The Life of Yomi

A Life in the Dark

Preface

N/A This is the elaborated version of the life of Yomi as read in my crossovers with Inuyasha: Night and Moon, a Tale of Two Lives where this tale is abridged and in Saharah, where parts of Yomi's past are mentioned and at times briefly explored (most of which is not yet published). This here is the full in depth story. Obviously posting this story in the Yu Yu Hakusho promotes that it is intended to be of this fandom; however because of its connection to my other works the possibility of it being converted into a crossover is conceivably likely, though I will take every precaution to avoid doing so. This is Yomi's story!

For the reader, read this first! Well to begin with it is important to take into consideration the fact that little if nothing of Yomi's past is known, apart from being a bandit in Kurama's gang and so on, so it is up to the author's imagination to fill in those blanks. That is what makes writing about Yomi so interesting, filling in those blanks. Since this story begins with Yomi's conception and the circumstance surrounding his birth I just wanted to warn readers ahead of time that this story will begin with a relative Original Fiction feel and will involve OCs. This will continue until chapter three when Yomi is born, and then the story of Yomi himself actually begins at chapter four. If you do not care for Original Fiction-ish-feeling material, AU or OCs you can skip straight ahead to chapter four. The story from Yomi's perspective will take off from there (yet to be written). I will keep you posted.

In further note, in this work the Makai adheres to the entire face of the earth. Therefore the characters are placed in different countries, and are subjugate to the various cultures and religion. In this fic the cultures and areas that apply to the characters and where they correspond to their locations on earth are:

Yomi- the Middle East/Southeast Asia, India

Raizen- Russia, Siberia, Scandinavia and (the Deep) and later on Japan

Mukuro- anywhere from Eastern Europe, to the Russian steps

Shachi- Greece

Warning,This is by far my darkest work and features adult situations that are expressed in full, violence, sex, rape are included you have been warned.

Disclaimer: I do not own Yomi or Yu Yu Hakusho, and I certainly do not profit or benefit from this work in anyway. Seriously I spend way too much time on this stuff it can't be healthy. Canon characters and situations belong to their original owners; all OCs and the story are my own.

Seeking a beta reader for this work, if anyone is interested PM me.

Chapter 1

Lost

775 AD

Ishiiha was a young woman about age 16 in demon years, still considered a maid by her Seirim community that even after 115 years of life was still not allowed to wear patterned shawls or single seamed dresses, perfume or light the scented oil lamps used in sending prayers to God. Patterned shawls and single seamed dresses were the clothing of women, and perfume or anything scented could only be handled by aged women mature and married, have been impregnated with children and were well over a thousand years of age.

Ishiiha was a child; in appearance she resembled her mother when she was young. Though most would say she had her father's eyes, but her mother's color which was a rich chestnut brown. Unlike her father's that were much greyer that to her always resembled the color of a nimbus cloud. Her hair was like her mother's to, dark and tame that grew to the respectable length of reaching down to the middle of her back. Her flesh was fare with a touch of tan in her pigment, which was the typical color of the Seirim of her clan. Jutting out from her hair were two horns, Seirim horns. They like horns of a goat and were small and dark that stuck outwards from off the top of her head. Her ears were long and pointy and she had the darkest black hooves in the village.

Many would say that she was an attractive young woman, a child she is a source of youthful beauty that surpassed even the beauty of her sister Lilia. Born in the following year, Lilia was farer skinned and even more pettily built than Ishiiha and her hair and eyes were darker, but not her hooves or her horns.

In Seirim culture beauty was not measured in the skin or the face, but by the darkness and form of a Seirim's hooves and their horns. The darker the better, to most petit dark horns were a sign of beauty over larger brownish horns or hooves, so it was arguable which of the daughters was to be considered more beautiful.

"It's Ishiiha," said a village boy from a neighboring house, his name was Sekel, "she has the darkest and smallest horns in the village and her hooves shine so brightly in the sun that I could go blind to stare at them."

"Nah what are you doing staring at her hooves?" laughed Hether another neighbor and good friends with Sekel. "It's Lilia she had the darkest eyes and hair in the entire village, and you know this to be true" he said while pointing his long Seirim finger at Sekel.

"Nah," Sekel responded, "she always hiding them, so how could you even know that?"

"Oh because I've seen them, she looked at me."

Now that I don't believe Lilia never looks at anyone, now Ishiiha she's not afraid, she'll look at you straight in the eye now that's how you know she'll be a good woman."

