The Spirit Festival (Pt. II)
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|| CHAPTER 31 | The Spirit Festival (Pt. II) ||
"A legend retold and a story unfolded, one that had happened in the past, and yet was regarded as something that never occurred.
"A tale of how freedom was once gained, a story of how the world was born–– the beginning of the world and the end of ever-lasting suffering of the earth.
"A story of how the world came to be. A story passed down from generation to generation, only to be labelled as something written only in the legends.
"Tell me, little one. I do believe with all my heart and soul that you might be the key I'm looking for–– no. You are the key to your own story, one that watches over the tale of their adventures.
"Tell me, the stories of how the world was made, the story of how freedom was gained, the creatures that once roamed this land, the realms of gods and goddesses, legends and myths, tall tales and folklore...
"Do you believe in them?"
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Ichijou Yuzuru came up with an orb of blazing violaceous flame on his hands.
Burning bright with a lighter blue beneath, the flames portrait the souls that had been caged away below the earth. Trapped by silver bars and surrounded by the flowers of death, they dared not to escape their cages.
He placed the fire onto the tree, burning it. The tree flared purple as the flowers withered away into ashes. The tree stood strong even with its flowers withering and its leaves burning.
With several branches slowly decaying into nothing but ashes, its trunk remained sturdy.
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One day, as they played beneath the twinkling night sky, four bright stars appeared and gave them a new light. The sun was no longer their only source of warmth, as the stars had found a new companion as well.
One of each stood by the south, north, west, and east.
A woman with locks that rivalled the ocean's hues and visions that held the sky grew from the earth. She gave the stars each a different name–– an identity that told who they were.
The light that represents the south, the Southbloom Star, was something the woman named after looking at a flower. Its shape, the four petal-like points it holds–– every side of it portrayed a blooming life.
The Northburst Point where the star by the north explodes on the first day of a new moon. Whereas each piece that touches the earth would fertilize the soil and give a new breath.
The west, where the sun sets and yet, the Westwing Star shines the brightest. It was one that accompanied the moon and the little ones in the past, and it will do so in the future as well.
Last but not least, the woman adored the Eastern Blaze. It's basked in the reddest of crimson hues, giving both night and day more colour to its canvas.
The red that displayed the roses she had always loved.
She named every star she saw, every plant she came across, every field–– everything she saw, she named.
The ceiling above then turned vast blue and the plants looked more alive than before.
However, the woman felt a little bit lonely as there was only plants and animals there. There was no one else aside from her and her own person. So, she created the "humans" to accompany her.
Out of clay and dirt, she gave breath to them with the help of the winds.
Out of gravel and sand, she formed their limbs and gave them unique features–– ones that would differentiate them from each other.
With the help of the origin ocean, blood pumped in their veins.
With the help of the sky, she gave them the first-ever "freedom."
The humans and the woman spent their days doing various stuff, building humanity's first home on the Land of Zetherax, the early land of the livings.
The land that held the most wondrous soil, where the fields grow rich with wheat and where the rivers became the home of many fishes.
She created a young god out of the sun, and she named him 'Helios.'
Created in order to take care of the humans by being in charge of the cycle of day and night, the young God followed her every word.
Witnessing something a soul had never seen before, the humans worshipped her as the goddess of the earth and nature, naming her 'Gaia.'
Many gods and goddesses appeared throughout humanity's history. Each of them was the Ruler of different things.
Harvest and fruition, children and childbirth, death and life–– every little thing in their everyday lives.
As different people had different beliefs, several gods came to be, handling the same things in different places.
Whilst time went by, the humans that the Rulers had once known to be benevolent and caring, became greedier and sought Gaia's power–– the ability and great power to create anything and everything they wanted.
And what happened you asked?
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War happened.
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A war between gods and humans.
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Humans captured and forced another form of 'life'–– the youkais and the dead–– to help them as they set their land and home aflame. Everything burnt down, leaving only ruins and earth. The earth was dry and nothing was left.
The trees were no longer green and the sky was no longer blue.
The ocean lost its blue hues and the colours of the world were drained away into nothing but grey.
