Everyone stared at Kazuki. There were no words to describe the feelings of bewilderment that they felt. All they could do was stare at the shrine keeper, their jaws agape and their eyes wide. "Hi--Himemiya?" Chikane stuttered. "That's right," said Kazuki. "The Himemiya family is descended from Susanou. After defeating Orochi, Susanou found the legendary sword, Ame no Murakumo, inside Orochi's tail. He was the wielder of Ame no Murakumo in the form of a sword. And as the descendant of Susanou, you have the power to control it." "I'm...the descendant......of Susanou?" it took all that Chikane had to keep from passing out from the shock of what she had learned. "You have always had powers unlike those of any other person you have met, correct?" "Always?" Chikane asked. "No......" She trailed off as she tried her best to regain her sense of reality. "No," she then said with discernment. "It was only on my sixteenth birthday when my powers began to manifest themselves. I sensed that Himeko was in danger when Souma summoned Take no Yamikazuchi for the first time." "That's the day that the Solar Mark appeared on my body, isn't it?" Himeko asked. "And the day that the Lunar Mark appeared on mine," Chikane added. "It's obviously the bond between the two Priestesses that allowed Miss Himemiya's powers to be expressed," said Kazuki. "So the reason I have these powers," Chikane said, "it's because I'm the descendant of a god?" "Correct," said Kazuki. "Even though both you and Miss Kurusugawa are priestesses, even though Ame no Murakumo uses both of your powers to seal away Orochi, according to what is written on the kamidana, you are the only one that can control the Ame no Murakumo because you are the descendant of the god that had the same power." "What about Tsukuyomi no Mikoto?" asked Himeko. "Why does Chikane have the power to summon the god of the moon?" "Susanou and Tsukuyomi are siblings," said Kazuki. "She must be doing all that she can to protect the descendant of her brother." "Why didn't Tsukuyomi tell me?" wondered Chikane. "Probably for the same reason I never told you," Kazuki answered. "There was never a need for you to know." "But isn't that a little unfair?" said Chikane, a hint of anger in her voice. "Don't I have a right to know where I came from?" "Chikane..." The dark-haired girl was caught off-guard by Himeko's voice. "Mister Ogami didn't want you to be overwhelmed by the truth," Himeko said, putting her hand on Chikane's shoulder. "That's why he waited to tell us." "You're right, Himeko," said Chikane, putting her hand on top of Himeko's. She then turned to Kazuki and said, "I apologize for my outburst, Mister Ogami." She bowed to him to display her regret. "Your reaction is understandable," said Kazuki in a calm, friendly voice. "It is a lot to take in." "Perhaps," said Chikane, "I could use this knowledge to our advantage." Everyone looked at Chikane with inquisitive expressions. "If I am the descendant of Susanou, and if I have the power to control Ame no Murakumo, maybe I can convince the gods to find some other way of rebuilding the world after Orochi's defeat. If I can do that..." she then looked at the shorter girl next to her and said, "...then Himeko and I won't have to part like we did last year or in our past lives." Chikane turned back to Kazuki and said, "Mister Ogami, I'm ready to perform the revival ritual." ---------- Souma piloted Take no Yamikazuchi through the snowy terrain, trying to find the place where he had found Himeko. Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi ran close behind Take no Yamikazuchi, followed by Hi no Ashinazuchi and Ho no Shuraizuchi. Ooube no Senazuchi, in its centipede form, slithered behind, followed by a hovering Izuhara no Tamazuchi. Above them flew Take no Yasukunazuchi and Yokusemi no Mizuchi, both under the control of Tsubasa. All eight of Orochi's bodies were on the move to find the former Ogami Shrine. "How much further is it?" Korona complained. "It can't be far," Souma replied. "This is boring," cried Nekoko. "Why can't I boom things with Nyan-Nyan?" "You can destroy as many mountains as you want," Rehko mentioned. "But cities are much more fun, nya," the catgirl scoffed. "Cities and people will be easy targets once the threat of Ame no Murakumo is gone," said Miyako. Suddenly, Take no Yamikazuchi stopped dead in its tracks. "I can sense the power of the Priestesses," said Souma. "Yes," said Tsubasa. "I sense it too." "Me three, nya!" Nekoko said