The Forbidden Ritual

The following days passed in a haze of silent urgency.

On the thirteenth day, Yuki began the preparations.

She knew exactly what she needed: an advanced Ritual of Release — one meant to break a divine seal.

A liberation circle. Consecrated salt. White sandalwood incense. Her own blood. Offerings.

She worked methodically, taking advantage of the moments when Akari slept.

The salt, she had brought. The incense too.
The blood… she would draw when the time came.

As for the offering, she had decided on white lilies — for Hana, for what they shared, for what Akari deserved to remember.

That afternoon, Yuki gathered the most beautiful flowers from the garden, rinsed them gently in clear water, and laid them in a woven basket.
Each pure white petal gleamed in the fading light.

Like their love, she thought. Pure. Innocent. And yet punished.

That evening, Akari awoke.

She opened her eyes and smiled the instant she saw Yuki.
“Yuki.”

Her gaze drifted toward the basket of flowers by the window.
“Oh… lilies?”

“Yes.” Yuki hesitated. Should I tell her?

Akari touched one of the petals, closing it lightly between her fingers.
“They’re beautiful. They smell like… nostalgia. Like a happy memory that’s somehow sad too.”

Hana, Yuki thought. You remember her, even if you don’t know why.

“Akari…” Yuki took a slow breath. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

The fox spirit turned toward her. “What is it?”

“I know a way to free you.”

Silence fell — dense and absolute. One could have heard a leaf drop.

“To… free me?”

“Yes. From the seal.” Yuki stepped closer. “There’s a ritual. I know how to perform it. I can do it.”

Akari’s hand went instinctively to her forehead. “And… what would happen?”

“It would be destroyed. For good. You wouldn’t fall asleep anymore. You wouldn’t lose your memories. You’d be… free.”

Akari’s eyes searched hers.
“And you? What would it cost you?”

Yuki lowered her gaze. “That’s not important.”

“Yes, it is.” Akari took Yuki’s hands, forcing her to look up.

Yuki inhaled sharply. “I’m here for an exam. To become a full-fledged miko. My mission is to seal you… or erase you. If I free you, I fail. I’ll never become a miko.”

“Then don’t do it.”

“What?”

“Don’t do it.” Akari shook her head. “I don’t want you to sacrifice your future for me.”

“My future?” Yuki let out a bitter laugh. “What future is that, if it means condemning the innocent?”

“I’m not innocent.”

“Yes, you are.” Yuki squeezed her hands tighter. “All you did was love. And they punished you for it.”

Tears slid down Akari’s cheeks.

Yuki’s voice trembled. “You deserve to be free. To remember Hana. To truly grieve. To live. And if freeing one soul costs me my miko robes… then those robes weren’t worth wearing.”

“Yuki…”

“Tomorrow night, I’ll perform the ritual. You’ll be free.”

Akari stared at her for a long moment, then suddenly pulled her into a fierce embrace.
“You’re an idiot.”

“Maybe.”

“Stubborn.”

“Definitely.”

“And…” Akari buried her face against Yuki’s shoulder. “You’re the kindest person I’ve ever met.”

They stayed like that for a long time, holding each other tightly.

Akari looked at her with an expression mixed with admiration and despair. “Why? Why would you do this for me?”

Because I love you, Yuki wanted to say.
But instead, she whispered, “Because it’s right.”

The sacred paper trembled.

Akari felt the moment slipping. “Not now…”

“It’s okay, I’m here.” Yuki held her close.

“Yuki… promise me something.”

“What is it?”

“Whatever happens during the ritual… don’t regret it. Even if it goes wrong.”

Yuki smiled through her tears. “I promise.”

The seal settled back. Akari faded softly in her arms.

***

The next day, Yuki drew the liberation circle in the shrine’s main courtyard.

On her knees, with meticulous precision, she let the chalk mixed with salt glide over the stone — an outer circle, an inner one, eight cardinal points, and clear symbols: release, remembrance, rebirth.

She stepped back and looked at her work.

It’s beautiful, she thought. Like a mandala. Like a prayer written on the earth.

At each cardinal point, she placed the sticks of incense.
At the center — a bed of white lilies.
Beside it, the small ritual knife, cleaned, dried, ready.

Everything was ready.

Tonight, everything will change.

***

That afternoon, Akari awoke one last time before the ritual.

She found Yuki sitting on the veranda, facing the circle.
They sat shoulder to shoulder, wordless.

“If… if the ritual works,” Akari said softly, “what happens after?”

“You’ll be free. You’ll be able to leave, see the sea, go wherever you want.”

“And you?”

“I…” Yuki hesitated. “I’ll go back. I’ll tell them I failed. And… I’ll figure something out.”
She smiled faintly. “Maybe I’ll become a florist. I love flowers.”

Akari laughed softly. “That suits you. You have hands made for delicate things.”

Twilight cast a golden glow over the rooftops.
The first fireflies appeared by the bamboo grove.

“Thank you, Yuki. For everything. Whatever happens… you’ve changed my life.”

Yuki took her hand. “You’ve changed mine too.”

She led Akari to the center of the circle and helped her lie down upon the bed of lilies.

The talisman reattached itself. Akari fell into peaceful sleep.

The last hours trickled by with unbearable slowness.

Yuki checked the symbols a third time, repeated the incantations silently, tied back her hair, and washed her hands.

She lit the incense — white smoke rising in slow ribbons. A faint breeze made the candle flames tremble.

Beneath the gentleness, something stirred in the air — an ancient cold, brief but real.

Yuki shivered, then straightened.

It’s time.

She took the small knife and made a shallow cut across her left wrist.

Bright red drops fell onto the runes.

The symbols glowed with a soft golden light.

Her voice rose — clear and steady:

“Spirits of the eight directions, hear my call…
Let what was sealed be released…
Let what was forgotten be remembered…
Let what was broken be made whole.”

The ground quivered faintly. The golden light brightened.
The sacred paper on Akari’s forehead began to tremble.

Beneath the shining runes, a brief crimson shimmer surfaced — then vanished.

The light grew blinding.

And suddenly, Akari opened her eyes.