================================================================== 17-2.Secret ceremony. From The myth of the shade. ==================================================================
	This, written in Japanese, was issued in Justnet in 1997 year, was translated to English in 2001 year. And, it, revised, was issued in Nyfty in November 21, 2004. But, since I don't know English so well, it doesn't know whether this expression is proper or not. Hiromasa Noguti.
That night bearing a new moon, Mt. Goisigamine and the surrounding area had been shut in the suspicious darkness and silence. The wind isn't blowing at all, and, even one insect doesn't sing. Cold air sinking into the ravines made a person feel a horrible presentiment. Or, would it be because clouds are covering the heavens ? Even one star doesn't twinkle. Gloomy darkness was hiding the mountains and the ravines deeply. It can't distinguish even the ridge line. It was deep and weird darkness. But, in the one place of darkness like that, something is giving off the red glimmer. It was pulsing silently and weirdly like a glow of firefly. It looks, like, the fluorescing beetle or other. However, it was the fluorescence coming out of the aura of a shrine, not insect. It, wrapping the whole of the shrine softly, is making it float into the darkness in the depths of ravine. Certainly something was occurring in the shrine now. However, the inside of shrine is pitch-dark and also soundless. Though it feels the aura of someone, it can't hear even the rustle. It was the abnormal and weird silence. But, soon, in that darkness, a sound of the Kasiwa-de(This is the noun meaning a clapping as expression of respect) resounds one time. And, two flames burned suddenly, dyeing the darkness dimly. Those flames seem to be the watch fire. It, dyeing the hinged double doors of the huge altar dim red, made its uncanny sight float into the darkness.
			The double doors, shut firmly, are overawing the surrounding darkness silently. It was the doors in horrifically huge gate seeming more than ten meters in the height. It must be the entrance going into the cave the vengeful gods and goddesses dwell in. When it sees, a wooden column in the Doric order was sealing the double doors, standing in the middle of the gate as if it is the Yama. It must be the column sealing the vengeful gods and goddesses in the cave. It was the symbol of this world's power not having the soul surely. However, would it be for breaking the power like that ? Strangely, a large wooden wedge is embedded to the middle of the column. To all the surface of column, it narrowly could see there are the Chinese characters written with the India ink. It feels the suspicious air from those Chinese characters. It must be the magic spell making the vengeful gods and goddesses wake up. The secret ceremony already was starting.
When it sees, there is the big watch fire to the middle of the broad room of worship. It, making the suspicious flame undulate, had made one woman standing toward the altar float into the darkness. It is, needless to say, Miho. She, putting on the thin robe of true white silk, was standing into the dim light in silence while staring at the column closing firmly doors. Orange colored light of the watch fire is reflected to the supple limbs of her through the thin robe slightly. When it suddenly notices, two shrine maidens were kneeling down behind her quietly, only drooping their head in pious manner. Strange quietness makes a person feel the presentiment of something. Thereupon, Miho, straightening her back and raising the face slightly, opened her arms elegantly. Transparent cloud as aura out of her white skin, while making the darkness glimmer in white color slightly, starts to fill the room of worship slowly. When it notices, suspicious red color appeared to the center of the double doors slightly. And, it, spreading to all the surface of the doors rapidly while increasing brightness gradually, makes the darkness near the door fluoresce to red color faintly. In front of Miho, there is the low stand of plain wood. And, object like the flower vase had been put on there, covered by the amethyst colored silk cloth.
However, it is not the flower vase, is the discovered dotaku(Bronze bell used as a ritual utensil in ancient times) from that ancient tomb mound. It is that recently Miho, to get it, made her followings rob the Archaeology Center, and made them change the fake made beforehand for it secretly. Apparently, they recently looked to be active in Kanazawa and the surrounding area. But, as a matter of fact, it was the pretended action to conceal this plot. And, nobody of the Archaeology Center is noticing that fake even now. Kageura and his friends also were falling into her plot. Already Miho was returning to Mihotu-hime. A fluorescence as aura given off out of her is making pulsation like the glow of firefly. The ceremony she waited for long times was ready to materialize really now.
