Episode 1: Princess Kushinada

There has been an incident at an abandoned underground development site in Yoyogi, Tokyo By the time Section Chief Kunikida Daitetsu of the National Land Management Office arrives, a crowd has already gathered. The officer on the scene is not pleased to see him. "are you here to exercise more monsters?" He corrects him, "Aragami."

At the command center, Matsudaira is trying to raise Kaede on the radio. Matsudaira informs Kunikida that the girl has fone down into the tunnels and Takeuchi has gone after her. He yells at her, reminding her that Kaeda holds the fate of Japan in her hands.

Down in the tunnels, Takeuchi tries to persuade Kaede to return with her. Kaede apologizes, saying, "I want to make certain of my fate with my own eyes." Kunikidda listens on the radio as she continues. "if something were to happen to me, please look after other Kushinada." A blaze of light bursts forth from the tunnels underground. A man in a red coat leaps on top of the crane. "Too late," he mutters.

One month later, in Izumo, a town full of mythological history, the next part of the story begins. In an underground cave, Fujimiya Momiji is taking a ritual purifying bath. She pauses, sensing a stir in the trees. her grandmother thinks it is her fate that made her feel this.

Kunikidad and Tadeuchi enter the city of Izumo by car. Takeuchi is reminded of Kaede by the school girls passing by. She offers her sympathy to Kunikidda who had raised Kaede as his own daughter. he tells her to stop that kind of talk. "What we must think about now is how to protect the other Kushinada." To distract her, he asks about the new staff coming to the National Land Management Office.

Back in Tokyo, Sawaguchi Koume arrives at the office for the first time. Yaegashi, who is definitely not doing company work on his computer, is startled by her entrance. "Good Morning, Chief!" he shouts. "Isnt that Kunikida here?" Koume complains, "What a mold-infested place this is." At Matsuddaira's question, she introduces herself as the new staff assigned from the JSDF. As she falls ofer her bag, she revises her fortune from bad to worse.

In Izumo, Momiji heads to school, musing over having to purify herself every morning. She remembers to conversation with her grandmother. "All right, Momiji..."

"Yes, yes. It's what you always say, isnt it? 'All right Momiji, you must remember that your life is not your own. It is that of all the people of Japan. You must not be diverted by trivial concerns. When the time comes you may have to give your life for the good of all.' Right?"

As she comes out of her reverie, she is stoppedd by Kusanagi Mamoru. "You're a daughter of the Kushinada line, arent you? One of the twins born in Shimane-ken 15 years ago. It's too bad, but you must die. Your twin sister is dead, now its your turn." Kasanagi is distracted by the appearance of an aragami. "How long are you going to keep following me?" He grabs Momiji. "This is my prey. If I kill her here, you'll be destroyed by her blood and I'll be free. What's Wrong? Dont have any power dduring the day?" He is distracted by Momiji's resemblance to Kaedde and releases her. Kunikida and Takeuchi arrive.

"You're an aragami, arent you?" KUnikida demands of Kusanagi.

"The National Land Development Office is working hard, too," Kusanagi observes and runs off. Takeuchi chases after him.

Kunikida calls Momiji by name and suggests she take the day off school. Suddenly remembering, she realizes she is terribly late and runs off. Kunikida then informs the Fujiiya household of Kaede's death. "I am so terribly sorry. Even though Kaede was in our care.... And now it seems that they know about Momiji."

At school, Ah-chan is worried about Momiji being spaced out in class. Momiji is wondering if her time has come, as her rrandmother warned. "But I'm not a twin and who is this Kushinada anyway?!" Ah-chan is shocked that Momiji has lived in Izumo for 15 years and not learned the story of Princess Kushinada. Outside, the aragami possesses a tree in the school yard.

Momiji's grandmother tells the story of the aragami and the Kushinada household; "The strang monsters, aragami, have terrified the humans during the night since the time of the gods. Under the seal of our Kushinada blood they have slept peacefully for hundreds of years. Who could have known that fifteen years ago they would awaken? The time of the Kushinadas has ended. There is nothing we can do."

Kunikida interrupts, saying that there is still hope, since they have Momiji. He asks to be allowed to guard her. Kunikida tells her thay must protect Momiji. "The time has come." He urges the grandmother. Takeuchi interjects that she has been trying to contact the school, but no one answers. Momiji's mother asks to go with them as they leave for the school.

In the air above Tokyo, Koume complains about being suddenly called into action without any arms. Yaegashi corrects her, saying that they are carrying the greatest weapon against aragami. Matsudaira is talking to Kunikida. "Yes, we've made the preparations, but they irradiation vectors of the TI plasma...but that is beyond experimental level...Yes, I understand." Kunikida tells her to remember Kaedde's death she must make it there on time. He has arranged a route with an escort from the JSDF.

At school, Momiji is reading the story of Princess Kushinadda from the Kojiki. A couple lived with their eight daughters in the country of Izumo. However, a monster with eight heads and eyes that glowed like fire came to eat one of the daughters each year. Finally, only the last daughter remained. The couple was sick with grief. Susano-o was wedded to the sacrificial girl, Princess Kushinada. Momiji still doesnt understandd what this has to do with her. As she puts the book away, she realizes that it may be Princess Kushinada who is worshipped at her shrine.

The aragami attacks the schoolyard looking for "Kushinada." In a car on the way, Kunikida yells that they must make it there in time. If Momiji were to fall into the aragami's hands, it would mean the destruction of Japan.

At a shrine, Kusanagi's magatama beads pulse. "I will kill Momiji!" he swears.

As everyone rushes to the school, the aragami rears its head, breaking through the roof. Narration: "In Izumo a large aragami appears. The maelstrom fate of a young girl is beginning. But at this point, no one knows if it is to be a story of destruction or of a new age..."