Midnite's Daughter

PROLOGUE

The order of the heavens is a known quantity. Established when the elder gods defeated the entropic chaos that threatened to destroy this nascent universe, the cycle has stood for as long as the stars have shined down upon us and, if dictated, will continue until those very stars burn out.

At the very bottom of the order, non-divine beings such as humans scurry about, living their short lives. They create but the barest blip upon the face of the universe and then they are gone, their energy dissipating until they are reborn to do so again.

Youkai, the least of the divine, walk among these lesser races, sometimes preying upon them, sometimes being preyed upon. They represent balance – order versus the chaos that forever threatens to return – sometimes serving their masters’ whims, sometimes serving their own. Many imagine themselves to be powerful, but then so, too, does a mouse alone in a field of grain until a wolf catches its scent.

The mazoku and oni stand above them in the celestial order, tasked with the upkeep of the heavens, the casting of judgment, and delivering boon and bane alike against mankind whenever such is needed – a flood to punish an arrogant warlord, a tornado as warning against insufficient tribute, a field of flowers for a pious child with an appreciation for beauty.

Strongest among demonkind are the daimao. We are the custodians of the multiverse, serving in the stead of the gods, who now slumber within the confines of the celestial palace, deep within the vast island in the sky upon which it rests.

The gods are cared for meticulously, so their rest remains undisturbed for all of eternity. It has been a necessity since the order of the heavens was established. Their power is such that even the barest of coughs from one is enough to snuff out an entire civilization. Whole worlds have perished from something as seemingly insignificant as an elder god doing little more than the equivalent of stretching their limbs.

It is said their dreams influence the palace, sending it to new worlds as their whims demand.

So it was that we came to Earth, hovering far above this world, yet always a moment out of sync so as to remain unseen. And here we have stayed, for over five thousand of its inhabitants’ years, sometimes interacting, sometimes influencing, but always watching ... eternally wondering why the elder gods have brought us here, what they see in this otherwise unremarkable world.

Though beneath our masters, my people often sleep alongside them. Our power makes us dangerous to lesser beings, such as mankind. My brothers have been known to wipe out cities for the most minor of slights and raze villages for little more than base amusement.

Though lesser demons are openly envious of our power, it is only because of their own ignorance. If they knew better, they would cease their petty jealousy, for we long ago grew bored with this world much as a child quickly tires of watching an anthill.

Those who have seen what we can do call us uncaring, but that is not so. Though we would not wish it known among lesser beings, we are susceptible to the same whims as they are: anger, envy, boredom, happiness, and even love.

It is that latter which caused me to stray from the path of my people, to betray their covenant, and protect my child.

But that very act also opened my eyes. For where once I thought the ability to shape worlds to be the ultimate power, I now know better. Indeed, I once thought the elder gods slept because, like us, they were bored. But I now believe that they do so out of that simplest of emotions – love. They love this universe but realize they also have the power to destroy it. As such, they have locked themselves away in a living death rather than betray that which they love.

It is a lesson I wish I had learned sooner. If so, perhaps I would not have allowed my curiosity to get the better of me. I would not have given in to the base desires that commanded me. And I would not have borne the child whose very existence came to threaten the eternal cycle of the heavens.

1

1945

The daimao were revered as war gods. This was not without merit for, in the early days of the universe, they had acted as the enforcers of the elder gods, their foot soldiers in the crusade to bring order from the entropic chaos that existed before.

Though that was untold ages past and many generations removed, the instinct for battle still remained in their blood, much how a domesticated dog might still howl at the moon, even if it can’t remember why it is doing so.

So it was that Midnite awoke for the first time in three hundred years, drawn out of her slumber by a deep resonance within her bones that told her battle was afoot. It had been some time since anything of note had happened. The constant warring of the humans who lived upon the islands blessed by her kind had been amusing for a time, but soon grew tiresome. Mankind was a dedicated race when it came to slaughtering one another, but they seemingly lacked the creativity to be more clever about it.

