[Keeno POV]

The four of us stepped behind the throne and immediately saw a door. It was very ornate and built into the giant window that was behind the throne and went all the way to the ground. The door was placed in the window in a way that looked like it was the beginning guns a path towards the floating castle.

 

“How subtle.” (Keeno)

 

I walked up to the door and touched it. The door instantly burst into flames and a few minutes later, the glass surrounding it either melted or broke.  The sound of shattering was louder than I expected, but at the moment I didn’t care. I was still fuming, and I just wanted to release some frustration.

 

“My Lady, I get that you are quite…upset at the moment, but please at least turn down the heat a bit. Your clothes are starting to burn.” (Emma)

 

Hearing Emma’s words, I looked down and saw she was right. Though the important places were still covered, the rest of my clothes were basically worthless now.

 

“*Sigh*I really need to find a place that has fireproof clothes.” (Keeno)

 

{I’ll add that to the list of places I’m going to take you next time we see each other.}

 

“Sounds good.” (Keeno)

 

I stepped through the hole in the wall and around a corner before I removed my useless clothes and changed into some new ones.  After I was done with that I looked up and saw a hallway lined with yet more stained glass, only these all had depictions of the king.  Just seeing this pissed me off more, so as we went, I made sure to melt each and every one of the windows.

 

“Ya know, I’m glad we’re getting this one out of the way. No offense, Keeno, but seeing you so angry so often is really not nice. I miss seeing you smile and, Lady Amaterasu save me, your teasing.” (Pram)

 

{Why are you asking me to save you?  You know I’d happily join in on Keeno’s teasing.}

 

“YOU KNOW WHAT I MEANT!” (Pram)

 

{Hehehehe.}

 

“Hehe.  I agree, Pram. I really do. Though, honestly, I wasn’t expecting to be this angry constantly either. I knew I’d be far from happy, sure, but this near constant boiling rage is exhausting.  Though admittedly, the throne room debacle aside, it’s calmed down quite considerably. Killing the Taboo Breaker really helped dispel a lot of grudge.” (Keeno)

 

“That’s good. Guess collecting so much of it in one place does the job well.” (Freya)

 

“Well enough at least, though honestly, I’m sick of this place. I just want out.” (Keeno)

 

“Sounds like you need a break, my Lady.” (Emma)

 

“I’d love one. No offense to you three, but I’d really just like a day with Ama and myself.  Good thing Solar Convergence isn’t too far off, but I’m impatient.” (Keeno)

 

“No offense taken. You deserve it. And besides, it would give me and Freya some time to ourselves as well.” (Pram)

 

“I quite like that idea, though I’d prefer we go on a date somewhere not in this country.” (Freya)

 

“Seconded.” (Pram)

 

“Gah!  I’m surrounded by people with partners.” (Emma)

 

“There’s always Selkie.” (Keeno)

 

“No.  I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it now, I never felt for her that way, and besides, since my looks have changed, she’s become all distant. Still treats me the same, but that sparkle disappeared.” (Emma)

 

“Maybe she figured out what she felt wasn’t love?” (Pram)

 

“Probably.” (Freya)

 

“Well, as long as we stay friends, I’m fine with that.” (Emma)

 

I was about to add my own thoughts to this topic, but before I could, we exited the hallway we’d been following. Outside the rather simple door we were faced with a very windy canyon with a well-traveled bridge going up into the clouds around the peaks of the mountains.

 

“…” (Keeno)

 

{Keeno, you’re getting that look again.}

 

“What look?” (Fu)

 

{The one she gets when she finds something she thinks is exciting.}

 

“You sun foxes and your moods. How can she go from boiling mad to bouncing excitement so fast!?” (Moco)

 

{…}

 

“Don’t say anything, I realized it just as the words left my mouth.” (Moco)

 

“At least you’re self aware. Not that it’s a bad thing.  By the way, how is Ortlinde? She’s been quiet for a while.” (Keeno)

 

“She’s doing good, she was with Red a little while ago and they played around a bit before tiring themselves out. Now they are napping next to each other in a nice sunny spot. Honestly, I’m kind of tempted to join them. Rasu’s place is always peak napping space.” (Moco)

