Dragon Island (29 page)

The shadow dragon is immediately engulfed in flame. Zodon utters a final, screeching roar as the charred, smoking cinder that’s its body plummets toward the Earth.

But the only thing left behind by either him or Ningai Ura when the dragon’s remains reach the ground is the sword, Kusanagi. The blade rings as it impales itself within the turf.

The storm immediately begins to dissipate.

I roll over and rise up on my hind paws as I roar in victory.

I turn and look directly into the terrified news crew’s camera.

Using Ryuu’s omniscient perspective once again, I watch my father as, miles away, he looks at the TV and sees the soul of his son in the gargantuan eye beneath Kumagor’s furrowed brow.

“Raymond?”

I roar, letting the years of pent up hurt and anger flow out of me.

In his penthouse apartment, dad’s bottom lip begins to quiver as a single tear slides from his right eye down his cheek.

It’s the first time I’ve ever seen him cry.

I give the camera a final snarl and then turn away. I gingerly pluck Kusanagi from the ground with my teeth. The sword is less than a toothpick in my monstrous jaws.

As the last of the storm clouds break up, I reenter the tunnel in which I arrived, returning to the Earth so that I may resume slumber and heal.

Kumagor has had enough of the world of men!

Birth. Life. Death. Rebirth.

—Ancient Toho saying.

I
awake from fevered dreams, enraged to have my slumber disturbed again so soon.

I leap up from my resting place and backhand the giant standing closest to me, sending him sprawling through the wall of the grass hut in which he and his kind have imprisoned me.

Do they think Kumagor will be caged so easily?

The other giants inside the hut come forward and lay hands on me, calling me ‘peach-boy’ as they plead with me to calm down.

How dare they insult my majesty!

I shake them off me and seize one by his robe. I lift him over my head and toss him into his brothers, scattering them like leaves in the wind. I run out of the hut, exiting through the hole in the wall made by the first giant when I knocked him through it.

I run down the muddy path, enjoying the sun and wind against my hide, roaring at my captors and sending them into a panic.

A young giant possessing either great bravery or stupidity comes charging toward me. There is something familiar about him. But it does not matter. He will fall before Kumagor just like all the others!

“Momotaro-sai,” the giant calls. “It is me. Ishiro! Please, calm down.”

He reaches me and tries to pull me to the earth.

A foolish race, these giants.

I grab him by the throat and squeeze. He struggles to free himself, but it is to no avail.

Your life is forfeit, giant!

Then pain explodes in the back of my head and I fall to the ground, unconscious.

When I awake again I’m I unable to move. I look down to see that I’m on back, my body tied with ironweed ropes anchored to the ground by multiple stakes.

Fury fills me and I begin to struggle against my bonds. One rope pops free. Then another.

Suddenly, the face of a beautiful young girl fills my field of vision.

“Raymond-sai,” she says. “It is I, Kitsune. Please! Relax. You are safe. It is okay. I’m here with you.”

“Raymond-sai? Who is—?” Then it all comes flooding back to me. My life back in the States. The plane crash. My time on Dragon Island. Kitsune. Ishiro. Ningai Ura. The Toho. Zodon. The labyrinth. And most of all, my time as the bear-dragon, Kumagor.

“I,” I stutter, “I’m all right, Kitsune. It’s me. Raymond. I’m back. Please, let me up.”

Kitsune gestures and the two Toho warriors standing guard within the grass hut housing us hurry forward and begin untying my bonds. By the time they finish, Tanuki has appeared within the doorway holding a basin of water.

He enters. Ishiro comes in behind him. There’s a bandage wound around his chest. A ring of purple bruises encircles his neck.

“Leave us,” Tanuki says.

The guards bow and then exit the hut.

I survey the dark bruises lining Ishiro’s throat.

“What happened to you?” I ask.

Ishiro utters a hoarse laugh. “You did!”

“Oh! I see. Sorry about that.”

“You were not yourself there for a while after the monk Mikoshi returned you to us, Momotaro-sai,” Tanuki says. “But it is good to see that you are now back in the realm of flesh and blood.” Tanuki holds out the basin to me. “Here. Wash your face.”

I sit up and start to slide my hands into the water, but freeze in mid-reach.

The face of the boy peering back at me from the water’s reflection is gaunt to the point of emaciation.

And his once black hair is now solid white.

“You have gazed upon the true face of Ryuu,” Tanuki says. “Not even the heir of Kintaro may do such a thing without finding at least a little death...one from which you have been lucky enough to be reborn.”

