The cicadas don't sing their songs here. In this place, there is no welcome for the living. The dead lurk in unending abundance; the reason for it's unwavering peacefulness. If you speak to it, it shall not answer. If you curse it, it will pay you no regard. The dead keep to themselves and themselves alone. There is no conflict between the soulless beings.
Here, even on the outside, I could hear my feet echoing off the floor and through invisible walls. I had just found them, two girls who were accepting of darkness. I had revealed this message to Aesthaea-sama but her mood was unmoved as expected.
Constant failure is disheartening but I've learned to learn from them. Add a new tactic when someone fails so that they can never fail there again. I was to get the two I had found. Orders were to fetch them the exact time I found them but I had to wait for the opportune moment.
With the samurai, that moment wouldn't have to be anticipated. The brutal beasts would eventually, sooner than later, draw out the tenacity of the two girls. And when that happened, I'd be there to help them.
In an instant.
To the inhabitants of the Hirsugiminen city, I am merely a messenger. To the dead, I am nothing more than a provocative being who happens to be like them. But to humans, those unfortunate souls whose only true gifts are intelligence and emotion, the only thing that separates them from animals. To them, I'd be a monster.
I sniffed the air; it carried a scent, a scent of good luck and fortune. I listended to it and laughed at the dead air's chatter. Unlike Aesthaea-sama, I had faith in the younglings. On the outside, they were nothing more than a high schooler and a small girl, but on the inside, deep within the core of their soul, lies a murderer and witch. Something that the inhabitants of Hirsugiminen treasured deeply.
'What is the current status of the hybrid, Seikon?'
Her words came to me again. He was no human. A contract between the soulless beings in Hirsugiminen turned him into a beast. With this power, he defied Hirsugiminen and went on his way to do good. Enraged at his misuse of power, Aesthaea-sama had begun to recruit women, her treasured creatures. Those that were filled with darkness were given power to kill him for Seikon couldn't die by natural means.
Aesthaea could see, that as women, they were all weak and puny. I was the only male to which she had accepted into her abode for certain reasons. Her women would always die in combat and Seikon would always emerge from the fires, unharmed. This was her a hundreth try, for death is a natural means of passing as well.
I heard a voice call out to me, it was like a whisper of death. Her voice made me shiver.
"Razael, are you disobeying Aesthaea-sama's direct orders? Surely, you're not. Another mistake and your gone from her heart and forgiveness. Forget not your place and your position on Aesthaea-sama's line. . ."
Soft and enrapturing to the soul was her voice. The voice of the goddess, Usthraea.
"Usthraea." My voice was different. It was out of my control, just like my attire, just like my personality. Dark, unchanging. "Forgive my. . .Intrusion and my naughty habit of spying but. . ." I turned to face her. The wind had whispered to me, her secrets as well. "Sleeping with the spouse of Aesthaea-sama is unforgivable. Do you not agree?"
"Tch!"
We were like bickering children. Arguing and blackmailing over foolish matters even though being the dwellers of Hirsugiminen. I waved her off and walked away, caring not what frightful faces a woman could make.
Erichin Joku, Japan
2001
Bamboo forest Erichin Joku
I stood there, staring at the ones whom I've selected. Their eyes shifted all around as if expecting someone to dart from the bushes.
"Will you allow me to spread darkness throughout your heart?"
It was a simple question, only requiring a simple answer, but the faces before me were dumbstruck. Or was it fear, anger?
"Okonayami-chan. . .Stay back. I'll deal with this quickly." I heard the taller girl say. A high schooler, Aota Todoroki, a girl shrouded in darkness and lacking affection. Still, her growth towards the younger one was a bother yet effective.
"Todoroki-senpai. . .I have a knife."
"What do you want? How did I get here?" The girl said as she took the bloody weapon.
I had prepared for those questions. Questions whom were repeated to me over the many years.
"I assure you, I mean you no harm, I just wanted to help."
I said simply. As I expected, she quickly swung the silver blade to my neck. She didn't want to kill me, she was confused and I seemed like a weak link. The only link.
"Listen carefully. If you don't tell me what's going on. . .Im going to cut you. I'm supposed to. To have. . ."
Tears came from her eyes but I ignored them.
"We are in Erichin Joku, forty seven miles northwest of the Meirochi district. This is as close as I can get you to Hirsugiminen. We have to walk the rest of the way."
"What. . .?!"
"Hirsugiminen? Is that the moon?" Okonayami asked.
"No, it's a hallway of the sort that leads into a place even I am not permitted to go. Even Aesthaea herself would be used no more than a footstool in a place like that. Come on, Seikon is catching up to us."
