“AHHHHHHHHHH-”

“Hold in there, Ren-sama.” Toda strained. “We’re nearly done.”

I didn’t know how long they had been conducting the ritual for. When they started, they had all formed hand seals I couldn’t recognise, and when they started chanting, white light formed a five pointed star under the surface of the water, glowing brightly, and my body felt as though it was exploding.

It still did.

I was still sitting cross-legged, but my fingers were digging into my knees, veins practically popping as they protruded on the backs of my hands and forearms. I could taste the salt and iron of blood as I bit my lip in pain, feeling as though I was being cooked from the inside out.

The heat only got worse and worse, and I felt as though soon I was bordering the threshold of blacking out, the edges of my vision already blurring and growing smaller. Eventually, my eyes closed, my thoughts vanishing and lost to the flame within me.

Then, it happened.

The sensation of something within me splintering and then shattering.

Immediately, the Heavenly Generals ceased their chanting, and everything around me fell silent.

The heat within me subsided, and I was filled once again with the coolness of the mist and the spring.

Opening my eyes, I got to my feet. Why’s everything white and yellow…? I shook my head and rubbed my eyes. When my vision cleared and focused again, I fell to my knees.

I could feel the slightly ticklish sensation of a tear making its way down my face as the Heavenly Generals watched on quietly.

My breathing was shaky. “It’s… beautiful.”

If the world was coloured and vibrant before, it was nothing compared to what I saw now.

It was as though another set of eyes deep within me had once been shut tight, and they were now open, filling my world with a new depth of beauty and light.

Everywhere I looked, sparkling fragments of yellow and white swarmed, dispersing and coalescing at different points in the air, forming intricate patterns or merely floating in the air.

Wait… those aren’t just fragments of light.

Each individual piece of glowing yellow or white was in a constant state of motion, folding upon one another and extending again like wings.

They’re butterflies.

They were everywhere.

Soon, one of the butterflies fluttered over to me, perching on my shoulder and slowly flapping its brilliant wings. Another came over, attaching itself to my arm, and within a few moments I had more than a dozen fluttering around me.

“This is your first time seeing it, right?” Toda spoke again, his voice surprisingly gentle. “The flow of spiritual energy outside your body.”

I nodded mutely.

“You already know this, but spiritual energy resides in all beings, and Onmyoji, spiritual beings, are able to use it to cast magic. Given a certain amount of talent, we’re able to see more than just innate spiritual energy, but its natural presence and flow as it exists all around us. As the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei, you should have far greater clarity of sight than you did while your abilities were sealed.” Toda continued. “Now watch how the flow interacts with spiritual beings.”

He raised a hand and snapped his fingers. As I watched, I could sense the spiritual energy within him circulating and flowing towards his hand, culminating in a small ball of water at his fingertips.

Then, dozens of butterflies from the surroundings swirled around his magic, causing it to grow even larger and more potent.

“Do you understand what you’re seeing?”

“The natural flow of spiritual energy is catalysing your magic…” I figured.

“Yep.” He released his magic. “That’s what determines the different levels between Onmyoji as well. Of course, the more innate spiritual energy you have within you, the greater the ability of the spells you cast, but more importantly, even a sorcerer with low reserves but great talent and control over natural flow will be able to overpower one with great reserves but poor control over natural flow.”

I looked down at my hands, realising that I could feel the spiritual energy within myself circulating, albeit slowly. The seal’s not fully undone yet, but I can feel it weakened. I can use Onmyodo now, for sure.

“You’ve probably already noticed, but you’re loved by the natural flow. You know what this means, yes?” Toda said.

I realised he was referring to the butterflies that had been hovering around me as if they were attracted to me. “I’ll be able to use strong magic…?”

He laughed. “Essentially, yes.”

His expression darkened. “Still...like I mentioned, we aren’t able to fully undo the seal as it’s too complex.”

Making eye contact with me, I could see his jaw flex. “Ren-sama, if you are to grow even stronger than this, you’ll have to meet the shinigami that sealed you and convince him to undo it.”

Huh? Wait, wait, wait.

