Chapter 11: Following The Kitsune

Armel looked towards where Bae was looking but saw nothing.

"Are you alright, Princess?"

She stepped towards the fox. Something about it told her it was hers... her Kitsune... her magic. The magic of all the Kumaris past, present and future.

Kael grabbed Bae's arm as if to stop her.

"There's no rush, Kumari. Wait for us."

"It's my destiny," she said without taking her eyes off the fox. Kael and Armel shuffled beside her as she moved towards the fox that neither of them could see.

"Let her go," one of the delegates from Dixia Muxue said. "The Kitsune calls to the Kumari."

"Kitsune?" Armel frowned.

"The magic of the Kumari."

Armel refused to part from her though. He walked beside the princess as she made her way towards something he could not see, an unfathomable need to protect her rising up within him.

***

The fox got to its feet, did a turn exposing its nine tails and darted into the trees. Bae made to run after it but Armel grabbed her hand.

"Stay with me?"

"I can't." Her voice was not her own as she removed his restraining hand before chasing after the Kitsune fox.

From somewhere behind her she heard the thundering feet of the guards coming after her but they were irrelevant. All that mattered in that moment was catching up with the Kitsune. She could hear it whispering to her, ‘it's time.'

She ran through the trees for what felt like hours until she came to a clearing. In the centre of the clearing stood an ornate building; The Temple at Mofa. The temple stood out against the darkness of the inky sky and there sitting on the temple's step was the fox. Although she'd never entered the temple before, she knew much about it. It was said to be the birthplace of magic.

"Kitsune?" Bae called softly as she slowly approached the temple.

"Welcome Kumari," the fox said. "Come and sit with me awhile while we wait for the others."

She looked around, only now realising that the others were no longer with her. For the first time in her life she was completely alone.

"Don't worry child. They'll be here soon."

Bae smiled at the fox. "Do I really have to be Kumari?"

"You more so than any other, must be Kumari." The Kitsune smiled shrewdly. "You must save the Ren and you must save me..."

"But..."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you, Bae."

***

Armel was the first to approach them, running full pelt through the trees and into the clearing. His eyes darted around as he searched for Bae, before landing on her still sat on the temple's steps. "Kumari," he raged, "you worried me."

"There's nothing to fear here," she replied.

"Bullsh*t." He made his way towards the temple step where she sat. "What made you run?"

"The Kitsune called to me."

"The Kitsune?" He looked around, searching for the Kitsune she spoke of.

"Magic." She grinned at him.

"Ah." He frowned as he plonked himself down. "The Cankurians aren't exactly known for their magical abilities."

"That doesn't mean you can't sense magic."

"True... but right now you're all I see."

She didn't know what to say to that.

"The only magic I can sense is yours." His voice was gruff and for the first time since Bae had met him earlier that day his voice held a slither of emotion.

She was about to respond when her guards and the other delegates entered the clearing. Her brother's face was thunderous as he marched towards them.

"Bae!" Rank momentarily forgotten, he asked her, "How could you just leave like that?"

The fox beside her growled at Kael and instinctually Bae reached out and stroked it. It pushed against her hand, purring softly, before curling up into a ball.

"Enough Chief Protector," Bae said more forcefully than she had ever spoken to her brother before.

"Sorry, Kumari," Kael replied before bowing his head.

The delegates from Dixia Muxue stepped forward.

"It's time, Kumari," the first delegate said. "Please make your way into the temple."

The Kitsune beside her uncurled, stretching its back before leading the Kumari inside. If outside was beautiful, the inside was spectacular. Gold, red and green swirls covered the walls. The magic here was far more potent than she'd ever known it to be in the palace. Her fingers ran along the walls as she followed after the Kitsune.

"Where are we going?" Bae asked the nine tailed fox.

It turned its head towards her. "Not far now, Kumari."