Chapter 2: The light hides
Chapter Two: The light hides
Although the process of falling asleep in itself wasn't comfortable, what was far worse was the sleep itself. For a while my slumber had been quiet and peaceful yet suddenly I was attacked with pain shooting across my sleeping body. Despite this I couldn't manage to wake up as hard as I tried. Everything began to feel dizzy and I became incredibly disorientated, attacked by pain and nausea. It was as if I was trapped in a nightmare. What was worse, images kept flashing across my head: visions of the gods, of Amaterasu as a corpse, of Tamamo. Most terrifying of all is the image of a burning kitsune village with bloodstained kitsune littering the floor. Soon,that image manifested itself as a reality. Though I knew I was dreaming the images of their lifeless corpses, the vivid ashy smell of flame burned in my nose as the metallic rusty scent of blood invaded my head. The sounds of screaming rang through my ears as though they were mimicking banshees, while the moans and groans of those in pain echoed around the dying town with an eerie dread. It haunted me to no end, thus I ran through the burning village hoping the dream, no, nightmare may end soon. As I ran to where the castle should be, I came upon a monstrous site: a giant crater of which lay the corpse of the two royal guards. And above them, Tamamo with their hand piercing Amaterasu's chest. As she drops her weapon and blood coughs up from her mouth, the sheer horror of this sight overwhelms me. I let out a bloodcurdling scream and power erupts from me engulfing all in white.
Finally I had awoken, I was calmed by the site of my oh so familiar room and the knowledge that everything just now was a dream. What a horrible one to have right before coronation, though quite a curious one as well. I immediately hug my pillow and bury my face into it hoping those terrifying images leave soon. After a few minutes, I finally arose from my bed. However, as I look around I realize something. It is still dark outside. It cannot be possible that with such a long dream I had not even slept through the night. I go to the window and check the moons position. At that moment, I am hit with an onslaught of panic reverberating throughout my body as I have quite a simple but worrying realization. The moon is positioned earlier than it was before I slept, this would mean I slept through my own coronation! As I panic, I run around the room trying to figure out what to do. Eventually, I put on some lipstick and mascara. Perhaps i can ask the royal guard or my mother about it. I rush to my door andr just as I go to open it, the door opens by itself. In front of me towers the great and majestic Tamamo in all her glory, yet for some reason her elegant stature does not inspire but rather terrify me.
Something is wrong. All my senses are spiking as they scream inside my mind "danger!" and I can't help but be not just intimidated by Tamamos mere presence. Before I can think any harder about this unusual feeling, Tamamo speaks in her same calm and respectful voice she always has to me.
"Oh Tomomitsu~ it's not like you to oversleep so much, are you ok dear?"
Yet still no matter how calm or gentle she tries to appear it only strikes unease as my headache returns and all my senses scream tirelessly with only one direction:
Run
Though i am now aware something is off, i can't do anything about it at the moment. I simply try to smile and begin to respond
"Yes I am unusually exhausted, but what do I do now that the corona-"
Before I can even finish my sentence Tamamo takes an eerie step closer. as I look up at her, our difference in size becomes more apparent than ever.
"It's ok Tomomitsu, don't worry about it. You didn't have to be there for my coronation anyway. You already knew, silly, unless you just wanted to see me stand on the podium. You've always tried to do the most."
These words strike me as a spear flying through the air and piercing the heart of one single opponent. My own heart beats rapidly as I attempt to hide my fear, but something about the seemingly caring and innocent smile on her face tells me she already knows. I can no longer fake an attitude as I back up one step and she approaches another.
I manage with all my might to shakily mutter "w-what? B-but i tho-"
She cuts me off sharply once again despite keeping her soothing tone
"Oh dearie tomo~ I get it now, seeing you toss and flail in your sleep, screaming my name, and sleeping all day. You must have gotten terribly sick!" Tamamo claps her hands together, "No wonder you can't remember. In that case, you should lay down and rest~." Her previously calming words only get scarier and scarier each second. My headache bangs across my head and my heart pounds faster and faster like a prisoner. I hyperventilate as I hold back tears out of fear and worry. My thoughts run wild as my worry rises. As I stare at her it's almost like her eyes are trying to steal my very soul as they stare into mine. Even the simple presence of her standing so tall above me makes me feel like any second she could pounce and overpower…Devour…Kill… I attempt to shake myself back to normal and I once again with all my strength try to manage another sentence. She can't actually be doing this to me right? Tamamo has gone so far with me, so why is she so terrifying? Why do I feel like I am in the clutch of something far more evil than I know? Regardless, I push on.
