Tokyo Ravens - Volume 14 - Chapter 5.4

Part 4 
This event happened many nights ago-- 
This place had no 'time' or 'location' - the concepts and meanings were different, and it was inexplicable and very strange, but it was a continuous space. The boundaries between him and the world had become vague, and he didn't know where he was at all. 
The concept of "where" didn't exist. 
He was one with the world. 
He 'existed' in all places and all times. 
Because time didn't exist, he didn't feel anythign no matter how long he lingered there. Or maybe there wasn't even such a concept. 
But, suddenly... 
He could hear someone's voice. 
That solemn voice was calling a name. A voice filled with spiritual power - the power to guide souls. The voice was filled with thoughts of the other as it called the name. 
The one whose name was being called by the voice separated from the world. The separated entity began slowly understanding its own existence. 
That was the most fundamental use of 'magic'. 
The voice called. Come back. A call filled with prayer. She wanted to go back. 
So - she went back. 
The moment yin and yang overlapped. Right before dawn, black night was enveloped by the light of the sun. 
On an altar high above the ground, she saw her original world. A vast city, seemingly without end. 
The alter was tightly linked with the place she had just been. Also, he was on the altar. The practitioner of 'magic' calling for her. He was a familiar person. The person she loved the most. His voice and his aura had contained his feelings, pulling her back to his side. 
Then, she noticed. 
There was another 'her' on the altar. 
The other 'her' had the same shocked face, as if 'she' had just noticed her. Surprise, disbelief, confusion. It felt like she had lost her individuality. 
I'm...... 
 
...Ah. 
The first thing she felt was coldness and warmth. 
A cold wind blew. Her skin, which was exposed to the air, felt the cold. But for some reason her body felt very warm, as if it were in contact with some kind of warmth. 
Then, she noticed the place she was. It felt wrong. 
It felt like her body wasn't touching the ground. She was floating, and moving. 
Eh? Natsume moved her body. 
"Natsume!?" 
Her heart almost stopped upon hearing the voice from next to her. 
Harutora looked over. 
Harutora and Natsume struggled in a panic as she reflexively pushed away from him. Then, she finally realized. Harutora was carrying her right now. And they were flying in the air. 
The was why Natsume had seen that dream. She had seen similar things before, actually. On the bed of a hotel, Harutora had looked at her, who should have been dead. He had told her a secret and honestly conveyed his feelings. Then...... 
A dreamlike dream [32] . A illusion of sleep. 
Or maybe was everything that had happened all just a dream? Maybe after she woke up, she would be in class at the Onmyou Academy, irritatedly lecturing Harutora because his academic grades hadn't improved at all [33] . 
Touji, Kyouko, and Tenma were in the same classroom. Suzuka would show up during breaks. After lecture started, Ohtomo-sensei would come in and say something like 'hey, everyone sit down', with a wry smile. 
She had lost her life, and then been resurrected, but not completely resurrected. 
The daily life she had before then was completely lost. 
She might as well die. So she wanted to just float away with the wind. But, she knew that everyone was desperately moving forward for her. 
She knew that everyone, that Harutora, was there, albeit in a different place. 
She was always searching. She wanted to know the reason. She just wanted to see them. Searching, chasing. Just missing. Being left behind. 
Was it all a dream? 
Because Harutora was so close. 
"Are you awake? I don't believe it. Are you conscious? Do you still recognize me?" 
"...Harutora-kun..." 
"Natsume...!" 
Tears welled in Harutora's eyes as he hugged Natsume. W-What!? Natsume was thrown afluster, but Harutora didn't pay it any heed. Her face was extremely red. It didn't matter if this was a dream, but why... 
"Natsume!? I can't believe it!" 
That voice was Akino's. Looking at the place the voice came from, Natsume saw that she was riding a white horse that flew in the sky behind Harutora. The white horse was Yukikaze. But Akino wasn't the only one on Yukikaze's back - there was one more person. An exhaused-looking woman leaned against Akino's back. Though she wore a military uniform, the most attention-grabbing part of her were the two fur-covered ears on her head. Also, Natsume could see a leaf-shaped tail behind her back. 
