A short story by Amy Bexley
Part 1: Qyrana’s Escape, Haunted by Shame
Qyrana, with eyes as deep and sorrowful as the abyss from which she hailed, had for centuries woven a tapestry of destruction in the mortal realm. Her essence was drawn from the 18th layer of infernal dominions, a realm where seduction and peril were indistinguishably fused. As time became her burden and witness, the realization that she was a catalyst for irrevocable damnation gnawed at her conscience.
Within the bustling streets of Edo, she had whispered temptations that men could scarcely resist. Yet, each encounter etched a scar of revulsion within her, a mark no less cruel than the brand of her birthright. The reflections of their eyes, soaked in loss and regret, mirrored a soul intertwined with despair—theirs and her own. She could no longer bear to be the executioner of their fates or to dwell in the shadows of her actions.
The evening when the red sun last dipped below the horizon, Qyrana found herself at a juncture. As the incense from the street-side noodle shops climbed high into the twilight, she strode with purpose away from the man she was meant to ensnare, away from the gateway back to the abyss. With each step, she severed her chains to the depths, yearning not for the warmth of hellfire but for the chance to seek her humanity, to be part of the human world—not as a mere shadow, but as a creature of flesh and blood, bound by the heart and not by a curse.
So, on one moonless rainy night in Tokyo, she didn’t return to the 18th layer of Hell with her victim’s soul. In fact, she had gathered no soul that evening, instead she travelled about the narrow streets in search of a place her fellow kind could not find her.
Qyrana’s rebellion was far more than an act of defiance; it was the manifestation of a profound self-loathing, a turmoil spilling from the depths of her tortured soul. Her nature as a succubus was to her a curse, an abhorrent inclination that tainted every attempt at sincere connection with the miasma of manipulation and deceit. She craved redemption from the corruption that plagued her kind, salvation from the insidious whisper promising that her touch would only ever bring ruin. Even amid the cacophony of the bustling human world, her inner silence was deafening—a silent scream for an existence purged of the dark gifts she never wished for. In this desperate quest for purity, Qyrana found herself teetering on the precipice between two worlds. Yet, with every harrowing step away from the life she abhorred, she wove a fragile hope that somewhere in this human realm, there existed a place where her demon could sleep, and her soul could find a semblance of peace.
The neglected noodle shop stood as a testament to a bygone era, its aged walls a haven for the despondent. It mirrored Qyrana’s very essence—forlorn and suffused with a deep-seated feeling of worthlessness. Yet within its forsaken embrace, she carved out a sanctuary on the second floor, in a room that once hummed with the mundane task of storing pantry essentials. This cramped space, laden with dusty shelves and forgotten relics of the shop’s past, became her refuge. Amid the shadows and soft patter of rain on old tiles, she found an unlikely kinship with the surrounding decay. Here, her relentless fear of discovery intertwined with the somber realization that this hideout was a physical manifestation of her self-inflicted exile—a place where not only her body but her weary soul could retreat from the world that loomed so temptingly below her fragile hideaway.
“Are you truly happy here demon?” said a voice in the dim shadows.
“Speak your name! I command you!” A resolute Qyrana ordered as she exposed her true demon form.
“I’m Mitsuru, a monster cat. Nothing more than a humble yokai.” A black and white cat sauntered into the light and bowed towards Qyrana by stretching out its front paws and lengthening its body.
Qyrana resumed her teenage female human form. “I didn’t sense a yokai when I first came here.”
“I come and go as I please. For I follow the trail of the shakaiteki jakusha (the socially vulnerable people).”
“The homeless and marginalized?”
“Yes, I’m a monster cat, and eat humans that society has abandoned. And it’s amazing how many can be found in Tokyo.”
“You speak of humans as if they are heartless as demons.”
“I see little difference between the two. All your kind does is return them to where they belong in hell. If anything, I’m doing those on the streets a favor by eating them in the state they are in.”
“Tell me Mitsuru, do you think a succubus, such as myself, could ever truly live among the humans?”
Turning towards the window and leaping on its windowsill Mitsuru said, “No I don’t. What I do know is I’m just a monster cat.” It then leapt off towards the street below.
