Page 67 of Night of the Dragon

The Wish

Yumeko

Weightless. I felt weightless. Was I...floating?

Slowly, I cracked open my eyes, and let out a yelp.

A vista of swirling clouds surrounded me. Iwasfloating, hovering in the air with the wind tugging at my hair and tail. Through breaks in the clouds, I could see glimpses of the ocean, and the expanse of the island far below. The scar to Jigoku still throbbed against the darkness, glowing sullenly even as the light of dawn broke over the horizon, ending the night at last.

I looked around and saw I wasn’t alone. Five glowing balls of light floated around me, and I could feel their presence even though I couldn’t see their true forms. Reika, Chu, Okame, Daisuke and Tatsumi. I knew them all, just by looking at them. The souls of all my friends.

And then the clouds before me parted, and I was staring into the face and glowing eyes of the Great Dragon.

The Harbinger of Change hovered before me, huge, terrifying and very much alive. His enormous body disappeared into the roiling clouds, his long whiskers rippled in the wind and the Fushi no Tama glimmered a brilliant white in the center of his forehead. For a moment, I wondered if the God of Tides, enraged at the indignities suffered upon him this night, had brought me here to kill me. To tear the soul from my body and drag it beneath the waves, where it would be trapped forever. I glanced at the rest of the souls around me, pulsing softly in the darkness, and felt a stab of fear, wondering if the Great Kami had brought us here to punish us all.

“Time grows short.”

The Dragon’s voice rumbled through the clouds, seeming to come from every direction. I felt it vibrate through me as the Great Kami rose higher into the air, fixing us all with the stare of a god.

“The night of the Wish has come and gone,”the Dragon continued.“But the summoner is no more. His soul languishes in Jigoku, torn apart by oni and the servants of O-Hakumon. But the Summoning still took place, on the night of the thousandth year, and the prayer was still recited. Mortal fox...”

His gaze shifted fully to me, and my stomach twisted under that cold, eternal stare.“You returned the Fushi no Tama,”he rumbled.“You willingly gave up the power that would make you a god. The Summoning has passed, but I will give you this choice. Make your wish, kitsune. As you returned the jewel to me, this night, I will grant you the summoner’s power. Speak your wish out loud, and your heart’s desire will come to pass.

“Or, do not speak it, and I will leave this place unchanged. I will depart the mortal world, and the Wish will be unfulfilled for another thousand years.”

My heart stood still. The Harbinger was givingmethe choice to use the Wish. Use it, or let nothing change. Let the Wish go unfulfilled, or find the words to somehow make everything right. And for a moment, I was suffocated by choice. I could ask for anything I wanted, and there were so many things I wanted to change, but...we had come this far to stop the Dragon’s Prayer from being used. How was I worthy of this, of speaking the Wish that would change the world? Could I even find the words to make the right choice?

“You can do this, Yumeko,” Reika whispered behind me. “Your heart has always led you down the right path. If anyone can use the Dragon’s Wish for good, it’s you.”

My stomach twisted, and I closed my eyes, hearing my heart thud in my ears. She was right. I had to do something. This was my one chance to fix things, to change the terrible events the night had brought. I wanted Kiyomi-sama to be alive and safe. I wanted the island to be restored, and the kami to return. And I wanted my friends back. To hear Okame’s laughter, and Reika’s exasperated voice as she lectured us again. To see Daisuke’s smile, Chu’s happiness, and to hear all their voices as they bickered and laughed and loved together. And to spirit Tatsumi away to a tiny grove deep in the forest, where demons and shinobi and the Shadow Clan would never find us, and be with him forever.

But I couldn’t have that. I couldn’t be selfish. Even though there were so many things I wanted to make right, the Dragon would honor only one single request. I had to find the one decision that would save us all.

One Wish. One chance to change fate.

“I... I will use the Wish,” I whispered, and the world seemed to still. The clouds stopped moving, the lightning ceased and everything held its breath, hanging on my next words. I took a deep breath, praying that Master Isao, Master Jiro, Reika and all the mentors who saw me this far would give me wisdom, and spoke what was in my heart.

“Great Kami, save this world. Close the gates of Jigoku, and send all the demons, spirits and creatures that don’t belong in Ningen-kai back where they belong!”

The world flickered into motion again. The Harbinger reared up with a howl that tore the storm apart, scattering clouds and sending lightning bolts arcing out to sea. An enormous ripple of power went through the air, like a stone dropped into a pond, and the clouds began to part, showing the sky at last. I looked up and saw we were descending, floating gently toward the valley as the huge form of the Harbinger drew steadily away.

“Yumeko,” said Reika in a breathless voice, her eyes wide as she stared down. “Look.”

I looked. We were closer to the valley now, and without the cloud cover, I could see the whole island stretched out before us. The glowing, ominous red scar to Jigoku was still there, but it was shrinking, growing smaller even as I watched. The army of demons and spirits were disappearing, being drawn back into the pit, like water being sucked down a hole.

Forgotten at my side, Kamigoroshi flared, a pulse that made me jerk up, and Hakaimono’s presence appeared in my mind. I could feel his astonishment, mingled with disbelief and, below all that, the barest sliver of hope. Before I could ask him what was happening, something rose from Kamigoroshi’s sheath, a crimson ball of light, weak and pale against the growing dawn. It hovered in the air a moment, before it flared into the spirit of an oni with ebony skin, a white mane and burning ember horns.

“Hakaimono,” Tatsumi said behind me, his own voice stunned. I blinked as the demon turned, his gaze falling on the sword, dead and dull at my side. “What is happening?”

“Kamigoroshi.” Hakaimono paused, as if waiting for something, then shook his head. “I can’t feel the pull any longer,” he muttered. “Does that mean...?” His gaze shifted to mine, hopeful and amazed. “Yumeko, your wish...”

My heart pounded. I remembered the Wish, and what I had said. Not thinking of Hakaimono, or the phrasing of the Wish, just what I had felt in my heart was the right thing.Send all demons, spirits and creatures that don’t belong in Ningen-kai back to Jigoku where they belong.

I swallowed. “I guess that meant you, too.”

Hakaimono closed his eyes, tilting his head back as the breeze rippled around us, continuing to part the clouds. “I’m free,” he almost whispered. “For good, this time. After a thousand years, the curse is broken. I can finally leave this realm and return to Jigoku.”

My eyes watered. There was so much longing in the oni’s voice, so much hope, relief and genuine happiness. Like waking up from a long, terrible nightmare. I couldn’t forget what he had done, and that he was still the most powerful, dangerous demon to ever walk the mortal realm, but in that moment, I was glad Hakaimono the Destroyer was finally free. His suffering was over at last, and he could go home.

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