Konpaku - Phantoms Die Twice

The Hermit's Past

Youmu closed her eyes, and she went through a rift that transported her back to Kasen's home.

"Thank goodness that horrible thunderstorm stopped. I take it that you have anything to do with it?"

"Yes."

"What is it that brought you here this time?"

"Oh. I've met someone, and she decided to share some of this sake."

Upon the mention of Sake, Kasen widened her eyes, before she then made a small smile, closing her eyes as quickly as she did to widen them.

"Is it strong?"

"Yes. I literally died once from drinking it. Not that it's poisoned, but the drunkenness killed me."

"I see. Let me just fetch my cup."

A moment later Kasen returned with a small cup, and she swiped the gourd from Youmu, and poured the sake. She took a sip, and immediately her face became flustered from the warmth of the alcoholic drink flowing down her throat.

"Ahh! This is the stuff..."

"You... Can survive it? You're barely human, like the person who gave me this..."

"I'm just very tolerant towards alcohol, that's all. Although... It also gives me sadness."

"Sadness?"

"Do you want me to tell you a tale?"

"Of course."

"Well... It all started hundreds of years ago. I met... My lover. She loves Sake... Heck, it's like Sake is her fuel."

"Your lover?"

"It was back shortly before Gensokyo even existed. She was a rowdy fellow, even during her last moments..."

"What happened to her?"

"During Yorihime's conquest of the land, the both of us were going together, having some bonding moment after being together for centuries.... It was then when we got to the Valley, that everything changed."

"What was it?"

"It was dark, but I can still remember it... The sight of her face soaked with tears, her arm trying to reach out to me..."

A tear falls out from the Hermit's right eye.

"Before she then exploded in a cloud of blood. Afterwards, I can feel myself being taken over by it..."

"By what? Who?"

"Douji... It is a curse in this land, if enough hatred or bloodlust had settled down on someone... It would turn them into terrifying beings. She was already one, but she saw something in me that caused her to bring me in. The curse had already took an impact on me when we set foot on Gensokyo... And it worsened after her death."

"Then, it was history. You see my right arm."

"It's cut off... By whom?"

"Yorihime. She had somehow retrieved the Oni-Killing sword, Onikirimaru... At least a fragment of it and cut it off. I thought it went missing after it was last used by the previous Hakurei Miko, Reimu."

"And now you're wasting away here, with all these animals... And sculpting those statues of yourself?"

"No matter what I do, the expression on the statues are always that of anger. And the animals that would get close to me were snakes... Angry snakes."

Youmu is astounded. This is the first time she had heard such a tale. So basically, Kasen became a Demon of Hatred ever since her lover, whoever she is, died.

"Listen. When the time comes, you must slay me."

"But... Why me?"

"Yorihime won't be able to stop me at this rate because of her illness... Toyohime is far gone... Reisen and Mokou couldn't even fight me. I know, you can do it, Konpaku Youmu."

"Understood. Oh, and by the way..."

"What is it?"

"Do you have some of your statues near Myouren?"

"Of course. Let me channel you there... Lean on towards me."

She puts her hand on Youmu's head, and chanted a prayer as Youmu then went through a long rift which led her to awaken in front of a statue, beneath a bamboo tree.

She turned around and she sees the majestic structure of the Myouren Temple not too far ahead of her. She followed the pathway, until she heard a voice.

"Over here, stranger!"

Youmu followed the source of the voice and she finds a small opened tent. Outside the tent is a petite girl with rabbit ears, and is wearing a white dress and a carrot pendant.

"Are you... A medicine peddler from Eientei?"

"Not just that, stranger! I got lots of... Where'd she go?"

Youmu left her, without a word. She sprinted towards the temple gate, as she sees a couple of crooked looking monks patrolling around the gateway.

With ease, she slayed each one of them using her Hakuroken. Nobody even noticed her presence, as if she is the wind itself.

Now she is closer towards retrieving the legendary sword. But she had her doubts. Why would such a dangerous sword that can even slay the undying, is kept on some temple she can infiltrate easily....

Maybe there is more to it behind the scenes. She cleaned her blade from the blood and entered the temple.

- To Be Continued