First Light: Part 10

As ever, thank you for all your reviews. At this rate, this story might even finish on time at chapter 12. That would make a change...

There was a woman who lived in Mahoroba, bravesword with the pure blood of Shuuya Himemiya running through her veins. She was a bold and fearless warrior, always honourable and dutiful above all else. But then began a war that took everything from her, husband and brother, her warriors, her place and the child of her heart. And so she was left alone to nothing but black despair, not even permitted to die, there with the ashes her honourable duty had brought her. And as she mourned for all she had lost, the darkness found her there, and took her.

"This is bad!"

I looked up from where I was sitting, blinking in surprise. "Tsuzumi! What's wrong?"

Tsuzumi stopped in front of us, panting. "We had to retreat from scouting… because we found an army."

I stared. "An army? Who?"

"I don't know. They were flying imperial banners. They attacked on sight with bows. We were lucky to escape. Undoubtedly, they were coming this way." Tsuzumi tugged her hair back, a nervous habit of hers. "I've sent someone to notify Uchito-sama as well. What are we going to do?"

"Could you estimate their strength?" Chikane-dono asked, standing and brushing herself off.

"Not accurately. I am very sorry. At least several thousand, possibly many more." Tsuzumi shook her head. "Well-armed men as well, not just militia. This isn't a joke. If we were at our normal state, of course we could repulse them, but with these forces it's impossible."

"An entire army could be a little rough, even for us," I observed, standing as well and shaking out my hair. "If they come up the choke point close to the entrance to the ritual site, we can probably hold for as long as our power does. But without something like their Gods, it's difficult."

"This can only be an Orochi attack," Chikane-dono said, closing her eyes. "Arai said it himself, didn't he? That the First had already killed the Emperor. And for something like this to happen now…"

"The imperial army- no, maybe all of Japan- are our enemies," I said. "However they've made such a thing possible."

"Now that is rough, even for us," Chikane said softly. She closed her eyes. "Let's go. Uchito will be in a panic by now."

"Come with us," I said, smiling at Tsuzumi. "Thank you for finding them. This gives us a little time, at least."

"Not very long," Tsuzumi warned. "They were only a mile out. Even assuming they need to spend some time deploying their forces-"

"We know," Chikane-dono said shortly, striding towards the tree. "I can't feel an Orochi's aura. I think this is just an human army."

"That's a relief. Being attacked by an Orochi and an army at once would definitely be too much," I said.

"It's strange, though," Chikane-dono said. "If that's the case, what is their motive force? Are the imperial colours just a bluff? I find it hard to believe warriors would march under the order of the man who killed the Emperor."

"We've suffered for losing all our contact with the outside world," I said. "Almost everything has gone against us even from the beginning."

"We stand here, though," Chikane-dono said. "That's enough."

We stopped in front of Uchito-sama, already deep in discussion with the Ogami warriors. "Chikane-sama, Himeko-sama," he said, turning to us. "This is grave news. Can you awaken Ame No Murakumo?"

"Well, we've recovered most of our lost strength from the last battle," I said. "Though it hasn't been long enough. It's hard to know how strong the barrier is, but… we can do it, if it has to be done."

"Good. We will endeavour to hold them for as long as we can, but summoning Ame No Murakumo is our best chance of victory here." Uchito looked across the ritual site. "I've had plenty of time to prepare, and enough warriors to make a stand. What happens next depends on them. If they send in swordsmen first, we can fight them head-on at the chokepoint and buy time. If they're smart enough to fight with archers at the front, we'll fight by ambush here and at the caves. Fifteen minutes to an hour, depending on how things go. We'll fall back to your position if we absolutely have to."

"I understand," Chikane-dono said. "I'll leave it to you, Uchito-sama."

"It's dangerous, though," I said. "Are sure we shouldn't try to fight the army with you? It shouldn't be beyond our abilities."

