Just going to say this right now, there's going to be a poll up on my profile page once this chapter is up.
The chill of cold rock tingled San's skin as she awoke from a pleasant night's rest. She woke up feeling cleansed, as if every bit of pain in her body had fled her as she slept. What she could not remember was the night before. She distinctly remembered a sting in her back as her brother climbed the walls out of the city. She was able to see the glowing white moon just as her memory suddenly became blank. Try as she could, not one instance of what occurred next could come to her. She stretched her arms as she opened her eyes and was greeted by the sight of a dark, starless void looming above. Her eyes were now wide open as another blast of cold bit her skin.
"That's not possible; it's summer," She muttered to herself as she sat up from the stone bed she had woken up on. She looked around her to find Ashitaka or her brothers, but what she instead saw was a daunting image. She was in a forest of black trees. At her ankles was a thick, low-hanging fog of white that swirled around her feet. The forest was thick and silent. The air around her gave her goosebumps. The air pierced through her clothes and further chilled her. She glanced over her shoulder to see the slab she had been laying on. It was a simple, gray platform raised three feet off of the ground. It was devoid of any writing or markings.
"Ah, there you are," A deep, throaty voice said ahead of her. She instinctively grabbed her spear and raised it towards an approaching figure in black. From the dark came a man with jet black hair hanging close to his waist, a bright red tunic, cream colored pants, and leather sandals that made no prints in the ground he walked on. "I'm sorry I didn't find you earlier. If I had, I would have woken you up."
"What? Who are you?" San kept her spear pointed at the man's throat.
The man smiled as he stopped six feet away from the point of her spear and bowed. "I have no actual name, but humans seem fond of calling me a shinigami."
"Shinigami? I think I've heard that name before. They're supposed to be spirits who deal with the souls of the dead."
"That's correct! We also deal with the dying, but that's not what is important at the moment. Right now, I need to bring you to your actual home. You see-"
"Wait, what do you mean? Where am I?"
The shinigami chuckled and replied, "Well, think of what I am. You said it yourself seconds earlier: I am a spirit who deals with the souls of the dead. And right now, I'm dealing with you by bringing you to your home."
The realization set into San slowly as she pieced it together. The cold air, the fog, the spirit of death before her. "I'm dead?"
The shinigami's smile vanished as he nodded. "You died last night while your brother was scaling the city walls. As he reached the top, one of Lord Oji's men fired an arrow that struck your heart. I doubt you felt very much, perhaps a sting, but that's because your death was instantaneous. You arrived here, in the Afterlife, not long after."
San was stunned into silence, standing with her mouth agape as her fingers uncurled. Her spear made no sound as it softly landed on the ash colored grass below. "I don't believe it," She whispered.
"Most don't, particularly the ones who died suddenly, such as you did. Lord Oji himself was shocked to find he had gone here."
San sat on the stone slab behind. She held her head in her hands, trying to find any possible explanation for this. She thought maybe it was a dream. She bit into her arm but felt an acute pain as her sharp teeth drew blood. "I'm not dreaming, then," She remarked, "This is real."
"I truly feel sorry for you, I do. I know you may not believe me, but it isn't my pleasure to deliver morbid news to the deceased. Just trust me when I say that I want to help you."
"Help me with what? If I'm dead, there isn't much that I'll probably need help with."
"Very true, but look around you. Do you really want to spend all of eternity in a bleak place such as this?"
"Of course not. I'd rather be in the forest with my brothers and my mate."
"Well, I've got the next best thing. Follow me, if you'll please. This was a special request."
San reluctantly nodded and followed the shinigami, picking up her spear before she began walking. She was still in disbelief. She could feel pain, she could feel the air freezing her bones, she could see and smell perfectly. She didn't feel dead at all. She began to wonder what had happened after she had died. How had her brothers reacted? And what of Ashitaka? The curiosity gnawed at her as the hour passed. She asked the spirit as they continued walking.
"Well, your brothers are stubborn and proud, so they didn't display much emotion. Still, they mourn your loss deeply. They were so greatly enraged that they actually reentered the city to kill your murderer. Your, er, mate, however had a far different reaction."
"What happened?"
"He made next to no effort to hide his heartbreak. He sobbed so loudly when he found the arrow in your chest that I could hear it in this world. And when he and your brothers buried your body, he utterly broke down. I swear, he probably would have ended it all if it wasn't for your two's daughter."
San sighed as dejection began to fill her body and cloud her mind. "How did you find all of this out?"
"I've got a friend who visits your world more often than I. I believe you've met him before, as has your mate and your brothers."
"The Black Wolf?"
