RD - Ending

A song rang through the thick, night air. The wind swirling inwards towards one point as it came from the woods far away, up through the grass and high up into the sky above. The stars only visible on the horizon as above a great mass of glowing light formed. Floating, coursing over the heavens as if an ocean with ripples streaming from the center.

It grew brighter, larger and more brilliant with every second it hung from the heavens far beyond any mans grasp. The song in turn became louder, the words more audible as they grew from a faint whisper, like an echo from the past. It was then it could be seen, the light was moving. Not outwards, not stretching towards the ends of the world but downwards. As if slowly losing it’s grip and dribbling to the earth in slow, downwards motion.

Suspended in time she seemed. As she stood alone in the middle of the vast and great fields that seemed to go on forever. Slowly, her arms began to rise from her sides, reaching up above her in head. The clothe wrapped around her body, ruffling in the now ever stronger wind though no sound came from it. It was eerie and no one seemed immune to it as the hairs on the back of their necks stood on end.

The expression upon her face was unlike anything they’d seen before. The wonder of a child looking into a new found world. The woman who watched as her lover went away to war. A mother looking into the eyes of her newborn child for the first time.

Glowing as if it where liquid gold, heated by the suns rays itself. The mass of light hung even lower. Looking something like a lake as the first ran drop hits it’s surface, sending a ripple effect out in all directions. It was as if it was living thing, moving of its own free will. And even now the song became louder and more haunting. It brought a strange feeling to their hearts. Whether it was joy or sorrow they could not tell. For it was something far beyond them to understand. They had known so little.

Reaching up to the sky above her, the energy seemed to swell and grow rapidly. It coiled around her and flowed upwards still. And the heavens themselves seemed to react with song. And they all watched in awe as she seemed to be pulled up by it. And for a moment fear struck them as they thought the worst. But the worst never came.

Her eyes never looked away, not an ounce of fear existed in her. But a great many of things overcame her. Such emotions, they seemed to boil and bubble up from her very core. And she felt her body shake. Closer, she wanted closer. And the warmth of the light enveloped her, embracing her as her whole being seemed to bask in the light.

The song, it was clear in their ears now. So beautiful, they couldn’t speak or move or do anything but look on in wonder. She sang her song so clearly now, as her words filled them with such emotions unlike any before. And she went on, as if not even aware of their presence. She sang to the heavens before her that seemed to awaken with every word she uttered. The world around them seemed to grow silent in awe at the scene.

Unnatural as it was, it was real. And her body began to take on the same hue as the sky above them. Glowing so brightly until she almost burned white. From her toes, to her fingertips and every lock of hair that was adorned her head. She became a part of the light and the wind all around them below suddenly ceased.

Above them it grew quicker, swirling over and over unto itself. As it grew larger, coming downwards even further until it seemed as if it’d engulf the world. It was then she reached her arms out again. It was as if she’d tried to reach out to something she’d lost long ago and desperately had been looking for. Looking up as she sang louder with even more emotion than ever before until suddenly everything was blinded by the light.

The whole world seemed to fade and disappear. The golden glow burning to a bright white as it washed over everything in every direction with no warning.

No one knew how long it had been before it waded and let go. The world reappearing. The grass heavy and thick under their feet and the warm breeze brushed across their cheeks. The whole world seemed confused. A slow realization of what just happened. They all turned to look around them. From across the way they saw their friends. Familiar faces with mirrored expressions. What had just happened? What had they experienced and what did it mean? Was it even real or some figment of their imaginations?

But it couldn’t have been. They all knew what they had seen, that they all had seen it. And not so many could be wrong. But still, something was missing. She was gone! Where had she disappeared to?

She was never found. So many questions left unanswered. What exactly had happened and was she dead? Nothing was impossible it seemed. But they were never able to find a body, no clothing or weapon. Not even a trace of blood remained. It was as if the slate had been wiped clean.

But it was in his gut, something told him that it couldn’t be the end. Just because a question goes unanswered, doesn’t mean that it won’t eventually get an explanation. And if he was right, he might very well someday have those answers. But how he knew this he didn’t know. All logic said other wise but something deep down told him that logic did not matter in this case.

And it was from the night on that he looked at the night sky differently. Waiting for the answers he longed for. His questions answered. And a glimpse at her face if just once more. To look upon her true form as he had always wanted. Never before had such curiosity taken him. It infuriated him and made his blood boil from within.

Sesshoumaru looked up into the sky above, stars ablaze and dancing. And he thought of her. Just as he always had ever since that night. Never again did he look upon it so lightly as he gazed at the stars. There were to many secrets to be found out. So many questions left unanswered. The mystery unsolved. It had been two years since that night. Many things having happened since then yet it still remained ever clear in his mind.

