Authors Notes:. Well here is another chapter, and the end of this case. (WOOT WOOT) Yes, I know this is a long case file, but it is over now. Thanks for sticking with me through it, and all of your uplifting reviews. Yes, I will write again. I am having too much fun doing this to end it here, and I love all my outstanding and wonderful reviewers/readers. There will be a summary of the next case file at the end of the chapter. The next case will have some interesting circumstances that promise to be creepy….
Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, but I wish I did.
Winner Is: Amu Tsukiyomi with 150 pts. Congratulations, please see to the PM I send you.
The Runner up should something happen to the winner is: Chibi-Kyuubi-Chan who has 133 pts.
The rest are as follows: chocolver69 51pts, and Bella68 11pts
Thanks for participating. And no hard feelings, If everyone would please VOTE if you would like a contest again by sending me a yes or a no in your reviews, if the answers are positive I will start a new contest with the next case.
-Flashback-
If only it were though, then it would not be as dangerous. I walked slowly and carefully making sure, I had a firm grip on Mai so as not to drop her. I focused on keeping my foot falls steady and strong, willing my body to continue moving forwards.
Case File Two: Blood, and Chills Part Nine
Naru's P.O.V
We had been walking for quite a while now, the house letting us go nowhere but down. All other doors, and windows, were securely locked when we tried them. Trying to break them down did not work either. This house was definitely leading us somewhere and I do not think it was going to be somewhere nice, but we had little choice. The house was playing with us, and it was only a matter of time before it gave up on its game. When it did who knew what would happen.
My vision swam again, my body more willing to shut down, now that my drive to find Mai had been satisfied, the long days and lack of sleep beating down on me, this coupled with the fact that I used my PK earlier, I was surprised I was still standing. I could tell that I was reaching my limits though and this worried me, I could not afford to have my body give out on me here it would be dangerous, not only for me, but for the whole team. I could not let them spend all their energy in protecting me. I had to pull it together somehow.
Mai's P.O.V
I groaned as I woke. I felt myself being sat down and I opened my eyes. The hallway was almost pitch black the exception being the thin beams of light the flashlights gave out. I blinked a couple of times trying to orientate myself with my surroundings.
"Mai?" A familiar sounding voice that I had not heard in a while asked.
"N-Naru?" I echoed back confused as to what he was doing here. I thought he would still be safe out of the house.
I heard a relived sigh as I felt his hand brush the top of my head.
"I am glad you still remember us" he told me. His words sparked some memories as my foggy brain began to clear up. I remembered being trapped in the house and everyone coming to find me.
"Yeah you gave us quite a scare there kiddo" Bou-san's voice piped in breaking my musings.
"Don't you ever do that to us again" Ayako's voice added.
I looked down sheepishly I had caused them all so much worry trying to save them. I should of known they would have looked for me. Maybe that is why had went along with the dragons commands so much, deep down I knew they would look for me and I had nothing to worry about.
"I'm sorry," I muttered.
"It's okay, we understand, just don't do it again" John said coming over to give me a hug.
"If everyone is done here can we get back to moving on." Naru commanded, his voice sounding tired and strained. It did not have the usual depth and authority in it.
I glanced up where he was located to see if he was okay, but I could not tell much in the poor lighting. I made out Lin-san by his side, but just barely. The Chinese man stood by Naru and looked somewhat worried. I stood up slowly trying to figure out why he was acting the way he did.
Just as I was about to move over to him and ask, he began to walk down the hall. The others just followed him; I guess I would have to find out more about that later. Our footsteps echoed off the stone entire of the underground passage that we were in. The house having led us through several hallways and down into a cellar, and then even further down into this passageway we were in now. With every step, I felt a seed of dread grow and grow in my chest my breathing hitched and my body trembled I stopped walking altogether. Somehow, I just had a feeling that if we went any more down this passageway something bad was going to happen.
The others headless to my state continued to walk on, finally I seemed to be able to find my voice box and get it to work properly.
"Naru" My scared thin voice echoed around us as the footsteps died down when I spoke, everyone having turned towards me, "I don't think we should go down this way, something will happen if we do, I just have this feeling" I said.
I heard a set of footsteps, as Naru walked over to me. In the light from the flashlight, his skin looked very pale and his face worn, "What kind of feeling?" he asked as he reached me.
"Dread, this was the place in my dreams where…" I trailed off.
"It will be okay Mai; nothing's going to happen to you." He told me cutting me off as he put a comforting hand on my shoulder.
"Didn't you say that the girls came in through a different way?" he asked, when I nodded, he continued.
