New Game

It is done.  The task we've come this far to complete is over.  New York is no longer threatened by the artifact.  I suspect it came closer then any of us will publicly admit, as well.  I suppose I should tell some of the tale, if for no other reason then to have it written down.  It is harder for the tale to drift when it is recorded.

Nothing we tried to shut the artifact off had worked.  Aren, however, even with her weakness was able to...cast for the solution.  It had to be submerged in it's opposite.  As an artifact of darkness, it was left to me.  Vincent wished to take it to the Statue, but...there wasn't time.  If it was to be done, it had to be done at the Empire State Building.  Remembering how I dealt such damage to the shinobi, I returned with the artifact to the elevator.

Vincent gathered many mirrors, and everything else reflective that he could find.  It was, in the end, enough.  I find it difficult to put the feelings into proper words for what occured.  It was simply as if I was the sun, for a few moments, as I turned all of my divine power on the mirror my mother gifted me.  I did not see the results myself - such 'light shows' are difficult for me, as my eyes cut through such glare.  Gossip from those who had been watching the building, however, leads me to believe there was a simply massive wave of light shooting up and out from the building.

I stood when the light finally faded and walked outside.  The sky was clear, the black dome gone.  We'd won this battle, at least.  Even a temporary victory is something worth rejoicing in.

Victory

The beast lies slain.  The deathblow was not mine, but justice has been served.  When he evaded both my blow and Vincent's after he was stunned, Aren dragged him over the edge of the building.  Her bravery is to be saluted, but that may wait until she is recovered.  She did not come through the experience unscathed.

The artifact itself houses a powerful kami.  Amenable enough, but my divine bloodright is not enough to compel obedience.  It has been easy enough to find a container for it, however, until we can discover fully it's usage.  It will hopefully not take long, I would prefer to fully power it down before transporting it home.  Mother will know how to handle it, and while he has aided us, I would prefer not to simply give it over to Loki.  That seems...inherintly unwise.

We will be moving out soon.  Hopefully, it should not be difficult to slip away from the building to somewhere Aren may rest before we move on.  I will spend the time trying to discover how to disable entirely the artifact, or at least what I can about it.  Unfortunately, I did promise not to say anything negative about how Aren handled the beast.  I may, however, think it.

Straight to the Top

The barbarian, regardless of his apparent knowledge of a proper language(I know, I should not judge so.  He just...makes it difficult), has proven himself to be so again.  Instead of simply joining myself and Aren in the elevator, or taking the stairs, he jumped through the floor to the next level.  I admit, he did opt to join us after Aren spoke, but still.

The lighting cut out mid-way through the journey upward.  While I called the sunlight, it was not fast enough to prevent a pair of shinobi from entering.  When we could not end the fight in the first stroke, I summoned the sun again - this time in a sudden, bright burst, bounced off of every reflective surface within the elevator.  Given the nature of the elevator itself, this proved rather effective.  I had hoped it would have simply destroyed the shinobi outright, but I suppose I am not so strong just yet.  No matter.  The creatures were swiftly dealt with after that.

The last of the ride passed peacefully.  Our enemy was waiting for us at the top.  Hidden, but it would not matter.  There was only so many places he could hide, now.

Falsehood

I spoke to 'Mother', in this strange place.  I...do not believe it was truely her.  It was very convincing.  There were a few things that bothered me, but given the circumstances, I ignored them at the time.  She seemed...more openly disdainful of the others.  Even if she truely felt that when she sent me on this mission, I do not believe she would have allowed it to show now, regardless of how she felt about them.

I defended my companions against the various accusations, when I could.  They are not as bad as 'Mother' made them out to be.  And perhaps she was correct in that I should be more wary of the Lie-smith's daughter, and Hel-sama's words.  But as I said, I can think of no reason for whatever forces Aren-chan uses to divine the future to mislead her in this, nor for Hel-sama to.  Under other circumstances, certainly, but this?  I cannot believe it.  I know this one thing to be truth - Aren-chan is my friend.  

There are other things that make me believe this could not have been Amaterasu-Omikami.  Primarily, she knew details of what I saw that only three beings in any world truely know - myself, the elf-ling, and Aren.  I had never entered them down in these pages.  And then...the being before me called into question the education  Mother arranged for me.  I do not believe Mother would have done so...nor did she fail.  I was trained to be wary of the very tactics she claimed Aren-chan was using.  Furthermore, the being lost her cool.  Mother, even if I was being a foolish, petulant child, would never have done so.  The being grew angry, however...and would not, or more then likely could not, name the things Mother would know, but not an illusion or trick.  

