SURVIVE

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Chapter 17 : The Beginning

It took no more than a couple of hours for Commander Kagura's shoulder to regenerate, and her blood to be replenished. The session did exhaust all involved in the healing. Thus the situational meeting had been postponed to allow Kagura and the healers to have a small break before serious discussions commenced. Prince Kouga and Lord Sesshoumaru had in the interim conducted negotiations regarding trade and travel between their two peoples. It was a long boring administrative meeting; that ultimately would have longer implications for the peoples of both nations as the interaction between the two increased. Though Inuyasha would have stayed through the meeting, keeping an eye out for danger, Sesshoumaru had felt it best to spare Inuyasha the boring sessions. Jakotsu had escorted the quiet Hanyou to practice.

Currently Inuyasha's lessons as a General Apprentice mainly involved upgrading his fighting ability, once he was more comfortable, he would start learning other things. Inuyasha was quietly looking forward to it.

Inuyasha still found his freedom a concept different from what others perceived freedom to be. He was skilled at was being a watch dog, and was comfortable in that role. He was aware that the Demons were worried about him and were also guarding him so staying put seemed to be the most efficient thing to do. He did not want them to worry about his safety and was determined to be a much better fighter. Hopefully the more he observed, the more he could learn and be more useful to those around him. The freedom that Inuyasha was now relishing was his new freedom to learn, to think and to remember. He did not see the need to act like child unaware of the dangers of the world and test the boundaries of his physical freedom. His freedom to think and just be was for now more then enough.

Bakusen'O had been placed in charge of Inuyasha's lessons. The Hanyou never backed down from anything, he learned at a phenomenal rate not just with his eyes, but with every sense given to him. He was extremely careful to do things right the first time, and never allowed his physical state to interfere. If Bakusen'O did not stop him, Inuyasha would not stop training to eat, rest or even to deal with an injury. Bakusen'O was well aware the absolute disregard the Hanyou had for his physical state came from the treatment the young one had received; and unfortunately only time would heal those kinds of wounds.

It was only after dinner, when the two groups finally met to discuss the situation. Sesshoumaru much preferred the meeting at night as all unnecessary Palace personnel could be dismissed, and the general silence and stillness of the night allowed senses unimpaired by darkness to make careful sweeps of the area.

The meeting consisted only of those of highest security clearance, Lord Sesshoumaru, Bankotsu, Bakusen'O, Commander Kagura, Hachimon and Jinenji from the Demon side and from the Seraphim side only Prince Kouga and the two winged females were present, and of course Inuyasha. Jakotsu and Sango had been placed in charge of security and was patrolling outside the meeting area, thus they were absent from the proceedings.

Bankotsu briefly updated the Seraphim on the events leading up to the destruction of the collar. Then the serious questions began.

"Inuyasha, just before the attack, you were saying something about Manten, what was it?" Bankotsu asked the Hanyou. Sesshoumaru had questioned Inuyasha privately, but this was the first time the others were given the opportunity to address the Hanyou directly.

"There was a feel to Manten that was familiar. A darkness. I have sensed something like that a long time ago in the City of Light, I cannot say what the darkness is, I really don't know. I sensed the Darkness on and off when I was a child. It would just be there one second and gone the next. I had no idea what it was – and as child I just wanted to stay far away from it. It made me.. uncomfortable. Once I was taken to the Temple of Light and the collar placed on me, I could not sense the Darkness anymore, I am uncertain if it was the collar or the temple that blocked the darkness from my senses." Inuyasha's voice was calm and measured, he had thought hard about it after the event, but this was all he could recall.

"So you do not believe the darkness came from the collar?" Commander Kagura said. "I thought perhaps when Sesshoumaru destroyed the collar, what was released found a place in Manten."

Surprisingly it was the winged Seraphim Shri Kaguya that answered. "No, the darkness is not of the collar. We know that. The Circle of the Wise recognized the echo, its source is far more ancient than the collar."

"Hmph, oh just tell them Shri Kaguya. Our wonderful CoW believes that your Mass is an echo from the Jewel of the Four Souls." Kouga piped in.

"Kouga!" Shri Suijin glared at the Prince, "Do not refer to the Circle in that childish manner." Kouga smiled mockingly back, both the Shris rolled their eyes in exasperation, knowing their Prince would continue to do just that. Getting serious again they focused back on the topic, "How could we sense such an echo, the Jewel was lost ages ago. How did the echo turn up in the human city?"

