The soft morning glow of the sun was just settling in on the village of Seiki, and already plenty of the villagers were out and about, tending to their daily chores. Harvesting, fishing, cleaning, the whole works. Ren was sitting on the floor in the one-bedroom hut, having just pulled her hair up into two buns on each side of her head. In it, she fastened a small cherry blossom comb on the right side. It was just another normal passing day to Ren, as the villagers did relatively well of holding the façade of everything being fine. People were smiling, but inside they were on edge. Too many people wondered, would their husbands be returning home? Their sons? Who would make it back home alive, and who wouldn’t.

But these thoughts weren’t on Ren’s mind. Her mother had simply informed her that he father was gone on an expedition with a few of the other men of the village, and they would be home soon enough. It had been a few days since anyone had returned, and when Ren’s eyes glanced at the Serpent Mountains, she could see the dark gathering cloud. It may rain in the afternoon, Ren determined, watching what seemed to be a fierce thunderstorm brewing. “Ren!” A sweet voice called from the entrance to her home, her mother poked her head around the corner. “Ren, dear. I have to go visit Elder Tanaka and make sure she is doing well. The Ito family is wanting a few of our cherry blossoms for cooking. Would you pick them for me and take those to them?” Ren nodded apprehensively as her mother disappeared again from the entrance. It wasn’t an uncommon chore for Ren and wasn’t one that she hated. Grabbing a basket, she left her hut and moved to the cherry blossom tree that grew behind their home. According to her mother, the cherry blossom tree was as old as their family’s history, and had belong to them for just as long.

Ren didn’t know whether what her mother said was true or not, and it also didn’t really matter. She just loved the smell of the blossoms as they were blooming. Seeing the tree always brought back memories of her and her best friend Rai playing. He was a lot faster than she was at climbing the tree, as he always wanted to race her to the top. Then he would tease her about being a slow slug. Mean, but that’s how little kids could be right? With the basket slung over her shoulder, Ren patiently climbed the tree, sticking her foot in familiar holes and gashes that she knew were strong enough to hold her weight, and allow her to keep her balance. Resting on one of the thick branches, Ren shimmied her way towards a branch full of blossoms and began to pick the flowers. The aroma was practically intoxicating, and it allowed Ren to put her guard down. Her eyes scanned the village, as she had almost the perfect view now of the center area, where town folk intermingled with one another. Thinking of Rai, she wondered whether her mischievous friend was awake or not. If the villagers could describe their friendship, yin and yang would be the first thing to come to mind.

Where Rai ran around, wreaking havoc, terrorizing chickens or cattle, and getting himself involved in places he shouldn’t be, Ren was often found right behind him, quickly apologizing to the villagers and attempting to clean up Rai’s messes. One would wonder why it was they were friends, when they were so different. Ren sometimes wondered herself, as her mother often scolded her for ‘being involved with that boy’. But he was fun and exciting! And village life was so boring. Ren couldn’t be ever more thankful for her mischievous friend, even if he picked on her every now and again. Her eyes glinted to the Serpent Mountains, where the dark cloud continued to hover. “Maybe one day I’ll adventure beyond there…” Ren sighed wistfully, continuing to pick blossoms into her basket.

When the breeze kicked up, Ren had to quickly place her hands over the basket, as to avoid letting the petals get swept away by the wind. She exhaled in relief, but when she opened her eyes, she was met with the face of a boy with pale eyes and white hair. “AAHH!!” Ren scooted back quickly, eyes growing wide after the sudden spook. But it didn’t take long for Ren to recognize the familiar face. Her look of terror shifted to one of entertainment. “You meanie! What if I had fallen out of the tree and broke my arm?” She pouted playfully, but it didn’t last long as she scooted back and playfully pushed Rai, making him rock back and forth on his hanging branch. Being a young girl, she was still easy to startle, but she wondered if as they got older, his antics would no longer surprise her. He couldn’t have that many tricks up his sleeve, could he? But that didn’t matter. Her best friend was finally here, and that meant it was time to goof off… after she delivered the cherry blossom petals, of course.

Even for a little girl, she could be more on the responsible side. But she also knew the sooner she got chores done, the sooner she could play with Raiko. She was almost done with plucking the last of the cherry blossoms, tucking them into her woven basket, and covering them with a blanket as to not let them spill out. “You’re also lucky I didn’t spill my blossoms! I would have really been upset then!” Ren playfully whined, once again cautiously climbing down the tree. As she moved she kept a close eye on her agile friend. He always moved from the trees so seamlessly. She had once even seen him jump out of the tree without getting harmed! He really was skilled for a young age, because if she had ever attempted that, she would have broken her leg. “Last one to the village is a rotten egg!” Ren giggled, turning on her heels and running back towards the village. Though her basket wasn’t heavy in her arms, its size definitely weighted her down.

Not that she wasn’t fully expecting to lose. Raiko always seemed to get ahead of her somehow, without her realizing he passed. Perhaps because she spent too much time looking over her shoulder to see how close he was. Her heart was pounding with excitement at what new trouble Raiko would get himself into, and what messes she would have to follow close behind to fix. Seiki wasn’t too far away, but already she could feel her short legs growing tired, burning from the sudden movements. She had only just woken up so long ago, so it probably wasn’t a good idea for her to move her muscles like this so much. Even on the ground, The Serpent Mountains were still in perfect view on the horizon, the storm cloud growing darker and larger. Ren felt a bit nervous at the sight. She hated thunder storms, they were scary! Heavy rain, loud thunder, flashing lighting. And the worst part- the darkness, Ren’s number one enemy. Dropping off her basket at the front of the Ito’s home, Ren looked around for her friend. She couldn’t see him anywhere. Had she beat him this time?

The sudden voice from above caused Ren to lift her head, finding Raiko on the roof of the Ito’s home. What a show off! Not only did he get here first, but he had the time to climb the building as well! She listened to his warning about the growing storm, and her bright smiled waivered slightly, looking at the growing storm, it was significantly bigger than it had been this morning, and Ren grew nervous. It was in the direction too that all of the village men had gone off in, and Ren thought about her father. Hopefully he was okay, and he had shelter from the storm. But, ready for anything? That seemed odd, what else could they prepare for besides a heavy thunderstorm? For some odd reason, Ren suddenly felt exposed and she turned her attention back to Rai, beckoning him to come down. “Please come down, Raiko. You shouldn’t be in such a high place when a storm is coming.” With the storm growing in the south, Ren was becoming curious of how her mother was doing as well.

