Chapter 3 - At Sunset
"Read the lines in the mirror through
The lipstick trace (Por siempre)
She said, 'It seems you're somewhere, far away,'
to his face"
Once again, after falling asleep, I find myself wandering lost in the snow, hearing the distant voices of the boys. However, I'm no longer a child, and I follow the direction guided by the melody of the mysterious voice.
The youkai is standing among the dry bushes, surrounded by all that snow, waiting for me in the same spot as in yesterday's dream. Even though I know it might just be a dream, I need to discover the reason for her interest in me. A little confused, I ask, "What promise did I make to save myself that day?"
I fix my eyes on her lips, as her face remains hidden by the hood.
I notice a change in her voice, filled with deep sadness, as she replies, "You said we'd be together forever, but you left and went far away…"
Then, the cold wind around us starts to intensify, creating a storm and forming a whirlwind of negative emotions. I know how this ends: being thrown into the lake and drowning. I don't want this dream to end in a nightmare like the others, so I explain why I'm here. "Gomenasai, I came back to learn about the legend of the Snow Woman seeking her soulmate." Upon hearing this, the wind begins to subside, gradually coming to a halt.
"Come and meet me in this place by sunset, or I will make the winter freeze everything around you…" she says, as she moves away and heads into the forest.
—.—.—.—.
I wake up feeling the sun on my face, now aware that the youkai is not a figment of my imagination, and in the afternoon, I will finally meet her. Although I enjoy winter, I don't want it to last longer than it should…
I take advantage of the others still being asleep and sneak to my grandma's room, hoping she's already awake.
I urgently need to tell her about the revelation in my dream last night.
— Ohayoo... Ayumi-san.
— Hai, Reita-san.
— Gomennasai, for waking you up. I had another dream.
— Ah! Tell me what you remember…
— I asked what promise I made to save myself that day.
— Good question, did you get an answer?
— Yes, that we'd be together forever, but I went far away.
— I had a feeling it might be that.
— Then a snowstorm started to intensify, and I could feel it turning into another nightmare where either I drown or I freeze.
Concern takes hold of me as I recount that terrifying experience to my grandmother.
— For a moment, that person searching for her soulmate spoke with you.
— I believe so, but the negative aura took over quickly, so I told her I came back to learn about the legend, and the winds ceased.
— Quite the temperamental youkai, entering your dream and demanding a promise made by a child.
— And the last thing she said was to meet her in that place in the forest by sunset.
— And if you don't find that place, what will happen?
— She said she would make the winter freeze everyone around me… and then she disappeared, so I woke up and left the room without startling Kai.
— It's more serious than I imagined, this youkai is resentful that you don't remember the promise you made, so it's better to proceed with caution.
— It's best if I go alone to find the place this afternoon, and not involve the guys. Since they're adults, it's dangerous if the youkai feels threatened by their presence.
— True, people from this region have pursued this legend because of the men who have died in the forest. You can't be too careful.
—.—.—.—.
Later, after lunch, when Aoi and Ruki got distracted by games in the room, Kai was called to the kitchen to help Grandma Ayumi prepare a dish for the evening.
That was my cue to leave. I grabbed my thickest coat with a hood, gloves, and my cell phone to head out on a mission to find the location from my dream.
Today's landscape was unusual, the snow covering everything around us. As I walked, I could see the marks of shoes sinking into the ice along the path leading to the forest.
It's quite challenging to find a specific spot where all the vegetation is made up of dry trunks and branches. I reached the bridge over the now frozen lake, which leads to the entrance of the snow-covered forest.
I spotted the large tree from the dream at the end of the bridge, reflecting the winter sun as it prepared to set and make way for the moon.
I believe this is the place; the temperature is dropping rapidly, and the winds suddenly pick up. Then I hear the melody getting closer to me.
I'm trembling, though I'm not sure if it's from the cold or fear. Looking back, it wasn't a good idea to come alone; I can't even see the cabin from here, and running is out of the question—the snow is already covering half of my boots.
I feel a chill throughout my body and sense the presence of a figure circling me, stopping at a certain distance in front of me.
I swallow hard and slowly move my hands, rubbing them together to contain the fear I'm feeling at the moment. The adrenaline makes my heart race.
The legend is true: a person in an overcoat and hood is here. Gathering courage, I extend my hand to confirm if it's real or a spiritual manifestation.
I confirm it's a real person, as they reach out to touch me as well, their hand as cold as in the dream.
— You came to meet me — she smiled, looking at me tenderly.
— Yes, it was quite an explicit request. — I responded thoughtfully.
— You made me a promise, and I saved you. — she spoke in an indignant tone.
— I was a scared child in the snow; I didn't want to die. — I tried to explain.
— I felt a connection between your soul's essence and mine, asking to be saved. — she said, confused. — This deep connection makes me believe that, despite the time and circumstances, our story can still be reclaimed and lived again. The hope of finding you again, of reviving the bonds of the past, is what keeps me here, waiting for the moment when our paths would cross again.
— What am I to you? — I voiced my doubts.
— A handsome young man who reminds me of someone I loved and lost in the past. — it was what my grandmother had suspected. — You are the reincarnation of my samurai general from the past. It's the belief that brings me comfort and hope, as if I'm standing before a second chance to relive the love and loyalty that once existed between us.
— Did you happen to meet your general during the feudal era of imperial Japan? — I asked her.
— Yes, he was summoned to lead the Emperor Ōgimachi's army in a campaign to expand lands in the Sagami Province. We had been married for just a few months. I warned him not to go; I had a bad premonition. — she replied sadly.
