Wind and rain and thunder rocked the capital. Okibi Estate and the larger homes of factory owners were largely unaffected by the storm, but in the lower city, every rain shutter shook violently and metal shingles slid off many roofs. The houses of the poor suffered more and more damage as the storm continued its assault on the city.
Because the storm was so severe, Kanata couldn’t possibly be kept outside. He stayed inside within a set limit close to the entrance, sitting obediently with his ears alert. For the first little while, Hinako stayed with Kanata constantly, her bare knees on the stone floor as she reached both hands into his fur and hugged. If she didn’t cover her bare legs, she’d probably become feverish again.
Koushi was about to suggest putting more layers on to Hinako when Kira appeared, bearing a thick shawl. She draped the shawl over Hinako’s back like a blanket.
Yuoshichi had been reluctant to accept the dog. “Are you certain this was your father’s dog?” was the first question he’d asked when Koushi had brought him home. He’d folded his arms and frowned, clearly disapproving of the beast.
Kanata’s fur was matted and dirty from long travel. He was so thin that his ribs were faintly visible. Compared to Yuoshichi’s towering bulk, Kanata seemed as small as a wild fox. But Kanata’s eyes were the steady and determined eyes of a hunter. He’d never stopped being a hunting dog.
“I’m sure,” Koushi had said to Yuoshichi. “I was out today to grab some more books from the library. That’s when he found me. He must have come through the tunnel.” He said all this a bit too fast in his effort to conceal Touko’s involvement in anything. The presence of Hibana, Yuoshichi’s wife, also made him a bit uncomfortable. For his own reasons, Yuoshichi hadn’t said a word to his family about the plan to use lightning fuel to counter the Spiders. That meant Koushi had to be careful and not let anything slip.
“The dog came through the tunnel leading into the Black Forest? Alone?” Yuoshichi asked sharply.
Koushi nodded.
Yuoshichi snorted at Koushi’s explanation. He sensed the lie, but didn’t know the truth.
Koushi just nodded his head stupidly over and over, trying to misdirect Yuoshichi so that he wouldn’t go searching for other explanations for Kanata’s presence here.
Hinako’s back trembled as she pet the dog. Yuoshichi cast her a look that was more than half-annoyed.
Hibana wore a long, loose-fitting robe with a crimson quilt over it. She covered her nose and mouth with both hands, repulsed by the sight and smell of the dog. “Can’t you take that dog to the Fire Hunter, what’s his name—Roroku? He’s been visiting a lot lately. Doesn’t he have a hunting dog? Or maybe you could take him to a breeding facility. I’m sorry; I know you and Hinako care about that mangy beast, but it absolutely cannot stay here. I can’t stand animals.”
“Mother, we can’t possibly kick the dog out,” Kira said in a soothing tone.
Hibana frowned at her.
Yuoshichi sighed. “Kira is right. He’s a precious pet dog to Koushi and Hinako. We’ll keep him for now; we can easily support a dog or two.”
Hibana pursed her lips and her eyes narrowed. “This will be the third stray you’ve picked up from the same family. Try not to make it a habit, husband.”
A chill went down Koushi’s spine.
“Shut up, woman,” Yuoshichi said in a voice that echoed in the entrance hall.
Hinako and Kira flinched in shock. Hibana’s eyebrows drew together. She turned her face away arrogantly, threw off her red quilt, and then headed back to her room.
Yuoshichi glared after her as she left, then twirled his mustache and cleared his throat. He clapped his hands to call the servants. Four servants immediately rushed over, and without a word, two of them climbed the stairs and headed for Hibana’s room.
“You may use the bathroom, wash the dog, and then feed him. Now, where should he sleep?” Yuoshichi asked.
“Um,” Hinako interrupted softly. Both of her hands were deep in Kanata’s fur. “If it’s not too much trouble, he can sleep in my room. He’s very well-behaved and never causes any trouble.”
Kanata’s eyes fixed on Yuoshichi as if the dog were sizing the man up.
