Chapter 138 - The Fated Peasant's Last Triumph

Hanging scrolls, adorned with messages the likes of "away," "barrier," and "banish," were hung from every eave of the austere temple, flapping in the mountain breeze;

alongside decorative chimes made of clay-formed pieces, and what appeared to be bone. The wood was finely polished, still bearing a dizzying scent of chemicals, as though it had just been scrubbed that same morning.

Hotaru, taking a deep breath, advanced toward the shoji screen door. A

When suddenly, Mina rushed forward to touch him on the shoulder—stopping him, as he turned to her with a questioning look.

"Once you walk through that door..." she said with a serious face, her eyes straining, "there's no turning back."

Hotaru locked eyes with her for a while, frowning, saying nothing, their shared tension drowned in the sounds of the ambient tinkling of the chimes and flapping paper scrolls; as well as the ubiquitous, but now strangely far-off sounding song of cicadas.

"I understand," Hotaru said, and was about to reach for the door again when Mina grabbed him by the hand.

"How much are you willing to give to reunite with this girl?" she asked. "Because you'll be sacrificing everything, and never know peace again for the rest of your life, should you walk through that door."

Hotaru gave a faint, amused smile. Speaking softly, "you're being too vague."

"Our village...no, this entire island has secrets. Secrets that I, and many others, am sworn to protect." She backed away from him, crossing her arms. "It's up to you whether you'll choose to live in ignorant bliss, or suffer the consequences that come from learning the truth."

Hotaru shook his head. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself otherwise."

'What a cheesy line,' Mina thought.

Still, it came across as genuine. That whatever peace he might enjoy with a mundane life in the village would ultimately be shallow, so long as he questioned the fate of his friend.

"Okay," was all Mina said after contemplating his gaze a while longer, as she moved out of his way.

Go on and enter, brave boy.

…

Hotaru's POV:

The door slides open easily, and I step into a small square room with a floor lined in green tatami mats, filled with light shining in through the paper-thin walls that were covered in decorative art scrolls, depicting traditionally hand-painted scenes from nature; as well as what looked to be Kitsuna: some performing crazy feats like breathing fire or soaring through the clouds, others tending magic bean fields or meditating; all drawn in a style that reminded of the illustrations in a book I once read, about old Japanese myths and folklore.

There were two altars, placed next to each other against the wall at the farthest end of the room; one beneath a white scroll that read "Yin," the other beneath a black scroll reading "Yang."

"I don't get it—is this all there is?"

As I'm turning to Mina, I receive an answer.

However, it doesn't come from her:

"This is as far as you'll be going, little boy."

I turn to the open screen door we had just walked through, where I'm shocked to see—

"Ceres!"—the black-furred, three-tailed Kitsuna that almost fell on me at the lighthouse; standing there, in the brightly lit up door frame, facing me with her ears perked up and a smile in her grinning bared teeth and eyes like she's a starving predator that's just found its next meal

"Oho, so you remembered my name?" she said, chuckling darkly under her breath. "I'm flattered."

...

She's holding what looks to be an unfolded fan in front of her, large enough to conceal most of her body in a pattern of intricate, swirly black markings, only with sharp-edged metal blades instead of paper.

"Why have you spared the outworlder, Mina!?" she furiously snapped. "Your orders were very clear!"

Hotaru gasped. "Orders? What orders…?" He glanced over at Mina, behind him; whose head was lowered so that her hair fell over her face, covering her eyes, wearing a solemn frown.

"Aren't you going to tell him, Mina?" Ceres said, boldly grinning as she folded her fan and laid it upon her shoulder.

"What's she talking about? Mina-san—"

Ceres's loud cackling cut Hotaru off, as he turned back to face her in fear. 

"You would really let this worm die without knowing the truth, eh?" said the wicked black Kitsuna; just as she drew her fan from her shoulder, unfolding it again. 

"Then so be it!"

She stuck her arm holding the fan out, pointing it threateningly toward Hotaru, whilst turning it so that her hand was exposed; just as a flickering ball of electricity could be seen forming—gradually building, growing, surging with chaotic energy—at the peak of her two held-together fingertips.

Hotaru backed away, anxiously gasping, but there was only the wall with the two Yin and Yang altars behind him—a dead end, with nowhere to hide.

