Rendezvous
Author's Note: Enjoy the story and R&R.
Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to or of Magic: The Gathering.
Japanese Terms: Utsushiyo-Material world, Kakuriyo-Spirit world
Dedicated to my editor and friend, Kari Latka (IceRi) for her birthday (Although it passed ages ago).
Summary:
Amidst the ancient tomes and texts of Minamo's library, an overeager scholar becomes witness to the conflicting forces that arose from nothingness.
…
The history of Kamigawa runs rampant with the stories of great heroes and others of legendary status. Lands once trembled and worshipped the all-powerful daimyo, Konda. Jushi students mastered mystical arts at the Minamo School under the guidance of Sensei Hisoka and Lady Azami. Trees and fields of flowers grew wherever the monk, Azusa, passed. The rats bowed down to their lord, Marrow-Gnawer, and Akki poets wrote to praise Zo-Zu the Punisher.
So begins the tale of Kaho, Minamo Historian, a glimpse into the revelatory encounter that succeeded life and death.
…
"Kamigawa…At a time, it was a peaceful and prosperous world. For reasons beyond our knowledge, the gods have descended upon us, undoing the centuries of work that human hands have strived to complete. Villages have been reduced to ashes, forests torn apart by uncontrollable plant growth, and the earth beneath our feet tremors with an unceasing roar."
"Not surprisingly, the other races became involved, but this too became a weakness. Instead of uniting together to combat the horrors that now walk among us, we have in fact condemned ourselves. We do not die alone, but along with thousands of others. We huddle in the corners of our homes, fear-stricken and praying for solace that will never come. While the armies of Daimyo Konda have accepted the aid of the kitsune-bito, many remain deaf to offers of peace. The Akki goblins continue to raid the fox settlements, and the nezumi gangs strike down anyone who enters Takenuma. Even the Daimyo's closest associates, the soratami moonfolk, have proved disloyal as of late."
"While I have complete confidence in the Daimyo and his forces, I am unable to keep myself from worrying. It seems that this war, the Kami War, will never end. How can we face the very beings that we once worshipped? Konda himself appears unfazed by this notion; he fights with the same vigour as a soldier of thirty years, and his plans are always carried out with swiftness that rivals the speed of the spirits themselves."
A cool breeze passed by the wind chime that hung from the roof. It sounded softly as its pieces swayed back and forth in the calm air. Most of these pieces were fashioned from gold, while the rest, from glass. The rhythmic tones that came from the chime soothed the woman who sat nearby.
"A cloud of ill omen looms above Kamigawa. With the recent coming of the Great Old Serpent, O-Kagachi, I fear the worst. The kami of all things has entered our realm, bringing with it destruction beyond mortal imagination. Each time the spirit manifests, it removes a part of this world. Day by day, I sit here, recording these events."
"I am Kaho, the head historian of the Minamo School. The main building and library rest at the edge of the Kamitaki Falls. Below us is Kamigawa's longest river, the Yumegawa. Above us in the clouds lies Oboro, the palace of the aristocratic soratami. It is the nexus of all moonfolk affairs. Very few have had the opportunity to travel there. I was escorted there when I began my work as historian, but never since have I laid eyes on their beautiful cities again. Oh, how I wish to relive that experience!"
Kaho stood up, leaving her brush, which was still half-coated in ink, next to the parchment she had been writing on. She stepped through the shoji screen door that separated the library and the balcony, and peered out over the misty waters below. The spray from the waterfall was refreshing, and the sunlight that peeked over the horizon cast a shimmering glow across the river.
The woman yawned, listening intently to the wind chime again. "The kami burst forth from the Kamitaki. The barrier between the Utsushiyo and Kakuriyo is weakest there. From here, the newer breeds of spirits arose." Kaho found herself speaking of Kamigawa's history again. It was one of her bad habits. She had grown so accustomed to the telling of the tale that it became impossible to discontinue, even after having left her workstation.
"The kami of good fortune were the first to enter the material realm anew. Fierce spirits that took the forms of horse-sea dragon hybrids, the kirin invaded the skies with their holy light, blinding those who still held true to their beliefs. Then the onna arrived. For centuries, the ghostly women have been described in lore. They were silent, faceless creatures that remained hidden in the shadows. When confronted, their featureless masks would adopt the appearances of past loved ones to cow and confuse the assailants. Then they would lead them away…never to be seen again. When they erupted from the watery threshold, deaths of this nature became more frequent. Some were said to have died in the thorny grasps of burgeoning blooms, while others were said to have disappeared in suffocating smog, or blown to pieces by an inner light."
"Kaho-san."
The jushi stopped talking upon hearing the all too familiar voice. "Lady Azami, I didn't expect you to return so soon."
She re-entered the library, closing the screen door behind her. A chill ran up her spine as she took a seat next to Azami Ozu, Minamo's head archivist, who had already done so herself.
Despite her radiant beauty and position as one of the leading authorities of the school, her presence was unsettling. Her olive green hair dangled freely from her head, and she, unlike the rest of the school's residents, wore a red kimono; everyone else wore blue. Aside from the fame that the librarian amassed documenting ancient texts, she was also known for her astuteness and untrustworthy behaviours.
