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S I R E N   B L O O D   C U R S E   -   P L O T   G U I D E 
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Disclaimer: this is my own personal interpretation of the events in Siren
Blood Curse, and therefore may differ or conflict with the original author's
intended narrative. Email: jbeks@hotmail.com for questions or comments.

Note: the information presented in this plot guide will unfurl both
sequentially and chronologically to provide the reader with a succinct
overview of the main plot details. I have included archive reference numbers
where appropriate to substantiate facts.

Introduction: Siren Blood Curse can be a difficult story to comprehend: two
characters of different ages sharing the same identity, co-existing at the
same point in time; characters dying and reappearing when new conditions
affect and alter the space-time continuum; an immortal - only immortal in the
sense that she is imprisoned in time and cannot age - it's all a bit of a
head f*ck.

These complexities aside, Siren Blood Curse (like all games the Siren
franchise) is a tale of misfortune, tragedy and despair. It is the story of
a frightened young girl who becomes lost in time; a girl who is cursed with
immortality as a means to avoid the consequences of her actions. Cyclical and
eternal like the Ouroboros (the legendary snake who devours its own tail),
this convoluted and often confusing tale may has no real beginning, nor
ending - and therein lies this author's dilemma...


PLOT SUMMARY:

In 1976, the remote mountain village of Hanuda, Japan, is destroyed in a
cataclysmic landslide [Hanumen Noodles #18]. Decades later, an American
television crew visit the abandoned village to investigate unsubstantiated
reports of paranormal occurences [TV Episode Proposal #5].

The television crew comprises cultural anthropologist Sam Monroe [Sam
Monroe's Faculty ID #7], (Bella's father and Melissa's ex-husband),
presenter Melissa Gale (Bella's mother and Sam's ex-wife) and cameraman Sol
Jackson. 
Bella Monroe (Sam and Melissa's daughter) is brought to Hanuda by Sam as a
last resort when he is unable to procure a babysitter. Consult [Video Camera
#2], [Melissa Gale's Cell Phone #6] and [Bella Monroe's Diary #11].
Sol is in love with Melissa [Sol Jackson's Press Badge #14], but hasn't as
yet made his intentions clear to his colleague [Melissa Gale's Cell Phone
#6].

Melissa and Sol bear witness a bizarre ritual in the Hanuda woods - a secret
ceremony in which two girls (Miyako and Yukie) are about to be sacrificed by
the hooded members of a strange cult. Moments before the ceremony begins,
Melissa notices that the ground is quaking - another landslide, or a
temporal shift in the space-time continuum, ensnaring the helpless party in
a slice of repetitive, transdimensional time? 

Melissa and Sol watch on in amazement as the cult members murder Yukie.
Suddenly the blood ritual is interrupted by the appearance of a courageous
stranger, Howard Wright, who disrupts the ceremony and allows Miyako to
escape. Howard, an American student studying in Japan, is visiting the
abandoned mountain village at the invitation of a stranger who wrote to him
a few weeks earlier. [Howard Wright's Student ID #3] contains Howard's blog:
hw-biker.blog-paradise.com
Motivated by curiosity, Howard sets off for the deserted village of Hanuda
and accidentally stumbles upon the blood ritual in the woods.

Coincidentally, [The Sacred Revelations #1] predict that the blood ritual
will be interrupted by a stranger, causing the lord of the gods to become
angry: 'and a mighty roar (the siren) shook the earth.' 

Howard pleads with a local police officer for assistance, only to discover
that the officer is possessed, a shibito (zombie). The police officer was
once a person of integrity, as evidenced by the note he keeps in his police
log [Shuji Shimada's Police Log #4]. Howard is beset upon by a number of
civilians who are all in the throes of dying and becoming shibito
themselves. Howard manages to impale the shibito police officer and flees.

Melissa, Sam, Sol and Bella witness the shibito emerging from the darkness,
as the undead assemble to answer the call of the siren (the voice of Kaiko,
lord of the Mana gods). The shibito police officer reanimates and shoots
Howard in the chest. Howards falls (to what appears to be) his death.

