Prince of the Spirits

by bricann

Ancient gods protect the Forest of Life. And one human was taken in as their own. A bit less than a century later, the now humanoid spirit was forced to a human city. He had to learn to blend in. But he also had to keep the truth about him a secret. A secret which he kept from everyone. But eventually, secrets are forced to come out. And in the end, he will have to say goodbye.

14. Night Talks

A/N: I DO NOT OWN ANY OF YU GI OH 5DS OR PRINCESS MONONOKE! ALL RIGHTS GO TO THE CREATORS! THE ONLY THING I OWN ARE MY OCS!

Chapter 13: Night Talks

That night, Akiza woke up on the leaves the wolves had gathered that the rest of them could use as beds. Yusei was asleep, wrapped in his fur cloak. The other friends had gotten a few blankets that Yusei had snatched in the past.

Akiza sighed as she looked at Yusei. He seemed so at peace while he slept. So much more like she originally knew him as. It didn't really bother her to see him change like this. She didn't understand why, but she okay that he had gone back to who he truly was. Maybe it was because she understood that he had to hide most of his real self so he could fit in with humans. Maybe it was because she was happy to actually, truly know him now. Or maybe it was because she knew the way he was now had the right to be like this.

She slowly got up and walked outside the cave. She walked out to the end of the rock ledge of a cliff that the cave sat on. She heard Moro come behind her.

"You know you need sleep, Akiza," the wolf god told her. She looked at the wolf. "I have a feeling tomorrow will be a long and dangerous day."

"I get that feeling, too," she answered. "But then I'm worried what will happen to Yusei. Maybe even more than I am for the Forest Spirit. And I'm worried for the Forest Spirit a lot more than I had expected I would."

"The Forest Spirit's energy weaves through all life on this planet. Through you, Yusei, the animal gods, the trees, everything that lives the Forest Spirit energy goes through it. Each person is a leaf on the branches of his tree. While some humans choose to ignore the feeling of care for it and want to kill the Forest Spirit, at one point or another, even they will feel the sorrow if the Forest Spirit falls," Moro explained. "He gives us and every creature and human life every day. And then he takes it away when the time is right, in an endless cycle of energies."

"Moro, what will happen to Yusei if the Forest Spirit does die?" Akiza asked, concerned. "I promise you, I don't want to see that happen. But if it does, what happens to Yusei? Especially since the Forest Spirit named him the 'Prince of the Spirits' and he is the king of the spirits."

"I will never want this to happen. But the Forest Spirit made Yusei his successor. If the Forest Spirit were to fall, all his abilities and energy, all his responsibility, would fall unto Yusei. And Yusei would forever have to lead the spirits and keep the balance between life and death stable," Moro answered.

"Why would the Forest Spirit put that on him, though? Does Yusei even know?" Akiza asked.

"Yes, Yusei is aware of this," Moro answered. "The Forest Spirit did this because of the heart and soul he saw within Yusei when he was an infant. He felt it was right. To be honest, it is the only reason that Yusei is immortal. If the Forest Spirit had not made him his successor and the Prince of the Spirits, Yusei would've lived as long as a human. You would not have met him."

"There's a part of me that wishes I could stay here with Yusei," Akiza stated as she looked at the Forest. "Stay here with him and you when it's all over. Help him keep the Forest safe. Because this Forest really is beautiful. I've never seen one like it."

"That is the beautiful of this forest. Of the Forest of Life," Moro answered. "Your powers could help immensely in this fight. But I am unsure if the Forest Spirit could give you eternal life. And if you stayed here and he could not, Yusei would have to watch you slowly get older and older, and eventually die."

"That's why I said 'a part of me'. Because that other part doesn't want Yusei to suffer like that," Akiza stated. "As much as I want Yusei with me for the rest of my life, I won't put him through that pain."

"You truly care for my son, don't you?" Moro answered.

"I do," Akiza admitted, her honesty clear and genuine. She looked down a bit. "Are the boars and Okkoto on the move, yet?"

"Unfortunately," Moro answered. "The boars are marching. The trees cry out as they die. But you cannot hear them. I stand here, I listen to the pain of the Forest, and feel the ache of the bullet in my chest, and I dream of the day where I will finally crunch Eboshi's head in my jaws."

"Moro, why can't the Forest and the humans live together?" Akiza asked. "I know Eboshi has done things that are too wrong for words. And I know she plans to do things like kill the Forest Spirit. But she's just one human who brainwashed the people who follow her. Why can't you find a way for the Forest to coexist with humans? Why can't we stop this fight now?"

"The humans are gathering for the final battle. The flames of their guns will burn us all," Moro replied. "But even if we kill one like Eboshi and her followers, there are others similar to her who will rise and take her place one day. Almost all humans create a cycle like this. Eboshi is just one human now. But another human will come back and take her place. It's a sad and endless cycle."

"And what happens then? If the Forest Spirit does die, won't that make Yusei a target?" Akiza asked. "Yusei once told me that if all people can agree on something or even if it's just a majority, the rest will eventually follow. So even if Eboshi and her followers are killed, if we made peace quickly after and all tried to coexist, wouldn't there be a chance no one would take Eboshi's place?"

"Perhaps," Moro answered. "But would this peace last forever? You know humans will eventually stray from their ancestors' path. While maybe for a while humans and the Forest will coexist, eventually humans will return to their old ways and the war will begin again."

"But isn't a while better than continuing this battle constantly? It would allow the animal gods to rebuild their forests and heal, restore their tribes," Akiza reasoned. "And then, if it does start again, you'll be better equipped to fight the humans again, right?"

"Perhaps," Moro agreed. "We'll just have to see what happens in the end. Only wolves seem to have the reasonable mindset nowadays. And soon, I will have to prepare for my death."

"Will Yusei really be okay when you die?" Akiza asked.

"I have raised him strong and well. He, like his siblings, Tsukiko and Haru, will be sad in the beginning. But they will be fine in the end," Moro told her. "Have that faith in my son, Akiza."

"I do," she agreed.

"Now, you should get a bit more rest," Moro answered. "I must get some rest as well. Save my strength for the time to take that damn woman's head off." Akiza gave a small nod as went back into the cave and back asleep.