glow-of-amber

[glow-of-amber]

Between bullets and tarot cards | Glow of amber [4]

Word count: 1020 Chapters: [1],[2],[3],[4] Original characters: Gabe, Rin

@moonbunniesart here

This little chapter is based on a short story I wrote quite a while ago and had honestly already forgotten about, so special thanks to my bestie @whispering-radiance for reminding me and suggesting that it would make a good chapter

So without much further ado, I hope you guys enjoy <3

After Frank and the kids left, Rin and Gabe made their way to their own car as well. Gabe was just about to open the door of the driver side, when Rin reached for the handle instead. She had a stern look on her face.

“I think it´s better if I drive, sis.”

“Why do you always act like I’m the worst driver? Dad is so much worse!” Gabe protested, crossing her arms. Rin made no sign to budge, but simply opened the door and sat down behind the wheel.

“Because you almost hit a deer on the way here and it wasn’t even on the road. Poor thing was just grassing by the side of the road and now it’s traumatized.” Gabe let out a long sigh, she gave up and sat down in the passenger seat. She put on her seatbelt on while mumbling.

“That’s the thanks I get for getting rid of that weird guy in your shop?”

“Well— I didn’t ask you to do so, and besides, wasn’t he on your hit list anyways? How long was he escaping death for?” She swiftly pulled out of the parking lot and drove onto the empty road, which was surrounded by a dense forest. For a split second, her gaze wandered to her sister, who was fumbling with the radio—trying her best to get it to work.

Just two hours ago, Rin was still busy working in her small shop— reorganizing the big oak shelf right behind the counter. She stood on a small ladder with many scrolls in her left arm and a feather–duster in her right hand. Suddenly, the doorbell rang, informing her of a customer. Rin glanced over her shoulder as she was greeted by a familiar face. Her sister made her way up to the counter, looking rather out of breath.

“Sis, I need a favor. In a few minutes, a guy will walk in here. You need to keep him occupied so that I can sneak up to him and then –pow…!“ She made a finger-gun motion with her hand. “The guy´s been escaping death and my very grasp for a couple of times now, but not today!”

Rin looked annoyed for a moment, not wanting to deal with extra work. Gabe, understanding the look her sister had on her face, offered to take her out for a milkshake and some food in a diner nearby. After working for the whole day, Rin definitely could go for a bite to eat. She let out a long sigh before agreeing and telling her sister to go hide in the back.

Just minutes later a sketchy, and nervous looking, guy entered the shop. He looked around as if to make sure he wasn’t followed. When he spotted Rin, he made his way quickly over to the her, leaning in very closely.

“Are you the girl that reads peoples fortune? I heard you have a hundred percent accuracy quote. Can you give me a fast reading and after that, perhaps, your number as well?” He winked after saying the last part, making Rin wanna smack him in the face—but she kept her composure—leading him into a small room in the back. The room was dimly lit. Standing in the middle, there was a small table with two chairs and a tarot deck on top of it. Ancient looking paintings hung on the wall and on another door, which was closed. Rin sat down at the table— her back facing door— strange man joined her inside without hesitation. She began shuffling her deck, while the man did nothing but stared weirdly at her.

“How about after this, I’ll take you on a date, little miss?” He had a cocky smile on his face.

“I must decline. You see, I already have plans. My sister is back in town and I’d rather spent some time with her. She is very busy working, you know.“ She smiled, overplaying her disgust as she shuffled her deck and spread out the cards.

“She can join us! The more the merrier!” He laughed waiting for an answer, but Rin simply pointed at the cards and then held up three fingers, asking him to draw three. He chose and flipped them around.

The tower, the hanged man and the devil. The guy looked confused, but Rin was quick to explain the cards, barley able to contain her chuckle.

“The tower means you avoided disasters in the past. You’ve ran away from death and have tested your luck quite a lot, getting away with it over and over again. The hanged man means you need to change your perspective on life— not everything is what it seems— there will be a huge change coming. And finally, the devil. This card means that you have to face your demons. There is no point in running anymore!“ She grinned at him.

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?!” He jumped up from his chair. Panic appeared in his eyes as the light began to flicker.

“I have one final card for you…“ She grabbed a card from the spread and turned it around, so the man could see it clearly— one card that everyone fears to draw— Death.

“This card represents your future!”

The light flickered once more. Now, there was someone behind Rin, a girl dressed in old-fashioned cowboy clothes, pointing a riffle at him. A gunshot broke the tense silence and he dropped to the ground.

“Thanks for your help, sis! And a cool trick with your cards. I am starving now! Let’s go get the food I promised you!” She stretched and was already half way out the door, when her sister grabbed her by the scarf, dragging her back and pointing at the dead guy.

“I hope you intend to clean up the mess you’ve made before we leave. I would hate to see that thing leaving a stain on my beautiful, wooden floor.“

Gabe nodded in defeat, making her way to the cleaning supply closet. By now, she already knew where her sister kept that stuff.

This certainly was not the first time she had to clean up something in Rin’s shop.

[glow-of-amber]

Character introduction | Rin and Gabe

Hiii guys, @moonbunniesart here. Today me and @whispering-radiance want to introduce you to two new faces :3

I`ll start with my Oc Rin.

She came to be during a one particularly cold winter night, after a fire at a local temple broke out. The flames consumed everything and everyone that came in their way. Lying between debris and ashes, there was a newborn phoenix, crying and threaten to freeze to death. But luckily, she was found just in time by Frank, who was investigating the matter.

Rin now owns a small, very neatly kept, shop in little Norrisville, selling all kinds of spiritual related things. There is almost nothing that you can’t find in her shop, from inscents, to herbs, all kinds of crystals and stones, trinkets and supplies for spells, and even a special section with books and ritual objects that are centuries old.

Besides that, she also offers tarot readings and lots of advice. If you ask her nicely, she'll even put together a spell for you.

And don’t worry, she of course hides her wings with an invisibility spell when she works or is out in public. She wouldn’t want to give people a heart attack.

Whispering-Radiance here, now It's my turn to talk a little about Gabe:

Found in the rubbles of neighboring village, Gabe was rescued by Frank, she wouldn’t have survived otherwise. It was 19th century when she joined Eiko’s and Frank’s family. She was very lucky for a human— Gabe always acted just before something happened, and luck was always on her side. But all human must meet their end eventually— once she met with death itself again, she challenged it into a duel, first to draw would win. Their match ended in a draw, which meant that Gabe still won to some degree. She was given another chance at life. Once she was remade into a shinigami, she was tasked with searching for runaway souls in the mortal realm.

