The Kami of Wisdom

Only a day had passed since Rei ordered Hoshiyo and Ceres to stay in bed, but it felt like an eternity. The room was heavy with unspoken words, and both silently grappled with the weight of their recent ordeal. Neither knew how to break the silence, and each struggled with regrets and unresolved questions about the mission.

Hoshiyo was all too aware of her mistake and silently vowed never to hide the truth from her sisters again. She wanted to apologize and explain, but the words caught her throat. Instead, they sat tensely, listening to the distant cawing of crows outside the window. The room was eerily still, the usual bustle of their sisters' presence absent as those uninjured had been sent on a new mission to uncover the mysteries of the black ooze. Hoshiyo's frustration simmered beneath the surface. She hated being left behind, feeling out of the loop while the others ventured into danger without her. But deep down, she knew she had no one to blame but herself. Her loss of control had put them all at risk, and now she was paying the price.

She took a deep breath, feeling the need to break the silence, acknowledge her failures, and make amends. "Ceres," Hoshiyo began, her voice trembling, "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about the ooze when it first took hold of me. I thought I could handle it on my own, but I should have trusted you all. I—" She winced, clutching her stomach as a sudden wave of pain twisted through her gut.

Ceres leaned forward, alarmed. "Hoshiyo? What's wrong?"

Before Hoshiyo could respond, the pain intensified, and her vision blurred. She gasped, her body convulsing as she struggled to stay conscious. "Ceres... I..." Her words faltered, and she collapsed back onto the bed, her body going limp.

Ceres jumped to her feet, panic surging through her. "Rei! Kuzunoha! Help! Something's wrong with Hoshiyo!" she yelled, echoing through the infirmary.

As Ceres' desperate cries filled the room, Hoshiyo's eyes snapped open, but they were no longer the familiar shade of red—they glowed a sickly, unnatural yellow. Her mouth opened in a silent scream as thick, black ooze began to gush out, seeping from the corners of her mouth and her eye sockets.

Ceres stumbled backward, horrified. "No, Hoshiyo, no!" she cried, her voice breaking as she watched the ooze pulse and writhe like a living thing, spreading across Hoshiyo's face and dripping onto the bed.

Hoshiyo's body convulsed violently as the ooze poured out of her, her scream finally breaking free—a sound of pure agony that cut through the air like a knife. The ooze continued to flow, dark and evil as if it was draining the very life from her.

Rei and Kuzunoha burst into the room from the hallway, their faces stricken with fear as they took in the horrifying scene.

"Hold her down!" Kuzunoha ordered, rushing to Hoshiyo's side with Rei close behind. "We can't let it consume her completely!"

Hoshiyo struggled to breathe, the relentless black ooze threatening to engulf her. Her breaths came in shallow gasps as she fought against the suffocating darkness that sought to claim her life. 

The remaining sisters rushed inside to see what the panic was about and watched the horrid sight of Hoshiyo's body becoming a disgusting, murky mess. Takeko pushed through the other sisters to enter the infirmary first and shouted, "What happened? I thought she was getting better?"

Kuzunoha pulled out from the depths of her robes a delicate copper syringe and shouted, "We couldn't get rid of the ooze entirely, but thanks to the rest of you, I was able to make a cure and were able to discover the information we needed to finish the spread of that disease."

"Let's hope this works," Takeko whispered. "We can't lose her."

"We won't," Rei argued as she struggled to restrain Hoshiyo. 

The room seemed to hold its breath as she approached Hoshiyo, her movements calm and precise despite the chaos surrounding her.

"Hoshiyo," Kuzunoha called softly, her voice steady. "I have something that can help."

She gently drew the glowing fluid into the syringe, the liquid swirling with an ethereal light. She leaned in close, her fingers steady as she injected the remedy into Hoshiyo's vein. Almost immediately, the black ooze began to recede, retreating from Hoshiyo's body as the white fluid worked its magic.

