~HNK~R~

Previously on Chapter 8

"Sir, the base of that group is currently defenseless it is the perfect chance to strike"

Amatsu kept looking at his reflection in the water; the slashes in his face were beginning to fade, "I need that jewel in order to restore my full power, until then I won't be able to defeat that Lord of the West as for Rin , she can be of some use…"

"Very well, we shall attack now"

Hoshi No Hikari 10

Renritsu's Base

FIRE! FIRE! Were the shouts from afar and the chants of clinging metal could be heard in a synchronizing rhythm along with the sound of several footsteps.

Several fire arrows crossed the battlefield converting the base into a roaring furnace, the mix of pitched red and orange danced along with the gray smoke swallowing the terrain. It was pandemonium out there, the crackling sounds of fire consuming the huts with women and children still inside.

DAI! DAI! ,

Dai was running through the field carrying two children when he heard the piercing screams of his name and looked behind. It was Aya holding her one year old son, trapped inside the second level of one of the huts surrounded by the flames. He hands in the children to one of the half demons who were also helping to evacuate the place.

Bring the children and everybody to higher ground, QUICKLY!

YES SIR!, The hanyō with an immense speed had the two children on his back and carried them out.

-"AYA! JUMP! JUMP!"

- She choked "PLEASE SAVE MY SON! PLEASE!" the wailing boy didn't want to leave his mother holding onto her clothes with his tiny fingers as if he knew that if let go he would probably never see his mother again. The roof was starting to collapse and the mother with teary eyes held her boy up untying his tiny fingers from her clothes.

-"PLEASE AYA YOU CAN DO IT JUMP! I LOVE YOU AYA PLEASE JUMP INTO MY ARMS!"

Aya looked at Dai with tears in her eyes and when she was going to make the jump part of the roof started to collapse. She whispered I love you Dai.

-"AYA NOOOOOOO!" The mother threw the boy just before the roof collapsed; Dai managed to catch the young boy and with one last look at the roof that had collapsed completely consuming the hut in flames he said his last goodbyes to Aya.

The base had been completely wrecked and several demons commanded by Amatsu were starting to make their entrance. Dai started to run towards another hanyō and gave him the young boy who was still suffering the loss of his mother.

From the entrance of the base Amatsu's soldiers were fighting with several hanyō's that were trying to buy time for the others to reach the top of the mountain. The remaining survivors were all scattered running at a fast pace trying to reach the top of the mountain and carrying the children. As soon as Dai saw that everyone was already on their way to the top, he drew his sword and made his way to the entrance.

Once in the entrance Dai attacked on the demons in the back and when he was going to make the last hit to its head his hand was seized by another demon. In one swift movement the demon twisted Dai's hand making a crushing bone noise. Dai screamed trying to move from the hold of the demon, the hanyō's tried to finish off with the demons attacking them to help Dai but there was no time. As the demon hastily broke his arm, all that was heard were Dai's blood curling screams as the demon now drew his sword to bring the finishing move, but was stopped by the sudden sound of hands clapping. All of the demons that were attacking the hanyō's came to a halt and the hanyō's looked perplexed at the figure making its entrance.

"I am terribly sorry but Lord Akihito wants me to personally send his regards to the leader of the rebel army against him"

"Amatsu YOU! What are you doing here?" said Dai knelt down on the ground holding his broken hand.

"Ahh there he is the main character of the show this dawn! Let us give a round of applause to the leader of Renritsu! Well about the group of people that you sent I am terribly sorry to say that they are alive but not for long, you see I have sent a group of my soldiers after them, but I must say they put up quite a show back in the castle that Rin was quite something you know. "

"Ha Ha then that means the mission was a success after all the plan was to prevent that treaty with the West and now with that show we pulled the remaining villages of the South will be free of your grasp."

Amatsu pinched his lips trying to compress his annoyance and said , "But you were a fool Dai, you left your base defenseless did you never thought that I already knew the location of this base and that perhaps while you pull out your move in the castle that I might also pull my move on your base?"

"At least many of us managed to escape"

"Think again Dai" Dai suddenly hears screams coming from the top when he finally sees all of Renritsu's survivors being forcefully brought back to the base by an army of demons. Seeing Dai's distressed face brings a smile to Amatsu's face.