[glow-of-amber]

And after work, we ate waffles | Glow of Amber [3]

Word count: 1933

Chapters: [1], [2], [3] Original Charcters: Lilly Viceroy, Frank (the Creep), Rin, Gabe Cannon Characters: Randy Cunningham _________________________________

@whispering-radiance here! Since we didn't write what exactly that trio did during and after their fire investigation. I decided to write a small chapter to make some things clear and change the way characters appear-- It was way more chaotic in our original messages. If you're a fan of Frank, good news! This chapter was made for you! I also want to thank @moonbunniesart for giving me a few ideas for this chapter!

Frank made an abrupt turn. The wheels squealed and all the contents of the car fell to the side, including the passengers. But they quickly understood the reason behind this unprecedented move. An old diner– A small building hidden by dense trees looked dingy from a distance. There were one, maybe two, lamp posts keeping the area illuminated. Asphalt had many cracks and bumps that made driving on it difficult. There was also a neon sign above the entrance, but at that moment, none of them could make out what was written on it, as it was turned off.

The driver turned the key and the engine, as well as the sweet melody of tunes from the 80s’ stopped. He turned around, looking more proud than ever. “So, did you enjoy the trip?”

The two kids didn’t have to answer. Only one look was needed to tell that they, in fact, did not enjoy the journey. Despite the car stopping a hot minute ago, Lilly was still clinging to her safety belt. Her eyes were filled with fear. Randy wasn’t doing well either. His hand was holding a handle right above him tighter than he had ever held a sword. 

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic! You've never been in a car before?” Frank laughed, trying to lighten up the mood. “I’m the best driver there is.”

“Right! The best driver that hasn't renewed his license since horse-drawn carriages were banned off the streets!” Randy shouted. “Do you even have a license?!”

“Of course I do!” The old man grabbed his wallet from a small cabinet. “Here–” Randy snatched the document before Frank was even able to show it to him.

“Frank Norisu… Woah! Hey, Hey! This expired thirty years ago!” 

“Give me that! I must have taken the wrong one–”

“Shouldn’t you be more careful about the documents you need with you all the time?” Lilly let go of her seatbelt. “Even if you’re not exactly human, you still have to follow the rules, right?”

“You’re a smart girl– But if you live as long as me, you get to know a few tricks and workarounds to trick the system.” He smiled. “Anyway– You must be hungry. Maybe we didn’t fight the Tengu, but still, witnessing all the destruction must have made your stomach turn.”

“Right… Tengu…” Randy’s confidence faded, and he gave back Frank his ancient license. “I could go for a waffle or two–”

Lilly unbuckled herself and opened the door. She noticed that her friend’s mood shifted suddenly. “Hey, it’s going to be alright– don’t stress about it. We’re all in this together.”

“I know, I know– Just…” He heard the door closing. 

“C’mon boy, overthinking on an empty stomach will only make you feel worse.” 

As they entered the diner, they were hit by the hot air carrying a sweet scent of coffee, deep-fried food, and maple syrup. The insides looked far better than the outside– inviting and cozy. There was even an old jukebox gathering dust in a corner. Randy noticed that one person was forcefully trying to make it work. He shrugged and followed the rest to the table. The seats had definitely seen better days– but the same could not have been said about the table– it was clean and pristine, nothing was sticky, and there were no gums stuck under it. A signed photo of an unknown to Randy actor was decorating the wall next to them. He recalled hearing a rumor that if a restaurant has a ton of photos of “random” people, the food must be amazing. 

“How did you even know the diner was there?” Lilly asked, not looking away from her phone. “It’s not on the maps…”

“Really? Well– you can’t trust technology with everything. This is a good place! I took Eiko here all the time in the 90s’...” Frank gave kids cards with the menu on them. “You won’t find better food in the entire Norrisville, trust me.”

“A jumbo waffle tower with ice cream on top? Eggs-quisite plate? All-in sandwich? This place is awesome! Howard would have totally loved it!” Randy opened his phone. “Shucks… I think he’s mad at me for leaving our summer celebration to do ninja business… I did tell him that summer break is more important than ninja work– but how was I supposed to predict that the Tengu will break free!?”

They heard a loud kick and suddenly a “Wanderer” by Dion started playing, followed by an energetic “I told you this would work!”. Frank raised his eyebrow and turned around. “Kids, I’m gonna be back in a minute.”

“Randy– I’m sure he's not angry at you… He’s probably just mad that you need to work.” 

“Howard gets extremely annoyed when things don’t go as planned…– Well… maybe at least he’ll be happy when he hears that that bird demon didn’t decide to possess him again.”

“Yeah, that’s good! Sprinkle in a little bit of good news!

The waitress came to their table, but Frank was still nowhere to be found. They all ordered what seemed reasonable and asked for a cup of coffee on Frank’s behalf. 

“You come here this instance! Haven’t seen you home in months, and the first thing I see is you acting all hillbilly in my favorite diner!” A loud, angry scream filled the diner. Everyone stopped in their tracks to see what was going on. With embarrassment written on his face, Frank was walking back to his table, dragging a young-looking woman by her ear. She had brown, short hair that were slightly curly. Her face had a lot of freckles– but her outfit was the thing that stood out the most– she looked as if she had just escaped from a cowboy convention. 

“Dad! Look! I’m happy to see you, too– you don’t have to do this!” She seemed quite embarrassed herself. “I’m no hillbilly– I knew what I was doing!”

“Umm… excuse me– what are you doing… exactly?” Randy stared at them in confusion.

Frank let out a tired sigh and sat down. “I heard a familiar voice doing something utterly irresponsible!” 

The woman waved happily at them. “Stop trying to convince everybody that you haven’t done the same thing before– I saw you kicking old electronic stuff all the time when you were working in your garage. Maybe consider that you were a bad role model–”

“Mister Frank– who’s that?” Lilly asked quietly.

“No need to be shy!” She quickly sat down next to Frank. “Name’s Gabe! And that’s my dad–!”

“You don’t really look alike.” Randy answered without hesitation. 

“Don’t worry– we adopted this one.” Another woman came up to their table. She was much more elegant than Gabe. Her long dress matched the colors with her straight, crimson hair. A symbol of the Norisu family hung on her chest, while her arms and shoulders were covered by a blue coat. She sat next to Lilly, facing Gabe.

“Hey! Don’t act as if you weren’t adopted yourself! I was there before you, Rin!” Gabe frowned and took off her hat.

“You better not start arguing—“ Frank was examining his coffee. “I need a little bit of cream…Did you kids order already?”

They both nodded.

“Do you know Rin, Randy? She often comes to help Miss Eiko prepare things needed for exorcisms. I’m sure you’ve seen her once or twice.” Lilly turned her head towards her friend.

“Hmmm… I’m not great with remembering faces– But I think Miss Ayano mentioned her during one of our training sessions.”

“I know you’re our new Ninja if that’s what you’re worried about.” Rin smiled. “You smell like smoke bombs… I told mom once that maybe she should work on a new recipe but she prefers to stay true to the traditional ingredients.”

“I wanted to ask—“ Randy put his waffles aside. “What’s with the costume?”He pointed his fork at Gabe. 