According to senior students, Azami was once thought of as the murderer of Atsuko Shimazaki, the previous librarian, who succumbed to illness after eating a sweet mushroom salad that Azami had prepared. However, because she also consumed a smaller portion of the food and became ill, others were convinced of the honest mistake.
"We have located the remnants of a kami shrine downriver. The villagers of a nearby district say that it was once the sanctum of an omnipotent spirit. I want you to go there and examine the ruins. Report back in two days."
"A shrine? What do you hope to gain from this investigation? If it has been destroyed, then surely the divinity that occupied it has fled," Kaho remarked.
"Yes. For your sake, I hope that's true."
"Really? Why would the all-knowing Azami Ozu be concerned with my safety?"
"I assure you, Kaho-san, my concerns lie only with the Kakuriyo's access to infinite knowledge. With each finding, we grow closer to unravelling the secrets of the gods."
"Knowing that the spirits would rebel, you still ordered the destruction of all the kami shrines…Was it for this reason that you willingly handed over the lives of millions to them on a silver platter?"
"I beg your pardon?" Azami's expression darkened
"It was because of you that the war became violent! Had the shrines not been reduced to rubble, the kami would not have turned on us!"
"What makes you think I have anything to do with that?"
Kaho removed a folded piece of paper from the shelf. She unfolded it and placed its contents on the table. It was a letter. On it, written in cursive was:
"Choices belong to those with the luxuries of time and distance. We have neither. I recommend we proceed with the plan to destroy all shrines of the kami."
-Lady Azami
"I found this letter several weeks ago while going through some of the library's old records," she explained. "You're a monster! Do you not feel any remorse for your actions?"
"Be careful of what you say, Kaho-san. You're walking on thin ice."
The historian calmed down. "I will depart immediately. But," She glared at Azami, "the knowledge that I return with will be far too great for even you to comprehend. It will be you're undoing."
Azami smiled. "We will see."
Kaho spat. "Witch."
The other woman frowned. "Tramp."
With that said, the archivist took her leave.
Before disappearing around the corner, she fingered her glasses. "I gave up everything to arrive where I am today. What will the spirits do to enlighten you of the truth?"
…
Kaho constantly shifted back and forth during the ride downriver. Lady Azami had provided her with a small vessel and a guide to accompany her. However, the young advisor appointed to the task was not permitted to follow her into the shrine upon reaching their destination.
The escort prepared to dock the craft as the temple came into view. He halted the boat at the riverside, anchoring it to a fallen tree with some rope. He bid the woman farewell, and handed her the supplies that she had stowed in the back of the ship.
"Thank you, stay here until I return."
It took Kaho another hour by foot to reach the shrine. Thick underbrush prevented her from moving quickly. She had to clear away the plants with wind magic to get through.
Standing at the entrance to the shrine, she surveyed her surroundings. Two statues had been erected around a large stone altar. Their features were similar to those of a serpent, and both sported menacing claws.
Taking a breath, she stepped into the holy area. A high-pitched buzzing noise suddenly shot by her ears, and she gasped in pain. When the ringing subsided, Kaho found herself in an unfamiliar place.
The 'room' was home to many statues, identical to the ones outside. Boulders were strewn about, and a collapsed torii gate occupied the center of the room. Across its surface, a name was inscribed in kanji: 否命.
Kaho stared at the carving with curiosity. "Iname."
She had heard the name when she was a child. Her grandmother once spoke of it in her stories.
"Iname was one of the first kami that appeared from the Great Void. He was a spirit that travelled for millennia in search of purpose. An idea of creation came to mind, and his success in producing a child labelled him as the kami of life. Dark intentions then led him to undo his own work. Killing the child, he became the kami of death."
"Could this be the shrine of Iname?" Kaho asked herself.
A low hum came from above her.
She looked skywards, shocked when a pair of jet-black eyes met her own.
An enormous creature was watching her. The sad expression on its face was hidden behind a flurry of twig-like spines. It had wings of foliage and decaying flesh, and long fingers that extended from bony hands. Orbiting the spirit were skull and petal aspects, minor kami that had manifested along with the kami itself.
Kaho was in awe. Before her was a being that represented two of the world's most ancient forces.
Though mute, the deity spoke to her mentally. "Human, you have wandered into my realm. What is it that you seek?"
"I am a mere scholar, wishing for you to bestow upon me your vast knowledge," she answered.
"What will you offer me in return?" it asked in a booming voice.
"When the time comes for me to pass on, I will surrender my body to your kind."
"Very well then," The creature pointed at her. "The knowledge of the universe is yours."
A torrent of fire emerged from its finger and swallowed the woman. Kaho screamed as she was bombarded by coronae. Her eyes melted out of their sockets, and her limbs were torn in half by the scorching waves.
Iname had kept his end of the bargain. Now it was her turn…
…
"So Kaho's dead, is she?" Azami tried to act surprised.
The guide she had sent with the historian had returned with the news.
"Yes, Azami-sensei. The spirit took her body as its own."
Azami laughed. "Inform Hisoka that we need…"
"What is it that we need?"
"…a new historian."
The young jushi bowed, leaving to complete his assignment.
Azami smirked as she snuffed out the library's lanterns. "It seems that Kaho-san has finally learned the truth for herself: Power and knowledge come at great prices. If only she had been aware of that from the beginning."
…
-Fin-