Hi guys. So, I don't know if you guys know this, but I write little books and stuff that i wanna turn into a graphic novel someday. I thought, JUST maybe, you guys would be interested in reading it. So, I'll post the first one here and give little updates on how the story is going, maybe tell my thought process or stuff like that, I'm a new author, so I'm still figuring this out. Anyway, here's the first one.
The Indama
Chapter 1
The Ice Awakens
Sammy Takahashi strolled down the street with his wife, Mei. Mei and Sammy loved to stroll down the streets of Japan during the evening, to enjoy the lights. However, Sammy was forlorn, living in the shadow of his former glories as the Ice Indama, the highest rank of the Oni Slayer corps, chased from it by his rival, Rin Hoshino. Mei noticed the down look on his face, and frowned, slightly. "Hey, what's wrong," Mei asked, slightly concerned, "you always seem so down all of the time." Sammy sighed. "Sometimes, the coldest ice comes from a heart that has been frozen by the warmth of indifference." "Don't dwell on your past, what's past is past, and what is now is now," Mei said, "What happened to you during your time as the Ice Indama is behind you. Law Enforcement is now, so focus on that if you truly want to be a part of Law Enforcement. But something tells me you want your old life as an Indama back.
Sammy sighed and hugged Mei. "How is it that you always know exactly what I want?" Mei smiled. "I'm your wife. I make it my business to know what you want. It's getting late. Let's go home and go to bed." Sammy nodded.
That night, Sammy had trouble sleeping. In his dream, a swirling black mist swirled around him, full of memories from his time as the Ice Indama. Then, the mist solidified into a figure, which opened its mouth and spoke:
"Awaken, Indama. Ancient Oni are stirring, and your lineage as one of the Indama is needed. The fate of the world depends on this threat being stopped. Know that your power is still inside of you, alongside a power you never knew you possessed. You cannot escape your destiny, which was foretold thousands of years before your birth. Rise, Sammy Takahashi, Indama of Ice, One of the nine true Indama, slayer of Oni, and needed hero. Awaken."
Sammy woke up with a jolt, sweat running down his face. He looked over at Mei, who was wrapped in her blanket, with her glasses off. He remembered something that the Stone Indama, Taro Sato, told him of a figure of mist rising up and calling him to duty as an Oni slayer, and later Indama, claiming it to be destiny. Sammy laid a hand on Meis' shoulder and gently shook her awake "What's wrong, is everything okay?" She managed to ask while still half asleep. He quickly explained the dream to her. "Mei, I can't ignore this. I have to resign from the HPD, and return to my position as the Ice Indama." Mei processed this, then said, "Then I'm going with you. Period, no argument." Sammy smiled and hugged her, saying, "Oh, Mei."
Mei and Sammy quickly packed their things, and left for the Oni Slayer HeadQuarters, located at Serene Lake Mansion, about eight miles away. While they were traveling, they met an Inugami, a talking dog that the Oni Slayer Corps uses to announce missions and send direct orders. "Sammy Takahashi. Sora Okata has requested your presence at the meeting of the Indamas. You are expected to be present." With that, the Inugami disappeared. "What the heck was that?" Mei asked, terrified. "An Inugami. We use them to communicate, and send orders," Sammy replied. He picked up Mei and started running.
Sammy reached the Oni Slayer HQ in ten minutes, but didn't stop running when the fifteen foot gate appeared. "Um, love? There's a gate coming up, maybe you should slow down?" Mei asked, uneasily. "Trust me," Sammy replied. Kanryō shūchū, he said in his mind, Janpu In one huge leap, Sammy jumped right over the gate, landing lightly on his feet. "Here we are", he said, "Serene Lake Mansion."
Chapter Two
Call of the Indama
"This place is beautiful!" Mei exclaimed, looking around in awe at the magnificent gardens, full of butterflies and even a few rabbits running around, and the Koi fish moat, surrounding a magnificent flowing water fountain, with the view of a beautiful deep blue lake and the Japanese mansion to their left. "Yeah, I used to always love sitting in the garden, just thinking," Sammy agreed. A door opened and a young woman with fiery red hair and a cape of the same color, wearing a uniform the same as Sammy's, with a sword strapped to her side, strode out into the courtyard. She immediately froze when she saw Sammy, with a look of shock on her face. However, that shock quickly turned to anger. Sammy smiled uneasily. "Rin, it's been such a long time! You're what, 26? How are you?" He turned to Mei and said "Mei, this is Rin Hoshino, the Flame Indama," he turned to Rin, "Rin, this is my, erm, wife, Mei Watanabe." Mei waved, uneasily. Sammy walked up to Rin intending to give her a hug, but suddenly felt an incision on his right cheek when he was a foot from her. Then he noticed Rins hand on her sword. Of course.
Sammy forgot she was a master of Iaijutsu.
He raised his hand to his cheek and felt it, pulling his hand back he saw blood on the tips of his finger. Sammy jumped back just in time to avoid a strike to his neck, and pulled out his sword. "You bastard!" Rin yelled and charged at him, swinging her sword diagonally up at Sammy, which he recognized as the fourth form of Flame Concentration; Pyroclasm, which he dodged with ease. "Rin, you remember the rules of engaging other Indama. You have to say your attack." Rin wasted no time in charging him for another attack. "Flame Concentration, seventh form; Phoenix Ascension!" She shouted, while swinging her sword in a blazing downward arc. Sammy was quick to react. Bringing his sword up to a defensive position, he said: "Ice Concentration, second form. Glacial Barrier." Their swords clashed magnificently, shedding sparks everywhere. Sammy quickly sprung outwards, and ran around her in every which way, even jumping over her and sliding, fast enough to create after-images, while saying, "Ice Concentration, ninth form. Crystal Prison!" Sammy knew that wasn't going to be enough to contain Rin for long, and he was right. Rin immediately used her Flame Concentration to break out. "Flame Concentration, Sixth Form! Flame Whirlwind!" Rin swung her sword in a diagonal circular motion, creating a huge vortex of fire, which Sammy just barely dodged.
The doors that Rin came out of opened, and seven people came out running towards Rin and Sammy, swords out. Sammy recognized them all as Kairo Yoshida, the Earth Indama, Airi Fujimoto, the Wind Indama, Yuki Tanaka, the Water Indama, Riku Yamamoto, the Lightning Indama, Mira Nakamura, the Shadow Indama, Taro Sato, The Stone Indama, and Kira Aoyama, the Light Indama. Rin backed up quickly once they reached them; she knew she couldn't beat them.
Taro approached Sammy, holding out his hand to shake, which Sammy took. "Sammy Takahashi, we welcome you back to the Oni Slayer corps. Your return has been… expected, for a while." Sammy looked at Taro strangely. "What do you mean?" Yuki stepped forward, and started to explain. "We received a message from a resident in your village about six months ago, telling us of your return to 空が届く. Since then we've been waiting for you to finally return to us." Sammy relaxed a bit. "Oh. That's cool, I guess." He looked over and saw Riku talking to Rin. They appeared to be arguing, but Sammy had no idea what they would be arguing about. Everybody turned once more as The doors opened once again, and the leader of the Oni Slayer Corps came out. Sora Okata.
