Aaand here we are once again!
I'm proud to announce this is now Mythos Anthology's longest chapter! It features three Visions in one, as well as a humorous scene at the end with Vince. I wanted to lighten the mood of these somber chapters a little, using an idea a fellow writer gave me in one of their reviews for Redux no less. I just hope they won't inform YUYA about it, it's a simple accident and nothing more, Vince had nothing to do with it. My baby is innocent!
Human. Animal.
Male. Female.
Good. Evil.
Everything. Nothing.
What was perfection in a world where everything- even the very concept of "everything"- had an opposite? An illusion? A fleeting dream? A goal worth dying for? Or something else entirely? Was it achievable to begin with? If an opposite exists, then no matter what you put on the scales, it will always tip. An equilibrium will never be found.
Was it all right for everything to have an opposite, or not? The god known by his worshippers as "the symbolization of the equilibrium of opposites" didn't know. He was, after all, both a genius and a fool at the same time. He was a human and an animal. He was a man and a woman. He was good and evil. He was...the one that couldn't make the scales tip.
The god found it ironic that he, the perfect equilibrium, was born from the imagination of the most unbalanced existence in this world: humans, those who always make the scales tip. The god was as interested in them as he was bored by them. He always wondered what the perfect human would look like...
His worshippers left much to be desired. They always made the scales tip in favor of generosity or greed, their goals either took them far or lead them nowhere, their own strengths and weaknesses unknown to them. But seeing all their flaws made the wait all the more compelling.
Maybe calling the perfect human "human" is incorrect, the god debated with himself from time to time. If they were only human, then they wouldn't be the perfect equilibrium like me...
He can't wait for the day he'll meet another perfect equilibrium. He'll gladly bow his head to them and address them as his master, but at the same time, he'll guide them when they're lost in the dark and stand side-by-side on the battlefield. He's sure they'll think the same...and this thought made him smile.
He wishes to meet somebody like him... I stared at the god, my body tensed up due to countless emotions I was experiencing and the thoughts racing in my head. It was always something and then its opposite. What should I feel or think in this Vision? It left me...confused. Was this how he always felt? Or was he accustomed to it?
Something small and white fell down in front of my eyes, prompting me to follow it and see it was a snowflake. My hand moved on its own, catching it, which also caused the Vision to change. I was standing in a forest covered in snow beside a yōkai, watching a group of five children playing in the distance.
The yōkai hid her smile behind the sleeve of her white kimono, pleased to see the children having fun as they built a snowman together. This wasn't the first time she saw them here, secluded from their village so no grown-ups could interrupt them. While she understood why they were coming here, it was still dangerous, hence why she was watching over them.
She loved children. She thought they were cute and simple. If they like you, they smile and laugh and rush to your side whenever they see you. On the other hand, If they don't or they're scared of you, they simply avoid you...unlike those heartless grown-ups who'd call you names and hunt you down, just because you weren't a human.
"Agh!" the surprised cry of one of the kids, Yua- with how frequently they came here and shouted each other's names as they played, the yōkai easily memorized them- snapped her out of her thoughts. She lost her balance while holding the snowman's head, falling into a bush with the head on top of her.
Before she knew what she was doing, the yōkai ran over to check if she didn't hurt herself.
She wasn't, phew. "So clumsy." she sighed in exasperation, dusting off the leaves and snow that got stuck in her hanten. Good thing her clothes didn't get too wet. Yua didn't scratch herself either, making that a lucky landing. "Next time, ask for help when lifting something heavy."
Their shocked faces helped her realize the error she's made. Children are wary of strangers, and coming out of nowhere like this might've scared them. What if they run away and never come back? She wanted to play and talk with them, she won't lie, but simply watching over them was enough. She didn't want to lose that. Not to mention, if they tell the villagers about her, they'll come for her head, too...!
She let go of Yua's arms, getting ready to run off like nothing had happened, when the other girl of the group, Ayaka, spoke up with an astonished tone.
"A talking doll...!" the three boys of the group, Hiroto, Kenji, and Hijiri, nodded multiple times in unison to her words, clearly thinking the same thing. Yua was charmed by her looks, too.
The yōkai blinked twice, and laughed softly when her brain finished processing her words. So they weren't scared of her at all, huh? What luck... She couldn't help but smile. This was the first time she smiled so wide.
"That's an interesting way of saying 'you're beautiful'." she commented once her laughter died down. She then pretended this was her first time seeing them, and they all introduced themselves. When they asked if she wanted to join them in building a snowman, she almost lost her composure and screamed yes. She was so happy to finally play with children! Well...she felt bad for taking advantage of their naivety, but...it wasn't like she was going to hurt them or anything.
When the time came to leave- the kids were shaking like mad and their lips were turning blue, prompting the yōkai to urge them to head home, much to their displeasure- they asked for her to go back to the village with them, but she kindly declined. She lied she lived in the other direction, alone, which she didn't want to change.
The five weren't too happy about that either, but they didn't press further. In fact, to the yōkai's joy, they promised to keep their encounter a secret. That was good on its own, but this being her first secret with children made her internally squeal.
The kids would return to this spot each day around the same hour, where the yōkai would patiently wait for them. Not that she had anything better to do, anyway. She finally found a reason to look forward to tomorrow. Her days were filled with warmth and laughter.
I shouldn't have...
"Kenji!" the yōkai exclaimed in concern and rushed to pick him up. He collapsed. But why? He was perfectly fine just a couple of seconds ago...! Was he out in the cold for too long? It's true he was physically the weakest out of the five, but she didn't expect this to happen. Why didn't he warn them he was reaching his limit? Even if he was having fun, he should've at least said something!
"Onee-san, w-what happened to him!?"
