Post by Mantorok on Jul 29, 2007 16:27:41 GMT -5
Part One-The Tale of Rikoosenshi and the Dread Orochi
Long ago…the world was a place filled with malice and hatred, the only things coming close to the amount of hatred in the world was the sadness and despair, all resonating from a single, powerful, frightening creature. Even the gods feared this beast, and dared not speak his name in fear of drawing his attention towards them.
The creature was none other than the dreaded Orochi, whose eyes were crimson like boiling blood, with eight heads with teeth sharper than swords, dripping with venom so powerful that one drop could make entire rivers become tainted, with blood-drenched scales so thick that not even the sharpest blade could cut them, and necks so large that forests could grow upon them. The beast’s massive body was wrapped around its layer, a temple, the breathing of the beast caused earthquakes to come forth from the centre of the earth, where the bulk of its body rested, his eight tails constantly brewed sake made from the blood of celestials, which he demanded the gods sate his hunger with daily.
One day, however, he became bored with the taste of celestial flesh. Orochi began to take an interest in the taste of human flesh. After devouring a warrior who had foolishly attempted to slay him, the mighty Orochi turned his attention to further tormenting the humans of this world, and demanded the nearest town, a small hamlet called Sakurabana, give unto him each night of the full moon the greatest warrior in the village, and the most beautiful maiden. If they were to refuse to give him the people he demanded, he would instead destroy the whole village, instead of just two of its people. Terrified of Orochi’s wrath, Sakurabana continued this terrifying rite for two hundred and fifty years. Each time, the warrior would promise to slay the dreaded Orochi, and each time, Orochi would send back the broken blade and bloody bones of the warrior to mock the villagers. Orochi would then force the maiden to bear his children, causing thousands of demon servants to be created to aid Orochi in his campaign to bring eternal darkness to the world of men. Until one day, a warrior named Rikoosenshi, who was especially clever was chosen to be Orochi’s sacrifice, and a maiden named Kurashikku who could play the flute so well that she could put even the most frightening demon to sleep was to be the bearer of Orochi’s brood. On the night of the full moon, the two sacrifices created a plan that would allow them to be rid of the beast. Before eating his meal, Orochi would drink his freshly brewed sake to enhance the flavour of the warrior he would soon consume. Orochi was no fool, however, and try as the warrior might to jeer or trick Orochi into drinking himself to the point of intoxication proved to be fruitless. Orochi knew that if he were to become intoxicated, the gods would stop at nothing to see to it that he was banished while he was severely weakened, for he could not stop the gods from casting their spells on him while he could not concentrate. The two had figured out a way to allow the gods to stop the dreaded Orochi, and prayed to the gods to let them know of their plan.
And so, it is said that when Orochi reared his massive heads to face Rikoosenshi, his very gaze nearly caused the brave warrior to die from fright. However, he held onto life and gripped his sword, Hebikorosu, and waited for the mighty serpent to mock him.
“Pathetic mortal!” Orochi hissed, “You grip your blade as if to do battle, despite knowing that all of your warriors have failed to slay me. Your kind has been abandoned by even the gods, who fear me as you do. You will burn in my flames, and your worthless, broken sword shall be sent back to your village, as it always shall be.”
“It may be true that even the gods fear you,” Rikoosenshi responded, gripping his blade even more tightly, “And that all who have faced you have perished. However, I will not give up because what has already been done, your arrogance will finally be what slays you, not my cleverness or strength.”
Orochi laughed as tengu lowered the great barrels of blood-red sake in front of each of his eight heads, and lowered his heads to take the one sip he felt was required to give the warrior a better flavour. While the beast was distracted, Rikoosenshi plugged his ears with pieces of cloth he ripped from his robes, and Kurashikku began to play. The great Orochi’s heads began to sway and tremble as their eyes became heavy with sleep, and one by one, their heads fell into the barrels of sake, and began drinking them heavily with each breath they took.