Her mother mentioned visiting Elder Tanaka, who was the head priestess in the shrine to the far south of the village. Her mother wasn’t a priestess, but she did work closely with Tanaka to help with general upkeep of the shrine. Ren had no doubts in her mind that her mother would want Ren to eventually work closer with Elder Tanaka to become a priestess herself. Her mother had even mentioned before how large of an honor it would be for Ren to become a priestess, but Ren was still deciding on it or not. There weren’t many other prospects for such a young girl, and especially not anything that allowed for her to leave the village. Her options generally fell in the categories of becoming a priestess or becoming a wife and child bearer. And with both of these ‘occupations’, she definitely couldn’t leave the village… But it wasn’t like she never dreamed of being a priestess. As her mother said, it was a great honor, and it would mean she would be responsible for the village’s wellbeing, a responsibility she wouldn’t mind having one day. But Ren would be lying if she didn’t fell a drawing force now and again towards the shrine. Was that how a calling was supposed to feel?

Ren continued to watch in the distance at the shrine, turning her attention back to Raiko. “Raiko! Why don’t we go visit the Southern Shrine today? I imagine a lot of the flowers around it are in bloom, and I would love to look at them.” Though that was one of her many intentions, perhaps she would also talk with Tanaka about what it takes to become a priestess. Without so much as giving Rai a chance to respond, the young Ren began to hurry towards the shrine, her bright smile returning to her race, and her eyes still cautiously watching the growing storm.

Ren once again was surprised by her friend’s ability to catch up to her so quickly, raising her eyebrows as he appeared beside her. It wasn’t often they could walk side by side like this, as they tended to race more around the village. But it was nice, being so close to her best friend. Ren heeded his words about passing out at the shrine. Did he get the same feeling in his chest that she had towards the shrine? Maybe, though Ren wouldn’t describe the feeling in her chest as one of queasiness, so much as she would describe it a force of warmth. In fact, it never felt stronger than it had this morning, and Ren was more curious about why that was. “Oh, feeling a little feint, Raiko?” Ren giggled playfully, covering her mouth with her hand. “Usually it is the girl that does the fainting and the boy that does the carrying… But very well. Why do you feel like you will pass out? Are you scared of spirits and ghosts that hang around the Southern Shrine, Raiko?” Ren teased, taking a moment to bend down at one of the rice fields, scooping a small handful of water, and splashing it towards Raiko. As they grew closer to the shrine, Ren felt the force stronger than ever pulling her towards the ornate building. There were plenty of interesting flowers and herbs that grew around the building, tended to usually by the High Priestess, but was now being worked on with the assistance of her mother.

Speaking of which, Ren spotted her mother and the elder High Priestess Tanaka by one of the flower beds. Ren’s mother was one her knees, bent over the shrubbery and tending to the bushes. While Tanaka stood nearby. No doubt she was so along in age that she couldn’t get up and down easily to tend to the flowers. Ren wasn’t sure why Tanaka wouldn’t ask one of the training priestesses to tend to the duty, rather than her mother. Observing the two, Ren spotted what she could only describe as the most beautiful and oranate staff she had seen. Though, the only one she had ever seen- as Tanaka was always seen carrying it beside her. “Yuu, I really wish you wouldn’t pull Ren away. Her destiny isn’t a bur-“ Ren was surprised, seeing her mother’s head whip around so quickly towards Tanaka. Ren’s mother was obviously very angry- the same face she would make towards Ren if she were being disobedient. “With all respect, High Priestess, I don’t want Ren to-“ But both seemed to sense Ren’s approaching presence, and quickly control their voices and their facial expressions.

“Ren! What are you doing here? I thought I asked you to bring the cherry blossoms to the Ito family?” Yuu, Ren’s mother, spoke quickly, rising to her feet just as fast. She began to brush the dirt off her kimono. Why did she look so panicked and worried? “You did. And I’ve already delivered it. I just wanted to come see the temple.” Yuu quickly shook her head, moving towards Ren, using the back of her hands to try and shoo her away. “Go home and clean then. You shouldn’t be here bothering Elder Tanaka.” But just as Ren began to turn away, Tanaka just as quickly approached, using her staff as a way to balance herself. “Now hold on, Yuu. You know that everyone, neighbor and stranger, is welcome to visit me at any time.” Tanaka spoke calmly, staring at her staff. The emblems of the sun and moon that hung from their chords began to turn, even though there wasn’t the feeling of a breeze. Yuu seemed to notice this as well, and her feelings of unsteadiness increased. “What brings you here today, Ren? Tanaka spoke up, her eyes moving from examining her staff, to the young girl standing in front of her.

Ren didn’t know how to describe the feeling she felt upon seeing the staff. It was probably her 3rd time ever seeing it, yet she was even more enchanted by it than the last time she saw it. But the feeling in her chest seemed to intensify. Perhaps it wasn’t the shrine that was pulling her towards it, but the staff in Tanaka’s hands. “Raiko and I just wanted to admire the temple and the growing flowers. They are always lovely this time of year, as our cherry blossom tree is in full bloom too!” Though Ren was speaking respectfully towards Tanaka, her eyes remained locked in admiration of the staff in her hands. Ren wasn’t sure about telling Tanaka about the force in her chest that was pulling her to the staff in her hand. But, it didn’t seem to take any words from Ren. Tanaka’s eyes watched the turning emblems begin to slow down. “Yes, they really are this time of year, hm? There is so much beauty to be admired here at our temple. Why is it that I don’t see you more often here then?” Yuu quickly intervened at the last question.

