A Gift or A Curse...

The day of the school ends and everyone with their friends going back to their home talking about the Deal of devil which head principal explained. Liam on his way thinking about that whatever he heard in assembly was exactly the same as it was in dream. But How? It feels that I was there at that time when the Deal of devil incident happened. Hopeless and helpless Liam was not even active while walking on the street and simply lost into the deep thoughts of his dream. While walking on streets ,Totally lost Liam got bumped into a cycle and then bam!! He got injured on his left knee and left hand elbow. 

The cyclist boy said Liam, "Hey! watch where you walk". Liam apologized and walk away, He is still so much in his thoughts that even though he is hurt he didn't response to that. He reached home and instead of going to meet his mother as he daily do, Liam straight up goes in his room lied on the bed without even taking off his school clothes. He was so worried about everything and can't even imagine to share this things to anyone because no one will believe in him. His Mom looked at his shoes and noticed that Liam was upset about anything so she leaves him alone for sometime and started preparing his favorite meal for dinner to cheer him up. 

Meanwhile in Liam's room, Liam is trying to sleep so that he can talk to that mirror image again but it's no use. He already slept enough, so he try some other methods and starts meditating but nothing happened. 

Liam (sigh!!) Guess I'll change my clothes and wait till the night for my sleep. While Liam was changing his clothes he noticed that his left hand sleeves and the knee part of his pants are covered in blood. 

Oh! I remember, I bumped into a cycle and that's when it happened. Damn, I have to keep my mind cool, I didn't even noticed my injury until i got home but why it's not hurting even a little. [When Liam took off his clothes he noticed that there was not even a single damage or cuts as it never happened or it got healed in an instant].

Liam- What is even happening to me? Am I really going mad? Was that accident never happened? But no! Wait, I know and I'm sure it did. And I even apologized to that cyclist. So how? [The moment Liam decided to keep himself calm, he got bombed by some other shocking and unknowing things happening to him]. 

I think I'm still sleeping. Liam pinched and slapped himself in the hope that he will wake up from his dream. "Ouch, It hurts"!! Guess it is not even a dream after all.

Liam Mother- [In a loud voice] Liam? Can you please come here for once!

Yes Mom! Coming...

Liam's Mother- Will you come with me to the market? I was cooking something and saw that some ingredients are finished. 

Liam- Yes Mom! [He is such a sloth that he don't want to go but he can't deny his mother as his father told him not to leave and always support your mother.

[Liam's father is in Navy serving Japan lives far from home. He spends less time with his family and only comes in some big occasion because of his work. Although he is doing everything for the country and his family, Liam hates him as he spends negligible amount of time with him. From last 15 years since Liam was born, his father rarely comes on his birthday or even in his important soccer matches].

Liam sighs!! Sits in backseat, where his mother is driving the car. On the way his mother talks about his favorite manga novels he always reads to boost him and distract him from what he is going through. "Liam, Which is the best novel according to you?" I thought maybe you can suggest me so I'll also start reading. You know dear I don't have much work to do so I got bored watching T.V all day.

Liam- Where is this coming from mom?! It's all of sudden you are asking me something which you always taunt me when I read it whole day. Well if you want to start something then go for Lord of the mysteries(LOTM). [Liam in his mind, HUH! Mom is acting strange, Well ,It is not as strange as what is happening to me].

Liam and his mom reached to their destination. She parked the car ,took his handbag and both of them entered the local market. It was all crowd and Liam is just walking behind his mother. His mother is shopping and after purchasing it, she hand it over to Liam.

MOM!! I think it's too much. How much more things you want to buy. She replied "Oh! Sorry but we rarely visits market dear, look there is sale for fish and meats, Come fast!!

While Liam was carrying all that he noticed that a person continuously looking and following them. [He looks like a beggar, carrying a huge polythene and his back is slightly bent as the way he walks he looks more than 100 years of age.]

