Tails High

by Paul Kidd

  “Sorry.”

  The black-haired maiden suddenly burst up out of the icy floor. Four huge creatures arose with her – four-armed giants made from solid ice. The giants had great, jagged claws and jaws lined with savage teeth. They seized massive chunks of ice, hurtling them bouncing down the cavern towards the Spirit Hunters.

  Tonbo dropped Kuno and swung at a giant as it clambered over rocks towards him. His tetsubo shattered the giant’s shin. But the wound crackled and healed over, rebuilding itself as ice was sucked in from the surrounding walls. Tonbo seized Kuno’s sword and thrust it through his belt, grabbed Kuno in one hand and his tetsubo in the other, and ran straight for the exit of the cave.

  Chiri fell back with him. Sura appeared, ducking beneath a massive ice chunk hurtled by a giant. The fox grabbed Chiri by the arm.

  “Chiri! Head for the springs. Deploy! We’ll cover you!”

  Chiri did not hesitate. She turned and ran, taking Daitanishi and Bifuuko with her.

  Sura and Tonbo dragged Kuno back out of the cave. Tonbo slammed his tetsubo against a pillar of ice, causing a partial collapse of the mouth of the cave behind them. The ice giants and snow maidens vanished under the avalanche. Tonbo flung Kuno over his shoulders like a sack of rice. He and Sura blundered through the ice chasm and out into the open snowfields. Tonbo heard the maidens screaming in rage far behind them.

  “Will it hold them long?”

  “Hell no. They burrow through ice like it was sand!”

  “What are they?”

  Sura raced onward, heaving a pine bough up out of Tonbo’s way. “A snow maiden. A ghost that became a mountain kami. They’re made of ice!”

  Tonbo crashed through a maze of branches, showering Kuno with snow. “The banishment did not work.”

  “It has to be both at once!” Kuno saw the faint lights of the inn in the dell below. “They’re not two different entities! They’re two halves of the same woman! She’s split in two!” The fox urged Tonbo onwards.

  “Come on – I have an idea!”

  Behind them, the ice giants roared, coming closer. Sura and Tonbo plunged towards the inn, running for their lives.

  Chiri awaited her friends at the edge of the hot springs, in amongst the boulders and streams. The rat spirit ran forward, helping Tonbo as he dropped Kuno onto the path.

  “I am ready, Sura san!”

  Sura helped drag Kuno safely over to a rock. She could feel the ice giants crashing through the trees. The snow maidens could be heard screaming like demons in the darkness. The fox crouched, keeping watch on the tree line.

  “OK – don’t spring it until we’re almost overrun. We need both snow maidens together. Right together!”

  Chiri gave a nod. “Yes, Sura san!”

  The rat dove into hiding. Tonbo and Sura fell back and took position on the steps. Sura levelled her spear to face the oncoming enemy.

  Suddenly the air crackled with cold.

  The black-haired ice maiden – hair and robes dishevelled and face filled with rage – crouched atop a boulder. She looked at Sura in hate.

  “I will not let you take him from me.” She dragged long, vicious claws across the rock beneath her.

  “If I cannot have him, then no one can!”

  Ice giants rose up out of the snow behind the maiden, flexing their claws and ready to charge. Sura kept her eyes fixed upon the dark-haired maiden – but she spoke to the darkness off to the far side of the path.

  “And what do you think of this? Does she embarrass you, with all her ranting and pretensions?”

  The white-haired maiden walked coldly forward – spear in hand.

  “What would you know about it, fox?” The woman’s voice was sad and hollow. “In the end, she is all I have!”

  Sura stood between the snow maidens and Kuno. Tonbo was beside her, tetsubo in hand. Sura swept her spear about so that the spear point was behind her. The fox poised, ready to attack.

  “You cannot have him.”

  The black-haired maiden flexed her claws.

  “Then die.”

  The ice giants charged.

  Sura moved aside slowly as the two monsters thundered towards her, clashing their claws and showering sparks. As they reached the hot paths, their footing slipped – the soles of their feet melting just enough to make them skid.

  Sura gave a shout and lunged forward. Instead of a spear cut, she lunged with the metal-shod butt, throwing her whole weight behind a ferocious thrust. The spear slammed into the giant, and the creature skidded back, flailing – its feet scrabbling for purchase. The monster fell, the arms on one side plunging into a boiling stream. The arms began to melt, and the creature thrashed in panic.

  Tonbo roared, wading forward to crash his tetsubo through the two left arms of a giant as it swung at him with its claws. The giant stood on a rocky pathway, and could not absorb more ice into itself. As it floundered, Tonbo sent the monster crashing down the steps, tumbling towards the baths. The creature plunged into the boiling water, cracking and disintegrating as it fell.

  Sura and Tonbo fought the ice giants to a standstill, holding position beside the boiling springs. The creatures kept back, fearing the heat. But both maidens saw their prey with its back towards them. Levelling their spears the two maidens charged silently across the boulders, ready to plough their spears clean through Sura and Tonbo’s backs. They ran triumphantly out onto the bare stone…

  “Dancing friends of steam and heat!