Watching the same battle unfold time and again under different warlords quickly became uninteresting and, when it did, Midnite pulled back from the world so as to sleep, much like her brothers. In doing so, they dreamt, allowing their astral forms to visit myriad worlds and races, many of whom were far more interesting than those of Earth.

Something had changed, however. Midnite’s servants had noted that her sleep had been fitful this past century, but there had been no occurrences significant enough to wake her ... until now.

One such servant raced to his mistress’s side, wanting to be there when she rose so as to ensure her needs were tended to and her mood was pleasant.

Though Midnite was perhaps the most even-tempered of her siblings, it was well known among the many denizens of the celestial palace that it was never a good idea to allow a daimao to remain in an ill mood for long.

Mmm, Midnite purred as she stretched. The sheets of mist and flame that covered her slid down her body, revealing her flawless alabaster skin. Shitoro, is my...

I am here, my mistress, the diminutive youkai replied eagerly, his head barely visible above the clouds that made up the mattress of Midnite’s bed. I have your robe, and a bath has been drawn and is awaiting you.

Midnite smiled and sat up. Shitoro had always done his best to make her happy, ever since she’d rescued him from a band of human hunters some fourteen hundred years earlier. The truth of the matter was, she found him to be adorably cute, but being that he was a tiger demon, albeit of much smaller stature than normal, she would never have insulted him by saying so. I see my mighty guardian has been watching over me.

Now and always, he replied proudly.

Midnite stretched again and yawned. How long?

The barest of moments in the cosmos. One such as you would barely have time to blink in the...

How long, Shitoro? Midnite asked impatiently. Though she was dearly fond of him, he could get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of his station from time to time.

Three hundred and twenty-four years, by human standards.

Midnite nodded absentmindedly. The daimao were a timeless race, the birth and death of stars barely a heartbeat for them. So there was some irony in relying upon the methods of such a low species to delineate its passage.

Hmm, she grunted, swinging her long legs out from under the sheets. It was, she noted, just barely a long enough nap for her to feel refreshed, but refreshed she was.

That wasn’t all, though. Along with a sense of being fully awake, there was something else, something deeper – an anxiousness in her bones that she hadn’t felt in a long time. Had something at long last changed in the world of man?

She reached out with her senses, probing. Yes, they were still near Earth. She’d have sensed the residual energy had the palace moved elsewhere in the universe.

Pity. It would be a welcome change.

Mankind had long since grown repetitively dull, so she wasn’t certain exactly what kind of disturbance from below could have possibly awoken her so abruptly.

The planet hasn’t exploded, has it, Shitoro?

Her servant raised one eyebrow. Not to the best of my knowledge, mistress.

Midnite stood, excess divine energy crackling off her body. Whatever it was she felt, she doubted it couldn’t wait for a steaming hot bath. Shitoro, ever vigilant, could fill her in while she enjoyed the feel of the boiling spring against her skin.

She allowed him to lead her to the bath, all while reaching out with her senses to the endless corridors of the palace. It didn’t take her long to realize she wasn’t alone. A few of her siblings were awake, too. Most were still slumbering, but even they were beginning to stir. Curious indeed. Had she alone woken up, she would have dismissed it as a quirk, bathed, and then perhaps returned to her bed.

If the others were waking up, though, then something was indeed happening. Midnite allowed herself a small grin at the thought. It had been dreadfully dull for so long. Perhaps the humans had finally become clever enough to catch their attention again.

Once she was nestled in her bath, she lay back and enjoyed herself, closing her eyes and slipping beneath the holy waters of the palace, enjoying the feel as it reinvigorated her senses and made the tiny horns on her head tingle.

After a time, when she felt she had soaked long enough, she turned to Shitoro. Do you know the cause of our awakening, my friend?

Oh, that? he asked dismissively. Just another war between the humans. Nothing more. You know their kind. Can’t even go a decade without slaughtering each other for sport.

Nothing more? Are you certain? I sincerely doubt some petty feud over water rights or arable land would have caused me to stir. After a moment, she added, Nor would it have awoken my siblings.

Rather than answer, Shitoro did his best to look busy straightening towels, making sure the right amount of candles were lit, ensuring that the scalding water was the proper temperature – anything to seemingly avoid meeting his mistress’s gaze.