–– nothing but only the sins that had corrupted the hearts of the humans.
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"I, Ichijou Yuzuru, will hereby offer you, my protection. I will defend those who wronged my people, my loved ones, and my family. I swear on my life to punish those who broke the Law and betray us."
The lake had started to whirl and began to turn scarlet, just like the blood that had become one with the water.
Ichinosuke Keita stepped forward.
He summoned several bolts of lightning down to the surface of the lake, miraculously putting out the fire, leaving only a leafless tree. The blue fireflies returned and settled on each branch, making the tree look like it had blue glowing 'leaves.'
Flows of water began to fly out of the lake, causing streams of rivers to defy gravity and dance around them.
Another flash, another stream.
Endless flows began to appear, circling the young Spirit Wielders as they crooned the melodies of freedom one hero sang in the past.
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Their home was no longer there.
The Land of Zetherax had lost its name and its form.
Gaia cried and cried river endlessly. Sadness built up from the bottom of her heart, big enough to even suppress the feelings of anger and hatred buried beneath her tears.
The first god she had ever created, Helios, punished the humans by separating the Human Realm and the Spirit Realm, giving the spirits full control of the night with the assistance of the twelve stars. Other constellation spirits also went to assist the twelve.
The only ones that remained breathing was a group of an unknown tribe–– the Sun Tribe, they called themselves. Ones that followed the Sun God from the very beginning, undying and unyielding.
And yet, none had ever heard of their names.
They didn't say anything as they used their magic to bring the plants back to life.
The birds chirped and the deer skit around the tall grasses. The animals began to roam the once dead land once more, hoping to find food and survival–– hope amongst all the despair they felt.
Gaia was touched by their silent act that she granted them the power to wield spirits with one condition:
"Protect your kind. Defend those who wronged them, your loved ones, and your family at any cost. I'm counting on you to take care of the poor-fated spirits. You have my blessings."
Gaia disappeared to the Realm of the Rulers that Helios had created so that there won't be any more conflict. However, that did not finish their problems as many more spirits were still captured and locked up here and there in this crooked, twisted world.
"Your main mission is to search and bring the spirits back to their realm, where they won't get hurt and can live in peace. Humans... are greedy beings, and they will give everything they have even for the darkest things."
The tribe listened in silence as the first God of the Sun continued his words, "They are sinners and have brought darkness to this land. It is no exceptions for you either. However..."
He paused in his words as a yellowish-white-haired male lifted his head, purple orbs eyed the young god.
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"I, Ichinosuke Keita, will hereby offer you, my protection. I will defend those who wronged my people, my loved ones, and my family. I swear on my life to punish those who broke the Law and betray us."
The last but not least, Shizuka took small strides. She slowly walked up to the blue-'leaved' tree as she placed her hand on the burnt trunk, placing a simple orb of light into the tree.
It was oddly round, with no bents or dents on it. No other colours painted its surface. There were no carvings, no features, no nothing.
Just a simple yellowish-white sphere.
However, Shizuka could feel immense mana circulating within the small orb. Such a small item held such great power–– she felt disinclined to even make contact with it.
Shizuka backed away and chanted her vows loud and clear. She cut her wrist with haste and let the crimson liquid that flowed within her droop down into the lake.
Clouds of dark red dyed the large body of water, reflecting the night sky above.
Little by little, the shining reflection of the stars began to disappear and dispersed into the crimson colour that started to take over the lake's once indigo hues.
To say that it was fearsome, they would be lying.
The blood-filled lake didn't seem all that frightening in the eyes of the spirits. The red that became family with the flaming blue lanterns that flew above their heads looked more mesmerizing than what nature had to offer.
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Words that the early Sun Tribe did not expect to hear.
To come out from a god's mouth–– the Sun God, to say the least–– it was either a blessing or a curse for them.
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A blessing of great power to come...
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A curse for the chains of fate to bind their lives...
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A neutral zone where freedom and the risks of making their own decision came to be...
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"... You have mine, the other goddesses and the gods' blessings as well, Spirit Wielders. Protect them even if it cost you your lives."
