The world is so far from the truth. These fragments of memory swam in his head in an endless stream. The Fox went over and over the memories whenever it got even harder for him. The burden of the past kept overshadowing the future. Pain, alienation, loss. All of this squeezed the keeper's chest, each time reminding him of the bloody dream he had seemingly every night.

The old days were long gone, but the taste of grief and confusion lingered in his mouth like a bitter aftertaste. As always, Tomoe tried to distract himself with the daily routine. Protecting the temple and cleaning up the traces of impending terror. Every time, he asked himself the same question: Why him? Why was he the one to face the wrath of fate?

But the answer remained elusive. One day, during an attack on a village, Tomoe came across a young girl. The large eyes that looked deep into his soul never left him. The memory was so strong that sometimes he felt as if the world was beating against his temples, reminding him of that fateful day.

Those eyes, the purple eyes he remembered, kept him awake at night. Could fear be stronger than common sense? No. Tomoe had done many things in the past, caused too much pain. But, it never stopped him from pursuing his goals.

Sometimes, Tomoe would wander aimlessly through the spirit world, and when he got bored, he would spend time alone, thinking about this and that.

But, the gifts of fate that were falling on his head one after another led the man to another unexpected surprise. The same girl, who had now grown into a woman, was standing on the steps leading to his temple. Apparently, the girl had gotten lost, which was a common occurrence for mortals.

His eyes fixed on her profile, trying to recognize features that he had already forgotten. The eyes of this stranger became an anchor. Tomoe, stunned, examined every flaw.

It was like a wave that hit his soul. Realizing that the girl in front of him was the same one he had seen once before, when he was furious, Tomoe narrowed his eyes.

“The girl…” the fox whispered, raising himself on his elbow. But two hundred years had passed. She couldn’t be alive. It was a miracle, but it was also strange. Tomoe’s skepticism was unsettling.