Muji's Eternal Fate

"You can't win, Muji," Hoshiyo said, advancing purposefully. "Let it go."

With a final cry of desperation, Muji raised his staff for one last strike, but Hoshiyo was faster. She surged forward, her katana slicing through the air, disarming him with a sharp, precise motion. The staff clattered to the ground, its crystals dimming as Muji fell to his knees, his chest heaving from the exertion.

Hoshiyo stood over him, her blade hovering just above his neck. For a tense moment, there was only the sound of their heavy breathing and the distant murmur of the village below. Takeko and Rei stood ready, waiting for Hoshiyo's next move.

Just as Hoshiyo was about to deliver the final blow, her eyes softened, shifting from the intense fire of bloodlust to a calm, glowing red. The memory of her nightmare resurfaced—her mother striking her down in cold blood. She paused, her katana hovering inches from Muji's pale neck, and saw the fear in his eyes.

Hoshiyo lowered her blade with a deep breath and stepped back, her gaze falling to the rustling grass beneath her feet. The wind tousled their hair as she spoke, her voice steady but firm. "I'm not going to kill you, Muji. You've made terrible mistakes, but you're not beyond redemption."

Muji stared up at her, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You're... sparing me?"

"Yes," Hoshiyo replied, her tone resolute. "Killing you won't bring peace to this island. I hope you learn from your actions and witness a world that thrives without you tearing it apart."

Rei, standing beside her, offered a soft smile. "You made the right decision, Hoshiyo."

"I hope so," Hoshiyo murmured, her voice quieter now, uncertain.

Muji collapsed to his knees, his dark eyes brimming with tears. He covered his face and bowed, pressing his forehead into the grass to hide his sobs. Hoshiyo watched him, hoping that the weight of his crimes would soon burden him with regret, thankful they had stopped him before he could claim the title of Kami killer.

Without another word, Hoshiyo quietly pulled a length of rope from within her robes and bound Muji as he lay weeping. A sense of relief washed over her; sparing his life felt right. Instead of the monstrous sorcerer, Muji resembled a frightened boy who had spent his life in a small, twisted world of his own making. The forest could only teach him so much. Perhaps one day, she'd help him learn a better way and give him a second chance.

Takeko marched ahead with a spring in her step. "We should head back before the others start worrying," she said with a grin.

"Good idea," Rei replied. "I could go for another bowl of udon."

"We'll figure out what to do with him once we're home," Hoshiyo added, glancing at the bound Muji, his head hanging low in defeat.

As they walked through the village, the villagers greeted them with cheers and smiles. The sorcerer, now humbled and captured, was no longer a threat. As they passed the Taiyaki stall, the cook waved enthusiastically, a basket of charcoal cradled in one arm. With Muji captured, the village could finally rest easy, their fears dissipating like smoke.

When they passed the inn, the elderly woman and her grumpy assistant waved goodbye, grateful expressions on their faces. The village seemed to celebrate the sisters' victory as they left, their journey leading them toward the quiet forest.

The trees thickened, and the forest grew darker as they ventured deeper. Rei broke the silence, her eyes scanning the horizon as the sun dipped low. "We should take him back to the house," she said. "Let Omoikane decide his fate. He deserves that much."

Hoshiyo nodded in agreement. Though the road ahead would be long, she believed Muji could endure it—perhaps even emerge a changed man.

Hoshiyo nodded in agreement, wiping the sweat from her brow. "It's his right after everything Muji did to him."

Muji scoffed, twisting his wrists against the ropes. "Who's Omoikane, and why does he get to decide my fate?"

Hoshiyo's frown deepened as she locked eyes with him. "Omoikane is the Kami you tried to kill in the forest. We saved him. He told us who you were so we could stop you."

Muji sneered. "That boar should have died. How did you manage to save him?"

Rei, walking a few steps behind, crossed her arms. She briefly considered answering, but the less Muji knew, the better. Trusting him, even if he seemed young and broken now, was out of the question. "That's none of your business," she said flatly.

Muji's eyes narrowed. "Are you three part of the Nine Generation Warriors? You look like the rumors say."

Silence followed his question. None of the sisters bothered to respond, each knowing that revealing any details could be dangerous if Muji ever escaped or betrayed them. They couldn't risk it—not with someone as unpredictable as him.

