Chapter 32: A Descent
"So you remember me too." Melina spoke, pulling down her hood.
Her red hair had darkened, looking almost black. One eye was a brilliant blue, reminding me of Ranni's, while the other glowed a dull, eerie purple. Both were locked onto me, taking in both my outward appearance and according to Information Defence, my very being.
"You are very different, Damocles." She spoke softly, "In more ways than one."
"You'll have to forgive me." I tried to joke, "I have no recollection about being any other way."
The mist started to recede, the moon losing the rune that dominated it's face and returning to it's original position in the sky. The oppressive feeling around Ranni, that had been muted up until now, receded. Now she felt like a sleeping beast, relaxed but still dangerous.
"It matters little." Melina sniffed, "You robbed me of my purpose, the life I had chosen for my own. Whether you admit to it or not, I would have you take responsibility."
"Another one?" CC murmured into my ear, causing my eyebrow to twitch.
"Agreed." I spoke, nodding at Melina's surprise, "You apparently have a connection to my very soul. That means that whatever I did in the Lands Between, it was me. I accept responsibility for those actions, as I would likely preform them again."
She mulled that over, her and Ranni both, but before they could respond a flash of yellow lit up the night, many armed figures appearing in the clearing surrounding the lake, clearly ready for a fight. My Knight reacted well, taking to the air immediately as her knives trailed her like protective spirits. Melina whirled to the ones closest to her, black flames flickering in her hands. Ranni merely braced herself, impassively observing the situation.
The Dark Moon Great-sword found itself hoisted in anger once more, as I assumed a defensive stance, allowing CC time to separate from me and prepare to fight seperately.
"Damocles!" A familiar voice called out, "What happened here?"
The form of the nine-tailed fox who presided over this land stepped out from her retainers, long golden furred tails spread out behind her. She wore her trademark skimpy kimono, but rather than the usual playfulness and seduction, she instead oozed an aura of malice.
"A group of Sacred Gear users attacked Shiro and tried to kidnap Kunou, Yasaka." She nodded at that, likely hearing that part from Shiro and Naomi, but I continued, "We killed them all."
"Truly?" She seemed both happy and perturbed by that.
It was very rare that fights between supernatural factions ended in death in the present day. The Devils wished to avoid escalating anything when they are busy negotiating with Heaven and everyone else was too scared to piss off the heavy hitters of other factions.
However, letting people proven to be hostile live was against my philosophy. An enemy you let live today will just be an enemy you would have to defeat again tomorrow. Besides, even if I captured them I had nowhere to put them without risking my Peerage should they attempt a break out.
"Yes." I answered her, pointing down to the ice sculpture of Cao Cao on the lake, "There's one. Two more have been crushed inside the lake's waters. You will find another two in that direction, and the last two were dealt with that way."
"I see." Yasaka responded, tension leaving her. She looked to her side, her aides understanding her unspoken question and splitting off to confirm my story.
"Sorry I executed them without checking with you first." I said, my tone making it clear that I was not at all sorry.
"I can't blame you." She sighed, "Thank you for protecting Kunou. You have done a great service to me, personally. I am in your debt. Kyoto will always be open to you. We should go back so I can reward you properly..."
She looked at Ranni, beholding the four armed woman, "Is what I would like to say. However…"
I was expecting this, "The Kami disagree?"
Yasaka winced, tails curing around her as she obviously didn't appreciate the situation, "I'm sorry. You have been invited to Mount Takamagahara. All of you."
Yeah, sure. 'Invited'.
"It seems mine arrival has caused difficulties for you, Consort." Ranni spoke, causing the Youkai present to jolt and stare at her incredulously, "My usurpation of the Moon God's prayer is unlikely to be received well."
That's right, she basically blitzed Tsukiyomi. Her mere existence was so absurd that that kind of fell by the wayside, but now it came back to the fore. There was a problem however.
I was pissed. I was meant to be making preparations for my final trip to the Orcus Labyrinth right now, not dealing with this bullshit. More than that, the only reason I allowed the situation that caused this fuck up to be possible is because this place was meant to be safe. I was gravely mistaken, seeing as how it's supposed guardians were acting.
