The bright sun hurt Zakuro's eyes even though they were closed.
"Close the drapes, Mom." She mumbled and turned around on the soft bed that smelled like the earth.
Zakuro was in the place between being awake and being asleep, the place where memories are hazy.
Something crawled on Zakuro's hand. She opened her eyes at the sensation and found herself facing a giant black spider. She shot up, shocked and wildly shook her hand. But the spider had jumped off her the moment she had opened her eyes.
Zakuro rubbed her head, wondering why she was sleeping outdoors. She tried to remember if she was camping.
"Mom?" Zakuro called out, uncertainly. "Dad?" Zakuro called out. "Toya?"
But there was no response. Maybe they weren't nearby. Zakuro slowly got to her feet and studied her surroundings.
She was in a green rolling field with white dandelions everywhere. A gentle breeze ruffled the leaves of the trees behind her. Small clusters of cloud cast shadows on the ground. Zakuro squinted in confusion.
"Where am I?" Zakuro murmured.
Slowly, she started to remember. She remembered the blue light. She remembered Toya getting hurt.
"Toya!" She exclaimed.
Her feet started moving on their own and she started running around aimlessly.
"Toya." She repeated. "Toya! Where are you?"
She started running faster. Sooner or later, she would trip and Toya would come out of hiding just to tease her. Zakuro ran as fast as her legs could carry her. This was why she didn't realise she was nearing the edge of the mountain before it was too late. She rolled down the not-so-high-and-steep slope through thick shrubbery and hit her head on a tree.
Zakuro lay under the shade of the tree for a while, her arm folded around her eyes.
"This is a hallucination." Zakuro mumbled to herself. "The weird man drugged me. I'm in a hospital right now."
Zakuro strained her ears, trying to listen to the usual beeps in a hospital. She tried to convince herself that her body felt heavy, as though she were in a dream.
"This is a dream." Zakuro mumbled.
But she couldn't shake off how real it felt. Zakuro never really had much of an active imagination. She never really had vivid dreams. She could feel her skirt flutter against the gentle breeze. She could hear insects buzz around her ears. She could feel the tiny rays of sunshine hitting her arms. She could hear movement in the shrubs around her.
Zakuro clenched her hand tighter around her head. It was when she heard footsteps near her did Zakuro rise up, alert. An old wizened man wearing loose grey pants and an open grey shirt was studying Zakuro.
Zakuro scrambled back. The old man did the same.
"What are you doing alone in these parts, child?" The old man asked hesitantly after a few moments.
"Why are you dressed like that?" Zakuro countered, looking at the man's clothing.
The old man looked at Zakuro uncertainly for a while longer.
"Anata." Zakuro heard a woman's voice call out.
"Here." The old man replied, without taking his eyes off Zakuro.
An old woman found her way through the shrubs and emerged near the tree. She walked onto a scared Zakuro looking up at the old man, who seemed to be studying her.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, YOU OLD PERVERT?!" The old woman screamed and hit the top of the man's head.
She immediately rushed to Zakuro.
"Are you alright, my dear?" The old woman asked clutching Zakuro's hand. "Did this old fart scare you?"
Zakuro immediately got to her knees and apologized.
"I'm sorry, Oba-san." Zakuro said, bowing her head. "Oji-san just found me and was concerned about me."
The old man was back on his feet.
"Why is she dressed like that?" The old man murmured to the old woman.
The old woman stroked Zakuro's head.
"Look at how scared she is." The old woman said, kindly. "Come on, dear. Let's get you something to eat."
The old woman caught Zakuro's shoulders and slowly raised her. Zakuro walked with the old couple to a small hut in a village. The old woman bundled Zakuro up in blankets and the old man started a fire. The old woman offered Zakuro some tea. Zakuro gladly accepted it.
"Where are you from, dear?" The old woman asked, as she started stirring a stew on the fire.
"Tokyo." Zakuro replied uncertainly.
The old man and woman looked at each other confused.
"Is that a faraway land?" The old man asked.
Zakuro clutched her cup.
"It's here, in Japan." Zakuro replied, uncertainly.
The old man took a sip of his tea.
"This is a village in the outskirts of the capital of the Konan empire." The old woman said encouragingly. "Do you know how to get home from here?"
"Konan?" Zakuro said, puzzled.
