Revelations

AN:

Dear readers

I fear I have bitten off a little more than I can chew. In an attempt to create a gripping roller coaster of a story I believe I have attempted to throw in far too many twists and turns. And as in any roller coaster, where there are too many such turns and to little skill in building them, the people usually end up throwing up. What I mean is that though the story is all well and good, I fear I lack the literary skill to execute such ideas successfully.
This might cause severe discomfort to quite a few readers who might be forced to re-read parts again. This chapter looks to untangle many of the knots that were created till now…but not all of them. Actually it ties a few knots itself…ah what the heck, this concerns the next few chapters.
I hope that it is able to some what clear you minds as to what’s going on. I promise that book two will be more straightforward.

Thank you

MOON

P.S

I am in no fucking way fishing for sympathy here!!! I feel that this is a genuine problem and I am merely apologizing for any inconvenience.


Chapter 8: The Future aint what it used to be

Sobs, sobs filled their ears as they sat beside the small fire. Kaede watched from afar as all of them seemed to struggle with their inner demons.

For Sango in particular, the encounter had been a…hurtful one.

Annoyed by their failure to once again slay Naraku, the group chose to return to Kaede’s hut.

On their return journey they encountered an illusion weaver, an extremely tricky type of demon but very rare. Its strength lay in its ability to take its prey’s greatest fears and bring them to a near tangible life right before their eyes.

This of course, caused complete havoc among a group so emotionally…well fragile.

As always, in such situations requiring moral stability from one who is virtuous and kind and all those other flowery things, Kagome was the first to break free from the demons grasp.

She went on to display a rather brilliant side of her powers, defeating the demon with a single, incredibly powerful arrow. As to where such power came from even she didn’t know.

The group had staggered back, shaken by visions of past and future. They came to sit beside an inviting fire, peacefully cooking Lady Kaede’s dinner.

The old Miko hadn’t complained, nor had she inquired…there would be time for that later. Now she went about preparing herbs and tea, something to soothe jumping nerves.

Visions of Kohaku still haunted her as she sobbed weakly into Kagome’s arms. There he had stood, inches away from her. Not running, not killing…no. Only standing but inches away. But inches enough that every time she reached out she found herself short.

Sango felt weak, the word here could have been used on so many levels that it to must have felt drained.

The others had all coped with whatever they saw, but no, she had to beak down like a little girl.

Swimming in their own sorrows, the group was too preoccupied to notice three hooded figures head towards the bone eaters well…

The sun was on its way back towards the horizon when Kagome announced her departure.

“What!? Where the fuck do you think you’re going?”

Inuyasha’s temper was unsettlingly high. Whatever the demon had showed him…it had touched a nerve.

“I-it’s nothing Inuyasha, I-I just remembered I have a test.”

“Well then I’m coming.”

The images of her blood still haunted the hanyo’s mind.

“Oh don’t be silly Inuyasha. I’ll be back in no time.”

After some continuous arguing Kagome finally got her way, leaving a slightly worse for wear Sango in the questionable hands of Miroku, she headed for the well with a hurried uncertainty.

The demon had shown Kagome her mother, her mother in a fairly fatal disposition, a vision which-as hard as she tried-she could not shake off.

The vision itself had been a bizarre one. One second she had stood shackled by some unknown force, watching her mother’s death the next she saw herself in an oddly familiar place.

Red dunes of sand rose and fell all around her, she found herself lost for the second time in this vast crimson desert. Far in the distance she could see the beginnings of the sun’s rising…the sky there painted a vibrant orange and red…blood red.

The vision itself seemed different, as if it weren’t originating from the demon that cast the spell, Kagome felt trapped in a cage of her own making.

Far in the distance a red hakama could be seen apart from the red sand.

“Inuyasha!”

This time he moved, she could distinctly make out his figure moving away from her. With reckless abandon she charged after him, all the time screaming his name. The feelings his appearance evoked proved to be too strong though and ended up breaking the illusion completely. It was then that Kagome had displayed her little bit of brilliance.

Looking around and ensuring that everything was all right, Kagome breathed a sigh of relief.

The shrine was untouched, no sign of chaos, struggle or foul play of any sort…her mother was safe.

Relaxing, she slowly made her way over to the main steps to collect the pile of mail that lay there…ignoring the rustling bushes besides the time tree.

“That’s odd, the mailman usually drops this of at our door…what’s it doing here?”

Resigning herself to the fact that the mailman must have gotten lazy she began reading the first one…she groaned.

