Trin:
What startled me most was the silence.
Don't get me wrong, I wasn't scared or anything, I just remember that before my eyes opened, the silence pressed in against my ears like when you go down those 10 feet to the bottom of a pool.
And then there was me opening my eyes. When I finally did - after making sure no one would be there to murder me when I did - I was met with fire.
Or that's what I thought. My first glimpse of the world was a glass ceiling tinged orange from what I thought must have been fire.
I'm dead. I decided. I'm dead and landed in Hades' Palace. I frowned. That didn't make any sense. You'd think I'd remember my own death.
I hope it was glorious! The thought struck me as hilarious, though there was no reason it should have been. Laughter burst from my mouth and echoed off the walls of the chamber. The sound startled me as much as the silence, and my laughter abruptly cut off.
I didn't want to move. I wanted to get up and check out my surrounding, sure. My curiosity was KILLING me, but I didn't want to move.
How inconvenient, I thought, ode to being human.
I lay there for a few more seconds, my eyes open wide, but unseeing. I was trying to recall the last memory I had before waking up. It wouldn't surface. What was going on? I pushed my mind back further, looking for faces, houses, anything. But it was like my mind had gone stark cold and black.
I admit now I was a little - only the tinniest tiniest bit - nervous about the thought that all of my memories could be gone.
A throat cleared all of a sudden, and I jumped, my heart racing. My eyes focused, and I sat up so quickly my head spun.
"Choose." Some guy said. His voice echoed like my laughter did, and this time I jerked all the way to my feet. I swayed on the spot. I put a hand to my forehead, trying to stop the whirling.
"Choose." He said again. There was no emotion in his voice, only the word, as if he'd repeated it a million times. Irritation began to build at the edges of my mind as my vision focused, and my head cleared. Who is he to tell me to do something? I suppressed a low growl of annoyance. Choose what? My eyes roamed the room, glancing at the tables that formed a circle around me. Oh. I thought. Choose one of those.
I walked toward the first of the glass tables. Atop it sat a sword, its blade glittered like diamonds, and its hilt like ice. It was thin, like the ones you'd see in the stereotypical Japanese Martial Arts movies, not that I had seen any of those. Next to the sword sat a smaller blade, this one white like fresh fallen snow. Except it's not snow, I remember thinking, 'cause snow isn't so EVIL looking.
"What's this one do?" I asked, still looking at the sword. I wanted to touch it, maybe hold it in my hand, but I was half afraid that the guy might arrest me for obstruction of private property of something.
"His name is Shimo." The man answered, his tone the same smoothness as before. "It means The Frost in your language, and is the weapon of the Ice Nymph Empress." He paused, and I still gazed at the clear blade, enchanted by its detail.
"Is it made of ice?" I enquired, lifting my hand to stroke it.
"Something similar." He said quickly. "Please don't touch it, not if you aren't going to choose that one."
"What do you mean 'something similar'? What's similar to ice?"
"A resource only to be found deep in the Yami Mountains. The Ice Nymphs harvest it only during the blue moon, and can only craft it during the next new moon, or else its magic fades. It's what your people would call a Katana, and its partner, the Wakizashi, the sister blade, crafted during the next full moon, and more agile than the Katana. Her name is Tsurara or Icicle. She was the only other blade harvested during that particular blue moon."
"What's so special about some metal collected during a full moon?" I asked haughtily, turning to the next table.
Golden serpentine arm bracelets sat coiled on a black velvet cushion, their scarlet ruby eyes seemed to glare at me as I walked up.
"Those are the Jōshō-en or the Rising Flames." He explained, not waiting for me to ask. Hasty rapscallion! "For the one who is worthy, they hold the heart of the Mountain Hametsu, and when needed, they possess the endowment of Fire."
"I kinda got that already, seeing as their name is the RISING FLAMES!" I muttered not-so-quietly under my breath. I heard and exhale of breath, and my mouth twitched at the corner. I moved on to the next tabletop, where a longbow stood mounted on a pedestal with a quiver of green arrows. A glint of silver rose from both ends, carefully crafted, I could see, so that it did not hinder its use in battle.
"And this one?" I asked, pointing at the bow. Leaves were carved into its wood, and the grip was made of worn brown leather.
"The Longbow is named Seikatsu or Life after the first Druid to wield her." I rolled my eyes and carried on, bored.