To compound the matter, the scenary...flickered.  From Ise to the Empire State Building lobby.  This, to me, was the final straw in the shattering illusion.  I called the being to name itself and prepare to stand before justice.  Then the apperant illusion of Ise broke completely, leaving me standing with the others.  

I do not believe it was truely you, Mother, for I know you also can read these pages as I write them.  But perhaps it is simply my growing paranoia in the face of the battle ahead, or from being away from home, and the last family I have left, and everything I really know.  There is just a nagging feeling it truely was you, and I have been a terrible fool.  If that feeling is true...Mother, I will make amends to you.  Either I will bring the artifact itself to your hands in Ise, or I will return and present to you the Reza-Shouten, which I recovered from the Titanspawn several days ago.

Scattered

I have, at least, partially redeemed myself in my training.  One stroke cut down the final tengu.  Vincent-san is....fitting of the stereotype of New Yorkers.  Loud, obnoxious, but...he seems nice enough, otherwise.  He does not have any sense of how to properly behave.  It will take a great deal of work to turn him into someone I would feel comfortable taking to Japan.  Aren-chan I do not have to worry over, at least.

We traveled to the Empire State Building.  After the destruction of the World Trade Center buildings, it is the tallest building in the city.  There were roadblocks, no doubt work of the Titanspawn, but given that we had taken to the rooftops, it was not very difficult to evade them.  At the door we met Náttráðr, again.  Just as arrogant and infuriating as he was in the mountain.  I offered to allow him to surrender himself, his armies, and the artifact.  As you may guess, he did not take me up on the offer.

I tuned out the taunts he and Aren-chan threw at each other.  It is best that way.  I called upon Reza-Shouten's kami.  And...I once again discovered another person who could speak Japanese.  Vincent, this time.  I must stop underestimating those I encounter.  It is a bad habit.  It also seemed as if we would finally be able to put an end to Náttráðr's evil....

Then we entered the building itself.  I seemed to find myself transported to Mother's shrine in Ise.  Yet there were no people.  I was entirely alone, and Aren-chan and Vincent-san were nowhere to be seen.

Apples

The climb, as I predicted, was not too bad.  Cold, but I gather that's to be expected.  I don't think Aren-chan enjoyed it as much as I, though.  We did, though, finally reach what we would later learn was Central Park.  After she used her ability to try and read fate, we basically proceeded at random.  I should note to myself...Aren-chan is at least a very quick learner when it comes to swearing.

It didn't take long before we ran into a man being chased by tengu.  The scion we were no doubt meant to meet.    I have not taken enough time to properly train.  I will have to do so when there is time, as I am growing rather tired of not performing up to my own standards.  The Tengu seemed not to have any better luck.  They were unable to so much as harm me, and when they struck Aren-chan, she simply...I am not sure.  Phased out of her clothes?  It left her rather...ah...nude, leaving our unnamed 'friend' to comment.  I shall have to smash his skull in later for leering.

The annoying man struck down one of the tengu with direct, unarmed combat holds.  He is strong, if nothing else.  My next strike took another of the tengu out of the fight by tearing it's throat out with my naginata's blade.

I will continue the rest later.  For now, I need the time to clear my head.  Dealing with...everything has been difficult, and I have no great desire to finish the tale while I cannot concentrate on it.

A Very Large Tree

We spoke a little more with Haeljd.  After a short time, he brought us to the chambers of the Aesir's death goddess, Hel.  The stories are fairly exact.  A dual nature, split nearly down the middle.  She has been ill-treated because of it.  But amongst the divine, it seems they still have the far too human failings of such silliness.  Both myself and Aren-chan had to wade through a pit of blood...and other things, to reach her.  I am not going to pretend it was not disgusting, but what choice was there?

We learned a great deal from Hel-sama.  The most important piece is that we landed ourselves in the former prison of the Titans.  That explained a great deal.  The enemy that stranded us here prepares to strike New York, now.  And through the great tree of the Aesir, Yggdrasil, we have the means to stop him.  I am nervous about facing such a thing without a full band, but again, little choice.  Hel-sama told us another Amatsukami child awaits in the city, and that we would know him when we find him.

We are due to start the climb soon.  I worry about Aren, she is not as physically trained as I.  But if she falters...I suppose I shall simply have to carry her.  I am not leaving her down here.

