On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Leaping aside, the hail of blunted shafts and blades of wind, bolts of fire and even some scattered earth bullets, all slammed around where I had been standing mere moments before. Overhead, despite my great speed, the Tengu were closing in on me, as flying, especially when they understood the thermals and wind conditions of the mountain that was their home, was always faster than sprinting.

“Nice try.” I chuckled, zigzagging down the slope, careful to avoid the trees and boulders that thronged it. If I collide with one of those at high speed it’ll really hurt. Though it’s not like I should really speed up and leave everyone behind. That would make for a terrible hunt. More arrows peppered the land around me, but nothing came close to hitting me, until my widened field of vision noticed an oddity…

Damn, that’s… a number of arrows shimmering with jade wind energies were coming, not directly at me, but around me, aiming to cut off my escape routes. As I was bracketed, my acute vision picked up Bell and Teare gazing at me with fond amusement, and also a touch of desire. Even from this distance, it seemed they could tell, even without my eyes, that I was watching them, as Bell blew a kiss, and Teare winked. Further expanding my senses, I could effortlessly pick up their words to Natsumi and Motoko too.

“That’s it.” Bell was saying. “Your Tsumura-Style archery is certainly perfect for this. It definitely descended from a master of elemental and aetheric arts. However, there’s always room for refinement.”

“Many say that the past was greater, that during the glory days of centuries past, heroes were bolder and stronger, women more beautiful, the world full of wonder and mysticism…” Teare agreed, raising her own Elvish bow, a cross between a longbow and a cavalry bow, strung by strands of her own hair. Even as they were speaking, Motoko and Natsumi weren’t idle, continually firing off arrows at me, and I could see faint, hair-thin strands of elemental wind, near-invisible, tied to the fletching, allowing them to puppet the arrows, giving them irregular, impossible motions at will.

It’s not easy to do things like that at any distance, or with more than one or two shafts… I praised them mentally. They’ve come such a long way. With the same level of Skills as me, they perform better. Guess that’s the difference in talent and experience. Well, they have been using the bow since they were in kindergarten, maybe even before. Speaking of, I don’t see my sis with them?

“…but it seems that, while the past was surely a golden age…” Teare finished. Bell had her bow out too, arrows in hand.

“…the present offers many examples of ways to improve. Now… that’s excellent. Our prey…” Bell’s smile was suddenly wicked, and I had a terrible feeling that in the chaos of everything around Pilgrimage I’d forgotten something, which shouldn’t have been easy with my stats. “…has been herded. Another volley!”

Motoko and Natsumi answered with more arrows, and while the Tengu were firing from high angles, here I was cut off from paths of retreat. Though… sorry, I’m no easy target… my Eyes shone, and I could see the minute shifting of Motoko’s and Natsumi’s wind elements, indicating when the arrows were going to change their trajectory. Even as Bell and Teare released their shafts, aether shining, the arrows discharged as swiftly as sniper rounds, I picked my moment, and slipped through the seemingly perfect prison of shafts.

The earth shook as Bell’s arrow struck. As rock shattered and mud fountained, I winced. She knew that wouldn’t do more than bruise, but it would still hurt. Teare’s shaft also missed, but, not ones to be deterred, more empowered arrows were flying in, and the girls had sent all their threaded arrows at me, in a ring of blunted steel.

Up I go. I moved to leap, only for the ground itself to freeze over, throwing me off balance. I still managed the jump, but barely tucked in my arms and legs in time to avoid taking hits. It was then the sky opened, and icy droplets of water, which quickly froze to hailstones, began to rain down in a wintry curtain. My expanded vision saw, high in the sky, Haanōbō, flapping her white wings, staring down at me, her golden-yellow eyes narrowed as water element surged, freezing to the barrage of ice, as well as turning the ground of the mountain to a glassy, smooth surface.

“Et tu, Haanōbō?” I called out, and she tilted her head, confused by my words. I cracked a smile, and pushed through the barrage. It would have been impossible to avoid taking hits as the barrage was too thick, but…

“Sorry, this boar has a very high body temperature. Maybe I’m hot-blooded…” I teased, a little fire element surrounding me, melting the falling icy projectiles into harmless water. Even as I did that though, it billowed to steam, and shadows crashed through the fog, appearing as if by magic.

