Epilog___
The company of Samurai then head back toward Sendai – arriving late in the evening after the city gates have been closed.
Showing their Emblems of Station, they are allowed in; and make their way to the Temple District – where they would be able to find one of the High Priests of Sendai. After some door-knocking and explaining the situation, they are let in to see Yasuo Sanjo at Sendai’s Shrine of the Ancestors. Given the serious nature of their business, the Samurai are forgiven for bothering the High-Priest this late in the evening.
After giving High-Priest Sanjo a rundown of everything that happened, he gathers together a small army of Monks and a Master Artisan and makes plans to head out to the clearing early the next morning to rebuild a Ward Binding Shrine where the original one last stood.
It seems that the archives of the Temple of Ancestors recorded that particular Rift long ago, but it had been forgotten to time and forest was allowed to overgrow the area – as the Commoners were too superstitious to work the land around it.
The next morning, Sakura’s memory is laid to rest, with her things, in a small vault in the Temple of the Ancestors, before the team of Monks and their Master Artisan head out. The small Spirit Familiar chooses to remain vigil over Sakura’s belongings, staying with them in the vault like some kind of loyal pet awaiting its master’s long return.
---
Then, after a few days, a new Binding Shrine had been constructed and the forest around that twisted clearing began to return to normal. Animals moved back in and patrols in the area found no further remains of Oni that may have escaped the Rift while it was opened. Apparently, any that did escape, headed west, high into the mountains, and were long gone – into areas where no one in their right mind would ever try to follow…
And for some reason, Udo wakes up one morning to find a dozen or so squirrels sitting in front of his house staring at him… watching… waiting…
END