Where the hell am I? Zakuro thought.
The old woman understood from Zakuro's silence.
"Do you remember your name dear?" She asked kindly.
"Zakuro." Zakuro promptly replied. "Kinomoto Zakuro. I'm a high school student from Yotsubadai."
Zakuro rummaged through her pocket for her student ID. She then remembered that it is in her bag in the park with Toya. Thinking of Toya infused some spirit into her.
She couldn't succumb to despair. Just not yet.
"Is there a park around here?" Zakuro asked, uncertainly. "Probably with an Udon shop nearby."
"Udon?" The old man said confused.
Zakuro tried to describe the soupy noodles to the old couple.
"You mean, chow mein?" The old woman commented. "I can make some for you, dear."
Zakuro shook her head.
"Is there a shop nearby that sells it?" Zakuro repeated, slowly moving towards the edge of the bed.
The old man scratched his chin.
"None here." He said after a while. "But maybe few in the capital. But as far as I know, none near a park."
Zakuro slumped her shoulders. The old woman looked kindly at her.
"Drink you tea, dear." The old woman encouraged. "It will help you calm down and remember."
Zakuro nodded and sipped her tea.
"Would it be OK if I rest just for a little while?" Zakuro asked, after she was done with her tea.
The old woman nodded. Zakuro turned her back to the couple and dug under the blankets, willing herself not to cry.
After a while, when the old couple thought that Zakuro was asleep, they began talking in hushed tones.
"The poor dear." The old woman commented. "She is so young. Judging by her clothes exposing her legs, she must have been sold to a flesh trader."
"She must have escaped the brutality." The old man continued. "But at the cost of her sanity. Do you think we should contact the police?"
"She doesn't seem unstable." The old woman said, uncertainly. "And she is such a polite child. She just seems so confused. If Mayuri..."
The old woman stopped herself.
"Mayuri would have been around this age." The old man continued.
Zakuro could hear the old woman crying.
"Our precious grand-daughter." The old woman hiccupped.
Zakuro clutched the blankets. After a while, she coughed a little before stirring. She pretended to sit on the bed groggily.
"You can sleep longer, dear." The old woman said, kindly.
Zakuro smiled.
"How can I sleep when Oba-san is doing all the work?" Zakuro said. "Let me help."
Zakuro got down from the bed and started stirring the stew. The old man smiled. The three of them had a small lunch of stew.
-X-X-
A week passed with the old couple. Zakuro started dressing up like a local villager and started leading a simple villager's life, for the time being. It was peaceful.
One afternoon, Zakuro and the old man went back into the forest. When Zakuro passed the hill she had stumbled down, she looked for signs of a way back. The old man observed Zakuro intently.
"Do you remember something?" The old man asked.
Zakuro wanted to tell the old man that she hadn't forgotten anything to begin with. She remembered her alphabets and the Pythagorean Theorem. She remembered her family and friends. She remembered her life in Tokyo.
But Zakuro shook her head in reply.
She needed some time to sort this out and to repay the kindness of the old couple. She worked hard for the rest of the afternoon, chopping wood. The old man was appreciative, to say the least, of her hard work.
"Oho!" The old man exclaimed. "You worked really hard today, Zakuro-chan."
Zakuro rubbed her head, embarrassed.
"It was not too hard, Oji-san." Zakuro said, smiling.
Zakuro was just glad that her luck didn't make anybody lose an eye. She helped the old man carry the firewood back to the village. They reached the hut around dusk, the old woman waiting anxiously for them.
"You're so late!" The old woman said, running towards them.
"Zakuro-chan worked hard today." The old man said, pointing to the load Zakuro was carrying.
"Let's go inside." The old woman said, pushing her husband and Zakuro inside the hut.
Once inside, the old woman hung rosaries and talismans on the door. She took her place next to her husband and held his hand. Zakuro looked at the door confused.
"It's just a precaution, dear." The old woman said, a ghost of a smile on her face.
"I won't let them take her." The old man mumbled, resolution in his eyes.
Zakuro was beginning to get scared.
-X-X-
As the last ray of sunlight hid behind the canopy of the night, all the homes in the village lit lamps near their windows, casting eerie shadows on the roads outside. The old woman shifted closer to Zakuro and pulled her into an embrace.
"Here they come." The old man mumbled.