It was bright colorful travel brochure, something that held no interest for a girl who traveled five hundred years into the past every day.

‘Fly to jolly old England, see Big Ben, take a walk through history in the Smithsonian Museum…’

Disappointed, she put the rest of the pile under her arm and slid the back door of her house open.

“Oh hello Kagome! I didn’t expect you home. You don’t have a test do you, sadly just the other day I gave you a rare fleeting case of Down syndrome.”

Kagome stared at her grandfather incredulously…

“You what!! And no, I don’t have a test any time soon. This was my house as well wasn’t it? Any way where are you going?”

Grandpa seemed to sag slightly,

“Oh, you’re mother has a guest so she’s throwing me and your brother out to catch the last of the sun she says.”

Slightly dejected, Grandpa walked out into the courtyard quietly waiting for Souta.

“He was such an interesting fellow as well.”

Kagome ignored the ramblings of her grandfather and ran towards the living room. Of course, there had never been any such test. Though Kagome was afraid to admit it, the vision of her mother had shaken her a great deal more than met the eye.

“Mama!”

Without pause she barged into the room, on seeing her mother Kagome was about to lunge into a hug but she was stopped dead on seeing the guest who sat across her.

Eyes mischievously sparkling, hair slicked back and a slick smile worn to a practiced perfection, Valcos looked right at home.

“Oh, hello Kagome dear, this is a surprise.”

Kagome jumped into her mother’s arms, a little slower than she had first intended. All the time her eyes never left Valcos who sat unfazed, cup of tea in hand.

“Oh Kagome! I almost forgot, there’s someone you must meet.”

Immediately Valcos set down the tea and slowly rose to meet Kagome.

“Kagome this is-”

“Edward Lionheart the third, head of Japanese studies…the Smithsonian, England. I’m here to study your shrine.”

Said Valcos as he coolly took Kagome’s hand in his…kissing it as he elegantly bowed, his eyes-never leaving hers-flashing warning.

“This is my daughter Kagome.”

“A pleasure.” Said Valcos as he slowly went back to sitting.

Kagome’s eyes darted wildly about the room in search of a sword, a sheath…anything. But nothing was to be found. Naraku claimed he knew nothing of their arrival, but ever since then she had to admit that her hesitant faith in Valcos had become a little…more hesitant.

But as the minutes past Kagome felt herself growing calm again, Valcos seemed to have a genuine interest in her shrine. Every now and then he told a little joke that, by all means, seemed completely normal even though she knew it was five hundred years out of date.

Resigning to the fact that Valcos was indeed innocent, Kagome took her leave and went upstairs for a bath. She would return tomorrow to Inuyasha, it couldn’t hurt…

At least one and a half hours had past when Kagome got out of the tub. Putting on a bathrobe she began walking calmly to her room.

There was a thud.

A crash of breaking glass.

A scream.

Kagome’s blood ran cold. The scream was her mothers. Adrenaline fuelling her blinded actions, Kagome hurtled down the stairs. On reaching the bottom she screamed.

Staring back at her were familiar dead eyes, towering far above her mother.

“Kagome!!”

Her mother screamed, a hand around her neck…sword pressed against her back.

Shock seemed to freeze Kagome to the spot.

SLICE

“Mamma!!”

Kagome screamed as she felt warm blood spatter all over her hands, her fears crossing into reality, her consciousness fading…darkness wrapping itself around her world…


Miroku stared up into a moonless sky. Looking down he caressed Sango’s hair as she slept. It had taken all of him to get her to sleep…

Looking around Miroku gazed at the sleeping forms of Shippo, Kirara, Lady Kaede. Looking down he faced his hand once again. The vision had been terrifying, more terrifying than any the others had to suffer…for they were all but visions, things that remained under their control…

His vision was true…and there was nothing he could do about it…

“Baka!! It’s just not right!!”

Looking up Miroku saw Inuyasha darting towards the well, black hair and all.

“Any way you look at it it’s wrong! Kagome would never leave on the night with the full moon.”

Without even waiting to hear the response of the other’s Inuyasha darted into the night towards the well…his senses a tingle.

**

Images swirled all around her; slowly the world began to come back into focus. Above her Kagome saw the anxious face of Inuyasha, who was-truth be told-a little pale himself.

As scenes from her memories began playing in her head a spark ran through her.

Suddenly she sat bolt upright…so fast was the move it caused Inuyasha to hurl himself out of he room’s window.

