The next morning, Kira woke up inside the purple tent. The interior seemed untouched, exactly the same as before. The peaceful atmosphere contrasted with the chaos from the previous day. By the exit, he saw the daylight sneaking in from under the canvas.

After the altercation, Shizuru had brought his mistress in the tent. Without any fuss, the boy had followed them and almost immediately fell asleep. He had been interested in the conversation with the masked woman, but his young body could not endure any more strain.

When he sat up on his mattress, he felt pain in his whole body. ‘I fucking knew it!’ He thought as he held his head. Around him, two other persons were in the room. Shizuru was busy making their morning meals and bowed her head when she noticed his awakening. His mother was lying a few meters away from him, observing him with a smile.

“Good morning, Kira.” Kaguya said with a soft voice. The woman seemed tired and had dark rings under her eyes.

“Good morning.” Her son replied after he looked at her.

The lady closed her eyes and stayed still. In the silent room, Kira remembered the events from yesterday. More than the monsters, Ren ruthlessness had shaken him beyond belief. He would never have thought her capable of such a cold-blooded behavior. Even with her teasing, his sister had seemed a considerate person.

“Would Ren really have ordered to kill all the people?” Kira eventually asked his mother.

Kaguya’s lips formed a sad smile. “It is very likely. Within the clan, she actually holds more authority than I do.” She replied as she stared at the roof.

The boy took a deep breath. ‘So this was all real. Damn.’ He pulled back the blanket and looked at his dirty clothes. The night before, he had not bothered to remove them before he went to sleep. To him who was used to strict hygiene, the feeling was quite uncomfortable.

After some time, Kaguya gave out a long sigh. “Ren is what we needed her to be. What she has to be. She is the heir of the Tsuchiya clan.” She declared in a sorrowful tone.

“However I can assure you, she will never harm you.” The woman added after she turned her face toward him.

When her son nodded with a smile, the lady seemed relieved.

For a long time, they could only hear the steady sound of Shizuru’s cooking.

‘It has only been three days since I woke up in this body but they felt like years. Now though… what am I supposed to do?’ Kira frowned.

‘As I am now, I can’t do jack shit.’ The boy stared at the red wrapping covering his mother’s katana. He clenched his small fist and raised it before his eyes. ‘Strength is a tool like any other and if Wills really are similar to ether patterns, I might find my first clue quite easily. It is probably what that damn cat wanted when he brought me here. Then I’ll play along, you bastard.’

The boy looked at the Fan embroidered on the piece of fine cloth. ‘An iron fist in a velvet glove.’ He thought as he chuckled. For him, it symbolized the dominion of the privileged. His sister’s actions had remembered him of past events, when he was a young boy on the streets. On Selen, the strong and the rich exploited the poor for their purposes.

‘It the same thing everywhere… It’s kind of ironic that I’m now part of something I hated back then. But I’ll use whatever is at my disposition to break this curse. I did it once, I can do it again. Though this doesn’t mean I’m going to play by their rules.’

Kira spent the rest of the day resting in the tent. Even if he had wanted to leave, his body would not have complied. Outside, the soldiers had come back and they could hear the banter of the men as they were eating.

When Ren came, the sunlight was fading and Shizuru had lit two lanterns under the tent. The boy could see she had changed her garb and had opted from something more practical, a warrior’s attire. Since Kira had witnessed the previous day’s events, the two fans slid in her belt did not seem as frivolous as before.

“Has your condition improved?” His sister asked Kaguya.

“I will be fine in a few days.” Her mother replied without moving. “What did you decide?”

“We have swept the city looking for stragglers.” Ren answered after she knelt beside the sick woman.

“Most people hit by the clouds and… creatures from yesterday are already in an advanced stage of soul sickness.”

She took her hand in a gentle manner.

“I did not take any chance. We have gathered all the deceased. We will hold a funeral pyre tonight.”

“I see.”

“Master Takano found this on one of the men she caught. They were watching the town from afar. Some of them got away.” Ren declared as she held a small scroll out to her mother.

For a while Kaguya stared at the document. Then she opened it and read its content.

“It is definitely imperial. However I do not recognize the writing.” She shook her head. “The Empress would never openly offend the Tsuchiya. Even without me, the clan is too influential and powerful.”

“Yet here it is. I shall see the truth of the matter.” Ren announced, resolute, before turning her head toward her sibling.

As she was staring at her brother, her expression was uneasy.

‘Could she be worried about my reaction to yesterday’s events?’ Kira thought while gazing into his sister’s eyes.

“Would you teach me how to cast spells?” He eventually asked the woman.

Ren expression showed her surprise. For a while, she held her hands on her knees and pondered his demand.

“If you are able to learn, I will gladly teach you.” His sister answered after she chuckled. “However you will have to learn how to handle blades beforehand.”

“Thank you, Ren.” He grinned.

“Do not teach him strange things.” Their mother declared with an unhappy look. “Learning martial arts is enough.”

“You being old fashioned does not mean we also have to be, Mother.” Ren declared, a malicious smile on her lips.

“It is not needed.” Kaguya pouted.

*******************

Some moments later, Kira followed his sister outside. A huge funeral pyre had been erected at the edge of the camp and priests were adjusting the position on the lumber. He guessed that most of the victims from the previous day had been assembled for the ceremony. Their remains lay on top of the wood, waiting for the ritual to begin.

Nearby, the boy saw the group of surviving villagers. They seemed distraught and their ragged looks made them appear even more pitiful. They had realized the changes brought into their lives and did not know how to cope with them.

The soldiers from both factions stood next to the denizens in an orderly fashion, in homage to their fallen comrades.

The young Takeshi stood behind his seniors. The youth shoulders were dropped and he had a despondent look.

“You don’t look so well.” Kira commented.

“It’s my fault Dad has been hurt. I should have stayed in the temple.” He said while he watched his father manage the procession. Naizen’s left arm was covered in bandages and was maintained by a sling.

“It’s not. Your father just wanted to protect the villagers. He is a brave man and he will get better soon since he wasn’t hit by the black thing.” He reassured him.

Takeshi looked at him and smiled.

“Have you seen Setsuna?” Kira asked him as he watched the crowd gathered around them

“Not since last night.” His friend answered.

‘Where is she?’ He wondered, worried.

Soon after, the priests lit the fire and started to chant. Soon after, the flames danced around the funeral pyre and the wood crepitated. Three hundred people had passed away in a day in the most brutal fashion. The solemn ceremony had a kind of eerie feeling and the deep voices of the religious men filled the camp. As Kira stared at the blaze, he clenched his fists.

‘No more.’ He swore to himself.

_____________________________________________________________

Author's notes :

That's it! I'm done setting up.

Chapters 1 to 8 can actually be considered one big prologue.

A major change was introduced into the world and the characters will now have to cope with it.

I wanted the MC's resolve not to be superficial. Merely wanting to become strong would not cut it, I wanted something more. Not simply the will to protect or vengence, a true and noble ideal amidst a world of schemes and violence.

Thanks for reading!

Do to the changes I made, you should go directly to chapter 9.2.

Please ignore chapter 9, 10 and 11 for now.