Shadows of the Reborn

The Fall From Grace

Chapter One

The sky was black, a lone silver star glinting in the ink-like depths. Animals of all kinds wandered the dark grassy meadow, oblivious to anything happening around them. Their ears twitched occasionally, catching the sounds around them but paying them no mind as they grazed on the luscious green pasture.

Their heads all lifted when a faint thrumming filled their calm evening graze, and some even stomped their hooved leg into the earth as though in frustration that their quiet had been disturbed. Rabbits scattered as the vibration grew more intense, and birds fluttered into the air as the sound grew with magnitude. The deer who took off once the earth below their hooves rumbled were the last to leave the meadow.

The night sky instantly grew brilliant white, and the dark ink-like sky vanished into a blinding white flash just as a force of energy flooded the world. That deep thrumming intensified until it exploded with so much energy that any trees in the force’s way crumbled and fell. The intense heat left the wooden splinters smoking from the severity. Silence again filled the meadow, now a barren space littered with wooden splinters.

Sounds of groaning and low whines filled the air after several minutes of silence, but no animals returned to the destroyed field. It had been chaotic and destructive, yet the world was unprepared for what the light explosion had left behind. Only the scent of burning wood remained.

They were the fallen—those deities whom the world had forgotten and were no longer favored by the inhabitants of the lands. Magic spread across the lands in waves, creating creatures unimaginable to the people or animals. Malice and hate leaked out from those who were the most affected. Others adapted and were intrigued or fascinated by this new life. Some preferred quiet and solitude.

They were no longer Gods, perhaps only remnants of what they had once been. Now cursed to live out their lives on the mortal plane, powers so diluted that even though powerful in the human world, they were nothing compared to what they once had been. To the Gods remaining in the spiritual world, they were weak; to the mortals living in the physical world, they were powerful beasts and monsters that became the most significant threat.

Battles broke out, wars ensued, and deaths on both sides. The fallen had been given a new name—monsters, cursed spirits, ghosts, tatarigami, mononoke, supernatural beasts, ayakashi and youkai. To the humans of the world, they all needed to be wiped out and killed to preserve the human’s way of life. The humans would never consider these fallen as once Gods, nor would they ever comprehend that they ever were such. To them, they were like escaped prisoners, criminals, demons sent to the mortal world from the underworld. They were ravaging monsters that held no intelligence.

Indeed, some were raging beasts, neither holding judgment nor the capacity for clear thinking. Others held a brilliant understanding of what had happened. Some still held contempt for being forgotten, while others were more interested in the world’s complexity. The weaker beings chose to remain as quiet as possible. They hid in objects that could not harm anyone, while others chose more direct means of survival. It had now become a battle of wits and preservation.

The world had been reborn.

The Gods could not interfere directly nor interact with either side. Despite them wanting to help or assist their fallen brethren, they were forbidden to do so. The Goddess mother instead allowed a weakened portion of their powers to remain. She hated the thought of any of her children dying or being stuck without any protection, but she also couldn’t interfere with her children’s failed task of urging the humans on with promise through prayer. Some had convinced humans that they were worth the time for prayer, while others had fallen into misery and despair. Her children had found resolutions to maintain their status, while others lost all hope.

With a sigh, she turned away from the large stone fountain that allowed her to view the happenings of the mortal world. Her heart ached. She had lost so many children, but she could no longer intervene and guide them. They were lost to her, so she now had to focus on her remaining children and help them find their place in the world.

Despite her children failing in the tasks set out to them by her husband, she could not abandon them. Each one held a special place in her heart, and leaving them to fend for themselves in the mortal world felt wrong. She even went so far as to argue with her husband to grant them some form of protection. At least they had that.

She stopped at the door leading into the garden and saw her second-born leaning against the wall, talking with one of her younger sons. With a soft smile, she watched quietly as the two conversed. The Goddess mother had not been surprised when the two had formed an unbreakable bond, seeing as they were opposites on the spectrum of things. One of light and one of darkness. Together, those two were a force, and she knew they would continue to grow. Her mind had no favorites; she loved every one of her children equally. However, it was difficult for her to maintain indifference.

