Page 13 of Cupid’s Flight

Steel for the arrowhead. The material was heavy and difficult to aim, but steel was the only thing strong enough to penetrate through the walls around Shen Shi’s heart. Leo needed rowan wood for the shaft. Rowan was a hardwood so could stand up to the weight of the steel head, but rowan was also known for its properties of protection, particularly during Samhain. Rowan helped ward off evil spirits, which Shen Shi definitely needed too. Leo chose white goose feathers for the fletching, as those would add the most stability. With practiced hands he attached all three together with twine, since there was no time to wait for glue to dry.

Leo held the completed arrow tightly in his hands. Shen Shi needed a break from his cycle of pain. A transition, which during Samhain was particularly poignant. Leo focused his magic on the arrow.

Hei might be the life of the party, but that never had to mean Shen Shi was alone. If he looked away from Hei’s light, in the shadows Hei cast, Shen Shi could easily find those yearning for him too. All he had to do was let Hei go, and love could still blossom anew.

The spell set into the arrow with a snap that made Leo’s skin tingle all the way up to his elbows. There was no time to let the sensation fade though. Hei was stalling, but there was only so much he could do to keep Shen Shi at bay. It was Leo’s turn to help now.

Leo’s recurve bow appeared in his hands. He nocked the arrow to the string, pulled, aimed, and let the arrow fly. The arrow whistled through the air on an arched trajectory that took advantage of the extra weight. It thudded into Shen Shi’s chest, directly into his heart.

Shen Shi gasped and staggered. His wings stopped beating, and he fell. Hei dove, catching him after only a few feet, then cradled him close. Hei’s good arm took most of Shen Shi’s weight, although he needed his casted arm to hold him, too, which must have hurt.

“What—” Shen Shi gasped, shaking fingers reaching up to touch the arrow shaft where it stuck out of his chest.

Leo frowned, wondering what was going on. He had shot thousands of arrows throughout his many years of life. Every time the arrow landed, it then faded away as the spell took. Arrows never left any permanent injury or visible sign, yet for some reason the arrow in Shen Shi’s chest wasn’t fading like it should.

“Is he—” Leo cut himself off, unable to say it aloud. His arrows were supposed to help people, but from the way Shen Shi was gasping for breath, his face white and clammy, Leo’s arrow was instead killing him.

Before Hei could answer, the world suddenly shimmered. A glittering vertical line appeared in the sky next to where Hei held Shan Shi. A moment later a foot wearing a wooden sandal appeared through what appeared to be a slit in reality. The rest of the body of an older woman followed the foot. She wore a full yukata, the obi colored a brilliant green that matched her eyes and would have matched her hair had she not been mostly gray.

“Obaasan!” Hei gasped, bowing. “Can you help Shen Shi?”

She smiled, clasping her hands together at her waist as she bowed slightly in return. “He is already saved.”

“But, Obaasan, he’s dying!”

“Yes, but this is a good death. Hei, my child, Shen Shi has done harm to the celestial realm. His punishment was decided: he was to enter the cycle of reincarnation. However, due to the hardness of his heart, he would not have been reincarnated as a tennin. The cycle of rebirth would have brought him back to the very beginning. He would have been reborn as an insect, crawling in the earth for the short span of an insect’s life before entering the cycle of rebirth yet again. Hopefully, through good deeds as he strove to return to nirvana, he would eventually reach a lofty place in the heavens again, but such a feat would take a millennia. By the time he reached us again, he would have forgotten his previous time as a tennyo, and the Shen Shi we knew and loved would be gone forever.

“This is the kinder death,” she continued, her voice gentle as Hei’s eyes filled with tears. “Because of the love imbued in the cupid’s arrow, Shen Shi will spend his time on the wheel before his rebirth learning to love himself again; then he will be reborn in his next life as one of the best tennyo the celestial realms have ever seen. Do you understand, Hei? Leo?” she asked, turning to look at Leo. “This arrow did not kill him. It saved him. Just as you save all those humans struggling to find freedom and hope, you, Cupid Leo, have given that same love to Shen Shi.”

She held out her arms to Hei. “Please, let me take him home.”

Hei nodded and passed Shen Shi to her. Her arms were strong, unbowed by her apparent age or the weight of Shen Shi.

“Obaa—” Shen Shi choked out. “I’m sorr—”

“I know, love. You are forgiven. Return to us knowing we are eagerly awaiting you.”

Shen Shi’s head flopped to the side as he tried to look over at Hei. “Hei, you—”

Hei smiled, wiping away tears with his good hand. “I will come welcome you back after your rebirth as well. You are my dear little brother, after all.”

Shen Shi smiled. His body shimmered for a moment and then vanished, the cycle of rebirth calling him home.

Obaasan let out a breath. “I am sorry this onerous task fell on you both,” she said, smiling at them, but mostly looking at Leo. “The celestial realm owes you a great debt for saving Shen Shi, Cupid Leo. I believe Hei will serve as our liaison to you until such a time as Hei believes the debt is repaid.” She turned to look at Hei, whose mouth had dropped open. “Enjoy your cupid, love. But please come visit home sometime. We miss you and would all love to meet Cupid Leo, too, so bring him along.”

She winked at them before stepping back through the tear in the sky, which disappeared behind her.

Hei flew over to Leo, gently taking one of Leo’s hands in his. “Are you okay?” he asked, squeezing Leo’s hand. “You didn’t kill him, you know. Not really.”

Leo shook his head and finally dispelled his bow. “I suppose not, but after this I think I’m going to take a vacation from cupid work for a bit.”

Hei beamed at him and only let go of Leo’s hand so he could wrap both arms around one of Leo’s, his lurid purple cast scratching against Leo’s skin.

“That means we can have an extra-long honeymoon!” he crowed, giggling.

“We’re not married?” Leo asked, wondering where Hei’s thoughts were going.

“Then you’d better hurry up and buy a ring to ask me!” Hei replied. He tugged on Leo’s arm and they started heading back in the direction of the cloud bank.