I laid in bed. My body had turned against me and refused to listen to my command. My mind raced with thoughts as I tried to connect the dots on what was happening. The thing that was in the bathhouse with me and the panic that had surged with everyone. Sakura believing it to be a troll while Inoue saying it to be a mandrake. And despite having little belief in this faith and the folklore it spat, I was finding it harder and harder to believe that hand belonged to any human being. I closed my eyes thinking of the hand once more. A deep gray flesh, long and brittle fingers that resembled the legs of a spider, dots of dirt and moss clinging in patches all over and the worse part was the abnormally long finger nails. Broken, jagged and covered in mud they pultruded from the finger like venous fangs. I quickly opened my eyes. Recalling the image was causing that bubbling fear to rise to the surface.

What felt like hours passed and only my fingers seemed to respond to my will. I could hear the miko’s outside my door talking in that weird language as they scattered through the house. They were always in a rush day to day. But this was frantic, unorganized and almost scared rushing through the house. Outside I could hear the ritual bonfires being lit and with it a string of chanting. I wondered where Sakura was in all this mess and my father.

Suddenly I felt a surge of warmth return to my body. I could feel my control returning but with near mind numbing sensation. Pins and needles all through my body. Despite that horrid feeling I rolled to my side “it’s only been about thirty minutes.” I hissed as I looked at the clock “I could have sworn it was longer.”

I waited for the sensation to stop and got myself up. I changed from the damp robe into a silken night robe and found an old pair of slippers from when I was younger. The faint smell of burning sage drifted in my room as a miko ran up and down the hallway outside of my room. They were beginning the final touches on the ritual. But; still no sound of Sakura or my father. I slowly crept to the door so no one would hear me and tried to open it. No response. They had triple locked the door. One at the top, one at the bottom and placed a stick in the sliding track. Exactly what my father did when I was younger. I turned to my bed and got on my knees making my way under the bed. No one knew why I really wanted this room when I was younger, they only assumed that it was because it had the richest history. This house was constructed in the Edo period for housing priest and the occasional shogun when an assassination attempt had been made and he needed protection. This room was the room famous shoguns hid in. So yes, it was rich in history but “ah-ha!” I quietly exclaimed as I finally find the releasing mechanism. A secret crawl tunnel was built for this room. A small door opened up under my bed. When assassins were spotted the shogun could use this to hide underneath the house or make his way to the southern wall where the crawl space opened up. But I used the crawl space for other reasons than escaping. You could go to any room in the house and eavesdrop on any conversation you wanted.

Slowly I lowered myself into the space. It was cold and damp with the smell of earth and stagnate water. It had been a long time since I used the tunnel so I had forgotten the overwhelming smell. The space was tight and narrow with my shoulders inches from the wall. I wondered how fully grown men could have fit through a space I even found tight. I needed to make my way to the private section of the house. A place where the shrine priestess and priest could speak without listening ears. This section was off limits to anyone who did not hold the house titles.

The space only got darker as I crawled. The only light came from the exit far ahead and a few beams of light sneaking their way in through the flooring. Footsteps echoed all around me. The house was alive as it always was during ritual nights. I pulled myself along till no footsteps or foreign words could be heard. The private section. I pulled myself along till a beam of candlelight drifted down onto me and Sakura’s voice boomed the room.

“What took you so long?”

I peeked through a small crack in the flooring. The room was large and lit by what seemed like thousands of candles. Sakura stood in the center of the room with her arms crossed staring at the door.

“I’ve been waiting half an hour.”

The door closed “I was at the Eastern Shrine. I take it something is going on.” It was the voice of my father.

“Something happened with Mio at the bathhouse.”

He went silent for a second “is she alright?”

“Frightened yes but safe in her bedroom.”

A sigh of relief “now what happened?” His voice was calm, collected and strong all at the same time. Despite his playful attitude with us all at the shrine, he was an amazing priest even I couldn’t deny him that.

“She was approached by a creature of the fae. A malevolent spirit carrying with it a message from the fae.”

