Five thousand years ago, swarms of demons and monsters emerged from the deepest layer of the earth to the ground. The hideous creatures that appeared to be myths showed themselves and wrecked havoc. They were believed to have been awakened during this era, the feudal era for one reason: to acquire the forbidden fruit that was blessed by the heavens on the maiden shrine in the village.
The forbidden fruit was believed to grant someone an eternal life with powers that go beyond strength. Thus it was hidden by the first maiden shrine and was locked away, out of the demon's reach.
The first maiden shrine became a legend for she was the one who sealed those creatures in the first place and now that her legacy was passed on, the seal weakened and does awakened the demons.
The current maiden shrine, the seventh one: Lira immediately sent out her men to search for a priestess who can cleanse the entire village, who can wave the demons away. But...
"She's nowhere to be found!" The familiar panicked after receiving one of the Hunter's letters. "She wasn't on Antohana." He added.
"Or in Himo." The gatekeeper said with the same piece of paper.
Everyone in the room starts to panic and they started running around, searching for an armor while others screamed in horror.
"Silence!" The maiden shrine's voice erupted and they immediately fell on their knees, unzipping their mouth and not moving a muscle.
The maiden's room behind the glass sliding door was lit up and her shadow shows. She's holding her fans and with one sway, the wooden door flew a few meters away; knocking a few of the figurines.
They all bowed their heads, more scared of the maiden's wrath than the demon attacks now.
"Have you identified which demon rose?" She asked. The familiar raised his head.
"Milady, it appears to be the nine tails." He quietly answered.
"And all of them are here?" She sounds so calm, amidst the threat, they thought.
"Seven of them are attacking the village, we haven't seen the other two." The hunter answered.
The maiden shrine stood up and walked slowly. She's finally going to show herself after she had fallen ill which is the main reason why she can't perform the warding dance. She needs the priestess to exorcise the place and that's the only thing that could save them all.
"How far are they from here?"
"A kilometer away." The familiar immediately answered as he held the maiden's arm and guided her to the throne chair. She's pale and it's evident that her powers are slowly fading away.
"Seto." She called the general of the hunters that served under her. "I want you to visit the tombs on the land of the dead. We might find her there." She ordered.
The man named Seto stare at her hesitantly. "If I may ask, your highness." He muttered. "But isn't she supposed be dead? She served the first maiden shrine and helped her seal them away. It's impossible for us to find her now, she must be at least a hundred and twenty years old. No one lives that long."
Some of them started murmuring after, saying Seto made a fair point and that finding the priestess and asking for her help is beyond impossible.
"Silence." The maiden shrine uttered with authority. They all knelt straight immediately and bowed their head in respect.
"Just do as I say." She added before handing the gold arrow that hang behind her on the wall to Seto.
"The arrow will disappear once she made contact with it. Don't worry, she's drawn by it so she has no choice but to get near it." She explained. The gold arrows were passed down to the maiden shrine per generation, to help them summon the priestess if they need to.
"Yes, your majesty." Seto bowed at her once more. "And make sure she heard about the nine tails. Tell her which tails were missing." The maiden added before Seto went out of the shrine.
He brought ten of his men on horse to travel across the mountain and whether he's still hesitant or not is irrelevant. He just need to follow the maiden's orders.
The land of the dead is located on one of the forsaken realm's floating island, just past the mountain. It's a thirty minute ride on horse and now that the band of demons are only a kilometer away from the shrine, they won't make it in time.
"Are you sure about this, Seto? Based on what you said earlier, the priestess may long gone." Baldo commented while they passed on the forest. Everyone's thinking the same way too but to Seto, there's no other way around it.
"Yeah. We could've just asked the old Maggie for assistance. She had priestess class on her lot, right?" Leno, Seto's younger brother agreed on Baldo.
They do have a point but Seto doubt they have a lot of time on their hands, the newly ordained priestesses might have headed to the battlefield already.
"You two are such idiots." Altima overtakes the two and rides beside Seto. "Where were these two when we had the history lesson?" She whispered to the chief hunter.
"What's the matter?" Altima asked when Seto wasn't responding, instead he's staring far ahead with a bothered look on his face.
"Brother?" Leno followed his gaze.
"Nothing. We just have to hurry or it'll be worse once the moon shows up. Let's go." He ordered as he held the railings of the horse and made it run faster.
The Scouts reached the land of the dead after half an hour and even though the Land's beyond the border, it looks deserted.
"I don't think we'll find her here either." Baldo muttered.
"Split up. Baldo and Leno climbed on a highest point where you can see the entire land, fire a smoke if you see something." Seto ordered.
"The three of you searched every house in this place, I'll leave the authority to Marlie." He turned to the other hunters.
"Altima and I will bring the arrow and moved to the tombstone. The rest of you guard the place." He mattered with much command that no one dared to speak otherwise.
