The young hanyou Inuyasha, in his pride, had once again engaged Hatofurujan, a mighty demon from the Frozen Lands, in mortal combat. Easily outmatched in every way, due to the demon's use of multiple Shikon No Tama shards, Inuyasha was frozen in place, and completely at the mercy of the Lord of Ice, Hatofurujan. Inuyasha's Tetsusaiga was no match for the Korudokiru, Hatofurujan's demonic dai-katana. In what seemed to be his final moments, Inuyasha was saved by an unlikely, and unwanted, ally. Moments before Hatofurujan struck his final blow, Sesshomaru, Inuyasha's older half brother, interrupted the battle. Shortly afterwards, Sesshomaru slew Hatofurujan, but to no avail. The Lord of Ice rose again, and renewed his attack...
Hatofurujan's mind reeled, the memory of his first fight with Sesshomaru flashing across his vision. The great dog demon's son had ousted Hatofurujan before, and as a result, Hatofurujan had been slain, impaled upon the same claws he had just taken through his chest. The irony almost drowned out the pain. The rage he felt was futile, as he didn't have the strength to rise. The dark demon waited to die, the pain subsiding, when a voice spoke into his ear.
Fool. You let him win again? Rise again, Hatofurujan, and strike dead the demon that took your life. NOW!
NARAKU! Yes, I can rise again... I must... FATHER!
With that, the pain dissipated, and Hatofurujan felt his strength return. The jewel shards in his body glowed, their power flowing into his limbs once again, the same way they had when Naraku had come to his grave and given them to him, returning his physical body to life. Hatofurujan stood, grasping the hilt of his sword as he rose, and turning to Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru turned, a slight look of amusement across his face.
"So," He speculated, "You have risen again... Is that the power of the jewel shards? No matter, I will simply rip your whole body to shreds and remove those shards!" The dog demon launched himself at Hatofurujan, Tokijin at the ready.
Hatofurujan cackled, the unrestrained power of the Shikon shards pulsing through his body, his confidence restored. Sesshomaru landed, pivoted, and lashed out with the Tokijin, it's slender blade electrifying the air around the two demon warriors. Hatofurujan leapt into the air, coming to a rest on a low hanging branch.
"Sesshomaru! The last time we met, you beat me. That I cannot deny. However, then, I was weaker than I am now! You see, I have been granted a new power, a delicious energy that will give me the power to defeat you, and settle this score, at last!" The mad demon cackled, his eyes once again burning a brilliant blue-green. Sesshomaru kicked the fallen Korudokiru towards Hatofurujan, it's long slender blade making empty scratching sounds on the frigid soil.
"If that is the case, then show me! Your words are as cheap as your pathetic master!" He growled, leveling the Tokijin at Hatofurujan. The Lord of Ice dropped from the tree, grasping the hilt as it slid past, and rushing towards Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru leapt back, matching Hatofurujan's speed, and their blades locked midair. Leaning in, his face mere inches from Sesshomaru's, Hatofurujan pressed with all his might on the great demon's Tokijin. With a light cackle, Sesshomaru pushed the lesser demon back, flipped backwards through the air, and lashed out with his brilliant claws. The burning blades danced all around Hatofurujan, whipping at his blade, his face, and his kimono. Hatofurujan moved through the air to avoid the claws, landing just outside their range. Sesshomaru withdrew the venomous claws, leaving multiple slender gashes in the dirt. The two once again charged one another, blades dancing at inhuman speed through the frosted air.
"Damn it all to hell!" Inuyasha watched the battle nearby, feet still frozen to the ground, "Sesshomaru!" Cursing his brother under his breath, Inuyasha slammed the Tetsusaiga into the ground below his, sending dirt, grass, and frost flying through the air.
"Finally!", the young hanyou declared, his feet free, "Now, to get that demon back! Sesshomaru, this time you won't be stealing the glory!" Heaving the massive Tetsusaiga over his shoulder, Inuyasha began to run towards the two combatants.
Meanwhile, Kagome and the others had built a small campfire, and Sango had woken up. Miroku sat on a nearby log, his staff rested against his shoulder, eyes deep with thought. Sango was sleeping near the fire, her body exhausted from the earlier fight. Shippo was curled up on the ground beside her, his small body drained as well. Kagome was sitting on another log, opposite the monk.
"Kagome..." Miroku said, seeing her concern, "Inuyasha will be fine. If I know him, and I do, he'll probably be as reckless as usual, but he'll find a way to defeat Hatofurujan." Kagome nodded, the worry on her face still just as prominent as before.
