— Very well. It began around a week ago. This strange app downloaded itself on my mobile phone.
…
"Congratulations! This device was one among many chosen to host the Devil Summoning Programme! You have access to the Auctions, Demon Fusion, Summoning, and Skills functions, but will unlock even more features as time passes! Enjoy the Apocalypse!" — So said the message on Chihaya's phone.
"That's odd, I don't remember downloading this." — She thought in confusion. She gave up after unsuccessfully trying to delete it a few times and decided to see what this was about. Once tapping the icon, a white pentagram over a black background, an interface opened. It looked very much like a game's options screen and had some functions locked except for four. She selected "Auction" and was met with a list of both familiar and unfamiliar mythological creature names. A message appeared on a pop-up: "You have a thousand Macca to spend on the auction." The feature worked very similarly to a real auction, with other people bidding ever increasing values on the demon. Chihaya won in the end and decided to check the Summoning function. She didn't expect much besides a Yōkai appearing on camera. A crimson energy began forming in front of her and the Kappa materialised. Baffled, she asked:
— What's that? What's happening?
— Me Kappa. You won auction so I serve you now. Nice to meet ya! — The creature spoke without moving its sharp beak. It was as if its voice was transferred directly to Chihaya's mind.
…
— This Kappa is not the only demon I have in my stock. I learnt some things after using the DSP other times.
— I see… So you know next to nothing as well. — Kotan kor Kamuy stated with disdain. — It seems this app automatically executes sorcery to summon demons and use their skills. You would need elaborate rituals if it were not for this programme.
— Your turn. Tell me what caused all of this… apocalyptic mess we're having.
— It is quite simple. The minor deities are rebelling against the major gods. Here in Aynu Mosir, us, the native deities, seek to retake our land from the Yamato gods. It is the same in other lands. YHVH's forces are currently clashing against a myriad gods all over the Earthly Realm. — He answered.
Chihaya nodded. "We were caught in a conflict between forces much greater than humanity. I need to survive no matter what." — She thought. Shigeru raised his hand, asking:
— Can I ask something as well, Kotan-kun?
— You have no information to offer. Why should I answer you? — Kotan kor Kamuy retorted.
Shigeru had no arguments and decided to stay silent. Chihaya tapped his shoulder.
— We have much to do, Nitai-san. Is your father in Japan?
— He's currently in Hawaii. I don't think he's in danger. — He replied.
— Let's go to my house. I need to check on my parents and gather supplies. Besides, it's getting dark. Who knows what kind of demon will appear once night falls? — She said with a strangely fierce look.
"It's odd how a small girl like her can be intimidating sometimes." The owl took flight as some people approached. They frantically tried using their mobile phones to no avail. It seemed like they were trying to report the dead bodies or call the police.
— What happened here, lad? — An old man with a white moustache asked. — I heard sumthin' about an Oni messing around but that can't be true, can it?
— Yeah… No idea, sir. — Shigeru answered.
— What's all this bloody mess on yer leg? Are ya feeling well?
— Sure am. We're going home now, sir. I suggest you do the same. — He advised.
— Bloody hell, what's with this stench?! — Someone yelled.
Chihaya gestured for them to move away faster, yet Shigeru couldn't keep up with her. His entire body ached. "This is probably because of that Kamuy. My body isn't adapted to all those fast movements." They remained wary with each step as the streets were devoid of pedestrians. One or more demons were very likely roaming around in search of the next victim. Most establishments were still open but abandoned, with items lying on the ground, and broken windows. A few cars ignoring all the laws of transit passed by them.
— What if we don't find your parents? — Shigeru asked with concern.
— Then I'll assume they escaped safely. — She answered bluntly.
— And if we don't find them alive?
Chihaya remained silent. Shigeru felt uncomfortable to talk with her for the rest of the walk. "She lives quite 'out of the beaten tracks', so to speak. That was a long walk." — Shigeru thought. It was past the Obihiro River, close to the neighbouring town of Memuro. The house would look nice if not for the broken windows, claw markings on the walls, and some bloodstains in front of it.
— The blood is still fresh. Judging by the markings and windows, someone or something has already broken in. — Chihaya commented.
— I'm going in. You summon a demon and stay behind us. — Shigeru said, taking initiative. — Now would be a good time to appear, Kotan kor Kamuy!
No response. He tried calling the deity almost a dozen times, yet nothing happened. Chihaya sighed while using her mobile phone. Two swirls of red energy surged and from among them appeared two demons, the Kappa, and a white cat-like creature that stood on its hind legs.
— The owl god isn't reliable, Nitai-san. Leave it to me.
Shigeru nodded and followed her in. The lights were still on, but the living room/kitchen area was a complete mess. The fridge was wide open and there was a gross aggregate of unidentified food right in front of it as if an animal had a sloppy meal without caring about the filth it made. The TV, fallen to the ground, showed static. Chihaya ordered:
— Bakeneko (1) and Shigeru! You two will search for blood, body parts or any sign of my parents in the lower floor. Me and kappa will search upstairs. That's where our bedrooms are.
