Chronicles of the West

Chapter Forty Seven

Night gave way to morning. The slender fingers of golden light pushing back the deeper blues and velvet blacks of the night. Light washed over the weary group and yet still they moved. Ippiku perched atop Toga's head, Aislin clutched to his chest.

Ryu and Silvana not far behind him and then Shippo, Daishi and Kurama. Daishi had been hit viciously with premonitions and slight insights the one that stalked them. Silvana sensing the draining of the smaller kitsune, had forged a link with her and shuddered with every image that passed between them.

Alastair, the human would be a god. Such hatred, such longing, such firm belief that his way was the only way, the right way. His creatures were becoming more and more powerful, meaning his skills and his own level of power had increased.

Considering what they had recently fought she wasn't sure she wanted to see what else he had in his living armory. She glanced back at Daishi feeling the power rise once more. No images of the enemy this time. Halls of stone and familiar chambers. As if Daishi was searching for something.

Shippo felt her stumble slightly next to him and his arm tightened at her waist to keep her upright. Her eyes were no longer open, and she seemed to be concentrating on something with all her might. Kurama felt the spike in her power and turned pale eyes of gold to her.

Toga watched closely. He knew what this was. She was calling to someone, searching her mind's eye to find them. As he was capable of doing with Taisha. Who could she be seeking? Shippo lifted her into his arms, her concentration never wavering.

In her mind's eye, she ran the corridors of the academy, seeking her mentor. The brother of her heart. "Satoru" she whispered aloud, but he was not there. His halls empty of even his aura. He had departed the grounds, else he would have come to her.

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Satoru's vision wavered slightly as they flew. Victor curled tightly against him within the glowing sphere. Letting his awareness grow fuzzy, he locked onto the voice that shimmered at the back of his mind. His youki rising and reaching out, the sphere slowing.

"Satoru" came the whisper. The demon growled softly and retreated within himself. Daishi stood before him, pale and weakened. Her exhaustion growing clearer. "Daishi" he said softly, "what is it?". They rarely communicated in this way, unless there was great need as the power needed to tap and hold it was extensive.

"Alastair" she replied, choosing her few, whispered words wisely, "In Japan, attacked. Very strong. Danger". The inu nodded and she faded from that shadowy world that exists in the mind. Satoru tightened his grip on the human, he'd all but melded to his own form.

Victor was barely aware of his surroundings. He felt warm and blissfully light. He was aware of green blurs of forests giving way to the gray of stone and then shimmering sands before they broke over endless water. His lover was amazingly fast and seemed to sense that this manner of travel was most upsetting to the delicate senses of humans.

He knew that they were going to warn others of the encroaching threat and his body responded by shuddering slightly. This journey was for many reasons. At least one would be good, he hoped. Ryu and Silvana had been so absorbed in the problem that they simple solution had been overlooked. Even by him.

Nearing the shores of Japan, Satoru let his energy burst widely. A message that a Taiyoukai was present. His golden eyes narrowed in anger that this thing, this fiend had sullied the shores of his homeland and attacked those close to him.

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Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha glanced at each other as power washed over the wind to tingle against their senses. Holy ki and demonic energy, a rare combination and found in only one being they knew of. With a renewed sense of urgency they spurred their mounts onward.

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Kagome blinked at the sunlit window, her hand moving to her heart. Ayeka noted the movement, "Kagome?" she asked softly, "Is all well?". Kagome smiled softly at her and nodded, "My son" she said in hushed tones, "My Satoru has come home".

Ayeka looked out the window, "You feel his powers". Kagome nodded again. "There is something dark moving in the trees Ayeka. An enemy of great strength. I can't be sure where, but I feel it tracing the edges of my awareness".

Green eyes narrowed on the distant mountains, 'damn you Sesshoumaru. You had better be careful'. She rarely worried for him, it was something that faded with time when you were wed to the most powerful demon in the land, arguably creation. Still, she'd noted his urgency to seek the source. This was no passing problem.

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Toga sensed the approaching wave of demonic energy, turning to the others he noted that they too had caught it. "Get back" he commanded, unsheathing his sword. Kurama tucked Aislin safely behind him as they prepared to fight.

A female shot from the branches above them to crouch before them. She was panting and pale and seemed to be in pain. Toga eyed her carefully, "What do you want shadow demon?" he demanded. Her glittering black eyes locked on him. "Your head" she replied, her voice a low whisper. Her smoke colored flesh and wisps of dark hair giving away her heritage. Toga arched a brow, "I think not" he told her. She lunged but she was physically weak against him.

He flung her away from him, "If you wish to fight me then you'd best be prepared for it" he said coldly. She dug her claws into the ground and rose slowly. Pain radiating from her. "What is your problem bitch?" Ryu called out. She staggered slightly.

