Part I: The Bargain
But Natsume knew that was not true. The God of Life was not the only god with power over life.
Kaname may have had dominion over births and reincarnations and sometimes fates, but he was often too overloaded, balancing millions of humans, to answer prayers or intervene when necessary.
Deep down, Natsume knew Kaname had not paid attention to Minamimura's prayers, plentiful as they may be. The God of Life could not save Mikan.
And as much as Natsume despised Rei, he knew the God of Death never passed up an opportunity to abuse his power.
Rei's dwelling was, predictably, dark and dank and slimy and absolutely repulsive; breathing even one breath felt like tar sticking to the soul. Natsume would not shed the feeling for years after.
Passing by wailing souls and through filthy halls, he found the God of Death lounging on his throne, putrefying apples into noxious slime. Natsume did not bother to kneel, opting to stand a good ten feet away, away from the torturer of his existence and from whatever diseases Rei might carry.
"Rei, I need a favor."
He sighed and lazily turned towards the God of Fire. "My name is not Rei, it's Persona to you."
Natsume couldn't help his lip curling into a sneer. "I'm not going to call you a nickname you made up for yourself to seem less pathetic than you really are."
"Funny, I didn't know it was a good negotiating tactic to belittle the God you want a favor from."
The sharpness of his tone silenced Natsume, though it couldn't humble the God of Fire, much less deter him from his mission.
"There's a baby in Minamimura, Mikan Sakura, with the shivers. Is she marked for death?"
"Oh, yes, your precious Minamimura." This time, it was Rei's lip curling, mockingly. "And your little doomed human. Shouldn't you be watching over her during her final hours?"
Natsume gritted his teeth. His hands ached with the desire to produce flames. "So she is meant to die, even though they've prayed so hard for her recovery?"
The God of Death sighed, as though he were a patient teacher and Natsume the little brat who hadn't learned not to wet his pants. "Every town needs a little bit of death, Natsume, a little disaster here or there. A tragedy, even. Why should Minamimura be allowed to prosper so peacefully for so long while other villages are wracked with devastation and famine and war?
"I am not asking about the fate of an entire village. I am asking about one single human soul. Besides, haven't you accrued enough souls from Nobara's long winter?"
"One soul is enough to tip the balances," Rei said dramatically, holding up an apple. Then he turned it to sludge, which he flung at Natsume's feet. "Even if that soul is a pathetic weakling."
Flames burst behind Rei, as sudden and explosive as a volcanic eruption. Surprised by his own outburst, Natsume realized his error and smothered the flames as best he could, but the damage was done.
Rei smirked at him. "I didn't know you were so easily affected by your emotions. It's just work, Natsume, all business."
"Then let's get down to business," Natsume coldly replied, suppressing his emotions as best he could. "What do you desire in exchange for her life?"
"Oh?" Rei's eyebrow raised, piqued, as he stood up from his throne. He sauntered towards Natsume. "The God of Fire bargaining for the life of a human?"
Natsume nodded, his jaw taut with tension. If he could, he would immediately catch the next wind and fly away from that hellhole, but the prayers of Minamimura and especially of the Sakura family kept him firmly rooted.
"You could…" drawled Rei, enjoying Natsume's discomfort, "sacrifice your own life. Old Izumi is getting lonely down here. I'd make sure you live in comfort as all I do for all the gods who pass on. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Natsume contemplated the idea, and something in his eyes made Rei change his tune. "Or it wouldn't have to be your life…Perhaps I could borrow a little bit of that fire of yours."
"I will never give you my powers," snarled Natsume, the temperature spiking faster than he could control. The thought of separating his abilities from his divinity made his mind go blank with outrage.
"Not give, borrow. Listen carefully, little Natsume. I can extend her years if you give me enough time, time from other humans." His voice slithered into Natsume's head like sewage into a river.
"How?" Natsume had never cut a deal with the God of Death before, and the gods who had… Well, they knew to keep it quiet.
"I would say a wildfire is long overdue on this planet, isn't it?"
