The Kagemusha Mountains are a harsh environment; its highest peaks above the clouds, temperatures can freeze the blood of a man four times over. So high in the sky, when the sun is in view, the light it produces can burn a hole deep into the eyes' recesses beyond repair. Air is so thin, it is said if the blood could run, it would dribble from every orifice of the body. The only beings said able to survive at these peaks are sky dragons, able to travel into space itself. However, entire centuries can pass without their presence. To say it is a solemn world is an understatement; it is a place made for solitude and barren silence. Such an environment provides an adequate atmosphere for Kukai the Sennin, the Hermit of the Major Arcana. Alone in a simple shack atop the highest peak, it hides a cave into the mountain that houses one of the greatest libraries in existence. Reading and writing are a career for Kukai, but his hobbies include the field of botany magically upheld in the harsh climate of his residence. Though gifted in the arrangement of Banzai trees, the elder immortal's passion lay in his Chrysanthemums. It is said in the deepest portal of the mountain, passages to Hell itself exist. Through these gates is how Kukai comes out of isolation to travel and to attend to his duties in the Major Arcana. The Hermit sits in the quarters of his shack bathed in the lights of the candles surrounding him as he remains in deep meditation. The tranquil scene is interrupted as gelatinous tendrils pierce his settlement and bite at his body. The shack is torn apart by the tendrils as Kukai lands on the ground before where his home was before its demise.
“Who dares enter the Kagemusha Mountains unannounced?!”
The old man's sole response is the glugging noise of the yellow mass of translucent sludge before him as its tendrils recede into its form and it rockets at both ends to encircle its target. Kukai jumps to avoid being smothered only for dozens of tendrils to race after him and ensnare his legs.
“Damnable abomination!”
Pulling a paper talisman from his robe, he hurls it like a dagger and it merges with the surface of the blob as he makes hand gestures before exclaiming 'release!' where the entire mass detonates and covers the area in chunks of gelatin. Holding his hand towards the ruins of his home, a staff with a burning lantern attached to it comes to join his grip. Suddenly, the several chunks of the monstrosity bolt towards each other to reform as it contorts into some oozing creature with a massive mouth and eyes atop the upper lip. Before the elder can react, a deafening boom threatens to obliterate him had he not stepped to the side in time.
“Impressive; thought that would have squashed you for sure.”
Kukai turns to see a hulking red humanoid before him wielding mallets in each hand as tomoe circle behind him.
“Raijin?! Wait, no... you're some... imitation...”
“More than enough for you, old one.”
Lightning fills his eyes as he appears directly in front of his opponent when a burst of sound sends the old man back. The Sennin grunts as he rights himself while the tendrils of the sludge monster seek to ensnare him.
“Glob didn't appear to like you blasting him apart; he maybe invincible, but he can still feel pain. Ha ha ha!”
The Hermit closes his eyes and recites a chant as Glob freezes.
“Impressive...” passes Raijin's lips as he appears beside Kukai in a flash of light while the pair trades blows.
“Standing up to the strength of a Kami? You are full of surprises.”
As Raijin finishes his sentence, Kukai palm strikes his opponent into the chest and the explosive attack sends the red giant crashing into the rock below. The Hermit lands on his right big toe atop a rock ledge while Raijin stirs from the blow.
“It would appear the threat requires the full Brothers Storm.”
The voice dances on the wind like an echo before the sage notices a similar looking but blue Kami floating off the mountain's edge holding a large, open bag behind him near Raijin. A similar green Kami raises beside him on a platform of water as his hair dances like snakes and a kanabo rests at his side.
“I see... aberrations of Fujin and Suijin join the battle. Thunder, Wind, and Water, the Brothers Storm.”
Fujin snickers as Raijin rises standing beside his brothers. The wind god begins the assault, sailing like a bullet at the old man while dancing around his attacks laughing all the while. Raijin appears seemingly out of nowhere as the boom of his thunder and blast of wind from Fujin hit Kukai hard as he's caught in the middle. He narrowly escapes a swing from Suijin's massive club and uses the kinetic force of it to land on the ground. Saying a quick chant, he slaps the ground and it shakes. Below, dozens of books are shaken in their cases and fall to the ground. A snout rises before a mouth, mouth full of teeth as the snout greets eyes, and a head emerges atop a massive neck, ever growing as Kukai takes his place behind the beast's head holding on to its emerging horns. The Brothers Storm are taken aback, but redouble themselves and prepare for the earth dragon's assault.