 

“Too bad you have to keep watching this, Moco, Imma go nap with them!” (Fu)

 

“TRAITOR!” (Moco)

 

“When it comes to napping with your family in the best sunny spots in all the Divine Domain, alls fair in Fluff and War.” (Fu)

 

“I’M LITERALLY WAR ITSELF!” (Moco)

 

“Wahahahahaha!” (Fu)

 

“Can you two keep it down, please.  All this yelling is giving me a headache and killing the excitement of this wonderful bridge into mystery.” (Keeno)

 

““Sorry.”” (Fu and Moco)

 

“Oh, Freya, stick close to Pram, she’s not great with stuff like this.” (Keeno)

 

“Oh?” (Freya)

 

“Yep.  I hate all this high up stuff.  Never have, never will.” (Pram)

 

“Adorable.” (Freya)

 

“Well, no way but up.  Onward!” (Keeno)

 

I took one step onto the bridge, and my sense of excitement diminished some.

 

“…What a let down. No creak or noise of stress. Where is the fun in that?” (Keeno)

 

I continued up the bridge, the others trailing behind me at a slower pace.  About 15 minutes later, I made it to the cloud layer and started to push through the clouds.  I was actually a bit chilly, so I increased the heat around me.  A few minutes in and I felt like I passed through some kind of barrier.

 

“So, there was the border to the Dead Zone.” (Keeno)

 

{Hehehe.  I hope you’re ready, Keeno.}

 

“For what?” (Keeno)

 

{You’ll see.}

 

As soon as Ama’s words were said, I exited the cloud layer, and my eyes went wide. Towering in front of me was a wall made of ancient looking stone. It had pictures carved into it like some of the ancient buildings in my past life with so much detail they almost looked alive.

 

“Amaterasu Okami, you’re telling me this Dead Zone is an ancient floating sky ruin!” (Keeno)

 

{It is indeed.}

 

“I could push you down and do many things to you right now if only you were here. This is making all the annoyance of Falheim worth it.” (Keeno)

 

{That’s why I never told you what the Dead Zone here was specifically. I knew this reaction would be worth it.}

 

As I was admiring any would be archaeologists’ dream of a structure, the others finally caught up.

 

“…” (Emma)

 

“This is…” (Freya)

 

“…” (Pram)

 

I turned around to see the others’ reactions. Emma looked amazed while Freya was shocked, and Pram was being held in a Princess carry with her eyes shut tightly.

 

“Are we on good ground again?” (Pram)

 

“I wouldn’t open your eyes just yet.” (Freya)

 

“Mm-hmm.” (Pram)

 

Chuckling inwardly at Pram being cute, I looked around for a way to get up the wall and noticed that just behind the carved statues were things that looked like stairs.  Following them, I saw what looked like the ends of a bridge that had rotted away and fallen.  I walked over to that spot and looked from where I was standing and the gap to the ruins.  I nodded my head and summoned one of my Soul Weapons. I backed up a little and then started to sprint. When I hit the edge, I leapt and threw my sword into the wall. It stuck and held and once I stopped swinging like a pendulum, I started to climb. After a few minutes I clambered onto the bottom steps of the ruin.

 

“Well, that was fun, though now my arms are sore.” (Keeno)

 

{I give it an 8 out of 10. You could have added more flare.}

 

“Hehe.” (Keeno)

 

{Pfft.}

 

Turning around, I took out some rope and one of the stakes we use for our tents, and I stabbed it into the stone.  I made sure it was secure then tied the rope around it before dropping the rest off the edge.

 

“…My Lady, no offense, but you are insane.  I’ve done some crazy things in life, but never something like this, and I really don’t feel like trying it.” (Emma)

 

“I would join, but I feel if I do, Pram is going to kill me.” (Freya)

 

“And I’m not even going to say anything.  I can’t see what any of you are talking about, but knowing Keeno, it’s something I’m definitely not comfortable with, so I’m not even going to say anything more.” (Pram)

 

“…” (Keeno)

 

{You can summon Emma to you.}

 

“That sound fine, Emma?” (Keeno)

 

“Yeah.” (Emma)

 

“I think Pram and I will stay here.  You go on ahead and get what you need to get done, done.  If something happens, we’ll make sure you can at least find your way back to the bridge.” (Freya)

 

“Got it.  I’ll let you two know if anything happens on my end.” (Keeno)

 

I started to walk up the aged steps being careful not to step on any spots that were clearly unstable.  I also inspected some of the statues while I was at it.

