| Heaven's Roar | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Kanji | 天の咆哮 |
| Romaji | Ten no Hokou |
| Volume | 12 |
| Navigation | |
| ← Eternal Bond | Those Who Were Summoned → |
Howling of the Heavens (天の咆哮, Ten no Hokou) is the Thirty-Eighth chapter of Fushigi Yuugi: Genbu Kaiden.
Summary[]
The Kutou Army advances, but the Genbu Seven are able to hold them back. In the midst of the fighting, Hokkan is attacked with hail and frost, injuring many people and tearing down the houses. Realizing that the Hokkan Ice Age has commenced, Takiko gathers the warriors and tell them that they will be summoning Genbu to stop everything.
Plot[]
The war begins[]
Though Uruki and Takiko are now wed and politically, things have settled down, the Hokkan Ice Age was unstoppable. Back in the real world. Einosuke Okuda tries to destroy the book with a knife in hopes of getting his daughter out, but, failing, he writes a letter to Takao to prepare for the worst.
Tomite, Ayla, Borate, and Hikitsu are reunited and share the happy news together. The Odo Tribe gathers before them and tells them that they are thankful for the fortunate and glorious turn of events, and asks the warriors when will Genbu be summoned. Tomite tells them that in order to save Takiko, it will not happen.
Takiko is already knee-deep with her Tuberculosis, but temporarily shakes the suspicion away from Uruki when he notices. Uruki asks her to lie down and rest, but Takiko tells him that he is fine. Deep inside her, he wishes for Uruki to be "etched" at her permanently. A messenger calls out and tells them that the Kutou Army has finally reached Touran.
With the warriors and Takiko standing guard at palace roofs, Tomite tells them that the Kutou Army is more composed and they are definitely outnumbered since their arrival meant that the Hokkan army is vanquished. Fortunately, Uruki informs them that his order was for the citizens to be protected. Teg tells everyone that he agrees with Takiko, that he wants this battle to end with the least blood spilled on both sides.
Namame creates a stone soldier army, and Hikitsu uses his powers to trick the Kutou Army's vision with a mist, in hopes of being able to force them to withdraw. Takiko recalls what Temudan has told her, that Kutou will never surrender without the Life Stones.
Hakei, faithful on his agreement with Temudan, wonders what has happened inside the palace, and why are the civilians not revolting. A messenger delivers a letter from the Kutou Emperor, Hakei's father, telling him to quickly obtain the Life Stones so that he can live forever. Hakei is torn between Temudan's pledge and his father's poor condition order and begins to wonder what has happened to Hien and Shigi.
Revelation of the Life Stones[]
Back in the Hokkan Palace, the Genbu Seven are deep in thought for a strategy. Teg tells them that he has guarded the Life Stones during the 17 years he was imprisoned underground, and that it has ore. Tegiru's mumblings and occasional outbursts enabled him confidential information about their existence, and Teg speculates that it was because of the stones that he was able to retain his physical appearance for those 17 years. The Rowun Clan was the one who was able to discover the divine stones and carving Hokkan an existence, they seized the emperorship by divine right. The power of the Life Stones were "restoration of life" according to the legend. Filka tells them that if that were the case, then Temudan would have already been long cured of his terminal illness, so it was not true - and every Hokkan emperor a long life, but eventually died. Hagas consumed a Life Stone, but it didn't cure his illness. The warriors speculate that it has some other kind of power that's not medicine. A messenger interrupts them and reports that the Kutou Army is already advancing. Hearing this, Takiko resolves to summon Genbu before she dies, since the medicine won't work on her as she is from another world.
Uruki tells them that his father's terms are out of the question - the Life Stones belong to the Hokkan people, and even though handing them over would save the citizens, their pride and memory would forever be insulted. The warriors deploy on the palace roof, missing a very important message from Takiko. Takiko wonders whether it is really important since the snow has stopped. Tomite jolts her out of her reverie and asks where has her energetic spirit gone. He hugs her to try to get her back to her normal self (which succeeds) but tells her later that he really felt like doing it.
Teg's song and Uruki's whirlwind[]
The Genbu Seven activates their symbols, a sign that they will be fighting at full force. The Kutou Army is distraught with the stone soldiers, as they are able to move - and are also deadly. Tomite freezes the cannon balls, Hikitsu manifests water dragons, and Inami smokes the soldiers with a chemical Hatsui made. Hakei is shocked at the Kutou Army's loss of divisions but says that the celestial warriors are still human. He orders the 3rd division to enter the palace and take the priestess, but Hatsui shoots out needles. But it wasn't the end of their misery. Teg, now with the full mark and life force of Urumiya, starts singing. Takiko comments on how different it was from the previous one they heard in Oroko Valley - the Kutou Army is losing energy while the Hokkan citizens' morale is rising.
Takiko notices a "strange but familiar sound" brewing in the atmosphere - Uruki's tornado. It vanquishes the 5th division and allows Uruki to make his way through Hakei's camp. He declares that he thought that Teg was challenging him with his singing and that the music has given him strength instead. As Namame morphs into a rock giant, Uruki orders Hakei to leave and forget about the Life Stones' legend.
Takiko's decision[]
Namame is impaled by a hail shooting from the sky. The hailstorm has wreaked havoc and Takiko notices that a whirlpool is already swirling around the sky, ready to rip Hokkan to shreds. Realizing that Hokkan cannot carry on any longer with all the physical and natural abuse it was forced to go through and that the Hokkan Ice Age commencing at this very moment, she runs to the Genbu shrine despite her fever.
Filka informs the warriors of Takiko's whereabouts. When they are all gathered, Takiko tells them that the period of eternal frost is already starting, as Temudan calculated. Takiko tells them that she will summon Genbu now to save everyone. Uruki tries to talk her out of it, but she tells him that her life would mean nothing if Hokkan is destroyed in the storm and the civilians are forced to give up their pride forever. She yells at Uruki to grant her final request, even if the beast god devours her. Uruki, respecting his empress' decision, gives her one final embrace and orders for the ceremony to commence.