“Thank you, Saionji-sama. I will not disappoint!” the priest bowed low, his two sons doing likewise. As they left, Gin turo his adjunct, one of the newly-gathered chosen of the Gods, who had arrived from Namba Yasaka-jinja, in Osaka. It was an Amaterasu fa shrine for several geions, and was famous for the massive lion-headed building that attracted many visitors every year.

  And the fact that it is another shrihat cims to worship Susanoo no doubt annoys that bastard Uchida. Though the shrine worships other deities too. Although… He regarded the older priest, whose bck hair was going to grey around his temples and nape, his small body a little hunched and crushed by age. To think that such a notable shrine, even if it had to be restored multiple times over the years, due tious persecution and then war, would be chosen by a fn God, not one from these sacred shores.

  It was an issue he was wrestling with. Being chosen ower, power the faith sorely needed if they were tain the resped authority they had once possessed, and Japan sorely needed iroubled times. But being chosen by a fy… In time, we will o look at that again. It would not do to dilute faith in the eight million kami too easily… But whatever thoughts he had oter, right now, Yasaka-san had a power that Gin could not do without, one he was unaware eveed until he answered the call to cve.

  “So, how many is that now?” Gin asked, knowing the answer, but he found it sometimes helped tanise his thoughts to have someone else annou for him, allowing an outside perspective.

  “That would be nine, including yourself, Saionji-sama.” Yasaka-san looked at the list. “Four here in Kyoto. Yourself, here at Kinkaku-ji, while Shimogamo-jinja, Kouzan-ji, and a minor shrine located he river, Aoishinkaihebi shrine also boast chosen.”

  “There should be two more. First we lost that idiot who squahe blessing being chosen as the heir of Tofuku-ji, and then another who was blessed from one of our minor shrines perished, getting too greedy and running into something deadly in Spiritual Kyoto.” Whether it was the Night Parade or something else, Gin had no way of knowing. Even so, the idiot was dead too, and that was a heavy blow.

  “Also, a shrine maiden from a minor shrihat art of Tsukuyomi fa perished, but in her case… the shriself colpsed, the kami… gone.”

  “Yes, I am hardly pleased about that.” Gin sighed. “I won’t weep for the loss of idiots who get greedy, even if it weakens us, but… that foolish girl mao get a kami killed, a shrine desecrated. Even though it was merely a minor member of the eight million kami, its loss is irrepceable. That damn fool Kudou o get a grip on his minions. Though I suppose I shouldn’t put on airs. I’ve suffered losses too.”

  In addition, there had beehs outside of Kyoto, affeg every fa, precious chosen from the shrines and temples dead. And we have injured chosen too, though uhe injuries are fatal, most seem able to reciven enough time…

  “Then there is me.” Yasaka-san said, with a dry, self-depreg ugh. “As well as four others who have arrived for cve.”

  “And I only khree of those.” He muttered. “A number are trying to hide their own abilities, it seems.” Like I did, until it became impossible to hide the preseny divine blessing on Kinkaku-ji and the surrounds. That fox Kudou knows for sure. “Still, like reises like. Avalokiteshvara is with me. Ironic that Uchida’s whelp seems to be chosen by Kannon. After all, Kannon is merely one representation of Avalokiteshvara. Someone serving a lesser fragment should not lead the faith.”

  “The gods are hard to uand. They have many faces, many aspects and avatars.” Yasaka-san said piously. “I uand this.”

  “I suppose you do.” Gin admitted, knowing his ability and fy. “I am nious schor, not of fn faiths anyway, but the Romaies were usually just deemed a version of their Greek predecessors, correct?”

  Yasaka-san agreed. “Yet it seems that they now are separate. Or perhaps like Avalokiteshvara and Kannon, they exist together as aspects of a greater whole.”

  “Well, this is fasating, but I have much to do before cve tomorrow. Needless to say, I expee others will be hiding their status, so we o ferret them out and bring them into the fold. Speaking of… what of Princess Mikasa? Has she agreed to see me?”

  “I am afraid her attendants said she was most fatigued from the journey. She asks not to be disturbed.” He shook his head.

