Inaba had reached the next stop of her journey. As Amaterasu has instructed her, she had been travelling for centuries, purifying lands contaminated by conflict and war, restoring stability and helping the people of the land, providing them council. So did the place she was about to visit next. Ravaged by war, the people who lived within the mountain range had been trying their best to avoid conflict by hiding themselves in the depth of the mountain range and the complicated terrain surrounding the three mounts.

During her travel, a lot have changed in the world. There was the matter of Otsutsuki's descendant, her plan, as well as the fate of the people in the land of ancestors. Before Inaba could do anything about it, Otsutsuki's own sons had worked together and sealed their Mother who had been corrupted with the taste of power, recreating the moon in an attempt to seal her. Albeit it was different from the on that Inaba had known and loved from the past, Inaba was glad to see the moon shining through the night once more. It brought back her memory from before the Moon of Old was destroyed by the Otsutsuki's clan's coming, which had destroyed Inaba's homeland along with it.

Even if she couldn't remember much from her childhood in the sacred land of Tsukuyomi's palace, Inaba could remember how the silver sparkle of the land reflected the golden light of the sun, projecting beautiful golden light unto the earth like a mirror during the dark night. Being Tsukuyomi's grand daughter, Inaba who had only been a few years old that time had been taught massively about Amaterasu's creation and the world below, about her future role as the successor of the Tsukuyomi clan, about the sin of her grandfather that had caused their clan to be cast out of Takamagahara, and the divinity lost.

One unprecedented day, creatures from another world, another being of great power crashed down upon the land. Blessed with overwhelming offensive power, the attempt of Tsukuyomi clan to bring the invader down was thwarted easily, especially considering how the clan no longer had their divinity to help them survive the onslaught. In desperate attempt of survival, Inaba's mother sent away some of the clan's descendant to the main Tsukuyomi shrine on the earth, including Inaba herself. By doing so, she wished to warn the humans and help them through the upcoming distress, as the rest of the clan who stayed back delayed the coming of the invader. However, due to Amaterasu's punishment, the sent over clan member couldn't leave the sacred area of Tsukuyomi's shrine. With their homeland destroyed, the clan was forever trapped within the one way barrier. It was the start of Tsukuyomi clan's live on earth as well as the tragedy that was about to befall them.

Recalling her scattered memory, Inaba approached the closest village. The land was in disarray, with sense of unease spreading everywhere. The wild beast had become even more aggressive, and the natural balance of the land had been upset.

"Here too, huh?" within the humans and animals that she encountered, was the new form of energy, etched in their soul, giving it different form for everyone, adjusting to their soul and physical alignment.

It was not long after the new moon was launched into the sky that the descendant of Otsutsuki gifted humanity and other living beings with this new power in hope to achieve further greatness and therefore realize his vision of peace. With that, he was regarded as the new God, along with Kaguya who had previously been referred as Goddess as well before her ruthlessness made her regarded to be a Demon instead. Frowning as she thought of the ridiculousness of the invader who destroyed her homeland ever being called God, Inaba thought back of the recent development of the world.

"At least, the descendant seemed to be more humane," thought Inaba. She had heard how the guy who was now revered as sage travelled the world, atoning to his mother's sin and taking it as his own. She had heard how he tried his best to help humanity, fixing the landscape, restoring the land that was hurt from the prolonged war, as well as the God Tree's influence. For that, Inaba felt thankful. Even coming from different places, it felt to her as if she has a faraway comrade whose face she had never seen. Because of the sage's intervention, Inaba could take her own time in her mission, without needing to rush. And then, since he and his brother had sacrificed themselves to stop their Mother, a feat that would surely brought them pain as they did, she could then focus on helping those who needed her, abandoning none on her path. She couldn't imagine how long it would take, how hard would it be, for her to fulfil her mission to rid the world of the invader, if she were to do it on her own, inexperienced in the art of war as she was. By the time she could do something about it, a lot more would have been harmed, plenty life would have been lost, much more would have to be sacrificed as she had to ignore those in needs who lay upon her path. However..

Thankful as she was, she knew that with the new form of energy, came new form of power. Humanity, under Otsutsuki's son's guidance, with approval from the Toad Sage, had gifted chakra obtained from the God Tree to the humanity, along with the teaching called ninshu which he believed would lead the humanity to peace and better life. The power, likened to that of Gods, have the power to affect nature, creating unimaginable things with just waving the signs of hands. To be honest, Inaba was not sure if this development was a good one, or a bad one. She had always believed that everything in the world are two sides of the same coin, good or bad could happen depending on how someone perceived, or made use of a thing. However, considering human's tendency of greed and their long reputation of war, Inaba couldn't help but feel concerned.