"Well its probably because the Jewel according the Lady Kikyo is there." Bakotsu answered. "Lady Kikyo calmly informed me that the Shiko-no-tama was not an item for tithing when I went to their city."

The stunned looks on the Seraphim faces gave way to absolute concern. The Seraphim had skin of golden tones, and eyes ranging from sky blue to darkest gray. With their wings hidden, the looked very much like tall, light framed beautiful humans. The only other physical characteristic that gave away Seraphim heritage was the light band of down feathers circling the wrists and ankles of all Seraphim. The most ancient of Seraphim who lived to earn the title Shris had a natural glow to their skin, their auras alone rumoured to make people feel better.

"The Jewel has been missing for over 5 thousand years, and the Lady Kikyo just told you that the Jewel was there?" Shri Kaguya asked in a shocked whisper. That such a disclosure be made so casually was unbelievable. "Is the human truly that ignorant?"

"No, good Shri, whatever else said about Lady Kikyo, he is highly intelligent. The action must have been purposeful. Hmmm... Perhaps she used the name deliberately and awakened the Jewel so that it could use the mirror portal we opened. That gave the Jewel a way to enter our lands and attack Lord Sesshoumaru." Bakusen'O said considering.

"Damn it! How can that Jewel be in human lands? Was it not lost in the Ice Wall Seas at the very base of our world?" Commander Kagura growled out, hitting the bed she was sitting on. (The meeting was being held in the sick bay, around Kagura's bed.)

"That was five thousand years ago, Commander. I suppose the Jewel must have moved. The better question is what do we do now?" Hachimon asked.

"There is no choice in that. His Majesty, the Demon King has already given the command. We are the front line in this, and we are to destroy the bloody thing before it gains enough energy and ravages the lands once again." Bankotsu said flatly. "Lord Sesshoumaru has been given full authority in this matter."

"Prince Kouga has been given full authority by the Circle of the Wise as well. Their divinations indicated that Prince Kouga and Lord Sesshoumaru were best suited to stop the Jewel at this juncture. If they fail however, the OverKings of all lands will have to get involved to stop the Jewel. The death toll across the Lands at that point will be in the millions. So Prince Kouga, Lord Sesshoumaru DO NOT FAIL!" Shri Kaguya said authoritatively, pressing the importance of their current action.

"Perhaps the Jewel knows Lord Sesshoumaru is a threat and the Mass was a pre-emptive strike. A way to cause political strife and split the Demons from within, only my little Brother exposed it before it could do damage." Jinenji said a his pride in his little brother rather apparent. Inuyasha gave the horse Hanyou a half smile, but had no other reaction.

"No!" Commander Kagura said softly, slowly. "No, Manten did not try to cause political problems, and he did do damage, very targeted and intentional damage." Everyone looked ashen at Kagura; realization was dawning on all of them.

"Lord Sesshoumaru was not the target, he never was!" Bankotsu said slowly.

"Manten did not involve himself in court gossip. He did not try to turn Demon against Demon. He was obsessed with only one thing. Turning us against the Shiro Inu Hanyou. The Jewel's target and focus was almost solely on Inuyasha!" Kagura finished her eyes on the Hanyou who sat tall and straight. No reaction showed on his face, he stared impassively at a wall, seeming to be ignoring the turn in the conversation.

"I will be the first to admit that Inuyasha is a rather exotic half breed, but do you think that Lady Kikyo is so obsessed with the Hanyou that she would expose the Jewel like that, and order his death?" Kouga asked.

"Hmh!" Sesshoumaru finally spoke, "If not for Inuyasha we would not even have known that Manten was possessed. Perhaps that is why they were after him, Inuyasha has knowledge of the Human Miko's powers, limitations and abilities. Knowledge is power after all and Inuyasha may have knowledge that makes him more of a threat to Lady Kikyo's plans for the Shikon-no-tama then we can currently perceive. Inuyasha what are your thoughts on the matter?"

