*Arisu's Prospective*
Shinobi left a single request in her will, instructions for her ashes to be buried on a small single tree bearing island hidden behind a waterfall. I was intimate with this location as one of the many hidden 'ponds' connecting both Earths together, Mother and Father.
Nobody except me should have known of this place, and only beings with strong spirit energy could even see the entrance, let alone enter it.
Shinobi's request was a warning, one I'd be a fool to ignore.
Now Merrah and I stood on that small mound with an impossible Sakura in constant abscission. Water ran either side of us as we stared through the wet veil to the world outside.
This was a cave like no other, and a total lack of sunlight should ensure the absolute eradication of flora within.
Instead of moss and mushroom, it was littered with flowers and plants from my world, although I only knew the names of a few, another waterway originating from somewhere in the darkness behind us.
May you rest in peace forever under the watchful eyes of an eternal Sakura Shinobi. All that's left is to ensure this sanctuary's serenity.
You should ask her for help.
Not sure she would know much about charms or wards.
Merrah filled up Shinobi's grave with dirt using magic. She specialized in everything that could help track others and hide her presence, including illusions and something I had no idea could be altered, scents.
Enda let me know as soon as Shinobi died through a copy, unfortunately, I was far too late and only a single hair clip adorned with a butterfly remained. I made it for her on Heroes Giving, it was the only time I had ever attempted metalwork, and it would be my last.
How it even took place in such a secure location in the nearby guards holding cells four houses away from the tower itself. The fact he had had the gall to escape through one of the Tower's secret tunnels pissed me off.
He shouldn't have known about any of it, the ritual, the escape tunnels, the defenses and their counters, everything.
"Are you ok?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, just, not really sure what to do"
"What do you want to do?"
"I need to hide this place. The less people that even consider the possibility of something hidden like this, the better"
"I see. Give me a second, I'll call a Dryad"
What?!
The world must always answer the Horsemen's call, such is their contract.
I was wondering about that, if all the horses evolved or died, what happened to their steeds?
Really? Now you're going to shut up?
"Oh fuck!"
While I had my mind wrapped around speaking to Kuzunoha, a Dryad manifested behind me, stepping through the darkness right as I turned to see their wooden face.
She appeared like a statue carved of birch wood, and hair of fallen Sakura petals, deep smooth stone eyes and a long gown of autumn leaves.
"Hey there..."
"Why does Judgement call?"
She completely ignored me, completely fixated on Merrah. It freaked me out.
"Does the forest understand the significance this place?"
"We cannot see what the light cannot touch"
"Then you should thank that Kitsune for doing your job"
I had grabbed her attention thanks to Merrah. She'd gotten better at explaining herself, even if she still had far to go, I was proud of her.
"Fox, what is language?"
"What type of question is that?"
"Answer"
She's testing whether or not you come from this world. Most don't even know we spoke different tongues, not after Athena was punished.
Then what should I say? Can a Dryad be trusted?
They are the children of the forests, simply mention my name or call yourself a follower of the ten tails.
"*sigh* Kuzunoha-sama"
"I see, we've not seen her children in a long time, now two so soon?"
Two? Explain.
I've sent many on their way before, however, unlike you, they weren't human. News of that monster's death would call them back. After all, that city has been the only safe haven many times before.
"We were driven out and hunted. You know this, so can you help us?"
"And why should the forest help you?"
A chill jolted down my spine and through my hidden tails.
"Refuse to do your job and I'll do mine"
Despite Merrah's age, she more than understood how dangerous an active portal like this could be. We didn't know where it connected or who could use it, which only made it more treacherous.
Within the Hunters Guild, she had a reputation of honesty, grit, and following through with any threat she makes.
A horseman's job back from my world would be to show up at the end of the world, here, it was the opposite.
Enda once told me "Until the end of this world, they will stand against its destruction. Their title, 'of the apocalypse', is how they've been known as heralds of destruction. Tell me, if apocalypse means the end, then how do witnesses and survivors exist?"
At times she could be the most logical person in the world, and at others, the most emotional.
Merrah's mother had left a plethora of information within Enda's hidden archives for each generation of the third horseman, all written in Koine Greek. I only knew Japanese and English alongside this world's common tongue, but Merrah had no issue reading it.
Random objects from either world have crossed over before, including people.
The problem was that no matter what, if one portal was filled, another would take its place. Kuzunoha uses Tori gates alongside traditional Shinto methods of redirection and filtering to solve many of the problems that arise with these gateways.
Merlin, on the other hand, deals with the unintended issues, when they eventually pop up. Although when I asked him about it, he said his work never ends.