Chapter Three
A Meeting of Legends
"Hello, my Indama. Sammy, I am ever so pleased that you have finally returned. We welcome you back, along with your wife," Sora said. Sora looked similar to Mei, except she had long black hair, instead of the shorter brown hair she kept in a bun with a white Zan in it, and among other things, Sora was about five inches taller than Mei.
Sora invited everyone in and took them to a meeting room. Before entering, everyone took their shoes off and put on a pair of slippers. In the meeting room, there was a huge Tatami mat that everyone was supposed to sit on. Recalling the Japanese etiquette that Sammy taught her, she took off her slippers and sat next Sammy, taking his hand and squeezing it. Sora sat down, and began talking. "First off, I'd like to welcome Sammy back to our ranks, and back to his position as the Ice Indama," she started clapping softly, and everyone else joined in. Even Rin, though she didn't want to.
"Now, for the more serious matters, the Oni are stirring. I'm not talking about your typical Oni, but the Oni king and ranks. Sightings are becoming more and more frequent, throughout all of Japan." Sora put her hands on the small table in front of her. "They. Must. Be. Stopped," she said, clearly upset. Airi cleared her throat, then said, "We've all faced Oni in the past, and we've beaten them befo-" "Airi, it's been 734 years since a ranked Oni has been slayed, no amount of positive thinking is going to magically boost our power and skills to the point where we can just all of a sudden beat a ranked Oni!" Rin angrily said, cutting Airi off.
Taro raised his hand, which made Rin stop before she could go on. "While Rin is simply being realistic, I believe that Airi is thinking the right way, we should try to be as optimistic as possible. Thinking positively will help us in a mental sense, not so much physically, which I'm sure Rin was saying that it wouldn't benefit us in the physical fighting sense." Sora nodded. "I like your thinking, both of you. But as Taro said, Airi is thinking the right way." Sora stood up, as she normally does when delivering her orders. "Your orders are simple. When you are not eating, sleeping, or handling personal matters, you need to be ever vigilant, remember that Oni have no weakness, and so must you. Chiri no naka de kaku, yūki ni tatakau!" Everybody except for Mei repeated Soras' words, as they were the Oni Slayer corps motto, something Mei was unfamiliar with.
***
That night Mei sat in bed in the room she shared with Sammy, thinking about all that has happened since they left Tokyo. Sammy came into the room, and took off his sword and cape, hanging them on a stand. Mei looked over and smiled. Sammy collapsed onto the bed right next to her. "You would not believe the amount of work Sora put me through. It was awful, but stuff I'm used to doing." Mei chuckled a bit and ran her fingers through his hair, something she knew he liked. She laid down next to Sammy, and was about to kiss him when their door opened, startling her. It was Rin. "What do you want, Rin?" Sammy asked, annoyed. "We have a mission, get ready, now!" Rin replied before leaving. Sighing, Sammy got up and put his cape back on, and put his sword back on his belt. Mei sat up and watched him get ready, with a sort of sad look in her eyes. Sammy walked back, leaned down and kissed her, ignoring the sound of Rin banging on his door. "Bye, Mei. I'll be back, don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Mei smiled, though a few tears started running down her cheek. Sammy kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.
Sammy was the last Indama to be present in the training grounds, where the mission was to start. "What took you so long?" Rin asked. "Cool it, Rin," Yuki said, frustrated with her attitude. Taro cleared his throat. "Forty-eight hours ago, a group of twelve Oni Slayers were sent out to clear up a disturbance in the Kii Mountains, and we haven't heard from them since. Sora is now dispatching three Indama to find them. Those Indama are: Rin Hoshino, Sammy Takahashi, and Mira Nakamura." Rin scowled at this, but Sammy gave Mira a high five. Rin groaned. "Can Kira go instead of Sammy?" Taro shook his head. "Sora said Sammy was to go on this mission, and you. Mira's going because she let me pick the last one, and her abilities will be needed. Stop complaining, Rin." "Shut up!" Rin yelled. "Enough!" Taro yelled. "All three of you, head out, now!"
Chapter 4
Trials of the Indama
Sammy, Mira, and Rin took off towards the Kii mountains. The Kii mountains are twelve miles from Serene Lake Mansion, so they rode on horseback, so as to conserve more energy for any possible fights. "So, what's happened since I left, Mira?" Sammy asked, eager to know. "Honestly? Pretty much nothing. We've had a few missions, but those were mostly for the other Oni Slayers, not Indama," she replied, exhaling and blowing her bangs upward. Mira looked back at Rin. "Why the long face, Rin?" "I'm not happy. Leave me alone," Rin said, glaring at Mira. Mira rolled her eyes and looked forward. "C'mon, Rin. Lighten up," Sammy said. Rin clenched her fists and her face went red. "Say another word, I dare you!" Sammy raised his hands defensively. "Woah, chill- AAAUGH!"
That was a bad choice of words. Rin threw herself off of her horse and slammed into Sammy, throwing him off of his horse, then tumbling down to a stop. Mira immediately jumped down and attempted to get Rin off of Sammy, but Rin, in her blind rage, slammed her fist into Miras face, then started trying to strangle Sammy, screaming some very unkind words in Japanese at him. Mira drew her sword and set the flat of the blade against Rins next, causing her to take her hands off of Sammys' neck and grab Miras' sword, which was stupid, because Miras' blade was so keen that it immediately sliced into her hands, causing her to cry out in pain and let go of the blade. Blood immediately came out of her hands, dripping onto Miras' blade
Sammy was mad at Rin for attacking him, but he did care for her, so he immediately got up while massaging his throat, and dug around in his bag to find a few bandages. He got them out and scrambled over to Rin, who had fallen to the ground in pain from the deep cuts on her hands. However, when Sammy got close to Rin, she immediately slapped him across his face, leaving a big blood mark on his face, making Rin scream because of the pain that spiked in her hands, but still found the strength to yell at Sammy. "NO! YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!!!" Mira took the bandages and Rin let her bandage her hands, while Sammy wiped the blood off of his face.
They got back on their horses and went on their way, needing to make up time. Fortunately for them, the Kii mountains were about a mile away. Sammy looked ahead at the mountains, trying to ignore the steady stream of cursing coming from Rin behind him. "Damn!" Rin yelled, seething in anger because of how bad her hands hurt. Before Sammy could say anything, Mira spoke up. "You did that to yourself, Rin. Shut up, stop complaining." Rin glared at Mira, but restrained herself from responding. Ten minutes later (although it felt like an hour to Sammy), They arrived at the base of the Kii mountains. Mira hopped off her horse. "Let's go." She walked into the path that leads deeper into the the mountains
Chapter 5
Encounters
Mira, Sammy, and Rin walked deeper into the Kii mountains. The sky was grey, and it seemed to be threatening rain. "I don't like this, guys; something feels off, and not just the cuts on my hands." Sammy nodded. "I agree. It feels like… like we're being watched." Mira scanned the trees ahead of them, and something caught her eye, barely, but she saw it. "Guys, be careful," she said, as she drew her sword. Something burst out of the bushes, snarling and running straight at them. Mira was quick to act, using the second form of shadow concentration—Shadow Strike—to cut off its head. Sammy and Rin stopped mid-attack. Sammy looked at Mira. "Come on, let me have a few," he said, a little upset that he hadn't gotten the first kill. Mira smirked. "You gotta earn your kills, buddy boy." Rin shouldered past both of them. "Focus, you two!" Mira and Sammy rolled their eyes and followed Rin.
