Chapter Thirty-One

The Dream Walker

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I found myself drifting into a dream, the harsh reality of Tartarus fading away. My surroundings transformed into a surreal, ethereal landscape. The sky above was a mesmerizing mix of deep purples and blues dotted with shimmering stars. A gentle breeze caressed my face as I walked through a tall, glowing grass field.

Amid this tranquil setting, I spotted a familiar figure: Mati. His shaggy red hair glowed in the starlight, and his large, feathery wings were spread wide. His heterochromia eyes, one red and one yellow, seemed to pierce through the dreamscape and look directly into my soul.

“Not even one two days back in the Underworld, and you find yourself in chains,” A voice sighed.

“Mati!” I greeted him.

“Hey, Little Snow,” he said, a grin on his face. I see you’ve found yourself in quite a predicament. Look at me, coming to save the day again.” The Celestial let out a soft chuckle and took a heroic pose.

"Mati," I frowned, my worry overtaking the moment of levity. "I really messed this up, didn’t I?

His demeanor changed as he approached me. "You didn’t have much time to prepare, Snow. You can’t just run into dangers—especially considering who you are." His voice was disappointed but also worried. "I can’t do much to help you," he said.

"Enoxon betrayed us," I said sadly, my heart aching again. "He made a deal with the demon that’s been chasing me. I don’t know what to do." My gaze locked with his two different eyes, both full of fear. "I need help."

A small, sad smile appeared on his face. "You’re just like your mother," he commented half-heartedly. You Run into danger when you aren’t ready to handle it. I’m surprised you didn’t die the first demon you encountered."

“That’s not helping, Mati,” I quickly huffed.

His expression softened, and he placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I know, Snow. But you need to remember who you are. You're not just Snow; you're Aria, the daughter of the Lady in Red. The demon that has you trapped is powerful, but it's not invincible. You have the Reaper’s scythe—it’s a part of you, and its power responds to you."

“I just met that scythe. Thanks for the warning, by the way. Wait, how did you know I found the scythe?” I asked him, suspicion creeping into my voice. How do you even know where I’m at and what’s happening?”

“Ehh,” he said awkwardly, scratching his head with a sheepish grin. I might have been watching you, you know, just in case things went south."

I raised an eyebrow. "Keeping an eye on me? From where?"

Mati's wings rustled as he shifted uncomfortably. "It's complicated, Little Snow. I have my ways. Let's leave it at that.”

“If you know something, please help me,” I begged him.

“I told you I can’t leave the Celestial Realm,” He said, stepping back.

I felt my frustration rising. “But you’re here now, aren’t you? If you’re watching me, you must know something that can help.”

Mati sighed, his expression softening. “I wish it were that simple. My presence here is limited—it’s more of a projection than anything. I can offer guidance, but I can’t physically intervene.”

“Is there anything you can do?” I insisted, “I’ve no idea what to do. I have no power—I am weak. I don’t know anything about black magic. What if I get consumed, like Enoxon?!”

“You won’t,” Mati said firmly.

“How do you know that?” I demanded, my voice trembling.

He stepped to the side as a small portal was created, showcasing Kurai, who was sitting there. I stepped closer to the portal, frowning at the nogitsune. His eyes looked heavy and tired but open as if watching our surroundings. His head rested on my body’s sleeping head, but he was still alert and aware. His ears were twitching.

“He’s exhausted,” Mati said softly.

“I just wanted to help him,” I told Mati, my voice breaking.

“You made it more difficult for him to escape, too, Snow. You need to learn to trust others,” Mati responded gently.

“I couldn’t just leave him here in Tartarus, Mati,” I argued, feeling a surge of guilt and frustration. “He’s my friend. I had to do something.”

Mati sighed, his wings folding as he looked at me with sympathy and sternness. “I understand your intentions, Little Snow. But sometimes, helping means trusting others to handle things on their own. Kurai is strong, but he’s also relying on you to be strong now. You must believe in yourself and your bond with him.”

“The thought of losing him hurts, though,” I explained to Mati. “I’m not sure why.”

