26 A Quiet Departure

  [Player: Kazuki Arata]

  [Level: 4]

  [Waza: Black Hand, Thread Cutter, Aura Sense, Dark Rider, Retribution, Eviscerate]

  [Kegare: 19%]

  ---

  Suzume pushed off the futon and tested her wounded leg for the first time in two days. The pain was still sharp, but she was determined to walk on her own. She exhaled a shaky breath and limped once… twice… until she found her balance on the firm tatami floor, ignoring the dull throb beneath the bandages.

  A few nights had passed since the siege on the Grand Hall of the shrine. Although the fires were extinguished and rubble had been cleared, a hush lingered across the shrine grounds. It wasn't the calm of peace or relief, it was the stunned silence of survivors, each trying to make sense of what had happened.

  Outside Suzume could see the final glow of sunset on the horizon. She heard faint voices and movement in the corridors, the steady footfalls of tengu patrols, and the occasional scrape of broom on stone. Yet she was alone here, until the shoji paper door slid open, and Kazuki stepped inside.

  He paused, dark eyes narrowing with concern. "Suzume, you're standing?"

  "I'm walking," she corrected. Pride made her posture straighter than it would have been. She took a step toward him, suppressed a grimace. "I can't believe a simple 'bullet' could cause this much trouble."

  Kazuki set down the cup of tea he'd brought for her and reached out to support her arm. She braced a hand on his shoulder and let out a breath she'd been holding. She needed his help to stay upright.

  "You shouldn't rush it," he said quietly. "You almost died, Suzume."

  Her cheeks warmed. Almost died…to that little thing. That bullet had carried no reishin, no kegare, no malevolent aura. It was just a hunk of metal. And it had torn right through her leg like it was nothing. Something about that deepened her shame.

  She let out a shaky laugh that was half bitterness, half relief. "Just a…meaningless piece of iron. It's humiliating; the thought that I might die to a, a toy." Her gaze flicked toward her bandaged thigh. "And yet here I am."

  Kazuki's hand pressed gently against her elbow, steadying her. "It wasn't meaningless. Guns are deadly in my world."

  His world.

  She let those words ring silently for a moment. Until recently, Kazuki had been her world in so many ways: The entire reason she'd left the Kagura Shrine, the reason she defied Karaba's orders, the reason she'd felt truly alive for the first time.

  Now a piece of his Earth Realm found its way here and nearly killed me.

  Suzume closed her eyes.

  Kazuki drew in a slow breath. "I need to find out where these people came from," he said. "That girl—Yumi—and the others… They were after me. I won't let them hit this shrine again."

  Suzume bit her lip. She already knew what he was thinking. After the siege, after seeing how easily a few Earth weapons and bombs tore through sacred wards, Kazuki was determined to track these humans down. He wanted to leave the Grand Shrine, figure out exactly who was responsible.

  But that meant he might be gone from her life.

  "Kazuki," she said softly, "stay. Please. At least until I'm healed."

  His brows knitted. "Suzume—"

  She gripped his sleeve. "I'm serious. The shrine…needs you." She faltered, unsure how to say the rest. "Karaba needs you."

  He looked away, face a mix of guilt and restlessness. "You think Karaba wants me here? He tolerates me, but—"

  "Don't," she pleaded, voice trembling slightly. "I nearly died. We all nearly died. If you go chasing after the humans now, you'll only get hurt… or worse."

  Suzume recognized the tension in him: half of him wanted to protect everyone by taking the fight away from the shrine, while the other half wanted to remain with the friends he'd found. But it was a fragile equilibrium. One nudge, and he'd slip away.

  Her heart twisted with a fresh wave of pain, sharper than the gunshot wound. "Stay here," she said, voice tight. "Just until I can walk normally. Then…" She swallowed hard. "Then I'll go with you."

  A flicker of surprise crossed his face. "What do you mean?"

  She lowered her gaze. "You think I'm telling you to stay for the shrine's sake, or for Karaba? But that's… that's not why."

  He drew closer, searching her face. She felt her composure unravel beneath his eyes.

  "You want to protect the Grand Shrine," he said tentatively. "Right?"

  She let out a mirthless laugh. "Of course I do. But that's not the reason I'm begging you to wait. The truth is…" She hesitated, pulse hammering in her ears. Could she say it out loud? How she no longer wanted to be the obedient Shrine Maiden, how she wanted to follow him?

  "…I don't want you to leave me behind," she managed at last. The admission tumbled out in a rush. "I—I never wanted this life of rituals and duties. I was raised here, in a shrine like this, but it was never my dream. I never truly felt it was my path. Not until I left to help you get to Karasu Peak did I…feel alive."

