The book remained fixated beneath his troubled gaze, his hands still trembling as he clung to the hardback. Kagome had lost her life in the Warring States Era, by the hands of a terrifying demon, and somehow or other, her struggles were recorded in this book, along with several hundred other well-known priests and priestesses; it was more than simply a folktale like Hitomi assumed; it was genuine.

But even as he made his way quietly toward the front desk where the head librarian sat patiently, sheets of parchment with fanciful handwriting and a pile of tomes stacked neatly beside her, he could not find peace of mind. It was mind blowing, and he suddenly felt helpless. After all these months, he found information about his sister, but it was almost too much to comprehend.

During the wait, while the librarian jotted down the books he planned to borrow, he took his time to fill out his name on each of the name cards before inserting them into the slips in the back of each book. Hitomi had excused herself to use the restroom near the entryway of the library, and so he was left with his scrambled thoughts.

I knew I shouldn't have let Kagome go back there. Now what will I do? How do I bring this up to mom and gramps without worrying them?

"Thank you for your patience. You have a nice day," The older woman exclaimed, handing him his books, which were neatly stacked within a large cloth sack.

Nodding absentmindedly, he took the sack in his hand and turned from the desk. He furrowed his brow, his gaze drifting toward the inside of the sack, and he spotted the book lying innocently atop the pile. 'If this really was the Warring States Era that she was sent to, then why doesn't history ever mention demons? Were they somehow wiped from existence?' The Warring States Era happened around five hundred years ago, and if there were demons, then he found it incredibly impossible that such a nightmare would no longer exist today. 'It makes little sense…'

While lost in thought and trying to plan some kind of sense out of all of this, he unexpectedly bumped into someone, and the result caused him to stumble back and drop his bag.

"My apologies," A masculine voice fell upon his ears. "Let me help you."

"No, it was my fault. I should have watched where I was going," Souta quickly replied, bending down to assist the stranger with his books, which had unceremoniously fallen out of the bag. But as he reached for them, he paused at the sight of the person kneeled before him. Whoa…

The person was a tall man, probably somewhere near his early twenties, dressed in a white button-down shirt with an open beige overcoat which fell just below his knees, revealing faded blue jeans beneath. Polished brown dress shoes adorned his feet, and while he found himself distracted by his fashionable attire, Souta found he was helplessly immersed in the man's pretty face.

The most prominent feature, however, was not just his emerald green eyes, but his long silky red tresses, an earthly shade falling in waves past his shoulders. Coupled with alabaster skin, he was gorgeous, and his refined features certainly told Souta he was someone of importance. Never in his life had he ever seen such a beautiful man, even his lashes were long and his brows perfectly groomed. Were he anyone else, someone might mistake this guy for a beautiful woman.

As he reached for the book titled Legendary Priests and Priestesses, Souta noticed the young man pause absentmindedly on a couple books in his hands, his gaze sweeping over the covers with curious recognition. Souta wondered if the stranger was judging his poor taste, but it was difficult to discern his cool indifference.

"Japanese Inn… This is quite an informative read," The stranger's smooth voice suddenly replied. "I do recall reading this a few years ago," He explained, handing it back to Souta, before arching a delicate scarlet brow at another in his possession. "The Book of Yōkai: Mysterious Creatures of Japanese Folklore…" He trailed off.

Swallowing nervously, Souta only nodded, but while he was bent over retrieving the last of his books, shoving them into his bag quickly, he noticed the young man's curious eyes glance at each of the titles, especially those within his open bag. "Uh, yeah. I was just doing some research," He exclaimed, though he wasn't sure why he felt so nervous.

"An upcoming project, I presume?"

Souta nodded. "Something like that…" Relieved there were no further questions regarding his interesting selection, the young man returned the last book to him, and he regained his standing, bowing his head appreciatively for his help.

"Again, I apologize, Higurashi. I admit, I was lost in thought just as you," He smiled warmly, suddenly extending his hand toward him.

That definitely did not slip past his notice, and he struck the man with a hard stare, one which he returned just as coolly. How did this person know his name? Whoever he was, Souta tried to decipher whether they'd met before, but he was sure he'd remember someone so beautiful. Was it possible he was a friend of the family? One of Kagome's friends from school? "How… do you know my name?"

The very question elicited a smile and a lift of his brow, as though he found his response amusing. "Oh, have you already forgotten?" He asked, somewhat teasingly.

Souta's face flushed. No, he was pretty sure he didn't forget, but he was honestly confused. "I'm normally good with faces," He admitted, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. Unless this guy was some kind of stalker. How did he know his name?