-"Let this be a lesson for all, to never cross me!" Amatsu said to everyone.

Well I guess it's time to send Lord Akihito's regards" as Amatsu summoned his weapon to finish Dai one blessed arrow pierced his back.

When he looked back there was Kagome on Inuyasha's back preparing to shoot another arrow and the rest of the hanyō's following behind. Forcefully making Dai to stand up by grabbing his broken arm, he aims his weapon now transformed into a sword to Dai's throat. The rest of the demons seized the hanyō's that were going to help Dai.

Kagome jumps from Inuyasha's back and shoots another powerful arrow to one of the demons and points to Amatsu. Inuyasha is running to save Dai when Amatsu in a swift move slashes Dai's throat, finally ending his life.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Kagome's dreadful screams echoed throughout the whole base.

"YOU IDIOT! DIE!" Inuyasha jumped with the Tessaiga's towards Amatsu who vanished just before Inuyasha could reach him.

~**HNH*R~

Darkness… I tried to bring myself to open my eyes but I couldn't. I couldn't feel anything, was I dead?

-"Hey girl!" someone was shaking me like a ragged doll, it hurt a lot but I think that is a good sign, wherever I am it means that I am still alive.

I tried to move my fingers to let him know that I could hear him, my whole body was heavy but with all the strength that I had I managed to move my fingers a bit, after that I couldn't hear the voice anymore.

I woke up feeling with a pulsating throbbing pain in my head; I could see a bonfire and a cauldron on top. The fire made me remember that time in the village and Kaede, "All the things that have happened since she died".

-"Girl, You finally woke up!", an elder yōkai appeared through the door. "He seemed to be concerned" but I still didn't trust him.

-"OH I'm sorry I haven't presented myself my name is Totosai I am a swordsmith and this is my home."

"I had heard that name before from Inuyasha but I'm not sure."

-" Do you remember what happened?"

"Yes I summoned myself to see Persephone bit instead I ended up in some other part, then a horrible creature attacked me…" I looked at my chest "there is nothing not a mark."

-"Are you alright you look scared, Do you not remember anything?"

"I can't really tell him, it's not like he will believe me", I just stare at him as he moves towards the cauldron and serves something.

-"Here it's tea it will help you."

-" By any chance do you Know Inuyasha?"

-"Inuyasha yes! Are you a friend of his?"

-"Yes my name is Rin I stayed with him and Kagome for a while."

The demon suddenly looked alarmed and regarded me with fear.

-"Riiiin!? Sesshomaru has been looking everywhere for you! "

-"What? Umm I already spoke with him it's all right, calm down, nothing bad is going to happen."

-"Really!? Because he might really kill me if he finds out that you were here and I didn't report you."

-"Look Inuyasha told me once that you know a lot about demonic weapons and such I think you might be able to help me."

I explained everything to him since the start the contract with Persephone, about the weapon and the reaction Sesshomaru gave me when he saw it. Ultimately I showed him the weapon to which he regarded with astonishment.

-"I never thought it existed but I have certainly heard a lot about it from Inu no Taishō, in fact I have a book that talks about it."

He searched among his bookshelf there was a giant veil of dust covering the shelf and books and after a while he finally retrieved one. He stayed for like thirty minutes browsing the book until he found the page he was looking for.

-"Ah here it is see this drawing here that is your weapon , now the strange thing is that attached to it there is another one very similar to it. You see in this text they are referred to as 'Twin Lights' they both represent light and see each one has its one jewel from which they draw their power…" Totosai tried to touch the weapon he couldn't the weapon would burst into tiny fragments of light as soon as he tried to touch it and the same thing kept happening every time he tried to touch it.

-"It seems only the ones chosen for it can hold it , I noticed something strange in you when I found you lying on the ground and it was that you do not have a scent like the other humans. It is as if you were being concealed by magic, a dark powerful one at that. Now I can't help but wonder why would the Queen of the Underworld give such a powerful weapon to a girl she didn't even know."

-"Another thing Rin is I believe that you should be worried about the source of power for this weapon, you see it doesn't have its jewel attached to it , haven't you wondered from where it I drawing its power?"