“Costume? That’s just how I dress. Is there something wrong with it?” Gabe started looking for any stains or tears. 

“No, no— What I’ve meant is— Why are you dressed like a cowboy looking for his lost horse?” 

“Oh— umm— that’s how we shinigami usually dress” She shrugged. “Here’s your creamer, dad.”

“Excuse me, who?” Randy looked at everyone’s unbothered faces. “Why am I the only one confused here?”

“Grim reapers, death helpers, gunslingers… There are plenty of names they were given throughout the ages.” Rin stirred her tea. “Hasn’t Nomicon mentioned them to you?”

“How should I say this— I think Nomicon focused more on training me to stop the danger that was the sorcerer, not teaching me about realms and such…” 

“The easy explanation is that shinigami are beings who do various tasks surrounding death, dying, and souls.” Lilly poked her waffles. Her face saddened when she realized how much butter they’ve put on them. 

“Well that was really brief… There’s a bit more to that than what you’ve said. We don’t walk around killing random folks— we have a very specific hit list— if a shinigami is walking in your realm, that just means we’re looking for someone avoiding death— or souls that managed to flee from the Netherworld.” Gabe was tapping on the table happily. “Plus, we’re not death itself— more like its helpers!”

“Dad is one too.” Rin took a sip. 

“Yes, but I’m off duty. So I’m not the best example. The last time I did some shinigami work was… man…Probably more than 800 years ago. Nobody says anything! I know I’m old!”

“Huh… How about I become one after I’m done being a ninja? It would be awsome to dress as a cool cowboy.” The boy sighed. “I wish I had a cool hat…”

His comment was met with laughter coming from Gabe. “You can’t just become a shinigami, small man! Shinigami is something you’re made to be from the very start–!”

“Made? Didn’t you mean, born?”

“No– I know what I’ve said.” Gabe threw her hat towards Randy. “Every shinigami starts the same– as a carving! Yeah! Our goddess makes something, like a trinket, or a little figurine, and eventually it becomes alive!”

Rin grunted. “Sister– You’re speaking of this matter as if you had the same beginning as everyone else… You know you’re a bit of a special case?”

“So there’s still a chance for me!?” Randy exclaimed.

“No, no, no! Hold your horses. Fine, fine– my story is a bit different, but I still have a fair share of knowledge about shinigami!”

“Okay Gabe, wrap it up– You’re making this poor boy’s brain overheat. He got the gist of it. If he wants to know more then he’ll come up to you later.” The old man cleared his throat and stood up. “Do you need a ride home?’

“Thanks for asking, but we came here in my own car. Though, it would be great to go for a car ride with you again– maybe some other time.”

“We’re going already?” Randy checked the hour. “It’s not that late.”

“You still need to get home, kids. You might be Norrsiville’s secret heroes, but that doesn’t mean you get to make your parents worry. Now, make sure you don’t leave a mess behind. I’ll go pay, and you can go wait for me by the car.”

“Yes sir.” Lilly saluted Frank jokingly. 

As he was standing up, Randy decided to bother Rin with one last question. “So, about those smokebombs…Do you know how to get rid of the smell afterwards?”

Rin smiled. “I run a small shop in Little Norrisville– Come visit, and I’ll prepare something for you.” 

You must forgive us for shoving so many new faces at you. I promise that soon everything will pay off!

[glow-of-amber]

Character introduction | Amber and Eiko

@whispering-radiance here! Last time, my friend showed you her oc, Ayano-- So now it's my turn to talk about my ocs, Amber and Eiko!

Let's start with Eiko

I bet that some of you are already familiar with this green-haired woman-- Eiko Norisu (or Norrisu) was born alongside her brother, Nomi, into the family of First Ninja and Amber. She studied the martial arts and techniques of her clan-- but after her mother disappeared--Eiko chose another path. She decided to study the spiritual side of the world-- learn about the spirits, gods, realms-- everything led her to become a well-known exorcist across the land.

Her life took a sudden turn when she was called back to Norrisville to save people from a bloodthirsty monster. But once the battle was over-- she realized that what she was fighting wasn't a monster-- but her own brother, who was possessed due to a curse left on the mask by a spiteful Tengu. To attempt to save his life-- Eiko sealed her brother's soul inside a book of knowledge he was an author of.  

But even so-- One goddess was furious with Eiko and what she had done. She cursed Eiko with immortality-- forcing her to live with her grief and regret-- telling her that eventually her fate would be decided, but that decision was left to someone who went missing a long time ago - her mother.

She spent 8 centuries keeping the tradition of Ninja warriors alive-- but to ensure the safety of Norrisville, she created her own division, exorcists. They are tasked with ensuring that no evil spirit runs rampant across the city-- keeping folks safe from things lurking in the shadows.

Amber

A goddess whose entire being is shrouded in mystery. Only a few know her real nature and her significance. She spent the last 800 years keeping an ancient monster from unleashing chaos upon the land-- but her powers were depleted, and the seal broke, setting her and the monster free.

In the past, Amber preferred to distance herself from humans and other gods. But eventually, someone appeared in her life uninvited -- a warrior on the verge of death. She helped him recover and, after listening to the stories of his life, she decided to lend him a helping hand. She created a powerful stone called Eye of Eternity, where Tengu's essence was imprisoned after his defeat. Later, Amber joined the side of First Ninja.

Her face rarely displays emotions. She's often preoccupied with thinking about her past and things that happened

I needed to keep this one brief, but! Don't you worry-- there is much more to Amber that meets the eyes >:3

[glow-of-amber]

Remember when we said that Frank took kids to investigate the wildfire? Their chapter will come, stay tuned!-- and for now, have this as a little treat!

[glow-of-amber]

To you, in 800 years | Glow of Amber [2]

Chapters: [1] , [2] Word count: 2097 Original characters: Ayano, Eiko Good evening! It's time for the second chapter! Join Eiko and Ayano on their adventure to discover the reason behind mysterious earthquakes.

Although both of them were very skilled warriors, neither of them felt comfortable behind the wheel. 

Ayano and Eiko needed to get to the epicenter of the earthquake quickly— a long ride using public transport was out of the question. 

Exorcists like Eiko always had useful tricks up their sleeves. Teleportation wasn’t an easy spell to master— traveling long distances was draining, plus, it was hard to predict where one would appear. To some spirits, teleportation came in naturally — others, unfortunately, needed to find other methods. 

Eiko drew a big circle on the pavement and marked the four directions of the world on it. She invited Ayano inside and joined her side quickly.

One incantation later they’ve found themselves inside a souvenir store.

Ayano: [looks around a bit confused] A souvenir shop? How did we end up here? [takes a closer look at the things they’re selling] Looks like they are selling all kinds of things made out of amber!

