Kitsune of the Blue Sun

Chapter 67- Dead Zone

[Keeno POV]

After bursting in and basically strongarming the leader of the Family I don’t care to remember the name of into leading us to and through the Dead Zone, we arrived in front of the gate to what looked like a crypt.

“Madam Okami, this is the gate to the Dead Zone.  Please rest assured that I will lead you through the maze of tunnels and rooms down there to the core.  Though I ask that you be mindful of what you touch down there.  There have been times I’ve lost good people to undead they’ve woken up down there.” (Boss)

“I understand.” (Keeno)

After a little struggle opening the rusted gate, we entered the dark stone building.  As we started to descend, the gate screeched and clanged shut.  As we walked, our surroundings got darker and darker and eventually it was complete darkness.  Even my natural night vision didn’t help, so I made a small fireball for light.

“Thank you, Madam Okami.  It seems the torches that are supposed to be lit have burned out.  My people haven’t been doing their jobs.” (Boss)

“Having subordinates who don’t do what they are supposed to is a bad look.  Fia told me good things about you, but this and the way they acted when I got here haven’t matched up.” (Keeno)

“…It seems they’ve grown lazy.  I apologize for their incompetence and will severely reprimand and reeducate them once we’re done here.” (Boss)

“Ah, also, you seem to have some rats in your home.  Freya, if you will.” (Keeno)

“Yeah, I have a list of names to give you later.  All traitors or informants that you thought you bought off.” (Freya)

“I’ll reward you for that information later, Miss Freya.  It will be very valuable to know this and any other inside information you have.” (Boss)

This conversation helped pass the time until we stopped descending down the stairs.  The place we ended up was basically a big hallway that split in three directions.  The walls were filled with bones of the deceased like the French catacombs.  The entire place was filled with an ominous feeling, yet I felt a faint sense of comfort being here.  In the distance I could just barely see faint humanoid shadows moving about, carrying souls with very faint light coming from them.

{Death spirits.  If you asked them to, they would gladly lead you to the core.}

‘I figured that, but I wanted to go with my plan.’

Looking around, the Family leader moved closer to a wall and stared at something that I couldn’t see.

“Alright, please follow me.  If you see any skulls with faint lights in the eye sockets, do not go near them.” (Boss)

We silently nodded and started following the boss down the left passage.  As we progressed, the feeling of comfort I felt slowly grew.

‘It’s like I’m getting closer to you, Ama.’

{Well, you are getting closer to a piece of my Divinity.  It may be just Divinity now, but at one point it was part of me, so it would make sense.}

‘So does that mean I’ll be putting a part of you inside me?’

{Hehehe.  You sultry little vixen you.}

‘Hehehe.’

After a while of walking, we came to a large room with several other passages connected to it.  In the center of the room was a small pedestal with a carved drawing on it.  The boss walked up to and stared at it for a minute before looking up and moving to another passage.  We followed him and this process repeated several times.  As we went, I saw more Death Spirits moving around, though when we passed by, they stopped and bowed to me.  Though they were just faceless silhouettes I could just tell they were smiling happily and the only thing stopping them from following us and celebrating me being here was their job of helping the faint souls move on.  Some did start moving in the same direction as us, only to disappear by walking right through the walls of the catacombs.

{Keeno, Red just arrived.}

‘Thank you for watching over her, Ama.’

{It’s only natural.}

After what felt like another hour, the feeling I was getting this whole time was getting even stronger.  I also noticed that the number of skulls on the wall that had faintly glowing eye sockets also increased.  As we passed by them, it felt like the small lights followed us, or more like the boss, Freya, and Pram.  They seemed to avoid looking at me at all costs.  I even saw a few attempting to reach out and grab one of them, but when I moved to stop it, it immediately went back to trying to act like an inanimate object.

Even more time passed and the passageways grew increasingly older looking and the bones in the walls became more ancient.  The boss also got jumpier the further we went, flinching at every small noise.

“Why are you so jumpy?” (Keeno)

“This is the part of the Dead Zone where most of the undead appear.  I’m honestly surprised we haven’t run into any at all so far.” (Boss)

“Oh, we’ve run into several, but they know better than to attack us.  Life magic is a very good repellant.” (Keeno)

“You possess Life magic?  That’s something very good to know.” (Boss)

Pram was going to correct him, but I tapped her shoulder and shook my head to let him keep the misunderstanding.  She realized I said what I did the way I did for a reason and stopped.  Shortly after that, we made it to another circular room with several passages, though this room was different in that it was much bigger and in the center was a glowing ball of pure power.

“…” (Keeno)

“This is the core of the Dead Zone.  I don’t know why you needed to see it, but do not go near it or you’ll catch fire and burn to death.” (Boss)

“Freya.” (Keeno)

“I still think it’s stupid, but we’ve gone this far, so sure.” (Freya)

Freya moved and summoned her Soul Weapons.  She didn’t ignite them but held one at the boss’s throat and one ready in case he tried something.

“What is the meaning of this!?” (boss)

“You’ll see.  Red should be here in a bit as long as she follows the path I left for her so she can avoid the undead.” (Keeno)

What felt like two hours passed when Red entered the room we were in with two other people.  One looked like a random mook while the other was a heavyset man who looked like the stereotypical fat mob boss.

“Hehehe.  Well, looks like what The Hunter said is true.  Don Salviento, it’s been a while since we’ve seen each other face to face.” (boss2)

“I could say the same, Don Leprezzo.” (boss1)

“Heh.  It seems you’ve been double crossed by the one you were waiting for as well.  It’s a good look for you, blades held at your neck, though I think you’d look even better with no head at all.” (boss2)

The one we came here with was getting increasingly angry and tried to lunge at the one that just arrived, but remembering he had a sword at his neck, he stopped.

