Blanctorche
The war of the Japanese clans against Orochi is well known. This is the story of the Blanctorche House. A speculative oneshot about the history and nature of the family's conflict with Saiki, and how it led to the Tales of Ash.
Medieval France. Unknown pastures in the countryside
The stars were perfectly aligned. They cried out for sacrifice, something warm-blooded to fuel their crackling, cosmic fire.
They sang for human sacrifice.
"Just enough," whispered Botan, smiling as her possessed friar stabbed his last, trembling novice in the throat. Hot blood gushed from the severed veins and soaked the cool, dewy midnight grass, on which a fire ritual was being conducted. Botan had prepared everything to the letter, in accordance with the hymns of the ancient poets and seers who sang of the sacrificial fire and arrogant gods. The black-haired vixen's fingers twitched in pleasure as her strings hummed through the pierced cranium of the abbot. She only needed to sing, and the stupid man would dance.
"It is a beautiful thing, sacrifice. It is actually quite a moral, noble thing to do. Even their so-called Saviour gave himself up as a universal sacrifice to atone for humanity's sins. They know within their heart of hearts: how arrogant must we be to demand that the gods give freely? Gaia gave all beings life, and it is in loyal sacrifice to Her that life can thrive." Botan sighed, savouring the cool midnight air and brutally twisting the hapless friar's head around to face her. A loud crack broke into the quiet air, interrupting the whispering fire. "The poets of the Rig Veda knew this. Those ancient enigmas of divine speech knew that it is Gaia who gives Indra his lusty thunder, our warriors their horses, and our master that feared name: The One Who Rules Time."
The stars above flared passionately as the light from the flames touched an opening fissure in the aether. The brilliant rupture grew until it was large enough to allow a massive being of black and stone to step out. "Magaki will remain to hold the bridge that links this age with that of antiquity," declared Mukai, his ivory-ebony sash billowing behind his trunk-like, sandalled legs. "Our true home can only be with Gaia."
"We have no need to move against our master's eight-headed rival," sniffed Botan. "And we cannot let one miserable family stop us. It would be shameful."
"You speak of the Blanctorche House," growled Mukai, baring his sharp teeth. To Botan, they were only a bit sharper than his gravity-defying hair. "Shion will lead our remaining forces against their knights. Our brethren are falling around us even as our grip on time strengthens. We cannot win simply by manipulating the temporal stream. Humans will not be broken so easily: even our master knows that one day, we will need the power of space: the power that Gaia bestowed upon her beloved, Orochi."
Botan scowled. "You make it sound like we're the ones running out of time."
Mukai grimaced. "We are."
Blanctorche Castle
Anna Blanctorche was a tall woman with jet-black hair, her body slender but scarred. Her armour was light but strong, fitted with cast steel blessed by the lineage of Blanctorche elders. She stared at the parchment she had received from her servant. "It seems that we have an edict from the His Majesty the King of France himself. It commands us to… ride out into battle against your archfoes, for they have become Ours as well." Her rimy, cool eyes narrowed. "They are amassing to destroy our kingdoms' remnants. Only a concerted counterattack will save the realms from them."
There was a blonde woman beside Anna in the chamber, and she snorted in disdain. "The Teutonic Knights are too busy with their petty crusade against Jerusalem, and the kings of this continent cower in their castles as demons bang on their portcullises. They say that Saiki's only weakness is the weaponry of our House. But perhaps they could wound him too, if they simply had the nerve to fight like the men they think they are."
"Come now, Marina my dear sister," said Anna. "The king is only a man, whilst the women of Blanctorche have been warring with Them since time immemorial. From the age of the Celts to the reign of Rome and the terror of the Vikings, we have kept Them in check. We saved the terrified Church after They unleashed their wrath against the Eternal City. We fought Their cultists alongside the turbaned heroes of the Arabian desert even as Europe was submerged in the darkness of Saiki's unholy power. We allied with luminaries like Lancelot and Galahad, Sigmund and Beowulf, against their monsters. We passed down our masterpiece, Durandal, to the paladin Roland of Charlemagne's court. And now as we finally gain the upper hand, our final battle is nigh."
She put down the royal edict and drew her sword – a thin, elegant blade that was forged to slay monsters and possessed humans. "In God's name, for His Majesty and the dukes of the realm, and for the honour of our family – I will slay Saiki and his minions."
Marina smirked as she reached for her gauntlets. "Let me ride with you out into battle. It is time to finish this."
It is war. Europe is at war.
The tall, broad-shouldered demon dwells in his White World. His handsome smile hides a horrid mass of pink and blue. He readies himself to sacrifice the Blanctorches to Orochi.
Europe is at war.
