This chapter was inspired by the song

You'll Be Okay by Gareth Emery

and the story definitely picks up and becomes a bit happier after this point!

Stay tuned!

Chapter 8

Yato scanned the mountain range from a distance to see if he could spot Kira and Matoko. He was wary of them, especially since they showed up rather conveniently. Maybe he was just tired and irritable but it didn't sit right with him. They worked for Lady Izanami who essentially wanted Hiyori dead and him as her king. Why would they want to help Hiyori if they were loyal to Izanami? Their sob story of missing their old master didn't add up to Yato and he wanted to keep a close eye on them.

Standing on the rooftop of an old house on the outskirts of town, he heard something rustling nearby that put him on edge. Without his Sekki, he was a sitting duck for phantoms.

"Interesting," he heard someone behind him state. He quickly turned around to see Bishamon on Kuraha equipped with her whip and armor. "I wasn't expecting to see you this far from town and so unarmed."

Yato breathed a sigh of relief. "Jeez, I'm actually kind of glad to see your crazy ass."

"Crazy, eh?" Bishamon smirked. "Crazy would be you out here on your own without a weapon at all. What on earth are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same thing, lady," Yato replied irritably.

"We sought out Lady Kofuku's council for potential vents being opened and this was one of the areas. There are also a couple near the mountains."

"Funny," Yato crossed his arms, "I'm headed that way myself."

"There are a lot of phantoms out that way without a vent being open," Bishamon jumped off of her shinki and reverted her whip and armor. "Do you really plan on walking in the mountains without any way to defend yourself?"

Yato huffed. "I don't really have a choice."

"Hm," Bishamon tapped her chin. "Kazuma," she called as her blessed vessel appeared in his human form next to her.

"Yes, milady?" he pushed his glasses up and folded his hands behind his back.

"What is the current status of the mountains?" she asked.

He silently studied the mountain range. "There are several phantoms already lurking. None of them major but the number is growing potentially because of the opening vent."

"I figured as much," Bishamon said matter-of-factly. "Yato, come with us. We will go to the mountains together."

"You don't have to do that," he shuffled his foot.

"We are already heading that way. We'll go together," she reassured him.

"Milady," Kuraha walked up beside her, "we don't have much daylight left and we would need to get Yato home before the fiendish hour."

"Alright," Yato exclaimed, "let's go!"

Kazuma led them around most of the phantoms on their way up the mountain. Lady Bishamon was able to easily take care of the others they weren't able to avoid. Yato searched the trees along the path as they ascended but he saw no sign of Kira or Matoko.

"Are you aware of any villages in the mountain?" Yato asked.

"There are a few lingering folk there. Most of the villages are comprised of farmers now." Bishamon took out a small phantom with her whip and continued on. "They are simple people but very kind."

"Would any of them know anything about black magic?"

Bishamon halted Kuraha. "Black magic? Why?"

Yato looked up at the sky. "We're trying to find someone. I was told there might be a person who can use black magic to conjure curses. A caster."

"Maybe," Bishamon replied, "but even if there was I doubt they would reveal themselves easily or willingly."

"I don't need them to be willing," Yato said hastily.

"Why are you looking for a caster, Yato?"

He didn't respond.

"If you're leading my shinki and myself into danger because of some foolish mission you have, you can count us out. I saved your ass once in the underworld!"

"Fine!" he retorted. "There is someone who is after Hiyori."

"Hiyori?" Bishamon was confused.

"Yes," Yato exhaled loudly. "There is a caster who has put a curse on Hiyori. If we don't find and kill this caster, this curse will destroy Hiyori."

"Why would someone want to hurt Hiyori?" Kuraha inquired.

"It's a long story," Yato waved his hand. "I just need to find this person."

