The Golden Pear [YA - Featured]

♫~Notes 111~♫

 The horse's neigh cut through space, filling Kagetsu's ears and bringing back his father's voice from far away.

"... sometimes it's important to embrace our fears..."

"Embrace?" The youngest Kamini brother repeated as if only now he was able to understand the true meaning.

Shaking his head, he lifted the weapon above his head.

"Now!" The woman encouraged him to deal the first blow. To separate the head from the body. To let the blood gush across the floor. To let the dying cry soothe the raging storm.

The spear collided with the floor, its edge cutting through the chains swiftly.

"What!"

Kagetsu circled the wild animal, the manifestation of his fears, and cut all the chains.

"Why?" her voice roared, and the storm picked up on strength.

"If he is my fear"—Kagetsu let the spear fall of his hands as he cut the last chain around the neck—"I want to embrace him."

The water hit the top step, splashing into the temple. The structure shook in its foundation. Waving his hands, Kagetsu shooed the horse.

"Go! At least you know how to swim!"

The horse's hooves dug into the crumbling stone, the light inside it spread across its whole body that its skin broke in places. Golden flames spurted out of the cracks, spreading like a plague until the horse's form turned into one big fireball.

Before Kagetsu could say wow, the wave hit him, tossing him like a rag doll. The temple soon submerged, ripped piece by piece by the current. Its majestic pillars turned into pebbles under the water pressure.

Kagetsu rolled inside the mass, unable to take control of his fate. If the woman yelled, he couldn't hear her and for the better. His mind was preoccupied with his desire to breathe air and not water. Unless his lungs wouldn't spontaneously learn to use the oxygen from the water.

Leftovers of the proud building hit him left and right, speeding the escaping air. Waving his limbs with no order, he tried to resurface.

'Where?'

Darkness surrounded him, and the storm didn't allow him to recognize the top from the bottom.

A piece of the roof collided with his back, pushing the air out of his mouth. The bubbles escaped through his fingers as the water calmed down. Awaiting his unavoidable demise, he let his body float.

'I'm sorry... I couldn't be a good brother...'

Coldness enveloped him as the water darkened, or it might be just his vision going blank.

A ray of light slashed through the water, and his body skyrocketed forward. As his lungs inhaled the fresh air, his arms hugged a pulsating neck. Coughing the water, his mind cleared.

"Y-You?"

The manifestation of his fear carried him on its back, dashing through the open sky among stars. Its flames didn't burn him but filled him with warmth and safety.

Locking his eyes with the horse's ones, he felt in better hands than when he was with that woman. Kagetsu tried to straighten, but his body almost slipped down.

The horse listened to his silent plea and slowed down until it stopped. The boy let out a few frightened breaths.

"T-Thank you." Pushing his body up, his butt complained. "How can guys sit like this is beyond me. My crotch is killing me." Stretching his back, he took in the sea of lights under them.

"It's beautiful up here. I feel like I could stay here forever."

The horse tossed its head, neighing. That simple movement made Kagetsu nervous, as his knees dug into the horse's sides. "What's up?"

The animal lowered its head as if pointing down.

"Yeah, those lights are pretty."

The horse turned its head, and its fiery eyes narrowed. All it needed was to roll them.

Feeling that Kagetsu was missing something, he kept staring down.

"You know, it somehow feels nostalgic too."

The wind pushed his hair around his head, and the clouds changed their shape as they moved across the sky.

"I wonder what is down there, but you would rather run free above the clouds, right?"

The animal lifted its head, neighing.

"Perhaps I should stay up here. I feel like I could be nothing but a burden down there."

The boy lifted his arm, letting the clouds spread around his fingers. The gaps closed as fast as they opened, leaving no mark.

The mare turned uneasy, stepping from a leg to a leg.

"Whoa! What's wrong?"

The horse calmed down but gave Kagetsu a reproving stare. Redness crept onto the boy's face. Minutes had passed, and only the wind kept them company. His fingers curled, grasping the ever-moving mane.

A rumble of thunder came from behind them, but it could be the woman's voice shrieking. The clouds turned black, their fluffy features eaten by the storm.

"Oh, crab!"

The horse turned, standing on its hind legs without tossing Kagetsu down. Looking behind, the boy found transparent steps heading down, with voices calling his name.

"There are people waiting for me."

Flashes of faces he couldn't recognize filled him with hope and feelings of longing for their words. The horse finally shook him from its back, prompting the boy to leave.

Inside the swirling clouds stood the woman in armor, holding the spear Kagetsu used to free his fear. Thunder shot from her eyes, and her mouth filled the air with flames. She didn't come to enjoy tea and cookies with them.

The mare moved forward, tossing its head back and forth as if daring the woman to come closer. The flames on its body moved up, giving the animal the wildest and most impressive mane across its whole back.

The mare slashed its tail, pushing Kagetsu away and forcing him toward the steps.

'If I go this way, I'll be safe. That woman can't reach me there.'

His heart convinced him this was the truth, and his brain didn't argue. Following the trail of steps lead to a safe place because there were people he longed for.