by Lolah Runda
HIKARI OKAMI:
KITSUNE SERIES
“A tale of love that transcends time between a demon fox and a human”
LOLAH RUNDA
Copyright 2015 by Lolah Runda
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To my Okaasama Mrs. Abosede Omowumi Olukoju (nee Olorunda)
you would forever remain in my heart.
Prologue
Long ago the tale of the kitsune “demon fox” would cause fear to rise in the heart of men these fearless creatures were known for their mischief and misfortune to mankind, the mere mention of the name was not to be lightly spoken for mothers say the name to strike fear into the hearts of disobedient children.
Kyubi “nine tail demon fox” the most feared among them for it is said to be the strongest yokai “demon” many have come to believe it to be an immortal being who possess immense spiritual energy, this creature having lived among humans for many seasons now see them as weak beings easily misled by lies and quick to betray one another, ephemeral, lacking in strength and cursed with a short life span with this in mind the kyubi ceased entering the human world preferring the yokai world of power, comradeship and absolute freedom.
The yokai world which consists of various demons some possessing features resembling those of humans, animals or both, one in particular is the ayakashi “phantom” known for great strength and able to co-exist in both worlds in the past some bred among the humans which lead to the birth those who go by the name onmyouji “demon slayer” for they possess powers similar to a yokai.
Among the yokai and ayakashi are those who possess great powers which set them apart from their kind for these are said to belong to the noble family with unique bloodline for they neither mix with others so as to retain their pure linage these are the very elite among the yokai for their aura makes their presence known whenever they pass by.
Thus the noble families never marry from the lower class for in the yokai world, power is everything and those that do not belong are treated as though they were invincible.
Chiho-sama also known by some as the kyubi , having taken the form of a young beautiful female yokai as one endowed with natural grace, flowing silken platinum lavender blue hair, eyes of glowing wine hue with characteristic piercing dark pupil and two pointed ears of lavender blue.
For she had unrivaled powers to create and destroy at will, great wisdom having abilities that other yokai could only dream of; she is said to have created the very children in whom she bore, the first Hikari followed by Taiki, Himiko and Ayumu which all possessed unique abilities of their own.
As the leader of the yokai world she knew what was going on concerning how the lower class yokai were mistreated by the ones of higher class therefore she made the decision to create a balance such that they could co-exist without bloodshed with that in mind a meeting point was established this was known as the yoshiwara district which was made up of various establishments to cater to their needs for she hoped with time there could be some among them who would lose their resentment for each other and build a stronger bond which went beyond class.
Among the children of Chiho-sama there was one who closely resembled her this was Hikari for he had his mother’s facial appearance except for the eye color even his manner of speech sounded almost like her the sharp difference between them was the fighting skill for clearly she was the stronger one.
Taiki was the most feared among her children for his presence created a mixture of dread, awe and reverence for none dared to speak his name lightly some saw him as arrogant. At times he would viciously take down the life of those he sees to be a threat.
Himiko was a milder form of her older brother for where he would have killed ruthlessly she on the other hand would have inflicted injuries to her foes.
Ayumu the youngest of them possessed the power to control life of all kind for her gentle soul served to attract those in need of comfort and refuge, for she voice could heal the wounded but could not bring the dead to life for once a soul crosses into jigoku “netherworld” she could no longer be able to rescue such soul.
Yokai that possess great power are the only ones capable of crossing jigoku at will without any lasting consequences.
The children of a kitsune are said to be fast growing such that at the end of a season they become fully realized yokai one with power to create and destroy with immortality as their birthright. There have been an unspoken rule which must never be broken this was made when the ayakashi breed with human women who then gave birth to unusual children that possessed yokai power. Anyone who was found to have broken the rule was either destroyed or sentenced to spend a lifetime in the human world.
The dark skies above the yoshiwara district was alight by the bright celestial lamps surrounding the place, from the inn voices and music playing could be heard as yokai patrons seem to be enjoying the company of their companion, for the kurokumo “dark cloud” inn was well known among the yokai as an establishment which catered to the unique needs of all who went there. The Kaze no Yuki “faded purity” whom have been trained from an early season to bring great pleasure to anyone who pays homage to the kurokumo inn among whom was Hikari who seem to be well known for his frequent visits to the place.
The upper level of the inn was reserved for those of noble birth who were given the privilege of having their very own Kaze no Yuki attend to their needs, among them was one whose beauty was highly spoken of as a result of this she became the companion of Hikari, she was known by the name Kayo.
Chapter 1
In one of the rooms a kitsune with pointed ears sticking out from long hair of platinum lavender hue, with matching eyes of dark piercing pupils having razor sharp claws that seem to extend from slim well tended hands, dressed in pink and gray flowery pattern kimono with feet clad in a geta “wooden slippers” for hidden within layers of kimono was a specially made sensu “hand fan”.