"Do you think you could find that different way?"
"I think so" I said.
"Good, then that will be are way out since we can't go back behind us. Just stick with us and we won't let anything happen to you I promise."
Even with the promises that nothing more would happen, I could not quell the feeling of dread that continued to grow. I was also surprised. Sure, I had made a shield, and expelled the dragons influence, but why had it not come back yet. What was it up to, for it to have gone through so much to bring and keep me here why the sudden disinterest?
The darkness in the corridor seemed close in around us. The air had a smothering quality and the feeling of dread continued to grow. Ahead of us, I could barely make out the outline of a door blocking the way. Slowly we got closer to the door. Closer and closer, we drew until we were at the door itself.
The door was surprisingly unremarkable. It was made of an old plain, a small dragon carved into it with an old-fashioned brass handle. For a door that led to an occult ritual room it really was a letdown. You would expect it to be more elaborate, maybe have some words or something written on it. But, there was nothing of that sort here. Just plain old wood and a carving, that was all. There were not even flames coming out of the dragon's mouth. The dragon was curled up and sleeping.
Lin paused at the door before reaching down and turning the handle. I heard a click, and the door swung open with ease. The chamber was dark on the other side. It was hard to see, even the flashlights barely cut through the gloom of the room. Slowly Lin advanced into the room, John followed, then me, Naru, Bou-san, and Ayako. The air felt cooler in here. The space felt so vast and empty.
The door swung shut, the snick of a lock followed, but we had gotten used to it by now so none of us so much as flinched. Were we really going to be able to get out of here with no more confrontations? Out of nowhere, bright lights flooded the room as each of the torches along the wall sprung to life. The large bonfire, in the middle of the stage that held the alter also sprang to life.
Okay I guess we will not be leavening easily. The old wooden dragon statue flickered in the fire light it giant maw open and pointing at the bonfire. From our distance, we could clearly see the sacrificial table. It was metal, iron rings were embedded to the side where the ropes would be strung through. At the base of the stairs was the door the sacrificial maidens would enter through.
The metal bucket that collected the offered blood gleamed, beside it a small table held the silver dagger, two pots and a fan. Everything was clean and set. I glanced above me at the ceiling; I could barely make out the outlines of the dragon. I knew from the dream though that as soon as blood filled the metal container that the lines making up the dragon would turn silver.
The rest of the room was strangely empty, I would have felt better already if something would just attack us and get it over with. I kept expecting something to leap out at us and it was getting very nerve wracking when nothing happened.
"Where is the passage you emerged from in your dreams" Naru's voice cut across the silence of the room.
"At the base of the stairs" I pointed out the small passageway.
One last glance at the empty room and I followed Naru and the others across the expanse. Behind us stood rows and rows of chairs where the family sat and viewed the sacrifice. We had almost made it to the door, was almost home free when all hell broke loose. A loud ear-shattering roar caused me to spin around and see what had caused it. The huge dragon statue that had been previously laying on the elaborately set up stage stood up and shook out its body.
It flapped its wings a few times before roaring its challenge again, I felt a pair of hands shove me forwards, and realized Naru was trying to get me to move. I turned and noticed the others were already making their way across the floor to the side passageway. Naru, Lin and I where the last ones to move, Naru waiting on me and Lin on Naru. The dragon gave one finial roar, before gout of fire cut across the expanse of ground blocking the route, causing everyone to stop abruptly in their tracks.
With a gigantic leap, it fluttered its wings and landed in the diminishing flames. Now instead of fire we had a two-ton beast blocking the tunnel. The dragon's massive tail rammed the wall causing a cascade of stones to rain down blocking our exit we were now trapped. Bou-san, Ayako and John backed up to us, away from the wall and the dragon.
"If only you would have left the girl you would have lived. Now you all must DIE"the dragon punctured the last word with another roar.
"One by one just like I promised, there is no hope for you now" slowly it advanced forwards, its large beady eyes locking on Naru.
"Starting with you" it lunged forwards at the same time as Lin-san's shikki collided with the dragon's maw, as Naru hastily backed up.
The dragon roared in frustration, backing up a step before lunging again, only to be met with another ball of bright light. Angrily it spit out more fire causing all of us to scatter out of the way. Lin's shikki still circled the beast looking for an opening to attack. Naru stood still as he looked up at the dragon, the air beginning to grow a faint light around him. All of a sudden, Bou-san came up beside him and shoved him to break his concentration.
"You can't do that again, you can barely stand as it is."
Naru looked like he was about to say something but was interrupted as he had to dodge the dragons whip like tail.
