Chapter 1 – In Development
The sky was dark, and as a great two headed dragon flew across it a storm traveled high above his head. Across many lands of farms and lakes, he finally reached the right mountain. Mt. Fuji, the tallest of the land that has a view in all directions, sitting in the middle of the island. At the bottom of the mountain many believed the top reached the heavens. The few humans who had been to the top and returned saying they saw spirits and angels to help them back down. Some of them had their hand or foot turn black and loose all feeling, they claimed it has passed on to the heavens because they touched the holy place unprotected.
As the dragon swept up the side of the mountain, its rider scanned the area for any sign of the religious sanctuary. The place was barren. As they reached the top the rider lashed the dragon sparing him upward. In the dead of night his white silver hair glistened in the moonlight behind him. Along with the white mokomoko streaming down his back, he was a bright contrast to the dark dragon and night sky. A gold ring on his left hand sparkled in the night and flashed against the lightning. It pulsed as they climbed higher towards the storm clouds.
The man lashed the dragon again and it pushed harder while rearing its heads. One head opening its mouth and with sparks starting sucking in the electricity from the storm; the other spat it back out at the clouds breaking them. They flew through the middle as the clouds formed back together behind them sending the storm ragging back to the mountain top. Above the clouds the sky was clear. The stars and moon were brighter than below, giving the dragon rider a blue radiance. He lifted his right hand skimming the air above him as the dragon carried him across the sky. His long claws reaching out tickling the air. Finally, a spark struck his fingers, flashing the crimson stripes on his hand and warning of the barrier.
The barrier wouldn't stop him as he sparred on the dragon to follow the concealed wall letting his fingers scratch into its surface to keep it visible. After several minutes the barrier turned upwards and they started the climb higher into the sky. The barrier rounded out as they climbed and eventually was below them. The white haired man stood up on the back of the dragon, and looked at his left hand to see the gold ring on his slender middle finger pulsate, as if calling out. Without a word he jumped off the dragon into what looked like the abyss of night. The barrier was feet below the dragon, but as he hit it, it did not reject him, spark, or even sputter. He was swallowed whole beyond the barrier and disappeared from view.
As he passed through the barrier a temple came into view. As large as a city and made of heavy stone, it floated as if weightless in the air. From this high up he saw everything, the turrets, buildings, and open courtyard. Each building had a symbol on it, a language he did not know. Banners of gold, purple, and red hung around the courtyard, and a gold flag with a red rosette and purple crossed swords flew over the largest building. Bells rang out as he fell deeper into the temple before landing in the middle of the court yard. He landed kneeling to keep from breaking his legs and looked down at his hand that braced his fall. The gold ring was radiant as it touched the ground, bright as a flame. The courtyard filled with footsteps running in circles around him. He lifted his gaze seeing dozens, maybe a hundred or more foot soldiers taking their place around him. They were all armed with spears, swords, or bow and arrow.
Standing, his long white hair fell back over his shoulders revealing his armor and kimono decorated with the symbol of his mother and father. Blue stripes on his shoulder for this father and pink flowers on the cuffs for his mother with a blue obi around his waist. His father was the ruler of the western lands, known as the Great Dog Demon he had taken the land by brute strength and power. His mother, also a powerful dog yokai, was of noble blood in the yokai world and was well respected. The marking on his forehead, a crescent moon, came from his mother, the symbol of his maternal royal bloodline. In human form he had a mokomoko, a full velutinous stole made of his fur, that he kept wrapped around his shoulder and down his back, which mimicked his father's own mokomoko and spoke of great royalty. In contrast, his claws, fangs, and yokai markings across his cheeks told you he was a powerful demon, and capable of much more than his human form let on.
An order was barked from the back of the court yard and the soldiers in front of the white haired man parted but kept their weapons pointed at him. With a hundred weapons pointed at him he kept this cool but stood his ground. There was no expression of fear or surprise on his face, he stood stoically watching the situation. At the end of the row of soldiers a bright light appeared from the darkness. It grew brighter and came closer, causing the man to squint but he did not flinch.
"Who are you?" asked a rich voice the echoed around the courtyard. The bright orb started to show the outline of a person as it got closer. As the shadow formed it was a woman. She wore the same colors as the temple. A white kimono with red frilled cuffs, gold bleeding up the sleeves with the red rosettes patterned woven up the arm and across the neck. She had on a deep royal purple skirt, gold sandals that laced to her thighs, and a gold Obi with purple tips tied in a bow behind her. While she was a cutting figure, she did not look weak or frail.
As the aura faded, her true beauty was revealed, smooth and creamy skin accented with naturally pink cheeks and lips. Light golden hair flowed in waves and curls behind her into rich red tips like flames flickering in the wind as she walked. As she settled her hair floated down to her waist as weightless as a silk cap. The most striking part was her eyes. Her right eye a sparkling gold reflecting her heavenly glow; and her left a deep royal purple drawing in light like a black hole. The contrast was like her hair, yin and yang, light and dark.
"I am Sesshomaru, the rightful ruler of the western lands, and I am here to take what is mine." His voice was deep and demanding. He had thought out what to say for a while before this meeting.
