At this shrine.”
He shifted his weight. “Really?”
The woman nodded. “It was chased out of the neighboring valley after killing several wealthy, young girls.” The muscles in Naru’s arms bulged as he tensed. “ Yokai believe eating the daughters of wealthy men will grant them power.”
He looked back over to see Aya leaving. He never would have imagined the girls were eaten. His sight didn’t leave her form until she was well down the mountain.
The woman stood next to him as they watched the procession disappear out of view. “I can help you. I can make her yours.”
His scowl deepened. “You’re crazy. I’m lower than the poorest peasant. I have no home, my clothes are filthy and too small. I don’t even have any friends. I’m too disgusting for people to notice.” He glared at her penetrating eyes. “Don’t give me false hope. It’s impossible. Go tell the priests if you think there’s a Yokai here.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Her chin dipped. “Because you are the only one who can see me, Naru.”q
His eyes narrowed. That explains why no one else has ever seen her. She had to be the ghost of a dead villager. “You seem to know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
“You know my name,” she said softly.
He sighed. “Every time I tried to talk to you, you vanished. So no, I don’t know your name.”
Silence hung in the air so long Naru figured she was done talking. He turned to go.
“My name is Yoshino.”
His foot paused mid-air. Surely she couldn’t be that Yoshino. Her parents must have named her that after the Great Spirit of the Mountain.
Like a little girl she hopped from one stone to another along the forest floor. “Did you know your father used to be a priest of mine?”
Nope. That statement sealed the fact that she was indeed who he feared she was. He put his hanging foot down. “He was disowned by the temple for falling in love with my mother. No one speaks of his time as a priest.”
She stopped and stared down the mountain, at the village. “He was one of my favorites. I sent dreams to the High Priest to allow the men to marry. It was a foolish law their ancestors made up, to have a priest live his life as if he were 'married' to me.” She snorted. “As if a human man could keep up with me, let alone a whole temple full.” She sighed. “But your father understood my dreams. He was the only one who accepted them as a true message. When he followed my wishes he was cast out.”
She turned her body to face Naru. He glanced at her saddened eyes. “I did try to show my displeasure. I allowed violent storms to hit the mountain all winter. And then a dro ught that summer. But nobody received my warning. Then your parents were killed by those bandits…” She frowned. “I am a spirit of balance, and the loss of your parents threw this mountain out of balance. So I have done my best trying to protect you.”
Naru’s lips pressed together as he remembered the times he’d chased after her. She often disappeared in a patch of wild berries, or nut trees. Just when he thought he’d starve he always, somehow, ended up with food. And that was her doing. Yoshino, the Great Spirit.
Shock held him motionless as the realization opened his eyes. He fell to his knees, bowing before her. “Thank you for helping me.”
She knelt slowly, and peered into his eyes. “Now I need you to help me. And if you do, I will reward you with that young woman.”
He stood. Could it be true? Was there really a chance he could stand next to Aya? To be allowed to hold her hand, and kiss her soft lips? “What do you need me to do?”
“I can’t lose Aya. She has a pure and innocent heart. If she is murdered it would only intensify the unbalance of my mountain.” Yoshino’s body began to emulate a soft glow. “There are too many humans with soiled hearts here. Unlike you.
“With that said, I will explain what you must do.” She gestured toward the temple buildings. “I
He shifted his weight. “Really?”
The woman nodded. “It was chased out of the neighboring valley after killing several wealthy, young girls.” The muscles in Naru’s arms bulged as he tensed. “ Yokai believe eating the daughters of wealthy men will grant them power.”
He looked back over to see Aya leaving. He never would have imagined the girls were eaten. His sight didn’t leave her form until she was well down the mountain.
The woman stood next to him as they watched the procession disappear out of view. “I can help you. I can make her yours.”
His scowl deepened. “You’re crazy. I’m lower than the poorest peasant. I have no home, my clothes are filthy and too small. I don’t even have any friends. I’m too disgusting for people to notice.” He glared at her penetrating eyes. “Don’t give me false hope. It’s impossible. Go tell the priests if you think there’s a Yokai here.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
Her chin dipped. “Because you are the only one who can see me, Naru.”q
His eyes narrowed. That explains why no one else has ever seen her. She had to be the ghost of a dead villager. “You seem to know my name, but I don’t know yours.”
“You know my name,” she said softly.
He sighed. “Every time I tried to talk to you, you vanished. So no, I don’t know your name.”
Silence hung in the air so long Naru figured she was done talking. He turned to go.
“My name is Yoshino.”
His foot paused mid-air. Surely she couldn’t be that Yoshino. Her parents must have named her that after the Great Spirit of the Mountain.
Like a little girl she hopped from one stone to another along the forest floor. “Did you know your father used to be a priest of mine?”
Nope. That statement sealed the fact that she was indeed who he feared she was. He put his hanging foot down. “He was disowned by the temple for falling in love with my mother. No one speaks of his time as a priest.”
She stopped and stared down the mountain, at the village. “He was one of my favorites. I sent dreams to the High Priest to allow the men to marry. It was a foolish law their ancestors made up, to have a priest live his life as if he were 'married' to me.” She snorted. “As if a human man could keep up with me, let alone a whole temple full.” She sighed. “But your father understood my dreams. He was the only one who accepted them as a true message. When he followed my wishes he was cast out.”
She turned her body to face Naru. He glanced at her saddened eyes. “I did try to show my displeasure. I allowed violent storms to hit the mountain all winter. And then a dro ught that summer. But nobody received my warning. Then your parents were killed by those bandits…” She frowned. “I am a spirit of balance, and the loss of your parents threw this mountain out of balance. So I have done my best trying to protect you.”
Naru’s lips pressed together as he remembered the times he’d chased after her. She often disappeared in a patch of wild berries, or nut trees. Just when he thought he’d starve he always, somehow, ended up with food. And that was her doing. Yoshino, the Great Spirit.
Shock held him motionless as the realization opened his eyes. He fell to his knees, bowing before her. “Thank you for helping me.”
She knelt slowly, and peered into his eyes. “Now I need you to help me. And if you do, I will reward you with that young woman.”
He stood. Could it be true? Was there really a chance he could stand next to Aya? To be allowed to hold her hand, and kiss her soft lips? “What do you need me to do?”
“I can’t lose Aya. She has a pure and innocent heart. If she is murdered it would only intensify the unbalance of my mountain.” Yoshino’s body began to emulate a soft glow. “There are too many humans with soiled hearts here. Unlike you.
“With that said, I will explain what you must do.” She gestured toward the temple buildings. “I
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