Chapter Four

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Note: The book will be divided into two or so volumes so feel free to check them out if you liked this book..

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His feet left a mark on the dampened mushy earth adorned in algae and ferns. More imprints were left in the graveyard. The holder of myths and memories known yet unknown as he walked towards the shrine of malevolence. The torii was decaying with its insides left untouched by impurities. Yuuji had always been alone. Always walked alone, ate alone, slept alone and felt alone. It was unsurprisingly calm and soothing and he wished it stayed as the little girl's matches. The chirpings and squeaks of birds and insects and of buzzes of the busy bees accompanied the desolation. A blissful company of nothing yet many followed with each stride leaving deep depressions of varying degrees. Some steep and angled while others straight and even. All in all, he walked alone. From the muddy paths to the sacred stone path, he walked alone. From somewhere in the middle of the wilderness he heard the hymns. Of the creations of vast lores of the unknown south and he prayed. Prayed not in belief but as a tradition to honor the dead.

'Maybe it's mother'

He smiled at the tanned and calloused slenders. Quite the comforting one that held his own quivering ones in assurance. He breathed in. The winds continued to blow and so did the sounds on his journey as the world did not cease to stop.. And he breathed out. A reminder that he was not six feet under yet. He walked through the steeps of the abandoned mountains. Unlit lamps accompanied the virgin in the unfateful darkness to the demon's lair. Bitter frost wind brushed past his kimono and he shuddered under the scrutiny of death herself. Famished and aimless, he stripped off of the dreadful layers letting the chiselled form breathe in freedom.
Lack of fabric caused about a shudder across his bones. Even amidst the treetops hovering and howling against the mighty wind currents blowing mercilessly, he saw vividly the ashened Torii painted in blood.

He must walk and walk he did without turning back. Children believed in fairytales where the tables are turned and the mighty hero's ill-fate being rewritten after defeating the evil. Adults believed in the present, their reality. Itadori Yuuji was a child who leaped through the rules to live and believe in an unforgiving reality. He knew where he stood and where he would continue to do so for he was no child. Mayhaps an adult in a child's body but not a child by the set laws of nature. He was something he himself did not know. Not that he complained but it was indeed frustrating to know what and where it went wrong.

Again, who was he to complain about?

Somewhere among the thickets, he could hear the raspy and whistling notes of the yellow breasted chat accompanied by chirping of varying sounds of both birds and crickets and cicadas alike. Even the shy nightingale herself sang melodies for comfort from great distance. And he did forget.. forget about the whole marriage as fireflies surrounded him. While most left a safe proximal distance from the unknown creature, some dared to approach the human believing the other to be just a harmless giant. For the first time in forever he felt like a child as he caught a few in his hands. Nonetheless they were released as he ventured to catch another, and another.

Soon the abominable journey came to an end without much pain. Once again the fleeting moment passed. He was face to face with the Inari shrine. Three copper bells were hung upon Shimenawa, the sacred rope. The pillars of the shrine were visited by different seasons that it started showing datedness. Mosses, fungi and ferns made their homes in the desolation. Some of the wild climbers as well took to its support on the mighty pillar. Unlike Yuuji, the wilderness did not find the place to be a graveyard. Two large sculptures of lamp stood firm on either side covered in blankets of velvet moss as he passed the eerie gate. Stone steps, stepping after stepping felt like an endless ocean at one point he thought of spreading one of those magic blankets as he heard from the neighborhood children, eating different delicious food, drinks and even savouries on a spring day with their parents. It was indeed magical but a cursed child like himself has no rights to wish for a magical moment in their lives.






Itadori Yuuji was indeed a cursed womb

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