Qyrana sat there in the dark, the weight of Mitsuru’s words hanging heavily in the silence that followed. The monster cat’s nonchalant admission about the fate of humans – abandoned and consumed – echoed her own belief that perhaps she could never truly belong. Her nature as a succubus meant to prey, to exploit, and yet, in some dark way, to purify, resonated with an uncomfortable truth. The notion that humans themselves could be the crueler creatures and that beings like her were merely agents returning them to a deserved hell – this was a thought that chilled her more than the damp air of her shadowy refuge.
Part 2: The Spice of Chaos & Seeds of Betrayal
The abrupt hammering startled Qyrana from her restless slumber, a sound intrusive and alien in her quiet sanctuary. She crept cautiously down the threadbare stairs, her senses heightened, only to discover the source of the commotion: a young man, hair tied back, apron-clad, and immersed in labor. She watched him hammer away at loose floorboards, each strike resonating through the hollow space.
Careful not to startle him too severely, she reached out and tapped him on the shoulder. Senzo jolted upright, almost hitting his head on a low-hanging cupboard—his fright mirrored in his wide eyes. But his gaze softened when he saw Qyrana, who looked back at him, equally surprised.
“Oh! I didn’t—I mean, who are you?” stammered Senzo, trying to regain his composure.
“I live upstairs,” Qyrana replied, her voice barely above a whisper, suddenly self-conscious of her true nature in the normalcy of this human encounter.
“You live here?” he asked with a mix of skepticism and concern. “Are you a runaway?”
Qyrana nodded timidly. She hadn’t considered the image she presented: a young girl in an abandoned building, a likely story for too many.
“Well, listen,” Senzo said after a moment’s thought, “if you’re going to stay, you could help me out. I’m opening this restaurant, my dream actually.” He gestured around the shop, eyes gleaming with unspoken dreams. “Grandpa left it to me, and after years of sweat and hard work becoming a master udon chef, I’m finally ready to start.”
The idea of participating in so ordinary a venture sparked an unfamiliar excitement in Qyrana’s heart, a flicker of hope for the normal life she yearned for.
“I’ll help,” she said, a smile breaking through her usual stoic facade. “I want to learn.”
Senzo chuckled, the tension ebbing away, leaving room for something like camaraderie. “Great! Then it’s settled. You can start by not scaring me half to death.”
They shared a brief, awkward laugh—one full of promise, signaling the start of an unexpected partnership.
Over the ensuing months, their partnership flourished amid sawdust, laughter, and the aroma of fresh paint. Senzo and Qyrana transformed the shop from a hollow shell into an inviting noodle haven, and in equal measure, the room above became a sanctuary, adorned with comforts for its clandestine resident. As they toiled together, the bindings of an unbreakable bond took shape, weaving them close while maintaining the silent secret of Qyrana’s true essence. She was to Senzo a stray renegade seeking solace, not a creature of ancient myth.
On the grand day the doors were to open, a sparkling assortment of cooking paraphernalia lined the kitchen shelves, reflecting Senzo’s culinary dreams. Qyrana, who had grown accustomed to the human world’s rhythms, discovered with her first sneeze amid the homemade shichimi togarashi condiment, ground ginger and green onion smells that her demonic nature was vulnerable, bowing to the whims of her sneezes. With this first sneeze, as she hand-blended the shichimi togarashi for the tables, she lost control of her disguise and for a brief second her true self was revealed. Quickly she regained control and assumed her teenage human disguise. Senzo was unaware of this transformation as he was busy with preparations in the back room. For months now she’d had managed to control her powers, and not once did Senzo fall under her succubus ways. But with a sneeze she lost control? That was concerning but she had little time to figure it out. Finishing her tasks, she tucked this alarming observation away as they greeted the first influx of patrons.
As customers savored the heat of the dishes, the sneezes happened. Amusing yet chaotic vignettes began to unfold, strangers locked their eyes and conversed as if old lovers, individuals sung sonnets of praise for their udon as if lovestruck. Qyrana watched, her heart pounding with a blend of awe and dread, the magic of her inadvertent sneezes weaving amorous spells upon the room. This could not continue.
In the quiet of the evening, after the laughter subsided and the clink of dishes fell silent, Qyrana sat alone, whispering to her reflection in the glass of her windowpane. “What now, Qyrana? You’ve found a fragment of the world to call home, and you’re unraveling it stitch by stitch. No matter how I yearn for normalcy, I dwell amongst them as a foreigner clad in borrowed skin.” Her eyes, glassy with unshed tears, betrayed the burden of her next thought. “Is it once again time to flee? To dissolve into the shadows and abandon the warmth I’ve come to cherish?”