And with that, the Sun God disappeared. They could feel their magic increasing each second. Having endless knowledge of the Spirit Realm, knowing where the 'Gate' was. Wisdom and cleverness were earned by the tribe.
And so, they venture out, taking the spirits back home.
Humans from all over the world have heard about the legendary Sun Tribe and their powers, but none could confirm the rumours.
The day that the gods and goddesses gifted the spirits their world was now celebrated every decade with an event called...
'The Spirit Festival.'
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"I, Ichijou Shizuka, will hereby offer you my protection. I will defend those who wronged my people, my loved ones, and my family. I swear on my life to punish those who broke the Law and betray us."
The lake turned completely red as the tree burst into blue fiery orbs.
They floated up to the sky, seemingly towards the moon. The blood from the lake was raining upwards as it turned pure white. The seven of them danced elegantly up and down in the air, circling the orbs.
Flickering lights and dancing flames, their rhythm matched each other perfectly. With the whistles of a ghostly flute out in the distance, the requiem of yet another festival had come to an end.
"The five main clans of the Sun Tribe will now send you to the afterlife. May your souls rest in peace and may you repent for your sins. We pray that you have the Rulers' mercy and a second chance in life."
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"Huh... The princess was quite good..."
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The ritual was over as the spirits all enjoyed the rest of the festival. The children were expected to return to their own families.
With the end of the beginning event, it was time for the main one to show its true colours.
Stands of all colourfully-dyed food and unusual delicacies they would never see in the mortal world were displayed proudly.
Shizuka swore she saw one with bulging eyeballs, spinning all over the place as if it was alive.
Another with snapping jaws and boiling green goo that one wouldn't dare to eat.
Though the looks of those snacks weren't mostly the most appetizing ones, they did taste incredible when the odd texture of their surface came into contact with their taste buds, melting into an indescribable sensation.
Seeing all those food stands and amusement fares waiting to be filled up, the young Spirit Wielders' eyes land on the somewhat lonely-looking Mizuto.
Following the line of his sight, they saw Mizuki happily prancing from one stand to another with Shizuka. They were drooling over the peculiar foods. It was still a mystery whether humans (technically, they're immortals) like them could consume one.
And the idea lit up.
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Operation Get Mizuto and Mizuki Together: Activate!
The group planned to set Mizuto and Mizuki up.
This was probably one of the most reckless things they had ever done together, but then again, it was worth imagining Mizuto's (flustered) wrath upon knowing they set them up together.
Kishi told the honey-blonde girl that someone's waiting for her on the cliff.
She was a bit sceptical at first, not knowing who it was, but was convinced when Shizuka also told her the same thing.
However, things got a little hectic when Mizuki insisted on knowing who the person calling her was. And of course, Shizuka gave harmless lies at every little question the Ichimori threw at her, all for the sake of the plan.
Apologising mentally was all Shizuka could do.
Seiya, Keita, and Yuzuru told Mizuto the truth, with a little twist. It wasn't the best move, but it had the best risk. Knowing how Mizuto would subconsciously do anything for Mizuki, they made the best of that little habit.
They–– more like Seiya and Yuzuru, Keita fell asleep somewhere, as always–– told him that Mizuki's waiting for him on top of the cliff from before. "She needed something from you," apparently.
He, too, was a bit cautious at the three, having well knowledge that they're planning something. However, Mizuto didn't reject the offer. So, it's a "yes," right?
As Mizuto finally reached the cliff as he saw Mizuki there staring at the night sky. He walked closer to the female as she finally noticed him.
"Ahh, Mizuto! I heard you need me for something?"
"Huh?" From the boy's perspective, it was supposed to be Mizuki who needed him. It took a minute for Mizuto to realise what's happening as he sighed exasperatedly. '... I knew it.'
"Earth to Mizuto. Are you there??" The dense girl waved her hand in front of the male as he snapped out of his thoughts.
"A-Ah, sorry about that. I was spacing out for a bit." Mizuto cursed himself for stuttering while rubbing the back of his neck. "So, what do you need me for???" she asked again.
"Hahaha... Right, about that..."
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"You know, Mizu-nii... The fireworks are about to start, I think. It's one of the biggest shows here. Isn't it the perfect time to confess–– OW!!"
