Memory #6 [Sight, Sound, Smell, Touch, Taste]
An ornate temple stood in front of him, giant and imposing and utterly, unnaturally silent. Moon waited before passing through the doors, wearing his robes, the sutra around his shoulders, and a crown with a length of fabric attached to the back. The crown was a little uncomfortable, but was not as heavy as the feeling of the sutra draped about him. His stomach turned a little with nervousness, even though he'd done this before.
Moon allowed the giant doors to close behind him, and then he inhaled the scent of incense. There were a few fires burning in the center of the room, and he walked over to them, swallowing before speaking.
"Genjyo Sanzo, the 31st of China, as you requested." The words had barely left his lips to echo in the chamber before he dropped to one knee, in between the fires and staring at the pillars ahead of him.
In an instant, the heads of three beings appeared before him. One an old man, one a younger woman, and one a more androgenous figure, the three all had similar veils on their heads and stared down at him as though they could see right through him.
The woman spoke first. "Welcome, Sanzo. Forgive the sudden call. There is a matter that we must discuss."
"There is nothing to forgive," Moon insisted. They were of more importance than he. His convenience was of no concern.
"You are likely aware of the disaster that erodes this world," the man said next. "From the West to the East, a poison spreads across this land. The glory of Togenkyou is tainted."
Moon nodded, not yet raising his eyes to them. "You speak of the sudden violence of the youkai... and their loss of self."
"Indeed."
"Humans now pass their days with a fear of youkai that is close to death. Togenkyou is paradise in name only. It is a picture of Hell." Moon reported all he'd heard to this point. "What on Earth is causing this?"
The figures spoke again. "You are familiar with... the legend of Gyumaoh?" As he spoke, Moon's mind turned to the stories themselves, in vivid detail.
"Gyumaoh, the great youkai sealed within Houtou Castle by the War God, Crown Prince Nataku, 500 years ago. Gyumaoh, the Ox King. They say he refused to live with humans and instead devoured their flesh.
"Someone is trying to revive Gyumaoh. And to do so, they are utilizing the forbidden practice of combining science with magic. The science of men and the magic of youkai are not to be mixed, just as the physical union of humans and youkai is forbidden. To do so would create a wave of minus energy that would destroy the balance of the universe."
Another head spoke, but Moon was so overloaded with the implications of this that he couldn't remember who it was. "Genjyo Sanzo, we appoint you. Travel with past associates Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai to Tenjiku in the West. Stop the resurrection of Gyumaoh to restore sanity to the youkai. Restore Togenkyou to its rightful harmony."
"As you command," Moon said, lifting his head up to see the people giving him his mission.
"Sanbutsushin, my lords," he added, as he rose in front of them. "I have but one question. Why have you appointed three youkai for this mission?"
The older man answered after a moment. "Those three are youkai, and yet also human. Their humanity protects them from the effects of the Minus Wave. The three of them are unique in this. You've seen everything, Sanzo - you should know this well." Another pause. "It's ironic. The scars from their pasts... will be the spider's thread that binds you all together. They alone possess the powers necessary to combat demons and the will to withstand the negative energy. They are our last hope."
Now Moon - or Sanzo - looked at them with skepticism. "I acknowledge their strength, but as long as they have youkai blood in their veins, there is the chance that they too may turn against us. Relying on them could be suicide."
The woman spoke again, a hint of a smile on her face. "Whether that's what you truly believe or not, the truth does not change. We must put our trust in them."
"I hold trust in no one but myself."
"Sanzo," the third face said, looking disappointed. "It is time that you trust the eyes of your heart."
"Eyes of my heart...?"
"Now, join the others," she said, a hand suddenly appearing to point somewhere behind him. "And observe with those eyes. See what it is you truly need... and what you should believe in."
Moon allowed the giant doors to close behind him, and then he inhaled the scent of incense. There were a few fires burning in the center of the room, and he walked over to them, swallowing before speaking.
"Genjyo Sanzo, the 31st of China, as you requested." The words had barely left his lips to echo in the chamber before he dropped to one knee, in between the fires and staring at the pillars ahead of him.
In an instant, the heads of three beings appeared before him. One an old man, one a younger woman, and one a more androgenous figure, the three all had similar veils on their heads and stared down at him as though they could see right through him.
The woman spoke first. "Welcome, Sanzo. Forgive the sudden call. There is a matter that we must discuss."
"There is nothing to forgive," Moon insisted. They were of more importance than he. His convenience was of no concern.
"You are likely aware of the disaster that erodes this world," the man said next. "From the West to the East, a poison spreads across this land. The glory of Togenkyou is tainted."
Moon nodded, not yet raising his eyes to them. "You speak of the sudden violence of the youkai... and their loss of self."
"Indeed."
"Humans now pass their days with a fear of youkai that is close to death. Togenkyou is paradise in name only. It is a picture of Hell." Moon reported all he'd heard to this point. "What on Earth is causing this?"
The figures spoke again. "You are familiar with... the legend of Gyumaoh?" As he spoke, Moon's mind turned to the stories themselves, in vivid detail.
"Gyumaoh, the great youkai sealed within Houtou Castle by the War God, Crown Prince Nataku, 500 years ago. Gyumaoh, the Ox King. They say he refused to live with humans and instead devoured their flesh.
"Someone is trying to revive Gyumaoh. And to do so, they are utilizing the forbidden practice of combining science with magic. The science of men and the magic of youkai are not to be mixed, just as the physical union of humans and youkai is forbidden. To do so would create a wave of minus energy that would destroy the balance of the universe."
Another head spoke, but Moon was so overloaded with the implications of this that he couldn't remember who it was. "Genjyo Sanzo, we appoint you. Travel with past associates Son Goku, Sha Gojyo, and Cho Hakkai to Tenjiku in the West. Stop the resurrection of Gyumaoh to restore sanity to the youkai. Restore Togenkyou to its rightful harmony."
"As you command," Moon said, lifting his head up to see the people giving him his mission.
"Sanbutsushin, my lords," he added, as he rose in front of them. "I have but one question. Why have you appointed three youkai for this mission?"
The older man answered after a moment. "Those three are youkai, and yet also human. Their humanity protects them from the effects of the Minus Wave. The three of them are unique in this. You've seen everything, Sanzo - you should know this well." Another pause. "It's ironic. The scars from their pasts... will be the spider's thread that binds you all together. They alone possess the powers necessary to combat demons and the will to withstand the negative energy. They are our last hope."
Now Moon - or Sanzo - looked at them with skepticism. "I acknowledge their strength, but as long as they have youkai blood in their veins, there is the chance that they too may turn against us. Relying on them could be suicide."
The woman spoke again, a hint of a smile on her face. "Whether that's what you truly believe or not, the truth does not change. We must put our trust in them."
"I hold trust in no one but myself."
"Sanzo," the third face said, looking disappointed. "It is time that you trust the eyes of your heart."
"Eyes of my heart...?"
"Now, join the others," she said, a hand suddenly appearing to point somewhere behind him. "And observe with those eyes. See what it is you truly need... and what you should believe in."