Grimm Tales: Rise of the Yokai

Chapter 8 A Mission From The Sun Goddess

The goddess moved towards me, and with each step she took, the sand around her feet melted into glass.

I couldn't move. I think after everything else that had happened, my brain just couldn't take it anymore. I tried to move, but my arms and legs wouldn't budge.

Before the goddess could get any closer, Jason stepped in front of me.

"That's close enough," he said.

The goddess looked at him for a moment. Then she laughed lightly, the sound soft and clear like a bell.

"Be at peace, young one," she said to Jason. "I mean your companion no harm." She turned to me and bowed her head. "It is my very great honor to meet you, Zane Grimm. My brother must think quite highly of you, to have granted you his power."

"Your brother?" I said.

"Oh, please, forgive my rudeness. Allow me to introduce myself." The goddess raised herself to her full, impressive height. "My name is Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun and Heavens, Lady of Light."

By then my brain seemed to have recovered, because on pure reflex, I said, "You must have a hell of a time fitting that on business cards."

A small grin spread across Amaterasu's face. It was warm and gentle, like sunlight peeking through clouds.

"I make do," she said. "I would have preferred our first meeting to have been a happier occasion. But it would seem that it was not meant to be."

I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

"I really don't like the way you said that," I said. "Um... should I call the guild master? If there was something important enough for you to come here in person, he should probably know—"

"I have a job for you."

"— about it. Wait. What?!"

"I have a job for you," she said. "I believe you are familiar with this person, correct?"

The summer sunlight seemed to pull together at Amaterasu's command. Within moments, there was an image floating beside her. It was the girl in black.

"Oh, yeah," I said. "We've met."

"Several days ago, in Nagoya, she forced her way into a shrine and stole a powerful relic. I wish for you to recover it," said Amaterasu.

"What kind of relic was it, exactly?" I asked.

"A sword. A sacred weapon of great power."

"Wait," said Tobias. "Nagoya... are...are you telling us she stole the Kusanagi?"

"You are well informed, young fox," said Amaterasu. "Yes, the Kusanagi sword has indeed been stolen."

"Why?" I asked. "She seemed plenty powerful without a weapon."

The image vanished as Amaterasu said, "The answer to that question is complicated. There is much more to this girl than appearances would suggest."

"Yeah, that much I managed to figure out on my own," I said. "Who is she? What is she?"

"She was human, once, but no longer. Now she is but a vessel. As to who she is," said Amaterasu, "she is a goddess, known as Izanami."

At that point I think my blood might have turned to ice-water. At least that was how it felt.

"You can't be serious," I said. "She's the goddess of death?!"

"Excuse me?!" exclaimed Jason.