The tv crew become separated after the siren sounds. Sam wakes near the
Hanuda mines to discover that the sky is raining blood. He searches for the
others and watches the shibito infection spread amongnst the villagers -
every living thing is struck down so that it may reanimate as a shibito.
The shibito are sentient and conscious, aware of their new status as
immortals with a collective hive intelligence.
Sam discovers some footage Sol shot on [Digital Video Tape #8], detailing
an unedited paranormal encounter with the mysterious Jackalope Man. Sam
reunites with Melissa in the mining office. 

Howard wakes from a coma-like state, disoriented and bleeding from his
chest. Howard is overcome by a severe telepathic migraine, caused by the
psychic influence of the Mana god, Kaiko. Howard encounters Amana, a 
caucasian Mana priestess who offers to protect him from the shibito. Howard
is initially fearful of Amana upon recognising her robes (the same as those
worn by the village cult members), but decides to trust her when she
attempts to dress his wound. Howard learns that Amana is as wary of the
shibito as he is.
Amana teaches Howard to use his new telepathic abilities and to see through
the minds of others. Amana reminds Howard that this 'gift' from the gods will
keep him safe. Howard discovers a [Mysterious Tablet #9] on the lookout tower
that appears to be a ouija board of sorts, a code unlocking the secret
language of the ancient Mana gods.

Seigo Saiga [Seigo Saiga's Driver's License #17], the director of the local
Saiga hospital of 1976, patrols the doomed village and hunts down the
remaining shibito with his rifle. Seigo is aware that the shibito revive
after death: 'Apparently death has abandoned you'. Seigo notices Miyako
fleeing from the shibito but makes no attempt to save her (Seigo was one of
the head cult members present at Miyako's sacrifice ceremony).

Sam and Melissa manage to evade the shibito in the mines, but soon realise
they are sorely out-numbered. Sam discovers a [Mine Worker's Journal #10]
dating back to 1976, the year of the disastrous landslide. The document
details the discovery of a triangular basin set between the Hanuda valley
mountains. The document also reveals a conspiracy among the mine operators
and Hanuda villagers. The journal mentions a mysterious foul odour that
lingers in the mines (a reference to the mythological and flatulent [Gokaju
Giant #25]) and the empty chamber containing the [Gokaju Mural #43]. The
journal also reports that the author was advised by an anonymous source to
abandon his investigations into the mines (no doubt by the local villagers
who wished to intimidate him and conceal evidence pertaining to the Mana
religion's history and re-emergence). 

Amana advises Howard to follow her to the Irazu valley church. Howard is
naturally suspicious and reluctant to go: 'Where those bunch of murderers go
to pray?'. However, Amana convinces Howard that Miyako's sacrifice was a
'mistake'. A flying shibito suddenly descends and carries Amana off into the
sky.

Bella wakes in the Saiga hospital and recalls Sol helping her to safety.
While sneaking through the hospital, Bella discovers [Melissa Gale's Locket
#13] and the [Hospital Patient's Letter #12]. The letter details the pleas
of an involuntary patient who was imprisoned at the hospital by Amana and
Seigo. The letter mentions an [Audio Cassette Tape #45] and begs the reader
to bring help from outside of the village. The authour warns: 'She's not who
she says she is' (referring to Amana). Sol manages to find Bella hiding in
the hospital, but all too late - he has become infected, another blood-
thirsty shibito. Sol attacks and injures Melissa, infecting her blood with
the shibito strain.

Howard discovers Miyako in the fields, exhausted and terrified. Howard
notices that Miyako is also a follower of the Mana religion (as evidenced
by the Mana cross she wears about her neck). Seigo confronts them both and
reminds Miyako of her duty as sacrifical lamb. Howard recognises Seigo from
the blood ritual in the woods. Seigo warns Howard not to cause trouble again
and tells him that Miyako is cursed. However, Seigo lets Miyako go free,
knowing that she cannot escape her destiny: 'So you wish to tempt fate?
Feel free to try.' At this point Seigo is aware that events in their timeline
are repeating - no matter what happens, they are all doomed to relive the 
same events over and over again. Howard and Miyako evade the shibito in the
fields and escape to Tabori.

