Chapter XI. Resolved Tension

The air was thick with tension as the scene unfolded, time seemingly suspended in the weight of unsaid words and buried emotions. Sorako knelt on the ground, her hands pressed against the earth, feeling the rough texture below her fingertips.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the remnants of her smeared makeup, giving her a haunting appearance. The left side of her French braid hung loose, a stark contrast to the composed image she had always been expected to uphold.

A few feet away stood her father, a mountain of frustration with arms crossed tightly over his chest. His presence loomed heavy, reflecting the unyielding expectations that had been placed upon them both.

"How long are you going to sit there?" He asked, his voice low and stern. "Time is of the essence."

Sorako slowly turned to face him, her heart heavy with despair. Her face was crestfallen, burdened by the weight of their unspoken past.

"Is this how you felt when Mother died too?" She muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

Her father's face twisted in anger. He gritted his teeth, the muscles in his jaw tensing. "You—"

Sorako rose, her indignation ignited. She glared at him, the tears still glistening in her eyes. "The Maiden is all you ever cared about! You never once cared for me or Mother as people!" The words hung in the air like sharp blades.

"Now listen here—" He began, but Sorako cut him off, shaking her head fiercely.

"No, YOU listen to me—for once in your life!"Sshe spat, her anger rising to the surface. She clutched her shrine maiden outfit tightly in her hands, as if it could ground her in this chaotic moment.

The ground beneath them began to tremble, a reflection of her unraveling emotions.

"Aito was the first person after Mother to treat me like I was more than just a Maiden," Sorako continued, her breath coming out harshly. "And you took him away from me, just like you took Mother away from me when you realized she was going to take me away from here!"

Her father's eyes widened in a mix of shock and guilt, but Sorako could feel the weight of his uncaring past pressing down on their relationship.

***

The scene shifted, plunging them both into memories long buried—Sorako's childhood home, filled with fading echoes of feminie laughter that once thrived within its walls. The air was thick with nostalgia, reminding her of a night seven years ago.

A twelve-year-old Sorako stood in the hallway, dressed in a blue jinbei. She watched as her mother, a beacon of warmth and kindness, prepared to leave. Her mother, the current Maiden, had tanned skin and vibrant red hair, intricately braided just like Sorako's would be—yet hers felt so much more deliberate, so much more radiant in Sorako's eyes.

"Wait here for me, Sorako," her mother said softly, a weary smile gracing her features as she stood by the front door. "Mother is just going to prepare something, then she will be back for you."

Sorako's curiosity bubbled over, a child's innocent wonder shining through her worry. "Are we going somewhere, Mother?"

Outside, the rain poured heavily, a relentless downpour emphasizing the gravity of the situation unfolding.

"Just be a good girl and wait here, and try not to wake your father," her mother instructed, turning to look back at her. "Can you do that for me, dear?"

Sorako nodded enthusiastically. As her mother stepped out into the storm, Sorako watched, her small frame still in the doorway, and when the door slowly closed, a finality loomed in the air.

In that moment, she felt a shift, an ending she didn't yet comprehend, marking the beginning of a haunting silence that would linger in her heart forever.

Her mother never came back for her.

***

The weight of the moment pushed down on him as he let his hands rest at his sides, staring into the distance. Sorako fixed her gaze on the ground, barely able to comprehend the chaos unfolding around them.

"I always found it strange why she never came back, and why the next day you spouted nonsense that she had gotten into an accident." Sorako said, her voice trembling with the weight of her words. She bit her lip until she tasted blood, her fists clenching so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Anger filled her eyes as she looked up at her father.

"What did you do?!" She demanded, her voice rising, echoing into the stillness of the night.

Sorako's father turned his gaze away, unable to meet the anger in her eyes. He peered down at the world below, where the island trembled beneath them.

The spirits that had long surrounded them began to fade into colorless shadows, their essence slipping away like sand through an hourglass.

"She's…" Sorako's father started, his voice barely a whisper, but the word hung in the air, heavy with implication.

As Sorako's heart raced erratically, she inhaled deeply, her breath quickening. Shock widened her eyes, and tears cascaded down her cheeks as she understood the implications of her fathers words.

Her mother wasn't on the island.

She turned her gaze away, looking down at the expanse of the island with a stoic expression, a mask hiding the hurt beneath.

"Why did you have to take away the people I care about the most?" Sorako's voice was hoarse, filled with pain and betrayal.

She collapsed to her knees, her hands digging into the earth beside her, desperate for something to hold on to.

"Now I have no one…" She murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. Hunching over, her forehead pressed against the cold ground, she shut her eyes tightly, as if trying to block out the painful reality surrounding her.

In that moment of despair, her anguish erupted into a scream that pierced the night. "WHY?!"

In response to her anguish, colorless spirits surged upward from the depths of the island, swirling around her like a violent tornado of emptiness.

Sorako's Father, panic rising within him, took a step toward her. All he could see was a fierce wind encircling her, a tempest born of her sorrow.

"What in the spirits is going on?" He exclaimed, reaching out to his daughter, but the spirits smacked his hand away with an unseen force. He stumbled back, barely regaining his balance as he stared at Sorako, fear etching deep lines on his face.

Sorako, slowly rising to her feet, found herself enveloped in an eerie stillness. Her eyes, once bright with emotion, now appeared dull, as though all vitality had drained from them. She tilted her head back toward the sky, hands clasped together in a fervent prayer.

"Where are you when we need you,

the one who shows us the way?" She sang, her voice breaking the oppressive silence.