Koushi’s eyes widened in surprise. Hinako had never addressed Yuoshichi directly before, as far as he knew. It took her a long time to trust anyone enough to speak to them. Since they’d started living at the estate, they’d had many opportunities to share meals together, but even then, Hinako had always shied away from Yuoshichi.
Kanata, tired of sitting in the same position, cleared his throat, turned his head and scratched at his ear.
Yuoshichi’s mouth tightened, but then he nodded at Hinako. “Very well. Perhaps having the dog near you will help improve your health, child.”
Koushi was surprised that Yuoshichi had acquiesced to Hinako’s request so readily.
“Thank you,” Hinako said in a small voice. It was impossible to tell whether she was looking down out of embarrassment or bowing her head to show her gratitude.
Kira helped the servants take Kanata to the bathroom. Kanata’s health had deteriorated during his time with Touko. He’d followed along with her to show that she was his master, however provisionally, but his body was pitifully weak and thin compared to when he’d left. Kanata followed Kira without resistance or worry, even though this was a place that Kanata was exploring for the very first time.
Koushi couldn’t even imagine what Kanata had been through. He must miss their father terribly. Kanata had always acted as an extension of his father’s arm: his dedicated weapon and tool. Hinako and Koushi had lost a father, but Kanata had lost a part of himself. Though Kanata kept his head up, he walked a bit slower than usual. Perhaps he was tired.
Kanata had a thorough bath, then went to Hinako’s room. Kanata took a deep breath and looked down at Hinako’s bed. A meal for the dog was laid out beside the bed, which Kanata ate.
Hinako’s face had the same faint wrinkles between her eyebrows that their mother had shown on the day of her funeral. She rested her head on Kanata’s stomach as if it were a pillow and sighed, listening to the dog’s heartbeat. Kanata sprawled on the high-quality carpet after finishing his food.
Kira had gone back to her own room after taking care of Kanata. Though she loved dogs, she didn’t show any excitement about Kanata in front of her father.
Koushi sat on Hinako’s bed gingerly, so that he wouldn’t damage his stitches. The wound in his side still hurt and felt warm to the touch. He knew what he had to say to his sister, but this was going to be hard.
Hinako’s expression was serious. On some level, she already knew what he was going to tell her.
“Hinako… I’m sorry. Dad died in the forest. Kanata made it back here to us, but it took a long time. He came with some people to the capital.” He chose not to reveal that Kanata had traveled with Touko and her companions by name, since Yuoshichi didn’t know this and he didn’t want to risk being overheard.
Saying this aloud sapped Koushi’s remaining strength. He wished he could cry, but he was so exhausted. Hinako would probably cry. He hoped she would. She’d feel better after.
Hinako’s hair fell over her cheeks, making her expression difficult to read. She was curled around herself like a baby in a crib. Her limbs were thin and small like a doll’s. She said nothing to Koushi, but her eyes narrowed. She stared at Kanata for awhile.
Koushi couldn’t tell what Hinako was thinking. She didn’t cry. She barely reacted. But he could feel her sadness, like his own, settling over the room like a pall.
Perhaps she was feeling sleepy after all the activity today and her full stomach from dinner. Thinking she had fallen asleep, Koushi called out to her after a while. “Hinako?”
“Yes?” she asked, nodding slightly.
Kanata licked Hinako’s outstretched hand with affection.
“Kanata…. I’m glad you came back,” Hinako said. “So is Koushi, right?”
Koushi nodded. “Next time, we’ll have to properly thank the people who brought Kanata back to us.”
“I will.” Hinako nodded obediently, then leaned even closer to Kanata.
Koushi stood up from Hinako’s bed. Their father had died to save Touko, but Koushi intended to keep that a secret for now. He would talk to Hinako properly after her health was better. He didn’t think that Hinako would hate or resent Touko; she had a good heart. Koushi just didn’t want to upset her any more than he had to. “When you go to sleep, make sure you use your bed.”