"My suspicion is that's what the enemy wants," Uchito said. "To waste your time and delay the summoning still further. In addition to that, if I'm any judge, even if you can defeat and rout the entire enemy army, they may still kill everyone else in the meantime. One of the first lesson I learned myself was that even mark-users can't defend everyone at once on the field of battle." He closed his eyes. "Summoning Ame No Murakumo is the best way to save those of us who remain. It's also necessary to defend the world. Please, Himeko-sama. Allow me to do my duty."

I nodded once. "Very well. We will awaken Ame No Murakumo."

"I hope you will entrust your warriors to me, Tsuzumi," Uchito said. "It would be an honour to fight by the Ogami one last time."

"Our feelings are the same. We are humble swords in your hands," Tsuzumi said, bowing deeply.

"Fight well," I said, following Chikane-dono and running towards the caves.

"Don't worry," Chikane said as we raced into the shadows. "All else aside, Uchito-sama is the great general who has turned five armies from Mahoroba. This much is within his capabilities."

"This time we don't have an army," I replied, hair fluttering out behind me as we ran. "The difference between the two forces is too great, even accounting for the strength of our location."

"Of course. That's why Uchito-sama can only honesty say 'fifteen minutes in the worst case scenario'," Chikane said, gritting her teeth. "A meaningless sacrifice, but it's the Himemiya duty… I'll admit, he lives as he leads."

"We have to awaken Ame no Murakumo," I said simply.

"Yes. This time, we won't fail," Chikane said. "We have no choice but for that."

At last, we arrived at the sacred place. There wasn't any words as we came to stop in front of the small shrine. Our implements were far behind so we simply brought her hands together, beginning the prayer. The fire sprang up, hitting us with a wave of heat. I gritted my teeth, carrying on without hesitation. When the lightning began again I welcomed it. That meant we were getting somewhere. The shadows curled around us again but this time they found no purchase, no crack in our resolve. I grimaced in pain, raising my arms to defend myself as the lightning washed over us. It hurt. It hurt a lot. But we couldn't stop for that, either.

I think I lost track of time after a while. Certainly, I lost all sense of place. But though I couldn't see her, I knew Chikane was by my side. And no matter how much pain we felt, no matter how long it took; we would awaken Ame No Murakumo. No matter what. There wasn't any weakness any more, nor were there doubts. This was what we had to do protect everyone and everything we had left, the world, and our future. A resolve that could never be crumbled.

In that face of that, the barrier… crumbled.

And through those gaps, I saw golden light, and felt someone behind me. I turned and found Chikane by my side and that person to our backs again.

"This golden fire is Amaterasu's wings, the true firmament of all creation," a voice said softly. "Transcending all distance, the pinpoint that is the true form of this world. And we have become beings who can reach across that distance, and so are guests in the heavenly domain, here on this empty godless month."

Chikane and I turned as one, drawing our swords and raising them to guard.

The First stepped forwards then turned to face us impassively, this time unmasked. He had a beautiful face, that of a young man only a few years older than we were. His red eyes gazed at us with a mesmerising intensity. "Until I heard your voices, I was at a loss. But like this, it will be possible. I will summon Yamata no Orochi. You will summon Ame No Murakumo. That is how things should be, and I thank you for bringing it about."

"We aren't who we were last time we met," I said coldly. "This won't end the same way."

"This is not the time for our final battle. You also have a pressing matter to return to, do you not?" The First closed his eyes. "Though I can summon Orochi, gaining the world-destroying power that is his birthright will require a great sacrifice. Come before me at Heian-kyō with Ame No Murakumo, if you are truly intend on preserving this wretched world, and we will end things then."

"We will defeat you." So we said as one.

We returned in an instant to a world of thunder and blazing light.

A pillar of white energy had crashed through the ceiling, engulfing us with its cold waves and expanding rapidly. Rock crumbled around us as we were pulled upwards, flying through the mountain as it shattered all about us, disintegrating to nothing. A bridge of light that came down from the uttermost heavens themselves, connecting the stars to the earth. And blisteringly fast, Ame No Murakumo descended like a sword slashing down from heaven. It crashed down between us, impaling the blasted ruin of the mountain itself and remaining there, a great idol of metal in many colours, a blade, a magnificent spirit radiating a deep and icy power beyond all imagining. We landed on its shoulders, hair blowing in the violent wind that whipped around it and looking down at the ritual site below.