A massive stream of lava gushes past the lips of the dragon while the old man puts his hands together in prayer, balancing the staff with his thumbs. The Brothers Storm and Glob scatter as the once frail, emaciated form of Kukai is replaced with a hulking behemoth. Crashing his lantern on the back of the dragon, it shatters into several balls of fire that encircle the Hermit. Leaping from the back of his steed, Kukai smashes his staff against the mallets of Raijin creating a massive burst of sound.
“Now you're putting up a fight!”
The words come like a growl out of the red Kami's mouth as the Sennin raises his staff and violently turns towards an upward strike. The blow narrowly misses Raijin as he twists and is pushed by the blow's force. Electricity arcs between his mallets as a loud boom erupts from around his body and he pushes forward. Kukai and Raijin trade blows at a frightful speed before the elder pulls back as the flames surrounding him twirl into a circle and a massive blast of fire strikes Raijin true. As the smoke clears, Raijin begins to lower his arms he raised in defense, now singed and blackened, but its sight is eclipsed by the white fangs of the beast's demented smile. Opening his mouth in a perverse way as his tongue hulks downward, a crack of lightning passes his lips as Kukai's flames close to block it. The force proves too much and the Sennin is push back several yards while his feet drag and raise a cloud of dust.
Suijin drops down like an anvil from the sky with his kanabo in hand towards the crown of the dragon. His efforts are meant with the massive end of the creature's tail and the green Kami is sent flying over the cliff. Brother Fujin dances like a leaf twirling in the wind before a sudden stop and punch strikes like a punch to the dragon's stone face and sends his head aback, lava burping upward and falling like rain while causing ash to gingerly flake and cascade as black snow. Glob darts the landscape avoiding the lava rain piking up into a spike that digs deeply into the underbelly of the massive mountain serpent. It screeches in pain before its claws swipe and cut its attacker into several round slabs. Fujin is not without receiving retribution as the beast coils with frightening speed and crush the wind from his body as he hits the ground limp. Snow rises like a wave over the edge of the mountain's cliff as Suijin, the top of his kimono torn from his torso, rides atop it with a frightful demeanor upon his brow. His great cudgel gone, blades of ice form on his arms as he lashes them before and jets of water spin like ribbon towards the surprised earth dragon. The beast lunges forward exhaling a stream of lava that forms rock and steam against the violent water swirls. Suijin runs atop the falling column of hot stone before running under the mouth of the serpent, dragging his blades on its rough surface and screaming. The dragon thrashes trying to dislodge its attacker, but the Kami continues to run and cut as scales of rock flare about his dash.
Raijin grins as he awaits the dust to disperse, but instead he meets with bewilderment. Kukai's fingers are intertwined save the index fingers which instead point forward pressed together. At blurring speed, further hand signs are made as words are barked out and characters form behind the elder upon blinding discs of light; “Rin,” “Pyo,” “To,” “Sha,” “Kai,” “Jin,” “Retsu,” “Zai,” “Zen.” The red Kami realizes the chant and its power, though not understanding to what end, and tries to react but it proves too late. Screaming “Ko!”, the world becomes white and shapes around merely become lines. Everything drags slowly against space as a line of explosions trail from the Hermit towards Raijin, seeming pulled in a horrific vacuum as the spoken characters appear spinning before his eyes as the area around him detonates. A whirlwind dissolves around the imitation God of Thunder as both fighters stand still while the world tries to catch up with them. Space contorts back to what it was as Kukai exhales and Raijin collapses.