“Okay.” Hinako patted Kanata’s head, then nodded. Kanata’s fur was soft and silky from his bath. Her dark eyes fixed on Koushi’s for a moment. Then she looked away.
Koushi left Hinako’s room. It was already pitch black outside, with only a dim, faint light shining from the ceiling of the hallway. Koushi heard the sound of the wind and rain pounding against the closed windows. The pain of Koushi’s injuries was catching up to him, settling in the bottom of his stomach like a lining of toxic sludge. He crossed the hallway and went downstairs, heading toward the meeting room that he’d met Roroku in. Roroku should be visiting the estate tonight to report to Yuoshichi.
A servant stood at the door leading into the meeting room. He stood ramrod straight his eyes were jumpy. He looked ready to respond to commands at any time. When he saw Koushi, he bowed his head. Koushi returned his deep silent bow, wincing slightly, and then lightly knocked on the meeting room door with his fist clenched. Yuoshichi called for him to enter from the inside.
The lights in the corridor and entrance were dim, but the meeting room was, as usual, lavishly lit. As soon as he entered the room and looked up, Koushi’s eyes widened. Roroku wasn’t the only Fire Hunter present. Akira sat cross-legged in a chair across from Roroku, sipping rice wine out of a bowl. Her curly red hair spilled over her shoulders. There was no tea on the table, only more rice wine.
Roroku gave Koushi a wry smile. “Hey, kid. I was just talking to the head of the family, but I’ll keep my report short today. As for her,” he said, gesturing to Akira, “my dog caught her dog’s scent in the rain. I talked to her a bit and decided that she’s got news that your foster father should hear.”
“Then present this news,” Yuoshichi said in a clipped tone.
Akira’s bowl of rice wine was nearly full. Her dog wriggled around under the folds of her vest and poked her head out.
Koushi hesitated, but finally nodded and sat down in an empty seat. Yuoshichi seemed annoyed that he was here and drank down all of the rice wine in his bowl in a single gulp.
“The installation of the bottles of lightning fuel in the industrial area is finished. All that remains is to bury more bottles in the designated locations around the Guardian Gods’ shrine,” Roroku said, taking a sip of wine. He crossed his arms and leaned nonchalantly against the back of his chair.
Even though Akira was present and had no way of knowing about the plan beforehand, Roroku revealed all this information in a firm and confident voice. Yuoshichi didn’t seem to be upset about this.
“You work really fast,” Yuoshichi said, twirling one side of his mustache. He was frowning and there was a glint of suspicion in his eyes, but he was also as calm as Koushi had ever seen him.
Koushi was just as impressed with Roroku’s speed as Yuoshichi was. He’d expected burying the bottles of lightning fuel to take much longer.
“If we don’t hurry, the Guardian Gods’ spies in the city will notice what we’re doing,” Roroku said.
“Um, is it alright for this boy to be present?” Akira asked, tilting her head slightly. She didn’t reveal that she’d met Koushi before.
In response to the question, Yuoshichi nodded pompously. “Yes, yes. Continue your report. He has permission to be here.”
Akira’s eyes went round and curious, but she nodded.
“But the boy is injured,” Akira said. “My dog can smell it. Boy, are you okay?”
Yuoshichi scowled. “He’s fine. Continue.”
Akira shrugged. Her expression took on a sharp focus as she said, “Very well. I’ll get straight to the point. The Spiders in the forest have begun to move.”
Yuoshichi frowned deeply.
“Let me introduce myself to our newcomer a bit,” Akira said, nodding to Koushi. “Up until recently, I was a wandering Fire Hunter who made my living outside of the city. When I was working in the forest to the west, I saw two black carts that had been attacked and destroyed by a dragon. Both vehicles were a total loss; no survivors and no salvage. The dragon must have been acting as a barrier warden in some village. It was a special beast that the Guardian Gods granted some measure of their power to. It left its assigned place and attacked the black carts. Based on what I observed, I suspect that the Spiders drove the dragon mad by causing thousands of venomous insect bites. Some Spiders can control insects like that. It’s not a pretty sight.”