This only spurred a chuckle from the redhead. "As am I, but I'm afraid this is our first encounter," He exclaimed, holding up his hand to reveal a familiar card, as well as a familiar signature written upon the first line. "It slipped out moments ago. It would be a shame if you'd lost it."

Realization overcame Souta suddenly, his cheeks darkening. Well, it was no wonder he knew his name. Sheesh, he was such a dork, but the redhead only smiled in response. Quickly murmuring a thanks, he retrieved the card from his extended hand and dropped it into his bag. Again, he lowered his head appreciatively.

Realizing Hitomi would return shortly, Souta turned away, but before he could walk past him to wait by the girl's restroom, the man's smooth voice stopped him.

"If you don't mind me asking, I find your fascination with Yōkai folklore interesting…"

Bewildered by the unexpected response, Souta turned halfway, his gaze noticing a peculiar stare which fixated upon him, eyelids lowered but a polite facade. Still, he found it odd that this stranger would find interest in such readings, unless, of course, he held some type of fascination just the same. "Oh, well… does it seem strange?" He cautiously asked, but he was rewarded with a polite smile.

"Not at all. A simple observation, though I'm curious to know where such curiosity stems."

Would it be strange to reveal his thoughts to a complete stranger? Or was it possible he had some kind of ulterior motive? Souta's aqua gaze scanned his surroundings warily, but there were no other people in the vicinity, none beside the librarian a short distance away seated at her desk, her attention immersed in a large tome. Then again, this stranger didn't appear creepy, so what was the harm in a quick conversation? "I guess… from my gramps," He began somewhat awkwardly, shifting from one foot to another. "I know demons don't really exist, but I guess hearing some stories surrounding them caught my interest," He explained, not unaware of the slight lift in the man's brow.

"And what sort of stories have you heard?"

Souta pondered. In all honesty, few, hence the reason for his visit this late afternoon. Then again, gramps never failed to bring up his various interestingly detailed conversations surrounding why their family owned antique fossilized water imp hands and old samurai swords with old scrolls stored in their old wellhouse; why those were there, Souta had no clue. As he recalled, gramps would clean the wellhouse today.

"Forgive me. Perhaps I am being too forward. I'm sure you're busy."

Snapping out of his reverie, he only shook his head. "No. It's fine. I'm waiting for a friend," He quickly explained. And yet, as he awkwardly continued standing there, scratching his cheek, a sudden thought surfaced, something even his own curiosity could not fathom. "Actually… have you ever heard of magical trees?"

Alright, it was a stupid question, and he felt his face redden seconds after murmuring it. If his friends from school had heard him ask that, they'd immediately laugh or question whether he was doing some type of drug, not to mention he'd become the laughingstock at school. Souta almost face palmed, and expecting the stranger to ridicule him or even turn away at the ludicrous inquiry, he was surprised when the man held a stoic countenance, his expression thoughtful and possibly even interested. Souta couldn't really read his expression. Well, it was too late to take back those words now.

"Magical trees?" His smooth voice eloquently inquired, a simple tilt of his head at the mere thought. "Well, I must admit, this is the first I've heard of such. Why don't you enlighten me?"

Relieved he was neither laughing nor turning away from him, Souta almost sighed in relief. Now that he thought about it, who else could he open up to about this subject? Definitely not his friends, especially Hitomi, since she found it inane. As for his family, they were just as confused about the matter. "Well, it's something I recently learned about," He began slowly. "through gramp's stories," He quickly added for good measure. "Let's say, this tree can pull someone through it and into a different time period where demons exist. Why do you think that would be?"

A sudden pause fell between them, the man's stare calculating and stern; from Souta's point of view, he seemed conflicted with his slightly detailed response, as though he were trying to piece together the mystery of this uncertain tale. Souta's cheeks reddened further the longer he stood there, rocking back and forth on his heels, and he almost sighed. Honestly, it sounded more like something from a manga or even a television show, more or less from a game; how on earth could anyone take it seriously?

"Well, it could be several things," The man in question suddenly replied, much to his surprise. "Perhaps the tree is a demon in disguise with the ability to produce hallucinations, of course it would not fare well for the victim under any means. Or it could be the tree itself may be infused with spiritual powers, though I can't help but find its use as a portal illogical without some other connections."

