Most of this chapter will ironically, be broken up in and of itself. A flashback area, and then an area dealing with each character a bit on their own.

Though also to prevent this from being basically a story of its own size, I've trimmed events down to some extent and simplified a few things. Just because to be honest I can't spent like 5 chapters going over things for a few select characters who aren't the main of the story.

Act II:

Chapter 6: The Road to Hell

1702 AD, Japan, Alternate Reality.

A thick coat blew in the wind as the lone figure stepped off the boat, Portuguese, how he despised them with a passion untold. Everywhere around him he saw the human 'progress'. The disease that was humanity, the disease he had to live amongst in hiding now. The demons of old were slain, slain by the hundreds as humans became more proficient with their 'science'. Only the intelligent survived.

Katsuramaru was of course, amongst these intelligent. His mother had always said as a child he was as cunning and clever as a fox, it was the only statement she'd ever said he felt carried any weight. Even now as he walked by the bustling workers on the thriving human trade port, he felt their stink disgusting him. Even so, he'd come home for business, not for pleasure, and that meant he'd have to put up with more of these disgusting creatures.

He'd traveled to Europe, trying to learn of their ways, the intelligent adapted obviously, and if the world seemed to center on those from the other side of the continent, then he would learn to thrive against them. He found a continent devoid of almost any demonic energies, only running across 3 ancient, powerful demons in his travel, the rest simply being washed away by time, and by humanity. And even in Japan, who was left?

His father, his mother, his brother, he could name few else of any power, and certainly even less of note. His uncle even never awoke from his sleep, being cut down in his cursed state, a half demon no less. Half demons were more common than real demons now, something which further disgusted him, the island would simply digest their blood into the human bloodstream? He nearly spat in disgust at such an idea.

He then felt something in the distance, a pulse of life fading. His mother, he could feel her demonic energy. Well that was fine, the weak old emotional witch, her weakness only served as further justification for her death. She weakened father as well, and certainly had weakened Sutoomu. Beyond birthing him everything in her life was a perversion of what he believed in, of what his father had taught him.

His father was the real reason why he was here, not some ailing old fool who had gotten herself killed. He knew even father wasn't weak enough to go see her now. And good for that, he upheld strength as he should have, something Katsuramaru admired in his father. And his father would test him, very soon.

()()()()()()()()()()

She was sick, he knew she was, ever since that snake demon had attacked in desperation only a few days earlier. Sweat was pouring down her face as she looked around the room occasionally in a haze, as if expecting something.

Sutoomu never knew what to expect, especially now as his mother looked up at him, her face red from the blood rushing to her head. He could just hold her hand and try to remain strong for her.

He'd never been the favored son, father had always remarked of his weakness, as had his brother Katsuramaru. But mother, his mother, had always seen what was best in him. She told him he could go anywhere the wind would take him and he believed her. On stormy nights he would run on all fours into the woods, into the lands.

And that was where he'd met Kei. The human woman, orphaned from her family by tragedy. Even now he could hear the 18 year old rushing behind him. He loved her, to put it shortly. She'd accepted him after their first few encounters, she'd even left her village for him. Kagura hadn't been impressed but even she'd warmed to the girl. And then this happened.

His mother's eyes looked up at him defiantly, her throat swallowing hard again as she tried for breath.

She finally blinked, tears filling her eyes.

"Is your father coming?"

She finally asked in a whisper, her grip on his hand weakening. It'd been three days since the incident, three days since the bite. Sesshoumaru knew of her condition, he would have known two days ago, and there was no scent or demonic aura at all. He wasn't coming. They both knew he wasn't coming now, but she'd asked anyway. He knew his mother cared, she'd just wanted to see her lover one last time. She was lonely, without him around he knew she wouldn't have a soul in the world to even speak to.

"Mom. I... I don't think father is coming."

The words crushed her, she looked less well within seconds of hearing that as tears fell free, she swallowed hard again, before her red eyes looked into his orange, placing a delicate hand on his cheek, trying to nod but so weak now being unable to do so.

"My little boy." She just whispered to him, her thumb pressing against his bone weakly before she started to feel weaker and weaker. "You're all I have to show for my entire life. My precious Sutoomu..."