The woman looked at Sesshomaru's hand, seeing the ring shining on his finger. She lifted one arm and turned up her palm ready to receive it. Suddenly the ring pulled on his hand, tugging at his strength. Reacting quickly, Sesshomaru balled his fist and flexed his arm trying to keep it close to his body. She would not take something from him before he has what he came for. But the ring continued to pull. His finger was being pried open or the ring would simply slice right through his clenched fist. He gritted his teeth, flashing his fangs, and growled as he planted his feet holding his ground to keep from being uprooted. His feet started sliding over the pebbles in the courtyard. She was hauling the ring to her, whether he was attached to it or not.
The woman wasn't even moving yet she was strong enough to pull him. His anger was bubbling as he started to feel weak. He had to think fast. Let the ring go and attack? Continue to struggle until he loses his finger or reaches the woman face to face. If he lets go of the ring without her anticipating maybe she will feel blowback, like letting go of the tight end of the rope. This may give him a split second for the element of surprise.
He quickly opened his fist letting the ring slip off his finger while he shifted the balance to his toes. As the ring flicked off the tip of his nail he charged after it with his yokai speed keeping close behind it as it zoomed towards the woman. He lowered his body mass for a better streamline run and saw the foot soldiers aim towards him with their weapons. They were not as quick to the draw as he was in his speed.
It had only been a mere split second since he released the ring, but the woman closed her hand around it as it landed in her palm. Her free hand illuminated and sparked. She made a swooping circle in the air with her palm out then pressed through the circle forcing a solid yet invisible wall out towards Sesshomaru. He was hit by the invisible pressure and blasted backwards. Sesshomaru shifted his weight before he fell on his ass, and was able to push off the ground kicking his legs over his head and flipping back quick enough for his feet to find the ground, resetting his balance. He claws dug into the ground in a runners start position to keep from being pushed back any further.
Damn this woman.
His hand started to burn green, poisoning the ground around him with his acid, but he was feet away from where he had even started and nowhere near the golden woman.
She was now focused on the ring. It was still ablaze in her hand, but as she spun it between her fingers the light faded as if being siphoned out of it. She pulled it closer to her still rotating it as she read the markings. As Sesshomaru braced himself in the background ready to fight, she spun on her heels showing her back to him.
"Come with me." She said after turning away. "Let him pass." She spoke a language that sounded like silk off the tongue. It was the language of the heavens. With those words the foot soldiers snapped into attention removing their weapons from Sesshomaru's face. Her honor guard followed her while the others stood as statues in the courtyard waiting for Sesshomaru to make a move.
Sesshomaru stood slowly but elegantly, without a hair or piece of clothing out of place, even after the blast against him. He watched as the golden woman walked away and weighed his options. If he follows this woman he could get what he deserves, but it could also lead to a trap. He felt confident enough in his strength that any trap she may lay would not be his down fall so he decided to follow. The soldiers didn't move as he walked between them following the golden woman through the temple grounds.
The honor guards lined a path towards the building the she had entered. He followed pushing back a cloth hanging to reveal a rather basic room. No flourish of being a queen or royalty, merely the flag hung on the wall behind a desk with a Buddha in the corner. The rest of the room was bare of furniture, comfort, or decoration. Sesshomaru's nostrils flared as the scent of an earthy nutty flower mixed with blood shoved its way into his senses. He watched the woman was approaching an empty wall. She pressed her hand against it, and a spark of gold caused a click before she was able to slide it open. Behind the wall hung a scepter with a star at its point, a book with gold binding, a necklace inlaid with jewels and an enchanting crest, and a simple thin sword. She removed the sword and gingerly carried it back to the desk.
"I am Senwahei, Goddess of-"
"I don't care." He cut her off. "Just give me the sword."
Senwahei tucked the ring into the hilt and put the sword down on the desk. "Your father entrusted this sword to me, as I know-"
Sesshomaru snatched the blade off the desk and turned to leave no listening to her finish.
"-how it works." Watching as he walked back out, she sighed disappointed he would not even try to listen, but she knew better than to chase him. His father had told her stories decades ago that he was a spoiled arrogant child who believed he was entitled. She did not expect any difference as an adult.
Sesshomaru left the way he came, past the guards in the path way and back towards the courtyard. He scanned the grounds as he walked by. In one room a group of guards were cleaning and putting away the weapons they had shoved in his face. In another room he saw rows and rows of scrolls. He caught glimpses of images on the walls of dragons, the breakdown of some weapon, and what looked like the anatomy of a human. In the courtyard, some guards were in the middle of sword training. He chuffed to himself thinking how pathetic they looked needing to train. He had taught himself, he needed no one. Growing up, he learned as he watched his father and challenged real competition. None of this non-lethal game play.
At one end of the courtyard there stood a large red gate. Past it were stairs that led down to the edge of the barrier, a platform for coming and goings. Sesshomaru looked back at the temple before descending the stairs. In the background through the mass of people going about their lives, he could see Senwahei's sparkling silhouette watching him exit.