  Kazuki's eyes went wide. "Suzume…"

  She forced herself to continue, ignoring the heat in her cheeks. "In spite of the terror, even in spite of having my hands broken! I was happy—traveling with you. For the first time in my life, I felt like I was free. I was discovering myself on the road." She tightened her grip on his sleeve. "So that's why I can't let you leave without me. Don't go chasing the humans alone. Wait, until my leg heals."

  Silence. She could feel his heartbeat in the hush, or maybe it was her own.

  Kazuki pressed a hand over hers, swallowing hard. "I…I understand." He closed his eyes, expression torn.

  "You shouldn't face this alone," she whispered. Her chest tightened.

  He turned fully toward her, his eyes filled with tears that just couldn't break. There was something he wanted to say—she could feel it, but he couldn't form the words. At length, he just nodded, a single reluctant dip of his head.

  She exhaled shakily, relief and raw fear coursing through her. "So you'll wait?"

  Kazuki rubbed the back of his neck, gaze flicking toward the corridor. His thoughts seemed distant. "…I'll think about it," he said at last, not quite meeting her eyes.

  And then he turned away, leaving her with that fragile promise. Suzume watched him step out into the dark hallway, her chest aching.

  ---

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  That evening the shrine complex settled into a tense quiet. Suzume remained in her chamber, dozing in pain with her leg propped on cushions to reduce the swelling. Lantern light flickered across the walls.

  She tried to sleep. She couldn't.

  Her injury hurt so badly as she stood. Every step was like fire shooting through her leg, the bandages already dampening with fresh blood. But she forced herself forward, limping to the small veranda that overlooked one of the side courtyards. Fleet was nowhere in sight, perhaps he was assisting Tengu guards or cleaning up. Maybe he was off stealing sweets from the supply hall again. She was alone now.

  The courtyard lay bathed in moonlight. High overhead, clouds drifted, casting faint shadows on the stone. It was warm. It was too peaceful.

  Suddenly, she heard a faint thud of footsteps overhead. She started, glancing upward. Someone's on the roof.

  Quietly, leaning on a wooden pillar for support, she made her way outside. Two corridors away, she spotted a ladder that repair crews had used to reach the second-floor eaves. She used it now, clumsily, wincing as pain shot through her leg with each rung.

  By the time she reached the roof's peak, she was out of breath. The slanted tiles glistened with moonlit dew. Then she spotted Kazuki, perched at the far edge, arms resting on his knees, staring into the distance.

  She inhaled sharply, hand half-raised to call out to him… but something made her hesitate. She remembered the way he'd once carried Fleet on his back after a long hike, grumbling about fox fur and pretending not to smile. That Kazuki... would never leave her. Her hand dropped silently to her side. Instead, she lowered herself onto a flat portion of the roof, and just watched, unseen.

  Before she could gather her courage to speak, a soft tinkle of metal cut through the silence. A bell. Suzume's heart lurched—she didn't know why. Sure enough, she heard the faint jingle again, followed by a meow.

  From behind Kazuki came a small shape… a black cat. Then, as she watched, the cat's fur shimmered, and it stretched into the form of a lithe young woman.

  ---

  Kuro gave a soft, throaty laugh, then settled beside Kazuki, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Haven't seen you in a while Kazuki," she purred. "You're busy these days, hmm?"

  Kazuki let out a breath, but didn't move away. "Kuro!" he said quietly. "Where... where have you been?"

  "Watching you, of course. Someone has to keep track of my favorite little mouse." She smirked, eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "And now, I see you've got real trouble. Look at this place Kazuki! What a mess! Humans with bombs, guns. Bad news from Earth. Tsk. Seems they want you dead or captured."

  Kazuki's jaw tightened. "You know who they are?"

  Kuro's delicate eyebrows shot up. "Mhm. I'm aware of many things. Their base, their boss, the path that leads there…" Her voice dropped to a whisper, feline eyes reflecting the Moon's light. "I can show you the woman who sent them. Do you want to know who she is?"

  Kazuki stiffened. "Another woman? From Earth?"

  "Mmmm. Seems like I've got your attention Kazuki. So, let's go!"

  "Now? I can't. Suzume's been hurt, Fleet's—everyone here needs me to—"

  "Do they?" Kuro said, a grin curling her lips. "Do they really need you?" She sat up, crossing her legs. "Look at yourself. You're not wearing robes or chanting in some ritual circle. You don't have crow wings. Are you truly planning to stay up here on this mountain forever, playing at being a shrine guardian?"

  Kazuki's voice hardened. "It's not like that."

  "You do realize, little mouse, that it was you that brought these attackers," Kuro went on, her voice a teasing sing-song. "I mean, if you were just a normal person, would they have targeted this shrine in the first place? I don't think so."

  She extended a single black-lacquered fingernail and tapped his forehead. "Admit it: You're a menace. The Eye of Izanama is hunting you. That's not going to change if you hide on this mountaintop."

  Kazuki's shoulders hunched, conflict in his eyes. "I know."

