Himemiya

BioKraze

Ages ago, in a distant land, there once lived an ancient Sorceress. She was old but powerful, and knew that her time would eventually come, as it does to all creatures that roam the fair face of the world. She was known by few and known well by fewer still. But her power was known, and her love for the simple things in life. Nobody knows what became of her, save two individuals who, to this very day, still roam the world...

On a particularly stormy night, the Sorceress was preparing her nightly tea to soothe her nerves, when a knock on the door of her house and shrine was heard over the wind and the rain. The Sorceress set down her teapot and rushed to the door, where upon opening it she saw no person who could have been knocking. It was then that she heard the wailing of infants. Looking down at the steps of the abode, two dusky skinned children sat draped in rags to protect them from the worst of the storm. Her heart filling with compassion, the Sorceress took the two children and brought them into her home and her heart. One was a baby boy, with hair so fair as to seem white and the other a girl with hair like royal velvet.

"The gods must mean for me to care for these children," the Sorceress mused as she gave up her tea in order to give the infants a bath. "They must be a legacy of sorts, for I can sense the power of their souls. The boy has a shining light about him that brings good will to those around him, while the girl seems to have the power to restore the light and commune with the beasts.

"I shall do as the gods bid and raise them as my own children...yes, that seems fitting. I know not who brought them to my abode." she said as she tucked them into a makeshift bed, "but from this point on they shall fulfill their dreams and perhaps become true legends in their own right, just as I have with my own life..."

As the children grew, the Sorceress taught both children much, always referring to them as Son and Daughter, never by first names. She had them study the world of nature and the world of men; drawing comparisons between the two and making it seem as if both were inextricably intertwined. The Son seemed interested in the stars and his fellow people, and developed a strong sense of right and wrong. The Daughter felt more comfortable with nature, and studied herbal medicine and some of the healing magic that the Sorceress had used on occasion. She swore to protect her brother from the evils of the world, no matter what form those evils might assume.

When the children were eight, the Sorceress spoke to them together from her bed, for she had grown ever more frail over the years. "You both have come very far from the infants I found on my step that stormy night. I feel now that I should not call you as Son and Daughter, but by names you feel comfortable with." She turned to the boy and asked him simply, "What do you wish to be known as?"

The child responded without hesitation. "Dios. I wish to be known as Dios, Mother." The Sorceress nodded and turned to the girl. "And you, what name do you choose for yourself?" It took a few moments of cogitation for the Sorceress' daughter to choose her name.

"Anshii." The Sorceress nodded again.

"Now, before I leave this mortal plane for the higher realms, I ask of you two a favor. It is not a great favor now, but to me it means all the world, and in time you two will learn to understand the significance behind my decision..." Anshii and Dios looked at each other, not fully understanding but ready to do their mother's bidding.

"What is it?" they asked in unison.

The Sorceress smiled faintly. "Until this moment, you have never known my real name. You have always known me as your mother, though I have never given birth and will never do so. My name is Himemiya, and I ask of you two to adopt that as your family name. You must remember that blood runs thicker than water, and you can never sever the bond that you two share.

"But I am not your true mother, nor do I know where she has disappeared to. Thus I ask of you to take my name as your family name, so that people who hear of your deeds throughout the lands will know who it is that saves them from the wicked." Dios and Anshii nodded, then spoke again in unison.

"Of course, Mother. We will take the name Himemiya and make it a proud name."

"Thank you, my children." The Sorceress shuddered, then spoke in a low tone, so low that Dios and Anshii had to lean in to hear it. "My time comes now. The agent who bridges the mortal and ethereal planes calls my name. I must go now, forever, but always remember that you two are destined for greater things than I. I love you, Anshii and Dios Himemiya, and I will always be watching you from the heavens..." With that, the Sorceress gasped her last, and the children were left alone in the world. Yet they knew much about the world and how it worked, and with that knowledge in mind they set out for distant lands, hoping to discover the legacy their mother spoke of...