As she had predicted, it was not long until humans start to exploit their newfound power for war, starting from the conflict between the Sage's sons themselves. With the power that can even bend nature's law, more destruction had ensued. Not only lives were lost, but also lands are corrupted even more, some beyond human's capability of repair. Therefore, Inaba had dedicated herself to the task of purifying the land, rewriting her duty's purpose now that the invader was no longer a threat, even if she didn't know if the son's seal will last forever.

With her wisdom and divinity, Inaba had learned of a way to return chakra to their original form, the stolen nature energy of the earth, converted into chakra fruit by the invader's tree to give them power to take as their own. It was not a hard task for her to do, as the power of the God of Creation is within her arsenal. It was akin to unravelling a knitted scarf, turning it back into pile of threads. By doing so, the imbalance caused by the use of chakra can be undone as well, and the energy should be returned to its rightful place.

After preparing herself, Inaba sighed, and crossed the threshold of the village as she released her divine light which coated her with golden light and transformed her form.

"Miko-sama, are you going already? Please stay with us some more," begged the villager, followed by the others.

"I need to pay the other villages around a visit too," Inaba smiled bitterly. It was not the first time she had been asked to stay past her own decision. After her few months stay in the village, it was hard for the villagers to let her go. Some out of worries of the problem's return, some in expectation of the better future for the village.

"But after that, where are you going? Will you be travelling around again?"

"Miko-sama, we've only just learned about the farming technique you taught us. Couldn't you watch over us longer?

"Miko-sama, when you leave, will the plants wither again once more? How about the savage animals, will they return?"

Inaba gave the villagers a bitter smile. Before she could answer any of the questions, a youngster shouted from behind.

"How about we make a shrine for Amaterasu-sama nearby? That way we can thank her for her blessing?" Hearing the suggestion, another villager expanded upon the idea.

"That's right. Miko-sama, can you at least stay until the shrine is finished to bless it and educate a priestess for us?"

Inaba took a moment to ponder. She thought that it wouldn't be bad for them to commemorate Amaterasu's intervention. In that way, with a shrine, Amaterasu could extend her blessing easier as well, even without her being there. Besides, if the humans would come to remember their God of Old and the creators because of it, the Gods in Takamagahara might be pleased as well. "It would be better than them regarding the invader as God," Inaba thought to herself.

"Fine.. but only until the shrine is completed and the new priestess is ready to take over."

Upon hearing Inaba's answer, the villagers cheered happily.

"I will still need to visit the other villages though," said Inaba with an awkward smile, wishing that her words would be enough for the villagers to let her go.

"Safe trip, Miko-sama!" the villagers shouted as they send her off, satisfied upon her answer.

Even if she were worried about the villager's motivation, she hoped that the happiness that came into the villager's soul was because of their given chance of offering their gratitude towards Amaterasu, instead of the greed for their personal gain.

The shrine took longer than Inaba thought it would have to complete. Apparently, the villagers had decided to create the entrance on the central point of the mountain range and even build the shrine up high on the mountain. That was not an easy feat for humans to achieve, however as such effort proves the extent of their seriousness, Inaba was thankful. After all, the connection between a shrine and its deity is highly dependent on the will infused into its building process.

She had been staying among the mountain villages community for several years now, and throughout the time that she stayed, she had saw 'them' several times..

"Izanami's mark," Inaba thought, as she laid her hand into the old lady's soul. Her grandchildren surrounded her with worry. Laying her eyes at the old lady's sleeping face, Inaba thought back.

She still remembered what Amaterasu had taught her.

"In return for extended life, their karma will be affected, and their suffering heightened," Inaba thought.

"Miko-sama, can you save her?" ask one of the granddaughters. With guilt on her face, Inaba lied.

"No, I can't.." not without a cost, she thought. "At least, her passing will be painless. Let her soul be received in the paradise of the afterlife, or reincarnated if she wish to be," she added.

Looking once more at the old lady's tired, wrinkled face, Inaba tried to reassure herself upon her decision. No one deserved more suffering than what they've already been through.

"Izanami-sama must have known what's best," she thought, convincing herself.

Few other years has passed, the shrine construction is proceeding well, albeit slower than what Inaba had wished. During the past few years, Inaba had constantly travelled between three of the mountain villages, bestowing to them knowledge and blessings. received into the villager's house, seeing elders passed, seeing children grow, seeing people taken by sickness, seeing new lives born. She had considered them their precious kin. Yet, Inaba knew, she couldn't.. or shouldn't stay there forever. Therefore, she had decided to just cherish every moment she have left during her stay in the village. Before she would have to leave, she would ensure to do everything she could in order to ensure the villages' livelihood and continuation. That's why she had arranged for them a way to survive no matter what, bestowing unto them herbal and medicinal knowledge, and made it possible for them to grow a wide range of herb on the mountain range with the support of Amaterasu's blessing. Therefore, even if she had to leave someday, they would be able to support themselves as medicine master, securing their future in the world ridden with war.

