Chapter 2 – In Development
Back on solid ground at the bottom of the mountain Sesshomaru unsheathed the blade. His two headed dragon looked on curious for a moment before enjoying some fresh grass. The metal looked unimpressive. He squinted his eyes examining the cutting edge; it was clean, polished, no nicks or cracks. As he squeezed its hilt and swung, nothing happened.
What is going on?
He studied the sword closer. He had never had the chance to hold it, but he had seen it in battle. When his father brandished this weapon it was different.
Tessaiga, show me your powers. He squeezed the hilt again concentrating remembering what it looked like and swung again. Nothing. Maybe it only works in battle. He would have to find something to kill.
Sesshomaru sighed and sheathed his sword while sniffing out the scent of humans just north of his location. Fine then, he shall find someone to test his new possession on. He walked for a day, his dragon following without being lead.
The human village was small, more of a tiny community than a village. A farm for rice and sheep on the outskirts lead to a farm house and no more than a dozen other buildings. As Sesshomaru approached the village he saw candle light in the windows. Most of its patrons were inside, secure from any night time prowlers. He could see a lone man sitting on a stoop at the end of the street as he approached. The sentry carried a simple spear, but wore no protective gear, and was even barefoot. A guard dog would have been more effective.
"It is late, what brings you to our village?" The guard rose and stood attentive, cautious, but he had never seen much trouble in his village so he wasn't anticipating an attack. That was foolish on his part.
Sesshomaru would not bother wasting his breath on this disgusting human, he only needed to test the power of his sword. When he drew his blade it remained in the same state and shape. It had no glow, it didn't not grow. Sesshomaru knew his father's sword, Tessaiga, to be a mighty sword. It glowed yellow with demonic aura, when unsheathed it doubled in size from a mere razor to a powerful Yokai blade.
"Tessaiga!" Sesshomaru shouted as he swung the steel down across the man's chest, assuming this would bring the enchanted metal bat to life. The slash left a glowing red line across the man's chest as he fell backward from the blow. Sesshomaru watched knowing this was not how his father's blade worked. Soon the line faded and the man coughed as though he just had the wind knocked out of him.
The disappointment was written in Sesshomaru's snear. This man was still alive, not even a scratch. Even his clothes were unscathed. The village guard started to realize what had just happened and was scurrying away as fast as he could. It was not fast enough.
Sesshomaru advanced towards the village bouncer, grabbed him by the throat, lifting him into the air as if he were a rag doll. His arm outstretched so the man was far enough away to not touch him more than he had to. He did not want the stench of a human on his clothes. The man choked and thrashed in his capture's hand wanting to cry out, to get anyone attention but Sesshomaru's hand on his throat was cutting off his air passage and voice.
"You should be dead." Sesshomaru growled letting his claws dig into flesh. His hand glowed green as his eyes started to bleed red, his anger taking over all composure.
The man did not live long as his flesh turned black and blood started streaming down his neck and chest. Once he stopped struggling, Sesshomaru tossed his limp body aside into a bush. His claws were stained, from a worthless human. He tried to shake off the disgusting fluid as his eyes returned to normal and his demeanor calmed. He had wasted perfectly good energy on a futile human. He, Sesshomaru, was only to battle the most powerful creatures in order to rule the Western lands. Humans like this would not help.
He looked down at the sword in his clean hand remembering how it had failed him. This was not Tessaiga. That damned woman gave him the wrong sword. She probably kept the real one for herself, knowing its power was unparalleled. Sesshomaru sighed and turned heading back the way he came. He hated to waste his time, and the past few days had all been for nothing. He would go back and demand that woman give him his true sword, then show her its true power and kill her for thinking she could trick him.
By now the two headed dragon knew his way to the barrier. As Sesshomaru got closer he felt something in the sword guiding him back, the hilt pulsed in his belt as he got closer. As he saw the handle glow bright gold he jumped from his dragon through the barrier. This time he arrived on the landing, it was as if the ring guided him to the admission entrance so he was not in the middle of the foot soldiers.
Sesshomaru ascended the stairs quickly, light on his feet as he jumped three stairs at a time. He reached the top of the stairs, and attacked two guards with his bare hands. His claws ripped the first's flesh and stole his sword before stabbing it through the stomach of the other.
