Chapter 9- When the Portal Calls

The cold wind nips at my face as I stand at the top of the slope with skis strapped to my feet, ready to conquer the mountain—or, you know, try not to fall flat on my face. The snow glistens under the sunlight, and the air feels crisp and alive. Around me, the others are already having the time of their lives.

"Hinoyama-kun! Hurry up!" Hana calls from further down the slope. She's got a knack for making skiing look effortless, like she's been doing it since birth. Meanwhile, I'm still trying to figure out how to stop without eating snow.

Yui, of course, is being her usual loud self. "Come on, Hinoyama! Even Ren's better at this than you, and he's fallen, like, five times already!" She points at Ren, who's currently face-first in a snowbank. Daichi's helping him up, laughing so hard he's almost doubled over.

"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" I shout back, adjusting my goggles. "Watch and learn, everyone. The great Takumi Hinoyama is about to—whoa!" My foot slips before I even finish, and I barely catch myself. So much for my grand entrance.

Everyone bursts out laughing, and I can already hear Hana's voice ringing out loud and clear. "Hinoyama-kun, you're supposed to ski, not perform a comedy show!"

I wave her off, trying to play it cool. "That was just a warm-up! You'll see, I'm saving the real show for the slopes!"

Ren claps me on the shoulder, grinning. "Don't let them get to you, man. Just go for it. Gravity's got your back."

"Yeah, right," I mutter. Still, I can't let them keep teasing me. With a deep breath, I push off again, determined not to embarrass myself this time.

The skis slide smoothly under me, and I manage to stay upright. The cold wind hits my face, and for a moment, it feels amazing—like I'm flying. I zigzag down the slope, and I'm actually doing pretty well.

That is, until Hana zips past me, turning around mid-ski just to wave. "Catch me if you can, Hinoyama-kun!"

"Is she for real?" I grumble, leaning forward to pick up speed. She's fast, but no way am I letting her win this.

The race is on, and for once, I forget about all the weird Oscuro stuff, the Vorixas responsibilities, and everything else weighing on me. It's just me, my friends, and the snow.

And honestly? It feels pretty great.

Hana is determined not to let me catch up. She zips down the slope effortlessly like she's in some kind of ski championship. "You'll have to do better than that, Hinoyama-kun!" she calls out, her voice full of confidence.

But then, it happens.

In her effort to stay ahead, she veers off the main ski path. The markers blur past her as she speeds into an unmarked area. I can see her trying to slow down, but it's too late. Her skis wobble, and she loses control.

"Hana! Stop!" I shout, panicly.

She turns her head for a split second, but it's enough to throw her balance completely off. She tumbles forward and slides right over the edge of a cliff.

"Hana!!"

Without even thinking, I chase after her. My heart pounds like crazy as I ski toward the same edge she fell from.

I see her land, thankfully cushioned by a thick blanket of snow. "Are you okay?!" I yell down to her, skidding to a stop. She groans, sitting up and dusting snow from her hair.

"I'm fine!" she calls back, "But, uh... I think I'm stuck!"

I feel relieved, but it doesn't last long. I realize I have no choice but to go down there too. Taking a deep breath, I push myself off the edge and follow her.

The fall is quick, and the snow absorbs the impact just like it did for Hana. When I land, I sit there for a moment, catching my breath.

"Well," I say, shaking snow out of my goggles, "this is fantastic. Just fantastic."

Hana sits a few feet away, her face red—either from embarrassment or the cold. "I didn't mean to—ugh, don't look at me like that! I was trying to win, okay?"

"We're not even on the ski area anymore," I mutter, standing up and glancing around. The trees are thicker here, and there are no tracks or markers in sight. It's just snow, trees, and silence.

Hana stands up too, brushing off the last of the snow. "So... uh, where are we?"

"Completely lost," I reply, crossing my arms.

She groans. "Seriously?!"

"Seriously."

We start walking our way back. The thick forest is closing in around us. The snow is crunching under our boots with every step, and the cold is biting through the air. Hana stays close, glancing around nervously.

"So, do you even know where we're going?"