Outside the hut, Zakuro could hear multiple footsteps running amok in the village. She could hear carts being overturned and unearthly howls screaming at the full moon. The old woman shivered. Zakuro placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She reached over and caught the old man's hand. They heard something wooden being torn out.
"They've entered the barn." The old man said, indignantly.
The old woman started crying.
"We cannot let them take our food." Zakuro heard one of the villagers shout.
She could see shadows of men carrying pick-axes and pitchforks.
"We can't let our children starve." Zakuro heard another villager shout.
Zakuro could see the light at the window fluttering as the villagers passed the old couples hut. The old man stood up.
"Anata." The old woman exclaimed.
"They took Mayuri because we hid." The old man said, grabbing a shovel. "I'm tired of being afraid."
The old woman vehemently shook her head.
"No." She cried.
The old man gently stroked the old woman's head.
"I love you." He said, smiling to reveal several missing teeth. "And that love will bring me back."
The old man wriggled out of the old woman's grip.
"ANATA!" The old woman screamed.
"Oji-san!" Zakuro called out.
The old man stopped at the door.
"Take care of her." The old man said. "This old scatter brain means a lot to me."
"Oji-san!" Zakuro called out again.
But she held on tightly to the old woman, unwilling to let her follow her husband. The old woman succumbed to tears.
After a while, everything became quiet. The howling and the screaming had stopped.
The old woman couldn't stop crying.
Zakuro started to grow restless. She slowly pushed the old woman away.
She walked to the door and hesitated.
What was she doing? She wasn't the type of person who jumped in when there were weird howling creatures involved. She had no fighting skills that she could boast of nor was she ever brave. Then why was she at the door? Why was she about to step out to help an old man she has known for only a week? As soon as she thought that, she remembered the smiling faces of the old man and old woman who had been treating her like their daughter. She reached for the pitchfork near the door, not sure of what she would use it for.
"I will be back soon, Oba-san." Zakuro said, trying to sound courageous. "Wait for me, OK?"
She turned around and smiled at the old woman. Then she stepped out into the night and started running towards the barn.
Even in the darkness, Zakuro could make out the bodies that were strewn across the village. The village postman lay a little further from her, teeth marks on his neck. Zakuro closed her mind to the sights and concentrated on finding the old man.
She ran, too afraid to make a sound. Her hands felt cold and clammy. She held the pitchfork tighter.
She could hear some people talking near the barn. She thought she heard the voice of the old man. She ran faster, not looking at the ground. She tripped over a body but immediately got up and continued running. She didn't want to see anybody she knew with that vacant look in their eyes.
Almost as soon as she got to the barn, she heard a woman's scream pierce through the night. The villagers who were talking went quiet.
"OBA-SAN!" Zakuro yelled and ran back towards the hut.
Tears started clouding her vision. Take care of her. Oji-san had told her. And yet, she was here and Oba-san was alone.
She arrived just when a dog had snapped the old woman's neck in two. The blood splattered on Zakuro's face.
The 5ft furry black dog with sharp claws looked at Zakuro. His red eyes glinted in the moonlight as it pounced towards Zakuro. Zakuro took this opportunity to slide under the dog and get to the old woman.
"Oba-san!" Zakuro cried as she held the lifeless body of the old woman. "Oba-san! Please, wake up."
The dog turned on his heel and growled at Zakuro, salivating madly. But Zakuro held on to the old woman.
"OI!" A man's voice called out. "Raise that pitchfork. Do something!"
She could hear him running closer to them. But she knew he was going to be too late. She couldn't save them. And he wouldn't be able to save her.
Quit being such a whiny girl! Zakuro heard Toya's voice in her head.
For a moment, the whole world had slowed down. In the split second that the dog was going to eat Zakuro, Zakuro rolled out of the way, holding the old woman in her hands. The dog was upon them in a moment. Zakuro crouched on the ground with the pitch fork over her head. It seemed like the dog smiled at Zakuro. It twisted in mid-air and swiped, throwing Zakuro towards the trees.
Zakuro crashed and spluttered blood. The demon dog sneered at her, hovering on the old woman. It raised its paws and cut the old woman into two.
"NO!" Zakuro yelled and ran towards the demon dog, ignoring her pain.
This demon wasn't even going to allow the old woman a proper funeral. At that point, Zakuro's view was obstructed by the broad shoulders of a boy much taller than her. His red hair looked like dull fire in the night.