Natsume's eyes widened. 
...The one from that time...... 
For a moment, she couldn't think of exactly when 'that time' had been. But when Natsume saw her eyes, why was it that her reaction, feelings, and emotions were completely the same as 'that time'? 
Roughly speaking, it was like looking at herself from the outside through a window of the soul...... No, she had a similar experience. Hokuto. It was similar to the feeling from when she used her simple shikigami Hokuto [34] , and how looking into Hokuto's eyes was like seeing herself. Though they were completely different, Hokuto felt like 'her'. 
"Why..." 
"Hold on, I'll explain, so calm down first." 
Harutora said as he looked ahead. 
Natsume tiled her head, looking at the scene below. Tokyo's nighttime scenery spread out below her. But it was different from usual. She could 'see' unstable spirit flow. It was a bit different from what had been at the altar of the Tenchuu Chifu Ritual. 
"Ah." 
Then, Natsume finally thought of what had happened before she lost consciousness. 
The Tenchuu Chifu Ritual in Kanda Shrine. She had headed over and instantly lost consciousness. What had happened afterwards? What about the others? Why was it that Akino, who ought to have been captured, was with them, and everyone else wasn't? 
...We... 
Had they lost? 
As an icy terror came over her, 
"Calm down." 
Harutora looked back and said. 
Across from him, they approached a tall building. It was the academy building of the Onmyou Academy. And on the roof were four torii surrounding a stone platform. 
Thump. Natsume's heart leaped powerfully. 
Harutora headed straight for the stone platform of the altar and stood there. Yukikaze followed closely behind him, whinnying and kicking the ground next to the platform. Akino carried Hishamaru to the roof, almost falling off the horse. 
"H-Harutora-kun...... What exactly is happening......" 
When she realized it, her body was trembling. Natsume sat on the stone platform, unable to stand up. Harutora knelt in front of her, grabbing her shoulders and facing her. 
"Natsume. There's no time anymore. It's already a miracle that you're conscious. So listen to what I'm about to say, alright?" 
Harutora's one eye looked into Natsume's. 
Harutora slowly spoke, word by word, with a powerful tone. His atmosphere pushed away the fog clouding Natsume's head, and she nodded. 
Harutora also knew that Natsume was capable. But there truly was no time. He emotionlessly, indifferently, and concisely explained the current situation to her. 
Touji and the others fighting. Ohtomo's attack and injuries. The advent of Taira no Masakado. Akino's rescue and their escape. And now, Touji and the others desperately stopping the Yase Doji pursuing them. Harutoar bringing Natsume here with the time they bought. 
Harutora wasnted to convey the objective truth, which was why he focused on what he could glean about events during her unconsciousness. 
Then, Harutora also told Natsume about the problem with her soul. 
Natsume's soul and Kon's - Hishamaru's soul were 'the same thing'. 
"Do you have any idea why?" 
Harutora asked, clinging to a sliver of hope, but of course Natsume had no clue. Actually, she still didn't really understand what Harutora had said. 
...Me and Kon? 
She had learned of Kon's true identity from Yasuzumi while living in hiding. She had been extremely surprised when she first heard of it. After all, Hishamaru was a legendary shikigami. It was extremely hard to believe that she was Kon. But more importantly, about her soul - it didn't feel realistic at all that she had 'the same soul as Natsume', as Harutora had said. 
She didn't feel they had anything in common, except perhaps their feelings for Harutora. She had felt it when hearing about Hishamaru from Yasuzumi. Hishamaru's feelings for her master, hidden in the depths of her loyalty. 
But she didn't think that was any clue. 
Natsume slowly shook her head, the blood drained out of her face. 
Then, Harutora said, 
"I see, oh well." 
He resolutely nodded instead. 
"If what I'm going to do now is the right thing to do, then if there's any clue it's Hishamaru who has it." 
"Right now......?" 
Natsume asked, not understanding his meaning. Harutora's expression became grave and serious. 
And after an intense struggle, he chose his final words: 
"Natsume." 