Then the worst happened… after close… as they were alone cleaning up, Qyrana’s guard wavered, and a sneeze wracked her body. In a shimmer of distorted air, her disguise faltered, revealing her true demonic form. The scales, horns, wings, and tail – the whole otherworldly ensemble – materialized in the humble confines of the restaurant. Senzo’s eyes widened, an unmistakable surge of fear flashing across his face, morphing swiftly into repulsion.
The sight of her unveiled self, reflected in Senzo’s terrified gaze, cut through Qyrana like a scythe. Her heart, so swollen with hope and warmth, felt as though it had imploded. This, her mind whispered raggedly, was the irrefutable truth of her existence, seen through the unclouded lens of a human eye. His fear lacerated her spirit more deeply than any blade; his revulsion was a mirror to the self-hatred festering in her core. Qyrana stood frozen, a demon amongst humanity, ensnared in a moment of soul-crushing revelation.
Part 3: Shame Turns Violent
In an instinctive flutter of panic, Senzo scrambled towards the exit. He fumbled with the lock, hands shaking, heart thundering in his ears. The bell above the door chimed a discordant farewell as he darted out, leaving behind the resonant echo of the door slamming shut. Qyrana, engulfed in the silence of abandonment, wrapped her wings around herself—a cold, leathery embrace that could not shield her from the brewing storm of consequences. Meanwhile, Senzo’s thoughts were unyielding in their pursuit of salvation—at the local shrine, perhaps a prayer or a charm from the maiden would cleanse this nightmare. This desire wasn’t rooted in understanding, it was the blind urge to ‘fix’ what he couldn’t fathom.
Mitsuru descended the stairs, his feline grace untouched by the heavy air of the room. “I must say, this place truly has become quite welcoming, despite the lingering scent of fear,” he mumbled, licking a paw with feigned indifference.
Upon noticing Qyrana’s demon form, his ears flattened. “Oh, my,” he sighed. “This is why I caution against borrowing the shape of man, Qyrana. They see only what they can bear to see.”
Qyrana’s eyes, glinting like fractured shards of night, met his. “Senzo?” she hissed, half in question, half in dread.
Mitsuru’s whiskers twitched. “He’s racing to the local shrine. Humans and their talismans, hoping to scrub away memories that stain. Fools.” His tail flicked with annoyance. “But a fool’s errand can be a dangerous one for you.”
The Yokai locked gazes with her. “What do you mean?” Qyrana growled, a low rumble that seemed to emanate from the depths of the earth.
“You might find yourself exorcised from this world if you’re not careful. Their fear makes them rabid,” Mitsuru cautioned, eyes gleaming with dark wisdom. “Watch it, Qyrana. This human game wears thin.”
The monster cat sauntered back up the stairs.
Part 4: Unexpected Compassion
Senzo, nearly out of breath, had entered the torii gates of the local banchi’s (street block) shrine. He hastily explained that a demon was in his noodle shop, and he needed a talisman. He pulled out a 5 yen-coin and placed it on the counter where the young Shrine Maiden was standing behind. In turn, she placed the blessed talisman on the counter, and Senzo snatched it up and ran off back towards his shop.
“Megu, what happened?” the senior shrine maiden, Koto asked.
“The young man said his noodle shop had a demon, and he wanted a talisman. So, I gave him one.”
“Damn it! This is not good.” Koto held her right arm straight out as a gohei (a wooden wand with two zigzagging paper streamers, called shide, attached to it) flew into her hand and then she tucked it into the sash of her red hakama. “Tell the Kannushi, I will be back.” And with that Koto began to run towards the noodle shop.
Senzo burst through the door, his hand wrapped tightly around the cloth of a freshly blessed talisman. Its edges flickered with a holy light, barely perceptible yet potent with ancient rites. His eyes, wide and unseeing with panic, settled on Qyrana’s quivering form crumpled on the restaurant floor. To him, she was an abomination—a coil of nightmares in the half-light.
His chest heaved, each breath a ragged edge of fear and determination. Without a word, driven by the instinct to survive the horrors of the unknown, Senzo lunged. The talisman, clutched like a shield, pressed against Qyrana’s exposed, ashen skin.
She did not flinch from the impact but from the searing pain that came afterward—a holy fire that penetrated deeper than flesh, branding her with agony. The smell of singed regret filled the air. Her cry was not one of a fearsome demon, but of a wounded creature caught in the confusion of man’s world. The talisman left behind a mark, glowing with a divine malevolence, an injury far more severe than any physical wound—it was the scar of misunderstanding, and it seared her as much on the inside as it did on her flesh.