Howard discovers the [Local Guide to Hanuda Village #15], a booklet detailing
the folklore and religions of the Hanuda region. Hanuda was believed to lie
on the boundary between this world and another, with visitors from the other
realm worshipped as gods (consult [Gojaku Mural #43]). Miyako was the name of
the first priestess to found the new religion. As time passed, a new god
(Kaiko) replaced the old one and the Mana religion was founded. The followers
of the Mana faith worshipped a deity named Kaiko who was said to have
sacrificed himself for the people of Hanuda village [Holy Scroll - The Gift
#24]. As powerful leaders in the greater region clamped down on religions
that were not state-endorsed, the Mana believers were forced to go
underground and worship in secret. Eventually the prohibition was lifted and
the Mana faith was restored by the wealthy Saiga family (Seigo's ancestors).

Amana wakes in a disoriented state in the Irazu valley church and pleads with
Kaiko for spiritual direction as she consults her diary. In response to her
prayer, Amana is overwhelmed by a crippling telepathic migraine. 
[Amana's Diary #16] commences in 1976 with the phrase: 'Why can't I remember
anything? Who am I?'. Amana's diary suggests that she cannot recall
anything prior to July 1976, the night of the landslide and the blood ritual
(indicating the interruption of the blood ritual may have caused the 
landslide in the other reality). Despite being a stranger with different
religious beliefs, Amana was embraced by the Hanuda villagers and taken care
of. Amana learned that the villagers believed she was the 'girl with the hair
of the sun', spoken of in ancient Hanuda legends [Legends of Hanuda Village
#47]. Amana was informed about the upcoming blood ritual sacrifice involving
Miyako and was told that she herself would also play a role in the ceremony.
Amana's diary ends with the cryptic entry: 'The back of my brooch fell off
when I dropped it. I never noticed it before, but on the back there's a
strange...'    
   
Seigo sits atop the lookout tower and reflects upon his predicament: 'No...
I can't believe it's come to this' (reconciling himself with being trapped
in repetitive time). Seigo notices Sam below and protects him from the
shibito. Seigo is unsure why Hanuda is suddenly overrun with foreigners.

Howard and Miyako seek shelter in the shibito-infested Ito house. Howard 
discovers a disturbing [Altar Display #19] that has been assembled from
random household objects. The shrine features a battered doll mounted to the
centre of a triangular street sign (reflecting the composition of the
triangular gateway Amana uses to send Miyako to Kaiko).

Bella is hunted in the woods by an unknown assailant who hurls a tree trunk
at her. Sam and Seigo hide in Seigo's office, hoping a rescue team are on
the way. Seigo speculates that the village has either been surrounded by a
red sea, or that the village has been ripped out of time and placed in a red
sea [Gojaku Mural #43]. Seigo questions Sam about the blood ritual Melissa
and Sol witnessed, but fails to mention his own involvement.

Melissa wakes after being attacked by Sol and decides to look for Bella in
the Saiga hospital. Melissa stumbles across the spider shibito: malformed,
bloated human shibito who walk on all fours and scale walls. Melissa
discovers [Seigo Saiga's Notebook #20] and learns of Seigo's responsibilities
as head of the Saiga household: Seigo imprisoned a rebellious villager in the
hospital and covered up his death (consult [Hospital Patient's Letter #12] &
[Audio Cassette Tape #45]). Despite all hospital staff being involved in the
conspiracy, Seigo was aware that an intruder was spying on him (Seigo
suspected his lover Yukie, a local nurse). Seigo's notebook relates that he
must find a 24 year old bridesmaid to accompany Miyako at the blood ritual
(the first woman Melissa and Sol saw murdered). Seigo wondered whether Yukie
would be a suitable candidate. 
Melissa has a close encounter with the shibito brain, an abomination that
controls all the shibito within its range of psychic influence. Melissa
destroys the shibito brain and reunites with Sam and Seigo. Sam finds Bella's
drawing of the Irazu valley church and decides to look for Bella there.

Seigo remains behind at the hospital and shoots shibito Yukie as she
approaches him for help. Seigo has lost all hope: 'I'm getting tired of
this'. Seigo attempts to rectify the situation by suicide.
[Yukie Kobe's Planner #21] relates Yukie's concern for Seigo and reveals
that the young nurse was indeed spying on him at the hospital. Yukie
mentions that Seigo was adopted as a child by the old hospital director.

