Chronicles of the West

Okay, I have REALLY missed you guys. I mean I have been cut off from the best reading audience in the world after all! SO nice to be up and posting again. About the book, I am looking for possible names and of course if I use your idea I will mention to in the dedication :) I was thinking Requim for Innocence?

Chapter Ninety Four

Sero stared at the bed. Josin had not yet awakened, and though he lived, his companion was uncertain of his state. The transmutation appeared to have been successful, but he wouldn't know for certain until Josin woke.

He silently berated himself for allowing Josin to talk him into such a dangerous experiment. What if his winged champion was damaged? Taking Josin's advice on the matter, he'd taken samples from the previous failure and bonded them with a young kitsune. The foxes were quite adaptable and he supposed it was because they were canine as was the material that they were being fused with.

Even now, the pale creation was stirring in his cage. Sero hoped that Josin would wake soon so that the newest being might be tested. He paced quietly across the room, his eyes returning time and again to the bed. Josin's chest continued to rise and fall steadily and he took hope in that.

They would need to act quickly. Even now he knew that Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha were looking for them. He knew that they didn't want to fight within castle walls. They would attempt to draw them out into the open, that was fine too. Once Josin and the newest one were awake, they could take the field and claim victory.

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Satoru focused on the ceiling of Taima's chambers. He would try and bridge the distance between Josin and himself. He was capable of this form of communication with Daishi, and he hoped that he could reach Josin on some subconscious level. Find a weakness, a hint of a plan, anything.

He'd told no one but Daishi of his plan to do this, and even now she sat across the room, green eyes wide on him. She would watch him carefully and make certain that everything went smoothly. There had been very little danger when they spoke this way to each other, but now he was trying to contact a powerful being with spiritual powers. And a hostile being at that.

Taima sat weakly near her, she was growing more pale as the days past. Daishi was terribly concerned about her. She'd mixed up soothing herbs for her, and they seemed to help… if only a little. "He should not do this" she whispered. Daishi secretly agreed.

Satoru let his eyes drift closed and let his energy swirl and thin, concentrating on that tiny thread that lingered between he and Josin. Once he;d found it, he followed it carefully to Josin. He felt pain, and dizziness, and knew these came from the winged monster.

"Satoru?" came a voice, and the demon turned his head through the thickening white fog to see Reny. "What are you doing here?" he asked. Satoru felt his heart thump painfully in his chest, seeing the face he'd loved so long ago.

"Reny, I thought you were lost" he said. The human gave a small sad smile, "I am. Most times anyway". Satoru blinked at him and Reny looked away. "Why have you come to this place Satoru?" he asked finally. The demon stepped closer to him, "Because I must know the truth".

Reny laughed lightly, "The truth is a terrible thing, isn’t it?" he asked. Satoru remained silent, watching and waiting. "The truth is everyone said that you would be the death of me" Reny told him, and Satoru felt pain at that too, "They were right. I understood why, at least I thought I did".

Satoru felt grief move through him, fresh and startling. "I should have had better control" he rasped, "Then you would be this way, wouldn't be locked within this thing". Reny, or the small part of him that remained in this body, watched as the powerful demon faced painful regret all over again.

There were no words of comfort on his tongue, no calming touch. To touch would be to miss life and miss Satoru and that would make him forgive. Forgiveness would bring acceptance of his fate, of that dark world and so he stood, silent. Wishing that it would all…just…end.
Satoru watched him now, taking in the details of his face, long missed. There was nothing he could say that would ever make what had happened right. He knew that. He wished there were a way to erase the sin from himself. Undo what had been done. And then he thought of Victor.

Reny turned from him, "The truth is that I will fight you Satoru, whether it be my wish or not. When I am awake I cannot feel care and tenderness for you, they have been replaced, they are eaten away. So this is the new truth that you must face. You want to save me".

Satoru nodded, "Yes that is true. I wish to make amends". Reny shook his head, his expression sad. "You were always so noble Satoru, but amends cannot be made to the dead, only the living. And I am only half of each. I cannot live again in this form, we know that. You want to save me, but you can't. My salvation lies, ultimately in my destruction".

Satoru shook his head, "There must be another way, I simply have to find it". Reny met his gaze fully, soft blue clashing with gold. "To what end? To restore my life? Would you abandon him for me? There is pain on each path Satoru. You must choose which is more acceptable. Do you have the strength to do what must be done?"

Satoru looked away, unable to hold Reny's gaze when words of unwanted truth spilled forth. And in the back of his mind was the tiny thought that a wish could save them all. Suddenly Reny changed. His image rippling and wings took shape. And Satoru was lost in thought for a moment, thinking of a wish. A wish! "Go Satoru, go now" Reny urged, his voice tense. Satoru blinked and found himself staring at Josin.

"Yes, Satoru show me the secret you are hiding" he snapped with a grin. Satoru cut the link between them as swiftly as he could. Pain enveloped him, clouding his mind, choking him. He knew better than to sever the tie so quickly, but he'd had no choice. He felt Daishi's cool hand on his brow and let himself pass into sleep. One thought clear to him before darkness took over. He'd thought of the flower and Josin had seen.

His father and uncle were not going to be happy about this. He tried to fight against the darkness but it swallowed him.

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Josin woke with a dark smile and Sero rushed to the bedside. Checking vitals and laying a cool hand on his brow. His eyes wide with concern. "Josin are you feeing well?" he asked. Golden eyes slid to his, "Oh yes" he assured him, "Better than well. I have found a secret"

Sero blinked down at him. Perhaps he was disoriented from his recent experience. Josin's large hand covered the one that lingered on his brow and pulled it to his chest. Sero cocked his head at his lover. "A secret?" he asked. Josin nodded, "A secret to make life easier" he replied, "A secret to reshape the world".

Sero blinked as Josin began to chuckle, a deep rich sound that rose from his chest to a full bodied laugh. It was too much, the dog had come seeking a weakness and instead he'd revealed one. Josin was still laughing as he sat upright. Plans were already forming in his devious mind. A variety of ways in which he might draw close to his desired goal.

He would have to move carefully, for no doubt the dogs would keep close watch over such a treasure. He'd been toying the thoughts of sending scouts to try and find the rumored flower, but had dismissed it as farce. Now, he knew better. Knew it was real, knew it was powerful, and of course, knew where it was.

He slowly stretched, feeling the power recently given to him surge. He felt better than ever. Stronger beyond any imagining. Sero breathed in a sigh of relief, he was alive, and whole, and he didn't seem mad or diminished. Just talking oddly.

"The transmutation seems to have been successful" he said at length. Josin ceased his laughter then, turning his hands to stare at his palms. Yes, he would call this a success. "We need to test and train" he replied. Sero blinked and Josin continued speaking, "We have another objective now dear Sero".

Sero continued to look at him strangely and Josin grabbed his lover, pinning his slightly smaller frame beneath his own. The stirrings of lust creeping through him, buoyed by the new surge of power and latest development. "The western lords have a precious treasure" he murmured against Sero's ear, "And it will be mine".