"Don't you think you're saying enough," a third voice intervened, it was Seremar the elder brother to Sekel, he was taller and over all darker in color than his younger brother save his flesh. And as the maidens of the village would put it was an attractive young man, and mature. "You know that's my future wife you're discussing." He said as a warning to his brother.

Everyone knew it was rude to speak of another man's wife, even years before they were properly married. Seremar was 20 years older than Ishiiha, and appeared about 18 in age, and at 135 was still quite a youth as well. Sekel a shorter Seirim youth with a stock build and browner horns laughed, "Yeah right, you'll have to get the elder's permission first to start making such claims! Anyway what makes you think either of them would pick you?"

"Not either, Ishiiha, I'm going to marry her." Seremar responded, his posture strong and confident.

"Only the elder can decide that."

"I already asked him."

"You did?" both youths, Hether and Sekel gasped like it was the most scandalous thing they've heard. Seremar just grinned, and then smiled. Hether and Sekel sunk back equally envious of his much whiter teeth. It seems God graced all the better qualities to him—why not Ishiiha or Lilia to.

"You know you're not supposed to propose for engagement till the 700 solstice."

"I didn't propose I simply stated that I will. When the time come that I will be there to propose for her hand, and he said yes."

"He did he said that, already?"

"So the elder approves?"

"I think they are both beautiful," said Ishar the mother of Ishiiha and Lilia having overheard the conversation. "Now that's enough talk from you, get back to work." It was typical for women of the village to instruct the youths of other households as if they were their own sons. And it appeared to Ishar that these three were loitering from their work in the fields.

While apologizing, Seremar's eye caught something that made him pause in mid speech, as he caught view of Ishiiha as she was exiting from the front door of her house. She was clad in a maroon colored long shawl and scarf that was wrapped entirely around her head revealing only her face and horns where slits were cut into the fabric carrying a water bucket heading for the well. Lilia existed and followed along after her dressed in beige carrying the same though he barely noticed her. Maroon was the only color he saw and the way it moved across the yard and over the road way, where if it wasn't her hooves that could have blinded him it was the shine in her eyes. When for one split of an instant she peeked from around the side of her scarf and met his eye.

It was the same every time he saw her, and to his delight she always noticed him. He just knew that one day she will be his wife. One day.

Noticing Ishar just shooed him off instructing the boys to return to work, "still much work to be done before sun down, best get to it." Knowing that the elder son of their neighbor had his eyes on her daughter, she withheld a grin, they would make a good pair, she thought to herself, so long as he stays true till the 800 solstice I know my daughter will wait for him. She will be ready and she will make a fine wife and he a fine husband.

One thing she had to admit, and that was that young Seremar was indeed the finest young Seirim male that has been born in the village in a long time. He was tall, fit and smart, but also hansom and was always polite to everyone. It's the reason her husband the village elder was so willing to encourage him to take and keep an interest in her their elder daughter Ishiiha.

What children they could make. Our village will have a good future, she told herself while returning to her own work, completing her daily chores with the prospect of healthy grandchildren in mind. Happily imagining what they would look like and how sharp and bright they would be, as fortune would turn out were children she would never see, for a dark shadow loomed over the horizon, a shadow no one knew would come.

That night once all the day's work was done and everyone was tucked away in their homes with incense burning at the doors, as was the custom, Ishiiha spoke to her mother of the prospects of marrying Seremar.

"You do like him, don't you?" Ishar asked her daughter.

"Yes I do, very much, but he's older, by 20 years what if he doesn't wait for me."

"Nah, no worries, 20 years is nothing to a Seirim you still have 700 years left to wait; in that time that petty difference will disappear."

"Do you approve of it mother," she asked, a look of concern in her bright chestnut eyes.

"Of course I do," Ishar answered as confidently and as encouraging as she could, "I would love for you to marry him, he's a bright child he'll make an excellent husband."

This made Ishiiha smile. Though Lilia seemed left than pleased, "If she marries Seremar then who is left for me, Sekel?"

Her mother looked to her, "there are plenty of good boys to choose from in this village Lilia, anyways I was thinking Evan would be good for you."

"Evan? But he's 120 years older than me, hell reach the 800 year solstice a century before me, how could that work?"

Evan would be considered the second best male youth in the village next to the much younger Seremar.

"He's 121 years older than you and it won't matter, it's only proper for males to be married at the 800 year solstice it's not a requirement, if they are engaged to a younger maiden then they simply have to wait. Your father waited for me, and I'm 200 years younger than him. It happens all the time. Quite often the right pair isn't brought up in the same generation it's very common."