Ayako and John were at the back of the cavern. They stayed as far away from the dragon as they could get not wanting to attract the dragons's attention to themselves as they moved the rubble out of the tunnels way so we could escape. They had managed to get behind the dragon while its attention was focused on Naru, Lin, and Bou-san. I was left standing alone, the dragon not wanting to harm me just teach me a lesson. I sank to my knees; if Naru and everyone else would of just stayed away none of this would have happened.
The dragon reared up on its hind legs coming down with a thunderous smash causing more rubble to come down from the ceiling as it tried to stomp Naru and the others out of existence. We could not keep this up much longer the near misses were increasing in number and getting more daring.
"You will not win!" the dragon hissed, swiping its tail the extra appendage barely missing Bou-san as he threw himself to the ground to avoid it.
"This is enough, Takigawa-san, Lin back off" Naru ordered.
"You can't do that Naru, it would be dangerous." Lin exclaimed.
"I have no choice" he spat back. Then walked away from them, approaching the dragon, his body began to glow white as he gathered his kei once again. The air around him began to distort, as the energy got higher and higher.
"What is this, this power, no one can control this much power. You must die, DIE!" the dragon roared spitting out fire at the approaching Naru.
"NARU!" I screamed coming to my feet worried when he did not dodge the oncoming flame, but stood firm.
The flame reached him, but instead of consuming him as I had thought it was, it was turned to the side by the shear amount of energy radiating off of him. There was a blinding flash of golden light as Naru fired the collected energy at the dragon. A huge explosion detonated in the room. The dragon gave a pained roar its wooden skin catching ablaze and splintering due to the sear amount of energy running through it. Rocks rained thickly from the ceiling as the whole room shook causing everyone to stumble as they struggled to keep their footing.
As the light disappeared there was nothing left of the dragon but a blackened creator where it once stood, all around us rocks continued to fall. To me it seemed like everything was happening in slow motion.
"There's going to be a cave in we need to get out of here" Bou-san exclaimed.
"The tunnels still blocked, we need help moving these rocks." Ayako snapped back.
"Naru!" Lin exclaimed as he collapsed to the ground, his body giving out on him finally. A large piece or rock broke away crashing down missing him just barely as Lin scrambled to pull him out of the way of any more harm.
Everyone had gathered by the tunnel trying to move the rocks out of the way so we could get out. It did not look like we were going to make it though. The rocks were coming down thicker, and dust was beginning to cloud the air making it hard to breathe and see.
"Taniyama-san! Taniyama-san!" Lin called, causing my attention to focus on him instead of at the rocks coming down around us.
After seeing that he had got my attention, he spoke again "Can you put up another barrier and keep the rocks off us, I fear the worst if this keeps up, and Naru needs to get out of here"
"I don't know how I did it the last time." I told him, "I just pictured it and it happened."
"Well you better…" whatever he was about to say was lost as another bolder came crashing down towards him, only there would be no dodging it this time.
"Lin-san, Naru, NO!" I threw my hand out as if the simple notion could save them.
The bolder crashed down throwing up dust so thickly that it obscured our vision and made us cough. That one rock seemed to be what was supporting the ceiling because after it fell the whole thing groaned and started to cave downwards, the full force of it coming down to crush us. I flinched closing my eyes waiting for the impact to come and take my life. To take it as it had done Naru's and Lin-sans. Only the awaited impact never happened. The rain of stones coming to a quiet halt, had it already happened? Was I dead?
"Taniyama-san, its okay you can open your eyes now, you did it just in time." An unexpected voice told me.
Warily I opened my eyes, "Lin-san?" I asked seeing him standing there in front of me now, in his arms Naru, both of them unharmed.
"Yes, you did it Taniyama-san you created a barrier just in time" he said, causing me to look up.
A light sheen of multi colored-light blanked a small-enclosed area that Lin, Naru, Bou-san, John, Ayako, and I were standing in. Above the light the rocks that had been previously raining down on us stopped. Instead, they were piled neatly around the light, it giving them the support they needed not to collapse in on us. It was almost as if we were inside a giant bubble, looking out.
I sank down onto to the ground in shock, I had done this. I had somehow created a barrier to save us. The last thing I remembered thinking was that I did not want Naru to die, and somehow I had done this. Now I had done it once before, but that had been different, Naru had coached me through it, this one I had managed to do on my own, although I had no idea how I had managed it.
The other one was to push out spiritual influence; I did not know I could do one that would work against inanimate objects as well. Apparently, I could though.