The Lord of Time reclines within his blood-red chambers, with his remaining servants kneeling before him. They will stay, he demands. This last stand will not be their last – no, never. He will return as many times as need be. He may have made mistakes. That mere humans could have cornered his servants like this was once unthinkable. But he will kill them this day. And if not, he will rewind time to deny the Blanctorches existence itself.
But for that, he needs much more power. He needs a future, a distant age in which he can steal the power of his Eastern counterpart. In the distant future They will live to see, he will create a being from himself, one who will help him undo all the deeds of the Blanctorche House.
Blood seeps across Europe. It is the end of the age.
But with humanity's sacrifice comes the gods' rewards.
The foothills of Crécy
Daybreak was imminent.
Anna always preferred to walk on foot, even in battle. Let her knights overtake her as they charged towards Them. The noblemen who followed her were good and brave – she was their leader and comrade, so she knew. The banners of the Blanctorche aristocrats and allies were raised high – a coloured crucifix which hid a metaphorical sword. A hundred and thirty-nine heavily armoured, dull-silver cavalry aimed their blessed lances at an effeminately dressed, long-haired man on a high hill. His weapon was a foreign spear, and his almond eyes glinted.
"Brethren. Kill them all," cried Shion.
The sun's radiance broke upon the horizon and spilled outward to lap at the Blanctorches. From that light thundered a line of crimson-eyed lancers, their minds cut away and replaced by the consciousness of their controller. Their steeds whinnied in rage and fear and stress. "Possessed knights," whispered Marina, who led her family's charge. "Funny that they're English – even Saiki must have a sense of humour." She spoke God's name in vain, and aimed her own weapon at them.
"It's shameful that it's come down to this," grumbled Botan, warping into temporality and standing beside Shion. She stroked herself. "But protect me, and I assure you the fairness of a one-on-one fight with Anna and Marina."
"Sure," replied Shion, staring at the approaching noblewomen. As the knights crashed into each other and entered into an initiation of slaughter behind her, Anna raised her blade and pointed it at Shion. Her boots slowly broke into a sprint, and she let out a sharp battlecry. Shion smiled, raising his spear and thrusting upward. Weapons locked as he smirked at her. Anna snarled and pushed, before going on the offensive. She raised her gauntlets, blocking a flurry of fists from Shion. Stumbling back, she riposted and performed a surprise lunge, wounding Shion's side and sending him tumbling to the ground. Marina turned her horse around, her lance aiming for the Chinese man's head. But before her steed could break into a charge, a pillar of stone suddenly erupted from the ground and threw it off-balance, sending the Blanctorche to the cold grass. Letting go of her lance, she grunted in pain as she fell, scrambling up to see a massive boulder flying at her face. She quickly conjured a shield of light, and the boulder shattered.
She smiled grimly. "Hello, Mukai."
"You will be the sacrifice, the trigger for the blessing of our survival!" roared Mukai. He raised his fists and blocked a slash from Anna's rapier. "Europe must be sacrificed to the gods!"
"Watch out!" cried Anna, as a pink, clawed hand from nowhere grabbed Marina's collar and lifted her high into the air. Marina gasped and kicked, but it was too late. Magaki had materialized into the human world, and his repulsive, insect-like eyes pulsated gleefully.
"You humans are ruled by a higher power. Don't even think of transgressing us!" he crowed, as his hand began to glow pink. "Eat this nova of unholy murder."
Anna charged. "Let me show you the power of Light." Her sword began to glow with white-hot power, and she swung, slashing past Mukai and scraping Magaki's glowing skin. He hissed, his spell sizzling, and Marina took advantage of his distraction to smash her greave against his leg. He cried out in pain, releasing her, and she dropped to the ground. Coughing and sputtering, she drew her dagger and threw it with perfect aim, and it exploded into Blanctorche light even as it stabbed deep into Magaki's stomach. His blue eyes flared as he screamed in agony. Shion scrambled up, thrusting his spear into Marina's thigh. Blood spurted from the wound, but Anna was quick to come to her sister's rescue. With a burst of holy magic, Shion was hurled to the ground, his spear broken by a daring slash from her blade.
Botan stared at the unfolding disaster in disbelief. "Impossible," she whispered. "Since when did they… attain such…?"
Anna smiled as daybreak flooded across the plains of Crécy. The knights were still butchering each other, but it didn't matter anymore. The gods did not favour Them today. Perhaps even Gaia and God had turned their backs on Them. "The morning star has come. You from his distant land have no place here. Retreat back into the shadows, into your realm beyond. Your time is over."
Reclining on his throne, Saiki gritted his teeth as his mind's eye saw his minions retreat, leaving the army of possessed knights to be slaughtered by the Blanctorche family. That had been their last regiment. Now only they remained – and they could not face the Blanctorches like this.
He would have his revenge. He would turn back time. He would change history.
He would make a child agent, Ash Crimson. And he would bring victory to Them.
THE END