Lava gushes from the wounds created by Suijin. Glob reforms and pounces on the injured prey, digging like a gelatin vice that wrenches against the stone plates of the dragon and announce an unsavory “crunch.” The earth dragon darts towards the sky and cries in agony. Suijin turns to face the great beast and forms a massive bow and arrow of ice upon his arms. The attack falls into the gaze of the serpentine construct as its roar shakes the ground and its teeth bite at the air before it as if it builds momentum like someone stomping against the ground in a full charge. The arrow is released some few dozen yards before it tastes vengeance and strikes the throat of the dragon as its neck erupts with molten magma. It's taken aback, its life's fluid oozing in violent bursts, but shaking it still lunges to consume Suijin. As its brown, curved stalagmites and stalactites threaten to achieve its goal, a battered Fujin appears before his brother and a massive fist of air flies from his flung sack to travel down the dragon's throat, its body torn asunder in all directions as the attack reaches to the tip of its tail and leave a great mass of stones in its wake. Glob rises amongst the rubble in arching streams of fluid that abound towards the two brothers and reforms at their feet.
The earth rattles again as steam arises from the dirt and stones and a scream rings out. The three turn to see a hulking mass with red eyes. A third eye, sideways and both above and between the two eyes, opens as the three eyes go white while the steam clears to show Kukai with Raijin collapsed behind him. Fujin pulls a scarf from his kimono as talons of ice emerge from the fingers of Suijin and grow a foot in length. Glob whips around them and shoots forward, the brothers running just behind it, crossing each others paths before bolting ahead. The Sennin swings his right arm before him as a wave of energy domes before as the three allies jump above it. Kukai steps back on his left foot and brings his arms together on his left side before stepping forward on his right foot violently as his palms jut suddenly ahead and stop the Kami in mid-air. Glob breaks through but falls into an orb of energy in the elder's hands as he quickly twists them into movements around the globe and drops the creature into a consistently spinning form.
Suijin and Fujin are quickly upon the Major Arcana member as ice claws nearly cleave into his chest and a scarf spinning like a drill nearly bores deep into his gut. Stomping his foot, the Kami are pushed back as the three begin to trade a flurry of blows. No blows catch more than a glancing strike; Kukai leaps back with both palms outstretched before the Brothers and fingers pointing at each other as a blast of energy erupts from the third eye and cuts off the claws on Suijin's right hand. Pulling back, the green and blue giants defensively encircle their opponent. Tomoe spin behind the Kami and balls of flame dance around the old man. Kukai grabs one of the balls and the set form into a chain of large, heavy beads. Forming a scythe of ice in his hands, Suijin rushes towards the old man slashing low as Fujin spins his scarf aiming for the neck of his opponent. A flash of read shatters the curved blade and rips away the scarf as it explodes the air around setting the Brother ablaze. On their backs desperately trying to put the flames out, Kukai smirks as he begins to swirl his beads about building momentum. Leaping on all fours like cats, the Kami take to the air as the beads crash upon the ground where they lay and the area erupt in fire. Suijin, noticeably slower, runs to the edge of the mountaintop and summons as much snow as he can to encase his body in. The blue Kami runs opposite his brother as howling winds fill his bag and he floats beyond the edge. Kukai holds the beads to the sky as they levitate and he chants as a bird of fire grows from the fire. This phoenix streaks at the hill of snow encasing the imitation Water god but is pulled back by some invisible force. The Sennin groans as an orb of wind surrounds the summit, tearing the fire apart as it shrinks upon him. He goes to move, but he is pinned in place and can do nothing to stop the air pulled from his lungs and blacks out. Quickly, the snow flashes like a wave off of the green Kami and hits like a giant dragging arrow of white that hits the Major Arcana in the center of the battlefield and encases him in clear ice.
Badly beaten, Suijin summons his kanabo and smashes it on the still spinning Glob, setting him free. Likewise, Fujin goes to the side of his crimson skinned brother and brings him to. A slow clap comes from the cliff's edge as a man in a red robe glides forward into view.
“Well done, my elite soldiers. You've brought the mighty Kukai to his knees.”
A wave of his bandaged hand slices and casts away ice to leave the Sennin merely shackled in ice for his arms and legs. Coming to, the Hermit is surprised at the sight that greets him.
“Who...?”
“You wound me, lonely keeper of knowledge.”
Pulling open his robe and tearing aways bandages, the old man gasps as his eyes fill with the sight of an S burned into the flesh of the chest before him.
