The atmosphere beneath the massive tree roots was suffocating. Roots twisted through the walls, pulsing faintly like veins feeding the tree above. The silence was unnerving, broken only by the soft padding of paws on the earth and the faint drip of moisture from the ceiling.
Hoshiyo led the group, her red eyes sharp and wary. Behind her, Rei's blue coat blended with the shadows, her ears swiveling at every faint sound. Kuzunoha stayed close, her white fur glowing faintly, lending the group an eerie, spectral light. Shiori brought up the rear with rage circulating his veins.
They reached the infirmary, and the air immediately grew colder. The smell of decay and blood hit them like a wave. Hoshiyo's steps faltered as her gaze swept over the scene—a once-busy sanctuary now silent as a grave. Futons were overturned, and herbs and medical supplies were strewn across the dirt floor. Lifeless forms lay draped over cots and sprawled on the ground, their fur matted with blood.
"No…" Rei whispered, her voice breaking the oppressive silence. She stepped closer, her nose twitching as she searched for signs of life. "Aiko is dead too..."
Hoshiyo's jaw tightened, her claws scraping the ground as she growled low. "They didn't just attack—they slaughtered them."
Kuzunoha knelt by one of the bodies, her ordinarily calm demeanor cracking. "What became of the Yokai to do such a massacre."
Shiori stood frozen, his eyes locked on the scene. For a moment, it seemed like he might collapse under the weight of it all. But then his expression shifted—grief giving way to fury. Without a word, he charged forward, his silver fur flashing like a streak of light in the darkness.
"Shiori, wait!" Hoshiyo barked, but it was too late.
Shiori burst through the infirmary and into the deeper tunnels like a lightning bolt, his body radiating anger. The group scrambled to keep up, their paws thundering against the ground.
The tunnel ahead twisted sharply, opening into a cavern where the air pulsed with an unnatural energy. Shadow wolves prowled the space, their forms barely solid, flickering in and out like living shadows. Shiori didn't hesitate—he launched himself at the nearest wolf with a ferocious snarl, his claws tearing through its dark mass.
"Shiori, stop! We have to stick together!" Kuzunoha called, her voice echoing off the cavern walls.
Hoshiyo sprinted ahead, intercepting another shadow wolf before it could flank Shiori. "Rei, Kuzunoha, cover him! We can't let him get overwhelmed!"
Rei moved swiftly, her jaws snapping at a wolf's leg, sending it crashing into the ground. Kuzunoha stayed back, her eyes glowing as she concentrated, calling on the small reserves of energy she had left to hold the shadow wolves at bay.
Shiori tore through the ranks with wild desperation, his rage driving him forward. "They didn't deserve this!" he howled, his voice thick with emotion. "Not my friends! Not any of them!"
Hoshiyo leaped to his side, her voice firm but understanding. "I know, Shiori. But we have to be smart about this. Don't let your anger blind you!"
Shiori's anguished scream echoed through the tunnels. "I lost everyone I ever loved, everyone I cared about! You could never understand what that feels like!" he shouted, his voice cracking as he barreled ahead.
Hoshiyo quickened her pace to match his. "You're wrong," she said. "I do understand. I was reborn to carry my mother's spirit. She gave me her memories—her pain—so she could finally rest as a Kami. She watched her life crumble before her eyes, and in her grief, she set an entire mountainside ablaze. That rage destroyed everything around her."
Shiori stumbled, his steps faltering as her words sank in. Hoshiyo moved closer, her voice softening. "If you keep letting your anger control you, you risk making the same mistake. I know it hurts, but don't let that pain lead you down a path you'll regret."
Shiori clenched his jaw, his breath heaving. Slowly, he stopped, his wild energy giving way to exhaustion. His racing heartbeat began to slow as he turned back to face the group, his head dipping low in reluctant acceptance. "Fine," he muttered, his voice quieter now. "But I'm staying. To the very end."
Hoshiyo smiled, the expression warm but tinged with the moment's weight. "I wouldn't have it any other way."
The four pressed on, their pace steady but cautious as the tunnel's oppressive darkness deepened. Finally, they came to an abrupt halt, their breaths catching as the flickering light of their surroundings illuminated a towering red Torii gate. The ancient structure stood defiant in the shadows, its wood worn but unbroken.
Kuzunoha stepped closer, her sharp gaze flicking over the gate. "What is this doing here?" she murmured. "Who could be behind it to wreak such havoc on the surface world?"
Hoshiyo stared at the Torii gate, her expression unreadable. The silence stretched as the group exchanged uncertain glances, none daring to speak the growing dread in their hearts.
Finally, Hoshiyo stepped forward, breaking the stillness. "There's only one way to find out."
Before she could reach the gate, Kuzunoha moved to block her path. "Wait," she said firmly, her tone edged with caution. "We don't know what's in there. We must be prepared if it's strong enough to cause all this destruction."
Hoshiyo met Kuzunoha's eyes, her voice steady. "We can't turn back now."
She stepped through the old Torii gate. The glowing white star-like markings across her fur instantly ignited with a brilliant, otherworldly light, illuminating the dark cavern around them.
Rei hesitated for only a moment before following. As she crossed the threshold, the crescent moon symbols along her coat shimmered, pulsing with a faint, silvery glow. They both felt a surge of energy course through them—intense, ancient, and almost overwhelming.
Kuzunoha and Shiori stood at the edge of the gate, staring after them. "Whatever's waiting in there," Kuzunoha whispered, "it's already calling to them."
She hesitantly stepped through the Torii gate, her luminous white aura intensifying as she crossed the barrier. The radiant glow enveloped her, making her appear almost ethereal. She paused, marveling at the purity of her transformed form, a beauty she seemed to be discovering for the first time.
