Blight had spread his nasty little mist all around the city and, with the help of Ninetails, morphed Ryoshima Coast into a fat, ugly curse zone. Word had spread of the rise and fall of the dreaded serpent demon of Shinshu Field, Orochi, but not many people believed the news to be genuine. One day, though, a white wolf with strange crimson markings and a green bug-person on her head arrived in the coast, and she blew that curse zone away with the flick of her paintbrush-like tail.
She then moved on to the city. I remember her charging into the study, the bug commenting, “Holy cow! This sister's stacked!” Ninetails put on a perfect act, as always, and told them all about the cursed mist, how Queen Himiko had barricaded herself inside her palace to pray, how the Water Dragon had started a mysterious rampage, and how he was in dire need of my Prayer Slips that he lost so he could visit the ship the Water Dragon had obliterated to search for the “Fox Rods,” which so happened to be an essential instrument in his plan to overthrow Ryoshima Coast. Only about an hour after their little chat, Amaterasu returned with the Prayer Slips in her jaws. My impostor was ecstatic at this, and giddily instructed the goddess and her companion to visit the sunken ship at the time of the next new moon.
Everything that happened after that was all a blur. The exploration of the accursed shipwreck, the attack of the Water Dragon, the curing of the Emperor, the banishment of the mist... all of it was run together. How I longed to escape from my prison and reveal the truth to Amaterasu! But, of course, fate would not let me do as I wished. At least, not at that time...
Dragon Palace was the turning point of it all. It was there where the great sun goddess discovered the Fox Rods inside the Water Dragon, as well as the Dragon Orb, the “heart” of the creature. Ninetails was there when she emerged from the dead beast. Surprisingly, when he asked for the Fox Rods, she tossed them over, despite the fairy-bug's protests. Overjoyed with his reunion with the Rods, Ninetails left to put an end to Queen Himiko while Amaterasu carried the Dragon Orb to the ruler of Dragon Palace, Otohime.
Once Ninetails was on shore, he took off down the path leading to Ankoku Temple. Somewhere about halfway to his destination, I suddenly found myself standing outside of my (which, of course, was actually his) body, stupidly watching him run off into the distance. Wait... was I free? I looked down at myself. Sure enough, it was me, though more ghostly looking. Tears of happiness began to fill my eyes, but before I celebrated, I remembered the task at hand. I knew I wouldn't be able to stop Himiko's death, but I could help Amaterasu find out the truth behind the fox demon's facade. Eagerly, I headed over to the temple, where I would await the goddess's arrival.
I only had to wait a few minutes before I saw the figure of a wolf come bounding out of the horizon. She seemed tense and urgent, so I supposed that something was revealed with Otohime. I left my perch on the temple's bottom steps and waved to her. She noticed me, and I beckoned for her to follow me. Slowly but surely, I guided her up the steps and behind my house to the secret room in the side of the cliff. She figured out the rest of the way, and jumped down the well in the center of the space. Feeling that my job was done, I returned to the temple entrance to wait. Wait for what, I did not know.
No sooner than I had sat down, I felt it. Himiko's regret upon her last breath washed right through me like a tidal wave. I bit my lip, fighting back tears. Amaterasu was too late, and Ninetails had claimed another life. Himiko and her crystal ball were key to discovering the location of Oni Island, the demon's fortress, which I had heard him talk about to himself time after time. Now it was completely hopeless. “Why? Why did this all have to happen?!” I cried out to the sky, which was beginning to redden with the approaching dusk. I stood up and drifted over to Ankoku Temple's bell. I rang it nine times, making sure everyone that could hear it heard it loud and clear...
Out of nowhere, an island appeared on the horizon. I assumed it was Oni Island, and decided to get a better look at it from Watcher's Cape in North Ryoshima.
Watcher's Cape was difficult to reach, due to the fact that no one took care of it, and over the years, the bridge leading to it crumbled away. It was well past sunset when I finally managed to reach the top. Sure enough, the view of Oni Island was much better, and to my surprise, another Water Dragon had built a bridge from the cape onto the isle itself! (Perhaps it was Otohime...?) At that moment I knew all hope was not lost, and Amaterasu was probably beating the shit out of Ninetails right now.
