CHAPTER 30: ANCIENT TIMES AND OBLIVION

Haru just opened his eyes. He slowly got up and looked around the room. Gari was asleep at his desk, and a moment later Maldie came in, holding a letter.

"Here," she said with a smile, handing him the message. "I know a lot’s happened lately, but maybe this’ll cheer you up."

"Th-thanks," Haru said, glancing at the letter, then down at his belly.

With a mix of hope and slight worry, he opened the letter.

I wonder how Shion will take all this when he gets back.

He’ll probably understand once Ayame explains...

...yeah, I’m probably worrying for nothing.

Haru began reading. Meanwhile, Maldie walked over to Gari and gave her a smack on the head. The half-dragon immediately woke up.

"You were supposed to be watching him, not napping, you dumb lizard!"

"Come on, I only nodded off for a few minutes before you came!"

Haru smiled lightly. The arguing between Gari and Maldie always lifted his mood. He focused back on the letter.

Haru,

As you probably already know, we won the war against Tora. Their kingdom has been absorbed into Hoshigane Kingdom.

The trip back should take between two and four months. Despite the long road we have to travel, I still need to hold a series of victory parades, like past rulers did.

Don’t worry. I’ll be back soon, and we’ll see each other again.

- Your Shion

Haru’s lips trembled.

What a dumb tradition! he thought angrily.

First we’re separated because Shion has to lead the army as king, and now he’s extending the separation because... because...

Ugh, I can’t even think about it.

Haru felt weak.

Whoa... what is this... weird feeling?

He fainted, and if it hadn’t been for sharp-eyed Gari, who leapt from her chair in time to catch him, it could have ended badly.

"Boss? Can you hear me, boss?" Gari asked, her voice growing louder with each word. "Maldie, go get Ayame!"

Maldie nodded. There was no time to argue, at moments like this, they always worked together, almost like a perfect pair.

Maldie ran through the palace corridors, checking Shion’s office first, then the throne room, Ayame’s chamber, even daring to look in the dungeons – she couldn’t find her anywhere.

*

A few days earlier...

"Finally!" Hoshizuma shouted in a burst of joy, smacking a bookshelf.

The shelf and all the books in it crumbled to dust.

"And just like that, part of human knowledge is gone," said Shien, in his more feminine form. He had two pale pink towels wrapped around him: one around his waist, the other on his head.

"Doesn’t matter, it was useless anyway," Hoshizuma replied with even wider grin. Shien had never seen him this emotionally unrestrained before.

"So... what are you planning to do?"

Hoshizuma grabbed Shien by the shoulders, pulling his head down.

"Huh?" Shien asked, clueless.

A shiver ran through Hoshizuma, a mix of fear and excitement.

"First," he said through gritted teeth, "I’ll do whatever I want with you to celebrate our victory, and then... I’ll bring Ayame here. I’ll reveal the truth to her."

"A-are you sure? Her mind might not handle it," Shien said, just as Hoshizuma straightened up and pulled him closer by his slim waist.

"She owes me for my previous help for her, so I don’t care."

"But your last help led her into a... dead end–" Shien’s voice trembled, unsure if he was terrified or horny.

"Yes, because of that I thought about bringing one of us back. I wasn’t wrong. If Ayame knew the full truth, it could’ve ruined our plans. Whatever. First, I want..."

"Want what?" Shien moaned.

Hoshizuma strongly gripped Shien’s butt, and then they kissed, intensely, tongues and all...

*

Ayame – through Hoshizuma’s power – was summoned to his library. She hadn’t even had time to change; she appeared in her pajamas.

Hoshizuma looked at her more tired-than-usual eyes.

"You look... relaxed and exhausted at the same time, more than ever," he said studying her carefully.

"Since the curse... which said it wasn’t a curse... went into Haru’s belly, I... I’ve been having peaceful dreams. No one’s following me in them, but I keep dreaming about when she’s born, how she’ll grow up, it exhausts me, even though it’s calm, I’m... "

"Oh, I see you’re reaching that state. Hm, interesting," he said in a cold tone. "Well, I summoned you to push you even further," he added with a grin.

"Do whatever you want, just take these dreams away. They’re peaceful, but they torment me more than anything. Who... who will I be for this child?" Ayame muttered incoherently.

"The one who inherits your powers. The moment she’s born, you’ll be useless, Ayame. Useless but free of pain and worries. I’ll let you in on a secret, young Hoshigane. The curse doesn’t exist. The Four Flames don’t exist. Everything you built your knowledge on is a lie. It’s a curtain I wove, hoping you’d bring back the one you called Egri."

"I suspected my knowledge... it already told me, but I didn’t want it to be true, illusion was better... I’m not wise, I’m a fool..."

