Chapter 3: Traveling darkness (incomplete version)

Maybe I’ve never known who I was this whole time. I could just be a figment of my own imagination and not truly exist. But I still strive; I still go on with this existence. I wonder the eternal darkness of your heart. It is my partner, my love and the very thing has that keeps me going…

Something is making its way through the cold desert under the resentful night sky. It rests its tired head on a flying carpet, which flies so low that its master’s hand dangles and brushes against the sand below. Travelling from the vast, far away, desert city of Extioneria; it ventures its way to the ever raining forest in the south. The carpet’s master is but a young, strong and adventurous soul and while he lies down on his trusty fabric steed; he gazes up towards the diamond filled sky. But after some time, the boy eventually falls asleep while drifting through the desert, dreaming his troubles away.

He has received a request of sorts and this is the reason why he has been travelling through the desert. His goal lies within the forest of eternal rain and he will have to meet up with a certain a certain village chief.

Finally the carpet starts to near its destination and it leans to one side with its young master toppling overboard and rolling down on a nearby sand dune. He’s surprisingly still remains fast asleep while he is tumbling all the way down. After reaching the bottom of the dune, he finally started to wake from his sleep. Stretching while getting himself up; he looks around to see his current location. He still seemed like he was in a daze of sorts; like he could do with a little more sleep. Looking upwards he started to make his way up the dune as he needed to know where his flying steed might have flown off too.

Petsu is only fourteen years of age. Very carefree and also a revered warrior; his height and childish looks fool many of those who sought to oppose him. Petsu is actually only known in name, as no one could ever identify him in their first encounter. He always wears a long black leather coat which has a hood that conceals most of his face. A cuirass of armour covers and protects his upper abdomen and also covers a black shirt he wears beneath it. For the lower area of his body he wears a pair of black leather pants fastened to his waist with a belt. His footwear; a pair of strange white boots strapped to his legs. Oddly enough, such a mysterious and powerful boy carried no visible weapons on his person at this point in time.

Quickly scanning across the night sky, Petsu finally spots his flying carpet. Without giving any type of signal, the carpet swoops down and hovers next to Petsu’s side. “Hey now lets not be getting any funny ideas of runnin away now ya hear, it’s about time you went too sleep.” Petsu ordered. The boy’s voice was soft; not complementing his reputation at all. Petsu grabs the carpet at its end it and the carpet flops itself down to the sand. While Petsu still holds it at the end, it starts to roll itself up. As it is about to finish, Petsu quickly reaches into his coat’s inner pocket and takes out a belt. Now completely rolled up, Petsu ties the carpet up with the belt in the middle. He fastens it tight and lets some of the belt out so that he can hold on to it. Petsu throws the now rolled up carpet over his right shoulder holding it by the belt. ‘‘Well, I still think I shoulda brought an umbrella along; it always seems to rain in that place…heh I guess there’s no going back now.” After saying this, the boy lets out a grave sigh. He quickly shrugs and shakes his head and stands straight and moves on. Petsu had awoken right by the border of the only forest on the entire the continent of Pekura. He knew that this was a constantly guarded environment. It may be relieved of warring villages and warrior codes, but no one from the outside could easily tread on such a haven.

Too many have tried to take the powers of this forest for their own gains. Petsu will have to be on his guard the whole time, until he meets with his client that has requested his service. Now, in front of him, in reach, was the border of the forest of eternal rain. A ditch signified the border; this was usually flooded as the trees right by the border did not stop pouring down their rain. These trees seemed to some kind of palm tree, but their giant leaves seemed to be as stiff as stone. The water simply poured from these stiff leaves. “Well, time to get soaked then” exclaimed Petsu. He swiftly leaped into the forest, over the ditch, past some of the trees and landed with a splash. In the border area, the water went up to one’s ankles. Petsu could already feel his carpet getting soaked. At least his coat was not like this.

There were no trees like the moon palms in the border area and it was too dark too travel in the night time. One would fall into ponds, lakes, rivers and could even be taken by desperate water spirits in a heart beat. Also not to mention how many trees the traveller would bump into. When ever night took over the forest, it was even more dangerous than the blood drenched sands of the desert.

Petsu was not new to the kingdom of the forest and he had acquired a reasonable amount of knowledge of its workings in the past. Even though others could not travel in this kind of dark, Petsu was one who had no problem seeing under these conditions. He had learned how to perform this kind of feat when he was still very young. The way Petsu could see in the night was like how the desert sanxurians saw it for themselves. Onwards into the forest Petsu went. The trees in this area were very tightly packed and there was not much place for Petsu to move about. There had been certain paths one had to take in order to advance into the forest. Petsu managed his way through many cramped areas until things started to widen up.