However, suddenly, everything changed.

It all started with a rumble.

"Huh, what's that?" said a villager.

"Earthquake?" another exclaimed.

Then, Inaba saw it. All at once, everyone's soul flared. Then, the mark appeared. Not Izanami's black spear, but another black mark in the shape of mountain. Upon the sudden changes, Inaba felt weakness on her legs. As she almost lost her footing, she caught herself by grabbing a nearby tree. Somehow, the image of the sea of corpse on her shrine on that day reappeared within her mind.

"Everything appeared all at once.. Does that mean.. everyone would die together? And mountain symbol, at that.."

Worried, Inaba straighten herself up. It was not the time for her to get all sentimental and panicked.

"There's something I've got to check," she declared, before rushing her way out of the village.

For the next few days, Inaba travelled between the three mounts, confirming her suspicion.

"Everyone is marked.." she thought with frown on her face. "Is it region wide disaster? Judging from the mark's shape…"

Inaba was not sure about what to do. Over the course of the week, the rumbling had constantly returned, each time the interval was getting closer and closer. "If I were to warn the villagers, would it be counted as interference?" she thought, remembering Amaterasu's warning about interfering with other God's authority. Inaba felt herself weighed down with her helplessness. If, she were to interfere because of her fondness of the people in the mountain range, and for that had her authority revoked or even exiled, she would be doing injustice to the rest of the world. Even if she had travelled for centuries, she had barely covered three quarter of the world on her feet. Not only that, because of recent changes in the world and new war breaking, chances are she would have to revisit even the place that she had previously purified. As feeling of tiredness overwhelmed her, Inaba took another step to the center of the mountain range to take a look at the shrine that was still under construction as she felt pity upon the wasted effort.

"They've worked so hard on it for years, yet it's likely that it will be destroyed as well.." Inaba muttered as she approached the shrine's entrance.

As she reveled in her lack of ability to interfere, two villagers descended down the stairs of the shrine. Seemingly unaware of Inaba's presence, the two discussed the construction of the shrine among themselves.

"The tremor lately, I wonder.. what's going on? Miko-sama had been away as well since it first started."

"You don't think it's because of that shrine, don't you?"

"That was few years back right, why would it affect us now?"

As Inaba overheard the conversation, she stopped the two villagers.

"What were you two talking about? Give me the details," said Inaba as she stopped the two villagers on their path. Startled by Inaba's sudden appearance, the two villagers panicked.

Inaba looked down on the remains of a discarded shrine. She felt dizzied as she recalled the information that the two villagers who stood behind her told her few moments ago. As Inaba found the emblem on the remains, she sighed.

"What's wrong, Miko-sama?" one of the villager dared himself to ask.

Not sure on how to relay what she's found out, Inaba instructed the two villagers to gather the people of the villages on the foot of the mountain where the shrine was located.

The gathered villagers are having a chat among themselves, wondering about what has caused their summons. Once the villagers from the three villages had gathered, Inaba stood up.

"It has come to my attention that during the construction of Amaterasu-sama's shrine, another shrine had been demolished?" Inaba asked with a frown on her face, seemingly conflicted. "Why had I never been consulted about it?" she added.

The villagers started to whisper to each other. The lead of the construction project raised his voice to answer.

"After all, that shrine had been long abandoned, and it was occupying the best space on the mountain.. so.."

"Do you know that desecrating shrine and destroying the relics is considered blasphemy? Do you guys know that you have angered a God?" Inaba reprimanded with a frown. "Every shrine is a relic of devotion from the believers, and built with full dedication towards their respected deities. Destroying them is akin to desecrating the God's memories of their children."

Upon Inaba's statement, the villagers grew nervous. One of the villagers dared himself to ask.

"Then.. are you saying, the tremor lately was because.."

"It's punishment," Inaba answered with a bitter look on her face. "The three villages have been marked, everyone without exception,"

"Marked?"

"Why only now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Miko-sama, can you help us?"

The villagers are thrown into disarray as they heard Inaba's declaration.

"… It's not within my authority, I'm sorry," Inaba answered with bitter expression on her face. "It's likely that the God had just awoken from his or her slumber. Either way, his or her decision had been approved by the Goddess of Death herself.."

