Perpetual Samsara (Part 6)

The threshold welcomed the visitors in a hazy atmosphere of apprehension and uncertainty. A subtle chill gnawed at the pair, Raizo felt increasingly tense while Reina showcased an ironclad focus. The antechamber ignited by clusters of candlelight patterned by mixtures of blue and red flames. With the subtle illumination, one could perceive that the duo was crossing a long, red carpet embroidered with golden patterns along its fine, silken surface. The hollow sounds of their footsteps knocked against the hardwood floor as the emptiness of the chamber gave a strange feeling that it was empty but filled with an unknowable presence.

As Reina and Raizo continued their solitary march into this mysterious chamber, an engrossing flight of stairs awaited them. Coming to the base, it seemed like the stairs led upwards towards parts unknown within the castle; however, a strange feeling of abstinence held them both in place. The candles within the room surged with greater light as two torches on either side of the stairway ignited like giant ceremonial torches. As a result of the enhanced lightning, two large statues came into view. The first was a stone sculpture of a dragon whose mouth was filled with the concentration of crimson flames. The second was the stone statue of a wolf whose open jaw was devoid of any radiance. The two statues were opposite of one another appearing as if they were facing one another with hostility, but in reality, they were looming over the area like they were protecting something.

A soft green aura traced along the stairway towards an empty golden palanquin that was firmly fixated at the summit of this climb. Surrounding that was a unique mist that veiled the area looming over them as the howl of a soft breeze mixed with gradual rumbles of thunder permeated their ears. Left in awe and wonder, Reina stepped forward trying to advance up the stairs leaving Raizo's side for a moment. She took in a slow inhale of fresh air before speaking in the Tengu tongue.

{"Great and Wise One, it is I, Reina Arashi. I, the one whom you supported to become the Sovereign of Cocytus, and the one whom you named as Higo-no-Ajari upon accepting me as your kin and bestowing me the blessing of the Tengu. I seek your counsel and have brought the Child of Promise with me. Please Esteemed Mother of Tengu, honor us with your wisdom."}

As Reina bowed her head, the sound of a random echo of something tapping against the surface of something else could be heard. If one had to estimate, it sounded like a cup was planted down on a small table. In that moment, a huge rush of pressure was hurled towards Reina as she went stumbling backwards. That momentum was transferred to Raizo as well as it felt like something kicked the Stormbringer. That mighty force pushed him all the way back towards the entrance of the antechamber, the candles in the room burning so brilliantly that the entire hall was illuminated.

"Reina!" he called out as he slid out of the door. Just when he managed to get up, he found himself unable to enter the inner room as a strange barrier inhibited his advance.

"What the fuck hit us? Some type of ghost?!" he thought as his heart elevated with a sense of dread.

From Reina's perspective, she saw a unique blur descend from the clouded covered pavilion looming over the area. As her eyes adjusted to the brighter illumination of the chamber, she saw a silhouette embraced by the clouds and small twists of red, green and blue energy twist before her eyes. She could barely understand the image and rubbed her eyes thinking that her consciousness was hazed over from the initial hit. However, all she could see was that static image that seemed to form some semblance of a person.

"Reina, what the hell is going on?! What are you looking at?" Raizo yelled out trying to break through the barrier with force of will but to no avail.

The blurry apparition continued to advance towards her. Although abstract, Reina felt something familiar about this unknown entity. In the back of her mind, she felt a sense of deja vu.

"I see…so you wish to test me then? Very well, I shall demonstrate my growth first hand…" the Sovereign decided whilst standing on her own two feet once again.

"Cho Ga Gatoku - Kagemusha!" she uttered donning the very apex of her powers in her Like A Butterfly form. Drawing on her newly awakened power as the Envoy of the Royal Butterfly, the resolute warrior marched towards her anonymous assailant with determination littering her eyes. Thanks to this state, it seemed the identity of the figure was becoming clearer to her as the Goddess of Fate was able to see a visible, human-like identity materializing before her.

Armed with her new weaponry, Reina takes up a ready stance before she rushes towards the ghost full-speed ahead. Just as the distance was eliminated and the woman went to land the first strike, Reina was able to catch a narrow glimpse of the figure's expression which appeared to showcase a small smirk. It reached out and poked the Sovereign in her forehead before sending her flying backwards into the closest wall. The resulting impact instantly robbed the Queen of Cocytus of her new form thereby reversing her to her base state and dropping her on the ground.

{"Alrighty then, I've lowered my existence enough so your stupid ass can see me now,"} a mocking tone echoed out from the apparition's lips as her identity came into Reina's view.

A dark-skinned figure came into view wearing a long, black leather trench coat with a fluffy collar. Peeking between the split at the base of the zipper, one could see that the individual was wearing dark red trousers that were cut short of their ankles leading into black, flat-footed slacks. The person's face was obscured by a hood that they eventually flipped back to reveal a blood red mask with giant horns protruding from the top that hooked upwards in the air. The individual's dark red eye shimmered on the left side like a bright ember of dangerous flame while the other eye remained dark. As the person loomed over Reina's position, the mask was pulled away.