“If you observed all this, why didn’t you do something about it?” Yuoshichi asked.
“By the time I found the carts, the dragon was already dead.”
Koushi realized that he was hearing a part of Touko’s story. The black carts that were supposed to have carried her and Kanata to the capital had been attacked, and they’d been forced to travel to the capital via a variety of different methods after that.
“I had to let the capital know about this, so I hurried over to the bay and traveled here by boat. The Spiders killed a lot of wandering Fire Hunters in the bay. Are you aware, my lord, that the Spiders are able to use natural fire safely?”
Natural fire. The words made Koushi’s hair stand on end. Yuoshichi twisted his mustache with his fingers.
When Yuoshichi said nothing, Akira kept speaking. “Villages waiting for fire fuel won’t get any this season, not with the two black carts being destroyed. I believe that you have the greatest power among the capital’s wealthy factory owners, so I would ask you to send the reserve black carts out immediately.”
“Isn’t that something you should have asked of the Guardian Gods?” Yuoshichi’s eyes were full of doubt.
“I came here because what the Guardian Gods proposed to do was not enough,” Akira said. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. “The Guardian Gods should have noticed when something strange happened with the dragon. It doesn’t seem like they’ve taken any action. I thought that perhaps another black cart might have already departed for the forest when I arrived in the capital, but that hasn’t happened. I don’t trust the Guardian Gods. I trust people more. If you can’t get the reserve carts sent out, Lord Yuoshichi, then no one can. If you don’t hurry, the lives of many people living in the villages will be at great risk.”
Yuoshichi let out a long breath from his nose. It was warm in the room and he had surely drunk some rice wine, but his breath felt like a cold wind. Then, from behind him, Mizore barked, sharp and clear. It sounded like a threat to Kanata, or at least an expression of dissatisfaction at being made to wait in the rain outside.
“Are you sure the black carts won’t return?”
Akira placed a small piece of silver metal with a chain on the table. It was covered in what appeared to be dirt and blood, and had a carved surface.
“Is that a crew member’s license tag?” Yuoshichi asked.
“Yes. The dragon destroyed everything, and there were no survivors. I found this on one of the bodies. The engraving is starting to wear off. I’ve heard that factory owners have the power to co-opt one of the black carts for their use. You shouldn’t lose any money by doing this,” Akira said.
Yuoshichi appeared speculative. “You’re right. Villagers outside the city have a simple faith in the gods, because of the barriers and because the black carts come with supplies. If the black carts don’t come, people will suffer.”
“It took me about two days to get from the bay to the capital by boat. It took me about ten days to walk through the forest. Sometime in the next ten days, the Spiders will be on the move, and it will be too late. We need to get every black cart we have available on the road and to the villages before then.”
Akira’s expression softened as she continued speaking. “There are some incredible people in the capital. One of the Guardian Gods oversees the tiny spies and guards that patrol all over the place. I was thinking we might petition that Guardian God, in particular, for help.”
Roroku, leaning politely on his elbow, cast a sidelong glance at Akira.
Yuoshichi took his time savoring his wine, then lowered the delicate cup to the table. “What a misunderstanding. No factory manager could ever win over the Guardian Gods. Even as a hypothetical, it’s laughable. My personal movements have garnered suspicion of late. I never expected to end up in this situation, but now I’m under the direct supervision of the Guardian Gods’ spies. I need to be extra-careful to avoid catching their attention even more. Everyone in this room should be careful.” He smiled, but it was an unsettling smile.
Koushi’s temples twitched from anxiety.
Mizore, who had been waiting in the garden, let out a particularly loud cry of protest. Yuoshichi clicked his tongue. Hibana disliked animals and would likely complain about the noise.
Roroku, who had been listening to the exchange without much interest, took his chin out of his hands and said, “Well, I’ll be off now. Please write down the location of the equipment on the floor plan. I’ll check it again later.”