One was tall with long silver-white hair and stunning crystal blue eyes, much like hers, and the other was shorter with mid-length white hair and lavender-colored eyes. Both were sinewy, battle-worn, and skilled at their art. Her second-born held the lightning god’s power at his fingertips, able to sear the flesh off any who dared face him. He could call upon the storms of ice and fire or combine any element to slow or quicken your demise. He held so many unusual talents that her other children did not; sometimes, it surprised her what the young man could do. His abilities mimicked those around him, absorbing and making them his own.

The other commanded the shadows. If you were foolish enough to face her youngest son in battle, it would not be him you would be fighting against, but the shadows objects and people cast. He could turn your weapons shadow against you or even your own shadow. If he so desired, he could send your soul directly to the underworld, never again seeing the world as you knew it, or he could trap you in darkness until madness claimed you.

All her children had small tapered ears and almond-shaped eyes, much like hers. Her husband had darker blue-gray hair and a distinct sharpness to his face, which a few of her children inherited. Her hair was like her second-born, long, silvery-white, glinting with the light of the stars in the ink-like sky. It didn’t matter if she had borne the children; they were all hers, yet a few born of her blood children were disappointing. Izanagi was her blood child; Amaterasu, Tsukuyomi, and Susanoo were born when he bathed in the river to purify himself after visiting the underworld.

Yet even though she thought of her blood children, she reflected on all those who were family. It didn’t matter if they were her children’s children or adopted by her when a God or Goddess abandoned their child. She was the Goddess mother Kamimusubi, one of the three Gods of creation. Her husband, Takamimusubi and her sister, Ame-No-Minakinushi, were the other two. There were her lesser siblings, Umashiashikabihikoji and Amenotokotachi, who were no longer part of the overseeing of the Gods of Izumo, those who were of the land. They followed their path, leaving Takamimusubi, Ame-No-Minakinushi, and her to run the heavens.

Turning to stare at the stone fountain, she felt her heart twitch again. Of those children who had fallen, while some were lost to her, others seemed to hold onto their hearts and accepted their fate. Furrowing her brow, she wondered if there was some way for her to save some. Those who now lived in the mortal world maintained their dignity. Lifting her delicate fingers to her chin, she allowed her mind to form around possibilities. Moving slowly through the garden past brilliant blue and gold flowers, the Goddess mother elegantly sat on a marble bench beside a blooming hydrangea.

The garden was one of her favorite spots in the castle. Sweet scents filled the air around her, calming her frazzled mind. Her husband had been the one to decide regarding those children who did not fulfill their duties or had neglected their assigned tasks, leaving her saddened and seeking solitude. Her husband always made punishments, leaving her responsible for nurturing her children or guiding them in the right direction.

She had adopted her second oldest roughly ten thousand years ago and the younger son five thousand years ago from an ancient Goddess who knew her time was ending. She had tired of life and responsibility and thus made arrangements with her husband, Takamimusubi, to fade into time. Her mind drifted to the day she had been called to the birthing room when the twins had been born, and she gave a sad smile. They had been beautiful and so full of energy that she immediately took them as her own.

The old Goddess’ husband had died from an infection and so remarried soon after, giving birth to several children, none of whom survived against the rival Gods who feared the God’s abilities that had been passed onto the children. The old Goddess had been distraught after Susanoo killed her husband and thus turned to Kimimusubi again when Shuzo was born.

It had been thousands of years since she had had little ones running around the halls and gardens, and the twins and Shuzo had been a handful. Mischievous pranksters that drove her full-grown children mad. She smiled at the memory of the young children running tirelessly through the halls, giggling at some hellish prank they had pulled or hidden something that held some importance. Shuzo had often concealed the items in the shadow realm, a place only his bloodline could access. Kamimusubi had gone into a frenzy one day when Shuzo had vanished entirely, and she had sent out every one of her guards looking for him. He had mysteriously appeared days later, unfazed about his absence. Takamimusubi had punished the little boy for a week by forcing him to sit in his room away from all activity.

Of course, there were always those who were rebellious and refused to think they would ever receive punishment for disobedience, but with a sad smile, they knew now. Shaking her head, she leaned closer to the cobalt blue flowers, and her second son’s facial markings came to mind. It was another reminder of how some had failed while others had excelled. Her heart ached for her second son, who had lost his twin brother to a fight after he had fallen from grace.

