Now that Oki is allowing himself to think of the past, we can have flashbacks! I wasn't gonna force this couple on you without developing their relationship a little bit, now was I? :P It's pretty hard giving a voice to silent protagonists such as Ammy, but I think I was able to nail down her personality decent enough. In the game, she always struck me as kinda spacey, kinda mischievous/playful, but wise in dire situations. A lot of people write her as this really elegant and serious goddess, but I never saw her in that light. I hope you appreciate my take on her in the coming chapters.
Chapter 5
The white wolf was like a beacon in the dark forest, with her shining coat and the solar flare on her back. Oki was able to keep his distance as he followed her through the winding, misty maze. He knew Kai was somewhere up ahead, leading the goddess to her destination: The Spirit Gate. They were looking for Lika; apparently the Twin Demons had spirited her away and this was the only way to reach her now. But any sensible person knew opening that gate would only invite disaster in.
That's why he would be there to greet it with his sword. Kutone would feast upon demons' blood until it turned silver and opened the heavens!
When they were halfway into the forest, the two female wolves stopped. They had arrived at a sort of oasis. In the middle of the snow-covered ground was a garden. Deer and rabbits grazed in the greenery, keeping close for warmth. A small spring provided freshwater, much unlike the toxic rivulets than ran through Yoshpet. Oki hid in a clump of thorny bushes, placing himself downwind so they would not pick up his scent.
"This is as far as I go." Kai said, stopping to catch her breath.
The white wolf bowed her head deeply. "Thank you for everything, Kai."
"We're counting on you." Kai returned, her green eyes warm.
The white wolf gave a nod and reentered the mist, plunging deeper into the forest. Oki left his cover, striding out into the clearing. Kai looked startled to see him.
"Oki? What are you doing here?" She wondered, trotting up to him.
"That's none of your business." Oki growled, not sparing her a glance.
"Please return Kutone to the shrine!" Kai begged.
Oki flared up, towering over the smaller, female wolf. She refused to cower, facing him bravely. "Stay out of my affairs!" Oki growled, so close to Kai that their noses were nearly touching, "The time to wield the sacred sword has come!"
"It's a fool's errand!" Kai cried out.
But Oki was already sprinting after the goddess, following her at a distance. The sacred sword that rested on his back did not hinder him; he was strong. He never lost sight of his target.
The goddess followed her little Poncle friend, Issun, deep into the depths of Yoshpet. They ran through disorienting mist, leaped thorny barriers, and battled cursed trees. Oki stayed hidden the entire time, watching the wolf work her magic. It was amazing to behold her brush techniques. Even though he couldn't feel it, he knew she was stopping time to paint her powerful canvas. The one thing that betrayed it was a flick of her dark-tipped tail. Then a tree would catch fire or a rock would be cleaved in half. Then she would race away, the snow around her paws sparkling as tiny shoots burst from the ground. Truly, this was the power of the gods.
Finally, they arrived at their destination. The white wolf and her companion approached the Spirit Gate carefully. Oki hung back in the shadows, waiting to see what they would do. After a short exchange, Issun used his sword to pry open the gate.
Then there is no going back, Oki decided. He breathed deeply in through his nostrils, drinking in the cold air. His thick fur coat was replaced by skin and he rose up to stand on two feet. Then he removed Kutone from his back and approached the great goddess.
The snowy wolf sat in front of the gate, her tail curled neatly around her paws. Her eyes were glazed over as Issun lectured her. She always seemed to be spacing out.
Oki walked up and stood right behind her. Still, neither Issun nor the wolf noticed his presence. Pathetic. How can she even consider herself a goddess? I could slit her throat right now if I so wished to. Oki thought smugly.
"Hm!?" Issun said, finally noticing they had company, "Oki?!"
The white wolf perked up and rose to her paws, turning around to face him.
Oki nodded and spoke in his deep, baritone voice, "Hello again, Issun and…Amaterasu, was it?"