Bishamon let the conversation go and agreed to help Yato. She may not like him, but she knew how much Hiyori meant to him. In the end, not even Bishamon really rescued him from the underworld. If Hiyori hadn't known to call out Yato's real name, he would have been dead long ago. And since gods like him don't come back, Hiyori literally saved his life. Bishamon could understand wanting to save others when you yourself had been saved. She remembered all Kazuma had sacrificed for her and all her shinki. Gods sometimes became dissociative and forget that humans are the wheels that turn life. It was easy for Bishamon to live her life in Takamagahara away from the daily struggles and sorrows of the mundane world. Yet, she'd also forgotten what love and compassion look like. Even Yato was still somewhat complacent. But he'd grown to learn so much more from humans than she had. Bishamon was loved and worshipped by humans and knew the least about them. Her heart tugged slightly at the thought that maybe, in his own way, Yato was superior to her. She'd never thought she was a particularly competent god in anything else besides war. Fighting was easier than feeling. Now, someone needed her to fight a battle of the heart. She wasn't going to turn it down.

"How did you know to look in the mountains?" She asked him.

"Let's just say some interesting characters came along and tipped us off. They supposedly already came up here but I wanted to see if they were up to no good."

"Given the severity of the situation and how little information you have, these 'characters' might be your only option."

Yato scrunched his face. "Yeah, we'll see about that."

They trekked on and eventually caught sight of the tops of small wooden houses. "I'm going to snoop around and see if anyone knows anything," Yato nodded his head at Bishamon.

"We'll be close by. Once we're done checking on the vents, we'll come back for you. We don't have long so make sure you get your information quick."

"Thanks," he said as Bishamon rode off with Kuraha into the woods. He turned around and began looking around for clues. The people of the village carried about their lives around him. Even as infrequent as they get visitors, they still didn't notice him. He actually kind of liked it for once. This way it would be easier to weed out the ones who couldn't help him. Children ran and played in the roads while the adults all worked and did chores. Women were hanging linens on the line to dry in the summer breeze while men hammered away at buildings. Some were herding two to three heads of cattle to a small grazing spot and others carried buckets of water from the mountain's spring. The village was small but loud and busy. Yato continued on the path looking for anyone out of the ordinary. After a while he'd just about given up until he heard a crash to the right of him. Looking over, he noticed a broken vase on the ground and a pair of petrified eyes staring at him. He didn't speak or move. She looked like a deer in headlights.

"You're a god of calamity," she said with a trembling voice.

Yato was immediately alarmed. "I was. In a past life. How did you know?"

She turned to flee in the opposite direction. "Hey! Come back!" Yato chased after her. Was she afraid of him?

He caught her by the arm and pulled her towards him. "Scream and you'll regret it!" he yelled. She stifled sobs and tried to catch her breath. "Now," he released her and crossed his arms, "you're going to tell me everything you know."

Once she calmed down enough, she sat up against the back of an old shed with her knees pressed to her chest. "There are legends in these villages. Legends have been passed down from each generation."

"What legends?"

"They speak of a god who only destroys. He was born of a hateful wish and only knows how to kill."

Yato was taken aback.

"They said he was a beautiful yet horrifying god. A god of calamity with eyes blue as death itself."

"How did you know it was me? Most people can't see me."

She lifted her head slightly from her knees. "Some of us, very few mind you, are gifted with the ability to see the spirit world. My family raised me with the stories of a god who came to these mountain villages many centuries ago and ravaged them."

Yato gulped hard. Suddenly, he could hear screams from the past echo in his ears. The tormented pleas of innocent people begging for mercy as he cut them down anyway. He shook his head feverishly. "That's not who I am anymore."

"You don't get to decide that!" the girl hollered.

Yato was speechless as the girl stood up and confronted him.

"You don't get to murder and wipe out whole villages then choose to be someone else! You caused destruction beyond repair! People in this village are still afraid for their lives!"

He stepped backwards with the weight of her words.

"That's why I decided to help him. When he told me who you were and why he was doing it, I said I would help him."

"Wait," Yato instantly grew upset, "help who?"

