Part 7: HIRIKI AND THE PERFECT GUARDIAN

Now Hiriki exited the great castle of the spider lord and found himself, as before, not in the grounds of the spider lords castle but transported by a single step to another strange, distant land.

“Another strange land; another monster; another treasure”, said Hiriki to himself.

Infront of him, Hiriki could see an immense treasure house built from gold with only one entrance and, infront of the entrance, he could see a giant sentry in armour of solid gold with four arms, one holding an axe, one holding a spear, one holding a mace and one holding a sword.

“What kind of foe is this”, asked Hiriki, “He looks like a fortress on legs”.

“He is Omitro. The Perfect Guardian”, said the Goddess, “The dark sorceror Ramizu created him to guard a magic spear that makes its wielder into a titan and whose speartip can heal aswell as kill. Beneath his armour is skin stronger than any armour; behind his four arms and four weapons is the strength of 40 men and fighting skill of all the masters. He is an unstoppable warrior. The largest army is only half of him”.

“Then”, despaired Hiriki, “How can I hope to defeat him?” and he threw his arms up in exasperation.

“Try talking to him”, said the Goddess.

And so Hiriki called out to the Guardian, “So. You’re the perfect guardian. The mighty Omitro. The most undefeatable warrior in the world. Is that right?”.

“That is right”, said Omitro, “If you dream of stealing the spear that I guard then do away with that dream right now. If you set a foot towards me then I will split you in two”.

“I wasn’t going to try and steal anything”, said Hiriki, “I just wondered why you are wasting your life as a guard dog, that is all”.

“A guard dog?”, growled Omitro, the perfect guardian, angrilly, “Come closer and say that! I’ll twist you inside out!”.

“Why don’t you come after me. I bet that you can’t catch me”, said Hiriki, taunting him.

“I cannot”, replied Omitro, sadly, “I am bound by a short chain of magic that will not allow me to leave this place. I must stay and guard the spear because I have no choice”.

“So”, laughed Hiriki, “You’re not just a perfect guardian, you’re a perfect prisoner
and, I think, a perfect fool aswell”.

“You can call me a fool”, said Omitro, “But I call you a coward. Come closer and try your taunts, I will chop you into dust”.

“I admit it”, said Hiriki, “I am a coward because I know what my life is worth. It is precious because I have the freedom to enjoy it and to pursue great purposes but what is your life worth. You are the perfect warrior but you have no purpose in life, all your power is wasted, you are like a sun buried away beneath the earth”

“What is your purpose in life?”, asked Omitro, the perfect guardian, “Are you not just another treasure seeker, after personal wealth and power?”

“I am on a quest for the Goddess who is all love and life and purpose incarnate”, said Hiriki, “I am doing a hero’s work, though I admit that I am ill suited to it being a weak coward but you, who are powerful, what are you using your power for?”.

The perfect guardian thought for a moment and then wept, “Oh, you have struck my head and heart”, he said, “What you say is true. I have no purpose equal to my power and the man who created me, Ramizu, died so long ago without giving me any other purpose”.

“You are the lock upon his jewel box”, said Hiriki, “What a waste!”

“But what can I do”, said Omitro, “If any sword could pierce my skin then I would take my own life but the hardest steel is like wet clay against me”.

And so Hiriki raised up his magic sword, “This sword is the perfect sword, made to cut through the indestructable. I believe that it could kill the perfect guardian”.

And Hiriki threw the sword at the feet of Omitro and Omitro dropped all his own weapons and, clutching the magic sword with all four hands, plunged the sword into his heart and died instantly but, out of the body of the perfect guardian rose its spirit and that spirit entered the body of Hiriki.

“Now I am free to serve a greater purpose, to guard a greater treasure”, said the perfect guardian, speaking from within Hiriki’s own mind, “You will have all of my power and you will use it to serve your goddess”.

“I will put it to good use”, said Hiriki to the honoured guest within him.

And Hiriki entered the golden treasure house of Ramizu and took the magic spear and when he had all four of the magic weapons that the Goddess had asked him to obtain, the Goddess said, “Now you can go home, Hiriki”.