The hand went limp as he held onto it. Her eyes went blank as life seeped out of them. His chest heaved with grief as he leaned over her.

"Mom please, please don't go I want you to stay. Okay? Mom?"

She was still empty, no life coming forward as he let his head fall forward, his eyes shutting tightly. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair that she was being taken away and no one cared but him. All she'd ever wanted since he could remember was for Sesshoumaru and Katsuramaru to care, and they couldn't even do that for her. Not even while she was in her last moments, wanting nothing more than to know someone cared.

Tears fell freely from his own eyes as he huddled over the corpse of the Wind Sorceress, Kei looking over his shoulder cautiously behind him.

"Sutoomu? Are you alright?" Came the delicate whisper.

"Leave me alone."

()()()()()()()()()()

Golden eyes looked out towards the sea, the waves crashing against the shore as his imposing figure merely regarded it, feeling the salty air of the sea coming over him. She was gone, and he'd remained strong. He'd remained strong and knew not to go in those last moments, to prove he was not a slave to emotion, he was not weak.

And yet even in these moments his heart felt weak, it felt empty. He'd abandoned her to a miserable death, certainly one he may not have been able to stop, but a lonely miserable death all the same. And what of it? She was a mere vessel for his offspring, of which one was only worth mentioning, only one was strong.

Katsuramaru, his son, he was everything he'd ever wanted as a child, strong, ambitious, cold, intelligent, and of course he was also skilled. A son who knew he had a destiny to be the most powerful being alive, a god amongst lesser beings.

Behind him, his son stood only a few meters away as the wind picked up around them, their silver manes of hair being picked up in the wind. It seemed so familiar, to a time long ago.

Father, do you insist on going?

Do you intend to stop me, Sesshoumaru?

I will not stand in your way. But before you go, you must entrust your swords to me.

And if I refuse will you kill me, your own father? Do you desire power so much? Why do you seek power, my son?

The path I walk is the way of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me.

Supreme conquest. Tell me Sesshoumaru, have you someone to protect?

Protect? The answer is no, I Sesshoumaru have no need of such.

What a naive child he had been, making such a pompous claim. He now had things to protect, one of which now stood behind him, prepared to do battle with him as he'd wished to do battle long ago with his own father. To prove he was the strongest being alive. Sesshoumaru looked down at his two swords, Tenseiga and Bakusaiga, in these moments thoughts coming through his mind. He had one other thing to protect, one other thing in these very moments he'd let whither and die miles away, because he was too stubborn to ever admit it.

His eyes only looked forward once more.

"Father." Katsuramaru finally said, stepping forward with ambition in his eyes. "It has been 300 years since my birth, and I believe now I am strongest of our family, and wish to prove this to you in battle."

What shocked Katsuramaru was the absolutely disgusted scoff which came from his father. He blinked in confusion as the wind wrapped around them once more.

"You wish to challenge me, to prove your strength?"

"As you have wished me to my entire life, father."

Sesshoumaru was quiet for a few moments, turning to look his son in the eyes, red met yellow, much as had long ago when he'd met Kagura on his failed quest for the Tetsusaiga. This was his son, the product of his time, the product of his own ambitions, for his son to one day become the Conqueror he never was.

His heart beat more slowly than it ever had when he realized what this creature before him was, it was a wound in the world. It was the wound of Kagura. He had been born of her, and ever since he was six, scorned her. He knew even now Katsuramaru knew of Kagura's death, her suffering, and just as he had his whole life, ignored it. In his son's eyes he saw nothing, no true spirit, only desire. The desire to kill everything which came between himself and his goal.

His father's own words range true in his mind.

"Katsuramaru, tell me, why do you seek power?"

What an odd question. He already knew this answer, why bring it up now? Was his memory going in old age? He certainly hoped not.

"To be the mightiest, father. And to rid this planet of the parasite known as humanity."

"Tell me Katsuramaru." Sesshoumaru then said, his own voice finally being found. "Have you someone to protect?"

Katsuramaru just gave a small, lazy grin as he looked at his father, red eyes playing with delight. "Of course not, much as you have taught me, and true to your teachings, I have not brought such weakness into my life."

Sesshoumaru just nodded to his son, drawing Bakusaiga.