Amana wanders aimlessly about the woods, frightened and directionless. She
chances upon an excited shibito who wields her prized [Mana Cross Brooch
#22] and follows the shibito to the bowels of the worship hall. Amana
discovers a hidden cave beneath the worship hall where the shibito make
offerings to a maiden statue shrine. Amana retrieves her brooch and is
struck by the vision of a bloody feast, flesh greedily devoured by unseen
hands (consult [Holy Scroll - The Gift #24]). Amana notices strange symbols
on the back of the brooch. Using the decoder a secret word is revealed:
'WAKE UP'. Amana is being called upon, to remember her true purpose.
Amana searches the graveyard and finds another coded message that has been
deliberately left for her: 'THE CIRCLE OF OUROBOROS MUST TURN' [Engraved
Plank #23].
Amana uses her psychic powers to divine the location of the two seals that
open the gateway, the mystical portal on the outcrop on the edge the island.
Amana passes through the gateway and is followed by the shibito, who stand
in awe around a large triangular indentation as they witness the
manifestation of their lord, Kaiko. Amana is overwhelmed with rapturous
devotion: 'The circle of Ouroboros presides over the Alpha and Omega'. Amana
embraces immortality upon realising the truth of her being: she was once the
lost child, Bella Monroe. 

Miyako and Howard notice the mystical light issuing from the sea, but Miyako
is apprehensive: 'They're coming'. Suddenly, a shot fires and Miyako falls to
the ground. Howard chases Miyako's pursuer through the mines and has a close
encounter with the [Gokaju Giant #25]. Howard corners the newly resurrected
shibito Seigo and shoots him dead. Amana appears and remarks: 'I was wrong
before (meaning, she had forgotten all knowledge about her former life and
status as an immortal; Amana realises that she should have thwarted Howard,
not assisted him). I have to perform the ritual again'. With this, she waves
her hand and Howard is engulfed in flames. Miyako is captured again.

Bella wanders lost in the fields and comments on how pretty everything is
since the gateway was opened. The air is alive with alien faeries who have
poured through the opening. Bella discovers the [Miyako Offering Hymn #27],
a prayer sending the soul of Miyako to the lord of the gods.
Bella is not sure why the shibito are suddenly indifferent to her presence,
but proceeds to the Irazu valley church in the hope of finding her
parents. Melissa and Sam [Sam Monroe's Notebook #26] wait for Bella in the
empty church, but are not prepared for the tragic reunion with their shibito
daughter - Bella has become infected.

Howard lies dazed but uninjured at the bottom of a ravine. Despite being set
alight by Amana, Howard is alright - something is keeping him alive. Howard
fantasises that Miyako is safe, but it is just a dream. Howard can hear
Miyako calling to him in his mind and searches for her inside the shibito
nest, a twisted maze of dilapidated buildings constructed from building
debris and car wrecks. Howard finds Miyako's necklace and an [8mm Film Reel
#28] that contains footage of Amana at a Mana ritual. Howard approaches
Amana's ritual arena, a triangular pool set in the ground at the heart of the
shibito nest. Howard is knocked back by a alien tentacle and loses
consciousness, but upon waking attempts to penetrate the heart of the hive
again. Howard discovers a [Fortune Can #29] that contains a prophetic
message about his destiny. 

Amana offers Miyako (the fruit) to Kaiko, but the ritual fails, much to
Amana's disappointment - as Howard continues to interfere in Amana's
timeline, events that were once predictable and certain become corrupted and
unstable - Sam transforms into a babbling shibito spider and Bella Monroe
(Amana's younger self) transforms into a hideous shibito brain (meaning that
Bella cannot ever grow to become Amana). Melissa shoots Howard dead, and
Amana announces that 'This isn't right - the Circle of Ouroboros isn't
connecting' (meaning that when Miyako was sacrificed, time should have
reset again, launching Amana back into the past as the child Bella Monroe).
The shibito nest quakes and falls to pieces as the timeline collapses,
retreats and fractures - everything that has transpired since Howard was
shot by the policeman is now undone. [Holy Scroll - Ouroboros #30] explains
the concept of eternal renewal, endless death and rebirth. Howard's actions
have contaminated the space-time continuum and its sequence of events - time
disintegrates and resets, back to where and when all the trouble began...

