Chronicles of the West

Chapter Twenty

Toga came awake some time later. His golden eyes opening and blinked slowly. The scent of herbs surrounded him and the golden light that Kurama often emitted when healing did as well. He lifted his head with a soft groan. "Not so fast" Shippo told him, pressing him back to the grass, "You aren't in such great shape at the moment". Toga peered up into the deep emerald eyes of his cousin.

"Where is Silvana?" he asked. Shippo's youthfully handsome features darkened. "Gone. Taken". Toga struggled against his hold, but the fox held him steadily. "We can't not yet". Toga growled softly, "What about Ryu?" he asked, "Let me see Ryu". Shippo motioned with his head and Toga turned his gaze to the side.

Kurama was working feverishly over the hanyou. Bloodied bandages littered the ground around him. "He's hurt badly" Shippo told him, "But I am sure he'll live. He might need a few days to recover". Toga stared at his proud brother, he looked so young and fragile. Pale against the grass, his side barely moving with his shallow breaths.

Toga had never seen him take such a wound before. "How do you know Shippo?" he asked softly, "That Ryu will pull through?". Shippo smiled nostalgically. "Inuyasha took many wounds like that in our travels and he survived. Ryu is strong too".

The words were a comfort and Toga turned his gaze to the darkening sky. Why was Silvana taken and what the hell was that thing they'd fought? As though reading his thoughts, Kurama spoke, "I believe that the being we encountered is like most of this place. Created. I have seen no animal like that in all my travels. I have seen parts of it however"

Toga grimaced as he tried to sit up, "Parts?" Kurama nodded, keeping his head bent to his task. What he was speaking of was almost unheard of. Almost. "I suppose we shall find out when we go after her" he said quietly. Toga bit back a small sound of pain, his wounds were mostly closed, thanks to the quick thinking fox.

"How's Ryu doing?" he asked then. Kurama sighed, pushing his silver hair over his shoulder. "The punctures are nearly closed, he'll be awake in a few hours I would guess. He'll have to take it easy and not open these wounds". Toga nodded, "Good luck keeping him down". Shippo nodded, "You're one to talk". Ippiku was sitting on the red kitsune's shoulder looking worriedly at his lord and friend.

"Why her?" he asked suddenly, "It didn't capture anyone else". Toga growled low in his throat, "She can harness the elemental powers". That must be why she was taken. The beast showed no interest in her before her attack. Perhaps that was the reason, or mayhap because she was the only female among them. Both held sinister connotations. There were few elementals remaining in existence, preferring to hide themselves from the world. Half elementals were about as good as one could hope for and just as hard to find.

"It's not safe here" Shippo said and they couldn't have agreed more, however there was no moving either inu as of yet. "We'll just have to be careful" Kurama told him. The camp set, the wounded tended, they settled in for the night, not sure what they'd find come morning.

Morning found the group bracing for the day. Toga was still plagued by a slight limp but that would pass by midday. Ryu was being a difficult patient, he wanted up and he wanted up now. Kurama threatened to knock him senseless if he didn't hold still. Needless to say the hanyou was not pleased that the vixen was gone.

Kurama told him that he'd have to mend for at least the rest of the day and avoid heavy fighting else he'd reopen the healing wounds. He'd barked and growled that it wouldn't do. They needed to move and that was that. Finally Shippo agreed to transform and carry him. The pace was slower than what they would have liked for a rescue mission, but that was not to be helped.

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Silvana picked her head up from the soft bed beneath her. She blinked against the bright sun spilling through the tall windows. This place… where was she? She sat up slowly, feeling bruises and a few scratches but she was otherwise unharmed.

Her surroundings were quite remarkable considering she'd last been in a blood covered field. Tall gray stone walls surrounded her with fine furnishings scattered about. The only thing out of place where the odd circles painted on the walls and carved into the floor.

She studied them closely, running her fingers over them, jerking back when hot power hissed against her fingers. "What is this?" she questioned softly to herself. This was not youki, but she wasn't sure what it was. She tried to leave the room, but the circle on the door kept her inside. She tried, but couldn't even focus her energies to blow the door away. It gathered and then dissipated around her.

"What is this?" she demanded again. "Good question. Demon" came a low male voice from the door. She watched as it opened slowly to reveal a tall man with long golden hair. A human male. She blinked at him and he strode calmly into the room. Obviously he held no fear of her. His green eyes locked with hers with amusement. Power swirled around him and it made her hair lift slightly.

"Who are you human?" she asked, coldness seeping into her voice. The man laughed lightly, "Feisty for one imprisoned aren't we?". She glared at him, "Where are my friends?". He shrugged, "Don't know. Don't care". She growled at him and he lifted his hand toward her. Blue sparks shot from his fingertips.

"I am Alastair Glynhaven" he told her calmly, drawing closer to her. "And you my lovely, are an elemental. Well half at least. It should be enough". She stared at him, "What do you want with me?" she demanded. Alastair smiled and her flesh began to crawl, "What does anyone want with you?" he asked in turn, "I want your power".

Silvana snarled at him and lunged at him, but blue crackles of energy threw her back hard. "Ah ah lady, such actions are not prudent" he chided gently. She rose to a crouch and bared her fangs, "You smug bastard, my friend will come for you". He looked down his elegant nose at her and then smiled, "Oh? I truly hope so".

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Ryu clung to Shippo, grimacing as he felt ribs knit together beneath his skin. Damn uncomfortable, that's what he was. Toga had ceased limping a few hours ago, damn lucky full blooded ass. "Ryu? Are you ok?" Ippiku asked from his shoulder. Ryu didn't look at the imp, "Fine" he snapped, "Just want to get there and get her back".

The imp nodded in understanding, "But how? We don’t' even know where 'there' is. That thing left no scent trail to follow". Shippo answered him, "Whatever it is, wherever it went, there has to be way there. We just have to find it" And fast he added silently, although the unspoken words resounded through their company.

Toward nightfall they were greeted by a large gnarled oak tree in the middle of a barren field. It was odd and carried the scent of ozone strongly. Kurama drew close to it and studied it carefully. This was no ordinary tree and faintly, just faintly, he caught Silvana's scent on it. "She's here" he said.

Toga pressed forward, "What is this?". Kurama pushed a bit of moss away to reveal a lock on the trunk. "I'd say it's the doorway back to where that nightmare came from". Toga lashed out at the lock with claws and poison and blade, but it was no use. The lock merely chuckled at his attempts, fueling his anger.

"Wait" Ryu called and his brother turned to look at him. "The next clue, the ice maker hold the key". Toga nodded and then his eyes darted to Ippiku. The imp held both hands up, "Hey I have no key guys". Kurama grinned at him. "This lock won't take any key, it must be something that gives to the tree as well. That seems to be part of it's magic". Ippiku looked at him oddly, "So?".

Toga wrapped his fist around the imp and held him at eye level. "So you control water and ice. Water feeds the tree and ice will trip the lock" he replied. Ippiku gulped loudly, "So that thing is on the other side of the lock?" he asked. Shippo returned to his normal form, "Probably" he said.

Ippiku swallowed hard again, "Maybe there is another way in" he offered. Toga growled, "Get on with it imp". Ippiku shook in his grasp, "That thing will finish us all off this time" he retorted. Toga grinned down at him, "I'll kill it". The imp hmphed, "Oh yes because you did such a fine job last time". Toga growled dangerously, "Ippiku, you trip that lock or I'll stuff you inside of it". The imp's eyes went wider than usual, "Okay okay" he muttered. Toga nodded and held him before the lock. Ippiku turned pleading eyes to the others. "Unsympathetic bastards" he whispered.