"Taniyama-san?" Lin-sans voice broke my train of thought.
"I'm okay, just surprised" I answered back weakly, "How's Naru?"
"He is breathing, but his pulse is low, I fear for him if we cannot get out of here soon."
I sighed in relief, and looked around at the others looking back at me and then up to the rocks piled above us then me again. I could tell they were just as shocked as I was.
Now that I was done admiring the shield, barrier thing I had managed to create, I began to feel the energy needed to create something that big drain the energy from my body.
"I really don't know how long I can hold this, I wasn't even sure I could do this" I spoke aloud, "At least not to this extent. This is different than what I did before, I can feel it."
My voice seemed to snap the others out of their shock and they began to move the rocks away from the tunnel again. I only hoped that the tunnel had remained undamaged. If it was completely blocked, I did not know what we would do.
I could feel the pressure of the rocks pushing down into the barrier, seeking to get in as my energy slowly trickled away. The pressure becoming more noticeable as more time went by, I could hear the others behind me working to clear away the blocked tunnel. Then a exclamation as they shifted the last bolder free to reveal a free tunnel.
"I'll go in and make sure its stable, you guys wait here." Bou-sans voice reached me as I turned to watch him disappear into the tunnels mouth.
The barriers light flickered as we waited for Bou-san to come back, Ayako came over and sat by me.
"How are you holding up Mai?" she asked me.
"Okay I guess, but I am getting really tired. I can feel the rocks pressing down on the barrier, seeking an entrance. I don't think I can hold it for too much longer." I told her, the light that had been so bright earlier had already dimmed some.
"It will be okay, just try to hang in there, as soon as the monk gets back we can leave" she encouraged me.
"Okay" I said and smiled weakly at her, just as Bou-san came back declaring the tunnel to be free of any rocks.
Ayako helped me to my feet allowing me to lean on her as Lin-san went over to pick up Naru who was still unconscious. Together we all hobbled out of collapsed underground chamber and into the tunnel. The further I moved from the barrier the more energy it took to maintain, but I was afraid to let it go before we reached the surface.
Ahead I could barely make out a glimmer of light we were free, we were safe. A distant rumble was heard as the barrier I created gave away and the rocks filled the hollow space that was there.
A Few Days Later
I bet you're glad to be out of there Naru" I teased him as we pulled out of the hospital parking lot. It had been a month since we had escaped the manner. After being admitted by the local hospital, after he collapsed he was finally able to go free. It was a miracle that none of us had been seriously injured, the doctors refused to accept payment for treating us. Rumor has it that we had entered the house and did battle with a demon. We had become legends of sort in this small town. I did not think the hype was going to go away anytime soon.
The area where the manner had stood was now just a giant crater in the ground. The crater encompassed the manners property only, it had expanded no further, the remaining ground remained safe, and secure which was surprising.
The only other in are group to have had to visit the hospital was me. I had collapsed after I let the barrier go and had remained unconscious for a day. They had admitted me but I was soon released.
I was just happy we were finally going home and could leave this case behind us.
I was startled out of my thoughts when a small box was placed in my lap. When I looked up and Naru questioningly he merely raised an eyebrow and I opened the box. Inside it a small thin cell phone laid.
"You had said you were forced to break your old one, and I can't having you run around without one, or I might never be able to contact you" he said as an explanation.
"I already programmed the office number, as well as everyone else's in there for you." When he was done, he turned and looked out the window leaving me looking at the box and then him.
Had Naru just given me a gift?
-Case Closed-
Authors Note Continued:
So what did you all think of the conclusion was it good enough for you, did you all like it. I hope I was able to do a good enough job to satisfy everyone. I have another great case in the workings and on the way; you can see a summary of it at the bottom. Let me know what you think and don't forget to vote about the contest do you want another one, yes, or no. Until I see you again.
Summary: A strange occurrence is happening to a local piece of Tokyo real estate. This beautiful property is in the middle of Japan's most unsolved deaths mysteries. There are no gas leaks, no biohazards or chemical radiation. Nothing out of the ordinary showed up and all the tests ran came back clean. Yet every single family that has moved into the house in the last forty years has had at least one family member die. What makes this case so unusual that all deaths were young children or in rare cases younger adults. Each family reported strange happenings and uncertain claims that are out of the ordinary. Claims that have doctors baffled and physiatrists scratching their heads at the stories they heard. This had made it next to impossible to rent out or sale the house. Desperate to fix the problem so he can sale the house Aomori, Hachirou approaches SPR for help. The Ghost Hunt Continues.
-Serena122189