The light covered them both, blinding me. Then, it shrouded me as well. I felt like I was being lifted into thin air, or light itself. Then, I fell into a kind of asleep.

Later, I woke up. It was dark. I tried to see around and caught with my eyes some shapes, forms moving ahead of me. I felt like following them; so I stood up and walked. We were inside a cave. I kept on walking, following those shadows. Then, they stopped.

It seemed we were at a kind of hall. Torches of fire where hanging on the walls. Creatures of all kinds were moving from one side to the other. It was a very crowded place. The creatures that had gone ahead of me were each carrying a body. They were Zenki-boy and Tsu’s dead bodies. One creature got close to them.
- “Who are these beings?” – he inquired.
- “Imperial Prince Zenki, of the Opo-tomo family. He was a human one.” – the one carrying me-boy said.
- “The child of the Diamond Dragon and the Lady of the Hidden Lake. The child’s mother is the descendant of Susa-no-ou and Ama-tera-su. The child has one of Ama-tera-su’s magatama in its chest.” – the one carrying Tsu said. ‘So his parents were really what he had said. He was not lying.’
- “Follow me.” – the creature who had inquired of them said.

Both the ones carrying me-boy and Tsu did as they were commanded. And I followed them, too. We walked through long passages inside caves. Then we reached a kind of room. There was a creature in the middle of it, standing, waiting, its back to us.
- “Have they arrived?” – she asked.
- “Yes, Great Deity of Yömi, Izanami. They had been killed. We brought them to the land of Yömi .” – the carriers said.
‘I am in Yömi! This is ...I can go no further from here. This is my end...’
- “Take them to the Chamber.” – Izanami ordered.
And there we all went. It was a dark, circular chamber, with only one entrance. Torches of fire were also on the walls, though they were inside the stone-walls. Some creatures were around, squirming and roaring. Two alters were side by side in the center of the room.

Zenki-boy and Tsu’s bodies were placed on those alters, and the creatures who had carried them now backed away. Izanami came up to them and stood between the alters. She passed her hand over the bodies, making the clothes disappear. Zenki-boy was lying facing upwards, with the three arrows in his chest. Tsu was facing downwards, with the seven arrows in his back. Izanami put her hands on both their heads.
- “Lords and Deities of the Underworld, come to my presence.” – she commanded.
The Chamber was immediately filled with deities, myriad deities.

- “These two beings belong to the surface. They have been slaughtered, but they have the souls of two mighty deities inside them. Should we keep them here or let them live and return to the surface?” – Izanami asked.

- “Both are children of the Heavenly Deities. But one has Susa-no-ou’s blood. Should we let it live?” – one of the deities asked.
- “It is the child of the Diamond Dragon and the Lady of the Hidden Lake.” – another added.
- “If that is the child who has Po-nö-ikaduti’s  soul, he might destroy life.” – another one said.
- “But that child could also have Tuti-ikaduti’s  soul within.”
- “One should live, whereas the other might become Evil itself...”
- “We cannot know until the souls are disclosed.”
- “They are together. Their blood has intermingled.”
- “Now both belong to both families.”
- “They will be together. And protect each other...”

Then the myriad deities looked around at each other. One of them stepped forward.
- “Take them back to where they had been killed. The one who carries Tuti-ikaduti’s soul will heal the other. Later, he will be healed, too.”

Izanami looked down. – “Return to life.” – she said, touching both heads again. – “Take them back to the surface.”

The myriad deities disappeared as suddenly and mysteriously as they had arrived. The two creatures came back and took both of the naked bodies. I had to run after them since they were faster than when we had come. In only a few seconds, we were back on the hill where both children had been killed.

- “We have to leave them here.” – they said and disappeared.

Both bodies were again embraced, but they were still naked. The blood from their own bodies served as their dreadful clothing. Zenki-boy faced the sky, whereas Tsu on top of him, faced the ground.

A light arose from both children; it could have been because of the mixture of their blood, or one of them had the power in himself. It became stronger and stronger, brighter that sun-light. Then it faded away, back to their bodies. But some changes had occurred.

Ten arrows were lodged in Tsu’s body: seven arrows on his back and three in his chest. He had separated from Zenki-boy, though his knees and hands were on the ground by Zenki-boy. No arrows were in Zenki-boy’s body, but he was still lying on the ground. Though it was all muddy around, it was dry where they were. The light had been so strong that it had dried everything around them. Zenki-boy started to breathe again. He opened his eyes, just to see his kneeling friend by his side.
- “You stood between me and the arrows!” – Zenki-boy sat up and saw the arrows on this friend’s body.
- “One for every year we’ve been together” – Tsu said, smiling. Then he looked at Zenki-boy.  - “My parents will come for me. Pretend to be sleeping. Don’t look at them.”