  Kuro's face softened just a fraction. "Then come with me. Right now. If you want to find out who's after you—and why—this is your only chance. Don't waste time."

  The moonlight illuminated Kazuki's expression; torn and anguished. Suzume's own heart twisted as she watched from her hidden spot. No, she willed silently. Don't leave.

  Suzume saw as Kazuki glanced back toward the main buildings, to the glow of lanterns shining from the infirmary wings, from the hall where injured guardians and shrine attendants rested. Through the thin rice paper walls of the Master's chamber, a dim light flickered, casting a frail shadow against the screen. Suzume felt certain he was thinking of Karaba, of Fleet, and of her. She bit her lip, fighting the impulse to call out.

  Finally, Kazuki exhaled unsteadily. "Suzume asked me to wait," he whispered. "She wants to come with me, but she can't travel yet. She's… she's not well enough."

  Kuro let out a throaty laugh. "Oh, I see. Are you so sure it's to protect the shrine that she's dragging you around by the collar? Hmm? Maybe," she added with a shrug, "she's just lonely." Then she leaned in, voice dropping. "But do you really want to remain caged here? You'll never learn the truth by staying."

  Then Kuro playfully bit Kazuki's ear.

  Kazuki pulled away and pressed a hand over his eyes, pained. "Don't do that."

  "Don't do what?" Kuro's tail, manifested even in her human form, brushed against his back. "I speak the truth. If you stay, more bullets might fly, more bombs might drop. Suzume might get shot again, or that little fox-boy might get taken hostage. Is that what you want?"

  His eyes closed. Kazuki had been trying not to think about any of those things, but he knew she was right.

  Kuro's voice turned soft. "If you leave now, you might save them. Because you'll keep the real threat—yourself—far away."

  Kuro's words stung, precisely because they twisted something that was true.

  Kazuki's breath rasped in the quiet night air as if he was bearing a heavy weight. Finally, he stood. "You swear you know where these humans come from?"

  "Mmm-hmm." Kuro rose to her feet with feline grace, brushing imaginary dust from her black dress. "I'll lead you right to them, to all your answers."

  Kazuki turned his gaze toward the courtyard below. He took a single step away from Kuro, staring into the distance…straight toward the large building with warm lamplight. Where she was. For an instant, Suzume thought she caught his silhouette tense, as though he sensed her presence.

  He paused. Just for a second.

  Kuro's ears twitched, her golden eyes flicking momentarily toward Suzume's hidden position before returning to Kazuki. Her smile remained unchanged, but there was something knowing in her gaze now.

  Suzume held her breath, heart thundering in her chest.

  Then Kazuki exhaled. He turned back to Kuro and pulled up his own game UI. It floated between himself and the black cat that had started all of this back on Tashirojima on Earth.

  [Kegare 24%]

  Something lost. Something broken.

  He stared at the number for a moment, then looked back toward Suzume's window, where a single lantern still burned. "All right," he said, voice hoarse but clear. "We go. Now."

  Suzume clenched her jaw, fighting tears.

  Kuro's smile was bright as moonlight. "I knew you'd do the right thing."

  Then, with one last look at the lights of the shrine, Kazuki murmured, "I'm sorry, Suzume. I really am." His voice broke.

  Suzume slumped where she crouched, biting down on the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood.

  The memory of her vow not to be left behind clashed violently with the realization: I can't move quickly enough on this injured leg. I can't keep up. I'd just slow him down. And if his mind was made up…

  Silent tears slipped down her cheeks. She pressed a hand against her mouth, stifling a sob. Kazuki…

  He swung a leg over the edge of the roof, Kuro had already transformed back into a sleek black cat at his side. Together they jumped and climbed down swiftly into the shadows of the courtyard. From her vantage point, Suzume could see the whole scene laid out below: The broken lanterns still scattered across the stone and in the distance, the shrine bells slowly going silent as the night prayers ended.

  The darkness swallowed them.

  Suzume remained where she was, trembling. Some part of her refused to believe he'd truly go without saying goodbye. But the minutes dragged on, and the only sound was the distant hiss of wind through the mountain trees, burnt beams and broken rafters.

  Down below, a small figure padded silently among the shadows. Fleet, in his fox form, paused beneath the eaves of the roof, ears perked, muzzle tilted upward. In the dim moonlight, he'd seen and heard everything: Kazuki leaving with Kuro.

  He let out a small whine. His tawny fur bristled as he started to shift, the beginning of a transformation… but then he stopped, uncertain.

  Then he sank onto his haunches, tail drooping. After a moment, he crept forward, nose to the ground, following the faint trail of Kazuki's footsteps. He ran until the trail vanished… swallowed by the wind.

  Then he just stood there, panting, tail low, not knowing which way to go.

  ---

  [Achievement Unlocked: Like a Thief in the Night]

  [Next Chapter: The Road South]

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