“Wow, good dodge, bro, but…” my sis cried out, as her Golden Sister Army, no longer golden, but now a vivid, Hihi’irokane metallic crimson, appeared around me, a half-dozen of the elegant figures of my women wielding a mixture of nets, mancatchers and long whipswords.

“Dodge this, bro!” she smiled impishly, her own bow in hand, and she released a trio of flaming arrows which cut through the fog at me. The first Sister tried to catch my arm with the spiked ring on the end of the pole it held, but I threw myself down, only for someone to leap onto its shoulders, then fly off at me.

“Whoa!” I threw myself to the side, slipping on ice, and then blasts of wind and cones of rock pincered me from above and below as Daiyu rang her jade bells, even as her foot aimed for my centre of balance. Whip-like blades spun at me irregularly, crimson slashes through the icy fog, and up above, a giant frozen boulder was forming, and even through her mask I could read Haanōbō’s intentions, it was as if she was daring me to melt this newer attack as well.

“You cannot evade forever.” Daiyu warned, a slight smile on her face as she forced me back with more swings of her bells.

“Don’t need to. Just for an hour…” I grinned back, exhilarated. “…but I’m starting to understand…”

Arrows pierced the fog, some catching Aiko’s advancing Sisters, though they suffered little but scratches, others threading the needle and coming at me accurately. Near misses were common, one arrow brushing past my cheek so close the feathers touched my flesh, but with crystal element fortifying me, I had the reaction speeds to evade. “…how miserable it is to be all our enemies!”

“Nope.” my sis smirked. “You don’t understand anything yet bro. As for an hour… dream on!” I noticed that two of her new Crimson Sister Army… I can’t be sure if that’s their title, but knowing my sis, I bet it is… had hung back, and were carrying massive longbows.

“Sorry, but that won’t…” My words were cut off by a flash of light, the bows not shooting arrows, but beams of focused energy. I was caught a little off-guard, and no matter how fast I was, I couldn’t go faster than light.

“Got you!” my sis crowed, holding up her hands in the double peace sign for victory, which made me wince.

“Do you?” I used Void Motion, appearing beside her, and rapped her on the head, just as the icy boulder from Haanōbō crashed down, obliterating where I’d just stood. “Don’t ever use both hands to do that again, it creeps me out.”

“Hey, no fair, I hit you for sure… huh?”

I chuckled, rapping her head again, even as I dodged more arrows from the archer crew, who were descending the mountainside slowly, still barraging me.

“Nope. Come on, sis, do you think your bro’s an idiot?”

“Sometimes, yeah.” she teased, winking. Her Sisters were advancing on me out of the wreckage of the icy explosion, though she wasn’t trying to stall me. “But I know mostly you only pretend to see what you don’t want to, what makes you uncomfortable. You haven’t changed at your core, bro. It’s equal parts reassuring and frustrating. So… prepared, weren’t you?”

“Of course.” I chuckled. “Most of you can throw lasers around, it’s your surest hit moves. So I’ve naturally been using my light element as a shield, to disperse any focussed wavelengths. Give it a try…”

As my sis grinned, light stabbing at me from multiple directions, Daiyu emerged once again. She paused for just a fraction of a second, black eyes reflecting the pretty sheen of indigo as light rippled around me, as though I was a prism. Then she fell into a fighting stance, and vanishing her bells to storage, she began to barrage me with an ever-escalating series of swift blows. First two strikes, one with each hand. Then four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two…

“Damn, if I block, that’s a fail, isn’t it?” I muttered. “Boar’s don’t have… hey sis, that’s cheating!”

“Nope! All’s fair in love, war and hunting boar!” she cried, as she manifested a long metallic spear, and aimed to stab at my back while I dodged Daiyu. “Just be glad I’m not going to cook you with a sunburst, roasted bro boar… bet that’d be good to eat…” Her face flushed as she realised what she’d said, but instead, she called out. “Now would be a good time!”

“I am here!” Haanōbō declared, above me once more, and this time she didn’t aim attacks at me, but…

Damn, I’m slowing down…

The icy rain my flames were melting had started to lower the temperature around me, sucking out my body heat, and even a fractional decrease in my speed left me vulnerable. The only plus was the Tengu archers were unable to get clean angles to shoot due to the chaotic melee, as I dodged and danced away from my sis, her Sisters, Daiyu, who almost had me by channelling Qi into the ground, exploding up a hail of jagged projectiles right into the path which I was dodging into, similar to how the Elves had tried to hunt me earlier, and also…

A brilliant green blur streaked through the fog, and I felt my arms shiver as I blocked the furious strike. I looked into the grinning face of Natsumi, her hair blowing in the wind from her sudden decent, and as I shoved her back, my greater strength telling, she landed beside my sis, Utsuroihebi Twin in hand, before dusting down her disarrayed clothes.