She glanced at where her second-born stood with her younger son and sighed again. News regarding his twin had not yet reached his ears. Pulling a blue blossom from the branch, she lifted it to her nose and sniffed the sweet smell. It was bittersweet knowing that half of her children were still unaware of what happened to their siblings, but there was one who immediately brought a frown to her face. In due time, her second-born would know of his twin’s fate and come seeking her for answers.

The Goddess mother knew that her firstborn loved tormenting her second son and would take it upon himself to inform the younger of what had happened. Her teeth clenched in frustration; she decided breaking the news herself rather than through his older brother would be better.

“Taizo?” She called softly, gaining her son’s attention. “Will you come here?”

She waited patiently as her sons parted ways, and her second-born strolled over casually, curiously. He sat beside her and waited while his mother collected her thoughts. “How are you holding up?”

Taizo frowned. “Fine.” He said hesitantly. Usually, when his mother asked how he was doing, she always seemed to follow with some news that was not always favorable.

She nodded, pushed to her feet, and walked to the bushes across the bench. “You know that Keizo was assigned to watch the temple of good fortune?”

Taizo furrowed his brow. “The one in the Western territories on the mortal plane, yes, I am aware.”

She turned to face her son. “Several of my sons and daughters failed in their tasks.”

Taizo remained silent. He watched his mother as she seemed to struggle with whatever she wanted to tell him, and his heart wrenched when she turned her sad blue crystal eyes to his. “He was one?”

She nodded. “Keizo was one of the fallen.”

“Was?” Taizo swallowed.

His mother knelt in front of him and gripped his hands in hers. “Keizo is lost to us.”

Taizo bit the inside of his cheeks. “Lost as in dead?” There was no point in sugarcoating it.

She nodded.

Taizo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I knew something had happened, but I was unsure what.”

“So you know now, will you share your thoughts?”

Taizo grunted. “Did he suffer?”

She should have known he would ask, but she could not answer, knowing it would spark anger in her second son.

“Who?” He pressed, knowing her silence was all the answer he needed.

“Does it matter?” She whispered.

Taizo snorted. “You don’t have to answer. I know already by your silence. When did it happen?”

“Almost a week ago. There were some preparations to be made.” She whispered.

Taizo could feel the grief around his mother, and he sighed. “Are you bringing him home?”

“His body is already here.” She said sadly.

Taizo glanced at her with a raised brow. “And his spirit?”

“It is lost, Taizo. Keizo’s soul cannot be retrieved, nor can it ever be found.”

“Where did it go?” Taizo cleared his throat as it tightened, knowing he would never see Keizo again.

“Where do all the lost souls go?” She said,

Taizo frowned, “Then, would it not be possible to send Shuzo to the spirit realm or one of our other brothers to retrieve his soul?”

She shook her head. “The spirit realm is beyond even my reach. It is forbidden to enter because the souls lost there are malicious and vengeful. It would taint any who entered, and they would be lost.”

“So there is no hope.” Taizo groaned.

“I am so sorry, my son. In time, things will become easier. I know you had a strong bond with Keizo, and that loss will impact you for years.” She said sadly.

“He was my twin; I had a strong bond with him.” Taizo snorted. “We were born two minutes apart.” He rolled his eyes and lifted a brow at his mother. “What about you?”

She shook her head sadly, “My son, I have lost more children this past week than I wish to process. I must remain diligent to remain strong for my other children.”

“Who else did we lose?” Taizo asked incredulously.

“Too many to count. Some remain but have lost their way and have become ravaging beasts.” She pushed to her feet and pulled him up with her.

“So what happens now?” Taizo asked, falling into step with his mother.

“We hold a ceremony for those we lost, celebrate the time we had with them, and then figure out a strategy to save those who remain.”

“How do you plan to save those who have fallen to the mortal plane?” Taizo asked skeptically.

“Carefully, my son. Very carefully.” Without another word, his mother slipped through the doors, leaving him alone in the garden and lost in thought.

“It’s too bad, brother. Such a shame to lose someone close to your heart.”

Taizo narrowed his eyes and snapped his head in the direction the voice came from. “Susanoo.” He hissed.

The figure emerged from the shadows, which he had been doing lately, spying on conversations he would typically not be privy to. “Such a shame that Keizo fell into ruin.”