excitedly. "Finally I'm gonna get some action," said Girochi in anticipation. The eight Orochi bodies turned their attention to where their pilots were directing them, toward the priestesses. ---------- Deeper inside the cave, Chikane and Himeko had stared the revival ritual. Kazuki and Yukihito looked on as Chikane and Himeko recited the revival prayer in front of a large fire, below a kamidana and the Six Holy Swords needed to be broken by the Priestesses' power. "The mighty and brave Susanou no Mikoto. The country of Izumo falls on the river of sunlight." Just then, the Solar Mark on Himeko's chest and the Lunar Mark on Chikane's back lit up. "Evil approaches," Chikane said. "The Orochi are coming!" cried Himeko. "I'll take care of them," said Kazuki, quickly standing up. "All of you, stay here. The ceremony must not be delayed." Kazuki ran toward the entrance of the cave while Chikane and Himeko continued reciting, "Eight-headed dragons of the land, diminish and fall to the blade of the Totsuka sword." ---------- As the Orochi continued through the mountains, they came to the entrance of a cave. Above the cave was a wooden torii with large rocks on either side, each rock with a circular paper streamer wrapped around it. "Is that the entrance to the shrine?" asked Korona. "Of course it is, Miss Sixty-Ninth," said Rehko. "The godly aura is a dead giveaway." "How many times have I told you?!" Korona cried. "It's sixty-eighth!" "Stop arguing," Miyako ordered. "This is not the time for such things." Yastu no Onokoshizuchi's tentacles extended from the halo on its back and shot bolts of lightening at the entrance. The paper streamers on the rocks started glowing and the lightening bolts collided with the barrier that was created. "Megaton Knuckle!" yelled Girochi as Hi no Ashinazuchi retracted itself into its huge right arm, ramming itself against the barrier. "Go, Final Stage!" said Korona as Ooube no Senazuchi fired a beam of green light from between its pincers. "Go, Nyan-Nyan!" said Nekoko as Izuhara no Tamazuchi lashed at the barrier with its whips of light. Rehko transformed Ho no Shuraizuchi into its Jomon-style fired pottery form and threw her other self at the barrier, digging into it with Ho no Shuraizuchi's spiky body. Take no Yasukunazuchi unsheathed its sword and Tsubasa swung at the barrier with it. Take no Yamikazuchi's shoulders opened up and Souma fired his other self's glowing, orange disks from the openings. Yokusemi no Mizuchi transformed from its bird shape into its drill form and attempted to drill itself into the barrier. ---------- "God of Takemi Katana. God of Iwatsutsu no O. God of Kanayama Hiko. God of Kanayama Hime. God of Tsurugi no Ikusa. God of Tate no Ikusa. Along with the powers of the eight million gods." Sensing the fury of the Orochi's attacks outside the cave, Chikane and Himeko focused all of their energy toward breaking the seal. The kamidana above them started glowing yellow as the power of the priestesses filled it. ---------- The barrier started to decay as the Orochi fired every attack at it that they had at their disposal. With all eight of Orochi's bodies attacking it, it could not stand up to the power of the eight gods. "One more strike!" said Tsubasa, flying his other self at the barrier one last time. He swung Take no Yasukunazuchi's sword at the barrier and it broke. "Miyako! Girochi!" commanded the First Neck. "We're on it, Tsubasa," said Miyako, extending Yastu no Onokoshuzuchi's arms toward the cave. "Come to me, Hime," said Girochi as Hi no Ashinazuchi's chains slithered their way into the cave as well. "Stay back, Orochi!" a voice came from the cave's opening. "Huh?" Girochi and Miyako said at hearing the voice. They looked at the entrance to the cave to see Kazuki standing there with an o-fuda in his hand. Before Yastu no Onokoshozuchi's arms or Hi no Ashinazuchi's chains could get to the opening, they were reflected by the barrier that Kazuki had erected. "You piece of shit!" Girochi cried in rage. His other self retracted itself into its right arm and its pilot yelled out, "Megaton Knuckle Two!" The rockets at the back of the arm fired, thrusting the giant fist at Kazuki's barrier. Kazuki struggled as the other Orochi started attacking the barrier. With only his own spiritual powers and the single o-fuda, he knew that his barrier would not last long. "Hold on just a little longer," the shrine keeper said. "Just last long enough for the revival ceremony." ---------- "We hereby invoke