Eiko: [picks herself up from the floor] I’m sorry for the hard landing, Ayano…I can’t predict where I appear when I’m using this spell— [looks around] Did our landing trash this place? [ her foot stepped on something hard— once she moved it away, she saw that it was actually a small figurine made from beautifully colored amber]

Ayano: [came to a stop  in front of the shop window ] I don’t think so. Look Eiko…[she points outside, the surrounding buildings and shops were trashed aswell.People were hastily evacuating the small town while others tried to clean the mess that the earthquake left behind]

Eiko: [she came closer to take a look outside, playing with a small, amber trinket in her right hand] I didn’t expect things to be this bad… Fortunately, it seems that many people came out of it unharmed.

[ Eiko’s eyes wandered off to take a look at the ceiling. The sheer amount of hanging decorations made her head hurt] The owner must be obsessed about amber… [frowns] Where did they get all of this anyways…?

Ayano: [follows Eikos gaze] Obsessed is the understatement of the year. I have never seen so much amber in one place before... [ her eyes wandered to a few fossils of insects covered in the precious golden stone] I do know of some local mines, but they are only  known for coal and sometimes amethysts, so I doubt it’s all from there… maybe imported?

Eiko: Everything here seems handmade— figures are different from one another and nothing smells like cheap plastic [breaks the figurine she was holding] It even breaks like a natural one— [goes through her pouch and finds some spare change ] I’ll pay for that— I’ll just leave it on the counter

Ayano: [She made her way through the shop, just as she was about to open the door the ground began to shake again. This time it thankfully only lasted a short moment ]  We should take a look around the village and see if we can find something that might give us more information about these earthquakes. Maybe we can even ask some locals if they noticed anything suspicious.

Eiko: [sighs] I doubt that people of this town will give us any useful information— They probably think it was caused naturally by movements of tectonic plates or… a mine collapsing — [takes an informational flyer from the counter] But sure— I will give you five bucks if one person say “Yes- I saw a demon passing by yesterday”

Ayano: [shrugs] Would have been worth a shot ...[ Peeks over her shoulder ] Whatcha got there ?

Eiko: Something about the town— [turns the flyer around] ”There is nothing more beautiful than treasures given to us by nature. Our town started as a small community of people, who settled down here two hundred years ago—“ Hmm— it seems we’re both older… ”This mountain area is blessed by unbelievably large deposits of amber — wherever you look— you will find a piece for yourself”

Ayano: [chuckles] I would have been surprised if not. [takes a flyer herself] There is something strange about that. So much amber just lying around ? [ bumps Eiko with her elbow and jokes around ]Maybe it has something to do with... your mother?

Eiko: [her expression shifted the moment her mother was mentioned and a chill went down her spine — her hand instantly grabbed her wrist, on which a bracelet with a piece of amber was tied ] I’d rather this not be the case… [she put the flyer aside] You know that I have many reasons why I don’t want to see that "goddess" again, [annoyed] and besides– she left the house 800 years ago, and I never heard from her, or about her since…

Ayano: [she had an understanding expression] Don’t worry, I get you. Besides, that’s more than unlikely 

[ opens the flyer ] Look, they even included a map with a path up to the local mines. Maybe we should check them to make sure there really was no mining accident and if someone might be hurt or stuck. [smiles] Plus the fresh mountain air is good for health!

Eiko: [ stretches ] Mining accidents aren’t that uncommon— perhaps an old portion of the mine collapsed…

[opens the door] Unless it's the land of shadows interfering with our realm… Earth shook a couple of times, after all…

Ayano: [walks outside, the map still in her hands] You’re probably right, but I still doubt that we're dealing with anything that major.

[They made their way up the mountain path and after what felt like forever, they reached the top  and found the entrance to the mine. What they didn’t expect is for the ground and the stone walls to be covered in amber stones, shimmering in the sun]

Ayano: Well, it seems like I was wrong. They really did source all of those stones here.

Eiko: [moves her hand on the cave’s wall] What…— this is unreal… 

[ Eiko walks slowly further into the cave— carefully observing where people mined the stone from] This must be a doing of some higher being… amber doesn’t simply grow like this— [confused] You know, amber is just fossilized tree sap…  [Eiko noticed that the cave ends in a spot made for tourists to rest and take pictures. There were some infographics hanging on the wall, while others fell on the ground. However, what was supposed to be a dead end, had a rather large crack in the wall, with a path leading even deeper— the crack must have appeared after the earthquakes]

Ayano: [examines the small passage] Just enough space for a person to fit through. I don’t think it’s a good idea to go in there.

[she turned to look at Eiko, noticing a faint glow from her bracelet] Uhmm, is it supposed to do that ?  [points at Eiko's arm]

Eiko: [looks at her wrist] This is the first time I’m seeing it like this…— [sighs] Mother gave this bracelet to me, she gave one to Nomi as well, I thought it was just a trinket at first— but later in life I noticed that it kept us protected from sorcerer’s powers…  But it never glowed like this…

Ayano: I have a feeling we are about to find out why- [her eyes wandered back to the crack in the wall, the amber on the wall began to faintly glow as well] It’s looks almost like the stones are showing us the way to something.

Eiko: [moves closer to the crack] Maybe we shouldn’t go find it…

Ayano: [ takes her hand and begins to make her way into the small passage] Nonsense, we came all this way up here. Might as well see what’s behind this and besides, I’m far too nosy to ignore something like this. [excited] Who knows what we’ll find!

Eiko: Fine.. Bur let’s do it quickly…

Ayano: Now that’s the spirit!

[They continue down the path. With each step the bracelet was glowing brighter.They reached a small room, the aura there was unsettling and eerie. Green smoke was making its way through the small cracks in the wall]

Ayano: Chaos magic…

Eiko: [she didn’t answer Ayano— her eyes locked with what was lying on the ground of the cavern. She took a step back and her heart started racing in panic. With her finger; she silently pointed at the body of a woman.  She had long, white hair that were scattered across the floor— her body was covered with golden robes]

Ayano: [ she looked at the woman Eiko was pointing at. It didn’t take her long to realize who it was ] This can’t be possible, can it? [ she stepped a bit closer ]

Eiko: [whispering] Get away from her! We’re turning around this instant!

Ayano: [confused] Wait,you want to just leave her? [looks back at the woman] She’s unconscious and was surrounded by chaos magic… Don’t you want to know what happened ?

Eiko: Do you think I want her back in my life? [she leans against the wall and slides on the ground] Don’t you understand how furious she’s going to be once she learns what happened to… [sighs] to Nomi… an-and about my punishment!?

Ayano: [for a short moment she looks between both of them before letting out a long sigh] Alright, then let’s get out of here before she wakes up. [ she walks up to Eiko, offering her a hand ]

??: [coughs and tries to pick herself up, but her arms shake and she falls back on the ground] Who goes there…?