He passed many strange trees in which mostly all of them poured rain down upon him. There had been trees that bore fruits that looked like hands, ones that looked eyes, in which their gaze followed Petsu and even trees that grew random fruits all at once. Truly this forest was a marvel. But Petsu had to stay focused as he knew of the impending dangers that may lie ahead of him.

The pouring from the trees stopped. That was the first way you were able to tell that morning had broken in the forest. The sound of the rain that lulled many a small child into a slumber would just stop and the forest would begin to move again like it had been set to an alarm.

“Midori Nee- san! Midori Nee- san!”
Midori was dozing outside the Miyamoto house on a hammock slung between two Moon palms. She had woken up early to prepare for the day and listen to the rain, she loved the rain. It made her mind drift, almost like a hallucination but with less imagery and more sound. Midori heard the shouts and opened one eye, she stretched in her hammock and moved hair out her eyes. Next to her stood the twins, Suzume and her older sister Ayume, Ayume looked at Midori rather sternly. Midori sighed heavily: “Ayume Nee- San, I can tell you want to say something.”

The sister nodded: “Your hair, can you not tie it back? You’d look much prettier. And your miko outfit is so dirty. Give it to mother to clean. Why do you not get a new one? You’d look so pretty Midori, you know this.” Ayume Miyamoto was the glorified beautician of the ten sisters in the house. Always perfectly looked after, she never had a hair out of place. She was sixteen years old and had a reputation for making some of the males in the village’s mind race.

Her hair was a dark shade of brown and was always glossy and clean. She had pale skin and her eyes seemed to match being a light green colour, seemingly lighter that the eye colour her sisters’ all shared. Her clothes added to her striking beauty, she got another of their sisters to actually make clothes for her and they always seemed to compliment her. Midori envied her sister Ayume for her beauty, though she knew she would never have such patience to beautify herself.

“I think Midori Nee- san is pretty!” Midori looked behind Ayume to see Suzume looking rather cleaned up herself. Her hair had been combed and she was dressed in her best. But her face showed a look of stern disapproval of Ayume’s criticism.

Midori smiled and stood up: “Ayume Nee- san. You know that I could never be as pretty as you. I’m far too lazy. But Suzume, you look ready for your outing!”

Suzume grinned broadly: “I am! But Hatoko and Matoko wouldn’t believe me! I am coming to the shrine with you today, aren’t I? Aren’t I?” Hatoko stomped her foot and scowled: “It’s unfair!” “Midori Nee- san, we’re older than Suzume.

Why won’t you take us?” whimpered Matoko, Matoko was the more sweet natured and patient of the twins. She generally always stood a little behind Hatoko. Ayume rolled her eyes: “For one I can’t get you two decent. Mother would never let you leave the village looking like this. And its father’s will that Suzume can go. If you two were a little less hyperactive then maybe you’d have a chance. Come inside now you two.” Hatoko kicked her foot on the ground: “It’s still not fair.” Midori felt a slight tug of emotion at the display of her sisters but when she looked at Suzume and could clearly see her excitement, it made everything seem better.

“I’ve got lunch packed. Mother gave it to me for us; I also brought a book and some things to write with. Mother wants me to start practicing, that’s only if visiting the shrine is boring and I don’t think so! Midori Nee- san can we get going?” Midori put her arm around her little sister and laughed: “Well, alright then. Let’s go.” Midori lead Suzume through the village, they walked some of the route that she walked with her father the other day. They greeted people as they walked; some people were already informing Midori that they planned to come and visit her up at the shrine. This only served to broaden the smile on Suzume’s face. Though the youngest, Suzume was rather intuitive. She had looked up to Midori than most of all her siblings. There was a bond between that even Midori was unable to deny. Suzume knew that Midori’s outlook to life was simpler than that of the rest, but Suzume also knew that even in her father’s eyes, Midori was a special child. Midori was born to draw people in with her manner and her light aloof smile; it amused Suzume to wonder why Midori could see so little about herself. As they approached the gate up to the temple pathway, a figure ran up behind them and clasped around Midori and Suzume’s arm. Midori turned around with a start, she looked to see that it was Hiroshi. He seemed to have run to catch up with them.

