Twilight of the Erin Wolf
Ch 1. Shards of Hell's Gem.
by Sephira jo
Rating: R. (Trust me in later chapters this story will easily be R rated.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inu Yasha or any characters there of. I.e., Naraku, who appears in this fic exclusively, i.e., alone. So, please don't sue me. I DON'T OWN THEM. *SOB* Okay . . . now that that's over with . . .
Author's Notes: The one thing that always bothered me about the whole Shikon jewel thing is this: could all the shards really have landed in Japan? Come on people! The damn things ended up all over the world. And why did Naraku get so many? He must've traveled the world. And Japan isn't the only culture that has "youkai" in it. Irish mythology has many of the exact same types of creatures, only we call them the sidhe, said "she" So would the European sidhe know about the shikon jewel? Most likely not . . . but they would know what it did when they saw it. ^^
MORE Author's Notes (Sorry everybody) Okay, my fiancee convinced me to re-post this story after the one review ass-reaming from someone who didn't even read said story. He suggested though that I clarify a little based on the persons complaints. So here it is:
1) Sidhe is NOT a formal place name. The Sidhe reside in Sidhe, it is the place as well as the people. (Kind of like America/American)
2) Tuatha De Danann (I'm most likely spelling this wrong, gomen!) Was not the name of the people. Tuatha her self was a river Goddess I believe. . .and only her servants ever went by the name "Tuatha" (and even then that was only a select few.)
3) Irish mythology varies greatly from location to location and from clan to clan. The stories told by the Gallagher clan won't mach the stories told by the Lynch clan and the stories told by those won't exactly match stories told by the O'Connor clan. And so on and so froth, yada yada yada . . .
4) The Sidhe themselfs have no 'formal' agreed upon origin. One story says that they are Angels that when cast out of heaven after the battle against the morning star, landed on the earth and in the sea, becoming the spirts the resided there. Another story says that the Sidhe are the vanquished gods cast out by the onset of Christianity. So since the story changes and has so much variance, a stable beginning for the sidhe is kinda impossible to come too.
I can't seem to remember the other complaints the person had, but I think that about covers it. And remember, I grew up on these stories form a dotting Irish Grandfather. *who was is the greatest teller of Sidhe stories alive today* My stories might not be right on what little Irish cannon there is, but I like to think I'm doing It justice. (Besides people, this is FICTION, FICTION! Sorry, I just had to get that out of my system. . .)
Historical Notes: I'm tentatively placing this story during the 1550s. That means friendly little things like the Spanish Inquisition, witch burnings and other things run rampant. A book used for witch hunting during this time called the "Malleus Maleficarum" or the Witches Hammer, which is quaint and amusing to read these days, is used to hunt and condemn witches. (It's really quite an amusing book.) Also Ireland has been wolf free for thousands of years . . . okay not thousands but it might as well be. The Irish wolf hound was bred for the expressed purpose of hunting down wolves. So if there were any wolf sidhe in Ireland they would've gone with the wild wolves. This story hinges on one surviving, and wanting to rebuild her tribe/pack. (Come on, remember how pissed off Kouga was when just a few of his wolves bought it? This chick's whole tribe bit the dust.) But I'm sure you're tired of the rambling by now. ^-^
List of Terms:
Sidhe - A Gaelic term whose meaning is equivalent to terms like Youkai. A common English term would be something like "Fair Folk"
Seelie - Another Gaelic term referring to the 'good' Sidhe. Note that this does not mean good as in 'people friendly.' They just aren't overly malicious toward humans. But they don't normally seek out human company either. Can be prone to playing tricks. Seelie is also the name of a 'court' of Sidhe that represents the kinder side of nature. (My main character is considered to be Seelie.)
Unseelie - Gaelic term referring to the 'bad' Sidhe. These Sidhe are the 'bad' Sidhe. In terms of courts the Unseelie court represents the harsher side of nature and rejoices in being mean and/or evil to humans. Most Irish folklore that revolves around keep away the sidhe are aimed toward this court. Yes, to an Irish Sidhe Naraku would definitely be considered Unseelie.