The transformation was swift but excruciating. Hoshiyo cried out, her body convulsing as the ooze was forcibly expelled. The pain was overwhelming, each second stretching into an eternity as the darkness was eradicated. Finally, with a shuddering breath, the ooze vanished utterly, leaving Hoshiyo pale but free from its vicious grip.

Rei whispered, "Did it work?"

Exhausted beyond measure, Hoshiyo's eyes fluttered shut, and she collapsed back onto the bed, slipping into a deep, untroubled sleep. The sisters watched in awe and relief as the immediate threat was defeated, but their hearts remained heavy with worry.

Without hesitation, the sisters rushed to Hoshiyo's side, surrounding the infirmary bed with anxious expressions. 

"Hoshiyo will wake when she's ready," Kuzunoha assured them, her voice calm but filled with authority. "The ooze is permanently gone from her body, but it may take days for her to awake."

A heavy silence settled over the room, the weight of the moment pressing down on everyone. Ceres stepped out of bed, her eyes misty with unshed tears. "Before she converted, Hoshiyo apologized she didn't tell us about the ooze sooner. She couldn't finish what she was trying to say because the ooze consumed her."

The room seemed to shrink as the sisters absorbed Ceres' words, their hearts aching with the realization of what they might never hear. Yoko reached out, placing a comforting hand on Rei's shoulder while Motoko and Utaku exchanged sorrowful glances. Rokuko stood quietly, her usual strength giving way to vulnerability in their shared grief.

"We wish we could have known what she wanted to tell us," Yoko whispered, her voice breaking. "But maybe we never will."

Rei nodded, her eyes fixed on Hoshiyo's peaceful form. "All we can do now is wait."

Kuzunoha placed a reassuring hand on Ceres' shoulder. "We did everything we could. Now, let her rest and heal."

In a deep slumber, Hoshiyo found herself standing in a field of red spider lilies, the vibrant flowers swaying gently in the drizzle. The air was cold, and the ground beneath her paws was soft, almost comforting. Wait—paws? She glanced down, startled to see that she was not in her human form but a white wolf, her fur slick with rain. Her breath hitched as she saw her reflection in a small pond nearby. Red eyes stared back at her, unfamiliar and unsettling.

"Where am I?" she whispered, though no sound emerged from her lupine mouth. Everything felt so real, yet so dreamlike at the same time. She walked cautiously through the field, the red lilies brushing against her fur as if trying to tell her something.

The wind suddenly shifted, and a strange, foreboding aura came. Hoshiyo's heart raced as she felt a presence watching her. She turned around, her senses on high alert and saw a figure in the distance. It was a woman with long black hair and piercing red eyes covered in a deep red yukata. She held a sword, the blade gleaming ominously in the dim light.

"Who are you?" Hoshiyo asked herself, confusion and fear flooding her mind. The woman's gaze was intense, and Hoshiyo felt an eerie connection to her. As the figure approached, realization dawned—this woman was not a stranger. She was her mother, a woman Hoshiyo had only seen in human form in fragmented memories.

But something was wrong. The mother she remembered was gentle and kind, but this woman was filled with dark, murderous intent. Hoshiyo's breath caught in her throat as her mother drew her sword, the metal singing through the air as she prepared to strike.

"Mother, no!" Hoshiyo cried, backing away, her wolf form trembling. She didn't want to fight, didn't want to believe her mother would harm her. Tears welled in her eyes, mixing with the rain as she pleaded, "Please, don't do this! I'm your daughter!"

But her mother's eyes were cold, unrecognizable, as she charged forward with the killing intent of a seasoned warrior. Hoshiyo's heart broke as she saw the blade descending towards her. She closed her eyes, bracing for the impact, her voice a desperate whisper, "Mother, please..."

Just before the blade could strike, Hoshiyo jolted awake, her body drenched in cold sweat. She was back in the infirmary, her chest heaving, her mind reeling from the vivid nightmare. Her hands clutched the bedsheets, her heart pounding as if it might burst from her chest.

