Kitsune of the Blue Sun

[Keeno POV]

Another two weeks of nothing but open snow and small villages or towns pass as we made our way to Lokir. Over these two weeks my little eyes in the sky as well as several foxes kept tabs on our pursuers. They were having a hard time dealing with the fresh snow that fell after we had passed through, allowing us to make a surprising amount of distance between us. Unfortunately, I also had to perform some funerary rights for a few of the small villages while Pram had healed many from frostbite or hypothermia in the towns when the local healers weren’t enough.

 

On Margaret and her knight’s side, we’d all become closer to an extent. I’d finally allowed Margaret to call me by my first name and I’d started to learn more about her as well.  She told me several stories about her little sister and her aunt. One being an aspiring knight while the other was a well-known teacher and capable assistant when it came to more domestic matters like logistics.  She also had an uncle who she respected, but that was about all I got from her about him.

 

In regards to my wings and flying, no real progress was made. I’d gotten to the point where I could manifest my horns at will, but my wings refused to show themselves again unless I got suitably worked up about something, much to the enjoyment of the others who used those opportunities to tease me. Little did they know I’d been keeping track of everything and would get them back later.

 

Today was turning out to be yet another uneventful day of walking in a straight line while watching snow fall and ravens flying around free while I was stuck on the ground.

 

“Do you really like flying that much?” (Margaret)

 

“Love it. Ever since my first taste of it with mum, I’ve wanted to be able to do it myself. I know a few ways of propulsion to get me airborne, but that’s more just hovering than flying.” (Keeno)

 

“What if you mixed those Rune things in somehow?” (Margaret)

 

“Ama and I are working on that, but I only have so many dragon scales that I can use. Even with the Authority making my Runes work with mana instead of Divinity, it’s still not sustainable for indefinite flight.  If I could figure out how to get my wings out when I want and for however long I want, then it’d be easier, but so far, no luck with that.” (Keeno)

 

“What do you do to get your horns out permanently when you want?” (Margaret)

 

“It’s just…a feeling, I guess.  My wings will probably be the same, I just need to manifest them enough. At least that’s our current theory.” (Keeno)

 

“Hmm.  Honestly, I wish I could help as well, but I’m not very informed on things related to dragons and magic like this.” (Margaret)

 

“It’s fine.” (Keeno)

 

I was going to say more when one of my little ravens landed on my shoulder.  It whispered its message before taking off again. Huginn and Muginn poked their heads out of two of my tails and looked after their little minion.

 

“What news?” (Margaret)

 

“They found another gravesite and are mad about it.  Idiots.” (Keeno)

 

“While I get why you think that it should be said that Death is practically a foreign concept to most in this country.  They’ve lived hundreds if not more years knowing only prosperity and life and any death that wasn’t natural was condemned by a dragon. Now that said dragon isn’t doing anything about that combined with the facts that the Dead Zone, which they’ve known all their lives, is gone AND what feels like an omen of apocalypse in this seemingly never-ending winter, they’d want to latch onto something to blame, and you, having killed some of their comrades in front of them, are said something.  I don’t condone what they are doing as far as blaming you, but that’s because I’ve gotten to know you and know your circumstances.” (Margaret)

 

“I get that, Margaret, I’ve been prepared for something like this happening since I started this.  I call them idiots for the simple reason they think MY wife has or has ever had any interest in them.  I’m a very selfish, possessive kitsune, I don’t like anyone harboring anything other than respect for my family.  Something like worship I can stretch my thinking to make it like respect, but when it’s taken to the extent that someone thinks they deserve some kind of recognition or praise or blessing for their devotion, or if someone has such a narrow view of my family that it clouds their judgment in a way like this, then I feel slighted. Ama is more than just Life.  She is the Sun and Magic, and before even that, a loving, caring person who can be mischievous or daring or cute or all of the above.” (Keeno)

 

The passion in my voice and the mix of emotions I was feeling made my horns and wings appear.