 

“Greek sculptors, eat your hearts out.  These are so well done it’s almost like these are actual people and animals.  Like, seriously, it’s insane.” (Keeno)

 

{This place’s people were very artistic in their time.  This castle and its walls were their magnum opus.  It was the work of every citizen and took several hundred years to complete, but they managed.  Honestly, they were very entertaining to observe, it’s a shame how they ended, with this place being the last piece of art every created by them.}

 

“Is that why there is a Dead Zone here?” (Keeno)

 

{Partly.  It was mostly because this was the place where a large amount of people died in the Fiend Season.  That’s what whipped out that civilization.}

 

“And there aren’t any other pieces from these people left behind anywhere else?” (Keeno)

 

{Not to my knowledge, though the God of Art might have tasked his Apostle to find and collect as much of it as possible and I didn’t know.  Don’t know the guy well enough to ask and don’t really feel like getting to know him better either.  He’s always been…eccentric.}

 

“How eccentric are we talking here?” (Keeno)

 

{First thing he asks anyone he meets for the first time is if he can paint them naked.  Every.  Single.  Time.}

 

“…” (Keeno)

 

{I know what you’re thinking, and yes, and don’t try it, he’s had it happen several times over, it just gives him more inspiration.}

 

“Tch.  Guess his eyes are going to stay in his head then.” (Keeno)

 

{Enough about him, you figured out how to summon Emma yet, or do you want my help?}

 

“I think I have an idea.” (Keeno)

 

I soon found myself closing in on the top of the stairs and what I saw when I finally reached the top astounded me.  The entire place was perfectly preserved, like not a single day had gone by.  Not fading from the suns, no cracks, not chips, not deteriorated paints, nothing.

 

“How is the top like this when the walls and stairs down aren’t?  What kind of sorcery is this!?” (Keeno)

 

{I may have added some slight preservation elements to this Dead Zone, but only to the area where I liked.  I didn’t really care for the sides all that much since, after a while of seeing those statues, they get kind of creepy.}

 

As I was admiring the scenery, I started to notice that the shadows seemed to be moving, and when I concentrated harder on them, I saw they were full of souls of varying shades of grey and black.

 

“Seem’s like even the Death Spirits understood the meaning you put into the Dead Zone here since they’re trying to stay out of sight as much as possible.” (Keeno)

 

{Such considerate little things.}

 

I admired the scenery a little more before getting back on track with what I had to do.  I closed my eyes and focused on my connection with Emma.  I then pictured myself pulling on it and a few seconds later, Emma let out a surprised noise.

 

“Wah!” (Emma)

 

“It worked!  Yay!” (Keeno)

 

{Good job.}

 

“You can praise me more.” (Keeno)

 

{You did so wonderfully, Keeno.  You’re amazing, and beautiful, and cute, and I want nothing more than to just pull you close and kiss you all day and night for all eternity.}

 

“Ehehehe.” (Keeno)

 

“…I feel like I shouldn’t be seeing this, yet I love that I’m finally getting to see a side of you that I’ve never seen before.” (Emma)

 

“*Ahem*Now, let’s go!” (Keeno)

 

“…Not even going to acknowledge what I said?” (Emma)

 

“Now, let’s go!” (Keeno)

 

“I’ll take that as a no.” (Emma)

 

Chaos Realm:

Tamamo: It’s good to see Keeno get to let loose a bit more in Falheim.

Luna: Yeah.  And I can totally tell that once she’s out, she’s going to flirt with Amaterasu and tease the others so much that it’ll drive normal people insane.

Tamamo: It’s never good to keep it all bottled up like that.

Luna: Exactly.  She should let her Kitsune Nature out.

Atmos: I just got chills.  Why did I just get chills?

Luna: No idea, just go back to watching whatever it is you’re watching.

Atmos: Oki.