“That’s cheating, don’t you think, Aiko-chan?” Natsumi giggled, returning my words to Aiko, but I shook my head, the two stone sabres I’d conjured rather badly cracked after the impact.

Fortifying them with a little earth element, I waved them, just in time to turn and block a volley of strikes from Daiyu. “Sorry, but boars have tusks, don’t they? Just playing along. Damn, you’re swift with that move, Natsumi… hey!”

Daiyu, switching to kicks, nearly caught me off-guard, and I barely dodged, her sandalled foot whipping past my nose. I them had to blast myself backwards with wind to avoid the ruthless arrows of Bell, Teare and Motoko, who had advanced down after Natsumi. Seeing me dodging that perfect ambush, Motoko clicked her tongue, before unsheathing her own Utsuroihebi Twin and charging into the melee.

“I’m supposed to be a boar, so… later!” I soared into the air, trying to leap past my pursuers, only to be barraged by a waiting hail of watery projectiles from Haanōbō. As she flapped closer, the rain intensifying, my sis was constantly blasting me with lasers, light flashing and boiling in my vision as my own light dispersed it. Good job I’m not prone to seizures or the lightshow would fry my brain…

“There is no escape!” Haanōbō declared. “We rule the skies. Though…” She swept towards me, white wings flapping elegantly, water and ice bullets a constant stream blasting at me. “…they are your skies too, as soon-to-be Summer South.” Her tone softened, even as ice formed a squalling barrage. It couldn’t penetrate my flame, but I was slowing further, frosty mist building up.

An arrow from Bell nearly took my leg, and then I had to constrict my muscles into a painful  position to halt the motion as Teare’s next arrow bracketed me. More arrows swept out and I had to use my stony tusks to deflect them, only for one to be from my sis, and it exploded into a fireball as I swatted it aside, momentarily blocking my view ahead…

“Up you go!” Natsumi soared into the sky on wings of jade energy, Daiyu on her back, and she truly embodied the Chollima myth at that moment. Not only that, but she was holding Motoko in her arms, the three of them launching a shocking assault which drew laughter from Haanōbō.

“You truly are all absurd. But… I have become absurd too! Black Water Purification: Sanzu-no-Kawa!” Even without the long chant, a massive, surging river of water boiled out behind her, the black water rapidly freezing, forming a temporary ramp in the sky, which Natsumi touched down on, before flinging herself off it towards me.

“We are here only for victory!” Motoko declared, sword dancing as she sliced one of my tusks apart. I could have rebuilt it, but that seemed rather against the spirit of the challenge. Her next strike nearly hit my arm, and Daiyu leapt off Natsumi’s back, using the foothold to get above me, twisting gracefully in the air. Natsumi threw Motoko at me, and as she fell back, chunks of the icy black river Haanōbō called were used as footholds, getting her back into this three-dimensional battle, while the Tengu watched on in awe.

“I am not merely a stepping stone!” Haanōbō chirped. “I have been training too, honing my… Skills… as you call them.”

“She has.” Motoko agreed, gravity reasserting itself on her as she began to fall, though wind element surged, keeping her airborne long enough to slice my remaining tusk apart. Daiyu’s descent followed, and my retreat was cut off by arrows from below. I blinked away, using Void Motion, but Natsumi was there, having roughly predicted the only evasive option I could take, and her blade narrowly missed my body as I pirouetted, further dodging the barrage of icy meteors Haanōbō was throwing.

As the three of them tumbled to the ground below, Motoko grinned up at me, hair blowing in the breeze of her descent, flapping free. “But Haanōbō is rather shy, and does not wish to be boastful. I find it admirable, deeds, rather than…” She landed heavily, though she also knew how to mitigate the impact, so as she rolled, she continued speaking, even as Daiyu landed on her feet, and Natsumi slowed her fall with her Favour. “…merely seeking praise. But…”

“…you should still offer it!” Natsumi was holding a spear now, Motoko too, and they both hurled them at me, accompanied by more arrows from the others, even as Haanōbō flew overhead behind me, and the icy barrage repeated.  

