Miles and miles away from the Central Metropolis, in the distant Western Metroplis, the region where all the forests of the world are. Deep within the most dangerous of all the forests, the home of very rare animals, men scattered in different directions far from one another, searching for something. They were squinting there eyes, large torches on theirs heads like headbands.
At the entrance of the forest a tall slim man dressed in black from head to feet looks sharply on, his eyes moving in sync with the people within the forest. His pale bewitching face so beautiful but not effeminate.
"Come back" he spoke softly yet everyone in the forest heard it behind their ears.
He turned around and walked slowly to a deserted road, his windbreaker swayed in the air,then he disappeared.
The city of Western Metroplis is right in the middle of a very large forest. Although it is very big and prosperous, it's just like an island in the sea. There are other towns here and there but they are surrounded by forests.
The man reappeared in front of a magnificent building. It had a mixture of ancient and modern architecture. It was the only building in the area surrounded by bamboo trees. The man ascended the stairs as two guards standing at both sides of the gate opened it, bowing.
"Welcome Master" in unison they remained bowing until the man had entered the building.
Inside this building is another house which is the main residence.
The outer building had a roof which covered all the houses in it; a house in a house.
Unlike the outer shell, the interior of the house was decorated with the latest designs in the most minimalistic way there was.
"Master Hyun, you've returned so early. How did the search go?" An agile old man about seventy years old dressed traditional got up from his seat and walked up to the man.
"Bong, you are getting older. Have you found a child that can be trained" replied Mo Hyun.
Mo Hyun, the dark Lord cursed to live the life of brute and murder, loneliness and emptiness, blessed with a bleak redemption; master of the underworld. He has lived for almost a thousand two hundred years but has yet to find his redemption. Bong had met him eight decades ago when he was just a boy. His master Hyun had walked up to him and helped him; he was raised by master himself. To show gratitude, he had refused to be married; dedicating his life to his Master, father and friend.
"Master, I have found one. A child that will be able to serve you longer."
"Bring him when he is ready"
"Yes, master Hyun"
"Bong, I have sensed it again." He paused, his eyes deep but lonely
"This pull is very strong. I might be lucky this time"
Old man Bong looked at his master with empathy. His master was cold, very cold and dark afterall he was a dark Lord but he is a feeling one. Life was never fair to anyone but to Mo Hyun, life was wicked. The man had not participated in the sins of his father but he bore all the consequences.
"Master Hyun, I have found that family"
At the mention of this, dark clouds formed in Mo Hyun's eyes. At the same time, the city of Western Metroplis experience a drastic change in their weather. Dark clouds loomed over it, dyeing the day.
*************
Ever since she returned to the country, Lora has been having a hard time sleeping. Everytime she closes are eyes a bright spherical ornament stings her eyes, it was just too bright. Even during the day, she experiences flashes of visions all about the same thing, the blinding light sphere.
She had tried using sleeping pills but she still couldn't sleep. The bright girl had become grumpy, irritable and uneased.
She laid lifeless on the bed,an eye mask covering her face.
"The ghost were better. I got used to them."
She turned to her left, her back to the rays of light from the window. Her whole body told of her predicament, a frustrating one.
She sat up straight as if in shock and screamed out loud.
"BRING BACK THE GHOSTS"
Ever since the day at the Li Corporation, she didn't see the ghost, couldn't see them, instead she was taunted by an orb.
"What ghost has that ornament?" She wondered out loud.
Usually, there were three categories of ghost.
The ordinary ghost or infant ghost which are the ghosts that have just died and not wondered for long, known in the dark world as the transients.
The matured ghosts which have accumulated good karma after wondering for a very long time. They are usually the ones who are still emotional attached to the world because they have died wrongly. They are the eternals
And there are the evil ghosts which have accumulated bad karma because they are not convinced that their deeds while living are wrong. They are called the fiends.
She was even more confused now. She had only had from the transients that there were more powerful ghosts. She had even heard of ghouls and how they operate but she had never seen any of them.
"Are the powerful ones all in the Metroplis? The transients speak of them with fear."
"I've I offended one of them?"
"Offended who?" A feminine voice came from the doorway
"Ahhhhhh!" Lora Li jumped off the bed, hitting her head against the sofa. She managed to remove her eye mask and looked at the intruder with reproach.
"Second senior sister, why are did you sneak up on me"
"Lora, are you alright?" She walked over, worried and concerned for her little girl. They had all made an oath never to make Lora have a moment of unhappiness. She was the most concerned for the child.
"Lora, I know you still see them. Does it still trouble you?" She sat beside the frustrated Lora.
"That's not it. You scared me! Where you going to sneak up on me?"
"You were never worried about a sneaky attack. Nothing scares you, Lora"
She scrutinized the young woman.
"Have you not been sleeping? You look.." she held her wrist trying to feel her pulse. Lora makes to withdraw but Shen Jia holds on to her.
"Lack of sleep, fatigue, restlessness, pills!" Her voice turned grave.
"What the... What have you been doing, Lora?"
She got up and brought Lora Li to the sofa, then she went out the door through a small passage to the kitchen.
Shen Jia busied herself in an hour she had wiped up a meal and some soup.
"Lora, come here" she shouted.
Lora gets up lazily dragging her feet to the kitchen. She sat on a long stool at one of the cabinet, slurped the noodles and drank the soup without much enthusiasm but obediently. No one, not even her could defy a serious She Jia.
She soon fell asleep on the cabinet.
Shen Jia slipped out of the kitchen, took her phone from her pocket and placed a call.
"Hello, Shishi, she's okay now. You can rest assured. I'll stay with her for now. Hmmm, you can come too. Leave the men out. Alright bye"