I frown and finish the act of reaching my hands into the water. I splash my face and then rub it vigorously, hoping the reflection I saw will wash off.

It doesn’t.

I finish, and Tanuki takes the bowl away.

“We Toho owe you a great debt, Momotaro-sai. As does your world and countless others beyond. Ask of us whatever you will. If it is in our power to grant it, we will do so.

“Tell us, what is it you desire most?”

“I—”

I look at each of their faces in turn, finishing with Kitsune’s. I can still see the guilt of her sister’s death in her eyes, weighing down her soul.

She has suffered enough.

We all have.

“I want to leave,” I say.

The four of them bow.

“But, before I do, there’s one last duty I must perform as the heir of Kintaro.

“Not as warrior, but as healer.”

I hold Ishiro’s gaze, then Tanuki’s, an unspoken understanding passing between the three of us.

The two of them nod and step aside.

“You are truly Kintaro’s heir and a man grown, Momotaro-sage.” Tanuki says.

I step forward and face Kitsune. She greets me with a forced smile. I take her by the shoulders and she gasps in surprise.

“Your sister’s death wasn’t your fault,” I say, my voice gentle but firm.

“Stop being silly, Raymond-sai.” She makes a half-hearted attempt to shake me off.

I hold on tight.

“Your sister’s death wasn’t your fault.” I say again.

“Stop it, Raymond-sai!” There’s venom in her voice now. She struggles hard, trying to get away.

I hug her to me.

“Your sister’s death wasn’t your fault.”

I feel her begin to tremble in my grasp. Volcanoes of emotion erupt inside her until at last they burst forth in shower of tears and wailing.

I stroke her hair and whisper into her ear.

“Your sister’s death wasn’t your fault.”

Kitsune throws back her head and bawls.

“It was not my fault!” she cries, years of shame and depression burning away from her heart. “Oh, Ramu! It was not my fault!”

I pull Kitsune even tighter and she sobs into my shoulder.

“Y
ou did not have to come up here with me,” I say. “It’s your birthday, for Pete’s sake!”

Kitsune and I walk arm-in-arm up the side of the volcano, her ceremonial crown of birthday flowers still in her hair. They are the last blossoms summer has to offer. There’s a cool snap in the air and the leaves on several of the trees along our trek have already changed from lush green into shades of red, orange, and gold.

Autumn is coming to
Dragon
Island
.

“I would not have had it any other way,” she says.

“Your father’ll be worried,” I say.

“My father will be fine,” she replies. “Anyway, he is just thankful you are leaving Kusanagi with Ishiro to help with the protection of the village. The mere sight of the sword should keep most predatory kaiju away.”

“Still, Kusanagi won’t be a substitute for real shobijin.”

Kitsune shrugs.

“True. But it will be some time before the twins are old enough to take up the mantle of shobijin—or for a new Gryphina egg to hatch, for that matter.”

I grin and wink at Kistune. “And of course the girls will need someone to train them. Someone they can look up to. Someone brave, and already wise in the ways of the
shobijin
.”

Kitsune blushes as she smiles warmly in return.

We reach the cave opening mid-way up the volcano’s side that leads into the deep labyrinth. The guardian Mikoshi sees us and bows. He steps back and disappears into the trees, leaving us alone.

Kitsune and I turn toward one another and clasp hands.

“Will you use the labyrinth to go home?” she asks.

“If I can. At least to start with. Mom would kill me if I didn’t use a place connecting all wheres and whens to return to her.”

“Will you not stay with your mother?” Kitsune asks.

I shrug. “...Maybe. But since I looked upon Ryuu’s true face, I...I’m different, Kitsune.” I pat the silver-white hair now growing from my head. “Both inside and out.

“I’m not the same little boy she watched board that plane at LAX.”

“She is your mother,” Kitsune says. “She will love you no matter who or what you are.”

“I know, I know.”

I sigh.

“But I’m just not sure California is where I belong anymore. At least, not in the long run.”

Kitsune moves her hands to my shoulders.

“You could stay with us—?”

“You know I can’t. What about—?”

Kitsune places her finger to my lips, shushing me. She leans forward and I share a real kiss with a girl for the first time in my life. It’s soft and gentle and heartbreaking.

I release Kitsune and turn away to walk into the cave without saying goodbye. When I look back, a fox with snow-colored fur stands in Kitsune’s place. Her crown of flowers rests at its feat.

The fox and I gaze at each other for an eternity-long moment. Then the down-furred creature scampers out of my sight forever.

I blow it a kiss though there’s no one left to see the gesture.

Then I turn away from Dragon Island, squaring my shoulders as I begin my long journey.