“Yeah, I will. You’re all impressing me beyond reason. Even you, sis, with your dirty tricks!”

She stuck out her tongue at me playfully, even as she launched arrows and bolts of light.

“But… keep a little strength for what’s next, okay?” Using my all-around vision, I managed to wind my way through the only gaps in the falling ice, making more by deflecting the incoming projectiles below, Motoko’s spear pulverising a boulder in my way. The effort was rough though, and as I descended, suddenly the air around me was filled with dazzling explosions of light.

For a moment I thought it was my sis and her beams again, but no, these were positioned around me in all directions, small balls of brilliance, which weren’t even aimed at me, or perhaps even attacks. Like miniature stellar explosions, the small orbs detonated, each light of a different colour, though all were blindingly intense, like a camera flashbulb or a sudden explosion, just starker and with greater luminescence. Seeing them from all directions, my head ached, vision blurring for a moment.

I see. Trying to cut off my overall perception, are they? If so… I landed, some distance away from the charging Daiyu and the others, only for the ground to collapse beneath me, plunging me waist deep into sucking, sticky mud.  

“The prey is in the trap…” Arangbō boomed, and I realised I hadn’t seen him in the contest yet, nor indeed… Kana was beside him, smiling cheekily at me, as was Haru, who filled my vision with more blinding explosions of light.

“I don’t know much about hunting boar…” Kana chuckled, even as the mud around me erupted with numerous thick, tentacle-like vines as Arangbō made his move. “…but I know you, Akio. And that means your strengths too. Got to overwhelm you, so you miss little details…”

“He’s trapped, get him!” my sis cried, her Crimson Sisters stomping my way, leading the eager charge.

“I wouldn’t be so sure…” Haru hid a smile behind one hand, and even as the vines tried to ensnare me and strike my weak spots, I proved her right, as I dived down, into the mud, even as arrows, metallic nets, and icy boulders joined the bombardment.

It seems counterintuitive, but… this is the safest place for me… A little earth element to interfere with Kana’s control, which was trying to stop me going up, and I was into solid stone. With more earth element and my sheer Might, I was able to tunnel, like a mole, not a boar.

“Do… you need help, father?” Tsurugi’s sleepy voice sounded in the darkness around me. “I can… cut through this stone…”

“Nope.” I stroked her hilt gently, as if it was her head and hair, and she made a noise of contentment, a bit like a restless cat. “This is just a fun game. Though they are all desperate to show off. Anyway… I knew this wouldn’t be easy…”

Behind me, vines were closing in, burrowing through the earth, and as I tunnelled just below the surface, rock spikes shot out, narrowly missing me by mere millimetres. A spear stabbed through the rock, and a single bead of sweat was swept off my ear.

One more spatial leap… Unfortunately, even using my Eyes, all I could see was a brilliant glowing array of pulsing lights. It was eerily beautiful, Haru surely having linked minds, coordinating the bombardment of glowing spheres that winked in and out of existence constantly, throwing out harsh shadows and blinding spotlights. Therefore I wasn’t able to do anything precise, so I went for midair again.

“He’s out!” Kana pointed, and as I orientated myself, I felt a surging wave of Qi slam into me, momentarily disorienting me further. Then a huge detonation, the gathered wind elements of Motoko, Natsumi and my sis, all exploding. It wasn’t aimed at me again, but combined with the flashing pulses of light, it was a makeshift, and extremely potent, stun grenade.

Nice try, but… I was too hardy to be slowed much by that. Making temporary footholds in the air with wind, like I’d seen Shaeula do before, I turned to flee, only to see quite the wonderous sight. “Hey, you’re all ganging up on me…” I chuckled.

“How else could we catch you?” Kana spoke for everyone, a delighted smile on her face as the ground beneath her and the rest of the group rose under her command, the mud wrapping blocks of ice within it, and being further strengthened by Arangbō’s plant growth, forming a muddy tidal wave they were surfing towards me.

“I love you, but… you’re not someone we can take lightly!” she finished, and there were nods of agreement from the others.

“True.” I laughed, exhilarated by everyone’s progress. “I suppose if Haru coordinates you all, you can strategise together in an instant. But this boar still won’t be caught easily.” I turned and fled, and actually began to put distance between me and my pursuers as they surfed down the mountain like a pyroclastic flow.

