I felt a pressure come down on my shoulder, and I turned to see Keiichi with his hand on it. “We have to tell the higher-ups. Now.”

I nodded. “I’m with you.”

Closing the door, we ran in the opposite direction.

“You, you and you. Trace the area for remnants of magic use.” The man in the grey suit barked at three men in crisp black military uniforms. Turning to a fourth, he continued. “You, check the bodies. Find out what killed them, and who they are.”

“Right away, division commander.” The Onmyoji dispersed.

Uncle Joman turned to Keiichi and I, who were standing near the cordon that had been set up. “You guys found this?”

I nodded mutely as his gaze bore into me.

“How?”

“I spotted a yokai, an Onmoraki. After we exorcised it we decided to look for the bodies.”

My uncle grunted. “That was smart of you. You guys did well.”

He leaned in closer. “Those men… they’re from the Bureau.”

My eyes widened. Bureau operatives got murdered? That’s impossible. We’re respected by all Onmyoji, we’re basically the police and the brains behind Onmyoji movements, why would we be targeted-

“We’ll handle the investigation from here.” He added, then pressed a wad of cash into my hand nonchalantly. “You two go get something to eat or something.

“Get your minds off…” He waved a hand at the scene with disgust. “This.”

I knew my uncle long enough to know that he wasn’t going to talk anymore. That was just the type of man he was; he would only talk if conversations or the person he was talking to had something that suited his interests. He had a shrewd business-like demeanour, yet at the same time he was dependable, and a stoic pillar of support in the Tsuchimikado family, not to mention the field commander of the Bureau’s combat Onmyoji. They didn’t number many, but still having dozens of battle-experienced shamans at your beck and call was impressive.

I turned and dragged Keiichi off by the collar. “C’mon. The longer we stay here the more depressed we’ll get. We saw something we shouldn’t have seen today.”

“That… I agree with.” Keiichi responded glumly, shoving his hands in his pockets.

It was already nearly seven, and the sun was setting, casting a liquid golden glow over the city as Keiichi and I trudged along the sidewalk, devoid of our appetites.

Unconsciously, my hand had delved into a third, smaller pouch at the back of my harness, and pulled something out, fidgeting with it.

Keiichi noticed. “You still holding on to that?”

“Huh?” I looked down and noticed the thing in my fingers.

A smile came on my face. “Why not? This thing brings me comfort.”

It was a small fox that could sit within my palm, expertly folded using a beautiful brown paper that reminded me of autumn.

“The thing’s indestructible,” I mused. “I’ve accidentally dropped it in water, in mud, even set fire to it before, and there’s not even a tear. I mean, my father was the one to give it to me, so he probably enchanted it.”

It had been a gift from my father when I was seven. He had pressed it into my hands with a smile.

“Her name is Akiha.” He had said, the look he had given the little origami fox surprisingly tender. “Take care of her, and she’ll keep you safe too, Ren. Always remember that.”

Until now, I still had no idea what my father meant. At first, I had thought that the fox would be a shikigami, or maybe a kitsune guardian like the others at the shrine, but the piece of paper hadn’t responded to any of my calls or orders, so I figured it was just an omamori, a lucky charm.

“Akiha.” I whispered as I looked at the fox in my hands.

“Hm?”

“It’s her name.” I replied distractedly. “Autumn leaf.”

I used to spend hours every day staring at the fox and waiting for something to happen. As I grew older, I did it less, but I had grown attached to the little thing, and kept it in the pouch behind my waist. Usually, when I was troubled by anything, I would end up reaching for it, just to hold and look at.

“Her?” Keiichi subtly grew the distance between us. “Dude, you sound like you’re in love with a piece of paper.”

“What the hell? You’re messed up, Kei. Seriously.”

After bantering as we walked, we had started to grow more accustomed to what we had witnessed, and worked up an appetite, walking into a soba store for dinner.

We discussed the day’s events over our noodles.

“I still don’t get it. Why would Bureau operatives get targeted like this? We haven’t done anything wrong.”

Keiichi twirled his chopsticks in the air. “I wouldn’t say it’s something completely unexpected, though. I mean, think about it. You guys are basically the cops, the lawmakers and all. Basically the government of all Onmyoji. It only makes sense that there’ll be at least a handful who’re unhappy with the way you guys run things.”

Keiichi’s argument made sense, but I was having trouble wrapping my head around it; I believed what my family was doing was right, and that we had done no wrong by anyone.

“Tsuchimikados are the descendants of Abe no Seimei.” I recalled my father’s words. “The greatest Onmyoji to ever live, and we are bound, by blood and ancestry, to always build the world to be a better place. For humans, for Onmyoji. Do nothing that brings shame to the name of the Tsuchimikado and the gobosei, the five-pointed star crest of Abe no Seimei.”

