Motoko and Ceres bowed deeply twice before the hidden deity within the shrine. They then clasped their hands in prayer, parting their right hand slightly from the left to clap twice, completing the ritual by pressing their palms together in silent supplication, hoping their wishes would be granted.
As the ceremony ended, Hoshiyo felt the wind grow more assertive, a sense of unease settling over her. Her heart raced, pounding so fiercely that it felt like it would burst from her chest, her breathing quickening with anxiety. She whispered, "Everyone, be on guard."
"What's wrong?" Takeko asked, her voice tinged with worry.
"I don't know, but I have a bad feeling," Hoshiyo replied, her instincts screaming that something was off.
A beast hidden within the ancient shrine bellowed, "Leave, humans, and never return!"
Suddenly, a powerful gust of wind blew them back through the forest from which they had come. Hoshiyo felt as though she had been pushed off a tall building; the air ripped from her lungs, leaving her gasping for breath.
"Did the Kami throw us out of their shrine? Are we going to die?" she whispered, panic gripping her.
As she was hurled backward, the mansion's walls came into view beyond the trees, but all she could see was the forest violently rejecting them. Tears streamed from her eyes as she choked out, "We were supposed to receive a reward from the Kami today. What will happen to us now? I don't want to die, not yet."
She heard her sisters' terrified screams, her vision blurring as the lack of oxygen took its toll. Darkness began to close around her, yet it felt strangely comforting as if it welcomed her after all her hard work. Hoshiyo finally understood the quiet that Utaku and Rokuko cherished, but it felt more unsettling than peaceful.
She could faintly hear voices calling her name through the silence, growing louder with each repetition.
Hoshiyo blinked her eyes open, coughing weakly, and whimpered, "Why are you all so noisy?"
Rei held Hoshiyo close, her voice trembling with relief. "Thank goodness you're okay. We were so worried about you."
The others knelt beside Hoshiyo as she finally stirred after hours of unconsciousness. She gazed up at the sky, noticing the sun had almost disappeared, leaving the stars to take their place. Her head tilted to the left, where the towering stone wall loomed above her, close enough that she could have touched its cold surface. The thought chilled her—any closer, and she might have ended up as little more than a smear against the stone.
Hoshiyo coughed and then demanded, "What was that, Motoko? You could have gotten us killed."
"Hey, don't blame her!" Ceres shot back. "We were only trying to help."
Motoko bowed her head in remorse. "No, Hoshiyo's right. I should have been more careful. The creature in the shrine pushed us out—we must have angered it somehow."
Hoshiyo sighed heavily, feeling the weight of what had just happened. "How did we survive?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
Above her, the massive head of a Nue suddenly appeared, its catlike eyes gleaming. The Yokai affectionately licked her face like a giant feline, its reptilian tail swaying cheerfully. Hoshiyo's sisters covered their faces in disgust but couldn't help but giggle.
"Gross," Hoshiyo groaned.
Rei petted the top of Nue's head and explained, "He was sleeping in the backyard when he heard our cries. He came to rescue us."
Hoshiyo winced as a sharp pain shot through her ribs. "After this ceremony," she gritted, "I'm going back up that path, and I'll fight whoever did this to us. I won't tolerate being treated like this."
Rei gently lifted her sister from the grass and carried her toward the backyard entrance. As the others helped her through the gate, Kuzunoha and Kenzo rushed over to assist, their concern evident. Kuzunoha frowned as she checked Hoshiyo for injuries, demanding, "Where have you all been? What happened out there?"
"We heard screaming, so we came as fast as we could," Kenzo added.
Rei nodded reassuringly. "We're alright. We stumbled upon a mysterious Kami shrine, but the Kami inside wasn't pleased to see us and threw us back here."
"Do you know which Kami it was?" Kuzunoha asked.
Hoshiyo shook her head. "We don't know. The Kami never showed itself."
Motoko bowed deeply, her voice filled with remorse. "It's my fault. I led everyone to the shrine I found in the forest. We thought it was abandoned, but an unknown Kami occupied it."
"I see," Kuzunoha said, her tone stern. "This isn't the time to explore alone, especially during your ceremonial festival. Don't do that again."
"Yes, ma'am," Rei whispered, bowing in apology. The others quickly followed suit, understanding they had made a grave mistake. They had no way of knowing something so dangerous was lurking nearby, but now they were keenly aware of the risks.
Suddenly, Rokuko broke away from her sisters, her gaze fixed on Juro in the distance. For the first time in a long while, a gentle smile graced her face as she approached him. "Sensei, you've arrived."
"Hey, Rokuko. It's good to see you back on your feet," Juro replied warmly. "I ran into Hayato at the entrance, but he refused to come inside for some reason."
"What was he doing?" Rokuko asked, curious.
"He was playing his flute and chatting with people as they passed to enjoy the festival," Juro explained. "But whenever we suggest he come inside, he freaks out. He's a strange guy."
Yoko joined them and pointed toward the Yokai mingling within the festival grounds. "Hayato's afraid of the Yokai. I didn't think he'd even come this close."
Hoshiyo gently took Yoko's hand, offering comfort. With a reassuring smile, she brushed Yoko's beautiful brown hair away from her face and said, "Let's go to the gate and help him. He must be waiting for you."
