The realization hit Taryn like a ton of bricks.
So much so that her mind completely halted all forms of thought for a moment.
There had been no record of Toya’s family tree past his grandfather simply because he never had a grandfather in the mansion to begin with. The man in the old photo with the two women was Toya.
How could he have lived that long and remained looking the same? She didn’t have a clue.
Why? A thousand possibilities could have been the reason.
His smile remaining, Toya spoke. “You’re not the first to be told this, but to answer your question, as of this year, I am one hundred and seventy-five years of age.”
Taryn looked at him thoroughly, trying to come to terms with this information. Could it have been something closer to what Elizabeth Báthory had done? No, that didn’t make sense. How could he have kept his youth while also turning people into dolls? She needed to know more, so she kept the conversation going.
Hoping for a better understanding since he was so willing to talk. “You’re saying you’ve lived for a long time; do you mean to say you’re an immortal?” Maybe not, but it’s best just to cover all bases.
Toya shook his head. “No, I’m not immortal. I honestly wish people would stop saying that when calling a person who lives a long time and is essentially ageless but is still able to die. Claiming that something or someone is immortal means that they are undying, deathless. They can never die, no matter what. And yet in so many stories, a person will have created an immortal being and have them die in some arbitrary way through some convoluted loophole. If an immortal being dies, then they aren’t truly immortal. It goes and contradicts what that word means. If anything, I would say that I have unending longevity but can still die. I’d prefer it since I have lived for nearly two centuries when I have not physically aged.”
Well, someone’s got a disdain for that word. Taryn thought, surprised by his sudden monologuing rant. She didn’t expect that. “Just to be clear, I was using the correct definition,” she retorted, causing him to pause in his sudden tangent. “So, you’re able to die. If that’s true, how would you even know?”
“By testing, of course. Not on myself, obviously, but on others who became like me. On those, I never intended to turn, only to come out that way through chance. But they were louts, to begin with. Not good people at all, no one would miss them.”
“Why would bother doing that, to begin with?”
“Simple, I would have then done so on myself were I to live another century after this one if I were never to find you.”
Taryn frowned, still trying to understand his logic. “But you didn’t find me,” she countered. “I came to you. If you really wanted the person you believed to be with, then you could have just left this place.”
“Yes, you’re correct. I could have left this village at any time. However, that is where two issues arise. The first being that I was told that the one I seek, the one who would complete me, would come to me. There go, I could not leave this place if I were to meet you. And the second; if I were to have you, or someone like you regardless of age or sex, go through this process, it would have to be here. I tried it once in an abandoned village not far off from here as a test, thanks to one of many wars that plagued us, but the person never changed when I completed the process. All I did was cut him up like a slab of meat.”
Taryn didn’t respond to that last part. “And when did you become this?”
“The end of winter at the start of 1871. I wasn’t lying when I told you my age.”
“I didn’t think that you were,” she said softly, her voice hitching in her throat as she glanced away from him.
Toya fell silent for a moment. “Why do you sound sad?”
She glared at him, not breaking eye contact as her lower half swayed from the sudden frustration of such knowledge. “Because! If you just wanted me, or your idealized version of me, or whatever! Why didn’t you wait? Why go and do that to all of those people who had, in your mind, nothing to do with it?” her body tensed just thinking of the people who could have possibly died on that slab of rock as tears began to stream down her face. “They didn’t deserve that. None of them did…”
“You don’t even know them,”
As the tears continued to fall, she looked at him with a glare. “You’re point? So, what if I didn’t know them? They were still people, regardless of what they did or how they lived. I would never wish for them to die that way. Even if in the heat of the moment, if I would want to kill them myself for what they had done whatever that was…” I already know that’s a part of me exists. But still… “No one deserves to go through such a horrible thing like what you did to them. I wouldn’t even wish it on you.”
Toya was silent, as though contemplating her words before closing the distance once more to wipe the tears from her face with a handkerchief hidden in the sleeve of his kimono. “That’s very kind of you. But regardless of your feelings on the matter, it’s already far too late. I turned them into what I was because I needed to be sure. Sure, that what I was doing was possible, that I could make others like me. Because I hold no memory of how I became this way myself, I just was. But when I found out that it was possible to do, and had done so, I wished to perfect it so that, when the time came, I would do so on you. Regardless if you were male or female, I would not care. You came to me, just as I had been told all those centuries ago.” his hand then touched the side of her face as he smiled as someone would to a beautiful memory. “You are the reason I have been doing this, and it will also end when I have you.”
The knowledge of that made her shake in fear. He was insane. This whole thing was insane. He held his resolve, his desire of what he wanted so fervently that nothing would break it. No matter how many lives it would cost him. He’d follow through to the very end.
Terrifying…
He was terrifying.
