Scuffing the dirt under his bare feet, a man's cold eyes surveyed the barren ground before him. "It's so…" Hearing the trod of feet against the barren earth, he locked his sea-foam eyes on the man who quickly approached him. Taking in the old man's long grey beard, loose white robes, sandaled feet, and the large bronze lightning bolt strapped to the man's straight back, he gave a nod of courtesy to the man who had once ruled another faction. The newcomer's voice was a rumbling baritone, the complete opposite of his own light, rolling tenor. "I know what you mean, Ryujin. We will make it into a paradise." Ryujin merely rolled his eyes at the proclamation, leaning on his coral staff.
"Enough of your promises, old man, and get to it."
Both old men turned their attention to the light footfalls that accompanied the annoying tenor voice. The young man stood tall and straight, balancing easily in his high-laced sandals, a trickster's grin on his handsome, unlined face, a shock of grey-blond hair falling into his laughing blue eyes. "Loki." Ryujin nodded lightly while the other old man grated his teeth in frustration at the young man's antics. "What are you doing here, Loki? You have no practical uses here, and your thievery will get you nothing but justice." "Easy there, Zeus. I'm just tired of your promises when you've done nothing at all. This musty air's getting on everyone's nerves, ya know!" Zeus growled before moving to attack the pert 'young' god. A coral staff suddenly blocked his way, serious eyes staring a hole through the man's soul. "He's right, you know. A breeze or storm might lighten the mood. Every one's tired of simply surviving, instead of living." With another growl, Zeus surrendered to Ryujin's authority, quickly applying his energy into the air above, creating blustering winds as a cloud of dust gathered overhead. Glaring at the dust cloud, Zeus almost didn't notice the gathering of power next to him, creating moisture that was quickly sucked up in his breeze, finally creating a small, fluffy cloud.
"Loki, would you mind getting the others? Zeus and I could use a bit of help."
The younger god took off with a nod, rushing almost as fast as the messenger god of Olympus. Zeus and Ryujin put their full attention to creating clouds, gathering water as fast as Ryujin could create it. A spark of static electricity in the clouds turned their attention briefly to the newest arrival, Raizen smirked at the two oldest surviving gods, continuing to charge up electricity as the clouds built up, becoming dark from the amount of water collected. Ryujin's energy and concentration faltered as he coughed up blood, his ancient body not able to handle such a tiring and unusual task. A steadying hand patted his aged back, as he turned to face the wispily bearded and darkly tanned face of Pan. Pan was the one god who had escaped the destruction of the gods unscathed by faking his death millennia earlier. Short green grass and wildflower buds were sprouting under their feet, spreading out like a slow blanket. "Come, my friend. Old folk like us shouldn't work so hard." His gravely voice enticed a venomous glare from Zeus and a chuckle from Raizen. A goddess walked up quickly, her normally calm expression creased with worry. "Are you alright, Ryujin-sama? Let me take it from here." The god nodded to the younger goddess, allowing Pan to lead him off to the side as the goddess sent her energy into the clouds faster than Ryujin ever could. "See, Ryujin? Leave all the hard work to those that specialize in it. Young Benten is wonderful with water, you know that! She's not that bad to look at, either." Pan finished with a perverted grin, while Ryujin took on the countenance of a protective father. The goat-man laughed at that, quickly making a flask of wine appear, taking a sip before offering it to his friend. Taking a long swig from the flask, Ryujin settled down, watching the six younger gods that had appeared make this barren place into a safe refuge. His eyes closing, he succumbed to the calming effects of the alcohol, falling asleep alongside Pan.
It had been a long time since they had made their paradise, and life was getting started on their refuge from destruction. Animals and spirits of all sorts had started to appear, and Ryujin even had a clutch of eggs to look after! Soon, he would be back in his element, teaching his dragons once again, like Pan was trying to do with the baby satyrs. This place truly had become a paradise, with the only inconvenience being the regular council meetings with the other seven gods and goddesses.
Lifting himself off of his throne, he gave each of the dozen eggs a touch before leaving, flying out of his underwater cave in his dragon form.
A frown was on the faces of all eight immortals as they faced their current dilemma; nine animals who had come with a common goal.