Taizo clenched his teeth and fisted his hands to contain his anger. He knew his eldest brother was jealous and always plotted to injure or humiliate those under him. It was as though Susanoo was planning to rid himself of any rivals. “Be on your way, brother. I am in no mood for your taunting today.”

Susanoo smirked. “Here, I thought you were tougher than that, such a disappointment.”

“For who? You? I am not here to appease your approval, brother. If I were you, I would focus more on what tasks you were assigned rather than concerning yourself with what others were to accomplish.” Taizo snarled. His exit was blocked by the taller and much stockier brother, who was older than he was by at least thirty thousand years. He was trapped until Susanoo decided he could escape.

Susanoo barked out a sharp laugh. “Always so prim and proper. If I were you, Taizo, I would watch your back. You are despised by more than just me with your constant interference with Mother. Even Father tires of your meddling.”

Taizo frowned, forgetting the first rule with Susanoo: to show no reaction to his taunts. He scoffed, “Meddling? Ridiculous assumption. Here, I thought it was you who interfered. It is no secret you are trying to secure your spot on the throne with your underhanded means. I wish you the best of luck trying to overthrow father or mother from their chairs.”

Susanoo narrowed his eyes, and his hand shot out faster than Taizo’s eyes could follow. That hand gripped him by the throat and squeezed until Taizo felt his windpipe constrict his airflow. “Watch yourself, you meddling little twat. Keizo isn’t here to rescue you from my ire.”

Taizo grinned, lifted his hand, and touched his elder brother’s face, sending a shock of electrical energy through his hand, sending Susanoo flying backward. “You forget your place, Susanoo; you have also forgotten who I am. I may not have Keizo anymore, but that has not diminished my power.”

Susanoo pushed himself up and glared daggers at his younger brother, but before he could retaliate, a voice boomed.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Susanoo stood and bowed. “My apologies, father.”

The tall male strolled into the garden, anger rolling off him in waves.

“Leave Susanoo before I release my fury.”

Susanoo gulped and quickly exited the gardens before his father’s anger increased.

Taizo lowered his head in greeting.

“You know better than to lower yourself to his level.” His father chastised.

“I asked him to leave me be, but he insisted.” Taizo sighed.

His father’s eyes landed on the red welts on his throat. “Is that from his hand?”

Taizo lifted his hand to his neck and grunted out a laugh. “It will heal; they always do.”

His father shook his head disapprovingly. “Keizo is no longer here to lend you strength, Taizo. You are weakened due to his death.”

Taizo snorted. “I do not feel weaker, father.”

His father frowned and walked over to his second eldest son. As Taizo said, the power of the Raijin still flowed strongly in him. “Interesting. No changes?”

Taizo shook his head. “None. If Mother hadn’t informed me of his death, I would not have known. I knew something had changed, but I was unaware of what that change was or signified.”

“And your feelings on the matter?”

Taizo glanced at his father curiously. “My feelings? I do not know how to describe them.” He admitted softly.

“Are you saddened by his passing?”

Taizo felt his heart tighten slightly and nodded. “My heart hurts.”

His father remained silent but nodded in understanding. “Do not allow Susanoo to bait you into fights with him. He is intelligent, cunning, and will do anything to lengthen your grief.”

Taizo sighed and nodded his head in understanding. His father strolled out of the garden, once again leaving Taizo alone. He wasn’t sure if being alone was wise on his part, as he knew how his mind wandered. With the news of his twin’s death, it would prove to be more difficult to hide his feelings from his siblings. Susanoo wasn’t wrong in saying that Taizo had a few enemies within his family.

He lifted his hands to his hair and pulled the silver-white strands forward to peer at them. His hair shimmered in the brilliant sunlight that flooded the garden, and he felt his heart twinge as his mind wandered to his brother Keizo. His younger brother had always teased him on how unruly his hair was, commenting several times on his choice to keep bangs rather than grow out the hair to its full length. Keizo’s hair had been long, longer than his, and all one length to only be bound into a tight topknot.

