Story of the Akki
Jan. 1st, 2005 12:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
repineBook Version
The following took place 150 years ago. There was once a boy who went to the mountains to collect herbs. He became so engrossed in his task that before he knew it, he found himself before the Sacred Rope of the Holy Barrier. The herbs on the inside had been all but picked clean but, from a casual glance, he could see that there were still many herbs remaining just outside the Barrier.
Since long before, the adults had drilled into him that he must absolutely never go outside of the Holy Barrier. And that if it were absolutely necessary to leave, without fail, he must always be accompanied by an adult.
However, there were no adults nearby. The boy became puzzled and thought, 'it should be okay if I only go a little bit past.' The point to which he went was only a stone's throw away form the Barrier. 'It should be fine if I go quickly, grab the herbs, and hurry back.' The boy thought as he passed under the Sacred Rope. The paper charms swayed, making a rustling sound.
At this time, he experienced a very unpleasant feeling. As he violated the orders of the adults, he felt an anxiety unlike anything he had ever experienced before. 'It's nothing' he forcefully admonished himself as he approached the herbs. As he did so, he saw a Fiend approaching from afar.
The Fiend's height and build were about the same as the boy, but its appearance was a dreadful thing to behold. Swirling about it like a fiery halo, was an aura of hatred burning all that it touched. Nearby plants exploded into flames, disintegrating entirely as the Fiend passed through them.
The boy turned completely white and, restraining himself from letting out a cry, softly backed away. If he could get back under the Sacred Rope and inside the Holy Barrier, the Fiend should be unable to see him. But at that moment, from under the boys foot came the sound of a dead branch being broken.
The Fiend turned its expressionless face. As though it had finally found a target for its hatred, it fixed its gaze in the boy's direction.
As the boy passed under the Sacred Rope, he began running as fast as he could. Once he re-entered the Holy Barrier, all should have been well again. However, looking back over his shoulder, he saw none other than the Fiend, somehow having penetrated the Sacred Barrier as well!
At this point, the boy thought that he had just done something irreparable. He had let a Fiend inside of the Holy Barrier. The boy began crying as he ran along the mountain path. The Fiend persistently followed him.
The boy, running along the path of the Sacred Rope, turned towards a river valley in the opposite direction of the village. Looking back, the face of the Fiend still following him was hidden from sight amidst the bushes. He could only see the faint shape of a smile, by the light of those two glowing eyes.
The Fiend was allowing him to lead it to the village. This could not be allowed to happen. If he returned to the village like this, with the Fiend still in tow, it might well wipe out everyone there.
As he passed through the last of the bushes, before his eyes was a sheer cliff. From the bottom of the deep ravine, the rumbling sound of flowing water reverberated. A single, brand new suspension bridge hung across the ravine.
The boy did not cross the bridge, instead turning to run upstream along the edge of the cliff. Following him, the Fiend came to the foot of the bridge, and once again caught sight of the boy. The boy did nothing but run.
A short while later, another suspension bridge came into view in front of them. As they approached, the cloudy sky cast a black shadow across the worn out bridge that had obviously been exposed to many years of wind and rain. It swayed ominously as though beckoning.
Given the shape this bridge was in, it would not be unexpected were it to collapse at any moment. Not one villager had crossed it for more than 10 years, and the boy remembered them often admonishing that one must never cross it. The boy carefully began crossing the bridge.
The heavily loaded ropes made a strained and hateful sound. The planks at his feet were mostly rotted and looked as though they might crumble to pieces at any moment. At the time he reached the middle of the bridge, it suddenly began bending severely. Looking back, he could see the Fiend starting to cross the bridge. As the Fiend approached, the swaying of the bridge became steadily greater.
For an instant, the boy became mesmerized as he glanced down at the bottom of the ravine. As he raised his head, he saw that the Fiend had already reached a point just a short distance away.
As the boy saw that abominable face clearly for the first time, he pulled out the scythe he had been concealing and in a single stroke cut one of the ropes supporting the bridge. The suspension bridge floor flipped vertically, the boy nearly slipped off, but somehow managed to hang onto the final rope.
Had the Fiend fallen off? But when the boy looked, somehow it, too, had managed to cling to the last rope. The Fiend slowly turned its dreadful gaze towards him.
The scythe tumbled to the bottom of the ravine. There was no longer a way to cut the last rope/vine. 'What should I do.' The boy thought in despair, and prayed to heaven. 'I don't care if you take my life.' 'But please, don't allow the Fiend to reach the village.'
Was the boys wish heard all the way in heaven? Or was it simply that the dilapidated bridge's final supporting rope was unable to bear so much weight any longer. With a snap the bridge was severed, and fell towards the seemingly bottomless ravine. Neither the boy nor the Fiend was ever seen again.
Since then, to this day, not one Fiend has appeared again.
Anime Version
500 years ago, there was a boy gathering herbs in the mountains. He was so focused on his search that he soon found himself at the Sacred Barried. He could see many herbs growing just beyond the Sacred Barrier.
The grown-ups had always told him to never, ever go past the Sacred Barrier. Or, if he really had to, to go with an adult.
He saw an Ogre coming towards him. The Ogre was trying to follow him back to the village. He had to do something. If the Ogre followed him home, the village would be wiped out. What could he go?
"I fon'tt care about my own life. Just please, keep the Ogre away from the village." No Ogres have appeared since that day.