Souta blinked. This person, within a few seconds, had planned an unexpected response, especially one he hadn't considered, and also offered a detailed description he only found more baffling. Could the Goshinboku really be a demon in disguise? Or was it infused with spiritual power? Both seemed even more baffling, then again, since gramps once used his staff to quell the evil surrounding the tree that time to bring Kagome back to them, maybe it wasn't completely impossible; then again, that plan only worked half way. "What if it wasn't either of those?"

A delicate scarlet brow rose. "Was there more to the story?"

Souta mused once more, trying to understand this complicated theory, but the further he tried to rack his brain for answers, the more he felt a slight ache throb, and he sighed. "Honestly, no. I just don't understand how it can conjure a portal; it was never explained, and how can demons exist? On the surface, it seems like an ordinary tree, even though it's been around for a thousand years…"

"Perhaps there is no answer, try as you might to decipher its origins," He explained. "Though, I find this story rather interesting. Judging by your thoughtfulness, I presume this is more than just a tale and that you've seen this tree in person."

Immediately sweat dropping, Souta realized the cat was now out of the bag. Well, it was no surprise either, especially considering his face was an open book. Even to a normal person, this entire thought process would seem insane, but this guy was different; rather than call him an outright idiot for believing such nonsense, he was taking in every word with a calm demeanor.

"Well… sort of," He sighed, weakly laughing as he scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "We have an old tree on my family's shrine. I was hoping to find some information about it, hence the reason for all these books. I guess I must sound crazy…"

"Then it is indeed the very tree we speak of…" He began slowly, crossing his arms before lifting his chin thoughtfully. "Tell me, Higurashi, could you possibly possess spiritual awareness?"

"Spiritual awareness?"

He nodded. "There are many questionable circumstances which the human mind can encounter, but only a few possess the ability to distinguish the truth. Let's say, for example, you encounter a manifestation of energy or some form which does not take human shape, one which others cannot see, but you encounter its every detail, like strokes from an old period painting," He expressed. "And so, as you mentioned before, you noticed an unusual energy surrounding that very tree, one which can, strange enough, conjure a portal to an era where demons live. Correct?"

Souta's eyes widened further. "Yes!" At least it was something like that! Could it be possible his entire family had spiritual awareness? Could it be possible this person could also see the unknown? "Then, what would you do if someone you knew was pulled into that world?"

The moment he asked this question, something sparked in this man's gaze. Deep forest orbs narrowed at the mere inquiry, as though the thought immediately disturbed him, and Souta fell silent, confused by his expression; it was unreadable. Surely someone who was familiar with spiritual awareness might offer a closure, right?

Just then, something bumped into him, a sudden tap upon his shoulder by a small ivory hand, and turning his gaze away from the man, Souta noticed the sight of Hitomi standing beside him, smiling from ear to ear. "Hitomi…"

"Sorry for the wait," She apologized, but when her gaze met the individual standing before her and Souta, she cocked her head to the side, her arm suddenly locked around Souta's arm. There was a slight blush which spread across her cheeks, her dark orbs sparkling in awe. "Is he a friend?" She asked timidly.

Before he could explain, the red-headed stranger simply smiled, his once serious demeanor forgotten and replaced with a gentleness that surprised Souta; he was quick to change his emotions. "We've only just acquainted ourselves. Forgive me for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Minamino Shuichi."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Minamino. My name is Hitomi."

Without batting a lash, his forest gaze swept across Souta's face once again. "Higurashi and I were just discussing an interesting subject surrounding Yōkai mythology."

"That doesn't surprise me," She suddenly replied, and Souta couldn't help but laugh weakly in response. "He's recently taken up the interest; I guess his grandpa's hobbies are rubbing off on him," She teased, giggling at his flushed expression.

"Hitomi…" He sighed. "It's more than that."

Again, she giggled. "We actually came to check out the museum since Souta mentioned he wanted to learn more about his family's ancestry and what life was like back then; according to his grandpa, their line extends as far back as the Warring States Era."

"I'm not sure how our ancestors survived, especially during all those wars, but it was fascinating, I'll admit. The library offered a tiny selection surrounding the era, but it wasn't exactly what I was looking for."

Hitomi mused. "At least those books will keep you occupied in the meantime."

A sudden realization overcame him. Wait a minute, their visit to The National Museum wasn't a complete waste of time. After all, they stumbled upon an unexpected find and right in the open as well. "Oh, that's right! What about that one book we found? The one titled Legendary Priests and Priestesses?"

