CHAPTER TWENTY-ATE

Absolutely Not

"Wise Himiko, grant me your guidance in these trying times." Yatosama murmured solemnly, staring at the giant stones resting in the clear water. I sat patiently beside him as the sun went down, filled with the quiet and somber grace that the grave offered. Himiko had been a hero, steadfast and determined to the end to bring an end to the evil plaguing her people, before being tricked and betrayed. King Yatosama slowly straightened and looked to me. "Come, Akimeterasu. I have something I wish to show you." His purple robes swept behind him as the doors to the palace were opened for us. Takeo remained behind to guard the only exit. "I wish to be the best ruler I can be, so that I may truly live up to Queen Himiko's legacy. Now I have at last found something that will truly improve the lives of our people for years to come. A way to permanently guarantee justice in this city for generations." The king told us as we patiently rode the elevator upwards. He thrust open the doors with a flourish and gestured inside. The lava floors had been removed, but a great cage stood against the far wall, within it we saw a large creature with the golden coat, four cloven hooves almost hidden under feathering, a long tail, and regal mane of a lion, the body of a horse save for scales covering its hide, god-like crests erupting from its shoulders, and a singular horn like a branch sprouting from its forehead. I was at once frozen in shock. "Behold, the magnificent kirin. Creatures of immense rarity, living symbols of purity and justice. They use their horns only to kill those who have dishonest hearts." The mighty beast prowled unhappily along the edge of its cage. Fierce golden eyes stared piercingly at us below its branched horn. "Imagine how it could help us when dealing with criminals, its powers can see through any lie. We will always know when someone is guilty, and an innocent will never be wrongly convicted. Isn't it impressive?" Yatosama asked proudly, and I felt sick. The majestic creature's golden coat and scales were dull, but its eyes were ferocious with a familiar rage, the same fire that burned in me during my brief time with Dait-Tengu. The king waited anxiously for my response, no doubt expecting congratulations or praise.

"This is wrong. A wild creature like a kirin doesn't deserve to be contained like this, for any purpose. It must be set free!" I barked, and Hiraku spoke for me, echoing my urgency in his voice. Yatosama looked greatly taken aback at my response. "I beg you to reconsider. This creature is taken care of with the highest regard for its wellbeing, fed only the finest foods, given the purest drinking water…" The kirin growled, narrowing its eyes at Yatosama, making its thoughts clear. It would rather drink the salty, lethal water of the ocean than accept the purest water that kept it a slave. "It's better to starve than survive on the fruits of your captors." I said stiffly, and the king bristled. "Well… This beast is mine, just as the responsibility of this city is mine. Not yours. I will decide what is best for it, and my people." Yatosama remarked stiffly. "This creature is not yours, it has pledged no loyalty to you like your samurai. It is a captive here, you are holding it against its will." I argued, Hiraku echoing my sentiment for the king to hear. "You asked me if I was impressed, and I have told you my opinion. This is wrong." Clearly irked, the king turned away from me to look at the cage, somehow blind to the creature's misery. "I think it is best if you leave for now, Akimeterasu. We both need time to… Take each other's words into consideration." He hoped I would eventually come around to his way of thinking. I walked slowly back towards the elevator, and as I passed the guards Takeo spoke aloud: "I also believe the creature should not be kept here." Takeo stared at the cage with a look of mild disgust. "He should be released back to the forest."

"You believe his captivity is wrong too?" I stopped and turned to face him. "Yes, but also, such a wild, unpredictable creature poses a danger to the king's safety."

"Kirins are no danger to good people." I reminded him, tilting my head slightly. "Well, I suppose I have nothing to worry about for the king's safety; he is a good man." Takeo smiled, and I kept walking.

My conscience bit at me the entire ride back to the ground floor. The kirin's eyes spoke of a lifetime of captivity, always being kept in the darkness, away from the light. I stepped out of the palace greeted by a silent and moonlit plaza. I could not allow that creature to be held captive, king or no king. Looking slyly around me, I retreated backwards, back into the palace before the doors closed.

