The Day of Thunder

The moment comes swiftly, announcing itself not with thunder and ceremony, but the tiniest of whispers. Shinsei's breath became deeper, slightly more labored. His eyes, so recently undercut by dark bags of exhaustion, grew more hooded and heavy. Whatever steadiness was left inside that tired body wa...

Shinsei glanced between those that spoke too him, fixing his eyes on each in turn. He blinked, once, and the effort to open them again drained him visibly. "Your words are kind, but also sting. Here at the greatest test of Compassion, we must all give the most in order to receive the least." He sigh...

"The champion still claws at the last barrier holding it in place. It will stand here... when my will fails me."

A rumbling crack sounds thorough the air, and the shrine itself seems to expand and contort, drawing the gathered thunders inside its walls. A strange mix of sights awaits, as the pillars holding up the roof apear to pierce into the open sky. The interior has expanded to the size of a battlefield. A...

Something is indeed very wrong, as is evidently clear to Ukyou. Shinei's eyes are not still, the lids fluttering as his eyes rapidly move about, suggesting a state far, far from peaceful slumber. At the touch to his shoulders, they blinked open, the pupils pulsating as if struggling to focus on Ukyo...

He nodded. "They are, though. They may not age, but they are vulnerable to death, disease, injury... all of those vulnerabilities of we residents of Ningen-do." He looked toward her. "They really were gods before. Their behavior has become more human, as well, away from the control of Tengoku."

He smiled at that, desperately tired but also warm. "I suppose that makes sense. Most realms have some sort of consciousness. It's most obvious with Jigoku's maliciousness. Options does seem like the very definition of Ningen-do, doesn't it? A place with a little of everything the other realms have,...

He gave her a tired smile. "How grim. True, though." "We know that it happens every one thousand years, give or take a few. We know that it is happening now - this is it, without a doubt. The concentrated assault on their sleep is proof enough of that. We know that it is a always a fight between one...

"I wonder if that would work, without the long bonds of loyalty?" He wondered, looking up at the sky for a moment.

He ran a hand down his face. "The last two events give little indication of how mutable the rules may be. The Ogres had a great immortal hero who went one on one with their Champion. The Five Peoples sent one of each. With us... nine, one from each Clan, but what does that mean?"

"I see. I can certainly do what I can to assist her, though if you cannot find me, the one known as Nozomi would also be able to help, as one of my primary students. I find myself stretched very thin these days, and would not want her to languish in her thoughts for too long because my focus was tie...

That seemed to catch Shinsei's attention. "Interesting thing to bring up all of a sudden. Please elaborate on that point, you've piqued my curiosity."

"I'll take that into consideration. Perhaps I would be allowed, but perhaps not. No harm in making the attempt, at least." Shinsei rubbed his eyes, taking a pause and a rather deep breath alongside it.

"I have not. My focus has been elsewhere. What makes you bring it up?"

"Unlikely. It's much more likely that it was just speaking to your specific interests, since what it offered never considered what might entice her. It's... not impossible, but I think it's interest is elsewhere..."

"Nothing I currently have the luxury of indulging, though it does feel slightly better having said that aloud, so thank you."

Shinsei thought about that for a moment, then sighed. "I feel like someone plucked out my eyes, dropped them in salt, did things best not mentioned in polite company then put them back without brushing them off."

"More of Jigoku's obsession with mankind on display, certainly. The way it seems more interested in enticing than fighting." He narrowed his eyes as be thought, but seemed to really struggle with whatever words were trying to come to the front. After a moment he stopped straining so much. "It taxes ...

Shinsei was silent for a long moment before speaking. "It may be important in extreme cases... Though it may suppress something they need to work out for themselves. If you're right and this is to be a battle in our minds, they will need to be as focused as they can." He should his head. "I... can't...

"That disturbingly implies that the Harbinger has close knowledge of her location, or could obtain it with some confidence." Shinsei stopped to think, though the act of concentration seemed to take a lot of his energy from him.