"So, let me get this straight. The nine of you wish to become demons?" Zeus was taking control, his arrogance exceeding its bounds. The leader of the nine animals, a fox with flame-red fur stepped forward, staring straight into immortal eyes without fear.
"That is correct, Lord Zeus." The council burst into chaos at this preposterous request.
"Whatever for!?" was the general outcry from the immortals. Many cringed in fear, except for the fox, the bull, and the raccoon.
The bull snorted and stepped forward. "To protect our friends and family from the humans of course!"
This answer brought even more panic to the immortals, only settled when Pan brayed loud enough to shake the room.
"What humans, bull? There have never been humans here before." Ryujin stayed calm, his mind racing with what this could mean. All of the immortals were fearful of humans, as they had previously destroyed all but the eight gods sitting on the council.
"The humans that are slowly being born, because of the intermingling relationships between the nature spirits!" the raccoon had piped up, despite being the smallest of all the creatures there. A frown marred cold faces, and one immortal opened a viewing portal in front of the gods, goddesses, and animals. Sure enough, pink hairless bundles of pinkish flesh were waddling around, learning more about the world every moment. A stunned silence hit the occupants of the room.
"Well, shit." Commented Raizen, trying to keep a headache at bay. The discussion quickly changed to whether or not the nine animals in front of them should gain demonic powers.
Wearing satisfied smiles, the nine animals marched out of the room, their natural balance shaken by the addition of tails, and more power than they could have imagined.
The raccoon was given the title Ichibi, as well as control of wind and ground combined, and returned home to find it covered in tons of sand, and humans exploring its old home. His tears created oases in the new desert, as he started waging sand-driven war against the humans.
The cat was given a second tail, thus named the Nibi. She had control over the dead and a demonic force known as hellfire. Going back to her fertile mountain home, she discovered that her touch brought scorching poison, destroying anything she touched. The Nibi quickly retreated to a system of large caves in the mountains, rock being the only thing she didn't destroy.
Sanbi, the three tailed turtle retreated to the sea, his blood-thirst coming to the surface when humans learned how to make ships, sinking them with many oceanic disasters.
Yonbi, once a songbird, now had changed with his new tails, gaining the powers and appearance of a petrifying cockatrice. Fearing its own visage, the Yonbi retreated deep into the northeastern mountains, its nightly cries terrifying all who heard them.
Gobi the wolf grew to exponential sizes, her five tails giving her limited command over all the combined elements of life, those which could not be classified without two or more other elements. She returned to her native home in the northern ice, leading and protecting her growing pack of wolves, even adding abandoned humans to her supporters and worshipers.
The weasel had caught Raizen's favor, and was given the power of lightning, his title as Rokubi giving him a great amount of destructive power. He vanished into the forests, secure in hiding and completely undisturbed.
The Shibi also snuck away, the grumpy badger given powerful control over illusion. However, unlike the Rokubi, the badger demon delighted in causing trouble for the young race of humans, trapping them in illusions and mazes.
The Bull was given the title of Hachibi, his immense strength able to cause quakes, slides, and pitfalls when he pounded his hoof on the ground. Knowing of Nibi's plight, he went to join her, keeping both from being lonely in their mountain home.
The fox was given the highest title, and was labeled as the King of Bijou, as well the title of Kyuubi. His natural energy was nearly limitless, even though he sacrificed almost all of his control. Kyuubi returned to his forest, guiding the beasts there, and keeping a hidden eye on the developing human race.
Ryujin heaved a sigh as he plunged into his ocean home. That bloody meeting had taken two whole years! 'Didn't those debating hotheads know I have dragonets to look after?' Rushing into his cavern palace, he was greeted by the sight of sixteen young dragons, all serenading him with dragonsong. "Hello, my children."
Twenty years. It had been twenty years since he had first learned to use this natural energy. Dark blue eyes surveyed his new home, quickly and quietly being built on a cliff overlooking the sea. Storm Point, it had been called earlier, but now Arashikage no Sato would sit on this spot.
"Namikaze-sama."
The dark eyed man with platinum blond hair turned to face the voice, taking note of the captain's badge the man wore, his long brown hair pulled back in a rat-tail.
"Ah, Uzumaki-taicho. Has he made an appearance?"
The Uzumaki's posture tightened. He did not like this man, even though he was their new leader.
"Hai, Hikari-sama."