Shiori, however, was less fortunate. As he approached the gate, an invisible force stopped him cold. He pressed against it, pounded with growing frustration, his paws landing with hollow thuds. The barrier refused to yield, no matter how hard he tried.
Hoshiyo stepped up to the gate's other side, whispering to him. "Shiori," she said, "the presence within this gate does not want you to enter. I'm sorry, but you won't break through no matter how much you try. This isn't a matter of strength. Kami and Yokai operate beyond what mortals can achieve alone. That's why we're here. My sisters and I were born for this—born to bridge these worlds. Let us do what we're meant to do."
Shiori's paws fell to the soft dirt, his head bowing in defeat. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine… but don't die in there, okay? You three are my only chance to become strong enough to fight like a real warrior someday—like you."
A faint smile tugged at Hoshiyo's lips. "I'll come back and bring back whoever I can save. That's a promise. Until then, it's your job to protect the others outside. The village needs you."
"I will," Shiori vowed.
Without another word, he turned and began retracing his steps through the tunnels. His footsteps echoed faintly as he disappeared into the shadows, leaving the three behind to face the unknown.
Kuzunoha watched him go before turning to Hoshiyo. "Are you ready for this?"
Hoshiyo exhaled deeply. "No," she admitted, "but I have to be."
Side by side with Kuzunoha and Rei, she stepped further into the darkness, their glowing forms lighting the way forward.
The three journeyed through the overpowering darkness deep beneath the surface for hours. The tunnels stretched endlessly, illuminated only by the faint glow of their markings. The pack passed through several more ancient Torii gates, each standing as a silent guardian until they finally arrived in a dark cavern.
An old wooden kamidana sat neatly before the sprawling, gnarled roots of the great tree, its intricate carvings weathered by time. Yet an unsettling emptiness hung in the air. The shrine, once sacred, felt hollow, as though something vital had been stripped from it. The massive roots spread outward like veins, but their energy was faint and fractured.
Hoshiyo's eyes narrowed in concern as she surveyed the desolate space. "Where is the Kami of this shrine?" she asked, her voice low.
"Something's wrong," Kuzunoha murmured, her gaze fixed on the roots. "The Kami who dwells here is the guardian of the forest. He would never abandon the shrine for this long. It's been ages since anyone has set foot here."
Rei's ears twitched nervously. "Then who's attacking us? If the Kami is missing, who's behind all this?"
Kuzunoha stepped closer to the roots, her paws brushing against the coarse bark. Gently, she placed her hand against them, her expression softening as she closed her eyes. "Touch the tree," she instructed calmly. "Feel its energy and tell me what it says to you."
Hoshiyo and Rei hesitated but followed her lead, pressing their paws to the ancient roots. As soon as they made contact, energy coursed through them. It was powerful, almost overwhelming—a sense of life, history, and wisdom as old as the tree itself. But beneath that, a darker current ran deep. It was fractured, incomplete, and heavy with sorrow.
Hoshiyo's voice was barely above a whisper. "The tree… it's dying. But why?"
From the depths of the gnarled tree roots, dark, screaming shadows began to emerge, oozing forth like tendrils of smoke and despair. They moved unnaturally, twisting and writhing as they pulled themselves free, their forms carrying the anguished cries of the wolves whose lives had been stolen underground. The shadows surged through the tunnels in relentless waves, brushing past the trio with chilling intent before rushing toward the surface.
Hoshiyo's eyes narrowed as she watched the spectral tide sweep by. She said, "The tree is unleashing these souls as weapons—to attack those above."
Kuzunoha's gaze remained fixed on the shadows as they disappeared into the darkness. Her voice was steady but laced with sorrow. "Yes, I understand now. The host of this tree has lost its soul," she explained. "It was stolen, leaving the tree to wither. Without its soul, it has been absorbing the spirits of the wolves who perished here, using their anguish to lash out at the surface. This isn't malice—it's grief."
"The heart of the Kodama," Hoshiyo said, the realization hitting her like a thunderclap.
Kuzunoha nodded. "The heart must be returned. Only then can the tree be whole again, and the attacks cease."
Rei stepped back and said, "Then we find the heart and bring it back, no matter what it takes."
"We will," Hoshiyo affirmed. "I swear on my life I will do everything I can to bring back the heart of Kodama."
The shrine began to radiate with a ghostly glow, its light reflecting the vibrant colors of the forest. Ripples of shimmering water from an unseen source cast dancing patterns across the ancient wood and roots. It was as if the tree had heard Hoshiyo's words and expressed gratitude.
Tiny fireflies began to emerge from the depths of the tree roots, their soft, golden glow illuminating the dark chamber like tiny stars scattered across the night. The fireflies clustered together, lining the tunnel ceilings, as if to create a trail to guide the group back to the surface.
Hoshiyo's voice echoed softly in the glowing darkness. "The fireflies will lead us back to the village. We should follow them and get out of here quickly—before the villagers assume the worst."
Rei glanced around, her expression tense as she asked, "Wait, we haven't been down here long enough for them to think that. Have we?"
Kuzunoha tilted her head thoughtfully. She said, "Actually, Hoshiyo might be right. Time feels... different here. Passing through those torii gates may have shifted our perception. We need to be cautious."
Rei's fur bristled as unease crept over her. "How much time do you think has passed?"
"Hard to tell," Kuzunoha replied.
Hoshiyo strode forward, following the glowing trail. A faint smile touched her lips. "There's only one way to find out. Let's move—we've got a world waiting for us on the other side."