"Aesthaea. . .?"
"Don't listen to him, Okonayami! Alright, it's. . ."
There was a loud rustle in the brushes. There were footsteps of horses and the shouts of men.
"Hehe. Now's not the time for mistrust. It's either me or the samurai." I asked the two.
"How? So fast."
"Yes, yes. Hirsugiminen is this way and the samurai is that. Hurry up, I can't deal with someone like Seikon right now."
"Seikon? No, I killed him."
The horses neighed and begun to run in this direction. I wasn't going to wait for the two to make up their minds.
"Is that. . .? Where'd he go?"
"Todoroki-senpai. Run, just run!"
"Ahh, ahh."
Okonayami grabbed her hand and dashed for the direction she presumed I had gone.
Northwest, Meirochi district, Erichin Joku
2001
\TODOROKI/
I could feel the wind in my hair. I could feel the bushes slapping against by feet. I felt pain as my hand would hit against one of the thin bamboo every few steps. Yet still, I had to press on. One moment, I'm about to die, the next I'm being told I'm to go to a place with the same name as Okonayami called the disease. And now, I'm running for my life from the samurai. Just yesterday, I was a normal schoolgirl. Somewhat normal.
"Todoroki-senpai, just keep running!"
"I know!"
The sound of the horses footsteps brought fear upon me. I couldn't tell if they were close enough to kill me. I was confused, so I just ran.
The man cloaked in the dark attire, his name I do not know. 'Forty miles northwest of the Meirochi district', he had said. I wouldn't have believed anyone who had told me garbage like that but after all I've seen, my brain seemed to be fragmented.
If he weren't lying, the samurai should have still been recovering from the damage. The constables would've been trying to calm the citizens while the military would search the area. Their horses didn't have the speed to travel forty miles in a second just like that man did.
"T. . .Tired." Okonayami breathed.
"J. . .just a little longer."
Just a little longer? There was no safe haven in sight and the horses and their men were closer than before. There was nowhere we could run.
We were going downhill now and it was hard to hold a footing against such a steep hill. Still, the horsemen were sure to have left their horseback to travel on foot. Their armor would be sure to have weighed them down so they couldn't catch up to us. The bamboo forest ended, revealing a mountainous landscape. The sun was beginning to fade behind one of them.
I felt Okonayami slip and fall and she dragged me down with her. It seemed that all of the earth's contents were against me. The rocks stabbed at my skin, ripping my uniform and the shrubs tore from my desperate clutches. I felt by body hit painfully the end of the hill after a long time. My body ached, and I had a few bruises. My body ached with pain when I tried to move so I stood still. Hoping that Okonayami was still alright and that the Samurai would miss us.
I felt large hands grip my body and covered my mouth. I tried to scream but my voice was muffled. It dragged me behind a large rock.
"Shhhh." It said.
I gasped, then shut my mouth tight. Okonayami was still in my tight grip. I wasn't going to let her go. But it gave me fear as no sound came from her voice and my body was stuck so I couldn't look at her.
So I patiently listened. There were sounds of men dismounting the horses.
"General Seikon, we are in the Erichin pass, we cannot go any closer to Hirsugiminen."
"Razael, Aesthaea. They are going to try again." The sturdy voice came. Now more than ever, it struck fear into my heart. A dead man speaking was overbearing. "Alright, general Rozu and general Maajin are waiting for me at the Mitsugan gates. Let them take them. After a hundreth try you'd think they gave up."
"Yes sir. I'll lead the troops on a search party for some time longer."
"No. Since the death of liutenant Danji, we need your presence more than before. Accompany me back to the gates, lead the troops."
"Yes sir!"
"Haha! I'll kill whichever demon you send for me! Hear that, you witch!?"
The horses neighed again and began trotting away. Had they ridden them off the hill? I felt the grip loosen around my body and it slowly regained it's strength. I first turned to Okonayami, heedless towards my own bruises.
She was sitting simply. She was shaking and her eyes seemed to have rolled up inside her head. I gasped.
"She's fine. Just unconscious. It's better that way."
I began to turn towards the source of the voice. I had somehow forgotten him.
"Wait!" He warned. "Know that if you scream at my appearance, the soldiers are likely to hear you. Besides, you would have hurt my feelings."
I turned around and caught sight of the big, hairy beast. It wasn't a monster and human like Seikon. Or a human monster like the upperclassmen. It was a bear. And I was sure, that it spoke. I had no more doubt. I was dead, or dreaming. But this didn't feel like a dream.
"Razael's probably the one who took you here. He's probably. . ."
"What are you?"
I couldn't contain my curiosity. I felt like I was in some movie. One I'd rather not participate in. The enigma sighed.