"We must bring him to somewhere warm," she explained to the four, trying to remain calm so they won't get scared further. She hastily took off her kimono and wrapped it around Kenji. "I'll accompany you to the village! Cry for help once we're there! Quick, show me the way!"
It was her fault. It was all her fault. She knew she should've told them to go home the moment they started shaking from the cold, but she decided against it. Why? Because the desire to play with them was stronger than usual that morning; she wanted to spend just a little more time with them today. The kids wanted the same, too, so they didn't say a thing.
She was stupid. She allowed her emotions to get in the way of these children's safety. And she was now praying its price.
"The cold air was irritating his lungs, which caused his upper airways to narrow, thus making it hard for him to breathe." a doctor stated to Kenji's parents an hour after they brought him back, and the yōkai listened in from outside the room, in their garden. She was too worried to wait for the news from the kids, so she sneaked her way here. "If he had only returned a couple of minutes sooner, then we could've avoided losing him. I'm terribly sorry."
I shouldn't have gotten involved with them any further. she concluded her earlier thought, now back at their hangout spot and on her knees beside the snowman they've built that day, her hands covering her eyes as she sobbed.
It was her fault. It was all her fault. For revealing herself to them that day, for staying with them over and over again, and for not telling them to go home when they were clearly past their usual limit. Her naivety killed an innocent child.
"Kenji...K-Kenji...!" no matter how much she'll wail and apologize, things won't change. She didn't want to look the remaining four in the eyes when she pretty much killed their friend. They might forgive her- or what if they don't? The thought scared her- but she won't forgive herself.
She'll do exactly what she was supposed to do back then: leave.
I was crying into my hands as the yōkai walked away, going in the opposite direction of the village. It seems her lie became the truth: she lived in the other direction, alone, which she didn't want to change.
"Oh! What's a young lady such as yourself doing here?"
Hearing the soothing voice of a man, my hands fell to my sides. I was still in a forest, but the snow vanished. Maybe calling him a man wasn't correct...he was a fox after all. An anthropomorphic fox clad in regal clothing, looking at a young woman with a fond smile. She, on the other hand, was in a bad shape, covered in bruises and wearing worn-out clothes, clutching her basket tightly in fear.
"What...?"
"Where are my manners! Allow me to introduce myself." the fox bowed his head. "My name is Reynardine, lord of the castle atop a neighboring mountain. May I know your name, young lady?"
"E-Elizabeth, sir..."
"That's a nice name. 'God is my oath', if I recall correctly. But please, there's no need to address me so formally! My name will do." the fox brought a hand to his chin, tilting his head to the side a little. "That said, my question from earlier still stands. You're in a bad shape...what happened?"
He already knew, but he had to play along with it. Thanks to his information network, he knows all the unfortunate people sold off on the black market, as well as who buys them and their residence. He didn't have the strength to put an end to this human trafficking, but what he could do was rescue the victims.
He saved so many people by now, bringing them to his castle, where they could live a happy and peaceful life. He didn't want anything in return; he was purely moved by his compassion. But they insisted, so he lets them help with mundane tasks like cooking and cleaning.
Those who didn't know the truth behind his actions say he's a kidnapper, a killer, but why should he care? Humans insult others and twist the truth as much as they breathe; they're the first ones to behave like vile monsters. Selling their own kin for trivial reasons such as wealth...the fox tightened his grip on his walking stick, disgusted.
Elizabeth stayed silent and body stiff as a rock, not that he could blame her. So the fox re-equip his smile, the spell he used each and every time to calm those in need of rescue so they'd be willing to hear him out and accept his proposal.
"I was about to head back to my castle. Would you like to join me?" he inquired, causing her eyes to widen. "I have enough food to satiate another mouth, you mustn't worry! Oh, while we're at it, I will make sure to hand you some spare clothes. You must be freezing in those, and that's no way for a lady like you to dress!"
"I...I-I can't, thank you." Elizabeth muttered, her eyes nervously glancing at the basket she was holding with trembling fingers. "I...I-I have to go back, or else...!"
"But I insist!" the fox crossed the distance between them with graceful movements, caressing her hands to calm her down. Damn that bastard who laid a finger on her...! He smiled wider, pouring more of his magic into it, and whispered gently, "Please, come with me. I can see you don't want to go back there."
She shook her head to confirm his words. Good, his spell was working. He won't lie to anyone: he was, technically, kidnapping someone, but if that meant gifting them a happy life...then he'll gladly rot in Hell when he dies.
"That man who bought you will never hurt you again. I won't let him." holding her hands in his, the fox vowed with a serious tone. "I promise nothing bad will happen to you anymore. So please...let us go, Elizabeth."
She seemed hesitant at first but ultimately gave in with a nod and some tears of relief forming in the corners of her eyes. What did she have to lose, she probably thought at that time. The two walked away, hand in hand—and I woke up.
"D-Dammit..." was how I greeted the new day, immediately getting out of bed and heading to the bathroom. I felt something crawling its way up my throat and everything was spinning. I need to reach the sink before—
Yuzu, halfway through the action of standing up from the toilet and pulling up her panties and skirt, was the sight I was greeted with upon opening the bathroom door.
"Eh?" mouths and eyes opened wide in shock, we stared at each other for three exact seconds before I slammed the door back closed, avoiding the paper fan Yuzu launched at my face.
"Don't you have the common courtesy to knock before entering!?" I shrieked as Yuzu's roar made the entire house shake. I rushed back to my room, closing the door behind me and then leaning against it with a dejected sigh. Seriously, why was I having so much bad luck these days...!? Well, at least the nausea wore off!
"An unusual way to start a day." Demiurge's unimpressed sigh made my right eyebrow twitch. At least try sounding sorry while saying stuff like that, geez!