Ame No Murakumo had been awakened.

"How long has it been?" I asked tautly, trying to make out the battle occurring below.

"We don't have time to think. Please awaken and rise, Ame No Murakumo!" Chikane raised her sword to guard, a new light radiating from the blade.

I nodded, imitating her. "We are the blood children at the appointed time. We give ourselves to you!"

Ame No Murakumo unfolded and rose, a metal giant blazing with light. It effortlessly took to the sky, flying high above the army below and raising its arms. Giant beams of light shot from its shoulders, strafing the ranks waiting below and setting the very ground on fire with our god's righteous fury. We struggled to hold on, utterly dwarfed by the power all around us. Take no Yasukunazuchi's attacks had been a shadow of a shadow of this awesome majesty, and it filled us with hope to see such power fighting for us.

But a melee still raged in the ritual site. "We should go," I said, breathing out.

"You're right."

We stepped into the golden light together. This time there was no sign of the First, and in a moment we were standing beneath the tree in the middle of the ritual site. "It's odd," I said, taking in the chaotic battle at a glance and focusing my attention on the archers at the gateway. "Even though we did all that, I'm not tired at all. Rather, power is flowing through me."

Chikane raised her sword, radiating silver light as her power flowed deeply through her body. "This is Ame No Murakumo's power."

"So it is." My mantle exploded out around me and I raised my left hand, dozens of bolts of light shooting outwards and striking down the archers in an instant.

Chikane blurred forwards at a speed no normal human could hope to follow, killing an enemy with every blow of her sword. Within a minute, the enemy was put to rout, chased down into the holy fire of Ame No Murakumo's anger.

We approached the survivors as they were gathered together, Isaki Himemiya tending to their wounds as best they could. We helped her as best we could, more afraid of searing them with our new-found incandescence than being unable to close their wounds and re-knit bones. Once we were finished, we stood before them, watching as they bowed in reverence.

"It has come to pass," Uchito-sama said hoarsely. "At our darkest hour, you have revived Ame No Murakumo. Thank the heavens!"

"You have all fought valiantly," I said. "Our god has witnessed the deeds of the living and the dead. All will be remembered."

"And the sacrifices are over with." Chikane-dono looked over all of them. "The trials are over with. Our faith is proved and we have come to this. We will go with Ame No Murakumo to confront and destroy Orochi and end the darkness forever."

I smiled slightly. She's changed so much… though I have also changed. There's nothing holding us back any more. "All of you have done more than enough. It is our lord's will that you remain here and rebuild as best you can."

"Do so with faith and strength, believing in yourselves. That has ever been the way of your people. The Ogami and the Himemiya bloodlines remain intact, and your warriors stand by us. Mahoroba is your destined land. Heal its wounds and live." Chikane closed her eyes. "We will not return here."

I blinked in surprise, looking sidelong at her as a murmur went up among the crowd. Does she really mean to go through with this?

"But we will not fail," Chikane continued, ignoring me. "We will triumph. Now that Ame No Murakumo has come to earth, our true marks have gained his most triumphant blessing, an unending power that needs no rest and knows no defeat. For that reason, we will not linger."

I closed my eyes briefly. No, our paths are set. We can only go forwards now. In that, at least, she is right. It is better to say everything now without regrets. My eyes opened. "This is our farewell. Please pray for us."

"Wait! Please take us with you!" Tsuzumi said urgently, standing. "We are warriors sworn to you!"

I smiled at her. "Thank you. But you have another duty now, Tsuzumi. Though without a miracle, the Ogami line will not remain pure, you must survive to continue it."

"You should be the one to continue our line," Tsuzumi said. "You're the one Ame No Murakumo chose! So come back alive!"

