The Seer

Eien Akagawa

We stepped into a waiting room lit by paper lanterns. The soft light flickered over a low short table in the middle of the room with red cushions surrounding it. Woodblock paintings ranging from samurai kneeling to their lord to great demons wreaking havoc adorned the cream colored walls.

Kizuna walked around the table and sat primly on one of the cushions and took off her hat. She placed it on the table in front of her and patted the seat next to her. Iroha sat beside her and I narrowed my eyes at the two of them. I wasn’t sure but it felt like there were times that they were having a conversation that I couldn’t hear.

This could be just because they were women and it was something that a man like me couldn’t understand but I doubted it. They were both divine beings and maybe that allowed them to communicate without words both ways. I sighed and sat across from them. There wasn’t much I could do if they were having a conversation. I’d just have to trust that Iroha would tell me if something important came up.

I looked at the sliding door behind the two women. It was decorated with a painting of a Kirin, not the clanspeople but the creature itself. Its body was like that of a horse mixed with the gracefulness of a deer. It had white fur with a trail of shining green scales like a dragon going along its spine and legs. Its long mane and oxtail had long golden flowing hair and its brilliant golden eyes seemed to watch me. I looked away from it to find that Kizuna’s own golden eyes were watching me.

“So, how do we know when we can go in?” I asked Kizuna.

“She’ll let us know when she’s ready for us,” she said with certainty. I looked away from her to Iroha. Anything to avoid those eyes of hers.

Iroha smirked and said, “She could have at least had someone serve us tea.”

“She doesn’t run a teashop,” Kizuna replied. “We wouldn’t be waiting long enough for the tea to steep anyway.”

The room shook and I braced myself against the table. I looked around the room quickly. An earthquake? No, we were being lowered. I looked back at the two women and frowned. They were both grinning at me.

“Why didn’t you warn me?”

“Why didn’t you warn me about the twins?” Kizuna replied, her grin widening. I raised my hands in surrender.

“Iroha didn’t warn you about them either,” I pointed out.

“I’m a passive observer,” Iroha claimed.

“You and I both know that you’re anything but passive.”

“I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She crossed her arms and looked at me smugly.

As I rolled my eyes the room shuddered to a stop. Kizuna stood and turned around to face the door with the Kirin painting on it. She didn’t protest when I stepped in front of her. I still didn’t trust this seer so I slid open the door and walked into the room first.

We walked into a vast circular room lit by green lanterns which were hung intermittently from the ceiling by what looked like thick white threads. I looked up and saw that the ceiling disappeared into darkness. The floor and walls were made of polished wood with no openings or seams that I could see.

“Kizuna,” I said as I scanned the room. There was no one waiting for us here or even any seats to sit and wait. “Where is she?”

My eyes snapped to the ceiling at a tiny movement in the darkness. A woman with white skin and a white kimono slowly descended upside down towards us. Her inky black hair was held back in an elaborate braid with what looked like the same thread holding the lanterns.

I couldn’t see anything below her waist, it was wreathed in shadow. Then I saw a tiny movement occur and I realized that I could see her below her waist. It was as black as night and wasn’t supposed to be a part of a human's body.

The seer twisted when she was near the ground and landed softly on all eight legs. Below her waist was a chitinous shell of a large spider. Her black lips smiled demurely which was at odds with her body. She had to be from a clan but something about her presence felt wrong.

“There you are,” her voice was like silk, low and smooth. “I was wondering when you all would walk in my doors today.” She stepped towards us silently, which seemed impossible given how large her lower body was. “As well as who walked in first and how.”

“Lady Hino,” Kizuna said bowing. “It is wonderful to see you again.”

“Lady Kizuna, it is a pleasure to see you again.” Her black eyes turned to face me. “You will face no danger here, Eien. You can take your hand off your blade.”

I looked down to see my hand resting on the pommel of my sword. I relaxed my grip and lowered my hand to my side. “Apologies, Lady Hino.”

“That is of no problem.” She raised her hand and rubbed her black lips. Her lips and fingers were covered in black chitin and her fingers extended out into needle-sharp points. “There was ever little likelihood of you finding peace in my presence.”

She walked up to me and an instinct inside of me warned me to run or fight. She was twice as tall as me. She slowly lowered herself so that we could see eye to eye. Her circular eyebrows blinked at me and I almost recoiled from the extra set of eyes. Her hands reached out to cup my face, careful of her needle-point tips. “I can see your paths if you wish for it, Eien.”

“No.” As gently as I could, I moved her hands aside. “I don’t need to know the future. I make my own way.”

“I don’t tell you the future.” She stood up to her full height and turned away. “I merely show you the different, most likely paths you can take.” As she walked away, the back of her head split open and a tongue shot out and hit my hand. I jumped back and almost pulled out my sword. “My mark, for when you decide upon my services.”

I looked at my stinging hand to see a picture of a spider slowly fading away. The mouth on the back of her head grinned as it slurped its black tongue back into its mouth. I rubbed my hand and tried to get my glare under control.

“I doubt that I’ll take you up on that offer.” This explained my uncomfortable feeling about the seer, she was a halfbreed. Those born between members of separate clans advanced faster into their divine forms but couldn’t ever ascend into godhood. “Kizuna, do you want me here with you when she tells your future?”

Kizuna was about to answer but she looked towards the seer first. The seer nodded and Kizuna turned back to me. “You can go if you want Eien. Iroha, you can stay if you like.”

Iroha stood there thinking for a moment. The distance between us wouldn’t be too wide if I went back to the street, our bond would be fine.

“I’ll stay with you Kizuna.”

“Alright, keep a close eye on her.” I turned and headed back to the elevator room.

“Eien,” Hino called after me. “Take care above.”

I slid open the sliding door. “I’ll keep that in mind.”