 

“Hehe.  This is one of the things I like about you, Lady Keeno.  You aren’t some dreadful, gloomy person the Authority of Death would make it seem, but a kind, extremely loving and dedicated person.” (Margaret)

 

{Keeno is the best, no one can say otherwise!}

 

Smiling at both Ama’s and Margaret’s praise, I blushed a little and the fire making up my horns and wings grew slightly hotter.

 

“Soooo…any more stories about you?” (Keeno)

 

Margaret chuckled at my blatant topic change but acquiesced to it all the same.

 

“Anything specific you want to know?  I’ve told you about my family, the good parts of Lokir, what we do as knights.  I don’t really think there is anything else of much interest to tell.” (Margaret)

 

“Hmm.  Any kind of tournament or jousting thing you ever done?” (Keeno)

 

“Jousting is for those who play as knights, not knights themselves.  As for tournaments, I’ve been in one or two, but they aren’t all that special.  Just some small scale territory control exercises or one-on-one combat where first blood drawn decides the victor.” (Margaret)

 

“Hmm.  Sounds interesting enough, though now I kind of want to spar with you. See how things go. I haven’t had any good competition since that time I fought with Ama and Fia.” (Keeno)

 

“…I don’t know how I can compare to an Apostle or God, but I can try when we have the time.  I’ve honestly been quite interested in your own combat prowess myself.  I know from the stories you’ve all told that you are more of a…how to put it?” (Margaret)

 

“Indiscriminate?” (Keeno)

 

“Yes, an indiscriminate fighter.  You are better at crowd control and fights against multiple opponents than single combat.  And you can’t really watch out for allies in too close proximity.” (Margaret)

 

“Sounds about right, though I will say this, I CAN fight one-on-one relatively well, but close combat is somewhat more troubling than mid to long range combat.” (Keeno)

 

“Noted.” (Margaret)

 

She unsheathed the sword at her hip and made a strange movement.  All of a sudden, the handle extended until the sword became more of a glaive.

 

“This is a Lokirian swordspear, the most common weapon aside from Soul Weapons wielded by most every knight in Lokir.  As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, we all have one.  At this point they are more ceremonial than anything, but some knight orders, like ours, still practice the art of using them.” (Margaret)

 

She twirled the weapon around in her hand, the blade shining in the sunlight like a golden beam of light.

 

“I take a lot of pride in this weapon and my skill in wielding it.  As I said earlier, I don’t know how I will match with the likes of an Apostle or a God, but I accept your request to spar when we get a moment of peace.” (Margaret)

 

I smiled at her.  It wasn’t strange for the conversation between the two of us to end in a manner like this.  Talking about her family, knighthood, or weapons always seemed to get Margaret to open up more.  It was nice to see the person beneath the shell, so to speak.

 

“Ah…Lady Keeno…” (Margaret)

 

Her previous calm, open demeanor changed to one of slight hesitation and worry.

 

“What’s up?” (Keeno)

 

“…I know it’s a very abrupt change of subject, but I just thought of this…you and the others have said many times that you hope to have me as a…Valkyrie, as you call them, correct?” (Margaret)

 

“I would like to, yes.  You meet one of the requirements for the position, and I can make you one at any time now, but I won’t if you don’t want to.  I don’t want to force you into a position you don’t want or aren’t ready for after all.” (Keeno)

 

“It’s just, I don’t know why you want ME to be one.  Sure, over these past weeks and months we’ve gotten to know each other quite well, but I don’t know what you see in me that makes you want to elevate me to such a lofty position.  I am fine with being a supporter of you and your allies and I do wholly support and encourage your efforts, but I feel like choosing me of all people would be a mistake.” (Margaret)

 

“I understand what you’re trying to say, Margaret, but this is another thing about you.  You overthink a lot of things.  I don’t know if it’s due to the nature of your working for nobles or if it’s some knight mentality or something like that, but it’s much simpler than what you’re thinking.  I want you to be one of my Valkyries because Fia said you’d make a good one.  Sure, it may seem like some kind of plan to keep someone who knows my secrets close or some other paranoid way of thinking to someone looking in from the outside, but it’s not.  Even if Fia wasn’t the one to recommend you, if Ama, Pram, Freya, or Mostima said so, I’d either agree on the spot or at least consider it.  Naturally, I’d try to increase the trust between us first and get a feel for your personality and all that, but a recommendation coming from someone in my family will greatly increase your chances of a favorable outcome.  I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’m a simple person.  I see something I like, or something someone in my family recommends me, and I’ll do my utmost to obtain it…come to think of it, that may be more of my dragon side coming out again.” (Keeno)