"Indeed…" Yasake spoke, carefully choosing her words, unsure of how to deal with this unknown Goddess, "The arrival of a foreign God was not taken kindly by the Kami. They asked that you meet them as a show of good faith, to allo…"
I interrupted her delivering the message she clearly did not wish to give, "No."
"No?" Yasaka's ears perked at that, "You mean…?"
"My sister was attacked." I stabbed the Dark Moon Sword into a platform of air I formed in front of me, resting my hands on the pommel.
"Thou have a sister?" Ranni question, to which I nodded.
"I do." I looked up at the sky, speaking loudly and clearly towards the still watching deities, "She was attacked on your soil, while under your watch, while you did nothing. She even protected the daughter of one of your priestesses, yet still you refused to act. Only when I directly confronted you was anything done."
"Damocles, please stop." The Miko's face was pale, watching in horror as I taunted her patrons.
There was a distant rumbling of thunder, the divine rage picking up at my words, yet I continued regardless, "In light of these events, you cannot have it both ways any more. Either this area is under your aegis, in which case you can come down here yourselves and talk to us properly. Or it is not, in which case Ranni's presence here is none of your business."
"Here we go." Kasane sighed.
It might have been too confrontational, but the realities of the situation were very quickly becoming clear to me. Ranni's entry was not at all quiet. Any anonymity that I was enjoyed had been shredded, scattered to the winds. Even with just my own actions, I had antagonised the Khaos Brigade heavily, which will surely invite retribution.
In dangerous times, an uncertain ally is worse than a known enemy. It was time for the Shinto to show me if I should work with or around them.
"Well said." A voice called out across the air, a seemingly ordinary fox slipping into the moonlight from the forest.
The Youkai all started to kneel, eyes reverently fixed to the ground before the fox. By all appearances, it was merely a normal animal, but I had felt this presence before. It's not easy to forget the first God you ever meet.
"Lady Inari." I inclined my head in respect to her, my group still remaining tense.
"Lord Sagan." The fox replied, sitting on it's hind legs and regarding me, tail curing around it's paws, "My thanks for your defence of my kin."
"Kunou is precious to us well, Shiro thinks very highly of her." Was my diplomatic response.
I was pissed off at the Shinto, but the way Inari was acting it appeared like she was on my side for some reason.
"I came as soon as I received your prayer, Yasaka." The Fox Goddess regarded the Miko, who nodded in thanks, "Unnecessarily so, it seems. Another Goddess arrived before me."
Her eyes were locked on to Ranni, who was entirely unrepentant, "Mine Consort called for aid. Of course I would answer."
"I see." The Fox nodded, considering, before mimicking me in addressing the Sky, "Amaterasu-sama. The Devil speaks truth. We have lost face by allowing a guest to come into danger in our lands, treating his grievance without courtesy would only dishonour us further. This is not something that can be resolved by isolation."
The sky rumbled, almost grumbling in protest, before a female voice called down, "Very well."
A brilliant flash of light heralded the materialization of Japan's chief deity, as the Goddess of the Sun descended before us. She had the appearance of an archetypal Japanese beauty, appearing to be in her late teens and was dressed in an immaculate silk kimono. Her silky black hair was perfectly straight and went down to her mid back. Aside from her beauty and aura, the most striking of her features were the long, fluffy wolf ears that twitched on her head and the long matching tail that drooped behind her.
"Lord Damocles Sagan. This is the first we have spoken in person." Were the first words she said, eyes opening to reveal pools of shining golden light, evoking the image of miniature suns, "Would that it was in more a more friendly setting."
The dig at my impertinence was obvious, but I let it pass, "It is a pleasure to meet you as well, Lady Amaterasu."
"This is a duty, I am afraid." Was her stern answer. Her golden gaze locked onto Ranni, who stared back unflinching, "You have invoked your Authority upon Japan's soil. Usurped control of my sky. Unknown god, I would ask of you, what is your name? What is your intention here?"
"I am Ranni, the Dark Moon. Mine Sworn Consort was endangered. I merely answered his request for aid." Ranni's cool voice drifted through the clearing, steel in the tone, clearly getting annoyed at having to repeat herself.
"I see. Lord Sagan is your Consort, you claim?" Amaterasu narrowed her eyes at the other Goddess, "I was not aware that Lord Sagan had such a powerful patron."