"I thought you had to be married at the 800 turning solstice."

The turning solstice was the time of year all Seirim celebrate the New Year and their birthdays, a Seirim could be born at any time of the year, yet they always celebrated their birthdays on the winter solstice. That way everyone turned of age at the same time, it was a tradition going back to primordial times.

"Heavens no, it's only proper to get married at that age. It's a requirement to be properly engaged at 800 or at 700. That's what the law says, and no courting or hanky-panky in the mean time. You must be chaste and virgin for your husband or your engagement would be terminated and you would be deemed unfit for marriage."

"Like auntie Esther?"

"Hush!" Ishar didn't want to make a scene, but addressing her sister's maidenhood was a step across a forbidden line. Esther was the elder sister to Ishar, but never married. She said she considered men dirty and championed herself on remaining a virgin for life. A decision that has left her gnarled and bitter and advanced in age before her time, the prime example of a woman that has never known love, not in all her 2,300 years of life.

That was the end of the conversation.

Night drew on and soon all were asleep. As morning rose, the sky was pink with a lavender blush spreading towards the horizon in the east. There were no clouds and the air was crisp with a lingering chill from the night. Evening in the Djudean desert were commonly cool and the nights could get very cold, yet by morning warm winds from the south would sweep in with the warming rays of the sun.

This morning there was no wind, no clouds, nothing. All was dead silent, until a villager claimed to hear the sound of voices screaming.

They came from the horizon, she said. No one else heard them, not at first, but then... soon everyone could hear the screaming. The sounds and voices were pronounced well as the sound of fear. Everyone in the village began to wonder what was happening were the villages down the road being attacked, and if so by whom, bandits, humans? Soon the screaming died down and all was quiet for a time then just as suddenly, "Heaven help us!" a lone voice cried out, just as the sounds of screaming resounded all around it.

The screams resumed but this time they were much louder, even more pronounced than before. The screams were getting closer. Voices could be made out, words bellowing clearly over the distance, "Help us...It's a monster!" "Run!" "Run!" among other fearful words.

Terror griped the village, whatever danger there was it was getting closer gradually making its way towards the village. Again the voices and the screams died down. Already the men and youths of the village had weapons pulled from their work houses most armed with farming tools since their village was too poor to afford real weapons, and just as well lacked the skills to craft their own. Seirim were a humble race by nature and expressed a deep detest for unnecessary violence. Considering it an insult to Azazel (the patron of their race) to wield the weapons man claimed he taught them to use. A story the Seirim, as descendants of the clan of Azazel had their own way of viewing.

Ishiiha was at the well taking up water for the morning meal and for washing, when she heard the voices. The men were all standing out in the village armed with weapons, Seremar amongst them. Many of them shouted at her to get back in side, saying now was not the time for household chores, as the silenced had resumed. Everyone remained on high alert.

Seremar stood by his father with Sekel, their father was Samal the craftsman and of whom his son Sekel resembled. Seremar stood taller than them both, taking after his mother's side that was known to be tall. He appeared as a man of prominence. Noticing him as she always did, Ishiiha had a vision and with it a feeling of dread came over her.

As she looked at Seremar, perhaps it was from the fear, but her vision blurred and as it did the image of him distorted and she saw then a tall man, much taller than Seremar, taller than a Seirim should be dressed in long dark robes. His hair was long and black, and on his head his horns seemed to have split into many pointing I all directions around his head. As the vision continued Seremar's hooves changed into leather boots. Then his face changed it turned pale and expressionless, a solemn face floating a top a tower of darkness shrouded in a terrifying green glow, but what frightened her the most were the blank areas of flesh where his eyes should have been. It was eyeless, and yet he was staring straight at her.

She screamed, it was the only time she would and everyone rushed over to her. She had pulled up water from the well but it spilled as the fright overtook her. Seremar was the first to rush to her, though cautious not to touch her as would have been deemed improper to do so. As her eyes caught onto his they were his again, the flanks of blank flesh was gone as was the figure, and he was Seremar again. "Ishiiha are you well, you looked affright… are you hurt?" he was rambling, clearly shaken from the activity. Not understanding what had happened she threw her hand over her face. The image still clear in her mind, the image of a tall and dark eyeless man, she began to cry out in prayer, "Yateh, shield me!"

Protect me!

Seremar didn't know what to make of it. This was not Ishiiha as he knew her; she never trembled and never showed fear. Was it the screams and the commotion were they getting to her? Was it because he was wielding a sickle with the intent to use it in a way not to cut down grass, or weeds that would crowd in around the village in times of rain? Others have begun to question her as well, and her mother came running up when at once they all heard, "Yateh!"