"Why aren't you answering me?" Muji's voice grated against their ears as he struggled in their grip. "Why don't you transform back into wolves? Can you even do it anymore? Did you lose your connection to the Kami? I bet you haven't even met the real Kami who rules these islands!"

Hoshiyo's eyes flickered with irritation, but she remained silent, ignoring him. Takeko, however, wasn't as patient.

"Do you ever shut up?" Takeko muttered under her breath, resisting the urge to tighten the ropes around Muji's wrists.

Muji grinned despite the situation, taking her response as an invitation to continue. "What's wrong, wolf girl? Did the Kami take away your power? Is that why you refuse to answer? Or are you just scared?"

Rei, walking beside them, exchanged a glance with Hoshiyo. "Maybe we should just leave him somewhere wrapped up like a wild boar," Rei suggested dryly. "Let him figure out his fate alone."

Hoshiyo let out a tired chuckle, though the suggestion was tempting. "We can't do that, as much as we might want to."

Takeko shot Muji a dark look. "Lucky for you, we have standards."

Muji sneered, clearly enjoying their frustration. "Standards? The kind that allows you to spare sorcerers who try to rid the world of monsters?"

"You misunderstand everything," Hoshiyo said coldly, her patience fraying. "But that's your problem, not ours. I'm done trying to explain it to you."

The night dragged on, the weight of Muji's constant questions making the journey feel even longer. The sisters refused to answer for their safety and the sake of the Kami. Each time Muji's voice broke the silence, it felt like a stone in their boots, wearing them down.

It wasn't until the first light of morning stretched across the sky that they finally saw the familiar outline of the house ahead. Hoshiyo sighed in relief, her muscles aching from the long trek. Takeko muttered under her breath, "Finally."

The sisters approached the house, and Muji's questions finally ceased, perhaps realizing that his fate would soon be decided. They wasted no time entering the house, the weight of their task still looming.

"We're here," Rei said softly, glancing at Hoshiyo. "It's time to face Omoikane."

Hoshiyo nodded, her gaze sharpening. "Let's finish this."

Hoshiyo, Rei, and Takeko, with the bound and disgruntled Muji in tow, entered the side of the house's shrine where Omoikane had been recovering. The air inside was thick with incense, but something was off. The massive boar was nowhere in sight.

Hoshiyo frowned. "Where is he?"

Instead, they found Ceres and Motoko seated in prayer at the shrine, their masters Abe and Hotaru beside them. The scene was serene, starkly contrasting to the restless energy Hoshiyo felt. She cleared her throat softly, not wanting to disrupt the peaceful moment.

Ceres was the first to look up, her expression soft but weary. "Hoshiyo, is something wrong?"

"Where's Omoikane?" Hoshiyo asked, her voice carrying a mix of concern and frustration. "We captured the sorcerer, Muji."

Motoko glanced at Ceres, then back to Hoshiyo. "Omoikane has returned to his shrine. After fully recovering, he decided it was best to return to where we first found him."

Hoshiyo's shoulders slumped ever so slightly. "He's already gone?"

Abe, their master, nodded solemnly. "Yes. He felt it was time to resume his duties as the Kami of Wisdom. His shrine is his true home."

Rei let out a groan of disbelief. "So now we must take the long way around through the forest to his shrine?"

"It seems so," Hoshiyo sighed. She glanced at her sisters, looking as tired as she felt, but there was a flicker of excitement in their eyes. Despite their exhaustion, they were nearing the end of this ordeal.

Takeko cracked a weary grin. "At least we're close to finishing this mission on a happy note. Let's get going."

As the three sisters prepared to leave, Muji, still bound and dragged along behind them, groaned in protest. "Another walk? You'll wear me out before you decide what to do with me."

Rei shot him a glance. "You could be walking this alone, but we spared you that luxury."

The sisters exited the house and began their long trek back through the forest toward Omoikane's shrine. The journey was arduous, winding, and steep, but there was a quiet resolve. 

Once they arrived at the shrine, their breaths were heavy as they dragged Muji up the stone steps, still bound in rope. The shrine stood silent under the early morning light, the cool breeze rustling through the trees. The sisters had barely stepped onto the sacred grounds when a loud, angry squeal pierced the air.