Storm and Ice

Myself and Aren-chan opted to simply move ahead.  Moira-san and Alanna-san stayed back with the townspeople who had come with us.  It was that or simply wait and do nothing.  It did not take very long for things to grow...interesting.  We had but a single landmark, some form of pillar.  It's sheer size did little but keep it as a point of reference, using it to judge the distance we had walked was impossible.  And, soon, something else had appeared on the horizon.

It was a storm.  Massive in scope, it stretched across the black plain.  It moved incredibly fast, and it did not take long before we were within it.  The two of us pressed on.  Aren-chan said there was little other choice if we wished to reach one of the underworlds.  It did not take long for us both to be soaked to the bone.  And not long after that, I spotted strange figures in the mists.  Shambling creatures akin to horror movie zombies.  We were...unable to destroy the first one that got too close before it screamed, raising an alarm to the others.

There is little to be said of the fight itself.  Aren-chan will need training, but we destroyed the ones we had to before someone I did not recognize, but Aren clearly did, called to us.  With the way cleared, we broke free of the storm to find ourselves in the frigid wastelands of Niffleheim.  That is the coldest I have ever been in my entire life.  But the man, who introduced himself as Aren's nephew Hjaeld, created a fire.  We spoke, briefly, but my main concern was with not freezing to death.  This place was Aren-chan's show, all I had to do, and have to do, is look out for her.

Lost

I suppose, in a way, the ritual worked.

It did not take us back to the real world, however.  We are now in...Erebus.  I believe that is what Alanna-san called it.  A flat, black expanse of nothingness.  I simply kept watch.  My skills were of little use in attempting to discover how to move on, and one can never be certain a beast will not attempt to strike at us, even here.  Aren-chan tried her own abilities to divine the path.

I am not sure I am entirely happy about what she discovered.  She claimed there are three ways our path can go.    The Asphodel Fields, Nifilheim, or Yomi.  I would hope for the last, if only because my mother's name may carry some weight, there.  The others, I do not know.  There is little that can be done other then simply marching ahead, at any rate.

We are taking the civilians who aided the ritual with us.  There is no other choice, leaving them here would be death and madness.  I only pray that this journey is over soon.  I miss the sun.

Purpose

There was a great deal of talking, and planning.  On our ways out.  We've decided on one attempt, now.  Moira-san and Alanna-san have ventured back into town while, for now, myself and Aren-chan wait behind at the hill.

I suppose that particular honorific comes with a beginning understanding of many things.  The chief of which is, I believe, part of why Mother sent me to this band in particular, instead of one composed of other children of the Amatsukami.  Something that now seems incredibly simple and obvious, now.  It is that I must learn and grow, to be an honor to my family and my home.  That became abundantly clear today, finally seeing everything get dumped on Aren-chan, and how I had treated her since the incident under the mountain.  Hiding behind my native language, as well, when I grew angry about it...as I told Aren-chan when we spoke.  It was an act of abject cowardice.  I do it far too much, even with the others.  It is..difficult, not to simply default to the language I know best.  But many times it has been me hiding.  And I was taught better.

Given the choice between discovery and death, and what she did and possibly recovering the relic, Aren-chan did what she had to do.  Had I not just reacted, I would have realized that far sooner and avoided all of this.  But I have apologized.  It seems so little, and there was no way to justify my foolishness.  I think Aren-chan understood, though.  This does make me happy.  I consider her a friend, a good one.  Of the three of the others, she understands me best, I think.  Alanna-san does as well, but I suspect that is more warrior to warrior.  Moira-san, at least, tries, though I suspect she may be missing the mark.

I have little enough to repay Aren-chan's kindness and to help make up for how rude I was.  So I have decided to teach her Japanese.  Alanna-san can translate for Moira-san, so this way, Aren-chan won't be left out.  I can still wish I had more to give.  But all I can do is teach her the language of my home, and be sure to look after her-

The others are returning.  I had best pack up, I hope their plans will be enough.  I tire of this place.

All Worked Up Over Nothing

Moira-san took me to a local Japanese restaurant.  It was...not home.  They tried, I will give them that, and I was good about holding my tongue about their errors.  All the same, I appreciate the gesture.

 We gathered in the town square shortly after.  Aren-san...well, won the crowd over quite easily, without the need for anyone else to demonstrate our particular abilities.  After the stunned silence wore off, Aren-san took over.  Laid everything else on the line and found a handful of volunteers to help coordinate what the town will need for an extended stay.  As it seems likely we will be here for longer then a few more hours.  Or at least, best to assume the worst.