“You won’t lose him,” Mati reassured me. “Though, the only thing you can do now is be strong for both of you. He will only have so much power left when it’s time. You’ve got the Reaper’s Scythe—”

“No, I don’t,” I interrupted, sighing. “The demon... He took it from me and said something about the Blood Moon.”

Mati's eyes widened slightly. “The Blood Moon... That's not good. It amplifies dark magic and demonic power. It could be catastrophic if the demon has the scythe during the Blood Moon.”

I felt a cold dread wash over me. “What should I do then? How can I stop something like that?”

Mati's face softened with understanding. “First, you must believe in your strength and bond with Kurai. The scythe may be a powerful tool, but your resolve and emotions truly give it power. You must reclaim it before the Blood Moon reaches its peak.”

“But how?” I asked, feeling overwhelmed.

“Focus on what you can control,” Mati advised. “Create a plan with Kurai. Use his abilities to create a diversion and reclaim the scythe. Remember, the demon’s power is not invincible. It will have weaknesses, especially if it’s overconfident.”

“And Enoxon?” I questioned.

“You may have to fight him, too,” Mati said with a frown. “But remember, Enoxon is not the same as the demon. He may still have some part of him that can be reasoned with. Use your connection to reach him if you can.”

“I’ll do my best, Mati. Thank you!” I hugged him quickly, which surprisingly felt warm even though he said he was just a projection. I could feel him, though.

Mati patted my head. “Good luck, Little Snow,” he said softly. Go on, then. Just make a promise to me,” he said, pushing my shoulders away from him and locking gazes with me.

“What’s that?”

“Please be safe," He said gently. "The realms have been too far along without a reaper."

My eyes fluttered open, the dream fading, as I was back in Tartarus's dark, oppressive environment and jerked my head off the Nogitsune. My gaze scanned the clearing, and I locked gazes with Kurai. Man, oh man, he really did look exhausted. I could feel his emotions null at the moment. “Kurai,” I said with a half-broken smile.

“Snow, are you okay?” Kurai’s gentle voice flowed to me, full of concern and worry.

“I am,” I said with a quick nod. My gaze scanned f“Gardens? In the Underworld Layer of Hell, in Tartarus?” I questioned.

… Strange, yes. But that is where the Shadowflame Sakura typically blooms. I remember Lady Serelia telling me of it as a child. She always told me it was one place I could reside if lost in Tartarus.

“Lady Serelia?” I echoed, remembering her portrait in the castle. The King and Queen were sitting with one another. She had red hair, and the king had white hair.

I… Can’t promise entry the correct way, but if you stay quiet, we can sneak in.

“Isn’t that dangerous? Wouldn’t that just piss someone off?” I questioned him, gripping the mane of fur whisking through the wind.

He paused, smelling the air around us, his ears twitching.

He told me to stay quiet and low, pointing with Kurai’s amber eyes at the spectral chains that held me down. I looked them over. Enoxon used black magic to put these on me, right? Perhaps I could manipulate the chains somehow. I studied the chains and the black aura surrounding them.

“Kurai shifted uncomfortably, his expression wavering between concern and something softer. “You know, you really scared me, Snow. Disappearing like that... I thought I’d lost you. You need to stop trusting everyone that comes into your life.”

“I trusted you,” I said. The chains felt cold against my skin, and I could sense the dark magic coursing through them. But right now, I need to focus.”

“I know you’re fine,” Kurai huffed, crossing his arms defensively. “But you could have at least connected with me or something while you went wherever you went. Where did you go anyway?”

A sigh escaped me as I stopped looking at the chains that I was locked down in. “Kurai,” I started, “You heard them - I’m the Reaper. I am the Reaper of the Underworld.”

“Oh shit.” His tired gaze fixated with mine, “They were being serious?”

I nodded at him. “I am the Reaper - I am the Lady in Red’s Daughter - the newest Reaper of the Underworld.”

“But you’re…”

“A Mortal? A Child? A halfling-thing person, a magic user who can summon familiars? Yeah, that’s me.”

