Kirin/Qilin

Eien Akagawa

I looked at the shrouded form of Kizuna’s body. I sat in the cabin of the yacht across from her. She represented all of my failures, not just for failing to get her to China alive. It was the least I could do to bring her there to rest.

My head was a jumble of emotions. I was angry that Kizuna had given her life to save mine. I was mourning her death that reminded me so much of my sisters. I was full of loathing for myself that I hadn’t been strong enough to save her or kill her killer myself.

The assassin had jumped off the yacht after I dealt him some wounds. I didn’t remember much from my time returning to my godhood. I just remembered the feeling of overwhelming rage and sorrow that had engulfed me.

I ran a hand over my face, my fingers catching in the cracks that had formed from that loss of self when I fought the assassin. Iroha sat beside me sleeping, her head on my lap. I ran my other hand through her hair. Again our bond was restored and I was to be plagued with bad luck. It was an acceptable price to be human again. I had much to thank Norihisa for.

“Eien,” Norihisa said as he poked his head into the cabin. “I can see land.”

“Alright.” I carefully moved Iroha off of me before going outside onto the yacht’s deck. The sun was setting and cast a red hue onto the water below us. I could see the coast of China coming up fast. Beyond the beach was a green forest.

I connected with the god core running the yacht and had it slow down. After a few days I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. I would be back to being a normal human which I would be grateful for.

“Where are we supposed to go?” Norihisa asked. “Kizuna was supposed to guide us.”

A flash of lightning rose up from the shore and arced into the sky. “I think that’s our guide.”

I directed the godcore to land the yacht on the beach. As we landed I saw two people with long golden white hair walk out of the forest to the edge of the beach. I turned away to go into the cabin where Kizuna waited for me.

“Eien, are we there?” Iroha asked, now sitting up.

“Yes, they’re waiting for us.” I gathered Kizuna in my arms, her weight didn’t mean much to me as I was right now. Iroha followed behind me as I walked back onto the deck. Norihisa had set up the stairs and waited just beside them. I nodded my thanks and descended with them following behind.

The walk across that beach to the pair waiting for us was so very long and yet so very short. The white shroud covering her flapped in the brisk wind. The part of the cloth covering her head slipped due to her horn. Her eyes were closed like she was asleep.

I stopped at the line dividing the beach from the grass. The man and a woman that stood there looked remarkably similar to each other. Their pale skin wasn’t marred and their faces were too perfect to be anything but beautiful. They wore simple white robes with black highlights.

They both bowed low and straightened before speaking. “Thank you for bringing our long lost sister home,” the man said. His eyes looked at Kizuna with sorrow.

“Don’t thank me,” I said as I shook my head at them. “I failed her. She should have been here standing with you. Instead I brought her here dead and I don’t even know if she died as a human.” I couldn’t look them in the eyes.

“Do not lament that she died as a god,” the woman said as she came up to me. She placed a hand on Kizuna’s forehead. “She died as a human. She could have allowed herself to turn and possibly live but it would have been the same as dying for her.” I looked up involuntarily into the woman's eyes. “You would know the struggle about that.” Her words weren’t accusatory, just filled with kindness.

She moved aside as the man came up and held out his arms to take her. I hesitated as I looked at his outstretched arms. I took in a long slow breath before I managed to look him in the eyes. “Please, treat her last journey well.”

“It would be my honor,” he said as he took her into his arms and cradled her gently. The woman raised a hand to Kizuna’s head again and pressed it against her horn. The horn vanished in a mote of golden light. Kizuna shrunk, her body losing all that godhood had given her. I didn’t know how long it had been for her but she was now fully human again in death.

Iroha grabbed my hand from behind and raised her other hand to touch Kizuna’s side. I shut my eyes as she murmured farewell. I opened my eyes again as the two Qilin turned to leave. I watched as she walked into the forest with Iroha, a comforting presence at my side.

When the sun set below the horizon I turned to find Norihisa waiting patiently for us. Without a word we all boarded the yacht. I sat at the front and still watched the tree line while Norihisa went into the cabin.

“It’s time to go, Eien,” Iroha said softly. I looked down at her as she sat by my side. She looked worn and ragged but her eyes still shone with concern for me.

“I know,” I said softly and squeezed her hand.

With one last look at the tree line before I commanded the godcore to fly us back to Japan. My hands were red with Kizuna’s blood and I doubted that I would ever be able to wash them clean again. But, despite all of my failures to protect her, Kizuna had finally returned to her ancestral homeland. Not as the god that would have taken over her body but as a human.