Post by zombie on Sept 11, 2018 18:03:11 GMT -5
They rhythm of the taiko drums moves in sequence with his heartbeat. The Zealots of the Demon Brigade sit around him in a semicircle separated down the middle by a line. They sway back and forth and some of the closer initiates chant the Kuji-in under their breath. In the middle of the frenzy Zombie stares down a line of coals glowing red with flames sprouting from them. Full on fires burn at the sides of the coals warming them. Tokyo is stripped down to the waist and glistens with sweat, but he has his full concentration on the fires.
“The battles of the J-1 Summit have been won. It was a tumultuous time for the Demon Brigade, but we have risen as victors. When one of us falls we all fall. When one of us thrives we all thrive. When I won, we all won. This whole ordeal was meant to break us, and make us weaker. I assure you all that we are now stronger than ever. The challenges were hard and the enemies ever vigilant, and headstrong. I broke through their promises of victory by keeping only my goal in mind. In the end we prevailed because I was victorious.”
Tokyo Zombie steps out of his Geta wooden sandals and steps up to the line of burnings coals. He waves a hand over the coals as the rhythm of the drums quickens. The Zealots stop at a particular line in their chanting.
("May the presiders over warriors be my vanguard!")
All of them pick up the nine syllable chant as they sway in their place. Tokyo lets out a short quick sigh, and crouches down with a palm over the coals.
“Now it is time for a great cleansing as we prepare for battle once again. Now it is time for the Attack of the Castle! When one thinks of cleansing they think of water and purification. That is for the young and innocent. We are warriors. We will do away with the pains of the past, and look towards the promise of the future through the flames. Our spirits will be emboldened. Our skin will be hardened like steel. Our strikes will cut through any opposition. We, who have been divided, will now fight as one. Truely. There are no metaphors or analogies this time. No amount of figurative wordplay can prepare Max Japan for what they will see. Its tag team champions and Heavyweight Champion will show why we are where we are.
“It will not matter if there are two or three of us. We are of one mind, and this singular goal will be enough for victory against wild men and barbarians. It does not matter if a certain Knight hopes to redeem himself against my own name. I have grown past him by 1,000 years since we last met. If he has not learned to adapt to the challenge by now, then it is all lost for him. He is ambitious, but he is swimming up a waterfall. One such as him will not have the Dragon’s rage to compete with me.”
The noise and the room stops at once. Tokyo slowly, and methodically takes a few steps onto the coals. He walks forward as the Zealots next to him watch in awe. The coals under him rumble with each step as the fire cackles. Embers fly into the air as each foot falls with more force than the last. Tokyo finally reaches the end of the path, and calmly steps off the coals. Two waiting disciples pick up buckets filled with water, and douse him from head to toe. The taiko drums pick up their song again and compete with the cheers from the throngs of Demon Brigade followers. Tokyo turns to address them, but points right into the camera.
“Taking me on is to walk through the infernal fire. Cast away all your impurities of the spirit. Forget all you woes and step up. The battle is the only thing that should be on your mind! Multiply this by three, and the task becomes so much harder. Max Japan. Your Champions will remain pure and true. That is why we will still be your Champions at the end of it all. This is our time to prove why we are so dominant. It is for Japan, and for them! Rise up Demon Brigade!”
The whole room stands as the Zealots clamor to line up and complete the ritual.
“The battles of the J-1 Summit have been won. It was a tumultuous time for the Demon Brigade, but we have risen as victors. When one of us falls we all fall. When one of us thrives we all thrive. When I won, we all won. This whole ordeal was meant to break us, and make us weaker. I assure you all that we are now stronger than ever. The challenges were hard and the enemies ever vigilant, and headstrong. I broke through their promises of victory by keeping only my goal in mind. In the end we prevailed because I was victorious.”
Tokyo Zombie steps out of his Geta wooden sandals and steps up to the line of burnings coals. He waves a hand over the coals as the rhythm of the drums quickens. The Zealots stop at a particular line in their chanting.
("May the presiders over warriors be my vanguard!")
All of them pick up the nine syllable chant as they sway in their place. Tokyo lets out a short quick sigh, and crouches down with a palm over the coals.
“Now it is time for a great cleansing as we prepare for battle once again. Now it is time for the Attack of the Castle! When one thinks of cleansing they think of water and purification. That is for the young and innocent. We are warriors. We will do away with the pains of the past, and look towards the promise of the future through the flames. Our spirits will be emboldened. Our skin will be hardened like steel. Our strikes will cut through any opposition. We, who have been divided, will now fight as one. Truely. There are no metaphors or analogies this time. No amount of figurative wordplay can prepare Max Japan for what they will see. Its tag team champions and Heavyweight Champion will show why we are where we are.
“It will not matter if there are two or three of us. We are of one mind, and this singular goal will be enough for victory against wild men and barbarians. It does not matter if a certain Knight hopes to redeem himself against my own name. I have grown past him by 1,000 years since we last met. If he has not learned to adapt to the challenge by now, then it is all lost for him. He is ambitious, but he is swimming up a waterfall. One such as him will not have the Dragon’s rage to compete with me.”
The noise and the room stops at once. Tokyo slowly, and methodically takes a few steps onto the coals. He walks forward as the Zealots next to him watch in awe. The coals under him rumble with each step as the fire cackles. Embers fly into the air as each foot falls with more force than the last. Tokyo finally reaches the end of the path, and calmly steps off the coals. Two waiting disciples pick up buckets filled with water, and douse him from head to toe. The taiko drums pick up their song again and compete with the cheers from the throngs of Demon Brigade followers. Tokyo turns to address them, but points right into the camera.
“Taking me on is to walk through the infernal fire. Cast away all your impurities of the spirit. Forget all you woes and step up. The battle is the only thing that should be on your mind! Multiply this by three, and the task becomes so much harder. Max Japan. Your Champions will remain pure and true. That is why we will still be your Champions at the end of it all. This is our time to prove why we are so dominant. It is for Japan, and for them! Rise up Demon Brigade!”
The whole room stands as the Zealots clamor to line up and complete the ritual.