I looked at the chains he was bound in and frowned. His chains were a lot more complicated than mine. They weren’t black magic like the ones Enoxon had inbound me with. That’s when I noticed his black tails and realized he had even gained another tail. “You’ve got six tails now?”

“Oh, yeah… That kind of happened when I burned the house down,” he said half-heartedly.

I raised an eyebrow, momentarily distracted from my own predicament. “Burned the house down?”

He shrugged, a sheepish look on his face. “It was an accident. Sort of. The magic got a bit out of control, and well... six tails now.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle softly. “You never cease to surprise me, Kurai.”

“Yeah, well, it’s not a good thing,” he muttered, glancing at his tails. “But maybe it’ll help us get out of here. These chains he’s got me in aren’t like yours; they’re fire-resistant. My hands are practically frozen,” he explained to me.

“Frozen, really?” I asked. I was going to mention that you seem much more relaxed now.”

A blush crept to his cheeks, and he tried to turn away so I wouldn’t see. “I’m relaxed because I, one, know you’re safe. And two, because every time I can feel my body burning with fire, it gets sucked away. That’s the best way I can explain it,” he let out an awkward cough.

I raised an eyebrow, trying to piece together what he was saying. “So, the chains are somehow absorbing your fire?”

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

He nodded. “Yeah, it’s like they’re siphoning off my energy. It’s keeping me from using my powers to break free.”

I fell silent as I tried to focus on my chains. Awkwardly, I turned around to face the stone my chains were connected to and stared at the black magic dancing on it. My eyes closed. If I could just manipulate the shadows somehow, if I have black magic, I can perhaps counter his black magic.

Taking a deep breath, I concentrated on the swirling black magic, feeling its dark energy coursing through the chains. I tried to sense the power flow with my own magic. Slowly, I began to push my energy against the chains, attempting to disrupt the spell Enoxon had cast.

“What are you doing?” Kurai interrupted me.

I shot him a sideways glance when the magic began to fade and narrowed my eyes. “Shh,” I told him. “Just trust me, and please don’t freak out.”

Kurai fell silent, watching me intently. I focused all my attention back on the chains, feeling the resistance of Enoxon's magic against my own. It was a delicate balance, pushing just enough without overwhelming myself. Gradually, I felt the dark energy beginning to shift, the chains reacting to my manipulation.

Finally, with a surge of power, I felt the chains shatter around me, the dark energy dissipating into the air. I staggered back, breathless but triumphant.

Kurai’s eyes widened. “You did it!”

I nodded, catching my breath. “Now, let’s get you out of your chains.”

I gazed around the area, hoping my backpack was still in the rubble. Weakly, I stood up and nearly lost my balance, catching myself on the stone ruins and sighing. “Concentrate,” I told myself. But as I put weight on my ankle, a sharp, excruciating pain ripped through it.

As I took another step, something heavy washed over me—almost painful. I gritted my teeth as the pain rippled through me, running down my side to the mark that sat on my skin. I looked at the torn piece of fabric, exposing the black tendrils that marked me; it seemed to have grown bigger since the last time I looked at it. “It’s gotten bigger,” I murmured.

“Are you ok?” He asked me, noticing my struggle.

I tried to steady myself, but my ankle throbbed with every movement. “Just a little pain!" I said.

“I can help,” Kurai immediately said. “Once… I’m out of these,” He murmured.

Shakily, I scanned the clearing to ensure no one else was there. I had no idea where Enoxon and the demon had gone, but I couldn’t hear anything. I glanced at the broken and shattered shackles on the ground. Could he feel me breaking those?

I forced Kurai to smile weakly. “It’s okay, really,” I said to him. You can’t learn to be a Reaper without a bit of pain, right?”

He shook his head as he observed me, not catching what I said. “What’s your plan?” he asked.

I limped over to the backpack, careful not to put pressure on my ankle, which could be broken. I winced every time at the slightest pressure on it. Those chains are fire-resistant, so I needed to see if I had anything that could help it. I pulled out the backpack from under the books and sat down on my behind as I pushed myself back over to Kurai. I reached in, seeing if my grimoire was still in there.

