Chapter Two The Never-Ending Story
Forests and deserts Rivers, blue seas Mountains and valleys Nothing here stays While we think we witness we are part of the scene this never-ending story Where will it lead to?
- From Within Temptation's song, Never-Ending Story
"Well, I guess I'll just have to tell you two the story of the Elementals…" – Kane sighed,
This was getting WAY too tiring explaining everything to the two figures in front of her. I mean, she had just met them and she was explaining something that every yokai child knew by heart. These people obviously hadn't heard anything about mythology.
Kane started on, recounting a tale since she had known since she was a child…
"When humans existed in tiny gorups, there were mostly yokai on the planet. The world was chaos though, because every yokai was associated with a different element. The yokai would fight immense battles with one another, Kitsune against Okami, Nekomata against Tanuki, Sui Ryuu and Kaze Ryuu against Hi Ryuu and Mori Ryuu, Yukionna against Tengu, Kyuketsuki against Tenshi, and many lives were lost…
Their lives continued live this until the Shidosa Yokai from each elemental alignment came together and discussed what they should do. They were:
Bara Toge – A Kodama from the Wood Clan
Koyuki Arashi – A Yuki-Onna from the Metal Clan
Kohaku Ryuune - A Sui Ryuu from the Water Clan
Ginryu Ryuune – A Hi Ryuu from the Fire Clan and,
Sora Tenhito – A Torihito from the Wind Clan
"We can't continue this endless battle. The forests, rivers, and plains are being destroyed…" - Bara stated, she was the wisest of the 5 leaders.
"Well then, maybe we should just decide on the leader for everyone! The Fire Clan should rule!" - Ginryu exclaimed, he was the angriest leader
"Gin, you know that is not the right direction to turn to, your Fire Clan would take all the glory to their heads, and everything would then burn!" - Kohaku said, he was Gin's brother, and the bravest of the leaders.
"Both of you calm down, or else I'll freeze you both into submission!" - Koyuki said this; she was probably the toughest of the leaders.
"Well, what are we going to do then? You guys should just relax for a minute." - Sora said as he started to take a nap. He was the calmest person there.
"Why don't we just separate the clans. Make each of them their own place to live, and let a few from each clan stay here."
"Huh? Who said that?!" – All of the leaders were stunned; they didn't know anyone else was there.
"I said it. I'm Lucien, an Akutenshi." - Lucien materialized in front of the stunned group. He was humanoid in shape with the wings of an angel, but with eyes like a demon, and blood-red tips on his wings...
"Hey?! I've heard of you, you're not to be trusted, you're not even from one of the clans!" – Kohaku growled, his jade dragon eyes glittering...
"Yeah! My brother's right! A devil-angel is NOT to be trusted!" – Gin's red eyes glittered along with his brother's.
"Hey, hey, just calm down you dragons." - Lucien came closer to them, almost right in front of their faces " I'm just here to help that's all..." – Lucien ended his statement in a hiss, almost as if he were a snake.
"But, that would just break us all apart! We would lose our very culture..." – Sora said, almost pleading. This was the first time he had gotten worried about something during a council.
"Well, it's the best idea we have. And I'm sure, if we ALL combine our strengths, we can do it." Bara decided
The rest of the group wasn't so sure, but considering Bara was the one who was ALWAYS right… They went on with it.
Lucien just smiled. He then faded away with a snickering laugh everyone heard except for Bara.
Kane ended with this statement, waiting for the first part of the story to sink in.
"This Lucien person reminds me of someone from Halloween...no wait, from the Holidays realm. In our past there was a mysterious figure that caused the worlds to fall into chaos. He turned many of the folk in the realms evil…I wasn't around back then. My grandmother told me the story, a long time ago. But anyways, continue with the story, Kane." Jack said. He was looking very concerned.
Sally looked as if she was hanging onto every word, as if she had to remember this for the rest of her life. She probably thought Jack would forget about it.
"Ok… I'll continue."
She started to recount the story again, starting off where the group was about to perform the ceremony to separate the realms.
"I'm still not supporting this, the Earth will be harmed very badly..." Kohaku said.
"The fires won't stop burning once they start…" Ginryu sighed.
"The winds won't blow." Sora said sadly.
"The cold will never leave…" Koyuki cried.
"I'm sure the forest will still grow." Bara stated.
"The earth depends on the yokai to regulate the climate and natural disasters!" the 4 said at once to Bara.