"Does that mean.. we all.. are going to die?"

The villagers whispered.

"What to do?"

"Could we change the name of the new shrine instead?"

"It's not that simple.. It's the thought during the building of the shrine that gifted it the sacred connection. As humans create, part of their thoughts and soul are transferred into their creation. That's why, it was precious, and irreplaceable.. Even if we dedicate it back to the old shrine's owner now, it would mean nothing to him," Inaba retorted.

"Then what do we do.." whispers of confusion spread around the masses.

"I'm not sure.. The only chance we have is to somehow appease him and repay for what had been done. However, he had chosen for the entirety of the life within this mountain range to be his repayment.."

With Inaba's word, the mass quieted.

"Wait, you haven't explain to us about the mark.. How.. did you know all this?" said a villager.

The whole mass was waiting for Inaba's answer. By then, she knew she couldn't avoid explaining any more.

"When.. a God had decided to take a life, they will bestow the mark unto the mortals, marking their soul as theirs to reap. During the first tremor few days ago, I saw that everyone had been marked all at once. When would a marked soul be reaped is up to the Gods, but judging from the recent happenings.. I felt like it would not be long.."

"Wait.. so all this time.. you have known?" A voice shouted from within the crowd. The question prompted another silence.

"I've noticed it yes, as of why, or when, I couldn't have known," Inaba replied with guilt in her voice as she averted her gaze away from the villagers' anger and disappointment.

"Why didn't you tell us earlier?" another protested.

"As I said, it was not within my authority to do so. It was something I shouldn't interfere with."

"Then why do you tell us now!?" cried a mother. Inaba wondered why. Maybe she felt like the villagers deserved the truth, in knowing what was behind their death, what was ahead of them.

"Why, indeed," Inaba smiled wryly as she muttered.

"Don't tell me.. every death.. every passing, you knew about them?" asked a male. Inaba recognised the owner of the voice. It was the grandson of an old lady that passed a few years ago. Upon his question, Inaba nodded with guilt.

"You should have told us.. If only we had more time, we would be able to spend more time with the people we love…" a cry ensues.

"If we would have died anyway, at least we would die trying," some noted.

"At least we would die with a choice," said another.

"I couldn't have told you that. Doing so means I'm interfering with other God's Authority. By doing so, I wouldn't be able to continue my duty, and even if your lives are extended, the karma would have to be balanced, and it will lead to more sufferings.." without understanding why, Inaba tried to justify her choices. However, her words only provoked more people.

"Who are you to decide that for us? Even if we have to suffer more, some of us would have chosen to stay alive no matter what," said a villager, followed by agreement by a bunch of others. Their words impacted Inaba deeply. She wondered, if it would have been better to let the mortals decide their own fate. But, if she had to commit a taboo..

"We.. we have treated you so nicely over the years. Duty? For your duty, you'd sacrifice us? You'd throw us to our death?" said another. Inaba was surprised upon the retort. As sadness colored her face, Inaba tried her best to explain herself.

"!? That's not true, I…!"

But it was too late. Anger, disappointment, and sadness, colored the souls of the villagers.

"GRAB HER!" the major shouted.

Immediately, a few males charged forward and restrained Inaba's movement.

"What!? What are you?"

Inaba's question fell into deaf ear. Instead, the major continued his speech.

"Listen, everyone, it's not too late. There's still time for us to try and appease the angry God," the major shouted. Upon the major's speech, the villagers whispered to each other with confusion.

"She said it herself. That the God had decided for our lives to be a suitable payment. Then, what do you think would provide more value than our lives?"

Immediately, the villager's eyes are directed towards Inaba. Even those who are not fully committed to the idea didn't dare to raise their voice in protest.

"Sorry, Miko-sama.. I.. I want my children to live on.." said a mother, along with some others.

The masses had restrained and carried Inaba up the newly built, unfinished Amaterasu shrine. She had long stopped resisting. Among everything, losing the trust of the people she had come to love, hurts her deeply. Deep inside, she wondered, if it was truly her fault, if there was truly more she could do. Maybe she shouldn't have given up? Maybe they should give them a choice. It was no wonder that they felt betrayed, she thought. After all, after spending so much time with them, she was just about to let them die, without batting an eye.. Was there anything else she could do? Should she have just sacrificed her duty? But then, what about the rest of the world?

When Inaba realised, she had been tied unto the altar. Her hands, her legs, even her body and neck. Some of the villagers had opted out from witnessing the sacrifice, leaving a few to continue on with whatever the major had in mind.

"We've brought them, chief!" said a villager as he rushed inside the shrine. On his hand was various tool. Scythe, hatchet, knives, sword.