“Because she is still a little girl! Tanaka, I don’t-“ Ren was caught slightly off guard by her mother’s sudden outburst, as it was considered very disrespectful to interrupt a conversation with the High Priestess. What was mother getting so upset about? A quick glance from Tanaka seemed to quiet her mother, and the High Priestess spoke calmly towards Yuu. “She is young, but I can feel the strength inside her, as does the Chowa. My girl… do you feel drawn to this place?” Ren looked towards Raiko, not sure how to answer, as if Raiko could answer for her. What did Takana mean by the strength inside her? Raiko was the brave and strong one. What would he do? “I believe so… And to your staff. I- I mean. It is really beautiful.” Ren responded, turning back towards Tanaka. Tanaka smiled more, while Yuu seemed to grow more worried.

“The Chowa, my dear girl, harmony, balance, symmetry. There is no good without evil and vice versa. The Chowa has many powers. Perhaps if you decided to train under me as a priestess, I could teach you much more.” Ren’s eyes traveled over the staff, admiring its many intricacies. Becoming a Priestess was her only other option in life than to become a mother and child bearer. Ren reached her hand out, touching the base of the staff. It felt cool to the touch, and for some reason Ren felt as if it belonged in her hands. Tanaka’s grin would have grown wider if it didn’t begin to waiver, at the sigh of the darkening cloud approaching. Was it really moving that quickly? “It seems like it may storm. How about we continue this conversation inside the temple?” Tanaka turned, leading the group towards the entrance. Ren was about to follow quickly, but turned towards Raiko. He had mentioned not feeling well when he was here, so Ren reached for him, taking his hand in hers. “You don’t need to be scared here, Raiko. I’m right here, so don’t worry. Okay?” Ren smiled, leading Raiko inside as the storm steadily approached.

“Young Priestess, would you please let the villagers know to finish what work they are doing and to get inside. I believe this coming storm is going to be a harsh one.” Tanaka spoke to one of the ladies walking around inside. She nodded, and hastily left the building to go into the village.

Ren made sure to sit close to Raiko listening as the winds outside began to pick up speed. It was odd, but the wind seemed to carry the smell of something burning from the Serpent Mountains. Perhaps there was a forest fire? Ren didn’t ponder on the thought too long, as her nose eventually adjusted to the new smell, her eyes scanning the different wall scrolls on the walls. Ren recognized a few of the, but from where she wasn’t sure. She had been to the temple on multiple occasions, and the writings and drawings on the scrolls didn’t mean much to her. But now, she felt as if she was understanding more than she used to. A few of the scrolls were blessing charms that protected the village, a few to ward off any malicious spirits, and a few also for warding off demons. There were also many artworks of different dragons and demons on the walls, all depicting epic battles between men and these creatures. If Ren was in a different mindset, she would find them scary. But for some odd reason she felt safe. Perhaps it was because she had her best friend at her side, or perhaps because staring at the Chowa was giving her some kind of warmth.

Ren turned her head towards Raiko to make a comment on the artwork and scrolls, but noticed how he was squirming and itching himself. It seemed all over him. “Rai, are you okay? You look like you went through some poison ivy.” Tanaka watched as well, pondering to herself. I see… Since Raiko is half demon, the sutras on the walls must be effecting him… of course it would be a lot worse of a reaction if he were a full demon. Another young priestess came out with a few cups, and a tea pot full of hot tea. “He will be okay. Who he comes from… or rather, what he comes from, affects him here. Raiko, have some tea to soothe your nerves. And stop scratching it! Show some self-control. If you scratch it too much you’ll just draw your own blood. Ignore it and it will subside.” Ren sat up straighter, mostly due to shock from Tanaka’s sudden outburst. Tanaka calmly drank her own tea, and Ren watched with slight confusion. Where… What Raiko came from? She turned her head slightly towards him. What did that mean?

“Tell me, Ren… Have you ever thought about becoming a priestess?” Ren turned her attention back towards Tanaka. Out of the corner of her eyes she could see her mother sitting with them as well, but it seemed she didn’t have much to say anymore, as her eyes just focused on the teacup in front of her. “Once or twice… I suppose so. There are a lot of protection spells here. For the village, right?” Tanaka smiled slightly, and the sound of the storm outside seemed to kick up. “You already know how to read the sutras, and you haven’t even been my apprentice yet… Very good, very good indeed.” Ren blushed slightly, thinking back on it. How did she know what they meant? Before today she had just recognized them as pretty calligraphy and artwork.

“Do you believe in evil spirits and demons, Ren?” Ren was confused as to why Tanaka was only focusing on her rather than to both Raiko. But Tanaka had no need to ask Raiko, as he was living proof of such things. Ren nodded a little. Every little kid was scared of the things that go bump in the dark, of course she believed in spirits and demons. But, for as long as Ren lived in the village, she had never seen nor interacted with any. Perhaps due to all of the enchantments here at the shrine. “Every 200 years, without fail, a True Priestess is born among us. A Shin no miko, as we call it. Every 200 years they are born on the first budding of the flowers of the spring time. You, Ren, just so happened to be born on the first day of spring, weren’t you?” Ren nodded towards Tanaka. She had heard the story a few hundred times. A “True Priestess” would be born, with the natural gifts and skills of a High Priestess. Their main duty was to scare off demons and spirits away from the village, to protect Seiki. But they also had the duty of traveling the lands of Japan, and banishing demons where ever they arose. Were those stories true?

“Ren, I want you to start studying, with me as your personal teacher, in the ways of Priestess-hood. I have a good feeling about you.” Ren felt conflicted. Tanaka couldn’t be insinuating that Ren was a ‘True Priestess’. Besides, all the stories of True Priestesses focused on adulthood, not when they were little kids. But, they had to have been kids at some point, right? It still didn’t make since to Ren. But to be personally invited to join the priesthood by the High Priestess was a great honor and Ren nodded. When Ren nodded, Yuu took a large sip from her cup, the winds continuing to howl outside. “So desperate in these times, that you have to recruit a mere child?” There was malice in Yuu’s voice towards the High Priestess. Tanaka turned her head and nodded. “The sooner she learns, the sooner we can all rest easier… The sooner we can restore Japan and banish out all of the demons… or at least most of them.” Tanaka waivered at the end, her eyes moving towards Raiko. Before Ren could get a word in edgewise, there was a loud booming above their heads. It sounded almost as if lightning had struck just above their heads, and there were bright flashes outside the windows. There were a few yelps and cries from the young priests and priestesses that roamed the building. Ren felt her entire body grow pale from the sound, and she quickly wrapped her arms around Raiko, her body shaking and her heart pounding in her ears. “What was that??”