Yateh was the name for God the Seirim used, and held most sacred. Every Seirim knew never to utter the name of God in vain. The very use of it was always a serious matter. So to hear it spoken so clearly, and twice within a matter of minutes YATEH… YATEH, they knew that something was upon them.

The men ordered the women to take Ishiiha and to take cover in the elder house as they scrambled about to ready themselves for an onslaught. Now this never happened, life in the Djudean desert was usually very docile and peaceful, nothing ever happened. The days just ticked by, years, centuries and that's the way they liked it. Yet it seemed one if those rare days of legend was upon them, something was attacking them and they had no idea why or what it could be.

They stood as ready as they could as the screaming from the neighboring village reached its climax then quieted, followed only by the sounds of whimpering and crying and prayers to Yateh. Until at the edge of the village were a hill rose blocking the view to the next village located miles down the road a figure appeared standing like a black silhouette against the morning sky.

It male and was monstrous in form. Standing like a man upon long limbs of protruding muscles, its long arms were to its sides tipped with claws like a beast. It was tall, much taller than a Seirim. With a crest covered in horns. Its long black hair jutted out to all sides of him some of the wiry strands reaching the length of it masculine body. Clad in old rags of leather armor that barely covered him.

As soon as they saw him at once one of the youths shouted out, "mazoku!" or monster, a demon from the neither regions. The creature was the most horrible they ever saw, and just as soon as the boy spoke their worst fears were realized and the creature was upon them. Everyone started screaming, just as they had heard, the screaming the crying out, village after village then finally their own.

Ishiiha huddled with her mother and sister, their aunt Ester was there to and the elder their father. Too old to take up arms he remained inside with the women. The elder's house was the largest in the village so others were there as well; including Sekma and her two daughters Salla and Yimura both roughly the same age as Ishiiha and Lilia Yimura was only four months younger than Lilia and were all close friends ad neighbors should be. Both daughters resembled their mother, and bore a likeness to Seremar, yet their beauty still paled to Ishiiha and to Lilia. Women from others houses huddled with them along with the elderly, as the screams outside racked their ears.

The screaming got louder. "You monster!"

"What do you want?"

"What are you… leave us alone!"

The air got thick and it vibrated amongst the terrified like a cruel blanket of dread and terror, as gradually the voices died down. And then it was quiet. They thought it was over. Ishiiha lifted her head from her mother's arms to look around her when the sound of ripping startled her and caused her to freeze as the front door to the house was ripped from its wooden hinges.

There in the doorway stood a figure. It was the monster. She could see it clear as day. He was a demon, terrible and fierce. He had a long sunken face and terrifying glowing silver eyes. His body was covered in dark marking as if he had been cut all over by whips and smeared with soot or black ink covering him in random and wild tattoos that to her eyes appeared meaningless.

He was Mazoku, a demon from the depths. She had heard of such creatures, but only in stories. Horrible stories of monsters of terrible power that have committed terrible acts and were often told as tales intended to frighten. Right then she knew she was in one. That this was a tale that would be told by survivors of the day the horrible beast attacked their nation and left a trail of destruction and horror in his wake, but what she didn't know what how she would be made a part of it, though as he stepped forward she soon found out.

The monster stood over them. His evil presence filled the room his aura was a sickly green glow that illuminated everything around him. It made her flesh tremble. She could feel her mother and her sister shaking and clinging on to her, Lilia was crying her eyes pressed shut as if the darkness could hide her. Ishiiha was not so foolish; she knew no darkness could hide them from this beast for it was the darkness from which he must have come. To hide in it would to place themselves into his world.

This she would not do. She watched as he came forward and approached the trembling huddle of women and elders. Then to her horror he bent down leaning toward with his silvery eyes he scanned each of their beings looking back and forth between them. Then with his arm he reached forwards and grabbed the ankle of Salla her neighbor and good friend and drug her from the huddle. Ripping her from her mother's and sister's arms pulling her into the center of the room, dragging her upon the floor, she screamed.

Her mother screamed, "no don't… don't touch her! No! Not my daughter!"

Others were crying out "no," but they were the only screams there were. No more sound came from outside. No men came rushing inside to help them. No one helped them. No one could.

Salla screamed and clawed at the floor. Trying with the best of her to grab hold of anything to pull herself away or to use in defense, but all se could grasp was dirt the floor had no floor. All the houses in the village had open dirt floors and the roofs were thatched. The walls were made of dried tree branches that they knotted together to form walls so that the house resembled beaver's dams more than an actual houses.

