My feet colliding with the ground was echoing. I ran as quickly as I could back into town with my sister in my arms. I was hoping she'd wake up as I ran but nothing. She was completely limp, no more than a porcelain doll. My desperate screams were heard by none. The forest ate up my voice. I can't remember how long I ran. I didn't even know how exhausted I was. When I finally reached the village, I screamed out again, this time my cries being heard. A couple of villagers ran over to see the situation.
Their eyes widened in shock at the sight. I was injured, and Tsukuyomi was unconscious, no movement, only subtle breathing. They take my sister from me and rush to the nearest clinic. I went to follow them but my exhaustion finally caught up to me and I collapsed. I heard a couple cries from the villagers but I couldn't make out any specific sounds. My vision went blurry and I passed out.
As I slowly awoke, I could hear the murmurs of people. I couldn't really make out what they were saying, but I think it was about the High Priestess candidates. Maybe They were talking to Tsukuyomi about them. I had to hope she woke up, but my hope was quickly shattered when I fully awoke, the nurse and doctor rushed over to me.
"Oh thank goodness! You're awake!" The nurse had let out a huge sigh of relief and immediately been checking me for any other injuries.
The doctor, doing the same chimed in, "We will have a candidate for High Priestess still!"
I was a bit taken aback hearing that. My sister was a candidate for High Priestess. I don't have the skills needed to be a candidate. Surely they mistook me for my sister.
"Um, I think you have things mixed up. My sister is the High Priestess candidate." I chuckled a bit, thinking they were joking, but my expression soon turned into worry after seeing the sorrowful looks on the nurse and doctor's face. "My sister… She's the High Priestess candidate."
The nurse spoke up, trying to sound as sympathetic as possible. "Your sister, Tsukuyomi… She is…" The nurse hesitated to tell me. The doctor gave her a nod, and she took a deep breath before speaking again. "Tsukuyomi is in a coma."
My worried expression turned into one of dread. My twin sister, my closest friend, in a coma? There was no way that's true, I refused to believe it. Tsukuyomi couldn't be in a coma because of me!
"No… That's just…" I couldn't complete my sentences. I felt sick. I felt miserable. The doctors were doing their best to calm me down, but how could they? I was just told my sister was in a coma.
"Amaterasu, please listen!" The doctor grabbed my shoulders, snapping me out of my trance. "We don't know when Tsukuyomi will wake up, if ever. And if she doesn't wake up within the next 3 days… You'll need to be the Eclipse Tribes candidate for High Priestess."
I blinked a couple times, there is no way what I was hearing was true. "W-What? You have to be joking!"
The doctor sighs and looks down, almost shamefully. "I wish I was, Amaterasu. But this is the truth…"
"At least let me see my sister! I need to confirm this with my own eyes!"
"Wait! You're not fully recovered yet! If you--" The doctor stops the nurse from talking, and shakes his head.
The doctor looks into my eyes before saying, "You can see her. It's only fair."
I nod to him and carefully get up from my bed and follow the doctor into another room. That's when I feel my heart drop. My sister, motionless on the bed, no sign of waking up. I walk over to her, taking one of her hands in mine. I can feel myself begin to cry as I take in the present moment. Tsukuyomi is in a coma because of me.
"Why, why, why!" I tried wiping away my tears only for more to flow as if my eyes had become a waterfall. I clenched tighter onto my sister's hand before trying to speak through my crying. "It's… it's my… fault… my fault!"
I wailed at this sight, the doctor rubbing my back, doing his best to comfort me. The amount of despair and regret I felt was immeasurable. This wouldn't have happened if I wasn't such a coward. If only I was just as skilled as my sister, maybe I could've made things different. If stopped her from pushing me out of the way, things could've been different.
"I understand how you feel, but now, we must discuss the candidate for the High Priestess selection with the Daimyo." The doctor said, snapping me out of my world of despair.
I look up at the doctor, asking, "Why do we need to talk about that?" I ask that, confused, but it quickly hits me. "Wait! Surely you don't mean…"
The doctor nods, confirming any suspicion. "Yes. You are the only eligible High Priestess candidate."
"But I'm nowhere near as skilled as my sister is! I-I can't compete for High Priestess!" I spoke out in protest. I didn't want to do this, I didn't have the skill needed to be a candidate! It's why they chose my sister!
Right then, the Daimyo, Chiakia Oda, steps inside and speaks with an authoritative tone. "While you may not be as skilled as your sister, you are the only eligible candidate the Eclipse Tribe has. I will train you as much as I can in three days."
I was completely dumbfounded. I was gonna become the Eclipse Tribes High Priestess candidate. But then this hit me. What if my sister woke up within those three days? I decided to ask this question. "Wait, but what if Tsukuyomi wakes up within those three days?"
The daimyo processed my answer before he spoke. "We are going under the assumption that she won't wake up, and even if she did, she would need a few weeks minimum to recover from her coma. You don't have a choice in this matter." He paused for a bit, sighing before speaking again. "Let me correct myself. You do have a choice, but if we don't provide a candidate, it'll tarnish the reputation of the Eclipse Tribe and it'll isolate us from the other tribes. Please make your decision now."
This was a lot for me to process. It didn't feel like I had a choice. The consequences for not sending an eligible candidate for High Priestess is an insult to all the tribes in the Roku Tribe Union. I am the only eligible candidate in the Eclipse Tribe so I don't really have a choice. And it was hard to deny Chiaki's words. He used to be the Supreme General for the High Priestess I take a deep breath and process what to say before speaking.
"I'll do it. I don't have much of a choice anyway," I said to the Chiaki. He gave a slight smile to me before turning around.
Chiaki began to walk as he spoke. "After you are done grieving for your sister, meet me at the public training grounds. Time is of the essence."
With that, he leaves. Leaving me, the doctor and nurse, alone in the room with my sister. I looked at my sister and gripped her hand gently and whispered to her.
"I will take your burden from you, sister. I'm sorry. I promise to come back stronger than before… I will learn to protect you, myself, and everyone else… Please wait for me."