Spanish Inquisition - A historical institution whose purpose was to root out people who were harming the Church. (I.e., The Catholic Church) They investigated cases of heresy, witch craft, and super natural creatures. The punishment for being any of these was often death.
Gypsy - Groups of people who traveled around Europe in brightly colored carts. Were often fortune tellers and believed to have mystical powers and be trained in the ways of a witch. (Which for the purposes of this story is true)
Halfling - the Irish equivalent to the term "hanyou." Meaning a person who is half sidhe, half human. No, they aren't Hobbits. :P
Hell's gem - Okay, this might be pushing it a bit, but Hell's gem is what I'm having the shikon jewel called by European sidhe. "Eye of Lucifer" is used too.
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The limited warmth that the small Spanish inn provided did little to take the chill out of Faoiltiarna's bones. Nights like this, the nights spent alone and solely in the company of humans always managed to do that to her. No matter what her surroundings. Never mind the fact that she had to dress in human clothing for these little escapades of hers, never mind the fact that most humans stank, and stank more then the rotting corpses of most animals. What it was that bothered her the most was the lack her tribe. Nights like these she felt the loss most of all.
"Damn it," She swore quietly and to herself. The humans in the inn, mostly male, who were laughing loudly over bowls of badly cooked stew and mugs of the local ale and beer, paid no attention to her. The food which they so eagerly consumed did nothing for her, other then leaving the after taste of grease and rotting meat in her mouth. Later she would hunt, if the mood struck her. She found herself eating less and less these days.
"Ho, Tia, my lady, what do you mean by such coarse words?" A laughing voice intoned as its owner sat down across from her.
Faoiltiarna looked up and gave a dry look to the man now sitting across from her making a disgusted look at her untouched food. "Really, Robin, I'm surprised you even care." She answered sharply, "It's not like you sport the cleanest mouth in the whole fucking Seelie Court."
"No, I suppose I don't really. But I do try to restrain my self from random lapses of profanity, my lady." Robin stared, the glint in his slanted sea green eyes gave Tia the urge to claw him in the face, "But all that childish banter aside, I will try to express my self in brevity: I have been sent to check up on you. Our Lady has taken to wondering if you will ever return to her service. After all, it's been so many years since that incident."
Tia shot up out of the chair she was sitting in, her claws digging into the soft wood of the table. At that moment she was seeing red, "You go tell Our Lady that since that incident my services have been saved for the sole purpose of extracting vengeance upon the fucking Unseelie bitch responsible. And until such time as her blood stains my claws and her head is a fucking trophy that Your Lady can leave me the fuck alone, the only thing I'll be doing for her is nothing at all."
Faoiltiarna turned around to leave, grateful for the fact that the other voices in the inn's common room were too loud for their conversation to be overheard, on the off chance that any of the humans spoke their language. She started to walk off, leaving Robin and the stench of human food behind her, claws digging into her hands drawing blood. Underneath the cumbersome human skirt she could feel the fur on her wolf's tail rising. She started to walk away when Robin took hold of her wrist.
"Tia, wait. Forgive whatever I've said to offend you and try to listen. It has been how many hundreds of years now? Have you even considered the fact that vengeance may not be possible? And even if it was, what would it accomplish any more? It most certainly would not bring your pack and family back to life. That may have been possible in the first hundred years or so, but not anymore. It is time for you to move on. Even if it is as a lone wolf."
Robin's heart, or what could pass for one, was in his eyes as he spoke. He's worried about me, Tia realized with a start. The slight bit of happiness that came with that thought was quickly buried. Well, he can just fucking forget about it! He has no reason to concern himself with me, I'm as good as dead, was her next thought. With her other clawed hand she removed her wrist from his grip not caring if she drew blood.
"Robin," She said her voice thick with false cheer, "Go fuck yourself and leave me the hell alone."