“Oh, there’s no escaping, boar bro!” my sis called, and in front of me the ground exploded, and surrounding me was a mass of roots, which quickly formed a cage-like structure. Thorns erupted from the tough, wiry wood, meaning if I tried to break out by force, now I was tuskless, it would count as taking a hit.

“And yes, you could surely teleport away again…” Daiyu observed “…though… my Qi assault was not merely to slow you for a moment, but…”

I turned my attention inward, and noticed what she’d done. “Clever!” I admired, even as the thorny cage began to constrict. Not only had Daiyu used her Qi Perception as a weapon, she had simultaneously assessed the state of my reserves of elemental energies, and… specifically caused some localised disarray around my crown Chakra. It was minor, and was easily recoverable via Chirurgery, in fact, it would surely recover by itself in a few minutes, but for now, using spatial element was likely to misfire. I naturally don’t guard against the Qi of my Dao Companion, and my body even seeks it. She used that loophole to strike a blow nobody else could. She is indeed a prodigy, and a quick thinker…

“We’ve got to think fast to snare you on a hunt, Akio.” Bell grinned.

“True. But you forgot one thing…” My own wood element flowed from me, and while I was far inferior to Arangbō in that arena, if I just wanted to bend the roots, just a little…” Wood snapped, and I narrowly slipped through the ensuing gap, only to have a hail of icy spears descend, not aimed at me, but simply to slow my retreat as everyone else approached at pace on Kana’s muddy steed.

“There’s no escape!” Kana giggled, and I then realised why the mud contained Haanōbō’s previously icy boulders, and it wasn’t just for stability, as she launched them at me like cannonballs. Worse, that wasn’t all she launched, as some feminine, Hihi’irokane statues, though their artful beauty was rather spoiled by the fact they were filthy with mud, were also tossed at me, and as they approached they still managed to loose arrows in my direction, and even threw a net, which narrowly missed me.

“There’s always a way…” I shook my head, but I couldn’t influence the ground anymore, as Kana was liquefying it, and more thorny vines and roots were worming free.

“Narrow the options for escape…” Bell was lecturing, even as she drew a bead on me with her bow.

“…and the prey has no choice but to behave as the hunter wishes. So says prince Shaeraggo, and few hunt as well as him.” Teare finished.

“I am not merely striking the target… nor is the arrow piercing the target…” my sis was murmuring, Shaeraggo’s old bow in her hands. “…no, my arrow already exists in the target…”

Motoko and Natsumi were also drawing back their own bows, and up above, the chasing Tengu were about to unleash a great volley at me. Judging by the narrowing escape route, I was bound to take a few hits, unless…

I pushed my speed to its maximum, narrowly escaping the closing cages of mud and vines. Arrows fell around me, but my reactions were intense, and I escaped being hit by a mixture of luck and judgement. For a moment, I thought I was free to sprint further down the hill, until a cold mist blew up, filled with strange bursts of light, momentarily sealing my expanded vision. My Eyes glowed to counteract it, and I felt an arrow closing in, aimed at my thigh, having predicted where I’d be. I moved aside, letting it fly past, only…

“Got you, Akio.” At the last second, an arm had phased through the ground, correcting the arrow’s flight, and it struck my thigh dead on. It did little but sting, yet by the rules…

“It’s not vital, but… I don’t think it’s fair to run any more, is it?” Haru chuckled. “How about a heroic last stand, as the cornered beast, to show off just how bold you are?” She winked at me, fully sliding through the ground, and I realised everything else had been a distraction. Nodding, I let my leg hang limp, and as the arrows came in, I dodged as best I could, batting aside those I couldn’t with one arm, letting that fall limp too.

“Great job, Haru-chan!” my sis declared, blue eyes sparkling, as the wall of mud piloted by Kana slammed into me, trapping me up to my neck. “We’ve caught our big boar moonstone!”

“Your arrow was rather a good one.” Haru chuckled. “Think nothing of it, Aiko-chan. Our distraction worked.”

“It did indeed.” Daiyu smiled. “Prevent your best means of escape, fog your senses, and apply constant pressure. Then, when you have your attention drawn by the immediate threat, the oriole strikes from behind.”

“So then I’m cicada? How flattering.” I chuckled.

“Hey, being the mantis isn’t much better.” Kana giggled too. “I’m way too pretty for that. If I’m being honest…” She released the mud and offered me her hand, though I quickly washed off the worst of the muck with water element first, before clambering out. “…we didn’t think you’d manage to evade us so well.”