“Now, what else do I need to do, Miss Hunter?” (boss2)

Instead of answering, Red kicked the random mook into another hallway and shortly after that, we all heard screaming and the rattling of bones as he was dragged away by undead.

“All Families…will suffer.” (Red)

She then pulled out some knives and held them to the other boss’s throat.

“Wha-?” (boss2)

“No talking…just…watching.” (Red)

Everyone then turned their attention to me.  In the absolute silence of the catacombs, my shoes made echoing sounds on the stone floor as I approached the shining Divinity.  Every step closer, my heart started to beat faster and the temperature in the room increased, though I couldn’t tell if it was just around me, or if I was the one unconsciously doing it.  When I stopped walking, I was about half an arm’s length away from the core.  Not knowing anything better to do, I reached up and plunged my hands inside.

When I did so, I felt a pleasant warmth.  Then, something deep in my soul clicked and I started to draw the Divinity into myself.  I felt the Divinity flow into me, down my arms, and into my Soul.  It felt like fire coursing through me, but it didn’t hurt.  The glowing ball in front of me started to dim and become smaller.  I could faintly hear the two mob bosses losing their minds in the background, but they weren’t loud or important enough for me to put any thought to actually listen to what they were saying.  After an amount of time that felt both like forever and an instant, the ball of Divinity completely vanished inside me.

Several seconds of not feeling any different later, I heard an internal cracking noise, like glass breaking and about to shatter.  The cracking sounds continued when it finally broke.  It was like fire was coursing through my entire body.  It felt like an unnoticed weight inside my body got lighter.  Shortly after that, the fire in my body started flowing toward my lower back and soon I felt an extra weight next to my tail.  I looked back and saw a second one waving around next to my original one.

“Heh!  Hehe!  Hehehehehehehahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!” (Keeno)

{Ooooo!  Second tail!  WOOOOO!  MORE FLUFF FOR ME TO FEEL!}

Riding on the high of all of this, I moved over to the others and knocked the two mob bosses out.

“Now, while I’m feeling this good.  Freya, I, Keeno Okami, Goddess of the Blue Sun, offer you this Trial.  Assist me with the dismantling of the Dead Zones, and upon completion of this Trial, I shall make you the Apostle of the Blue Sun.  Do you accept?” (Keeno)

“I do.” (Freya)

Freya shone for a moment, showing that the Trial declaration actually worked.  I then turned to Red.

“Red, you have fulfilled the conditions, abstract as they are.  You have succeeded in anything I can consider a Trial for you, so, will you accept the position of Valkyrie from me, Keeno Okami, Goddess of Death?  If so, you will be bestowed the Family Name Okami, and all the benefits bestowed upon an Apostle.” (Keeno)

“Red…accepts…Red will become…a Valkyrie…and take the name…Okami…From today…onward….Red will be…Red Okami.” (Red)

I felt a small amount of power leave my body and one of my tails shone a bit.  Red then began to glow as well and when the glow died down, she gave off a feeling of closeness to me that I only ever felt from Ama.

{That is the bond between Apostle and Goddess.  You’ll be able to talk to Red wherever, whenever, and for however long you want, like me, or me and Fia.  Also, since Freya is now taking her Trial and Red is your Apostle, they should be able to hear me like Pram when I want them to.}

‘Alright.’ (Keeno)

I looked at Red again and saw she had a big smile on her face.  She was standing still with her eyes closed and when she opened them and looked at me, she jumped at me and wrapped her arms around me.

“Red...Red is so happy!” (Red)

I patted her head and smiled at her.

“Welcome to the Family, Red.” (Keeno)

“Congratulations, Red.” (Pram)

“…” (Freya)

Pram walked over to us and started to pat Red on the head as well.  Freya also walked closer, but she just observed, though I didn’t miss the small smile on her face and the slight wave of her tail.  We all stayed like that for several minutes when I noticed the Death Spirits all standing in the entrances of the passageways.  Their faceless heads staring in our direction, conveying a silent message.

“Death Spirits, I commend you all on your work so far.  I ask that you continue with your previous task until I fully take my place.  Also, I ask that you try and keep those who would make your work harder in check.  Do not harm those who are uninvolved or innocent, but those like the ones led by these two mongrels must be watched.  Now go.  Ah, and one of you stay here and act as a guide for us to leave once we’re ready.” (Keeno)

The Death Spirits all nodded in unison at my order and all but one left to go back to their work.  I then turned back to the two unconscious mob bosses.  I waved my hand and ropes of blue flame surrounded them.

“Pram, if you please, wake them up.” (Keeno)

Pram summoned her bell and rang it once.  A shrill sound came from it and the two on the floor woke with grimaces on their faces.

““WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS DIVINE DID YOU DO!!””

Chaos Realm:

Luna: *reclining in a chair sits up and points at the television, snapping her fingers* OI!  NO FAIR!  WHY DID SHE NOT FALL OVER IN PAIN WHEN SHE GOT A NEW TAIL!?

Different world, different rules.

Luna: That’s not an excuse!  I mean, I’m not mad that she didn’t go through excruciating pain, I wouldn’t wish that on anyone, but I’m also a bit…jealous?

That’s understandable…Oh, Luna, you’re being called to your home…oh, and happy birthday.

Luna: Thanks…wait, it’s my birthday?

Yep.  Have fun at your party.

Luna: *poof*

…And now I’m all alone…*sigh*

Order and Astraea: WE’RE BACK!

HURRAY!