Inuyasha's feed made a rapid pounding sound on the hardened floor as he rushed towards Sesshomaru and Hatofurujan, the two demons still locking blades in the small opening. Night had begun to fall, the brilliant reds and oranges of the sunset splashed across the sky, a canvas portraying the heated battle below. Sesshomaru knocked the Korudokiru aside, leaving Hatofurujan wide open. The sudden realization in the Lord of Ice's eyes brought a satisfied sneer to Sesshomaru's face, as he raised the Tokijin skyward, slashing it down upon the defenseless Hatofurujan.
"Oh, no, you don't" Inuyasha screamed, slamming his fist into the blade, and knocking it asunder. The tip buried itself in the ground, carving a semicircular gash in the packed dirt. Hatofurujan recovered, leaping away from the brothers, distancing himself from Sesshomaru's blade.
"You fool!" Sesshomaru yelled, fury in his eyes and hate on his words. He lashed out at Inuyasha with his claws, meeting only the Tetsusaiga's unrelenting blade. Inuyasha laughed, dashing across the field towards Hatofurujan. Sesshomaru quickly gained his composure, and easily caught up with the half demon. "I was about to strike him down, how dare you interfere!?!" Inuyasha narrowly dodged the claws Sesshomaru thrust at him, and Sesshomaru gained ground, closing the distance between him and Hatofurujan with haste.
This is an interesting turn of events! Hatofurujan thought to himself, The brothers cannot cooperate, they would rather compete? Perhaps I can use this...
Sesshomaru was upon Hatofurujan, his Tokijin lashing at the Lord of Ice's defenses. Parrying attack after attack, Hatofurujan steadily moved himself to the tree line. With a sudden burst of strength, he threw Sesshomaru off him, the dog demon coming to rest a few yards away.
"Your back is against the wall, Hatofurujan," the beautiful demon sneered, "and you have no chance of escape. Accept your defeat, and die with honor!" Leaping forward, Sesshomaru aimed the Tokijin straight at Hatofurujan. His eyes narrowed, certain of his victory...
"Wind Scar!" Sesshomaru cursed his half brother's stupidity, and eagerness to outmatch him. Sesshomaru landed, pivoted, and made to leap out of the way of Inuyasha's foolhardy attack, when he felt a cold touch on his arm. Hatofurujan buried his claws in Sesshomaru's flesh, pulling the dog demon back to the ground.
"This, Sesshomaru, is how it will end. Your little brother shall slay us both, here and now, and I will rise again, kill the half demon, and be on my way! Hahahaha!" Hatofurujan's mad cackles were drowned out by the roar of the Wind Scar, and the massive blast of energy tore the tree line to shreds, enveloping the two demons in it's shredding wake. Inuyasha lowered the Tetsusaiga, letting the blade come to rest on the scorched earth. Dust lingered over what was left of the forest, a tangle of shredded trees and torn ground, scattered in piles. Inuyasha panted, his energy wasted, and he dropped to his knees.
Finally... Hatofurujan and Sesshomaru are dead, the Wind Scar hit them directly...
The hanyou rose, his body stiff, pain shooting through his limbs. He heaved the blade once again, and was just about to sheath the Tetsusaiga, when Hatofurujan's claws tore through his body, shredding the Robes of the Fire Rat, punching straight through his chest. Inuyasha looked down, as blood poured from his lips, to see Hatofurujan's blood soaked claw protruding from his breast. The demon leaned over the hanyou's shoulder, his second hand on Inuyasha's shoulder, and laughed. Inuyasha's vision blurred, the pain seemed to rise and fall, his hand released the Tetsusaiga, and he fell limp, suspended on the outstretched claws of the Lord of Ice.
Damn... how? Hatofurujan pulled his claw free, and the silver haired half demon collapsed on his stomach, his eyes wide open with shock, blood pouring from the gaping wound in his chest. How?So, this is... Inuyasha faded away, his final vision the retreating back of Hatofurujan.
Hatofurujan laughed to himself, clutching the small glass jar in his right hand, glancing fondly at the fragments of the jewel that had allowed him to take his revenge, wiping the bloodline of the bastard who killed his father from existence.
Now, all that remains is to claim the life of that girl, and that has proven a menial task already. It seems that I was right to accept Naraku's deal... WHAT?!?!?!
Hatofurujan spun, shock flowing through his body. The hanyou's fading demonic aura had disappeared, and a new aura, a far more powerful aura, had taken it's place! The Lord of Ice glanced around, looking for this new foe, and saw Inuyasha stir. Drawing his blade, he began to walk towards the hanyou, when the pulsing aura of the demon stopped him in his tracks.