Ayano: [ gives Eiko a  panicking “what now?” look ]

Eiko: [her face displayed an expression of accepting her fate— she stood up and took a step closer, moving past Ayano and closer to the helpless woman] You look terrible—

??: [lifts her head up] Do I … know you?

Eiko: [ kneels down ] You knew me once—but I was tiny back then… I was full of hope that one day I would hear you knocking on the door– and then you would have greeted me with a warm hug. But that never happened…  So it’s safe to say that you don't know the person in front of you. [she let her words linger in the air for a minute]

??: [Her robes were damaged, her face displayed exhaustion that Eiko had never seen before— the shifts on her face were subtle— it was hard to notice what emotions she was feeling— her eyebrows narrowed and corners of her lips moved up slightly] I remember those eyes…  They are just like mine…

Eiko: [frowns] Mother…

??: [her voice was shaking] But how could this be… why are you here…— you must be… centuries old now…

Eiko: [she looks away] There will be time and place for explanations…  You’re… too weak for stories right now.

??: I failed …[tries to pick herself up again] I failed and the beast is free once again...

Eiko: [grabs her arm] Easy, easy… what are you mumbling about… 

Ayano: [grabs woman's other arm] Here, let me help.

??: Thank you…[frowns] — You must be Eiko’s friend… neighbor girl, who constantly visited our house?

Ayano: [nods] Yeah that’s me , my name is Ayano. It's nice to see you again, miss Amber. [her smile fades]

Amber: [her voice sounded tired, and she herself was on the verge of falling asleep] Why are you here… both of you… — living for so many years…— why did you do this to yourself? Who did this to you..?

Eiko: [coughs] She’s mumbling… It’s better if she gets some rest before we actually engage in a conversation with her. Not that I want to.. but... [she takes a look at green energy slowly disappearing from the cavern] She knows something important...

Ayano: [lets out a sigh of relief. This really was no topic that she wanted to get into now] Then let’s make our way back home . Do you think you have enough strength to teleport us back home ? I really don’t want to take the bus

Eiko: I can’t teleport three people… not now…— We have to take the bus.

Amber: A bus?-

Eiko: [sighs] You’ll see soon enough...

Ayano: [bummed] I was afraid that would be your answer…it  was worth a shot.

[One very awkward bus ride later, they arrived back home in little Norrisville. Her and Eiko brought Amber inside and let her rest on an armchair in the living room before they both collapsed on the couch as well]

Ayano: I expected a lot from today but not that we’d find your mother…

[glow-of-amber]

Character introduction | Ayano

Hiiii guys, @moonbunniesart here ✨Now that the first chapter is out and the next is already in the making, it’s about time I introduced you to my oc, Ayano.

She was born into a bit of a special family. The women in her family gained special eyes through a divine gift to one of their ancestors. They can see mana/aura, as well as being very intuitive and spiritual.

Ayano grew up alongside Eiko and Nomi, until she was married off at eighteen in an arranged marriage, having to fulfill her duty as only child, an heir in her clan.

The marriage was anything but happy, her husband was cold and unaffectionate, only caring about the power he gained through the marriage. The only positive thing was the son that soon followed, giving her a purpose and someone to look after. She pushed through for a few years, until her breaking point came after her son had passed at only five years old. Ayano had enough, she stood up against her family and left for good, seeking shelter at the house of her old friend, Nomi.

Life seemed to get better, year for year until the next tragedy happened. After Nomi had passed and his essence was contained in the Nomicon. That meant the two masks weren’t passed on, so she became the next Ninja for a few years. Using one of the two remaining ninja masks while she kept the other one safe. While she was the Ninja, Ayano gained immortality through a soul tie. She decided to pass on the knowledge she had gained to the next generations of Ninja, teaching and raising them with Nomi together, while she kept her friend, Eiko, company throughout the centuries. She guided many Ninja students throughout time, some successfully making it to the ultimate lesson, some meeting an early end, and some that strayed away from the path of the Ninja.

Alrighty, that’s it for now. Stay tuned for the next chapter <3

[glow-of-amber]

Hello, welcome to our blog! This place was made to share our writing, characters, and lore! For the time being, we’ll try to post at least two chapters per week— as well as some additional post covering character introductions or lore elements!

Glow of Amber is an OC driven story —meaning— we have a lot of characters that you may not recognize yet. But we’ll make sure not to make you feel confused

| Ask Box is open | - Feel free to ask about anything you want

| Read the story | Learn more about characters | Learn more about the world |

[glow-of-amber]

Everybody panic! I Glow of Amber [#1] |

Word count: [ 1486 ]

Chapter: [1]

AU for: | Randy Cunningham 9th Grade Ninja |

Original Characters: | Ayano | Eiko | Frank (The Creep) | Lilly Viceroy |

Cannon characters: | Randy Cunningham | Tengu |

Hello everyone! I'm @whispering-radiance -- and together with @moonbunniesart we prepared the first chapter for you all to read! This story is written a little bit diffrently-- It's mostly characters talking-- because this is an edited version of our roleplay after all. But who knows, maybe future chapters will receive different narration. Anyways, we hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

Happy times never last.

Eiko was familiar with that. 

Just two days ago she was celebrating the defeat of the sorcerer— and now— she was holding tiny pieces of the Eye of Eternity in her hands. Precious stone, which served as a prison to a demon she had only heard stories about. Tengu was now free— furious and hungry for revenge. 

Many came to her house that day, informing her of the same thing. Randy ran as fast as he could after he saw the news of the fire in the school's building— Lilly came soon after him. But the first person to knock on her door was her old friend, one she had known for centuries, Ayano. 

Eiko: I didn’t expect this day to come…Ayano— …Tengu is free again and only this [holds the shattered eye] ...only this remains… Ayano:  [ staring at the shards ] This is impossible. How could this have happened? Eiko: Considering how many times this stone has been broken in the past… [thinks]— But still… I didn’t expect to shatter like this… Randy didn’t do it— he already told me he wasn’t there when it happened…

Randy: Really! I swear on my ninja mask! Ayano:  [raises an eyebrow] Randy is not responsible for once? I have to mark this day in my calendar [chuckles]

Randy: Miss Ayano— this is no time for jokes! This was in the news! Well— not like, they showed Tengu or something— but they’ve talked about how the roof caught on fire and… but… [tries to find something positive]— But since we don’t have sorcerer anymore… maybe the situation isn’t that catastrophic…? Eiko: He may not be as evil and powerful as Sorcerer— but that Tengu will bring nothing but bloodshed and destruction… especially after so many years of imprisonment…

Ayano: [worried]- I agree, it’s best if we tackle this problem as fast as possible 

[seems thoughtful] Maybe this soul tie could be of help. I could enter his mind and find out about his whereabouts. [sighs] I haven’t talked to him in such a long time, not since his mind and memories became such a mess …

Eiko: [looks at Ayano with worry in her eyes, but nods in agreement] Be careful, you don’t know what to expect.