"Nope,"... "But staying put isn't an option either."

"Great. Stranded in the middle of nowhere with you. At least it's not boring."

I glance at her out of the corner of my eye. I could just grab her and jump high enough to reach the others. But I won't. It doesn't feel right.

She suddenly stops and points. "What about that path over there? Looks like it might lead somewhere."

I follow her finger and see what she's talking about: a faint trail winding through the trees. It's narrow and half-buried in snow, but it's better than nothing. "Worth a shot," I say, leading the way.

As we walk along, the forest gets denser. The towering trees stretch up like they're trying to touch the sky, and their thick branches block most of the sunlight. It's quiet, too quiet, except for the occasional rustle of snow falling off the trees.

"You know," Hana starts, breaking the silence, "this would be kinda—umm

... romantic if we weren't, you know, completely lost and freezing."

"Romantic? Really?"

"Well, you know... if the situation wasn't a total disaster, it'd be the kind of thing you see in movies, right? Two people lost in the woods, and they... uh, find each other or whatever." Her cheeks turn red.

I'm not sure if she's serious or just trying to make light of things. "Yeah, except in the movies, they don't get stuck in the snow without food or a way out."

She looks at me, her eyes softening. "True. But hey, it's not all bad, right? I mean, at least we're not alone."

"Yeah, well, if we don't find our way out soon, we might not be able to say that."

"Guess we'll have to be stranded together for a while then."

"Guess so."

I look ahead, the trail becomes steeper. My heart thuds a little faster, but I keep my face straight.

Hana's voice breaks through the quiet again. "You know, Hinoyama-kun, I... I always enjoy spending time with you. Even if it's... uh... a bit unusual."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, you're always so... focused, you know? Like you're in your own world. But when we hang out, it's... nice. You're not like other people."

I blink, unsure of how to respond. "I'm just... me," I say, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.

She looks away, her cheeks turning even redder, probably due to the cold. "Yeah, that's what I mean. But... I think it's nice."

I don't know how to process what she just said. "Uh... thanks?"

She nods, but it's quiet for a moment. We keep walking in silence, and the more I think about it, the more I realize I might've missed something important. But I don't say anything more.

She sighs softly. "It's nothing, really. Just... forget it. Let's focus on getting out of here first."

"Yeah," I say, trying to shift the topic. "First, we get out of this mess. Then, we'll talk about that 'romantic' stuff later."

She gives me a playful shove, and I can't help but feel a tiny spark of warmth in my chest. Maybe I'm not as clueless as I thought. But maybe I'm still not quite getting the whole picture.

---

We are lost. Completely lost.

We've been walking for about four hours now. The snow is falling harder, and I can barely see where I'm going. The trees all look the same, and there's no sign of the ski path. It's just snow, snow, and more snow.

Hana's breathing is heavy, and I can see her trying to stay strong, but she's starting to slow down. I can feel it, too. The cold is seeping into our bones, and I don't know how much longer we can keep walking like this.

"We should rest for a bit," I say,

The wind is getting stronger now, pushing at us from all sides. It's harder to hear anything over the howling wind, but Hana seems to hear me.

She nods, though her face looks pale from the cold. We sit down under a thick tree, huddling together for some kind of shelter. The wind pushes the snow against us, but at least it's a little better here.

"I don't know where we are, Hinoyama-kum," she says. "What if... what if we don't make it out?"

I want to say something to reassure her, but the truth is, I'm just as scared. We're lost, and the climate's only getting worse. I'm not sure how much longer we can last out here.

We sit there for a moment but then, then a snow storm hits us full force. It's like a wall of snow and wind that hits us all at once. I can barely see my hand in front of my face. The snow is falling so fast now that it feels like we're drowning in it.

"Hana!" I shout, but the wind carries my voice away.

She's right next to me, but I can barely hear her. The storm is so loud, and the snow is blinding. I grab her by the arm and pull her closer, trying to shield her from the worst of it.

"We need to move!" I say, my voice desperate. But there's nowhere to go. The storm is everywhere.

Hana's shivering now, her teeth chattering. I know we can't stay here for long.

