Your P.O.V
A breeze catches my scarf in an unforgiving torrent, blowing it into my tear stained complexion. I scratch furiously, attempting to dislodge it from my sullied hold. The current quells and the spring air nips at my exposed flesh.
Nowhere to go.
Water brims my eyes once again and a river cascades down my searing cheeks. My mother and I fell victim to the merciless wrath of an intoxicated driver. She was not fortunate enough to survive and I suffered severe injuries. My father, I never knew. He left long before my birth. Burdened with the suffocating grips of medical debt, the world abandoned me. Our house was repossessed in order to cover the exorbitant amounts of funds necessary for my tiresome treatment. I have nowhere left to go, no family, no home. I bring my hand to my face and press my palms into my sockets in order to suppress the anguish. Suddenly, a strong hand wraps firmly around my weary shoulder. A voice of velvet and assurance whispers into my ear.
"Finally, I've found you." I cock my head in the ominous onslaught's direction, my eyes meeting the gaze of deep chocolate. A frail man stands before me, golden locks of shoulder length flow like a river from his scalp. My body shakes with an eerie aura of familiarity. I feel as if I am connected to this man existentially. "It seems that you have been left behind by the inert current of reality. With nowhere else to go, I will give you a rightful place to stay." My eyes, still wide with shock, watch as the mysterious figure leans forward and plants a gentle kiss upon my brow.
Without another word, the man leaves. A gentle wave is the gesture he parts me with. I can make out the soft mumbles of an inaudible voice, but not the words. Unbeknownst to me, he had uttered an eternally holding verse. "You look just like her."
It takes several moments for me to collect my scattered thoughts, patching together the dumbfounding pieces. My attention is drawn from my vexed state by the light touch of a butterfly as it lands in my lap. Before I have the proper time to study it, it has taken off, soaring throughout the sky. I extend my hand in hopes of reaching it before it disappears. But, it looms in the stagnant air, beckoning me to follow. I stand abruptly and gallantly sprint after it. An obedient aura overcomes my senses, preventing my halt. My sprint slows to a gait as I approach the large arch of a derelict shrine. A monstrous set of menacing steps faces me and I beg my limbs to turn away, but to no avail. The butterfly continues its elegant dance up the unnerving staircase. I follow the omnipotent mirage until I arrive at the door of a forgotten haven. An oak plaque reads 'Mikage Shrine'. The butterfly has disappeared permanently and a stiff silence surrounds me.
"Our master has returned."
"Hooray! Hooray! Time for celebrations!"
Two disembodied voices bellow out from the still air. My spine tingles with fear and I step back cautiously. Suddenly, a pair of small children with the appearance of ceramic dolls float jubilantly in my sights. Festive masks shroud their expressions. They move sheepishly as they inspect my figure.
"This is not Mikage."
"It is a human."
"But, she bears the mark of the land god."
My head spins in disoriented circles, confused by the dilemma at hand. Finally, my constitution snaps and I erupt in unparalleled rage. "What the hell is going on?" I pant and seethe with ferocity.
"I am Onikiri."
"And, I am Kotetsu."
"We are the spirits of this shrine. Children of the Wil-o-the-Wisp's. You have been bestowed with the powers of the land god." The girl called Onikiri places a single finger on the center of my forehead. I bring my hands to my face and gently rub the spot where her touch vacates. In a blur of recollection, the mysterious man's face fills the void of my mind. He must be Mikage. Upon remembering his gentle peck, the two spirits that drift majestically in front of me begin to make deluded sense. I stare at my sweaty palms with disbelief. A land god?
My euphoric daydreams are cut in half by the deep growl of a deranged beast. As I turn hesitantly, I am met by the feral snarl of a towering man with lilac irises and snow-white locks. Two cat-like ears protrude from his scalp and a voluminous tail bounces impatiently behind him. His appearance is inhumanly exquisite. My cheeks flush with a gentle rose. Though, his handsome features betray his sickening personality. "This pathetic, measly, rat is the land god? I would rather have my body thrown in a pit of ravenous snakes then obey her commands. She won't survive more than a day." He sneers with arrogance and laughs manically. With the wave of his hand, the room erupts in brilliant blue flame and he dissolves.
Within seconds of his absence, a black haze fills the air and a putrid odor settles around me. The sky darkens with insidious intent and I feel my muscles tremble with preemptive worry. Onikiri and Kotetsu latch themselves to my sleeves and shudder at the ominous wind. "What's happening?" My voice flutters with weariness.