Amaterasu cocked her head, eyes narrowed suspiciously. "That's right. What are you doing here?"
A dry smile formed on Oki's features, underneath his mask. "I thought I'd come and join the fun."
Amaterasu and Issun exchanged a glance, but said nothing.
"I've never seen the Spirit Gate open before. They say opening it only invites disaster." Oki went on, looking up at the Spirit Gate. The light it emanated shone almost invitingly with no signs of the prophesized disaster.
"It seems harmless enough." Issun scoffed, "Anyways, how the heck did you get this far into Yoshpet?"
"Ah, you must be talking about this forest's power to confuse beasts." Oki said in a superior voice, not bothering to mention he had followed them, "Indeed, we half-man, half-beast Oina should feel the effects…but it seems the sacred sword Kutone has kept me safe!"
He whipped the sword out and pointed it at Amaterasu. Immediately, she sunk into a defensive posture, bracing herself for a fight. Oki felt a bit amused. He couldn't blame her for it. After all, they had fought in their first meeting. They had danced through the scarlet-stained snow, ripping and tearing at one another. But even Kutone was no match for the Celestial Brush. Amaterasu had won that battle; and so, Oki did not plan on challenging her again anytime soon.
"If you're looking for a fight, it's going to have to wait." Amaterasu growled softly, "Right now, saving Lika is my first priority!"
"Please." Oki snorted, "I'm not looking for a fight. I'm here because of the prophecy."
"You mean the one about Kutone eating demons' blood or something?" Issun laughed.
Oki felt a twinge of annoyance. "'The wall of ice shall shatter and open the way to the heavens when Kutone glows silver,'" He said, reciting the prophecy. He lifted his sword and pointed it at the sky, imagining the glorious scene in his mind. "Thanks to my efforts, the demons will finally fall and the heavens will be in reach."
"What the heck's that supposed to mean?" Issun growled.
Oki chuckled. "You'll see, eventually. In the meantime, I must continue to slay more monsters! And this Spirit Gate will be just the thing to help me do so. I'll give those monsters of misfortune a taste of Kutone!" He took a swipe at the air.
Amaterasu's ears flattened and she shot a patronizing look at him. "Do you really think that's what will make the sword glow?"
Oki ignored her, striding towards the gate. She had to step out of the way to let him pass. He didn't spare her a second glance.
"Oki, wait!" She barked suddenly.
He stopped, waiting to hear what the goddess had to say.
"We have no idea what's on the other side of this," Amaterasu said carefully, "All we know is that Lika went through."
Issun hopped up and down vigorously, agreeing with his companion, "Yeah! I guarantee you're gonna find more than you bargained for in there!"
Oki just smirked. "That's what I'm hoping for…"
Then, without looking back, he charged into the light.
Oki didn't know how long he had been stumbling along this dark, dank tunnel. Time seemed to stop deep within these mountains. He couldn't see the sun nor sense its warmth. His chest ached dully and his paws were raw. The stone floor scraped his pads, tearing at the soft skin. But Oki refused to stop.
Even when his feet started bleeding, he forged on, leaving a thin trail of blood in his wake. Nothing would hinder him. He feared that if he stopped, he would fall asleep and wake up as a different person. So he pushed his limbs to keep going, panting raggedly, almost robotically.
Hours upon hours past. For all he knew, it could have been days or even weeks. His stomach felt like a shriveled leaf; only water dripping down the sides of the cavern sustained him. It tasted like dirt on his tongue. Eventually, the air around him started to grow thicker and warmer. A faint breeze ruffled his muck-stained fur, but he barely noticed it.
Only when he stepped out of the cave and light assaulted his vision did he realize he had finally reached his destination. There he stood on a high, grassy hill that contained not a trace of snow. Wind caressed his fur. A light evening rain fell from the heavens, gently cleansing him of his journey.
I made it here alive. How different from Kamui this place is… Oki thought, the sheer sight of this new land making him feel dizzy.
