Elder Kami

Gabriel!

With his free hand, her brother signed to her.

[Need help?]

He was smiling, though a little pain seemed to hide behind the expression. Like Lily, he carried a kami in a jar upon his belt. Her brother also had a large knife strapped on the opposite hip, but the kami was the true weapon used to drive off thieves or the occasional mutant.

Just like her kami.

The pain on Gabriel’s kind face probably came from the fumes, since even when using a mask and taking precautions, there was always a cost.

Lily reached him, giving her brother a long hug. Up close, he smelt of the leather in his headband. A familiar smell that brought their father to mind, and evidence of a rare item. “Is something wrong?” she asked, signing as she spoke.

He used both hands to answer. [The kami have sensed something approaching Haven. It won’t reach us until midnight, but the Twins want you back as soon as possible.]

“Another mutant?” Just what we need, she thought.

[Probably.] He shrugged, then gestured to the plains behind her. [The symbols are getting closer, aren’t they?]

“Each time. But that’s not the worst of it, Gabe…”

[I know.]

“Know what?”

[That we only have one year left. Crimson told me.]

Lily shook her head. Stupid. Kami spoke to each other all the time – of course he’d know. The whole settlement would already be aware. All the local kami, tamed or otherwise, knew what was happening.

They’d been warning humans for decades Centuries, in some cases.

[There’s some good news to go with it, at least.] He was grinning. [I’m coming with you. We’ll find the Silversong together.]

Relief flowed through her limbs. For so long, they’d been alone together, fighting to survive the cruelty of a dying world. Back then, we didn’t even have the settlement, she thought. I would have searched for the song by myself… but this is better.

Going alone would have felt like abandoning him, as much as she’d been tempted to somehow shield him from the danger. Not that Haven was a hostile place. But we promised we’d stay together, Lily reminded herself. “I don’t know what our chances will be like out there.”

[No-one does, but they still try.] He ran one hand through his long hair before continuing. [You know… I’ve got a bit of a confession.]

She nearly laughed – his hands had slowed, revealing hesitation; just like when they were kids. “You do?”

[I’ve been thinking about leaving Haven for months.]

Her eyes widened. Not what she’d expected. “Gabe?”

Gabriel shook his head. [Not forever. I just meant to explore, before the end. To see what else is out there now. Maybe even help others. And this is our last chance.]

“Probably…”

[So in a way, I’m glad the kami gave us this new warning.]

Lily nodded, but would it be enough? Just a year to find the Silversong and the Ringwood. If that’s where the song truly waited. And the wood wasn’t close. No vehicles in the settlement, no railways in the lands beyond.

The next settlement was over two weeks away on foot.

It’d be a struggle.

Even so, she had to smile as she signed her response. “Sounds just like when we were kids.”

[Am I a fool for being a little excited?]

“If you are, then I am too,” she said, as she realised that some of her doubts had receded. Usually, just spending time with her brother was all it took, and even when facing the end of the world, he was still able to lift her spirits.

But there were important things to deal with before they could set out to find the Silversong. Like the mutant, for one, she thought. There were plenty of capable tamers and people back home without relying on her alone, but the Twins were obviously still concerned. “Let’s get back to Haven before dark.”

She led him into the hills, grey walls of pitted stone rising up to cast deep shadows. The ground bore only old suggestions of a road: faint pieces of paving here and there, and near one sharp turn halfway to the passage of fumes, the skeleton of a truck.

It was mostly a steel frame, not yet overtaken by rust. And one of the only things that hadn’t been salvaged by the settlement or even passing travellers, due to the kami-nest inside. Few kami were visible, somewhat transparent where they sat upon the frame. They spoke amongst themselves, gentle murmurs clear even from a distance.

The black glow from their eyes marked several as Elder Kami, especially dangerous if provoked.

Even as an experienced tamer, Lily wouldn’t risk crossing them.

Thankfully, Elder kami never attacked without reason.

Bigger than most of their kind, the spirits were shaped less like tiny, hairless humans with large eyes, and more like tiny humans with fox heads. Supposedly, according to Yellow, that was just a reflection of human fears, and not an indication of threat.

Not unless someone attacked the Elder kami. Or if something the kami had claimed as their own was taken.

Just like children, in a way, Lily thought as she gave them wide berth.

Still, the black glow of their gaze seemed to be following when she glanced back. One kami had even strayed a little from the frame. Was it watching them, making sure that they were leaving?

[Worried?] Gabriel asked. [They didn’t even twitch when I passed before.]

She shook her head. The spirits were just being wary. “Yellow doesn’t seem concerned.”

Her kami didn’t contradict her, so it seemed he agreed.

They strode on, only slowing when they reached the Narrows, where fumes rose from the earth. It created a haze that clung to the hills. Spouts of lavender-steam hissed free from cracks in the road, turning their path into a maze.

A maze Lily could see through well enough… yet that didn’t make passing it easy. They’d have to use their masks, but also pray for the kami to absorb toxins. The air inside the Narrows was still poisonous, even if you didn’t stumble into the worst spouts directly.

Later, Yellow or Emerald – and Crimson, too – would have to expel what they absorbed.

Which usually withered the surroundings.

She'd have to draw a Sanctuary Circle. She didn’t have much crushed stone powder left, but even pebbles or shards of rock were enough to make the circle.

Beside her, Gabriel stepped closer. He rested a hand on her arm, applying firm pressure.

She turned from the Narrows.

There, on their back trail, waited an Elder Kami, its black eyes blazing.