Author's notes: I got a lot of questions about the time period. It takes places 100 years before the game. Sorry for the confusion! It is also Amaterasu; humans just gave her the title of Shiranui. Also, this chapter's a bit short. I promise to make the next one much longer.
Sora made it to the plains of Shinshu Field by the time the sun was lowering behind the mountains in the distance. He looked down at the field that were in sharp contrast to the coast of North Ryoshima's plains; they were barren with a noxious dark mist hovering over the dead field. The field was crawling with demons that were quarreling among themselves over remains of animals long since dead. He made sure to keep well out of the reach of the mist and demons as he procedded down the trail. The closer he got, the more he wished for the company of heartless instead of the beasts that lurked in the mist.
"Look." Donald said and Sora snapped out of his musings. They approached a sign that plainly read, 'Kamiki Village' but the village was not anything of the bright village Blight had described. The place was as lively as a crypt and as quiet as one too. The three walked cautiously into the village and was greeted by a slight breeze that held the perfume of cherry blossoms that had wilted years ago. Sora unconsciously drew his keyblade, feeling the tension of a coming battle well inside him.
"Shiranui, we've come to challenge you!" Sora shouted to the heavens and his only response was his faint echo. "Hello? Anybody?"
"Is this the right village?" Goofy whispered a bit unnerved by the curtain of silence surrounding them.
"You three!" A voice exclaimed and the trio turned to look at a heavily bearded man in hand-made armor approach them in a slightly tipsy manner. His beady eyes regarded them as if he were a soldier; he was slightly hefty and his nose was red from drinking which didn't hold his stature of warrior very well. He held a blue sword with a moon-shaped handle close to his side.
"Who are you?" Sora asked, slightly relieved at the intrusion even if it was a bit drunk. The man's eyes lit up as if he had been waiting for Sora to ask him this.
"I am the greatest warrior ever, Nagi, bearer of Tskuyomi!" Nagi proudly declared, waving Tskuyomi in an intricate series of moves but lost his footing and slipped. He quickly recovered while Sora sweat dropped. "I'm also devoted, too, the destruction of the wicked beast Shiranui! Now, stand back and watch how a real swordsman slays his demons. I have trained heavly, thank's to Nami's potent sake and tonight, a week before the ritual, Shiranui shall taste my blade." Nagi threw his head back and laughed. "And who might you be, travelers?"
"Sora, Donald, and Goofy." They answered simultaneously to the delight of Nagi. He welcomed them warmly, recognizing the warrior spirit emanting from the group. A young girl, roused from the sudden conversation, peeked out the door. She waved to the travelers and signaled to the other villager windows that there was no harm. The village slowly sprang to life as people observed the travelers but Sora couldn't help noticing the slight melancholy on their faces.
"I pray for your victory tonight, Nagi. It has already been a year?" The fair maiden softly spoke from the rice fields that she had started tending. "My, how times go by when your brewing sake." Nagi blushed but hurriedly composed his somewhat serious manner.
"I would not have had the courage without your sake, Nami." Nagi said, blushing even deeper. Sora and his friends suppressed a laugh knowing how many times they have seen those lovebird looks in their travels.
"A year since what?" Sora piqued up.
"Nagi has challenged Shiranui for 365 days in a row." Nami replied, absently picking at the rice.
"Wow, you lost 365 times in a row?"
"I may have failed the last time, but on my honor, I will not lose." Nagi sweat dropped. The conversation was cut short by a growl. Nami abadoned her rice bowl and fled to her house, as did others in the blink of an eye and watched the four warriors from their windows. A brillant white wolf emerged from the mist of the waterfall and Sora, despite himself, marveled at her soft red markings that branded her body and the reflector that was a lit with multicolor flames. Blue, crystal-endowed beads hung from her shaggy neck and it emphasized the flickering flames in her shining eyes. The wolf sat and wagged it's ink-dipped tail while it gave a yawn. It didn't see Nagi as much of a threat.
With a yell, Nagi charged at the beast raising Tskuyomi into the air that glinted in the half-light. Amaterasu sat up and gave a menacing bark, not in the mood for their daily duels. The bark stopped Nagi dead in his tracks and his knees buckled but he kept his sword raised.
"D-don't u-u-underestimate, b-beast." His voice shook but Sora admired his bravery for still standing against Amaterasu's menacing growl. Amaterasu sat back on her haunches as if pleased and then turned her attention to Sora.
"I am the one that challeged you, Shiranui. I am Sora, keyblade master." He raised his keyblade. Donald and Goofy drew their weapons and positioned themselves in a battle stance.
"Sora?" Ishaku whispered in Amaterau's ear. "I think the prophet had a vision about him. He mumbled about him when he was under that fever. I have a bad feeling about that kid and that blade of his. Keep clear of it, okay, furball." Amaterasu silently agreed. He didn't need to tell her twice to stay away from that thing; it just radiated an odd presence that made her fur crawl.
"Nagi, don't ask me why, but I believe we were destined to duel Shiranui." Sora stated and Nagi nodded, walking back to the edge of the clearing to watch the battle.
Amaterasu growled when she recognized the stench of Blight wafting from his pockets. It brought her back to memories of finding of Waka at the mouth of the cave when she had returned from her hopeless attempts to rejuvenate Shinshu Field. Amaterasu recalled the fear she felt when she smelled the vast amount of blood or how still his body was in the dim moonlight. Had Ishaku not taken his pulse and threatened several times to tie her on a leash, she would've stormed Sei-An city and ripped Blight apart even if it was suicidal at best. She vowed to bring down Blight and all that dared to associate with him. The tense showoff was interrupted by the sound of a flute melody.
