Chapter 31 Five Mysterious Men

The winter sky is a widow's sky, bedarkened and weeping. The clouds are churlish and Kraken-cruel. They cough out great gouts of water and thunking balloons of sopping moisture.

It seems down in a biblical deluge, flooding the rivers, drowning the fields, and overflowing the dams. It is a Noah's-Ark cataclysm of rain, an unending cataract of water sluicing from the sky.

Trees are uprooted, cars bobbed by, and entire villages disappear under a frothy lather of suds. Cities are overwhelmed, and electricity blackouts have people living in fear of the unknown.

The rain is incessant. It snaps and crackles like bracken pods in a bushfire. The floodgates in the sky seem to have been opened, and no one can close them back up.

Is this the scene from a sci-fi movie? Is it a terrifying vision of a future world? Indeed it is not. It is the new reality for people from Missouri to Manchester, from Mumbai to Melbourne.

The rain is man's new enemy, according to news reports. It is public enemy number one. It has betrayed man and is now the most deadly arrow in nature's quiver.

The rain has a bad 'rep' at the moment. Is this how it should be viewed? Maybe we forget the gifts it bestows upon us.

The storm was starting to brew; I was on my way home in my carriage with Chang, the cart controller in the Texas farmland.

As we were going to set off, a fearless man stepped out of his cart. He came up to us and advised us, "Beware of the north winds, be back by nightfall, and have a pleasant drive, madam."

I asked him what he meant, but he abruptly turned and walked away. I was confused, and I asked Chang what he meant. He uttered something in Spanish and whipped the horses violently until they sped away.

I sat there wondering what the immense bald man had said; he spoke in a low and grumbling voice.

We drove by a dark and gloomy alley that led to a cemetery.

It was dark, murky, and uninhabited. I wasn't even sure it was a cemetery. This looked interesting to me, so I told Chang to stop. He stared back at me fearfully and slowly went on. With desperate intrigue, I jumped out of the carriage and onto the ground.

I tried to look down the alley. Chang stopped and gestured to say not to go down the alley. A strong wind hit me, and Mia was on her way.

The horses became flustered, which caused the cart to turn over terrified.

I asked him what the problem was. Trembling, he uttered the exact words as before but clearly alleged, "la subida del muerto."

I asked him what he meant, but he couldn't reply because of his poor English. I held him by the shoulder to get some sense out of him. I tried to argue with him, but it was difficult to argue with a man when I did not know his language.

The advantage indeed rested with him, for although he began to speak in English, of a bizarre kind, he always broke into his native tongue, and every time he did, I was slowly being able to understand.

Mia looked around as she tightened her grip, "it's okay," I whispered.

There was a sudden cold air flowing through the cemetery.

I felt a chill. "What are we doing here?" Mia asked.

I ignored her and continued walking past the gravestones.

I was looking for the gravestone of that woman who had got burned on the portrait. Maria said the boy's body was buried next to his mother. Mia asked, "do you think digging them up now will be a good idea?"

I glanced at Mia, "Maybe we can get an answer?"

Mia shook her head, "I have a terrible feeling out here, Kai. Can we please go back?"

I turned around and heard hissing sounds.

The cemetery had become misty; barely anything was visible, and the mist was so thick I wasn't sure which way was back.

I tried tracing my steps, but it was like being in the center of a maze. The sounds and whispers became louder.

I looked at Mia; she looked vulnerable and scared. She tightened her grip with my hand, squeezing it harder and then loosening her grip.

My phone rang, and as I picked up, I heard, "We got you where we want you," Huan said.

After what had happened recently, I would have thought she would give up.

"Do not Move, Mia."

"Why, what is that?" She looked frantically around.

Shadows are passing them like a bullet leaving its nozzle.

"Huan, didn't you learn your lesson the first time?"

"I will stop when I am six feet under."

"Then tell your family to start digging your grave."

Huan's eyes darken, "you do not dare speak of my family."

"Sensitive, aren't we?" If you take this road with me, Huan, you are taking a dangerous road."

"I have nothing to lose, but you do."

I hung up, thinking she was right. I have my sister to consider.

I have always hated family, except for my sister. She stuck with me throughout everything. My mind switched.

I felt anger within me, my pendant shot open as the mist vaporized, and everything became clear, unfolding over a tomb, "we are coming for you."

I waited in anticipation as I clenched my fist. My heart was pounding in my chest. I closed my eyes and slowly opened them. My eyes were glowing red, "Huan," I whispered.

Wei fell to the ground and started shaking, coughing out white foam, and in a matter of minutes, his body had turned into ashes.

His soldiers stepped back in fear as Huan looked at the dark sky. The ground began to shake in the cemetery.

Darkness covered the sky.

"Get out of there." Came a whisper from Jia.

"Mia, let's go," as we walked back to the car, a strong wind gusted through the air.

Echo's cries surrounded us as dark shadows appeared from the corners. I opened up my hand and closed my fingers slowly.

As the shadows drew close, screams became louder, and a sudden lightning spark struck the ground with smoke.

The sand in the cemetery spiraled into a whirlwind, going upwards and vanishing into thin air.

Huan walked over to the soldiers, "he just killed 100 of us."

We are dealing with something far more powerful than what I anticipated. I want you to start killing every werewolf you come across. That way, we can draw him closer and trap him."

I finally made my way to the car.

After walking around in circles, Mia climbed in beside me, "what just happened out there?"

I looked over at her, and her eyes had a light glow. She seemed abit shaken.

She looked up as I reached over my hand and touched her arm.

"Will this ever end?"

I couldn't answer her. I wanted this to end as badly as she did.

Arriving at home, Maka and Jia waited in anticipation by the table. As we sat down, there was a loud knocking on the door, like a banging sound, about to knock down the door. I looked over at Maka. "Are you expecting anyone?"

"No, I am not." she looked abit frightened and bewildered.

I walked over to the door through the window. I saw a dark shadow. I looked back as I slowly walked up to the door.

I turned the key as the door flung open, and cold air gusted. At the door stood a man with a black cloak.

The cape he wore covered his face. His mouth had little black moles around it, and the only visible skin on him was from his nose down.

He took a step inside. His hand was covered under the sleeve of his cloak. His breathing was heavy as if he had run for miles.

"Can I help you?"

I stood there and was surprised that he stepped in without introducing himself.

"Kai." it was Maka calling my name.

I looked around, and Jia and Maka shook their heads. Out of nowhere, he slid a cane down from his sleeve with a silvery snake head.

I looked around, and Mia stood in front of me as they stepped back. She hissed, looking up, her eyes changed yellow.

"Cries, screams, pain, pain, and pain," he whispered.

He slowly looked up, making eye contact. His eyes were hollow. His teeth were pointy sharp razor-like teeth.

The house's lights started to flicker. I pulled Mia away and stood in front of her. He breathed heavily as he looked down at me.

I stepped forward as the yellow stone started to light up along with the red stone.

He looked down at the stones and took a step back. Out of nowhere, five figures in cloaks stood behind him.

This was the moment I felt scared.

They looked like dementors. All I could see was blackness under their hoods. I heard a whisper, "it's the Underlord, be careful."

It was Jia.

Then the door bang close as the curtains blew, and the lights went off and back on. They were gone.