She was walking toward the door when the sound of Robin's voice she stopped and half turned to face him, the ire on her face must have been apparent, for the Court trained messenger blanked for a moment before speaking, "Tia, why do you put yourself through this? You have a home at the Court, and you always have."
"Don't you understand Robin? There is no such thing as a Lone Wolf! It's a fucking impossibility. Without my tribe, even with the court there for me, I'm as good as dead. I'm only a tool of revenge."
"Damn it! Why are wolves always so stubborn?" Robin thought aloud, as Tia turned to leave again, "Damn it Tia, answer me!"
Without turning around Faoiltiarna calmly gave her answer, "Because, it's what keeps us alive. We who don't have the comfort of the Court looking after us like spoiled pups."
The noise and smell of the inn faded into the relative silence and stench of the cobble stone streets as Tia left the inn, and Robin, behind her. Heading out to the woods leaving the smell of humans and their city far behind her. She eagerly shod her human clothing, with its cumbersome skirts and bodices and layers upon layers that they forced their women to wear. She much preferred her short dear skin shorts and hide top with the leather arm bands and Greek style sandals. The last thing to go was the bonnet which she used to cover her flame colored hair and obviously pointed ears. Free of the confines of the human clothing she caught the scent of a deer near by and started to track it.
Faoiltiarna was well on the trail of the deer, her dinner, when something in the sky above her caught her eye. She looked up quickly, just in time to see brightly colored streaks of light fall to the ground near where she was. Whatever it was gave off a power like she had never felt before. Forgetting the deer, she began to track whatever it was that had fallen to the ground. Half hopping it would be something she could use in her pursuit of vengeance for her tribe. Or at least it could be something she could give to Robin to give to The Lady to shut them up for a while.
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Tia came upon them in a clearing in the woods. Eight of them sat upon the ground glowing with a strange energy. She bent to one knee to and picked on up in her clawed hand. She could feel the power in it pulsing through it, and into her body adding its energy to her own.
In her long life Tia had never seen anything like the small shard she held in her hand. It, and the others looked as if they had once been part of a whole jewel and if this one piece radiated so much power. . .well then the thought of what the whole jewel was capable of made her shiver. Moving quickly she gather up the other seven pieces that were scattered around the clearing. Eight pieces of this powerful jewel were hers. This shards would surely increase her power enough to make revenge more than just a distant hope, a farfetched someday. And enough power to maybe give the souls of those she mourned for so long flesh once again.
With these small pinkish red shards she could look upon the cherished faces of her pack once again. And she would no longer be alone. Tia began to shake with happiness, and then she gave voice to the feral joy within her. The laughter that echoed through the woods and into the walled city that night was anything but human.
Faolan, my brother! Tia thought joyfully, I can do it. I can avenge you. I can avenge our pack. And most importantly I won't have to be without my twin anymore! Faolan, I'll have you back!
For the first time in decades, Tia felt the dark cloud of depression that haunted her like the ghosts of the dead leave her mind and the small shards in her hand shone like the stars above managing to lift her soul with the light they gave. Tia pulled out a small doeskin pouch that she kept on her person and carefully placed the eight small shards inside. She had to be sure that they were real, not some illusion cast forth to trick her and she knew just where to go to test that theory. Laughing quietly to herself in a very inhuman tone of voice Tia walked deeper into the woods, forgetting the deer, her dinner, even forgetting that she had been hungry at all. For excitement ran through her veins, more intoxicating then the finest in wines and more filling then any of the meals that she had ever eaten, making her enjoy the trek through the woods, following the smell of the only humans she had ever trusted fully. A pack of Gypsies camped near by.
It didn't take her long to come close to the small camp. The smell of the fire, the sound of music and laughter filled the woods around her. To a normal human it wouldn't be noticeable at all, but it sang out to her heightened, inhuman senses. These people reminded her most of her tribe, except for some minor differences being with them was almost like being home and too great of a comfort to enjoy on a regular basis.