  I see. It is a little vexing, but I ake demands of her, as she is both an Imperial Princess, and a chosen of Amaterasu, of the Grand Shri Ise, no less. But her implicit favour would do mue at cve, and even if she dees, as she has been doing, I would still like to broach a few further issues with her, ones she might well support…

  “No matter. We try again tomorrow before cve.” He dismissed the failure, choosing to trate on more pressing matters. “And the Diviner? Will she meet with me?” That old man Kudou keeps her close, and while she is firmly in his fa, the Diviner belongs to all Kyoto and the wider faiths, so she will extend her hand to others…

  “No. The Diviner and Kudou-sama had a visitor, and after that, the Diviook to her chambers at her shrine, and has not been seen since.” Yasaka-sa out a long sigh. “I tried using my Book of Provideo seek an answer as to why, but all I could gather was that a vision had driveo despair.”

  “A vision of despair? Orong enough to shake that ian?” Gin frowned. “If it is that important, no doubt she will speak of it at cve. But I dearly wished to win her over, separating her from that damn fox Kudou. Well, enough of that. I suppose I o tinue greeting the guests. Who is ?”

  “A minor shrine from Tokyo. Hisuikomushi. Kikuchi Shuta-san” Yasaka-san checked the list.

  “Another minor shrine, huh? S.” Gin frowned. Still, that name seems familiar. Wait… “Did you say Hisuikomushi? I am sure I heard that the priest of that shrine was dead, or in a serious act, or some such.”

  “Yes. Apparently he was in a signifit a. Though more importantly… that was caused by spiritual matters. He is a chosen.”

  At that Gin perked up, his weariness at yet another minor shrine vanishing. “A chosen? And he survived his brush with death? This might be more important than I had sidered. Show them in.” Minor shrines and those from other cities generally brought their family or their shrine maidens and trainee priests. It ain remembering them all, but as a leader of the most powerful fa, and the ohat was sure to be leading the faiths of Japan after cve, it was a necessary invenience. I wonder which kami he is chosen by? Just because his shrine is humble, does not mean that his divine favour is…

  As the doors opened, he observed the priest. He was apanied by a shrine maiden of school age, possibly his daughter, judging by appearance, and his senses detected the power of aether within her. It was modest, yes, but noticeable. Perhaps this shrine has a notable bloodline I was not aware of, and she has spiritual gifts? It is rare, but not unheard of in the older families.

  There was also a young man, probably her brother, and he had no aura of power around him. He was smartly dressed and looked a little rakish, the sort that girls would likely go for in bars, but Gin dismissed him, as he had no power. As for the priest himself, Kikuchi-san… He looked a little jumpy, as well he might, meeting the head of his fa, in such a famous shrine, but there was also something else about him, something that was b Gin, but he couldn’t quite pce the feeling.

  “Show your respects to Saionji-sama.” He said, bowing, urging his two children to do likewise. As they did so, Giured to the chairs in front of the table he was sitting at. Yasaka-san also took a seat, and Gin could feel his aether swirling, ready to use Book of Providence if needed. It seemed that Kikuchi-san noticed as well, and his daughter was shivering, her flesh rising in goosebumps.

  “This is my son, Natsuo, and my daughter, Maiko. I offer my greetings, Saionji-sama, it is an honour to meet you.”

  “No, the honour is mine.” He replied. “sidering you have been chosen by the kami.” He said it ht, and Kikuchi-saed.

  “You… you too, Saionji-sama? I should have expected no less from su august personage.” He swallowed nervously. “Yes, I am indeed so blessed, though not by a kami.”

  “I see. A fy?” Gin asked, and as he received a reply in the affirmative, Gin pohat. Another not from these shores. Still, it would be folly to spurn his assistance. “Oh well, a shame, but power is power, is it not?”

  “It is.” Kikuchi-san agreed, relieved. “My ability is nothing special though. After all, I nearly died…”

  At that his daughter and son looked grave, his daughter close to tears. Giured to Yasaka-san to prepare some tea, while he listeo the story, and it was a fasating owenty mier, a half-drunk mug of tea in front of him, Gin anised his thoughts.

  “So, a chosen uo the shrines and his undead yokai mao ensve you and your kami? Troubling. But I now uand why I had heard you were dead or dying. So… you were saved by ahen? A strong warrior?” This I o know more of. The shrines and temples have a noticeably higher rate of chosen than the general popuce, but if you take the extended family of all the true shrines, as well as the families of the shrine maidens and staff they hire… it would barely make a huhousand people, if that. So it is obvious we will be outnumbered massively by secur chosen…

  “Yes, Oshiro-san… he defeated Kondou Kazuo and liberated us. And also…” he paused, unsure.

  “Do go on. Don’t be afraid to speak your mind freely here. I am grateful for your shrine’s long support of Amaterasu fa, and your modest status means nothing as one of the chosen.” Gin urged.