"Haha.. they are going with that," Inaba smiled wryly. She had heard that some God demanded sacrifice from humans in form of living sacrifice, or a bride, but some had crueller things in mind. Or is it not the Gods? Is it the anger and cruelty of the humans? Inaba didn't want to know the answer.

The major kneeled in front of the altar, and shouted. "Oh, wrathful God, forgive us from our sins and blasphemy, give us another chance at life. For you, we present this holy maiden. Do unto her your will, let her blood and flesh enriched the land that was yours, for she had taken your sacred home.

Inaba laughed bitterly inside her heart. It was never her intention to take over another God's sacred place, nor was it her idea. However she felt too tired. Too tired to struggle, too tired to talk.

"We'll inflict on her the wound worthy of your anger, and gifted her power upon your land. Take her power, make it yours. Accept our apology and sacrifice!" the major prayed. With his words, a villager approached, with hatchet on his hand. As the villager stared coldly into Inaba's eyes, he swung down his hatchet.

A piercing pain spread up from Inaba's wrist, where the hatchet had buried itself in. The cut wasn't clean, and the hatchet was lodged unto her bones. Biting her lips, Inaba tried her best to stop herself from screaming, maintaining the last shred of her dignity.

"Darn, its tougher than I thought," said the villager as he dislodged the hatchet from the bone, sending more waves of pain as it exacerbate the cut.

"Put your back into it," said another villager as he approached Inaba's tied up body with his scythe.

"I'm sorry, Miko-sama.. we had no choice," said another villager as he pointed the katana in his hand towards her.

"Look! She is recovering!" the major shouted. Like he said, slowly but surely, the cut on Inaba's hand was closing slowly, but cleanly. Shifting his gaze towards Inaba's expression, the major was startled upon seeing Inaba's deep, cold frown. Fearing her retaliation and wrath, the major gave another command.

"Quickly! Take her apart, don't let her recover! Now!" He shouted. Following his words, blades rained down upon Inaba's body, which had offered no resistance.

"So painful.." thought Inaba. Painful is an understatement, it was unbearable, and it took every last ounce of will on her not to move a single muscle as the blades mutilated her body. Her blood flowing endlessly out of her cuts as she laid helplessly upon the altar. Inaba couldn't help but wondered about how her body works, will she eventually pass out over the blood loss as the wound spread all over her body? Seemed like taking her parts apart was the correct answer for the villagers, as it seemed to had stopped the flesh from reconnecting. Inaba wondered if she would have to be reassembled next time if she were to resurrect. She smiled wryly as she imagine herself reassembling her scattered body part together, scaring the villagers even more, prompting them to pick up the pace.

Every wrong cut, every shallow wound further Inaba's suffering. Yet, as the villagers panicked and tired by their own effort, their accuracy had become worse as time passed. As her body desperately tried to stitch things back together, the villagers would land their weapon again, and again, in order to interrupt the regeneration process, sending multiple waves of pain that made Inaba wish she were dead instead. However, she never screamed. She won't share with them her pain, or her suffering. After all, she had brought this upon herself. She who should have been wiser, had failed to find an answer to the human's plea, and had failed to prevent everything from happening. Maybe she should have overseen the shrine's construction. Maybe she should have informed them beforehand. So was regarding the mark, maybe she should have let the humans choose their own fate on their own, instead of deciding what was better for them. As her guilt engulfed her, Inaba tried her best to contain her pain. She knew that screaming would just deepen the guilt in the villager's heart, and she felt like she should at least 'die' with dignity and turned the process into one of a willing sacrifice. That way, she hoped that the wrathful God would at least grant her an audience as her soul left its house, her body, that was slowly being torn apart. Wondering if it would be possible, Inaba tried to tell her body to stop regenerating.

"This way, the pain would only come once," she thought. As if understanding her wish, her regeneration slowed down, making the process easier for the villagers. Slowly but surely, they took her apart. Wrist, ankle, limbs.. then, the villager who held the scythe swing down his blade unto Inaba's stomach, piercing it. Inaba bit her tongue as hard as she could to distract herself from the agony, and closed her eyes, not wanting to see what the villagers had planned to do with her stomach.

"Ah.. if only I can fell into slumber too.. would the pain stop?" Inaba wished. Could she do that? Could she shut her senses, shut herself down? Until it was time for her to wake up? As she thought so, she gave in to her pain, and let it swallow her consciousness, drifting her to sleep as she shut down her senses.

Author's note:

My friends told me if I would ever meet Mitsuki, she would end me :x

Extra notes:

(*) Takamagahara is the realm of gods in Japanese Mythology, with Amaterasu as its chief.