Midnite smiled at his backside. He truly was the most loyal of servants, but he was easily the poorest liar in the palace.

What about the world of man bothers you? she asked.

This seemed to catch the diminutive demon by surprise. The outside world, my lady? Oh, that? Midnite raised an eyebrow. Before she could prod him, he continued. You may be surprised by the humans, mistress. They have ... changed. Their methods of waging war have evolved significantly, especially in the last half century.

Oh? she replied lazily, her attention once more focusing on the soothing way the roiling water lapped against her skin. It was almost enough to make her want to doze off again. Tell me, do they no longer use ships?

Yes, but they...

What about chariots? Have those, too, been discarded?

They have changed a bit, but...

Have the humans perhaps sprouted wings to take to the air?

Not exactly.

Then I do not see how different it could possibly be. She closed her eyes and tried to lose herself in the comforting feel of the water against her body.

Despite her dismissive attitude, though, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling that something had indeed changed. Perhaps she’d been too quick to scoff at Shitoro. Alas, it would be beneath her station to apologize to a servant.

Some things simply were not done.

Once Midnite had bathed, she made her way back so as to dress. Despite her boredom with mankind, it had been too long since she’d felt grass beneath her feet, enjoyed the smell of the wind as it carried through the fields. Her intent was to visit the blessed islands of the small world far below. Certainly a little time away from the palace would ease the odd calling inside of her.

She entered her audience chamber, planning on passing straight through, then stopped short as her breath caught. The entire room was filled with wind lilies, all of them in hand-carved vases of the finest jade. They were her favorite because, when in bloom, their scent was that of the night sky right after a storm. They were very rare, only growing in a small corner of a distant world at the far reaches of the stars. Only a few knew of their existence, and fewer still knew of her love for them.

Still, she repressed the whoop of delight she wanted to let loose. If these were here, then that meant someone had invaded her private chambers while she slept. It couldn’t have been Shitoro or any of her other servants. Though they could have used the crystals to travel such a distance, they would not have done so without her permission, even knowing it would please their mistress.

Shitoro!

She waited patiently for him to answer, her annoyance warring with a desire to breathe in the clean scent of the flowers. She was just about to call for him again, something that would certainly ignite her ire, when he answered sheepishly from behind her. Yes ... m-my lady?

From the way he stuttered, she immediately realized her mistake from earlier. Shitoro hadn’t been nervous about her questioning the state of the outside world. There had been something else bothering him. Midnite suspected what it was, but she wanted to hear it from him. Who?

Who? he repeated, drawing an annoyed sigh from her.

Who placed these here? Was it you?

I ... helped arrange them, my lady.

If I wished to know that, I would have asked. She put just enough steel into her voice to break the little tiger youkai’s nerve.

Almost as if on cue, he blurted out, It was Ichitiro! He brought the flowers.

Midnite closed her eyes and silently cursed in annoyance. Of course it was him. Who else would be so bold? Which of her other brothers would be so bull-headed as to refuse to take no for an answer? And you let him in? She turned to find the small demon sweating profusely. Well?

"After some ... persuasion on his part, mistress."

Midnite didn’t need to ask what that meant. Ichitiro was another of the daimao. Her older brother, as a matter of fact. He was perhaps the most fearsome warrior to ever grace the multiverse, living to fight, excelling at battle. He was also a petty bully, prone to tantrums when he didn’t get his way, and not afraid to use violence as a means to an end.

Her heart immediately went out to Shitoro. She had little doubt he did his utmost best to bar the way, but it was a battle he’d never stood a chance at winning. Ichitiro outranked and outclassed him in every aspect imaginable.

No, that wasn’t quite true. Shitoro was kind where her brother was cruel. He was considerate where the ancient demon was selfish. Also, Midnite much preferred the visage of her little servant to that of her sibling. Ichitiro may have been powerful, but she found him repulsive to look at.

Nevertheless, that hadn’t stopped him from taking a shine to her. At some point in the last millennia, he’d decided they should be mated. It wasn’t unheard of among the daimao, and a pairing of powerful demons made for powerful offspring.

