Golden Era (Book 2)

9. Crime & Punishment

"Transcript from the Masa Kaguya Trial".

Ayuna reread the title several times to ensure she'd seen right. She'd been told that the trial had few witnesses. There was never mention of a transcript.

Blowing away the dust that gathered, Ayuna started reading.

***

Garden of the Sun, 823 A.C.

Judge: the Creator.

Jury: Gods of Four Seasons, God of Darkness, God of Love

Honorary Audience: Masa Masayuki, God of Time, God of Light

Secondary Audience: Archangel

Commanded Absence: Saga Senari, Saga Ayuna

Scribe: Masa Kagusa

Kaguya was brought into the main hall by two angels and knelt down in front of the Creator. She appeared defiant.

Creator: Do you feel remorse for your dishonorable actions?

Kaguya: No. Although my time in the mortal world was short, it was long enough for me to understand love. I feel sorry for all the immortals who have to live a vapid life for eternity without experiencing anything real. I wish to renounce the Masa name as penance and be downgraded to a mortal to stay with Saga Senari.

Creator: What makes you think immortality is voluntary?

Kaguya: If it isn't, then kill me. Destroy my soul.

Creator: So you're well aware of consequences."

Kaguya: I am.

Creator: Yet you went ahead and committed these crimes, anyway.

Kaguya: Contrary to Your 'rules', love isn't a crime.

Creator: It isn't for the mortals. It is, for you.

Kaguya: The fault is mine and mine alone. Spare Senari and my daughter, Ayuna. They've done no wrong.

Creator: After these infringements, after you have thoroughly defamed not only your family but the entire immortal realm, you think your death alone will suffice?

Kaguya: Then what is?

Creator: Masa Kaguya, I'm not going to kill you, Saga Senari, or the child.

[uproar]

Creator: Not only is there no killing, I'll also grant your wish. Kaguya, you may stay with Saga Senari for the rest of your existence.

[silence]

Creator: Except, you'll be spending it in the crack of time, supervised by your own parents: Masayuki and the God of Time. Both of you will be neither dead nor alive, neither here nor there.

[silence]

Kaguya: But my child—

Creator: The bastard child will come with me. From this point on, she'll be under my custody. I have exclusive control over her—not the archangel, not Masayuki, not Kagusa, not the gods—only me. Her fate will be entirely in my hands, and you can rest assured that she will also suffer the appropriate penalty for your misconduct.

Kaguya: But she's a child! She had no say in this affair! She did nothing wrong!

Creator: Her fault lies in the fact that she was conceived by you. Unlucky for her, she is a criminal from the start.

[silence]

Creator: I hope you enjoy living with that for the rest of your eternity.

[Masayuki slapped Kaguya]

Kaguya: I know nothing I say will rectify the shame you feel. I won't try to vouch for myself. I'm only going to ask you to please, take care of Ayuna.

Masayuki: You heard the Creator. Your bastard daughter now belongs to Him. Even if that isn't the case, she will never be a Masa. And after all you've done, you no longer deserve to make any requests."

Kaguya: [laughs] Of course. A proper response from a proper slave.

Masayuki: You aren't allowed to speak to me like this when you've been a disgrace to the Masas.

Kaguya: I may be a so-called disgrace, but at least I own myself. [spits] I hope you enjoy the rest of your eternity as blind servants.

***

The transcript abruptly ended without further notes or a proper conclusion.

Ayuna gawked at the last words for a long time, paralyzed. She read the transcript twice more to confirm that it was real. Without a warning, her knees gave in and she collapsed on the floor. 

Since the messenger angel showed up, Ayuna thought she was merely a homeless outcast. Nobody had told her the backstory truthfully or in its entirety. As she laid on the cold floor, the Creator's words replayed in her mind: her fate would now be in His hands. She couldn't help but wonder if her coma, her dream, and her awakening were a part of her punishment, as the Creator promised. It petrified Ayuna to picture the next disaster in line.

Night had fallen long ago. The air in the basement was stagnant, redolent of mold and dust. Through crescent-shaped windows spilled in the starlight. Swathed in ghostly shadows, Ayuna closed her eyes. Even with the hard floor chafing her back and chill seeping through her nightgown, she was lulled into a dreamless sleep.

***

The next morning, Ayuna woke up to intermittent chirps of morning birds.

Shielding her face from the morning sun, she slowly opened her eyes. When she tried to stretch, she noticed that she was covered with a cotton blanket. Beside her laid a lacquered tray of breakfast consisted of seasoned rice, miso soup, omelet rolls and summer pickles. 

She figured it must be Noa who'd checked on her and sent in breakfast. She said a silent thank you to her friend and slipped out from under the covers. 

After reading the trial transcript, Ayuna wanted to find more information. There had to be more documents for that trial and her history. Perhaps they would provide clues to the present mystery. 

For the rest of the day, Ayuna dug through leaflets of recounts, essays, and journals. She read communications from various royalties who paid allegiance to the Masas and the Creator. Yet there was no more information on Kaguya besides the lone transcript. Her existence and the crime vanished, erased from the records of history. 

Between searches, Ayuna napped against the bookcase before delving into the next one. Light and darkness shifted around her, but she didn't bother keeping track of day and night.

When she woke up from the umpteenth nap, it was night again. This time, there was a glow in the heart of darkness.

She sprung up.

There was someone in the room.

Narrowing her eyes, she could make out a man crouched underneath the half-moon windows, gathering up the bundle of blankets and setting down a tray of food. 

"Sachi?" Ayuna whispered in astonishment. 

***

A/N: A bit more history before we get back to the PoT characters (coming in Chap 11.) This segment is inspired by an actual Japanese emperor Saga Kamino, who reigned around when the imperial family reached peak power ^^ 

Again, thank you to all the readers who are getting through the slog. Might seem a little outlandish still, but I promise all of this will become highly highly important in our mystery & PoT characters later on :)