#nasu isn't the only one that can play syncretism tennis

[tgrailwar-zero]

So little guy, where are you from? Do you live here in the city or are you visiting?

LITTLE GUY: "We sleep in by the Port! It's foggy sometimes, but sometimes it's sunny! We were sleeping, but now we're awake!"

LITTLE GUY: "...Mm..? We're... awake?"

LITTLE GUY: "Hm... I dunno! I dunno!"

KUKULKAN: "Not as much as I'd have hoped... we can talk more once we're done."

KUKULKAN: "...Fair enough, hehe. I guess someone has to be the one to tell Rider. I'll go get the boys."

KUKULKAN: "Oh, it's probably fine! But, just in case, we'll save it for later."

LITTLE GUY: "Bye, bye!"

They waved, wandering off down the Archives.

With that decision made, you got to the fun part. Research.

The Heavenly Divinity had been summoned as a warrior during the Lunar Grail War. One of the 129.

She hadn't been summoned in this way before. An old god, in a newer form. A dragon in the form of a fox. A goddess in the form of a mortal.

Her name was T█████=M██████████.

Was. At that moment, it was.

The stories of humans had weaved together a strange tale, it seemed. But that was fine. She was quite fond of weaving, after all. Her identity was fluid, one that shifted like the water, and danced between the gates of shrines.

'Caster', her Master called her. The maiden of the Hirota Jinja Shrine, a 'Caster'. Humans had called her many names over many years, but that was a new one.

While many saw her as a Kitsune, a simple fox-spirit, this Servant was a Shinko-ō. A divine 'dragon-fox'. A daughter of the heavens. Terrifying and beautiful, she was summoned by a hopelessly hopeful master for a hopelessly hopeful cause, and fought for it with every ounce of her being.

And then, the Titan struck.

She watched as the Servants of the Moon did everything they could, and knew it wasn't enough. She had seen this Titan before. Fought this Titan before-- and knew that the boundless strength of Heroic Spirits were not enough for it. And so, as they fought, she readied herself.

The Titan could only be defeated by divinity. Divinity unchained by humanity, and free to run wild and untamed. And so, the single-tailed fox gathered power, power that she had promised to never coalesce again in another life. -

You continued reading, though it felt like you were slipping further and further into a haze.

It felt more like a conversation. Like someone was speaking to you, gently by your side. The voice, delicate and feminine, seemed to whisper in your ear.

"There's something laughable about the idea of a 'lonely god'. Gods should be worshiped. Respected. Beloved. My Master held a deep contempt for humanity. He hated their contradiction, their twisted affairs, their violent nature. But he accepted it as well, knew that their violence would lead to peace. That if there was something truly terrible in the world, their differences would be set aside, and they would be saved. He could calculate, but understanding was out of his reach. And yet in his struggle, in his constant theorizing and thrashing about, he held something beautiful. A spark. A beautiful soul. Perhaps that is why I was summoned at his side. I am your goddess. I am your God. And, my beloved people of the Solar Cell, I selfishly ask of your forgiveness. Selfishly ask for your hope. Selfishly ask for your acceptance. I cannot tell you the reason, but I selfishly ask for your sacrifice as well."

-

You eventually reached a passage that held you tight. You could feel eyes on you. Burning, yet cold. Rushing water accompanied by the sound of crackling flames. Violent, yet calming. A contradiction.

'Amaterasu'. 'A M A T E R A S U'?

That cannot be my True Name. Amaterasu is kind. Gentle. The warm rays of the sun, that satiate those that dance under her gaze.

I am violent.

I am powerful.

I am the Great Fox Spirit. The Konjiki Hakumen. The Lady of Purification. The Goddess of Mukoyama. A mere facet of the Sun.

I create life.

I shine with the heavenly bodies.

The Servant of Amaterasu Ōhirume no Mikoto. The wrath of Tenshō Daijin. The flesh of Sume-Ōmikami. I am her untamed nature made manifest.

The waters of the Lunar Sea bow to me as they purge the world of evil. The flames of the Solar Cell burn for me as they purge the world of fear.

The great Titan will be cast into the Lunar Sea, and all shall be well.

Such is the will of--

-

You heard snapping in front of you, knocking you out of your trance.

ARCHIVIST: "I don't mind you resting your eyes, but the Archives are closing. Best to get a move on, right?"

Looking down, you realized that you had stopped reading at some point, though it was difficult to tell when. The book had been clamped shut, your smoke-like, tendrils (vaguely shaped in the form of hands) clasping it tightly.

#long post #thgw story #main post #thgw: chapter 5 #endless whispers #item usage poll #nasu isn't the only one that can play syncretism tennis