Koto entered the tense scene, her serene gaze sweeping from Qyrana’s crumpled figure to the shaking hands of Senzo. She moved with purpose but without the panic that had spurred Senzo into reckless action. Clad in her white hakui and vibrant red hakama, she exuded an aura of calm authority.
“Senzo, what hastiness has led you to this?” Koto’s voice was clear but sharp, chiding the fearful man before her. “The sacred arts are not tools for unchecked aggression.”
Senzo’s face flushed with a mix of shame and stubborn defiance as he stepped back, the talisman’s light dimming. “She’s a succubus, Koto! A demon in our midst!”
Koto turned her attention to Qyrana, observing the glow of the talisman’s imprint on her skin. The demoness held utterly still; the tension in her form spoke of more than physical pain. “And yet you blinded yourself with fear rather than seeking understanding. Look at her, Senzo. You were once partners, trusting one another. Now, see what fear has wrought.”
Senzo averted his gaze, the muscles in his jaw twitching. The talisman felt heavy in his hand. “I…it was wrong of me. But how can, I be sure? Her demonic form…”
Qyrana’s eyes, meeting Koto’s, were liquid pools reflecting not anger, but a vast abyss of disappointment far deeper than any burn. “He was not the first, priestess,” her voice was low, raspy from the pain, “And likely will not be the last.”
Taking a deep breath, Senzo looked at Qyrana, truly seeing her for the first time since the shock of her true form. Her skin was still marked with the angry glow of the talisman, a testament to his fear-driven violence. Shame washed over him anew, not merely for his actions, but for the echoes of prejudice it represented.
Koto turned to them both, her serenity a stark contrast to the emotional storm in the room. “By acting in haste, you have harmed one who bears the wounds of countless rejections,” Koto continued, her voice both gentle and firm. “We must heal the injuries of body and spirit, not create them.”
She moved towards Qyrana, a vial shimmering with a healing light in her hands. Qyrana flinched, not in fear of the priestess, but in anticipation of the pain to come. The last time a human offered aid, it had been with this same false kindness, a prelude to suffering masked as righteousness. Koto seemed to sense this, her movements slowing.
“There may be discomfort, but I vow it will be to restore, not punish further.” Her voice was a soothing whisper. “If you will allow me…”
She knelt beside Qyrana, her actions speaking of an understanding that went beyond the fear that had driven Senzo to act so rashly. Gently, she applied the healing potion to Qyrana’s wounds, her touch imbued with a sense of compassion and forgiveness.
As the last trace of injury faded from Qyrana’s skin, she lowered her head in gratitude towards Koto.
Senzo’s shoulders slumped as he watched the priestess’s ministrations, his gaze lingering on Qyrana’s face—no longer twisted in pain. He felt a tightening in his chest, a cruel mixture of guilt and revelation. He had been so certain, so utterly convinced of the righteousness of his actions, but now he saw the truth in Koto’s admonishments. His certainty was nothing more than fear cloaked in the garb of virtue.
“Qyrana,” Senzo’s voice barely rose above a whisper, the tremor in it betraying his inner turmoil. “In my ignorance, I have wronged you.” He couldn’t bring himself to meet her eyes, those pools of sadness and forgiveness. “I… I sought to protect my world from what I did not understand, from shadows born of old tales and darker prejudices.”
He squared his shoulders, taking a deep breath as he finally lifted his gaze, earnest and heavy with penitence. “I see now the cost of such blindness. You sought solace, and I offered you suffering. Can you find it in your heart, in the vast expanse of your experiences, to forgive one who acted out of misguided zeal?”
Qyrana raised her head slowly, a ghost of a smile creasing her lips—not of joy, but of resignation. “Senzo, your words reach me, but they journey through the echoes of my own misgivings,” she murmured, her voice a broken melody. Around her, the painted forest scene whispered, the painted leaves rustling with a sorrow that mirrored her own. “This scar—” she gestured faintly to where her wound had sealed, “—is but a surface healed. Beneath, the deeper cut endures, the jagged edge of betrayal by those who once pledged camaraderie lingers.” Her eyes, reflecting the drawn canopy above, were dappled with the shadows of lost faith. “It is not about forgiveness, Senzo,” she paused, a sigh escaping her, “it is about whether one can learn to trust in a world that looks upon you with fear for simply being.” Her gaze drifted away, lost to the unseen scars that festooned her spirit, the enduring pain of countless rejections hardening like resin in her soul.
