Mr. Takata took the lead. Tyler shot everyone a stern look I wasn’t sure how to interpret, but they arranged themselves so I was surrounded as we hiked. Tyler walked with Mr. Takata, Ethan kept pace with me, and Alec and Josh stayed close behind us.
No one spoke, all of them on high alert, and Mr. Takata abandoned his attempts at small talk quickly. I understood why they were cautious—we were in the middle of nowhere, in an unfamiliar place. This would be the perfect opportunity for an ambush or a double-cross. But I trusted Mr. Takata, and Tyler’s ability would certainly warn us of any danger.
I was really excited to meet another Vital like me—one that had more Variants than was supposed to be possible and glowed like a nightlight. Nothing was going to ruin my mood. I took in the tall trees, listened to the birds singing, breathed the fresh air. Despite the heat, it was invigorating, especially after sitting in a van most of the day.
The uphill path was wide and clear—wide enough for a small horse and cart but way too narrow and uneven for a car. Maybe an ATV could’ve worked?
I’d never had even a passing interest in ATVs, but an hour into the trek, that was all I could think about through my panting and sweating. Training with Kane was no joke, but this kind of prolonged, long-distance style of exercise—up a hill—was way more than I was used to.
Ethan was fine, even with both our packs slung over his broad shoulders, and Alec hadn’t even broken a sweat. Tyler and Josh were starting to breathe heavily, and Mr. Takata was struggling about as much as I was.
Still, none of us seemed willing to stop for a break. A heavy tension had settled over our group, probably due to how suspicious my guys were, how leery they were being. I couldn’t blame Mr. Takata for wanting to get to our destination as soon as possible, and I couldn’t blame them for wanting to determine whether we were really safe here or not.
My legs burned, but the promise of what awaited me on the other side pushed me forward.
After nearly two hours of walking, the trees thinned. Mr. Takata’s pace slowed considerably, and we all had long drinks of water.
Voices and the sounds of life started to reach my ears, and I couldn’t stop the smile from breaking over my face.
In my excitement, I tried to rush forward, but Ethan caught me by the hand and held me firmly in place, in the middle of their protective circle.
“Welcome to Urahidaka,” Mr. Takata announced. We emerged onto the outskirts of the most picturesque place I’d ever seen.
The houses were mostly wooden, built close together near the center of the village and more sparsely at the edges. Smoke rose from several chimneys, which jutted up from thatched and tiled roofs. Goats and geese wandered as freely as the villagers along cobblestone streets. The village was set into the side of a hill overlooking a valley. A few fat white clouds floated by lazily, but the afternoon sun cast a golden glow over the whole scene.
The air was crisp and fresh, tinged with that light hint of smoke and animal smell that was so unmistakably “countryside.” The faint, steady sound of running water indicated a nearby stream we couldn’t see.
It was like a postcard!
“It’s so beautiful,” I breathed. Standing there, looking at the calm valley, the Japanese maples swaying in the light breeze, I could almost pretend all the horrible things happening in the rest of the world weren’t real. How could they be when this valley and this village sat here so peacefully?
A middle-aged woman rushed up to us. Her hair was tied back neatly, and she wore a plain yukata.
“Konnichiwa. Youkoso,” she greeted us and bowed to each person individually.
“Konnichiwa.” My Japanese was rusty, but I still remembered the basics. I bowed a little lower than she did as a sign of respect.
“This is Youko, my cousin. Our grandmother lives with her and her family. She will take us to her home now,” Mr. Takata explained in English.
She gestured politely down the cobbled path toward the squat buildings, and we followed. We passed through the village’s main square, which was centered around what looked like a few teahouses and one small grocery store. A large cherry blossom tree grew in the very middle.
After passing down several winding lanes, we stopped at