[Ayano nods and closes her eyes. She felt her mind slip away and soon found herself surrounded by an unusual amount of darkness. Suddenly a maniacal laughter can be heard, echoing through her mind]

Tengu: [looks around] Is someone... looking at me…?

Ayano: Hello Tengu, it’s certainly been a while since we talked. [steps closer to him so he can see her]

Tengu: [raises his eyebrow] Ugh— who are you again! One of sorcerer’s illusions!? [his madden eyes burned with rage]

Ayano: Don’t tell me you don’t remember me? [her voice was sweet but had a hint of worry] You know, forgetting people you have a soul tie with could end up backfiring for you one day.

Tengu: [ tries to remember but going back through memories reminds him of past horrors ] Whatever…— Let me believe you this time , what do I possibly have to lose…— [seems pretty stressed and agitated]— Did you come here to help me accomplish my goal!?

Ayano: [ uses the opportunity and decides to play along ] What else would I be here for ? Now that you’re free, what are you planning to do?

Tengu: [laughs] The child, who was at that wretched building last night, was quite easy to manipulate, thanks to him I’m finally free… [tsk] But my body is weak… I must regain my strength, then I’ll finally be able to get my revenge on the ninja!

Ayano: I see but I’m sure you must be weakened from this long imprisonment, I’m sure I can help you regain some strength. Why don’t you tell me where I can find you.

Tengu: [suspicious] I shan’t reveal such information so directly, you never know who’s listening… [looks around] But if you wish to find me— well— follow the trail of fire, and you shall eventually find me — [it was very obvious that Tengu was not well mentally. He switched between expressions and emotions with each sentence— not being sure how he felt about Ayano being in his mind]

Ayano: [nods]That’s all I needed to know.

[she left Tengu's mind and opened her eyes to the expression of a very worried Eiko. Ayano was immediately hit with an intense headache, but that was the drawback of using her abilities]

Eiko: Are you with us again?

Ayano: [rubs her head] Yes, I'm back. Tengu is more unstable than I thought. His mind is a mess and so are his memories, he didn’t even recognize me, but I managed to build a little bit of trust with him. He plans to take his revenge on the ninja.  I tried to figure out his location, but he didn’t reveal it to me …

Eiko: [clenches her fist] Even if we find him… we don't have anything to hold him in anymore...— [ sighs and looks at the broken stone] — On one hand I wish to beat him for everything he has done… But then again, he’s like this due to the sorcerer… Eiko: I need to figure out what I can do with these shards… maybe I can still manage to fix it…

Frank: [ walks to the room from the kitchen and whistles ]— Forget it, sugar cube— this is beyond repairable. And you can't simply beat him-- remember, his spirit powers the mask...[ spins his finger next to his head doing this “his crazy in the head” gesture ] It’s just a proposition— but what if we mindwipe this guy?

Eiko: That would be extremely imposs—[ thinks ] Possible… ? I don’t see how we can get this to work… but it is an idea… We have a lot of experience with erasing memories from humans, but we haven't really done so with spirits. I'm afraid our current methods might not work. I'd need to create a stronger spell, and I might not have ingredients to do so. Eiko: Erasing just the memories of the sorcerer and chaos he caused to him might be enough to stop his lust for vengeance…. But I haven’t done something as precise before.

Ayano: A spell that only erases the memories of the sorcerer ? That’s sounds like very difficult but I’m sure it’s not impossible 

Randy: [looks at his phone] I’m sure you old folks are having great time, but a great portion of the Norrisville’s northern forest is currently burning [shows them phone]

Ayano: [takes the phone] Oh dear gods. This is not good. He’s already starting to turn the forest to ash.

Eiko: [frowns] Ninja is for fighting monsters, exorcists are for fighting spirits….We are no firefighters, we're not capable of stopping a wildfire … even if it’s Tengu related.

Frank: I think he simply doing a show of strength— maybe… reminding people that they should fear him.

Ayano: [thinks wait a minute, repeats Tengu's words ] Follow the trail of fire and you should eventually find me... [realizing] Oh my, that’s a guide to find him!

Randy: We are not marching into a fire!!

Ayano: You definitely won’t. You’ll get attacked on sight when he sees you. He’s after the ninja.

Lilly: [also checking her phone] It seems that there’s a lot going on after the sorcerer disappeared… a town far to the west was recently plagued by earthquakes… [panic] maybe we shouldn’t have killed him…!

Ayano: Earthquakes you say? [thinks] I doubt that’s Tengu related, maybe it's just a coincidence?

Lilly: Spirits are panicking… but I’ve been telling myself that it’s simply because there’s no more sorcerer... Maybe Miss Eiko knows something about it…?

Eiko: I do not— [looks down] In my 800 years long life, I’ve encountered an earthquake only once— and at that time my brother was still alive — we were still very young.

Ayano: [ puts her hand on Eiko's shoulder ]

Eiko: I remember that my mother left us after one particularly bad earthquake… [frowns] she didn’t return…

Frank: I propose that we split— I’ll take both kids to check on that fire, while you both should travel to that town.

Ayano: Alright, but be careful you three. Tengu is unpredictable.[Turns to Eiko] And we two are going to find out what the hell is going on with those earthquakes.

Lilly: Please tell me we are going by foot…

Frank: [laughs] That far? You’d make a poor man like me walk so many miles? No— we’re taking the car!

Eiko: Randy, just for your safety— if you see Tengu around, don’t put that mask on, he’s after the ninja after all.

Ayano: [warning mom voice] Oh and Randy, for the love of gods please  behave yourself for once and listen to Frank!

Randy: [looks away] I will… try...my best.

[They all made their way outside, where they split up to investigate both incidents]

[glow-of-amber]

| BIG ANNOUNCEMENT | RC9GN |

You’re probably familiar with the AU I made called “Glow of Amber” — I didn’t make much besides the first chapter and some lore posts… but! I have some good news! It wasn’t abandoned! In reality— I was writing stories and characters for almost a year with my good friend @moonbunniesart !!

So we decided that it’s finally time to share what we’ve been doing! — We have a story we want to share with you, and we’ll start putting everything together very soon!

I invite you to follow the blog made specifically for sharing our stories: @glow-of-amber

See you soon!

[glow-of-amber]

| Glow of amber | Chapter [#1]

Word count: [ ~2890 ]

Hello everybody! This is the first story that I’m actually showing to people — so I’m a bit nervous … Although I feel confident about my English, it’s not my first language so there might be some grammatical errors along the way.

I’ve made a post explaining this AU some time ago, you can give it a read if you want to, but I will explain everything in the story eventually.

With that being said, I invite you below

The corridors of Norrisville high were unusually quiet. There was no soul around, not even a single student running late for their classes. Janitor had already done his round around the school, mopping the floor and sweeping dust bunnies under the lockers. Halls remained empty for most of the day, not unless a teacher had to rush to the building to file some important documents or to prepare materials for another school year.

