Hi! I know that you've all been waiting for this for a long time, and I hope that you guys think in the end that the wait was worth it. Thanks for hanging in there!

Calm

Chapter 1: The Undead (Prologue)

The Shinidamachuu were restless. Their mistress's aura had disappeared from their radar days ago, and she was nowhere to be found. They had gathered fresh souls for her, and they were ready to be consumed. They were the ripest souls they had ever harvested, not obtained without struggle, and they would boost their mistress's power considerably. They floated for miles, searching for any sign of their mistress. They passed many streams, villages—all the while heading west; in the direction they had last felt their mistress. They traveled until they were over the castle of the one their mistress had deemed 'Sesshoumaru.' But the aura was gone by the time they reached it. And so they ventured further, still carrying the harnessed souls. They fought off many demons who had attempted to plunder the souls from them. None would take the souls from them but their Mistress.

Then suddenly, they felt it—a weak heatbeat. Their mistress's heartbeat. Kikyou's heartbeat. But there was only one and all sound after it stopped. The Shinidamachuu raced to the source of the sound, from the northeast. And it was in that direction that they found her. Kikyou's limp body hung on the branch of a gigantic tree. She had been carefully placed, so that the demons below would struggle to sink their teeth into her human flesh. And the youkai had gathered, snapping and leaping to grasp her. They could not allow this. They opened their mouths, and let out an ear splitting screech that lasted for several minutes. When they stopped, several of the demons that had been snapping at Kikyou's body moments ago were on the ground, blood pouring from their ears. The others who weren't affected fled. The Shinidamdachuu worked quickly, removing their mistress from the tree, disentangling her arms and legs from that of the tree. Her body was mangled, with deep cuts on her flesh. The exterior wasn't what they cared about. Only her soul mattered. She had still retained a small piece of her soul, hidden in a locket beneath her folds of dress for occasions just as these. Because of that, as far as they were concerned she was still a living creature. Anything with a sliver of soul within it was alive.

Flying with her between them, the Shinidamachuu traveled towards the hut of Kikyou's sister, Kaede, and the forest that lay it beside it. Kikyou's soul was typically more at peace when somewhere near her sister, and she was sure that it would help resurrect her. Once there, Kikyou's body was set on the ground, and the Shinidamachuu circled her battered body before slowly inserting each soul. They had four, and they held incredible purity that would give Kikyou new life. Each was taken from a priestess throughout the land. Their battles had made them weary, and if these souls didn't bring their mistress back they would be sorely forlorn.

They inserted the first one, still swirling around her. Her wounds healed, and she appeared to have never seen a day of war in her life. Such Power. They had sought out the right priestesses. With the second, her eyes snapped open, and when she saw the souls and the Shinisdamachuu above her, she smiled to herself. She still remembered the sting, the agony, of the legendary sword Tetsusaiga being drawn across her chest, being plunged into her. "So, my dear Shinidamdachuu. You find a source to sustain me…yet again." As they inserted the third soul, even Kikyou couldn't deny the power in her veins, and with the fourth, she was fairly sure that she could defeat any demon on the earth. Which was exactly the kind of power she needed. "Let us go," Kikyou said, standing. "We have things to take care of."

EDIT 6/11/10: Yes. I'm moving on to edit Calm. I actually like the way that this was written. There were less grammar and spelling mistakes than I thought that there would be and this style is a bit closer to what it is that I write now. What I did add, however, was for the purpose of making the story a bit more full. There were a few holes in the plot as far as I could see, so I tried to make it a bit more realistic by holding myself accountable for the information presented. I think that I was a bit obvious in the old commentary; I shouldn't have announced why I had done what I had done because it wasn't necessary to do so. However, I hope that you enjoyed this chapter and that it gave you a small sense of suspense as to what is to come next.

OLD COMMENTARY:

Yup! That's the first chapter/prologue. Yes, I know that Shinidamachuu don't actually have that power, but I gave it to them because I could. I need it for the story. Please forgive me.

By the by, special props to treelovr for putting my story "The Night" on her favorites list. In fact, special props to anyone who put it on their favorites. Hell, props if you read it! I love you guys, I really do.

But I've got some (maybe?) bad news. The only reason why I was able to put this up is because I'm at my grandmother's in Georgia. I will be here the entire week, and typing away for you guys all the while. However, after the fifth, when I get back home, my updates may become slower, so you'll have to bear with me until I actually get back in school, with daily access to computers and what not. I'm trying for like, the first four chapter up before I go. Thanks!

"I will return, for I am the darkness..."