Her hands lifting to press against her head and she moaned. "It hurts" she whimpered, "To disobey is to hurt". Her words struck a chord in their memories. Kurama grunted, "So you serve the once human?" he asked her. She nodded, "I know you" she rasped to Toga, "When you were small you played near our lands".

Toga's hand flexed on his sword, "And now you are my enemy?" he demanded. She shook her head, clutching her head as pain engulfed her, "Do it!" she cried out, "Kill me, so that I can escape the pain of his rule".

Toga sniffed at her, detecting no trick. Only her deep, bone jarring pain. "To obey is to ease the suffering, to obey is to kill you" she moaned. Toga slowly sheathed his sword, "Where is your master?" he asked her. Her hands pulled at her hair, "Hidden!" she shouted, "He waits. He wants the father. The father!".

Her voice rose in a pitiful scream and her thin body contorted painfully against the pathway. Bones popped and shifted, realigning only to shift once more. Kurama looked away, "Toga, do something" he said. Toga blinked down at the female before him.

She seemed to sense his indecision and gathering her strength she lunged at him, claws aimed for his throat. Toga barely moved, his sword was drawn and plunged into her heart. She hung from his blade, mouth working soundlessly.

Her eyes held sorrow, regret and relief. "The father" she whispered and then she slumped, her body sliding from his blade with a wet sound. Toga stared at her for a long while, his senses reaching out to find other threats. Wiping his blade on the fallen demon, he sheathed it with a flicking motion.

The soft sound of wretching drew their attention. Toga pinched the bridge of his nose, leave it to Aislin to wake now. He was beside her in a moment, and Shippo was giving her some water to drink from his water skin. She was still pale and a little shaky, but that was to be expected.

Toga loomed over her, "Are you well?" he asked. Her lavender eyes fluttered before lifting to his. She nodded, slowly rising. "This is because of me isn't it?" she asked in a hoarse whisper. They blinked at her, "It's because of your journey to return my sight" she went on.

Kurama shook his head, "No. It isn't your fault Aislin" he said in a soft tone. She shook her head, "It is! We were never attacked like this when I was blind!". Her sobs shook her frame and her eyes turned to her travel companions, "I'm so sorry" she breathed, "I didn't want this".

Toga growled loudly at her and her lips clamped shut, "Be silent" he bit out, "This is not because of you. This is because of someone's greed and need for power". She blinked at him, droplets clinging to her lashes. Toga had never used such a cold and commanding tone with her and she shrank from it.

Anger poured from the inu. His foe lacked the courage to face him in combat, so he sent his creations and those bound to his service by pain instead. Cowardly bastard. He'd killed an unwilling participant in this little war of wills and his heart told him that there would be more. Many more. And she would see them all. She would see that the rumors of his bloodshed and killing were true. Would the gentleness he'd shown her fall to nothingness?

This was his world and in this world he was expected to be the Taiyoukai of the north. A cold blooded and ruthless being. And he was, without a doubt. His own battlefield exploits earning him that dreaded respect. But like his father before him and his father before him, he wanted none of that to touch the inner sanctum of his home.

Aislin stood staring at the shadow demon. Toga tugged her against him, her face going to his armor covered chest to block the sight. It was her or him, Aislin reasoned, she was the attacker whether she wished to be or not. This was not a game and people were being hurt, they were dying. What if Toga lost that carefully controlled composure?

He wouldn't she told herself, clinging to him. He was Toga after all and in all the years they'd known one another, he'd not been some life taking beast. He was not then, and would not be now. "We best get moving" Ryu announced, breaking the pained silence.

If they moved quickly they could reach the borders of the west in a week's time. That was taking into account the fact that Aislin needed rest and now Daishi as well. Not to mention the possibility of attack. Their oni mounts, spooked by the surge of power from the first battle had gone to..gods knew where.

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It was the dead of night and the camp was covered in the forest's darkness. They huddled close together, no fire to fight the chill of night. Daishi was slowly gaining her strength back and Shippo was relieved to sense it.

His green eyes scanned the night time landscape, searching for movement. His senses sharpened, his youki pulsing softly into the dark. Enough to monitor, but not enough to draw attention to them. It was out there, just beyond his reach. The enemy. The darkness of a soul gone terribly wrong.

He recalled Miroku's words on how a soul was made. Being so young then, he hadn't really understood it. He did now. He'd chosen long ago to avoid the darkness, preferring the warmth of the light where his mother and father stood. Sesshoumaru had straddled the line for centuries, keeping those around him on the edge of uncertainty, but ultimately even his soul was good.

He'd seen many lost to the darkness, many who chose it. He'd not ever recalled one that pursued it. Not like this thing that had once been human. And he wondered if a soul chose a path, could it change it's mind? Could a soul that was pitted with malice and impurity be fixed? Restored?