"I'm not sure that one really qualifies, Souta. It seemed like nothing more than a folk story…" Hitomi expressed with disappointment. On account of Minamino's confusion, Hitomi turned to him, smiling. "Apparently Souta's family name is mentioned in the book, and that his grandpa is a descendant of a line of priests, it's even more surprising. But the woman mentioned in the short narrative was never given a name, besides the title, Higurashi Priestess."

"Higurashi Priestess?" Shuichi asked curiously. "The title of the book sounds familiar. Do you have it with you?"

Souta nodded. "Yeah. Give me a second…"

"So, Minamino, are you into history as well? You seem like the type who could read a book with its cover closed."

He only chuckled in response. "If I'm completely honest, my knowledge is quite lacking with the aforementioned, though I also find the feudal times an interesting subject of study. My interest lies more in biology and science."

"Biology? Could you also be a plant enthusiast?" Hitomi's eyes practically sparkled.

"I was in charge of the Botany Club at Meiou a couple of years back, and the greenhouse at the time flourished with life. We not only raised flowers but also herbs and spices and the occasional vegetation," He explained thoughtfully.

"Meiou? As in the prestigious Meiou High?"

He nodded. "Yes."

Despite retrieving the book from his sack, the book remained stationary in his grasp as he sweat dropped at his girlfriend's excitement surrounding hers and Minamino's unexpected interests; to shift her weight away from him and stare at him with the biggest eyes imaginable, then it was surely the fact that he once attended an elite high school which only geniuses excelled. If that was the case, he was probably in college by now.

"Here's the page," Souta exclaimed, offering the book toward Minamino, who took it with gentle ease, his forest eyes immediately following every intricate detail of the image and the text beneath it.

But Minamino did something he did not expect; while he kept one slender finger positioned against the page, he turned the book over so it's back faced him, his eyes glancing upon the text on the back. "Well, you'll be happy to know this isn't simply a made-up piece of fiction, Higurashi."

His eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets. "Really?"

"It reads clearly that the names and stories mentioned revolve around historic figures of the past," He began, turning the book over and flipping its binding open once more to the page. "And if you look closely at the drawn image, you'll notice a date in which it was drawn," He pointed.

Leaning close to inspect the image, both he and Hitomi noticed an arrangement of characters at the very upper right side of the painting, its signature read from top to bottom in a vertical line. Kosuke, 1493. "So, it's real?"

Hitomi seemed just as impressed. "That's surprising. Well, if that's the case, then this girl must be your ancestor, Souta!"

It was just as he suspected, but that someone older had affirmed his suspicions regarding its authenticity, not to mention their earlier conversation surrounding spiritual awareness, he knew this couldn't be coincidence. It was more than just a tale, and his sister was the very woman depicted in the book, and by the hands of a terrifying demon, she'd been killed.

"So, it wasn't a complete loss after all!" She exclaimed elatedly. "I'm sure your gramps will be eager to see it when you get home. Just make sure he doesn't stow it away in the wellhouse with everything else," She teased.

At this, Souta only sweat dropped. "In that case, I will keep it in my room," He weakly laughed.

Just then, he noticed the figure of a woman running toward them, her arm extended high above her head as though she were trying to catch someone's attention. Similar to Minamino, she was also quite a sight, her hair an unusual shade of light blue, held back in a high ponytail, a fair and slim complexion; and unlike Minamino, she was dressed in comfortable clothing; high-waisted fitted jeans and a long-sleeved pink sweater adorned her slim figure, her coat folded neatly in her arm during her brisk run.

"Shuichi, there you are! I've been searching all over for you," She expressed somewhat out of breath. "The communicator's been acting up since your last mission, no thanks to Kuwabara dropping it in the poison trap. Your mother told me you would visit the museum and thank goodness I found you. Listen, Koenma has an important assignment for you, Yusuke and Kuwabara."

Minamino, who had all but turned the moment he heard his name called, mused at this information. "I noticed it was acting up as of late. What about Hiei? Will he not be joining us?"

Botan's mouth formed a disappointed pout, her hands planted firmly on her waist. "No surprise he's been avoiding us since the last mission. For all we know, he's probably taken a trip back to Demon World and—" She suddenly fell silent, as though she'd realized she and Minamino were not alone in their conversation, and her amethyst gaze widened alarmingly, her mouth curving into an almost hysteric weak grin when she noticed him and Hitomi standing there. "Oh Shuichi, I didn't realize you had company. Friends, I assume?"

"Actually, we've only briefly acquainted ourselves," He expressed, sweat dropping just the same. "This is Higurashi and Hitomi."