As the Tengu all landed, chattering with excitement over quite the spiritual hunt, I shrugged.

“Yeah, everyone gave it their all. If I didn’t try my hardest I’d never have lasted even this long. How long was it? Five minutes? Ten?”

Haanōbō tilted her head, eyes wide behind her mask with exasperation. “Almost twenty. You led us quite the chase.”

Twenty? Really? “I guess time does seem to slow down when I’m pushing myself to the limits. But yeah, managing the whole hour… well, I suppose I could have ran away faster, so that none of you could catch up. It would have been possible, but…” I glanced to the summit, where I could see Tarōbō, still in his yellow robes and holding his staff, watching. “…just like the initial boar hunt, it’s not just about winning, but the spirit behind it.”

 “You are wise.” Haanōbō agreed, inclining her head and dipping her wings. “Just as too much greed leads to the diminishment of the great herds and the eventual extinction of all who depend on the boars for sustenance… so too is greed for victory, personal triumph, poison and disdain for those who mediate the Directions.”

“Exactly.” Arangbō boomed his agreement. “Just like that wretch we called brother, Fungbō. His greed for personal power, to be seen as worthy, led him to destroy all he held dear, and ultimately himself. The lesson was well learnt here, even before it was spoken, however.” He glanced over everyone in the group. “Working together was in your minds to begin with.”

“Of course.” Motoko agreed. “If we did not, then how could we ever hope to bring down this prey?”

“Yeah.” Natsumi giggled. “Think about it. If all boars and other animals were as fierce as Akio, then we would all be vegetarians. Or maybe food ourselves!”

“Yeah, that’s my bro!” My sis declared, puffing out her chest in pride, as though my achievements were hers and it was she being praised. She dismissed the Scarlet Sister Army, reclaiming much of the expended elemental energies, before she grinned broadly. “Even though the prize isn’t much use to me, I still wanted to win. I know everyone did, for their own reasons, but… it’s all about having fun, isn’t it? And in this case, showing honour to the Deities of Mount Atago.”

“They are not our Gods…” Arangbō shook his head. “But you are wise, little sister.”

“I am indeed. And that’s all I am. Unlike my bro, I didn’t get a shotgun wedding, I’m happy to stay single for now, you know? Everything in life’s about timing.”

As we ascended the mountain, chatting and teasing each other, my sis delivered those words, which made Haanōbō stumble. I grabbed her arm to steady her, and her skin felt hot, even through her robes, as she jerked it away, before apologising. “Do not pay her any mind. It was simply a ceremony. One to placate the needs of Loyal Suzaku and Fierce Byakko. I would… not… condone such. Marriage is… a sacred bond, and not to be trivialised, or taken through deception.”

“I agree.” I patted her wing gently, and her head dipped. “Besides, if I’m to get married, it’s going to be all at once, that way nobody misses out.”

“Except perhaps any newcomers.” Daiyu noted.

“Yeah, exactly. I suppose we’ll have to do it in waves.” Kana giggled. “At least us first wives will be seen as senpais to the latecomers.”

“Just what do you think of me, that I’m just going to gather a thousand women?”

“Why stop at a thousand, bro? Have your descendants cover the world. All the worlds!” my sis teased, punching my shoulder playfully, before winking at Haanōbō. “Yeah, the ceremony was cute, if not easy on our nerves. Kana-chan was having kittens…”

“I was not. Well, maybe a little…” Kana admitted. “…we do weddings at our shrine, you know, and I’ve had to be there to help out a few times. So I knew straight away they were wedding traditions. A bit old-fashioned, but… anyway…” She flushed and hid a delicate cough behind her hand, as if to change the subject. “While we all wanted to win, for our own satisfaction, if nothing else, we didn’t want to disrupt the ceremony either. So we played nice. Haru-chan coordinated us, but yeah… we thought you’d be easier to catch if we all teamed up.”

“It’s no fun if it’s easy.” I joked. “And I’ve learned a few tricks from you all. Restricting my all-around vision that way was clever, and something I’ll have to be wary of. Anyway, that reminds me… who won in the end? My sis loosed the arrow that hit me, but Haru guided it in. But the leg isn’t exactly vital, so…”

The girls exchanged loaded glances, before after some murmuring, shielded from my ears by the glow of wind, my sis spoke up. “Actually… we always were planning on giving it to Bellaera.”