While the other parts of school slumbered, the main hall brimmed with life. As usual, a great Ninja battle had left a great damage on the property, and this time, the repair team was tasked with fixing a considerably huge hole in the wall. But since the school year was ending, there wasn’t a need to do it immediately, so all of the heavy work was left for the vacation period. 

As careful as they wanted to be, they unfortunately caused some small, additional “scratches”. Cement was splattered on few lockers, a bucket of paint rolled all over the floor, a new guy made some mistakes while reading the blueprints and connected water pipes into one big circle, and heavy machines were dragged across the most beautiful thing in the Norrisville highschool, a carp mosaic decorated by strange, yellow gem.

School itself didn’t have anything precious to guard, but the business responsible for the construction team and equipment demanded to hire someone to protect the expensive materials.

It was a bright night and a full moon decorated the sky.

“It’s just you and me, buddy!” A night guard shook his flashlight and locked the back door. He also pinned a card with “Jeremy” written on it.  “Maybe they don’t pay much but after tonight we’ll be able to afford a brand new keyboard!”

He kept talking with his trusty flashlight as he walked down the hallway. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, he made sure to bang on every locker to check for hidden intruders, but he found nothing. Maybe it was for the better, even if it meant the rest of the night being extremely boring.

The sound of his own footsteps was creeping him out. He wished he could at least turn on the big lights and get rid of the uncomfortable darkness, but due to safety and financial reasons, power was cut off for the night.

“Ughhh! This stinks!” He moved his light around him.”I know I’ve said that I’m over my fear of the dark but… Jeez… I will go insane before this shift ends.”

Jeremy glanced at his flashlight again.

“I heard that this school has a glass ceiling” He shook it and made a squeaky voice. “It’s in the main hall! And you know what else is in there? Equipment we have to keep an eye on! How about we just go in there and enjoy our shift under the bright moonlight?”

“Oh buddy!” He smiled. “You always have the best ideas!”

Thanks to the gentle rays of the moon, the Main lobby looked enchanted, despite it being a construction site.  Heavy machines and bags of cement were covered by large blankets, and the hole in the wall was well secured. The whole room seemed very inviting, yet something felt weird. The giant mosaic of golden carp was beautiful, but bathed in moonlight it gave off an eerie energy. Jeremy agreed with his trusty flashlight that they should avoid getting closer to it.

After doing the necessary check up, he lied down on the floor and leaned against a pillar.

“Everything is where it’s supposed to be…Nothing was stolen… no intruders…” He yawned. “Darkness was terrifying but besides that…– Well I didn’t expect this job to be this boring”

His eyelids felt heavy.

“What if I just… take a quick nap…?” He looked around the room one last time.”If there’s no boss around then you can do what you want.”

After just a few minutes, he was drooling on the floor.

“I’ve been stuck here for far too long…”

 A husky voice echoed in his ears. Jeremy’s eyes were quick to open. He didn’t know what he was seeing, but one thing was sure, he wasn’t in the lobby anymore. The amber sky seemed to be stretching for miles. Whatever he was standing on didn’t feel right, on the one hand it was slippery like glass, but at the same time it felt sticky, like if it wanted to trap him.

Jeremy looked around, he wasn’t alone, but he couldn't locate the person he had just heard.   

“I’m alone— All alone!” The voice cried loudly. “What’s the point of keeping me here anymore?! The Sorcerer is gone after all…”

A gigantic shadow of a bird flew just above Jeremy’s head.

“But it’s not about the sorcerer!” Huge bird landed and laughed to itself. “It’s because he hates me. Oh, he wants me here for all eternity!.. To hell with him!”

Demonic creature hit the floor with all its rage. This was enough to make Jeremy fall down and scream out of fear. As he was laying on the floor, slowly sticking more and more, he expected to wake up at any moment. He heard another hellish screech and sound of sharp talons getting closer very quickly.

Jeremy opened his eyes, hoping that he would see the familiar moonlight. But instead he was greeted by a pair of glowing, red eyes analyzing his every movement. The head of the creature was just a skull of a bird with a few blue markings that resembled a warpaint. The bird demon was smiling, sending chills down Jeremy’s spine.

“A visitor…” Its voice echoed through his head. “Tsch, not anyone I know…– How bothersome.”

“I.. I am… I…” Night guard was squeaking like a mouse.”I’m Jeremy! Just a simple guard!”

“I didn’t ask! And frankly I’m not interested in hearing about your pitiful life!” The demon screamed and threw Jeremy back. “I hate humans. You always think of yourself as heroes! Think that your lives are somehow more important than other beings!”

“I don’t consider myself a hero…” He tried to stand up. “I’m nothing compared to our town's savior, the Ninja!”

Creature went silent, and so did the boy. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest, everything felt so real that he started questioning if it really was a dream. Bird demon approached him in silence.

“Ah… so he’s a hero.” Its last word came out with a lot of bitterness. “Yes… Hm, yes, it was very heroic of him to slit my throat with his blade, disrespect my body by ripping away my feathers… and then trap my spirit here! Who you call a hero is nothing more than a filthy murderer.”

Jeremy stood confused. 

“From what you’ve said… It sounds like… well… you don’t paint ninja in a good light” He tried pinching himself in order to escape this dream. “I don’t think he would have done all that without a good reason.”

The black shadow of a bird turned into flames, and from them it reformed itself in a much different shape. No longer was it a monster looking down at him, but simply a man. His body was translucent and colored like a bright ember. He was wearing damaged samurai armor, wings dragged behind him like a cape, and in his hand he held a broken blade. His gaze was intense and drilling, but not as wild as in his bird form.

“Did I say something wrong!?” Jeremy was trembling. “I am terribly sorry! I… I know nothing about the ninja… but… I thought he’s an honorable guy!”

“I think this whole conversation started on a wrong note.” Warrior dropped his blade.”Don’t think I’ve changed my mind about humans— my hatred runs deep. But since you’re already here, I think you deserve to learn a few things about your hero.”

“Well… I don’t want to take your time!” He shook his head.”Maybe you can just— wake me up! And I won’t be bothering you anymore!”

The spirit tried his best to give a sincere looking smile.

“You’ll miss out on some valuable knowledge.” He shrugged. “You know, in the past people would do anything to have such a conversation.”

Night guard took a deep breath.

“Then if I may ask… who are you?”

“I’m glad you asked.” His chuckle sounded a bit forced.”People used to call me a Tengu— a bird spirit. I was the greatest swordsman in the land, and a noble one as well. I never declined a duel, not even to a human. I always fought with honor.”

“Why are you here then?”

“Because of the ninja, of course!” Tengu was making circles around the scared boy. “You see, one day he challenged me to a duel. He was confident about his powers, but confidence alone isn’t enough to win. I defeated him and sent him on his way.”

