Chronicles of the West

Chapter Ninety two

Josin stood perched on the high wall, the morning breeze ruffling through pristine white feathers. His long golden hair lifted around his handsome face, his golden eyes staring and seeing nothing. He was lost in thought, or perhaps memory.

Images assaulted him, long silver hair, clawed hands tracing over quivering flesh. Golden eyes full of warmth and then red with madness. He shook his head slightly to clear such thoughts. The soul he had once been was resisting him. On some level. An unknown level, that seemed to recognize the inu princeling as what he had been…at once time. It irritated him to say the least.

Just like the other limitations he seemed to have aquired since his rebirth. His spiritual powers were not as powerful as they had once been, though they were still a force to be reckoned with. He had discovered that he, though born of alchemy and dark magics was incapable of weilding them. He was able to use some small amount of dark power to achieve him aims, however alchemy was barred to him.

Sero was more than aware of that fact, he was the one that could bend the properties of the world to reshape them into the images he desired. Josin was jealous of that power, he admitted it to himself. Oh it was not something that he couldn't overcome, and his attachment to his companion was quite strong. It just irked him that he was not as all powerful as he had once believed himself to be.

That his control over himself had weakened slightly, and though no one else knew of the images plaguing him, he did. He felt a strange tugging in his chest and glared westward. HE was stirring there, thoughts swirling though him. Josin disliked that his former self was resurrecting a former bond. It was because of that demon that he had shivered and despaired in that deep darkness.

That he was as he was. A small part of him was almost grateful to have been reborn without the restraints of his former humanity. Without the care for any but those few he chose to keep close. No longer was he bound to follow the mantra that the strong protected the weak. No, now he understood the truth. The weak were there to act as stepping stone for the strong and would be crushed in his ultimate rise to power.

With a brutal finality he severed that fragile bond that tugged across the miles and banished it from his thoughts. He would not fail to send Satoru to that darkness.

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Sero sat hunched over the long table, scribbling hastily in his research journal. The blood of the elemental bitch posed something of a problem. It seemed almost resistant to duplication, if such a thing were possible. He'd wracked his brain for days now, trying to unravel the mystery of this development.

He'd concluded prior to his ventures that elemental blood with the Taisho samples would render a powerful creature, the perfect weapon. Aside from that, if they created an elemental female, they could bind her to them, thus increasing their own powers. She could be disposed of later.

It was perfect plan in theory, simple formulations. Rudimentary alchemy really. However, when put into action, the results had been disappointing. The Taisho line and the elemental blood were clearly compatible. They'd ended up with a wonderfully designed being. Yet, some key step eluded him. For this newest progeny did not live.

They had access to the inu line but they had precious little blood from that elemental. He should have been able to double the amount on hand. Alchemy did not work to that end however. He swore softly. His eyes falling on the still form that lay upon the table. It was unthinkable.

Long silver white hair fanned out behind him, his pale limbs spoke of incredible strength. His white wings rivaled Josin's. But he was dead weight. "What am I doing wrong?" Sero asked himself in a harsh whisper, "Why won't you live?".

In irritation he tugged the covering up and over the silent features of the made one. There had to be something that he was missing. Some tiny step or ingredient that was laying waste to his carefully laid plans.

He pushed the book from himself and stared at the tabletop. Irritation and impatience chafing him. He retained all of Alastair's knowledge and abilities. He'd brought creations to life before so why was this different?

He stared across the large chamber at the caged and shackled creatures as though he might find the answer among them. He carefully replayed in his head the process that made them as they were. When their lives had become him and their forms changed. The lives they had known erased in lieu of another.
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Satoru sat in the library, books and scrolls scattered about him. He'd not left the room since his injuries had been healed enough to allow movement. Questions, nagging questions fluttered in his head like shadows on the wall. Dark and distracting.

Victor had watched the change in his lover. Satoru was withdrawn again, as he had been when Victor had first stepped into his halls. Something had happened that the tall demon wasn't sharing with him and it frightened him. He'd tried to glean the answer from Satoru but the stoic male was not forthcoming.