“Sakura are you implying Mio was visited by – “

“Yes.” She stopped him. “a troll had been spotted in the village and it appears to be trying to speak to your daughter.”

“What makes you so sure it was a troll?” He was still so calm.

She was beginning to pace faster around the room “I saw it.”

“So you saw a troll and yet here you stand.”

Sakura paused.

“If it had been a troll. Do you think it would have let you live?” His shadow was pointing at hers “trolls are messengers of the fae. They do not allow people to interfere with tasks they are assigned. A troll would have disemboweled you before you could have said a word. And if a troll was truly after Mio he would have claimed her right then and there. You know the lore well but you know trolls are the most trusted of all the fae’s creations.”

“True...” Sakura sounded so disappointed.

“You also know mandrakes are often at times mislabeled as trolls. They are very similar in appearance and demeanor but while the troll is a malevolent spirit. A mandrake is-“

“Neither good nor evil.”

“Bingo.” He chuckled “they are messengers themselves. Not carrying the word of the fae but of the dead.”

“I’m aware.” The disappointment was still lingering in Sakura’s words.

“Did you check the scene?”

“I did.”

“And?”

Sakura hesitated “No. Maggots.”

“Then.” My dad seemed to smile along with his words.

“It couldn’t have been a troll.” Sakura began to pace again “Regardless of which fae spirit it was. It was still after Mio. And as you’ve said both are messengers of sorts. One of the fae and one of the dead. So who would have been stupid enough to reach out to a fae in order to get a message across?”

“There are many things I know. But I do not claim to know the land of the dead.”

“You’re taking this too lightly Master.” Sakura was starting to grow impatient “in nearly five years we have had no sightings of fae creatures inside the town or even in the forest. But tonight one makes an appearance and at a time when the town is most on edge. And after the Abe woman spoke of a hooded figure within the town.”

“To believe Mrs. Abe is that of a fool.”

“No arguments here Master.” Sakura was pacing faster now “still. Doesn’t this seem all too- “

“I figured this was about to happen.”

“Huh?”

My father laughed “give an old man some credit child. I may be old and dumb but I am far from stupid. Ms. Inoue one of your very gifted maidens told me earlier than she felt a spirit lingering outside the barriers in the forest.”

“She didn’t tell me anything of this.”

“Your job is to see to the safety of this shrine, not the outside. My job is this town and I asked to be informed of anything regarding such matters before they worry you.”

Sakura stopped again “that is not a decision you can make Master.”

“You sound just like my wife. Bold and firm. But unlike my wife, you are not yet Head of the House and thus my rule trumps you.” Sakura must have made a face “I do not mean anything by that. You are a fine Shrine Priestess but you have yet to take that role. I have all the faith in the world with you but facts are. You have yet to take the head.” Sakura began to pace again “but with knowing this I still allowed the barrier to be taken down to allow the return of Ishii.”

“You knowingly allowed a fae in the town?”

“Ms. Inoue has many gifts. If this had been a spirit for us to fear – such as a troll. I would have never allowed it to enter. Once again, give this old man some credit.”

“Inoue is still inexperienced in sensory abilities.” Sakura stomped her foot “that’s like giving a child an algebra problem at the age of three!”

“Some children can do it.”

“And some cannot.” Sakura hissed “you put blind faith in an inexperienced maiden.”

“Our faith requires blind faith.” He was back to being stern again “she trusted me enough to tell me of the spirit wondering on the outside and I trusted her enough to allow it in.”

“You put everyone in danger! That’s foolish! What if it had been a yakasha or Goddess forbid a changeling!”

“I realize it was a dangerous gamble but Ishii had to return.”

“Why? Was he not excommunicated for a reason?” Sakura began to pace now stomping her feet as she did.

“He was. But he’s also returned for a reason.”

“And that reason would be?”

He went silent.

“Master. I don’t like being kept in the dark about such things. I can’t believe you kept me from knowing a fae was wondering so close to the town and now won’t tell me why Ishii has returned. That’s cold.”