"Hola, My Lady Wolf! Surely it is rare that you grace us with your presence so late at night." A deep male voice sang out and Tia couldn't help but to smile. Surely these were the only humans on earth that could sense her coming and not the other way around. She met the old gypsies eyes happily a genuine smile lighting her face.
"Alejandro, I'm honored that you would come out this far from your camp to meet me." She responded mirth and a joking humor in her voice.
"Nonsense, My Lady, nonsense. I only have to remember the kindness you once showed to a shy boy, unversed in the ways of the world, of man and woman, and how could I not come out to meet you? Although, it is with much sorrow and regret that I am now much too old to hold your fancy any longer, my lady," Alejandro practically sang back to her. The very speech causing Tia to laugh out loud, joined by the pleasant guffaws of the old man.
"When you speak so blithely of things that never happened, old man, I find myself wondering if you haven't gone a bit senile. I've heard that happens to humans in their extremely old age."
"Although old I may be, senile I am not. If anything I find my mind, and my stories excel at this age as they never have before. And you make so light of such an intimate relationship, I am really shocked my lady."
Tia laughed and shook her head. The old man's 'memories' wouldn't be detoured by the simple truth it seemed, "Oh, I give up, think what you want as far as it concerns the two of us. But I have other reasons for gracing you humans with my presence tonight."
"I know, I know," Alejandro returned chuckling softly, "Illandra has been expecting you. In fact the very reason I happened upon you was your lateness caused her to be somewhat worried about your well being and the old witch simply insisted that some of us go looking for you. I will take you to her now, If you like."
Tia arched her eyebrows, curious. So the old witch knew she was on her way did she? Curious, and exceptionally talented for a human. But Illandra had always been so, that very reason insured that she would never see the inside of a human city for no one other then the Gypsies, in Tia's recent experience, had done anything but kill such talented individuals.
"Yes," Tia answered, "Please do."
* * *
The interior of Illandra's wagon was as cluttered as Tia remembered it, but in situations like this, she had never found the clutter to be bothersome. Instead it was almost soothing. Decks of Tarot cards lay as if just tossed carefully aside, their trumps facing out toward the world. A crystal ball sat on a table with a brightly colored cloth decorated in signs of the Zodiac and other mystical nonsense. Astrological charts lay all about, forgotten.
In truth, all these things were for 'paying' customers. Most who would never be aware exactly how much they were paying. The real tools of the old witches trade were safe guarded and carefully tucked away in a chest that she kept under her small bed. But the most vital tool to the old witch had no physical form what so ever, her very soul was the source of her power. And Tia always felt uncomfortable in the presence of a human that could literally bind a creature like her with nothing more then a word and a spiritual tool.
"Well, child, let's see them." Illandra said, her voice cracked with age. Tia couldn't help but to snicker, as she always did when a human referred to her as 'child.' Her real age was that no mortal man could ever aspire to reach, but coming from a woman as powerful as the one who sat in front of her the term had some real meaning to it that couldn't be swept aside in the definition of literal age.
"See what, grandmother?" Tia asked teasingly as she took a chair on the other side of the table, staring into the eyes on the old woman.
"Now, now I am much to old for your teasing. That which fell from the sky tonight you hold on your person. I wish to see them."
Tia smiled and opened the small pouch, putting the eight small gems into the palm of her left hand she held them out to the old gypsy woman to let her look at them.
"On the table."
Tia looked up at the request, startled. She wasn't partial to the idea of putting these gems out of contact with her. Even if it was to verify the reality of them.
"Faoiltiarna, I have no use for what it is that you have found and I will not take them for you. But I do wish to have a closer look then the confines of your clawed hand. On the table."
The speaking of her full name with the sentence, and the power the woman held made it a command that could not be ignored. Cursing Tia set all eight pieces on the table for the old woman to inspect.
