By GlacialFalls

From the depths of the trees, I watched the red dragon pass the gates. From that moment, they were in my domain. I held the power to strike them down. I held the strength of a thousand lords in my seven tails—You want me to tell the story properly? Fine. 

While it was true they crossed into my domain, my power was comparatively limited. Usually I’d lead astray pilgrims with impure aspirations with my tricks. For I am the Kitsune, guardian of the shrine. Just this one shrine. I chose it long ago, when it still held magical power. Nowadays, it is merely a place for those wishing for a hope to leave offerings. Most of them come around this time of year, like this one.

They were a Tyrian. It had been a long time since I had seen one of those. They had vanished since we all felt Holy die that day. I wondered what had changed. I suppose it didn’t matter too much to me. Still interesting though. I suppose I’m rambling by now. The tyrian had a resplendent red coat, fading to brilliant gold on their back. Their eyes were of the same intensity. The underside of their body and wings was filled with a soft white with mottled edges. They carried a small bag that dangled off their neck. The tyrian held it gently to their chest as they tripped for a moment. 

No, it wasn’t my fault. But I decided to follow them all the same. The mystery of what was inside filled my heart. I wasn’t to dissuade this one. But I followed, and they noticed something. I deny ever stepping on a stick!

‘Who’s there?’ The tyrian asked as they glanced around. They stared at where I was for a moment. I cast a soft spell, intending to shift their notice away from me. Instead, a radiant power glowed, their pupils disappearing into the energy. ‘I know you’re there!’ they shouted while looking directly into my eyes. Crap.

I dispelled the now useless illusion and stepped out of the bushes. ‘You have found me. Most impressive,’ I said. 

‘What are you doing in the bushes?’ they asked me. 

‘I, uh…’ Look, they caught me off-guard. It wasn’t supposed to go like this! ‘I am the shrine guardian,’ I began smoothly. No way they noticed my slip-up. ‘I make sure all who offer to the shrine are pure of heart. You have passed the test.’ I started to make my way towards them.

The tyrian looked at me skeptically, but didn’t say anything while I approached.  The power faded from their eyes. ‘I didn’t know this shrine had a guardian,’ they finally stated.

‘To not know one is being seen allows me to judge their character with greater clarity,’ I replied. It had been a while since I talked to anyone, but I’d gotten into the groove now.

‘I can see your point. Regardless, had I known, I would have brought you something too. How rude of me, I never told you my name. I’m Radiance,’ he said, extending one winged hand towards me. 

‘I am only known as the Kitsune, or the Trickster,’ I replied. ‘The Trickster is more a title of old, though. I have little reason for tricks now, except to lead away the impure.’ 

Radiance only nodded at me, then continued to walk up to the top of the shrine. There was still a long flight of stairs ahead of us. When I actually thought of that point about halfway through our silent climb, I had to ask about it. ‘Why are you walking? Do you not have wings to soar forward with, Tyrian?’

He chuckled softly. ‘Yes, I do,’ he replied without stopping. ‘But this is a pilgrimage, I was told. Something visitors do around this time of year. I wanted to experience this region in all its beauty. The locals hadn’t seen a Tyrian before, but luckily for me they had heard of our return. To put it shortly, I walk because it’s how everyone else has made offerings to the shrine. I thought I should experience it the same way as they did, and the vayrons and people before them did. Shrines are nothing if not tradition, yes?’

The proposition interested me. I let the conversation lapse into silence for a while as I pondered the nature of his words. ‘Tradition,’ I said, testing the word as it left my mouth. ‘Yes, I suppose that’s all there’s left to it now.’ 

‘Now?’ was Radiance’s only reply. We crested the staircase at that point. The shrine sat at the top of a hill. The green forest stretched out below us, and a few towns could be seen in the distance. The village closer to the shrine was behind us, and if I turned around it would be obscured by the trees. I looked to the shrine itself, which was more like a well filled with water. A wood structure, overtaken with vines, sat behind it. Radiance walked up to the water’s surface. He gingerly lifted a bunch of pale blue flowers out of his bag. The flowers floated lazily amongst dead petals, old offerings from a week ago. 

Lover’s Remorse. I gasped, then held in the emotions that flooded up to the surface. Did the village remember, or was it a mere coincidence? I admit I hadn’t followed a pilgrim all the way up to the shrine for a very long time. Nor had I peered into the depths of the well, or even visited the shrine at all. If I was to be honest, I was avoiding the place. I don’t know what compelled me to come all the way up here with Radiance. 

Nonetheless, I was now staring at the flowers. Radiance was too. Maybe this, too, was tradition. Had I lucked out? Was my response unseen, or just considered normal? Within my unrest, I had decided something. ‘Now it is only tradition,’ I said as I stepped up to the well and sat with Radiance. ‘But this shrine held power, once. The leylines blessed this very spot, and those who came here could see visions. What was seen varied greatly. But I found that there were those who couldn’t handle the visions. This is why I—’ My breath hitched for a moment. I hoped he didn’t notice. ‘Began to ward off those who I didn’t believe were of sound mind and pure heart. But one day, the leylines shifted. I gazed into the pool, hoping—’ I caught myself once again. Emotion turned me into a fool. ‘Hoping that the power wasn’t gone. But it was. And now it’s merely tradition to bring offerings to the shrine. The Lover’s Remorse used to facilitate the most powerful visions.’

Radiance continued to gaze into the water. ‘Is that why it surprised you? Have you even come up here recently? It’s tradition to offer this flower to the water.’

‘Yes, it has been a long time,’ was all I trusted myself to say. Memories haunted me in the moments of silence. Her face smiled up at me from the water. It was merely imagination, surely. 

‘Then why do you watch over this place?’ Radiance asked. 

I stared into the rippling water. Her long gone laughter echoed in my ears. 

‘Because I have been holding onto a memory.’

Perhaps I can bring myself to leave it behind one day. 

(WC: 2140 words)

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