As they ventured deeper into the Kii mountains, they started finding the dead bodies of the other Oni slayers who had been sent up here. Rin scowled. "Sora should've sent at least one of the Indama from the start. Their deaths are her fault!" Mira smacked Rin hard across her face with the flat of her blade. Rin stumbled back in shock, using all of her willpower not to scream. "Sora had no idea this would happen, Rin. You can't blame someone for something they didn't know would happen." Rin didn't answer Mira, but Sammy heard her mutter "Bastard" under her breath. They all started walking forward and Sammy caught up to Mira. "Was that really necessary?" Sammy asked. Mira huffed. "I'm tired of her attitude, and she was being disrespectful." Sammy shrugged, knowing he couldn't really argue with that.
They moved deeper into the mountains, shadows lengthening around them as the sun began to set. The air grew thick with tension and the remnants of battle. Sammy could feel it as a chill creeping down his spine. The sight of the dead Oni Slayers was disturbing, even for someone who had faced the darkest depths of his enemies. Each body bore wounds that suggested a methodical brutality—nobody dies easily at the hands of a ranked Oni.
"Look," Mira said, pointing ahead where a flickering movement in the underbrush caught her eye. "We're not alone." As if confirming her statement, a shrill, anguished howl echoed through the mountains, causing the three of them to draw their weapons in unison. Sammy's heart raced. "What was that?" he whispered, fear edging into his voice.
Rin clenched her fists, her fiery spirit reigniting, but there was something else in her expression: determination. "Whatever it is, it'll pay for what it did to those Slayers," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Stay alert," Sammy instructed, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "We need to stick together and watch our—"
Before he could finish, a figure lunged from the left. It was massive, a hulking creature with jagged edges and eyes that burned like molten rock. An Oni, but far more fearsome than any they had encountered before. It let out another roar, this time sending a wave of dread through Sammy's core. "Defensive positions!" Mira shouted. The three Indama spread out, each finding their footing as the Oni halted in front of them, evaluating its prey.
"Rin, don't charge in blindly!" Sammy warned, recalling their earlier encounter. But Rin was already taking a step forward, her sword ignited with flames, the air around her shimmering with heat. "I'll show you how a real Indama fights," she spat defiantly, launching herself at the Oni. "Flame Concentration, Fourth Form—Pyroclasm!" Sammy cursed under his breath as Rin cut through the air, her sword leaving a trail of fire. The Oni snarled, surprised by the sudden attack, but it quickly retaliated, swinging a massive arm that could flatten her in a single strike. "Look out!" Sammy yelled, preparing to join the fight, but before he could, Mira had already acted. "Shadow Concentration—Third Form, Umbra blade!" she called out, summoning dark tendrils that wrapped around the Oni's feet, momentarily immobilizing it. It roared again, thrashing against the bindings, but they were too strong for it to break.
"Now, Sammy!" Mira shouted, her dark eyes focused.
Feeling the surge of adrenaline, Sammy charged forward; tightening his grip around his sword. "Ice Concentration, Fifth Form—Blizzard Vortex!" He swung his sword; sending a wave of icy energy at the Oni, which collided with its exposed side. The creature growled in agony as frost crept along its body, slowing its movements.
Rin seized the moment. "Flame Concentration, Seventh Form—Phoenix Ascension!" She leaped high into the air, her sword becoming a blazing comet. The flames connected, exploding upon impact, throwing shards of ice and fire in all directions. The combination of cold and heat caused the Oni to stagger, its movements becoming erratic. But it wasn't finished yet. With a fierce snarl, it roared, consuming the air around it with raw power. It charged at Sammy, who stood frozen in shock for a split second.
"Sammy, move!" Mira cried out, breaking him from his trance. Just in time, he rolled to the side as the Oni barreled past him, narrowly avoiding its massive form. "I'll distract it! You two keep trying to bind it!" Mira shouted, her resolve unwavering. With her own charge, she leaped forward, slashing at the creature's legs to regain control.
"Rin! We have to work together," Sammy called out. "We can't let this thing divide us!" "Fine! I'll cover you!" Rin snapped, her frustration boiling over, but she didn't hesitate. Together, Rin and Sammy summoned their powers, joining forces once more against the might of the Oni. "Flame and Ice, combined!" Sammy shouted. "Ice Concentration, Second Form—Glacial Barrier!" He began conjuring a wall of ice, but this time Rin leaned against his effort.
"Flame Concentration—Scorching Torrent!" She shouted, releasing a torrent of fire that enveloped Sammy's ice barrier, fusing them into a massive radiant shield of steam and flame. The Oni raged against their defenses, but the combined effort wasn't just protecting them; it was drawing strength from their unity. Sammy could feel the connection growing, channeling their energy in sync.
"Now, Mira!" Sammy yelled, urging their friend to make her mark.
From the side, Mira enacted her plan with haste. "Shadow Concentration, Fourth Form—Nightfall Defense!" A tendril crafted of pure darkness curled around her sword, sharp and lethal. She swung her sword, launching it at the Oni, the tendril finding its mark in the creature's chest. It roared in pain, staggering back, the combined assault from Mira, Sammy, and Rin proving to be a formidable force. But the fight wasn't over. In a whirlwind of fury, the Oni lashed out one more time, bringing its arm down toward Mira, but Sammy leaped forward, determination blazing in his eyes. "Ice Concentration—Sixth Form! Gelid Whirlwind!" Sammy swung his sword, cutting the Onis arm off, causing it to roar in pain, while its arm bled and sprayed gore everywhere.
"Rin! Now!"
Rin nodded, igniting her flames once again, an aura of heat pulsating. In one final surge, the trio launched their combined attack, channeling the intensity of their powers. The resulting shockwave echoed through the mountains as the Oni was engulfed in a cyclone of ice and fire, its screams swallowed by the storm.
"Sammy! Do it now!"
Sammy jumped up, and swung his sword, putting all of his strength behind it. He heard a scream and a sickening schlock! and he knew he had done it.
As the chaos settled, a deafening silence enveloped them. Panting, the trio stood amidst the remnants of their fury, only echoes of the battle remaining.
"It's over," Mira breathed, still trying to catch her breath. "Not yet," Sammy replied, scanning the area for any signs of further threats. "We have to make sure—"
Before he could finish, the earth shook violently beneath them. Rocks and debris fell. They heard a massive roar coming from the tallest mountain. Rin hung her head and started cursing. Sammy looked at Mira. "Let's call for more Indama before we go up there.
Chapter 6
Legends Reborn
Riku Yamamoto, Taro Sato, and Yuki Tanaka arrived at the base of the Kii mountains and headed in with their swords drawn. They had received an Inugami from Mira asking for help with their mission. Riku swore. "This place gives me the creeps guys. No wonder they wanted help, this place is huge!" Taro walked on fearlessly. "Fear of the unknown is the strongest type of fear, Riku. Don't let it bother you, control your fears or they will control you." "Nicely said, Taro," Yuki said. As they ventured deeper into the Kii mountains, they saw all of the dead bodies that the ones before them had passed, along with a dead Oni.
