Episode 5 - "Peering into the Past"

Rin reached up to her neck, unclasping a delicate golden locket shaped like a heart. Without a word, she gently placed it around Ryuk’s neck, fastening it securely. Ryuk’s fingers brushed against the locket as he looked at her, surprised.

"This... this looks really expensive. I can’t accept it," Ryuk said, his voice full of hesitation.

Rin smiled softly, "Friends don’t reject gifts. Or... don’t you consider me a friend?"

Ryuk hesitated, then sighed, "Of course, I do. But friends also don’t keep secrets. Who are you really, Rin? Where do you come from? Why won’t you tell me?"

Rin's expression grew serious. "With my secrets come dangers. Are you ready to face them?"

Ryuk looked into her eyes, determined. "We’ll face those dangers together," he said, taking her hand firmly.

Rin’s smile returned, warmer this time, and she nodded. "Alright... I’ll tell you everything."

"I grew up in a country called Purio. It was a place where magic was nothing more than a myth, or so people believed. The king ruled with an iron fist, and stories circulated about witches from distant lands coming to overthrow him. These stories were so deeply ingrained in the people’s minds that anyone suspected of witchcraft was hunted down without mercy. Witch hunting became a profession, a way for people to make money, even if it meant making false accusations. It was during this time that a man named Bell Man became famous. He was the most feared witch hunter of them all."

Rin paused, her voice catching slightly as memories flooded back. "I lived with my mother, a widow who was known throughout our village as a skilled medic. She could heal anyone with her herbal medicines, and people whispered that her cures were more than just remedies—they were magic. There was another woman in our village, also a medic, but her remedies were never as effective as my mother’s. She was jealous, and one day, she reported my mother to the witch hunters."

Ryuk listened intently, his expression serious as he imagined the scene. Rin continued, her voice quieter now. "I was out in the woods collecting herbs when it happened. When I returned, our home was surrounded by villagers. They had burned my mother alive. I never got to say goodbye." She swallowed hard, blinking back tears. "Before I could do anything, Bob, our neighbor, took me away. He was like a father to me, always looking out for us after my father died. He took me to his home and tried to comfort me, but all I could think about was revenge. That night, I took a torch and went to the woman’s house—the one who accused my mother. I was going to burn her alive, just like she did to my mother."

Rin’s eyes darkened as she recalled the night. "But before I could do it, someone grabbed me from behind. They covered my mouth with a cloth, and the next thing I knew, I was waking up in my bed. The woman had died that night, but I didn’t kill her. I don’t know who did."

Ryuk was silent, taking in every word. Rin continued, "After that, Bob told me he had to leave for an important job in the capital. He promised to return soon, but he never did. Days turned into weeks, and then one day, there was a knock on the door. I thought it was Bob, but when I opened it, there was a man in a mask. He grabbed me and took me to a cage filled with other women and girls. It was Bell Man’s men—they had taken us to the Bell Tower."
She shivered slightly, as if recalling the cold stone walls of that place. "The Bell Tower was more than just a tower. It had an underground complex, a whole world beneath the surface where women were forced into slavery, making something—a weapon, I think. Bell Man... he was different with me. He didn’t treat me like the others. It was almost like I reminded him of someone."

Rin's gaze turned distant. "One day, there was a theft at the tower. Bell Man’s sacred scroll was stolen, and he sent his entire army to find it. That was when the witches attacked. They were led by a woman we called Ms. Sorceress, though her real title was Orin. They freed us, but Bell Man... he just disappeared."

Ryuk looked at her with concern, but she continued. "Ms. Sorceress took me in. She brought me to her home in a place called Chandravati, a magical land high in the clouds. Everything there was done with magic—it was beautiful, but also frightening. The guards there... they were huge, with thin legs and arms, red eyes that glowed in the dark, and bulky bodies that made them seem even more intimidating. I joined a magic school there, and Ms. Sorceress became like a mother to me, though it took me a long time to accept her that way."

Rin’s voice softened as she spoke of Orin. "She told me about her past, how she was adopted by the previous Ms. Sorceress after her real daughter went missing. Orin had taken her place, but the loss of her sister haunted her.
Ryuk listened intently as Rin continued. "One day, Orin took me to a place deep within the castle—a door that was unlike any I had ever seen. It was ancient, made of heavy stone, and covered in strange symbols and drawings. I asked her what they meant, and she told me about the prophecy."

Orin's words echoed in Rin's memory as she spoke. "She told me that long ago, a great evil named Bellmorg was defeated and sealed behind that very door. But the seal wasn't permanent. The drawings on the gate were part of an ancient prophecy—a prophecy that spoke of a boy, a royal blood, who would one day come and release Bellmorg. The door could only be opened by someone of royal lineage, and Orin’s duty, as Ms. Sorceress, was to protect it at all costs."

Rin's voice trembled slightly as she continued. "It wasn’t long after she showed me that door that everything started to fall apart. One evening, Orin decided to take me back to that door, to show me something important—an ancient book that she had kept hidden there. But before we could reach it, all the bells in the castle started ringing at once, signaling that the castle had been infiltrated."
Rin's eyes widened as she recounted the terrifying events. "Orin used her magic ball to see what was happening. She saw two men, both wearing cloaks, leading an army of goblins into the castle. They were tearing through the guards and making their way toward us. Orin's face went pale, but she remained calm. She handed me a key and told me to use it to open a portal and escape."

Rin's voice faltered, the memory of that moment still vivid. "I didn’t want to leave her behind, but she insisted. She said that I had to find 'him. But as I turned to run, my feet froze. It wasn’t just fear... I felt this overwhelming, evil aura coming closer. And behind it, another presence—one that felt strangely familiar, like someone I knew but couldn’t remember."

Her hands trembled as she described what happened next. "The two men in cloaks appeared in front of me, blocking my path. I had already inserted the key into the portal, but it wouldn’t open. One of the men stepped forward, and I saw his face—it was Bell Man. The other man... he stood there, watching me, and as he lifted his hood, I felt like my heart stopped. It was like seeing a ghost from my past."
Rin paused, her eyes distant as she relived the moment. "Before I could fully process what was happening, the portal activated and pulled me in.
"Just as I got pulled into the portal, I could see his face clearly, and everything rushed into my mind. It was..."

Her voice caught in her throat, and she started to cough, unable to get the words out. The memory was too overwhelming, too real, and the name—the truth—was lodged in her throat, refusing to come out.

She looked at Ryuk, her eyes wide with shock and recognition, but no words followed.

There was a heavy silence between them, the weight of Rin’s story hanging in the air. Ryuk finally spoke, his tone serious. "Catherine... we’ll face this together. We’ll make sure none of this ever happens again."

But then, as if to break the tension, he suddenly laughed. "You know, you’ve got quite the talent for storytelling. This could be a bestseller! Seriously, is this some novel you’ve been reading? Because I’m hooked!"
Rin stared at him in disbelief, her shock quickly turning to offense. But before she could say anything, rain began to fall, the droplets splashing onto the ground around them. Ryuk noticed her expression and quickly backtracked. "Hey, don’t take it the wrong way! I was just joking. It’s just... difficult to believe all this. Hey for the first time I actually have an umbrella for once. I’m never this prepared for rain."

They stood up, making their way out of the park. But as they reached the edge of the park, Rin’s steps slowed. She felt a strange sensation, like they were being watched. Turning back, she looked at the tree under which they had been sitting. There, perched among the branches, was a shadowy figure. It sat motionless, something dangling from its hand that resonated a soft, eerie bell sound. The wind carried the sound to her ears, and in that moment, Rin felt a chill run down her spine. It was as if she had known all along that the figure was there, watching them.