The gods, upon seeing Orochi become drunk, dispelled Orochi’s power, causing his scales to become soft. Orochi, realizing he had been tricked, reared his heads up and roared in rage, and began to attempt to kill Rikoosenshi, who had already drawn his blade. Orochi’s eight heads each had the power of the elements, and each one began to attack. The head of fire breathed gigantic plumes of flame that was so hot, that even metal and stone would melt at its touch, the head of poison spewed out thick clouds of poison that could suffocate even the mightiest beast, however, the gods sent forth divine wind that blew the fire and poison away. Rikoosenshi attempted to slice the heads of Orochi with his blade while they were confused, but even when weakened, the scales were too thick to allow Hebikorosu to slice through them. He continued to battle with Orochi nonetheless, the attacks of wind, lightning, and earth foiled by a divine shield the gods quickly constructed around the warrior, the blinding power of light countered with the dark rays of Tsukuyomi, the life-draining darkness was dispelled by the bright rays of Amaterasu, when the head of water attempted to drown him, the gods created lily pads for him to stand on, yet, no matter how many times the gods and the warrior attempted to counter the dreadful Orochi’s attacks, the beast would continue to fight, and Hebikorosu was still turned by the creature’s thick scales. Rikoosenshi was injured, the poison of Orochi infecting his veins. It was here that Kurashikku made a final, desperate prayer to the gods, to ask them to grant Rikoosenshi’s blade, Hebikorosu, divine power, the only thing that could truly harm a demon like Orochi. The gods granted her wish, and on that night, deep in the darkness, a star fell from the sky and collided with Hebikorosu, causing it to glow with a brilliant golden light. Renewed by the sight of this miracle, Rikoosenshi began severing the heads of Orochi, one by one, until the beast was still, in a puddle of his own black blood.
Fatally wounded, the poison of Orochi still flowing in his veins, Rikoosenshi climbed up the body of Orochi, and stood upon the altar the beast wrapped his great body around. Gathering the last of his strength, Rikoosenshi plunged the divine blade Hebikorosu into the atlar, trapping the spirit of the demon within, preventing him from resurrecting himself. Only a few moments later, he admitted his love to Kurashikku, and kissed her with his last breath of life. As soon as the kiss ended, he died in her arms.
Kurashikku somehow found the strength to carry Rikoosenshi’s body back to Sakurabana, and told the village what had happened. They grieved for the noble warrior’s sacrifice, and erected a statue in his honour. Without their master to command them, the demons withdrew from the lands, and the world of man was at peace once more…
Long ago…the world was a place filled with malice and hatred, the only things coming close to the amount of hatred in the world was the sadness and despair, all resonating from a single, powerful, frightening creature. Even the gods feared this beast, and dared not speak his name in fear of drawing his attention towards them.
The creature was none other than the dreaded Orochi, whose eyes were crimson like boiling blood, with eight heads with teeth sharper than swords, dripping with venom so powerful that one drop could make entire rivers become tainted, with blood-drenched scales so thick that not even the sharpest blade could cut them, and necks so large that forests could grow upon them. The beast’s massive body was wrapped around its layer, a temple, the breathing of the beast caused earthquakes to come forth from the centre of the earth, where the bulk of its body rested, his eight tails constantly brewed sake made from the blood of celestials, which he demanded the gods sate his hunger with daily.
One day, however, he became bored with the taste of celestial flesh. Orochi began to take an interest in the taste of human flesh. After devouring a warrior who had foolishly attempted to slay him, the mighty Orochi turned his attention to further tormenting the humans of this world, and demanded the nearest town, a small hamlet called Sakurabana, give unto him each night of the full moon the greatest warrior in the village, and the most beautiful maiden. If they were to refuse to give him the people he demanded, he would instead destroy the whole village, instead of just two of its people. Terrified of Orochi’s wrath, Sakurabana continued this terrifying rite for two hundred and fifty years. Each time, the warrior would promise to slay the dreaded Orochi, and each time, Orochi would send back the broken blade and bloody bones of the warrior to mock the villagers. Orochi would then force the maiden to bear his children, causing thousands of demon servants to be created to aid Orochi in his campaign to bring eternal darkness to the world of men. Until one day, a warrior named Rikoosenshi, who was especially clever was chosen to be Orochi’s sacrifice, and a maiden named Kurashikku who could play the flute so well that she could put even the most frightening demon to sleep was to be the bearer of Orochi’s brood. On the night of the full moon, the two sacrifices created a plan that would allow them to be rid of the beast. Before eating his meal, Orochi would drink his freshly brewed sake to enhance the flavour of the warrior he would soon consume. Orochi was no fool, however, and try as the warrior might to jeer or trick Orochi into drinking himself to the point of intoxication proved to be fruitless. Orochi knew that if he were to become intoxicated, the gods would stop at nothing to see to it that he was banished while he was severely weakened, for he could not stop the gods from casting their spells on him while he could not concentrate. The two had figured out a way to allow the gods to stop the dreaded Orochi, and prayed to the gods to let them know of their plan.