Tanaka rose to her feet, taking with her the Chowa and smiled towards Ren and Raiko. “No need to be alarmed… Full demons can’t go further into the village beyond our shrine. But sometimes they like to get close to stir up trouble. Just requires a little hands-on work from myself.” Tanaka called for a few other priestesses in the room, and together they walked out of the southern entrance. When the door slid open, in the large open grass field Ren could see hundreds- no thousands- of black figures standing in the grass. All of their eyes were glowing red, and the wind was blowing so hard, she didn’t know how their bodies didn’t get swept away. Ren could feel her entire body shaking, and even Yuu moved closer towards Ren and Raiko to hold them, as if to protect them. Tanaka raised up the Chowa, the moon emblem was now spinning at such a high velocity, Ren wasn’t sure how it hadn’t flown off of its chord yet. The Boy the words echoed from the mass of demons outside. But before she could see what Tanaka would do, the other priestesses closed the door. Only the sounds of roars and clashing could be heard outside.

Everything seemed to happen so quickly to Ren. Just as she had wrapped her arms around Raiko out of fear, she jumped back releasing him from her grip. He felt as if his entire body were on fire! Raiko knew exactly what demons were outside, and it was tormenting Raiko, he was in so much pain. And Ren felt weak, unable to do anything to soothe her friend. What was happening? Why was all of this suddenly happening? Ren’s eyes grew wide when she saw the new color in Raiko’s eyes. They had gone from their cherry blossom pink to a blood red, and it sent a strong shiver down Ren’s spine. What Tanaka had said before suddenly made more sense… he was a demon. When Ren’s mother tried to protect Raiko, a sudden force erupted from his body, throwing both her and her mother back. Ren slid across the floor, but Yuu had slammed against the wall. “Mom!!” Ren quickly scurried across the floor, sitting beside her mother’s unconscious body and wrapping her arms around her.

Outside, Ren could see Tanaka chanting a few prayers. It was slow, but one by one some of the demons began to vanish. At the rate they were going however, it would take hours for all of them to vanish. One was practically at the door, and even Tanaka seemed worried at how much the demon wasn’t being fazed by the blessings on the shrine. The demons wanted Raiko to go with him, and Ren began to shake her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry. I’m doing this to protect you.” As Raiko put his hand out, taking the dark blue hand of the demon in his, and Ren found the strength to get to her feet, charging behind her friend.

“RAIKO! NO! DON’T LEAVE ME HERE!” But it was too late, as Raiko, the demon, and all the other ones suddenly vanished in front of Ren’s eyes.

That was the last time that Ren had seen Raiko, until she turned 18.

The morning of Ren’s 18th birthday, the entire village began to gather in the center plaza, where everyone would chat about the day’s happening. Today was the day that Ren would begin her journey as a True Priestess and banish out all demons she came across on the island of Japan. All of the people of the village collected supplies and gifts for Ren to take on her journey, and Ren took a deep breath as she pulled her comb through her hair for one final stroke, before tucking it in her hair. So many feelings were running through Ren’s body, excitement, fear, anger, sadness. It would normally be very overwhelming for most people, but after training over a decade under Elder Tanaka, Ren had gotten better at controlling her outward appearance of emotions. Priestesses had to remain calm, as to let the villagers believe that everything was under control. Not that there was anything going wrong in the village. Ever since that day when Raiko was stolen away, no demons ever came back.

Raiko… These days Ren tried not to think too much on that name. After he vanished, Ren had cried for an entire day, and anytime she thought of him she began to cry. Even now, she could feel the tears pushing behind her eyelids, but she quickly dismissed the thoughts and patted her cheeks. “No crying, no crying. You’re strong, and it is your birthday. No one cries on their birthday.” Ren spoke calmly to herself, before rising and exiting the temple. Firmly grasped in her right hand, stood the Chowa. Before Ren turned 16, she had to perfect so many skills in the ways of the Priestess-hood. Much to her own luck, things came significantly more natural to her than other students. Things that took some of the other priests or priestesses several years to perfect, just took Ren a few months. Though she was meant to be respected because of who she was “destined to be”, it never failed to stir up jealousy from other priestesses. Ren felt guilty about that too. She didn’t strive to be better than anyone, she didn’t want to embarrass anyone… It was simply how the world decided to make her life work.

At 16 Tanaka determined that Ren was finally able to wield and control the Chowa. A feat that had taken Tanaka herself 20 years to perfect, Ren was at her level in 2. It really was unfair, and Ren never tried to brag. But Tanaka always flaunted Ren around for her abilities, perhaps Tanaka just felt proud that she got to be the master to a True Priestess, and that seemed to Tanaka a greater honor than being a True Priestess. Entering the center of the village, Ren was greeted with all of the gifts for her journeys, hugs, kisses, and pats on the back from fellow villagers. “I remember when I still held you in my hands as a baby… Now, you are off to save all of us… You will be in our prayers every day.” Yuu spoke up, holding onto Ren for the longest hug. Ren didn’t want to let go either. As much as she loved the idea of exploring the world, she knew she would miss all of her friends and family here.

“Ren.” A rather deep voice spoke up from the crowd. A few people began to part, allowing Ren to face the owner of the voice- Taiki. A man just a few years older than Ren. After Raik-… after the demons visited the temple many years ago, Taiki became Ren’s new “best friend”, if Ren had to call it something. He was nothing like Rai-… Well, he was very serious, and a little dull. But he was also very strong, and very protective. In fact, he was the head Commander for the warriors of the village, the men who trained in order to defend Seiki from human invaders. Much like how Ren and Tanaka were in charge of defending Seiki from spiritual invaders. “You big Oaf. You better not start crying.” Ren teased him, giving him her bright, sweet smile. But he continued to watch her with a straight face, Ren had never seen Taiki smile before, and it had been a challenge she had hoped to defeat over the past few years… unsuccessfully though.