Think of our future children, he had once told her, lust in his greedy eyes. They will be an unstoppable army, pouring forth across this world. We will enact the will of our masters through them, forcing any who oppose us to their knees.

Love, tenderness, even base compatibility; these things meant nothing to Ichitiro. He had his own twisted interpretation of the will of the elder gods and was not to be dissuaded – not by his siblings, and certainly not by lesser beings.

No matter what empty flatteries he told her, she knew what he really wanted. Had she consented, he might’ve enjoyed her body, but she had no doubt it was a secondary prize to him compared to the Taiyosori – the blade of heaven, the sword of a thousand deadly cuts.

She let her eyes rise above the flowers to where the sword hung in midair above her throne, seeming to guard the way to her bedchamber beyond. If one were to study the weapon, one would quickly notice the notched blade, perhaps the sharpest edge in the entire universe, was semi-transparent. Inside appeared to be a universe of its own, full of swirling galaxies and twinkling stars. It truly was a marvel to behold, even among beings who had seen the births and deaths of worlds.

Midnite had purposely placed it there to vex her would-be suitor, both as a reminder of what he could not have, as well as knowing it angered him to see such a formidable weapon relegated to a mere decoration.

However, it was hers and hers alone to do with as she pleased. The Taiyosori had been gifted to her by the elder gods themselves. She thought back to the day it was first given to her, so many eons ago. Such a strange moment, cloaked in more questions than she had answers to. It was an experience she had never forgotten, one which was impossible to fully explain to her siblings, save for the knowledge that one of the gods had reached out and bequeathed it to her.

She found herself wondering how long Ichitiro had stood here, after forcing his way in, staring at the sword, debating whether to try and take it.

Midnite barked out a chord of laughter at the thought.

The elder daimao was a bully, but he was no fool. As much as he lusted after the weapon, he knew it would reject him as surely as she had. The blade would not acknowledge a thief as its master. It could be inherited, gifted, or won in honorable combat, but not stolen. Unfortunately, it could also be claimed through the union of two beings, their souls forged as one. Therein lay Ichitiro’s hope, a hope that she had no inclination to ever grace with anything remotely resembling serious consideration.

Continued thoughts of her brother angered Midnite, stealing from her the sense of ease she’d gotten from her long bath. These flowers, beautiful as they might be, were tainted. They would bring her no enjoyment, so she saw no need for them to remind her of the lout. With a wave of her hand, the wind lilies all burst into blue flame, burning nearly as hot as a star for a scant second, until not even ashes remained.

2

H ow do I look, Shitoro?

As exquisite as the full moon on a clear night. As majestic as all the stars that have ever shined in the sky. As...

She silenced him with a wave of her hand, suppressing the grin that threatened to blunt her bad mood. She hadn’t been going for regal. If anything, she had been hoping for plain, nondescript.

Partially to help erase the shadow that Ichitiro had cast upon her day, but mostly out of curiosity as to the cause of her awakening, she decided to pay a visit to the planet below. Even if there was a petty war afoot, it might serve as a temporary distraction.

Her people were attuned to war, having once – long ago – served as the generals and taskmasters of the elder gods. Though those days were long past, her people could still sense upheaval. Oftentimes, it was minor, barely a blip in their subconscious. On rare occasion, however, something occurred that was significant enough to wake the great demons from their slumber.

Nevertheless, Midnite found it hard to believe that anything of true importance had occurred. It had barely been three centuries, after all. It had taken the humans a good thousand of their years just to master the use of fire alone.

She was still eager to stretch her legs, though. At the very least, she would enjoy a walk upon the white beaches overlooking the ocean – so vast to mankind, yet so small to her own perception. Perhaps a stroll through the waist-high grass of a field as well, enjoying the feel of the sun on her skin. Yes, that would please her.

Though in the past, the daimao had appeared to mankind in all their glory – inspiring fear, awe, and worship – it was occasionally desired to put forth a less intimidating presence so as to more closely observe them scurrying about in their short lives. Some daimao, such as Ichitiro, would never deem to lower themselves that way, considering themselves above such folly, but Midnite and her less warlike siblings occasionally enjoyed such forays.

