A Silent Guardian and Friend

Chapter 5-Kaze's Tale

Flashback (About 300 years ago)

At the Abe no House hold, a child was going to born. The mother was screaming painfully but she was also excited because of the birth, seeing that she had been pregnant for three years. The maids were busing replacing fresh warm water to the doctor that helping the birth.

The father was pacing outside of the room, worrying his wife and child's condition. At last, the crying sound of a child had been heard. Everyone in the house, even the birds outside of the house was relived and happy after hearing the cry.

It was a girl, a beautiful baby girl. The proud parents named her Kaze. Kaze was a very special girl, she had the kenki ability that enables her to see being that was invisible to others. Kaze loves to take a walk at the side of a lake and also helping anyone in trouble.

Since the Abe no household were known to produce the world greatest onmyouji, Kaze was trained by her father about onmyoudou. And soon, she had became a wonderful onmyouji but kept her identity hidden.

Time files, soon her time had come but instead of dying, she was giving the position of becoming a lake deity in a forest and she accepted it. Becoming a lake deity, her form changes. She is now a silver serpent with feather-like fin on her body. She kinda like her new look and the peaceful forest.

One day, she met a sorcerer, an evil one who plans to use her as a substitute. The man cast a controlling spell on herself, "Now, serpent. Obey me and get me the flame of Heaven and Hell." She blindly ascended back to heaven.

One of the heaven guards saw her, "Greeting, Goddess Mizu. Are you visiting today?" He asked. Without warning, Kaze flipped her tail at the heaven guard, killing him as well as the other guards. She quickly made her way towards the scared flame. A giant tortoise that was guarding the flame sensed something was wrong outside, went to take a look. But was surprise by a powerful tail whip.

"What are you doing, Goddess Mizu?" Asked the giant reptile. The serpent didn't answer and just continued to whip the tortoise with her tail, injuring it badly. Satisfied, she just grabbed the flame and retreated, unnoticed she had alerted the Heaven. Now, every God, Goddess and Heaven guards had surrounded her, waiting the time to capture her.

It almost took all the God, Goddess and Heaven guards to defeat and capture the serpent since she contains powerful energy. She had been brought to the superior of Heaven. "Goddess Mizu. You had broken the rules of Heaven and now, you must pay for the price. I'm going to strip your title as a Goddess. You will be banish to earth and never be able to return to Heaven."

As soon as the word came out, the serpent was now banished and never to return to Heaven. "I'm sorry, Goddess Mizu but I have no other choice." Said the superior quietly.

When the serpent woke up, she found out she was not a serpent anymore. She is now a stripless tigress. Four longer teeth grew out of the back of her mouth. On her head was three golden horns accompanied by white smoke-like mane flowing from her head to her body, covering half of her body up. The mane also covered her left eye, since she lost that eye during the fight earlier. Her fur was a mixture of silver and red, a symbol of her sin. Two black thorns grew on each of her front legs and more on her back. Her tail resembled to a dragon's. Two raven black wings that she can hide.

This is the form of the deity who was greatly tainted. A sin that can never be washed away and she will continue living with it.

End of Flashback

Masahiro and Seimei were shocked upon hearing Kaze's tale. Even the Shinsho that were around were too. They never expected that this youkai was one of the honorable member of The Abe no Household. "Well, that was my life story up until now." Said Kaze.

"You were our ancestor?" Asked Masahiro. "Yes, that's true. Young one." Replied Kaze. "That explained why your aura was strangely similar to Masahiro and me." Said Seimei. "Wait, how there was a deity from Abe no Household but not one of the Shinsho knows about it?" Asked Seiryu.

"The superior was careful about it. He forbade anyone that knew about the incident to tell the story to anyone who doesn't know it. But not me, I' m not in his control anymore. I' m just an eyesore and outcast to anyone. And my power had been decreasing recently, I' m so useless." Kaze said quietly.

"Kaze-sama. Please don't think of yourself like that." Said Tan'itsu. Now Kaze's eye was watery and her thought was a mess. "What? It is the reality. I am a useless deity and youkai. I didn't only being used by some unknown human and being banished. Now I don't even have the strength to defend myself! How can't I not be useless!" Snapped Kaze at the group, tears are flowing freely from her eye.

"Grandpa, I think we better leave her alone for now." Suggested Masahiro. "Yeah, you're right. Let's call in a day for now and let her calm down." Said Seimei leaving the room. Slowly, the tears had ceased. Kaze opened her eye and looked up. To her surprise, Masahiro was sitting, leaning against the wall opposite to her, waiting for her to calm down.

"I' m sorry for yelling at you guys earlier." Apologized Kaze with her head hung low. Masahiro just chuckle, "its ok. Everyone had to express their feeling every once in a while. I'm sure grandpa and the Shinsho wouldn't mind." Kaze just closed her eye, "Where can I go after I done healing in here?" She asked in a quiet voice.

Masahiro looked at the once human and deity sadly, "Well, I suppose grandpa wouldn't kick you out since you were our ancestor and not a dangerous youkai. If you have other places to go, we won't stop you." Kaze opened her eye, looking at the young onmyouji. "Young one, tell me. Beside Touda, who is in your service?" Masahiro smiled, "Beside Mokkun, there was Kuromanosuke. He was a carriage youkai that takes me to the places I wanted to go and the Zakki, a bunch of youkais that act as informants for me."

"I see. So, if there was another yuokai who wanted to serve you, would you accept?" Asked Kaze. "Huh, well. I may need to think about it. But I would gladly befriend with any youkai." Answered Masahiro. "How about me?" Her voice was merely a whisper. "Huh? What do you mean by that, Mizu-sama?" Masahiro was confused by the tigress's question. "I already carried a heavy sin, and yet can anyone forgive me?" Another tear dropped as she dropped her head on the futon.