Roroku placed a folded copy of the floor plan on the table. It looked like it had been used a lot; it was wrinkled and the edges were curling up.
“Very well. Here’s your reward,” Yuoshichi said. He dumped a large bag of money on the table and slid it over to where Roroku was sitting.
Koushi’s jaw dropped. He’d never seen this amount of money in person. It was worth at least ten missions’ worth of pay for any Fire Hunter.
Roroku picked up his reward, nodded slightly to Yuoshichi, Akira and Koushi, and then left the room. Mizore was making miserable sounds out in the garden.
After Roroku was gone, Yuoshichi leaned back in his chair and folded his hands on his prodigious stomach. He turned his full attention on Akira. “I’ll accept any help you’re willing to offer. You might consider yourself nothing but a lowly wandering Fire Hunter, but your ability to move freely now is invaluable. Would you be willing to look into the situation with the Spiders in greater detail?”
“If I do, will you make sure to send out as many black carts as you can to the villages?” Akira asked. She sounded desperate.
“Yes. I’ll make arrangements by tomorrow. I can’t gather enough fire fuel immediately, but if I deputize a few of the capital’s Fire Hunters, we can go around the villages and harvest fire fuel along the way.”
Akira smiled. It was a clean, pure, childlike smile with no malice or cynicism in it. “Thank you very much, sir. I’ll look into our Spider problem.” She excused herself, rising from her chair and moving for the door. Her dog peeked out from underneath her vest. It was shockingly small for a Fire Hunter’s dog.
Yuoshichi let out a loud belch, then gulped down a huge amount of wine. Koushi faced him, a bit embarrassed. He and Yuoshichi were alone in the meeting room now.
“Well, now we just have to prepare for the Spiders, Koushi. We also need to decide what to do with your father’s dog. He’s used to being a Fire Hunter’s dog. Do you think he’ll still want to work in that capacity?”
Koushi nodded. For some reason, he remembered Touko.
“In that case, we must arrange for him to be taken to the Fire Hunters’ Lodge or a breeding facility. In the capital, all dogs that are not hunting dogs are subject to elimination.”
Koushi let out his breath slowly. In the capital, many small animals and vermin lived on the streets, including cats, but there were no stray dogs. Dogs that didn’t belong to Fire Hunters were euthanized to prevent the spread of disease. When stray cat populations exceeded a certain limit, the cats were also exterminated. The only dogs allowed in the city were those used by the Fire Hunters or breeding dogs for future Fire Hunters.
Hinako wouldn’t want Kanata to go to a breeding facility, and she wouldn’t want him to be adopted by a Fire Hunter, either. He’d just found his way back to them, after all.
“Don’t misunderstand me,” Yuoshichi said. “This isn’t something we must figure out right away. As long as the dog keeps to himself and doesn’t make a lot of noise, he can stay inside the estate, at least until after the Spiders arrive. There’s going to be a regime change; no one’s going to have any time or attention to spare for dogs.” He grinned, his plump cheeks twisting around the expression. It was as if he couldn’t wait for the day when the capital would turn into a battlefield. His eyes were focused on something far away, as if he were staring at enemies approaching in the distance.
“The day of the invasion is imminent. All kinds of people are coming out of the woodwork and getting involved in our plans. Take that Fire Hunter woman. Most Fire Hunters aren’t women, and her dog is most unusual. I’ve seen records of dogs like that—historically, people have bred dogs for many purposes. I’d eat my hat if her dog was truly bred to hunt.” He shrugged.
Koushi felt a terrible sinking sensation in his gut and shivered. He forced himself to stay focused on Yuoshichi and what he was saying.
“There may be other uncertainties involved. We need to plan as well as we can while we’re preparing for the Spiders to attack.”
