The God of Gravity part 1: Demigod District

Tamashi no Ken

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It is early in the morning when Hiroki packed the things needed for the journey deep into the forest. Sayuri ate her food on the table while frowning. The sunlight from the windows lit up the hut, the birds on the trees sang their songs, the moist air can be felt by their cheeks, and the smell of the war paints filled the air.

"My lady!" exclaimed Mato at the door with worry on his face. "Elder Helki has something to say to you. Please hear her last words," he said and bowed. She nodded and he said, "Thank you, my lady!"

Sayuri wiped her lips using the back of her hand, stood up, and pulled her sheathed sword leaning against the side of the table. She went outside and saw the tribesmen in their war paints gathering around a hut. She figured out it is where the old lady's deathbed is. She approached it, and Hiroki hastened what he's doing to catch up to her. The men saw her and gave way. They looked worried like their leader.

Inside, it was just a small hut that only three people can fit when lying on the ground. Sayuri stood before Helki's feet as she lied down on the bed. The old lady looked at the goddess with the eyes full of life, unlike her pale face, and gasping that give off the feeling of dread.

"My lady," said Helki as Shizuku grabbed her hand as she sat on the chair at the left.

"It's okay," said Sayuri in a kind voice. "you don't have to be formal. I am here to hear your words, Helki."

Hiroki saw the young goddess's expression that he has never seen before. All the time he's been with the goddess, he never seen her put a kind face such as this, so he couldn't help, but stare at her, for this might not happen again.

"I-" said Helki, but she coughed. "I want to help you bringing my children back."

"Helki," said Sayuri. "I respect what you are saying, but let me do it alone, for your time in this world is near to its end. I told you before, I will never stop until I get my revenge on that man. On the way, I will be able to save your children. I swear upon that."

"Thank you, my lady, but I can't die while they aren't saved yet. Let me live inside you, my lady. Please."

Sayuri looked confused. "What do you mean?" Then her eyes widened a little as she realized what she meant. Her face turned into her usual frown as she stood up from her chair, and talked to Mato at the door. She asked, "You know what she means?" He nodded. "Will you let me do it?" she said to the others, and they nodded. "Then look away if you don't want to see it."

"No, my lady," said Mato. "we will not look away to witness her courage and sacrifice, so let us watch her eyes close. We want her to know that we acknowledge her sacrifice and her last will as her sons. As warriors, we respect her decision, for all this time, we are doing the same thing as her."

She returned to the hut, but Hiroki couldn't catch what's going on so he asked, "What's going on?" to Mato.

Mato grabbed the shoulder of Hiroki and said, "It's Elder Helki's last resolve in order to help save our people. We are here to witness her sacrifice. And I thought you already heard of the sword she's carrying." She pulled it out of its sheath, and Hiroki realized it all. "'Tamashi no Ken' - is what it is called if I am right, that translates to 'soul sword' in the Common Tongue. The sword that has been passed down from generation to generation in the Miyamoto clan, and was used by the Legendary Samurai, Miyamoto Musashi during the revolt against Olympus. As a powerless demigod, he was forced to make a deal with Hades. It took him to the length to sacrifice the lives of millions of people for the power that can defeat gods. Thus, this sword was made. After a great s*******r, he challenged Olympus. Even Zeus himself, couldn't defeat him alone, so he and the other Olympians faced him. It was a destructive battle, but he was defeated. The sword then was kept secret by Hades after the battle, and hid it as one of the Sacred Relics, down in the Depths of Tartarus. Then it was redeemed by the Miyamoto clan after the fabled 'Great War' after they helped to fight against the invaders, without the original gods of Olympus knowing about the true power the Blade holds."

Sayuri helped the old lady sit on her bed, while she stood up, and put a stance with her sword. Helki closed her eyes with a smile, as her warriors looked at her proudly.

"How did you know about this?" asked Hiroki.

"That's the question I asked to the missionary that taught us, but he answered, 'I just know,' then suddenly disappeared."