In a new timeline, Howard wakes in a disoriented state after being shot by
the policeman. Howard encounters Amana for the first time again and is
fearful of the priestess upon recognising her robes (associating her with
the blood ritual he has just witnessed in the woods). Instead of trusting
Amana this time, Howard flees in the opposite direction - he has retained
some memory of the priestess' evil intentions in the previous timeline.
Amana grows anxious - in the new timeline, she remembers her previous
mistakes and treads more carefully. She needs Howard to die - quickly - so
that he doesn't contaminate events in her timeline again.

In the new timeline, Sol (once again human) wakes in the mines and stumbles
around in daze, nursing a splitting migraine from the time jump. Sol recalls
being attacked by the shibito. Sol chances upon a copy of the 1976 paranormal
publication [Atlantis Magazine #31] which features articles about the
mysterious Jackalope Man [UMA World Encyclopaedia #42], pop sensation
[Bermuda 3 #38] and the [Gokaju Giant #25]. The magazine also contains a
special feature on time travel (alluding to the upcoming event in which Sam
will make contact with Howard and invite him to travel to Hanuda village
- Sam is the anonymous writer who wrote to Howard at the beginning of the
adventure and encouraged Howard to visit Hanuda).
Sol finds and rescues Sam (also now human in the new timeline). Sam and Sol
become trapped by the shibito in the upper mine shaft - only Sam manages to
escape without becoming reinfected. 

Melissa and Bella (also now human in the new timeline) try to evade Sol
(recently reinfected by the shibito) in the Saiga hospital. Bella discovers
the [JOYLiNK - Ultra Network King #32] in the hospital basement shortly
before she is rescued by Melissa.

Seigo Saiga remembers being ripped from his parents and delivered into the
arms of the Saiga family, who were feared by Hanuda villagers for
resurrecting the Mana faith. Seigo promises: 'We'll meet again soon, Yukie'
as he prepares to end her life, and his own: 'I'm getting tired of this'.
Seigo is trapped in eternal time. [Seigo Saiga's Drawing Book #33] expands
upon Seigo's past: Seigo was originally Seigo Mitamura (the house in the
Harayadori housing settlement), but was adopted by the Saiga family when his
biological parents were killed in a suspicious car accident. Seigo's
adoptive parents were remote and unsympathetic. 
Seigo wakes, unable to execute a successful suicide - he always returns to
relive his former existence over and over again.

Howard receives a psychic impression of a girl being chased by a shibito.
Howard vaguely recalls the girl - Miyako?

Bella and Melissa run through the fields, narrowly escaping a maggot shibito.
Melissa finds [Howard Wright's Cell Phone #34] and recognises Howard's
face - Melissa remembers shooting Howard in the previous timeline.
Bella becomes pinned under a fallen tree - the only way Melissa can save 
Bella is to sacrifice herself. Melissa coaxes the maggot shibito into a
flammable pool of fuel and drops the [Cigarette Lighter #35] (the initals
'HT' or 'NT' are engraved on the lighter). Melissa screams: 'I love you
Bella, run!' as the flames engulf her.

Sam searches for Bella and Melissa in the Saiga hospital. Sam discovers
Bella's drawing of the shibito nest and proceeds to the shibito stronghold
to find his daughter. 

Seigo experiences dejavu as he sits perched atop the lookout tower: 'What
an odd feeling'. Seigo rescues Bella from the flying shibito and explores
the Harayadori housing settlement. In his childhood home (the Mitamura house)
Seigo discovers the [Mitamura Family Album #36]. Seigo reminisces as he
regards photos of his childhood: 'The real me...' Seigo reads [Strange
Tales of Gojaku #37] in the worship hall, which reveals that an ancient
relic, the uryen, lies buried deep beneath the earth in Gokaju. The uryen is
'a gift from heaven with the power to swallow the darkness of chaos in holy
fire. However, this sacred object may only be wielded by those who have
received the power of the chosen one (Miyako).'  

Howard studies some blood on the floor in teh worship hall and recalls
Miyako sharing her blood with him: 'This is my blood, an eternal pact of
salvation. This is the only thing I could do. You were untainted, but now...
I'm sorry...' Miyako has given Howard the power to wield the uryen, the only
weapon powerful enough to defeat Kaiko and the shibito. 

Sam reads [The Sacred Revelations #1] in the Irazu valley church and
discovers that the ancient volume contains drawings of Bella, Sol, Howard,
Melissa and himself : 'My God'. It was all forseen? There are drawings of
us in here?!'

