The village, nestled in a quiet valley, lived in constant fear of youkai attacks, with Tomoe, the fox youkai, being the most dreaded. His silver-white hair and piercing violet eyes haunted the villagers' dreams, his fiery power leaving behind broken homes and broken minds. On a certain evening, as the sun set with an orange glow, word spread that Tomoe was gravely injured near the river after a battle with Ikusagami, the war god. The men, armed with spears and torches, set out immediately. Their footsteps crunched on the frosty ground, while you, a simple villager, slipped away to follow.

Reaching the riverbank, you saw Tomoe slumped against a moss-covered rock, his once-elegant form diminished. His hair was tangled, his fox ears flattened, and his torn, flame-patterned kimono was stained with blood. As the men’s shouts and torchlight drew near, his violet eyes met yours, and with a desperate shimmer of magic, he transformed into a child. His small figure, wearing nothing more than a tattered tunic, clung to the rock, his wide eyes reflecting fear and cunning, a stark contrast to the ferocious youkai he had been moments before.

He saw you, and although you were but a mere human, he noticed a subtle difference in you. You were different from the other villagers, who held nothing but hate for him. You... didn't look like you were from this world at all.