And so, it is said that when Orochi reared his massive heads to face Rikoosenshi, his very gaze nearly caused the brave warrior to die from fright. However, he held onto life and gripped his sword, Hebikorosu, and waited for the mighty serpent to mock him.
“Pathetic mortal!” Orochi hissed, “You grip your blade as if to do battle, despite knowing that all of your warriors have failed to slay me. Your kind has been abandoned by even the gods, who fear me as you do. You will burn in my flames, and your worthless, broken sword shall be sent back to your village, as it always shall be.”
“It may be true that even the gods fear you,” Rikoosenshi responded, gripping his blade even more tightly, “And that all who have faced you have perished. However, I will not give up because what has already been done, your arrogance will finally be what slays you, not my cleverness or strength.”
Orochi laughed as tengu lowered the great barrels of blood-red sake in front of each of his eight heads, and lowered his heads to take the one sip he felt was required to give the warrior a better flavour. While the beast was distracted, Rikoosenshi plugged his ears with pieces of cloth he ripped from his robes, and Kurashikku began to play. The great Orochi’s heads began to sway and tremble as their eyes became heavy with sleep, and one by one, their heads fell into the barrels of sake, and began drinking them heavily with each breath they took.
The gods, upon seeing Orochi become drunk, dispelled Orochi’s power, causing his scales to become soft. Orochi, realizing he had been tricked, reared his heads up and roared in rage, and began to attempt to kill Rikoosenshi, who had already drawn his blade. Orochi’s eight heads each had the power of the elements, and each one began to attack. The head of fire breathed gigantic plumes of flame that was so hot, that even metal and stone would melt at its touch, the head of poison spewed out thick clouds of poison that could suffocate even the mightiest beast, however, the gods sent forth divine wind that blew the fire and poison away. Rikoosenshi attempted to slice the heads of Orochi with his blade while they were confused, but even when weakened, the scales were too thick to allow Hebikorosu to slice through them. He continued to battle with Orochi nonetheless, the attacks of wind, lightning, and earth foiled by a divine shield the gods quickly constructed around the warrior, the blinding power of light countered with the dark rays of Tsukuyomi, the life-draining darkness was dispelled by the bright rays of Amaterasu, when the head of water attempted to drown him, the gods created lily pads for him to stand on, yet, no matter how many times the gods and the warrior attempted to counter the dreadful Orochi’s attacks, the beast would continue to fight, and Hebikorosu was still turned by the creature’s thick scales. Rikoosenshi was injured, the poison of Orochi infecting his veins. It was here that Kurashikku made a final, desperate prayer to the gods, to ask them to grant Rikoosenshi’s blade, Hebikorosu, divine power, the only thing that could truly harm a demon like Orochi. The gods granted her wish, and on that night, deep in the darkness, a star fell from the sky and collided with Hebikorosu, causing it to glow with a brilliant golden light. Renewed by the sight of this miracle, Rikoosenshi began severing the heads of Orochi, one by one, until the beast was still, in a puddle of his own black blood.
Fatally wounded, the poison of Orochi still flowing in his veins, Rikoosenshi climbed up the body of Orochi, and stood upon the altar the beast wrapped his great body around. Gathering the last of his strength, Rikoosenshi plunged the divine blade Hebikorosu into the atlar, trapping the spirit of the demon within, preventing him from resurrecting himself. Only a few moments later, he admitted his love to Kurashikku, and kissed her with his last breath of life. As soon as the kiss ended, he died in her arms.
Kurashikku somehow found the strength to carry Rikoosenshi’s body back to Sakurabana, and told the village what had happened. They grieved for the noble warrior’s sacrifice, and erected a statue in his honour. Without their master to command them, the demons withdrew from the lands, and the world of man was at peace once more…