She hastily went up the stairs while the turtle-like creature followed her.
— Well, I guess it's you and me now, Cat-kun.
— Do not call me by nicknames, human. Focus on the task at hand. — It answered with a surprisingly deep voice.
"Lots of friendly chaps I've been walking with lately, eh?" They finished scouring the lower floor after some minutes and found nothing of note.
— I will return to my summoner. — The bakeneko said.
— I don't want to be left alone here. I'll go with you.
The feline demon shrugged and made its way upstairs. Kotan kor Kamuy's voice echoed once again in Shigeru's mind.
— Go outside.
He thought it better to ignore it. Once he began climbing the stairs, his legs paralysed.
— You're very stubborn, aren't you? Why should I go outside? — Shigeru inquired.
— It matters not. This body shall bend to my will.
He felt as if an incredible force shoved his spirit from his own body. Shigeru observed for a short moment as Kotan kor Kamuy made his way to the front door using his body as a vessel.
— What the fuck are you doing, Kotan-kun? This is my body! — He exclaimed.
He ran towards his body and tackled it, pushing the kamuy out and regaining control. A strange voice, which sounded as if an animal tried to mimic human speech, stated from behind him:
— Having trouble... with the vessel... Poncikap? (2) — It struggled to form words.
Shigeru turned around to see a Siberian Husky staring at him. Its posture and gaze implied there was something or someone using the dog just as Kotan kor Kamuy used Shigeru.
— What do you want, seta? (3) Is searching for a human vessel too much for you? — Kotan kor Kamuy asked.
— Arrogant bird... I came here to warn you... that the Yamato gods are... making their move — The dog coughed then resumed its speech. — On the Oshima Peninsula.
No reply. Shigeru considered asking a question but decided to see where the conversation would lead. Suddenly, the dog's ears perked up as it sniffed the air around.
— This smell... Two demons and a... Is this why you came here? — It asked.
— Ignore it. The human will likely die at the demons' hands. — The owl god replied. — Or by mine if they fail.
— The other kamuy... trust you, poncikap. Amaterasu and the other... Yamato gods will not... wait long until retaking... the land they think is theirs.
The dog left by jumping through the windows. Shigeru asked:
— Who was that?
— Horkew Kamuy, (4) the wolf god.
Quick steps echoed in the empty house. It was Chihaya going down the stairs. Her eyes were swollen, as if she had just finished crying. Not once did her gaze meet Shigeru's. The Kappa and the Bakeneko followed close behind while carrying backpacks and bags. She threw a new pair of trousers to Shigeru.
— Be hasty. We need to loot a market or store and stock up on food that won't expire too soon. — She said bluntly.
Shigeru noticed Chihaya did not want whatever she found up there to hold them back, so he refrained to mention the subject. They departed in silence once he changed into clean clothes. It was almost too awkward for him to even say a word. Chihaya's unwavering seriousness and concern for survival did in fact inspire Shigeru a little. He felt compelled to act instead of watching, but he knew all too well that decisive situations often froze him up. They stopped at a small store on the way.
— Take anything canned, dried, or salted. — She ordered.
— Where are we going after this?
— We'll hide in the Ishikari Mountains up north. The cities are traps the demons can easily use to kill us.
A stench of rotting flesh penetrated their noses. Whether it was a demon, or a corpse didn't matter; it was better not to investigate. It seemed the initial shock had already passed and the people either fled or hid, judging by the eerie silence. They left the small store once finished with the looting. Chihaya studied a map on her mobile phone.
— We'll follow the Shikaribetsu upstream, then the Urimaku river... These rivers originate in the mountains, so following them is a simple way to...
She was interrupted by the ruffling of the brown-feathered wings that sprouted on Shigeru's back. He took flight against his will after an awkward struggle against the kamuy possessing him. He saw Chihaya stand bewildered as he flied farther and farther away.
— What the fuck are you doing, you owl thing?!
— We go to the Oshima Peninsula. Now that you have gathered sustenance for your mortal body, we can at last fulfil our role.
— So this is what you had in mind since the beginning... You know, I never quite trusted you.
The deity found it harder to control Shigeru's body. In a few moments, the wings stopped working and they began to fall.
— Are you committing suicide, foolish mortal? — Kotan kor Kamuy said, hiding his desperation.
— I feel like you need me. Why don't we come to an agreement?
— State your terms quickly, lest we fall upon the earth!
— We both have our goals, so we should help each other. I know I'm useless without you, but I don't want you taking control of my body without my consent.
"He knows I cannot fully control him. There is no choice and no other suitable vessel..." — The deity thought.
— Agreed! Now allow me to control the wings again!