The old woman smiled, "Now child, watch your mouth in front of an old woman. I can do worse with your name then asking you to place such a rare find within the sight of my old eyes." Illandra's rebuke stung. It was true, the knowledge of her full name conveyed power which could be turned against her easily. Another reminder of the power of this human woman.
Tia gritted her fangs as the old woman stared down at the shards on the table. At one point she reached out to touch one, at which Tia voiced a growl of great displeasure. When her wrinkled fingers where only a touch away, she withdrew her hand quickly as if she had been burned by something. She shook her head and looked up at Tia, her expression almost sad.
"I can tell you many things about these gems child. I'm afraid however you would only listen to half of it. So I will say what I think first to ensure that you hear me. I would advise that you not use these gems as you had planned. What they do exactly is uncertain to me at best, but I will try to explain.
"These gems are something that draw on the power of creatures like yourself and amplify that power based on the emotions of the user. Inside these small fragments I can sense a battle of epic scale being wagged, though its reason I know not. Feeding these gems your vast desire for revenge for the wrongs of your past will make you grow stronger, but it will also taint the gems as well. Then they will be something that you do not control, but control you instead.
"Besides that, there is the manner that such for these shards of what surely must be Hell's Gem to arrive here in such a fashion, that the owner, or one who fancies himself as such, will soon be looking for it. And you, even with your power might not be able to fight and win verses the true owner of it. My advise to you child, is to take these shards and cast them to the wind, letting it take them back from where they came. No good can come of these."
Tia stared at the old witch. Surely she knew the utter stupidity of what she was saying to her. First she was asking Tia to forsake her vengeance, which was the same as asking her to betray her tribe. And then she told her these gems were real but using them would make them use her? The idea was ludicrous, a human might be dumb enough to be taken over by a rock but the great daughter of the wolf tribe of Ireland would not. And besides, what responsible owner of such a treasure would ever have let it end up in this condition?
Tia scooped the gems up in her hand and stared coldly at the old woman. "What ever. Just tell me how to use the damned things."
Illandra sighed, "Very well. I cannot stop you from doing what you wish. Simply place the shards next to where you wish them to be and will them into your body."
Tia smiled, showing fang. She took the first shard in between her thumb and forefinger and placed it next to her left wrist. Silently she willed the shard into her, welcoming it into her body, bidding it to become a part of her. It worked. The accompanying rush of power was intoxicating and brought Tia to her knees shaking as she felt it rush through her blood and mixing its aura with her own.
She repeated the processes again with her right wrist, felling her power increase again. Six more times she willed the shards into her. Two in her forehead and two a piece in each ankle. And she felt alive, as if somehow what she had been before was only a fraction of what she was now. The increase in power was great and for the first time she knew she had the power to carry out her vengeance alone. A lone wolf hunting to avenge its pack.
The cracking voice of the old gypsy brought her back to reality, "And now you have your wish. But child, beware the one who will come searching for it. No good can come to you by using shards of Hell's Gem, for it is clearly cursed to be able to empower a sidhe so."
Faoiltiarna stood, her flame colored hair snaking around her and she could feel her eyes glowing silver. She looked down at the old witch, an odd cross of feral triumph and thanks in her eyes. "That may be, but any asshole looking to get these rocks has to get through me first. And that ain't bloody likely."
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Whoo! You sat through pages of original character goodness! I love you. . .*sniffle sniffle* So what did you think? Review please? Any one wondering where any of the Inu Yasha characters are well get some in the next chapter. In the form of *insert cheesy dramatic music here* Naraku. I don't think any of the main Inu group will make an appearance her folks. Gomen Gomen! (Runs away from the barrage of rocks and rotten fruit chucked her way) Unless you guys can come up with a feasible way for them to end up in Spain. . .yeah I thought not. ^-^ I mean Kagome would so get burned at the stake in 1550 Spain and Europe. . . It wasn't a strange person friendly place. . .So any way. . .please let me know what you thought! I love reviews (praise me. . .praise me) Thanks for reading!
–Sephira jo, author, lunatic, onigiri.