“Superboy Prime? But, you're dead! That fellow that can copy powers, Matt-something or other, he killed you.”
“Ha! Sorry, I get mixed up sometimes.”
Flesh burns away to red and black scarred tissue marred with bone and sinew as bandages wrap about the decrepit body and the robe closed to cast the face in darkness. The frail arm reaches impossibly deep into the shadowed hood to pull forth a forgotten sight: the Crescent Blade of the Moon.
“Death?!”
The scythe crumbles and turns to dust carried away by the wind.
“Yes... and no. I'm much, much more.”
Plunging his hand deep into the Hermit's chest, the Time Trapper snickers as he squeezes the heart of his former ally. The Sennin groans and grits his teeth.
“You see, when I took my revenge on the Surgeon, I was changed. Two halves of the same coin, we became one; and with the scythe, everything was made clear to me. You see, in the multiverse, only 22 beings exist with the essence of the Major Arcana. However, they're drawn to each other, their paths intertwined. Though we were one, separately we each embodied the Arcana. I was Death, he was the Emperor and didn't even know it. The scythe was the key to unlocking the path to his essence, and the result was an abomination. The Arcana are components of reality, each a column to existence and each wields great power. To make two as one, it changes everything. Everything. I became the Time Trapper, and the power is unbelievable! All at once, I came to realize every mistake I've made and will make. The pathways of what is opened to me like a person would open a book.”
The robed figure clenches his target's heart harder as blood streams from a corner of the old man's mouth as he begins reverting to his emaciated form.
“It was then I realized what needs to be done, and despite my newfound power, it wasn't enough to remake existence but simply offered the tools to manipulate it towards my goals. So, if I could be two Major Arcana, could I be more? The human being is a truly fascinating creation: it can be many things at once. Look at the average person; man, son, father, brother who works, has religion/philosophy, hobbies, so on and so on. Using the Crescent Blade of the Moon, I can unlock the pathways as long as a path exists. The Emperor controls his power through Death, it acts as the key to the first thirteen of the tarot; Death is the Trump with No Name symbolized by trampling the king, or the Emperor, born by the Sun and Moon as the Tower crumbles behind. Death is a symbol of end, but in tarot it means the beginning.”
The blood pours from every orifice of the Sennin, dribbling below through cracks into his sanctum and dripping onto his precious Chrysanthemums, turning their virgin white to scorn crimson.
“Death and the Emperor open the door to everything, and reality itself can be changed. Two become one. But soon after, three became one. Remember how I said the Major Arcana are bound to each other? The Chariot was under my nose the whole time!The prince, beneath the king, and the hero connected to the Tower, or the journey, a Tower I've crossed. Chariot represents impulses, following the Lovers, so what better to bring him together then two as one?”
“Stop prattling in your mad ramblings!”
The scream come as gurgles from the lips of Kukai but are heard nonetheless. Time Trapper comes in close.
“Copymatts left Superboy Prime in such a mess... ripped him in two! Heh. It took all his power to keep surviving, poor bastard. He thought I came to save him, that I was healing him. Instead, I unlocked the Chariot and consumed his heart!”
With that, the beating heart of the Hermit is ripped out. Kukai breathes heavy as his eyes roll in the back of his head, the veins and arteries still connected from his heart to his body.
“I'm the hero, obviously. So, I took his power for my own, the Moon to his back, but the Sun unseen before him. The Hermit is connected to the Moon, lighting the otherwise dark path ahead and the crossed circle of infinity is formed, a path set before me through the scythe I carry in me. The Hermit is the obstacle for the hero, one that must be overcome. It's all connected!”
The heart is torn completely out as the old man convulses, Time Trapper lifting the heart above his head and lower it into the darkness of his cowl. The Chrysanthemums turn black and whither as the robed figure waves his hand and the vast library ignites in fire.
“The Major Arcana won't need this anymore, especially since I could recite the tomes word for word.”
Time Trapper laughs as he walks and fades as his minions follow likewise close behind. Two figures remain, seemingly unseen before.
“We had better warn Mr. Moon. The aberration is on the move.”