What the hell?!?! This can't be! Hatofurujan sputtered as Inuyasha rose from the ground, and fell into a crouch, his silver hair hiding his face, the surging aura piercing the chill air, sending waves of deadly heat in every direction. Hatofurujan snickered, casting off the fear, and began to run at Inuyasha, intent on finishing the fight. He raised Korudokiru high in the air, and brought it down on the motionless demon. With speed Hatofurujan could not compare, Inuyasha's hand stopped the blade, mid strike. With a slight twist of his wrist, Korudokiru was split in two. Tossing one piece aside, Inuyasha backhanded Hatofurujan, throwing the demon to the floor, his shattered blade crackling on the scorched earth, the demonic enchantments broken.
What the hell is going on?!?!?! Hatofurujan scrambled, on his back, away from Inuyasha. This half demon- No, he smells of youkai blood! How? How?
Inuyasha stood, and Hatofurujan saw a sight that had once made the mighty Sesshomaru tremble with fear. The half demon's eyes glowed a brilliant red, and pierced Hatofurujan's soul with a burning hatred and unsatisfiable hunger. Hunger for destruction, hunger for death. Inuyasha's mouth was open, revealing a row of large, wicked fangs.
I've seen this wicked smile before... No, not again...
"Father, don't go!" The small child, his hair long and brown, with two clan tassels hanging down his chest, rushed across the pavilion to the large demon at the head of an army's ranks.
"Hatofurujan, I told you to stay inside, we're under attack! Go inside, boy, before I-" Hatofurujan's father never finished his sentence, as a large blast of energy tore the main ramparts to shreds. Thrown from his dragon mount, Hatofurujan's father crashed to the ground, the only one nearby that survived the blast. Hatofurujan was thrown to the ground by the concussion, his small body rolling over the cobblestone, coming to a rest at the base of the steps leading to his home. Rushing back, the child demon saw, through the flames, a mighty demon, of great stature, descend upon his father.
"Inutaisho! AAAAAAAH!" The few remaining soldiers fled from the field, and Hatofurujan watched from a distance as this single demon destroyed everything he knew, his father's blood dripping from the tip of Inutaisho's blade. The Tetsusaiga...
Inuyasha stood over Hatofurujan's shaking body, eyes empty of compassion, watching the demon relive the terror of his youth. Hatofurujan had wanted only revenge for the death of his father, and Naraku had given him the chance once again. The wicked hanyou leaned over Hatofurujan, and with one final roar, tore the necklace holding the Shikon Shard that had restored life to Hatofurujan from his pale throat.
So, this is how it ends... How ironic, that the same blade that killed my father... The same hellish smile... His shards torn from his flesh, Hatofurujan's body returned to it's true form, frost crystals falling from his frozen bones. Father...
Inuyasha collapsed, the small amount of energy this demonic transformation had given him completely drained. The hanyou's eyes returned to gold, then shut as he slipped into unconsciousness. His final view was that of Naraku's insects gathering the fallen shards, and Kagome's as well. Inuyasha didn't have the strength to stop them...
I hear Kagome... she's calling my name...
Prologue
His eyes opened, and a blurry world greeted him with sunlight. Lord Sesshomaru sat up, an unfamiliar pain tensing his muscles. He was atop a hill, nowhere near where he had been struck by Inuyasha's attack. With that memory came anger, but Sesshomaru calmed himself. Standing, he saw that Tokijin was buried in the ground very near where he had lain.
"Indeed... This is the oddest of circumstances." The great dog demon dislodged Tokijin, and sheathed the blade. As he looked at it's hilt, he saw the Tensaiga was still sheathed.
"Tensaiga... was it you that saved me?" Sesshomaru touched the hilt, slightly, then began to descend the hill, in search of Rin and Jaken.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha woke at the small camp Kagome and Miroku had built, and was greeted with an overenthusiastic Shippo. He glanced around, wondering how he was here. Sango lay, sleeping, near the fire, and Shippo was blathering his usual nonsense at Inuyasha.
"...Kagome said you shouldn't move, your wounds are really bad! OW!" Inuyasha bopped the kid fox demon over the head, and stood, pulling the Robes of the Fire Rat over his naked chest. As he tightened the kimono, his hand brushed the Beads of Subjugation around his throat, and he smiled slightly. There was a disturbance at the tree line, and Kagome and Miroku emerged, baskets of food in their arms. Shippo forgot his pain, and rushed over to inspect the food.
Huh. Everyone is acting just like usual. And, maybe, that's not a bad thing...