“There you are!” I said in delight. I was so grateful they didn’t think to check my backpack for essentials. I pulled the grimoire out and opened it.

“What is that?” Kurai asked, his gaze hovering over my shoulder as I sat beside the chained nogitsune.

I noticed that his tail curled in my direction. They were fluffy, each one a blend of dark and light fur that shimmered in the dim light. The tips of his tails were particularly striking, glowing faintly with a mystical aura. Despite the dire situation, the sight of his tails brought a sense of comfort. Their soft, velvety texture brushed against my arm, providing a momentary distraction from the pain in my ankle and the dark magic mark. “Your tails seem fluffier today.”

“Unfortunately, when I’m here, they expose themselves." He questioned me again, "What do you have there?"

“This is my grimoire,” I explained, flipping through the pages. “It contains spells and enchantments. There might be something in here to help break your chains.”

Kurai’s ears perked up, his eyes filled with curiosity and hope. “I’ve heard of grimoires but never seen one in action.”

As I searched through the book, Kurai’s tails continued to wrap around me, their warmth easing some of the tension. One of his tails gently rested on my lap, the soft fur soothing my nerves. It was as if he was silently offering his support and protection.

“There’s got to be something in here, right?” I questioned myself more than him. I skimmed the pages quickly, trying to see if I could find anything to break these chains. My gaze landed on a page, and I read it over with the drawings my mother had provided in the book. I read it out loud, “Spell name:

Expendio Arachniortis (Chaos Nova)

Effect: Breaks whatever is targeted; if used on life targets, it'll cause bodily harm.”

Appearance: A complex, indigo intertwining duo of streams.

“Please don’t break me,” Kurai muttered, reading over the grimoire himself.

I smiled at him and said gently, “No promises.”

Taking a deep breath, I positioned myself and began to chant the incantation. As I did, I could feel the magic building up, forming an intricate, indigo pattern around my hands. The streams of energy intertwined, creating a mesmerizing yet chaotic display.

When I directed the spell toward the chains, they initially seemed to react, vibrating with the intensity of the magic. However, the chains absorbed the spell instead of breaking apart, growing darker and more ominous. I felt a strange resistance as if the chains were fighting back.

“What’s happening?” I gasped, feeling the energy drain from me.

Kurai flattened his ears, trying his best to look at the chains. "They've got to be imbued with other magic," he murmured and tried to rip them from the stone wall. Unfortunately, he had no luck. He tried again but groaned when the chains just tightened instead.

I examined the chains again and even touched them, feeling warmth seeping from them. But I couldn't sense what other kind of magic it was imbued with. If I could just... I closed my eyes and raised my hand over it. As I did so, I had something flash in my head. Something hot - like fire, but it wasn't. And then I saw those big glowing amber eyes. I pulled away from the chains again and looked them over once more. Very faintly, I noticed a black trail lumping into the red surrounding them.

Suddenly, I remembered. The chains flashed in my memory. The chains! The Fox! The chained fox spirit! That's what this was—this magic wasn't stopping Kurai from using fire; it was stopping his very being of power—the fox. Right?! That's where Nogitsune's got their power, their fox spirits. “Kurai, do you remember that vision?” I asked him quickly.

“... The one with my spirit chained?” he asked me, his tone tinged with sadness.

I nodded. “Precisely. What if... What if we saw the future, Kurai?!” I questioned him.

“The future?" He questioned me and rolled his eyes. "I’ve tried every ounce of fire I could put out, Snow. It doesn’t work,” he replied, frustration evident in his voice.

“What else can a Nogitsune do?” I questioned him.

Kurai scoffed, glancing away. “What does it matter? I’m stuck either way. Nogitsune are tricksters, sure, but I’ve never been able to use those abilities often.”

I fixed him with a determined look. “Just because you haven’t been able to yet doesn’t mean you can’t now. We’ve got to try everything.”

Kurai sighed, clearly skeptical. “Fine, but don’t get your hopes up. Nogitsune can manipulate illusions, control shadows, and, in rare cases, bend reality. But I’ve never fully explored those abilities.”

