Kuro: A Land in Eternal Night

Chapter 16.1: The March of the Yami

[Tengoku-Ji, 516 D.A]

Oozen-Oo did not stand idly by over the next three years. She heavily fortified the temple's defenses, making several modifications, tirelessly improving upon the original design. The Inner Sanctum was opened up to priestesses deemed capable of using forbidden seals. The prohibition on their use was lifted. A risky move, but these were difficult times. It was the first time this part of the temple had seen so many visitors. Rows and rows of books were lifted off the shelves, dusty from years of non-use. The elite priestesses supervised the learning, of course, and the most dangerous of the forbidden seals were moved to a separate chamber.

Searra and I turned seventeen. As we ventured out into the world, participating in more and more missions, the stories of our prowess spread far and wide. No longer could the Order hide us in the shadows. Summons came from all corners of Kuro, asking for help in fighting the Yami. They would ask for us by name, the "Twin Sisters of the Light", they would call us.

As expected, Searra had blossomed into a beautiful young woman. Her figure became more pronounced, fuller, her always smiling face accentuated by pouty lips, and eyes as blue and beautiful as the sky in the days of the Goddess. So striking was she, that whenever we walked into a new place, people would stop what they were doing and gawk. She was comfortable with the adulation of course, always finding time to stop to talk to whoever cared to speak to her. I never was the smooth talker that Searra was.

"I wish you would smile more, Vannah," Searra would often say. "You really are quite pretty if you've half a mind to show it. But you're constantly brooding, and everyone finds you intimidating."

I would shrug it off. "It is not that important to me, Searra, that they like me. They already like you plenty. I'd much rather spend my time learning new seals." To that, Searra would smile and shake her head.

The fear and suspicion that had been ever-present in our lives disappeared. In its place came admiration and respect. We were called upon to teach and to demonstrate our ability to form and release seals. It was a good time for us, and it remains one of the happier memories of my time in Talthys.

But the happiness was short-lived, for the day we had been dreading came finally.

One day, late into the Slumber, Searra and I were summoned with great urgency to the Chambers of the High Priestess. As we entered, I saw that things were noticeably somber. Members of the Order's elite had assembled inside. The artifacts that had once lined the walls had all been taken down. In their place, plans and maps had been affixed to the walls. A long, rectangular table of ebony had been placed in the middle of the chamber. Upon it, various documents were strewn, detailed plans of the temple's layout, maps of Kuro, and of Taiyou and its surrounding areas.

"... We must hold for days..." Oozen-Oo was speaking, but stopped as she noticed us enter the room. The High Priestess smiled as she saw us both. "My dear Vannah and Searra," she continued. Her face was haggard, as if she hadn't slept for many days. "The time has come. We've received word from afar of a shadow departing from the Great Darkness. The Yami has set sail. It will not be long before they cross the ocean into the Boundary of Light."

My eyes opened in shock. "So suddenly?"

"Aye. The demons have begun their advance. Ever since we've been aware of the growing powers we have watched the horizon. I have called upon our sisters from afar to return to us. We number a little over three thousand strong."

"So few, there are so few of us," Searra whispered. I looked around at the room. Many of the elites that were assembled were graying, aging women. Blessed with powerful abilities, and with years of experience behind them, but past their prime. Their faces bore a collective mask of concern. Other than the women assembled in the room, the rest of the Order was young still, inexperienced. All eyes were fixed on Searra and me. The same eyes that used to look down on us in contempt, now looked to us, pleadingly, for help. It was a bad time for the Yami to attack.

One of the older elites spoke. "The size of the Yami army is considerable. We cannot count their numbers, for the Yami army veils itself with an ever-present shadow. But their line stretches from Naraka for miles and miles, across the great ocean."

"How far away are they?" I asked.

"They travel with great speed over the waters. It is an army that does not sleep, does not stop even to feed. We expect them to reach us in a month."

My blood chilled. There was so little time. Our prospects were bleak.