"The very same. Trust me, he's harmless, like a newborn bunny. He's simply a messenger of death, not a killer himself. I also have him tell me the reactions of the deceased's friends and loved ones, just in case they want to know what was happening when they died."
"So when he appeared to my brothers and to Ashitaka, he was warning them?"
"Exactly. He can't speak to the beings in your world, though, he simply serves as a bit of a conditioner, to try and lessen the impact when a loved one dies. Of course, he failed this time around, but he's successful on occasion."
"So, I've been doomed for a while now, haven't I?"
"The very moment Lord Oji's lackey opened the gate, your fate was sealed. I cannot see into the future, I only know when and how somebody is to die, and your time of death was on the dot. I sent the Black Wolf out to your brothers the moment I knew the date and time you would pass. I suppose that was simply part of what was supposed to happen."
San and the shinigami continued walking for another half-hour until he finally stopped her. The two were standing before a red gate that guarded the entrance to a forest. San couldn't see very far past the gate, as the black trees made it nearly impossible to see anything beyond even two of them. "What's this?"
"This gate leads to your new home. I would accompany you, but I must attend to something else at the moment. Just walk on through and you'll see. I'll be back in a few hours."
"Alright." The shinigami waved goodbye as he walked into the darkness. The fog swirled around his feet with every step, creating small whirls of gray near the ground. San took in a deep breath and turned to face the gate. Calmly, she stepped on through and stared in amazement as the black trees began to turn green.
Ashitaka took a look around him as he tried to figure out where he was. The sky was black and the grass it his feet was the color of ash. The fog at his ankles made little swirls with even the most subtle movement. He looked around to see if there was anybody else nearby and found a man in a red tunic, cream colored pants, and leather sandals making his way towards him. Long black hair covered part of his face, though his smile was plain as day.
"This is odd; you aren't supposed to be here for another fifty years or so," The man remarked, "You aren't even dead yet."
"What are you talking about?" Ashitaka asked.
The man sighed and told Ashitaka what he had told San before. He explained what he was, where they were, and his duties. "I actually met your wife not too long ago. Beautiful woman, she is."
"San is here?" Ashitaka felt a glimmer of hope in his heart before he remembered where he was.
"Of course she is, silly, this is the Afterlife. She isn't in this part, though. In any case, it seems you stumbled into here by accident."
"Yes, a demon knocked me into here with a large club."
"Ah, let me guess... blue skin, large fangs, wide horns, carrying a kanabo?" Ashitaka nodded and the man grinned, "I'm surprised you survived a blow from an oni. But I'm not here to discuss what you did survive, I'm here to discuss how to get you out of here."
"I can't just go through the gate again?"
"No. The oni tried to hit you when you tumbled on through. Still, I guess it means you were successful in your journey to destroy the gate. You have my sincerest thanks for that, by the way. You have no idea how many souls escaped onto your world while that one gate was opened. There were thousands! I lost track after two-thousand of them got out and began terrorizing others. Now that the gate is broken, they won't be able to escape. However, I can get you out of here with a flick of my wrists."
"Wait! Before you do, is it possible for me to see San again?"
"Well, when you die, I suppose it will be. But I'm guessing that you mean right now... sure, I'll bring you to your wife." The glimmer of hope in Ashitaka's heart grew into a beacon. The shinigami felt some pity when he saw Ashitaka's eyes begin to become glossy as he smiled. "You know, you were a big help in closing the gate. If it isn't for you, the oni wouldn't have broken it with that massive stick it carries around. Now, it isn't very often I do this –the last time was a few hundred years ago– but I believe you deserve something for your troubles. Follow me; I'll discuss more on the way to your mate."
San found herself standing in a thick, green, lively forest. Birds were sitting on tree branches above her head. A train of kodama was marching on the path behind her. The sounds of the forest filled her ears, as if she was back home. She felt the rough bark of a tree, the warm, soft soil at her feet. She climbed a hill as she followed the sound of a river. When she found the stream, she dipped her head into the shimmer, clear water. It was cool, refreshing, but not frigid. It was a paradise that she could have only dreamed of.
"You seem to be taking to the afterlife quite nicely," A familiar voice said to her from behind, "That's good, far better than brooding over your own death."
The voice was gentle yet stern, soothing yet commanding. "Mother," San said faintly as she began to fill with ecstasy, "Mother!"
Moro lowered her head down as San threw herself onto her mother's pelt and tightly gripped her hide. "Hello, San. It's been a while, hasn't it."
San drew herself back as tears of joy began to well in her eyes. "It's amazing to see you again!" She squeezed her mother with even more strength. Moro smiled as she brushed her cheek against San's.
"And seeing you again warms my heart like nothing else. I only wish that you hadn't come here while you were still so young." San's smile faded as she slowly nodded. "I've been watching you, ever since I was led here by the shinigami."
