The Jewel Of Four Souls | By : BlackMaiden Category: InuYasha > General Views: 2456 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor make any money from this story |
Before I begin with this story, I wanted to enlighten my readers, especially those who have followed my work for so long. This story, as some of you may know, is an old one, and one that I haven't written in, in years. None the less, I have edited this and the following chapter, and also adding a new chapter.
For those of you who do not know my works or this story, please be aware that this story has and will have many dark themes. This story is based on the creation of the Shikon No Tama, and my interpretation to the story of Inutaisho. I also want to make aware that this story has many original characters and backstory. These characters are in some of my older works (also under revision), which you can follow at any time. Futhermore, this story is broken up into 3 parts, any adjustments will be noted and the readers will remain abreast. In this series, the stories will be numbered as such (ex. prelude, chapter 1.1, 1.2.....intermission, 2.1, 2.2... and so forth), to defuse any confusion later on.
Again, this story is of darker themes and disgression should be observed. This will be a long story. Enjoy!
-BlackMaiden
******
Part One
Prelude
The last dying rays of the sun painted the skies with an unearthly beautiful, yet, foreboding prequel to the night ahead. Just off in the distance, heavy clouds grew, promising a bitter winter storm and set the boundaries for such a historical event.
Inutaisho stood upon the balcony contemplating his choice of actions, for something as monumental as his schedule. Tonight was the night that he would fight his greatest enemy, Ryuukotsusei, who had infiltrated the northern borders the night before and whom had sent a direct messenger to the western lord, demanding a challenge. Inutaisho, of course, accepted the challenge, seeing his opportunity for the chance to finally annihilate his dragon adversary.
In fact, his claws itched to bury themselves in the pugnacious serpent, once and for all. This feud had gone on long enough; starting when his father had still lived, until the present.
He understood the reasons the dragon wanted revenge upon his clan. So many years ago, when he himself was still a young pup just entering adulthood, his father had taken him out in the battlefield to encounter his first warfare. His father had failed to mention that he was responsible for starting the war over race and nothing more. Inutaisho remembered vividly the failure of the dragon clan under his father’s war technique. The blood had been immense and even though the dragon clan leader bowed to his father in defeat, his father still showed no mercy and killed the remaining dragon clan in the still of the night. Ryuukotsusei had been his age at the time, just seeing war and had witnessed his entire family being slaughtered, including his new pregnant mate. Or so, the rumor had it. This blood feud was centuries old and in an effort to save his children from the same war; he had been working to kill that dragon before he could harm another from the silver dog clan. Ryuukotsusei’s grudge was with him, not his clan or his heir.
Inutaisho scowled slightly in the memory when that blasted dragon had decided to target his son. Fortunately, Sesshomaru had not taken lightly to being considered a pawn and killed off many of Ryuukotsusei’s soldiers in a single blow of explosive power. The general knew his son well, and knowing such things, was not surprised when Ryuukotsusei found that toying with the young dog demon prince was not worth the fight, considering that the pup was so much stronger then the enemy anticipated. In that, he had to hand it to Sesshomaru for handling himself well, even for such a young pup. His young pup, the possessive side of his demon reared its head sharply. Yet, the act of targeting the young prince had been a crushing blow to the daimyo and only furthered, drawing his last straw when he was told, by the same messenger earlier, that if Inutaisho refused his challenge, then the dragon would kill the pregnant Izayoi.
Inutaisho hated to be threatened, and by none other than one of his greatest enemy. However, the fact remained that his anger wasn’t in his threat but in the fact that he would indeed do what he promised. Ryuukotsusei was a blood thirsty demon and loved the kill, if it meant him acting revenge, and had no sympathy for those who remained innocent. The daimyo had done all he could in his many centuries on the throne to ensure that his people felt safe but he couldn’t help the foreboding feeling that the years ahead, in Sesshomaru’s rein, would be full of war, hate and revenge, and somehow, the jewel in his clawed hand would be the start and finish of it all.
Ah, the jewel, beautiful as it may be, it had been a source of death for many, many years with a wealth of power that was dangerous, yet well made in intention. It could save a nation, or destroy life; A dilemma in itself. The jewel had to be protected at all cost, and though it was entrusted to him many years ago, a strong pull on his being told him to be sure that it was in another’s hand before something terrible happened to it or from it.
