Chapter 65 (Final)

The ground shook, much more violently than before as the roar echoed across the sky once more. The Hound, the only other one to get back to his feet, stretched out his arm towards Kaede, who was standing anchored in the center of the platform, her eyes wide.

“Kaede!” Yurika, Gakuto and The Hound’s voices called out to the oiran.

Her eyes met the Hound’s mask and she took a cautious step forward before the ground shook once more. She stopped, steading herself before she heard a loud, metal cracking sound behind her.

The Hound’s unseen eyes widened behind the mask as an unfathomably large, silver streak lunged into the sky, directly behind Kaede. The oiran turned, tucking some of her hair behind her ears, her braids coming loose from a spontaneous burst of wind. Her eyes widened as they caught sight of an immeasurably long, utterly incomprehensibly large silver body poured out of the shattered relic.

The other six people on the peak looked up, agape at the abstruse snaking being that seemingly manifested from nowhere. Its extensive body spiraled out across the sky over Tsuiraku and the surrounding sea, obscuring the sky and moon from view. The Xuicurian Sea’s waves peaked and crested like the tell-tale sign of an impending, catastrophic storm was approaching.

After what seemed like several chimes, the rumbling came to a stop as the inconceivably massive creature was fully materialized, its ancient head curling back down towards the Ochiru’s peak and to the small girl standing in awe of the majestic serpent above.

Kaede and the Serpent’s eyes met, the oiran feeling a mixture of equal parts exhilaration and disconcertedness. Her breath caught in her throat as her mind tried to accept the sheer breadth and scale of the colossal ancient snake hovering above her. She gulped, before cautiously taking a step closer as the monstrous moon-bearer’s head curled closer.

His silver scales shimmered, no doubt from the moon his body obscured as his massive webbed wings flapped quietly, keeping his form aloft. A loud, rumbling roar escaped his maw as he edged his head ever closer to the mountain’s peak; ever closer to Kaede.

Six of the seven other people on the peak were paralyzed with awe, fear and every emotion in between, the lone exception being the Hound who was not witnessing the massive creature for the first time.

Even Umie, who had shown little emotion in the time Kaede had known her, stood astonished at the impressive scale of the beast who had once charioted the moon across the night sky.

The beast craned his head as close to the ground as possible, his eyes unblinking as Kaede edged even closer, almost hypnotized by the sight of the Celestial Snake. She slowly extended her hand out, gingerly placing it on the Serpent’s head. He elicited what could only be a contented sigh and Kaede smiled gently, patting his head a few more times.

The other seven people on the peak cautiously stepped over towards the creature, none daring to get closer as Kaede gently stroked the beast’s silver scales. They were cool to the touch and she ran her fingers gently along them, trying not to do anything to startle the Serpent.

“He’s never been so calm with others, besides Kagura-sama.” The Hound said, stepping closer. The Serpent narrowed his eyes and hissed but Kaede continued her gentle pats of his head, calming him back down.

“...even me.”

“That’s his way of saying you were too close to his beloved princess.” Kaede said, giggling softly as the Serpent made a sigh, causing the ground beneath them to rumble slightly. The others tried to catch themselves but Kaede seemed unbothered.

“A Serpent jealous of a dog? Now I’ve seen everything.” Yurika quipped, stepping closer and the massive snake recoiled slightly before leaning closer, allowing Yurika to stroke his scales as well.

“Looks like he’s a sucker for girls…” Gakuto said, keeping his distance.

“Why don’t you come pat him too, Gakkun?” Yurika said, grinning.

“N-no thanks!”

Kaede grinned. “Gakkun is afraid of snakes!”

“Yeah, especially ones who could eat this whole mountain in a single bite!”

Isshin and Iori stepped closer, the head monk bowing deeply while Iori joined Kaede and Yurika in rubbing the snake’s scales. Ieyasu and Umie maintained their distance, as another sigh from the beast caused the ground to quake. Gakuto took a few more steps back, as both Kaede and Yurika giggled. The guard glared weakly at them.

After a few more moments of getting his head patted by the trio of girls, the Serpent retracted back and started to move his head back and forth as if searching for something.

“He’s unsure where he is…” The Hound said quietly, stepping over and picking up the half-glass mirror that still housed Kagura.

“Wait, if the Serpent is out, why isn’t the princess freed, Cana?” Ieyasu piped up, stepping over towards the Hound, holding the mirror.

The Hound remained silent for a moment as he gently held the mirror.

“Kagura-sama is no more.”

The air around the peak seemed to freeze as he left that hanging in the air.

“That’s impossible!” Kaede cried out. “I met her in my dreams three times! I even saw her in the mirror before I started the dance!” She shook her head vehemently, refusing to believe it. “She can’t be gone!”

The Hound gazed at Kaede, his melancholic expression obscured by the mask. “You might have talked to her in your dreams, but there was no way you saw her in the mirror. Her magic was waning over the past few cycles.” He looked down at the mirror quietly, wishing he could see her face once more.

“That’s why she was reluctant to use the seal in the first place. It isn’t permanent, it only lasts as long as the user’s magic does. And, if they are lucky enough to have any magic left, when the seals are broken another way… The last of their magic is exhausted and they perish.”

Kaede’s eyes widened as tears started to trickle out. “Th-that can’t be!”

Yurika wrapped her arm around the oiran’s shoulder, turning her head to glare at the Hound. “Why didn’t you tell us sooner!?”