"Really?"
"Yes, you and your brothers." San became worried of what her mother would think about her relationship with Ashitaka. Moro alleviated her fears when she said, "You have made me very proud to be your mother. You have a wonderful mate and a beautiful daughter. And I'm very happy that you were able to help bring peace to the forest. I only wish you had more time to enjoy it."
"I regret it too. I mean, this place is amazing. It's as if I'm living in a dream... but Okami, Urufu, Ashitaka, Kaya... how long will I have to wait for them?"
"I cannot answer that question, and probably for the better. If I were you, I wouldn't want to know when my mate would die."
"I wouldn't either, I'm just saying I'm going to miss them."
"You will see them again once their time comes. But right now, you might want to explore the area. It truly is a magnificent place."
San nodded and stood in bewilderment as she continued to take in the sights and sounds she heard. It was as if her home had doubled in size and had been cleansed of every blemish. The air here was warm and made a light breeze. The wide trees were reaching up to one hundred feet. Their branches intertwined with each other, serving as bridges for the smaller animals above. "Is there anyone else here?"
"Only a few others. Lord Okkoto is somewhere else right now, as is Nago. I want to say my mate is here, but he never arrived when you and your mate defeated him. He must have gone somewhere else, to a different world of the dead."
"Wow," San's voice trailed as she watched a small flock of white birds fly overhead, "Did you know this place existed?"
"Not at all. I often wondered what the Afterlife was like, particularly when I was poisoned by a human's bullet, but I never imagined it to be like this. When I arrived here, I felt like a pup once again. I ran through the forest, seeing everything I could see until the sun set."
Just then, Moro and San heard footsteps coming from down the path. Their vision was obscured by the foliage, but Moro waited patiently. San reached for her dagger before she realized that she probably couldn't die here.
San heard the voice of the shinigami as he said, "...and I'll be waiting for your response. Now, if you'll excuse me, a man just ate some poorly prepared puffer fish." San and Moro waited as they heard footsteps coming up the hill towards them. They wondered who the shinigami had brought, as it didn't seem like many others came to this forest. So when San saw Ashitaka coming up the crest, she became overjoyed. His face, too, beamed with glee as the two ran to meet each other. San leapt into his arms as he embraced her.
"Ashitaka!" She exclaimed. Ashitaka kissed her on the cheek, leaving a red mark next to one of her markings.
"Hello, San," Ashitaka greeted. He set her down and bowed to her mother. "Hello, Moro."
"Greetings, Ashitaka," The wolf said, "I must admit I was wrong about you. You've been treating my daughter well."
Ashitaka bowed again in thanks "Thank you. My only regret about San was that I wasn't able to protect her."
"Do not disgrace yourself over her death, as it was not of your control. If her fate was to pass at that moment, I shall not challenge it."
San's bright smile began to fade remembered what it took to get to this place. "Oh no... you're dead too?" She asked Ashitaka.
"No, I'm not," He replied, "I came here by accident and the shinigami said I could visit you."
"How did you get here?" Ashitaka explained how he and the wolves were attacked by the oni and how he accidentally stumbled through the gate. "So you're going to have to leave soon, aren't you?"
Ashitaka sighed and replied, "Yes. The shinigami said I could only be here for a short while. He fears that my presence will make the other spirits uncomfortable."
"Because you're alive? That seems petty."
"I know, but it's probably for the best. But, San, there's also another reason I came to see you, not just for the sake of it."
"What's that?"
"The shinigami, he said that in return for us helping destroy the gate that was letting loose demons, he would," Ashitaka took in a quick breath before he said, "He said he would be willing to resurrect you."
San's smile returned again. However, she was not entirely sure. "Ashitaka, I would love that, but... I'm not sure."
Ashitaka was astounded and was about to ask why, but then his eyes turned to Moro. He understood. "You miss your mother, don't you?"
"Very much so," She replied softly. Her reunion with her mother had only lasted a few minutes. Part of her wanted to stay, but she also wanted to return with Ashitaka, to go back to her normal life with he and their daughter.
"San, you don't need to stay with me," Moro said, "And while I would love for you to stay, I can wait for you to return."
San turned to Ashitaka and asked what he thought she should do. "I know Kaya would miss you greatly, as would I," Ashitaka said, "But I won't force you to come back with me. I would understand if you chose to remain here; it's a very beautiful place."
San nodded and looked back and forth between her mother and her mate. She knew there would be no turning back once she made her decision.
Like mentioned earlier, there should be a poll up on my profile as of it. Check it out, vote, and I'll publish the next (and likely final) chapter of the story once there are enough votes. You do need to be a registered member to vote.