Placing the jewel back into the lapels of his kimono, Inutaisho started the slow but necessary process of getting ready to fight. Not only would he have to dress properly but he would have to prepare provisions for several days, for as soon as his fight was over, he would have to go to Izayoi for the birthing of his newest pack member. He let his thoughts flitter on the thought of the tiny pup ready to be born. Though the child was to be hanyou, it meant a great deal to him, being that he would be a father again, and in such a time in his life. The child was going to be a spitfire of a son, whom he could tell from the scent and aura of the child, but it would also be a merging gap between the silver dog demon clan and the humans of his territory. He would show his people the bond that Inutaisho shared with all people of his clans, prove they could live harmoniously together and form tighter knits between eldest son and chosen mate.
He smiled to the cold air, almost jumpy with excitement to see the boys face. He had already chosen a name and found himself ready to have that name with a face. He wanted to hold him, spoil him, and teach him that he was perfect in his Sire’s sight regardless of previous history said on his lineage. He wanted even more, to see Sesshomaru teaching the youngest and spending time with him. Sesshomaru had grown cold, but Inuyasha would change that for him. The task wouldn’t be easy but the work would be well worth it to see the results of such labor. He hoped, that also with time, the demons of Japan would respect the humans and perhaps, join together. He wanted to see them share customs and lifestyles and live in harmony; for Inutaisho had paved the steps with a lot of work, but this birth would prove exactly what he had promised to his family, people, clan and territory. Such promise would be shown and he couldn’t wait to give his newest son all that he truly deserved.
Inutaisho thought on his eldest as well. He was after all, his oldest and heir, and more than a father could ever ask for in a son. He loved him very much and had gone to great extents to be strong for him and teach his boy that compassion was the way to ultimate power. However, his beloved pup had not seen it his way. It confused him, for he knew Sesshomaru looked up to him but yet, refused to acknowledge that compassion was what made Inutaisho such a great leader. He couldn’t understand his son’s hate towards humans and anything under his own power, causing the dog general’s heart to break. He had figured that it was jealousy, for his son had been enraged when he found that his father was mated to a human, when there were plenty of demonesses longing for his bed. However, Sesshomaru failed to realize that he had chosen Izayoi, because she never judged, never cowered and never wanted anything more than love, honesty, comfort and care. He had appreciated that, something a demoness would have never given him, and for such, he gave her his mark, which Sesshomaru’s mother never received.
It was true, there had been other humans in Inutaisho’s life that he had loved (and still did love) but something in Izayoi made him feel like he had chosen well. If he was truly honest with himself, Yona would have been his bride, had she not declined. In her words, she had only the heart for one demon and though he had been the most violent, hateful demon of all time; his father would be her only husband. She had also made it so very clear to him, when his mind was still cloudy by her ever graceful presence, that him choosing to take his later father’s bride as his own, would be exactly what his father would have wanted. It had been subtle at the time, him chalking it off as a respectful but soft hearted rejection, but now he could clearly see what she had meant in her words.
His father was the most destructive, sadistic evil, being to ever have lived. If Ryuukotsusei thought he was as unforgiving, than he should have been in the bosom of his father’s presence at home to know the true value of what it meant to destroy something from the inside out. The man was cunning, calculating and highly dangerous; making him a very bad person to be around if you had any hope of not being tainted by his presence. He had seen for many years, his father very cunningly, and painfully, destroy the young maiden Yona to his liking. The sadistic pleasure his father took in molding her to his own specifications was horrific, and mind boggling.
The demon Ryotenshi, the man he called father, knew very clearly that Yona was a link between him and his first born son. Knowing this information, with his cleverness, calculation and wit made him all the more a deadly opponent. He used this leverage in the crafting of both bride and son, making them cling to one another and to himself, giving him the complete power to destroy them slowly for his own continued legacy and amusement. His father wanted Inutaisho to bear his sire’s nature, and wanted Yona to submit and join it to him. It made sense his father would have done something like that, yet is was more numbing to understand his father’s true intelligence when it was relevant that the man was actually setting the stones for Inutaisho to follow the same ruling pattern. Plain and clear, Ryotenshi wanted Inutaisho to become a better, far more dangerous him, and Yona had seen it. Though a little worse from wear, she had not crumbled under the former Daimyo, and worked tirelessly to end the cycle that was nothing but bloodshed.