"The caster. He came to our village asking for help to conjure a curse that hasn't been used in centuries. I told him I could help him"

Yato's rage engulfed him. "Tell me who he is!"

"He didn't give me his name. He only said that you needed to be punished. He told me you were a defiant, spoiled child that needed to be dealt with."

His father. His father was the caster. How could he not have known? Yato's legs became weak and gave up. Falling to the ground, the world around him started spinning. His father was helping Izanami get rid of Hiyori to get back at him for not being a god of calamity anymore.

The girl brushed her skirt off and started to walk away. "He said once you were gone, we wouldn't have to be afraid anymore. I hope he takes care of you like he said he would. You don't deserve to walk this earth." She was gone.

What should he do now? He can't kill his father. If there's one enemy he knew he couldn't beat, it was him. Yato thought about Hiyori. If he can't kill his father, then he can't save Hiyori. She's as good as gone now.

Yato started to run. He wasn't sure where he was running. He screamed violently as he ran, tears streaming like rivers down his face. He felt so useless. Tripping over a large rock, he stumbled to the ground and continued to wail. The pain inside him was unbearable.

"Yato," someone touched his shoulder, but he didn't look up to see who it was. He didn't care anymore. "Yato, it's us. It's Kira and Matoko."

"It's my father!" Yato managed to say between cries and gasps for breath. "My father is the caster!"

Kira didn't respond. She didn't know what to say.

"I can't kill my father! I've spent so many years trying and I've always failed miserably. If I can't kill him, Hiyori's dead! I can't protect her and it's all my fault!"

"Cut her ties," Kira said. "If she can't remember you, the demon can't haunt her dreams anymore."

"Don't you think I've already tried that?!" he yelled angrily.

"What do you mean?"

"I tried cutting her ties when all of this started! I cut all of them but one! It wouldn't cut!"

"A tie that wouldn't cut?" Matoko repeated.

"It was like it was made of some indestructible material," Yato wiped his face.

"An unbreakable bond," Kira said under her breath.

Yato looked up at her. "What did you say?"

"It's called an unbreakable bond. It's quite literally a tie so strong it can't be cut. I've only ever heard about it but never knew it existed."

"What does it matter?" Yato sniffed. "It's just another thing I couldn't manage to do."

Kira knelt down next to Yato. "An unbreakable bond means her feelings are so strong that not even a god can cut it. Who was the tie connected to?"

Yato thought back on that night. He remembered the tie turning gold and holding it in his fingers. It was so light and yet so strong. He looked down and realized it was attached to him.

"Me," Yato said. "It was attached to me."

"That makes sense then," Kira stood up and put her hand on her hip.

"What makes sense? None of this is making sense to me damnit!" Yato cried.

"All of the nightmares Hiyori's been having are of you. The demon is using you as a way to weaken her and ultimately kill her. If her unbreakable bond is attached to you, that means she loves you and that love is bright enough that the demon was able to see it and use against her."

Hiyori loved Yato? Now that he thought about it, he remembered what she had said that night.

"Last night, when the demon tried to strangle Hiyori to death he was disguised as you. He will continue to try to sabotage your bond to draw her away from you. You are her only hope, Yato. You have to stay strong and stay close to her no matter what."

Yato understood now. That was why Hiyori was fearful of him. All her nightmares were of him hurting her. At least, that's what the demon made it look like to her. He had to make it better. But how? That girl's words rang in his mind. She was right. How could he do all those horrible things and act like he deserves to live? He doesn't deserve to have Hiyori in his life. Yato knew that. But even if he couldn't keep her in his life forever, he owed it to her to at least get rid of the curse and make life a little better for her.

"Kira, look," Matoko tugged on Kira's feathers and pointed at the horizon, "it's the fiendish hour."

They all watched the sky turn crimson and the shadows of the forest stretch over the earth. "We have to go," Kira ordered, "now!"