the revival of Ame no Murakumo," Chikane and Himeko chanted. The Solar Mark and the Lunar mark lit up. "Release the God of Susanou and drive out those lives that ought to seek atonement." The Six Holy Swords started to crack as the seal degraded by the Priestess' power. "Shinchoku." With that final word, all six of the swords shattered. A brilliant blue light exploded from the kamidana, filling the chamber. "This light..." said Yukihito. "It's incredible!" ---------- "Megaton Knuckle Three!" Hi no Ashinazuchi flew at Kazuki's barrier one more time and the barrier collasped. "Oh no," said Kazuki. "The barrier has broken!" "Let's go, Girochi!" cried Miyako. "Say goodbye to your shrine," Girochi laughed. Suddenly, a beam of brilliant blue light shot up from the top of the mountain, its power blowing the clouds completely apart. With the clouds gone, the full moon shone brightly overhead and the Orochi could see the beam hit the moon's surface. "That light," said Rehko, shielding her eyes from the light. "What's going on, nya?" said a frightened Nekoko. "I remember that beam," said Souma. "I saw it last year when Kurusugawa was performing the revival ritual. It's a sign that the Seal of the Six Holy Swords has been broken! Ame no Murakumo has been revived!" ---------- As the light within the cave subsided, Himeko and Chikane looked to see two swords standing in front of them, one with a red sheath, the other with a purple sheath. "The Priestess Blades..." said Yukihito in awe of the two swords that had appeared before Chikane and Himeko. Himeko picked up the sword with the red sheath and Chikane picked up the sword with the purple sheath. Himeko looked at the sword in her hand and smiled. "It didn't recoil," she said. "It's because you didn't anger the god by performing the ritual improperly," said Chikane. "You wore the uniform of the Solar Priestess and you had me beside you to help share the burden." "I'm sorry," said Himeko. "Don't worry," Chikane said. "I'm glad that I was able to lighten the load on your shoulders. I just want you to be happy and I'm happy that I could help you." Himeko and Chikane held their swords in front of them and started reciting the ritual to call forth Ame no Murakumo, "With these Mutsu Swords which we hold before us, we call to the heavens to begin the ritual to stop the evil god." The Solar Mark and Lunar Mark again lit up, filling the chamber with their light. "God of swordsmen, Ame no Murakumo, descend!" ---------- "We can't afford to waist any more time," cried Miyako. "Act now, before Ame no Murakumo can arrive!" Yatsu no Onokoshizuchi's arms and Hi no Ashinazuchi's chains flew toward the cave. Kazuki ran inside to escape the constrictive tentacles that were flying at him. However, he tripped on a small rock, falling on his face. He quickly sat up and looked back at the Orochi's weapons still flying towards him. He gasped in fear and his life flashed before his eyes, feeling that he was about to be skewered by the hands and chains of the Orochi. However, just before they reached him, the flying objects fell to the ground at his feet. He looked at the arms and chains in confusion. "It's as if they were severed from their bodies," he said to himself. ---------- Outside the cave, a bright light was shining in front of the Orochi. The seven of them shielded their eyes from the light. As the light subsided, they saw a giant, sword-shaped mech in front of them. The sword's blade had touched down right in front of the cave, slicing clean through the Second and Third Neck's tentacle-like weapons. Arms extended from the grip of the sword, the blade split into legs, and the handle opened up to reveal a head. The mecha that the sword had transformed into was colored white, it had blades connected to its hands and feet, it had blue and yellow lining, red jewels on its forehead and waist, green eyes, a blue spike on the top of its head and four blue spikes extending from its back. It was the god of swordsmen itself! It was Ame no Murakumo! ---------- OMAKE: The Solar Mark and Lunar Mark again lit up, filling the chamber with their light. Himeko and Chikane recited, "God of swordsmen, Ame no Murakumo, descend!" At that time, Kazuki had run into the cave, out of danger of the Orochi. Suddenly, a gigantic blade fell through the roof, stabbing Kazuki in the head. "Hmm," the shrine keeper said to himself. "That's strange. I suddenly have a splitting headache."
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