"Your pain, Shion’s pain, the pain of Hoshigane generations, it was the price they paid so your lineage could rule forever. Every small failure and minor disaster will be repaid with an overwhelming amount of goods and victories, because the first Hoshigane didn’t steal one of the Four Flames. He made a pact with it."

"A... pact?"

"I see you still have a shred of awareness. Let me make you pay the price to gain knowledge beyond any mortal’s dream."

Hoshizuma stretched out his hand. Ayame grabbed her head, then fell to her knees, screaming.

Screaming like Hoshizuma and other three first being did when they were turned into flames...

*

Long ago, in ancient times...

Mitsuyami Hoshigane – a tall man with a bony build, long black mustache, and hair – walked through the royal gardens at night.

Though the Hoshigane had won the years-long, bloody civil war and he’d been crowned king a few weeks ago, Mitsuyami felt uneasy.

Every night he heard crying – women, maybe a child – etched into his mind forever.

He felt he had to get closer to the source of the suffering to save it.

Mitsuyami sighed and prayed to the gods for wisdom strong enough to save the crying being.

"Your pathetic gods won’t help you," came a half-calm, half-demonic male voice.

Mitsuyami opened his eyes.

"Who are you? How did you get here?" he asked the one before him.

It was Hoshizuma.

"I heard your pleas, which you unfortunately sent to the wrong beings," he said coldly, though politely.

"Guards!" Mitsuyami shouted.

"No one will hear you," Hoshizuma grinned. "I had enough power to escape the gods, because I control reality around me. Or... I could once. Now I only have a fragment of that power."

"Are you... a devil?!" Mitsuyami asked in fear. "Did you come from hell to punish me for the sins that..."

Hoshizuma laughed.

"You could say that. I don’t have much time; the entire heavens are after me," he said, reaching into his golden robe. "I’ll give you the source of the voice you hear every night," he said, extending a red-and-silver flame floating above his hand. "Do with it as you wish, but I trust you’ll make the right choice. Farewell. We’ll meet again, either in hell or heaven."

Mitsuyami didn’t have time to reply. Soon he was alone again in the gardens, holding the crying flame.

"Beautiful king," the flame spoke to him, "beautiful king, let me fulfill your wishes."

"W-wishes?"

"I see what you and your people have suffered, horrors where people of the same nation die, killed by their own brothers. I can help you avoid that, but I will grant a touch of the pain that never existed, to your descendants. The good of the country and your dynasty’s eternal reign, in exchange for individual suffering."

Mitsuyami thought about the flame’s offer.

"That suffering must have a purpose beyond payment," he said after a moment. "Just like your cry. I guess you’re a powerful being who could choose anyone to hear your despair, but you chose me."

"King, your judgment is keen. Yes. I want to be reborn among your descendants."

"Reborn? What... are you?"

"You’ll only see through the eyes of the future. Accept the gift and suffering I offer, the unexpected I give to your future generations, and your lineage will reign forever."

Mitsuyami didn’t hesitate. Instinctively, he pressed the flame to his heart.

He felt a strangely soothing warmth and indescribable, agonizing pain along his entire body. He screamed so loudly that he woke the sleeping servants and alerted the night guards, who all rushed to save him...

*

Maldie, in a panic, called the same doctor who had previously accurately assessed Haru. She found his address on Shion’s desk.

Gari stayed by Haru’s side at the bed. When the doctor arrived, Maldie went once more to find Ayame.

She found her in bed, babbling, unresponsive.

Helplessness and frustration hit her harder than she expected. She returned to Haru’s room to tell Gari while the doctor examined him.

"We need to write to Shion," she said. "He needs to come back immediately!"

"Right. I’ll send him a letter. Hopefully he can make it faster to the palace..."

*

Two weeks later...

Shion took a deep breath, enjoying the view of the rice fields before him. He wore a purple-and-gold kimono. He pulled out the letter from Maldie that had arrived yesterday, he hadn’t had time to read it and still had a parade to attend.

He slowly opened the message:

Shion!

Return to the palace immediately, please! Declare a state of emergency or whatever you can to stop the celebrations.

Haru fainted and hasn’t woken for a week. Doctors say that despite the coma, his condition and that of your children is stable.

Yes, children, you’ll twins. I’ll explain more when you arrive. It’s connected to something... I don’t fully understand myself.

Also, Ayame has lost her senses. She’s rambling all the time and impossible to communicate with. She drifts through the palace like a shadow, often checking on Haru.

Please come! Only you can handle this!

Shion clenched the paper in his hands.

If only I’d known sooner... I’d have skipped the celebrations. I can resume them later, but it’s better to do them right after the victory...

...no, not the time to think about that. Again, I don’t know what’s happening with Haru, and now Ayame... has the curse completely taken her over?

I need to return to my people. I need to order an immediate return. I won’t tolerate any objection.

Haru, be brave and strong.

I’ll be with you again soon!