She opted for such today, donning the clothing of a simple peasant girl and willing all of her divine markings hidden. To the uninitiated, she would appear as nothing more than a simple, if stunningly beautiful, woman in her mid-twenties.

When shall I expect your return, mistress? Shitoro asked.

Why, whenever it pleases me to return, my servant.

Shitoro turned a shade whiter and added, I do not wish to pry, my lady. It is simply so that I may have another bath waiting for you. The world of man is so ... dirty at times.

This time, Midnite allowed herself to laugh. The little tiger demon was always masking his concern for her with some mundane task. Fine. If it would keep him from pulling the hair from his paws with worry. A day at most, I should think. I wish to enjoy the sun, but I have always enjoyed gazing at the stars, too. Draw a bath for me come the morning. Time passed differently on Earth than in the celestial realm, but it would still afford her a goodly visit before he began to fret.

It shall be done, the little demon replied, visibly mollified.

Midnite smiled, then eyed the rows of shimmering crystals along the wall of the summoning chamber. A tiny bit of daimao life force filled each. Though youkai such as Shitoro could not make the journey under their own power, the crystals allowed them to do so. A little bit of their master’s power, so that they might venture out as needed or directed.

Despite his fear of displeasing her and his perhaps even greater fear of the world below, Midnite had little doubt that, should she be late in returning, Shitoro would come looking for her. Others of her kind might have found such a thing to be tiresome, but she considered it an endearing trait.

Good intentions aside, though, if that happened, he was bound to end up in some trouble or another. A full-sized tiger was something most humans avoided. A tiny one, somewhat less so. She made it a point to mind the hours so as to spare either of them such an ordeal.

With that, Midnite raised her hand and began to summon the cosmic energies needed to make the journey, preparing to transfer her essence to the small blue world below and the islands her people favored above all others.

Be careful, my mistress, Shitoro said.

And then she was gone.

Midnite expected to appear upon a calm beach on her favorite of the blessed isles. Though she knew the inhabitants had a name for this land, she had never bothered to learn it. It was simply her preferred spot upon the Earth, a place where she could enjoy the wind in her hair and the fresh smell of the salty sea air.

What she did not expect was to arrive in the middle of Hell. Wind and rain pummeled her, but despite the weather, smoke hung thick in the air. Though she had no need to, she took a breath and coughed, the odor of sulfur heavy upon it. She knew that scent. It was the smell of war itself.

As she took in her surroundings, she noticed the bodies lying upon the scarred and pitted remains of what was once a place of serenity. Scorched and blackened, some of them lay in pieces, and many had strange wounds upon them.

Though a part of her was aghast at what she saw, excitement quickly overcame it. She was no stranger to the battlefield, having looked down upon the dead and dying many a time, but this was new. Though some of the fallen had obviously taken their own lives via ceremonial blades, many more had not. Yet there were no signs of arrow or sword wounds upon those who hadn’t. It was as if the fires of heaven itself had descended and wrought its vengeance upon them. But that was silly. She would have known had that happened.

Strange, she thought. Strange, yet exhilarating. Perhaps there was a reason she and her siblings had been roused after all.

An unfamiliar noise came from overhead, a bizarre whistling roar. She glanced up to see the oddest bird she had ever seen swoop past overhead. Some kind of oni, perhaps – one with strange metallic skin and bright red markings on its wings.

No. It didn’t move like anything natural, at least that she’d ever seen. She followed its course out over the ocean and her breath caught in her throat. At first, she thought she was looking at whole islands made of iron just off the shore, but then she realized her mistake. She’d seen human ships before, feeble fragile things that they used to cross the seas, explore, and – of course – wage war on one another, but never anything like this.

They were like mountains of steel upon the water, mountains from which thunder now sounded. Smoke and fire came from the top of the ships, and a sense of familiarity hit home. She remembered seeing cannon fire, primitive and cumbersome weapons, but curious as they brought a new element to the battlefield. This reminded her of it, but many times more devastating.