“I know what I’m about to ask is foolish. But, I have discovered that of everyone in this world, there is no one I would rather spend it with than you.” The smile on Ren’s face waivered, and a few people began to murmur and smile in the crowd. That was probably the most emotional statement Taiki had ever gotten out of his lips. It probably took him a lot of effort to show “such emotion”. Oh no, what was he doing? “I know as a Priestess you cannot be romantically involved with someone… But I know there is no one else in Japan I would ever want. If you return- No, when you return to us, after you have cleared our homeland of demons… I am asking for the honor of having you as my wife.” Taiki got down on his knees, bowing deeply to Ren. Once again, a brand-new expression from Taiki that she had never witnessed. Now everyone was staring and talking, and Ren could feel the heat rising up to her face. Her eyes darted to Tanaka, who simply shrugged. It technically was Ren’s choice. She could be engaged as a Priestess, but once she was to get married, she would have to leave. It would be a shame to lose her status as a True Priestess, but according to prophecies, by the time she would return home, there would be no more demons to banish. So then came the real question- did she want to say yes or no? Something deep within her gut was saying no, no, no. Don’t do it. But Ren’s sympathetic heart was telling her to just say yes. By the time she did return, perhaps Taiki would actually find another girl, and no feelings would be hurt, as Ren did not feel the same way for Taiki. And Ren knew she wouldn’t be able to bare the weight of hurting such a strong man, and close friend. Hey, not like she had anyone else to give her heart to. Everyone was starring more intently, as Ren was taking the time to ponder. “Oh- Um, ye-eah. Yes. That sounds fine, Taiki.” Ren pulled her smile back on her face, and the crowd of villagers began to cheer and clap. Taiki rose to his feet, reaching in his satchel and pulling out a necklace of a dragon’s fang, putting it around Ren’s neck.

“This has brought me protection in all of my own journeys. And I give it to you so that you will also return to us safe. Only people from our village will know it means you are taken, but… at least it will serve as a reminder to yourself.” Ren looked up to see if Taiki was smiling but even now, at what would probably be the happiest moment of his life so far, he still held such a straight face. So scary! Ren put her hand on the dragon’s tooth, feeling the smooth bone and nodded to Taiki. “Thank you, Taiki.”

With many farewells in order, her bag procured over her shoulders, Ren began on her arduous journey. First stop- Ryoshi village. A maritime village on the Serpent River that flowed down from the Serpent mountain. It was a few miles away, so Ren figured that by sunset she would arrive. A message had arrived to Ren the day before about sightings and issues with a demon terrorizing the locals. Tanaka informed Ren that this would be a good place to start, and that with each town to traveled to, she would hear more and more about other regions in need of her spiritual help. The fear had vanished from Ren’s chest, and now all that was left was the desire for adventure, and the prospect of saving humankind. It was a great weight to bare, but Ren was ready to take it on. With that Chowa tightly held in one hand, and her head up high, Ren felt unstoppable. That was until, about halfway to Ryoshi, Ren was stopped by two random men, standing in the road by a broken cart.

The two men saw Ren approaching, both getting sly grins as they approached her. “What a beautiful face… A geisha, perhaps?” Ren made a sick face at the comment. It was obvious she was a priestess, but this wouldn’t be the first time a man made a lewd comment like that to her. Tanaka and Yuu both told Ren all the time that she was quite beautiful, in the face and in her figure, and that she had to be warry of untrustworthy men. You will meet many different people and things on your journey. Just remember… not all demons and spirits are evil, just as not all humans are good. Tanaka’s words echoed in Ren’s head, and she stepped away from the approaching men. “If you continue on the road, the village of Seiki isn’t too far. Tell them Ren Shimizu sent you, and they will be able to help you with your cart.” But the two men continued to move in on Ren. “Oh? But I imagine your village doesn’t have as many cute faces laying around down there…” The two men looked at each other with a malicious intent. The crescent moon on the Chowa began to spin rapidly, and Ren’s eyes moved to it. The Chowa was trying to warn her that these men were no good. Gee, thanks, didn’t figure that one out on her own.

Ren clenched her staff a little stronger as the two men continued to approach her. She was preparing to use her staff to smack one of the men, but as she was rearing up to hit him, in just seconds they were suddenly unconscious and several feet away. She didn’t get a chance to ponder what had happened when the young silver haired and silver eyed boy appeared before her, sitting on the ground. A demon. Ren’s grip on her staff didn’t waiver as she pulled the staff in front of her, pointing it towards the mischievous intruder. Ren glanced at the two emblems hanging on the sides, but neither of them were reacting to his presence, and Ren’s aggressive stance and expression softened. That was strange, the Chowa wasn’t alerting Ren to the new presence. Not good, not evil either. Ren’s eyes moved from the Chowa and to the young man looking demon who was sitting in front of her.

She pulled her staff away, holding it by her side in a less aggressive manor. Remembering once again what Tanaka said about interacting with good and bad demons and people. Was he a friendly demon then? It seemed odd, and very lucky, that the first one she would meet would come to her aid like this. In fact, there was something almost familiar about it as well, but Ren couldn’t lay her finger quite on it. Something was itching at the back of her mind, but she was quick to dismiss it. This demon had helped her, so she would spare its life… unless they crossed paths again and it didn’t behave as friendly. “They were creeps…” She finally responded softly, her eyes glancing to the unconscious bodies. “However, it would be wrong of me to leave them as they are.” Her natural, warm and sweet nature was coming through as she put the staff into a holster on her back, and moved towards each of the unconscious men. They weren’t significantly injured, no drawn blood.

But it was obvious that the power of the demon’s attacks wasn’t one to be trifled with. Ren turned once again, her attention to the demon, examining him. If she didn’t know better, and wasn’t trained to control herself, she probably would be head over heels right now. Ren was a sucker for the strong, defensive types. Hence Ra- Taiki. When the two were young, there were many instances where out in public Taiki would stay by her side to protect her from prying eyes. He had also started a handful of fights with other young boys who wanted to get a little too close to Ren. Taiki cared a lot about her and didn’t like the idea of harm coming towards her. In fact, Ren was pretty surprised Taiki hadn’t put up a fight to prevent her from leaving the village. If Taiki could have his way, they probably would be married right now…

It also didn't help that the demon was a bit charming to the eyes. He had a playful look about him, very different from Taiki. The demon also looked slimmer and perhaps slightly shorter than Taiki did. She didn't know the demon at all, but something in her chest was telling her they were nothing alike yet... Ugh, why was she so easily charmed by strong men?