"Giminen. An inhabitant of Hirsugiminen. Just like Razael and the Shi."
The more it spoke, the more I wanted to ask. It seemed like the only trustworthy being in this place. The sun was beginning to set.
"Tell me, what is Hirsugiminen?"
"Razael didn't mention it? Tch, his stupidity amazes me. Let's see, it's like a corridor to a very dark place. . ."
"Oh, now I remember. He did say that."
"Ugh."
"Where am I? Why'd that guy take me here?"
"That 'guy's' name is Razael, messenger of Aesthaea. He came to get you because we need you." He looked over to the smaller girl. "The both of you."
"What do you want us for? Is Okonayami gonna be alright? Unconscious? What. . .?
"Hey, hey. I'm sure Razael can answer that. Where is he?"
The memory of the fleeing black figure came to me.
"He ran away."
"Ran away? How very like him."
There was some movement in the growing darkness. Then I heard a loud voice. It was very familiar.
"Hey guys. I'm back. Yes, yes. It's good to know you survived."
It was the man dressed in darkness. He held the back of his head and grinned. He looked like a childish figure in the dark.
"You bastard!"
"Hey, now. Easy. I told you to run before but you just stood there. I didn't want to die."
"What kind of person drags someone into the middle of the forest and then abandons them?!"
"I think you mean, what kind of persons saves someone's life and then runs away because they are too stubborn and hotheaded?"
"Tch!"
"Razael, stop playing games. Aesthaea would like to know why you took so long."
"Oh, Daizaiel!? I didn't see you there. Though, your creepy face should've stood out to me. I don't know how I missed it."
"Tch!"
"Huh? What's happening? Todoroki-senpai?"
I rushed over to the awakening girl. I hugged her tightly, out of a two days worth of affection. That's how long I knew her.
"Todoroki-senpai? We're not dead?"
"No. We're fine."
"Come now, children. Usthraea may be wandering these parts soon. We must go before she. . ."
"I'm already here."
I froze. The voice coming from the woman's voice slithered through my body. I couldn't move anymore, I couldn't speak. Still, her voice called to me, even indirectly. I wanted to go to her. But I couldn't move.
"We were just taking them." The bear said.
"Razael, Daizaiel, the queen's patience doesn't slumber for long. Bring them immediately."
"That's gonna be harder with you here." Razael said. "You and that voice. Just shut up already!"
The anger in his voice seemed to have been something that had been developing for years. The woman left and I felt the grip loosen, but it didn't fade. The bear slung us over his back and began to walk in the direction the woman went.
After an hour, we were atop a hill. The mountainous valley stretched as far as the eye could see. And the moon reflected brilliantly over all of it.
"Put me down. I can walk now." I said. He put me down but Okonayami remained where she was. Pity. I just wanted to hold her hand for comfort.
"How far is this place?" I asked. This Hirsugiminen that they kept talking about. This place even Okonayami seemed to be familiar with.
"Ten thousand miles from here. We have to walk only a small part of the way. After we've covered at least a hundred miles, Razael and I can teleport is there."
"A hundred!?"
"Don't worry. We have food, supplies and are capable of making shelter and defending it. . ."
"I just, wanna go home." I began to cry. Okonayami hadn't cried so I felt foolish.
"There's nothing for you there. Not the teachers, or friends. Not even family. Kyukesei is dead."
The tears began coming harder. What was I to do after this? Just give up and follow them? Okonayami got down from the bear's back and came over to me. Placing her hand in mine. Just like I wanted her too. She wiped my tears away.
"Don't cry." She said. My body weighed heavily under the embarrassement. "There's something in all this. I don't know if it's good, or bad. But it's better than going back. I needed you and now I have you. And now you need me so I'll be right here. This something in all this. I'm sure it will be fun."
I looked up at her. The tears had stopped falling. Razael sighed and kicked a rock, incapable of handling the depression of the current situation. Daizaiel just sat down.
"We'll get there easily if we just follow the trail of the moon." Daizaiel said.
"That's Aesthaea-sama's guideline. The moon. It shall never betray you. It is our only escape from the darkness when the sun flees." Razael explained.
Okonayami tried to soothe me again. She knelt down before me. We were facing each other.
"I'll follow you anywhere. Even if you decide not to go with them and go back home."
Her words,as usual, were alien. I knew she wanted to go with them. But I just wanted to go to school again. Still, I had no choice. I had to agree.
Those two who had saved me. Us. I had many questions for them. But that was for later. I looked towards the direction of the mountainous valley. One hundred miles? All we had to do now, Razael had said, was to follow the trail of the moon.
--To the next episode--