The following took place 150 years ago. There was once a boy who went to the mountains to collect herbs. He became so engrossed in his task that before he knew it, he found himself before the Sacred Rope of the Holy Barrier. The herbs on the inside had been all but picked clean but, from a casual glance, he could see that there were still many herbs remaining just outside the Barrier.
Since long before, the adults had drilled into him that he must absolutely never go outside of the Holy Barrier. And that if it were absolutely necessary to leave, without fail, he must always be accompanied by an adult.
However, there were no adults nearby. The boy became puzzled and thought, 'it should be okay if I only go a little bit past.' The point to which he went was only a stone's throw away form the Barrier. 'It should be fine if I go quickly, grab the herbs, and hurry back.' The boy thought as he passed under the Sacred Rope. The paper charms swayed, making a rustling sound.
At this time, he experienced a very unpleasant feeling. As he violated the orders of the adults, he felt an anxiety unlike anything he had ever experienced before. 'It's nothing' he forcefully admonished himself as he approached the herbs. As he did so, he saw a Fiend approaching from afar.
The Fiend's height and build were about the same as the boy, but its appearance was a dreadful thing to behold. Swirling about it like a fiery halo, was an aura of hatred burning all that it touched. Nearby plants exploded into flames, disintegrating entirely as the Fiend passed through them.
The boy turned completely white and, restraining himself from letting out a cry, softly backed away. If he could get back under the Sacred Rope and inside the Holy Barrier, the Fiend should be unable to see him. But at that moment, from under the boys foot came the sound of a dead branch being broken.
The Fiend turned its expressionless face. As though it had finally found a target for its hatred, it fixed its gaze in the boy's direction.
As the boy passed under the Sacred Rope, he began running as fast as he could. Once he re-entered the Holy Barrier, all should have been well again. However, looking back over his shoulder, he saw none other than the Fiend, somehow having penetrated the Sacred Barrier as well!
At this point, the boy thought that he had just done something irreparable. He had let a Fiend inside of the Holy Barrier. The boy began crying as he ran along the mountain path. The Fiend persistently followed him.
The boy, running along the path of the Sacred Rope, turned towards a river valley in the opposite direction of the village. Looking back, the face of the Fiend still following him was hidden from sight amidst the bushes. He could only see the faint shape of a smile, by the light of those two glowing eyes.
The Fiend was allowing him to lead it to the village. This could not be allowed to happen. If he returned to the village like this, with the Fiend still in tow, it might well wipe out everyone there.
As he passed through the last of the bushes, before his eyes was a sheer cliff. From the bottom of the deep ravine, the rumbling sound of flowing water reverberated. A single, brand new suspension bridge hung across the ravine.
The boy did not cross the bridge, instead turning to run upstream along the edge of the cliff. Following him, the Fiend came to the foot of the bridge, and once again caught sight of the boy. The boy did nothing but run.
A short while later, another suspension bridge came into view in front of them. As they approached, the cloudy sky cast a black shadow across the worn out bridge that had obviously been exposed to many years of wind and rain. It swayed ominously as though beckoning.
Given the shape this bridge was in, it would not be unexpected were it to collapse at any moment. Not one villager had crossed it for more than 10 years, and the boy remembered them often admonishing that one must never cross it. The boy carefully began crossing the bridge.
The heavily loaded ropes made a strained and hateful sound. The planks at his feet were mostly rotted and looked as though they might crumble to pieces at any moment. At the time he reached the middle of the bridge, it suddenly began bending severely. Looking back, he could see the Fiend starting to cross the bridge. As the Fiend approached, the swaying of the bridge became steadily greater.
For an instant, the boy became mesmerized as he glanced down at the bottom of the ravine. As he raised his head, he saw that the Fiend had already reached a point just a short distance away.
As the boy saw that abominable face clearly for the first time, he pulled out the scythe he had been concealing and in a single stroke cut one of the ropes supporting the bridge. The suspension bridge floor flipped vertically, the boy nearly slipped off, but somehow managed to hang onto the final rope.
Had the Fiend fallen off? But when the boy looked, somehow it, too, had managed to cling to the last rope. The Fiend slowly turned its dreadful gaze towards him.
The scythe tumbled to the bottom of the ravine. There was no longer a way to cut the last rope/vine. 'What should I do.' The boy thought in despair, and prayed to heaven. 'I don't care if you take my life.' 'But please, don't allow the Fiend to reach the village.'
Was the boys wish heard all the way in heaven? Or was it simply that the dilapidated bridge's final supporting rope was unable to bear so much weight any longer. With a snap the bridge was severed, and fell towards the seemingly bottomless ravine. Neither the boy nor the Fiend was ever seen again.
Since then, to this day, not one Fiend has appeared again.
Anime Version
500 years ago, there was a boy gathering herbs in the mountains. He was so focused on his search that he soon found himself at the Sacred Barried. He could see many herbs growing just beyond the Sacred Barrier.
The grown-ups had always told him to never, ever go past the Sacred Barrier. Or, if he really had to, to go with an adult.
He saw an Ogre coming towards him. The Ogre was trying to follow him back to the village. He had to do something. If the Ogre followed him home, the village would be wiped out. What could he go?
"I fon'tt care about my own life. Just please, keep the Ogre away from the village." No Ogres have appeared since that day.