The others handled the rest of the sorting out.  With little else to do, I did what I seem to do best, settled back and took up watch.  After we were ready to head down into the Titan structure, I told the others what I had learned from the blade we recovered from the Tengu.  Nobody seemed...ruffled about it becoming a rescue mission too.  I suppose it's silly to think they would, given the situation.  Especially the three I am with.  They are all utterly, completely mad.  But they are loyal and valorous, even if some may not be trained to fight a war to the knife.

With my light guiding the way, we descended.  One of a trio of kamaitachi led us directly to the cells and the prisoner, Hamasaki Hiraku.  He is a blood-son of Hachiman, but fostered by Susano-o.  I admit to being curious about the story of how that occurred, but it would be impolite to ask.  I returned his blade, and we spoek for a time.  The two most important points are that Hiraku-san was wounded, somehow, and cannot stand.  The second is that the trio is down one, and the little ones cannot sense their companion.  It would seem to imply we are well and truly cut off for the time being.

We also learned that the two Tengu we destroyed were the only two Titanspawn here.  I admit, I am...disappointed.  My greatest store of talent lies in the martial.  It is nothing...stereotypical of my people, it is just what I know I am good at.  And I am without supplies for painting in either case, so without the ability to, as Alanna-san would say, 'smash the crap out of something', I feel a bit lost.  It will make the recovery of Hiraku-san's relics easy, though, especially with the aid of the kamaitachi.  The two, Kama and Ita(I do hope poor Hiraku-san was not responsible for their naming.  Even I could be more original then that.) are quite friendly.  Perhaps I could convince them to play a prank on Moira-san for her joke about painting the Batman symbol on my mirror.

We did not speak of much else at the time.  I helped Hiraku-san to his feet, and we were headed to the surface.  The rest of the story will come.  At least they have not tried to set me up with Aren-san for...at least an hour.  I believe that is progress for Moira-san and Alanna-san.

Land of Shadows

It seems the explosion was not enough.

This strange place that we were sent to was a virtual mirror of the proper world, save the lack of...anything alive or made by hand.  I suspect there were not even any spirits here, before we brought them.  With no other path, we returned by foot to where Standish ought to have been.  And not long after we arrived, the city did appear.  Everything in it, people, buildings, animals all came with it.  And a book store.  Moira-san's newest book hadn't made it home yet, they should have a copy here.  Perhaps she could autograph it?

...or maybe I should club her with it.  After I club Alanna-san for ratting out what I've been saying.  I haven't been trying to be rude, it is just...habit.  Can I really be blamed for using my native language more?  And...and...what she did was going too far.  They both twisted my words to make it seem as if I was lusting after Aren-san.  That's just absurd.  She is...nice enough, when I'm not angry with her, but why would I?  What is the point?

Before anything else, we traveled to the center of town.  A...building had appeared, completely different from all other architecture.  It had to have been evidence of the Titanspawn...and that was proven correct.  Only two tengu appeared after we breached the main entrance.  Both were cut down, though the second wounded both myself and Alanna-san.  The wounds did not last...I suppose we both have rather remarkable healing abilities.  I found another katanam, as well.  This one bearing Hachiman's own seal.  I have taken it with me as we spread out to prepare for our assault on this building.

Moira-san offered to take my to a meal and...talked.  And talked.  And talked.  The whole thing about 'love conquers all'.  It...she makes some sense, but ultimately every story I've ever read about situations like this ends with both parties dead or hating each other.  Even when I finally calm down more, I would prefer -not- to risk that with Aren-san.  So I simply told her that I would consider her words.  Which I will.  I will not, however, act upon them.  And what she does not know, will not harm her, in this case.

I suspect Mother is also using this as a test of my patience and understanding of foreign cultures.  If so...I woudl have appreciated the warning.  I fear I am going mad.

Just Not Enough

I suppose I should simply grow used to disappointment.

The alarms let us infiltrate the base, after Alanna-san led the giants off on a chase.  It did not take long to find Aren.  Moira-san....I've discovered does have a distinct gift for understatement.  Perhaps that is where her writing abilities went rather then into actual talent.  She claimed Aren was distracting someone, probably the leader, when we heard screams from behind a door.  I truly should have realized what those screams were, given present company.

The phrase 'sleeping with the enemy' is exact to describe what Aren was involved in with the base commander.  For all that is holy, she was supposed to be better than this.  I would not be so angry if the damnable wench had not seemed to be enjoying herself so much.  She was to find or recover the artifact and leave, not throw herself at the enemy leader.  And she has the nerve to have her little dalliance after the harassment she gave me and Alanna-san for how we handled the situation at the hotel?