Kira flew just ahead as Yato carried Matoko in his arms and ran through the trees. They had to get back to Yukine and Hiyori. As he ran he saw phantoms rising out of the ground and fathering in strength and numbers. "I hope you guys are more armed than I am!"

"I am," Kira assured Yato, "but Matoko is basically a lawn ornament."

Matoko stuck his tongue out at Kira. They descended the mountain just as the phantoms became overwhelming. Kira continued to fly ahead and clear a path for Yato and Matoko. Hiyori's house wasn't close. It would take a long time on foot even for a god.

Just as he thought about it, he heard a lion roar behind him. "Yato! Come on! I'll take you home!" Bishamon grabbed Yato's arm and swooped him up onto Kuraha's back.

"Thank you, Bishamon."

"Don't mention it," she smiled. "Really though, don't mention this. I have a reputation to uphold."

Yato laughed. "Yeah, right."

Once they arrived at Hiyori's house, Yato hopped off of Kuraha and thanked Bishamon again.

"If you need us, you know where to find us," she told him.

Yato smiled and waved them off before heading inside. He walked into the living room to see Hiyori and Yukine talking. Yukine looked up to see Yato enter the room. Hiyori was alerted as Yukine stood up and turned to see what he was looking at. She looked at Yato whose face was hard to read. His eyes were red and looked as if he'd been crying but his stone-like stare made her think he might be angry.

After trying to figure it out, she looked towards her kitchen. "Were you able to find anything?"

Yato's eyes settled on the bruises around Hiyori's neck again. His stomach turned and all he could think of was that girl in the village. He'd done so many horrible things and those bruises were a reminder that deep down he was just a god of calamity. Even if he wasn't trying, he'd still cause harm to those around him.

He looked away as well. "I did. Did Kira and Matoko show up yet?"

"They stopped by for a second then said they would be back once the sun went completely down," Yukine replied. "They said they wanted to stay hidden during the fiendish hour. Kira was afraid they would be spotted."

Yato leaned against the wall and stared at the ceiling. "I think I know who the caster is."

"Wait, really?!" Hiyori asked excitedly.

"The only problem is, I don't think I can kill him…" Yato's voice trailed off.

"Why?" Yukine pushed.

"Because," Yato took a deep breath, "I'm pretty sure it's my dad."

Both Yukine and Hiyori gasped.

"I think he's trying to get back at me for abandoning him and disowning Nora. It's his sadistic way of punishing me."

Hiyori's hands covered her mouth trying to contain her disbelief. Yato's father wanted her dead and his own son imprisoned as some king of the underworld?

Kira and Matoko suddenly came through the back door and shut it behind them quickly, pulling the curtains over the windows. "We came as soon as we could," Kira said while catching her breath.

"Kira, is this true?" Yukine asked. "We have to kill Yato's father in order to end the curse?"

Kira bowed her head. "If he is the caster, then yes."

Yukine looked at Yato who was still looking at the ceiling. "You're going to kill your father?"

"Tch," Yato scoffed, "he's not much a father to me anymore so it's not like I'm emotional about it."

"So why do you think you can't kill him?" Hiyori asked, trying to remain calm.

"Because he is ultimately stronger than me. I am only as strong as I am because I am a part of him. He gave a portion of his power and strength to me. If you think I was a fearsome god in the past, you should meet him. I can't beat him. Not even with a blessed vessel." Yato looked directly at Yukine. "He'll tear you apart. You'll be dust. I'm going to have to try to find another way."

"There is no other way," Kira added.

"That's bullshit," Yato snapped back. "There's always another way."

"You clearly don't have much experience with demons. They were created for one purpose: to take souls. If a demon is summoned to collect a soul, it will not stop until it's taken one or it's caster is destroyed." Kira's voice became more and more aggressive.

"I'm not going into a battle I can't win!"

Kira's wings fluttered with aggravation. "You don't have a choice! Do you want Hiyori to die?!"

