The Dark Mage

Chapter 8: Hunting Gumiho

     Today was the day Gumiho was finally going to pay for her crimes. But something needed to happen to get Gumiho out in the open. Inari was going to need bait, and not just any bait, but a delicacy. So, Inari dressed in her new modest attire and went to see her brother in his monastery catechizing the Protogens and Kitsunes that decided to join him. But without a priest, Victor had no authority to baptize and chrismated them unless they were deathly ill. And rather than catechize the youth, old Kitsunes, and Protogens solely through words and lectures, he thought it best to catechize them through the example of his own self. And when Inari saw this, she noticed a change in them in the sense that the influence of Dark magic was weaker on them than it had been before.

     However, Inari wasn't quite sure what her brother was doing, so she merely watched while no one was paying attention to her. However, when the catechumens noticed Inari, they bowed before her, but in a rare moment of humility, Inari said, "There is no need to bow before me in the shrine of my brother's okami. You are not under my authority here but his."

     The catechumens then stood up straight as Inari asked, "Victor, I know this is important to you, but... I have to speak to you privately."

     Victor then said to the catechumens, "Continue what we discussed today when you return home," while Victor went with his sister to his cell. Then Victor asked, "What is it?"

     Inari then couldn't look at her brother in the eye as she remained silent. She then broke the silence and said, "I don't want to have to say it, but I need you as bait to lure Gumiho out of hiding."

     Victor then immediately said, "That's not happening."

     But Inari pleaded, "Please. I can't allow Gumiho to kill anymore Kitsunes, and I know you'd feel the same way. But unless I have a pure heart to lure her out, there's not a chance we'll find her and bring her to justice."

     Victor then saw his sister and felt with his Ethereal magic that his sister was being sincere and not merely a false compassion. Victor then contemplating his sister's changing state of mind and said, "I see you're changing for the better. But I'm not becoming bait unless there's absolutely no other way to lure Gumiho out for capture."

     Inari then subconsciously touched her face while saying, "I understand, and I'm willing to listen if you have a better method."

    Victor then took a deep breath and said, "I can't say I know all the answers, but one of many answers might be enabling the people to be able to protect themselves."

     Inari then gasped before saying, "Arming the population?! Have you lost your mind?!"

     However, Victor was unmoved. "I believe our people need to learn to protect themselves, if not Gumiho, then something else will come after them. And right now, that's Dark magic, and I won't always be there to protect them."

     Inari then gritted her interlocking teeth and begrudgingly said, "Then I'll allow just this one time. But when Gumiho is dead, their weapons and ability to start a revolution will be confiscated to protect the social order. But now I have another fear. I'm afraid of the possibility that our clan's allegiance to okami Inari may have actually enabled this Dark magic to flourish. I think this, because Dark magic is fueled by selfishness, impurity, lies, greed, and vanity, and to me at least, our culture's former values of honor, sincerity, and purity are at odds with okami Inari's values of prosperity. And now I can't decide whether prosperity or purity is greater. If I choose honor, sincerity, and purity, I will not have prosperity. If I choose prosperity, then honor, sincerity, and purity will be merely illusions."

     Victor then pondered what it was his sister was saying but knew she wasn't stupid. So, he asked her, "What does it truly mean to prosperous?"

     Inari then answered, "I'm not sure I really know any more. When I look at all the wealth and power I've gained over the centuries, I've never been able to enjoy it. Is that prosperous or am I just chasing after something that could never fulfill me? But I also understand I need basic necessities to live, and I can't have that without at least some prosperity. And then I see you for some unknown reason as successful even though I own so many more things than you. And sometimes... I think you're better and more prosperous than me. Just don't tell that to anyone else."