Glancing at his traveling companions out of the corner of his eye, he decided his thoughts to be pointless. Logic told him he’d find no answers to his questions and that it was best to let it go. Though something in him found it all to hard. Letting his head fall back, resting against the tree as he closed his eyes and allowed himself to drift off. Forcing his mind to clear, his thoughts hushed and quieted now. The night was warm, the air almost heavy as a cool breeze brought a clarifying feeling of relief. Everything seemed quiet and at peace in the surrounding land. The only sound that could be heard was that of the small fire in the middle of their camp and the distant music of bugs that had come out after dusk.

He was on the edge of sleep and consciousness, caught between the brink of the two worlds when something stirred him. His eyes moving west as yet another gentle, cool breeze passed through their camp. Standing calmly and quietly, he headed off into the night, going westward. It took a while before he found what he was looking for. Having walked casually the whole way there, making sure not to overlook any details. A possible intruder perhaps or just so that he knew he couldn’t be mistaken. He couldn’t be mistaken, he was Sesshoumaru.

The trees gave way to an opening that stretched along for miles like path for a large snake that dared not enter the woods. The breeze was more of a wind now though nothing to powerful. The scent of the salt was strong as it came just up over the ledge. Walking straight out to the edge he looked down to the rocks below. The waves crashing upon them, creating foams of white water before fading away and retreating back into the open sea.

He turned as he felt it again. It was like someone striking a cord, a string upon an instrument though it made no audible sound. A sound no normal man should have been able to hear but only the mist sensitive ears like his or rather something else. Or perhaps it wasn’t sound but more of a feeling, a sixth sense perhaps?

There, no more than hundred feet away from him stood the figure looking out into the vast sea in all its glory. The waves forming out in the distance as they slowly made their way inland. The wind moved constantly here, ruffling the sleeves and tossing the hair gentle back and forth. Something was wrong, a strange sensation was stirring within him. The figure clothed all in black seemed to blend well into the night as they watched quietly, content and seemingly unbothered by his presence.

His eyes focused and never wavered as he studied the outline of the person carefully. The white and silver mane of hair flowing in the wind as his sleeves bellowed. He would stand firm and strong, unmoved and calm as ever.

Turning, a hand went up the face, carefully brushing back the locks of hair that wiped about in a burst of cool air before settling. Pulling the hair back from her face, she caught his eyes. Her fingers half run through her hair as she held it at the side of her head, holding it back out of her face before sighing and letting her arm fall back to her side after a long moment.

She saw him walking towards her now yet she held her ground, never once looking away as she still held his eyes. He stopped about three paces from her as he looked into her face, trying to find a trace of evidence that this wasn’t real until he realized he wouldn’t find such a thing. He had already known from the moment he left the camp that this was more real than anything. Yet so impossible it seemed.

For a moment she hesitated it seemed before looking him up and down. She found nothing to have changed; everything about him was just as she remembered. The same kimono, the armor, fur falling over his right should and the two swords at his side. Tilting her head to the side and bowing it ever so slightly as she seemed to wonder off in thought. She had the faintest smile on her face he could of swore.

How he thought he’d never forget her face since that night, two years ago. He’d seen her for who she really was for the first time that night. The body she inhabited when he first saw her hadn’t even begun to compare. Perhaps people would have thought her pretty and well enough for anyone’s eyes. But it couldn’t dare hold a flame to the body that truly was her. The body that had been taken, that she fought have once more as hers. The first time he laid eyes on her in her true glory had struck him numb. It was a strange feeling to gaze upon her that night.

Even now as he looked down upon her he found himself in awe. For so very few times in his life had he ever seen such a thing. By all means she was utterly beautiful in a way he’d never seen a woman before her. Her skin was dewy from the misting from the ocean below them. He could only imagine how it felt as he noted the perfect tone. Her lips were neither to plump nor to thin and they looked moist as they were ever so slightly parted. As if she were debating whether to speak or not, he thought. The eyes, they were dark and warm yet strangely different from anything he’d seen before. The warm color of red they were, enchanting they seemed. Not frightening like that of a demons eyes in a rage. Her eyes were lined with thick eyelashes he noticed as she stood there off in thought, or so it seemed.

It was then he noticed the warm smile on her face that slowly creeped up and appeared, almost as if she'd remembered something that made her warm. “Hello, Sesshoumaru.” He heard the words but barely recognized the voice. It was like honey, so different from before although it only seemed normal considering all other circumstances.

Sesshoumaru almost sighed at the sound of voice and his name. It had been a two years, since that night when the light swallowed her. The light that clung to her and made her shine as it grew larger, brighter. It seemed he’d get answers now, or so he could only hope. But still, something stirred deep within him he still couldn’t figure out as he looked down at her. And yet he knew he was somehow pleased to see her again and was more than content to be in her company.

“Aya.” He spoke merely in his cold, calm manner. This seemed to make her smile gently up at him as she nodded her head. “It’s been long time, Sesshoumaru.” She said calmly though he was sure he could see her pleasure at seeing him again somewhere deep in her eyes as she gazed up at him. And he couldn’t help but feel the same way as she stepped closer...