Before long, they started to hear voices, and a fire crackling. "…What do you mean, it wasn't that powerful, Rin!? That thing was twice the size of me!" "You're such a little okorashii! Stop complaining!" Taro, Riku, and Yuki walked into the clearing. Sammy noticed them, and exhaled with relief. "Thank God you guys are here, we need help." Rin nodded. "There's some pretty powerful Oni on these mountains, we aren't kidding." Taro motioned forward. "Let's move."
They ventured deeper into the heavily forested mountains. The sky had turned dark now, and it had started raining heavily. This annoyed all of them and pissed off Rin. "I hate rain," she would grumble every few seconds. "Shut up, stop complaining," came Yukis' reply every time. So far they haven't heard, or seen anything out of the ordinary since Rin, Mira, and Sammy heard the roar.
They hiked higher up the mountain until they came to a small clearing. Yuki looked around. "Are you guys sure you heard a roar?" Mira nodded. "Yes. That roar was unmistakable. It was the loudest thing I had ever heard."
CRASH!
"WHAT THE HELL!!!" Rin screamed and drew her sword. The other Indama had been knocked to the ground from the force of the blow, but were quick to get up. Behind them stood an Oni about five feet tall, laughing at them. Sammy eyed the Oni nervously. "That might be the Oni that's causing all of this trouble," Riku said, voicing his thoughts. Rins' sword burst into flames, something that happens when she's extremely angry.
"Let's terminate this little pest!" She charged forward without waiting for the others, her blade aglow with fierce flames that danced around her like a living entity. "Rin, wait!" Taro yelled, but it was too late. The Oni simply cackled, its jagged teeth glinting as it raised a massive rock in its hand, ready to strike.
"Flame Concentration—Second Form! Inferno Burst!" Rin shouted as she swung her sword, releasing a wave of fire that surged toward the Oni. The creature smirked, using the rock as a shield. The impact sent a shower of sparks flying as the flames washed over its body, but it only staggered back slightly, grinning wickedly.
"Foolish girl! You think fire can hurt me?" the Oni bellowed, and in an instant, it hurled the rocky projectile directly at Rin. "I am a lower ranked Oni! Lower Five! The dreaded Yasokage!"
"Rin, duck!" Sammy shouted. He moved faster than he ever had before, launching himself toward her. He tackled Rin just in time, the rock smashing into the ground where she had stood moments before. The impact sent debris flying, several pieces striking Sammy and Rin as they lay on the ground.
"Get off me, you idiot!" Rin yelled, her fiery persona igniting with renewed vigor as she pushed him off. She shot to her feet, fury blazing in her eyes. "I could've handled that!"
"That's not the point!" Sammy exclaimed, instantly back on the defensive and raising his sword. "You need to be more careful. We fight together, not solo!" "That thing is laughing at us!" Rin growled, pacing angrily. "It doesn't belong in this world, and I will not stand by while it mocks us! Flame Concentration—Eighth Form! Heat Mirage!" She unleashed a torrent of flames, honing in on the Oni with precision.
At the same time, as if sensing the gravity of the moment, Taro stepped in. "Stone Concentration—Second Form! Stone Fortress!" A massive barrier erupted from the ground, shielding the group from the retaliatory blast of the Oni as it attempted to swat Rin away.
The Oni fiercely swiped at the wall, leaving deep grooves in the solid rock. "You think you can hide behind that wall? Pathetic!"
"Sammy! Now!" Mira commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We have to act while it's distracted!" The young Indama nodded, gathering his focus. "Ice Concentration—Third Form! Icicle Spear!" He thrust his sword forward, summoning a surge of ice that surged towards the Oni, piercing its side as it reeled back.
"Now Rin!" Sammy shouted, as he regained his footing.
"Flame Concentration—Sixth Form! Flame Whirlwind!" Rin charged forward, jumping and swinging in a circular motion, causing a tall, swirling vortex of flame to engulf her and the Oni.
"Riku! Yuki! We need you!" Taro called, continuing to reinforce the barrier as the Oni rampaged against it.
"We're ready!" Riku responded, his blade high. "Lightning Concentration—First Form! Thunderbolt Strike!" He summoned bolts of electricity that crackled around them, launching them toward the Oni in rapid succession, lighting up the sky with powerful flashes of energy.
Yuki followed swiftly. "Water Concentration—First Form! Fluid Slash!" She swung her sword, sending a razor thin stream of water at the legs of the Oni, slicing through, but the Oni simply regenerated its legs, cackling maliciously as he unleashed more attacks upon them.
"Let's finish this!" Mira shouted, joining in the charge again, echoing their previous assault. "Shadow Concentration—Fifth Form! Shadow Surge!" She rushed forward, with dark tendrils extending from her sword to engulf the Oni, immobilizing it once more as its frantic movements were slowed.
In a final push, all of them united their energies, balancing fire, ice, earth, and lightning. "Together!" they yelled, their voices ringing out in unison.
"Flame, Ice, Earth, and Lightning Combined!" they all cried out, channeling their forces into one massive collective attack.
Rin took the lead, igniting her flames once more, "Flame Concentration—Tenth Form! Destructive Eruption!"
Sammy enhanced it with icy winds swirling around her flames, "Ice Concentration—Tenth Form! Eternal Winter!"
"Stone Concentration—Eighth Form! Colossal Fist!" Taro bellowed, joining forces with the raw, primal force of nature.
"Shadow Concentration—Eighth Form! Dark Eclipse!" Mira completed the chain, her expression fierce as the shadows lengthened and coiled upon itself.
"Lightning Concentration—Eighth form! Raging Tempest! Riku swung his sword in a right arc, sending lightning bolts every which way.
Thunder cracked, lightning danced, and the combined power surged forth as a unified force, a cyclone of chaos engulfing the Oni. It shrieked in rage, helpless against the onslaught.
"Rin, do it! Cut off its head!"
Rin didn't know who yelled that to her, or if she was just imagining it, but she went in for the kill. Flame concentration she thought, determined to kill the Oni. Seventh form—Phoenix Ascension! Rin swung her sword with all her might and felt it connect and cut through something.
And then… silence.
The aftermath left the mountains trembling, just as their united surge dissipated into a radiant flash of light. When they could finally see again, the Oni was vanquished, reduced to ashes that floated off into the breeze, leaving naught but stillness surrounded by the mountains.
Panting heavily, they took a moment to stand together, breathing in the enormity of their victory. "We did it!" Sammy exclaimed, adrenaline flooding through his veins.
"Together," Rin added, a hint of gratitude cutting through her previous anger, a warmth radiating from her newfound respect for her comrades.
"Let's not linger," Taro said cautiously, looking around. "There might be others."
"Right," Sammy agreed, now more than ever realizing the strength of their unity. "We need to regroup and make sure the rest are safe. This isn't over yet."
They collected themselves and moved forward, determined and united, ready to face whatever came next. "Sammy," Mira called as they ventured on. "Remember what we just accomplished. We are legends—reborn together."
As Sammy looked around at his comrades—the fiery Rin, the steadfast Taro, the electrifying Yuki, the grounded Riku, and the shadowy Mira—he knew that he had to get them back to the Oni Slayers HQ.
Sammy looked at them and smiled. "Let's go home, guys. We deserve it. Besides, I miss my wife!" Riku smiled, feeling a joke coming on. He flipped over the other Indama and landed with his sword out, in a ridiculous ninja stereotype way. "Indama, let's go!" He yelled, pointing at the sky. Despite everyone being exhausted, they missed Riku's jokes and laughed loudly.