Ignoring Inuyasha's feat of Knievel buffoonery, Kagome darted to her mother’s room. Her heart in her mouth, Kagome lunged into the chamber.

“Mamma plea-”

But she cut herself short, there on the bed lay her mother, neck in bandages, chest rising and falling steadily in deep slumber.

Thanking the gods she crumbled to the floor beside the bed and wept, wept long and hard for a long time, it was only when a battered Inuyasha came and gently picked her up that she felt the urges to move.

“I-Inuyasha”

Kagome sobbed into Inuyasha’s robes.

“I thought…Inuyasha I thought…”

“It’s all right Kagome, everything’s fine…I-I know how you feel.”

Inuyasha too had felt his hart pounding in his throat when he entered the house last night, being human he felt powerless at the sight before him.

A demon from their past had come back to haunt them. Its skeletal frame, its hollow eyes, there was no mistaking it.

The demon was holding Kagome’s mother hostage. Before it a screaming Kagome crumbled paralyzed before his eyes.

Inuyasha acted, using the element of surprise, leaping as far as his human legs would take him he drove a rusty tessaiga through the lower back of the demon, the tip of the sword burst thought the beast’s chest. Its dark blood spewed forth as the demon turned and threw Inuyasha back with a powerful swipe of its arm, almost unperturbed by he blade within it.

At that moment two other demons came crashing into the room…Inuyasha felt the end coming, but instead of charging him the two collapsed to the ground.

Behind them Valcos came bursting in. Sword in hand, he prepared to finish the last one.

“Fau!”

The beast spoke, its arm outstretched, indicating that Valcos stop.

“Globurz matures, brus annfurtun, agh brusub ranfurtun.”

Valcos seemed to hesitate slightly at these words. Re-composing himself he raised his sword, and in one easy swoop, finished off the injured demon…

**

Kagome finally stopped crying, she just lay there in Inuyasha’s lap for what seemed to her like hours. All of a sudden there was a fervent knocking on the front door. Just as Kagome rose and giddily opened the slider Valcos burst through, a map in hand.

“Ah Kagome you’re awake lets go.”

With that the man grabbed her by the wrist and dragger her out of the house, he’d gotten five steppes when Inuyasha-now back to being half demon-charged Valcos down…his hackles raised.

“Where do you think you’re taking her.”
Valcos stared back at the hanyo, smiling stupidly.

“Aw, you welcome half breed, next time I guess ill just leave it all to you right…come on you can trust me!!”

Calming down, Inuyasha backed off and allowed Valcos to get up and brush himself off.

“I’ve informed your grandfather that your mother fell down a flight of stairs last night, it was actually her idea.”

Kagome was startled.

“Y-you talked to my mother.”

Valcos smiled again…

“My dear, who do you think bandaged her wounds. Dog boy here has the gentle grace of a charging rhino.”

Valcos continued even in the face of Inuyasha's apoplectic rage.

“Now you have to get us here.”

Valcos thrust a tattered map into Kagome’s face.

“We all need some questions answered.”

Nodding, Kagome led Valcos and Inuyasha on an epic little adventure to the woods on the other side of town. On the way she was shocked to see Valcos’ indifference to the cars and buildings around him.

Finally after a two hour journey the trio walked into the large forest that lay before them. After walking for a good half an hour Valcos stopped. Like a man possessed he began searching all the surrounding trees.

Inuyasha and Kagome continued to watch Valcos for about fifteen minutes, then Valcos began to yell.

“Come on Bokusen'on, I know you’re around here. You lived for over two thousand years, you could make another five hundred.”

“Does this mean that Valcos actually concedes that this is indeed the future.”

The three whipped around to see an old man walking between the trees and coming towards them. He dressed sharp in a deep gray suit.

Inuyasha immediately reached for tessaiga.

“Who are you!?”

The old man continued to walk.

“Valcos, you shall find no magic here, it is long gone. There is no Bokusen’on. You lot best follow me, come I have tea and sausages.”

Turning the man began to walk away. This time it was Kagome who was first to act, as if snapping out of a trance she suddenly bounded after the man and fell in step beside him.

“Ka-…w-what are…”

Valcos put a reassuring hand on Inuyasha's shoulder all the time nodding his head comically.

“I know what you mean…women.”

Defeated the two began to follow…

All along the two in front seemed to talk about a very many things. Behind Valcos and Inuyasha moved silently, every now and then Valcos would stare at Inuyasha as if sizing him up and then would go back to taking interest in the trees…

At long last the group reached a massive mansion nestled away deep in the forest.