At this, a pleasant smile graced the young woman's countenance, and she bent forward with her hands upon her knees. "Acquaintances or not, it's nice to meet you. My name's Botan," She greeted kindly. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say the two of you were on a date," She teased.

The very mentioning caused his ears to turn red, and he felt Hitomi lean in closer against him, her arm still glued around his. "Uh, well…"

"Well, it's no secret," Hitomi expressed. "There's nothing to be embarrassed about, Souta."

An amused chuckle escaped her already broadening grin, her expression transforming into a catlike appearance. "Aw, well, that's right. In fact, it's perfectly natural, and you two are so young," She cooed.

"Are you and Minamino dating?" Hitomi suddenly asked.

On account of her curious inquiry, both Minamino and Botan blushed, each sweat dropping nervously, and while he could only scratch his cheek, Botan on the hand merely laughed as though Hitomi had told a hysterical joke.

"Oh no, we're merely friends!" She explained, though her blush only continued painting her cheeks a darker crimson. "Actually, I'm still single, as sad as that is to admit," The last part she murmured with a wave of her hand.

"But you're so beautiful," Hitomi complimented, boasting the woman's ego unknowingly, Botan's smile widening even further. "Surely you must have guys lined up to ask you out."

"That's very sweet of you to say! But while it would be nice to have some girly talk, I'm afraid I must steal Minamino away. It is rather urgent," She apologized, clasping her hands together before turning her gaze to him expectantly.

As Minamino handed him the book, Souta couldn't help but notice their silent exchange through hushed whispers, a conversation they did not want overheard by others, apparently. Still, something bothered him moments after the blue-haired woman bounded over to them; she had mentioned Demon World, and it had slipped off her tongue so naturally, even he believed in its existence the moment it was uttered, and thus, his suspicion surrounding Minamino only heightened. Hitomi seemed unaffected by the conversation, as though she hadn't heard it as clearly as he had.

"Well then, Higurashi, Hitomi, I apologize for taking up your time. If you'll excuse us," Minamino exclaimed with a nod of his head, turning to leave with the woman, who smiled and waved politely back in their direction.

As soon as the couple had exited the library doors and disappeared into the throng of families within the museum, Souta's eyes returned to the book in his hand before shoving it into the cloth sack at his side. What kind of conversation was that? That woman mentioned something about an assignment or mission and something about Demon World. And just then, as he and Hitomi were making their way through the crowd, a sudden thought resurfaced. The Goshinboku Tree. It opened up a portal to an era with demons. Could it have some relation to this Demon World? Whether they were parallel, one thing was certain; he needed answers.

Despite Hitomi's initial confusion about why she would board the bus alone, Souta had otherwise convinced her he had forgotten something important back at the library; that alone was enough to sway the young girl since she asked nothing more, only with the promise he would call her later that evening. And soon, the bus had left through the busy streets, and as soon as it vanished from sight around the corner, Souta didn't waste any time chasing after Minamino and Botan.

Thankfully, the sidewalks were salted and with no fear of slipping, Souta hurried as fast as his legs could carry him, but as he had hoped to call out to them, they had suddenly crossed the street, their strides much faster than his own. Unfortunately, because of oncoming traffic, he had no other choice but to stop, his hands rested upon his knees as he sought to catch his breath. In the distance, their forms became smaller and smaller, and it was clear by their intended destination they were headed toward the park.

As soon as he saw his opportunity, he sprinted across the street, past the local gym, before arriving at an empty sidewalk, one which led into the open park ahead. Not surprising there were very few pedestrians in the area, one walking a little further away near the cluster of barren trees, and a mother and her two children seated on a faraway bench. While he searched the premises, stepping deeper into the park, he was sure he'd seen the couple travel this way, and to his disappointment, he sighed.

But just as he was about to give up and try to catch the next bus, he paused, his blue eyes suddenly noticing a familiar red head and his blue-haired companion a short distance away, their forms concealed behind a large hedge and some shrubbery. As he quietly crept the remaining distance, careful of the snow crunching with every step, he paused just behind the hedge, peeking through the multiple leaves.

As though she feared someone may eavesdrop, Botan searched her surroundings, and after a moment of careful consideration, she breathed a sigh of relief, her attention shifting back to Minamino. At first, Souta wasn't sure what to expect, but judging by the situation, he almost assumed the two would start making out, despite their initial embarrassment earlier when Hitomi had questioned their relationship.