The two children wandered the lands, using the knowledge of the Sorceress and the powers she told them were inherent in their souls to achieve incredible deeds. Dios learned to channel his power into a mighty saber, which would never break against the hardest of surfaces and would always shine brightly to defeat evil. Anshii learned to take care of Dios when he was injured or feeling faithless, for he was headstrong and often rushed to defeat the evils that threatened the fair people of the world. As they grew older, Dios began to feel that he could not save all people, but only those who most needed it: damsels who were put in danger from evil people. Anshii had her misgivings, but as Dios was her only blood kin, she never truly fought his decision.

One day, however, Dios was sorely tested and almost defeated by a truly wicked demon, and needed rest. His faith wavered, but he held on to the notion that he must save the princesses of the world. As the brother and sister had no place they could call home, Anshii took Dios and led his weakened body to a secluded barn. She lay him on a stack of hay and tried to comfort him as she tended to his wounds.

"Anshii...there are others...I must save them..." spoke Dios, albeit weakly.

"No! You have wounded yourself far too much, Dios!" said Anshii, surprisingly forcefully for her. Dios' eyes widened as she continued. "You must rest, or else you will destroy yourself, and then where will the damsels of the world be? There is no other like you! Please, for the sake of Mother in the heavens, rest!" Hesitantly Dios complied, feeling the world grow faint. She was right. If he pushed himself too far, he would die. Yet, he had learned to seek out the cries of those souls in danger, the maidens who were in danger from evil. The cries tugged at his very being, almost overwhelming him.

The two heard voices coming from afar. They had been discovered! It was no use trying to run, for wherever Dios went, the light of the righteous brought those in need to him and Anshii. His sister closed her eyes in concentration, then nodded and cast a spell she had learned from the Sorceress. It was a warding spell, sinister by its very nature, designed to contain only the most evil of all demons. But in order to save her brother's life, she would use it upon him...

"Dios!" cried one of the villagers outside. "We need your help! Our daughter needs you!" Anshii trembled in anger and finally spoke in a level voice.

"No. This cannot go on anymore. This ends, dear brother. You cannot hope to save them all, even with my assistance. They must learn to do for themselves what a prince does in their absence." Anshii completed the spell and sealed Dios away. His body grew limp, his eyes closing. A small tear fell from his face to land upon the floor of the barn. With her task done, Anshii left the barn to confront the villagers.

They were instantly angry. "What have you done to the Prince?" yelled one irate mortal.

"I sealed him away. Dios is mine now! You must learn to fend for yourselves from this point on!" cried Anshii. To her surprise, the villagers raised their tools and torches, screaming in fury.

"You took the Prince away from us! You witch!" cried the leader of the mob, who stabbed Anshii with a pitchfork. She felt no blood fall from her wounds, but the pain was exquisite.

"Witch! Witch!" screamed the villagers, as they followed their leader's example. In the barn, where Dios' body lay, tears streamed from his closed eyes. The spell was not complete, as Anshii had planned to dispel the magic when he had recovered. But enough of his noble spirit was sealed away to create something which would feel an emotion wholly alien to the young teenager who lay on a haystack, immobile.

The thirst for vengeance.

He rose, and his body changed upon him. His hair grew longer, his body taller. He felt angry. Angry that the villagers would dare strike down his sister. Angry that he was used by those who would not learn to defend themselves. He stormed out of the barn and stood before the villagers, who had withdrawn from their vicious assault on Anshii. He picked up his sister's limp body and spoke in a tone of voice that cowed the mortals.

"Do any of you recall the tale of the Star of the Morning? When an angel falls from grace in heaven, he becomes a demon. And when Light falls, it becomes Darkness. The Prince is dead. You will now know what it feels like to have no savior to defend yourselves from evil unless you become that savior." With those words, the man who was once Anshii's brother walked away, carrying his sister in his arms. The villagers knew not what to do, and looked inside the barn.

There was no body to be found.

In the ethereal world, the Sorceress cried for her son, who had changed into what she had feared would be the end of a guiding light in the world...