Ren’s hand moved to the dragon’s tooth that hung around her neck, once again feeling the smooth bone. Funny, she had been protected, but perhaps it wasn’t the dragon’s tooth that had ensured her safety. “Thank you, demon. For protecting me from those attackers. Normally I would be inclined to be indebted towards you for your work. However, I have no intentions of having debt with a demon. So, I will say my debt towards you has been repaid by not banishing your soul into the depts of hell.” She spoke firmly, which seemed out of character for her sweet, gentle voice. Ren nodded towards the demon in recognition for his effort, pulled the Chowa once again into her hands, and began to continue towards Ryoshi village. She was going to be set back a bit, so it would probably be later than expected for her to arrive. But her smile didn’t hinder on her face. She looked over her shoulder, still smiling her signature, sweet yet teasing, smile. “You may not be as lucky if we meet again… so I recommend keeping your nose out of trouble.” Ren continued onwards on the path.

Though externally she had her sweet smile, and bright eyes. She was still pondering so many things in her head. Why hadn’t the Chowa reacted towards the new visitor? The Chowa always responded to those who were strangers to the wielder, and Ren was certain she had never met this demon before… as every demon she had ever interacted with prior had been banished by her own hand. Yet if he was a stranger, why did he feel so familiar? Was the Chowa trying to tell her something, by not saying anything? And if he were a demon, why was he so oddly human.

Pulling an orange from her backpack, Ren peeled the outer skin, and laxly through it off to the side as she walked. It was almost like leaving a little fruity trail behind her as she traveled. She was practically to the village, and traveling all day left her starving. But she had gone longer than a day before, when fasting with Tanaka. She hummed gently to herself, the rooftops of the village seen in the distance. She still had that strange demon in her mind. He was relatively close to the village of Ryoshi, was it possible that he was the demon that the village had contacted her to exercise? It didn’t make sense, as the letter had described a large, terrifying, and hateful demon one that had a specific target- young women. The demon she had interacted with didn’t seem to fit any of that description, besides the fact that he came to her aid. Even then, it wasn’t like he was trying to kidnap her and whisk her away. Ren sighed and rolled her eyes. How cliché it seemed. Why were demons always going after women, why couldn’t they be satisfied with terrorizing animals. Still… there was something bugging her about the demon, and she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

The breeze seemed to pick up, and the moon emblem on the Chowa began to spin rapidly. Finishing her orange, and taking the Chowa in both her hands, her eyes skimmed the horizon of the grassy plain. In the distance, she could see something charging her. It most resembled a giant bull, as it charged back and forth though the field. Its fur was standing on edge, its eyes were glowing a bloody red, and its teeth and horns were like daggers. Demon possessed, apparently. It seemed to detect the power of the Chowa in Ren’s hands, as it was coming straight towards her. Ren, unlike when she was encountered by the two strange men, was not worried in the slightest at this new entity. She held up her staff, pointing it towards the bull as it charged, the moon emblem was continuing to spin and Ren took in a deep breath. “I banish you from this place!” A bright light shot from the end of her staff, zipping only a few feet in front of her before making contact with the bull’s forehead. It stopped in its tracks, frozen solid. There was the crackling sound of lightning, and the light seemed to pull something dark and evil from the bull’s skin, sucking it into the Chowa.

When the light had evaporated, the bull returned to a normal appearance, and huffed out a quick breath, as if unbothered by what had just occurred to it. No doubt, a lesser demon possessing an animal to make itself feel stronger. Very common, and just as easily exterminated. “You didn’t seem as strong as the demon the villagers were complaining about… but perhaps you are missing still. I’ll see if I can find your rightful owner.” She spoke softly, taking cautious steps to approach the bull, and reaching for the frayed rope around its neck. Examining the end, she could see that the rope didn’t have a clean cut. It appeared more as if the rope had been chewed through. But turning back towards the road, Ren led the bull behind her into the village of Ryoshi.

It was significantly bigger and more crowded than her home village of Seiki. But more than likely it was due to the village being one of many major trading outposts. Being on the riverside, it was a perfect spot for trading and fishing. “My bull!!” She heard a voice cry out, and Ren turned her attention towards a young woman and older man. The women seemed to run over, wrapping her arms around the neck of the bull, hugging onto it as if it were a pet. “I found him wondering just outside in the plains. A demon spirit had possessed it and caused it to go rampant. Tell me, where can I talk to an authority about the demon terrorizing the village?” Ren noticed the young woman roll her eyes at the statement, making Ren a little on edge. “I was the one that sent the letter.” The older man spoke, approaching Ren. Before Ren could respond, the young girl snapped, turning her head from the bull. “You put a target on Ryoshi?? How dare you, father! He is no worse than a drunk walking about. A drunk that ensures our waters are plentiful on fish. He is no menace to our village!” Ren glanced back and forth between the father and daughter, she could feel a tension as heavy and hot as the sun between the two. “A demon is a demon, Kaito! And his infatuation with you is malicious! With all the young girls of our village!” Kaito glared at her father, before shooting a rather nasty glare in Ren’s direction as well. She took the bull’s leash and led the bull away from the two, causing a tired sigh to leave the old man’s lips. “I’m going to the river to bathe.” She called back, disappearing through the crowds of people.

“Please Priestess, you must help me. Help our village. As you may have heard- Our village is named after he mountain demon, Ryoshi, not far from here. He made a promise to us many years ago to protect our village, and see that it is plentiful, in the return of the fine alcohol we make here. But as of lately he has been wanting more than just alcohol… My poor daughter has been a target of many attempts for him to kidnap her. But I think he has a spell over her, as she seems so unphased by it all. I’m begging you, banish out this Ryoshi so our village can be safe again.” Ren scratched her cheek, listening intently to the older man, as he turned away from her. “We will be able to pay you handsomely if you are able to banish out Ryoshi… even at the least get him away from my daughter.” With that, the old man walked back into his own house and Ren sighed. This didn’t seem as simple of a mission as she had initially suspected. Perhaps she could talk to the other villagers or Kaito to get a better understanding of the situation.

