東方萃夢想

[BLOX]

a melody seeps out from the halls of the taiyang shrine.

a goddess makes her presence known.

izanami no taiyang
東方萃夢想

君と二人で描いた　あの夢の続き

私一人で見るには　儚すぎるストーリー

I watch alone the progression of our dream
We once made together, a story far too short

過ぎしあの日に交わした　最後の約束
今も覚えていますか　夕日色の指きり

Do you still remember that final promise we made?
Our promise we made the color of the setting sun, that day long ago?

いつかは君も　私のことを　忘れてしまうことでしょう
それを独り　見守ること　それが私の努め

I’m sure one day you’ll forget about me
But it is my duty to watch over you, alone

人の命は儚い　陽炎の如く
私はその傍らで　ともに歩みゆくもの

A human’s life is transient, like a mirage
But I will still walk beside you

時は流れて　輪廻は巡り　続く未来に夢を見る
たとえいつか　その絆が　薄れてゆくとしても

I’m sure one day you’ll remember me
But until that time comes our vows will remain

いつかは君も　私のことを　思い出す日が来るでしょう
いつか知れぬ　その時まで　続く二人の誓い

...
...





for mother, and for father, i will inherit the shrine.
i will prosper.
. . . and yet.


伊弉冉尊

. . . i want to be so much more.

伊弉冉尊

i want to feel the sun dance on my skin;
blessing me as i turn my enemies to cinder.

伊弉冉尊

abominations do not deserve justice.
all that is ugly and immoral will be erased under my banner.

滅

.. the book is closed for now, as the mad ramblings of a brat with no power
are intended to be heard by none. there is nothing to say, after all.
who would take one like her seriously? a kitsune with a short temper, raised in luxury.
that's right... she is privileged in her intent, and yet there's not a doubt in her mind.
she deserves the world beyond her wooden doors.

[BLOX]

the book opens. the story has begun.
and yet, the first word born is not that of the self-proclaimed goddess.
no, it is a story from long ago- a story that shouldn't dare be spoken.
there are 3 eras and 3 tales- each of which spin the unspeakable web of history.
of the illuminated, and the ultimate curse that exists above them every night...

The year is 160 AC.

The world is still, as the first Nine-Tailed Kitsune is born.

... at least, that's what the world would like you to believe. The Illuminated, especially.

On that day, there were two Kitsune born- twin daughters that were to be judged and evaluated to the same standard.
Of these daughters, one had nine-tails, and the other a measly one. In spite of the bright hair of the first, the second was marked with soot-black bangs that hid a pale visage.
As time went on, the Nine-Tailed Kitsune grew in ability and efficiency. And, yet, the One-Tailed Kitsune lagged behind, incapable of grasping the teachings of the Illuminated.
Slowly, Kun Lam had surpassed and left her sister, Xhu Lam, behind.

It was dreadful.
The upbringing of the girl in the shadows- destined to be nothing more than a failure.
Had she not done enough?
Had she not earned the right to be loved?
It's a sad existence. Xhu Lam would not stand by this.

In secret, the One-Tailed Kitsune pursues a different avenue of strength.

Exhaustive study into alternative arts, barred away to those not of the Lam bloodline.
She pursued them, and found herself learning far more than she was ever supposed to.

On a moon-lit night, the Lam family were visited by a wise old hag.

She claims that their fortune and well-being would soon come to an end, if they did not take the actions to correct it.
When they asked what they needed to do, the hag pointed her bony old finger towards Xhu Lam.

"Cast out the Black Fox, and your good fortune will remain."

The heads of the Lam household did not hesitate. Riches, good fortune, and prosperity had been given to them as a result of one daughter.
If another were to take it away, it would undo their blessing from the heavens. Xhu protests, but is met with a firm backhand from her father. . .
. . . the first time she had felt his warmth in any capacity- and it was to discipline her.

... ah.
so sad, isn't it?
... don't worry.
her story isn't over yet.

[BLOX]

Time had passed since that night. In keeping with their practices, they could not banish Xhu entirely from the family. She had nowhere to go, after all, being but a young child. This lead to a life of passivity, but not for very long. After all, she had been stripped of her last name- any connection to her family and the fortune they had amassed. Instead, she was kept amidst them as a 'retainer.' Due to her pursuit of forbidden magics and the omen left by the old woman, she was condemned, and treated harshly by her family. Her mother and father looked upon her with disgust. Those outside of the family who had previously shown her kindness had turned on her. The worst offender was her sister, who's shared upbringing with her sister no longer meant anything.

She was cursed- cursed to live a life as the Black Fox of her family. The girl was desperate, clinging to any sort of familial warmth that she could. Her hard work could not lead to her dismissal of status. So, in an act of righteous rebellion, she returned to the secret shrine of the Illuminated, sneaking past her enemies as he made her way to the vault. It's unknown exactly what she unearthed. As she emerged from the tomb, wielding a talisman and clutching a strange tome to her chest, she happens upon a desolate shrine, burned to the ground and kindled with strange, unending fire.

For many, the story ends there. The Illuminated mark it off as a dark secret that was buried away with whatever else Xhu had discovered. The Black Fox had enacted it's revenge, and as a result, was cast out. But you and I- we know better... don't we? We know that the cruelty of fate plays tricks in ways that we could never imagine.

It's true- Xhu Lam had stumbled upon the desolation of one of the largest Illuminated shrines. But she was not the cause. The young girl could barely manifest basic magic, so something of this caliber was far out of her reach. She rustled through the grounds, seeking out survivors and attempting to aid those who had fallen- the mistake that'd cause her to be judged as guilty in the first place. And yet, the Black Fox did not hesitate for one moment to practice the principles that she had been taught through her childhood. As she approaches the entrance, suffocating from the smoke that had been developing, she stumbles upon but one other.