"Senwahei!" He called out as he ripped the sword from her soldier's stomach and stepped into the courtyard letting blood drip off the tip, leaving a trail to its slumped over owner. More commandos answered his cry instead. The men in uniform rushed towards him brandishing their own weapons as he swung his borrowed sword wildly. Each slash parried a spear or nicked an opponent's arm, but no blows struck hard as he was on the defensive. He lobbed his borrowed axe at a few of the guards on the top of the parapet who were attacking from a far with bow and arrows. He was quick enough to block or avoid most of the arrows, but a few found their mark. He snarled as he pulled an arrow out of his shoulder, like plucking out a thorn. His eyes turned red again and his hand glowed green. He spun in a circle enclosing himself in a cloud of green poison like a protective barrier, burning the skin of those around him and dissolving the arrows that had struck his leg and back. The uniforms quickly backed off, their skin healing as they left the poison, but their clothing was still singed.
Sesshomaru smiled as orders were shouted around him. He did not understand their native tongue but he had seen enough battles to know they had been ordered to form ranks as they gathered in sets. He enjoyed fighting, and he would enjoy killing each and every one of them lined up waiting for him.
Come at me. I can take you all on. He clenched his fist, cracking his knuckles ready for the next attack.
Another order was barked and the soldiers took a step closer, weapons at the ready but did not strike.
"So you remembered my name." A voice came from the back of the soldiers. It sounded pleased, almost giddy. The soldiers did not part for her this time. Instead she rose above them floating over their heads as if walking on their shoulders. Senwahei gracefully landed in front of Sesshomaru. She was in gold form fitting armor that had light unencomboring fabric peeking out from underneath,, with a red and purple silk cape down her back that billowed behind her. Her gold obi was criss-crossed over her chest then tied at her waist, leaving the purple tips the blow in the wind.
"You stole my sword." Sesshomaru did not show the same airy friendliness to her. He was ready to fight for what was his rightful possession.
"No I didn't. Your father gave me Tenseiga and I gave it to you." Her voice was calm as she gestured to herself then to him, like she was giving him the sword again.
Tenseiga? I was to receive Tessaiga.
"Lies. I am my father's true heir, and the rightful owner to TESsaiga." His anger was getting the better of him again. He hadn't raised his voice, but his frustration spat through his gritted teeth. Was this a trick, or just one step his father stupid games to teach him a lesson.
"If you cooperate, I will tell you all I know. But there will be no more fighting in my temple."
He scoffed, "and what could a witch like you know." It wasn't a question but an insult.
"I taught your father how to use Tenseiga…" She watched his reaction. He didn't seem impressed. "…and Tessaiga." That peaked his interest. His eyes widened somewhat in disbelief. "If you want to hear what I know then put away the needles." She nodded her head towards his claws, then smiled and turned her back to him again to leave. It was such an insult that she felt comfortable enough to show him her back and not show fear. "There will be no more fighting in my temple." She repeated her words before walking through the crowd of soldiers.
He could fight his way out and leave without knowing more, or he could relinquish his battle…for now. Pausing the fight was not forfeiting. He straightened up from of his defensive position and took in a deep breath, his poison seemed to dissipate from the air.
Sesshomaru followed her through the crowd. It all seemed like deja vu. He kept an eye on his surroundings as her honor guard lead the way by standing in a row outside of a different building this time. Inside, Senwahei stood at one of the walls leafing through scrolls. She pulled one out and unrolled it on a table in front of him. "Your father." She said as the scroll unfurled revealing a tall slender man with long white hair, a double mokomoko down his back, and a blue stripes across his cheeks. In his waist band the hilt of two swords were depicted. He wore the same outfit as the foot soldiers outside.
Sesshomaru touched the scroll as if he could feel his father's power in it. He looked so young, when was this?
"Toga came to me after he had the swords created from his fangs." She pulled out another scroll that depicted the two swords. "Even though your father had the swords commissioned, he did not automatically know everything they were capable of or how best to control them." She was watching him become entranced by the images and characters on the page.
Of course. His father was suppose to be the most powerful yokai in the land. Sesshomaru was so proud of his fathers abilities, he wanted to deny he needed to be taught. But his own pride told him that he could be better. Sesshomaru wanted to demonstrate that he could be better than his father. He started to lift the pages of the scroll regarding Tensaiga and Tessaiga but Senwahei yanked it out from under his hand before he had the chance to see more than one word he understood, "death."
"Only those of this temple can read these scrolls."
"That knowledge is not yours to keep."