 

“I see.  Then, if I may ask, what is the requirement I meet?  I know nearly nothing of how one becomes an Apostle in the first place aside from what legends say.” (Margaret)

 

“Well, Valkyrie, or Death Apostle, positions are kind of easy to meet requirements for.  From what I’ve been able to tell, it has several different requirements of which only one needs to be met.  Suitable amount of people or things killed, surviving what can only be considered certain death, absolute mastery of Death Magic, and a few more I haven’t been able to figure out just yet.  For you, you meet the first one.  It's the same for Red and Emma while Eblana met two of them, being the number of kills and mastery of Death Magic.” (Keeno)

 

“I see.  Does this mean you can tell how many people a person has killed before?” (Margaret)

 

“No.  In the cases of Valkyries, it’s more a gut feeling than anything else.  But don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t choose just anyone that meets one of those requirements.  Otherwise, I could find some random adventurer or bandit or mass murderer and make them a Valkyrie.  It’s your soul I truly value.  It’s a perfect grey.  Calm, balanced, unsullied by corruption.  It’s not as radiantly white as Pram’s, but I know she’s an exception.” (Keeno)

 

“I’d assume my soul would be dirty, weighted down by the lives I’ve taken for our order or the good of our home.” (Margaret)

 

“And that’s where you and so many people get it wrong.  Sure, killing someone unprovoked and in cold blood is one thing, but it’s not fully evil.  There are circumstances upon circumstances that lead to most people who kill another to commit the act.  Revenge, passion, hate, money, survival, self-defense, and so on and so forth.  Myriads of motives, some more morally grey than others, sure, but one such act won’t muddy a soul.  It takes years of committing atrocities against another with a soul to truly muddy one.  And once a soul has been bathed in that mud for so long that it taints the soul, then you are no longer considered a person.  At least in my eyes.  You do what you must in order to protect your home from those who would taint it with the same mud that taints their souls.  I won’t condemn you or anyone for that.” (Keeno)

 

“…That, honestly, makes me feel better about some of the choices I’ve made in my life.  Though I do now want to know how muddy a soul has to be before you won’t consider someone for this kind of position.” (Margaret)

 

“As long as it isn’t enough that I have to kill you to purify it, then it is acceptable. Take Freya for example, her soul was a bit muddy when we met, though it was due to her own circumstances. Now it’s recovered greatly.” (Keeno)

 

“So as long as someone is redeemable you consider them a person you’re willing to help?” (Margaret)

 

“If they are open to being helped.” (Keeno)

 

“Hmm.” (Margaret)

 

“Someone you want me to help?” (Keeno)

 

“I don’t know.  I don’t know how open to help he would be.  But I’m willing to ask and try to convince him once we reach Lokir.” (Margaret)

 

“Well, I’ll do what I can, but only if they agree.” (Keeno)

 

“Thank you, Lady Keeno.” (Margaret)

 

I smiled at her in reply as we continued on our way.

 

Chaos Realm:

Luna: Ehehehe.

I see you like the present Tamamo made for you.

Luna: How could I not?

Fair.  By the way, feel like blessing some people from another Chaos Realm?

Luna: Who?

Some little fox named Aiko and her companions.

Luna: What do I need to do?

Just focus on your Abyssal Fluff powers and I can take care of the rest. Oh, but think of a speech in your head. It’ll be conveyed when they get blessed.

Luna: *closes her eyes and thinks before nodding her head*

*Gathers power from the Abyss of Fluff and flings it toward the specific Chaos Realm*

And done.

Luna: That was easy.

Well, it just so happens that this specific place is very receptive to blessings from the outside. Cultivation worlds are like that.

Luna: …Heh. You better let me take a look at this place.

Over there.

Luna: Perfection.