The Illusion Realm, Ushitora

Present: Late Spring, 1472

Feiyan didn't remember much after she passed out in Hajoon's arms, but she did get the vague impression that they had found the torii and left the realm of the lonely shore behind.

He was stubbornly silent about it, but this was, after all, the way he'd always been. She leaned into his chest, smiling about how some things changed, but some things always remained the same.

A great tree's roots grow deep. It does not bend with the wind and rain...even if he's brooding now, he'll tell me eventually...

"I'm glad you're having a good rest," his deep voice sounded over her head, as he crunched down the path leading away from the torii. "It seems like there is a village at the bottom of this hill."

"...Thanks for saving me again, Hajoon," she said softly.

His footsteps faltered for a moment, fingers twitching on her arm, but then he went on, finally joining the group waiting for them.

"There's no need to thank me...it's only what I should do..." he muttered, a faint blush colouring his cheeks.

Feiyan coughed to hide her laugh.

"We found an abandoned inn. It's a little run down, but it looks clean," Li Molan reported, looking exhausted. "I don't know if it's really safe, but there's no one in the village."

Feiyan opened her eyes, assessing things around her. She noted that Li Molan's arm hung at an awkward angle. Sweat beaded on his forehead and though he was obviously in pain, he made no complaints.

Her eyes travelled over the rest of the group.

Zhu Yunfeng's broken arm is worse, and even with her pressure points sealed, Song Juqing won't last if I don't do something about the snake poison.

"Alright," she said. "Usa, Uta... go keep watch and report back in twenty minutes. I don't want any surprises while I tend to things."

"What about me?" asked Hajoon.

"I need you here to help me reset Molan's shoulder..." she sighed. "Let's move to the inn. Eunhae, you help Zhu Yunfeng."

She nodded smartly in response.

Zhu Yunfeng made no protest while she assisted him. His eyes looked dazed and his skin was flushed.

We'll have to treat his fever as soon as possible...Feiyan thought.

They trudged silently. Hajoon led the way and when the door of the inn finally creaked closed, a collective breath escaped them.

Though Hajoon shot a cold look at Li Molan, he nodded at Feiyan. The man was surprisingly obedient, meekly sitting down in front of Feiyan. She handed him her leather wrist strap and he stuffed it into his mouth.

"Hold him," Feiyan instructed Hajoon, as she grasped Li Molan's wrist. "Li Molan, just rela–"

Feiyan yanked without warning. There was an awful grinding crack as the bones straightened. Lucky for him, it was only a dislocation.

"HNGH!" Li Molan grunted, breathing heavily. Spitting the leather guard out onto the floor, he sighed. Relaxing, she sat back on her heels and watched as Eunhae helped him lean back against the tattered wall.

Feiyan bent down to retrieve the guard, but Hajoon snatched it up before she could touch it. His eyebrows smashed together in a severe frown.

"It's dirty," he mumbled. "I'll give it back when it's clean."

Li Molan glared at him, but kept silent, while Feiyan only shrugged.

"Stay here, I'm going to find Usa and Uta," she said to Li Molan.

Hajoon followed closely behind.

As she stepped out, the sudden glow of paper lanterns painting the dusk yellow and red shocked her. Right before her eyes, the dilapidated structures and buildings, rebuilt themselves, becoming whole in an instant. The street slowly filled with the sound of music, loud chatter, and the pleasant laughter of a bustling nightlife. Fancifully dressed people were suddenly surging around her, wearing a hodgepodge of colours, abruptly crowding streets that had been empty only a moment before. The scent of floral perfumes, and the smoky smell of grilled meat wafted by, assaulting her nose with spice. With the onset of dusk, the town roared to life.

Feiyan found the transformation dizzying. Trying to get her bearings, she stood stock still, rooted to the spot.

"Ha---" she began, but was immediately interrupted.

