Ikémen Sengoku: The Goddess of Life

Clash of the Goddesses

There was a time when the world was fresh and new. When hardships and suffering didn't exist. When man lived and thrived and prospered simply because they knew how to help one another; to be there for each other.

But then corruption entered their thoughts. It made them do awful, horrible things. It forced them to beckon for war, spill blood, betray those closest to them, and come to a plethora of disagreements. It unaligned them from one another, creating division.

Man was cruel beyond compare... but, somehow, there were a few who were able to maintain their beauty through goodness and purity. Their way was strange, for they were all different.

No one truly knew why man behaved in such a particular way. Some say it was simply how the All-Father affixed their complicated design. Others say it was due to the influence of the nine Goddesses of Emotion. But narrow-minded folk refused to worship these allusive women in such a way, so they proclaimed that it was the complete work of the All-Father. Some still believed in the Goddesses, however. And little did those nonbelievers know that these women were all very real.

They truly influenced humans.

In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness and the wholesome being that was the All-Father. He used this blackened canvas to create the stars and planets, dancing among them for centuries. Eventually, however, he became lonely and used the stars to mold his first children, which all happened to be beautiful girls. The first to appear were Iyari and Ikari, who were matched as polar opposite twins. Those that followed next were Kibo, Yoku and Ryoku, Osoré, Ai, and Shi and Irey. Yoku and Ryoku were twins as well as Shi and Irey. The sisters filled the All-Father's heart equally, with immeasurable joy.

But eventually, the great being decided that he and his daughters should share the universe with more living beings. So, he chose many different planets to bestow life upon. Earth was where'd he'd chosen to place man. They were simple creatures that assumed basic survival skills. But upon gaining more and more knowledge, they grew to become complex creatures, unsure of what to do with this great ability to think. So, as a motive of guidance, the All-Father sent down his two eldest daughters, Iyari and Ikari, to challenge and test the strength of man using the idea of mercy. Ikari showed them the influence of rage and wrath, while Iyari introduced compassion and forgiveness. Though some had triumphed, the rest were still in need of valuable guidance. They were uncertain and timid with their actions, so the sister sent next was the third eldest.

Kibo gave man hope in order to move them into a lighter direction. Soon after, man had conquered that challenge. As a next phase to test their strength, Yoku and Ryoku descended to the their lands. Yoku tempted mankind with greed, while Ryoku offered them the willpower to resist. And of course, with assistance from Kibo, they overcame their undying taste for possession.

Eventually, however, man became arrogant and turned to challenge their creator and his daughters. As a response, the All-Father charged Osoré with punishing his creations by the use of fear, and she truly was merciless. She terrorized the people day and night for what seemed like an eternity. Their fragile souls couldn't handle it anymore. They'd grown even afraid to close their eyes. Offering her pity upon man, Iyari spoke with her father to relieve the people of their torture. Deciding that she was right in placing her judgement, the All-Father sent Ai to distribute love and care among them; to remind them that their creator still cherished them. All was perfect... until one day, man asked the All-Father if there was truly a purpose to their existence. They developed themselves well, but what else was there to do?

He pondered this. His small creations were right. So he composed an idea. The idea of there being an end and beginning. And so, he granted Shi and Irey the powers they needed to rule man; the powers to create and destroy. He gave Shi the power of death. She used her abilities to exterminate man's life when their time on the earth was over and guide them into the Afterlife. With Irey, he gave her the ability to create or guide new life and heal those capable of saving. There was a set of complex rules they were to follow, and being the youngest of their sisters, it wasn't exactly the easiest task in the world. They were still small girls, forced to grow up quicker than most. But if it meant something important to their father, they would do it without question.