The sky was filled with ominous, dark clouds with occasional lightning here and there. Black mist swirled around a wide area wherein gods fought the sorcerer. Everyone was wounded severely, some knocking on death's door. Even so, they kept fighting inspite of the risk of having the god's greatest secret revealed.
But, one god would not allow another regalia succumb into darkness again after one of Bishamon's regalias almost turned into a phantom had she not reacted fast and revoke her regalia's name. It saddened both Bishamon and her regalia, however, the goddess would rather feel the pain than grieve the death of another spirit.
And so, the god of calamity had to make a drastic decision.
Standing a few meters away from the sorcerer, Yato, wounded and tired, spoke. "Revert, Yuki." his double sword glowed, turning into a preteen male with short, unruly, golden hair.
"What?" confused, Yukine turned to his master. "Yato, what's the meaning of this? We can defeat 'im without truly killing him. Yato-!"
"YUKINE!" Yato cut his blessed regalia off. It was not the first time he yelled like he did, but something was amiss in his tone that Yukine did not fail to notice. "Listen here, Yukine." said Yato, averting his gaze from the sorcerer to Yukine with his blazing ice-blue eyes that showed determination and defiance.
The look Yukine received froze him.
"Yukine... I want you to step back."
"What? But... I-"
"No, Yukine. This is an order from your master. Do not defy me...just this time, please."
Yukine stared with wide eyes at Yato. He may not heard it directly, but he knew what brewed in his master's mind, and so he protested. Yelling to Yato that he can paralyzed their adversary so he could no longer do evil deeds.
Meanwhile, the sorcerer only watched as the scene unfolded before his eyes with a grin that can be mistaken for mischief as he shouldered his staff. However, that grin fell as his face darkened. He knew what his son he called Yaboku was thinking. He loved his son. He created him from the image of his late wife who died in his hands because of gods' unjust decission without hearing the other party's side. If my wife didn't die, I bet our unborn child would look like my Yaboku. He thought to his self, recalling the times he and his wife had spent nights thinking what their child will be and it's name. But I never had the chance to see if it was a boy or a girl. I just wish to have my child back so he could see the real world himself and judge what it's like...and before I know it, I had Yaboku in my arms. Sighing, he looked up just as a falling star appeared. Why...did I name him that again?
"Hey, old man!"
The sorcerer snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing his son called him. Tilting his head down to face Yato, he plastered on a smile. "Yesss? My damn cute, adorable, and idiotic son?"
Yato can feel his veins on forehead pulse. "Moron." he growled.
Had it been another time and another situation, everyone would see the exchange between father and son to be a little funny.
"Go on, Yukine. Back off with them." said Yato without looking back as he pushed the young regalia back. Feeling that Yukine would not move, he resorted to his last option as he was feeling his patience shortened.
Thr god of calamity gave off a strong wind that pushed not only Yukine, but everyone else as far as he can, hearing them all screamed and cursed at him for being a self-centered god. Deeming it enough, Yato summoned his supernatural energy that was the dark mist accumulating around. It came close to Yato, covering him entirely, and the clouds above swirled as lightning struck and thunder hammered.
Bishamon, Kofuku, Ebisu, Tenjin...all of the gods and their regalias stared in both shock and fear.
They had never seen any god this powerful, not even in the books they had read.
The god of calamity, Yato, was making history and legend like no other.
"You said before 'cull the herd' and that I'm a god of calamity, right?" Yato asked his father rethorically.
"That's right. And as such, it's in your instinct to kill. I created you that way, so no matter what you do, even claiming to be god of fortune and whatnot, you can't change that."
"That's right." Yato's voice turned cold and so as his glare. "And this god of calamity will ascend upon you. So face your judgement!"
The wind picked up, getting stronger as time passed. And, in the blink of eye, Yato disappeared only to reappear behind the sorcerer, who was struck with fear yet amused, and kicked him forward.
The sorcerer tumbled three times before pulling his self together and attack.