Rei scoffed, "You're not going anywhere without Takeko and me from now on. We have to make sure you're safe, especially since you'll be our leader soon."
Hoshiyo nodded in agreement. After what they'd just been through, it made sense to stick together rather than risk being alone. Still, she didn't want it to feel like she was the only one needing protection. "No one is allowed to go anywhere alone until we figure this out," she insisted. "We don't know what we're dealing with, but our Kami might be able to help us."
The others nodded in agreement and moved on to find their masters amid the chaos. Kuzunoha quietly followed Rei, ensuring her safety so the ceremony could proceed as planned.
Hoshiyo led her group of five warriors through the crowd of humans and Yokai, carefully navigating the packed garden surrounding their home. "Stay close," she said, "I can see the gate from here."
Yoko, nervously fiddling with her thumbs, whispered, "I don't know what to say to Hayato. He's lost so much—I can't even begin to understand his pain. What do you say to someone who's suffered like that?"
Hoshiyo kept her eyes on the gate, a slight grin on her face. "Some people aren't ready to face their demons," she replied softly. "Sometimes, it's better to keep them distracted from what hurts them until they find the courage to stand up to it, no matter how long it takes."
"That's right," Rei added. "It's important to help him feel safe. We have each other, but Hayato had no one until he met you, Yoko. I believe only you can truly help him heal."
"You think it's because he chose to confide in me?" Yoko asked.
Rei shrugged. "Maybe. You might remind him of his daughter or late wife. We won't know for sure until we see him. His reaction today is different from when we first met him. Something must have triggered a memory when he came here."
"Not all Yokai are evil," Hoshiyo added. "If we can convince him of that, it might be the first step toward his recovery."
When they reached the other side of the gate, they saw Hayato strolling around, flute in hand, chatting with the people passing by. He seemed eager to help anyone with questions, but something was off—he was nervous, almost jittery, during each encounter.
Hoshiyo turned to Yoko and gave her a quick nod, encouraging her to approach him. She wanted Yoko to invite him to the festival.
Yoko quickly walked up to Hayato and waved. "Hey, Sensei. I heard from Juro that you've been helping a lot of people out here. Nice work."
Hayato smirked and tucked his flute back into his belt. "Good to see you, Yoko. Travelers passing by often have no idea what's going on, so I've been letting them know that the Kami will reward nine female warriors—including my own student—for protecting these islands. Without the Kami, our world would cease to exist. I want to make sure today's festival is a success."
Yoko nervously picked at her fingers, preparing to broach a heavier topic. "Yes, but I want you to be there when they reward me. Can you do that for me?"
Hayato's smile faltered. The group waited silently as he stared into the distance, seemingly lost in the memories that resurfaced at her request.
Hoshiyo stepped forward and gently asked, "Hayato, what's wrong? Don't you want to see Yoko be rewarded for all the training you've given her?"
Hayato clenched his teeth, his voice trembling. "Of course I want to, but the Yokai have infiltrated the house. What if one of them attacks? I don't know if I can protect you, Yoko."
Hoshiyo realized they were at an impasse. Forcing Hayato to enter the garden was out of the question. She glanced at Rei for guidance, but Rei only gave a helpless shrug and an awkward smile. Neither of them knew how to reassure him.
"Hey, look," Hoshiyo said, pointing behind Rei toward the gate. Everyone turned to see Kuzunoha approaching with a tall, elegant woman at her side. The woman had her brown hair in an intricate updo, adorned with shimmering dark green jewels that matched her eyes. Her stunning black yukata and unique green floral design caught everyone's attention. Hoshiyo felt a flicker of recognition but couldn't quite place her.
Kuzunoha waved and said, "We have a guest who's been looking for you, Hoshiyo. I thought bringing her might help ease Hayato's fears."
"Me?" Hoshiyo asked, her confusion evident. She glanced at Hayato, who looked just as puzzled. Rei tilted her head. "Who are you?"
"I don't remember meeting her on our travels," Takeko added.
The woman chuckled softly, covering her mouth with her hand. "I don't blame you for not recognizing me in this form. You've never seen me as a human before."
Hayato took a step back, sweat beading on his forehead. "What? You're not human?"
The woman bowed gracefully. "I apologize if I startled you. It's me, Fumi."
The confusion quickly gave way to excitement as the sisters squealed joyfully at seeing Fumi in her human form. Hoshiyo, who hadn't seen Fumi since she brought her mother to Kuzunoha's healing cavern, felt a surge of happiness at seeing her old friend in good spirits. She hugged her tightly and said, "Fumi, I'm so grateful you visited us on our ceremony day."
Fumi smiled warmly. "After everything we've been through together, I wouldn't miss it for the world." Yoko grinned and nudged her master, pushing him toward Fumi. This was the first time Hayato had ever spoken to a Yokai, something he had never imagined doing in his lifetime. "Sensei, I want you to meet Fumi," Yoko said. "She was once a human who died in the tar pits nearby, and for a long time, she suffered without knowing the truth of what happened to her. We helped her find closure, and now she's our friend."
"So the rumors are true," Hayato murmured, staring into Fumi's striking green eyes. He had never expected someone so beautiful to be a Yokai.