"He was my Consort, sworn to me in a land far away, in a different time, a different providence. I have searched for him for many long ages. Upon finally finding him, his prayer called out to me like a beacon." She looked to Yasaka, then to me, "I make no excuses for mine actions."
Amaterasu tilted her head, "A different time…? I see."
The wolf huffed and crossed her arms, her serious aura lessening, "A love story? A pining across realms? Umu, I see what occurred here. In light of your part in rescuing the daughter of my Miko and your aiding of your own Consort, I forgive your actions against our sovereignty. So I decree, none of the Shinto will be supported in actions against you for this incident."
Ranni bristled, the other Goddess 'forgiveness' obviously grating on her, but she was stunned as Amaterasu steepled her fingers in front of her, a radiant smile appearing on her face, "You must have tea with me! Your story with Lord Sagan sounds terribly romantic!"
"I apologise, Lady Amaterasu." I interjected, rescuing Ranni from dealing with the insane Goddess, "But Ranni did take over the Moon of Japan. Will Tsukiyomi not seek recompense?"
"Oh, he might." She responded, her gaze snapping back to me, waving her hand airily, "But he will do so alone. If any join him, it will be of their own volition, not endorsed by the rest of us."
Ah, cutting the problem loose, 'sort it out yourselves' type deal. I understood.
"You would not face him alone." Inari spoke, her fox form still in it's seated pose, "You rescued little Kunou, regardless of your reasoning. It is a debt that demands repayment."
"Thank you Lady Inari." My gratitude was genuine, she had dealt with me fairly whenever I met her. I would return the favour.
"I agree, Inari-no-Mikoto." Yakasa spoke, bowing toward the Kami, "To that end, I invite all present to my Shrine. Allow us to offer you the hospitality of Kyoto."
"I will gladly accept. Unless you girls have something that needs doing?" I turned to my peerage, getting a chorus of shaking heads.
Descending to the lake, I offered my hand out to Ranni, smiling gently while I spoke softly to the Lunar Goddess, "Ranni, I cannot promise you that I am exactly the same as you remember. However, I have heard your feelings. Your efforts have reached me. I accept being your Consort, let us explore what that means here together."
She gently took the hand between two of hers, a small smile on her face, "Mine Consort, I will gladly agree. Now, I am most eager to meet this sister of yours."
Amaterasu, watching the scene, held her cheek in her hand, a wide grin on her face, "Oh my."
Thirsty.
She was so, so, thirsty…
Centuries, since she had last drank. Or so she thought.
The pain had increased over time, but thankfully it had hit a point where that had stopped.
Her agony had not subsided, it was still maddening, a throbbing pulsing fire that ran throughout every corner of her being. She had just got used to it.
Or maybe she just learned to ignore it. To be honest, it almost saddened her to lose the distraction. Getting used to the pain meant all that was left was the silence.
The room was pitch black, but of course thanks to her lineage she could see perfectly in it. She wished she couldn't. If she was a mere human, she would have died long ago, freeing her from this hell.
She was so thirsty. Her mouth was dust. Her saliva had long since run dry.
There was nothing interesting in the room, her gaze had long since glazed over. She couldn't move, couldn't use magic. She had screamed, she half remembered. For a long while she had cursed every single person involved in this farce.
She had stopped soon enough. There was no one to hear.
The only thing she was left with was her thoughts. She had designed hundreds, thousands of spells, intricately refining the circles over and over in her head. Of course without her magic she could not test any of them.
Still, it was a nice distraction.
Thirsty.
She tried to be strong. She refused to give the things that did this the satisfaction of breaking her. She tempered her will, treating this like a trial, instead of a punishment. Surely all this suffering would eventually end right?
She tried to be strong. To be fair, it was hard to cry when you had no more tears.
Just a drop…
She tried so hard.
But occasionally, although she despised herself for it. Occasionally, she was weak. Her real thoughts leaked out. When her thoughts overwhelmed her, when she could no longer take this bland existence.
A small, trembling voice whispered through the desolate room, "Someone… please…"
She hated herself. Why did she even try. There was no way her plea would ever be answered. Still, even through her loathing, even through her full knowledge of it's futility, she still finished her prayer.
"Save me…"