"Ah, but it is. As the God of War and Peace, I alone understand the power those swords create. Your father was a ward of my own, and I entrusted him with that knowledge after he proved his worthiness."
Sesshomaru scoffed again. "God. Ridiculous." Even if that were true, he feared noone. "I don't have to prove shit to you, no matter who you think you are."
"Then you can be on your way. If you already have everything you need, there is nothing here for you." She placed the scrolls back into their cubby, upon stacks of others with unknown content.
What he needed was the Tessaiga. He wanted that authority. That alone was the way he could validate his own strength. He could not employ Tensaiga. And here before him sat scrolls of knowledge on all of the abilities and powers of both. Somewhere in this temple may be Tessaiga, hidden from him by this wretched woman. She thinks she knows everything, but she has no idea of my capabilities. At his young age he had already battled armies, he had slaughtered enemies his father would not approach, he had traveled these lands making a name for himself since he was but a child. He was ready to defeat only the strongest opponents.
She watched his face. He looked pained, confused. If he asked to stay she would allow it. Toga wanted him to learn about his legacy, about the swords. He knew that Sesshomaru would be his heir, but also knew Sesshomaru still needs to learn the abilities to lead and rule.
As a child Sesshomaru was taught the royal lifestyle from his mother. He was taught how to speak, how to stand. He learned languages and the lands his family controlled. He learned how to order people around, and how to determine that everyone else was beneath him, the latter was rather easy. Unfortunately, he was never taught how to lead. His imperial lessons left him high on a pedestal…alone.
His father was rarely around while Sesshomaru was growing up. Toga had to travel his territory to keep it peaceful and under his control. Therefore, Sesshomaru learned most of his combat skills on his own. Without anyone to teach him real strategy or precision, he was more of a bully than a warrior. His full blood yokai speed and strength easily let him win, and his royal personality made it easy for him to be smug about it.
So he never learned what it meant to truly be challenged. He left home when he was 750 years old, and haunted his father's territory to find foes. In the west, most demons knew who he was by his features and scent, and so none would challenge him in fear of retaliation from his father. Even so, Sesshomaru easily defeated those he came in counter with as they were usually simple untrained demons, that did not require he learn any special techniques. His name became as well known in the western lands as his fathers, but because demons and humans alike would be killed for getting in his way, not due to respect or admiration. He didn't understand true sovereignty or what it takes to maintain it.
Senwahei understood his inept experience, which is why she could not force him to stay. He would never take orders from her unless he wanted to.
"Give me what I want." Sesshomaru said bluntly still staring at the wall of scrolls.
"And what is that?"
"Tessaiga."
"I don't have it."
"But you know where it is." He turned to look at her accusingly.
"You couldn't wield it even if I had it."
He chuffed at her assumptions.
"Tessaiga is out of the reach for a yokai like you…" she opened the cloth hanging for him to exit. "and we don't need yokai like you here."
"I am not some low life yokai fresh out of hell." He straightened himself to full stature. "And this run down shit show would benefit from me being here."
Senwahei continued to hold the door open for him to leave but he didn't budge. "This temple is not here for your entertainment. We train. We work. We nurture the most powerful individuals to use their strengths to keep balance in this world. That doesn't really seem like your speed."
'Most powerful individuals'? This is what I need to be to challenge myself. All in one place. If I can beat these people I can show I'm as powerful as my father. He was a mere pawn here, I could defeat this place and surpass him. I can't know if I have more strength if it is not the same strength.
"Fine…" He said out loud. "I'm in."
Senwahei chuckled at such blatant cockiness. "You're in…" she let go of the door hanging and walked over to him. Senwahei was not short, but she only came up to his chin. Her poster signified that she held the whole temple on her shoulders, and still towered over him in stature. "You will obey all of my rules, you will listen to everything I have to say, and if you harm anyone, I will personally rip you in half and make a scarf out of your fluff…" Her tone had not changed, but her eyes burned with intensity.
Sesshomaru felt frozen in place, as if the air around him had closed in and was holding him still. His muscles wouldn't let him attack her if he wanted to. It wasn't until Senwahei had turned her back to him again that he felt the release of the tension. He was actually happy she couldn't see him having to catch himself with a small step forward as his body had to hold its own weight again. He smiled as she left the room, he was in. He would find the Tessaiga and discover the knowledge to become the most powerful demon in the land, all without even needing to look.