Liam thought that he need some food, so he told his mother "Please carry this stuffs for sometime, I'll be right back". [Liam goes to nearby store and buy some foods and a bottle of water for that beggar] When Liam returned back he saw that he was not there, He looked around but that beggar is already gone from there. [Both of them get back to their car after 2 hours of shopping].

Liam's mother- It's fun to shop with you dear, You are such a great help to me , Now from next time onwards I'll take you to the shopping.

Liam- [In irritating tone] NO MOM!! It's so boring and I already got tired. 

Both of them reached home and Liam straight up goes to his room, And lay down on the floor. He was so tired because of the crowd and heat of that place. 

[In soft tone] Liam, It's me. Can you hear me? Liam?

Liam looked around in his room and noticed that the voice is coming from his room mirror. He sits in front of the mirror and it was that mirror image of himself only( with the difference of hair color).

Liam questioned him so many things at once: What is that dream about? Why only me? Who is Akumaa? Why is Akumaa greeted as a lord when he was a devil? Am I real? Are you real? Last time you said that everything is real, What is the actual meaning of that? [Liam sighs in relief as he didn't stop while asking all this questions].

Mirror image- (Chuckles!), You are still so desperate Liam. I wonder if I lived my life, Am I also this curious like you? Calm Down. I'm here to help you. But first you need to know that Akumaa was actually a devil who helped Japan in 1525 calamity.

Liam- Argh! I know this, That he helped Japan by stopping the calamity. I don't want to hear this again and again. Tell me something which I don't know.

Mirror Image- Well here you are wrong Liam. The devil Akumaa helped Japan in calamity but he didn't stopped the calamity. No one including Akumaa knows that from where the calamity appears but he binds a vow with his magical power to give up his soul, lessen the strength of calamity and increase the strength of Japan giving them some amount of his powers to each and everyone of them.

Liam- OHH! So Akumaa is actually a good devil. That's why everyone say lord to him. He is so kind hearted that he destroyed himself to help Japan from that calamity. 

Mirror image- No Liam! He didn't destroyed his soul. He cuts his souls in pieces and distribute in every citizen of the Japan. Basically he is a curse for Japan who resides in each and every one of them. He isn't lord, A devil who is ruthless and will do anything to achieve his own goal. He didn't help Japan because of mercy, He helped them for his own selfish desires. 

Liam- URGH! Its so confusing. It was all so quick for me to digest.

Mirror Image- Place your hand on mirror, I want to show you something. 

Liam slowly puts his hand on the mirror and the moment mirror image also puts his hand parallel to Liam, Liam started having visions. He can hear people's screams, tears of them, cry of a small baby and at last he saw Akumaa who looks directly in the eyes of Liam said "So you finally got a grasp of it ,on your powers" and after this Akumaa attacked on Liam. 

Liam wakes up[In panic ,sweating all over his body] and looked around. Wait Am I dreaming again? He was so scared that he feels problematic in breathing so he goes nearby window and opened it. Cold breeze touches his face and he got himself some relief. He noticed that from a few distance is the same beggar whom he saw in the market staring at Liam's window. Now it was creepy for him.

Liam- How does he know where I live? Leave, maybe he is just some crazy person roaming here and there.

[He was more worried about the stuffs going on with him]. It was a dream? But no, it feels so real to me. I really need to talk to someone about this, But who will believe me? Liam pulls out his phone and started looking at the contacts, At that time he noticed the palm of his right hand is actually burnt a little bit. He dropped his phone down and he realized that it wasn't a dream and this is the same palm of hand which I came in contact to my mirror image. 

[The expression and the feeling Liam had is totally messed up and he decided to talk about this to Aoi, because she is the only person who will maybe trust him and he knows her since his childhood].

Liam picks up his phone and dialed Aoi's phone number.! Phone rings!! 

Liam- Aoi! I really want to talk to you on something, Meet me tomorrow after the school.