Chapter 1: The Osorezu and the Beginning of the World
The Past
In the beginning, there was nothing but fire. Flames burst from the grandest of mountains like serpents of fiery rage, lashing out for the cooler air to scorch it. Ash consumed the clouds which loomed in plumes of oblivion above the Hell below, litten by the golden glow from the belly of the mountain. A great beast lived within the largest mountain by the name of Hono --his name came to mean “burning”. He was responsible for the tongues of fiery red that slipped into the sky and singed the air black.
Lava flooded from the mountain, like rivers, and it would pool in the valley below. The hellish lake would simmer, and pop, and burn, reaching a deadly climax; finally losing its furiosity. It would then cool into rock and await the next flood. The rock built on top of itself, layer after layer, until it could no longer be flooded by the rivers of fire from the mountain. Soot rained down upon the surface of the hill, settling down and beginning to form soft, charred earth.
This earth gave birth to the first human being to have life in his lungs. His name was Osorezu. His basalt eyes searched over the dead land in pursuit of some sort of haven. His stomach rumbled as if a beast were trying to scream for food. However, no matter how far his eyes looked, the earth, blanketed in fire and lava: nothing remotely consumable was in sight.
His eyes focused on the mountain once more, and peered into a large lava tube. As he watched the inside of the mountain, he soon found that it was a beast within the heart of the rock that was causing the fire.
Rising from the pile of ash- fire licking at his skin and causing him to hiss out in pain- he looked upon the mountain. It was the only obstruction until the horizon. He was helplessly drawn toward the looming crag.
Then, in an instant, it exploded, fire reaching out like hands, and fireballs raining down. Osorezu panicked and buried himself in the earth, covering what he could. With every moment that he stayed underground, he could feel the earth trembling. His first thought: “is the earth crying?” Closing his other senses and listening to the environment, he could hear the sounds of death all around him. There were lives seeking to find freedom from the dirt. However, the rain of fire snuffed out their chances. Osorezu could feel his blood boiling for the innocence that was being destroyed.
Rising from the ashes when all hell was finished, he said, “The creature that lives inside of that mountain is killing this world. It is my job as Osorezu to purge the world of that beast.”
And so, the man called Osorezu began to ascend the mountain. The soles of his feet blackened and the hairs of his body burned, yet he did not stop-- not once. Reaching the lip of the mountain, he peered down deep inside. Instead of seeing fire, or seeing lava, he saw the bald head of a monster. Horns, as many as three of Osorezu’s own height, grew from its skull, bending up in wicked curls and curving out at the end. His skin was as scarlet as the fire that he birthed and his eyes just as consumed with darkness as coal. Osorezu inhaled a hot breath before he leaped down upon the skull of the beast.
The beast growled low in his throat, the vibrations sent through Osorezu’s feet. It made the human tremble in his skin. Osorezu wrapped his arms around one of the mighty horns of the beast, trying to keep himself stable as the head began to move. Upon feeling discomfort, Hono reached up his fat fingers and began to scratch at his head. Osorezu panicked and leaped up, onto the beast’s horn. He prayed that the stubby fingers would miss him.
A low growl emitted from the beast once more.
“What on this earth…?” His large fingers searched over his bald head for the creature that had disturbed him.
Still feeling for the source of the discomfort, the fingers began to frisk the other horn. Osorezu knew that he was only moments away from being identified. He’d certainly be incinerated. Vivid images painted his vision of a painful death, burning away in the lava.
He took his chance and dropped off of the horn, onto the beast’s large head. He dove passed the searching fingers and slid down the bridge of his nose. Realizing the inevitable plunge to the ground, he flailed. He flung his hand out and grabbed onto something. That something just so happened to be Hono’s wicked eyebrow. Osorezu was sent dangling just before the beast’s eye.
With a jolt, the beast began to reach toward the human man. He was left with no choice. He kicked, sending his foot into the giant eyeball.
The beast unleashed a horrible scream, hands seizing and fidgeting as if they had lost control. Osorezu pressed the the foot in farther, beginning to lose his grip on the hair.
The beast began to wobble, and he toppled forward. Osorezu felt as if he’d been struck by lightning in those moments. He could feel panic in his veins. He grabbed onto whatever he could to keep from falling. He closed his eyes, afraid of the nearing ground. A breath of air shot into him and he opened his eyes just in time to leap to safety. Hono's face smashed into the ground, Osorezu watching from a safe distance. He would have been crushed.
The ashen rain ceased and the fires died. The clouds of ash that once blanketed the sky broke. Sunlight began to pour through the top of the mountain and plant-life began to burst forth from the earth. Osorezu smiled at what he had done and he began to exit the mountain through one of the tunnels that had been leftover from the lava.
In every direction, there was green. Grass was quickly growing from the fertile ashen soil, as were trees and bushes and flowers. The grass spread wildly and new life began to emerge from the plants; there were small, winged creatures that flitted from flower to flower; there were small, furry creatures that ate the grass and made homes in the earth; there were even elegant creatures that only lived among the trees that would come into the grass and eat one of the many rabbit. The world began to take shape in a way that surprised and amazed and delighted Osorezu.
He began to walk through the grass and the feeling of softness brought kindness into his heart. He smiled and continued on until he came upon something new. The grass ended and the forest ended. In a valley that had been carved out by lava, was a long, deep river of some cold and nice liquid. He named this substance Yatsu. With cupped hands, he brought the substance to his lips. Not only could he drink it, but it felt nice within him: trickling down his throat and washing his hot being with icy coldness.
Osorezu turned and began to walk with the flow of the Yatsu. The forest began to grow loud with the sounds of blooming life. He saw many flying creatures and he called them San. Osorezu stopped walking so that he could look into the forest. Fingertips grazing the bark of a tree, his curiosity led him deeper into the forest. It wasn’t long before he had gotten himself lost. He walked until his feet began to ache. Then, he chose a rock and sat down, beginning to massage the soles of his battered feet.
That was when a voice came from behind him, much like his own, only higher in pitch.
“Are you the slayer of Hono?” Osorezu turned toward the source of the voice and smiled. The voice had come from another person just like him, only the chest and hips were much larger, and the waist was far thinner.
“I am. How do you know?" he asked, his eyes wandering over her body. It was so different, yet so the same as his own.
"Everyone knows. The creatures that live, the plants that grow: we've all seen what you did. The beast of the mountain has been slain at your hand. You've saved us all," she explained. "For hundreds of years, we've been born and forced to watch out brothers and sisters die in the fire. You've unleashed us from that horrid cycle."
"Who are you?” he asked, standing. “What to call this one?” he thought.
“I am Hana. I am Ningen, like you.” She told him before moving closer to him. “Each creature here has a mate. Each pair creates offspring. There will be more Ningen born from the earth, but until then, I wish to be your mate.” She said, holding her hand out for him to take.
Thus, Osorezu and Hana ushered a new era of life from the ash and fire. This was the era of Ningen; the era of man.
Thanks for linking me to this. I enjoyed it. Keep writing and I hope this was helpful! 
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