“We’re nearly there, everyone.” Miu said. Ryoma sighed and said, “Thank the gods. This trek was much longer than I originally anticipated. To be nearing its end is a refreshing declaration, indeed.” Tetsuo and Yuki concurred, yet Himiko remained in good spirits. “Come now, boys,” she said, “we mustn’t dwell in negativity. Look to the moon and feel invigorated once more!” The near half-moon wholly illuminated her march forward.
‘Easy for you to say.” Tetsuo said. “After all, you’re obsessed with that piece of the heavens. The rest of us will stay down here where things are more grounded, if it’s all the same.” Miu chuckled and said, “You all are a strange bunch. A samurai, a shrine maiden, a monk, and a kappa are all on a quest together. I feel as though there’s a punchline I’m missing somewhere.”
“The punchline is how my hunger will be the end of me instead of the demons.” Ryoma said. He usually possessed a more positive outlook, yet the growling in his stomach ironically ate away at that. They didn’t consider eating back in the village due to the smaller supplies as the citizens hadn’t tended to their crops as much while under the weather. As such, they scavenged a little for mushrooms to eat on the path to the ofuda. Other than that, their stomachs were empty.
“Either way,” Miu said, “we don’t have much farther to travel. According to this map, the next hilltop should house the talisman that you all are searching for.” Himiko frowned and said, “Oh no, not another summit to mount. The last wasn’t exactly all that hospitable to us.” Ryoma looked to her and said, “Listen, Himiko, I understand your hesitation to advance, but every step forward we take together. Isn’t that right, fellows?” Tetsuo and Yuki nodded, so the samurai continued, “Besides, each new power provides us a greater opportunity to slay Orochi. We can ill afford to shy away from danger at this juncture.”
Himiko reluctantly agreed, and so, the quintet continued forward. Along the way, they ran into a family of kitsune – foxes – and it appeared that the eldest-looking of the bunch possessed five tails. Yuki exclaimed, “How cute!” He looked as though he were about to walk toward them, but Miu held a hand up to block his progress. “Hold there, Yuki.” She said. “The kitsune is seen as a spiritual guide to humans. Let’s observe them for the time being.”
And so, Yuki relented and the quintet sat back and watched the creatures. The kitsune stood still, observing the humans and kappa as well. Eventually, they started trotting toward the group and encircled around them. They frolicked in circles around Ryoma and company as though they were dancing. Then, seemingly just as soon as they started, they came to a stop in front of the traveling companions. The eldest kitsune looked Ryoma in the eye and then made a break for it down the hillside, the other foxes in tow.
“So, they’re supposed to be guides, right?” Yuki asked. “In that case, what did that signify?” Tetsuo stepped forward, looking toward the summit, and simply said, “Trouble.” Nevertheless, Ryoma placed his hands on Yuki’s and Tetsuo’s shoulders and said, “It doesn’t matter. That ofuda is waiting for us. We must hurry!”
Without any dissenting opinions, the quintet resumed their trek up the hill. As they made their ascent, however, storm clouds began forming above their heads and thunder began rolling. “Not again.” Tetsuo said with an accompanying groan. “I don’t recall any caves for us to duck into this time.” Yuki, however, was delighted at the chance for more rainfall. Ryoma said, “We shan’t be deterred by mere rain. Let us continue onward.”
Finally, the group came upon a mesa with a torii and stone wall encircling a miniature shrine situated perfectly in the center. Miu exclaimed, “The map was right! I must admit, I was slightly worried it was a mere folktale. And yet, here it is!” Then, thunder clapped violently across the sky, quelling her excitement. Ryoma, however, was not perturbed by its presence. “Stay behind if you’d like.” He said. “I’ll retrieve the ofuda.”
Himiko grabbed Ryoma by the arm and said, “I’m not so sure about this, Ryoma. Something seems off, wouldn’t you agree?” Yuki nodded and said, “I concur. We must be wary of danger here, same as with the ofuda in the snow.” Ryoma also thought about the ice ofuda; the emperor claimed it came from a geyser, meaning both were guarded by the elements. However, it was imperative to their mission that the talisman be retrieved, so he said, “Nevertheless, I must continue.”
Ryoma wrenched his arm free of Himiko’s concerned grip and walked forward. Passing through the torii, he was met with a furious roar of thunder that shook him to his core. Without further warning, a bolt of lightning crashed down on the mesa mere feet from where he stood. The intensity of the moment caused Ryoma to instinctively stumble backwards, landing on his back.
