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The Sixth Law Broken

Chapter one

Letter

"You're going to Japan?" Since when do you speak Japanese?" Karrin Murphy asked incredulously.

"I needed to brush up on my Latin and they were offering a two-for-one deal at the community college. Anyway, I need the money." I double checked my plane tickets (the things were worth two months rent!), reinforced the suppression spell (so I didn't short out something during takeoff), and reread the letter I had gotten two days ago.

Dear Dresden-Shi,

I heard of you by chance, and wish to hire you. My daughter, Kagome, has been missing for two weeks and I am sure there are supernatural elements involved. We will pay whatever you charge. We have enclosed a plane ticket and driving directions. Please help us, Dresden-Shi. We do not know where else to turn.

Sincerely,

Sota Higurashi

I tucked the ticket carefully back into my into my duster pocket. "Will you take care of Mouse and Mister while I'm gone?" Mister is my cat and is the size of a large dog. Mouse is my dog and is the size of a large pony.

"Sure Harry."

"You need to take Mouse for a walk at least once a week. Alternatively, he can give you a pony ride once a week." She gave me a glare, but it was subverted by a small smile.

"Good luck Harry."

"Thanks." With that final goodbye; I stepped into an airport for the first time in my life. It was the most boring experience I have ever had in my life. It was also one of the most nerve racking, mostly because magic and technology don't get along so well. Despite the suppression spell, I blew out four cell phones, three ipods, two laptops and a metal detector.

Perhaps I should do some explaining here. I'm a wizard. I work for hire in the city of Chicago. I also try to stop any supernatural baddies from messing up my city. In the process, I've ticked off lots of people, vampires, fairies, etc, etc. Hell, not six months ago I did a human cannonball impression while kissing a succubus. Don't ask. Anyway, my magic and most technology do not get along well. The more modern it is, the more likely it will break around me. I can kill a copier at fifty paces. So I was just a little nervous about getting on the plane. So I had cast a magic-suppression spell on myself so I didn't blow out every one of those three zillion little lights in the cockpit

God only knows how I did it, but I managed on get on the plane without destroying anything to important. Disappointingly, I missed takeoff, landing, and even those famed little complementary peanuts because I was meditating, keeping that suppression spell up so I didn't crash the plane.

So yeah, I got off the plane in Japan and was finally was able to release the suppression spell. It was sorta like stretching after being cramped up all day. Except that I blew out every electronic device within fifty feet. I'm pretty sure that doesn't happen when most people stretch. By train and taxi, I made my way to my would-be client's address. It was a typical eastern shrine, the kind with about eleventy-billion stairs.

"Why" pant "couldn't they" pant "put these things" pant "in valleys." I muttered as I cleared the final step. I staggered my way to the door and rang the bell. A young boy that couldn't have been older than ten opened the door and stared straight up into my face. I switched mental gears and spoke in Japanese. "Hello, I'm Harry Dresden. Your father sent a letter to me?"

The little guy bolted off into the house. "Ojii-san! There's a big guy with a stick at the door!" I winced. That wouldn't help my first impression any. Sure enough, an ancient white-bearded man staggered into sight a few seconds later, chanting incantations and waving those blessed-paper things at me. A motherly looking woman followed a few seconds later.

"So,Higurashi-sama, you wrote that your daughter has gone missing?" I said after he had calmed down.

"Granddaughter." The old man corrected. Weariness came back to his eyes as said it. He was worried. "I am Sota's father."

"And you want me to find her."

"Correct."

I looked at the woman, who I guessed was her mother. She was afraid. She was hurt.

I hate seeing women hurt.

"I'll take the case." I said.

Hope blossomed in the family's eyes. "Thank you, Dresden-sama." The old man said. "Your fee...?" I mentally converted my fee to yen and told them. To me, it sounded like a lot. They could either pay it with no problem or were too happy to care. "We'll have your fee by the time you return." Kagome's grandfather said.

"So do you have any idea where Kagome is?"

His face clouded over with worry again. "Yes...and no. It'd be best if I showed you in person. He led me to the deepest part of the shrine, and pointed to what looked like was a dry well. "This is the Bone-Eating well. According to legends, the bones of slain youkai were thrown down here, where they would disappear. It was sealed many years ago by my ancestors, and my family continues to watch over the well to this day."

However, several months ago, the well was accident unsealed, and a youkai who had lived in the well dragged my granddaughter into it. It's a long and confusing story, but I'll try to condense it. The attack triggered my granddaughter's latent abilities."

"She had magic?"

"No. She is the reincarnation of a powerful miko, and wields significant holy power. In any case, my granddaughter was able to escape the youkai's clutches. However, the well was a portal through time. When she emerged, she found herself in the Feudal era. The youkai that attacked her caught up with her in the nearby village. To destroy it, she was forced to unseal a hanyo, or half-youkai, named Inuyasha. However, she was injured during the fight. This released the Shikon no Tama, which was somehow hidden in her belly."

I did some quick translation. "The Jewel of Four Souls?"

Kagome's Grandfather nodded. "Yes. The youkai was defeated, but a second one soon attacked and stole the Shikon no Tama. Unfortunately, Kagome accidentally shattered the Shikon no Tama when she destroyed the youkai, scattering the shards of the jewel all over the area. Each jewel shard is a powerful weapon in it's own right, so Kagome..."

"She decides to play the hero and fix her mess."

"Exactly. She teamed up with the hanyo, Inuyasha, to collect all the shards of the Shikon no Tama. Since time passes on a one to one ratio on both sides of the well, she has split her time between seeking the jewel shards in the past and tending to her modern life. Her mother and myself help by covering for her when she enters the well."

"And she's been keeping this up for months?!"

"Yes." The old man gave a small smile. "I'm quite proud of her, as is her mother."

"I don't mean any insult, but how do you know she isn't lying about all this time hopping business?"

"Well, we have all seen Inuyasha. Rude, but a good boy at heart."

My stomach did another backflip. "So a half-youkai from the past came here via the well, then returned with Kagome back to the past?"

"Yes."

"And I'm guessing Kagome has been in the past for two weeks without any word and now you want me to go there and find her?"

"Yes, if you can."

"If I can?"

"Well...the well seems to let only Kagome and Inuyasha through. We were hoping that you could trick you're way though with your..."

"Magic?"

"Yes."

I let out a sigh and pinched the bridge of my nose. I was going to have to tell them sooner or later... "Higurashi-Sama, there are seven laws that govern what kinds of magic is forbidden. The sixth forbids messing with time."

The old man's face contorted with horror. "No...oh no...W-what is the penalty?"

I couldn't bear to look in his face as I told him. "Death. I might be able to get her off on a sort of zero-tolerance probation, but I won't be able to..." Something fuzzy started bumping against my legs. "Go...get...her?" I looked down and saw a small fox with a letter in its mouth. I took the letter, and it gave me an annoyed look before darting away. I slowly opened the letter and read it's contents.

Wizard Dresden,

As is my right granted to me by the White Council, I grant you permission to break the Sixth Law of Magic in the pursuit and rescue of anyone that has been put in danger by the actions of Kagome Higurashi.

Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper. He was one of the most powerful wizards on the planet, and definitely the most mysterious. I'd met him a few times before, and he had always struck me as a good guy. If he was giving me permission to break one of the six laws of magic, there was a good reason for it. And I've always been a sucker for a damsel in distress anyways.

"Dresden-sama...?"

"I'll find your daughter, Higurashi-Sama."

"But the law..."

I waved the letter at him. "I got a green light from the higher-ups. I'll find your daughter, Higurashi-Sama. And I'll bring her back safe and sound. You have my word on it."