The Indama
Chapter 1
The Ice Awakens
Sammy Takahashi strolled down the street with his wife, Mei. Mei and Sammy loved to stroll down the streets of Japan during the evening, to enjoy the lights. However, Sammy was forlorn, living in the shadow of his former glories as the Ice Indama, the highest rank of the Oni Slayer corps, chased from it by his rival, Rin Hoshino. Mei noticed the down look on his face, and frowned, slightly. "Hey, what's wrong," Mei asked, slightly concerned, "you always seem so down all of the time." Sammy sighed. "Sometimes, the coldest ice comes from a heart that has been frozen by the warmth of indifference." "Don't dwell on your past, what's past is past, and what is now is now," Mei said, "What happened to you during your time as the Ice Indama is behind you. Law Enforcement is now, so focus on that if you truly want to be a part of Law Enforcement. But something tells me you want your old life as an Indama back.
Sammy sighed and hugged Mei. "How is it that you always know exactly what I want?" Mei smiled. "I'm your wife. I make it my business to know what you want. It's getting late. Let's go home and go to bed." Sammy nodded.
That night, Sammy had trouble sleeping. In his dream, a swirling black mist swirled around him, full of memories from his time as the Ice Indama. Then, the mist solidified into a figure, which opened its mouth and spoke:
"Awaken, Indama. Ancient Oni are stirring, and your lineage as one of the Indama is needed. The fate of the world depends on this threat being stopped. Know that your power is still inside of you, alongside a power you never knew you possessed. You cannot escape your destiny, which was foretold thousands of years before your birth. Rise, Sammy Takahashi, Indama of Ice, One of the nine true Indama, slayer of Oni, and needed hero. Awaken."
Sammy woke up with a jolt, sweat running down his face. He looked over at Mei, who was wrapped in her blanket, with her glasses off. He remembered something that the Stone Indama, Taro Sato, told him of a figure of mist rising up and calling him to duty as an Oni slayer, and later Indama, claiming it to be destiny. Sammy laid a hand on Meis' shoulder and gently shook her awake "What's wrong, is everything okay?" She managed to ask while still half asleep. He quickly explained the dream to her. "Mei, I can't ignore this. I have to resign from the HPD, and return to my position as the Ice Indama." Mei processed this, then said, "Then I'm going with you. Period, no argument." Sammy smiled and hugged her, saying, "Oh, Mei."
Mei and Sammy quickly packed their things, and left for the Oni Slayer HeadQuarters, located at Serene Lake Mansion, about eight miles away. While they were traveling, they met an Inugami, a talking dog that the Oni Slayer Corps uses to announce missions and send direct orders. "Sammy Takahashi. Sora Okata has requested your presence at the meeting of the Indamas. You are expected to be present." With that, the Inugami disappeared. "What the heck was that?" Mei asked, terrified. "An Inugami. We use them to communicate, and send orders," Sammy replied. He picked up Mei and started running.
Sammy reached the Oni Slayer HQ in ten minutes, but didn't stop running when the fifteen foot gate appeared. "Um, love? There's a gate coming up, maybe you should slow down?" Mei asked, uneasily. "Trust me," Sammy replied. Kanryō shūchū, he said in his mind, Janpu In one huge leap, Sammy jumped right over the gate, landing lightly on his feet. "Here we are", he said, "Serene Lake Mansion."
Chapter Two
Call of the Indama
"This place is beautiful!" Mei exclaimed, looking around in awe at the magnificent gardens, full of butterflies and even a few rabbits running around, and the Koi fish moat, surrounding a magnificent flowing water fountain, with the view of a beautiful deep blue lake and the Japanese mansion to their left. "Yeah, I used to always love sitting in the garden, just thinking," Sammy agreed. A door opened and a young woman with fiery red hair and a cape of the same color, wearing a uniform the same as Sammy's, with a sword strapped to her side, strode out into the courtyard. She immediately froze when she saw Sammy, with a look of shock on her face. However, that shock quickly turned to anger. Sammy smiled uneasily. "Rin, it's been such a long time! You're what, 26? How are you?" He turned to Mei and said "Mei, this is Rin Hoshino, the Flame Indama," he turned to Rin, "Rin, this is my, erm, wife, Mei Watanabe." Mei waved, uneasily. Sammy walked up to Rin intending to give her a hug, but suddenly felt an incision on his right cheek when he was a foot from her. Then he noticed Rins hand on her sword. Of course.
Sammy forgot she was a master of Iaijutsu.
He raised his hand to his cheek and felt it, pulling his hand back he saw blood on the tips of his finger. Sammy jumped back just in time to avoid a strike to his neck, and pulled out his sword. "You bastard!" Rin yelled and charged at him, swinging her sword diagonally up at Sammy, which he recognized as the fourth form of Flame Concentration; Pyroclasm, which he dodged with ease. "Rin, you remember the rules of engaging other Indama. You have to say your attack." Rin wasted no time in charging him for another attack. "Flame Concentration, seventh form; Phoenix Ascension!" She shouted, while swinging her sword in a blazing downward arc. Sammy was quick to react. Bringing his sword up to a defensive position, he said: "Ice Concentration, second form. Glacial Barrier." Their swords clashed magnificently, shedding sparks everywhere. Sammy quickly sprung outwards, and ran around her in every which way, even jumping over her and sliding, fast enough to create after-images, while saying, "Ice Concentration, ninth form. Crystal Prison!" Sammy knew that wasn't going to be enough to contain Rin for long, and he was right. Rin immediately used her Flame Concentration to break out. "Flame Concentration, Sixth Form! Flame Whirlwind!" Rin swung her sword in a diagonal circular motion, creating a huge vortex of fire, which Sammy just barely dodged.
The doors that Rin came out of opened, and seven people came out running towards Rin and Sammy, swords out. Sammy recognized them all as Kairo Yoshida, the Earth Indama, Airi Fujimoto, the Wind Indama, Yuki Tanaka, the Water Indama, Riku Yamamoto, the Lightning Indama, Mira Nakamura, the Shadow Indama, Taro Sato, The Stone Indama, and Kira Aoyama, the Light Indama. Rin backed up quickly once they reached them; she knew she couldn't beat them.
Taro approached Sammy, holding out his hand to shake, which Sammy took. "Sammy Takahashi, we welcome you back to the Oni Slayer corps. Your return has been… expected, for a while." Sammy looked at Taro strangely. "What do you mean?" Yuki stepped forward, and started to explain. "We received a message from a resident in your village about six months ago, telling us of your return to 空が届く. Since then we've been waiting for you to finally return to us." Sammy relaxed a bit. "Oh. That's cool, I guess." He looked over and saw Riku talking to Rin. They appeared to be arguing, but Sammy had no idea what they would be arguing about. Everybody turned once more as The doors opened once again, and the leader of the Oni Slayer Corps came out. Sora Okata.
Chapter Three
A Meeting of Legends
"Hello, my Indama. Sammy, I am ever so pleased that you have finally returned. We welcome you back, along with your wife," Sora said. Sora looked similar to Mei, except she had long black hair, instead of the shorter brown hair she kept in a bun with a white Zan in it, and among other things, Sora was about five inches taller than Mei.