Yet one thing still didn’t make sense. One thing Taryn needed to be sure of. One final clarification.
“I promise to make it as painless as possible for you. I’ll be sure to put you back to sleep, so it will only be an instance for you,” Toya says as he runs his thumb along her cheek. Her tears long stopped flowing.
“Then answer me this,” she eyed him right back. “You’re the Doll, aren’t you?”
A faint smile came to his lips. “Yes, but by asking these questions, you already knew that when I told you that I turned those people into what I was. Legends like that of Kuronochi-sama are often told in old truths in some regard. This just happened to be literal.”
He was right since she initially concluded that those who had disappeared were being turned into dolls when recalling the village’s old legend of the Priestess. The process of how and how he could look human in comparison to his doll counterpart didn’t matter to her for what came out of her mouth next.
“You strangled me.” She said as her fear slowly became engulfed by something darker. Familiar darkness she had once before... one that she knew well.
“Only because you knocked the syringe out of my hand. I should have turned back as I am now, but I was hasty and acted rather irrationally. It was a mistake; I truly did not wish to harm you.” his hand then went to her throat as he looked to mourn his actions. “Even now, I still greatly regret it.”
“And Robert’s murder?” she demanded, trying to move back and away from his hand. “You killed him! You ripped out his heart and disembowelled him while he was alive! Why?!”
“Because he saw,” with his other hand, he touched a part of his kimono, in the same place where she had stabbed the doll. Where she had stabbed him. “He saw what you did you me, the wound you inflicted upon me. Of course, it’s long gone now. But at the time, it wasn’t. It wasn’t the only reason, though.” His hand fell away to his side as he looked at his other hand with an expression of contempt. “I had acted in response to what he had done to you.”
“What exactly did he do? He didn’t…” she trailed off, recalling that Robert almost struck her when she called him out on issues that Robert refused to face until pushed. “You have got to be kidding me. That’s the reason?”
“Yes,” he said in a simple tone. “He may not have struck you, but he could have, and seeing that made me recall the most unpleasant of things thanks to that boy.” His jade green eyes turned dark as though he recalled something extremely unpleasant, which reverberated in his voice. “It reminded me all too much of Naoki. Originally, I wished just to snap his neck and be done with him.” His voice was low with disdain. “But then, I recalled Naoki at that moment, and could not stop the same rage I felt from all those years ago enveloping my body.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath before opening them once more, now merely looking down towards the dirt floor. “I hold no regrets in killing that boy, given his violence, he could have very well turned into another Naoki. It was best to nip it in the bud before it became too late.”
“Take that back…” Taryn snarled, pulling Toya’s gaze slowly back to her, the look of surprise evident on his face as his eyes gradually widened. “You take that back right now. You don’t know a damn thing about Robert, you hear me? Nothing! You only projected what you wanted to see! You killed my friend, and I will never forgive you for that. No matter what you do to me!”
She didn’t know what expression she was making, could only assume it was a dreadful one given Toya’s silence. But it didn’t matter to her; she was too angry at this point to even care.
“If I weren’t strung up, and had the means, I’d drag you into the light of this world and make everyone see what you are.”
He cocked his head, intrigued by her statement. “And what am I?”
A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“A murderer,” she bit out. “No, a serial killer would be more fitting with just the number of corpses you’ve made.”
He didn’t even seem remotely phased by her anger. “And here I’d thought you would say that I was a Yōkai or a demon, like so many of the others before you. I’m almost disappointed.”
She shot him a narrowed look. “You don’t look like that to me. To me, you’re just a man. A man with an absurdly long lifespan and a really stupid complex towards people with names associated with death.”
He laughed softly, a smile returning to his lips. “When you say it like that, it does sound insane, doesn’t it?” his smile fell as his expression became sombre. “But I’ve been down this road for far too long to stop now. And with you finally here, I have no reason to stop.”
“Then did you ever think of what you’d do if I died during this? What if I don’t live as you believe? If you inadvertently kill me? What then?”
He answers without even a moment to pass. “If you don’t survive, then I die alongside you. We would both be nothing more than empty shells left forever in the endless void of darkness that is this underground maze of tunnels.” his right hand gently grasp the side of her face lovingly. “I’m afraid it really is just that simple. I have no reason to continue living if you aren’t there. Your family would never get the chance to get their revenge if that were the case. And if you were to live, then I would take you away from here. To where no one would find us.” Suddenly along her left cheek, his touch became rather cold. “And if someone were to try and stop me…” he drew his hand away, revealing it to now be like it was when he was the Doll. “Well, it simply would not end pleasantly for them.” his attention was then drawn to the sound of someone coming through one of the tunnels.
It was Ayako.
“Is something the matter Ayako?” Toya asked in Japanese as he stepped away from Taryn, his doll-like hand falling to his side, covered by his kimono’s sleeve.
