He walked on.
Even after dawn broke, he walked. Even though his legs ached, he walked. To deliver the God of the Waterway, he walked.
The pouch remained cold. The God of the Waterway was asleep. Having used up all its strength, it was sleeping.
"...Just a little more," Koyoi murmured.
"...Just a little more, and we'll be there."
A sound echoed through the forest.
The sound of water. Somewhere, water was flowing. A clear sound, like a small stream.
Koyoi stopped. He strained his ears.
"...The sound of water."
Suddenly, the pouch grew warm.
"Ngh!"
Koyoi pressed a hand to his chest. The cold pouch had suddenly regained its warmth.
"...Waterway?"
"...The sound... of water."
A faint voice. The voice of the God of the Waterway.
"Are you awake?"
"...Yeah."
"Are you okay?"
"...I'm okay."
The voice was still weak. But it was better than before.
"...It's here," the God of the Waterway said.
"...My place."
The forest opened up.
A stream was flowing. Clear water. Translucent water. It sparkled as it caught the morning sun.
Koyoi walked along the stream. The sound of the flowing water was pleasant. The cold air felt pure.
"...Further ahead," the voice said.
"...It's further ahead."
Following the stream, the waters began to gather. The thin flow merged into a larger current.
Before long, a spring came into view.
It was a small spring.
About ten meters in diameter. Surrounded by moss-covered rocks. A willow tree draped its branches over the water. Ferns spread their lush green fronds from the gaps in the rocks. The air by the water was cool and crisp; a deep breath felt as if it purified him to the depths of his chest.
The surface was calm. It was perfectly clear, visible all the way to the bottom. In the center, water was bubbling up from below.
The morning sun illuminated the surface. Golden light danced upon the water.
"...Here," the voice of the God of the Waterway trembled.
"...My place."
The pouch was warm. He could feel the god's joy.
"We made it," Koyoi said.
"...Yeah."
The voice of the God of the Waterway.
"...You brought me... here."
He knelt by the edge of the spring.
He removed the pouch from his chest. He placed it on the palm of his hand.
It was light. Only the weight of the God of the Waterway. But it was certainly there.
"Waterway," Koyoi spoke to the pouch.
"...Yeah."
"...I'll miss you."
"...Me too."
Silence. Only the sound of the water echoed.
"...But," the voice said.
"...I'm happy."
"Happy?"
"...That I could come here."
"...To a place... where I can flow."
That was it. The God of the Waterway had wanted to flow. It had wanted to flow freely.
"I'll deliver you now," Koyoi said.
"...Yeah."
He reached for the string of the pouch. Slowly, he opened it.
A blue light spilled out.
It was dazzling, yet warm. The light of the God of the Waterway.
The light drifted out from the pouch. Toward the surface of the water, slowly. A sphere of blue light was floating.
"Waterway," Koyoi watched the light.
The light moved. It descended toward the spring. It touched the water.
The surface of the spring shone.
The blue light dissolved into the water. The God of the Waterway was becoming one with the spring.
The entire spring glowed blue. A soft light. A gentle light. The light of the God of the Waterway.
"Thank you, Koyoi."
A voice was heard. A voice coming from the surface of the water.
"...For bringing me here."
"...For letting me flow."
The voice of the God of the Waterway. But it was more distant now. It echoed from within the spring.
"...It's me who should say thank you," Koyoi spoke toward the spring.
"...You made a path for me."
"...Yeah."
"...At that time... I wanted to save you."
"...You, Koyoi."
The reason the God of the Waterway had used its power. The reason it had broken the siege. To save Koyoi.
"Thank you."
Tears spilled from Koyoi's eyes.
"Truly... thank you."
The light of the spring gradually faded. But it did not disappear. The God of the Waterway was here.
"Waterway," Koyoi wiped his tears.
"...Will we meet again?"
Silence. Only the sound of water.
"...We will."
The voice of the God of the Waterway returned. A distant voice. But a certain one.
"...We'll meet again."
"When?"
"...At the time of Kamiatsume."
Kamiatsume. Koyoi knew that word. The Gathering of Gods. The time when all the gods would assemble.
"When is the time of Kamiatsume?"
"...I don't know."
"...But it will come."
"...It will surely come."
The voice grew even more distant. It was dissolving. Dissolving into the spring.
"...I'll be waiting."
The final words.
"...At the time of Kamiatsume... once more."
And then, the voice could no longer be heard.
The spring was quiet. It sparkled in the morning sun. It was a little bluer than before.
The God of the Waterway was here. Within this spring, it remained. It was flowing.
Koyoi squeezed the empty pouch. It was light. There was no one inside. Only the texture of the cloth remained on his palm. He was surprised, almost as if for the first time, at how light the pouch was after having been so heavy for so long. Shiori, the God of the Shrine, and the God of the Waterway.
He had delivered them all. He had brought each of them to their respective places. But it was not over. The God of the Waterway had said:
"We'll meet again at the time of Kamiatsume."
Kamiatsume. Someday, when all the gods would gather. Until then, he would wait.
Koyoi stood up. He stared into the spring.
"See you again," Koyoi said.
"...At the time of Kamiatsume."
The surface of the water rippled once, ever so slightly. As if in reply.
He felt that the pouch, which should have been empty, had grown just a tiny bit warmer with the weight of that promise of reunion.