“Hiroshi?” Midori said, rather confused as to his sudden appearance. Hiroshi stood up straight with a grin on his face, yet again he looked like he was to be working in the fields.

“Hello,” the boy said simply and smiled, he looked at Suzume. “My! You’re growing so fast! Where are you two off to?” Suzume decided to answer: “Oh! Oh! I’m going to the shrine today! Father says I could start working there one day maybe, Hatoko and Matoko are so jealous!”

Midori cleared her throat: “Was there reason in you stopping us?” “Oh no, I merely just wanted to greet you that was all,” Hiroshi explained. “Well, forgive us but we are not to run late. Come Suzume,” Midori smiled faintly and took hold of Suzume’s hand again.

They began to walk again and stepped onto the path up the mountain. “Maybe I shall come and see you at the shrine!” Hiroshi called out as he watched them going up the path. Midori stopped and then raised her voice: “If you have a proper reason to then you’re welcome!” Suzume remained silent as Midori then began to lead her up the mountain. Midori knew this route so well that she did not even need to take a glance down before her to see the path. Suzume, being so young, could not walk as fast as Midori and she was too intrigued by everything around. They stopped frequently for her to pick flowers or merely just look at the view.

“Midori Nee- san, I think that boy wants to marry you,” Suzume commented as she came back with a Moon fruit in her hands.

Midori looked at Suzume: “Who? Hiroshi? That’s just pure nonsense Suzume. I am a miko and he is in the fields all the time. I am too young to even think of marriage, you are too for that matter!”

Suzume had begun to walk again and looked back at Midori: “But Midori Nee- san is pretty. Many boys will stand at the door for you, just like with Ayume- Nee san! You shall have a nice husband, the best one ever!”

Midori somehow could not find a reply to her sister’s wild dreams. She was still too young to understand that Midori wanted to dedicate her life to the shrine and its well being. She shook her head and smiled, casting her eyes down and continued forward. They walked for a little while when Midori finally looked up and was perturbed by a strange silence. She also realized Suzume was no longer in front of her.

“Suzume! Where are you, Suzume?” Midori called out and began to look around.

She stopped and waited for a reply, her breath becoming quicker as she began to worry. “Suzume!” Midori shouted as she then strayed from the path, she pushed through trees and vines as she called her sister’s name.

“Midori Nee- san! I’m over here!” Midori heard her sister’s call and rushed towards it, she pushed through all the trees and then found herself in a clearing. Midori looked around, she had not been to these parts often but she had explored the area quite thoroughly. She saw her sister sitting on a rock; she looked relieved to see Midori.

Midori ran towards her and dropped to her knees, she placed her hands on Suzume’s shoulders: “Why did you run off like that? I have never been so worried!” Suzume’s eyes filled with tears: “I… I thought I heard someone talking here! I came and looked but I saw nobody. Then… then I didn’t… know where I was. So… so I sat here. I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean too!”

Midori wanted to be angry with the little girl but she could see the sincerity in the child, she wrapped her arms around her to ease her fit of crying. Suzume cried into her shoulder for a few minutes and slowly began to calm down. “I’m sorry,” she whispered again and let go of Midori. Midori smiled and nodded, she looked around the clearing and made a quick check that they were where she thought they were.

“Well, if we go in that direction then we can still make it to the shrine,” Midori motioned to a passage near a large tree.

She stood up on her feet and held out her hand for Suzume. Suzume did not even reach for it, she stayed sitting and looking at the one tree. “Midori Nee- san… there’s someone…” Suzume whispered quietly.

Midori glanced in the direction her sister was looking and then down at Suzume: “Whoever you are. Please make your presence known.”

Suddenly Midori felt the air grow heavier and also finding it harder too breathe. Suzume seemed to shake while holding onto her sister. Now seemingly out of nowhere, a heavy mist came down from the trees and envelopes the two girls. Midori can barely see anything around her. Midori did recognize that the trees over towering them in this area were more of the uncommon type found in the forest.

These strangely disfigured pine trees did not give off rain from their leaves, rather they only gave off a heavy mist. Triggering this kind of phenomena called for a type of disturbance, the air being rather heavy would be the cause in this case.

“M-make it s-stop….M-Midori nee-san” pleaded Suzume. “Its okay Suzume, this all shall be over soon…be strong.” Midori said hastily. Midori was concerned as too what Suzume had heard and what caused the strange heaviness in the air.