The Namikaze grinned. "Now, now, Taicho. No need to be so formal. Let's not keep him waiting." The blond grinned, stepping away from his viewing platform as he walked side by side with the brunette warrior. Coming away from the area, the Hikari held out both arms, only to have two gorgeous blue-eyed blondes, barely out of their teens, latch on to him. Namikaze Hirru smiled at two of his wives. 'Such young girls! They won't be so enthusiastic when they're older, I hope!' Uzumaki Hayate frowned at the display. Sure, he knew that the Namikaze were polygamists, but for such displays in public… Just as his frown was about to deepen, his own wife clasped onto his arm, her indigo hair swinging freely behind her as her grass-green eyes shone with love. Hayate's own eyes softened, and he gave her a slight hug, increasing his pace to catch up to his laughing leader.
Hirru looked back at his subordinate, slight thoughts of jealousy running through his head. While the Namikaze were polygamists, every single one of them, they didn't have the Uzumaki's ability of absolute love and devotion. The bond between an Uzumaki and their partner was utterly unbreakable, a special something that no one in the Namikaze clan possessed. Hearing the taicho's gasp, he turned his attention forward, almost gaping at the magnificent sight before him.
Spread out in front of the villagers was a huge dragon, grey as the sea in a storm, about a mile long with a sleek body ten meters high. The dragon's legs were as solid tree trunks, strong and supple. His breath smelled of the sea, salty and bracing, while his mane of hair blew around his face, sea-foam eyes glimmering with wisdom under heavy brows. Hirru and his companions dropped to a knee in respect.
"Greetings, Ryujin-sama."
"Human, what are you doing here, so far from your domain? Answer wisely you one."
"We were wishing to set up a village here, Ryujin-sama."
"A village? Whatever for, human? Are your clans not enough for you?"
"No, Ryujin-sama. We wish to establish full trade with everyone, but many clans are too far to trade for what they need. Many clan heads gathered a moon ago, and all agreed to give warriors and clansmen to run this village, so that clans could trade easier, as well as merchants having protection. This village is being created for peaceful reasons, I swear." Hirru started trembling slightly as the dragon god regarded the group of two hundred people carefully, his gaze making many tremble in fear. The dragon hmmed, before returning his gaze to Hirru and Hayate, who had left his wife to stand beside the blond.
"Your reasons seem just. Very well, I will allow you to live and prosper here, so long as you do not start wars, nor will you abandon your comrades. I myself will sponsor you before the immortal council."
Hirru sighed in relief, but Hayate was suspicious. "Ryujin-sama, I'm truly grateful, but why are you allowing this? How does this bring you any advantage?"
Ryujin chuckled in amusement. "Simple young one. Not only does this bring the clans of my children closer together, it also gives me a village of champions." Eyes widened all around as Ryujin continued. "You see, other gods and goddesses are allowing human settlements spring up, all of them training warriors. If these deities should turn on me, I won't have enough strength to protect all those under my rule. That's where you come in. A village filled with peacemakers who can fight back if the need calls for it."
Talk spread around, and warriors of all disciplines straightened with pride and confidence. A smile graced the features of both leaders, as they replied simultaneously, "We won't disappoint you, Ryujin-sama!" the god smiled at this, fangs bared in good humor.
"I know you won't."
Ryujin looked on in sorrow as the village that had stood for three centuries burned to the ground, the clans bickering amongst themselves, accusing one another of faults. Those fighting most bitterly had been the Uzumaki and the Namikaze. It wounded him deeply to see the clans of his human descendants fight so bitterly after such a long peace. Something that had seemed a simple rivalry had eventually grown into a blood feud. Only a handful of Uzumaki were left alive, and even now, the last Namikaze was fleeing, clutching her stomach wound as she sought refuge. Ryujin did the last thing he could, teleporting her to the forests of the new Hi no Kuni once she passed out.
The dragon god closed his eyes as the last glimmer of his island paradise faded, the coasts and much of the inland area falling into the ocean and creating the massive, eternal waves that the remainder of the island became known for.
And so was born Nami no Kuni,
the last, soiled, remnants of the great Henka no Kuni.
TBC
Oreo; wow, that's a looong prologue. Don't worry, they people you know will be coming next chapter. This is pretty much a history lesson. Ja, and remember; R&R!