But, Miho looks to be plaintive. It must be because she knows one's self falls into the hell if this ceremony is completed. For a little while, she was regarding the dotaku in silence, drooping her head slightly. However, she has nothing to do except this ceremony any more. When raising her face as if it change one's feeling, she sent the sign, clapping one Kasiwade(The clapping in the prayer.). Two shrine maidens, stepping forward a little, take away the amethyst colored silk cloth from the low stand of plain wood. Flame undulating with suspicious movement was dyeing the surface of the dotaku the dim red. A aura rising out of Miho is flowing into the darkness slowly. And, soon, it soaked into the surface of the dotaku. When it notices suddenly, by the walls, it can see the shadows of persons are standing side by side. Probably, it seemed they were there from the beginning. When the shrine maidens go back behind Miho, Miho, while prostrating oneself in front of the low stand, started to state something in a small voice as if it whispers to gods and goddesses. It seems it is sobbing out one's wish. Her voice echoed into the quiet shrine slightly with the low tone or as a time the high tone. Hereupon, the persons standing by the walls also start to make responses with the same tone as Miho. Whole of the shrine was resounding with the suspicious sound. The watch fire in the center of shrine is undulating violently. And, it, growing to the column of violent fire soon, dyed all the darkness the weird red. Corresponding to that movement, other watch fires also start to raise the horrible flames like dragons of fire as well. Those flames, intertwined while forming the whirlpools frequently, formed a bigger dragon of flame at once.
		What a uncanny sight it is ! All the believers standing side by side there watched of that sight, holding their breath. Thereupon, Miho shouts "Untie the god Cotosiro from the detestable curse of darkness really now !". Just then, dragon of fire, while making his body undulate nimbly and scattering the sparks of fire, ran into the darkness in violent speed, collided with the doors of the altar hard. But, the flame falls broken to the fragments of fire in a instant, is scattered. The gate and the double doors were standing there in perfect condition as before. But, when it sees, several small flames are blowing from the column sealing the vengeful gods and goddesses in. Then, soon, it, growing to horrible flame, dyed the darkness the dim red in the weird atmosphere. It feels the presentiment of suspicious change into the silence. And, next moment, the column of the altar burst suddenly.
When the sound of explosion resounds, blast passes through in a instant. Scream from the believers resounded into the darkness wrapped to the dust for a little while. When it sees, the believers, holding one's head, are lying on the face in the floor. And, countless chips of wood fell on them as if it is hail or other. The dragon of fire already is disappearing. Flame of the watch fires only is burning, waving in silence. The believers, when raising the face, looked around about the inside of the shrine timidly. On the floor, it can see the broken pieces of wood is lying scattered about. The cursed column had vanished without leaving any trace. But, strangely, it can find out nothing of damage from the gate of altar and also the double doors. It, displaying its imposing appearance, was looking down the believers as before. Miho is making its slender body flush with excitement. And, its face is shining so beautifully that it looks to be suspicious. She shouted out in the high tone, opening its arms. "YI, MONIUMAK ! I tell the god of words. Really now, your times came at last. Revive please ! Come to this world as the god having the body !". Then, at that time, double doors, while creaking weirdly, started to open by itself as if it is a creature or other. When it notices, it can see one man is standing obliquely from behind Miho. But, since the darkness wraps him, that man's appearance was hazy as if it is the shadow or other.
However, abnormal light given off out of his eyes is suggesting who is he. It was certain it is that man, that is, Noboru Yamagishi if it judges from his eyes filled with madness. However, wasn't he to have died in that hospital ? No, it was certain he died. But, to tell the truth, he left the door open to revive. As Dr. Toyama thought before, it seems Yamagishi was plotting like that from the beginning. It must be Yamagishi revived oneself, calculating the right time after stopping the cerebral activity until possible range. Not only Toyama but also all the persons to concern the thing were falling into Yamagishi's plot. And, all persons having committed the mass murder in that hospital are standing side by side by the walls here now. Their eyes all were fluorescing in the dim red, were giving off the weird atmosphere.
Soon, the double doors all finished opening. Thereupon, a cave made with digging in the natural rock, appearing there dimly, makes a person feel the bottomless darkness. Miho went into that deep of the darkness together with Yamagishi. Just then, double doors, while creaking weirdly, close by oneself as if it is a creature or other. In the instant, weird darkness nailed them to the spot, settling over the cave. However, next moment, unidentifiable light comes out of the inner part of the cave dimly. It was dyeing the rock walls dim red. Suspicious shadows reflected to the rock walls invite them to the inner part of the cave, undulating uncannily. When it notices suddenly, it could see limestone is exposed in the side walls of the cave. That place already is a limestone cave. It was continuing with the sight like stairs toward the more inner part of the cave.
