Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles Of Nakashima Wakana

There is no way to escape. Wakana remains calm. That's the most she can do. If she loses her head, she will be running around like a madwoman. She looks at the man who pushed her into the river. "Why did you do that to me?" 

"Sit down." The bird says, "Let's have a talk like a.d.u.l.ts."

Wakana rolls her eyes as she sits down on the cold ground. The three forsaken ones sit around her. Why can she see them suddenly? Did her mind open on her own? There are too many questions, but she hasn't received any answer. It's confusing. 

He tilts his head and smiles at her. Wakana scowls darkly at him. It's unfair how these people are unforgivably beautiful. But they aren't as beautiful as her Min Ho. The man bends down his head and apologises to her, "I am sorry, but it was necessary. Nothing could stop you from becoming a creature like us, but you are also a soul guardian. When we saw the goddess in the river, we knew that someone had to save her. We didn't have that ability. It had to be you."

Wakana exhales, frustrated. "So you pushed me because you wanted me to save Abyss."

"Yes." The woman leans forward, beaming at her. "Because you are both the soul guardian and the forsaken one. Do you know what you have done by saving that goddess? She is the primordial goddess. She created a world for anyone who is abandoned by the world. Even beings like us can find a place in her world."

"I guess that's a good thing." Wakana frowns. "But why did you not meet her when she was here?"

"We can't meet her yet." The shorter man sighs. "The three of us need to stay in this world. We keep a watch over the river. Even if the goddess had taken away the forsaken creatures, more will be produced by the river in time. Also, there is a binding that she can't help us with. She is also a forsaken goddess. Having her in a world like this means more work. Also, whenever something tries to cross the bridge back to the mortal world, we push them in the river."

"They can't ever escape the river unless some higher being helps them, you see," The taller man says to her. 

That's not what she heard about them. Wakana purses her lips. It's sort of awkward. It's hard not to hold grudges on someone who pushed her into a river. "What are your names?"

"We don't have names," The taller man replies, "but you can call me Tribus. It's Latin for three."

"I am Nova." The woman runs her fingers through her long dark hair. "It's derived from Novem which is Latin for nine. I was the ninth forsaken creature." 

"Quin," The shorter man points at the ugly bird on his shoulder and adds, "this is Que. Together, we are Quinque which is Latin for five."

So, they named themselves after numbers. Wakana relaxes her shoulders. "Are there others like you?"

"Including you, there are tens of us." Quin explains, "The ten of us turned directly into forsaken creatures. As for others, the goddess swallowed them and gave them another life in her world. She also gave names to them. So, you and nine of us are the only ones who still keep the identity of their past even after they turned into forsaken creatures."

Wakana squints her eyes. "I don't understand."

"That's because you are ugly and dumb," Que caws at her.

"Being forsaken means that you are abandoned by gods, time, and world." Nova gives an apologetic smile to Wakana while slapping Que's head. "But shouldn't you also abandon your past self? But you are still Nakashima Wakana. What do you think of that? Even if we have taken new names by ourselves, we haven't abandoned our old selves either. I am still the woman who is bound to this curse because of my wishes."

"I still don't understand," Wakana murmurs. "Sorry for being slow. Can you explain it in layman terms?"

"You are different from the forsaken creatures who went with the goddess," Tribus tells her. "You have managed to retain your identity even after you turned into a forsaken creature. You are bound to the mortal world. The connection between you and the world hasn't been severed yet. Perhaps, it's because there is a bond that can't be broken or you are a soul guardian. Normal rules don't apply to you. Whatever is the reason, you can go to the mortal world and live there."

"Actually." Wakana raises her finger. "There are weird birdlike creatures that try to hunt me down as food when I stay in the mortal world. So, I don't think that rules are bent for me."

"Ah, those." Quin scratches Que's neck. "We can help you avoid them."

"You can?" Wakana probes him sceptically. "Why can't you go to the mortal world then?"

"Who said that we can't go?" Nova c.o.c.ks her head and laughs. "We can go there anytime we want. But we can't stay in the mortal world for long, not like you. The mortals start to act in a strange way when we stay there for too long. That's why we avoid the mortal world. However, you don't affect them the way we do. It's because of your soul guardian's magic. It's passive inside you, but it protects you and protects the people surrounding you."

"We can help you settle in the mortal world with your immortal mate." Tribus comments solemnly, "But you have to help us."

Nothing is ever free. Wakana rolls her eyes. "What do you need?"

"Help us break the mortal ties," Quin says.

"You are the only one who can come to this world, interact with us, and go back to the world." Tribus sighs. "We are tired of doing this job. We want to be freed."

"We want to go to Haven." Nova grins. "It's a place for people like us. I think that we have done enough. The curse won't be lifted until the end of the time. We don't want to stay here that long." 

"So, help us break the things that are forcing us to retain the connection with our past selves.��� Quin takes the bird to his l.a.p. "You see, our sins were too great. We were desperate to fix our regrets. We couldn't move on. We rejected salvation and then, we tried to cross the bridge back. Somehow, we didn't end up in the river and we couldn't forget who we used to be. But it's been an extremely long time and we are tired. It has to end. We don't like this solitude that came to us in the form of immortality."

"In return for the secrets that we can teach you about yourself, you have to help us," Nova utters. "Don't you want this?"

"It sounds shady." Wakana shakes her head. "I have been fooled too many times."

"There is nothing to lose and," Tribus whispers, "do you want to be stuck here forever? You don't have much time, you see. The devil will be able to return when the moon turns crepuscular."

"What?"