Bella seeks shelter in the shibito-infested Ito House and discovers the
[Bermuda 3 Record #38], a recording made by a pop music trio whose members
disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the 1970's. Bella finds a
[Spool Knitter #39] and uses an [Insect Catching Kit #40] to trap a [Hanuda
Beetle #41], a rhinoceros beetle who has a distinctive triangular pattern on
its back. Bella escapes from the Ito House, but is reunited with her mother,
Melissa, who perished in the fuel explosion and now wanders the village as a
shibito. Melissa frantically chases after Bella, but her daughter manages to
escape to Tabori. 

Amana, determined to succeed, stands on the outcop beyond the gateway and
promises: 'This time I will perform the true ritual.' Amana hunts down
Miyako.   

Howard reunites with Miyako (alive again since time was reset) and assures
her: 'I remember (you) now.' Miyako tells Howard: 'We're trapped within a
closed loop. And everything keeps happening over and over.' Miyako asks
Howard to help her release the 'other power' that sleeps in the fields - the
elemental power imprisoned in the stone seals that will end cyclical time
and defeat Kaiko and the shibito (consult [Arcane Homuranagi Scroll #48]).
Howard finds evidence of the mysterious Jackalope Man [UMA World
Encyclopaedia #42] and helps Miyako open the four seals. As the heavens
erupt in holy light, Miyako reassures Howard: 'Don't be afraid. That's the
other power.' 
Amana suddenly appears and warns Miyako and Howard: 'You have no place to
run.' Bella watches safely from the distance as she (Amana - Bella's older
self) renders Howard unconscious and kidnaps Miyako.

Seigo wanders the fields and looks to the sky in awe. Seigo discovers
Howard's unconscious form and escorts Howard and Bella to saftey at the
hospital. Seigo suspects that the fates must have led him to Howard in order
to save him: 'It seems this is no chance encounter.' Seigo treats Howard's
injuries and asks him: 'How do you feel, now that you've started your new
existence?' (meaning: 'how do you feel now that you have been cursed with
Miyako's blood and the supernatural power to wield the uryen').
Losing his grip on reality, Seigo has been experimenting on shibito corpses,
learning that even dismemberment cannot destroy them. Seigo ventures into
the mines in search of the uryen, the holy weapon needed to defeat Kaiko
and the shibito. Seigo encounters his former colleague and lover, Yukie,
who has now transormed into a shibito brain. Seigo stakes Yukie and 
retrieves the uryen from deep within the mines. The [Gojaku Mural #43] in the
mines reveals a depiction of a triangular-shaped column that bridged the
realm of the gods and earth. The column was a vehicle for transporting the
gods to earth, with red water pooling up from the triangular crater (consult
the [Mine Worker's Journal #10] for mention of a triangular-shaped basin set
among the Hanuda mountains).

Sam becomes frustrated, unable to determine the location of the ritual
grounds alluded to in Bella's drawings. [Sam Monroe's Voice Recorder #44]
reveals Sam's musings about the hive mentality of the shibito. Sam plans to
stop Amana before she summons Kaiko and fulfills the prophecy.

Bella retrieves an [Audio Cassette Tape #45] from The Lucky Triangle which
contains the final pleas of the anonymous patient trapped in the Saiga
Hospital (consult [Hospital Patient's Letter #12]). The patient accuses
Amana: 'You slithered in god knows how long ago and you've defiled this
village by leaving your mark (the Mana cross) all over it. For centuries
you've lorded over this place. You're a monster.' Apparently some villagers
were suspicious of Amana's ageless appearance.

Howard and Bella rush to through the shibto nest to save Miyako, but too
late. Amana lays Miyako in the offering pool and opens 'the gates of
paradise'. However, Amana's expectations are not met: it appears that the
'fruit' (Miyako) was an insufficent sacrifice - instead of a god appearing,
a monstrous airborne creature issues from the blood pool and attacks the
party. Amana wails: 'No, this isn't how it's supposed to be'. 

Seigo appears and offers himself to the abomination. Wielding the uryen,
he summons a shower of holy fire to rain down on the abomination, destroying
it forever. Amana accuses Seigo of 'stealing the fruit' (alluding to his
involvement in allowing Miyako escape her fate).
  