He and Keizo had often been mistaken as the other; both had been identical in appearance yet very different in their personalities. Taizo was more severe and focused, whereas his brother had always been a jokester. It had driven their siblings to near madness at times. Even Shuzo had gotten them confused on many occasions. Smiling sadly, Taizo slipped through the doors and silently wandered the castle halls. He needed to figure out where he was headed and didn’t even appreciate the brilliance of the halls as he usually did.

The halls were long and narrow, glinting with gold and blues of beautiful marble walls. Gold was etched into the stonework, and fine silver threads outlined most of the tables that lined the halls. There were no pictures on the walls, as the gods didn’t need to see images of family or themselves. Not even ancestors had paintings in the house. The oldest beings were his parents, and next in line was Susanoo. Taizo and Keizo had been born roughly twenty thousand years ago, and Susanoo was thirty thousand years older than he was. How old his parents were, he could only guess.

As far as he knew, the world below wasn’t even that old. Shrugging his shoulders, Taizo turned down another hall, still lost in thought, but he now knew where his feet were leading him. With a sad smile, he turned down another hall and stopped at a large oak door. After knocking once, a soft voice answered. Turning the silver knob, he pushed the heavy door slightly and poked his head in.

His brother Shuzo stood at the wardrobe, staring at him with a questioning look. “What happened?”

Taizo slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. Shuzo waited patiently as Taizo strolled over to the chair near his bed. Something had caused the sudden shift in moods in his elder brother. The face was taut with pent-up emotion, and it looked like the elder was about to release whatever emotion he was trying desperately to hold in.

Taizo lifted his gaze and took in Shuzo’s lavender eyes and slim build. His hair was mid-length and as white as white could be. He was a more petite God, but one who held unknown power. Not even their mother was able to comprehend what Shuzo could do. “I received a piece of news; it has shaken me.”

Shuzo frowned and walked over to the bed, sitting on the plush bedding. He remained silent, knowing Taizo well enough to know that when he was ready to speak, he would, and no amount of prompting could make him spit out whatever was on his mind.

The silence stretched on for several minutes before Taizo whispered. “Keizo lost his way.”

Shuzo felt his mouth drop open in surprise. Snapping it closed, he waited.“The humans killed him after he fell from grace.”

Shuzo felt the blood drain from his face, and his hands and arms prickled at the news. “That doesn’t make any sense; humans favour good fortune.”

Taizo sighed heavily.

Shuzo frowned. “I don’t buy it. Something else must have happened.”

Taizo shook his head. “You’re right. Mother didn’t get into details regarding what happened.”

Shuzo poured them both a glass of wine and handed him one. “If he were cursed to live on the mortal plane, he would have the mark upon his body. Do you know where his body is?”

Taizo looked up with a frown. “Here, in the house. But wouldn’t he have the mark because he was one of the fallen?”

“Not if he hadn’t been cursed to live out his life with those who caused his downfall. He wouldn’t have the mark if it were his own choice.” Shuzo said.

“Why would he choose to live there? His family was here; I am here.” Taizo frowned.

“He wouldn’t have had any memories of his life here. Keizo probably didn’t even remember you.” Shuzo explained.

Taizo sighed heavily.

“You know we can go look, right? It is our right as a family.” Shuzo said.

“What of his soul?”

“Mother said it is lost to us. In the spirit realm.”

Shuzo grunted. “Of course it is. The one place that is forbidden for us to go.”

“Why is it forbidden?” Taizo sipped his wine and leaned back on his brother’s bed.

“I can only fathom a guess.” Shuzo started. “Probably because we are unable to communicate with those who have passed. Hear stories of their experiences, what their life was like.”

“To allow us to live our lives fully, without being fearful of what death would be.” Taizo finished.

Shuzo nodded with a soft smile. “So what do you want to do?”

Taizo lifted a brow curiously.

“Do you wish to see Keizo?”

“It would be bizarre. Like looking in a mirror.”

“Would you prefer it if I go?” Shuzo asked.

Taizo shook his head. “If I am to allow my brain to comprehend he is gone, I must go see for myself. Otherwise, I would only hold onto hope when there is none.”

“Fair enough.” Shuzo stood and placed his glass down on the table. Turning to his brother, he held out his hand. “Come, let us see for ourselves whether he fell from grace on his own or was one of the fallen ones cursed to roam the world with those who lost favor with the Gods and caused their downfall.”