"Please pray for me. Even so, I do not intend to die."

"I will not say anything unseemly," Uchito-sama said, bowing. "Go with our honour, Chikane-sama, and fulfil the meaning of the Himemiya family."

"I won't die either. Remake our family in a better way than the form it knew in this age." Chikane looked across at me.

I nodded to her, and we turned and walked away, heading down the slope and past the dead, both allies and enemies. So much blood. So much sacrifice. All for this.

I sheathed my sword as we approached Ame No Murakumo, waiting for us amidst the ruin of the enemy army. "This time, we're going to finish this. Stay with me until the end, no matter what happens."

Chikane bowed her head briefly. "As you wish, Himeko-dono."

We knelt on Ame No Murakumo's shoulders as our god flew towards our destination. Heian-kyô, the imperial city, the capital and the promised place of our final battle. Just as the First had requested, we had come to fight him. That would be the last thing to go according to his plans.

"The enemy is coming," Himeko warned.

I raised my head, eyes narrowing. "I know. Six presences, all the gods we've already defeated… and Orochi must be the bloated shadow above and beyond. What a terrifyingly ominous feeling."

"Yes." Himeko frowned. "But is it just me? Their auras feel… strange."

I refocused, turning my attention from Orochi's shadow to the six lesser gods. "You're right. It feels like there's some kind of distortion, a twist we haven't seen before. Have they been strengthened by Orochi's power?"

We had our answer when the six flew straight towards us. Himeko gasped, while I stared in surprise and mounting horror. They had been clad in tattered cloaks, but that hardly served to hide what had been done to them. The flesh-and-blood demons had been clad in thick, dark armour, pinned to them by giant metal stakes driven into their weeping flesh. Bodies distorted into crude humanoid forms wept blood from what skin was still exposed. And they were all branded with Orochi's darkness, long shadows sweeping out behind them. It was a horrifying sight.

"Even they are gods," Himeko said, her voice very quiet. "This is… an unthinkable blasphemy."

"Ame no Murakumo will end them," I said. "And we will be complicit in that."

The six gods released a barrage of assorted attacks, larger and more powerful than ever before. Ame No Murakumo swept through the barrage with incredible speed and grace, firing back with beams of light shot from the gems mounted on its shoulders. What had once been Hi no Ashinazuchi was hit in the chest, armour and flesh alike disintegrating. It crashed from the sky, falling apart as it descended and dying silently. Take no Yasukunazuchi shot towards us, clashing blades with our god. Its sword shattered into pieces, barely escaping as lightning slammed into Ame No Murakumo's chest, throwing it back. Our god fired off its sword, catching Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi in the chest and destroying it instantly. The others closed around us but the sword god broke free in an instant, slashing through another. It was an utterly futile fight. Impossible for these lesser gods, these abominations, to even touch the great power of Ame No Murakumo.

I looked up. "The other two!"

Take no Yamikazuchi and Yokusemi no Mizuchi flew towards Heian-kyō, their forms the same as they had ever been. My eyes narrowed as I watched the demonic bird fly easily through the sky. "Mother…"

"We should go," Himeko said. "Right now, we're only spectators. Ame No Murakumo will take care of everything here."

I gritted my teeth as the sword god unleashed another blazing attack. "You're right. Let's go."

We stepped through the light, reappearing in front of the broken gates of the palace. Around us was nothing but emptiness, silence and desolation. Above us, the shadow lingered. We walked through the gates, heading towards the heart of the darkness. Light still flickered in the heavens behind us but it became strangely muted as we walked onwards, as if the broken palace was a bubble isolated from the world, unaffected and uncaring of everything occurring outside its shattered walls. Just like Mahoroba.

They were waiting for us at the top of the main staircase. Arai and mother, standing side by side, simply looking down at us. And we stood, looking up at them.

"We knew you'd come," Arai said.

"And we knew you'd come," Himeko returned.

"We have a common foe. We should fight together and defeat the First before anything else." Arai closed his eyes. "I would very much like to say that. But we aren't using half measures. We won't allow you to continue past here."