"If I try to fight him, I will die and she'll die anyway! What sense does that make?!" Yato got in Kira's face. Yukine tried to pull him back while Matoko simultaneously attempted to pull Kira back as the two argued and yelled at each other.

Hiyori watched in horror as they screamed at each other over her fate. She didn't know what to say. The thought of them fighting like this over her seemed ridiculous. If they just left her alone to die, Yato wouldn't have to risk his life to try to save her and Kira could have her old master back. The longer the arguing went on, the more Hiyori thought that maybe her soul being taken might be the best option. Her heart dropped in her chest and tears flooded her eyes.

"Just stop it already!" Hiyori yelled. "Just let the demon take it! I can't do this anymore!" With that, Hiyori ran outside and into the night.

"Wait!" Yukine tried to run after her but she was far gone. "Yato! She can't be out there by herself!"

Yato didn't think twice. He ran out the front door and into the unknown. He couldn't see or hear Hiyori anywhere. He called out as he ran down the block and through the intersections. She couldn't have gone far. "Damnit, Hiyori!" he thought out loud. Cars zoomed by and people whirred past him as he anxiously searched the shadows. What if her soul slipped out and he wasn't there? What was she thinking?

Yato had almost given up when he thought he heard muffled cries coming from behind an old bakery. He peaked around the corner to find Hiyori in a fetal position on the ground. One lone security light shone down on her in the darkness. Her arms were wrapped tight around her legs and he noticed one of her shoes were missing. The closer he got to her he saw scrapes on her knees and elbows. She must have tripped on her shoe and fell.

"Hiyori," Yato said calmly, "it's ok."

She kept her eyes closed tight. "No! Go away!"

"Hiyori, please."

"NO! I can't do this! If the demon takes my soul all of this goes away so I'm staying right here until it comes!"

"Hiyori," Yato's voice broke, "please. Please don't do this." His own throat constricted and he couldn't hold the tears back.

"I'm so scared, Yato."

Yato grabbed Hiyori and pulled her up on her feet, clasping her body fast against his own and burying her face in his chest. Her body was so light but so laden with sorrow and pain his arms could feel the weight of her agony. He wanted to steal all of it away from her. He would fight a thousand demons to save her and end it all.

Hiyori looked up at Yato as if she was looking at a long-lost memory she hardly recognized anymore. His eyes comforted and betrayed her at the same time. The nightmares were so real it was difficult to differentiate between real life and the spirit world anymore. She wanted so badly to stay wrapped up in him forever but she feared the Yato from her dreams would pop up at any point and try to kill her again.

Yato could sense her internal struggle. He could see her heartbeat fast under the bruises on her neck and he remembered Kira had told him that the demon disguised itself as him and did that to her. Grabbing Hiyori's face in his hands he pressed his forehead against hers. "I would never hurt you Hiyori." He leaned in to her neck and kissed the bruises on her throat. Bittersweet kisses that ached and made Hiyori wince, but she could feel her broken heart trying to heal. He kissed all around her neck, left to right, delicately cradling her face and sliding his fingers up the nape of her neck and into her hair.

"Yato," Hiyori breathed shakily.

Before he knew it, her back was against the wall and they were nose to nose. His hands were still on her neck, hearts beating rapidly. He didn't know what came over him, but all he knew was his lips were suddenly pressed to hers. Yato's fingers gently pulled her closer and closer as the kiss intensified.

Hiyori didn't fight back. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Yato's neck and leaned in harder. This was her Yato. The Yato in her dreams wasn't real. The real Yato was here, pressed against her body and kissing her fiercely. For a moment, none of the bad stuff existed. It was just them engulfed in bliss. When he pulled back to look at Hiyori their gaze met. Each one breathless and immobile.

"I love you, Hiyori."

The hole in her heart throbbed. She wasn't sure how long she had waited to hear those words.

"I love you too, Yato," she returned, pulling him in for another kiss, and then another.