Against his wishes, he collapsed in the grass and passed into a deep sleep.
A strange tickling sensation worked its way into Oki's subconscious, letting him know he was still alive and himself. Part of him wished he could keep sleeping. He was so warm and relaxed, sprawled out on the soft grass. This was the best sleep he had gotten in months.
But the tickling suddenly turned into forceful prodding. Something sharp jabbed him in the chest, snorting loudly. With a startled grunt, Oki scrambled to his feet and took a flying leap backwards.
He was face to face with a large, brown boar. It stood with two piglets, which stared at him with dark, beady eyes. Uninterested, the mother turned and began to tromp away, snuffling at the ground. The piglets trotted after her. Oki watched them go, his mouth watering. He couldn't remember the last time he had eaten and the boars were not accustomed to wolves in these parts. They would be easy prey.
Oki bounded after them and leaped onto the piglet trailing in the back. It barely had time to squeal before he broke its neck. The mother boar turned around, shrieking with fury, and flailed her hooves at him. But Oki was already racing away with the baby clutched firmly in his jaws.
The boar pursued, squealing with rage. Oki felt a small thrill of excitement, streaking through the grass with the enraged beast on his heels. With no snow to hinder him, he was faster than ever before. Wind blasted his face—not cold, biting wind, but a cool, refreshing wind. Even the grass felt nice on his paws, despite their previous injuries.
Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath his feet. He was falling through the air, limbs flailing. A burst of adrenaline flooded his system, sending a thrill of fear through him. Then he landed with a splash in a river that wound along the side of the cliff he had fallen from.
Water flooded his nostrils, choking him. Having little experience with swimming (the river in Kamui only thawed in especially warm summers), he thrashed around aimlessly. Somehow he clawed his way back to the surface with his prey still clutched in his teeth. Gagging, he threw himself towards the shore, dragging himself through the river until pebbles scraped his belly fur.
Gasping for air, Oki crumpled to the ground in a sodden heap. He lifted his waterlogged head to see the mother boar glaring at him from the cliff above. With a snort, she turned and walked away with her remaining piglet in tow.
Oki was almost too tired to eat, but he knew it would help him regain his strength. So he pulled himself to his feet and began to drag the piglet to dryer ground.
Before partaking in his meal, he sent up a silent prayer to the spirits of the air, earth, and sea. Then he sunk his teeth into the pig's flesh, relishing the meaty juices that filled his mouth. As he filled his belly, he reflected on how grateful he was for making it this far. He was alive and in control of his own body. And the village wasn't too far off. He was so close he could taste it.
Licking his chops, Oki finished the last scrap of meat and sat up to observe his surroundings. It was morning now. The sun was rising over the distant mountains, warming his fur. He felt a thrill of delight. Perhaps Amaterasu was waiting for him, just over the rise. She would exorcise him of this dreadful curse.
But soaking up the atmosphere of this glorious day already made him feel as if the curse was just a distant memory. This beautiful landscape, untouched by the cold winds of Kamui, seemed so peaceful. For a long time, he just sat there, allowing his gaze to rove over the rolling field. He could see a quaint cottage resting at the foot of a cliff and stone lanterns lining a path. A bridge ran over the gently flowing river, which veered off into a valley. A large cherry tree stood on a hill, in bloom, its pink petals cascading through the air.
A feeling of nostalgia washed over Oki. He had been here before, 100 years ago. The Spirit Gate had brought him back to this place in the past. It had been much different back then.
For a moment, his mind tried to block the memory, as it had been doing for the past six months. He was used to driving away any thoughts associated with Amaterasu at the first opportunity. But now, relaxing his shoulders, he allowed it to flow through him.
He closed his eyes, inhaling the sweet-scented air and thought back to darker times…that were also, perhaps, better times…
Next chapter won't be for a while because crunchtime for school is fast approaching and I'll probably be focusing on my Hunger Games story more. But I'll still try to update this one in between. Expect the next chapter in April. :) Thanks for all your support!