Chapter One: The end of spring.
Part 2
The letter that Narachika had sent home ended with a line that had left Masachika in shock for days. "Masahiro has lost his eyes..."
What on earth could have happened ?!
Losing one's eyes.... Masachika couldn't imagine.... it was worse than losing any other kind of spirit ability they possessed.
Without eyes, what was left was a useless power, strength without focus, sharp and ready, but unable to be wielded. In short, a tragedy.
The heir to Abe no Seimei…... the little brother that had grown up under his care.
Narachika and himself were also members of the Abe family. They were both strong onmyouji in their own right....., but their abilities paled in comparison to Masahiro's potential and the raw talent that he possessed.
Once, when they were drinking together, Narachika had confided in him after a few glasses of wine.
"....Brother, lemme tell ya.... I've been fearful of Touda ever since I was a kid.... Now that I'm older it really hasn't gotten any better.... I know yer the same way.... To be honest... and I'm gonna tell you.... It's not just Touda.... I can't help but feel really tense every time any of the Shinshou appear. It just chills me to the core, makes me feel like I've got something cold and heavy in my stomach."
Translator note: His language is a little loose here, like he's had a few drinks.
Masachika understood this feeling well. Before the shinshou, he had felt powerless and small, unable to command the power that they wielded. But Grampa and Masahiro had been different, effortlessly commanding them to do their bidding, as if they had always been meant to command the gods themselves.
"I guess this is the difference between talent and "skill." Narachika said as he looked away.
Wrapped up in his own thoughts, Masachika could only nod in agreement. Was it really true? He wasn't sure he agreed. Masachika had always had the inkling that Masahiro "saw differently", his vision sharper and keener than most, picking up on small details and minor yokai that there merely wisps of wind to Narachika and himself.
But now he had lost his eyes..... what will he do now?
Masachika sighed, his shoulders felt tight and tense. He shook his head as if to clear away troubled thoughts. He cant dwell too much on this, it was useless and surely to affect his work. The two brothers will be home in a few months. He had much to discuss with his father and grandfather. He was young and inexperienced,but perhaps his father and grandfather will have some way of restoring Masahiro's sight.
"Ah, that's right, the daily report for the head astrologer is due......" Masachika's thoughts returned to his own work as he departed from the bureau. The head astrologer, was of course, none other than his own father. But Masachika was expected to maintain professionalism at work, so during work hours, he would always be "the respected head astrologer."
Father may be "respected head astrologer," but Masahiro is always "Masahiro". At one time, Masachika had referred to him as the "bureau apprentice" by mistake. Though Masahiro himself had not heard him, it earned him an angry glare from the white creature that had always sat by his side.
But Masachika had known that the creature was Touda,.... and that single crimson glare bored into his soul and made his breath hitch in this throat.
He didn't fear Touda as much as he did back in the day, but it was as his brother had said, an uneasy cold darkness that chills you to the core and settles at the bottom of your stomach.
Despite being brothers, Masachika rarely encountered Masahiro. Being an astrologer, Masachika primarily worked at night, carefully tracking the movements of the stars and planets from dusk to dawn, while Masahiro, and pretty much every one else, primarily worked during the day. This meant that Masachika is frequently left out of the loop, and is always the last to be informed should something happen. He hadn't even known that Narachika and Masahiro had been assigned out on a mission in Izumo until hours before they left.
Narachika was already highly qualified in the field, with qualifications and skills that exceeded his own, there was nothing to worry about. Masahiro would surely be safe with him.
Masachika had found out about their departure and the mission so late, that he was unable to see them off. He was looking forward to their return in hopes of organizing a small family banquet....but now was not the time to be thinking about this.
He squinted in the darkeness as he made his way into the courtyard. He and Masahiro were far apart in age. Masahiro was only fourteen. It was an age to learn, gain experience and make all that he could of the talent that he had been blessed with.....
Countless days passed, and winter turned into spring. In mid-April, Fujiwara Chugu's (Shouko) imperial induction ceremony was suddenly canceled.