I have found out only too late son, that it is no weakness.

Katsuramaru drew his own sword as well, smiling at his good fortune, and within moments, they clashed.

()()()()()()()()()()

A dying man looked up at him, his own wounds were severe, but not as those of his father, his father Sesshoumaru, who breathed his last breaths in front of him much as his mother had only a few hours earlier.

A dispassionate look was on Katsuramaru's face as he saw his father fighting for life on the ground, his swords to his side, scattered along the beach they'd fought on.

Sesshoumaru only looked to his son in his last moments, in that moment he could feel almost the wind picking him up, trying to carry him away.

Kagura, is that you?

He wondered if it was, or if the final stages of death were driving him to madness. He would not shed a tear however, in these moments. He only reached out weakly, grasping his son's leg.

"I. Sesshoumaru... will see her, in the next...-" He stated, his voice wheezing.

Katsuramaru's face turned from dispassionate to one of pure disgust. Clearly his father's mind had gone with time, and with his injuries. He would end his misery so that he did not have to suffer any further damage to his shame. Asking if he'd see Kagura in the next life. As if he somehow regretted her death. With a swift movement of his blade, the head of Sesshoumaru rolled on the beach, mouth gaped open. He walked over, grasping it by the hair as he tossed his old sword away.

"I thank you for the gift you will bestow on me, father."

With that, he picked up the Tenseiga, fully intent on using the blade only once, and then discard it for the weakness that it represented.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

With the swing of the sword of life, he felt the spirits disappear under its sweep, his father's head returning to life as Katsuramaru looked at the human who trembled in fear in front of him.

"You will forge me a sword from the fangs of this demon. Should you fail to do so, you will die, slowly, as will your family. Is that understood?"

"P-P-perfectly."

()()()()()()()()()()

One Month Later:

He'd found that human filth his brother was breeding with and dispatched of her when Sutoomu had been away, incinerating the body to very ash once he was done, before blasting her scent downwind, away from his brother. It was the only favor he would do for him. Even now the only reason he did not slay his brother was logistics, the fact that Sutoomu was one of the only demons left in the world.

When his brother arrived back, he was confused. Where had his lover gone? Katsuramaru decided it was best not to come back for several days, and did just that. Allowing the abandonment of the woman to sink in.

But when he came, Sutoomu smelt something, something wrong on his brother. It was faint, but the smell of Kei was on him. As was father's.

"You don't normally come around here, Katsuramaru." The younger sibling said, to his right, the grave of their mother.

"Did you finally decide to at least show enough respect to her to visit her grave?"

"Such weak sentiments, brother." Katsuramaru remarked with little compassion. "I came because I may be in some need of you."

Sutoomu's eyes were drawn to the strange new sword, he could feel its familiar demonic energies. Father?

"Where did you get that sword?"

"I earned it."

"Where!"

"If you must know. I proved myself to father, it is his fangs."

His fang? Father was dead as well? Sutoomu's eyes were now staring at Katsuramaru in horror, pure horror. Had he not done enough?

()()()()()()()()()()

What had Kagome really taken from him? It was a good question to ask especially now as he looked up into the air, or at least the Sword Bearer did. It was a warm day outside, there was a warm breeze, and there were also six of him, he thought with some small extent of amusement.

She'd taken Kei from him, that much he was almost certain of. And... and she must have had something to do with the snake demon. Well not that was impossible, but...

Well there were the other people he knew, kind of.

He felt it becoming harder and harder to hold rage against-

"Little brother, what are you doing exactly, lounging about?" Katsuramaru asked, his tall figure looking down at the Storm Demon and his incarnations.

"I was relaxing, trying to think-"

"You've never been good at thinking, dear brother, perhaps you should try something else, like action. How else will our revenge be served?"

Sutoomu was an easy puppet to guide, which was all he really needed. Once his role was through perhaps he'd dispose of him, if he felt his uses were outweighed by his foolishness. He felt his own sword on his back pulse, as if resisting his behavior before he looked ahead towards the horizon.

"I was thinking about the girl, Kagome-"

"The one who destroyed our time."

"Yes. I just... I can't think straight."

"Then don't think at all, like I told you. Do you not feel your anger at her brother?"