Zenki-boy lay back on the ground and closed his eyes.

Then, something enormous appeared above our heads. I looked up. It was a dragon. ‘The Diamond Dragon! He gave me the Diamond Axe!’

- “You cured Zenki instead of curing yourself!” – he sounded angry, looking at Tsu.
- “He is my friend. And you and Mother can cure me!” – Tsu replied.

The Dragon came close to Tsu and started to remove the arrows from Tsu’s body. – “I will take the ones on your back first. You must not fall or the ones on your front will pass through your body.”
- “I know ...” – Tsu’s voice was becoming weaker. Or was it his breath?

He carefully took every arrow out from Tsu’s body. His claw was too big, but he was very careful. Tsu stayed kneeling on the ground, all covered in blood, and crying. The pain must have been unbearable. Zenki-boy was looking at out from the corner of his eyes, trying not to open them. I was trembling myself. It was not just one arrow; there were ten! When the arrow from Tsu’s neck came out, the Dragon moved Tsu placing his head on Zenki-boy’s chest.
Tsu was crying in pain. I felt his wet head, wet with blood, on me-boy’s chest. And I felt that me-boy was trembling too, trying not to move. His heart was beating too fast.
Then, the Dragon started to take the arrows out from Tsu’s chest.

Before the last one was taken out, Tsu opened his mouth and coughed up some blood, which fell on Zenki-boy’s chest and arm.
- “Father. Don’t leave Zenki here alone. Take him to a safe place.... Please.” – Tsu pleaded.
- “He can not come with us. He is...” – the Diamond Dragon looked at me-boy. Me-boy had closed his eyes again.
- “May I ask Opo-Kuni-Nusi  to cure him up? He is my ancestor.” – Tsu pleaded again.
- “Opo-Kuni-Nusi cannot be disturbed.” – the Dragon replied.
- “Then I will ask Suku-na-biko . He cannot refuse me.” – Tsu said.
- “Living with humans has made you stubborn.” – his father begrudged.
- “Promise me you will not leave Zenki here.” – Tsu asked.
- “...Mm... I will not leave him here.”
- “Neither leave him alone nor with his enemies.” – Tsu added.
- “I will take him with us. Then you may ask either Suku-na-biko or Opo-Kuni-Nusi for help.” – and the Diamond Dragon took the last arrow out from Tsu’s body. This was the one which had pierced Tsu’s heart.

Then, Tsu fainted. Zenki-boy should not have moved, but he couldn’t help grabbing Tsu’s hand in his own.
- “Mmmm” – the Diamond Dragon must have guessed Zenki-boy was just pretending to be sleeping. But he took the kids, Tsu in his right claw, and Zenki-boy in his left. Then, he opened his wings, and took off.

I took hold of the Dragon’s tail, in order to follow them. We were flying over the mountains, far, very far away, towards the sun.
 

We flew a lot, until land became sea. And then, we dived into the sea. I was still hanging from the Dragon’s tail. Though I am a being from the surface, who needs to breathe air, I could breathe under the sea. It seems the Dragon created a kind of atmosphere around himself, which protected me and me-boy.

Me-boy was still in his left claw. I guess his eyes were opened, looking around. Tsu was in the Dragon’s right claw. He was still unconscious; he had lost a lot of blood, a lot more that Zenki-boy.

We were going deeper and deeper. It should have been getting darker, but it was still clear. Then, I could see that the Dragon’s eyes were lighted like torches, bringing light to the depths of the sea.

We entered a cave. It was very dark inside. But the Dragon’s eyes turned those shadows into shining shapes. Some were animals, fish of all kinds, some others were like sculptures in stone or different metals. This was the under-water world. I could witness this fantastic world close to all humans, far away from earthly-life.
After some minutes, the tunnel of the cave along which we had been swimming widened into open-sea. It was very dark above us. Below, a kind of fortress raised up from the bottom of the sea. We were going there.

As we passed through, all the creatures from the depths made way for the Dragon. ‘The Diamond Dragon must be the highest deity of this place. All the creatures show respect to him.’
We arrived at an underwater palace hall. Cormorant shells and seaweed covered everything. It had a kind of windows, which were used as doors at the same time. Some kind of light was coming from inside it.
 