She was safe, but the haunting image of her mother, the woman she loved, trying to kill her lingered in her mind. 

Rei emerged from Kuzunoha's office after catching sight of Hoshiyo through the window. Without hesitation, she rushed to Hoshiyo's side, wrapping her tightly as if she feared she might never see her again. "I'm so glad you're awake," Rei whispered, her voice trembling with relief. "We were all so worried about you."

Hoshiyo glanced around at the empty beds beside her and asked, "Where's Ceres?"

"The twins are spending time with the Kami, trying to figure out how it became infected with the black ooze," Rei explained, gently releasing her sister from the embrace. "But for now, you need to rest."

Hoshiyo frowned and said stubbornly, "You know I won't stay in this bed much longer."

Rei sighed, a mix of exasperation and affection in her expression. "Fine, but take it easy, will you?"

Hoshiyo crossed her arms and smirked. "Fine, but don't expect me to come back any time soon."

Hoshiyo slowly pushed herself out of the infirmary bed. Each step was deliberate as she made her way out of the room and into the hallway, the house's quiet encircling her. She paused momentarily, steadying herself against the wall, then continued through her empty, traditional Japanese bedroom with its tatami floors. The soft rustling of her footsteps was the only sound in the dim light as she turned right down a long, dark hallway.

She slid open a door at the end of the hallway, revealing a small shrine room. The air was heavy with the scent of incense, and the flickering light of candles cast eerie shadows across the walls. In the center of the room lay the boar Kami, its massive form bound by ropes. The beast attempted to crawl away, its hooves futilely scraping against the wooden floor.

Inside, Hoshiyo spotted Motoko and Ceres, who kept a vigilant watch over the Kami. As they noticed her presence, concern flashed across their faces.

"Hoshiyo, what are you doing here? Rei actually let you out of the infirmary?" Motoko asked.

"I needed to see the Kami for myself," Hoshiyo replied, her tone firm but calm. She moved closer to the creature, her gaze softening as she entered its terrified state. "Release him from the ropes," she ordered.

Ceres hesitated, exchanging a doubtful look with Motoko. "Are you sure, Hoshiyo? What if he—"

"He's not a threat to us," Hoshiyo interrupted. Her voice was gentle yet unwavering, leaving no room for argument. "He's been through enough."

Reluctantly, Motoko and Ceres began to untie the ropes binding the Kami. The beast's muscles tensed as the restraints fell away, but it made no move to attack. Instead, the Kami lowered its head in gratitude, its eyes reflecting a profound relief. "Thank you," the Kami whispered, its voice rough but sincere.

Hoshiyo nodded, her expression solemn. "Tell me, Who are you? And how did you come to be consumed by the black ooze? Where did it happen?"

The Kami looked away, shame clouding its features. "I... I was drawn to a place I should have avoided," it finally admitted, its voice barely above a murmur. "I was weak, and the darkness took advantage of that."

"It's okay," Hoshiyo said, "You're safe now." 

"My name is Omoikane," the Kami began, his voice deep and resonant. "I am the deity of wisdom, but I have been entangled in a dark spell, one that was cast upon me by a human sorcerer with vile intentions. His aim is to bring death and destruction to this island, and I became a vessel for his malevolence."

Hoshiyo's eyes narrowed as she listened, the gravity of the situation settling in her chest like a stone. "A human sorcerer did this to you?" she asked, her voice steady but laced with underlying anger. "What is his name? Tell me, and I will rid this island of his presence once and for all."

Omoikane hesitated, his large, sorrowful eyes meeting Hoshiyo's. "I do not know his true name," he admitted, "but I do know where you might find him. He lives in the mountains, a hermit of sorts. He sells charcoal to the villagers nearby."

"Then that's where we'll go," Hoshiyo said. "This black ooze has caused enough suffering. It's time to put an end to it."