“Ah home sweet home.”

With that the man entered the massive oak doors, leaving them open for his visitors.

“Khe so he has a big house.”

Inuyasha was unimpressed. Kagome turned around smiling childishly as she spoke…

“Well why shouldn’t he. He’s an angel after all, his name’s Arias.”

With that she grabbed Inuyasha’s arm and led him into the massive home leaving Valcos to stare dumbly at the circumstances around him.

Lunch was a subdued affair…conversation wise of course. They ate in a huge dining hall with brilliant paintings of white cities adorning the walls.

Inuyasha had his fair fill of sausages…all the time Valcos remained silent, quietly sipping his tea. When all were finished, Arias rose and led them all to a massive garden, he took them to a small gazebo in a small cove of palm trees. Sitting down, he began to speak.


“Well, lets get down to business, I can guess why you all are here so I ask only this of you…whatever happens here, remember who you are now…remember it well.”

It was an odd request…but then again, this afternoon had been rather odd.

“So, you are an Angel?”

“Why Valcos, I apologize for keeping that from you…its just been a long time since I saw anyone from the other side.”

Valcos raised an eyebrow.

“We’ve never met.”

“Yes, that’s true. But I have heard much about you.”

Valcos was about to reply when he was interrupted by Arias…Inuyasha was being restrained by Kagome.

“Please Valcos, let me begin the questioning.”

Valcos stopped, accepting the Angel’s request he turned and interested himself with the garden beyond.

“Kagome, let me ask you and your demon friend first.”

Kagome nodded, giving the angel her full attention.

“Do you think this is the future?”

Valcos turned his head slightly to hear the reply…

“Y-yes.”

Kagome was unsure of where this was going.

“Keh, of course it is…look at this place, it has to be.”

Arias smiled at Inuyasha’s reply.

“A fair point my friend…a fair point. Now Valcos what do you think of all this.”

Valcos stared into the trees beyond for a long time.

“My eyes tell me it is, the geography, the metal beasts on the roads, the buildings, everything points to the future. But my mind say’s no, it tells me that this is impossible.”

Arias smiled again and sat silent. For minutes they sat, hearing the symphony of the garden until the angel finally broke it.

“Well, the truth…the truth agrees with your mind Valcos.”

Valcos whipped around as Kagome and Inuyasha stared at the old man in shock.

“This indeed is not the future. This of course leads us to our next question.”

Valcos stared at him, now smiling…

“What is this place angel?”

Arias nodded

“That my friend is a long long story, one which must be told now I fear and I all begins with the creation of earth. I think that is a tale best told by you Valcos.”

Valcos seemed unsure of what was going on but humored the angel. Slowly he turned two Inuyasha and Kagome.

“Ok, this is going to be fairly difficult. I just ask a few things of you, first this is all true, so just eat it up, accept it without question. Secondly please don’t interrupt me please.”

Inuyasha and Kagome nodded slowly.

“Good now lets begin.”

And so Valcos burst into a long narrative of the universe before earth, the formation of heaven and hell and all. It was obvious that the two were having a problem accepting the notion of god etc but in the end it seemed they swallowed it all up pretty well. Finally Valcos reached the part about Lord Diablo and God’s first meeting.

“Now the universe runs on a certain energy, it has no name but it is responsible for the birth of demon lords, demigods and all, it fuels their powers and when they die they once again become a part of the energy, ok.”

The nodded once again.

“Now, the purpose of the first meeting was this, they needed to bring their struggle out of the decadent pit it swam in and raise it to an ideological level. Secondly, they wanted to effectively harness the energies of the universe. Thus they came together and created earth.”

“W-wait a minute.”

Now Kagome was confused.

“I thought god created the earth.”

“A common misconception my dear.”

Arias smiled. “This universe works only in balance.”

Valcos nodded and continued.

“Now this is the hardest part. Lord Diablo and God successfully created life on earth, these creatures were unique in one way, which was that they had relatively short life spans. The energies manifested itself in physical shells on earth in the form of souls. See before this the concept of a soul never existed. So this answers the first task…how to harness the energies. Now how were they going to bring the battle back to an ideological level. The answer was quite brilliant.”