He spoke grimly. 
"It's no longer the time to hide anything. So I'll say it clearly. I was unsuccessful in awakening you, so I ordered Hokuto to connect your soul to your body. But that's already reaching its limit. Your soul can no longer stay in this world." 
Honestly, she had already unconsciously prepared herself back then. 
But the moment Harutora faced her and told her outright, Natsume felt an impact she had never experienced before. Maybe dying would be better. 
She had thought this before. But being able to meet Harutora again like this and then being told by Harutora about her unavoidable death was far outside of Natsume's imagination. 
It was fortunate that she didn't break down completely. Her mind went blank. 
But, 
"But, I won't give up on you." 
Harutora continued speaking. That sentence warmed Natsume's heart. 
"Right now, I'm going to undo the knot and send you there and back again. It will definitely succeed. No matter what. So...... trust me." 
Harutora didn't concretely explain what he was going to do. Maybe it was because there was no time, but she could faintly tell that it was 'better' if she didn't know any more. How reckless. He wanted trust, but it was better for her not to know too much. And he had said such shocking words with a straight face. It seemed very strange to her. It was rude, insane, and ignorant of her feelings. 
"Okay." 
Natsume replied. 
Then, as if suddenly thinking of what had happened before, she reached a hand out to the left side of Harutora's face. 
Right now, the left side of Harutora's face was covered with an intricate eyepatch. There had once been a pentagram-shaped magical pattern here. 
The mark that drew Harutora into the world of magic. 
The fetters Natsume had given Harutora, that started everything. 
While touching the traces of it, 
"I trust you, Harutora-kun. But...... if you can... don't forget me... alright?" 
Her voice trembled unconsciously. Harutora, do your best. She did her utmost to smile at him. 
"A shikigami who lies has to be punished, you know." 
Harutora smiled back as if he were trying hard not to cry, and tightly gripped Natsume's extended hand. 
Then, 
"H-Harutora-kun! Um, H-Hishamaru-sama is...!" 
Akino shouted, seeming unable to hold back. They saw that Hishamaru's body, which had been placed in the corner of the stone platform by Akino, was already experiencing lag as if it were about to vanish. 
"......Ugh." 
Hishamaru opened her eyes slightly, moaning in pain. 
She looked over. 
"......Harutora-sama......" 
Suddenly. 
Natsume felt the feeling that 'she' was being pulled somewhere. She began to panic. The moment Hishamaru called Harutora's name, she felt her connection to Hishamaru become stronger. 
Harutora showed a grim experssion that she had never seen before. 
"Akino, come!" 
As he said that, he took off the Raven's Wing right there. He was immediately surrounded by scattered black feathers as the black coat turned into a three-legged cros - a yatagarasu. 
"Wait for me! Hishamaru!" Saying that, he gripped Natsume's shoulders again. 
"I'm starting." 

"......Yeah." 
After nodding to Natsume, Harutora let go and backed up . Then, he called out to his shikigami. "Full Moon! Raven's Wing!" 
Having already been instructed during their trip here, Akino immediately moved behind Natsume's left and the yatagarasu jumped behind Natsume's right. Harutora, Akino, and the yatagarasu formed a triangle around Natsume. 
"......The Yaoyorozu no Kami are present! ......They are present in all of spacetime!" 
Staring into the vast night sky above him, Harutora quietly spoke as if to confirm something again. 
Then, finally, 
"Hokuto, after I give the signal...... Leave Natsume." 
He ordered the other shikigami. The dragon connecting Natsume's soul. 
Wind blew on the Onmyou Academy rooftop. 
A slight presence of spring was hidden in the night wind. 
Harutora proclaimed solemnly. 
"Now, we begin the Taizan Fukun Ritual." 
Natsume recoiled in surprise. 
Magic to control souls. Though she had already anticipated this, the Taizan Fukun Ritual definitely had a bad impression. Based on the knowledge she had learned about the Taizan Fukun Ritual from Yasuzumi, on some level she knew that the Taizan Fukun Ritual wasn't the kind of magic Natsume thought it was. But the Taizan Fukun Ritual that Natsume knew of had never resulted in any thing good, along with all other soul-manipulating magic. 