He took a deep breath “his return was planned before he left dear. His excommunication was a rouse to allow him to leave. He was tasked to do something only someone with the last name Ishii could do. However, we needed him back sooner. When the town started to demand Mio be excommunicated.... I had to protect her. I am her father first before a priest.”

I placed my hand over my mouth and tried to hide the gasp.

“Why are they demanding her be excommunicated now? Of all times?”

“They’ve been asking for it ever since her mother was spirited away. But I kept telling them that she would be joining the maidens at the shrine when she was ready.” Sakura gasped but he continued “I know that was a lie. She cannot join even if she wants to. But sometimes you must feed the lion duck and say it’s man to keep it quiet.”

“Why would you do that?”

“As I said. I am a father first. I told them before I accepted this position. Mio will come first. But the town is scared and looking for someone to blame it on. So the faithless daughter of a priest with a mother who was spirited away-“

“Who called out to the fae.” Sakura’s words were heavy.

“You and I are the only ones to know that. They just believe she broke the bell.” He sighed “which you and I also know to be true.”

How could I have broken a bell? I didn’t even do anything! I bit my lip as I listened. I was about to lose the ability to fight back my words as I listened. Ishii on a secret mission, fae creatures, Maiden's with magick and now me...of all people, me.

“She was just a kid.” Sakura said quietly “she didn’t mean it.”

“I know. And it’s the sins of a child that is reflected in the mirror of the parent.” He sighed deeply “it’s my sin to bear, not hers. But even if I must lie. I will protect her.”

“So that’s what tonight’s rituals about.”

“Yes. Since Mio openly denies joining the shrine I recommended a sealing and a communication as a way of keeping people from wanting blood.”

“Master.” Sakura went still “Mio can’t do the sealing. It may make things worse.”

“I’m aware it's a gamble.”

“A gamble I don’t think you should be the one to make.”

His shadow nodded “but Mio can never know. And even if she goes, she goes a martyr, not a demon.”

“Master...”

“Sakura. I am aware.” He hissed “but things are already becoming a tangled mess and I do what I must to protect my daughter, you maidens and this town. Sometimes it makes no sense and carries no reason. I do not ask you to follow me blindly I only ask you follow the Goddesses blindly.”

“You prayed on this?”

He took a moment before replying trying to regain his composure “I did. I believe the Goddess is wanting to seal away her past deeds and give her a new start. I also believe she wants to speak with her.”

“Is that why you’re not afraid of the mandrake.”

“There are many Goddesses and some dwell within the land of the dead. So maybe one of them wishes to speak to her. I don’t know.”

“Regardless we can’t allow a mandrake to wander around the shrine. And everyone is starting to arrive for the ritual.”

“We’ll have to put up a barrier till the ritual is done.”

“But what if it is still here?” Sakura asked quietly “then it’s stuck in here with us. And if I mistook it for a troll. So will the town and they will demand blood for something like that. They already did it once before. Need I remind you of the boy?”

“You do not.” I heard the sliding of the door “see to it Ms. Inoue is asked to do a scan of the area before the barrier is erected. If the mandrake is still in the shrine we cannot do it harm and will have to let it reach out to Mio before we can conduct the ritual. I will keep the town busy with prayers while Inoue and yourself scout the area.”

“Master.” Sakura went cold “we are not done talking about Ishii.”

“I understand you want to know but-“

“This has to do with those two American kids and their mother he married I know. And you know I always get to the bottom of things concerning my shrine.”

And with that they both walked out of the room leaving me more confused, worried and scared than before underneath the flickering candle light dancing through the cracks. For a moment I just sat there staring at the dancing shadows on the wall trying to process what I had just heard. Being honest to myself, it sounded like more nonsense, mumbo-jumbo and religious banter than it did logical conversation but they believed it. That’s what scared me the most. People in this town believe in trolls, in mandrakes and changelings. This faith corrupted people’s minds and made them insane with no regards for anything else. It was scary the things they did in the name of the faith, scary the way the acted when it concerned the faith and it was horrifying the way they did it believing there was no other way.