She watched as the strange metallic creature in the sky caught fire. Bits and pieces of it were blown off until finally it slammed into the ocean at tremendous speed, exploding upon contact.

It seemed impossible, but her senses told her the flying creature wasn’t alive. It wasn’t anything natural to this world, even with all its wonders. Could it be? Yes. It had to be some kind of craft, a ship of the air.

Unbelievable.

After countless centuries of the same thing, over and over again, this was all new. How had the humans come so far in so little time? Had something helped them? Had some divine force gifted them with this knowledge?

She initially suspected Ichitiro’s hand in this. If there was one daimao who would wish to see the art of war increased to such a level among the humans, it was he, but she quickly dismissed it. No. Her brother was far too stupid and self-absorbed. This was beyond him.

A chill ran through her as she continued to watch, slowly realizing these vehicles of war were potentially beyond what any of her siblings might be capable of building.

The weaponry on display was awe-inspiring. It almost brought a tear of joy to her eye to behold. Such might wielded by such small, insignificant beings. They were still nothing individually, but housed in such iron titans as now rode the rough waves before her, they could potentially overcome that weakness. Though she still hadn’t seen anything on par with the worst a daimao such as herself could wrought, surely even a mazoku would have to give pause before such a sight.

The wind buffeted her as she watched, but she paid it no mind. The storm was nothing to her. She felt no chill beneath the rain, nor discomfort as her simple dress billowed around her like a flag in a breeze.

She might have stood there for the entire day, staring at the spectacle unfolding before her, drinking it in as one who has been parched for too long might guzzle water. But then she was roused by a loud noise – another roar of thunder like that which came from the ships, but smaller and much closer.

Her keen senses picked up the whine of something small cutting through the air as it raced toward her, quick as a lightning bolt. Time slowed around her as she focused on the source, a small capsule of metal flying in her direction. Curious. Again she was reminded of cannon fire, but this time it was much smaller.

The bullet – although she didn’t know it was called that – slammed into her midsection, barely an insect sting to the ancient creature. The hole it created in her flesh sealed itself almost immediately, although, she rued, it did leave an unfortunate tear in her dress.

What in holy hell?

Hah, you missed.

Fuck you.

She turned toward the sound of the voices. Two humans wearing uniforms of drab green were advancing upon her, pointing what looked to be hollow sticks in her direction. Though their words were alien to her at first, her advanced mind quickly made sense of the chattering that was their primitive tongue. Though a human would most likely drown in its own blood before mastering the celestial tongue, their many languages – crude as they were – were easily learned by her.

Though she didn’t quite understand what she was being called, she perfectly grasped the meaning when one of them stepped forward and said, Move a muscle and I’ll blow your Jap face clean off.

3

I thought the captain said the beach was clear.

That stupid son of a bitch wouldn’t know if his nose was clear.

Don’t let him hear you say that.

Do I look stupid?

You want an answer to that? The human male glanced back toward Midnite. Hey! I said don’t move!

Midnite found their banter amusing as she did their hostile, if ignorant, intentions toward her. Her guise had worked. These humans had no idea as to whom they were speaking so impudently.

What do you think? the second asked the first.

I don’t know. Most of the locals have been committing that hari kari bullshit. Maybe she was too chicken.

Understand what he’s saying? the second asked her with a laugh. Of course you don’t, you stupid Nip. He began flapping his arms up and down, making buck buck buck sounds.

Midnite raised an eyebrow. Curious, indeed.

Hey, hold on, the first said. A buddy of mine in the 6 th said he’d heard they’re using women and children as kamikazes now.

She ain’t in a Zero.

I know that, stupid. They’re strapping bombs to them and using them to blow up tanks.

Son of a bitch, really?

Yeah. I don’t know about you, but I ain’t taking her back to camp until I know for certain. He focused on Midnite again and raised the hollow stick he’d been pointing at her. Strip.

Strip? Certainly he doesn’t mean...

She doesn’t understand you.

The first narrowed his gaze. "Well, she’d better learn to understand real quick. Otherwise, I’m putting a bullet in one of her slant eyes. Besides, look at her. I ain’t ever seen Jap tits before. What