Mind sharp as a sword, Natsumed realized quickly what Rei was asking of him: kill other humans to give Mikan Sakura more time.
Sacrifice their futures so she could have more time.
Take other lives to grant her more.
Start a fire on the earth and destroy.
It was cruel.
It was not what Natsume was meant to do.
But it was a deal.
"I understand."
If the God of Death was surprised by Natsume's easy acquiescence, it was overpowered by his smugness at making an arrangement.
"What great terror that would be, the earth burning for a holy week."
No. Too much.
"Three days."
Rei's lips twisted into some semblance of a smile. "Is that your heart speaking?"
"I will burn for three days. No more, and whatever time you collect from it will be in exchange for the life of Mikan Sakura of Minamimura." Natsume carefully worded the bargain, knowing the God of Death to be as slippery as an eel. He always found some loophole, some way to exact his demands.
"You better hope you burn enough."
"I will start at midday, when the sun has reached its highest point."
The God of Death faintly smiled before stretching out his hand. As repulsed as he was, Natsume grabbed his hand and shook it firmly.
It was a deal.
Then Natsume left - before Persona could attach any other conditions to his agreement.
Natsume had a deadline to hold up his side of the bargain, but he knew he had a small window of opportunity which he used to his best advantage.
He need not explain himself to the other gods; they would deal with the fallout, but they could not stop him. After all, it was a deal between the God of Fire and the God of Death. As messy the devastation and aftercare would be, the other gods would find a way to handle it.
However, there were certain gods he could not betray.
"Ruka."
The God of Animals looked up from the herds of deer he was guiding through the forests.
"Natsume. How good to see you."
"I'm afraid I bring bad news." Natsume knew it was better to be upfront with his intentions - there was no time for pleasantries or mollification. "In exchange for a human baby's life, I made a deal with the God of Death to burn the kingdoms for three days. I start at midday, but I came to tell you so you can escort as many animals as you can to safety."
Ruka blew out his breath, a bit overwhelmed by Natsume's words. "How far will you burn?"
Natsume shrugged. "As far as I need to." He had not yet grasped the breadth of his task.
"How far?" asked Ruka again, emphasizing his words. "And where?"
"The south will be safe. Mostly the north and most likely to the east, away from the mountains."
"I understand, Natsume. Thank you for the warning."
Already, Natsume could see Ruka's mind working, devising a plan. Thousands of animals would be caught in the crossfire, but Natsume hoped the forewarning would lessen Ruka's inevitable grief.
Natsume moved to leave, letting him work, but Ruka had one last question.
"Does the baby mean so much to you?"
Natsume heaved a great sigh. "I am not sure…"
Ruka's blue eyes tightened. "You better be certain. I suspect a lot of gods will not be happy with you."
With every minute that passed, Natsume could only hope more and more lives would be spared yet he also understood he needed enough to pay Rei's hefty demand. His thirst for justice battled against his desire to keep Mikan Sakura safe.
But eventually the God of Death would demand his due. There was nothing else Natsume could do; he had struck the bargain, made the deal with the devil. All he could do was satiate the God of Death's bloodlust.
The sun rose to its zenith. If Natsume waited minutes longer, the sun would slip out of its position, and Natsume needed it at its highest to provide him enough energy.
It started in the Northern Woods. Freshly recovering from the frost, it began as a single wavering flame, trailing east, following the dense treeline, hopping from one branch to the next. Pouring all of his essence into the growing blaze, he fanned the flames farther and farther, higher and higher.
There was no wind, no other god to help him. It was his task to undertake.
Animals fled from the heat, and many succumbed to its greedy hunger. Natsume could feel them perish in his fire. Acres and acres of forest burned, but he needed to claim human lives. He needed his fire bigger.
Pushing against the limits of the power, he stoked the flames, willing them to catch on huts and fences - anything made by humans. But the wildfire drained him; he could do no more.
He had failed.
The trees and the deers and the rabbits burned, but no human did. Natsume wondered if it was too late to offer some of his own time to give Mikan Sakura more.