-"No I never asked myself about its source of power…"

-"That weapon is using your own energy as its power therefore it means that if one day you mastered the weapon and used it in its full power you could perish…"

-" Totosai there must be another way or an alternative source of power for this weapon that wouldn't endanger me"

-"Hmmm perhaps it has something to do with the jewels you see in the drawing each blade has its jewel attached…." Totosai was lost in thought for a second,"Well maybe …no it is too dangerous…."

-"Tell me ! I know you must know something you don't want to tell me."

-"Now I can't its too dangerous if something were to happen to you and Sesshomaru finds out that it had something to do with me he will kill without mercy!"

I knew there was no way around it he would not tell me unless, I remember that Dai once told me that demons are never able to resist a dare they think of themselves too mighty to say no to dares specially if it's against a human…

-"Ok I won't go that dangerous place but surely Lord Sesshomaru would want to know at least tell me what it is so I can convince him to come here and then you can explain to him?"

-"Nice try but I will tell Sesshomaru myself"

-"You know how stubborn he can be… what if he doesn't listen to you and I end up losing my life?" I said those words in the most sweet and naïve tone that I could manage.

-"Oh alright! I have a map I am not sure if it's the real deal but it has the supposed location of a jewel that I am almost positive that it is related to those weapons. Hehehe" He was so proud of himself because he had all of that information, now I have to think of a plan to get the map.

-"Umm ok but can I see the map? Because to be honest I do not believe that you could have such a valuable map. It is impossible for a demon as smart as yourself to have such a map and not having tried to prove if it is the real deal."

"Why you listen girl I have the map but I will only give it to Sesshomaru or Inuyasha. Please understand that it is nothing against you I just can't let you risk yourself by going there."

-"Ok just one quick question do you like games? Are you good at games?"

Now I knew that I had him, he was all smiles and suddenly started to boast about how he would win every single game back when he was young.

-"Oh well it has been so long. I don't think you could win a game against me…"

-"Why girl of course I can! I always win!"

-"Hah! How about this I dare you to play my game and if I win you will at least let me see the map and if I lose you decide what you want."

-"Deal girl but don't start crying when you lose! After all I am a professional and when I win you will stay here quietly until I can contact Jaken or Sesshomaru to let them know that you are safe."

-"Oh all right! It is a deal then. Now the game consists of a dice you see I am six and you will be whichever number you want. The number that comes for three consecutive times will win. If no number comes up three consecutive times it will be a tie."

-"What kind of game is this? How will I know that you are not going to cheat?"

-"You can check the dice if you want to but hey does that mean that you think you might lose?"

-"Fine I am number one! I throw the dice first!"

I felt bad for this because I knew that he was going to lose after all this dice that I have is fixed. This game is one trick among many that I learned with Renritsu, that is how we would trick countless demons into giving information or valuable artifacts.

-"Fine by me you start then!"

Totosai threw the dice and it was six and after the three tries it as all six.

-"It's impossible! I never lose! This dice is fixed" He was all mad now well now it is time to work another trick.

-"Fixed! I would never do such a foul trick but if you don't believe me you can check the dice yourself"

I grabbed the dice and cautiously took out the tiny magnet which is what made the dice roll to the same number. No matter which number if the small magnet was in that number, the dice would always roll in that number. Then I gave him the dice so he could check. He checked it for several minutes and couldn't find anything wrong with it.

-"You were lucky girl! Here is the map no you see it is the real deal! My friend Inu no Taishō would always bring me maps to keep because he knew they would always be save with me and maybe his sons one day could need them. "

I carefully looked at it and gave it back it seemed legit and it had marked a temple that I had never heard about "The Yomi Temple."

-"Now you had your game girl now you wait here while I send Mō-Mō with a message that you are here."

I nodded ok and carefully saw the precise location where he kept the map. He walked slowly which could give me time to look for the map and throw over Totosai one of the sleeping powder that Renritsu often used.

As soon as he left the house with the message I stood up and looked at the window, he was walking far ahead to Mō-Mō. So I searched for the map, it was bent inside a book. I delicately put it under my shirt. Then I heard Totosai's steps coming closer, I threw the sleeping powder in the palm of my hands and moved towards the door.

