Narai-juku, Japan
Edo period
1627
03:37
The lightning flashed, lightening the sky for a mere few seconds, almost splitting the heavens, the tremendously roaring sound of thunder was ear deafening. It didn't rain, not a single drop...
"Help...me!"
The woman cried out banging on the wooden door, her white yukata still stained with the blood from the delivery, her hair was wet from sweat and tangled in knots. She was clinging to a piece of cloth, drenched in blood.
The wooden door creaked open in the dead of night. It was the woman's mother, the pure shock of seeing her daughter in this state made her fall to her knees. "Kana? Kana! What happened?" The elderly woman's eyes grew in fear.
"Mother! Please...my baby!" She held out the ripped piece of cloth in front of her, gripping it to the point her fingers and knuckles were white.
"It was a kappa who took my child! Please, you have to believe me mother!"
Another lightning strike followed by thunder.
"Please..."
The Yokaī realm
7261
74:30
The slimey, hardshelled creature was scurrying through the dark forest. The rotting carcasses, skeletons and other different kinds of bones were leading up to the mountain top where his ruler awaited him. "That was easier than expected..." the kappa croaked to himself, into his stubby, scaled arms he held a baby boy, merely a few hours old. He stopped in his tracks.
"Oh...how I wish I could gobble you up right now..." his beady black eyes were shimmering in the moonlight. He opened his slimey, salivating mouth and slowly brought the child up to his chin. He could do it and no one would know..."FOOL! The king would know! Hurry up!" He snapped at himself.
The kappa found himself at the withered gates of the Unholy Shrine, upon entering the domain he felt that the tension in the air was different, malevolent...
Something was off...
In the Hall of Souls all the servants were lined up on each side of the ginormous Ryu skull, the Kings throne, the regularly empty throne was now occupied by the Demon emperor himself.
"So, you come yet with another disfigured child?"
Without opening his mouth the Demon spoke, his monotone voice filling the entire throne room.
"Y...your highness...This child is not disfigured in any ways or forms..." the Kappa stuttered out.
There were whispers among the servants in the room, the Demon held up his right hand, causing the servants to be quiet. "Carry on."
"I...it's a healthy son, your highness."
"Hm?" This caught the Demon kings attention. "You are telling me that from my seed, a half Oni is born?" The king shifted on the skull. The kappa nodded furiously, "Yes! Yes my king!"
"My, my...!" the king boomed.
"Permission to take the child, my king?" The Jorōgumo's jaws were softly clicking with each word she spoke.
"Go ahead."
The spiders lower body crawled down fast from the skull to the kappa standing right in front of it.
"Hand him over, creature." She held out both hands, the kappa placed the child into her arms. The Jorōgumo cooed at the sight of the baby boy, crawling back up to the skull throne.
"My king, we should name him Ryōichi." She whispered.
The Demon king nodded.
"All hail the Emperor's son Ryōichi!"
Joyous, victorious cries filled the throne room.
"My plan has finally worked! The prophecy has been fulfilled!"
The Demon king's laugh made the heavens and earth shake, thunderous applause and yells could be heard from the human realm.
"Ryōichi."
-
Tokyo, Japan
2026
06:27
I snapped out of yet another nightmare drenched in sweat, it was the fourth one this week...I could feel something warm trickle down from my nose to my cheek, I wiped it away with my fingers to see the dark crimson liquid on my fingers.
Blood.
"Good morning, Ryo."