They rose into the air once more. Shigeru turned to look in the direction they came from.
— We're not too far. Take me back to Chihaya.
In silence, Kotan kor Kamuy flew them back only to find Chihaya standing on the same place. She tried to hold back a smile.
— I knew you'd come back, Nitai-san.
A few seconds after landing, Shigeru fell to the ground. Breathing heavily, he muttered:
— Bloody hell... That was fucking scary...
— Are you hurt?
— I almost fell to my death. Gladly, I managed to make an agreement with Kotan kor Kamuy. — He answered.
— It seems that you're able to make sacrifices when necessary, after all. — Her faint smile returned. — Try to stand up, we'll hide somewhere until morning. You need to rest.
They spent the night in a recently abandoned house near the Tokachi River. Shigeru slept soundly despite his sore muscles. It wasn't hard for him to sleep after having such a traumatic experience. He was awakened by some noise outside and tried to sleep again after the place became silent again, but Chihaya's presence gave him goose bumps every time he tried to close his eyes. She was lying beside him, face covered by clothes serving as a makeshift blanket with only one leg visible. For some reason, he could not seem to fall asleep anymore and stayed awake while her summoned demons diligently guarded the area. The next day, he helped Chihaya pack their stuff as quietly as possible so not to alert any demons wandering the city. They made their journey on foot. At first, Chihaya led the way. After walking for more than three hours, she stopped and sat down. Shigeru watched in surprise and concern as Chihaya opened a small bag. Inside were two small bottles of pills. One of those pills contained a powerful sleeping drug and the other was meant to relieve pain.
—You... You've been saving these?
Chihaya nodded as she continued packing, unaware of how Shigeru's tone of voice was raising slightly.
— I wanted to save them for emergencies. — She paused and looked at him with a serious expression— We're lucky to have these pills. Just take one once you feel some muscle hurt.
He shook his head and took one from the bottle of medicine, opening it as quickly as possible. As expected, he felt nothing and put it back into the small plastic bag. It felt wrong not taking anything to ease the pain. He looked at the bottle in front of him and then looked up at Chihaya.
— Are you sure we should use these things?
— I am. You can have more later if you wish to.
Chihaya finished putting their stuff into a backpack, then slung it over her shoulder and walked ahead. Shigeru sighed but did not argue any further. They kept walking, stopping once they heard voices approaching from afar. Soon enough, a couple of humans approached. Chihaya crouched down behind a tree and held a finger to her lips before signalling Shigeru to stay down. She then moved closer until she could hear what they were saying.
— And the other one has vanished! I don't know where the wanker has dashed to! He was with us for the entire trip! — A man wearing sunglasses replied.
— How do you mean he disappeared? Do you remember seeing something strange on the way?
The man shook his head.
— No! My eyes were glued straight to the road.
The man with glasses scratched his bald head as he spoke:
— If you say so. Maybe he decided to run off on his own. But who knows? You never can tell what happens in those damned woods. Anyways, this is a waste of time. Let's get back.
Their footsteps faded away. Chihaya stood up and exhaled. She motioned for Shigeru to follow her and began walking again. Shigeru timidly began to speak:
— Erm… Kotan kor Kamuy wants to go to the Oshima Peninsula. What do you think of it?
He waited anxiously for her answer. She remained silent as she continued walking.
— Chihaya?
— Why does the owl god want to go there? It's too far away.
— I heard his conversation with another kamuy. It said that "the Yamato gods are making their move on the Oshima Peninsula" and that they want to retake the land they think is theirs.
— I want to survive no matter what. If you're going to war together with Kotan kor Kamuy, I'll have to refuse.
— B-but we…
— You don't suppose we can fight the kami, do you? If the gods really exist, we have no chance against them. — She replied with a stern expression. Her face reddened as a vein bulged on her neck. — Let's lay low until this is over. I don't care who controls Hokkaidō.
— Thus said the Yamato wench. — Kotan kor Kamuy's voice echoed in their minds. — She cares not for our land and our people, Shigeru. Let us meet the other kamuy at once.
Chihaya stared at him, and no words were needed to know she didn't want Shigeru to leave. Between a rock and a hard place, it was hard to decide what to do. "I think she can fend off for herself, but can I really win a war against the Japanese gods?"
Glossary
1. Bakeneko (化け猫, lit. "monster cat") is a cat who turns into a Yōkai either by advanced age, excessive weight, or from licking too much lamp oil.
2. Poncikap (lit. "small bird" in Ainu), used derogatorily by Horkew Kamuy.
3. Seta (lit. "dog" in Ainu), used derogatorily by Kotan kor Kamuy.
4. Horkew Kamuy (sometimes translated as "howling kamuy" or simply as "wolf") is a deity reverenced second only to the bear in some regions. The wolf is represented as an ancestor of the Ainu in myths.