I took a deep breath, refusing to back down. “Then, now's the time to start. Try to manipulate the chains through illusions or shadows. We don’t have any other choice.”

Kurai grumbled under his breath but closed his eyes, expressing reluctant concentration. I placed my hands on his shoulders, channeling my energy to support him. Slowly, the air around us began to shimmer, and shadows danced and weaved around the chains. I was a user of dark magic - as was Kurai. His wasn’t necessarily black magic, but something like that. Shadows were dark, and I’m sure his fox spirit wasn’t all fire, right?

“Remember the vision,” I said firmly. “See the chains as illusions, as shadows that can be manipulated.”

Kurai’s tails began to glow with a soft, ethereal light. The chains seemed to waver, their dark matter appearing less solid and more like a mirage. With a deep breath, Kurai extended his hand toward the chains, and they started to shift and twist under his command.

“It’s working,” I said, my heart racing.

Kurai’s grip tightened as he focused harder. The chains began to unravel, the dark matter dissipating into wisps of shadow. Slowly but surely, the bindings that had held Kurai captive started to fall away.

Finally, with one last surge of effort, the chains shattered completely, disintegrating into nothingness. Kurai fell to his knees, exhausted but free.

“I’m free,” He whispered under his breath. “My hands, I can feel them again. I can feel everything around me.” The nogitsune was so excited that I could feel those mixed emotions return. A huge smile on his lips, the biggest smile I’ve seen from him since I met him. He looked so innocent and sweet, and I could see his little fox-canine teeth in his bright smile.

I watched him move his body, swinging his arms and punching an invisible wall. He bounced side-to-side as he did so, his tails behind him swishing. But when he caught me staring at him in awe, he began to stop and immediately felt embarrassed, his cheeks turning pink. “It’s been a while since I was able to stand up. You don’t know how badly my knees hurt.” The nogitsune came back to sit in front of me.

“It’s been a while since I was able to stand up. You don’t know how badly my knees hurt,” he grumbled, trying to cover up his excitement. The Nogitsune came back to sit in front of me.

It was strange — he seemed completely different today from when I last saw him almost three weeks ago.

“Don’t just stand there gawking,” Kurai muttered, avoiding eye contact. “I’m not some sideshow attraction. Come on, we need to get going. I cannot wait to tear into some demon and sorcerer flesh.”

“Kurai,” I shook my head at him and frowned. “We can’t just run into battle,” I told him. “Look what happened when we both did that.” I motioned to the chains that we were free of. “Can we just… take a moment? Maybe we could get some help.”

“Help?” Kurai scoffed, crossed his arms, and looked me up and down. “You think I'm here to ask for help? There is a demon that's got you marked, and Enoxon, that traitorous bastard! Everything he's ever done for us, Snow, was all a trick!"

There he was. There’s the aggressive Nogitsune.

But I had to disagree with him. "I don't think Enoxon was behind this all," I said sadly, frowning up at him. I attempted to stand back up, but the pain in my ankle began to course through me again. “Ow,” I muttered as I collapsed, catching myself.

Kurai hesitated for a moment, then his expression hardened with determination. “I’ll carry you,” he said firmly.

Did he just say he'd carry me? I stared up at him and shook my head. “No, Kurai, that’s way too embarrassing.” I couldn’t let him carry me; my ankle was my own issue, and I was going to fix it.

“You’re more stubborn than I am,” He commented, narrowing his eyes, clearly frustrated. “We don’t have time for this. You can’t walk, and we need to move.”

Before I could argue further, Kurai began to transform. His human form melted away, revealing his proper form as a Nogitsune. His body expanded and shifted, becoming a large, majestic foxlike creature. His fur was a mesmerizing blend of black and vibrant orange, almost as if it were made of fire, but more ethereal and spiritual-like. His tails, each flowing like flames in the wind, added to his awe-inspiring presence. I’ve only seen this once, and it was a lot smaller than he was now. Perhaps the tails added to how big his fox form was, or maybe he could expand or make it smaller?

