"A path is something you create as you walk it. The ground you've trodden hardens, and that's what forms your path. You're the only one who can create your own path. Walk on your own. If you haven't given up yet, that is."
-Cross Marian
Chapter 4: The Path Taken
After leaving the room we began running down the halls as fast as we could manage, with me still holding my right side where my injury remained. As we continued on I began to hear a weird mix of growling and slobbering below me, then I felt something wet wrap around my ankle and pull, which made me fall on my stomach. I let out a grunt of pain then looked back to see what had caused me to fall. What I saw was a floating lantern with its long tongue wrapped around my ankle and its sharp teeth barred and prepared to bite. My brother quickly noticed the sudden stop of the sound of my footsteps behind him, and quickly turned around, quickly punching the monsters tongue causing it to release me along with a screech of pain. He then bent down in front of me, "Get on my back, it'll be quicker." He told me, trying to remain calm while trying to get me to do the same. All I did was quickly nod and get onto his back without hesitation. With that, he began to run again at the same speed as before with me holding onto his shoulders tightly.
I know it was idiotic, but I couldn't help but look back. Behind us was a hoard of, what I decided to call, Tongue o' Lanterns and one giant one with a huge eye that looked at us hungrily. Out of fear I started to cry, holding onto Matsuo even tighter. "It's ok, we'll be home soon..."He said, hoping to lessen my sobbing. I can't believe I was crying like a small child but this strange world just…scared me, any confidence I had before had already left me.
When I looked ahead of us, I saw a large glowing door. "That must be the exit!" He said with an gracious tone. With those words, my expression brightened up greatly. Unfortunately, the Tongue o' Lanterns didn't want to let us go so easily. All of them sent their tongues flying toward us, when I looked back my eyes widened at the sight of it. Suddenly I felt that warm feeling in my chest again and that card from before appeared in front of me. I automatically grabbed it and crushed it in my hands, from that card came the large fox from before. It growled loudly and stood its ground behind us, which intimidated the lanterns. "Go, Kitsune!" I yelled. The large fox charged towards the lanterns, tearing them apart with its claws and sharp teeth. After getting rid of the small lanterns it started to fight with the King Tongue o' Lantern, taking a few hits as it threw it around continually mangling it till it finally disappeared. I winced a bit,having felt the minimal damage it received. Kitsune then turned around and ran toward us; quickly throwing us on her back. She bursted through the large glowing door and from there my memory was blank.
Next thing I knew, I was in bed with a fever. I had to stay out of school for a week; during that time Matsuo explained everything. About the TV, the Shadows, Persona, and the other things he'd figured out about that world. At first my brain hurt from all the info I was getting and my confusion, but soon I began to understand what I was being told.
It's actually been 2 months since then, I've been inside the TV with Matsuo more than a few times. Recently there have been strange cases of murders happening around this town and it seems like that world of fog has begun to change. There's no doubt that these things are connected, but how and why is what needs to be figured out.