But each person that Ren approached with the question as to the state of the village, and this menace of a demon lurking around, no one really seemed to have an agreeable answer. Many were confused, unaware that there was a demon on the loose. Some reacted like Kaito and glared at Ren, as if she were the monster for trying to hunt him down, and there were a few others who were concerned like Kaito’s father, mostly for the safety of their daughters it seemed. But it was becoming difficult for Ren to assess the situation, she was still unsure of if the demon was truly a menace or not to the village. Taking a deep breath, Ren reluctantly headed towards the river, following up the stream until the village was no longer within eyeshot. Not too far upstream, Ren found Kaito, already standing in the water, washing herself and her hair. Kaito jumped slightly when Ren approached, picking up a rock from the water and throwing it in Ren’s direction. “Leave! Ryoshi is not a menace! I’ll pay you more than my father is offering you if you just leave the village!” Ren jumped to the side slightly, as to miss the hurtling rock. “My motives are not monetary, Kaito.” But that didn’t seem to lessen Kaito’s anger, Ren was going to have to earn her trust.

Ren’s eyes quickly scanned around, making sure there were no prying eyes as she moved more into the thickets. One by one, each part of Ren’s garment were pulled off, and hung over the low branch of the nearby tree. Ren also propped up the Chowa against the tree with her clothes. She felt so exposed, and something was telling her to get in the water fast. Moving as quickly as she could, covered herself with her arms and hurried into the water with Kaito. Kaito raised a suspicious eyebrow at Ren’s modest behavior. Where as Kaito was standing up in the water, so that only up to her hips were covered, Ren remained crouched down so that only her collarbone and up were exposed. Once her body was protected by the water, Ren relaxed a little, leaning against a nearby rock, pulling her hair up in a bun as to not let it get wet. Catching the suspicion of Kaito’s look, Ren glanced away towards the water. “You are very pretty, Priestess. What is your name?” Kaito responded, sitting down in the water with Ren. “Ren Shimizu, and please don’t say that… I was trained in modesty. I try not to expose myself like this, or even talk about my looks. Vanity is deceptive…” For some reason the image of the silver haired, smiling demon from earlier popped into Ren’s head as she was exposed in the water. But she quickly shook her head pushing away any of her own impure thoughts, and resting her fingers on the dragon bone necklace. Ren’s eyes stayed looking at the water’s surface in the distance. Her mind moving back towards those two men that planned to attack her because of her looks. No doubt their intentions with her were impure because of how she looked. Even when dressing modestly, it seemed she wasn’t safe from prying eyes. “Your father spins an evil story about Ryoshi, Kaito… but some of the other villagers also seem to be in agreeance with you that he isn’t a menace. Tell me, why do you think Ryoshi should stay, and how your father is wrong?” Ren moved her eyes back towards Kaito, awaiting a response.

“Ryoshi is better for this village than my father lets on. He makes sure that we are safe and that we have plenty of fish for selling and eating. A few months ago, while I was bathing by myself, he approached me from the woods.” Kaito’s eyes seemed to soften, and Ren continued to listen closely. “What can I say? I was charmed by his sweet words. Like I told my father, he is no worse than a drunk that may hang around the village, in fact he is better than that. Ever since that day, he has taken a bit of an interest in me it seems. Coming down to the water occasionally to watch me bathe.” Ren seemed to tense up at this statement, and drop lower into the water. Her eyes shot towards the Chowa she left propped up against a tree. However, since she wasn’t holding it, the Chowa had no way to indicated if someone was nearby and watching. Either way, now Ren felt trapped and unable to leave the water. “But that is about it, my father claims he is trying to steal me away, but I don’t think that is the case. If anything, perhaps I’ve infatuated him as well? I don’t think Ryoshi has intentions of harming me, or anyone else in the village. My father is just angry that he has taken a liking to me, and that I like his presence as well.”

Ren rubbed the back of her neck, taking all of the new information in. Simple enough, a forbidden romance between two, a father wanting to separate them. But knowing their sides of the story wouldn’t be enough to know Ryoshi’s true intentions. She was going to have to find him herself, confront him and determine if he needed to be banished… or if she should spare his life. “I hope for your sake, that my Chowa judges him to have a good character… Er- Do you know if he is here right now?” Ren asked the last part in a low whisper, letting the water of the river continue to rise up her neck.

The crackling of branches and the movement of a body falling from the tree seemed to be answer enough to Ren’s question. ”AAAAAAYYEE!!” She screamed out, quickly moving her arms to her chest to cover herself, and retreating behind a nearby rock. Peaking her head from behind the rock, her eyes rested on the silver-haired, mischievous boy from earlier. Something in Ren’s chest felt like it was sinking. She knew that this stranger was a demon, was he the same demon that Kaito had been talking about? Was this Ryoshi? The thought of this demon possibly being Ryoshi sadden Ren, for some reason. Jealous? She couldn’t be jealous, for one Kaito practically pored out her heart that she had feelings for this demon. Secondly, Ren is engaged. She shouldn’t have any other man on her mind than Taiki. But it didn’t take long for the pieces to fall in place that this specific demon was not Ryoshi. Especially considering Kaito’s surprise.

Ren slowly peaked her head over the rock, but was cautions to keep her body concealed from the demon. It was already risky that she had been so vulnerably revealing herself to Kaito, but she had done it to try and build trust with her. He was on their side, yet he was a perverted, mischievous, peeping Tom. Ren scoffed slightly, rolling her eyes. But, her patient side was telling her to listen. She had already encountered this demon once, and the Chowa has already… kind of indicated he wasn’t a threat? She wasn’t too sure. The Chowa hadn’t don anything, so there was no certainty to this statement. But he was correct, most evil demons would jump on the chance to attack two defenseless young women. Especially one who was practically locked to the water being exposed. Where as Kaito was standing up. Wow, she really was not afraid to expose herself- no wonder this Ryoshi took a liking to her.