		However, the water is seen no longer anywhere, going dry already. That place is the world of death any more. It was the space having stopped the time. They walked the stairs of stalactite like that only in silence. When it looks down through the rocks obliquely, it can see the light like the exit across the limestone cave. Or, would it be watch fire ? That strange light was filtering from the bottom of the cave through the stalagmites while often flickering. When it, bending the waist, peeps into the cave across the stalagmites, there is a mound like ancient tomb. It seems to be about three meters in the diameter though it isn't clear because it is in the still far position. When it sees, suspicious flame like heat-haze was burning in the top of the mound, waving. It certainly is the flame born out of the hatred oozing out to this world. They furthermore continued to walk toward the strange flame as if it is attracted there.
However, though it furthermore advances, there seems to be the exit nowhere. That place already was the very large cave decorated with the walls and columns of the stalagmites and stalactites or other, looking like a hall not having exits. It seems to be larger than the fifty meters in the diameter. When suddenly looking up at the ceiling of the hall, several limestone columns were hazy upon the head at far darkness. Then, to the middle part of that hall, there is the mound they saw just before. When they approach the mound, the flame burning in mound started to undulate furiously like a aura of anger. It casts the shadows of the evil spirits to the uncannily shaped rock walls while dyeing the side walls of the hall in the dim red. When it sees the flame, black silhouette like person was waving into the flame as if it is the heat-haze. That black silhouette, while opening his arms toward the heavens, is scattering the countless small insects into the air. Buzzes of the insects were echoing to the limestone cave weirdly as if evil spirits are talking. It seems it is filled with evil thoughts. Anyhow, it was the sound so terribly horrible that everybody feel the spine is chilled.
However, that echo is the sound bringing the heart a peace if it is said for Miho and Noboru. They were hearing it with the confidence as if it is the unborn baby. Just then, buzzes suddenly echo to the cave with the higher tone. And, it, changing to a hoarse voice after pausing several times strangely, resounded into the limestone cave. "Where is my body ? Show me the flesh to possess !". A flame as a aura blazes furiously. It must be the expression of the vengeful god's irritation. "Oh ! The god of Coto-siro ! You, you are all of me ! Your flesh already is here.". She, when saying like that in fluster, summons Yamagishi to her side and made him stand in the front of her while trembling in the delight. The flame as a aura blazes increasingly furiously. Yamagishi started to walk toward the mound in stagger as if it is drawn to the mound.
A flame as a aura looks to be trembling strangely. And, countless insects flew about strangely noisily. Just then, black silhouette like person seen into the flame diffuses into the air, collapsing suddenly. And, it often formed the whirlpools like the dark clouds with suspicious movement, gathering into the air. It, like, looks to be expressing the appearance of the evil spirits. They watched of that sight with amazement. But, when it looks at it carefully, it is the countless small insects. It was the sight of the uncanny ants crowding and flying. It seems to have been the temporary body of the vengeful god. Anyhow, the uncanny ants were dancing in satisfaction, finishing completing their last task. "What a beautiful sight it is !" Noboru kept regarding that sight in ecstasy. But, he feels dizziness soon because of the too uplifted excitement. He lost the balance, went down to the ground with the hands and knees. At that time, uncanny ants again start to gather, flying while buzzing. Then, it, accumulated in one place of the space, started to change to the iron sword. Miho is watching that sight, making her body hot. And, the iron sword, floating into the air, was making its edge glitter in the suspicious atmosphere. While absorbing the uncanny ants furthermore, it makes its edge keen increasingly. The suspicious light given off out of the iron sword shined increasingly brightly. Would it be because it started to radiate heat ? Suspicious steam is rising up from the iron sword. Soon, the iron sword, dyed to the incandescent red, started to vibrate with the unusual hum.
		Really that is a good opportunity for Miho, that is, Mihotu-hime. She, after waiting until the time is ripe, started to pray at last, prostrating oneself before the mound. "YI, MONIUMAK! The time is ripe for action. Now, go into this flesh ! Materialize to this world as the vengeful god having the body !". Just then, iron sword ran into the air in a horrible quickness, whizzing as if it is an arrow or other. It can hear a dull sound in a instant. When it turns its eyes to the direction of sound, Yamagishi had fallen down, vomiting blood. Iron sword lodged into his head is wriggling like a creature. And, soon, when changing to the spotted snake, it has gone into his brain completely. It had come to the most important part of the secret ceremony.
 
Cotosiro