Ok so I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter. I hope I don't sound desperate, but I really do want reviews. Well here we go with the next chapter. I am going to show some of the behind the scenes stuff. I really struggled with how much to show but I will show some of the details. Please read & review, and ask others to read it. Even if you don't like it let me know.
Chapter 10
THE PATH OF A HERO
What could he possibly say? He, just like everyone else, was stunned by the demon lord's claim. Inuyasha's eyes were wide as he thought ', Is it possible. Could Healo have caused Kikyo's death?' The hanyou turned away as he heard everyone's whispers. Healo's voice said softly ", I want to explain everything…or at least what I think you deserve to know." Inuyasha looked into his brother's blue eyes and could see the sorrow and sincerity there.
The hanyou had reservations but he found himself nodding as he said ", Alright. I'll hear what you have to say." The demon lord gave a small smile and said ", That's all I ask." Healo then turned to regard the rest of the group and said ", We will meet you in the garden soon." Inuyasha saw Kagome hesitate but she gave a sigh and turned to follow the guards deeper into the magnificent structure.
The peasants began to file away when they noticed that the excitement was over but Inuyasha didn't really notice. Healo caught the hanyou's gaze and said ", I know that you have probably heard some very disturbing rumors about me." Inuyasha gave a weary nod to the statement which the demon lord took to mean that he could continue. "That means that you will be able to understand most of what happened. Before I begin would you care to explain to the circumstances behind your relationship with the miko who guarded the Shikon no Tama."
Inuyasha's ears folded and his gaze dropped away. This is what he had been dreading about finding his brother. These explanations would be very painful for him. Still he cleared his throat before beginning confidently ", After I left the North I traveled for a while just seeing the country." The hanyou paused as he glanced at his brother who looked politely curious so he continued ", It only took me a short time to realize just how many people hated me for being a hanyou. Humans, demons, even other hanyous who were afraid that since their was another hanyou in the area that someone would kill us all."
His eyes darkened further as he said solemnly ", I struggled for a while to prove myself to them, but then I just stopped caring. As long as I was a hanyou they could never respect me." His eyes lit as he paused for a moment and continued ", But then I heard the stories about the sacred jewel. That it could be used to accomplish nearly anything. That was when I decided that I needed to become a full fledged demon."
Inuyasha glanced at his audience afraid that he had revealed a little too much. Healo did look a little disappointed but he said caringly enough ", You may go on." The hanyou grinned a little as he started again ", When I finally found the village I met Kikyo. At first all I cared about was getting the jewel but when she kept sparing my life I began to fall for her. She finally pledged to be with me if I would consent to becoming a human. I resisted at first, but we both knew that it was only a matter of time."
When the hanyou paused for breath the demon lord decided to comment ", Inuyasha don't you see the mistake that you made? You allowed others to make you believe that you were inferior to them," he sighed softly then said ", I know all too well how it ends. Very well, I wish you had swallowed your pride and returned to the North. Perhaps I would have been able to avoid so much bloodshed." This last statement was spoken in such a regretful tone that for a moment Inuyasha said nothing.
However, he needed to know what had happened so he asked ", What happened?" The demon lord seemed to sag lightly as he breathed slowly, then he straightened proudly and began. "Only a year or so after you left Bianen decided that he wasn't happy with controlling a third of my territory. He was annoyed at the amount of support I had among the other lands, but especially among the Eastern Lands human population. So he decided that I must be taught a lesson. He used a weak pretext to send troops in secret through the wastelands just north of the territory he had stolen from Sesshomaru. This caused a war."
Healo seemed to weaken again as he closed his eyes and continued ", It was a lightening strike against the palace. Bianen hoped to kill Avia and I, and to then rule the North in Sulam's name. For good or evil I had decided unexpectedly to attend the negotiations with the imperial regent that was supposed to attempt to solve the conflict. I arrived back in the palace two hours after the attack, but it was too late."
Inuyasha's face paled as he said ", No." Healo looked up and the hanyou could see again the depth of his pain as he slowly nodded and said ", Yes. I gathered what troops I could find and went after the murders. When I found them they surrendered my son to me. Luckily for them he was unharmed though that did not allow them to escape their fate." The hanyou looked confused at the demon's words and so he said with deep regret ", I killed them all."