“Apologise for interrupting Kitsutsuki-sama; we’ve received word from the police station that the Detective is returning with several officers in tow. It’s estimated that they’ll be arriving close to midnight. With even more to follow after that.”
“Anything else?”
“An officer we had working for us has been detained. We may not be able to hide this like before.” She looked at Taryn and then back at Toya. “What of the perpetrations for her? Shall I assist?”
“That won’t be necessary. I will handle it on my own. As for the Detective and other police involved, I will allow you and the others to do as you see fit. Given the situation, we are no longer able to keep discretion. That Detective Sakamoto especially, I doubt he would give up without a fight. He’ll be extremely persistent in retrieving the young women.”
She bowed her head to him. “Very well then,” she looked back to Taryn, the woman’s face was completely unreadable. “What of her friend? Should Blake-san be disposed of now that you have her?”
“No, leave her,” he looked back at Taryn, seeing her growing panic. “She’ll want to be with her friend after this when it’s over. I’ll see to it that Blake-san becomes the same.”
“Then I will take my leave for now,” Ayako turned and headed back the way she came.
“What the hell?” Taryn snapped in English as Toya turned back to her. “You said it would end with me! But then you go and say that you intend to do the same thing with Rachael?”
“I did mean for it to end with you, but then it occurred to me that you probably wouldn’t want to speak to me afterwards. Not that I’d blame you for it. But I wouldn’t want you to feel lonely either. So why not do the same to your friend? That way, you both can be together for your unending lifetime. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
“Don’t you dare touch her!” Taryn screamed, the muscles in her vocal cords croaked, still not back to what they were before. “You leave Rachael alone! If you so much as hurt her…”
He merely looked at her blankly as he clasped his hands together, hiding them from view in the sleeves of his kimono. “Curse me all you want; I’ve already made the decision. I don’t have the heart to separate two life-long friends. Better to be together, forever as ageless beings, than forever apart as one dies separately and alone. I’m sure she’ll understand when it’s her turn. For now, she’ll have to remain in a cell.” He then turned and headed straight down another tunnel. Only for him to stop at the tunnel’s entrance to glance back at her. “I’ll be back shortly, and when this is over, you’ll have a new life ahead of you.”
Taryn grit her teeth, fighting the urge to just scream in frustration as he disappeared down the tunnel, leaving her to dangle like live bait on a fisherman’s hook.
Fuck. Was the first thing to come to mind. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fucking fuck. She let out a series of short breaths, angry and worried beyond words as her vision began to blur due to lack of oxygen. Shit… I need to calm down, can’t think like this. She closed her eyes pushed every thought away as she continued to breathe. Slowly inhaling through the nose and exhaling the same way, doing this on repeat several more times before, finally, getting her body to ease. The moment she relaxed, blue eyes snapped open as she immediately took in her surroundings. With Toya no longer here, she could get a better idea of where she was.
She was in underground tunnels, but it didn’t look familiar to her, that was bad.
However, the bright side to this, if it could be called that, was that there was no one in sight. Straining her ears, she couldn’t hear anyone either. She glanced up, craning her aching neck to look at her hands bound above her.
Her wrists were bound together by an ordinary rope, which rested on a metal hook embedded into the cave's ceiling. She glanced down towards her feet; she was at least a foot above the ground, given that she could deuce with her height that from the floor to the cave’s somewhat lower ceiling to the rest of the place, it was at least seven to eight feet in height. She looked back above her. There was enough space for her to swing up.
She took in a breath. This is so going to hurt. And began to swing her body, gaining momentum. Repeatedly, she kicked out her legs to send her lower half up more and more before finally being able to swing herself up to be upside down. It took her a few tries, which would have helped if she had her boots, but finally managed to press her feet firmly on the ceiling she began to lift her writs off the hook. The moment she had managed to get the rope off, her body quickly fell with a thud. She hissed out a breath. Yup, just like I thought, but that hurt more than I thought it would. Ow… She thought with a hissed breath as she rolled to sit up and then stand, being careful to mind her injured leg. She wasn’t a medical expert, not by a long shot. But from what she could tell of her own body, it wasn’t broken nor dislocated.
And when she set her foot down, only to then feel a slight pain coming from her ankle. She could walk but would be limping at best. Not ideal. But she’d manage.
Could be worse, she thought, trying to reassure herself as she kept her right foot on its toes. They could have lopped off my leg entirely, could have already tied me to that alter or locked in a cell. She paused, frowned. I can’t help but wonder why Toya didn’t do that. No, that shouldn’t matter. Just be glad that you escaped at all with minimal damage.
Her gaze then shifted to a nearby torch, one that had metal along the top edge, and used it as a makeshift knife, careful to try and avoid burning her hands and wrists in the process. She only needed to make a decent tear in the rope before going at it with her teeth to remove the rest.
