Balance

My name is Michiyo Sentakubunya, Champion of Balance, I was born early this morning under the passing Comet of May. I'm not even a day old and already I've seen many things that few ever have or will have the privilege to see.

My brothers were both born before me, one at 00:15 and the other at 00:30. By the time I emerged into this world at 00:45 they both looked like they were 5 years old.

By 01:00, I too had grown to the appearance of being 5 years old. Our mother gave each of us child sized robe similar in style to those that a priest wears while taking confessions, except they were green instead of black. Once we had all put on our robes our mother led us through a maze of hallway.

As we walked she said to us, "My children, your birth has been awaited for many years by many people. We are on our way to meet with the High Priests of all three Prime Deities, such a meeting is extremely rare because the three Prime Deities are all on opposing sides of a war that has lasted since the beginning of all existence.

We soon arrived at our destination, the HUGE double doors of the cathedral's inner sanctum, the true main chapel where the priests meet with their deity.

A deep voice that seemed to come from the door itself boomed "Enter and discover your true selves, oh Chosen Ones, children of fate.

As the doors began slowly creeping open I began to feel frightened yet calm, happy yet sad, then a voice that I felt as though I had listened to it's wisdom for a thousand years began to speak to me.

It said “Remember well the words I now speak, for they shall save you in your hour of need, Atra eterna wiisha yutaa.” After these mysterious words were ingrained in my memory the voice fell silent and I noticed that the doors were finished opening.

As we walked into the inner sanctum I contemplated mentioning what I had heard to my mother and brothers. I decided not to because the words, whatever they might mean, seemed to be meant for me and me alone to hear.

The inner sanctum was a massive chamber, the center aisle we traveled along to the front seemed at least 2 miles long. The ceiling was so far above us that I couldn't see it through the... clouds?

“THERE ARE CLOUDS INSIDE!?!” yelled one of my brothers.

“No, we are no longer indoors. We have entered the Sacred Realm of Balance.”, our mother replied softly.

As we continued walking I noticed that my brothers and I were nearly identical in appearance, in fact had they already been clothed when I was born even I would be unable to see a difference in our forms.

Our skin was gray, as was our hair and eyes. Other than the strange pigmentation we were basically average in appearance.

We finally reached the front of the inner sanctum about 03:30ish. When we arrived we were amazed to discover that our meeting was not with the high priests but with the Deities themselves!

There was an oracle there as well who said “As it was foretold, so has it come to pass” as we knelt in the presence of the deities.

“Since the beginning of time Light, Darkness, and Balance have warred for control of the soul of the universe at the cost of countless lives. Having seen this they have decided the best solution shall be a war of champions.”

When the oracle said this our mother began to wail “Why must my children fight? They are too young!

She went on like that for nearly five minutes, the deities reactions varied.

Light seemed like he didn't hear her or just didn't care.

Balance seemed to be listening and understanding what our mother felt.

Darkness seemed to be getting more and more annoyed, until he walked over to her and ate her whole.

With a voice of malice and hatred the monstrously huge, pitch black skinned, deity of Darkness snarled, “Can we just get on with it already? It's nearly time for morning sacrifices, I don't want to deny my disciples the privilege of being my breakfast.”

The oracle, with a disgusted grimace, said “Choose your champion first Darkness, then Light will choose his, the remaining one will be the champion of Balance.”

As Darkness walked towards us I thought to myself 'don't choose me, please don't make me fight for that beast.' He stopped in front of one of my brothers and asked “Do you truly wish you could have been the one to eat your mother?”

The brother Darkness stood in front of replied “I do, I hunger for flesh, seek destruction, and thirst for the blood of my enemies.”

“Then I choose you to be my champion and bestow upon you the strength to mangle, destroy, kill, and eat all who oppose my reign.” says Darkness as he lay his hand upon his new champions brow.

'My brother really wanted to eat our mother?' as I thought that I noticed that brother's skin darken to be nearly as dark as his master's, his muscles began to bulge as he grew to the point where if he were to stand up straight he would be nearly ten feet tall, his hair became a fire that burned blue, I could feel an aura of cruelty coming from him as well.

“From this day on my champion, you shall be known as Kurai, which means 'dark one' in the old tongue, and you shall be my Sentakubunya, my chosen one. Rise, Kurai Sentakubunya, and let us leave this place at once.”

Next was Light's turn, however Light did not move or say anything to show that he realized that it was his turn. We waited for nearly an hour in silence before Balance said to Light “Shall I choose my champion while you continue to sleep?”

'He's asleep? Wait, I recognize that voice. It sounds exactly like the wise voice from my dream. I would listen to that voice's wisdom forever if I could.'

Suddenly Balance turns to me and says, “Then I shall bestow upon you the wisdom to listen, understand, and aid those who are in need. You shall be my champion and will be known as Michiyo, meaning 'era of beauty and wisdom' in the old tongue.”

At that moment, Light finally woke up. He looked straight at my remaining brother and said, “You shall be known as Mitsuaki meaning 'shining light'. With your magic it will be easy for you to enact justice for the of your mother. Now come and we shall begin making our plans.”

As they turned to leave I saw that Mitsuaki was as white as freshly fallen snow except for his eyes which glowed with a golden light. He was a frail six feet tall as well.

It is now nearly noon, I have been listening to the wisdom of Balance as I write about my birth and childhood.

As I walk along the tranquil path towards the door back to the mortal realm I pass a pond and decide to look at how I have grown since being chosen as the champion of Balance.

My skin is like our mother's was, a light golden hue which Balance told me was the norm in the small island nation where the temple of Balance is. I'm about five feet tall with a slender build. My raven-black hair is tied back in a neat ponytail at the moment but would reach about three inches past my shoulder if I untied it and my eyes are as blue as sapphires.

As I continue toward the temple dining area I wonder what might happen during this Year of the Champions.