Inutaisho sighed, knowing that if he had taken Yona as his mate, they would undoubtedly been separated by their own likeness and differences. And him being a jealous demon with a past, he also knew that his nature would have come out, had the young western lady rebelled upon him. He would not be his father, he would not kill innocents and become engulfed in his nature, so he took the rejection the best way he could, utilized it, learned and made for himself a beautiful kingdom, just like he and Yona had wanted.
Smiling a bit, he thank her for such, even when he knew the two of them desired to be together, because their choices then would have never led him to his two children and current mate now. In his path of understanding and learning, he had made his mistakes and found his loves with many human and non human women, but nothing like the love he had for Yona in her wisdom and his love for Izayoi for being the perfect match of what Yona wanted him, Inutaisho, to have. What a wonder fate was, even when a few sacrifices had to be made.
Clearing his thoughts of beautiful, wise women, he looked upon the horizon once more before striding back into his personal chambers. Aware that he had much to do, he called upon the servants to prepare him a bath, finish the provisions of his departure and the scholars to start the preparation of getting Sesshomaru in the throne seat as acting Daimyo while he was away. Though it sounded easy enough, he knew it would be tedious, and wanted everything to quickly fall in order, so that he could have everything finished so that he could spend some much needed time bonding with his mate, eldest and new born son.
It did not take long for servants to do his bidding, for as soon as he started undressing, the women had already brought the cast iron cisterns into the bath house, filling the tub with hot water and setting out his bathing supplies. He was relieved that they had moved quickly, for he wanted to soak before he had to go out into the unforgiving weather to forge a mighty path right up Ryuukotsusei’s ass with his katana.
He quickly stripped, each hand pulling off the garments he wore, with him being so desperate to relax. With that in place and wearing nothing more than silk juban, he cut the leather tie in his hair, letting the long thick strands fall and making his way to the water he wanted so badly. It didn’t take much coaxing to get him to rest in the hot water when he arrived, even if it was close to scalding. Being able to catch a little nap as the water cooled for his washing was what he had in mind. And when he settled back in the water with a contented growl, he wasn’t surprised that he did just that.
When his eyes opened again, he found that though he had not been in long and the water was still warm, he was rejuvenated and ready for the night ahead. His tried and true method of sleeping in the bath had not failed him and with a smirk on his handsome face, he finished up his bath, found himself dressed and ready to set off in no time.
******
Debriefing everyone that he has set to do his work while he was away had not been hard, but his current situation of dealing with his son and his mate had been.
While finishing the final preparatory arrangements he had left upon his desk top, he had happened upon a scroll that he apparently missed in the stacks, which bore the seal that he had given to her to send messages to each other. Upon reading it, he was hearkened to hear that her belly had finally dropped, that the midwives had suggested she would deliver on time and that she was anxious to not be with child, but have him at her breast. He had been so enthused and anxious for he almost bounded out the home to go to his mate that was until his sight caught his heir, Sesshomaru.
Walking out of the study and down the corridors to the main entrance hall, he called Sesshomaru to come walk with him, so that he may be able to spend some time with his son before he was called off to duty. Though reluctant, his son followed, yet the air held steady when the silence engulfed them, and he remembered the gap between them. Though not wanting his parting to be an upsetting one, he still loved his son, and called upon his thoughts.
"Tell me, my son, what is afflicting you so?" Inutaisho asked; concern etched in his features as he looked upon the stony visage that was his son’s face.
"Father, I am unaware of this affliction you speak of. Am I not holding myself as I always do in my position?" Sesshomaru spoke back, a bit too calmly, and far too stoically.
Inutaisho sighed at that. His son was playing sarcastic, moody and hiding his own rage from him. It would not due for him to part ways with him, being his son was in such a volatile state, even when it was clear Sesshomaru wanted nothing to do with his lord and father’s presence. Though they had made it outside the fortress gates, ready to part ways to incline business and duties as the servants and guards bustled around in their duties, paying no mind to their masters, the air between the two grown dog males was still on thin ice even when their were no interruptions or words to leave them in such a state.