-"Rin what are you doing? I already sent a message with Mō-Mō to Sesshomaru's castle , you should wait." I open my hand and blow the sleeping powder to his face. He opened his eyes and looked at me with such bewilderment and hurt that it pained me, but it was necessary. Glancing back at his figure sleeping soundly on the floor makes me remember how much I've changed, some time ago I wouldn't have dared to do such things.

~**HNH*R~

Persephone was holding her small mirror, her troubled demeanor portraying her displeasure with what she had seen. She heard footsteps approaching,

-"You are the same as always Persephone"

Persephone with a side glance regarded the figure behind her and smiled,

-"Why Sesshomaru how nice of you to visit but I'm afraid I'm rather busy at the moment, so I can't chat for long."

Persephone felt the strong agitated breeze as it fiercely disarranged her hair and blew away the petals of her poppy flowers. The Queen hastily regarded Sesshomaru and icily answered,

-"Sesshomaru you are as rude as ever, why take it out on my garden?"

-"What do you want with Rin?", Sesshomaru coldly spat.

-"She is simply helping me since I helped her to stand up. The poor girl was devastated; why she wasn't even living anymore she was more of a soul in despair. I provided her with what she needed to start a new life."

-"Seeing the decayed state of this place tells me that the rumors are true, so Hadesu has really perished."

Persephone's normally black eyes were glowing with a hint of red but she still conserved her bored expression,

-"I have no ill intentions towards Rin, when I first saw her she was at the entrance of my garden, it surprised me that she was still alive. She was dying so I saved her life and this is the thanks I get? I later saw that you were with that human it made me curious to see a human beside you considering your reputation…" She pointed towards a poppy flower across the field, the flower had not blossomed yet it was not red like the rest its color seemed pale. "That flower is my newest one it appeared the day I found Rin here and even though I saved her life, the flower still remained here, you know what that means don't you Sesshomaru?"

Sesshomaru couldn't help but to lose his calm and show the pain he was feeling as realization hit him.

-"That flower will never blossom because it has been corrupted, eventually she will perish and even if you manage to save her soul as you have done before she will end up here in my garden, withering away like the rest."

Persephone kneeled in front of the flower and touched one of its petals as it fell down and became completely black. The Queen was so focused on the flower that didn't notice the growing rage of the demon. Sesshomaru grabbed Persephone by her shoulders and tilted her his way, now looking directly into her eyes,

-"Explain how she became like this"

Persephone's shocked expression soon washed away and was replaced by a smile,

-"Oh Sesshomaru hahaha she's a mortal girl that fell in love with a demon and that demon rejected her! It is hilarious no matter how you see it. I in my kindness not only extended her stay in the land of the living but I also changed her live. If you let her be she will eventually resign to the fact that you will never accept her as a lover and live. It is not going to be a happy life as you can see in the flower but it will be a fulfilling one. Not to forget that she is helping me maybe when her time comes I might treat her nice."

Sesshomaru released Persephone from her grasp,

-"I know that you are trapped here so I will let you have your fun in this pathetic garden. I want you to take care of that mirror and watch how I erase that smile from your face, when I take Rin away from your clutches."

Persephone in her rage watching as Sesshomaru calmly walked away pressed her nails so hard against the palm of her hands until her blood started to drip on the ground.

Mountain in the South

One of the soldiers knocked on the door and this opened, a weak voice answered,

-"Come in"

-"Lord Akihito it was to announce that Lady Zen has arrived."

-"Let her in"

The soldier made a reverence and left, giving his way for Lady Zen,

"Father dearest I am glad to see your still alive", said Zen in a cold tone "why have you sent for me?"

-" How nice of you dear to worry about me, I called for you because I want you to keep a close eye on Amatsu, I'm afraid that when he gets close to more power he might try something against me and remember that if I go down, I will drag you with me…"

- How kind of you father, I will try my best to not raise any suspicions from Lord Sesshomaru after all I am running away from you and find information on Amatsu, now is that all?"

- Zen there is also the matter on that human girl I believe she is the key to Sesshomaru, if Amatsu were to fail me…"

-"I know what I have to do" Zen answered in a bored expression and left the demon lord in his death bed.

Authors Note: This chapter was originally longer but I took out one of the scenes and posted it separately since it didn't go with the mood in this chapter. You can find the scene in the prequel to this story called Hoshi No Hikari Memories which you can find now in my profile.

Thank You for your support!