Satoru wished he could tell Victor what bothered him. What ate at him minute by minute. The dark accusation and scorn in Josin's eyes. The knowledge that he recalled Satoru, understood that Satoru had killed him and carried that deep well of hatred within.

Josin wass Reny and Reny had corrupted his own soul and being to live again. To see Satoru fall. It hurt him deeply. He had destroyed his former lover true, when his powers had slipped his rein. He'd loved Reny, had contemplated the forever with him, and then he'd killed him.

How did one tell their lover of such doubts and dark regrets? Of the desire that even now, sparkled at the edge of conciousness within? Would Victor believe and understand that such lingering feelings were merely a physical reaction and that his heart did not lie within them?

He barely understood it himself, he only knew that the soul in question was hurting and raging violently. He had to stop it. He'd woken beside Taima and she'd seemed somehow diminished to him. She'd felt his concern and said only that she'd left a portion of her powers with him, to aid in his recovery. He suspected something far greater, but couldn't prove it.

She was weaker now, her days numbered. It was nearly unheard of for a demon to die without violence, but she had never been well. She grew, they knew, weary of the pains of her visions and the solitude that her nature demanded of her. She wished to be free. Perhaps she was merely giving up?

Satoru reached across the table to snatch up a heavy crystal sphere. It lay cupped in his large palm, shining in the firelight. He lifted it on his fingertips and watched it closely. His power unfurling to tease around him.

Soon, the translucent sea of the bauble turned milky white as though someone trapped smoke within it. The white giving way to images, clouded at best, but he was able to see. See across the distance to what would befall the world if they failed. It was not pretty. In fact, it filled the demon with mounting dread.

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Josin watched Sero move about the chamber, muttering darkly over his recent failure. Josin had wondered about it too. Days had passed and there seemed to be no progress. That was not acceptable. It was, he understood, likely some small detail. For these were the ones most often overlooked.

He'd pondered it, and now he believed he understood where this recent attempt had failed. They'd not created the spark of life, they had altered it. Sero looked up at the vision of light framed in the large doorway. "I may have found it" Josin told him.

Sero blinked and wiped his hands on a rag, "It?" he asked. Josin nodded, "What we have missed". Sero sat down in his high backed seat, his eyes lingering on Josin's face. He waited for his lover to tell him what he thought.

Josin stepped forward and ran his fingertips over the cloth covering the lifeless artwork. "We have not yet discovered how to create life Sero, only alter what is already in existence". Sero turned his words over and the pieces snapped into place. "Of course!" he exclaimed, "We took for granted that the others were dead, however the spark of life lingered until the transmutation began".

Josin nodded, "Just so. It is my belief that should you introduce the elemental blood to a living taisho candidate, we would find some measure of success". Sero nodded, considering that. "The candidate would need to be perfect or nearly so to support the power" he mused.

Josin nodded once more. He'd assumed as much. Sero was up now and pacing in thought, "There are only two such that come to mind" he pointed out. Josin's golden eyes cut to the side, "Two?". Sero nodded, "Yourself of course" at this Josin cocked his head, "And Amari".

Josin's nostrils flared. Of course! They'd believed he'd died, for Josin had savagely attacked him, however he'd been among the number that led the dog lords to the castle. Golden eyes narrowed, "He is nothing" he said in a hard voice, "They interfered to keep him alive".

Sero blinked, "Then who?" he asked. Josin tossed his long golden hair over his shoulder, "Me" he replied. Sero went pale, "But there is no guarantee, that all will be well" he hurried to say, "You might die". Josin weighed his options and his chances, "Perhaps, but once we see the result more action can be taken".

Sero didn't want to attempt such a thing. Josin was perfect as he was. Josin leaned over the prone creation and smirked before pushing the body roughly to the floor. "There will be time for you later, little brother" he said then. "Sero. Get on with it".