Hiroki thought, "That's a mysterious man." Then he asked, "What's his name?"

"He didn't say," said Mato while nodding to make Hiroki pay attention to Sayuri.

She swung her sword through her neck. She wiped the sword with a piece of fabric and put it back into its sheath. That's when Helki's blood gushed out of her cut throat. Then a black smoke came from Helki's dead body and to Sayuri. She inhaled deeply as she felt power surging through her veins while kneeling on the ground. She stood up and bowed to Helki's dead body, lying on the b****y bed, and then went out of the hut with the usual frown on her face.

"We will not forget you, Elder Helki," said Mato. "Well then," he said to the tribesmen. "let's move out and grant her wish. We will save our people from the man with the golden mask!"

They cheered in their native language, followed behind Sayuri, and left the village to a young boy, as well as the burial of the old lady. They brought with them everything they needed, and not expecting to come back alive. Twenty-five men left to accompany the goddess, and as soon as they entered the rainforest, Hiroki felt like he's the only one who is useless as the tribesmen scattered to find any tracks. He wore this safari hat and just pretended trying to find something around the forest while keeping close to Sayuri - where he felt he could be safe alongside her because she is the strongest among the people here.

"Don't even try," said Sayuri. "you're useless even if the tracks aren't concealed."

He scratched the back of his head and smiled. "Oh, uh," he stammered. "but what do you mean that the tracks are concealed, my lady?"

She stopped walking, and so did others. She closed her eyes for a while, and there was a sudden shockwave from her. It was weak, but enough for the human skin to feel. Starting from the ground where she was standing, the tracks appeared around her. The men were surprised, as well as Hiroki. there were a lot of tracks spreading here and there, but he can't figure out which direction they are headed.

"So," said Sayuri. "where are they headed?"

"Give us more time, my lady," said Mato then talked to the other tribesmen. Hiroki followed them, while Sayuri sat on a log and closing her eyes. After a minute, Mato approached her and said, "They are headed to the northeast, my lady."

She nodded, stood up, and walked to that direction. There were some men scattered around, to find some more tracks. Deeper into the jungle they went, and eventually reached the fence they built as a sign to not go any further.

"This is it, my lady," said Mato. "Beyond this, is the part of the forest we haven't dare to walk on. Beyond this, is where people go and never return."

She just looked at him, summoned a blade from her palm, and sliced the fence in pieces. She crossed it like it's not a big deal.

"I guess it doesn't matter for her," said Hiroki to Mato, then they followed.

Deeper and deeper they went further into the jungle, the temperature started to rise with the humidity. The shrubs and thickets have become denser, as well as the canopy above. Hiroki is very anxious about the place, for he almost got bitten by a snake earlier. There are also large bugs flying around, and mosquitoes biting his neck. It seems that he is the only one who's bothered by it all. The animals sense the presence of Sayuri as she is: a goddess and the tribesmen coated themselves with balm as protection against them. They are used to this kind of weather, and the goddess used a breathing technique to cool herself down.

"My lady," he said, panting like a dog, and following behind her. "I don't think I can make it."

"Fine by me," she said as she touched her sword.

He laughed nervously and making it sound so obvious that he's joking. "I was joking, my lady!" She frowned at him. "Uh, okay, no joking, I get it."

Mato signaled the group to stop, then they all fell quiet, and sharpened their senses. Hiroki felt a little shake on the ground. One by one, it just felt stronger and stronger. Then he saw the shrubs at the right to the distance being shaken by something. It brushed and followed by a thud, then a brush followed by a thud again. There was a little light from the canopy above, and the thickets are dense, so they couldn't see it clearly. It was a creature with a figure of a man, except the legs and the arms were longer. It is almost as high as the canopy as it tries to bow its head to avoid the branches above. It slowly moved, until they saw it clearly above the shrubs.

Hiroki saw it and exclaimed, "What the-"

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