Then, even across kingdoms, came the stream of midday prayers from Minamimura. Several dozen villagers praying for good health, good life, good fortune; praying to all gods, including the God of Fire.
And the power of Minamimura's prayers gave him strength.
Connecting with their energy, he recalled the immensity, the fervor, the sheer number of all their prayers - the faith in the Gods to protect life.
To protect Mikan Sakura's life.
And with their faith, Natsume conjured a firestorm greater than the flames of the underworld, stretching into the farthest corners that even he had not traveled to.
For three days and three nights, the world burned.
Burned so the God of Fire could save one human baby.
Natsume watched as death gradually released his hold on her. He could feel her fire of life restart like simmering coals rescued from becoming ashes.
Not until she cried, a loud healthy cry, with rosy cheeks and a pounding heart, did he allow the tension to leave him. She was healthy once more.
His task accomplished, he could finally -
Think about what he'd done.
He had all of eternity waiting for him to grapple with his guilt. It lay thickly upon him, and for the first time in his existence, he understood what a chill was.
The village of Minamimura, unaffected by the raging wildfire, rejoiced at the miraculous recovery of the little Mikan Sakura. Characteristically felitious, they held a celebration and ensured plentiful offerings for all the gods, but especially the God of Life.
The villagers included the God of Fire in their gratitude, yet all Natsume could feel was frigid dread and immense shame - and the curiosity of his fellow gods as they wondered why there were such festivities among such calamity.
Fleeing from the scrutiny of the other gods, he retreated to the southern beach. The God of Wind fluttered by, bringing news, but he did not stop long. The God of Sun shone down, still content to be with her warm comrade of fire. By and by, all the other gods amusedly speculated at Natsume's reasons for causing such catastrophe - a tantrum from enduring a long winter was the most accepted answer. All the other gods dropped their interest soon after.
All gods but one.
Natsume could not bear to be in his divine form, so closely connected to the essence of the world he had just scorched so as a mortal, he sat on the sand, staring out across the sea. He felt the divine presence come closer and plop down a bit away from him. After a few minutes of silence, Natsume turned to look who it was who dared approach him.
"Youichi?" he croaked, even though his throat could not physically be dry. The God of Souls had taken the form of a toddler, but Natsume could recognize him through the window of Youichi's eyes.
"I was preparing to guide a soul to cross over, but I felt her destiny change. Then there were so many others…" Youichi trailed off, afraid to name the accusation. "What did you do, Natsume? Why did you do it?"
Natsume opened his mouth, but he could not bear to answer. He looked down miserably. Youichi stared out to the sea, just as Natsume had been.
"I never thought you'd be a god who interfered with human affairs. I always thought you stuck to yourself. I admired you for it, actually, not getting attached to any human, who die so easily, so quickly."
Natsume whispered, "I don't know. Maybe this human is worth it."
"Maybe? One soul in exchange for hundreds seems like an odd balance."
Natsume couldn't respond. Had the price been too much? Had Natsume acted in the right to take so many lives, so many futures away? What if death was waiting for Mikan Sakura in a couple of months, a year, three years? Natsume had given her time, but only the God of Death knew how much.
Surely it was enough; it had to be.
The epiphany was clear for Natsume: from then on, Natsume had to continue watching over her. How else could he ensure the God of Death wouldn't spitefully reclaim her life? That she didn't waste his sacrifice, the sacrifice of hundreds?
But he didn't have to do it alone.
Natsume turned to the God of Souls. "Promise me you'll help me watch over her soul. When her time comes, guide it and give it peace and comfort. Promise me. Please."
The God of Soul carefully examined his companion: the blanched complexion, the muted fire of life, the haggard rawness. Gods lived for millenia, and for the first time, the ages seemed to have caught up to Natsume.
"I promise. If her soul is worthy, I promise I will watch over it and guide it when the time comes."
This time, Natsume's answer was certain: "She is worth it."
Little did he know, the God of Fire was not the only god meddling in Mikan Sakura's life...
End of Part I