"Showoff." Ishaku said under his breath as the prophet floated down to the ground with his enchanted, winged hat. Amaterasu cocked her head, angry growl gone, and replaced by her usual goofy expression between amusement and surprise. She could see that he was still slightly pale and a bit out of breath from his long jump down.
"Bonjour! Waka, god's gift to man, has arrived." He tossed back his hat which sparkled as it flapped. He starred at Sora and his companions with a bemused glint in his eyes. "It really isn't fair for three to go against one, is it?" He said lightly with a hint of his french accent.
"One?" Ishaku exclaimed, bouncing on Amaterasu's head, "I'm here too, you know!"
"I don't think you count my little bouncing friend." Waka laughed, enjoying himself as Ishaku's orange glow changed to crimson as he ranted. Sora, dumbfounded by the odd scene playing out in front of him, snapped back to his goal.
"Well, I don't think it's fair for Shiranui to give helpless maidens to Orochi." Sora said and Ishaku fell silently, preparing himself for the impending battle.
"Is that a challenge?" Waka replied, his eyes going from bright blue to a shade of navy blue.
"You bet it is." No one moved for several minutes as they stared each other down. Waka took his flute and drew his green, celestial blade from it and then drew his metal sword in one swift motion. Amaterasu crouched, eying the surroundings for any helpless bystanders that could get hurt in the battle. Sora lifted Oathkeeper in an attack position and motioned for Nagi and Nami to go back inside. They did not need to be told twice. Even the wind stopped, eager to watch the epic battle. Sora crouched and leapt.
Battle erupted into a frenzy of clashing blades and battle cries. Amaterasu focused her energy on Sora, blocking his blows with her divine reflector and striking back with her celestial brush strokes. Waka defended Amaterasu from Goofy's twirling shield and the small village was lit up by the sparks that exploded from the impact. Ishaku, using the brush techniques he stole from Amaterasu, to counter Donald's Fira. Waka, with an impressive swordplay technique, knocked Goofy back into the pond but was hit at the side by Donald's magic. He flew back from the blast, semiconcious, and onto the the unforgiving earth with a thud. Amaterasu, not called hard-headed Ammy for nothing, rammed her head into the duck sending him into the pond on top of Goofy. Now the battle was narrowed down to the keyblade master and the goddess.
Sora charged again to land a horizontal slash on the wolf but was blown back by an invisible force. As he regained his footing, he realized that fighting Amaterasu close would not work. Whenever her fiery eyes met his, he was fended off or blocked by trees that magically sprouted out of nowhere. He could not use his drive powers without his friends and the battle left him no strength to summon. Sora and Amaterasu knew this battle would be decided by one last blow.
Ishaku sheathed his blade, knowing fully well that his beastly friend was tied to the contract of battle passed down by the ancient gods. She would have to land the final blow herself or risk damnation. She and the boy circled each other, eyes connected.
Sora already decided his final move. It was a risky maneuver but he had been in worse before. He commanded Oathkeeper to strike Amaterasu's heart, finishing her once and for all.
Their circling stopped and Sora chose this moment to act. He averted his eyes from Amaterasu's, and unknowingly, prevented her from striking immediately with her celestial brush. The unwritten rules of the gods dictated that Amaterasu must look into the eyes of her enemy before bringing down the wrath of her celestial techniques upon them. Sora, praying fervently, threw Oathkeeper in the direction of the white wolf.
Amaterasu used her reflector to send the keyblade whizzing up into the air and twinkling out of sight. The battle was over as Sora stood defenseless before Amaterasu. She was about to do her victory howl to chase off her challenger when she saw a flash of imp in the long grass behind Sora. The glint of the twilight caught on the demonic knife it held. Her protection of all creatures on this land, friend or foe, impulsed her and she caught Sora on the sleeve, dragging him away from the preying demon. Then Oathkeeper flashed back from the sky straight towards the unaware Amaterasu.
Everything happened so fast that Waka could not discern if what had just took place was a figment of his stupor. The keyblade, keeping it's oath to it's master, flew from the sky and down through Amaterasu like a flash of lightning splitting the sky. It was followed by a burst of blood from the goddess where the blade had pierced her and she howled in pain. The imp chose this moment to strike, oblivious that Sora's blade had flashed into it's wielder's hand, completely clean and humming with the success of it's deed. Waka pulled a blade from his sash, completely numbed from the events, and threw the blade into the imp. It staggered back and disintegrated into nothing more than black ash that disappeared on the breath of an easterly wind. All that was left was a ruby red knife that bore a hellish curse.
Blight had made two mistakes with his plan: he sent an imp to do a job he should have done himself and he had underestimated Sora's keyblade. His keyblade had the power to unlock hearts for his bearer at it's own discretion; when it pierced Amaterasu it unlocked her heart to Sora. All Sora mentally glimpsed though was a lady that was so bright that Sora could only see her fiery bright eyes before her heart was locked again by the keyblade. Ishaku had barely leapt off his lupine friend to search for a pulse that wasn't there when Amaterasu's mortal body glowed a bright red. Her soul flew out the wolf she embodied and soared to the northern sky that glinted in the twilight.
Sora looked back to where the wolf laid. All that was left were cherry blossoms.