The demon mentioned that he wasn’t a threat since the Chowa would kill him. He was partially correct. As the Chowa was at this moment, it was nothing more than a beautiful, ineffective staff. It had no powers when it wasn’t held in Ren’s hands. But sometimes it was best not to tell anyone this fact. But this demon was mentioning that he knew Ryoshi. Like demons tended to stick together. If anything, this meant to Ren already that this Ryoshi wasn’t much of a threat. However, she couldn’t just take his word for it. She was going to have to let the Chowa, as its purpose, be the judge of Ryoshi’s character. “We will go up the mountain with you.. But one foot out of line and I will banish your soul.”

Ren began to stand up again but feeling the cold air on her skin reminded Ren of why she had been crouching behind a rock in the first place. She bent her knees quickly to duck behind the rock and Kaito began to walk out of the water, wearily watching the new demon boy. “I will only be joining to see Ryoshi… and since Ren will be accompanying us. You keep your hands to yourself, demon.” She shot down the demon’s attempts at flirtation. As Kaito seemed to have the demon entertained, Ren cautiously moved around the backside of the rock, taking a longer route through the trees to quickly grab her priestess gown and conceal her body once more. She let her long black hair drop back down from their bun and she once again took the Chowa in her hands. The Chowa pulsed slightly in her hand, as the sun emblem began to spin. Someone nearby was a friend? Perhaps it was referring to Kaito. Ren steadied the spinning emblem, warily approaching the familiar demon and Kaito as she finished dressing herself as well.

“Lead us to Ryoshi then, demon. And as Kaito said, please keep your hands to yourself.” She watched the mischievous demon, but quickly looked away as to prevent the heat from rising to her cheeks. Damn, she really hoped he hadn’t seen much of herself. Although, she figured, since Kaito was less shy about hiding herself, perhaps the demon was more interested in watching Kaito rather than herself. It was supposed to be a reassuring thought, but for someone reason Ren still felt slightly anxious.

The journey through the forest and along the mountain’s paths didn’t take very long. Or at least, it didn’t feel like it to Ren. The sun was just starting to set behind the horizon, and the warm glow of the sun was slowly fading. As Ren took in every breath of open air, it all seemed to hit her. She was finally doing what she had wanted her entire life- adventure, exploration, discovery. Here she was, far out of the village of Seiki and preparing to climb a mountain side with two strangers. There was practically nothing more than this she could ask for, except… Her eyes moved down from looking at Kaito ahead of her and to the forest floor. She couldn’t remain so hung up in the past like she was. This was something she was supposed to be enjoying. So they why did she also feel so empty? She had company with her, but it didn’t feel right. Ren shook her head, taking a deep breath and pressing on word behind the demon and Kaito.

This demon was rather cocky it seemed. He didn’t seem convinced of the powers the Chowa held. As he seemed unmoved by her threats of banishing out his soul. So long as he stayed out of trouble, he could remain unaware. But as soon as he acted out of place, she would have to turn the tables on him. The Chowa began to react, an approaching presence perhaps? The demon seemed unsurprised with the appearance of a rather large, dragon looking demon appearing. He was sort of menacing, but nothing that Ren and the Chowa couldn’t handle. Ren pulled it towards her self rather defensively. However, the demon who was leading her and Kaito began speaking to them, as if they were common buddies. Ren and Kaito glanced at each other, and Kaito shrugged. It was obvious that she didn’t know Ryoshi had his own little clique of goons, let alone there were other demons in the area. But when the younger demon introduced Kaito as Ryoshi’s women, the two demons by the names Kage and Aoi looked to one another. The expression they gave told Ren that this was something they didn’t want others to find out.

“Master Ryoshi’s human, hm? Well, I suppose we can take her to the mountain. What about her?” Kage began to point towards Ren, but his eyes then moved towards the Chowa in her hand. There was a mixture of both shock and worry across the shorter demon’s face when the eyes landed on the Chowa. Ren wasn’t sure what it meant. Perhaps the demon could feel the power and energy that radiated from the Chowa. Or perhaps it was a familiar enemy from the past. “A priestess!? I know you didn’t have intentions of bringing her to Ryoshi, did you?? Are you trying to get the Master killed?” Aoi stepped rather aggressively towards Ren, and Ren pulled out her staff in prepared defense.

“I’m not planning to attack anyone yet. I want to meet this Ryoshi to judge his character.” Ren spoke calmly, but didn’t avert her gaze from Kage. “Likely! Pah! Then what if you judged him to be of poor character? Would you try to kill him? Three demons on one human… you should back down now, wench!” Ren gripped her Chowa tighter in her hands.

“Well, then we may as well bring her to the Master. Perhaps we can feast on the young Priestess if she steps out of line.” Aoi spoke. For some reason, the idea sent a shiver down Ren’s back. She wasn’t afraid of a few demons, yet… This one was quite huge. And she didn’t have a clear judge of their powers. Kage’s eyes seemed to squint at Aoi’s suggestion, a rather uncomforting grin growing on Kage’s face. “Good point, Aoi. In that case…” Kage stepped closer, grabbing the Chowa and violently ripping it from Ren’s hands. Ren gasped and lunged forward, trying to steal back the staff.

“Raiko, take care of the priestess! Aoi, watch the other girl!” Kage called out. Upon the mentioning of that name, Ren froze up, her grip on the Chowa loosening enough that Aoi easily slipped the staff from her hands. There was a stabbing feeling in Ren’s chest at the mention of the name. _{“Raiko?...”} Ren murmured under her breath. She could feel the tears rising up in her eyes, and it felt as if she couldn’t breathe. That name, why did it paralyze her so much? Why did she feel as if a wave of depression was crashing over her with that name? all the years of training to remain calm and collected, all thrown out the window the minute that named crossed her head. A grin and a childish laugh, that was all that flicked through Ren’s mind.

Aoi stepped towards Kaito, and watching as Ren was apprehended seemed to startle Kaito as well. "R-Ren! Snap out of it! Do something!" But it seemed that Ren was already paralyzed in her own world, as Aoi scooped up Kaito and threw her over his shoulder. Aoi bent down for a second, and with one strong launch of his legs, he was flying from tree branch, to tree branch, moving up the mountain at incredible speeds.