Seirim were modest, some would say perhaps too modest. Perhaps that why he attacked, some would think, because it was easy. They were easy prey. Salla screamed as the demon then flipped her on her back and leaned over her staring into her face with his glowing eyes, his large clawed hand gripping her jaw silencing her. Her eyes caught onto his and as if her strength was no longer her own she began to toss and to turn and to kick, and tried to scream. She fought, but the demon just held her down and grinned, it was easy for him. Simple. She seemed to please him. This went on for as moment longer until he tore open her skirt and ripped off her top and pulled down her scarf.

Her mother cried out, "No, don't! Not her! Let her go! Don't do this!" knowing what was coming. The demon didn't seem to hear though he had many ears, perhaps six or seven on each side of his sunken face. Then the worse happened and he lifted Salla from the dirt and brought her up to him he moved aside his armor.

Ishiiha watched in repulsion as Salla was lifted and held fast and then as her face contorted with an expression of pain and horror, as the demon laid over her, violating her in the way that was most impure, most vile. Her legs were being held up pinning her completely down. He was moving over her in a way she had never seen a man do nor ever wished to see, yet she understood it. The violation last only a moment then he was through. In that same instant his released her and as like a used cloth tossing her aside and returned his gaze to the huddle.

Then his arm reached out for Yimura. He did the same to her. Their mother was in a panic, scuffling over to Salla who laid motionless on the floor to the side of the beast as if in shock, just as her younger sister was taken in the same. Again it lasted only a moment until she too was disposed of like cloth.

Then he set his eyed towards them and caught Ishiiha's eye making eye contact with her. His grin widened. The next thing she knew she felt his grip on her ankle and she was soon on her back being drug through the dirt. Having been ripped from her mother and sister the same as the others had been. Next he was over her, and she could feel the weight of him and his strength. It was like nothing she had ever felt. It felt as if a mountain stood over her, pinning her down. His strength seemed unreal.

First thing he did was bring his hand up and removed her scarf to expose her. Her dark hair spilled over the dirt but it was in fine contrast to her fare skin and dark eyes. Even her lips stood out more, she was beautiful. Staring at her he just marveled, it had been a long time since he last saw a woman like her, and had half a thought to sweep her up and take her. Leave these confounded villages and just settle for her, but he was sent to do a job. Best finish what he came for.

Her shirt was next then her skirt. Still it amazed him how little she struggled, and when she looked back, she stared, just stared at him. No whimper or plea she just stared. He could tell she was horrified but she just wouldn't move. She wasn't going to give into his whims unlike all the rest who made it all too easy, all too simple to destroy them, but not this one. She was the only one, she was different.

She did not even blink, yet as if beyond her control a lonely tear drop gathered at the corner of her eye then broke free, rolling down her temple to her hair. He watched it momentarily, then brought his face down and licked the spot where the salty fluid left its trail. With his lips now so close to her ear he whispered, asking her, "Why don't you scream?"

The suddenness of the sound of his voice woke her as if from a trance. The words were clear as day, and without realizing she was talking. She answered, "Why do you do this… no I won't."

He didn't answer, but asked again, "do you not fear me?"

"No." she said, "You mustn't do this my husband will be Seremar. I'm am meant to save myself for him." her voice was calm as if all the fear within her was encaged, as if the fear itself was in shock and refused to surface. All she could feel was numbness and great sorrow.

The demon seemed to like this, and then said to her, answering her. "Seremar," he repeated, the name sounding eerily foreboding coming from his voice that had something of a metallic overtone to it, he continued, "He's already dead, I killed them all." Hearing this she froze, and then heard no more. Noticing the effect this had on her he lowered himself down at that point and began to kiss her throat, as he did this again he whispered, "you belong to me now."

The next thing she felt was pure horror, then he was finished and that was it.

Putting her to the side he reached for Lilia and with her did the same. Only there were no words or foreplay. Ishiiha could not watch her body was crippled by pain and the shame of it. Her eyes wide open all she could see before her was Seremar and the words, he's already dead… I killed them all… you belong to me now. Dead. The beast had killed him and took her for himself. She was stolen; an object robbed from her place in life to become a monster's slave?

With Lilia he was finished. No one else in the room took his interest. He stood up and left. The next few moments were a blur, all Ishiiha was aware of was commotion and her mother speaking but she could not hear her. All she could think about was Seremar and the future she had lost.