He paused to let the ideas sink in. Kagome looked rather frazzled, Inuyasha was quite surely lost. So the energies of the universe manifested themselves as souls on earth, that made sense, but how would heaven and hell use them…

“The light and the shadow called a complete truce, even on earth, they kept a no interference policy. Now when a soul comes to earth it lives its short life, yes even a demon’s or an elves life is considered short in the eyes of the universe. Once its mortal shell dies, a soul can do three things. If it dies indifferent to the world, you know like the life of a real slob or something, well then it goes and joins the energies, in waiting to be resurrected. If it dies content, happy, in nirvana as they say, then it goes to heaven. And finally, if it dies in suffering, hate or despair then it goes to hell. So there you see, in stead of fighting it out through massive bloody wars, heaven and hell let the ideals of good and evil decide who had more power.”

Again he paused…this was usually the hard part, the journey of the soul. Now Arias began speaking.

“Well now that you are up to speed on the earth’s creation don’t relax because were not done yet. I think Valcos you should go on to the second meeting.”

Valcos seemed to grow pale at hearing the words but trudged on.

“Well, earth went on for millions of years, men were born, demons, trolls the lot. All was good until about two hundred and sixty years ago…the time that I was born. It seemed that heaven began encroaching on earth a little too much, in hopes of obtaining more souls. Well, hell took notice and two hundred and forty years ago lord Diablo launched a massive attack on earth with aims of capturing it completely. Heaven defended their claims to earth with the help of a huge army of elves, humans and some demons. Inuyasha, your father brother and myself were all part of that war. It seemed victory was in our sights, just as we looked to squash the shadow from the world…he appeared.”

Valcos seemed to grow small and scared.

“The memories shake me a little too much this day so I shall be brief. Diablo and God both descended upon the field of battle and engaged in the battle that all said would last an age…it lasted under one hour. Before we knew what had happened Diablo struck down God before us all, we did not know what to do. The lord of darkness closed in for the final blow, as he stuck he was blinded by his own lust for victory. Using his opponent’s zealous power against him, God countered the lord of darkness’ attack. Using his own dark powers against him as well as his own God created a barrier around earth. Immediately all of Diablo’s dark minions and himself were thrown back into the hell pits from whence they came, leaving only a few stragglers behind.”

Kagome stared at Valcos in shock.

“The barrier today is maintained by two angelic crystals, the sun storm and the moon storm. The mortal forces that aided heaven were reorganized into an army today known as Gaugan. Today Gaugan is a super secret organization that has banks, offices everything secretly hidden across the earth. Its main aim is still to defend the two crystals. It would select five mortal individuals who had exceptional skill and would make them immortal warriors.”

Valcos smiled.

“I’m one of them.”

Kagome smiled to, a feeling of wonder coursing through her.

“Now.” Arias smiled.

“It’s time I told you what all this was.”

Even Valcos now sat down beside Inuyasha and fixed himself on Arias.

“What Valcos didn’t tell you-for he does no know-is that God’s injuries on facing Diablo were so severe that he did no survive.”

Valcos’ eyes went wide.

“That’s impossible, there is a g-”

“On his deathbed, god transferred his powers, his knowledge everything he had to another. Thus continuing his rule. He gave his successor everything…everything but the knowledge of this place.”

“What.”

Kagome was now confused again.

“You see the late god tried an experiment, an experiment he confided only in Galadriel, and me.”

Valcos felt he knew the answer.

“He left me in charge of his experiment…an experiment that he sped up a little just to get quicker results. Why do you think this world is connected to the other by the tree.”

Valcos new this one, understanding hitting him like a train.

“Because you wanted it to have the benefits of the barrier.”

Arias nodded. Kagome and Inuyasha were at sea.

“Correct, and the tree in truth never allows people through so that this world would be untouched by the others corruption. Pure and untouched.”

Now he asked the last question.

“Tell me Kagome, why is there no magic in this world.

Kagome stared at his smiling face…

“B-because the humans wiped it out over the years.”

Arias shook his head.

“No, magic is only created when there is balance…only god created this world in order to get more souls, this was the last creation of the late god. Kagome, your world is only two hundred and thirty years old…”

***
***

Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Long chapter, I’m sure ther are about a hundred errors but…oh I suck ots fine. Also I’m really sick, that’s why I took so long. This and the next few chapters are where things clear up. We’re almost at book two guys…that’s just full on cool.

GINNY: this is important, if you see too many errors just tell me please. More importantly THANK YOU for all the reviews THEY ARE MY FUEL. Also tell me if any ends don’t quite meet up. PLEASE THANK YOU!!!.