“You mean…the Millennium Comet?” Koushi asked. “I read that it was created by the humans of the old world together with the Guardian Gods, and that the Guardian Gods lost control of it. I’ve lived in this capital all my life. I’ve met many people who know the Guardian Gods and have seen the capital’s dark side recently, but I’ve never been so close to uncovering the Guardian Gods’ old secrets before now.”
Yuoshichi’s breath reeked of alcohol. “Don’t worry too much about other people’s secrets yet. Your wound is not yet healed. It looks like it’s going to rain all night. You should return to your rooms soon. By ‘preparing,’ I meant that you should continue your efforts experimenting with lightning fuel.”
Koushi nodded.
“You’re dismissed for the evening.”
Koushi stumbled over his own feet as he left the meeting room. He was able to move around now thanks to the painkillers he was taking, but moving made him feel nauseous. His head pounded and his eyes glazed over from fatigue. He saw a flash of red hair out of the corner of his eye and looked around.
Akira stood at the bottom of the stairs on the first floor of the estate, looking up at him as he descended. Kira stood behind her. They were talking in soft whispers. When Akira noticed him coming, both Akira and Kira turned to face him. Kira carried Akira’s hunting dog, Temari, in both arms.
“You like dogs, don’t you? Temari doesn’t usually like anyone,” Akira said.
“It seems like he’s a very happy dog.” Kira petted the dog, who narrowed her eyes and purred with pleasure. Kira kissed the dog’s wet nose, then blushed as she looked up at Koushi.
“Oh, thank you for letting me hold your precious hunting dog,” Kira said.
Akira smiled at her and took the dog back into her own arms. “I’ll bring her back later. She’s a bit shy, but she loves to be petted. You should probably go to bed, miss.”
Kira bowed, then ran up the stairs in her nightgown without giving Koushi as much as a second glance. Koushi felt like he should ask Akira questions, but he couldn’t organize his thoughts. The various sights he had seen that day, the people he had encountered, all of it overwhelmed him. All he wanted right now was rest.
Akira didn’t seem to want to talk, either.
A strange feeling came over Koushi. He remembered what his father had written: No. I shouldn’t say more. Or I’ll invite the wrath of Morikami. He wondered if his father and other Fire Hunters knew that Fire Fiends were just animals, only changed so that they could contain fire fuel. He wondered if they knew that the Guardian Gods and humans of the past had created Fire Fiends.
Koushi realized that he couldn’t hear the wind and rain from outside anymore. The storm was lessening. He shivered.
Akira left the estate without another word, pulling up her cloak over her red hair as she walked through the entryway door. She carried her small dog under her leather vest.
The entryway seemed so much darker with Akira gone.
Two servants entered the meeting room to tidy up. After seeing them off, Koushi climbed the stairs and entered his room. He pressed his hands tightly against the wound in his gut and lay down on his bed without bothering to remove his shoes.
There was a window in his room, so he could hear the storm again. He closed his eyes and saw visions of tree roots slowly creeping through his skull. He had a terrible throbbing headache that wouldn’t ease. He couldn’t accept that the world was the way it is because of the Guardian Gods’ design. The Fire Fiends were creations of the Guardian Gods. The Tree People in the well of the old tree knew all about it. They knew that Tokohanahime had sacrificed herself to create the first sickle that could cut down Fire Fiends and harvest fire fuel.
The fire that modern humans used was tainted by suffering and deception. Koushi opened his eyes. He had to believe that his father had known all of this. His father must have known what Fire Fiends were and why they were made.
Everything was quiet all around, except for the sound of the rain. Koushi’s thoughts made him restless, but he tried to impose calm on himself.
“So, how are you planning to get rid of the Spiders? Will you lure them all to the same place?”
Koushi just about jumped out of his skin. The Guardian God that he’d seen earlier in the day was perched on his windowsill, looking perfectly at ease.
Koushi sat bolt upright in his bed and scrambled away from his window. The window should have been locked from the inside. He hadn’t even heard the window open.