{"Get up, you ain't that hurt. That was just for fun, and for going off without telling me you'd leave Cocytus without their Sovereign for so long. Now come on, bring the little shit here and let me get a good look at him,"} the mysterious entity disparaged the Sovereign with a hint of snarky sarcasm as Reina was assisted to her feet.

{"I suppose I deserve that one…"} the Fatebringer sighed before turning towards the entrance to wave Raizo in.

The invisible obstruction dissipated as the Crusader was allotted reentry to the chamber. He walked up towards the pair as he felt a subtle errant creeping feeling of anxiety wash over him. As he came closer, he took note of the fact that the figure towered over Reina and himself significantly. In fact, he felt that this person must have been taller than Zion–who stood at a staggering 8 feet (about 2.5 meters). 

"Raizo, allow me to introduce you to the Great Elder of the Tengu, Kurama-no-Sojobo–also known as Kiichi Hogen," Reina introduced. Feeling the esteem and level of importance that this person carried, the young man instantly bowed respectfully.

"It's an honor to meet you, my name is Raizo Arashi-Mercer," he said. Then once he raised his head, he looked toward Reina as if he wanted her to translate.

Reina was about to respond when the Great Elder raised a hand to stop her before reaching for the mask. The individual pulled it away as it dissipated into particles of luminescent green light to reveal the face of the figure. Much to Raizo's surprise, Kiichi Hogen's identity was a woman.

Kiichi Hogen's dark skinned face was smooth and flawless with a shimmering red eye while the right one was covered by a black eye patch with the imprint of a wolf's head on the surface. She had a train of lush, black hair that draped down her back while a set of ears shaped like an animal poked out from the top. She then went to unzip her trench coat allowing the jacket to slide down her shoulders to expose more of her skin. Underneath the coat, she wore a soft black leather sports bra that occupied and bound her ample bosom while the rest of abdomen was open to see. Her physique was chiseled with sculpted muscle that made her look more ripped than any woman he had seen. In fact, her abs were tighter and rigid than the mighty Marayah Zao-Long. Even her deltoids and biceps popped with power just by appearance alone. Cocking her head to the side, Kiichi Hogen raised an eyebrow whilst observing Raizo.

"Heh, what's the matter pup? Ya shocked to see I'm a jacked woman?" the Tengu Queen teased with a cocky grin.

"So you can speak our language?" Raizo noted.

"'Course I can; been around a long ass time. You'd be surprised what I know. Anyway, I've been waitin' for you both to come around. The All-Mother visited me from time-to-time in spirit and prayer."

"Wait…Onee-sama visited you?"

"This is quite a surprise for me as well," Reina observed, pressing her finger to her chin.

"Is it really such a shocking revelation? She is Akasha after all. Anyway, amidst her varying visits, she stopped by after the first little skirmish against the Abyss Order and ordained me with the duty of receiving the Child of Promise. I knew you'd be showin' up eventually, I just wanted to make it a little difficult for you because I can," the Tengu Queen shrugged.

"Yeah…that streak of eccentricity never ceases to amaze me," Reina rubbed her temples with an exhale. She looked up towards the queen and gave her a slight nudge to talk one on one for a split second.

 {"You never were the type to make things easy for anyone,"} the Sovereign spoke in the Tengu tongue.

{"When have I ever made things easy for you? I needed to see how much my youngest has grown since the last time you were among us,"} Kiichi Hogen shrugged..

{"Have I failed to meet your expectations?"}

{"Not even in the slightest. From a simple touch, I can see how much you've developed as a warrior. You are driven now more than ever. You've come a long way since the little runt who came seeking my help to liberate Cocytus."}

{"Many things have changed for me."}

{"I know. I have seen it…felt it through the Great River; Becoming the Primordial Goddess of Fate, and the Envoy of the Royal Butterfly? With each passing moment, you are supplanting your legacy. I could not be prouder of you."}

{"Wish my 'siblings' felt the same enthusiasm as you…"}

{"Tengu are proud and stubborn, you know this. They miss you and are happy for you, they just won't immediately cop to it. Besides, Tarobo was the one who asked about you the most while you were away. Don't let her tough girl act get you, she's just being a spoiled brat."}

{"I figured as much."}

{"Though I am fascinated at how enraged you were when she insulted the runt over there. Guessing he tickles your fancy quite a bit, eh?"}

{"Tch…I shall not talk about such things right now."}

{"Aww, you're no fun. Well…anyway, time is a wastin', leave the little pipsqueak with me so I can whip him into shape. You have a kingdom to protect."}

{"Right, let me just…give him some words of encouragement before I depart."}

Reina walked over towards Raizo and gently grabbed his arm to give a little distance between themselves and the mighty Sojobo-no-Kurama. Separated by a few feet, she looked him in the eye and took a deep breath.

