1 A Beautiful Beginning

"I deeply regret to inform you, sir, that despite our earnest efforts, we were unable to save her...."

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"YOU DARE TO DEFY THE REALITY? THE GODS?"

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* * * * *

October, 1998

Tokushima, Japan

The car glided through a series of winding valleys, and Sarah Miller stared pensively out of the window.

Lost in her thoughts, she was contemplating the journey that had brought them to Japan in her eighth month of pregnancy.

After ten long years, Sarah and Matthew... were finally going to have a child, and the couple had sought out the best medical facility to ensure a safe delivery.

As the car meandered through the Tokushima valleys, Matthew glanced at Sarah, her profile highlighted by the soft glow of the setting sun. "You okay, love?" he asked, his hand reaching over to gently rest on hers.

A serene smile played on Sarah's lips. "I'm more than okay. I can't believe we're finally here, Matthew. It feels like a dream."

Matthew squeezed her hand, sharing in her excitement. "It's real, Sarah. Our little one is on the way, and we're doing everything we can to make sure they have the best start in life."

"We don't want to know if it's a boy or girl," Sarah murmured, a flicker of excitement and anticipation dancing in her eyes. Her gaze remained fixed on the passing scenery outside, her mind filled with hopes and dreams.

"All we need is an assurance that our baby is healthy," she added softly, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

The season brought a crisp chill to the air, and the changing leaves whispered promises of new beginnings.

Deep within, her heart fluttered with joy and anticipation, her inner self giggling with delight at the thought of their growing little miracle.

As they arrived at the hospital, Sarah and Matthew were ushered into a sterile examination room. Various tests were conducted on Sarah, their hopes intertwined with the results.

Finally, the door swung open, and Dr. Ayame Nakamura , an experienced doctor with a weathered face, entered the room.

The weight of sorrow settled upon Dr Nakamura's shoulders, as each word trembled in the air. With a voice filled with compassion, Dr. Nakamura approached Sarah, gently choosing her words.

"Mrs Sarah, I... I'm deeply sorry to have to tell you this, but..." The doctor's voice faltered, their experienced facade crumbling under the weight of the news.

They knew the couple had faced countless hardships on their path to parenthood, their journey marked by resilience and hope.

Now, as the baby had reached a stage where even its eyes and organs had fully formed, tragedy struck mercilessly.

Dr. Nakamura's heart ached, fearing how this devastating news would be received. In a hesitant pause, the doctor finally continued, "The baby... the baby has already stopped breathing... about fifteen hours ago. I'm so sorry, but there was nothing more we could do."

Sarah and Matthew stared at the doctor, their expressions frozen in disbelief. The words hung in the air, heavy with an unbearable truth that neither of them was prepared to face.

As the weight of the news sank in, Sarah's quivering breaths filled the room. It was a moment of profound grief, a moment that changed the course of their lives in an instant.

Sarah, her voice breaking, choked out, "No, please, there must be something, anything!"

Matthew, his eyes filled with tears, reached out to Sarah, holding her tightly.

"Doc, there has to be another way. We've been through so much to get here. Please, isn't there anything we can do?"

Dr. Nakamura, shoulders slumped with the heaviness of the moment, spoke softly, "I wish there were, truly. Sometimes, life deals us cards we cannot change."

The couple's world shattered in an instant. Sarah's sobs echoed through the room, Matthew, overwhelmed with sorrow himself, tried his best to provide comfort and solace, though his own emotions threatened to consume him.

They held each other tightly, finding strength in their shared pain, as they navigated the overwhelming wave of sadness that engulfed them.

Under the darkness of night, the somber silence enveloped the car as Matthew maneuvered through the dark and empty streets.

His grip on the steering wheel tightened, mirroring the heavy burden that weighed upon his heart.

In the backseat, Sarah slept, speaking softly about caring for her baby, were accompanied by tears, as if her subconscious recognized the fragility of the dream.

They had traversed this agonizing path before, the devastating reality of perinatal loss not unfamiliar to them.

Together, they journeyed back to the lodge, two souls intertwined in a shared sorrow, seeking solace in the enveloping darkness of the night.

No words were exchanged during the journey; instead, the profound silence spoke loudly, echoing the depths of their shattered hopes and the weight of their unimaginable loss.

'Sarah, with two consecutive miscarriages and your serious medical history, it's not advisable to attempt conception. Further evaluation and discussion about alternative options would be beneficial.', Dr. Nakamura's words were repeating inside Matthew's head.

Lost in his thoughts and overwhelmed by the weight of their loss, Matthew inadvertently missed the turn to the lodge. He found himself on a dark, unfamiliar path leading toward the forbidden mountain.

Unease settled over him as the road grew increasingly treacherous, the bumps becoming deeper and more jarring.

Whispers of unknown voices started to fill the air, warning him, "You don't belong here... Don't you dare go any further..."

The car's radio crackled with a haunting message, "D3ath will be lesz painfúl. Y#ou shvall tUrñ BÆCK thîzs instance, or th£re... will be DÎRE cōnseqquençes!!."

Matthew's eyes darted around, searching for answers in the inky darkness. Suddenly, the car lights landed on a figure—an imposing silhouette standing tall at eight feet.

Cloaked in obsidian smoke, the figure appeared as a manifestation of darkness itself. The swirling tendrils of smoke coiled around its towering frame, obscuring its features, as if concealing the horrors that lay within.

In its hand, the figure clutched a staff, gnarled and twisted as if hewn from the very roots of the ancient trees that surrounded the shrine.

Its presence was suffocating, radiating an aura of malevolence that sent chills down Matthew's spine.

The cloak billowed in an unseen wind, whispering secrets of forgotten tales and ancient curses. In that split second, their gazes met, locking in an inexplicable connection.