...No......! 
The one time was Harutora's reincarnation. Reincarnating him back to Natsume's side. 
The Taizan Fukun Ritual had resurrected the ill-fated genius Onmyouji who had been born before the war into a laid-back, cheerful, and extremely gentle childhood friend. 
"It's alright, Natsume! A god told me!" 
Akino, with an extremely serious expression, encouraged her. "A god?" Natsume asked. Akino nodded vigorously to confirm. The yatagarasu cawed on the other side. Then, Harutora started chanting an incantation in front of her. It was a simpler spell than when she had peeked at Suzuka before. But it was longer, more meticulous, and more powerful. 
Harutora's magic, created by Yakou. 
Light surrounded Natsume. The light connected to the distant sky. Suddenly, her consciousness floated away. Her consciousness became hazy. 
"Natsume!" 
Harutora called out. 
As she was enveloped by the curtain of light, she couldn't see Harutora's figure anymore. Natsume desperately looked ahead, holding back her feelings for her childhood friend, and smiled. 
"No matter how many times it takes, no matter how long, we'll definitely meet again. Because I'm your - I'm your shikigami!" [35] 
Then-- 

Natsume's soul left her body and flew to a different land, completing its reincarnation. 

This child had no name. 
A hated child, a nobody. She was disdained and ostracized. She always knew that he was such a being, even without anyone explaining it to her. 
She wasn't taken care of or loved, she just purely 'existed' here day after day. She believed without a doubt that this would repeat until she died. That was her 'life'. 
But, no, that wasn't the case. 
Her life was full of waves, similar to others born in the same era. 
So this was the beginning. A lively-spirited boy. He had cast off his family, entered a storehouse, opened a heavy door, and called out to the girl. 
"Are you my shikigami? I see. You're weird." 
A ray of light shining into the deep, dark night. 
The true meaning of her 'life' began when she was illuminated by the light of that night [36] . 
The boy seemed surprised, approaching the confused girl. 
"Okay." With a word, he grabbed her hand and pulled her out. 
Outside the storehouse. 
A world she didn't know. 
They crossed the porch, reaching its edge. From the edge they came to the courtyard. 
A courtyard illuminated by the sun. She couldn't believe there was something so beautiful in this world. She stared, shocked at the world that was suddenly opened up. 
The wind blew on that girl. 
"Hey, you don't have a name, right?" 
The girl nodded to that question, the ears on her head - the hated ears of a fox - trembled. Her tail swished left and right, seemingly wanting to hide itself. 
The boy let go of the girl's hand, crossing his arms and looking at her. He stared hard at her ears and tail, then put a hand on his forehead and groaned. 
Embarrassment showed on the girl's face. 
But the boy didn't notice the girl's feelings. "Oh!" He nodded. 
Then, 
"You're a fox living spirit, so your name will be Kon. It's written '?'. Starting today, you're Tsuchimikado Kon." 
Kon, her own name. 
It was too sudden, so she was unable to process anything. Then, the boy suddenly put on a confused expression and lowered his head to glance at her. 
"......Are you unhappy? Foxes go 'kon kon', so I thought it fit...... Maybe a cuter name would be better?" 
It seemed like the boy had finally realized his rudeness and become flustered and unsettled. 
Would she hate him? To the childishly anxious boy, 
She shook her head a few times. 
She wasn't good at speaking, because she had almost never spoken to anyone. 
Even so, she did her best to speak. 
'Thank you' 
A quiet word of thanks. 
The boy's mood immediately improved. 
"No problem! I'm Yakou. Yakou, the light of the night. Let's get along well, Kon." 
The boy gave his name, wearing a satisfied smiling face. 
The smile like the sun made her feel warm. That's what the girl thought as she looked at the boy's smile, captivated. 

The miracle of a certain summer day. 
In a corner of a residence's courtyard, wild sunflowers flowering brilliantly watched the two young ones.