When the ropes were finally off, she looked to her wrists. She could already see the skin had gone slightly red from being tied so tightly. It could have been worse; the ropes could have been all over her body. She cringed at the thought of it. Yeah, no. Not something she’d want to go through.
Pushing that line of thought out of her head, she went to the crate where her things were, Toya had left her phone, compact, and hip pack that held her essentials. Perhaps he wasn’t thinking of it much when he spoke with her, too invested in their conversation or had other things on his mind. Either way, it was to her advantage.
Once she had her belongings back, she now looked at the ways for her to go. From where she was, there were at least three different paths on her left, where Ayako had gone, ahead, which Toya had gone, or her right.
Which way?
She couldn’t pick whichever. She’d get lost otherwise.
The tunnel that no one had gone through was one Taryn didn’t even want to think of. For all she knew, it could just be a dead end. While the way Toya went was probably back towards where Taryn and Robert had found that horrible room. If she did go that way, she would be able to find herself back in a place she’d know and get topside. The problem with doing that was leaving Rachael behind. And she wasn’t about to do that. Which left the one that Ayako went through. It could lead her to where Rachael might have been kept or give a clue as to where Rachael would be.
Taryn glanced towards the ground when hearing the faint sound of scratching in the dirt. A message written in kanji, along with a feeling she was all too familiar with by now.
Follow Ayako.
“Planning on that.” She said softly in Japanese. “Thank you.” Before heading off down the tunnel that Ayako had travelled, the footprints that she was leaving, along with the message, vanished when Taryn continued onwards while following Ayako’s path. Carefully and quietly, she made her way through, following the footsteps for a good five minutes in total silence, while also being sure to not put too much pressure on her right foot, which greatly impacted her speed. Until the sides of the tunnel opened up a bit, becoming slightly more expansive, with the walls from either side, lined with many cells that had wooden bars. All of which was, currently, empty.
They were maintained with no signs of rot. If there had been, then they must have been replaced. Just how many cells were down here? And why?
Did Toya all do this in preparation for what he wanted?
No, no, that didn’t feel right, given all that she had found, it had something to do with the original village before it burned down. She didn’t even want to think about what they would have been used for if that was the case.
Silently as Taryn could, she crept through the tunnel only to then stop when seeing Ayako, quickly ducking a nearby open cell. The Japanese woman turned, a frown on her face, as Taryn pressed herself as far as she could into a dark corner of the cell’s wall just a foot away from the wooden bars. Making herself as thin as humanly possible as the woman made her way over to that particular cell.
Taryn couldn’t help but wish that she had something to defend herself as she slowly covered her mouth and nose with one hand as not to be heard. Her gaze went to the ground; she saw what footprints had been made by her vanish, swept away by an unseen force. June’s doing, or at least Taryn believed it to be her. Ayako seemed to pause, looking towards the ground before heading back the way Taryn came.
Taryn waited and waited until she could no longer hear Ayako’s footsteps before letting out a breath and exiting the cell.
Rachael, please be here, just be somewhere nearby. She thought while looking at the number of cells before her while thinking of what to do next. Okay, I need to find Rachael, get out of the mansion and to the van. Wait, no, that wouldn’t work. Too risky, a better chance would be entering the village and finding a way out from there. I just hope Detective Sakamoto is careful when he returns, and that Stephanie will be alright… Please… please be alright…
“Taryn!” she came to a halt when hearing Toya’s sudden booming voice echo along the walls as if he was all around her—engulfing her as though he were a shadow pressed against her very spine. “Do you think that once you leave this place, this country, all is done? That you will see me no more? I finally have you in my grasp, and I refuse to concede. The world may be vast, but it is small compared to what it once was thanks to technology. The ease with which I can track you, it would only be a matter of time before long. I will have you, Taryn. Even if it means I must go through your family to do it! Nothing will stop me, not now, not ever!”
A cold sweat came over her, her thoughts and body unable to move. Toya was right; he could easily find her, it didn’t even come to mind what he might do when she escaped with Rachael, she was so focused on the moment of what was happening than on what could happen to her, to them, in the future.
She bit the inside of her cheek to stop herself from whirling around and shouting in response, that if he were to do anything to her family, her friends, then nothing would stop her from acting violently. But she did not, for all she knew, it could have been a bluff. One to get her to speak and for him to find where she had gone. Toya probably knew the layout of these tunnels with such ease. He had to have known since he was nearly two hundred years old.
That idea alone was still baffling to her.
Considering what Taryn had already dealt with in her life, was certainly saying something. Regardless, she’d keep going. To move ever forward, no matter what came her way, and if something were to impede their freedom. Then she would do whatever it took so that those she loved would be safe.
She refused to lose another that she cared for. Not again.
She’d do anything to make that happen.
No matter the cost.