"Sesshomaru, I dare not believe there is nothing troubling you, nor will accept walking away without hearing it from your mouth. Though I had wanted this to be pleasant, you are making this harder than it has to be, and your sharp tongue is getting in the way of our bonding, departing words, and your respect to me as your alpha male." Inutaisho clipped out, despite the fact of him wanting to be respectful. He had wanted to start mending the clash between him and his son, not deepen the divide.
His son said nothing, not yet anyways; leaving Inutaisho to silently brood over the idea of thrashing Sesshomaru like a child once again. The pup was so stubborn, he thought quietly as he watched his servants and guards busy themselves with getting all the final provisions in order. He focused on how each and every one of them followed his rule, his guidance, instruction and intellect, yet unable to see how his son could clash with him on everything he done. The pup fought him in everything, displaced his compassion for his wellbeing, and grew further into his own self assured power hungry ideas. Though as a father, he wanted to see all that was good in his son and chalked it up to being a teenager thing; he couldn’t fight the little voice in the back of his mind from screaming out that Sesshomaru was showing way too many signs of turning out like his dear old grandfather.
Damn it, he cursed to his mind’s eye, and worked feverishly with his dominant self not to want to beat some sense into his pup. Yet, he had to rein in on his temper and show his patience with his son if he wanted to win this war, so he let this little battle be tallied to Sesshomaru, and set about the good example of being a compassionate man by not giving the pup a scourging tongue lashing.
"Son, heed my words well, for they will be good to your future. It is not what you conquer that makes you a leader; it’s the compassion your people give to you that makes you their lord. Keep these words close to you my son, think on them hard and when I return, we shall sit down and talk this thoroughly so that we may move on to the future." Inutaisho finally spoke, not looking upon his son at first, but then turning in his final words to grip his son’s shoulder.
"Father, it is also within a ruler’s power to exert his will, for even when the glove is velvet, the hand within is still made of iron. My compassion is not ill placed, but it still remains to be earned, and regrettably your human bitch and the child she carries will not get my graces in such." Sesshomaru spoke, squaring off with his father, before averting his eyes and striding back into the palace.
The blood boiled in the demon left standing outside from the heart wrenching and stinging words that had been spoken to him. It outraged him to be spoken to in such a manner, but yet it tore his heart to pieces when his son finally told him what he would not give to the newest members of his pack. Inutaisho heard the threat in his son’s words, heard the grave message loud in clear; keep them away from me or I will kill them, and it was in those words that hurt Inutaisho the most.
He began walking, taking even steady steps to the boundaries of the castle walls, thinking on what his son had said, how his father had been, and the still ever growing trials that he was to face in the future. Though the thoughts filtered through his mind, he still didn’t have to be happy with them. He had so much to do and in so little time, if the path of true bonding was going to happen between is family and with his lands. He was aware that if he could not succeed in this endeavor, his failings would fall upon his children and their offspring, a path that would self destruct the clan by turning his children into his father.
Not standing the idea and no way of fixing it, he continued walking, into the forest line at a strong steady pace, in hopes to wane his temper and fears. As he continued doing so, running all the latest events through his mind, along with their impending consequences, a though hit him with full force on something he thought of earlier. He perked at the thought; remember that when he had to learn his own mistakes and learned some extra wisdom in the process, it was Yona that had helped him. If she was so capable of seeing foreseen dangers with him, then she would be able to shine some light on the issue at hand now.
With a little extra bounce in his step, he continued on perfecting his plan and sorting his thoughts, until he arrived upon a small clearing. Once settled in his mental dialogue and his dominant anger bleed off a little, he formed himself into pure yoaki energy, which was a white light, and flew off to find the lady of the western lands, Yona, the woman who lived to see it all, the woman who had seen him through the hardest times with his father, and the one who had seen the creation of the jewel and how it had come into existence. He had already planned to see her and touch base with her before he departed, but now they had some talking to do, and a little bonding to share.
As he flew, his mind’s eye replayed those events so long ago, the time when his father lived and sacred jewels were unheard of; searching for lesson in them that could help him in his adventures now. He saw it clearly, hated to revisit those memories, but allowed his mind to trace it all piece by piece as if it had happened yesteryear…
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