We entered a hall, where the Dragon landed... or watered… It stopped his swimming. Some fish-like creatures came up to him. - “Take this human to the earthly chambers. Nobody shall hurt him.” – and the Dragon handed Zenki-boy to these creatures, who appeared to be servants. They went to the left of the building.

A more human-like creature came to us. It swam up to the right claw of the Dragon. - “What has happened to our child?” – ‘Is this Tsu’s mother?’  She opened her arms, and tried to take Tsu to her chest.
- “Tsu was badly injured. It seems it stood between the arrows and Zenki, its human friend.” – the Dragon explained.
- “We knew it would act that way. That was why we sent it to live and share its life with Zenki.”
‘They don’t speak of Tsu as a ‘he’, but an ‘it’. Why?’
 
- “I will heal it. Go and see what happens with its friend.” – the Dragon said.
- “I will return shortly.” – Tsu’s mother affirmed.

I followed her. She opened a door and entered a dried room. – “You don’t breathe under water, do you?” – she asked addressing to Zenki-boy.
Me-boy was standing, close to a window, which had something like glass separating it from the sea-water. He turned back towards us.
- “How is Tsu?” – he asked.
- “The Dragon will cure it. You will see it later.” – she answered. – “How are you feeling?”
- “I am feeling very well, in fact, stronger than before.” – he looked at his body – “I had three arrows here, in my chest. But they are gone... as are my clothes.” – he instinctively stepped back and used his hands to cover that which should be hidden from view.
- “Don’t be ashamed. We don’t have clothes down here. You can take some seaweed around your body if it will make you feel comfortable.”
So, Zenki-boy did as was suggested. – “May I ask you something?” – he inquired.
- “Yes, go ahead.” – the Lady replied.
- “Why do you say ‘it’ when you refer to Tsu? He is a boy.” – that was the same question I would have asked.
- “We don’t know what gender it is. Therefore, it would be wrong calling it ‘he’ or ‘she’.” – she answered.
- “I know his body. He is like me! He’s got ...” – Zenki-boy’s face was getting reddish.
- “Tsu is my child. But I don’t know what it is, in fact. It must have copied your shape. We will have to wait until it grows.”
- “And when will that be?” – he asked.
- “Soon. Within a year’s time.” – the Lady answered.

The door suddenly opened, and Tsu came in, smiling.
- “Mother!” – he said, kneeling before her.
- “Tsu! My child. You are back to normal.” – she exclaimed, hugging him.
- “I feel somehow strange. It must be the wounds.” – Tsu said.
- “It is back to normal. We can greet them properly now.” – the Dragon showed his head through the door.
- “We’ll prepare everything.” – the Lady said and left together with the Dragon.

- “How are you?” – Tsu asked Zenki-boy.
- “Fine. Thanks.” – he answered, coming up to Tsu. – “How are you?”
- “Tired. Almost completely exhausted. I will recover soon. Don’t worry.” – the wounds were still on his body. - “I need to rest.”
He walked towards a great shell, which was supposed to be a bed. He came inside and the seaweed covered his naked body.
- “Did you heal me?” – Zenki-boy asked, looking into Tsu’s eyes.
- “Didn’t you heal me?” – he asked. Both kids were surprised.
- “I am tired, too. Is there enough room for me?” – Zenki-boy asked as he was lying close to Tsu.
- “Yes, there is.... sweet dreams...” – Tsu was obviously tired.

Zenki-boy looked at Tsu carefully, pulling the seaweed away to see the wounds. ‘My lord, two arrows were on his heart!’ Then, he looked at his own chest, there were scars in the same place. ‘These were the arrows for me. So... We both died!! How is it that we are alive?’ Then, he touched his scars, and then Tsu’s wounds. Tsu groaned a bit, but was unconscious again.  - “Is it true?”
– “What?” – Tsu heard Zenki-boy, though still unconscious.
“Are you a boy or a girl?” – Zenki-boy asked.
“What do you want me to be?” – though unconscious, he was still fooling me. He turned his body to his right side.
“I ... I ... want you to be ... my ... friend.” – Zenki-boy answered, descending his face to Tsu’s one. – “You smell like flowers again.” – he raised Tsu’s head to see the wounds in his back and neck. He carefully ran his left hand along Tsu’s left arm, hand, and side. – “Your skin is softer that mine... soft as ... silk.”
He put his head on his right arm, using it as a pillow, and fell asleep.

I came closer. ‘Something else will happen. Does me-boy have the soul of the Fire-Thunder? He’s becoming too attached to Tsu... mmm.... he is getting their relationship confused.’