From her pocket, she withdrew a strange device, round in its shape and nearly the size of her palm, if not larger; its color was a bright lavender, and as Souta squinted his eyes to get a better view of it, he found it was difficult with his limited vision, but he was certain he noticed a flowery design decorating its edges. What is that?

"What is this?" He asked curiously, examining the object in his hand.

"We've been developing this for a little over a year now. It's called the S.D.F. Pocket Rune. As its name implies, it was developed by Spirit World's Special Defense Force and has been infused with their spirit energy, though that power is rather limited. This is something which can act as a temporary relief in difficult situations should any arise."

"I see Koenma wasted no time concealing its appearance to bypass human scrutiny…"

"Actually, the details were my idea," She exclaimed elatedly. "While it looks nothing more than a simple compact mirror, similar to our communicators, it's actually far more than it appears. Look inside."

With a simple click of the pink button near its center, the device opened, and true to the woman's words, Souta noticed it appeared like nothing more than a girly mirror. S.D.F Pocket Rune? Spirit World? Who exactly were these people?

"Much like the communicator, there is also a screen, but its purpose relies heavily upon the buttons beneath this replica powderpuff. If you just turn it over, then you can set the timer. The spirit energy infused will only react once you've turned this dial here," She pointed beside the fake mirror. "Depending on how long the rune has been set for, give or take ten minutes or more, that's how much spirit energy will conjure a portal."

"Portal?"

"That's right. It can open a pathway from any location desired, such as Human World, Spirit World and even Demon World. And not only that, but it can also dispel even the most difficult of barriers, but, as I mentioned before, its use is limited. I'm afraid after so many uses, we'll have no choice but to take it back to Spirit World to recharge its Spirit Energy…"

"It seems more practical than I imagined."

"For the time being, until the rest of the Runes have passed Spirit World's approval, I'll hand this off to you. Unfortunately, I'm needed back at Koenma's office, so I can't offer a more thorough explanation, but soon enough, I'll guide each of you through the process. Now then, if you would be a dear, could you give this to Yusuke when you get a chance?"

"Certainly."

"As for the communicators, we're currently working on a new model, one which is more efficient in its use with added features," She exclaimed. "Before I leave, you wouldn't have it on you by chance? I figure I can take it back with me since it's no longer needed."

After Minamino retrieved, the said device from the hidden pocket within his overcoat, he soon handed it over to Botan, but just as he concealed the portal device into the same pocket, Souta suddenly went rigid, his eyes widening when he caught Minamino's forest green orbs staring back in his direction. It wasn't possible he could see him behind the giant hedge, could he?

"Is something wrong?" Botan inquired.

"It would appear someone's been eavesdropping," His once gentle voice became cold, his eyes not once straying.

The very reply caused the woman to gasp audibly, her body turning away from Minamino, her own amethyst orbs scanning the hedge suspiciously. "I've already said too much…" She exclaimed, a slight panic in her voice. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

Realizing they'd notice him the moment they rounded the shrubbery, Souta held his breath, suddenly stepping away for fear of being caught. Then again, if he suddenly took off running, then that would look way worse in comparison. Besides, what was the harm in overhearing their conversation, anyway? They were at the park, so any passerby would have ended up in his situation, right? If they were trying to be secretive, they did a pretty poor job at it.

Still, he felt incredibly nervous, his legs trembling at the mere experience. Releasing a deep breath, he was about to step around the shrubbery, but before he could reveal himself, an unexpected gust of wind stopped him in his tracks, the likes of which caused him to fall back in surprise. From left to right, above and below, the winds whipped almost violently against him, and unable to see anything in the sporadic attack, he covered his face.

And then, just as quickly as it had come, it vanished; it was as if it had never happened. From his place on the snow-covered ground, Souta quickly regained his standing, and mustering up his courage, he revealed himself to Minamino and Botan, but he paused, blinking at the space before him. They were gone.

"What the? Where did they go?"

As he searched the ground, intending to use their tracks to continue after them, he found there was nothing besides the ones leading into the park, and they ended right in front of him. How was that possible? It was as if they had vanished. Whoever they were, they weren't ordinary by any means.

They mentioned that device could open a portal to Spirit World, Human World and even… Demon World. Then it's just as I expected. Maybe that device could somehow bring Kagome back…

But now Souta faced a dilemma; those people were gone and with them, so was the strange portal device. If he had only revealed himself moments before that gust of wind had thrown him off balance, then he might have explained his situation and hopefully gain their trust. For all he knew, they were likely the answer to all his questions and possibly the source to bringing his sister back safely.