Four Gods

The Four Gods are based on four mythological creatures from Chinese mythology. They appear in The Last Blade series with their Japanese associated names.

In mythology, these four gods represent a particular color, season, element, and direction of the sky's constellations. There are actually five gods -the missing one being Kirin. The four gods in the original myth and their associated symbols are as follows:


 * Seiryu - a blue dragon (East, Spring, Wood)
 * Benevolent and powerful ruler of the east. In Japan, it's said to drink from the waterfall within Kiyomizu Temple at nighttime.


 * Suzaku - a vermilion bird (South, Summer, Fire)
 * A majestic bird with a noble behavior that's picky about what it eats and where it perches. It's often confused with a phoenix due to their similar appearances.


 * Byakko - a white tiger (West, Autumn, Metal)
 * Tigers were considered to be the king of all beasts in China, and white tigers were mythic elder versions of tigers. A white tiger is said to only appear when the world is at peace or if the Emperor ruled with virtue.


 * Genbu - a black tortoise entwined with a snake (North, Winter, Water)
 * The tortoise and the snake were symbols of longevity in China and were symbols of honor with a similar meaning in Japan. The word "tortoise" could also mean "taboo" in Chinese.

It should be noted that the "Yellow Dragon" associated with Kouryu is not directly associated with these four gods. The dragon is a representation of the Emperor of China (in this case Japan) who is revered as a deity in his own right. It does, however, help explain why Kouryu has powers similar to the Four Gods as he is said to reign over all.

Story
In the Last Blade universe, these four gods possess people worthy of their powers. Each user exhibits their select god's powers to a different degree of efficiency. The gods also have the duty of protecting the seal over "Hell's Portal", a split world separated from this one before the time of man. Suzaku, offended by the people's indifference to their existence with the growing acceptance of European ideals, breaks his responsibilities and opens the gate. The deity is wielded by Shinnosuke Kagami.

His act of defiance awakens the other gods in their respective owners. Shigen Naoe went berserk from his deity, Byakko, unused to the sheer power of it. Like Shinnosuke, Okina no Genbu had been aware of his god's powers before the opening of Hell's Portal, Genbu being the reason for his lengthy lifespan. The youngest weilder, Kaede, was reluctant to use his god's powers -Seiyru- as he was afraid of losing himself to the god. While Okina calmed Shigen down and brought him back to his senses, Kaede rushed off to stop Shinnosuke's plans of using Hell's Portal for himself. Kaede defeats him but the portal was opened far too long, leaving the gods unable to reseal it.

In order to close the gate again, the Sealing Maiden must be found to perform a ritual with the Four Gods and seal it. The character chosen to take the role of the Sealing Maiden was Yuki, though the true identity of the Maiden is kept a secret from Kaede. Each avatar work individually to protect the Maiden from the hazards that came out of Hell's Portal. The main dangers to her are "The Yellow Dragon", who possessed the spirit of Gaisei, and "The Messenger from Afar", a being given birth from the first death in the world. At the series' climax, she succeeds in her mission, taking the rogue souls from Hell's Portal with her.

The fates of the four gods are seen through their respective character endings.

Avatars

 * Kaede
 * Shinnosuke Kagami
 * Shigen Naoe
 * Okina no Genbu