"How about this one?" I asked, sighing. I was facing a long weapon this time one that was halfway between a sword and a spear. Its spear-like handle thingy was wrapped in lavender, and on the blade was a metal ring with a blue tassel. What the heck?
"This is the Sillian Crescent Sword. The handle is made of silver, and the blade made of moonstone. This is the oldest of the weapons here. His name is Shinseina Kibo or, in your language, Sacred Hope."
I was already moving on as he finished, standing in front of an ax the size of my head. It was double bladed and wicked sharp. The guy sighed heavily, and didn't wait for me to ask what it was.
"This one is called Ono, and is one of the stranger weapons that are here in this room."
"What does it do?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"I don't know if it would be a good idea to tell you ..." His voice drifted off, and he didn't continue.
"If I'm supposed to choose, then you have to tell me what my options are!" I exclaimed, throwing up my hands.
"It wouldn't be the most prudent of ideas ..." He answered. A long silence of a one-way staring contest ensued, and eventually I heard another sigh. Geez! That guy should get an award!
"Let's just say when someone is sliced in half with it, they'll feel as if they've been sawed in half, but they'll still be in one piece."
"SWEET!" I yelled, pumping my fist in the air. "I WANT THIS ONE!"
"Fortunately, that is not an option." He countered coolly.
"FORTUNATELY? What do you mean FORTUNATELY?" I shouted, spinning in a circle, unconsciously looking for the person the annoying voice belonged to. If I so much as see him ...!
"Orders from higher up just informed me that out of all the weapons here, Ono is the one that you are forbidden to wield." Is it just my imagination, or is he a little bit smug about this?
"WHY?!" I screamed dramatically, not really expecting an answer. "WHY DOES THE UNIVERSE HATE ME SO?" I fell to me knees and raised my hands in that stereotypical 'WHY' pose, secretly hoping he would feel guilty for me and let me 'choose' the cool ax.
There was no response. Sullenly, I stood up and glared at the ceiling, maybe scaring him... nope.
I sighed dejectedly, and walked the few steps to the next pedestal. What I was met with wasn't all that impressive. A mass of weapons lay on the cloth - a thin sword, a couple daggers, and a short blade that was thicker than the sword.
"I don't even want to know." I said glumly, not stopping to inspect the assortment. Figures. The one that I actually want is the one I AM NOT ALLOWED TO HAVE!
The last weapon intrigued me though. As I walked towards it, I felt something almost mournful wash over me, and shivers raked their fingers down my spine.
"What's this?" I asked, captivated. Of all of them, this one seemed to me the most powerful, the most fascinating, and the most suited to me. It was a staff of dark wood - oak maybe? And it had violet spirals dancing across its surface. On its top, inlaid in entwining shadows, was an orb that glowed slightly as I approached.
"This is Shi no Kokoro or Death's Heart. It was taken from the heart of the tree that once protected the domain of the Shadowed Queen."
"What does it do?" This time, I couldn't refrain from putting my hand on the smooth wood.
"... I wouldn't, if I were you!" The guy called out hastily. "Not unless you really are going to choose that one." I let out a huff. Bossy much?
"You're no fun." I mumbled, pretending to pout. I stuck out my lower lip and glanced up through my eyelashes, but I took my hand away anyway.
"You have to choose now." He prodded, ignoring my puppy eyes. "No more lollygagging." I sighed, which made him chuckle, and I stepped back, into the center of the room.
I glanced back at the katana, and it winked coldly at me in response. No. Not the sword. I don't particularly like swords, I thought to myself in an exaggerated British accent. My eyes then jumped to the glittering snakes. I shuddered, they were OUT, those things were C-R-E-E-P-Y!
Onto the Longbow. I would hate to stand on the side while others were in the thick of things, risking their lives for me... 'Cause that's what these are for right, I thought, to fight? I looked at the weird spear-sword-thingy. Nope. I've got no clue as to WHAT that thing is.
I glanced longingly at the ax on the next pedestal, but didn't say anything - stupid authority figures! I didn't even glance at the assortment of random ninja junk that was next. Which left ...
"The staff." I whispered. Then, louder, I looked up and called, "I choose the staff."
"Are you sure? Y-you can't change it once you choose the staff."
"I know." I said, of course I knew. "I chose the staff, so give me the bloody STAFF!"