  “Well, it’s just… I owe Oshiro-san, as does my daughter and son.” He said, tilting his head, thinking. ”I do not know how much I reveal. Though… I will say he is here in Kyoto, to attend cve at the invite of Uchida-sama and Susanoo fa.”

  I see. So he’s the one. I mocked Uchida for having to rely on outside influeo make up the gap between our fas, but it seems he has dug up some buried treasure. “So, does he have Uchida’s ear?”

  “I don’t know.” Kikuchi-san admitted. “Though I do know he has a lot of Tokyo shrines supp him. Hikawa-Kawagoe, and also Yushima Tenjin among them.”

  Gin drew in a breath, surprised. “Hikawa-Kawagoe is Susanoo fa, sure enough, and powerful. But Yushima Tenjin. That’s old woman Chiyo’s shrine. And she’s tight with Bankei-san who is the most iial of the ral shrihat seems an odd bination.” Bankei-san is still vigorous despite his advang age, and is not to be trifled with. If the ral shrihrow their weight behind Susanoo… no, there’s too much I don’t know yet. But I find out…

  “So, I am pleased you remained loyal to our fa. It seems a shame to let your saviour make a poor choid throw his lot in with Uchida’s cowards. I offer so much more.”

  “Father, be careful.” The girl, Maiko-san, spoke up suddenly. “I know he gave us some leeway, but if you betray Oshiro-san, it won’t go well.”

  “Shut up, sis.” Her older brother pined. “You are in the presence of…”

  “You don’t know, you weren’t there!” she shot back. “As soon as father was saved you went back to Uni! I’m grateful you helped me when I was all alo the shrine, but even so… you never bothered to meet or thank Oshiro-san! He’s nice, but he has scary friends and allies.” She shuddered. “Fukumoto-sama would spare no expeo have a traitor hunted down, and Shaeu… she’s terrifying. And he has that maid who stantly giggles to herself all the time, but I’ve seen her lift up a full barrel of sake with ease. She’d crush our skulls our necks if we talked. There’s others too…”

  I see. For the girl to be so afraid… I o dig deeper. “Are these other chosen?” he asked, his tone kind. “I mean no harm by it, I simply o know so I approach him properly.” The more I hear about him, the more ied I am in him. Why should he throw in his lot with Susanoo, when our Amaterasu is clearly a stronger fa?

  The daughter exged a long look with her father, and they were clearly weighing up whether to speak oter, whitrigued Gin further. He exged his own look with Yasaka-san, telling him to ready the Book of Provideh his eyes. A moment ter, Kikuchi-san spoke diffidently, his voice stumbling over the words. “Oshiro-san… he said we could say, if we had to. Though… it’s a valuable secret, so…”

  “Rest assured, you are Amaterasu, and answered the call, despite your troubles.” Gin assured him. “So speak freely, and I will not disadvantage you. In fact, I anticipate you w directly under me. Those chosen by the divine are as precious as the most august of shrines.”

  “Father, this is an opportunity! We were beholden th yakuza and living hand-to-mouth for years!” his sed. “Now Saionji-sama is you a pce of high regard! Do it, if you are a man!”

  “Shut. Up. Brother.” His sister said, face pale, each word punctuated by anger. “We already have a pce of high regard.”

  Curious. Though sidering his pany, and the nobility bag this Oshiro-san, it makes sense she would see it that way. But upstarts are upstarts, we have fifteen hundred years of history, no, more, on our side.

  “You sister is right.” Kikuchi-san agreed. “Oshiro-san is our beor, I would be worse than dead, and you two would be homeless if not for him. Still, I do o give Saionji-sama his due. He turo Gin. “So… are you aware that under certain ditions, kami be brought to this world, given a body, such as you or I?”

  Gin drew in a breath, not expeg that. It is the most powerful secret I possess, that I and several others of Amaterasu have ma lesser kami from the smaller shrines of Kyoto to this world, though the one I brought forth seems tent to sleep most of the time. Still, produg them at cve was going to be my ing moment of glory… “So, Shaeu and the… maid, was it?” Gin said, thinking. “Are they kami? Shaeu, the name does not sound Japanese.”

  “Not kami nods, but powerful spiritual beings.” Kikuchi-san answered. “As for kami… our jade beetle, he walks the Earth. He is back at the lodgings Oshiro-san paid for. I was… hoping to reveal him to you wheime was right.”