At first the hanyou felt a cold shock at the statement but then he had a memory of waking up and finding many dead human bandits. 'That doesn't excuse him but at least I can partially understand his actions.' Healo gave a warm smile and said ", There is not a day that goes by that I don't regret that choice," he sighed as he said softly ", but unfortunately I made far worse decisions. I decided to fight an offensive war against the demoralized Southern troops and had soon regained the territory that was held against me since my ascension."
The demon shook his head softly and said ", However, there was a problem. Sesshomaru began a war to subjugate the panther demons almost as soon as you left. Bianen of course threatened to go to war with Sesshomaru so he asked me to provide him with aid. I made the decision to deny Sesshomaru's request because I felt that the North wasn't ready for war yet. Your brother was successful but I think he held a grudge against me since I didn't help him as much as he wanted. In any case when I went to war against the South he decided that I didn't deserve any aid."
Inuyasha nodded in understanding. He knew how proud his older half-brother was. His behavior didn't shock the hanyou in the least. However, Healo's as he unfolded the next part of the tale did. "I was impossibly successful I drove the enemy all the way across the Great River when Bianen finally conceded defeat. I was at first given all the territory north of the river. Almost half of the West was under my control so Sesshomaru demanded a large portion of the area. I was very angry but I agreed to give him the territory."
A dark glimmer entered into the demon lords eyes as he said ", However, while my army was returning a band of thieves attempted to steal our supplies. My guards brought me the leader of this band. He was a pathetic little bandit named Onigumo." Inuyasha stiffened at the name as he began to see how the pieces were starting to fit together. "He was afraid that I was going to have him killed so to dissuade me he told me about the sacred jewel. My grief over my mate's death was common knowledge and he suggested to me that I could use the jewel to bring Avia back to life."
Healo smiled sadly at the hanyou as he asked ", I suppose you can guess what happened next? I gave Onigumo the use of my spies and told him to find the sacred jewel and to retrieve it no matter the cost. When he came back about a decade later he had completely changed. I could sense that he had somehow become a half-demon but I didn't care I wanted the sacred jewel. My anger when he told me of its disappearance was something to behold. Alas, that I didn't kill that fiend then. Instead I slowly fell under his influence, but he never could learn to control me. Still he was able to poison my mind against Sesshomaru and even Magus."
Inuyasha stood in silence for a moment before asking ", What happened next?" Healo sighed and began again ", I began to make very strong demands to Sesshomaru. I commanded him to give me all of the territory I had won back. When Magus learned of my madness he kidnapped Sulam and stole away into the West. Onigumo, or as he now calls himself Naraku, convinced me that a conspiracy was planned. I added the return of my brother and son to my demands. When he refused I made a terrible decision. I struck out with my army. They were terrible battles and at first they accomplished nothing, but destruction on both sides but then I finally had him."
The demon looked into the distance as he continued ", I had finally trapped Sesshomaru's army with their backs to the Silvan River when I finally realized what I was doing. I commanded all of my troops to cease their operations and met with Sesshomaru. When I did so I found out exactly where the conspiracy was. Naraku had been secretly raising an army in the North to take over their and he had convinced Bianen to attack as well. Our situation was very grave. Both of our armies were damaged and we faced odds of four to one. I decided that I would go attempt to find aid. Somehow Sesshomaru was able to hold off Naraku long enough for me to return with an army of wolves lent from the Eastern Mountains. We chased them back into the North but then we could go no farther."
Here he paused in sadness then continued ", Naraku's army had already killed or captured most of the people of the Northern Lands. Those who did survive brought only themselves when they fought their way across the River Drianan. The North was, and still is, occupied. So I made a deal with Sesshomaru. Since I had broken the treaty between us for five years I agreed to serve him for fifty."
Inuyasha shook his head in wonder and said ", You served Sesshomaru for fifty years?" Healo only nodded and said ", It was a most fitting punishment. Not only had I broken my word to him, but I also shattered his country, and ironically, caused my own lands destruction. But that is in the past. At last the land has recovered and the people are strong and willing again. We have another chance. That's why I asked you to come. Together we will destroy Naraku.
Yay! So I know that this one is a little short but it is 9:00 so what do you expect? There will be a lot more detail about these events later but for I know I think you get the picture. Next chapter is going to be the revealing of Healo's plan. Review so that I can update. Probably Monday or Tuesday I'll update if I get a review! REVIEW!!!
