm trembling in her hand.
'Please… give me strength,' she prayed silently, closing her weary eyes.
Suddenly, an aura surged from her body, rippling outward like a shockwave causing the air to trembled. Orochi recoiled and flicker of unease flashing across its monstrous eyes.
"What are you doing, human?" Its arrogance faltered and the mockery in its voice thinning.
"Sealing you, of course." The exorcist's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Forbidden Sealing Art: Seventy-Two Edges of Encirclement!"
The paper in her hand disintegrated into ash, and in its place, a radiant barrier erupted, encircling Orochi in a prison of blinding spiritual light.
"Now!" she shouted.
At once, seventy-one exorcists leapt from their hiding places, forming a circle around the spirit beast. Together, they poured every ounce of their strength into channeling spiritual power.
"How dare you, puny humans, try to seal me!" Orochi roared. It slamming one of its massive heads against the barrier.
"Urghh!" Several exorcists staggered backward at the impact.
"Come on, Hanako! We can't hold it much longer!"
"Hold on, just a little more!" Hanako cried back as she looked desperate.
"I WILL KILL ALL OF YOU!" Orochi shouted. From each of its gaping jaws, a blinding light began to form and the air around it sizzling with energy as if it absorbed all the energy from its surrounding.
"Quick, Hanako! It's preparing that devastating ray again!" one of the exorcists warned. His voice sound with panic.
But Hanako did not falter. Her eyes squeezed shut and brow furrowed. Her hands clutched the sealing sign with unyielding force.
The lights within Orochi's mouths grew brighter as it growing into spheres of destructive power, ready to shatter the barrier.
"Hanako!"
"Now!" Her eyes open as she shouted with all her might.
In unison, every exorcist mirrored her, forming the same complex seal signs before crouching low and slamming their palms against the earth.
Pung!
The ground trembled. Earth below Orochi rolling up and over the barrier until, inch by inch, it buried the barrier. It took a minute before the sealing was fully walled in.
One of Orochi's yellow eyes shot a glare at Hanako at last second before closure.
"You! I will remember your face! I will return one day and I make sure to exact my revenge on you!"
The barrier closed completely as the seal formed a hill. After few minutes, the shaking finally subsided.
All of the exorcists fell down, all looked visibly tired.
Hanako stared at the new hill and wiped the sweat from her brow.
"Do we tell the villagers that we trapped Orochi in this hill?" one exorcist asked.
"Yes. They need to know and believe that we humans are not the only ones in this world."
---
500 years later.
"I don't believe it."
"It's true, Mal! They said there's an apparition wandering around the old train yard near Red Stone Station."
"Then where's the proof? People can say anything they want."
"The famous supernatural group, The Spirit Breakers, already spent a whole night there. They didn't find anything… yet. But I'm sure something's there." Izu's voice was firm. His shining with conviction.
"Yeah, yeah. We live in a scientific era now, Izu. Everything needs proof, an observable one before it can be considered real. Until you give me evidence, I won't believe it." Mallory waved his hand dismissively.
Izu was always telling him about supernatural sightings. He obsessed with every strange headline and rumor. Mallory, on the other hand, never bought into it. To him, people saw ghosts because they wanted to see ghosts and as the result, their brains tricking them, misinterpreting shadows and noises as something paranormal.
"Mal, what about in Europe, where you're from? Do they have ghosts there?" Izu asked curiously.
"You mean England? Hmmm… I say it's the same as Japan. People claim they've seen them, sure, but I don't believe them either."
As they continued chatting, a female teacher walked into the classroom. She wore a neat formal outfit, a skirt, blouse, and glasses perched on her nose. At once, the students straightened and took their seats, ready for the day's lessons.
"Alright, class 2-B. I'll be taking attendance now," Teacher Ayumi said as she lifted the name list.
But before she could begin calling names, she paused and her brows knitting as she pressed a hand to her neck.
"Teacher, are you okay?" one of the girls asked with concern.
Mallory glanced at Teacher Ayumi. She did look like she was in pain.
"Yes, I'm fine," she reassured with a faint smile. "Probably just a sprain… maybe I used the wrong pillow last night. I'm sure it'll feel better after I take some medicine later. Now then, is Agata here?"
"Yes, teacher!"
She continued down the list, calling each student in turn, before finally starting the day's lesson.
---
Ding ding ding ding!
The school bell rang, marking the end of the day. Students grabbed their bags and rushed out, eager to get home. Some stayed behind for their turn on class chores, while others headed to the field for sports training.
Mallory stood, slinging his bag over his shoulder, and walked toward the door until Izu called out to him.
"Mal, want to hang out after this? We're hitting the arcade. We gonna play Citizen Evil, that new shooting game."
"Nah, I'll pass. I got something to do at home. See you tomorrow." Mallory smiled and gave a casual wave.
"Is that so? Alright then, see you tomorrow."
Thud!
Just as Mallory turned, he bumped into someone.
"Oops, sorry!" he said quickly.
As he lifting his eyes, Mallory froze. Before him stood a beautiful girl with short, crimson hair brushing her neck, and striking blue eyes that locked onto his eyes.
For a moment, Mallory forgot how to move.
"Hey! Watch where you're going!" A girl stepped forward, planting herself between Mallory and the girl he had bumped into.
"I, I said I'm sorry," Mallory stammered as he snapping out of his daze and taking a step back.
"Do you realizes you just bumped into one of the school's top beauties, June Izanagi! Watch yourself! A lowlife like you has no right to touch her. If anything happens to her, the June Fan Club will make sure you never live in peace!"
'Geez… what's wrong with this girl? It was just an accident. Why is she so overdramatic?' Mallory frowned.
"Rin, it's fine. I'm okay. Let's go home." June's calm voice cut through the tension. She bowed slightly to Mallory before gently pulling Rin away.
But Rin shot him one last glare, tracing her fingers to her eyes in a "I'll be watching you" gesture before disappearing with June around the corner.
"What just happened…? Shoot, I'm late already. They're gonna scold me for sure."
Unbeknownst to him, this was the last normal school day he would ever have.