The storm grows overhead, an omnipresent black haze of emotion where the Ayakashi spawn.
"This is going to be one stormy night..." I sighed to myself.
I've had many names over the millennia, God, Oni, Beast, Child killer... But you can call me Raijin, Japanese god of thunder and storms. Seriously, the one time I ate a child who openly disgraced his parents and now everyone assumes that I'll do it for petty reasons, like having your naval ring exposed during a storm.
"Sir, are you sure that it's wise to fight against that?" Is what a regalia would say if present.
The last regalia I had was an older man, looked to be about sixty or older. He took the form of a thin iron tetsubo. That was about seven centuries ago, he was killed by a large Ayakashi. The one I had before that was a teenage girl that took the form of six drums, which I could use to summon lightning. I released her when she became too badly damaged, she couldn't even stand up.
Now, I'm looking for a new regalia. Luckily, I just spotted one, not too far from the storm, actually. At least I'll be able to use it quickly. It has a very energetic feel to it, almost like a child, but a loyal soul is there too.
"It'll do..." I mumbled before jumping to street level.
A small yellow speck floats under a street light, I wonder what Tenjin would write if he came across this image, maybe he already has. I'll ask him the next time I visit his shrine.
"Spirit, you are lost and adrift..." I began, pointing my fingers until they start glowing. "You have nowhere to go and nowhere to return to, thus I grant you a place to belong!"
I start painting an image in the air, the kanji for the word 'hope'.
"My name is Raijin, and bearing two names you shall remain here. With these names, I make thee my servant, to be a regalia, fit to be wielded by a god!"
The characters '希望' appear before me, finishing the method for which us gods brand our regalias.
"Thou art Kibō, as regalia, Sandā. Come, Sandā!"
I flick my arm to the side, ready to catch whatever the spirit will turn into. After turning into a beam of indigo light, it darted through the sky and fell into my hand. A six foot long pole with a nine inch blade, curved edge, looks like a elf cosplay prop, but I shouldn't complain.
"Here we go..." I breathed deep before leaping into the maelstrom.
BGM: System Failure - Shady Cicada
The smaller ones are of no concern, but there is this big lamprey shaped phantom that looms over an office workplace, where there is an unhappy employee on the roof. If this monster continues influencing him, he won't survive the fall.
"What's the point?" He whined, "I'm going to lose my job at the rate, my wife hates me, my kids don't respect me..."
"If they don't love you, then what point is there in even existing?" The lamprey mocked.
"You're right... What point is there?"
I cannot allow this, leaping several stories up and landing on top of the lamprey's head.
"Sorry, you're depressing the work-staff, we need to relocate you to a new place of employ." I joked before kicking off its head, launching it back a few feet.
"Smells... nice." The lamprey chanted.
I spun the lance in a propeller motion above my head and swung down hard, leaving a considerable sized gash in the lamprey's face.
"This is the land of the rising sun, where your desecration shall not be allowed." I ran my fingers across the blade, causing it to glow a shining indigo. "I am the god, Raijin, I lay thee to waste with the Sandā, and I shall expel thy vast defilement. Dissipate!"
It only took one slash to cleave the Ayakashi in two, it exploded into smoke. That guy should come to his senses by now, he turns around and walks down the stairs.
"You fail to claim another, how will you retaliate?" I said, looking at the man from a nearby rooftop.
I drop down into a nearby alleyway, where I can finally get some peace and quiet.
"Right, forgot about you." I say to the lance, "Revert, Kibō."
The spear planted into the ground, glowing and turning into a young girl. She has tanish skin, freckles, olive eyes, and chestnut brown hair. As she is a recently acquired regalia, she's wearing a simple white robe.
"Hello, I'm sure that you are confused about how you are still alive. You are my regalia now, and I am your master." I lift my jacket over my head and hold it to her. "Go ahead, take it."
Instead of taking the jacket, she nearly tackles me, I can hear her sobbing.
"Please, mister, don't make me go back. I don't want to be in the dark anymore!" She yells.
Slowly, I wrap my free arm around her, trying my best to comfort her. But, how am I qualified to take care of a child? Raijin, god of lightning and devourer of children! Taking care of a little girl?! Ha!
"Po po po..."
I quickly swing my head in the direction of the noise, in its place, a eight foot tall woman in a white hat and sundress stood.
"What do you want?" I ask cruelly.
"Nice to see you too, Raijin." She says in a sarcastic manner.
Kibō looks over, clearly having knowledge of who this is.
"Greetings, little one, I am Hachishaku..."
Of course, Kibō is shivering terrified.
"Can't you see that you're scaring her?"
Hachishaku raises her head so I can see her mouth, she's smiling.
"Don't you remember the time we spent together, Raijin? You definitely knew how to please a woman."
My face immediately went red.
"Why are you here?" I ask.
"I wanted to do things like old times, where we were like a family... Didn't you love that?"
"That was long ago, and I stopped chasing the past."