Kitsune of the Blue Sun

Chapter 156- Solemnity

[Keeno POV]

Traveling through snowy plains was beginning to get tiresome. Due to the nature of the weather, there was hardly any life to be seen except the occasional bird or fox.  Whenever we saw some foxes, they seemed to look over at me specifically and smile in the way foxes and dogs smiled. It made me feel a nice warm feeling different from the usual I feel when I interact with Ama or my other family members.

“Keeno, do all these foxes remind you of that one small family we saw that one time?” (Pram)

“I was thinking the same thing.  The way they all seem to know me…maybe there IS a worldwide underground civilization of foxes.” (Keeno)

“It wouldn’t surprise me at this point.” (Freya)

Time continued to pass like this, the only thing that changed is the smell the carriage started to produce, which was promptly fixed by another Rune.  I’d also started to feel…something in the direction we were heading, though I wasn’t exactly sure what it was. Just that it was a sort of pull.  I found out three days later.  We all stood at the entrance of a small village. Where one would expect to see some people walking about tending to everyday business there was nothing. No smoke wafted from chimneys, no children played in the snow, nothing but empty white.

“Stop.” (Keeno)

“Is something wrong, Lady Okami?” (Margaret)

I didn’t answer her, I just walked further into the village.  That pull I’ve been feeling became stronger until I reached the center.

“Ama…” (Keeno)

{…}

I was silent, not even a thought running through my head. Only when the sound of a door slowly opening, and the weak steps of a person were heard did I turn to look. An old man walked toward me shakily. From his fingers up to his elbows and feet up to his knees black with frostbite.  He silently approached me before falling to his knees in front of me, his head bowed.

“Are you all that’s left?” (Keeno)

“Yes…and I fear I’m leaving soon too. Please, deliver us to a peaceful rest. To true warmth where all our families rest.”

He looked up at me with a smile devoid of fear of death or bargaining. A smile like he was greeting me as an old friend he hadn’t seen in a long time.  I returned the smile as I crouched down to meet his gaze as an equal.

“Rest now, old friend, you will meet your fellows soon.  Dream of the warm suns and foxes playing in the fields, of children laughing and elders gazing at them with compassionate remembrance.” (Keeno)

His smile widened more and his eyes slowly closed, his breathing stopping shortly after.  I picked him up and brought him to the house he came from.  Placing him on a bed in the corner, I pulled his thin blanket over his body before leaving the house.  I found Margaret and the others looking around, waiting for me.

“Margaret, move everyone out of here. I have something I must do, and all those with life in them must not be here.” (Keeno)

Her curiosity turned to realization to understanding. She solemnly nodded her head and instructed everyone to leave.  It took some time to get everyone out due to the snow, but an hour later they were at a safe distance.

“Ama I-” (Keeno)

{This is not your fault.}

I had kept a stoic face for the others, but I couldn’t any longer.  I felt hot tears roll down my cheeks before evaporating, a circle melting in the snow around me.

“I feel responsible…second only to burning and before drowning, freezing is a horrible way to die.  I know everything I do has consequences, but this is the first time I’m seeing them in person truly. Even if it wasn’t due to the Dead Zone.” (Keeno)

Melancholic music began playing all around me.

“Oh, unfortunate souls who passed before your time, I have come to greet you with warmth.”

Blue flames started to flicker to life around me.

“I greet you all as an old friend, a welcoming hearth to rest your weary feet besides, a hot meal to fill your empty, travel-worn hearts.”

The flames had become stronger and began spreading away from me, meeting houses and barns, alighting in blue yet producing no smoke.

“Orange be the Flames of Life that wave to you as you set off on your journey. Blue of Death be the ones that welcome you home.  Rest your head and hearts as you lay them down and the heat melts away your tiredness.  Join your companions in the everlasting banquet.”

The entire village was consumed in my blue flames, burning everything to ash that would be spread across the world on the wind.

{I’ll write that down, it’s something that should be said at any funeral.}

“Nn.” (Keeno)

I turned around and walked into the distance where the others were waiting. Margaret seemed like she wanted to say something, but Pram stopped her and shook her head. I silently thanked Pram in my mind as I climbed into a wagon.

[Margaret POV]

“Lady Pram…” (Margaret)

“She hasn’t realized we all heard that. Let her be for a while.” (Pram)

Lady Pram’s words left no room for comment, so I just nodded my head as I dove into my ow thoughts. These past weeks have allowed me to learn quite a bit about Lady Okami and her friends. They are all friendly, welcoming, and overall pleasant to be around, like we’ve known them all our lives and spent many a year together.  Today is the first time I’ve seen any of them with anything other than a smile or serious expression, with Ladies Okami and Pram having the most melancholic expressions of the lot.

“Lady Pram, may I ask something?” (Margaret)

“Sure, but depending on the question I may not be able to answer yet.” (Pram)

“Out of everyone in your group, Goddess Amaterasu aside, you’ve known Lady Okami longest, correct?” (Margaret)

“Yes.” (Pram)

“Then, as Goddess of Death, I would assume she wouldn’t feel anything for the death of others.  Is that not the case?” (Margaret)

“Far from it. She may be a goddess in body and soul, but she still holds mortal sentiments.  And sure, if it’s someone she kills herself that deserves it, she may feel nothing or even a small sense of righteousness in the action, but something like this, she cares just as much as any of us do, if not more. See, she probably feels like she is responsible for this happening to that village. It’s the same kind of thing from when we were little, only taken to the nth degree. See, I was raised in a family of healers, and, as my best and only friend for the longest of time, she was over with me more often than not.  Being healers, you can imagine I’ve seen death countless times, but for her who can see souls and who those on the very threshold of death either welcome or hate with all their being, it’s another thing entirely.  Combine that with the fact that, due to other circumstances, she doesn’t like showing strong emotions like sadness in front of others, so she bottled them up until she is alone…what I’m trying to say is, she feels things like we do, if not more in some cases. So, if you are going to become a Valkyrie at some point, you need to learn to look through the façade she presents in public.  It’s loosened up a lot over the time we’ve been together so far, but she’s still keeping it up around most of the other knights here. It’s the same reason she’s still not letting you call her Keeno.” (Pram)

Lady Pram looked up at the sky, small snowflakes landing in her silver-grey hair.

“Honestly, I sometimes feel like she doesn’t let us in on everything either. Some sides she probably only shows to Amaterasu. I mean, in all our life, I’ve only ever seen her cry a handful of times, not that you can really ever tell if she is anyway.  Haha.  I mean, tears just evaporate off her face.” (Pram)

Her humor was appreciated as she cracked a small smile and turned.

“Mull over what I said for a bit, when she’s ready she’ll talk, just remember; she feels all the same things we do, after all, gods or not, we’re all people in the end.” (Pram)

She walked over toward Lady Freya before taking her hand in hers and squeezing it, Lady Mostima smiling over them from behind.  With a slight smile on my face, I also turned and began leading us away from the burning village.

“It’s hard to think I’m slightly older than most of them when I learn more with every conversation.” (Margaret)

Chaos Realm:

Tamamo: Payto.

Luna: Let them.

*nods* *snap*

Keeno: …

Amaterasu: *Looks around and figures out what’s happening* *Silently walks up behind Keeno and hugs her tightly*

Keeno: *Surprised ear flick and tail twitch* Ama?

Amaterasu: Shhh.  Just let it all out.

Keeno: *Tears slowly start to fall*

This is where we give them some time to themselves. *Snaps and all other spectators vanish to someplace else*

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