"But what about birthright?" I respond trying to dig deeper into this alien situation. Yes, if I remember correctly my mother was queen, she was the one who would coronate me anyway. However Tamamo responded with no hesitation with words that would chill me to the bone for years to come.
"Oh dear, Tomo…your mother died years ago.."
As her words struck me, my entire body was overcome with paralysis. I was completely still as panicked thoughts ran through my head too fast for me to comprehend. What was scariest was how genuine her tone was. She spoke in such an honest way I almost believed it true. Now I'm faced with two options, trust tamamo or see through her lies. To choose either one is to acknowledge all my life has been a lie. My very soul is invaded and violated with an unspeakable dread and sadness. I have been through so much with Tamamo, we have grown so close and even stopped others from trying to take over together. We've shared close and intimate moments. How could she lie like this now? I can't so easily accept this reality that Tamamo is proposing either.
Before I can make a decision, Tamamo reaches for me, "Let's get you to bed" she says calmly. Though her gesture is gentle its as if a giant void beast is reaching to restrict me of any freedoms I've had.
At this point I was no longer in control as my body instinctively leapt to the window and I watched Tamamo close, preparing to leap away again.
As I watch in a cautious horror, Tamamos face turns from kind to saddened as she stares at me, however it morphs once again into a sick sadistic smile, not so different from her caring one. Yet the sheer presence she gave filled me with more fear than I thought possible as the mere sight of such an evil almost made me burst into tears. With my headache still banging at me and not enough time to make a decision, I leap away and attempt to run out of the village. As I do, thoughts rush through my head and tears stream down my face. At some point, I start tripping, not even able to keep myself steady. I want to give into Tamamos reality, but I mustn't for the sake of my people.
My running comes to a stop as I hit a wall. No, it was a magic forcefield around the entire kingdom, I had calmed down, but overwhelming dread fills me as I look up at the towering magic forcefield. I fall to my knees and sob trying to take everything in. This isn't right, this shouldn't happen..
Why?…
Why me?…
Why now?…
I look behind me and see Tamamo approaching with the same sick and sadistic smile as before. Everything until now has been a lie, all of it! I don't even know what's real anymore! I put my back to the forcefield. There is one way to escape, but is it even worth it? If I give into Tamamo what will she do to me? Again I run out of time to think as Tamamo stands above me. It's not worth it… there's no point anymore, as I close my eyes a voice rings out.
"TOMO! GET OUT OF HERE! RUN!"
My ears perk up. I recognize that voice. From the sky, Dakubyuti slashes down at Tamamo as she commands once again
"GET OUT OF HERE" i watch as tamamo blocks the attack and kicks her away. Karakousu rushes in from the right and delivers a devastating blow to Tamamos side.
As I watch my friends so desperately fight to protect me I remember who I am I am Tomomitsu, queen of kitsune. I can't fight now, so I must return later. In a last attempt to get out I separate all the magic from my body. I feel thousands of times weaker as I become a mere human and lose my tails. Due to this forcefield targeting kitsune in specific, I can get through as a human. I run and run as fast as I can.
I find myself quickly frustrated with this weak body. That, combined with my continuous headache and the sheer panic racing through my head, makes navigating difficult. I force myself to keep running and running, not sure where but I can't stop anytime soon. As the nature I so adore surrounds me I can't be bothered to even pay notice to the passing animals. I quickly become hungry and thirsty however not yet used to this body i do not realize the urgency. As I continue to run my balance becomes disoriented, my vision blurry, and my head pounding, I can hardly run straight. As I try to regain my balance, I find myself at a cliff's edge. Realizing the incredible danger I'm in, I manage to stop myself. However, my body is failing to work properly as I try with all my might to stay still and calmly back up without falling. I successfully take one step back. But as i look forward, i am taken aback by the view. for merely a second I allow myself calm, but as the adrenaline leaves my body, I am attacked by thousands of pains. Cuts from bushes and bites from fierce bugs. As all the pain hits me at once combined with my extreme exhaustion I fall forward. I watch the ground zoom towards me as I'm overcome with the now familiar feeling of absolute dread. It can't end like this, people are waiting for me.
I
Won't
Die
However, before I even get halfway down, I give into the pain and all fades to black….
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