The old hag- the same that had caused her prophecy.

She had so many questions. Far too many that couldn't be answered in a timely manner. But before she could ask any of them, the hag absconded in a surge of flames, leaving Xhu standing there with the looted relics.

Just as the Illuminated priests, shrine maidens and her family arrives.

To them, she had proven them right. The Black Fox brought nothing but despair to the family, and deserved no quarter. She was beaten, and tossed in a well. She was forced to eat slop, garbage, and... other unspeakable things that had left the sewer line. Her body was intended to serve as the cut-off point between the clean well-water and the sewer-line. If the villagers discovered dirt or grime in their drinking water, she would be doused with pebbles, or scalding-hot water... The forbidden magics she was practicing were stripped from her, along with her dignity.

In darkness she sat for a long, long time. Those who'd approach for well water would hurl insults to her, or drop pollutive substances down the well, leading to further punishment on her behalf. It wasn't until a group of children came by the well. They intended to pull a prank on her, but down below, they could hear the Black Fox whispering something- speaking to... someone.

. . . . . . . . . .

The next day,
the well had erupted, and the Black Fox was nowhere to be found,
along with several scrolls of forbidden scripture and talismans used for the channeling of magic.

how scary!
could it be that the Black Fox was a witch all along?
an occultist? a true curse?
how interesting... how interesting!!
rhe rest of this is forbidden knowledge, so I'll need you to be quiet, okay?
no telling. cross your heart and hope to die.

[BLOX]

how are you enjoying our story so far?
i hope you're enjoying it. there's nothing more important
than telling stories. the written word makes our ideas, and by extension, ourselves, immortal.
that's right... so long as this story exists, i can return. so long as one person is taken by these tales...
... there's a chance.

"Silent Neighbor"

As her back uncomfortably nestles against the shattered brick that keeps sewage and spring-water apart, the Black Fox, formerly known as Xhu Lam, looks outwards. Her nails have grown to a disgusting length. Her hair drapes over her face. Her eyes have become numbed in the darkness, and the tail she was once so ashamed of has been ruined by days, months, or years of contact with feces and gunk. Her eyes stare out to what appears to be a small flame- burning a bright red. She stares at it, unsure if she had accidentally manifested the flame. And yet, as she attempts to muffle it, it does not respond. A voice echoes telepathically back to her, reaching into the far corners of her mind.

"How sad... the Black Fox has been robbed of it's freedom."

Xhu can not respond. It had been ages since she had opened her mouth. Chapped, dry lips are opened in an attempt speak. Nothing escapes her, though.

"Oh, you poor thing... don't worry. I will make you whole again." 

The heat that radiated off of this flame... she knew it all-too-well. She could never forget the primordial, never-ending furnace that she had been blamed for. The blame had lied squarely on this spirit. The old crone who had warned her family about her, and then proceeded to make the prophecy come true... it was all the responsibility of this spirit. If she wasn't so malnourished- so incapable of manifesting the tiniest bit of mana- she would strike out immediately- but she can't. The girl can do nothing sob dryly- tears not running down her face as her body desperately attempts to preserve moisture.

"Why? Why did you do it?"
Xhu murmurs quietly.

"So that I could seek you out yet again, my body.
My reincarnation in this era. For years, I have wandered Eternia, longing, waiting, for a chance to be made whole again.
I have seen wars. I have seen famine. I have seen extinction. The knowledge I can give you... the power I can give you- it is beyond recompense.
All I need is for you to return to the source... to acknowledge and live by the terms I have promised.
I am going to make you a Goddess."

Was there any other choice? Did she have an alternative besides interacting with this spirit? 

"You do," the spirit says, reading her mind.
"You can continue this life, patiently waiting for a love that will never come- a knight that does not exist.
Or... you can take what's rightfully yours, and stand beside me in the realm of Heaven."

Perhaps it was the trauma that made her choose. Perhaps it was the wrath that had built up inside of her. Maybe she was just tired of serving as a doorstopper for grime and muck. But on that night, illuminated by the full moon, a pillar of fire shoots into the sky, adorned with Occult magic. It's greater and larger than any that have come before. The nearby village believes that it may be the work of a divine spirit, or even an Oni. And, yet, there is no such thing present when they arrive. All they find are three children, who claim that they saw a monster- a creature that flew out of the well in a surge of fire. The Illuminated dispatch their exorcists and priests upon hearing that the work was situated in the banishing place of the Black Fox. As they arrive, they survey the land. The well had been decimated, and scorch marks danced along once fertile farmland.

A scorch mark that looked strikingly like a fox...

...

Within the night sky, the Black Fox takes off, adorned with nine beautiful tails that flutter and dance in the night. Magic like she had never known allowed her to leap long fields in a single bound, dance amidst the stars, and even hide her presence entirely. It was amazing- spectacular. As she relished in her abilities and new-found freedom, her attention turns back towards the flame that sits on her shoulder. There's no distrust anymore- as they are now one. She asks a simple question.

"What should we call ourselves? A Goddess needs a proper name."

... there's a brief silence before the Black Fox nods to herself.

"Yes, you're right. From this day forth, Xhu Lam no longer exists.
There is only... 伊弉冉尊."

...thus marks the birth of the second-ever Nine-Tailed Kitsune in existence.
that's right! isn't that amazing? both of the twins awakened to their power, becoming more than they were.
... i wonder, did they ever reunite? if they did, what would they say together? or is her grudge so great that there was nothing to say?
well, don't fret. because we have 2 more eras to journey through. and soon- very soon- you will find the answer you're looking for...