  Gin eyed Yasaka-san, and a little aether surged, signalling he was using Book of Provideo verify these cims. Kikuchi-san shifted, perhaps sensing some aether usage nearby, but he remained silent and humble. A moment ter, Yasaka-san gave a small nod. So, it’s true. “Fasating. So is it just your kami?” he asked and Kikuchi-san wavered. “You do not have to answer if it would put you in a difficult position.” He said reasonably, though in his mind he was annoyed. From that rea there’s at least another. So either ral or more annoyingly, Susanoo fa. That lessens the impaine, and these spiritual beings also are a drum…

  “I appreciate it.” Kikuchi-san smiled a little. “I am in a quandary. I do not wish to deny you what I know, but… I also have to serve Oshiro-san’s is.”

  “Well, if your kami is able to ma, then your pder Amaterasu is assured. Even more so…” he said, his expression friendly. “… if you pass on my regards to Oshiro-san. I would dearly like to meet him, he will find me likely more aodating than Uchida and his arrogant whelp.”

  “I’ll offer him your words, but he is very busy.” Kikuchi-san apologised. “But I am sure I persuade him to make some time for you, Saionji-sama.”

  “Excellent. So, Yasaka-san…” Gin said, thinking on how best to extract further information. “Bring some drinks for uests. I would speak to Kikuchi-san further. Push back the other visitors.” He looked at the son and daughter. “I fear we will bore you talking of shriters. Go enjoy yourselves for now.”

  “Be careful about what you say, father.” The girl warned, before Yasaka-sahem out.

  “Well, you have a good daughter there.” Gin grirying to lower Kikuchi-san’s guard. “She must be very proud her father was chosen.”

  “I don’t know about that. I made a mess of things.” He muttered. “Only lud outside aid saved me and my family. But now… I have a ce to be better. To do better.”

  “Yes, you do.” Gin agreed. “So, allow me to ask…”

  ********

  Well, wasn’t that both fasating and troubling in equal measure. Gin looked at Yasaka-san, who was reviewing information from his Book of Providence. “So, is what he was saying true? That this chosen has opened a training school for both the shrines and nobility, and allow access to the Spiritual Realm, where the kami dwell?”

  “There be no mistake. The answer is clear. Kikuchi-san’s daughter has been through this too, apparently, and it strengthens her spiritual power, as well as her strength, durability, intelligend more. Providence says she would be able to fight on equal terms with a retively strong adult man. As for nobility… Providence has answered. Oshiro-san is favoured by Takakura-sama, as well as some of the most powerful noble houses in Japan. He also has political capital. The Book spells the name of the Prime Minister.”

  The Book of Providence has many drawbacks, but Yasaka-san has quickly bey right hand after proving himself with it. It will not answer questions with evil iions, and one must have a clear idea of the sort of answer one is likely to receive, aais with spiritual significe deion… “Being a vassal, too. It doesn’t seem possible, why didn’t I know about this?” Gin sighed.

  “The Book shows me it is possible.” Yasaka-san said again. “So while Kikuchi-san does support your fa, he is uo go against his master without sequences.”

  “sequences political, financial and spiritual. Yes, I give up on having Kikuchi-san for my own, but even so… I refuse to allow that fool Uchida to reap the bes of alliah his master. Japan has been deing ever sihe faith lost their voi the running of the try, and the nobility have lost their way as well, more ed with their own influence, and keeping alive old traditions. A worthy goal in itself, true, but… sooner or ter Japan would fall, even before this new age of faith, our fn enemies eyed us covetously, looking to punish us for past transgressions or taking us over for their own greed.” He shook his head, aggrieved. “No, we need a strong hand, ohat realises we must be powerful and united. And that is not Uchida, or that old feter Kudou, or even old man Bankei. It must be me.”

  “In that case, how should we proceed?” Yasaka-san asked. “The information we’ve gained is rather important, right?”

  “It is. We’ve learned a lot, even though Kikuchi-san was careful in what he revealed. Your Book… it’s a fasating tool. And I am afraid I am going to o put it to further use. I am especially ied in how his master mao give even spiritually-bereft nobility their netitude. The spiritual is the province of the faith, it should not be shared too widely, nor too carelessly… I shall have to protest to Takakura-san…”

  With his mind w on the problem, Gin sighed. Damn, still so many more adherents of Amaterasu to see today, when I merely wish to work on this new problem. Well, it is the price of leadership, I suppose…

  ShipTeaser