Sora invited everyone in and took them to a meeting room. Before entering, everyone took their shoes off and put on a pair of slippers. In the meeting room, there was a huge Tatami mat that everyone was supposed to sit on. Recalling the Japanese etiquette that Sammy taught her, she took off her slippers and sat next Sammy, taking his hand and squeezing it. Sora sat down, and began talking. "First off, I'd like to welcome Sammy back to our ranks, and back to his position as the Ice Indama," she started clapping softly, and everyone else joined in. Even Rin, though she didn't want to.
"Now, for the more serious matters, the Oni are stirring. I'm not talking about your typical Oni, but the Oni king and ranks. Sightings are becoming more and more frequent, throughout all of Japan." Sora put her hands on the small table in front of her. "They. Must. Be. Stopped," she said, clearly upset. Airi cleared her throat, then said, "We've all faced Oni in the past, and we've beaten them befo-" "Airi, it's been 734 years since a ranked Oni has been slayed, no amount of positive thinking is going to magically boost our power and skills to the point where we can just all of a sudden beat a ranked Oni!" Rin angrily said, cutting Airi off.
Taro raised his hand, which made Rin stop before she could go on. "While Rin is simply being realistic, I believe that Airi is thinking the right way, we should try to be as optimistic as possible. Thinking positively will help us in a mental sense, not so much physically, which I'm sure Rin was saying that it wouldn't benefit us in the physical fighting sense." Sora nodded. "I like your thinking, both of you. But as Taro said, Airi is thinking the right way." Sora stood up, as she normally does when delivering her orders. "Your orders are simple. When you are not eating, sleeping, or handling personal matters, you need to be ever vigilant, remember that Oni have no weakness, and so must you. Chiri no naka de kaku, yūki ni tatakau!" Everybody except for Mei repeated Soras' words, as they were the Oni Slayer corps motto, something Mei was unfamiliar with.
***
That night Mei sat in bed in the room she shared with Sammy, thinking about all that has happened since they left Tokyo. Sammy came into the room, and took off his sword and cape, hanging them on a stand. Mei looked over and smiled. Sammy collapsed onto the bed right next to her. "You would not believe the amount of work Sora put me through. It was awful, but stuff I'm used to doing." Mei chuckled a bit and ran her fingers through his hair, something she knew he liked. She laid down next to Sammy, and was about to kiss him when their door opened, startling her. It was Rin. "What do you want, Rin?" Sammy asked, annoyed. "We have a mission, get ready, now!" Rin replied before leaving. Sighing, Sammy got up and put his cape back on, and put his sword back on his belt. Mei sat up and watched him get ready, with a sort of sad look in her eyes. Sammy walked back, leaned down and kissed her, ignoring the sound of Rin banging on his door. "Bye, Mei. I'll be back, don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Mei smiled, though a few tears started running down her cheek. Sammy kissed her forehead and walked out of the room.
Sammy was the last Indama to be present in the training grounds, where the mission was to start. "What took you so long?" Rin asked. "Cool it, Rin," Yuki said, frustrated with her attitude. Taro cleared his throat. "Forty-eight hours ago, a group of twelve Oni Slayers were sent out to clear up a disturbance in the Kii Mountains, and we haven't heard from them since. Sora is now dispatching three Indama to find them. Those Indama are: Rin Hoshino, Sammy Takahashi, and Mira Nakamura." Rin scowled at this, but Sammy gave Mira a high five. Rin groaned. "Can Kira go instead of Sammy?" Taro shook his head. "Sora said Sammy was to go on this mission, and you. Mira's going because she let me pick the last one, and her abilities will be needed. Stop complaining, Rin." "Shut up!" Rin yelled. "Enough!" Taro yelled. "All three of you, head out, now!"
Chapter 4
Trials of the Indama
Sammy, Mira, and Rin took off towards the Kii mountains. The Kii mountains are twelve miles from Serene Lake Mansion, so they rode on horseback, so as to conserve more energy for any possible fights. "So, what's happened since I left, Mira?" Sammy asked, eager to know. "Honestly? Pretty much nothing. We've had a few missions, but those were mostly for the other Oni Slayers, not Indama," she replied, exhaling and blowing her bangs upward. Mira looked back at Rin. "Why the long face, Rin?" "I'm not happy. Leave me alone," Rin said, glaring at Mira. Mira rolled her eyes and looked forward. "C'mon, Rin. Lighten up," Sammy said. Rin clenched her fists and her face went red. "Say another word, I dare you!" Sammy raised his hands defensively. "Woah, chill- AAAUGH!"
That was a bad choice of words. Rin threw herself off of her horse and slammed into Sammy, throwing him off of his horse, then tumbling down to a stop. Mira immediately jumped down and attempted to get Rin off of Sammy, but Rin, in her blind rage, slammed her fist into Miras face, then started trying to strangle Sammy, screaming some very unkind words in Japanese at him. Mira drew her sword and set the flat of the blade against Rins next, causing her to take her hands off of Sammys' neck and grab Miras' sword, which was stupid, because Miras' blade was so keen that it immediately sliced into her hands, causing her to cry out in pain and let go of the blade. Blood immediately came out of her hands, dripping onto Miras' blade
Sammy was mad at Rin for attacking him, but he did care for her, so he immediately got up while massaging his throat, and dug around in his bag to find a few bandages. He got them out and scrambled over to Rin, who had fallen to the ground in pain from the deep cuts on her hands. However, when Sammy got close to Rin, she immediately slapped him across his face, leaving a big blood mark on his face, making Rin scream because of the pain that spiked in her hands, but still found the strength to yell at Sammy. "NO! YOU STAY AWAY FROM ME, YOU BASTARD!!!" Mira took the bandages and Rin let her bandage her hands, while Sammy wiped the blood off of his face.
They got back on their horses and went on their way, needing to make up time. Fortunately for them, the Kii mountains were about a mile away. Sammy looked ahead at the mountains, trying to ignore the steady stream of cursing coming from Rin behind him. "Damn!" Rin yelled, seething in anger because of how bad her hands hurt. Before Sammy could say anything, Mira spoke up. "You did that to yourself, Rin. Shut up, stop complaining." Rin glared at Mira, but restrained herself from responding. Ten minutes later (although it felt like an hour to Sammy), They arrived at the base of the Kii mountains. Mira hopped off her horse. "Let's go." She walked into the path that leads deeper into the the mountains
Chapter 5
Encounters
Mira, Sammy, and Rin walked deeper into the Kii mountains. The sky was grey, and it seemed to be threatening rain. "I don't like this, guys; something feels off, and not just the cuts on my hands." Sammy nodded. "I agree. It feels like… like we're being watched." Mira scanned the trees ahead of them, and something caught her eye, barely, but she saw it. "Guys, be careful," she said, as she drew her sword. Something burst out of the bushes, snarling and running straight at them. Mira was quick to act, using the second form of shadow concentration—Shadow Strike—to cut off its head. Sammy and Rin stopped mid-attack. Sammy looked at Mira. "Come on, let me have a few," he said, a little upset that he hadn't gotten the first kill. Mira smirked. "You gotta earn your kills, buddy boy." Rin shouldered past both of them. "Focus, you two!" Mira and Sammy rolled their eyes and followed Rin.