Among them, unnoticed until she spoke, was Koto, the maiden whose dawn-blessed hands worked miracles in silence. She interjected softly, stirring the air with a gentle truth, “The world is an abode of interwoven fates, peculiar gifts, and the unfathomable strength of connection.” Her gaze turned toward Qyrana, who seemed a figure pulled from lore; tragic and misunderstood. “While many fear the extraordinary,” Koto continued, folding her hands before her, “I find wonder in its potential. This shop’s unique loving nature has not gone unnoticed by the Shrine and appears to be owed to mere sneezing. Qyrana, your sneezes are not a curse, but a rare ability waiting to be embraced.”
“We could intertwine your unique power with the essence of our village, shaping a new form of hospitality. Each sneeze holds a blend of spices from other realms, able to evoke profound emotions and unearth hidden desires.” Koto’s vision was clear and brave. “Imagine, a place where people come not just to dine, but to be transformed by the essence of their own spirits — a noodle shop unlike any other, healing souls through magical gusts of flavor.” With a hopeful tilt of her head, Koto offered an alliance to mend broken bonds, and to weave Qyrana’s otherworldly sneezes into the tapestry of newfound trust.
Part 5: A Demon’s Purpose
Koto observed Qyrana’s furrowed brow and knew the words she spoke wrestled with lifetimes of doubt within the demon’s heart. “It is not a small thing I ask of you,” Koto admitted, her voice a melodic truth that danced with empathy. “To step from the shadows and join the world again requires the courage to face past hurt and the strength to open oneself to new risks. You, Qyrana, must challenge the inner turmoil, the self-loathing that whispers falsely of worthlessness and fear the rejection that may never come.” She walked closer, extending her hand as a bridge over the chasms of Qyrana’s insecurities. “In accepting to serve in the noodle shop, embracing this unique gift, you affirm a new purpose. Here, your presence and sneezes would create an experience that touches people’s cores, giving them a taste of transcendence, mending not only your bonds with humanity but also the fragments within yourself.”
Qyrana’s gaze lifted, the shadow of consideration flickering across her features. “We will not be alone in this endeavor,” Koto continued, her conviction unyielding. “Senzo, too, walks a path of atonement. His hands, once raised in violence, now seek to craft a future of peace. He cannot undo the battles of his past, but in this venture, in the very heart of his noodle shop, he can lay the groundwork for a sanctuary built upon forgiveness and growth.” Koto’s eyes held a reflective light, mirroring the promise of redemption. “Together, with your extraordinary gifts, you both shall help heal the patrons who come seeking solace in your soups. Senzo’s intimate knowledge of the shop’s rhythms, paired with the alchemy of your sneezes, Qyrana, will forge a refuge where lost souls may find purpose, and perhaps, you too can discover redemption.”
Under Koto’s benevolent guidance and blessings, the noodle shop flourished, with Qyrana’s sneeze-induced enchantments gently steered by a given en-musubi oamori (a Japanese love charm), ensuring her true form remained concealed while allowing Qyrana to precisely shape the patrons’ experiences, all under the subtle vigilance of the Shrine’s ethereal patrons.
Word spread of a curious eatery where lonely hearts found companionship, and the lovelorn found solace in the steam of savory broth. Qyrana’s sneezes, unpredictable and whimsical, infused the dishes with an enigmatic quality that seemed to latch onto the essence of the shop’s visitors. The shop became a mosaic of stories and connections, where every bowl served was a thread in the intricate tapestry of communal rejuvenation.
As the seasons turned, the bond between Senzo and Qyrana deepened, their camaraderie rooted in the shared soil of redemption and renewal. In the quiet hours after the last customer had departed, Qyrana allowed herself the vulnerability of her true form, tendrils of her ethereal essence dancing through the dimly lit kitchen while Senzo counted the day’s earnings. Rather than take offense, he found a peculiar comfort in her otherworldly beauty, a silent acceptance that serenaded their nightly rituals like a lullaby. It became their unspoken truth that Qyrana, though never truly human, discovered her place among the copper pots and fragrant steam of the noodle shop. Koto, her guidance as gentle as the cherry blossoms in the soft spring breeze, imparted wisdom that settled deep within Qyrana’s spirit. There was no need to suppress her nature; rather, there was profound strength in weaving her unique gifts into the fabric of the world around her, infusing it with a brand of enchantment that only she could provide. In this unlikely refuge, amidst flour-dusted counters and simmering pots, Qyrana found her belonging. She was the soul of a haven that thrived on the strange alchemy of bringing goodness—one bowl, one sneeze, one healed heart—at a time.
