Demon Sword Maiden

Volume 11 - Yamata no Orochi: Chapter 40 – Ancient Myths

The room was abuzz with voices as everyone turned their attention to Lady Kimiko, who had just entered. Her presence, marked by the graceful sway of her nine tails and her calm, yet concerned demeanor, commanded respect.

“Lady Kimiko,” Lily greeted, relieved to see her recovery but also sensing the gravity of the situation as Kimiko gazed at the rain with a troubled expression.

Lily couldn’t resist following Kimiko’s gaze to the relentless downpour. “Lady Kimiko, do you know the cause of this unending heavy rain?”

Kimiko reflected on her vast experience. “In all my years, I’ve seldom seen such intense rain. It’s reminiscent of a time long ago when I was much younger, a time of great floods similar to this.”

The revelation that such an event had only occurred once in Kimiko’s long life astounded everyone.

Kimiko continued, “It was a dark era. The gods roamed the earth, celestial maidens descended to fight monsters, and demons freely emerged from Yomi. Humanity struggled to survive amid such chaos.”

“It’s been far too long… a memory from thousands of years ago, one that I can only recall in fragments,” Kimiko said pensively. “All I remember clearly is that this overwhelming deluge was brought about by a fearsome demon named Yamata no Orochi.”

“Yamata no Orochi?” echoed through the room, as surprise and concern flashed in the eyes of all the sisters and martial ministers present. Even Abe no Seimei, usually unflappable, showed a flicker of reaction.

The legend of the formidable Yamata no Orochi was steeped in antiquity, akin to the creation myths chronicled in the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki, where deities like Izanagi and Izanami

A more appropriate comparison within Japanese mythology to the legend of Yamata no Orochi would be the creation myths found in the Kojiki or Nihon Shoki, ancient chronicles which detail the origins of the Japanese islands and the deities within the Shinto belief system.

For instance, the story of Izanagi and Izanami, the divine couple who, according to legend, created the Japanese archipelago, would be a fitting parallel. These creation tales hold a similar legendary and foundational status in Japanese mythology as the stories of Pangu and Nuwa do in Chinese mythology. They are deeply ingrained in the cultural heritage and provide a backdrop for many other myths and legends, including that of Yamata no Orochi.">¹ shaped the very islands of Japan. Just as those tales are fundamental to Japanese mythology, so too are the various renditions of the Yamata no Orochi story, known to many but varying in their telling. Despite the legend’s profound and sometimes fearsome nature, it had always seemed a distant, almost disconnected part of ancient lore, with little bearing on the present world.

Ayaka, well-versed in ancient lore, raised a pertinent question about the myth of Yamata no Orochi, “Lady Kimiko, the Yamata no Orochi is a legend steeped in various versions. However, wasn’t it ultimately slain by a legendary god?”

Kimiko, carrying the wisdom of ages, responded, “Yes, that’s correct. I was but a fledgling spirit during those ancient times. The gods indeed vanquished Yamata no Orochi, but I was too young to remember the details. However, the intensity of this rain bears an eerie resemblance to that period. I recall the devastation caused by the floods and fiery storms that ravaged the skies.”

The others, intrigued, asked, “Fiery storms in the skies?”

Kimiko nodded gravely, “After a period of heavy rain, floods destroyed the land, followed by rain of eight different colors, each unleashing a unique disaster.”

The group gasped, “Eight colored rain?”

“Yes,” Kimiko affirmed. “Rains of fire, electricity, stone, ice, poison… the exact details elude me, but the devastation was immense. Many perished, and I, in my then-fragile state, was fortunate to survive.”

Lily, alarmed by the gravity of the situation, declared, “Lady Kimiko, we must act to stop this rain. If it’s truly Yamata no Orochi causing it, then we must find and confront it before the eight colored rain befalls us!”

Tomoe Gozen, ever the voice of caution, interjected, “Might we be rushing to judgment? The Yamata no Orochi was defeated long ago. Could it truly return to plague us now?”

Kimiko’s expression darkened with concern, “If this rain is akin to that ancient era, it’s conceivable that Yamata no Orochi has been resurrected in some form.”

The room fell silent at the mention of ‘resurrection’.

Kimiko’s words hung heavy in the air, “The eight colored rain, while catastrophic, could be survived by hiding in caves.However, Yamata no Orochi is a living nightmare, a harbinger of widespread destruction through floods, flames, thunder, and poison. Spanning nearly ten thousand miles, its presence alone heralds calamity. Even as the nine-tailed demon fox at my zenith, I fear I may not be its equal.”

The room fell silent, absorbing the gravity of her words.

Shizuru, trembling, voiced her fear, “If this demon has truly returned, how can we possibly stand against it?”

Ijuin pondered, his voice tinged with uncertainty, “Could Yoritomo have anticipated this? If the world’s humans became demons, could they endure the eight colored rain?”

Hoshi quickly interjected, cautioning, “Be careful with your speculations, Miss Ijuin.”

Kimiko elaborated, “The likelihood of survival under the eight colored rain is minimal, particularly for the weaker demons. They’re as vulnerable as any human. In my distant memories, many of my friends from the mountains and forests vanished after such rains; I was among the few fortunate to survive. The transformation from human to demon often results in beings of limited strength; most won’t withstand the rain’s ferocity. The few strong survivors will emerge in an environment reshaped by harshness and struggle. If Yoritomo envisioned this as a form of human advancement, his perspective, while extreme, isn’t entirely baseless.”

Ayaka, frustrated, growled, “Human evolution is a natural process, not something to be forced! What is Yoritomo’s endgame? Sacrificing thousands for the evolution of a few? Is he playing god?”

Amidst the tension, Lily inquired, “If Yamata no Orochi has indeed returned, where do we begin our search?”

Kimiko answered solemnly, “Given the epicenter of this rain and the enveloping darkness, Izumo is our most likely location. That’s where we must start.”

Footnotes:

The reference to Pangu and Nuwa, figures from Chinese mythology, seems out of place in a story rooted in Japanese mythological context.

A more appropriate comparison within Japanese mythology to the legend of Yamata no Orochi would be the creation myths found in the Kojiki or Nihon Shoki, ancient chronicles which detail the origins of the Japanese islands and the deities within the Shinto belief system.

For instance, the story of Izanagi and Izanami, the divine couple who, according to legend, created the Japanese archipelago, would be a fitting parallel. These creation tales hold a similar legendary and foundational status in Japanese mythology as the stories of Pangu and Nuwa do in Chinese mythology. They are deeply ingrained in the cultural heritage and provide a backdrop for many other myths and legends, including that of Yamata no Orochi.