A/N: This is a VERY much edited version of my earlier story, The Hanyou of Notre Dame. In case the former title didn't give it away, this is pretty much a re-working of The Hunchback of Notre Dame with Inuyasha characters and story parallels. I have read the book, seen the old live-action film, and watched the Disney version so I'll be borrowing a bit from all three sources. This is an entirely new first chapter (mainly providing back story) which I felt fit better here rather than later on where I had originally planned it. That said, enjoy.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own any copyrights here.

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Chapter 1: A Tragic Story

By Kenkaya

1471th year of Inu Dai: a small, isolated hut in the woodlands…

"Oh no, my child, the world was not always like this," a dark-haired woman spoke solemnly, expression nearly as somber as her tone.

"No?" piped a high voice from the bed beside her. A small girl, no older than four, lay squished between warm, thick (if a bit moth-worn) blankets, listening in earnest as her guardian opened the narrative.

"It is a tale both long and tragic… but one which must be told nonetheless. Many centuries ago, over a thousand years to be precise…"

"A thousand years?"

"Yes, long before you were born little one. Back then, people did not live as they do today," she followed with a nostalgic sigh. "No, we had land and cities to call our own in those days… people lead good, dignified lives and, under the great Onigumo family, the human race prospered.

"But, sadly, fortune never brings peace. Youkai were not the wealthy creatures they are today. No, they were power-hungry beasts who scourged the wild lands along our borders… living in savage tribes… consumed by jealousy. Strong and prideful to a fault, their envy of our lives infuriated them to no end. However, they kept their rage controlled, knowing full well a major battle would spell their doom."

"How?" the youngster interrupted on cue. "Nothing hurts youkai... 'cept…"

"That's right," the woman nodded her head with a smile of approval. "Those born with holy powers, monks and mikos, protected their people vigilantly. It is said that the greatest miko could touch a youkai and purify the beast with a mere thought. However, their numbers were small… they could never hope to do more than keep the balance. Things stayed this way for many generations.

"Then, Midoriko was born. Like you, she showed incredible potential from a very young age… by the time she reached her teen years, it was said her skill and raw power were worth twenty of the rest. Unnerved by this information, the youkai became more aggressive and raided the human settlements near their lands relentlessly. Humans, on the other hand, paid no mind to the growing threat and rejoiced, believing Midoriko would be the one to deliver calm to their torn land. The celebration was short-lived, however. The priestess they revered chose instead to live a simple life: she married, had a child, and devoted herself solely to her duty… until that fateful day..."

"Ooh! What happened?" the child gasped.

The woman sighed mournfully, "War," she whispered in a breathless tone. "No one knows who struck first, nor how what started out a regular skirmish turned into full-scale battle. History may never have an answer for those questions, but we do know the results...

"The youkai were led by the Lord of the (then) Western Lands, a strong and charismatic leader who rallied many youkai to his side with his charms…"

"What's 'carissmatic'?" the girl chimed in. "Does that mean he put them under some sort of spell?"

"Charismatic," the woman corrected before answering her question. "And no, they weren't under a spell. He was charming, as in… he could make people trust him easily. His followers were supposedly very loyal to him."

"Then he was good?" the girl asked in a timid, confused voice.

"No, he was a ruthless monster. The atrocities he committed… when you're older I'll tell you in more detail some of the horrible things he did. But for now," this statement was followed by a juvenile pout, "know this… the Western Lord was a great leader, and a great liar."

The disgruntled youth nodded.

"Now, back to the story… Midoriko was called upon to answer the Western Lord's challenge, but she refused to lead an offensive attack. Protection was her creed and she was determined to stand by it. Instead, our noble miko traveled from village to village with a small company… defending them where she could and tending any wounded along the way.

"But, a terrible event lay just beyond the horizon for Midoriko. She returned home one day to find that youkai had attacked… killing her entire family along with many others. The sight of those she had known and loved slaughtered so brutally effected the miko deeply. Brokenhearted and mad with grief, Midoriko headed for the battlefield…"

"But you said she didn't like fighting!" came the expected disruption.

"She didn't," the woman said. Then, her hard grey eyes misted over slightly, "but the loss of someone you truly loved… it can drive the mind to do things you never thought possible of yourself."

"Oh," the child fell silent for a moment. "Tell me more?"

The woman chuckled, instantly snapping out of her revere at the innocuous request.

"That would be easier to accomplish if a certain someone didn't keep butting in…"

"But you're telling it too slow!"

"Is that so?" a dark eyebrow arched. "Well, maybe I'll just forget all the exciting bits and skip to the end. Does that suit you?"