"Ever since Mikage vanished 20 years prior, Tomoe had maintained the shrine and protected it from the unforgiving miasma of this world. Now that Tomoe is gone, it is your responsibility to take care of the grounds." Kotetsu rebukes promptly. Tomoe… So that's his name… I am unable to continue my incessant thoughts. My arm erupts in a searing fire, burning in anguish. I recoil intensely at the black that plagues my flesh.
"Please, do not get any closer! Here use these. They are white talismans. Whatever you write will manifest itself here. They will help to increase your divine power until you can hone your skills." Onikiri hands me a stack of thin parchment sheets. A quill accompanies the holy gift. I quickly scribble the first words that fill my consciousness.
"Disperse!" I shout with heated determination, throwing the paper in a frantic fit. As the note caresses the black form, it recedes promptly. Unfortunately, the effects are nullified and the mass progresses, threatening my vicinity. Out of utter shock, I tumble backwards and land in an uncomfortable seated position. I scamper in retreat, attempting to avoid my inevitable demise. An amused snicker fills the dense dread above me.
"Pathetic, yet undeniably entertaining. As a human you are incapable of anything. Wretched garbage. Maybe if you beg and plead like the lowly peasant you are, I will save you. How heroic and generous of me!" He chuckles and I grunt with dissatisfaction. Onikiri tugs slightly on my trembling sleeve, begging me to indulge. I huff with defiance and she offers an alternative option.
"If you were to make Tomoe your familiar again, he would have no choice but to obey your every command." My eyes ignite with consummate gratitude and I smile deviously. "All you have to do is kiss him upon the lips." My exulting flat lines and my brow pulses with irritation. I ignore Onikiri's deluded request and she continues to insist with unremitting force. I watch as Tomoe holds his gut to stifle his hilarity. With a burst of vigor, I pounce forward and latch my unfaltering grasp around Tomoe's wrist. I pull him towards me, using his velocity to propel myself into the air. I plant my foot in the square of his back and leap forward, wrapping my palms around the limb of the nearest tree. I muster enough force to lift my body onto the branch. From there, I begin to climb, distancing myself from the menacing fog.
"Why you filthy rodent! Do you wish to die?" Tomoe continues to bellow from beneath me. My heart races with the fury of a pride. Sweat drips from my temple and I watch as the smog creeps up the trunk of the tree. A thick sheet of charcoal encases the bark, rotting it from the inside out. A hallow creak escapes the vegetation's limbs and I prepare for dismount. The shallow gasps of strain turn to a crack of defeat and I feel the arbor give way beneath me. I bend my legs, building up tension in my joints to release like a piston. I propel myself forward into the miasma, the tree exploding in a cloud of dust behind me. The obscure aura bites at my frail skin, leaving violet scars across my flesh. I contest the sting and continue forward, pressing my brows together in resistance. I stretch my arms outwards and collide with Tomoe. Our bodies roll violently across the rubble, coming to a halt a few meters away.
I tower above the condescending fox, beaming with insanity. Before he can deny my touch I press my lips firmly into his and sink into the euphoric feeling. The temperate caress of velvet and the erotic scent of jasmine fill my senses. A magical sensation flows through my limbs and I feel the connection materialize between us. A God and her Familiar. I pull away, regretting my parting. With firm demeanor I bellow into the Cretan's ear. "Purify the miasma. Now!" His eyes shoot open, a fiery passion burns within them. His face contorts with irritation, a menacing vein protruding from his temple.
The clearing is engulfed in a dance of azure flame, my eyes widen with astonishment at the indescribable beauty. In a matter of seconds, the spectacle has quelled and the shrine comes into focus. The miasma no longer resides in this sacred domain. I intertwine my fingers in my (h/c) locks and remove my bangs from my face, throwing my head back in relief. My auditory awareness recognizes the sinusoidal clatter of approaching footsteps. My gaze darts forward. Tomoe approaches in a stoic and lewd fashion. He kneels, glare cast downward, and brings his fist to his chest in salute. His voice carries a tone of sweetness laced with aggravation. "By what should I call my Lady and Mistress?" His persona has morphed from intimidating to submissive. My eyelashes flutter in a trance of admiration, blush creeping onto my naïve cheeks.
"My name is (f/n) (l/n)."