"Ok. Ok. Geez! Don't get angry ..." He paused. "Do you know the history of your staff?" But I don't remember answering, because at that moment I had taken the wooden staff in my hand, my blood screaming in my ears. The hair rose on the back of my neck and the hand gripping the dark wood began to tingle. The tingling spread up my arm to my shoulder, across my shoulder blades, down my back, ... but never once did I feel it spread to my stomach or chest. Strange. In the books, that's the first place it goes ...
"I see Shi no Kokoro has accepted you, and therefore its Kingdom will accept you. Good luck little Mononoke, you will need it before the end..."
And with that, the chamber faded before my eyes as I stood there, in its center, with a staff gripped in my hand.
Lily:
All around me was darkness. Why is it so dark? I wondered vaguely, struggling to pull my mind from the drowsiness that fought to pull me back under.
Idiot, a voice inside my head that sounded suspiciously like my twin sister chided, it's dark because your eyes are closed.
Oh! Right. I should probably remedy that. I peeled back my eyelids and sat up. Naturally, my eyes scanned the room, and I saw, a little ways a way, seven pedestals covered in green silk.
I groaned and stood up, my body strangely sore, and slowly made my way towards the daises. Inspecting each of them carefully, I saw one of them - the farthest from where I stood - was empty. A sword lay on the one closest to me, another had a strange assortment of things - a thin short sword, two three-pronged daggers, and what looked like a thick knife, no longer than my wrist to elbow. A third pedestal held a staff and weird curved sword combo, and yet another held a large ax - one that I was sure if held against my chest, would be broader than my shoulders. That's not saying that I was very broad, I wasn't (still not), but the ax was just downright HUGE.
I turned, and I met the eyes of two golden serpents - I wonder what those do? And finally, I turned to the sixth, a beautiful bow almost as tall as I was lay on the jade fabric. It was an awesome-looking thing.
"Choose." A strange voice said. I assumed he meant one of the pedestals, but being the cautious person that I was, I had to ask anyway.
"You mean I can have one of these strange weapons? Like, any one that I want?"
"Yes." The voice sounded annoyed. I wondered why, but was afraid to ask.
"I want the bow." For me, there was no contest. I had always wanted to have a bow, ever since I was little, and here was my chance.
"Are you sure? You only have one chance to choose. You'll have to live with your choice." The voice paused. "Or not live ..." The voice seemed to shrug. "You have to be absolutely sure."
"I'm sure." I answered, nodding slightly. "Plus, most of the others are too aggressive for my taste. I'd rather stay out of the heat of a battle. "But do you think the Longbow is a good choice? 'Cause the snakes look pretty cool too, I wonder what they do?" I shrugged and continued, "Eh, it's more of Raven's thing than mine."
"Raven? Who's that?" The voice sounded confused and maybe a little bit astonished - as if I did something that was REALLY wrong - like, there-was-supposed-to-be-a-100-percent-chance-that-couldn't-happen kind of wrong.
"She's my twin sister. She and I are best friends. We ... that's weird, I can't remember anything else. But, anyway, why do I need a weapon?"
"I cannot tell you, for it is not my job, but I will say that the Bow is a fine choice. She was named Seikatsu, translated Life, and was given as a gift to the first Druid Elder as a peace offering between her people and the forest they would make their home. It has been passed down to each of the next Elders, and it is their job to protect the forest with the gifts of the weapon you have chosen." The voice was weirding me out a little bit, but I let it slide, 'cause whenever a mysterious voice started talking, you listen.
"Umm." I interrupted, raising my hand halfway in the air. "I'm pretty good with mythological creatures, but I've never heard of a druid. Are they like dryads? I like dryads, they're cool. Oh wait, are you not allowed to tell me? Can you only tell me about the Bow and not the people that are supposed to possess it? Is this a test?"
"Do you always speak this fast? Or ask this many questions?" The voice sounded exasperated.
"Sorry."
"Anyway, just say you choose the Bow, and it'll happen."
"Alright." I let out a big breath. "I choose the Longbow."
"Then take it in your hand, Elder." I did, and he continued. "It is now your right, and your duty to protect the Forest Igen for as long as the Bow is yours to wield. Put its life before your own, and one day, when all hope seems lost, it might repay you your efforts." I nodded in understanding, but my head began to feel fuzzy, and my vision began to spot. I blinked rapidly, but each time I did, black encroached further and further into my line of sight.