As they ventured deeper into the Kii mountains, they started finding the dead bodies of the other Oni slayers who had been sent up here. Rin scowled. "Sora should've sent at least one of the Indama from the start. Their deaths are her fault!" Mira smacked Rin hard across her face with the flat of her blade. Rin stumbled back in shock, using all of her willpower not to scream. "Sora had no idea this would happen, Rin. You can't blame someone for something they didn't know would happen." Rin didn't answer Mira, but Sammy heard her mutter "Bastard" under her breath. They all started walking forward and Sammy caught up to Mira. "Was that really necessary?" Sammy asked. Mira huffed. "I'm tired of her attitude, and she was being disrespectful." Sammy shrugged, knowing he couldn't really argue with that.
They moved deeper into the mountains, shadows lengthening around them as the sun began to set. The air grew thick with tension and the remnants of battle. Sammy could feel it as a chill creeping down his spine. The sight of the dead Oni Slayers was disturbing, even for someone who had faced the darkest depths of his enemies. Each body bore wounds that suggested a methodical brutality—nobody dies easily at the hands of a ranked Oni.
"Look," Mira said, pointing ahead where a flickering movement in the underbrush caught her eye. "We're not alone." As if confirming her statement, a shrill, anguished howl echoed through the mountains, causing the three of them to draw their weapons in unison. Sammy's heart raced. "What was that?" he whispered, fear edging into his voice.
Rin clenched her fists, her fiery spirit reigniting, but there was something else in her expression: determination. "Whatever it is, it'll pay for what it did to those Slayers," she hissed through gritted teeth. "Stay alert," Sammy instructed, trying to sound more confident than he felt. "We need to stick together and watch our—"
Before he could finish, a figure lunged from the left. It was massive, a hulking creature with jagged edges and eyes that burned like molten rock. An Oni, but far more fearsome than any they had encountered before. It let out another roar, this time sending a wave of dread through Sammy's core. "Defensive positions!" Mira shouted. The three Indama spread out, each finding their footing as the Oni halted in front of them, evaluating its prey.
"Rin, don't charge in blindly!" Sammy warned, recalling their earlier encounter. But Rin was already taking a step forward, her sword ignited with flames, the air around her shimmering with heat. "I'll show you how a real Indama fights," she spat defiantly, launching herself at the Oni. "Flame Concentration, Fourth Form—Pyroclasm!" Sammy cursed under his breath as Rin cut through the air, her sword leaving a trail of fire. The Oni snarled, surprised by the sudden attack, but it quickly retaliated, swinging a massive arm that could flatten her in a single strike. "Look out!" Sammy yelled, preparing to join the fight, but before he could, Mira had already acted. "Shadow Concentration—Third Form, Umbra blade!" she called out, summoning dark tendrils that wrapped around the Oni's feet, momentarily immobilizing it. It roared again, thrashing against the bindings, but they were too strong for it to break.
"Now, Sammy!" Mira shouted, her dark eyes focused.
Feeling the surge of adrenaline, Sammy charged forward; tightening his grip around his sword. "Ice Concentration, Fifth Form—Blizzard Vortex!" He swung his sword; sending a wave of icy energy at the Oni, which collided with its exposed side. The creature growled in agony as frost crept along its body, slowing its movements.
Rin seized the moment. "Flame Concentration, Seventh Form—Phoenix Ascension!" She leaped high into the air, her sword becoming a blazing comet. The flames connected, exploding upon impact, throwing shards of ice and fire in all directions. The combination of cold and heat caused the Oni to stagger, its movements becoming erratic. But it wasn't finished yet. With a fierce snarl, it roared, consuming the air around it with raw power. It charged at Sammy, who stood frozen in shock for a split second.
"Sammy, move!" Mira cried out, breaking him from his trance. Just in time, he rolled to the side as the Oni barreled past him, narrowly avoiding its massive form. "I'll distract it! You two keep trying to bind it!" Mira shouted, her resolve unwavering. With her own charge, she leaped forward, slashing at the creature's legs to regain control.
"Rin! We have to work together," Sammy called out. "We can't let this thing divide us!" "Fine! I'll cover you!" Rin snapped, her frustration boiling over, but she didn't hesitate. Together, Rin and Sammy summoned their powers, joining forces once more against the might of the Oni. "Flame and Ice, combined!" Sammy shouted. "Ice Concentration, Second Form—Glacial Barrier!" He began conjuring a wall of ice, but this time Rin leaned against his effort.
"Flame Concentration—Scorching Torrent!" She shouted, releasing a torrent of fire that enveloped Sammy's ice barrier, fusing them into a massive radiant shield of steam and flame. The Oni raged against their defenses, but the combined effort wasn't just protecting them; it was drawing strength from their unity. Sammy could feel the connection growing, channeling their energy in sync.
"Now, Mira!" Sammy yelled, urging their friend to make her mark.
From the side, Mira enacted her plan with haste. "Shadow Concentration, Fourth Form—Nightfall Defense!" A tendril crafted of pure darkness curled around her sword, sharp and lethal. She swung her sword, launching it at the Oni, the tendril finding its mark in the creature's chest. It roared in pain, staggering back, the combined assault from Mira, Sammy, and Rin proving to be a formidable force. But the fight wasn't over. In a whirlwind of fury, the Oni lashed out one more time, bringing its arm down toward Mira, but Sammy leaped forward, determination blazing in his eyes. "Ice Concentration—Sixth Form! Gelid Whirlwind!" Sammy swung his sword, cutting the Onis arm off, causing it to roar in pain, while its arm bled and sprayed gore everywhere.
"Rin! Now!"
Rin nodded, igniting her flames once again, an aura of heat pulsating. In one final surge, the trio launched their combined attack, channeling the intensity of their powers. The resulting shockwave echoed through the mountains as the Oni was engulfed in a cyclone of ice and fire, its screams swallowed by the storm.
"Sammy! Do it now!"
Sammy jumped up, and swung his sword, putting all of his strength behind it. He heard a scream and a sickening schlock! and he knew he had done it.
As the chaos settled, a deafening silence enveloped them. Panting, the trio stood amidst the remnants of their fury, only echoes of the battle remaining.
"It's over," Mira breathed, still trying to catch her breath. "Not yet," Sammy replied, scanning the area for any signs of further threats. "We have to make sure—"
Before he could finish, the earth shook violently beneath them. Rocks and debris fell. They heard a massive roar coming from the tallest mountain. Rin hung her head and started cursing. Sammy looked at Mira. "Let's call for more Indama before we go up there.
Chapter 6
Legends Reborn
Riku Yamamoto, Taro Sato, and Yuki Tanaka arrived at the base of the Kii mountains and headed in with their swords drawn. They had received an Inugami from Mira asking for help with their mission. Riku swore. "This place gives me the creeps guys. No wonder they wanted help, this place is huge!" Taro walked on fearlessly. "Fear of the unknown is the strongest type of fear, Riku. Don't let it bother you, control your fears or they will control you." "Nicely said, Taro," Yuki said. As they ventured deeper into the Kii mountains, they saw all of the dead bodies that the ones before them had passed, along with a dead Oni.
Before long, they started to hear voices, and a fire crackling. "…What do you mean, it wasn't that powerful, Rin!? That thing was twice the size of me!" "You're such a little okorashii! Stop complaining!" Taro, Riku, and Yuki walked into the clearing. Sammy noticed them, and exhaled with relief. "Thank God you guys are here, we need help." Rin nodded. "There's some pretty powerful Oni on these mountains, we aren't kidding." Taro motioned forward. "Let's move."