"Stay back." He cautioned Zakuro, without looking at her. "It's the pack leader."
The demon dog took another swipe at the old woman, sneering at Zakuro.
"Like hell I am." Zakuro shouted and charged at the demon dog, raising her pitchfork.
Stupid adrenaline rush. Zakuro's rational brain thought as she charged the demon dog. NOW LET'S PUT THAT PUPPY DOWN!
Zakuro screamed as she got closer to the dog. The dog smiled and swiped. Zakuro turned her pitchfork and dug into the demon dog's soft paw. The dog howled and Zakuro landed on her feet a little further away.
The red haired boy took this opportunity to climb the demon dog from its tail. He reached the demon's head in no time and ran his sword through the dog's eyes. The demon dog howled in pain. The boy stabbed the dog again and again, until it collapsed to the ground.
It breathed heavily for a while, it tail limp.
Zakuro charged towards the demon's throat and pierced it with the pitchfork, blue blood covering the red on her. The dog let out a gurgled howl and finally fell limp. The boy jumped from atop the dog and pushed Zakuro away.
"Man!" The red haired boy said. "I kill the entire pack and you land the killing blow on the pack leader. No fair!"
Zakuro forced her aching body to move towards the old woman.
A few of the villagers had gathered at the spot. One of them was carrying Oji-san's body. Zakuro dropped to the ground.
"Zakuro-chan." Said a village elder in a sad voice.
Suddenly, the night was lit by a light as bright as the sun. Zakuro turned around startled. The demon dog was glowing bright yellow. The red haired boy hid his eyes from the light. The light faded into a little orb of light which drifted towards Zakuro.
The Gods have rewarded your deed. The orb spoke once it reached Zakuro. You've completed one quest in the God Challenge. We, the devoured spirits, shall be your guide, should you choose to accept. Kinomoto Zakuro, do you accept the responsibility of being a God candidate?
"Ummm..." The red haired boy spoke to the orb. "I weakened the pack leader. She got lucky with the kill blow."
Lucky? Zakuro thought, looking at the old couple, now resting next to each other.
The orb shone bright for a moment.
The boy speaks the truth. The orb concluded. But the decision lies with Kinomoto Zakuro.
The red haired boy immediately clutched Zakuro's hand. Zakuro continued staring at the ground.
"Please?" He asked, his voice earnest.
Zakuro wanted to punch the boy. But her body refused to move.
"Do whatever you want." Zakuro mumbled.
The red haired boy jumped. The orb spoke again after a while.
The Gods have rewarded your deed. The orb repeated. You've completed one quest in the God Challenge. We, the devoured spirits, shall be your guide, should you choose to accept. Huang Su Zahara, do you accept the responsibility of being a God candidate?
"Yes." Suzahara replied.
Do you promise to perform all the tasks to the best of your abilities? The orb continued.
"Yes." Suzahara replied.
And, when the time comes, do you take the solemn oath to cut off all worldly ties and ascend to the heavens? The orb asked.
"Haven't got any earthly ties." The boy replied. "So, yes."
The orb shone one final time. Zakuro looked up and saw the back of the boy looking at the glowing orb.
Huang Su Zahara. The orb said, as it moved closer to Suzahara. Good luck on the journey ahead.
The ball entered Suzahara and a faded symbol appeared on his forehead.
AN:
Thank you, Guest for my very first review! You put a smile on my face.
Special shout out to Torublossom for the kind review. Hope you like this chapter too!
Translations:-
Anata- Roughly translates to Darling. Term of endearment usually used between couples.
Oba-san- In the east, it is common to call your neighbor Aunty and an old lady Grandma (without any blood relations). Oba-san is a formal way of calling an old woman. Oba-chan is used in closer relationships.
Oji-san/Oji-chan: Male equivalent of Oba-san/Oba-chan.
Udon: A type of soupy noodles with miso or soy base. (Had to google this one. :))
This chapter was slightly hard to write. I usually write characters who would jump into battle without a second thought. But I wanted Zakuro to be more relatable. Hopefully, the hesitation seemed real and not forced. I know of cases when people jump without a second thought in front of trucks to protect the ones they love. Let me know of what you think! Did Zakuro seem like a tragic heroine?
As always, keep reading!