Yuzuru hold onto his stomach when Keita elbowed him. For someone who almost sleeps all the time, the raw power the Ichinosuke had defeated even Yuzuru and Kishi. If only he stays awake during battle, Keita would be the strongest in terms of just strength amongst the seven of them.
It was still a miracle how Keita was awake during that time. He even decided to play along with his childhood friends' antics, knowing they wouldn't stop until their plan succeed.
"Jeez, you're strong for someone who's always asleep..." the gold-eyed male mumbled whilst the aqua-haired male stayed quiet.
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"Well... I was going to ask you if we can both watch the fireworks together," Mizuto spoke patiently, waiting for the girl's response.
However, much to his surprise, Mizuki answered without hesitation, "Sure! It would be fun to watch the show together. I was planning on asking someone to accompany me tonight!"
He sighed in relief at the girl's response. However, the surreal reality he had was made just a dream when she said the next line.
"Ooh, we can invite others too!" Mizuki offered cheerfully. Mizuto sweatdropped at his little failure. He didn't have the heart to reject the girl as he let her text them through a magic-infused screen.
"I'll inform them right now. We'll meet here, right??" she asked the male as she scrolled through her screen, trying to find five certain contacts.
"Uh-huh... The more, the merrier, I guess." The dejected tone hidden behind Mizuto's reply went unnoticed by Mizuki.
She merrily played with her Mophorix Layers, using the tip of her finger to delicately scroll through the translucent blue screen like it was an endless piece of paper.
Hearing how the Ichimori wanted to invite the rest was the last thing they wanted on their plan.
Albeit knowing how Mizuki was a bit "heartless" at times (towards Mizuto's ignored feelings), they weren't surprised either.
Mizuki attempted on contacting the other adolescents but to no avail. Little did they know, they hid not far from where the pair stood.
Invisibility had been a coveted power since antiquity, but the stories one told about it were fables of power and corruption, irresponsibility and voyeurism.
With the help of Shizuka's magic, using the power of light refraction coupled with her corresponding affinity towards the Light element, invisibility was no longer a dream.
'Damn it, Ichimori Mizuki!!! Why do you gotta be so dense at times!' Kishi ruffled his lavender hair in frustration as Seiya face-palmed.
Communication was always needed in teamwork, no?
Not just with Shizuka's help, Kishi's ability in telepathy allowed the group to converse inwardly, letting no walls or ears hear their speech.
'Poor Mizu-nii. At times like these, I really do pity him for falling for Mizuki, gahahah!' Yuzuru laughed at the two individuals as Keita was snoozing off.
'Even I question how he's able to keep his emotions from exploding. I know nothing about love, but it seems that it really is hopeless.' Shizuka kept to herself, earning a chuckle from the light-grey-haired male.
'Hahaha, let's just watch them a little longer and see how it goes,' Seiya suggested to the group.
The honey-blonde girl was tapping her feet when she called the group several times and no one's picking up.
"Why are they not picking up?" Mizuki asked in puzzlement, furrowing her eyebrows and pouting.
"Maybe they're just enjoying the festival. Let's just enjoy ourselves and not disturb them, shall we?"
'Smooth!' the group thought to themselves as they continued to observe the two.
'This has to work, come on!'
"Sure!! When will––"
Just as the girl was about to ask, the fireworks went off loudly, drowning all other sounds. The fireworks were all sorts of different colours as the two and the spirits awed at them.
"Whoa... They're beautiful..."
Mizuki's emerald-green eyes sparkled at the sight of the blazing night flowers in the sky. Mizuto glanced at her and smiled gently.
"Yes... Yes, they are."
The two enjoyed the firework show as the hidden group quietly observe them.
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'Gracious Gaia, why am I having goosebumps all of a sudden?' Shizuka asked no one in particular, all the while rubbing her arms. The slightly protruding pores on her skin proved her words.
'Maybe you just need a little spice of love in your life?' Yuzuru teased his sister as he crossed his arms. He smirked at the grumbles Shizuka gave him, amused at how entertaining she could be.