  Rise and fly home true!”

  At Chiri’s command, red-hot, steaming water elementals lunged upwards from their hiding places in the springs and streams. Boiling hot, they slammed together forming a globe that surrounded the two snow maidens. The maidens screamed, whirling about. They tried to shield themselves, then tried to blunder back off the hot paths, but the steam all around blinded them. The maidens fell, swiftly beginning to melt into water, clawing frantically at their robes.

  The old priestess and inn mistress came running from the baths. They stopped in horror as they saw the snow maidens dissolving inside a living swirl of steam. The priestess started forward in fear.

  “Mirusu chan!”

  Sura flung out her spear and held the woman back.

  “Shhh!”

  The maidens had dissolved into a puddle of water. No longer needed, the steam elementals flew up and away, scattering into the air. Sura planted her spear and locked her fingers together, bowing her head and summoning up a spell.

  “What pain once sundered, now be whole.

  What once was torn, be healed.

  May the kami hear my prayer.

  Be whole within the Tao…”

  Power shimmered. Everyone fell back as the waters swirled, mingling the essence of both maidens. Beside the path, Kuno blinked and started to rise. The ice giants shattered and fell apart as the evil magic fled.

  Kuno crept dazedly to his feet, and Chiri ran to help him stand.

  The waters on the path swirled faster and faster, lifting upwards – then crystallising and freezing once again. Combined they took the form of a tall, slender young woman in snowflake-patterned robes of blue and white. She had hair streaked black and white that fell unbound almost to the ground.

  The snow maiden blinked open her eyes and slowly drew in a deep, dazed breath – as though awakening from a long dream.

  The old priestess wept with love.

  “Mirusu chan! You have come back to us!”

  The snow maiden looked about, and saw the old priestess standing by the springs. She moved forward, lost and confused.

  “Sensei?” The girl looked at her ice-white hands: they trailed a strange little sparkle of snow. “I had a dream…”

  She looked slowly back towards the peaks.

  “Such a terrible dream…”

  Sura came quietly forward. She took a bath robe from the hands of the inn mistress and draped it over the old priestess arms.

  “Careful – you cannot touch her. She is a snow spirit now
.” The fox backed away, then bowed to the snow maiden.

  “Mirusu san – we bid you welcome.”

  With the robe as protection, the snow maiden and the old priestess embraced.

  At the distant glacier, ice cracked and shattered. Frozen men and boys broke free as their icy prisons fractured. They staggered forward, dazed, waking from strange, numb dreams. They looked at one another – then crept out into the open snow. The clouds had cleared, the skies sparkled with stars, and the lights of the inn glittered down in the nearby valley. As one, the men stumbled forwards and began the short walk home.

  In the old priestess’ shrine, two men had sat, patiently melting the ice that encased Domei’s body. They awoke with a start as the ice splintered clean away. Domei sat up, wild eyed, staring about himself in amazement.

  Lost men came down the path from the glacier. At their shouts, villagers came running from houses. Women cried out in welcome, and tears of joy spread through the streets. Overhead, the stars sparkled as the mountain village came back to life at last.

  Chapter 6

  The morning sun glittered pure and bright across the mountain peak. Clean snowfields spread about the inn, and the pine trees soared dark and handsome against a clear blue sky.

  In the gardens around the inn, the snow maiden, Mirusu, walked quietly with Kuno. Seen clearly in the light of day, her skin was snow-white and covered with patterns like a thousand snowflakes. The air about her was sharp and chill. She moved with grace, and little snow elementals scampered merrily all around her, sensing the gentle, quiet love within her.

  Mirusu was beautiful, kind, and wracked with shame at the terrible things that she had done. She glanced towards the distant village, seeing menfolk with their own families at long last. The village shrine was flocked with people offering prayers of thanks. Domei and his mother were walking arm in arm beside the inn, speaking quietly.

  Mirusu turned away – too ashamed to raise her head. She wept, and her tears turned to ice.

  “How can I ever make it up to them, Kuno san? How can I ever pay for the terrible things that I have done?”

  They stood together at the forest’s edge, looking towards the great mountain peak and the mountains ranged beyond. Mirusu’s hair lifted in the breeze, trailing snow crystals out into the air.

  Her face was wan.

  “It was her – the black haired one  that attacked Domei. I could feel her, like something in a dream. She would hunt for love – crave it. Then... then preserve it, hoping to keep it forever new…” She lifted up her face to the trees. “The other me – the white hair. She tried to stop it. But it was to no avail. How does one fight oneself? She used to block the passes with avalanches, to try and prevent new victims from coming to the village…

  “She tried to keep us apart, on that first day you found me at the icy pool. She put a snow storm between us and hoped that you would simply go away.”

  Kuno looked at the woman sadly and gently.

  “I did not.” Kuno nodded softly. “It was not your spell that touched me, Mirusu san. But the soul that brought forth music filled with such beauty and such pain…”

  Mirusu looked back towards the village. Smoke rose from cooking fires, and the place suddenly seemed bright and alive.