The kitsune seem to be lying on a well made multicolor futon that was lying over the tatami “floor” while sipping sake from a sakazuki “wine cup” as his eyes lazily followed the movement of his companion watching her head slight bent while playing on the koto with her finger tips dancing all over the strings causing the room to become alive with notes which seem to emanate from the instrument, Kayo was one of the few yokai with delicate feminine features closely resembling those of a human with silken raven hair held in a finely crafted kanzashi “hair pin” and soft eyes the color of sapphire for she was dressed in flowery red, black, yellow and blue yukata with well tended slightly long claws whose feet were clad in white sock and geta.
After a while her fingers stopped playing as she raised her head and turned to her patron “Please Hikari-sama forgive me if you could be so kind, I would like to change my clothing so that I can always look my best for you”
“Do as you wish, for I do not see the need for you to change what you are wearing but if it would please you then get on with it” as he dismissed her with his hand.
Standing up from the small wooden stool she was sitting on, slowing bowed her head to him as she said “Please excuse me Hikari-sama I’ll be back very soon”
Hikari watched as she left the room while he allowed his mind to be filled with the thought of his family, he remembered not seen Taiki in almost three seasons the only ones that were within reach was Ayumu and
Himiko who were always busy with so many duties.
Thinking back he remembered his friend Ritsu-no-kami of the Inari Shrine who had promised to pay him a visit but he hadn’t seen him in almost a season. “Was life as guardian of the humans that hard?” He wondered within himself, not too long after a familiar presence was felt in the room.
“Hikari-sama haven’t I told you to always put up a barrier, you never know where your enemies may attack from” said a yokai with hair of golden hue streaked with a hint of brown with length reaching half of his back having eyes of emerald hue which was filled at the moment with amusement having well trimmed claws protruding from his hands, dressed in plain kimono of inner white and outer blue color.
“Ritsu I just thought of you not too long before you appeared before me, be rest assured for I never leave myself unguarded unlike some”
“As a friend I’m just showing my concern for you, now let me come to the main reason why I’m here for words have reached me that your mother wants you to take over from her as the supreme leader, is that true?” Ritsu-no-kami asked as he watched his friend closely for any sign that he may be hiding something from him.
“Mother is yet to tell me that, although words also have reached me about it but for now I just want to see it as mere idle talk”
As Ritsu-no-kami was about to speak they heard a knock at the door as a voice spoke “Sorry for the disturbance but I have an urgent message for Hikari-sama from Chiho-sama”
Wondering what it was Hikari responded “You can come in”
On entering in the messenger bowed his head as he reached into the side gathering of his Kimono for the letter issued by Chiho-sama on bring it out he handed it to Hikari who then read the letter, through it all no one made a sound as they watched him who at the moment seemed very annoyed.
“Please excuse us for I’ll like to speak with Ritsu alone” said Hikari to the messenger which on hearing this bowed before them as he made his way out of the room.
“Ritsu you know that you and I have been friends for a long time it is on this ground that I ask a favor from you, please allow me to take your position as guardian among the humans for a season after which I’ll take over from mother as the next supreme ruler”
“So it is really true, that means that was what the letter was about” asked Ritsu-no-kami
“You know my mother is never direct when she says things, according to the letter she says that I have to take over before I celebrate my fiftieth season which to my knowledge will be very soon”
“You do know that humans are very different from us some are as terrible as us or if not worse, but they have a great capacity to show love which goes beyond their limitation as a lesser being. Take heed never to break the rule that binds us yokai for you must never fall for a human neither lay with one for it is forbidden which is punishable by barring your entry into the yokai world to be condemned to spend your life among the humans as one of them although I doubt your mother would kill you for doing that even if you’re supposedly immortal.
Finally avoid humans who possess powers like us for they are called “onmyouji” who go about sealing yokai, I was able to live among them without detection because of my unique ability to suppress my aura making me appear human”
“Don’t take me for a fool of course I know the rules and I’m not one to be swayed by such fleeting emotions for there are duties waiting to be fulfilled as the next supreme leader”
Chapter 2
Ritsu-sama agreed to relinquish his position as guardian of the Inari shrine to his friend then he went on to explain the duties expected of a guardian.
He remembered his friend’s warning to avoid the night of the Tsuki no mangetsu “night of the lunar moon” for on that day the onmyouji go about hunting kitsune and other yokai.
Unknown to them Kayo had overheard what was been said as tears slowly trailed down her cheek, reaching her face and seeing tears on her fingers made her realize how much she loved Hikari with that came regret for she knew it was a hopeless love it was forbidden for a“Kaze no Yuki” of the kurokumo inn to fall in love with their patron for they are tools to bring pleasure to their owners.
