26. Hanako Is Elevated.

Daphne sat on a log, nursing her aching feet. Taking a break, she heard movement in the undergrowth behind her. Something heavy was clearing the plants, snapping branches and carving its way through the brush.

Out of nowhere, a giant Rat loomed over, casting a long shadow.

"Hey Russell," Daphne said, not bothering to look up. "You're in my light." The rodent lowered its nose until it was level with her head. "I'm not supposed to; you're the protector of the forest." The giant Rat squeaked out a complaint. Sighing, the Witch scratched along the creature's jawline. "Unbelievable."

"Oh, I see how it is," Jenny said, hitching Ruggerio to a post. "Some rodents get favourable treatment over others."

"If you want scritches, all you have to do is ask,"

The Bard narrowed her eyes. "I can never tell if you are being serious."

"Woe betide the day you find out. How's the patient?"

"As good as it gets," Jenny said, picking up the end of her riding skirt and sitting down. "I think we caught 'er in time."

"You mean Russell did. If it weren't for him, we'd be looking at a corpse."

"Ever the optimist. So, do you think she'll be fit enough for the journey?"

"Hard to say. There's no telling if we'll get an audience with the Empress. Isaac was our only way in."

"My dear Daphne," The Bard said, hooking an arm around her friend. "You must  'ave a little faith."

***

Hanako woke with the sensation of falling. 

Blinking furiously, she was surprised to find herself lying in a stranger's bed, wearing a traditional Japanese Yukata, with the sleeves tied up.

The room itself was quaint, petite and old-fashioned in a way that reminded her of a fairy-tale cottage, with lace-trimmed curtains and Victorian quilts. The ornate dresser was curvy and had a selection of perfumes kept in crystal bottles.

An effervescent mist of Lavender filled her senses.

Jenny.  She thought, slightly relieved.

Peeling the cover, she swung her legs over and was hit with a thunderous headache. Her mind throbbed, making the room spin.

Never leave the bed! 

On her way back into the comforting sheets, Hanako was shot with a sudden bout of paralysis.

What the..?

A female Deer wandered in and stood at the side of the bed. It was nothing Hanako had seen before; the antlers were like the shorn branches of a winter Oak, and its body was made up entirely of shifting wet paint dripping down like rain. 

Hanako could hear its voice in her head, calm as a summer stream.

"Greetings," It said. "Do not be afraid, I am the one they call the Empress. I know you have been looking for me, so I have decided to speak to you personally and save you a trip."

I am honoured by this audience, your Majesty. If I may ask...where am I? 

"Perdita. A world between awakening and sleep. I could go on, but you are eager to know what happens next. The good news is you have done all that was required. You delivered a God to its resting place and trapped a fiend inside a wicked maze. It seems only fair to grant you a reward. Please, follow me."

The girl entered the living room to the chime of a carriage clock. She noticed that everything was normal, except for the fireplace. Standing in its stead was an ornate, golden doorway, sparkling with bright magic.

Shielding her eyes from the glow, Hanako could make out intricate branches and birds that appeared to move on each door.

"This is an elevator." The Empress said. "Inside, you'll see two buttons. The button on the left will bring you to my throne room, where you will be promoted to 'Zombie Slayer' with all the riches that entails. The catch is...you will never see your family again. The button on the right will return you to your old body, exactly as you left it: burnt to a crisp and unable to move. On the upside, there is a slim chance of recovery, and you might see your family again, but that's neither here nor there." The Deer closed up on her. "Choose carefully, for this is a one-time only offer. Whatever you decide is permanent, with no way to reverse it."

The girl stepped inside and waited for the doors to close. Both options were tempting, but came with a bitter taste of regret.

"I hope to see you again," The Empress said. "If not, no hard feelings."

Hanako nodded, took a deep breath and pushed the button.

***

Somewhere in a rain-lashed Hospital, the girl from Minokamo lay deep inside a coma for the second year in a row. It was then, beside a window filled with swaying Apple Blossoms, that the smallest finger on her right hand began to twitch.

THE END.