Love and Honor (Part 2)
Time: 1683 Uzuki, jūsan-nichi, kin'yōbi (April,13,Friday)
(Mayonaka: Midnight) (Hebi province)
The mountain grew cold as a thin layer of frost covered the summit.
Shinku shivered in pain, nursing his frozen wound. "Gaah... Tsk, wha-what is this?" Hissed the snake.
Otōsan's sword shimmered in the moonlight, its black blade displaying a radiant glow.
He let out a deep, chilling sigh. "Long ago... In the Inu province, on the snowy mountains of Okami-kōri... there lived a small village atop the mountain."
"Okami was known for its inhospitable conditions and lack of food; thus, causing much starvation and death among the natives. Their only means of survival was selling a rare metal."
"It was like none other; black as the night, and cold, like the void. The metal was tough, near indestructible; yet, because of the chilling frost it emitted, it was near-impossible to shape and forge. Which left the village powerless against thieves and bandits who would kill and steal for their precious metal."
Otōsan looked over his blade, examining the finer craftsmanship.
"With the black metal wrongfully torn from the mountain's womb she grew angry; the storms of ice and snow grew, killing all who dwell upon her. The village could not stand by any longer; they took from the mountain what little she had left to give, and they began to forge a blade."
"As the storm roared, they sparked a flame; amongst the killing wind they hammered away; safeguarding what little fire that lived, feeding it whatever could burn; wood, fur clothes, food and animals, pieces of their homes, and even their own frigid bodies. They gave their very existence into the forging of the blade; finally, after many moons, they had crafted a magnificent black sword."
"Among them that yet lived, a man was chosen; taking up the blade he protected the village, calming the mountain. But the lust for the metal only grew; through the generations, men and entire armies would come to collect the metal for their own purposes; but the black blade stood guard over the mountain, and the metal; killing whoever sought to take it."
He held the blade up; soon meeting his eyes with that of the snake's.
"This blade has moved through the ages, such as the harsh winter upon that cruel mountain. Some claim the great spirit of the north, the dragon: "Okami-Kurao" resides within the blade; however,"
An all-encompassing wind of frost came over them, reaching into their very core.
"The mountain's wrath grows once again, and it has yet to be appeased..." He raised the sword up, a black ice covering the blade. "Furosutoejji!"* He yelled. (Frost Edge)*
"What!?" Shrieked Shinku.
Otōsan stabbed the blade into the earth, causing the land to upheave with ice formed pillars and spikes. They pierced through Shinku's body, hanging him as he flailed in pain.
"Gaaaah!" Screamed the snake.
"Know this blade..." Announced Otōsan. "For it shall steal away the flame of your life; Kōritsuita hametsu!"* (Frozen Damnation)*
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Rōtasu watched as Shinku broke free, slamming down to the ground, writhing in anguish. He shook off the ice; Shinku's body began to heal itself, growing back what mass he had lost.
"Gah... I see you carry a Tsukumogami..." He groaned. "But it still is no match for the son of Orochi."
"We shall see..." Otōsan rushed towards the snake. Shinku raised his tail to attack, but Otōsan slashed his blade creating a wall of ice, catching Shinku's tail. "Tch..."
Otōsan jumped, stabbing his blade into the wall he vaulted over, only to be met with poisonous gas. "Ngh..." He jumped back, avoiding the petrifying smog.
Shinku slammed two of his heads into the wall, shattering it. "Gaah!" Yelled Otōsan.
Sweat dripped down Rōtasu's neck,
Otōsan slashed the air several times; creating shockwaves of ice that struck Shinku's side, cleaving the giant snake's tails; Shinku screamed in pain.
<...B-but I never thought they could be this strong!>
"Enough!!" Cried Shinku.
He turned away; Shinku slithered his way around the mountain, spraying gas as he moved. The summit was soon surrounded by a fog of black smog, trapping them.
"Ngh, get in defensive formation!" Shouted Otōsan to his men.
Shinku moved silently through the gas, circling around them. "Colonel! We can't see it!"
"Stay on guard, or it may cost you your very life..."
He gave a hand signal to a few of the men; they nodded.
A head burst out of the cloud, snatching a man away. "Ahhhh!" He screamed.
"No!" Shouted Rōtasu. She latched on to him with her wires; she pulled with all her might, but it was no use; he was engulfed by the black smog. "Hah..hah..no!"
More heads burst out from the cloud; they were being picked off one by one. Rōtasu watched appalled at the loss of life; yet Otōsan kept his composure.
"You don't have many men left, dear Colonel." Hissed Shinku from the cover of smog. "Is this your plan? To feed me until I'm full?"
"You're not mistaken..." Replied Otōsan.
"Oh?" Chuckled Shinku. "These are your dear men, surely you think of them more than just pawns. How very cruel you are dear Colonel..."
"However, your assumption is only half correct..." Said Otōsan.
"What...?" Said a puzzled Shinku. Suddenly, he felt a sickening pain in his stomach. "Argh! AH! Wha-What is- GAAAH!"
His stomach exploded, erupting with a wave of blood and viscera; dead bodies slowly making their way out into a pool of black blood. Shinku looked down, noticing the remains of explosives amongst the dead men. "Haah-haah! You-you...How dare!?" Screamed Shinku as he vomited blood.
"The summer of your reign has reached its end beast... Now, the winter of death has come."
Otōsan clasped his sword, holding it up he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Okami no Kokyū; Saigo-fuyu."* (The snow God's breath; final winter)*
A black ice crawled its way over the mountain; the valley grew a pure white as heavy snow fell from the sky.
Rōtasu stood in the field of falling snow, watching in astonishment, on the summit of the black mountain, in a valley of white.