“How am I supposed to-”

“By entering Yomi, of course. The land of the dead, and abode of the shinigami.” The man in the white kimono beside Toda grinned. Byakko.

I gaped at him. “Enter Yomi?”

He merely placed his hands on his hips and nodded at me as though what he said wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

“In any case, Ren-sama. You said you came to us looking for help with something right? Now that your seal has been slightly dealt with, how about you tell us what on earth has been going on?” Toda slipped his hands into his pockets.

Is Toda the leader of the Heavenly Generals or something? He seems to be the alpha. Genbu looked like he’s respected by everyone as well. I thought for a moment. I know Rikugo definitely isn’t the leader.

Sighing inwardly, I pushed away the political thoughts and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s talk.”

I was led back onto the same marble path, and after a while of walking, the mist cleared to reveal a round table with thirteen seats around it. We all took a seat, but one remained empty, Rikugo having disappeared again immediately after the ritual.

That guy really doesn’t like me, huh.

I spent the next hour or so explaining everything that had happened to the Tsuchimikado family and the Onmyodo world.

“So your father told you to come looking for us to gain help against your uncle, Tsuchimikado Joman…?” Toda rubbed his chin.

“If he did that, that means he knew about you being the reincarnation of Abe no Seimei. Either that, or he sent you here on the gamble that, being a Tsuchimikado would have let you into this realm, and whether or not you gained our help would have depended on your ability to talk us over to your side.”

“But now that you’re my shikigami…” I muttered. “Doesn’t that mean you’re obligated to follow my orders?”

“In normal cases, yes.” Suzaku pitched in. “But we’re not normal shikigami, in case you haven’t already realised. We’re called the Heavenly Generals for a reason. In our case, in order for a true shikigami bond to be formed between us and you, we have to be renamed by you, and we must accept those names willingly.”

I thought for a second. “So your names now are kind of like placeholders… or titles?”

“Exactly.” Byakko had his legs propped up on the table.

“We aren’t about to go accepting whatever names you decide to throw at us, though, Ren-sama.” Seiryu said, her voice quiet yet imposing. “While we are obligated to follow you due to you being Abe no Seimei-sama reincarnated, we can choose to leave at any time if you are not someone worthy of having us as shikigami.”

Damn, that’s harsh.

“I got it.” I replied tersely.

So their help isn’t guaranteed, then. I felt like shrinking back. I knew I told them to drop the master-servant act but… they changed their attitudes so much.

“What can I do to prove myself?” I asked.

Suzaku shrugged at me with a grin. “We’ll decide on that when it happens.”

I placed my head in my hands. “Come on. I’m running out of time.”

Toda laughed. “We can help you for as long as you remain within Shinshonohara. Naturally, that includes helping you train and giving you equipment, but… looking for the shinigami and going against your uncle… whether or not you call upon us and whether or not we decide to accept your call to arms are separate matters.”

I looked up. “I’ll take that. I’m grateful for anything at this point.”

“Come on then, Ren-sama.” Toda stood with a grunt. “I’ll personally train you as much as I can.”

I followed after him as he left the table, none of the other ten coming after us.

“Wait, how long is this going to take?” I asked after him.

“Huh? Oh, time passes differently in Shinshonohara than it does outside, since it’s essentially a spiritual realm. Usually we allow time to flow normally but we’ve been in a suspended state ever since your entrance, so almost no time has actually passed since you left the natural world.” Toda replied nonchalantly.

They can do this kind of thing?

We came to a stop in a massive courtyard, the ground seemingly carved out of jade, a dull translucent green.

Twelve short pillars were placed around the courtyard, and on top of each was-

“Hey, are those-”

“Yep, our talismans.”

All shikigami were tied to talismans, and the twelve Heavenly Generals’ were apparently in this realm.

“Wait, if your talismans are here, then aren’t you guys practically immortal?”

“Nope. We can get exorcised all the same in the natural world. We only stay immortal within Shinshonohara, granted our talismans stay safe.”

I see.

“Anyway… how are you going to train me?”

“Hm?” Toda looked at me with a glint in his eyes, already pulling off his suit jacket.”What do you mean? You’ll be fighting me, of course.”