Omoikane, the great boar Kami, emerged from his shrine in a fury, his tusks gleaming in the light. He snorted and stomped the ground as his voice thundered, "Why have you brought this human here?"

Hoshiyo, standing her ground despite the boar's anger, stepped forward. "We brought him to you because he wronged you, Omoikane. You should decide his fate."

The Kami's red eyes flared, his breath steaming as he glared at the trembling Muji. "That human is beneath me," he grunted. 

Takeko and Rei exchanged uneasy glances, their hands resting near their weapons. Hoshiyo remained calm, her voice steady. "He tried to kill you. He cursed you. It should be your decision how he pays for it."

The tension hung in the air, thick as fog. Finally, Omoikane snorted, stamping his hooves again, though less furiously.

"It is not the place of Kami to end life," Omoikane rumbled. "We exist to bring life to the world, to nourish it, not destroy it. But this human cannot be left unpunished."

The boar Kami's eyes glowed fiercely as he stomped the ground—a swirling portal of ethereal light opened beside him, a gateway to the spirit world. The sisters stared in awe, the shimmer of the portal reflecting in their eyes.

"I will take him to the spirit realm," Omoikane declared. "There, he will remain until I deem him worthy of release. He will learn that his actions have consequences."

Muji, silent in his shock and fear, struggled against the ropes. "You can't do this!" he cried, his voice cracking with desperation. "I only wanted to protect—"

"Silence!" Omoikane bellowed, his voice shaking the very ground. With a sweep of his tusks, he pulled Muji through the portal.

The light from the portal flashed brightly before it vanished, leaving the shrine peaceful once again. The boar Kami was gone, and with him, the sorcerer Muji.

Hoshiyo, Takeko, and Rei stood still for a moment, the silence almost deafening after the moment's intensity. Then, as the reality of their success sank in, they shared relieved smiles.

"We did it," Rei said softly, the pride transparent in her voice.

Takeko grinned, her hands on her hips. "First mission together, and we've already captured a sorcerer."

Hoshiyo nodded, her gaze still on where the portal had vanished. "We stopped him—and gave him a chance to change. That's what matters."

The three sisters cheered quietly, their hearts lightening as they stood in the shrine, proud of their accomplishment and ready for whatever challenges awaited them next.

The sun hung low in the sky as the sisters began their walk back to the house. The weight of their first completed mission together settled into a satisfying calm. The forest around them was quiet, the leaves rustling softly in the wind, and they didn't feel the burden of a looming threat for the first time in days.

Takeko stretched her arms above her head, a smile playing on her lips. "We actually did it," she said. "First mission as a trio, and we pulled it off."

Rei chuckled softly, her eyes scanning the fading horizon. "Feels good, doesn't it? No more threats lurking around. Just us, the open road, and a well-deserved break."

Hoshiyo, walking a few steps ahead, glanced back at her sisters, her heart full but her mind already racing ahead. "Yeah, but that doesn't mean we stop. There's always more to learn, more to improve."

Rei tilted her head thoughtfully. "Actually, that reminds me... Hoshiyo, I've been thinking. You're the leader of this team, but what if you started joining the other masters on their missions with their students? It would give you a chance to pick up different skills—things we don't normally practice."

Takeko perked up. "That's not a bad idea. If you're going to lead everyone, you should know how to do what they do. You'd be a more complete leader if you understand all the skills we use."

Hoshiyo slowed her pace, considering the idea. "You think it would help me be a better leader?"

Rei nodded. "Absolutely. The more you know about what the others can do, the better you'll be at guiding them. But it's going to take time—maybe even years. It's not just about picking up a few techniques. You'd have to master them, really understand how they work."

Hoshiyo stopped in her tracks, turning to face Rei and Takeko. Her gaze was steady, her expression resolute. "I'm not afraid of that. If that's what it takes to be the leader our team deserves, then I'm willing to do it. No matter how long it takes."

Rei smiled at her, a glint of pride in her eyes. "That's the spirit. It's a long road, but if anyone can do it, it's you."

The three sisters continued walking, their footsteps in sync with the peaceful rhythm of the evening forest. The house was still a ways off, but the path ahead felt clearer. They had accomplished their first mission together, but more importantly, they had taken the first steps toward something much more significant.