"Ah...newcomers! Human travellers, welcome to the night market of Tsukurou town!" a sing-song voice cried, distinct from the din. A tall man in a ceramic fox mask was leering down at her.

She blocked the hand that had reached toward her, easily evading his grasp.

Hajoon tensed to attack, but she flicked her hand at her side, discreetly signalling him to hold off.

Seeing her perplexed expression, the stranger tilted his head from side to side, like a curious bird, observing her reaction with the permanently narrowed eyes of the mask. She flinched, noticing that the mask was cracked all the way across and had been mended with what looked like a seam of gold. His earrings and jewellery jingled as he chuckled down at her, brushing so close that the scent of his perfumed pouch filled her nose.

Kintsugi...she thought as the gold seam gleamed in the lantern light.

Hajoon stepped in front of her, but the man seemed to slide past him, slinking up to her side.

"Well, well...what kind of bird do we have here?" he grinned. "You've come to a place of broken things...are you here to stay?"

Feiyan slipped her fan out of her sleeve.

The man noticed, smiling slyly, but he didn't back down. Instead, he slid the half mask to the side, revealing the handsome features of a man in his thirties with yellow gold eyes that complimented his long silver hair, and a single golden bead on his forehead...except the bead was cracked and mended with a seam of gold. She opened the fan and flitted backwards, moving in tandem with Hajoon who had his dagger in his fist. The man had already melted into the crowd, with only his laughter echoing after her.

"Welcome..." his husky voice lingered, tickling her ear.

"Hajoon, find Usa and Uta immediately," she commanded through her teeth. "They cannot eat any of the food here. The creatures filling the streets are all spirits... and that man just now was a fox demon."

***

The fox demon crossed his arms, watching with a frown as the woman who smelled like a divine bird was swallowed up into the sea of spirits in the street.

"Lord Fubuki...do we hunt them?" the youth at his side asked in a hopeful tone. Sharp little ears pointed straight up from his head, and his black tail twitched with excitement.

The older fox demon shifted as he leaned against the side of a building, his long elegant fingers fiddling with his fox mask.

In answer, he patted the younger one on the shoulder and smiled gently.

"No. They likely won't make it through the night as they've settled in the boroboroton's inn."

The youth's ears drooped.

"But...they smell so nice..." he whined, his tail thrashing and betraying his agitation.

The fox demon chuckled, but it was a sound without humour.

"You're still not allowed to eat them. Could you not tell from their scent that they are no ordinary humans?"

"But what of the ones with them, my Lord...?" the other asked craftily, cocking his head to his side.

Fubuki smacked the youth on the head.

"Kei!" he barked sharply. "There's nothing worse than getting tangled up with those cloth spirits. They'll strangle you or pull your limbs until your body rips open. Even I would rather avoid them."

Tail still swishing, the youth bit his lips, but nodded reluctantly.

"Besides...the tall dark haired one smelled like a red fox has been all over him...if I'm not mistaken, that scent belongs to Kana. If it's her, then Sakurako is the reason they are here..."

"Sakurako...?" the youth growled, showing his teeth. "The one who killed, Mother?"

Fubuki closed his eyes.

"Yes, the one who killed your mother," the silver haired fox demon answered grimly.

"My Lord, then why don't we help them instead?" he pleaded. "They must be trying to get to Shuto."

Fubuki's jaw clenched, lips thinning into a flat now.

"I don't help those who can't help themselves. If they can't survive the boroboroton, then..." he let his words hang, shrugging expressively.

The younger fox nodded.

"For now, keep an eye on it, and report back in the morning," he instructed. With a flick of his clothes, he melted into the shadows, leaving the younger fox demon in the alleyway.

Chapter Note:

Tsukurou – translates as 'to mend' or 'repair'. Thus, Tsukurou town is a place of broken beings that have been patched up or mended.

Kintsugi – translates as 'gold joinery'. It's the Japanese art of mending broken pottery with a lacquer mixed with gold or silver. It is also a metaphor for embracing flaws or imperfections.