Emberly

We had all broken off from each other to figure out what was happening and why we were here. The underworld looked a lot like the town in Japan but a sick twisted version. Everything was broken and covered in blood. The only difference was there was no Aokigahara forest. Instead, it was just a black pit surrounding the small town. At the bottom of the black pit was a fire that begged to be pleased with a soul. 

The underworld was a place where souls came if they had unfinished business. If they finished their business, a bridge would form over the firey black pit to a door. A door that would lead you to the sweet hereafter. The underworld was run by Michelle and Hades, who would stop at nothing to keep the souls trapped here forever. The problem was my friends, and I were not dead. So there was no way out that we knew of. 

I traveled around for what felt like hours before bumping into a face I hadn't seen in a long time. My mother stood right before me, and her face showed shock and anger. I had left her in Japan after Gerald gave me his money and told me to leave for America. She had gotten so worried about me thinking I was dead that she killed herself. Now I was left to face the truth with her. 

"Emberly? I've spent forever looking for you here! I thought you moved on before I got here! What happened? How are you here?" My mother asked me. 

"I wasn't dead; I'm still not dead. Long story short, I ran away to America with my now husband's money. I thought he died, but he's very much alive. I got a degree in science, and then Candice came to America and wreaked havoc, and we freed her from Michelle. Now she's a good guy, and Michelle has dragged Me, Gerald, my husband, Candice, and Millie down to hell for some stupid game." I summed up everything, and my mother shook her head. 

"I can't believe you abandoned me and then let me think you were dead! I killed myself because you broke my heart! You're a terrible child! A monster! I hate you!" My mother screamed at me before storming off in another direction. 

"Mom, wait! We can talk about this!" She didn't wait, though; she started running. She ran to the edge of the underworld and looked down into the black pit. 

"Mom, stop! You don't have to do that! I can help you move on to the sweet hereafter!" I shouted at her, but she turned back and looked at me, the anger painted vividly on her face. 

"I don't want your help! I don't even care to move on! Goodbye, Emberly." She dove off the cliff side and was consumed by the angry flames. I couldn't believe it, and I almost could hear Michelle and Hades cackle as they claimed another soul. Every soul who was claimed by the fire gave them more power. 

A dead soul wasn't, however, worth nearly as much as the soul of someone living. I now knew what they were after. The fire worked so similarly to the forest; it made you want to follow after the person you loved. They wanted to gain the power of the four of us, sacrificing ourselves into the fire, and well, Michelle wanted revenge. 

I headed off to find Gerald and tell him we didn't have time to waste. Getting out of here needed to be our only priority.