Imitations of Immortality
"An Inu-yasha Fanfiction"
Prologue: The Staff of Serpentarius
An elderly man staggered into the streets of an old village, sweating, weary, and looking exhausted. Human frailty made walking deceptive at night, though he could see every detail of the ground. Dark shadows lay so deep under the leafless trees that the path was nearly invisible. He carefully braced himself against a tree with a strange-looking walking stick. He felt himself groan slightly, still trying to remove delusion, which grew stronger with each passing moment.
When his eyes opened, his crazed thoughts came to a crashing reality. An unusual blue mist hung in the air like thick fog, an evil essence that intensified with each breath he took. He felt as if he had been caught. Trapped. He couldn't move or barely breathe as he stared at the mist for what seemed like forever. Demons were near, but something strong grasped his wrist and he jumped, a startled yelp working free before he cold even think to stifle it.
A low growl started near his ear and he turned to see two pinpoints of sparkling white staring at him, hard, flat, and cold. The iron grip on his wrist released and he pulled his arm back slowly, careful not to make any sudden moves that might alarm the… whatever it was… he still hadn't seen who or what had grabbed him. A low purring chuckle snapped him back to reality. The mysterious youkai was a tall wolf youkai, standing perhaps a few feet taller than he was, and pale. So pale that the human man felt his black hair and clothes were magnified in his presence.
A flash of movement just above eye-level caught his attention, and he noticed the delicate pair of furred ears twitching in what he could only assume was the amusement reflected in the creature's eyes.
"He.... You think you can escape from me?" The voice growled in anger.
"Stay away from me.... Demon!" The old man exclaimed
Adrenaline pumped through the wolf demon's veins as his sword clashed against the old man's mysterious cane. The momentum of the collision sparked a fire amongst them sending the wolf youkai backward with frustration.
"A Wolf Demon?" The man thought. "I sensed your wicked presence a mile away" the old man retorted as he moved away from the wolf youkai.
"So, it is true that you are the one who wields the staff of Serpentarius" the wolf demon acknowledged.
"I never thought that the staff would fall into the hands of frail humans" the wolf alleged as he examined the old man.
"This staff has been passed down through my family for centuries...." the elderly man answered
"The staff of Serpentarius will never belong to humans!" the wolf demon retorted
A smile slid across the wolf demon's features as he drew his sword from the sheath.
"It seems that you have some rather fascinating powers" the wolf demon smirked
"You will never overcome the power of this staff demon!" the old man shouted
"Leave me in peace, or I shall be forced to destroy you!"
"I assume the staff has granted you immortality or you would have been dead by now!" the wolf demon explained