Slowly making her way away from the room where Hikari was as she dried her eyes with the sleeves of her yukata, Kayo resolved never to reveal the love she had for him most especially to one who was from the strongest noble family in the yokai world.
Once Ritsu-no-kami was done speaking with his friend, leaving the way he came as his body slowly disappeared until there was no trace of him left in the room after which Hikari rose from where he sat to leave on a journey into the unknown world of the humans, for a moment he felt a slight regret not waiting to bid his long time companion goodbye.
“I hope she can forgive me one day”
With that thought in mind he left the inn to begin his journey…
An immense yokai aura seem to announce Hikari’s presence into the world of the humans as he came in through a Tori gate located at the entrance of the Inari shrine that connects the world of the yokai and the humans. On reaching the human world he began to observe the brightness of the sky and his surroundings watching as the humans passed by going on with their activities, wanting to know more he allowed his senses to flare out seeking as much as he could without physically going to those places.
As a creature of the night he was not yet used to the intense brightness of daytime, deciding to come out later in the night as he swiftly headed straight for the inner room of the shrine to assume his duties as guardian.
On entering into the shrine he noticed that his friend Ritsu left the place looking unattended as he saw ancient mystical scrolls, books and spiritual ornaments lying carelessly around, as one used to refinement and neatness the whole place struck him as odd as he began picking the things lying on the tatami and arranging the place.
“If I keep going at this pace I’ll never finish until sundown” with that said he released his Kitsune no maho “demon magic” not too long after the place was looking sparkling clean.
Making his way out he saw a grown blooming senbonzakura “cherry” tree not too far were small jizo statues erected to the east of the shrine while to the west was a Shishiodoshi with a zen garden.
“At least he was able to take care of the shrine surroundings” he mused within himself
Walking to where the senbonzakura was it reminded him of home, closing his eyes while allowing his Kitsune no maho to fill the air as though with life of their own they began wrapping around the blossoms as they danced to the wind shining so brightly.
Once his turbulent emotion was under control he made his way back into the shrine to wait for night to come.
As a fully realized kitsune he had reached the point where he could assume the form of a human without his tail neither sticking out nor having to resort to using a kitsune no ha “demon leaf” to appear human.
On the night when Hikari decided to take a walk among the humans unknown to him this was the night of the Tsuki no mangetsu when the moon becomes the color of peach with the absence of stars from the sky, head of the onmyouji clan Kamo no Yasunori would call his men to perform a special seal to renew the ritual that wards off yokai from entering the human world so as to maintain the balance between the human and that of the yokai world by placing a special barrier in the area where yokai are most likely to be by using the seal binding spell that places the yokai in special barrier sucking their spiritual energy then sending them to jigoku where they ultimately become soulless spirits stripped of spiritual power to break free. It has been said that none had ever escaped the jigoku and lived to tell about it, the only ones that can come and go are those who are with tremendous yokai power.
Kamo no Yasunori master of onmyou magic and spells praised alongside Abe no Seimei as a highly skilled onmyouji who had dedicated many years to studying the act of demon slaying and use of spells to protect the human world from the influence of yokai.
Dressed in a pink and grey
flower print Kimono while watching the humans walking by, as the whole place was alive with noise and activity, suddenly he felt a sense of unease as though he was being watched, he found it strange that the humans avoided walking towards and around where he was, not knowing he was already in an onmyou barrier.
He saw some men dressed in black kimono with some strange talisman pointed towards him and uttering word that felt powerful despite his lack of knowledge about what was been said, that was when it dawned on him that he was already under the control of the onmyouji, as he watched in defeat while the onmyouji completed the sealing ritual.
“Hurry do not let the kitsune escape, use the spells I taught you to bind him” Kamo no Yasunori commanded as he rallied the men to gather round the yokai as chanted in unity.
“Watashi wa anata ga futatabi kono ji o arukimawaru geretsuna ikimono kara tochi o tame ni Kotoamatsukami o yobidashimasu”
Afterwards a shinning blue light emerged from the seal binding tag enclosed the kitsune and shutting off the flow of yokai energy from within the barrier as he was taken into the world of no return.
On seeing he was surrounded by a wall of blue light, while being whisked away to a very dark place in anguish he said “I brought this on myself had I not assumed human form this would not have happened for in my foolishness they saw the chance to prey on my weakness” closing his eyes closed in defeat.
He cursed himself for his carelessness by not sensing their presence before it was too late to act as he drifted into an unnatural sleep, waiting for the time when he will break away from the powerful barrier and take his revenge.
Chapter 3
One year later…
In her dreams Murakami Miyako saw a person dressed in pink and gray flowery kimono, lavender blue hair with pointed ears sticking out from it. A face which seem pale having nails that appeared almost like claws with slim feet covered in white socks and slippers made of wood. Each time she slept her dream seem to be the same on waking up whenever she tried to remember it all seem hazy in a way.