"Yes, sir!" They all agreed in unison.
"Tie a rope to the arrow and wait for my signal." He added to Altima.
The two of them walked to a hundred meter away tomb place. It's not far from where they gathered there horses and in fact, they can see the big wooden plank that says 'the dead shall cross to the afterlife' above the gate.
Seto draw his sword out while taking a stance. He heard everything about the tombs of the land of the dead. It isn't just a normal graveyard but an ominous one.
Altima draws her bow and arrow too just in case and with every step they're making, her heartbeat races so much that she almost yelped when she saw an old woman in a brown cape, waiting for a customer to buy on her food stall, takoyaki stall.
"Oh my. The gods have finally pardoned me and gave me my first ever customers after quite sometime." She uttered in a very strained voice, she's older than she looks. Altima thought.
"Do you live here, Ma'am?" Seto softly asked. The wrinkles on the woman's cheeks showed as her lips curved into a small smile.
"I came from the southern village and I've been here for so long that I lost count." She answered.
The old woman averted her gaze to Atlima and the latter immediately pulled the string of her bow, about to shoot.
"Altima." Seto warned. She sighed as she put her bow down. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. It's her first time here." He apologized to the old lady.
"It's fine." She said without any hint of uneasiness. "Anyway, do you want to eat something?" She gestured the takoyaki on the table that's still hot.
"Thank you for your offer but we're kind of in a hurry." He kindly declined.
"Oh. Are you going to the tombs?" She asked after shooting a glance at the graveyard that's filled with grasses. "Today?" She added.
Altima and Seto looked at each other, deciding whether to tell the truth or make an alibi for the old lady. Within a few seconds, Altima sighed in relief.
"We're just going to check out something. We should be going." Seto bowed a little before bidding his goodbye to the old woman who's staring at them intently.
"Let's go." He whispered to the vice captain of the Hunter squad, Altima.
The latter nodded and followed Seto behind. But before they can even take another step, the arrow illuminated and turned to a certain direction. Seto immediately fired a smoke to send a signal for his men as Altima held the rope tightly on her grip.
"Are you sure you want to get in there? It's a scary place." The old woman muttered without looking at the two. She's busy wiping her stall and making sure the takoyaki is heated.
Altima ignored her remark and tied the end of the rope to her bow. Seto looked around, to see if someone is inside the tombs land. The arrow is pointing in front and therefore they must go inside.
The two walked on guard and brought their feet inside. The chilly air surrounding the place made them feel haunted and some broken tombs were opened, as if someone had dig the grave.
The old lady finally looked at the two with their backs facing her. The uneasiness she felt is making her stomach churn. She looked above and saw gray clouds formed on the sky.
"It's not a good day to die." She muttered to herself. "I hope they make it out alive."
She pulled the cape down and tied her ash gray hair. The ruby bracelet on her left wrist sparkles while the sun hid on the clouds. She glanced at the entrance once more and saw nothing, the two must've walked deeper.
"A sacred arrow, eh?" She mumbles. "I wonder what's happening and that the Isamari needs a priestess."
She knows something's happening at this moment, she felt it even before the sun rose up in the skies. An ominous aura showed up while the dawn was breaking and it made her stay awake. And just thinking about it makes her head aches.
The drawer below the stall was slightly opened and she caught a glimpse of the ornament she always had. She contemplated for a second and battled her thoughts out.
"Alright, stop calling me." She uttered with annoyance.
The gold ornaments in the drawer and other things she kept hidden are now inside a wooden basket that was given to her by a very important person. She strapped it on her back and take one last look on a small house that she had taken shelter to for many years.
"Ah miss, who are you talking to?" Baldo asked. He's with the other hunters and were headed to the graveyard too.
"Nothing. Where are you all going?" She asked with a smile.
"In there." Leno pointed the direction of the tombs where Seto and Altima just left.
"Mind if I tag along?"
The arrow stopped shining and also stopped moving. Seto and Altima are now half away and with the fog surrounding the entire place they figured they are somewhat lost. Now that their only hope of navigation stopped, it's going to be a whole lot harder.
"Now, what?" Altima asked, quite scared of the atmosphere.
"We can wait until the arrow illuminates again or follow my gut feeling and move towards that direction." Seto pointed at a dark angel statue who's holding his wings.
"I'd rather you decide, Chief." Altima raised both of her hands in the air, giving up and letting Seto decide.
"West it is." Seto grunted before he started walking. Altima tailed him from behind, still getting the creeps of this place. But even before they can cross the other side, Altima shivered in fear.
"Wait, Seto." She whispered. They both halted in their steps. "What?" He asked, confused.
"The ground is rumbling." She answered. And truth be told the ground started shaking upon their feet and made a loud noise.
"Hold on." Seto shouted. He grabbed Altima by the hand and tried to stand still.
