We arrived at the courtyard of my estate, tumbling to the ground. Akito didn't even puke when we arrived and held onto me tightly. "Let me go," I whispered as he carried me into the mansion. He kicked open the door and laid me on the couch in the entranceway. "Where is everyone?" he muttered as he surveyed the place. The mansion was dark, the lights all switched off and none of the Shinki to be seen. "I have a bad feeling about this," Yato murmured as he entered, Sekki in his hands. "I was about to say the same thing," a woman said and Yato whirled around to see Bishamon standing at the door, in her battle gear and a large lion by her side.

"Crazy chick?! What are you doing here?!" Yato snapped as her eyes flashed. "Who are you calling crazy chick," she growled as Kofuku leapt onto her. "Bisha!" she squealed as she snuggled into her chest. "Kofuku," Bishamon muttered as she stroked her head. "We do have enough, I think," Kofuku said as she looked around. "Enough what?" Akito asked. "Shinki. We may have to do a purification ceremony," Kofuku said. "That bad?!" Yato said as the hall lights came on, blinding me for a moment. "Ah, welcome home, my lady," a familiar voice said and a man in his twenties appeared, half his face concealed behind a mask. "Ayato," I whispered.

….

Kazuma groaned as he sat up, his head throbbing from the kick from earlier. As he adjusted his slightly cracked glasses, he noticed he was in an underground prison, somewhat like the one he was held at when Kugaha had planned the revolt on Bishamon. "Sorry for the bad service," a raspy voice came from the darkness and a man slowly came into view. He was old and he coughed out some blood as he came towards me. "Hey, take it easy," Kazuma said as he grabbed the man, letting him sit down. He removed a canteen from his jacket and handed it to the man, who drank it noisily.

"Thanks," he said as he wiped his mouth. "How long have you been here?" Kazuma asked. "Around four months," the man replied. "Four months?! What has been going on since lady Aiko was gone?" Kazuma demanded as the man coughed. "Sorry for rushing you into this but I was sent by your master to investigate the source of her blight. May you be Minato-san by any chance?" he asked and the man nodded sadly. "Yes. I can't believe things have escalated to this extent," Minato said as a slight growl came from nearby.

"What is that?" Kazuma asked. "It's one of the Shinki who has become a half-Phantom. They became like this after Ayato coaxed them into thinking that Lady Aiko has abandoned them. To a certain extent it is true. She never gave them a second glance after she named them, making them work as servants and never calling for them. I can't really blame her though after what happened with Haruto," Minato sighed as the half-Phantom came into view. He wore a chef's outfit and half of his face was covered with eyeballs, which squeaked occasionally, making Kazuma wince. He remembered when Yukine became like that when he had first served the Yato god.

"Master.. master abandoned us… we were such good servants… why did she abandon us…" he whispered as he moved from view, the occasional squeaking coming their way. "Why did Ayato suddenly do this?" Kazuma asked. "Ayato had become restless after our master had been kicked out from Tamagahara. He was her very first battle Shinki but she never once called him into battle. She merely treated him, rather all of us like servants, never interacting with us. He became desperate for her attention and did anything to make her notice him , but to no avail. She never trusted us, fearing we may turn on her one day like Haruto did…" Minato said. "Who is this Haruto?" Kazuma asked. "He was our master's lover and he betrayed her by becoming a Nora," Minato said and Kazuma felt like he was going to puke.

"We have to warn her about it," Kazuma said as he stood up. "There's no way out, son. I've been trying to escape for ages but I finally gave up. We can only pray to Kami now," he said. Kazuma grinned a little as he pushed up his specs. "You may not have heard, but I'm a Blessed Regalia. I might have a few tricks up my sleeve that may help us get out of here," he said as Minato's eyebrows went up. "Oh. Well, let's see what you can do," he said as Kazuma lifted his fingers.

….