More time passed. It must have been around midnight when, suddenly, Ninetails's demon fortress burst into flower petals. The heavy blanket of evil over Ryoshima dissipated. The eight other spirits who made up Ninetails's tails were finally liberated! Himiko got her revenge! Everything was finally as it should be!
I saw them. I saw the ghosts of those eight women ascend into the heavens. They all trailed after each other, laughing, dancing, celebrating. They left me standing there, gawking at them as they went higher, higher, on to the Celestial Plain. A grin spread across my face. I could very well follow them, but I knew I couldn't. I would remain here and assist the people recovering from their losses in any way that a ghost could.
And so I did.
I exorcised demons that came around to cause trouble. I tidied up Ankoku Temple. I visited Queen Himiko's grave every now and then and prayed for her soul. I wandered the streets of Sei-An, observing the people go about their daily lives. One night, I met another ghost by the name of Raiden; he claimed he was killed by lightning, and you can tell! I still see him from time to time to ease my loneliness for at least a little while.
As Amaterasu left Ryoshima Coast behind and continued her quest, I was hopeful. I was hopeful that maybe, just maybe, when she returned to the Celestial Plain and set everything right, she would remember me and somehow give me my body again, give me a second chance at living. I was hopeful the day the moon blotted out the sun for a whole twenty-four hours. I knew that the sun goddess was somewhere battling the evil forces and the time for peace was nearer than ever before.
When the sun finally broke away from the moon that was eclipsing it, the Imps and the Headless Guardians and the Thunder Ears, every single demon cowered in the shadows, fearful that the sunlight would burn their flesh to a crisp. People raced out into the open, shouting and praising Amaterasu. Warmth flowed through my body, comforting me and reassuring me that nothing wrong would happen again. Ninetails, Orochi, and all of the other malignant creatures would rot in the underworld forevermore.
Instinct called out to me, urging me to revisit Watcher's Cape. I obeyed its order, and scrambled past groups of celebrating humans along the way to the plateau-like cape. I found that the wall leading to the uppermost part was easier to traverse this time around. When I did reach the top, I was awestruck. A colossal iron ark marked with exotic blue designs was floating heavenward. Amaterasu was on that ship, finally going back to her homeland. “Remember me, Okami Amaterasu! Please!” I called out, waving my limbs up and down like an excited idiot, though I doubted she would recall me.
Still, optimism burned brightly in my heart that she could and would allow me to live again. Obviously, I was stupid to think so. Two years have passed by since the sun goddess's reappearance in the heavens, and nearly nothing has changed. Besides the demons being rendered harmless, things have remained comparable to life right after Ninetails's defeat, just without rouge fiends running around killing people. The humans are grateful for this, but now I find the afterlife to be humdrum now. There is absolutely nothing at all to do these long summer days but sit and stare into the empty eye sockets of what I used to be.
I was startled out of my train of thought when a bat detached itself from the ceiling of the tunnel and fluttered past me, squealing out high-pitched cries. I toppled over, sputtering and swatting wildly at the air. No matter how much time I've stayed down here, I simply cannot get used to those creatures. I recovered from the encounter rather quickly, however, and resumed my standing position before my corpse. How long was I reminiscing on my past? I silently cursed myself for getting lost in my thoughts so easily. But I suppose that since I was so into my memories, I might as well recall my whole life. It's not like it's any skin off my nose.
So you want to hear my story, eh? Well, be my guest.
Welcome to a day in the life of Rao, the deceased priestess of Ankoku Temple.
[To be continued.]
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Whoo! That was a long one, wasn't it? I'm aiming to get the whole story to at least 50,000 words, so...
Do you think I should make a WORLD for this story? That way I could keep track of it more easily, but then again, I probably would be wasting a WORLD...
Thank you for reading, and please comment!