"I'd like to return those words to you," Himeko said. "We can't afford to hold back any more. But if you leave now, we won't hunt you down. We will defeat the First and destroy Orochi."

Arai raised his hands. "That cannot be allowed. There's nothing more to say."

I stared at mother who stared at me. Neither of us really heard those words. Our hands were on our swords, our stances tense, waiting for the moment. But with those words we barely heard we both leapt up, meeting each other in an instant at the middle of the staircase, blades clashing against each other for a fraction of a second before we both shot past each other. I landed and turned, pulling my sheath from my belt and wrapping it in Ame No Murakumo's power. We charged towards each other one more time, jumping up as Arai and Himeko exchanged explosive fire and landing opposite each other on broken pillars above them.

Mother looked at me, both her swords out and rippling with white light. "We should take this battle to a safer place. If we use our full power, we could endanger the other two by mistake. It would be better if we could fight without holding back."

"You're right," I agreed softly.

She jumped backwards, landing on a blasted side corridor and running. I followed her in an instant, running parallel to her just out of the reach of our swords. We drew level with each other then accelerated to a blistering speed; eyes focused on each other as we weaved through a maze of shattered wood and rock. I gritted my teeth. Even though I'm using my threads at full power this is only enough to keep up with her… we're both moving fast enough no human could follow it, but my best weapon is no advantage at all here.

Mother slid to a halt as we reached a garden, open and clear of rubble. "You've grown since we last met. I'm glad."

"Likewise." I stopped opposite her, taking a stance. "But one more thing. Earlier you said just moving would let us fight without regrets. Neither you nor I are serious right now, though, are we?"

"That's true," mother said coolly.

"There are things we have to say," I said, lowering my sword and sheath. "Isn't that right?"

"That's true," mother repeated, sheathing both her weapons. "What do you want to know?"

"Isaki said that I didn't know the whole truth of my birth circumstances," I said. "That there was a further truth, yours to keep. What was the meaning of that?"

"So she told you, did she? That makes things easier." Mother blinked briefly. "Isaki and I are different in many ways. But if I was to encapsulate that difference in one phrase, she is truer to the duty of the Himemiya than I."

"How is that possible?" I said urgently. "She's a weak-willed woman who can't even lift a sword! And you're a strong warrior who has always served the Himemiya faithfully before now! The one who embodies our duty is you-"

"Wrong. Being a sword, fighting, all of those are subordinate duties. Think Chikane. For what reason does the Himemiya exist?"

"To serve Ame No Murakumo," I said automatically.

"No. For you." Mother glared at me. "To bring about your existence, that of the Lunar Priestess, and to preserve our blood before and thereafter. In order to create the chosen one, the Himemiya family was forged from Shuuya Himemiya's blood, in order to preserve that blood. That is the most important duty, and it is that I failed in."

"I don't understand," I admitted, giving her a hopeless look.

"Isaki and Uchito sincerely love each other and are truly husband and wife. Though I undoubtedly loved your father, that feeling was completely different. So I told Isaki many times, wringing my hands as a girl your age and then older thereafter, saying that preserving the line with either Uchito or your father would be unthinkable for me. For that reason, when the twins were born, Isaki suffered great pain and made a great sacrifice giving you up to me." Mother closed her eyes, looking down. "Because of my weakness, they did such a thing in order to protect me. Even so, I accepted that protection. I was never a true wife, and contented myself with being a true sword to the family I owed such a debt."

"There's no dishonour in that," I began, eyes widening. "The Himemiya's old form is rotten, and the pure blood principle mistaken. So I've also felt for a long time now! You weren't wrong, to do what you did."

"I was wrong. The traditions are right. We also separated you from Shuu so you would never feel as I did, but would be able to take him from your true love." Mother glared at me again. "That was not mistaken!"

"That dream would never have come true! I know that well now!" I snapped back.

"Shuu is dead, and your father is dead. No, my husband. Isaki is your mother and Uchito is your father. Any bond between us- I disown it now!"