"Just keep going," the girl mumbled.

"Alright, alright… so Midoriko joined the fight on the frontlines. She was a great leader and her prowess in battle gave the people hope against their monstrous opponents. It is said she fought with the fury of a woman who had nothing to lose and the daring of one who had nothing to gain.

"For years, both sides fought honorably. Battles were won, some were lost… and the price paid was heavy for all. The stalemate seemed unending, until the Western Lord happened upon a terrible secret."

"What?!" came the classic interruption.

"There was a man… who fell in love with Midoriko. Not much is known about him, his name and history have been scratched from the surviving records. What we do know is the indignity brought on by his lusting heart. The despair caused by that single, unrequited emotion."

"Did she love him back?"

"I'm afraid there was no room for love in Midoriko's vengeful heart," the woman waved dismissively. "His feelings were never returned."

"That's sad," the child murmured absently.

"Of course, but being the evil creature he was, the Western Lord was hardly about to let such an opportunity slip away. One dark, moonless night, he summoned a unit of many youkai to him… and ordered them to devour the man."

A predictable gasp sounded.

"He was on guard duty when the youkai force caught him unawares. The man struggled desperately… but his youkai assailants fed off the desolation buried deep within his soul. Eventually his spirit shattered and they took over what remained…

"What was created during that union was truly… a horrible creature: the power of a hundred youkai, the desperation of a broken man, and the ability to hide it all behind a human host. Our fortress was infiltrated easily under the assumed guise. Immediately, the creature sought to end Midoriko's life."

"Did… did he…?" the child whispered almost fearfully.

"Patience is a virtue, little one," the woman reprimanded gently. "But no, Midoriko survived the attack… barely. It dealt the priestess a heavy blow and, realizing what he was, she purified the thing, never giving it the chance to dish out a fatal blow.

"Unfortunately, fate was not kind that night. Our forces had been sabotaged (a final legacy no doubt) and a detail the youkai were hardly about to ignore…

"The battle was short-lived. Midoriko had been gravely wounded. Many were lost that infamous day… and the bloodshed might have continued many more days, had the Western Lord not come out to directly challenge Midoriko.

"Their duel was a fierce one. Ancient writings tell of the very earth trembling from the force of their blows. Of those who lived to tell the tale, one man wrote the fight 'was like watching the magnificence of the universe's birth and the horror of its destruction all at once.' Others described the sight as 'simply beyond words.'

"In the end, the Western Lord managed to whip the injured miko into exhaustion. The moment she let her guard down, he thrust his sword through her heart without mercy."

A startled 'eep' escaped the girl as she clutched her face in exaggerated dismay.

"But Midoriko was not about to go down without a fight," the woman's speech became excitable as she reached the climax. "According to records, she grabbed the Western Lord's shoulders just as he began to gloat and said to him 'I may not be able to free the world from the evil of your race… but I can at least rid it of yours.'

"With those parting words, she purified the beast. The power she put into her final act disintegrated the youkai's body and released a shockwave that could be felt for miles. After the dust settled, Midoriko's body lay alone, lifeless… and the war was over."

"B… but," the young one stuttered. "Why do we live like this? Why do youkai rule everything?"

"Ah," the elder of the two sighed. "It was truly a tragedy. Both sides had lost their leaders, but youkai are far stronger than humans… and the priesthood had drastically reduced in number since the fighting began. We didn't stand a chance when they finally gathered together.

"They marched across our country in mass: burning our villages, taking our land, and enslaving any humans who managed to survive their onslaught. Some managed to escape and live as vagabonds (like we do) but all hope for regaining the life we lost faded after the capital city fell. The youkai overran the high temple and desecrated our ancestors. They replaced our holy figures with glorified statues of the Western Lord, renamed him the Inu Dai, and began to worship him as a god who walked the earth."

"Just like the year!" the child exclaimed. "This is year… 1471!"

"Yes," the woman gave a strained smile, as if the action caused her pain. "The 1471th year since the ascension of Inu Dai."

"That's a sad story," the girl murmured.

"Oh, but I haven't told you the ending yet," the tiny face lit up at her words. "Some people say, just as a powerful miko like Midoriko was born in a time of need, another will come to save us from our plight. Midoriko's power will pale in comparison to her successor… and with their holy hands they will dish out justice to the youkai demons who oppress us."

"When will this person come, Kikyou-sama?" large blue eyes pleaded from the nest of blankets.

"Soon, I hope," Kikyou laughed softly as she ruffled the child's black mop affectionately. "Soon. Now go to sleep, Kagome."

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TBC…