The fight between the sorcerer and god of calamity continued as though it was never ending. The trees unearth by strong wind and the storm is brewing above.
No one knew what was going on now that the wind picked up dust and made a circle around the fighting men.
As they sat or stood on their spots, Yukine and Kazuma waited in fear of what the outcome of fight will be knowing full well of the consequence should the sorcerer die.
Yato!
The fight may seem endless and they were all rooted on their feet with force they could not amount to, but everything must come to end.
And so, eventually the dust diminished as the wind slowed down and the storm went away. From afar they saw Yato standing, filling their chest with joy of seeing him alive, and everyone rushed to the god's side.
"Yato!" Yukine yelled and embraced his master. He was crying hysterically that confused the rest of them all except Kazuma who had a mournful look.
Kofuku was a little lost as well as Daikoku. The goddess looked off to her left and saw the sorcerer unconscious.
Bishamon and her lion neared their enemy, she checked his pulse and confirmed he was alive still. The sorcerer opened his eyes a little when he felt the touch and saw Bishamon starung down on him. "Game over." the goddess said, making the other snort.
"Yeah. I lost..." he whispered. His eyes travelled to Yukine's back, seeing the boy cry in Yato's arms, and looked straight in his son's eyes. "Hey... I just remembered while we were exchanging blows." he said as he lost his grip on his broken staff. "Do you still remember when you first woke up in my arms?" receiving a nod from Yato, the sorcerer continued, "That time, it was night and I was thinking of what to name you then when you...when you saw a falling star and tried to grab it with your small hands..." he laughed. "Of course, even though you are a god you can not reached it since it was so far away and yet I humoured you. And then a name appeared in my mind... I named you Yaboku. D'ya know why?"
"No."
"Well... Yaboku means 'I am darkness'. But... There's more to it. I am always watching you, son. I knew how you never wanted to see Sakura cry and did all to make her happy. It was...actually the first instinct you showed. Affection. You first show that affection to me, and I decided not to nurture that. I turned you evil. Manipulated you. But your instinct keeps you away from me. You know what...does that mean...?"
The next words never came as the sorcerer left the body he possessed and Yato collapsed on Yukine.
"Yato!" Kazuma and Yukine exclaimed as they kneeled on the ground.
"Yato! Yato!" Yukine kept calling, but the god did not respond.
"Let's bring him to myansion to recover." Bishamon suggested.
"No... Yato! Yato! Uwaaaaah! Wake up! Don't leave me." Yukine cried, clutching Yato's head.
"Bisha..." Kofuku said in low voice, catching Bishamon's attention. "Yato is dead. His body is slowly disappearing."
Hearing the goddess words, tjey all gasped.
"What? Why?" asked Daikoku.
"How come? He only sustained wounds that can be healed." said Bishamon.
Standing up, Kazuma placed a hand on his master's shoulder. "Viina." he started. "I-I didn't tell you this because Yato didn't want to, but... The sorcerer is Yato's lifeline."
Bishamon's eyes widened at the implication. "You mean..."
"Yeah." Kazuma replied. He retrieved his hand from his master's shoulder to step back and kneeled on the ground.
Yukine, who was still sobbing, noticed the motion and turned to see Kazuma bowing before the fallen god.
"Yato-sama!" Kazuma began. "I know I already thanked you, but I felt it was not enough. So, here I am kneeling and bowing before you to say my gratitude to you! I am forever indebted to you! And in your memory, I will do my best to spread your name amongst us the far shore!"
Daikoku followed Kazuma's example. Bowing down, he said, "Yato-sama! My lady and I were breaking apart. You could have left us to die, but you heed my request and rebonded us together! I am forever indebted to you, Yato-sama!"
Yukine had stopped crying. He was staring at them in disbelief. He did not know Yato did much to these people, but the proof was in front of him. There were people Yato helped that were respecting him like a god should be respected and it warmed his chest to know those people.
If only...if only you can hear them call you that, Yato... The blonde thought as he gazed on Yato's face. If only...