'Is this it? Is this really how I'm going to die? Without knowing anything?'

Mina was watching from a corner of the room, a dead look in her eyes. Knowing that a lightning bolt, if fired off at this close range, would be both impossible to dodge and guaranteed fatal.

Yet still, in a moment like this, she found a cause to smile to herself.

'I always knew it would turn out like this...'

…

Mina's POV:

I've been to this room, in this shrine, once before.

It was many suns and moons ago...

Every Kitsuna must be brought here, once we are of age, or else remain as slave children, working the magic bean fields forever. As it is here where we are each given one of two seperate paths to follow, to decide which type of form we will take as we enter into adulthood…

Regardless of our own wishes.

"But I don't wanna be a peasant! I want to be a Yako-nin, like Ceres-san!

There I was: a child, knelt before the two Yin and Yang altars, protesting after having just had my fortune read by the Six-Tailed Matron, standing before me in her traditional robes, sun-shielding hat, and ceremonial mask of Inari—still and stone-faced as a statue, in the face of my bitter outrage and disappointment.

"We must all walk a chosen path through life," she said coldly, lacking any sympathy. "Such is the way of the Kitsuna: a perfect harmonic balance between Yin and Yang."

I fell to my knees on the ground, clutching my head. Crying.

"I really have...no choice at all?"

"Mm. The Yin vessel can never control chi to cast magic as the Yang vessel does."

"But, I want to fight...the Inugami…"

"Proceed to the Yin altar, child," the Matron said, slightly raising her voice as she swept her arm impatiently through the air; obviously grown quite weary of my tears. "NOW—so that the ascension ritual may commence!"

I lifted my face off the floor, with a defiant glare. "N-no!"

It wasn't fair, I had decided: that I had been chosen to mature into the Yin vessel of a lowly peasant, living out their entire life in the village; one who "embodies chi," rather than "exerts chi." Which was to say I must cultivate spiritual energy within myself through diligent daily labors, so that I may share it with my chosen Yang vessel whose job it is, in turn, to protect our village, using spiritual magic that consumes chi.

"I want to avenge my friends!" I declared as I stood up, fists drawn apart from my sides like I was going to hit her; feeling bold enough that I would challenge anything that stood in my way.

While living as a child slave for so long, I'd always dreamt of this day…

The day when I would finally gain power…

After seeing my friends fall, helplessly, to the demons that prowl at night. Because the Yako-nin on patrol at the time were negligent in their duties.

However, I would never be negligent.

I would defend this village, full of people I cherish, even if it cost my life.

But, instead of that being my fate…

To be told I was destined for mere domestic work felt like a slap in the face.

That was why I rushed toward the Yang altar, ignoring the matron's yells; single-minded in my determination to be reborn as a Yako-nin. And all I had to do was lower my face into a basin that was placed there, filled with magic water— gained from wringing dry hundreds of magic beans—and drink it.

However, as I had grabbed onto the basin, a pair of hands gripped me from behind, pulling then throwing me back across the room.

When I saw who it was that had done it, all the hope was drained from my heart.

"C-Ceres…how could you?"

She just stared at me, with a serious frown, saying nothing. Even though we had grown up together, and were around the same age, she matured before I did: transferring from her childlike body to an adult Yang form, while I remained the same.

"You two used to be close friends, no?" the Inari matron said, following it with an evil cackle. "Well, in that case, it would only be fitting that I shall name thee a Harmonious Pair!"

Harmonious Pair…

It meant our destinies would be intertwined: That I would service my cultivated chi to her, and no other. 

One day, too…

I would bear her children.

…

Mina had known, from all the way back then, exactly how her life would end: that, one day, she would again resist against the authority of the matron, and Kitsuna tradition as a whole, and face punishment—death, at the hands of her own kin.

Today was finally going to be that day.

She had disobeyed her orders to kill Hotaru, and now must pay the price.

Before her, the stage was already set...

The orbs of lightning that had grown upon Ceres's fingers began to spark outward; giving Mina all the indication she needed of his impending attack.

"Hotaru-san," she said, smiling with tears in her eyes. "I hope that...you find her."

There was no time for him to react—

As, just then, Ceres fired off a lightning bolt at him—

Only for Mina to dash in, to intercept.