That damned creature, though.  It simply would not die, regardless of how many times I struck it.  Either my training is not as good as I believed, or we stumbled into a battle that could not yet be won.  Aren did have the courtesy to, at least, aquire the artifact...until she told the leader where she had it couldn't even maintain a hold on it.  I will grant that may not be entirely her fault, given the strength of the creature we were dealing with.

And unfortunately, Alanna-san arrived too late to help us overpower the creature before it could activate the artifact.  While we appear to be where we left, but the chamber is empty.  I suspect we are wherever those other towns have gone to, which may give us some hope, if anyone in them yet lives.

I am tired.  And I am angry.  Moira-san and Alanna-san can do the talking, because right now, I am going to turn either of my blades upon Aren if I have to speak another word to her until I've calmed myself.

Patience

It would seem working at both the shrine and the shop have done well by me.  Being able to control myself and not just start snapping at those around me is something I will always be thankful for, though I wonder why Mother thought it best to test me in this particular manner.

Aren-san is...not particularly happy about how things at the hotel were handled.  Or just in a fundamental conflict of personality and belief with Alanna-san.  Most of the strife is centered around the two of them.  I fully suspect that either they will start throwing punches, or making out, any day now.  Perhaps I should see about aquiring a stun-gun or mace.  I suspect nothing short of that will stop a brawl, and turning the blunt end of my naginata on them seems excessive.

Moira-san and Aren-san, through use of their other abilities, pinned down what and where the artifact we need to liberate from the Enemy is.  Those abilities are...strange.  Perhaps I just think trying to peer past the veil of fate is cheating.  If we know what waits for us, where is the fun in letting life surprise you?  I suppose though, at least in this case, I shall live.  Especially as it's giving us a chance to stop the Enemy before another town is taken.

There was more arguing, then.  I am beginning to think I could cut through the tension in this group with a large brick.  But we did finally agree to a plan.  Aren-san, disguised as one of the creatures of the enemy(the proper name still makes no sense.  It is as if the Norse decided to knock over the concept of proper language, then perform a violent and disturbing dance upon it.) slipped up towards where the artifact was being held.  Myself, Moira-san, and Alanna-san followed behind, to make the Enemy think we were tailing one of their own.  The plan even worked splendidly, giants escorting 'their friend' back to the base.

Then the alarm sounded.

Then, Kaboom

Another...spirited debate on how to proceed.  I must agree with Alanna-san's thoughts that Loki can 'stuff it'.  Or that at least, Aren-san can handle it herself.  I imagine it's for different reasons, but we at least agree on that point.  There was, at least, some good news.  Moira-san's...abilities to guess the whims of fate have given us a solid lead to pursue.

Alanna-san was also given the location of a sacrifice her mother, The Morrigan, wanted.  Moira-san's abilities provided that answer as well.  Her grandfather had killed her father.  Given all that we had learned, there was finally a plan.  Let Aren-san and Moira-san deal with the professor, then stop by where Alanna-san had asked to meet her grandfather before continuing with our primary mission.  I gather everything went well at the professor's.  They didn't call Alanna-san in to deal with the problem, at any rate, so things must have gone peacefully.

Much better then what occurred at the hotel, later.  I joined Alanna-san as she went into the room.  It....well.  Alanna-san did not act in a way I didn't expect her.  As soon as the door shut she immediately pulled her blades and started to lunge, only pausing when her grandfather revealed a 'dead man's switch' linked to what would later prove to be a rather impressive amount of explosives.  I did the only thing I could think of as she surged forward again - I ordered the kami within the detonator not to carry out it's function.  It worked.

Alanna-san, at least, seems to have complete faith in my abilities, after talking to the mask captured from Hideki.  It is, strangely, comforting to hear.  With the sacrifice taken, Alanna-san talked to the others.  As they began to clear the hotel with their own abilities to convince, I told the detonator to resume it's function in ten minutes time.  Give us time to get far enough away.  Alanna-san's plan was, ultimately, simple...the attention of the media from the explosion would keep the Titanspawn from removing this town from exsistence unnoticed, giving us time to put an end to the threat.  And I now realize I never mentioned that Alanna-san asked her grandfather to meet us in the town the Titanspawn had designated as their next target.  Apologies.

As we were weaving our way through the fleeing traffic, the hotel exploded.  It was really quite spectacular, and given what I have learned of the American media in the past few weeks, they'll be camped out there for months.