"What is happening?" She asked and as soon as she said that, the ground breaks into two. Seto was about to pull her when something came out from the ground.
A giant monster appeared. It's a long and huge centipede with three faces that look exactly the same. The blue gleaming eyes stare at them intently.
Seto pulled Altima to his side and draws his sword but it broke when the monster's sharp nails scratched the ground. They both flew a few meters from the monster and fell on their backs. Altima cried when the impact intensified the pain.
"Altima!" Seto called but she was in pain and somehow opening her eyes was a difficult task. Seto grabbed his sword and charged at the monster but to no avail. The centipede's body slammed him and hit his arm. He grimaced and saw himself lying on the grass with blood pouring down his face.
"Brother!" Leno shouted. Seto looked up and saw Leno and Baldo together with the other hunters on the other side. They've drawn their weapons.
"No, it's too dangerous. Go back." He pleaded but they didn't listen. He then turned to Altima who's unconscious and his eyes widened when the arrow illuminated again and now it's floating still.
"Charge!" Baldo cried.
The men surrounded the centipede and simultaneously landed a blow to it's body. But the monster blocked their attacks and sent them off like the two.
In Seto's peripheral vision, he saw the same cape that the old woman wore at the food stall awhile ago but this time it isn't an old lady but a beautiful maiden with ocean blue eyes and glowing long ash gray hair. She's walking towards his direction and he didn't know why or who it was.
"Ahhhhhh." The air was filled with the Hunter's cries and frustration.
"There's no use. We have to fall back." He muttered, even though they can't hear him.
"Seto, right?" The beautiful maiden called. He stare at her face and admired her beauty. All he can do is nod. The maiden's presence makes him speechless.
"I need you to stand back a little." She whispered and Seto obeyed without asking anything. He crawled towards Altima and checked her wounds.
"Mind if I borrow this?" She asked while picking up Altima's bow and arrow. He didn't even had time to respond since she already pulled the string and draw the arrow ready.
"Move away!" She shouted at the hunters. Leno signaled them to move a meter away from the monster. The maiden aimed her arrow and closed one eye to look for a possible target. She waited five seconds before she released the arrow from her hand. It hit one of its head.
She closed her eyes and held on the arrows left while the monster is busy taking her arrow off.
"Makoto." The maiden whispered and automatically the arrows lit up and changed to silver ones. Seto can't believe what he's seeing. The maiden is a priestess!
"Y-you." The centipede screamed in despair before it bears its claws and fangs to her and with that distance, the maiden aimed three arrows at once.
"Amazing." Baldo muttered when the silver arrows pierced each face. The body glided everywhere hitting the graves and some statues.
"I've seen you. No wonder you're so familiar." The monster healed instantly. It crawled and headed to the maiden.
"Guess I'm going to need you after all." She mumbled before running to where Seto is. The golden arrow flew across the field and it disappeared. Seto can't help but blink, it really did disappear.
The maiden stood behind the centipede, in front of Seto and Altima and stretched her arms. She's pulling the string of the bow but they can't see any arrow in it.
"Die." The monster screamed in pleasure and crawled faster than before. The hunters readied themselves to protect the maiden but in a blink of an eye, the monster appeared in front of her.
The gold leaf hair ornaments appeared in her head and it looked like a crown. Her clothes glowed and changed to a white long dress with red accents on it, forming little spider lilies as a design. Her hair is flowing, like the wind is caressing it softly. It turned to black. Then she opened her eyes.
"Impossible!" The monster choked in fear upon seeing the maiden's transformation. Those ruby eyes that look magnificent sent multiple fear shock on the centipede's body.
"Sunshine." She muttered as she released the bow string. There wasn't any arrow on it but the golden one reappears and pierces to the centipede's heart, it's life form.
The monster screamed in agony as a blinding light shines through the land making everyone cover their eyes.
"Damn you!" Was the last thing it says before it vanished into thin air.
The maiden placed the bow and silver arrows back to where she picked it up and smiled at Seto who's mouth is slightly opened.
"Who are you, exactly?" Seto asked. She smiled at him and said nothing. When Baldo and Leno reached them, the maiden changed her dress to what she's wearing awhile ago.
"You are the legendary priestess, aren't you?" Altima muttered weakly. She's awake now and Seto helped her sit up. The maiden examined Altima's wounds and handed her the moguro leaves she have in the woven basket.
"Heat it on fire and put it on your wounds, you should be okay within a few days." She muttered. Altima accepted the leaves and stare at her in awe.
"You're the legendary priestess that the maiden shrine has been talking about." Leno said. She stare at the setting sun and let her memories washed anew.
"I'm no legendary priestess." She muttered as she strapped the basket to her back. She glanced at them and bowed slightly.
"I'm Amara and I'm the Priestess of Makoto."