"Ayato. What did you do?" I wheezed as I tried to sit up. He smirked as he came closer, his footsteps echoing in the hall. "Step back! You dare to come near your master when you have blighted her so badly?!" Bishamon shouted as she raised her gun at him. "I wasn't the only one who blighted her. I just spread the news and the human heart did the rest," he said as he snapped his fingers. A loud roar came from behind him as a Phantom charged into the entrance, roaring as it attacked us. "Let's go, Kuraha!" Bishamon shouted as she mounted the lion and soared into the air. More Phantoms started to come out, filling the space rapidly.

"Please… don't kill them…" I begged as the other gods sliced into them. "Please. They don't know what they're doing. Its all my fault. I should be the one to die…" I pleaded as Akito grabbed me on the shoulders. "Don't! You're not at fault! You're a god and a god is always right!" he shouted, looking at me in the eyes. "Get away, Akito," I muttered as he held onto me. "Don't! I won't leave you! Ever!" he whispered as he stroked my hair. Tears sprang from my cheeks as I held onto his yukata.

"Tsk. You're such a biased woman," Ayato growled as he approached us. "Ayato, why did you do this? You know I cared for you. I provided a home for you. Food. A place where you were safe…" I said as he snorted. "Well, what about love? You ignored us for all this years and treated us like servants, never giving us any rest! Ever since Haruto betrayed you, you lost trust in all of us. Even after so many centuries, we're still suffering from the backlash of that moron's actions!" Ayato shouted, his voice ringing in the hall. "I have tolerated this for nearly seven centuries! I was your first weapon but you never called on me! I was so wiling to lay down my life for you but you never even once called my name!" he shouted, his voice getting more crazed.

"You abandoned all of us. All because of one Shinki…" he whispered as tears fell from his eyes. His body shook as he sobbed, overcome by all the anger and grief he had kept bottled up in his heart. "But it changes. Now, when you die, we will train you to love us!" he shouted, his voice getting mixed with squeaks as he ripped off his mask. He howled as he slowly transformed into a Phantom, blight spreading over him.

"Please… save them… don't hurt them…" I begged as the others charged at the Phantoms. Most of them lay dead on the ground and I wept for the Shinki I had never called upon. The guilt inside me swelled along with the pain from the blight, making me cry out in pain. "Aiko-sama!" Akito shouted as he coughed. Blood coated his hand as it came away from his mouth. "Akito. Get away from me before you get more blight…" I groaned as I tried to push me away. "Never," he said as Ayato roared.

"Get out of the way, you outsider! That woman doesn't deserve to be our master!" he shouted as he raised a claw, throwing it towards us. For a moment, time stopped as the sharp edge came towards me. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to hit me when warm blood splashed onto me. When I opened my eyes, I saw the claw impaled through Akito, who had thrown himself in front of me. "Akito…" I whispered as he turned to face me. "Live, my lady…" he muttered as Ayato yanked it out from him. He slumped to the ground, blood pooling around him.

"Akito!" I screamed, my lungs raged as I tried to crawl to him. "You stupid master! You care for a Shinki you only had for a few months?! I served you longer than he has!" Ayato shouted. He was slowly turning into a Phantom by the minute and his name started to disappear. "Kofuku! Please help him!" I shouted. "You crazy?! He's the one who blighted you! He's better off dead!" Yato shouted as he slammed into another Phantom. Yet another one of my Shinki dead. Because of me. "Please. I can't lose them anymore… I need a chance… to say sorry…" I mumbled as I collapsed on the ground.

"Ayato… I never meant to hurt you… and … I am so sorry for the pain I had caused you… I truly am… but if it makes you happier to take my life… I gladly offer it to you," I said as I slowly pulled myself up, baring my chest to him. "Come on," I whispered, lifting my arms like a sacrificial angel. He hesistated for a moment, his claw quivering in the air. That gave the others enough time to surround him. "Now!" Daikoku shouted as he, Kuraha and Tsuguha, one of Bishamon's Shinki drew borderlines around Ayato, beginning the purification ceremony.

Man writing about the eyeball part gave me the creeps... I actually skipped the purification ceremony part in the anime for some reason so I was confused at first why there were scenes I didn't recognise... Brrr...