"Relax, Lucien already said that the most peaceful of each species will stay here. The earth will be fine, and the yokai will have less of a chance being discovered by humans. Once the humans come…" Bara stated.
"Why are doing this Bara! You're following that Devil like a zombie!" – Kohaku cried
"HE'S NOT A DEVIL! He killed the people who destroyed my forest long ago, he saved my people! You dragons, you'd never understand!" – Bara screamed
"You think your habitat is the only one that has been destroyed?! The rivers, the skies, the plains, the icebergs, the deserts… All of them have been damaged!" Sora said.
"Time to begin everyone!" Lucien suddenly said.
The group of Sora, Koyuki, Kohaku, and Ginryu all cast down their eyes from Bara.
She had betrayed them, and now they would have to go through with the ceremony…
Lucien raised his hands to the skies and asked each of the leaders to come place part of their powers in the sky around his hands.
"The power of the river's might, mercy, and strength." Kohaku said as he woefully placed a pearly scale of his into the air.
"The courage and passion of fire, and the rage it sometimes brings." Ginryu sighed as he put a ruby red stone into the air.
"The coldness and cruelty of the ice, and the peacefulness its sight brings to some." Koyuki tearfully sighed. She placed a glass snowflake into the air.
"The freedom and beauty of the skies, and the adventure it puts in our hearts." Sora stated as he gazed madly at Bara.
"The heart, mystery, and life the forests give and take..." Bara said. She gazed away from the group.
"Now, all of you yokai, whom I gathered here, go into your own worlds!" Lucien yelled, and in a flash, every yokai there was gone. The ones who stayed behind respectively lived in their own secret places already.
Lucien turned around, "Now wasn't that a sight to see… Now you all will probably fade away into those worlds, but no longer will you be leaders, you will be nothing but dust."
The 4 members who had not wanted this from the start started to disappear, but not before giving their 'family' one last hug. Bara stood there, shocked that the person she thought was an angel, betrayed her.
"You monster.. " Bara said as she started to fade.
"Well, thank you idiot spirit that is quite the compliment." He leaned over and kissed her once on the cheek, and then she was gone.
Kane finished.
"I see why you had to learn this tale." Jack said.
"Nobody knows what became of Lucien, or the Shidosa Yokai." Kane said
"I'm sorry this happened to your clan Kane, I knew that it was bad but.." Sally stopped there, and gave Kane a hug.
"Thanks Sally." Kane said
"Wait, Kane, I think I may ---"Jack was stopped by…
"Kane, once again you forgot a key element of the story. Man, must I tell you everything?!" A young boy said this
"Who's that Kane? Someone you know?" Jack and Sally both said.
"AKUJI?! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" Kane yelled
"Sheesh cat girl, I'm coming over there right now, I know you missed me though." Akuji said.
The boy walked down from the wall he was standing on, and now Jack and Sally saw that he had ears as well, and a fox tail.
"Hey babe, miss me?" Akuji grinned.
"Why the heck do you follow me everywhere?! I know I'm you friend, BUT I DON'T LOVE YOU!" Kane punched him.
"Ow. Why don't you just hug me like other friends would do?" Akuji said.
"Um, who are you, and are you another nekomata like Kane? You look different…" Jack and Sally said.
"Hey Kane," Akuji whispered "Who are the scarecrow and the frankenstein?"
"I'm not a scarecrow, I'm a skeleton, and I'm the King of this land you are in at the moment!" Jack was obviously mad, even though he was a scarecrow at times…
"I'm a ragdoll! I'm nothing like the cruel Doctor who created me!" Sally was upset. EXTREMELY upset.
"Sorry, I guess I should introduce myself to you two dead people,"
Jack and Sally just stared.
"I'm Akuji Katami. I'm a kitsune spirit from the Kyupo Clan. I'm what you would call a fox demon." Akuji just grinned the whole time.
"Kane is my buddy. " At this he hugged Kane very tightly, and Kane slapped him.
"Well, yeah, he's an old friend of mine, he's a jerk but I've known him my entire life." Kane shrugged her shoulders "I am TWO DAYS OLDER THAN HIM THOUGH!" At this Akuji got mad and started chasing Kane
"OH WELL, I'M TALLER THAN YOU!" Akuji yelled
"WHO CARES, I'M OLDER!" Kane laughed
"I think they're in love, Jack." Sally said.
"I don't get it." Jack sighed.
Well, I hope you enjoyed my pitiful attempt at a myth legend thing, and the funny part at the end too. I'll update as soon as I can. I think I'm getting better at writing a little bit...