"Mother!" I said desperately.

Mother looked straight at me. "Isaki has always been barren thereafter. My hubris and folly has destroyed the Himemiya. I see that clearly now. That's why I will gain Orochi's power and undo all my mistakes. To recreate the world just as the time before and do things right this time around. To realise that vision, or to die in the attempt, that is my duty to the Himemiya now!"

I bit my lip and closed my eyes for a moment, then shook off my grief and opened my eyes. "I understand. Then in the name of the Himemiya I will kill you here, Asuna Himemiya!"

Asuna drew her swords and charged towards me. I ran to meet her, spinning my swords rapidly to meet her insanely fast attack. Our swords clashed, waves of shock racing down my arm before we passed each other, twisted and struck again, moving so fast I could barely follow our movements with my ripples. Just like me, her blows are enhanced with the threads. The strength jars my arm, but we're evenly matched. We raced across the garden, exchanging a blistering series of blows both high and low. With one sword, I'd be utterly overmatched. Even with two she inflicted several shallow cuts, while I was unable to penetrate her unflinching defence. I flipped backwards, landing ten meters away and sliding to a halt as I evaded a vicious horizontal slash. My wounds began to close. No matter. Only a heavy blow will tell now and both of us are aiming for the middle of each other's backs. It's not a location anyone can hit easily.

I raised both swords, keeping my sheath at arm's length while holding my sword back as Asuna charged. And her supernatural senses… this isn't a battle you can fight without perception like my ripples, but I can't feel any such thing. She appeared in front of me in an instant, slamming my sheath aside with the hilt of her sword and angling it to deflect my own. Her short-sword stabbed towards my gut. I flipped upwards over her head, barely avoiding it. My sword slashed out, catching her in the shoulder as she looked up at me and landing behind her. Blood flew from my sword as I span on my feet, clashing violently with her going the other way and stepping back. She can be hurt.

White light played around her wound, sealing it as we charged each other again. I stabbed towards her chest; she caught the top of my guard with the point of her sword, stopping my attack dead. She raised her short-sword to parry a slash from my sheath, shoving forwards and sliding her sword sideways to nick my neck as I staggered back. Asuna went on the offensive as I tried to gain space, forcing me steadily backwards with rapid, sharp blows. Sweat dripped down my face as I desperately tried to break out, my every blow checked and turned as she cut me on the arms, the flank, the cheek.

Why? Even though our speed and strength are matched, what is this undeniable difference between us? Is this Asuna's natural superiority? She always defeated me in fair fights, a matter of experience. Is that the quality that separates us even now? I'd feared running her through and being stabbed in the same moment, a real danger at this level. But with this… undoubtedly… I'm losing. My back slammed against the wall of the garden and I looked up at her merciless eyes fearfully. Am I really going to die here?

I slid sideways, her sword piercing the wall just to the left of my neck. I desperately stabbed my sword towards her face, but she sidestepped easily, eyes shifting as she followed the course of the blade. A moment later she focused on me again, knocking my sword aside with her short blade and slashing out, forcing me to duck.

There. There!

I exploded upwards before she could stab down, my sword swinging wildly towards her chest. Asuna stepped effortlessly sideways, eyes focused on the blade- and my foot slammed into her shin forcefully, making her stagger. In that heartbeat I slashed horizontally with my sheath, making her jump backwards out of range again. Sweat dripped down my face but I met her eyes and smiled.

Her eyes. I can see it clearly now. Asuna uses something like my threads to magnify the perception of her eyes manifold, her supernatural senses. Most likely that perception is superior even to my ripples. But… but one thing. She can only see what her eyes can take in. Just now, and when I cut her shoulder as well. She has many blind spots, and I have none.

I pushed off the ground, charging forwards as she strengthened her stance. Undoubtedly, now, I am seriously trying to kill Asuna who is seriously trying to kill me. But I am the one who will win and survive.

I promised Himeko I would stay with her till the end.