The ritual to become an adult was meant for one to prove themselves not only before the Inyankarans, for nobody but your mentor would go together with you. It was a ritual meant to prove yourself in front of the gods—gods recognized across the whole of Inyankara as being the forces of nature.
Be it coincidence or not, those gods truly existed, even if the form they took may have been different from what was being taught across these lands.
To go on a pilgrimage meant you had the ability to move forward. It meant you could strive to survive even under the toughest circumstances and also had the means to do so.
Once the pilgrimage was completed, it wasn't only the clan acknowledging you, but the gods themselves. Or that's what the Inyankarans thought at least.
The ritual, this time, would not take a full day as per usual. That's because the boy-turning-man had already been through it once. Just like last time, Nayavu lifted the torch, and Tiva let go of his hand, stepping back to let the boy have his moment of glory.
Around them, everyone sang and cheered, rooting for the boy who had saved their country from tyranny and had given them the chance to rebuild.
Although days were getting shorter, the sun didn't forget to shine on the boy. It shone bright, as bright as the moment would allow it, for it would have been impolite to shine brighter than the star of the show.
It happened a mere second before Nayavu would have completed the ritual. The boy's muscles twitched, ready to throw the torch into the fire.
It happened a mere second before the boy could get the blessing of the gods and become an adult for the first time in who knows how long.
It happened by the hand of one of those gods, for one of them was now walking the mortal realm unbeknownst to anyone.
Thunder resounded throughout the plains, and a hole opened up in Nayavu's chest. For a moment, everything went silent. Nayavu started losing blood, and his confused look let everyone around know that this was not some sort of joke planned by teacher and pupil.
It took a mere moment to burn away Nayavu's heart, and it took one more moment for the world around to react. Tatanka got up and ran towards the killer. He rushed to attack Ayanda, as if doing anything to her would bring the boy his heart back. It was uncharacteristic for the great Tatanka-Ska to lose his cool, but that served as all the more proof that he was angered.
Once again, 'his' fate was cemented as being completely ridiculous.
Tiva didn't waste any time either. It took her only a moment to start running towards Nayavu. That moment was enough for tears to burst forth and for the young woman to start screaming and crying in agony. It was uncharacteristic for Tiva to lose her smile, but that served as all the more proof that she was in pain.
Once again, 'his' fate was cemented as being completely ridiculous.
Everyone around had their words taken away by shock. The only shouts that could be heard were Tiva's, Tatanka's, and an animal's scream that came from the forest nearby. Soon after glancing at the Thunder God, Nayavu fell on his back. His head hit the ground, and it was soon after that Tiva lifted it and placed it on her lap.
Behind them, Tatanka swung his axe at the woman who had become a god.
The god stayed unfazed, letting the hit smack Her helmet off Her head. As Nayavu had already noticed, She now wore a purple glow in her eyes, and from those eyes flowed out but a single stream of tears.
Tatanka tried to get another hit in, but it was clear the woman wouldn't let herself be punished anymore. She simply took to the skies, leaving everyone else powerless to reach her, but making sure not even the giant before her would get hurt.
The only exception to this was Tahu, who took to the skies just as fast, trying to strike down the woman who had hurt his partner, but it was a known fact that nobody could beat a representative with their own element, and a god was one step above that. Still, the woman let herself be hit once, the strike leaving a burnt scar on her cheek.
After that, Ayanda vanished. No one, not even Tahu, knew where to. It took her a mere moment to strike 'him' down and but a mere moment to disappear.
*****
When the boy opened his eyes again, it was because warm tears fell on his forehead. He opened them to see a woman's head casting a shadow over his eyes.
Ah… Tiva…
It was a sight he never thought he would get to see. A crying Tiva was the last thing he wanted to have etched in his memory, but she was there, crying for something Nayavu was yet to comprehend.
It's cold…
The autumn breeze brought with it golden leaves. It was a chill breeze, but that wasn't the reason Nayavu felt chills.
I see…
Nayavu's ability to think clearly left him soon after Ayanda struck, but some thoughts still lingered.
"It's beautiful," the boy whispered, no words getting past his pierced throat.
What Nayavu was talking about, nobody but him understood.