Sam and Howard meet for the first time. Howard identifies Sam as the writer
who originally invited him to Hanuda village, but Sam doesn't understand the
question (Sam hasn't sent the letter to Howard yet - this only occurs after
the adventure is over and Sam becomes aware that in order to keep Bella
alive, he must involve Howard).
Sam's letter to Howard [Message from Sam Monroe #46] reveals that Sam has
been waiting 30 years for the opportunity to meet with Howard again (Sam
had to wait for Howard to arrive in Japan and post his blog before he could
lure him to Hanuda. Any attempt before then would have been ill-timed and
futile). Sam's letter warns Howard that the fates have a particular plan in
mind for him.

The [Legends of Hanuda Village #47] book relates the ancient tale of a girl
'with hair of the sun' who prayed to the gods for food when her village was
struck by famine and drought (recall Amana's vision of the bloody feast and
Kaiko's sacrifice for the Hanuda villagers). In answer to her prayers, a
strange animal - part-fish part-insect - fell from the sky and landed before
her. Unable to suppress her hunger, the girl began to devour the beast
hungrily. But as she did so, the sky grew dark and a terrible sound echoed
through the land (the siren). Becoming frightened and fearing for her life,
the girl promised to offer up another 'divine fruit' in exchange for the one
she had consumed. 

Sam searches for Bella in the shibito nest and is confronted by Melissa,
now fully transformed into a rampaging maggot shibito. Sam manages to 
lure Melissa up the smokestack where she is incinerated by lightning. Just
as Melissa is about to expire, she witnesses Bella being pursued by Sol, now
transformed into a ravenous spider shibito. Melissa saves Bella, just as the
shibito nest collapses and falls into the void.
 
Howard stares into the triangular pool where Miyako was sacrificed and 
notices her reflection gazing back at him. Miyako instructs Howard: 'Make it
all go away. The village, the people, all of it.'
Howard tumbles into the pool and arrives in Inferno, a desolate wasteland
comprised of pieces of debris from the former reality. Atoning for his role
in the ritual murders of Miyako and Yukie, Seigo offers the uryen to Howard:
'This role is meant for you'. Miyako instructs Howard to channel her divinity
through the uryen, and a consuming fire ends Seigo's life. Seigo
acknowledges that his part in the drama is finished. Seigo ascends to 
heaven: 'Yukie.' 
The [Arcane Homuranagi Scroll #48] reveals that an ancient force was sealed
away by four sacred spirits of the Mana religion.

Kaiko appears, a colourful and disjointed combination of insect thoraxes
(Kaiko's likeness to Ouroboros isn't coincidental - Kaiko is Ouroboros, the
god of endless cycles and eternity). Amana offers herself to Kaiko in the
hope that her personal sacrifice will fortify the god against Howard's
weapon and compensate for her failure. Amana is indebted to Kaiko for her
immortality.
Howard is sucked into Kaiko's dimension, a psychadelic realm of shimmering
triangles and hexagons. Miyako instructs Howard to use her powers of insight
to defeat the beast, and with a final blast of the uryen, Kaiko's body
shatters into pieces.

Howard and Miyako farewell each other as Kaiko's realm disintegrates. Amana
wanders off into the distance, muttering to herself about Ouroboros and
beginnings and endings. The final page in the [The Sacred Revelations #1]
explains: 'Once, there was a little girl lost in time. A nice god made her
live happily ever after. I am the Alpha! I am the Omega! I am the 
beginning and the end. I am the holy meatloaf!' Amana has lost her mind.

Sam falls into a time vortex and learns the truth about Amana and Bella. Sam
receives a vision of Amana devouring the corpse of the sky deity and is
deposited in 1976 at the site of the Hanuda landslide. Sam explains:
'Everything must be repeated so that Bella can exist forever. Howard - that
was his name.' [Sam Monroe's Journal #49] reveals that Sam's memories of the
events leading up to his reappearance in 1976 are fading. Sam speculates 
that the Hanuda he experienced wasn't real at all, but belonged to another
dimension; that space-time around Haunda is highly unstable. The cause? 
Possibly the location [Mine Worker's Journal #10], the ritual performed by
the villagers [The Sacred Revelations #1] or Kaiko's influence [Local Guide
to Hanuda Village #15]. Sam believes the space-time continuum was disrupted
when Howard interrupted the blood ceremony. This virtuous action however
caused a piece of space-time to become ripped from reality. Sam fears that
time is now repeating in an inescapable, endless loop; that he, and all his
friends, will be forced to relive those events over and over again. As the
journal concludes, Sam's memories blur and fade: 'Everything must be repeated
so that Bella can live forever.'
Sam's journal also contains a newspaper article announcing his death. Sam 
suffered from stress-induced mental illness and died in Japan, aged 50-70
years.