'Well, not that she needs it when Kaien-san is planning to make her his––' Kishi clasped Seiya's mouth as he chuckled nervously at the girl. Sweating profusely, the Ichisaki was keen on not letting Shizuka know about what had happened the other day.
It was a mess, that's for sure.
'Make me his what??'
'Now, I kinda don't like the idea of you dating, Shizu,' Yuzuru interrupted with a small growl, suddenly reminded of what happened the other day with Kaien's sudden announcement.
He swore, that man always gets to his nerves.
Even Kishi agreed.
'Now, I'm curious about what you talked of. Spare me an explanation.'
'Uhh, it's nothing!! It's really nothing important. Let's just enjoy the fireworks, yes?' Kishi changed the topic, which the girl brushed off easily.
"Oi, sleepyhead!! Wake up!! The fireworks are already starting!!" Yuzuru cupped his mouth as he called audibly for the aqua-haired male. He didn't wake up at all until Shizuka called numerous times for his name.
"What are you guys spacing out for? Come on! Let's watch the fireworks away from the two lovebirds~! We don't want to bother them now, do we?" the platinum-blonde-haired girl called for them as they left the scene.
"Should we call this operation a success though??" Kishi queried inquisitively, holding his index finger up while walking away. Yuzuru and Shizuka glanced back at the two, Yuzuru gave an energetic 'yup!!' while Shizuka just gave a thumbs up while cheekily grinning.
"It's a success then, hahaha~" Seiya laughed beside the girl as Keita also commented, the latter struggling to keep his eyes open.
"We should do it again sometimes... It was fun..." he said sleepily as Shizuka nodded and Seiya laughed.
"YOU JUST SLEPT THROUGH THE WHOLE DAMN THING!!!" Yuzuru and Kishi exclaimed comically at the male who was snoozing off again slowly, with him ignoring them.
"DON'T IGNORE US YOU SLEEPYHEAD!!!"
"Kei, watch your step. You're going to trip–– wait, that's not where you're supposed to go!"
"YOU DAMNED ICHINOSUKE, GET BACK HERE!"
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The group spent their night at the festival happily as they visited various stalls.
With the accompany of the stars' warmth and the spirits' chaotic cheers, there was never a dull moment in the Spirit Realm. Shizuka wondered how the youkais were able to get along so well, seeing how different they all were.
In fact, none of the Spirit Wielders had to travel to the Spirit Realm due to conflicts. When they did, it was mostly for patrol and investigation relating to another realm.
There was barely any trouble here.
–– aside from the trouble-making spirits' antics.
While the pair of "lovebirds" had their time alone together, the rest explored the festival to their heart's content.
Conversing with different spirits was a wonderful experience for Shizuka to remember. Wearing different masks, eating various foods, watching a little play, and so much more.
She even got the chance to fly with the tengus to explore the nearest mountains where the little ones played in. Surely, being carried by the ogres on their shoulders was another unforgettable one.
Let's just say the little artist got a lot of inspiration for her drawings.
She genuinely hoped that this day would last forever. But, of course, the reality was not that kind of a soul. Going on with their day, the festival ended with happy feelings enveloping those who enjoyed it.
And for the first time in several decades, the sun rose.
It was a miracle they set their eyes upon.
A realm where the night became the norm, and the warmth of the sun coming to greet them that a new moment was about to unfold–– some spirits believed that it had something to do with this year's clan representatives.
Though they were nothing near special, the seven's fate was read with amusement in one's eyes.
One that hid in a tower, away from others.
One that saw over the realm from afar.
One that read into others' fate, indulging in reading and weaving the strings of tales.
One that told us this particular tale.
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–– Spirit Festival Arc Finished ––
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It was a story to behold, is it not?
Little one, this is only the beginning of their tale. There will be more to come in the future, more to read and more to experience.
Come and sit with me by the fireplace. I do apologize about this tower's frigid state. Even I cannot comprehend how cold it becomes at night. The sun finally rose that one time, the warmth of the sun was something worth longing for.
Now, will you continue the tale with me?
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|| CHAPTER 31 | The Spirit Festival (Pt. II) - To be continued... ||
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