Kouga's lips twisted in a tiny smile, at the way Sesshoumaru's voice had warmed when he addressed the Hanyou. The Hanyou actually seemed more reserved than Sesshoumaru, at least on the surface. Kouga however was well able to see beneath the surface, the fluctuations of Inuyasha's aura showed that he did respond to the Lord. Something about Inuyasha's aura caught Kouga's eye, and inexplicably the Seraphim Prince found himself looking deeper into the aura than he usually would.

Golden eyes blinked slowly and he faced Lord Sesshoumaru. "I have never even heard of the Shikon-no-tama my Lord. I was never allowed into the inner sanctums of the Temple and never sensed anything like the Mass once I was placed in the collar. Perhaps if I had more information about what the Jewel is my Lord..." Inuyasha said politely.

Bakusen'O could not hide his smile, Inuyasha may never initiate a conversation, but he was always able to ask after something he really wanted to know in the most unassuming of ways. "If I may My Lords." Bakusen'O requested before explaining. The Shikon-no-tama he explained was a jewel that had emerged from the hearts of three individuals at the dawn of civilization on the planet. The first time the three races had met, more that 20 thousand years ago, peace had existed between the three. The story was so old that no record of names existed, that many details had probably been changed and altered with time. Bakusen'O shared the version most favoured by history and facts.

Three powerful individuals a Seraphim, a Demon and a Human of that time, decided that one race should be deemed superior to the others, and declared the true inheritor of the world.

The Dark three had fanned the fires of hatred and had caused the first war on the planet. Their hatred almost drove all three fledging races to extinction. When all had seemed lost, three other individuals began preaching of peace, began fighting for each other. Finally the Dark three, faced those that sought peace. The Dark three were by far more powerful, and just when they were about to be killed, the three that called for peace combined and called to the powers of the planet itself to judge. Was one race to be greater, or were all races equal in the eyes of their mother planet?

The planet had responded to their call and streams of energy covered all six. The planet judged them.

When the light receded the three that fought for peace, slowly rose to their feet. Of the Dark three there was no sign. Instead on the ground where the three has stood, lay a jewel the size of a child's ball. The Jewel pulsed with strange and dark energies, a combination of all the hatred and evil in the hearts of the Dark three. The Jewel whispered its name, Shikon-no-tama and it was believed that a part of the earth energy that mayhap agreed with the Dark Three had joined with them and formed the Jewel. Thus a part of the earth itself was the 4th Soul in the Jewel.

The three that had fought for peace, were said to be the ultimate ancestors of the OverKings of the Demon, Human and Seraphim lands.

A culmination of evil, the Jewel tended to lend its power to individuals who sought domination and power. Usually involving the death and slaughter of millions before its power could be contained. The last time had been a terrible world war, all three nations their peoples reduced by more than half, had finally combined and overthrown the Jewel's master. The Jewel itself had almost been destroyed, its energy faded to almost nothing, it had been thrown into the Ice Wall Seas in the hope that it would be frozen there forever.

Only the jewel was now in the hands of Lady Kikyo of the Temple of light.

Inuyasha listened carefully, and than shrugged, "My Lords, I have never even heard of a similar tale. However anything I know of the Temple, all that I have experienced I put at your disposal. I do not know why I am targeted, but if there is any way in which I can assist with information, strength or as bait, I would be honoured to play my part." Inuyasha's voice was so calm when he offered himself as bait, he may as well have been inviting everyone for tea.

Sesshoumaru smiled rather proudly, he reached out and ignoring the observers stroked a velvet ear. "You have the heart of a warrior young Hanyou, brave, loyal and true." Sesshoumaru said gently, his admiration clear in his voice.

Inuyasha's eyes went impossibly wide at those words, his barriers crumbled a little more. He leaned into Lord Sesshoumaru's touch, and all in the room suddenly felt Inuyasha's emotions. Moved by the words, everything in Inuyasha beamed with surprised joy at the heartfelt praise. The brightness of the Hanyou came shinning through and his aura flared and expanded. Before just as quickly, fading beneath the Hanyou's defences.

The three Seraphim in the room, gasped and leapt to their feet. Jaws gaping they stared at the Hanyou, unable to fully comprehend what they had seen.

-tbc-

Haha, 2 minutes for my class to start – so have to leave you with a cliffie... too bad. Agghhh cant think of a better title! Any mistakes tell.

Please review – any guesses to what is going on? How do you like the plot? Please review.