“Look, you’re having the wrong idea, Ren. What I mean is not that you guys did something deserving of retribution. What I’m saying is, some guys out there are just bloodthirsty criminals. If they’re attacking Bureau people, though, I think it’s a pretty safe assumption that they’re looking for a quick rise to fame and then power. Otherwise, murder victims would be more lowkey.”

I nodded. “That makes sense.”

Keiichi looked at me intently, his eyes burning with grim concern. “Take care of yourself, Ren. There’s no reason to believe they won’t come after you too. It’s not exactly a secret that you can’t use practical Onmyodo.”

I frowned. I didn’t think about it like that. If you put it this way, then aren’t I actually the most in danger? My status as the clan heir, yet my uselessness in ability, shit this is bad, this is real bad-

“You’ll be fine though.” Keiichi continued, looking away. “I believe so. You have the dumbest luck sometimes.”

“Let’s pray that luck holds out.” I muttered, then decided to make the conversation lighter. “I don’t want to die without having fallen in love.”

Keiichi stared at me for a second before laughing. “Me too, Ren.”

“Don’t you have a girlfriend?” I blinked.

“Had one.” He corrected, then gazed into the distance. “I thought maybe things could work out, but… I guess we were never really in love. The distance between an Onmyodo-practitioner and a normal civilian isn’t one that can be crossed by sheer will. In fact, we broke up three days ago. The fact that I’m here sitting and talking to you without being completely shattered says something about the love we had.”

“You were together for a year. That has to count for something.”

“And it does. I still care for her, and she does for me, but we can’t see eye to eye on many things. And… while she fully believes and supports me with Onmyodo, she can never truly appreciate or support something she cannot see. Even if I hover ofuda in front of her, it’ll just seem like some stage trick.” Keiichi’s tone was bitter.

I smiled and looked away. You already sound like that when you talk about her, and yet you say you didn’t really fall in love with her? Who are you kidding, you clearly want her to be able to walk beside you and hold your hand no matter what you do. I sighed. It’s not my business though. I’ve never even met the girl before. Maybe if I knew her I would feel differently, but…

“It’s alright, Keiichi. We’re only eighteen.” I laughed awkwardly. “Whole world ahead of us.”

The boy glanced at his watch, then sighed. “It’s getting late. We should go. You need me to escort you?”

“After that pitiful show against one yokai?” I jabbed. “I think I’d be safer with a baseball bat.”

Keiichi laughed. “Still better than you, though. I’ll see you soon.”

As he stood, he snapped his fingers and a thin film of spiritual energy came over him. The boy that walked out of the restaurant now had short black hair and an acne-scarred face.

A disguise, huh. You’re as careful as always. I paused. Wait, if you’re this careful, why the hell did you not bring any tools out with you…? Shaking my head, I left the restaurant as well, walking back to the Tsuchimikado shrine.

The land that the shrine sat on was large, and some ways off from the city, so street lamps were sparse, the main source of light being the moon which lit the surroundings with an ethereal silver glow.

Concrete turned to paved stone, and I was hit by a familiar chill down my spine as I passed the barrier that had been set up on the perimeters of the shrine to keep spiritual impurities out.

Crickets chirped incessantly around me, and the faint smell of cedar could already reach me. I smiled. Reaching the Torii gate at the foot of the hill, I bowed to it before stepping onto the stone steps and climbing uphill.

I can’t wait. This night’s the night I’ve been waiting for all my life.

Halfway up the stairs, my smile disappeared. A leaf-shaped bush of silver was standing out in the brush, its owner lying curled up on the dirt.

“KIN!” I screamed, running off the path and into the bushes, where I knelt in front of the kitsune guardian’s body.

“Oi, Kin. Oi, what are you doing here-” I was shaking his shoulders, desperate, but I froze when I felt something warm and wet on my hand.

My hand was shaking when I lifted to look at it, seeing the red glow somewhat eerily in the moonlight. No longer was the silver glow peaceful and beautiful, but gloomy and spectre-like.

“Oi, Kin. You can’t scare me like that. This prank isn’t funny, so wake up already.” I started rambling. “Kin. Kin. Oi. I still haven’t bought you that drink yet. Kin, wake up, wake up, please, Kin.”

He remained unresponsive, and my body reflexively curled up over his, trembling tremendously. I touched his cheek, smearing red over the skin, which was pale and devoid of warmth. His eyes were still open, their once vivid arctic blue now dull and lifeless.

Taking a shaky breath, I closed his eyes and placed my hand on his chest. “Kin, treasured and beloved warrior of the Tsuchimikado, by my authority as Tsuchimikado Ren, I release you from my family’s service.”

The body glowed a faint golden, slowly disintegrating into ash which dissipated in the breeze. “Rest in peace, Kin.’

My family.

Turning back onto the path, I hurtled up the stairs.