“But…”

“Shhh” He put his finger up.”Some time had passed and I was sure I wouldn’t see him again. Oh but I was wrong— He was furious that I'd managed to defeat him! He came to claim his victory and he was ready to do so at any price!”

“If you’ve beaten him once— then how come you didn’t manage to win again?” Concentrating on Tengu’s story made him stop shaking.

“This time he had a friend.” He clenched his fist. “I don’t know what he had said to that goddess to make her think I was the enemy… But he was successful…He challenged me to an uneven battle. I couldn’t win against someone backed up by a heavenly power…”

Tengu gasped theatrically.

“They imprisoned me here.” He spread his arms.”In a stone they’d called “Eye of Eternities”!”

Jeremy scratched his head.

“This is confusing…” He was trying to analyze the story. “I’m having a hard time believing all this— It was hard for me to believe in ninja… and you’re spitting nonsense about spirits and gods.”

“You humans used to be more spiritual back then.” Tengu frowned. “You may want to argue with me about your beliefs, but you must believe me that it’s all real.”

“First of all, this is a dream!” Jeremy spouted. “This is just a figment of my imagination!”

“Wrong.” Tengu moved his hand towards the orange sky and after a moment it became clear like a window. “There you are. Lying unconscious on the school floor.”

“But— how— this is impossible!”

“Oh well— If you knew anything about spirits, then you’d know that you should be very careful about what you do during the full moon.” Tengu shook his head in disapproval. “For you, it might seem like a dream, but for me, it’s a very real visit.” 

The young night guard wandered lost in his thoughts. Nothing made sense. Things he considered to be just fairy tales were real this whole time. 

“Why didn’t you just attack me?” Jeremy felt like he should have asked this question earlier. 

“If I’ve attacked you, you’d simply wake up…None of us would have gotten anything out of this meeting.” 

Even though the mind of a Tengu was broken after centuries of imprisonment, he knew he should always take the opportunity when it’s there. It’s not everyday that he has a chance to speak with someone. Boy was naive, he noticed it right away. Maybe if he plays his cards right, he’ll be able to make this night interesting.

“Tell me, Jimmy…”

“It’s Jeremy, actually.” He said quietly.

“Whatever…” Tengu said under his nose.”Do you like helping others?”

“Oh I…— I… sure! Who doesn’t?” Jeremy giggled. “I’ve had many bullies during middle school and high school, but no one was kind enough to give me a helping hand…So now I help others in need!”

“Truly amazing…” He ran his hand across his face. “Would you like to help me then?”

Boy stood shocked.

“Me? Help you? But…—“

“You’ve said you help those in need, am I right?”

“Jeez… yes…—“ He tried looking for an excuse. “Well… From what you’ve said… it seems there’s no reason for you to be here… But how am I supposed to help!? I’m just human! And I didn’t even have my 20th birthday yet!”

“Don’t panic and listen.” Tengu grabbed him by his shoulder. “I can’t free myself from the inside, this prison can be open only from the outside.”

“Didn’t you say that this stone was made by a god?” Jeremy was sweating nervously. “Isn’t it like… crazy powerful?”

Tangu looked up.

“Maybe at the beginning, yes” He chuckled. “But nothing is truly eternal. This stone went through a lot and it was even cracked on multiple occasions. I can feel how weak it has become. I don’t think Ninja is needed for the job anymore.”

He smiled mischievously.

“A brute force might be just enough to shatter this prison.”

“You want me to crack the stone?” Jeremy panicked. “But that would be a destruction of property! I’d be punished for it! Oh man— I don’t have money for such a fine.”

“No one will know about it!” He screamed enthusiastically, trying to earn the boy's trust. “After you get me out I will simply fix it! I promise!”

Jeremy looked at Tengu with mixed emotions. 

“All you need is a hammer, or other tool!” Tengu smiled. “It just so happens that the equipment is right there!”

“And what will you do once you get out?”

Spirit turned around, hiding his face from the boy.

“I’ll return home.” He exclaimed. “I miss my mountain…Maybe I’ll even say hi to old friends.”

He felt conflicted. Tengu’s story felt genuine, but despite his reassuring words, he still felt freaked out by the spirit. 

There were several outcomes of this encounter, and he preferred not to know how it would end if he said “no” to him.  

“I’ll try my best…” There wasn’t much confidence in Jeremy’s voice. “Just…– How do I wake up?”

Spirit of the warrior smiled and came closer to the boy.

“Don’t worry. I’ll help you.” Smile disappeared from his face, and he lowered his voice. “I’m counting on you…– Don’t fail me.”

His last words sounded like a threat. But before Jermey was able to  say anything, he felt a powerful punch hit his stomach. He hasn't experienced such pain before. His eyes faded to black.

He was back.

Jeremy jumped up from the floor. He was sweating and breathing quickly, he could feel his heart pounding his chest, like if it was about to break free from the ribs of his body. He tried to calm down but what he just experienced was simply too much. He was scared for his life.

He grabbed his trusty flashlight.

“I’m so glad to see you again!” He screamed. “I’ve had the weirdest dream of my life! There was this giant bird, and then shoosh! He changed into a samurai, and he told me…”

Jeremy turned his head towards the mosaic. The stone was glowing like a warning sign, it was bright enough to light up the whole hall. It was calling him.

“...He told me to break the stone…” He put down his light. “I’m sorry… I think you should just wait here…Close your eyes while we’re at it…”

He took a deep breath and walked towards boxes of equipment. He didn’t want to do this, but what will happen to him if he decides to flee now? Will he be cursed forever? Will his family die? The thought of spirits, or worse, demons, haunting him for the rest of his life was much worse than paying a few bucks for destroying one thing on the property.

A hammer laid heavy in his hand. 

As he was getting closer to the stone, he felt as if the golden carp was judging his every action. It looked angry in the bright moonlight, and the glow of the amber prison made its scales look alive.

Stress was making him gasp for air. He knelt down and lifted his hammer high, ready to strike the stone.

His whole body was shaking.

“Please… let this be over with.” He closed his eyes and struck the stone.

His first hit was met with a lot of resilience, but it didn’t make him stop. On each next hit he was striking it harder and harder, and with each one he could feel the surface cracking.

The light coming from the stone was getting dangerously intense, and after dealing another blow, he was violently thrown across the hall by a strange and powerful force.

Tiny bits of amber scattered across the floor, and the hammer hit the ground with a loud bang. Jeremy tried to pick himself up, but his body was hurting from the fall. 

And then he heard it, a terrifying screech.

If you’ve managed to reach this section, I want to give you my biggest thanks for taking time out of your precious life to give my story a read ♥️♥️

I might not be the best writer, but I enjoy what I do — and besides, there’s always room for improvement

And remember kids, don’t ever trust a Tengu trapped in a magical stone, he’s mad and insanely good at lying