As her words filled the air, the very ground beneath them quaked violently. Sorako's Father struggled to maintain his footing, collapsing to the ground as he stared up at her in disbelief.

"This song…" He murmured, realization dawning in his eyes, "No! You must stop this at once!"

Panic surged within him as he fought to his feet, wobbling dangerously. The distant screams from the village pierced the night, a warning of the chaos unfolding.

"I must warn everyone!" He called out urgently.

With one last look at his daughter, filled with both sorrow and determination, he turned away and rushed back toward the village. Koi, who had been quietly observing, drifted away in the opposite direction, as if sensing the impending storm that loomed over them all.

Aito and Aya floated through the night sky, suspended in an ethereal silence. Aito clung tightly to Aya, her arms securely wrapped around his waist as they drifted higher. He turned his gaze upward, spotting the island below. Within the swirling chaos, he could hear Sorako's voice, sweet and haunting.

"Guide us along the chosen path,

where we may meet once again." Her voice rang out throughout the skies.

As Aito's eyes focused on the scene below, he noticed a tornado of spirits spiraling aimlessly on the island. His heart raced.

"When you say the second calamity, do you mean—?" Aito began, but Aya cut him off, urgency lacing her voice.

"The same event I caused. But this time, there are no Greater Spirits to stop it." She replied. Without hesitation, Aya shot upwards toward the island, the ground far below disappearing into shadows.

"We have no time to spare." Aya called back, looking down at Aito, her expression intense. "Do you wish to free the current Maiden from her burden?"

Aito's surprise quickly morphed into resolve as he met her gaze. "I do." He declared without hesitation.

A smile broke across Aya's face, radiant and encouraging. "Then off we go!" She propelled them upwards with a burst of speed, and Aito held on tightly as they soared through the skies.

Their feet finally touched the ground of the island, solid but trembling beneath them. In the distance, the tornado of spirits writhed wildly, and Aito's heart sank when he spotted Sorako trapped inside.

He let go of Aya and glanced at himself, bewildered to see a dim white glow emanating from his body.

"I'm glowing?" He muttered, shaking his head in disbelief. Yet there was no time to ponder this new mystery.

"I need to go save Sorako." Aito insisted, taking a step toward the swirling mass of spirits. But Aya's grip was suddenly tight on his arm, anchoring him in place.

"I will handle the Maiden alongside the Greater Spirit Fish and Serpent." she responded firmly.

Sorako's voice broke through once more, singing sweetly,

"Find me sleeping in the depths,

help me reach the top of the skies."

As if summoned by her song, Squiggles appeared from Aito's hair, floating gracefully to land on Aya's shoulder. Koi appeared from the direction where Sorako was, gliding into position on her other shoulder as if summoned by Aya herself. Aito blinked in astonishment at Squiggles.

"The Greater Spirit Serpent… is Squiggles?" He asked, unable to hide his disbelief.

Aya giggled, her laughter light and freeing. She placed a hand on Squiggles, and it nuzzled her affectionately. Koi pressed against her cheek, sharing in the tender moment.

"It is indeed the protector of the pact bearer of The Greater Spirit Bird," Aya explained, casting a meaningful glance at Aito. "You."

Aito pointed at himself, shock evident in his wide eyes and gaping mouth. "Me?"

Aya nodded, her expression earnest. "You are the key to ending all this."

Feeling a mix of emotions, Aito pressed his hand over his heart, suddenly aware of the weight it bore. "It's all making sense now… the pain I felt when Sorako was singing, the nostalgia when I saw you…"

He turned to Aya, his gaze drawn to Squiggles, which floated closer, nuzzling his hand gently. "To think, all this time, you were the instigator for all of this." He poked Squiggles lightly, half-accusing, half-amazed. "Were you waiting for Sorako to come down to the surface all this time?"

Squiggles circled around Aito, then returned to perch on Aya's shoulder, leaving Aito to wonder if he was right.

Suddenly, colorless spirits surged forth, swirling like a tempest around Aya and Aito. The earth beneath them trembled violently, and Aito stumbled, nearly losing his balance. But Aya was there, catching him with practiced ease.

"Forgive me," she said quickly, "we have no time to talk. You must climb the mountain and reach the crystalline." Her finger pointed toward a distant formation.

Aito squinted in confusion, searching for the mountain she spoke of. "Mountain? I don't see—"

In response, Aya crouched, placing her palm against the ground. It shook beneath her touch, and as she withdrew her hand, the earth began to shift and rise, forming a mountain that stretched toward the sky.

Before Aito stood a towering 1000-foot mountain, glowing with a brilliant light. He stared up, wide-eyed, at the imposing height.

"Am I really going to be able to climb this by myself?"

As if sensing his hesitation, Aya began to sprint in the direction of the tornado of spirits who were surrounded Sorako.

Squiggles and Koi flanking her. She glanced back over her shoulder, her eyes filled with fierce encouragement.

"If you fail, the island shall fall, and everyone along with it."

Aito swallowed hard, anxiety prickling at his chest as he turned to face the daunting mountain once more.

"You will be fine. Sorako and I believe in you." Aya called out before dashing off into the chaos.

Alone now, Aito closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath, feeling the weight of his mission press down on him. He exhaled slowly, opening his eyes to reveal a newfound determination.

"Up we go." He resolved, reaching out to grasp the side of the mountain. As he began to climb, the dim white glow surrounding him brightened, pulsing with urgency and belief in the destiny he was beginning to embrace.