"Death… it's beautiful…"
At that moment, Nayavu understood death. Death was yellow. It was orange. It had a bit of red. In the end, death was brown.
One leaf of each color covered the boy's wound. They weren't green anymore. They wilted, and one by one, they died.
Even so… it's beautiful…
The dying forest was a sad sight. It always saddened 'him' to know that winter was on its way, for in winter, everything seemed dead. 'He' hated death, and that made 'him' hate winter.
Yet 'he' only now understood; winter was like a long night. Instead of dying, everything went into deep slumber.
The boy felt the same—he felt sleepy. His eyelids felt heavy, so he wanted to close them. The one thing keeping him from doing so was the girl above him, who couldn't stop her tears from flowing as she repeated his name.
With what little strength he had left, Nayavu lifted his arm, touching Tiva's face, and wiping away her tears.
"In spring…" the boy's lips contoured. Of course, Tiva had no idea what that meant, and her tears didn't stop. She simply grabbed onto the boy's cold hand and shouted louder, begging Nayavu not to leave her.
One day, it was green. The next, it turned golden and sleepy. Soon enough, it turned brown, but it left something behind.
Death left behind a bulb, and from that bulb new life would bloom. That was 'his' curse—to always fall asleep, yet always wake up. Summer was over, and the chilly weather gave the boy the sign to close his eyes.
It was an unfair curse. A curse 'he'd' had for as long as 'he' could remember, yet 'he' had never found an explanation for it.
Many times, 'he' had pondered on reincarnation. This time, as his consciousness drifted away, he did the same thing.
Maybe I'm the only one who remembers…
He'd thought about that many times. Maybe everyone died all the same, but 'he' was the only one who would awaken again and again.
No…
But that didn't track, for 'his' deaths were always fated to come early. What's more, now 'he' knew that he was being hunted. Every time 'he' awakened, fate would have 'him' give himself away, and every time 'he' did so, death would certainly reach 'him'.
This time, like many others before, death was delivered by a representative. Nayavu had put his trust into that representative, as she has had many chances to kill him, yet she let the boy live.
In the end, she had only made a compromise for him, so he reclaim his country.
No…
That also felt wrong. There was something else, and it was related to Ayanda's never-before-seen grief. She was weeping as she'd killed her pupil. He knew her well. For that woman, rules mattered little. She trusted in her strength that it would take her above those rules, and that was all the more true now that she was a god.
That's it…
At that moment, a final push of Nayavu's brain presented the boy with the answer he was looking for.
"Haha…"
Upon realizing the real reason for Ayanda's actions, the boy's tired expression dared to smile one last time. In his last moments, 'he' had come to understand whom 'he' was actually fighting against. It was a ridiculous fight, a fight where he stood no chance.
Hence why Nayavu smiled. He would have laughed, if he could, for in front of the ridiculous, all you can do is laugh.
If that's the case, I forgive you, master…
The last answer 'he' was looking for in this life came to 'him.' For Nayavu, that was more than enough, so he let his eyelids fall.
Or he would have done so, if not for a couple of slaps on the face that made his eyes open wide again.
"Nayavu… o… up! Plea…! Don't …. me!"
Ah… Tiva…
It was the girl who had fought next to him. Once again, she was fighting—she was fighting to keep the boy from drifting away, slapping his face and shouting at him.
It was too late, and that made Nayavu feel guilty. 'His' curse was an unfair one, and that was true for not only 'him' but also everyone around.
Nayavu was going to depart the world of the living, and while 'he' will for sure come back, it wouldn't be next to her. This was their final goodbye, yet Nayavu couldn't even speak. His smile was already on, so he kept it there a little longer, trying to have Tiva do the same.
Finally, the girl caught on, and although her facial muscles trembled in refusal, she smiled back. Through the tears, she kept a brave face for her little brother.
"…!"
What she said went unheard, for the boy had lost his ability to hear, but what she wanted to say was clear.
"Take care in the next one, Nayavu!"
"Yes! I will!" the boy answered in his head, letting his spirit sink into darkness.
That day, Inyankara was given a second chance, yet the hero who was to be celebrated for it had been killed by a god. It was a beautiful, beautiful golden wilting.
That day, Nayavu wilted away, and with his death came a promise from the girl closest to him.
"When me meet again, let it be with a smile!"