Raven:
Ack, I groaned. My nose was squished against my face, and I was beginning to have a difficult time breathing. I groaned again and flipped over. My head was killing me! It felt as if someone had used my skull as a war drum and the battle did NOT go in the Emperor's favor. I snorted, and hauled myself to my feet. My head felt light, and I wobbled slightly for the first few seconds. I stood there, my head held carefully in my hands and trying not to groan again. Where am I? What's happening? I didn't want to think. What I REALLY wanted was to go to sleep again - but not on THAT floor!
"Choose." The voice was abrupt and slightly impatient, and it was only then that I finally opened my eyes. How on this good earth did I get here? I wondered mildly as I strode towards the center of the room.
In front of me were seven stands of what looked like marble, and on each one sat a square of scarlet cloth. Glass stands on top of the scarlet held glittering weapons, though two were empty of everything save the cloth.
"Why?" I asked allowed. "Why should I choose? Why should I give you the satisfaction of doing what you tell me to?" I crossed my arms and stared stone-faced at one of the walls in front of which sat a delicate pair of serpents, coiled into rings with their heads poised. Ruby eyes stared maliciously at me as I tried to look past them, but something kept pulling my gaze back ...
"Because you were chosen. Therefore, you must choose!" The voice forced out, obviously frustrated.
"The circle of choosing." I agreed nodding, and then scowled. "That makes PERFECT sense! It's a roundabout thing and an answer without answering! How long did it take you to come up with THAT one?"
"Aren't you something?" He countered easily. "If you don't choose, I'll choose for you, and I can tell you right now, you're not going to like the choice I would make." His voice had turned hard, and I dropped my shoulders in exaggerated defeat. Pushing a large amount of air out of my nose, I rolled my eyes and clucked my tongue loudly.
"Hmm." I turned on one heel, examining - or pretending to - the assortment of treasures that stood on the pedestals. My eyes landed on a white sword - thin and delicate looking - and my breath left my lungs. It was beautiful and deadly all at once. I wanted it.
"The sword." I said, nodding at it. "I would like the sword." A silence answered me, and I frowned again.
"What?" I called, craning my neck to look at the ceiling. "What's wrong?" I heard a sigh, and my knee-jerk reaction was to raise a skeptical eyebrow. Not to deny myself, I felt my forehead muscles lift, resulting in a perfect arched eyebrow. I didn't get an answer, and so I snorted in response. Typical.
"Oh I see." I said after a few minutes of deafening silence. And I did see. They wanted me to choose. But they also wanted me to choose the one THEY wanted me to choose. "It isn't really choosing if you have already made the decision for me." Another sigh. I rolled my eyes again.
"You could do so much more than the sword." The voice finally said. "It would be very limiting. Yes, there is power there, but you are meant for something greater - something you cannot accomplish with the katana."
"So, what you're saying is," I interrupted, holding my hands out in front of me, fingers splayed, "that you want me to be better and the cool sword isn't going to help me? Are you saying that a weapon is going to be the difference between my greatness, or my failure?" I chuckled, and crossed my arms again.
"Do you want me to choose for you?" The voice asked, finally done with my antics, apparently.
"No." I put up hands in a restraining gesture. "No, don't be hasty." I turned, assessing for the second time. My eyes landed on the coiled snakes. Their eyes gleamed, as if they had a secret to share; it kind of gave me the creeps. I tried to pull my eyes away and onto the next dais, but the rubies held me down and kept me frozen - one foot on the step of the platform. My hand reached out of its own accord, and I had to physically wrench it away, stumbling back.
Obviously they want me to choose them. And right then, I decided. I don't really know what made me do it, but if I did, it would have saved me a lot of trouble. I mean A LOT of trouble.
"The serpents." I called, my voice steady and sure though I was shaking inside. "I choose the serpents." I slipped them up my arms, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, and they settled perfectly over my upper arms.
"They are called the Jōshō-en or ..."
"The Rising Flames." I whispered, barely listening. "They give the power of fire to any who is deserving, else if you slip them on you will burn hotter than the sun and disintegrate." My voice was monotone, as if I were repeating some snippet of information pounded into my brain.
"... and you have obviously been deemed worthy of the Flames." He agreed. "But likewise, you can be deemed unworthy, and burned. It is a fine balance." A pause. Then, "you are destined for great things, Kazan no Musume."
I remember vaguely wondering what that meant before darkness swooped in like an eagle, and the rest of what he might've said was lost.