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While staring up into the inky sky, Ryoma thought he saw a figure; though obscured in the darkness, a humanoid subject seemed to stand amongst the clouds. It appeared to be a male, and he was surrounded by a connected set of taiko drums. He took a hammer in one of his hands and struck a drum, causing thunder to ripple across the land once more.
Ryoma, in shock, asked, “Is that Raijin, the thunder god?” Internally, he knew it to be true, yet the presence was so incredible that it was hard to take even reality seriously in that instance. Raijin crossed the hammers within his hands and snarled at the samurai. A glow began forming on both the god and his weapons. In accordance, the hair on Ryoma’s arm began to raise.
Realizing the danger, Ryoma hastily made his way back onto his feet and raced back through the torii, leaping into Himiko’s arms as lightning cracked the ground he had stood upon mere moments ago. His breath caught in his throat as he gasped for air. “There’s no way to that ofuda. Not for a mortal man, at least.”
“Perhaps not for a man, in any case.” Himiko said. Ryoma looked to her and she returned a sly smile. “No,” he said, “you can’t be serious. Raijin protects this shrine with ferocity. You’ll surely be killed!” Himiko frowned and asked, “Are you to say you doubt my newfound potential? I command the lightning, same as any god.”
With that and without hearing any further objections, Himiko, this time, broke free of Ryoma’s grip and crossed the threshold of the torii into the mesa. Raijin slammed upon one of the many drums to create more thunder, as though he were initiating the challenge proper.
Ryoma and the others waited with bated breath as Himiko walked toward the shrine. Raijin growled and pressed his hammers together, creating the same glow as before. Himiko looked upon the god and said, “I do not fear you. Bring whatever havoc you may conjure.” Raijin accepted her courage and pointed a hammer down toward her.
Lightning careened toward Himiko and the others in the group collectively yelled. Himiko, however, retained her composure and lifted her gohei into the sky. It caught the bolt out of the air and channeled it into the shrine maiden’s body. The ofuda surfaced from her chest and the yellow string donning it began glowing same as Raijin’s hammers. Within in instant, though, it fully absorbed the electricity and returned to normal. Himiko walked away from the encounter with nary a scratch.
Ryoma and the others collectively sighed, relieved that their friend was correct in her assumptions. Himiko giggled as though she felt a tickle and continued on her merry way. Raijin only became more incensed at the casual nature of the intruder and began charging another strike.
Another bolt split the sky and hit Himiko straight in the head, though again, she was unphased. The earth ruptured around her feet yet she persisted in her stride to the shrine in the middle of the mesa. As Raijin watched the maiden saunter toward the ofuda’s resting place, he switched his strategy.
The thunder god let loose a series of lightning bolts toward the ground. His attacks were lessened in power but amplified in frequency in a desperate attempt to catch Himiko off-guard. Despite his best efforts, however, she brushed off each and every attack with the poise of a true maiden.
Eventually, Himiko reached the shrine. She placed a hand upon its door and looked up with a devious grin. Raijin looked at her with displeasure yet nodded. Turning back, he and his drums dissipated into the storm clouds. Then, the darkness diffused into the air and the near half-moon bestowed its grace upon the mesa.
Himiko smiled, content in her victory, and opened the door to the small shrine. She gasped, however, as she searched its interior. “It’s empty!” She exclaimed. Ryoma and the others gasped as well and the samurai asked, “What did you say, Himiko?!” She repeated, “It’s empty! There’s no talisman here! There’s nothing here!” Ryoma fell to his knees and slammed a fist into the dirt beneath him. “Dammit!” He swore. “We came here for nothing! The kitsune were right to lead us away from here; this was a fruitless endeavor.”
Yuki came to Ryoma, placed a hand on his shoulder, and said, “It isn’t all bad, Ryoma. At the very least, we’ve headed further in the direction of the shogunate. If anything, we should be there tomorrow. Isn’t that right, Miu?” Miu nodded and said, “Indeed. The shogun’s residence is not far from here. If you leave now, you’ll be in his presence in no time! Besides, it’s always a possibility that he’ll know something concerning the ofuda’s whereabouts.”
Ryoma sighed, collected himself from the ground, and said, “Very well. We’ll continue our venture as soon as we escort Miu back to her village.” Miu shook her head and said, “Oh no, you needn’t worry about me. I don’t believe the ronin will be any trouble in this area after your battle. And I haven’t seen any demons aside from Yuki, so I doubt they’ll be a factor.” Ryoma didn’t want to leave her alone, but she insisted with her eyes, and so, he relented and said, “Very well. We’ll go our separate ways, then.”
Himiko rejoined the group, and after descending the hillside and saying their goodbyes to Miu, the quartet splintered off and continued westward toward the shogunate.