Equipped with his [Portable Music Player #50] and the uryen, Howard purifies
Hanuda and destroys the last of Kaiko's minions.   


MY CONCLUSIONS:

The tale in Siren Blood Curse is a paradox, as impossible to comprehend
logically as the symbol of Ouroboros itself - a self-perpetuating being
without beginning or end. However, some logical assumptions may be drawn by
analysing the evidence:

- Miyako, a divine deity herself, was sent to earth to counter the god
Kaiko. Aware of her divinity, the Saigo family (upholders of the Mana faith)
wished to sacrifice Miyako, believing this action would result in fortuitous
circumstances for the village (Miyako represents the former pre-Mana religion
[Amana's Diary #16]). The Mana cultists believed it was a sign of conviction,
loyalty and faith to denounce the former religion before the new Mana gods.
When first performed in 1976, the blood ritual was successful - Miyako was
sacrificed and the Mana gods appeased. However, when Howard interrupted
the ceremony some 30 years later, this action caused a disruption in the
space-time continuum. 
The Hanuda villagers had some awareness of this eventuality though, as [The
Sacred Revelations #1] warned that a thief would one day steal the sacrifice
and usher in an age of chaos. In fact, [The Sacred Revelations #1] predict 
all the main story elements.  

- Bella first arrives in Hanuda village in 2007, accompanied by Sam, Melissa
and Sol. When Kaiko is defeated by Howard, Bella is deposited back in time,
centuries earlier and is bestowed with Amana's eternal youth upon devouring
the flesh of the fallen deity. Amana lived among the Hanuda villagers for
centuries, but lost all memory of her former self when Howard interrupted
the blood ritual in the 1976/2007 time overlap.

- Had Amana resisted the flesh of the fallen deity, none of the events in
the story would have transpired - they would have remained as unfulfilled
prophecies and myths. 

- Had Howard allowed Miyako to be sacrificed by the villagers, none of the
events in the story would have transpired - they would have remained as
unfulfilled prophecies and myths. 

- Howard's intervention sets everything in perpetual motion: if Howard fails
to intervene at the blood ritual, nothing happens. But if Howard successfully
intervenes at the blood ritual, Bella becomes lost in time; Bella perpetuates
the Mana faith and Miyako's suffering; Sam summons Howard to visit the
village to save Bella; space-time is disrupted and repeats endlessly. 
The solution? If Howard accepts the invitation to Hanuda, endless repetition
will result. If Sam fails to invite Howard to Hanuda, but is aware of Howard,
this means Howard has already been in Hanuda and has already set things in
motion. The only way the characters can escape the space-time continuum is
if Howard and Sam never meet (Sam cannot develop an awareness of Howard,
with Sam being the catalyst for Howard's presence in the village).

- Sam forgets many of the events he has experienced upon being deposited
back in 1976, but retains a memory that Howard is an important factor in
saving the life of his daughter ('Everything must be repeated so that Bella
can live forever'). It is Howard's action of defeating Kaiko that causes 
time to distintegrate, sending Bella/Amana back through the centuries,
causing Kaiko to gift her with immortality when she devours the fallen deity.
If Howard doesn't visit Hanuda and defeat Kaiko, Bella/Amana will not be
sent back in time to devour the fallen deity that results in her immortality.


UNANSWERED QUESTIONS: 

- Who left the secret codes for Amana: the Mana gods, or herself?

- What benefit befalls the villagers upon successfully sacrificing Miyako?

- Whose initials are engraved the [Cigarette Lighter #35]? (the initals
'HT' or 'NT' appear on the surface).

- In Episode 8 Chapter 2, in the upper mine shaft, there appears to be a
pivotal scene missing in which Sol becomes reinfected by the shibito (he
goes on to terrorise the Saiga hospital) and Sam escapes without harm.  

_____________________________________________


Copyright Jason Beks 2009