Long hair flowed down the Guardian God’s shoulders. They wore no hat and carried no umbrella, but the rain didn’t seem to touch them. The sounds of the storm faded away again.
Koushi’s heart beat faster from fear.
“Don’t be so scared. I’m not here to eat you, y’know.”
Up close, the Guardian God resembled a young girl more than a young boy. Her voice, too, was light and high. Koushi was close enough to see the Guardian God’s expression clearly even though no lights were on in the room. Her clothing was made of sun-dried silk that only the most powerful people in the capital wore.
The Guardian God’s eyes sparkled with interest. “But I should introduce myself; I’ve been rude. My name is Hibari. My clan has power over air and wind. I command the spies seeded around the capital, which you have seen.”
Hibari’s voice was smooth and even and not at all intimidating, but Koushi was not put at ease. Hibari and her spies were keeping a close watch on Yuoshichi. They were watching him, too.
The wind rustled Hibari’s hair. Moonlight limned her body as she lingered on the windowsill.
Koushi considered the possibility that Hibari had come here to kill him.
Hibari smiled at Koushi. Her eyes were large and narrow at the corners. Her skin was ghostly pale. When Koushi said nothing, Hibari said, “You and that village girl interest me. You are trying to understand the world. You’re not struggling to save it or destroy it. You’re just trying to understand what it’s like.”
“Um… yes, that’s right.” Koushi’s fear became a hook, digging into his organs. Hibari knew about Touko. Hibari knew about everything. No one was safe.
The corner of Hibari’s mouth twitched upward in a refined smile. “I heard what the Fire Hunter said before. You don’t have ten days before the Spiders arrive; you have nine. Don’t waste them. The Spiders are gathering their allies in the forest. They can command natural fire. They will attack the capital within the next nine days.”
“Why are you telling me that?”
“Because you’re interesting.” Hibari tilted her head and smiled with genuine good cheer. Judging from her height, she looked to be about the same age as Koushi, but it was impossible to guess her true age. Guardian Gods lived for hundreds or thousands of years. Her neck and hands were thinner and whiter than Kira’s. Although she looked like a beautiful human girl, her movements reminded Koushi of a bird in flight.
“The Guardian Gods have no fear of Spiders. If you want to burn down the capital, go ahead. No matter what happens, your life will soon come to an end. The world as it is will come to an end.” Hibari looked away, out at the storm.
Koushi retreated into a dark corner, clutching his side.
Hibari’s eyes shone as if they were absorbing moonlight from above. “I do not think we need to fear the Spiders’ destruction. The Millennium Comet returns, and that will be the end of everything.”
Koushi’s headache had receded without him noticing. He stood in the corner, looking askance at Hibari. “The Millennium Comet? Flickering Flame? You mean that?”
Hibari’s eyes filled with darkness—and enmity. “King of the Fire Hunters—your father could have been that. Perhaps it was fortunate that he was killed in the forest. He hunted the Millennium Comet. He failed. The one who succeeds… well, the Guardian Gods won’t permit them to seize power.”
Thunder shook the ground. Lightning flashed, then faded away, leaving the room in darkness once more. Heavy rain blew in through the open window. Koushi ran over and hurriedly shut the window. As he moved, he noticed that his side didn’t hurt anymore. He removed the bandages from his wound and didn’t even find a scar. His hands trembled slightly.
Another flash of lightning streaked through the darkness, and in its light Koushi spotted something on the floor. He nearly stepped on it and picked it up so that he wouldn’t trip and fall. The object in his hands was a small bird, like the skylark he’d seen Shuyu capture and take down to the Tree People in the well of the old tree.
The skylark was dead. Stuffed. Its eyes gleamed, appearing eerily alive.
The remembered voices of the Tree People came back to Koushi in the darkness. The tired, deep voice of Kunugi. Be welcome. We shall light the welcoming fires for you. The welcoming fires will bring the Flickering Flame home.
The Millennium Comet was coming. So were the Spiders.
Hibari was gone, leaving only the stuffed skylark behind.
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