Ototo-shi returned home and was surprised to find it empty. He looked about the house briefly, but there was no sign of where his sisters had gone. He walked down the road to a small shop that Okusama frequently bought herbs from. Perhaps they were there. He stepped into the small building and approached the counter. The shop keeper gave him a puzzled look.

“Good day, Chiyu,” Ototo-shi said.

“Good day,” Chiyu replied. “How can I help you?”

“I was wondering if either of my sisters had come in today,” Ototo-shi said.

“Today?” Chiyu was obviously surprised. “Have you not heard?”

“Heard what?” Ototo-shi asked.

“The Guntai have arrested Ikasu and are putting him to death for the crime of casting magic!”

Ototo-shi gaped at him. How could this have happened?

“Witch Craft?” Ototo-shi whispered.

“Yes, the Guntai say that he used dark magic to heal you. They are looking for you too.”

“When? When is his –“ Ototo-shi choked on a sob.

“It was already scheduled to have happened.”

Ototo-shi turned and ran.

“Wait! You can’t go! They’re looking for you too!” Chiyu yelled after him.

Ototo-shi didn’t hear him. He could only hear his heart beating in his ears. He ran to the central square. That’s were all the executions were held. A large crowd stood tightly around the center of the square. He shoved his way through, but most stepped aside when they saw who he was. At the center of the crowd…

Ototo-shi fell to his knees and cried out. He closed his eyes, not wanting to see what they had done to him. Onna and Okusama came to him, but he didn’t notice their embrace or sobbing. How could this be? Why hadn’t God saved him? He looked down at his own scarred hands. Why had he been saved and not Ikasu?

“There can be no God who knows love and wills this,” Ototo-shi whispered.

“Hush,” Onna said, putting a hand over his mouth.

“You don’t know what you’re saying,” Okusama said.

He shoved them away.

“I know what I’m saying!” he yelled.

Ototo-shi stood and stumbled to where Ikasu’s limp body hung. He laid his hand gently on Ikasu’s face.

The Guntai moved through the crowd and made a circle around Ototo-shi. Onna grabbed Ototo-shi’s arm and tried to pull him away. Ototo-shi shoved her away again. Guards roughly dragged Onna and Okusama back. The Captain stepped forward.

“Ototo-shi, you are under arrest for the use of magic,” the Captain said.

Ototo-shi did not look at him. He began to carefully untie Ikasu as he spoke, “I have used no magic.”

“Then how do you explain your return from the grave?” the Captain asked.

“I cannot explain it.”

Ototo-shi gently laid Ikasu on the ground. He looked down at his friend as he spoke, “My testimony means nothing here.”

The Captain paused a moment then said, “You have been found guilty of the crime of the use of magic and have been sentenced to death.”

Ototo-shi laughed.

“Death?” he asked. He looked up at the Captain then and laughed again.

“Seize him!” the Captain ordered.

“Please!” Ototo-shi cried. The guards hesitated, looking to the Captain.

“Please, let my sisters take his body. Let him know peace at least in death,” Ototo-shi sobbed.

The Captain nodded and gestured for the guards to release his sisters. Onna and Okusama rushed forward. They embraced their brother and sobbed.

“Please, take him,” Ototo-shi said.

“I can’t let them kill you,” Onna said.

“We are powerless to stop them,” Ototo-shi whispered. “It is the will of God!”

Okusama and Onna carried Ikasu’s body back away from the crowd as the guards rushed in. They grabbed Ototo-shi by the arms and roughly shoved him back against the post where Ikasu had hung. He made no effort to stop them. He lifted his face to the sky and whispered, “God, I will not go into your embrace. Yours are the hands of suffering.”

The Captain drew his blade and quickly drew it across Ototo-shi’s neck. The pain was fierce and immediate, but it was brief.

Ototo-shi looked at his sisters and watched them wail for a moment. He wished that he could give them something to ease their suffering. He glanced back at his body and saw that they were tying it to the post as they had Ikasu. It didn’t matter. He knew that his sisters would give Ikasu a good resting place. He didn’t need the same.

He turned and walked towards the river. He followed it. He remembered the way, but no longer knew why he would go there. He would not enter the gates into God’s Kingdom of Rest. He wondered if someone would again come for him. He kept walking. It didn’t matter. They could do with him as they willed.

He approached the Guardian of the Center. The waters foamed and swirled around his feet. It sprayed up and misted down around him like rain.

“Ototo-shi,” the Guardian spoke. His voice boomed like thunder and whispered like rain.

Ototo-shi stopped just in front of the Guardian. He could feel the cool water falling on him. It was soothing.

“The gates to the Kingdom of Rest are opened to you. Enter into the embrace of God and know all this forever,” the Guardian said.

“I will not,” Ototo-shi said.

The Guardian nodded.

“Know that God has not turned from thee, but that you have turned from God,” the Guardian said.

Ototo-shi nodded.

“You may remain here, with me and remain in suffering, if you so choose. Or you may enter the embrace of the Goddess,” the Guardian said.

The Guardian gestured to the giant Tree that towered behind him.

“From her all things in creation flow. The great Waters of Life rush from her womb. She is the true beginning and end. Go to her and know the end of singular identity.”

“I don’t understand,” Ototo-shi said.

“She offers you the solace of the Original Unity. Return to her and know Oblivion.”

Ototo-shi left the Guardian. He walked up to the Tree and looked into the giant hole where the waters flowed out. He could see nothing. It was as if the entire universe ceased to be within the hole of the tree.

He stepped into the tree, leaving behind the hands of suffering…