"Listen up, Raizo. Kiichi Hogen is…a straight shooter and a bit of an oddball. She hates emotionally unstable people, has an unequivocal hatred for the gods–minus myself and Akasha–and can come across as rather misanthropic. In addition, I have yet to see her show favor towards any males. Even with the Daitengu, she can come across as rather abrasive with her 'sons'. You have a lot going against you here.

She is impossible to read, insanely direct and is just as likely to beat you into the ground as she is to give you a compliment. Expect the worst at all times and never drop your guard. Make it one day without getting tossed off the mountain and consider that immense progress."

"Well isn't that just lovely? I'm always getting stuck with the…" Raizo was about to say something but Reina pressed a finger over his lips.

"Do not finish that sentence. I understand your meaning, but try not to piss her off, okay?"

"Fine, fine…"

"Just be respectful at all times and trust in her direction. She carries a great deal of wisdom that will help you cement your identity."

Reina wrapped her arms around Raizo to give him a long-lasting hug then she followed that up with a kiss on his cheek before walking away to take her leave.

"You are in good hands, Raizo. I will see you soon enough," the Sovereign said before exiting the chamber leaving the Crusader to stand there with a small sigh escaping his lips. Little did he know, Kiichi Hogen silently stood over him.

"Well that was just touching," the Tengu said with a slight chuckle as an audible slurping noise came from above. Raizo looked up to see that the woman was holding a giant, red sadazuki cup which was filled with the finest blend of sake that she summoned to her possession. Once satisfied, she tossed the cup aside as it dissipated into light.

"Hmm…" she muttered as her vision was fixated on him, "Hang on…let's dress you down a bit."

With a snap of her fingers, Raizo's Janus Armor instantly dematerialized into the pendant wrapped around his neck. In place, the boy was now clad in a pure white karate gi with the black print of a wolf's head embroidered over the right side of his chest.

"There we go, now you look like you are ready for training," she nodded.

"Er…okay…"

Raizo then noticed that she was leering at him for a moment, hunching over to look him in the eyes which caused him to tense up once more.

"What is your filthy kind supposed to be? Some bastardization of Gods and Men? If this isn't the epitome of a joke, then surely I must be damn near the grave. How could a pipsqueak like you be the very same child that defeated Legion?" She criticized harshly as she took a few steps and walked around him for a second to analyze every inch of the boy's stature. With each step, the foundation of the chamber quaked underneath.

"Look at me, child. Let me see through you," she commanded which immediately caused the Stormbringer to follow that instruction. She knelt down and grasped his chin much like how Tarobo did earlier. With a growing intensity, she stared deep into his eyes.

"You are still just a pup, but I can see you are gradually sharpening those fangs. Yes…you do have a lot of potential hidden away, but your vision is clouded; the common shortcomings of a budding sage. This is nothing I haven't seen before. Regardless, I still can't help but question how someone as weak and frail as you managed to assume my father's mantle and…kill my sister."

"Wait…wh-what?" Raizo's eyes widened a bit at those last words.

"That's right. The Primordial God of Thunder, Relepagus, was my father and the Great Progenitor, Sakinah Vashti, was my sister. Interesting for Reina Arashi to deliver me a child whose hands are soaked in my kin's blood. Perhaps I should be thankful for a chance at vengeance so that I may know peace?"

A giant wave of aura poured from her, oozing in black and gold that seemingly wanted to crush the body of the Stormbringer under its sheer density. Her words carried such authority and presence that his will to fight back simply did not respond. However, in a flash, her aura disappeared.

"Just kidding," she smiled before letting out a hearty chuckle afterward which left him perplexed.

"Please, as if I really give a damn about such motivations," the Tengu remarked while wiping a tear from her eye after that fit of laughter.

"Dear old Dad is dead and the sister I never knew is gone. Whoop-ti-fuckin-doo, shit happens and overzealous ambition gets you killed. But anyway, enough of the fake bravado. So your name is Raizo Arashi-Mercer, right?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"Whew…no wonder why you're all fucked up. Two strong bloodlines are flowin' through those veins. Well, as stated earlier, my name is Kiichi Hogen, also known as Sojobo-no-Kurama. But that's the formal Tengu title talking; my true name is Sivanah Ashvi. You can call me 'Siva' if that strikes your fancy. Actually, you should address me as 'Sensei' or something.

If little Ajari…er…Reina wants me to train you in spite of her wealth of experience, then that means there's something I know that would fit ya better than anything she's got going on."

"Right…okay then…" Raizo raised an eyebrow whilst ruffling his locks of hair.

"Don't worry, we have plenty of time; you'll figure it out soon enough. Come on little pup, we've got work to do."