I try to move us, but the snow is so deep, and the wind is pushing against us like it's trying to throw us off our feet. It's like the world is spinning out of control.

Then, in the chaos, Hana trips and falls.

"Hana!" I shout, but the storm's too loud. I rush forward and catch her just before she hits the ground. My heart's racing, and I don't know what to do.

I pick her up, holding her tightly, and start moving again, one step at a time. The snow is thick, and my legs feel like they're made of lead, but I can't stop now.

We have to find shelter.

After what feels like an eternity, I see something ahead of us—a dark shape in the snow. It's a cave. We don't have much choice, so I make my way toward it, holding Hana close.

When we get inside, I drop to the ground, exhausted. The wind's still howling outside, but at least we're out of the storm.

We both sit there, trying to catch our breath. But even as the storm rages outside, something feels off. The air in the cave is still... too still.

I can't shake the feeling that something's wrong. Something I can't see, but I can feel.

But for now, we're safe from the storm. And that's all that matters.

---

Night has fallen, and the storm outside has finally stopped. The wind is now silent, leaving only the cold, still air of the cave. It feels strange. The silence seems too deep, too unnatural. The shadows stretch around us, but my attention is elsewhere.

I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Somewhere between the northern pass and the summit. This cave—there's no doubt in my mind anymore. I'm sure this is where the portal is. The strange sensation I've been feeling ever since I got up here is stronger now. It's faint, but it's there. I can feel it pulsing from deep inside the cave.

I don't want to scare Hana with my suspicions, so I keep it to myself for now. But I'm certain. The portal is connected to this place. I've been seeing signs of strange Oscuro activity—the bear, the human—something's definitely wrong. I don't fully understand it, but it all points to this cave.

I can't let myself think too hard about it right now. The others—Ren, Daichi, Hayato and everyone else—are probably looking for us right now. I'm sure they're worried. We've been gone too long, and I don't even know where we are. No one knows where we are. But there's nothing we can do about it now. We have to wait until morning.

I glance at Hana. She's sitting near the fire now, looking better than she did before, but I can still see the exhaustion in her eyes. She's tired, both physically and mentally. I know how scared she must be, even if she's not saying anything. I'm not the best at comforting people, but I can't help but feel responsible for her right now.

"We'll be okay," I tell her. "We just need to wait out the night. We'll get out of here in the morning."

She gives me a weak smile. "Yeah, sure... just a little lost in a cave in the middle of nowhere. No big deal, right?"

I try to lighten the mood. "Could be worse. Could be stuck in class on a Monday morning."

She laughs, but it's short and dry. I can see her trying to stay positive, but the uncertainty is still there. "So... umm Takumi-kun," she says slowly, "what's going on with all this, anyway? You've been acting... weird ever since we got in this cave."

I freeze. I've been trying to keep my suspicions to myself. I don't want her to get caught up in it. "What do you mean?" I ask, trying to sound casual.

She shrugs, though there's a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. "I don't know. You've been distant. And earlier, when you... you looked like you were seeing something. Like you were in a trance or something. Are you okay?"

I sigh, running a hand through my hair. "I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

She doesn't seem convinced, but she nods. "Okay, if you say so."

The conversation dies down, and we sit in silence for a while. The crackling of the fire is the only sound in the cave now, and it almost feels like everything is still again. But then I hear it—a rustling sound from the deeper part of the cave. It's faint at first, almost like a breeze or a trickle of water. But it doesn't feel right.

I stand up slowly, my heart racing. Something's not right. The cave is too quiet, too still. I don't like the feeling of this.

"Hana," I whisper, glancing at her. "Did you hear that?"

She looks up, her eyes wide. "Yeah. What was that?"

I don't answer her immediately. I'm too focused on the strange sensation creeping through me. That same weird energy I felt before is coming from deeper in the cave. It's almost like it's... calling to me.

I reach for my fire Seishin instinctively, but I don't ignite it yet. I want to know what we're dealing with first. Plus, I don't want to involve Hana in this.

The rustling grows louder. It's not the wind. It's something else, something moving. Something... or someone.