“Would it have honestly changed anything!?” The Hound bellowed, clenching his fists tightly. “Kagura-sama knew that her fate was sealed and that’s why she wanted to right the wrongs inflicted upon the Serpent. That’s why she wanted to stop the moon from falling! If the seal weakened on its own…”

“...there would’ve been no way to stop it…” Umie said quietly, her eyes on the ground.

“Y-you knew too!?” Kaede cried out, looking at the girl through blurry eyes.

Umie merely nodded, keeping her gaze averted. She had seen all the branches and she had even begged Kagura to find another way, but some things were inevitable.

Kaede broke into sobs, clinging to Yurika, who patted the oiran’s head gently.

The Hound walked over and crouched down beside Kaede and Yurika, offering his hand out to the oiran.

“I’m not happy about this either, Kaede… But this was my princess’ last wish and I want to see it through.”

Kaede sniffled, wiping her eyes as the tears continued to flow, looking at the Hound’s outstretched hand. She nodded slightly, as her eyes met his mask. “What do we need to finish this, sir Hound?”

The Hound laughed gently, a hidden smile beneath the mask. “I told you to stop calling me that, didn’t I? Just call me Cana.”

Kaede nodded meekly before grabbing the Hound, or rather, Cana’s hand softly. He helped her to her feet. “What do you need, sir Cana?”

“Just the golden and silver bells, young Kaede. I can use the shroud to reach the moon from the Serpent’s back, but I need Kagura-sama’s bell to appease him.”

Kaede slowly removed the golden handbell and set it in Cana’s hand before reaching up and untying the silver bell from her hair. The others watched on as the oiran glanced at the bell and then up at the Serpent, still desperately searching around.

“You better come back here when you’re done, Cana.” Kaede said adamantly, her eyes narrowed at the dog-faced man as she placed the crotal bell in his hand.

Cana laughed loudly and it may have been the most genuine laugh he had in centuries. “I promise you, I won’t go disappearing quite yet. Ieyasu would be lonely without me around and I’ve grown fond of Tsuiraku.”

He looked past Kaede at Yurika, an unseen grin on his face. “Even if the village girls started nasty rumors about me!”
“It wasn’t me! There’s an entire generation of ladies who started it!” Yurika said, glaring at him. “Your fault for acting so shady and creepy!”
Cana looked at both bells and then stood up, flinging the edge of his shroud up, connecting to the shadow that covered the island and the surrounding area. He rode it up towards the Serpent who hissed irritably as Cana approached him.

The man formerly known as the Hound rang Kagura’s bell a few times and the Serpent seemed to become happier. Cana glanced down at the seven people staring up at him, before calling down to Kaede.
“It might be several years until I come back, but I hope that you can come back to Tsuiraku sometime, Kaede! I would like to see the princess’s chosen avatar upon my return!”

Kaede smiled brightly, waving up at him. “I’ll do my best, sir Hound… I mean, sir Cana!”

“It might be impossible for you to ever leave the palace again…” Gakuto muttered before crying out as Yurika elbowed him.

Cana glanced down one more time before ringing Kagura’s bell and then disappearing into the shadows. The Serpent made a few contented sighs, as if the bell was still chiming and then he turned with purpose, his massive form soaring off towards the sky. His coiled body slowly followed, steadily revealing the hidden moon.

Masters Isshin and Ieyasu, Iori and Umie all stared for a few moments before leaving behind the mountain peak.

Kaede, Gakuto and Yurika watched until the Serpent’s body disappeared into the stars above, enjoying the unveiled night sky and the beautiful full moon.

Several chimes later, the trio started the long trek back down to Nagato. The moon was slowly making its way to the horizon and by the time they reached the stairs leading to the Secluded Shrine, the sun was starting its journey.

The exhaustion from the previous cycle was starting to set in, and surely, a long lecture from Yukiko awaited them, but Kaede, Gakuto and Yurika could only entertain thoughts of finally sleeping.

They approached the overlook before the final bend to the village, just as the first morning chime echoed from below. The bustle and fervor of the village seemed normal from afar, making the trio wonder if anyone who was not on Mt. Ochiru’s the night before even saw the Divine Serpent ascend into the sky once more.

Kaede stopped and stretched, gazing out over the forest to the sea beyond, enjoying the morning sea breeze before gasping loudly. She reached over, grasping Gakuto’s sleeve before tugging on it rapidly, the young guard failing to stifle a yawn.

“Gakkun, Gakkun!” The oiran exclaimed, her eyes fixed on a pair of boats, drifting closer to Tsuiraku.

“What is it…?” Gakuto said, drowsily, before his gaze followed Kaede’s. His jaw dropped and panic set in as his eyes saw the banners. He and the oiran exchanged glances as Yurika fell in beside them, wrapping her arms around them both.

“Why’d you two stop!? We’re almost there.”

Kaede and Gakuto turned their heads slowly, a look of sheer fear on both of their faces.
“Those are Imperial vessels!” They said in unison.

Yurika shielded her eyes as she peered out at the two boats rapidly approaching the island. “That’s good, right? You two can finally go…”

“No, it’s not good!” Kaede cried out. “What are we going to do, Gakkun!?”

“In all the chaos here, it completely slipped my mind…” He muttered.

“What’s with you two!? You defeated a couple of bad guys, solved an ancient mystery and even met the Divine Serpent! Why would you be scared of a pair of boats from your homeland!?” Yurika asked, staring between the two of them.

“You’ve never dealt with the wrath of Hinoki-sama!”

“...of my mother!”

The two cried out as both vessels approached the Tsuiraku docks.