That madman rides around on a floating Roman Lighthouse hidden in the clouds to get around and spot those warps in space.
Regardless, this was simply one stop on our way to Nala, and I had hoped for a quick solution rather than destruction.
"Lestara, you'd best learn how to read someone's strength before you make a move..."
In the back of the small cave, a small green light flickered for a second, lighting up a cigar as a deep voice reverberated off the rocks around us.
I could tell he was strong before he ever stepped into the light. His aura was intense.
A muscular male Nyx wearing a dark brown trench coat reinforced with leather straps, each holding different enchantments.
His right arm and ear were mostly missing, and scars littered his face.
Despite that, he had a friendly smile, but I kept my guard up, even if he let his presence be known.
Lowering his hood, I could see his cleanly shaved face and tied back black hair, reminding me of a popular hairstyle during the American revolution.
"Taurus? Are you here for this as well?"
"I'm here to pay my respects to a former student"
"So she was who you meant before?"
"Unfortunately. Glad to see you've not stopped growing at least. I'm... Sorry about-"
"It's fine, I can't blame the person who warned us in the first place"
Did you know he was here?
I can only see what you see, feel what you feel, nothing more. I should warn you though-
Excuse me? You can do what?
"So is this where she spit you out?"
"How the hell do you know about that?!"
Long time no see. Mayhap I come visit some time?
"You bring the drinks, than sure"
"Stop! How the hell are you two talking?! Hearing!? Whatever!"
I was losing my cool real fast, too many unknowns, too many variables. If I didn't hear an explanation real fast, I was ready to subdue them both.
He's not a threat, just an old acquaintance.
How?
He married one of my daughters, roughly four hundred years ago. They had a daughter, and if I'm remembering right, they became friends while he trained Shinobi; as you so called her.
If he's here, then she's the first to return after the Overlord's death, which also makes you officially no longer the only Kitsune in that city.
Does that mean I can stop wearing this illusion thing? Also, do you not have any sons?
Not in Nala, not yet at least. They see Kitsune like how Dragons Mort treats Druids.
As to your second question, most Kitsune choose to seduce rather than fight, it's just our nature. Ever heard of us fighting on the front lines before?
Fair point, guess I'll be the first then, even if I'm stuck in this body.
The Old Churches influence wouldn't be swayed so easily, but Aoife was in a unique position. I'd been working behind the scenes to sway that opinion. I wished someone would have let either Merrah or me know before they went scorched earth, that way we could at least get some answers.
At least we managed to turn it into an opportunity of sorts, and get Touji an official rank in the process.
I wasn't sure how he would take being ranked lower than everyone in his party, but it's the only workaround we could think of to make sure he could participate in the Marksman Tournament's dueling championship.
"-She sure has a horrible sense of when to space out. Look, I'm not repeating all that again"
Shit, I did it again, didn't I?
Your soul has still yet to adapt.
Wait, so thinking too much is a side effect? Really?
No, depriving your senses to do so is. Taurus, can you lend us a hand here?
"I've got time to kill, why not? Can't help with the rest of it though"
His deep voice and relaxed attitude purged the cave of tension.
"Lestara, cut the hostile crap and start making rope and talisman paper. Can either of you make those weird paper things?"
"I can, I just need a few things to make it. Merrah, do you know what beeswax is? Or cinnabar?"
"Only wax, why?"
"To make talismans, or I guess Ofuda. I have everything else"
Never knew I would be so thankful for a middle-school science experiment before.
...
With the help of Merrah, Taurus and Lestara, we were able to finish the hidden gate as the sun set. Soon after I passed out and the Goddess controlled my body to perform several rituals of cleansing and confinement, connecting the portal to her pond.
...
I dreamt of a time surrounded by people I once knew, my family and lives I had ruined. It quickly became a nightmare that felt suffocating.
Light peered through the veil of water as I burst through the surface to see a blurry vision of a family I barely make out the silhouettes of, Merrah and some strange woman surrounded by children.
Fires engulfed everything as bloodied arms clawed their way through the hearts of all I held dear leaving nothing but a single woman impaled upon a stake laughing, crying, going insane.
...
My dreams are more akin to visions, possibilities and futures of uncertainty. I'm always grateful for the horror and fear they instill in my mind as they serve as a piercing reminder of what I must do, and what I must protect, even if I don't have it now.
I sat up to see Merrah had slept against my back, with our sleeping bags fashioned into large blankets above and below us.
Dawn was quickly approaching, and we still had plenty of ground to cover.