The cold air and wind began to form a mini-whirlwind around us; the aura of her negative emotions as she spoke about her past love could be dangerous, freezing me before I could learn my purpose here.
— What happened to him?
— They were ambushed while celebrating a victory. There was a surprise attack by the other army during a storm, and the bodies of the general and his commanders were thrown into the lake. I couldn't give him a proper funeral.
— I'm sorry for your loss. According to the legend, did you try to bring him back to life?
— In fact, the legend says that I tried to bring him back to life during the feudal era of imperial Japan. It was a time full of challenges and dangers, with an eerie atmosphere that still makes me shiver just thinking about it.
She sighs and continues...
— What happened is that I sought out a sorcerer to bring him back using the magic of the lotus flower. But without the physical body, his soul didn't return, not in that time. Unfortunately, the attempt to bring that person back to life resulted in something catastrophically disastrous; the soul was destined to be reborn, but in a future generation. I feel chills just remembering that moment because meddling with supernatural forces is never something to be done lightly, as I did out of love.
— How have you been wandering here in the forest after all these years?
— After desperately searching for a way to stay alive and wait for your return, I ended up getting involved with dark magic. The pact that keeps me here, you already know. I use a seductive melody to lure men, and unfortunately, I drain their energy, freezing them, until I find the chosen one.
Looking at her, I can feel her sadness as she recounts what happened to her.
— This wait is lonely, and the need to absorb the life energy of others to stay alive is a source of sadness and melancholy. Each day that passes, wandering in this forest, I feel the weight of solitude and the anguish of not knowing when or if our reunion will actually happen.
— You saved me because you believe I am the reincarnation of your samurai general from the past?
— I believe you are, yes. I felt that my samurai, Imagawa Shōhō, had been reborn in that boy playing in the snow. I sang, and you came to me, and it was because of this belief that I decided to save you.
— What a beautiful name, he must have been respected too. My name is Suzuki Akira; my friends call me Reita.
—.—.—.—.
The negative manifestations and the cold air dissipated, and our conversation is now flowing calmly. I realize that she isn't evil; she just wants to be happy and find her lost love. She lifts her hand to her hood, pulling it back to reveal her long dark hair. Her face has androgynous features, a mix of both feminine and masculine traits, with almond-shaped, deep, and enigmatic eyes.
"I already knew your name, Reita-san. I heard your friends calling you when you came to talk to me. You held out your hand to me, and we were going to leave together, but you were freezing. So, I hid you in a tree to fetch a coat. When I returned, an old woman was there, hugging and kissing you happily. I saw the scene and let you go, hoping you would remember me and your promise."
"Now I understand what happened on the day I disappeared in the snow. After that, I rarely came back here; my father was too afraid. The nightmares were your way of trying to communicate with me…"
"Gomen, for the nightmares. The house became empty, and I almost lost hope of finding you again. I've been searching since the Sengoku Period. The melancholy I carry in my voice reflects all the waiting and loneliness I've endured over these years."
"You've been alone for a long time in this search. Do you have a name?"
"They've called me many names — Snow Lady, Yuki-onna, the 'Snow Witch,' a cruel youkai who lures men in search of her lost love. But after I found you, Akira, I only enchanted a few, waiting for you to come back to me."
"Before becoming what you are now, do you still remember who you were?"
"Over the years, I almost forgot. I belonged to the Takeda clan and was a descendant of Emperor Seiwa. My samurai Imagawa-san loved to call me Empress Uruha."
"What a beautiful name; it suits your beauty, Imagawa Uruha."
Her face flushes at the compliment, making her shy for a brief moment. The sound of footsteps in the snow startles her, and she returns to a defensive position, causing the wind and snow to intensify, fearing she might be attacked.
"What's wrong, Uruha-san?"
"I sense someone approaching."
"Do you think you might be in danger?"
"Yes, because of the people I've frozen."
"They don't understand that your motives are driven by love."
"Ah… Reita-san, I'm glad you understand me."
"Now I know how everything happened, and it wasn't a dream; it was a forgotten memory."
"So, everything's fine now. We'll be together, after all."
Uruha holds my hand, now with a controlled temperature, intending to leave that place. How will I explain that I can't just follow her without telling my family? Even though she says I'm her reincarnated soulmate, it's a lot to process, and these are important decisions.
"How can I explain this without making you angry?"
"Explain what?"
"You've given me a lot of information, right?"
"Right, I just want your love. Reita-san, are you afraid of me?"
"I'm not afraid; I'm here with you, and I'm not frozen."
"Then why don't you want to stay with me now that I've found you?"
"I can't leave without telling my family. They'll come looking for me, and I don't want them to hurt you."
"Gomennasai, I forgot about your relatives. You can talk to them; tomorrow, I'll meet you near your house."
"Uruha-san, I feel good in your presence, I just need to decide how to handle this."
"Reita-san, we'll see each other tomorrow afternoon. Have sweet dreams tonight…"
"Until tomorrow, Uruha-san…"
After saying goodbye, Uruha vanished like the wind, heading into the snowy forest. I stood for a while, watching the horizon as the sun touched the lake, casting an orange hue across the sky.
On my way back, I found Kai, Aoi, and my brother searching for me. Grandma had told them I went to find the legend, so they came after me.
"It's in the blood, it's in the blood
I met my love before I was born
He wanted love. I taste of blood"
—.—.—.—.
Link to the song in the story, the band is AFI - Music from the album December underground.
www/youtube/com/watch?v=ZAvOiEeAnSY