“Okay now, let’s move a bit back now, slowly.” Midori ordered. “O-okay.” Suzume whimpered. The two sisters started to move, stepping backwards while holding onto each other. As they started to move back Midori could clearly see that the mist was starting to hold up. The air quickly returned to its normal state. The mist was almost gone, but Midori still scanned around the area, she seemed to feel an ominous presence.

“Is…everything going to be okay?” Suzume asked very softly. “Yes everything shal-

“And here I thought you might’ve been a threat? The voice had come from behind Midori.

“There!” Suzume pointed out. Midori swiftly turned around. She darted her gaze to where Suzume had been pointing too. Above them in the branches in a disfigured pine tree, was someone. A rather dark figure wearing a black leather coat, also hooding its head, and its upper area covered in silver curiass of armor. Sitting in the branches this rather small person looks down onto Midori and Suzume.

“Oh goodness now, am I that intimidating?” said the person.

“Who are you! Show yourself, what is your business here!” Midori ordered in a loud tone.

Suzume was rather intrigued with this mysterious being in the tree; she could not take her eyes of it. Midori was rather afraid as to what this person’s intentions were. She had never met an outsider without her father being around her. Also she had never felt this sort of presence before. This had happened all too fast without much warning.

“Please do not be alarmed I certainly do not mean you any harm.” said the person in a rather charming voice.

Midori stepped closer to the tree this person was in. “You have not gardened to my order! Tell me who you are and what your business is here!” Midori said in a louder tone.

The figure quickly put up his hands and shook his head. “First of all, I thought you were one of those pesky water spirits; I had run into some of them last night. Rather they came looking for me or how ever you want to put it. Well I had been expecting them to try and so they did try and get me but I managed to hold them off quite easily.” The person said quite calmly.

“Y-you managed to beat one of those ?” Suzume said rather inquisitively.

“Well I did last time I checked, small one. As for my business, I was requested for my services specifically from one the villages of this forest. I believe it is the village that governs the rest.” The person said in a more playful tone. “I hail from that village which reigns over the other village in this forest. I have the role as guardian over the forest and as priestess over the shrine.” Midori said in response to the person. “Ah I see so. I have never seen a priestess such as you. Man, this place is as interesting as it was so many years ago.”

“I somehow feel you know a lot about the forest, but even if I am a priestess I cannot allow any harm to come to the forest or its people. If you do not have any proof of my village requesting your services, then please leave this this 'forest level' now.”

“Alright, aright don’t worry ‘shaman girl’.” The person jumped down from its perch on the disfigured pine and landed gracefully on the ground.

It took off its hood to reveal a rather young, effeminate face, with long white hair and blue piercing eyes. Midori had to examine rather carefully to tell whether it was a boy or not. Petsu’s clam expression relieved Midori some what and Suzume was rather dazzled by Petsu’s appearance. Midori seemed to relax her body but kept her watchful eyes fixed on Petsu’s movement.

Suzume even took a step forward in order to get a better look at Petsu; although Midori still held her hand tightly. Petsu reached inside his coat’s inner pocket and took out what seemed to be a envelope of sorts. He walked cautiously towards Midori, still giving off a smile. Midori took the enveloped and let go of Suzume. The envelope was made of what seemed to be hide skin. It was already unsealed and Midori opened it up and took out the contents from within the envelope. Already by the materials used to make the envelope Midori could tell it must have come from someone within the forest. The hide skin was from an animal that only resided near her village. Midori can literally feel the different reikon waves passing through anything; this is how she recognized the animal because she has the unique gift to read and sense specific reikon signatures in detail.

Midori began to read a letter that she found in the envelope. It was a letter sent from her father, Rezurii. Unlike her other sisters, Midori was taught how to read and write by her father. She also adopted his strange, but stylish, script like hand writing and calligraphic style.

“I assume that you find the request rather legitimate.” There was a school in one of the villages in which children went to, in order to study, but her father decided to teach Midori himself instead. There is a specific reason for him doing so. In actuality the ability to read and sense specific reikon signatures is very rare and only Midori and her father share this unique ability. Only those with this ability are to inherit the role of priestess or priest and later take on the role as chief of the village. Midori always knew she was different from her other siblings and family. She seemed to always carry this burden, knowing she didn’t have any other choice in life.

“This letter states that the chief Rezurii, requested your audience at our village.” Midori explained.

“Well as I asked, you seem to believe it? The chief Rezurii sent me that letter a week ago, and as he requested I ventured into the forest to find his village.” Explained Petsu. “Even with your past experience of this forest, how did you make it this far so quickly?”

>> To be Completed...