༄༄༄༄༄༄

I cautiously stuck my head out of the elevator door to look around. It looked like Yatosama and his men had left the top floor. I quickly crossed the room to the cage, and looked for ways to open it. Hiraku bounced off and examined the lock. "I'm pretty sure I could pick this, just give me a minute." He said, drawing his sword and sticking it in the keyhole. The kirin snarled at us, watching us warily. "Don't worry, we're here to free you." I assured the creature, unsure if it understood human, animal, or god-speak. Nonetheless, the kirin's lips lowered back over its fangs and it began pacing.

"What is this?" A voice echoed across the room and our heads whipped around. The elevator doors closed behind Yatosama and three of his guards. His face was livid. "You disrespect me and the power I command. This will make me appear weak, attempting to release the kirin without my consent! I demand the same respect that Himiko commanded, from the people, emperor, and from you. My word should be the one that is heard above all else in this city."

"Respect is something earned, not given." I growled, and Hiraku translated. "I respect your predecessor not because of her title, but because she gave her life for her people."

Incited, the king and his guards drew their swords from within their purple robes and began to stride towards us; I knew I had to do something to give Hiraku more time. The repetitive symbols on the wall called to me, their golden paint standing out in the gloom. Letting my brush guide me, I drew a double-ended spiral that resembled an inferno-mark. A burst of firestorm appeared in the room, separating the king from myself and the cage; sweeping across the floor, blowing flames in every which way as a raging burning gale. I panted from the exhilaration of the fireburst and for a moment my markings disappeared, my powers temporarily drained by the immense use of ink. Hiraku continued twisting his sword in different directions, jostling with the lock. The flames were gone nearly as soon as they'd burst into being, leaving dark, ashen trails on the floor and walls. As the flames died, I heard a click- Hiraku had done it.

The king's men froze halfway across the hall, several paces behind their ruler as the kirin launched free. The lionlike unicorn prowled closer to the king, lips curled back in a terrifying snarl. "I had committed no crime, yet you treated me like a prisoner." The kirin spoke, in a regal, deep, gravely voice. A low growl reverberated in its throat. "You have mistreated the innocent and ensnared the free in order to attempt to force them into submission. You are no champion of justice!" It pounced forward, knocking the king off his feet. The creature lowered its head until its pronged horn was aimed directly at his heart, glowing with a dangerous light. Yatosama sat in a panic, too afraid to fight back, and no one dared move forward in case that would make the aggressive unicorn strike. For a few seconds the kirin did not move, then it finally backed away, raising its head. "Despite your slights against me, I can see into your soul, and your foolish actions are spurred by your heart that is full of good intention. I shall not harm you." The lion-like beast prowled away, long tail swishing over the red floor, but paused before stepping through the doors. "But be careful of those in your service, great king. You may find in the business of power, not all men have such selfless hearts." With that, it vanished from view.

I trotted to the humbled king's side as he stared after the mighty unicorn. "I did not know…" He said breathlessly. "Not like anyone warned you about it." Hiraku said snarkily, but I spoke sincerely: "Yatosama, you cannot expect to keep a hold on this city through force. You must gain the peoples' trust. Right now they fear you, and this fear will drive them to the emperor. Forcing them to cooperate with you will not work, just as capturing a kirin will not bring you prosperity." Yatosama nodded, resting a hand on his knee. "I understand your words, Akimeterasu, and I believe there is truth in what you say. I could not force the kirin to do my bidding, not as its captor. But I truly only want what is best for my people."

"Show them that. We both know how selfish Takara can be, show them that you are different- that you will do whatever it takes to keep them safe, like your cousin." I urged the king, staring at him encouragingly. "And for now, try and make peace with Takara, no good will come of this feud you two have." Yatosama nodded again, slightly more unwilling. "I shall. Akimeterasu… Thank you for showing me this fault. I was blinded by pride, but I shall try to never fall prey to such hubris again."

I dipped my head. "That's all we can ask for, to learn from our mistakes. To give our failures a purpose and become better individuals." I put a paw on his shoulder, then turned away. I walked past his guards, following the path of the kirin. I'd become distracted by Sei-an's blights. Now things seemed resolved it was crucial Hiraku and I go find the canine warriors who were surely waiting for us and help them take back their keywheel.

(AN: Three new chapters WOOOO. Again, I can't say when the next set of chapters will be done, only that it will be quite an adventure. To the next chapter!)