And then, the noise stops abruptly.

I hold my breath, waiting. The silence stretches, heavy and suffocating.

And then, a low, guttural growl echoes from deep within the cave. It sends a chill down my spine.

Hana's eyes widen in fear. "Wh-What was that?" she whispers, her voice trembling.

"I don't know," I mutter. "But I have a feeling we're not alone."

I don't need to look back to know what's coming. The growl, the sudden shift in the air—there's no mistaking it.

An Oscuro appears from the shadows, its presence sending a chill through the cave. This one looks like the usual Oscuro—the Devoid kind. Empty, mindless, a creature with no real will of its own.

I can feel the heat rising in my chest. This time, there's no hesitation. I know what I have to do. My body burns with the need to act, the Seishin within me igniting, ready to unleash everything I've got.

"Finally," I mutter, stepping forward, flames already flickering around my fingertips. "You're the type I can fight without thinking twice."

The creature doesn't respond, its red eyes glowing even brighter in the dark. It doesn't need to. I know it's here to kill.

I take another step forward. "Come on, let's see what you've got."

With a fierce roar, I charge at it. No more holding back. I'll take it down.

I close my eyes for a moment, focusing all my energy. I draw on the power that runs deep within me—the Fire Spirit's magic. It burns hotter than anything else.

"En Seishin... Enzai!"

Magic of the Fire Spirit... Flames of false judgement.

And with it, a wave of intense heat explodes from me. The flames twist and churn, taking the shape of judgment—wrathful, fiery, and absolute.

The Oscuro doesn't have time to react. In a split second, the flames wrap around it, consuming its form in a burst of fire.

It doesn't stand a chance.

The air clears, the smoke lingering as I watch the creature collapse into ashes. It's over. One shot—one judgment.

I take a deep breath. The fight's done. The portal is still ahead. But for now, I turn to Hana, checking if she's alright.

I've handled this. But something tells me the real danger is still out there.

The strange noise from deep within the cave doesn't stop. It's a low, unsettling rumble, almost like whispers—shuffling, scraping, growing louder with every passing second.

I feel the tension spike in my chest. It's not just the wind, or my imagination. Something's coming.

Then, from the darkness of the cave, I see the movement. Another Oscuro, crawling from the shadows. Not just one. Another follows, and then another. More than I can count. They're surrounding us.

I grit my teeth, my fingers twitching with the urge to unleash more fire. I won't let them get close. But there are too many. I can feel my heart racing. One by one, they emerge from the dark, their glowing eyes locked onto me.

The situation is getting worse.

I quickly assess the threat. The Oscuros keep pouring out from the dark corners of the cave. This confirms it. The portal is here. They're coming from it.

Were they here this whole time?

The storm has stopped outside. We could try to escape, but... I can't leave. My mission isn't over. I can't just run after coming this close, not when this portal is still active. I have to destroy it, but—damn it—Hana's here. I can't let them touch her.

I glance back at Hana, who's standing frozen, wide-eyed. I don't want to risk her getting hurt.

"Hana, run!" I shout, my voice hoarse. "Go! Now!"

I don't have time to explain. I don't even have time to think about the words. I raise my hands, preparing for the fight that's about to come. My fire will protect us, but it's not enough to take on so many at once. I need a plan. I need to think fast.

Just then, a spark of lightning crackles through the cave. The air changes. And then, like a gust of wind that breaks the storm's silence, he appears.

Hayato.

His presence is like a jolt of energy, and I can feel it even before I see him. His sharp eyes lock on the Oscuros, and the air around him feels different—charged, dangerous.

It's him. Finally.

"About time you showed up," I mutter under my breath, a bit of relief flooding me despite the danger.

Hayato doesn't waste any time. He steps forward, his usual calm demeanor cutting through the chaos. He's ready to fight. And he's not holding back.

"Hana," he says coolly, "get out of here. We'll handle this."

I nod to Hana, silently urging her to run as we face the Oscuros head-on.

I don't know how much time we have, but I know one thing: I'm not leaving without finishing this.