Sutoomu just lowered his head before he felt his shoulder grabbed harshly, being pulled into the air.

"You are a being of hate little brother. Mother abandoned you in favor of death, and your own woman abandoned you for your weakness, and Kagome made sure they never even existed. Think on that level, and stop being so weak."

He was right, Sutoomu said as his eyes filled with rage, shoving the other demon away from him as he looked ahead.

"Now, Jikininki has informed me that he has learned many secrets of the Shikon Jewel, I want you and your copies to begin collecting fragments. Once we have the entire jewel, we will have the power to purge the humans from this island. Our island, brother."

Even as Sutoomu dashed away into the winds themselves to begin hunting down these shards, he did hear one tiny voice in the back of his mind.

"My little boy."

()()()()()()()()()()

The form of light swirled and shifted as it began to circle around the figure of Katsuramaru, his eyes following it. It finally stopped before shifting upwards in front of him.

"Jikininki, it has been some time since your last report to me."

"I apologize Lord Katsuramaru, and submit myself before your power."

A roll of red eyes came from the physical figure before just inclining his head towards the demon-spirit.

"I have learned yet more information, my Lord. On how to use the power of the jewel." The figure remarked.

"I only agree that this jewel you have spoken of is worth my time because of its ability to destroy the humans of this island. You mean to tell me you had no idea how to use it until just now, yet asked me to find it several days ago?"

"Well my Lord I- ACK!"

The spirit fluctuated rapidly with green energy before shrinking in size, shrinking away from its overlord.

"Do not presume me a fool in the future, Jikininki."

"... Of course... Lord Katsuramaru."

()()()()()()()()()()

Pain wasn't so bad, at least physical pain wasn't. His pride had been wounded the other day, Bankotsu decided and that pain he felt. Getting knocked out by Inuyasha, how disgraceful. Of course he'd just been interrupted in a fight with Sesshoumaru, and fallen through a floor. At least he hadn't been half crushed by the floor like Goshinki was.

All the same he sat, looking miserable as he noted Menomaru hadn't really asked anything of them since he got up. He was betting his welcome was starting to become unwanted, in fact he would do more than bet, he had Goshinki around.

"You are correct, Bankotsu. Menomaru is running out of need for us. He thinks that Kaguya may be more lethal if he feeds us to her."

Bankotsu immediately stood up, even if it strained his aching body to do so.

"Well, back in the Band of 7 we also had one other policy. When the employer wants you dead more than your enemy, its time to move on."

"How very wise."

()()()()()()()()()()

"Well, it would seem it is only you and I now Kaguya."

Menomaru stood atop the massive tree itself, the very tree that was his fortress as he looked out across the what seemed to be nearly the entirety of the island of Japan. This was soon to be all his, though he was beginning to have second thoughts on Kaguya. This creature was dangerous and would have to be monitored with great care. He knew Bankotsu and Goshinki had left only moments earlier, his moths had told him of this.

He would need other pawns to play his game, and of course, he would need to destroy Inuyasha. The failure to kill Sesshoumaru had been regrettable, but he was of little consequence now. He was more concerned if anything with that wretched creature Katsuramaru.

Even now however he felt his minions in the forestry below, his smile only grew before he turned to his... uneasy, ally.

"So. I find it fascinating that you decided to consume half-demons you'd made to resemble my powers. Perhaps you are trying to prepare yourself to betray me, Kaguya?"

"In order to ensure peace, Menomaru, prepare for war."

"Hm, too true." Menomaru then said, cautiously eying his ally.

Menomaru's wrist then flicked upwards, the sky seemingly shifting from light to dark as moths fluttered through the air, and the ground rumbled below with demons from the continent.

"Find every human you can until night falls, and kill them all." Menomaru ordered from above, as the trees below bustled violently with the march of his army of demons, a sly grin coming across his face before he turned to Kaguya.

"And I suspect you want more of me for our agreement, do you not?"

"I only continue to work with you Menomaru, for the hope of consuming that priestess girl who helped Inuyasha destroy my original body, and of course to kill Inuyasha himself."

"Well, that certainly settles that then, now doesn't it?"

"And to destroy Katsuramaru, I suspect we will need help." Kaguya then said. "The help of the Shikon Jewel."

End Chapter.