I raised an eyebrow, and my sis sighed. “Damn it, bro. Way to be a damn big bro moonstone again. You forgot you were going to go celebrate the fallen Way-Wardens with her, didn’t you? I know things went crazy, and plans had to change, but still…”

Ah, yeah… “Sorry.” I apologised. “What with the chaos during the Migration, and everything else that’s happened…”

“I know. I don’t blame you.” Bell shrugged. “Things were chaotic, and likely to remain so. But… soon, when matters have calmed down, and you have concluded the grand Quest Lady Nimue, she of the Lake, has requested of you… I’d like to spend some time with you.”

“Fine. Just the two of us. I promise.”

“I’m not that heartless.” Bell chuckled. “Teare is desperate too. How about we spend it together? Touring the outer lands, hunting together, sleeping under the Moon… it will be exhilarating and rather romantic…”

“Yes, we’ll have so much fun!” Teare promised, a cute smile on her beautiful face. “For once I won’t miss out!”

“Sounds lovely.” my sis grinned knowingly, as we reached the summit again, where Tarōbō and the Tengu were waiting. His staff was shimmering with drawn in energies, similar to the past festival held here, and I wondered what he needed that for, considering there were no damned spirits to slay. At least I very much hope not.

“Eri would be jealous. Anyway… I think Haru-chan deserves a reward too. Don’t think you can ask her out on a date…” my sis warned. “…but honestly, not only did she take out your leg, she could have stabbed you somewhere else and won, but instead, she left the win to us all, and that’s after doing the hardest tasks of the hunt.”

I glanced at Haru, and she shrugged, a gentle smile on her face. “I was simply doing what I could. I’m not interested in winning or losing, only in everything going smoothly. We’re too close to several major milestones to have problems now.”

I see. “In that case, yes, I think Haru is the winner, but… Bell, I’ll definitely uphold my promise. I take my word seriously. I’ll be at your disposal, as soon as we get time to breathe.”

“It’s fine. I didn’t ask, because I could see you had weightier matters to deal with. I’m hardly that selfish. And it was princess Shaeula’s birthday too. I know I said she wouldn’t mind, but…”

“Yeah. I got it.” I nodded again, and then Tarōbō welcomed us back.

“The hunt concluded, the boar is felled, and returned to the mountain!” At his words, the Tengu roared, stamped their feet, clapped, slapped their wings together and played instruments, adding to the festive atmosphere.

“Now…” he continued. “…the offering has been made. My blood, in spirit if not in crimson and silver, shall once more offer their prayers to Noble Seiryū, Dutiful Suzaku, Courageous Byakko, Wise Genbu, and the Divine Yellow Dragon. To that end… now, each must demonstrate their piety. Metal, Water, Wood, Fire and Earth. Offer your prayers and ability to that which you choose, and we shall all feel their presence once again!”

As the celebrations continued, Arangbō slapped my back in his usual boisterous fashion. “I know you can wield many elements, but… today you are the flames, I just hope you are cool-tempered, like Suzaku, not headstrong and heated, as poor Shungbō was.”

“So I have to be fierce like Byakko then?” my sis asked teasingly, and Haanōbō tapped her forehead gently, warning her.

“Fierceness is not always wise. I would rather you were protective, unlike… unlike Fungbō, who saw us as obstacles and rivals.”

“It’s fine. Even bigger bro Arangbō…” my sis smirked at me cheekily as she called him that. “…isn’t so bad, and obviously I’d never turn on my bro, nor you, especially not after today, sister…” Her word hung, clearly leaving more unsaid, and I rolled my eyes.

“It is well you are all getting along. Strife… is not something I wish repeated. Come now…” Tarōbō addressed Haru, surprising her. “…I heard you have been declared the one who hunted the boar. And you are indeed the ruler of this Territory…” He paused, before overruling the argument Haru was surely about to give. “…I understand you are a… Vassal… as you put it. But I am no less a one. Simply accept the honour and watch over our… Pilgrims… as they venerate the elements the Directions embody. Apt, is it not?”

I exchanged a glance with the others, and we all smiled knowingly. Indeed it is. A Pilgrimage within the Pilgrimage. Fortunately, this one should be swift and relatively painless. Now then… I have to praise the flames, huh? Easy enough for me, but… I glanced over at Aiko. Just what will my sis do for metal?