Quoted By:
A lifetime has passed since you began your journey, but now you are closer then ever to reach your destination. You stand upon the precipice of where you first spoke to the shrine maiden, and entered the maze of alleys that will lead you to her now. Water continuously rushes past you and into the ally pulling you forward. You didn't notice it then, but you certainly do now, these alleys all go slightly downhill and have become a convergence point for all the rainwater. As you head downwards, it soon becomes easier to swim then walk. Even deeper, there is no choice but to do so.
The architecture here was old and ill maintained, so now most of it swims with you in the water. Beams, roof tiles, and pieces of wall compete with space on the waters surface, forcing you to dive into the waters depths and risk not being able to find a place to surface. In the water, splinters cloud everything making it impossible to open your eyes. Every dive is a roll of the dice, but you are given little choice. Struggle on you do, and more then once the flip of the coin leaves you dangerously close to death. The journey to the maiden is winding and unintuitive, but you have remembered it from time spent walking with her. You swim through passageways that are not meant to conceal, but inadvertently do so. You fight through a street that snakes in on itself. And dive through a passage hidden by a hollowed out house. Until you rise to the surface of the water and see it before you. The shrine stands upon a hill and the water rises to consume it. Jakuchō sits at her usual place, praying to the sky. From what you can see, her prayers have gone unanswered.
You swim until you can walk and call her name. Deep in her prayers, she does not hear you. You call her name again, and this time take her arm. It is enough for her to know you.
"Swordsman? You yet live. But you should not have come, I am trapped here."
"Not trapped, I know a way out. Come with me, I will take you to safety."
She pulls herself free. "No, the river has come for his temple and for me. To die in this place is my destiny, I will at last be free…"
"Fool women! You will not die here today" You once again take hold of Jakuchō and a struggle ensues. She does not wish to leave, and you do not wish to harm her. The women has gone partially mad!
Jakuchō cries to the heavens above. "No, I cannot leave. Away with you, my time has come. Take me! Free me from this place, please! I no longer have the strength to carry on!"
You cannot take her through the turbulent water like this, perhaps the tree? You can attempt to tie her to the top of the damn thing!