  “You have all helped me to be reborn. I am healed now. But I am not the living woman that I was. I am the spirit of this place. The soul of mountain, ice and snow.” She watched the villagers; a creature now alien and apart. The snow elementals, cold winds and the mountain rock lived and thrived all around her.

  “I have a great debt to repay them. I will remain here as their guardian, and keep the mountain from causing grief and hardship. The village can live again.” She closed her eyes. “And every day, I will pray that the villagers will forgive me.”

  Asodo Kuno turned to her.

  “You are theirs now – and you are renewed. They will forgive – and love – in time.” The handsome samurai gave a gentle bow.

  “I do not want you to give up on love, Mirusu san. The proof of character is when we continue to show the good within us, no matter what evil befalls us.”

  He looked to her, wanting happiness for her.

  “Love is there for you, always.”

  He bowed again.

  “Always.”

  The snow maiden looked at the ground, almost on the point of tears.

  “I will hold your words always in my heart.”

  There was a silence. Out in the snowfields, a white hare nibbled at shoots beneath the snow.

  Finally, Mirusu found the courage to speak.

  “For you, there is love also?”

  “For me – yes. I believe there will be.”

  Mirusu nodded. She walked a few steps, then came to a halt.

  “Will I ever see you again?”

  Kuno nodded.

  “We shall return to you, Yama nō Mirusu, spirit of the snow. We shall meet again.”

  They bowed to one another. Kuno turned and walked slowly back towards the village. Behind him, the snow maiden watched him for a long, long while – then turned, as though suddenly hearing music from the mountain peak. She looked at it with a slow, sudden dawn of wonder.

  The snow elementals around her arose and danced. Yama nō Mirusu whirled and vanished into a swirl of snow, whisking away into a mysterious, wide new world.

  A day later, Sura, Chiri, Tonbo and Kuno walked through the mountain pass beneath a cloudless sky. They had backpacks heavy with food – a gift from the villagers. They strolled along, straw boots crunching in the snow, enjoying the fresh, clean glory of the mountains all around them.

  They came to the offering stone that marked the mountain pass. The little trail back to the goblin village was now almost smothered in snow. But the way northward and down into new lands had mysteriously opened wide.

  Sura walked up to the offering stone and tucked a written prayer beneath the prayer rope. She placed two rice balls upon the rock, then gave a brisk, happy bow. Turning back to look towards the mountains, she gave a sigh.

  Tonbo stood beside her. He leaned upon his tetsubo, and made a huge sigh of his own.

  “I am embarrassed. The snow maiden did not consider me to be a valid target.”

  The fox smiled and slapped him happily upon one shoulder.

  “Eh. You’re an acquired taste!”

  Kuno looked a little rueful and embarrassed. He bowed to Sura in profound apology.

  “I am sorry, Sura san, that I ruined your holiday.”

  The fox seemed not to have a care in the world.

  “That’s okay, I had fun! Beating the crap out of monsters, as well as solving a mystery to prove that I’m a god-damned genius? That’s better than a month at the beach!” She was struck by a sudden thought. “Hey – we should head to the beach!”

  Tonbo rolled his eyes.

  “With our luck, there will be an invasion of shark monsters.”

  “Well, sharks are creatures of taste and discernment. So at least they might not want to hump Kuno!” The fox banged a hand against Tonbo’s armour plates. “Come on. We have some way to go if we want to sleep dry!”

  Sura walked on towards the open pass – spear over her shoulder and orange tail wagging fluffily behind her. Daitanishi and Bifuuko zoomed alongside, enjoying the winter sun. The fox was already singing, happy to be off and on her way.

  Tonbo watched her for a moment and shook his head. He walked over to the offering stone, clapped his hands, and stood in quiet prayer.

  Kuno walked aside with Chiri beside him. He stopped and looked at her ever-patient face. The man felt a weight upon his heart.

  “I have caused you pain, Chiri san. Forgive me. I was beneath a magical spell. To my mind, all was but a haze. It is unremembered.” He gave a deep, regretful bow. “Please honour me with your forgiveness.”

  The beautiful rat spirit bowed quietly in return.

  “I understand, friend Kuno. It is forgiven. It is forgotten.”

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nbsp; Kuno nodded. He looked up, and saw that Sura had gotten perhaps too far away – there was no telling what sort of trouble she might get into. He hastened after her, catching up with the fox, who began chatting to him gaily as they walked.

  Left behind, Chiri bowed her head.

  “The pain was possible only because I care for you.”

  Tonbo stood by the offering stone, quietly waiting for her – huge and comforting. She walked up to him, and the big man reached out to squeeze her hand.

  “Chiri san? Are you ready to go on?”

  “I am ready, Tonbo san.” The rat squared her shoulders, suddenly feeling strong.

  “I am ready. And one day, it will be well.”

  They walked into the pass, following the others, wandering towards a clear blue sky.

  Behind them on the offering stone, Tonbo had left a beautifully folded paper snowflake. A trail of frost swept past – glittered for an instant in the sunlight – and then was gone.