As the last patron left and the moon, hung heavy in the night’s sky, bathed the noodle shop in a silver glow, Qyrana prepared to retire upstairs. The day’s laughter and heartfelt stories lingered in the air, mingling with the scent of herbs and spices. Just as she nestled into her cocoon of blankets, a familiar silhouette emerged at the window.
“Ah, Qyrana, still playing the charming hostess to these flawed creatures?” Mitsuru’s voice was as smooth and disdainful as ever.
Qyrana sighed, her eyes reflecting the moonlight. “They are not what you painted them to be, Mitsuru. They’re complex, with vast depths of kindness and pain alike.”
“Humans? Kind? Their affection is as fickle as their attention span,” Mitsuru mewed, licking his paw with deliberate nonchalance.
“But you’re wrong,” she insisted. “I’ve seen it—their capacity to change, to heal. I was a fearsome monster in their eyes, yet in this shop, I am… I am home.”
A scoff escaped Mitsuru’s throat as he rose, his tail flicking in irritation. “You place too much faith in them, Qyrana. Still, the shop looks nice. Even so, a cat knows when to disappear into the night.”
And with that, Mitsuru leaped onto the windowsill, casting a last, piercing glance at Qyrana before vanishing.
The demon watched the cat’s departure, a gentle understanding smile curling her lips. She needn’t convince Mitsuru tonight; the noodle shop’s spirit of acceptance and compassion spoke louder than any argument she could offer.
Epilogue
At the koi pond of the shrine, the shimenawa (lengths of hemp rope used to mark sacred spaces, and ward off evil spirits) rustles slightly, a hint of a disturbance. Koto stands at the water’s edge, her calm presence a contrast to the koi scattering in agitation.
“Well, well, Mitsuru. It seems even the sacred boundaries can’t quite contain your spirit. Whatever brings you to tease our tranquil guardians today?”
Mitsuru emerging from the reeds, fur bristling slightly. “Tranquil? Hardly. They exist in a state of perpetual hunger, mirroring those they represent.” He flicks his tail at the koi. “Their bright scales are a mockery against the drab nature of humanity. And it would seem you knew of the succubus presence for some time, and yet did nothing.”
“The brightness of the koi is a symbol of perseverance, just as the darkness of the pond reminds us of the depth from which we all arise. To judge them so harshly… you do humanity a disservice, Mitsuru. The same for kami known as demons.”
Mitsuru huffs. “Humanity is its own disservice. Their greed, their petty wars… they are a blight upon this world, a source of impurity that only grows stronger. Demons are made to be cruel, vicious, and unredeemable.”
“All things grow, Mitsuru. Even a lotus blooms in the muddiest of waters. There is potential for change, for purification in all beings. Kami of ill intent can find their path to righteousness, why not humans?”
“Kami, even those warped by negativity, have a place within the natural order. Humans disrupt it. They are not meant to wield power, to play at being gods. My existence is proof of that, a necessary corrective force. In as much as that succubus at the noodle shop is to tempt the hearts of men.”
Koto sighs. “It is true your kind was born from concentrated despair. But is all humanity forever tainted by its source?” She kneels, extending her hand towards the water. “The koi do not judge you for your nature, Mitsuru. They see hunger and respond with fear, that is all. Qyrana is still keeping to her nature but now in a purer manner.”
“And I see what I am meant to see. Flawed creatures ripe for consumption.” He hisses, ears flattening. “Do not think your kind words or offerings will keep you safe, priestess. I know the impurity festering beneath the surface, even here.”
Koto stands erect, a defiant and unmoved look upon her face. “Then perhaps your task is not to punish, but to reveal the cracks where the light gets in. We are all interconnected, yokai and human alike. To deny anyone the chance for change… that is the path to a world in perpetual darkness.”
Mitsuru darts away into the brush, his parting snarl echoing against the shrine stones. Koto watches until the shimenawa stills, and she offers a silent prayer for understanding, however unlikely as it may seem.
This story in part written with AI.
#story
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