“Kurai, wait—” I started, but he was already crouching beside me.

“Climb on my back,” he instructed, his voice now a deep, resonant growl that echoed his usual tone.

“I said no,” I insisted, but before I could resist, Kurai’s tails wrapped gently but firmly around my waist, lifting me onto his back. His fur was soft, like a feather, and I could see the flames radiating off part of his body, but as I reached out to touch them, I could see that they didn’t feel hot. The Firefox’s form was fantastic - not hot like it looked like. Curious, I touched another spot near his neck, but it was still cool.

Hold on tight, his voice echoed in my head, and with a quick and swift grace motion, he began to move swiftly through the darkened corridors.

“Won’t they come find us?” I asked him.

They will search for us - but we have time. There is an illusion left by the fox - it will keep them busy for a little longer.

“Smart choice,” I said smoothly to him, still in awe over his beautiful fox’s form.

He gazed over his shoulder at me, those amber eyes locking with mine, and for a moment, I thought I had seen my reflection in them. I was still embarrassed, especially now that I was being carried by a large majestic fox.

As we moved, I felt a mix of emotions swirling within me. The fear that Enoxon and demons would sense Kurai’s presence was on the move, gnawing at the edges of my mind. But there was also a strange sense of comfort in the warmth and strength emanating from his body. Despite my initial resistance, I couldn’t help but feel a flicker of hope.

Every step he took was smooth and deliberate, his spiritual-like form gliding through the shadows with an almost otherworldly grace. His keen eyes scanned our surroundings, always alert for any sign of danger, and his ears twitched constantly.

I don’t know much about Tartarus, but I heard Kurai’s voice speak to me. I remember stories about a place, though, I think it was called the Abyssal Gardens.

“Gardens? In the Underworld Layer of Hell, in Tartarus?” I questioned.

… Strange, yes. But that is where the Shadowflame Sakura bloom typically. I remember Lady Serelia telling me of it as a child. She always told me it was one place I could reside if lost in Tartarus.

“Lady Serelia?” I echoed, remembering her portrait in the castle.

I… Can’t promise entry the correct way, but if you stay quiet, we can sneak in.

“Isn’t that dangerous? Would that just piss someone off?” I questioned him, gripping the mane of fur whisking through the wind.

He paused, smelling the air around us, his ears twitching.

My fear raced through me as he came to a halt, but I clutched onto the back of the fox spirit and looked around. That’s when a little yip came into sound.

“Ember?” I questioned, looking down at the little fox cub that appeared. “Ember!” I squealed, “Come here!”

The fox cub comfortably jumped up to me, and I gave it a tight squeeze, “Thank you so much for helping me with that beast at the start! Are you okay?!”

The tiny purple and blue familiar yipped at me once more, then licked my face, its cold tongue brushing against me.

What is that? Kurai demanded, his significant turning to gaze at me and the fox cub.

“This is Ember,” I said with a smile, holding him out for Kurai to sniff.

It reeks of black magic.

“Well, how do you think your chains were broken?!” I questioned him.

Kurai’s gaze grew wide as the fox spirit stared at me. Are you delving into black magic?!

I nodded, holding Ember close to me and petting its head.

“I am,” I said, my voice cheery from seeing Ember.

His eyes narrowed on me, and silence filled the air as he continued.

I didn’t pay any attention to Kurai’s silence, only to Ember’s adorable little face as I explained the battle of the first beast to Kurai, expressing everything! I made it a point to say that this little familiar saved my life. Sure, I was hurt, but I mean, everyone got hurt!

Though, he didn’t respond. Just continued on, his ears flat against his head.

As we continued our journey, the path became narrower and more treacherous. The ground beneath us was uneven and strange. Luminescent plants cast an eerie glow, illuminating our way.

Suddenly, Kurai stopped again, his ears perking up. We're not alone, he whispered, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the darkness.

I tightened my grip on Ember, my heart pounding. "What do you mean?"

Something is watching us, Kurai replied, his echoing in my head.

"Who dares to trespass in the Abyssal Garden?" the figure demanded, its voice echoing.