They ventured deeper into the heavily forested mountains. The sky had turned dark now, and it had started raining heavily. This annoyed all of them and pissed off Rin. "I hate rain," she would grumble every few seconds. "Shut up, stop complaining," came Yukis' reply every time. So far they haven't heard, or seen anything out of the ordinary since Rin, Mira, and Sammy heard the roar.
They hiked higher up the mountain until they came to a small clearing. Yuki looked around. "Are you guys sure you heard a roar?" Mira nodded. "Yes. That roar was unmistakable. It was the loudest thing I had ever heard."
CRASH!
"WHAT THE HELL!!!" Rin screamed and drew her sword. The other Indama had been knocked to the ground from the force of the blow, but were quick to get up. Behind them stood an Oni about five feet tall, laughing at them. Sammy eyed the Oni nervously. "That might be the Oni that's causing all of this trouble," Riku said, voicing his thoughts. Rins' sword burst into flames, something that happens when she's extremely angry.
"Let's terminate this little pest!" She charged forward without waiting for the others, her blade aglow with fierce flames that danced around her like a living entity. "Rin, wait!" Taro yelled, but it was too late. The Oni simply cackled, its jagged teeth glinting as it raised a massive rock in its hand, ready to strike.
"Flame Concentration—Second Form! Inferno Burst!" Rin shouted as she swung her sword, releasing a wave of fire that surged toward the Oni. The creature smirked, using the rock as a shield. The impact sent a shower of sparks flying as the flames washed over its body, but it only staggered back slightly, grinning wickedly.
"Foolish girl! You think fire can hurt me?" the Oni bellowed, and in an instant, it hurled the rocky projectile directly at Rin. "I am a lower ranked Oni! Lower Five! The dreaded Yasokage!"
"Rin, duck!" Sammy shouted. He moved faster than he ever had before, launching himself toward her. He tackled Rin just in time, the rock smashing into the ground where she had stood moments before. The impact sent debris flying, several pieces striking Sammy and Rin as they lay on the ground.
"Get off me, you idiot!" Rin yelled, her fiery persona igniting with renewed vigor as she pushed him off. She shot to her feet, fury blazing in her eyes. "I could've handled that!"
"That's not the point!" Sammy exclaimed, instantly back on the defensive and raising his sword. "You need to be more careful. We fight together, not solo!" "That thing is laughing at us!" Rin growled, pacing angrily. "It doesn't belong in this world, and I will not stand by while it mocks us! Flame Concentration—Eighth Form! Heat Mirage!" She unleashed a torrent of flames, honing in on the Oni with precision.
At the same time, as if sensing the gravity of the moment, Taro stepped in. "Stone Concentration—Second Form! Stone Fortress!" A massive barrier erupted from the ground, shielding the group from the retaliatory blast of the Oni as it attempted to swat Rin away.
The Oni fiercely swiped at the wall, leaving deep grooves in the solid rock. "You think you can hide behind that wall? Pathetic!"
"Sammy! Now!" Mira commanded, her voice cutting through the chaos. "We have to act while it's distracted!" The young Indama nodded, gathering his focus. "Ice Concentration—Third Form! Icicle Spear!" He thrust his sword forward, summoning a surge of ice that surged towards the Oni, piercing its side as it reeled back.
"Now Rin!" Sammy shouted, as he regained his footing.
"Flame Concentration—Sixth Form! Flame Whirlwind!" Rin charged forward, jumping and swinging in a circular motion, causing a tall, swirling vortex of flame to engulf her and the Oni.
"Riku! Yuki! We need you!" Taro called, continuing to reinforce the barrier as the Oni rampaged against it.
"We're ready!" Riku responded, his blade high. "Lightning Concentration—First Form! Thunderbolt Strike!" He summoned bolts of electricity that crackled around them, launching them toward the Oni in rapid succession, lighting up the sky with powerful flashes of energy.
Yuki followed swiftly. "Water Concentration—First Form! Fluid Slash!" She swung her sword, sending a razor thin stream of water at the legs of the Oni, slicing through, but the Oni simply regenerated its legs, cackling maliciously as he unleashed more attacks upon them.
"Let's finish this!" Mira shouted, joining in the charge again, echoing their previous assault. "Shadow Concentration—Fifth Form! Shadow Surge!" She rushed forward, with dark tendrils extending from her sword to engulf the Oni, immobilizing it once more as its frantic movements were slowed.
In a final push, all of them united their energies, balancing fire, ice, earth, and lightning. "Together!" they yelled, their voices ringing out in unison.
"Flame, Ice, Earth, and Lightning Combined!" they all cried out, channeling their forces into one massive collective attack.
Rin took the lead, igniting her flames once more, "Flame Concentration—Tenth Form! Destructive Eruption!"
Sammy enhanced it with icy winds swirling around her flames, "Ice Concentration—Tenth Form! Eternal Winter!"
"Stone Concentration—Eighth Form! Colossal Fist!" Taro bellowed, joining forces with the raw, primal force of nature.
"Shadow Concentration—Eighth Form! Dark Eclipse!" Mira completed the chain, her expression fierce as the shadows lengthened and coiled upon itself.
"Lightning Concentration—Eighth form! Raging Tempest! Riku swung his sword in a right arc, sending lightning bolts every which way.
Thunder cracked, lightning danced, and the combined power surged forth as a unified force, a cyclone of chaos engulfing the Oni. It shrieked in rage, helpless against the onslaught.
"Rin, do it! Cut off its head!"
Rin didn't know who yelled that to her, or if she was just imagining it, but she went in for the kill. Flame concentration she thought, determined to kill the Oni. Seventh form—Phoenix Ascension! Rin swung her sword with all her might and felt it connect and cut through something.
And then… silence.
The aftermath left the mountains trembling, just as their united surge dissipated into a radiant flash of light. When they could finally see again, the Oni was vanquished, reduced to ashes that floated off into the breeze, leaving naught but stillness surrounded by the mountains.
Panting heavily, they took a moment to stand together, breathing in the enormity of their victory. "We did it!" Sammy exclaimed, adrenaline flooding through his veins.
"Together," Rin added, a hint of gratitude cutting through her previous anger, a warmth radiating from her newfound respect for her comrades.
"Let's not linger," Taro said cautiously, looking around. "There might be others."
"Right," Sammy agreed, now more than ever realizing the strength of their unity. "We need to regroup and make sure the rest are safe. This isn't over yet."
They collected themselves and moved forward, determined and united, ready to face whatever came next. "Sammy," Mira called as they ventured on. "Remember what we just accomplished. We are legends—reborn together."
As Sammy looked around at his comrades—the fiery Rin, the steadfast Taro, the electrifying Yuki, the grounded Riku, and the shadowy Mira—he knew that he had to get them back to the Oni Slayers HQ.
Sammy looked at them and smiled. "Let's go home, guys. We deserve it. Besides, I miss my wife!" Riku smiled, feeling a joke coming on. He flipped over the other Indama and landed with his sword out, in a ridiculous ninja stereotype way. "Indama, let's go!" He yelled, pointing at the sky. Despite everyone being exhausted, they missed Riku's jokes and laughed loudly.
