He could feel it. The power, the hunger, the desire to kill. He was soon to be ruler. Everyone had thought of him crazy, that he was never a true ruler of the Southern Lands. This was not going to be the case; especially for Sesshomaru, considering he always protected and served as the Majestic Cold Lord. But who cared about children or women unless they were used for toys? He didn't care. He simply didn't care.
Which lead to the death of his wife. He had killed her because she had interfered. He thought she was more than that; he expected her to listen to everything he did and say it was right. Because it was right! But no, she had to go and try warning their eldest of the plans. She was a beautiful demoness, yes that was true, but like they say about felines;
Curiosity kills the cat.
Leiko had told him everything that had gone wrong at the Eastern Palace. He had been so close to assassinating that pest of a woman. He couldn't tolerate her, even after he would take over everything.
But to find out that she was still alive, he made everything speed up faster. He would not have her, a pest, destroy his plans. War was going to happen, and he was excited for it, for he knew - he was damn positive about it - that when everything ended, he would be the new Emperor of the Lands. And nothing would stop him.
Absolutely. Nothing.
Hotashi was broken out of his thoughts when he saw the shadows filling up behind him and his hypnotized soldiers. The shadows were anxious, he could feel it. He was too. He looked back ahead and smirked evilly as he sighted the Northern Kingdom warriors and Lord Kouga himself walking forth.
Then the Eastern Kindgom with Lady Azumi. He was, least to say, shocked for the day when he saw his servant—former servant now—walking next to Lady Azumi. Hotashi scoffed in disgust at the thought of Tadao actually being his servant all this time. He knew one day he would betray the more powerful kingdom for love.
'Pathetic.' He thought.
The final Kingdom to arrive was the Western, with Lord Sesshomaru and Amaya—no, Leiko—leading them forth. Everything was set in place, and everything would go horribly wrong for them when they fought him.
"Lord Hotashi!" Lady Azumi shouted. "This is your last chance. This is all of our last chances to reclaim peace for good!"
"Too late, dear!" He said in his viciously deep voice, his eyes already turning into his demonic dark red-black shade. "You all should've accepted my offering before and things would've been a lot less…blood and pain dealt." He let out a hysterical and dark laugh that echoed the lands of the Grand Ball Palace. Every soldier except for his own shuddered in unbeknownst fear and doubt.
He glared at Sesshomaru with a twisted grin. "Too bad that everything has gone wrong for you, boy! You were never suited for ruling any lands. None of you were! And that's why I'm taking the throne to the next level, while you all shall perish under my power!" He roared. His soldiers cheered in frightfully excited agreement.
"FATHER! STOP THIS AT ONCE!"
He snapped around to see his son, by Kami his own son, running towards the center of the soon-to-be battlefield. "Haruko! How dare you!" He snarled menacingly.
"Why are you doing this?!" He countered back, standing up straight and glaring his harden purple eyes tinted with deep amber yellow. "Why are you trying to take over everything! Why betray us—"
"It is not I who has betrayed, my son. It is you and all of them that didn't stand by my side when I gave them every possible chance! But now, looking at you, I do not see my son. My son would've stayed with me as well and fought to kill this life of so-called peace. The shadows and I will take over everything, and I mean everything! And there will be nothing you can do to stop us. War is everything! Power is everything!"
Haruko flinched like he had been slapped at the sound of those insane words. Aneko, also in her humanoid form, turned to her mother and the Northern Kingdom side. "Please Mother! Kouga! Don't do this! War between the Lands should never be broken out again! Stop this now!"
"Silence, Aneko!" Kouga shouted, though his voice contained the hints of pain and betrayal. "It's gone too far. I'm sorry!"
Aneko whirled around in hopes to seek out some assistance from Sesshomaru. But she only saw that his eyes, his whole face, though it placed out as emotionless, she could see the disappointment and hatred in it. And the fact that he was standing close to Leiko disguised as Amaya. Her heart broke.
They had betrayed each other, along with everyone that walked with them.
Hotashi glared at the princess of Lady Azumi, seeing how close she was to Haruko. 'So, Haruko has fallen for a pest. Even more useless to the throne than I had expected.' He thought with disgust. He glanced over his shoulder and nodded to his sniper archer.
"Kill them."
The shadow bowed obediently. He pulled out an arrow and notched it quickly, and taking aim just as fast. He'd never missed a shot; ever. When he had a clear view of his target, he sent fatal shadow poison into his arrow. He pulled the arrow back farther, before letting go.
Haruko heard the sharp but silent twang of something shooting off, followed by the high-pitch whistling.
And it was getting close; fast.
He turned to Aneko and screamed for her, just as Lady Azumi did so too. "ANEKO!"
Another high-pitch whistle flew over his head. He looked just in time to see a purified arrow come in contact with the shadow arrow. The two exploded in midair, making a loud 'BOOM!'. Haruko spun around to the direction in which the shadow arrow had been shot from. He gasped when he saw another arrow filled with shadow poison again coming at them. This time, Haruko placed himself in front of Aneko to protect her. Even if he died, he hoped she would protect the children with their love.
The arrow came closer but, again, was exploded in midair a second time; this time being from a shadow blast much stronger than the poison. Everyone turned to face the shadow blast's direction, including Haruko and Aneko. Relief and shock made Haruko's heart stop, but a smile spread wide on his face.
"Amaya!"
Hotashi stared at the shadow wolf standing proudly next to a beautiful priestess, who possessed unimaginable power judging from her aura. They both had determined faces on, and he knew his plans were shattered.
His daughter, Amaya Narakura, had yet again destroyed his plans.
-o-
Kagome jumped onto Amaya's backside and held on as the shadow wolf landed beside her kin and friend with one leap. Stepping off, she turned to face the Norhtern Kingdom. Aneko turned again to her mother of the Eastern Kingdom. Haruko continued to glare at his betraying father of the Southern Kingdom.
Amaya, with heavy feet, turned to and stood up against the Western Lands. And Sesshomaru as well.
"Kouga!" Kagome spoke first. "This is wrong! None of you, nor of Sesshomaru or Lady Azumi should be doing this to one another. It is all of Hotashi. He is the cause of the chaos, as you can see now." She threw a hand over to the Southern Kingdom warriors. "The shadows are the real cause. They are his warriors. He is the reason for the loses on everyone's lands and villages. He's a murderer in every way possible!"
"Now do you understand more, Mother?!" Aneko screeched angrily. "He tried killing us here in your eyes! We must join and defeat his army of shadows, not be separate and fight one another for nothing!"
"Father, you are going to face your end here and now. Even after you and Amaya, or should I say Leiko," He glared at her, smirking inwardly when she had a horrified face on her face. "You took my sister's flesh and bone only to replace her with yours and take her place to fool us all!"
Sesshomaru looked at Leiko coldly. "Is this true, Amaya? Are you not…Amaya?" He hissed dangerously low. Amaya herself could tell that he didn't believe them just yet. He needed more proof.
"Of course not, my love!" Leiko lied so easily and swiftly, bringing a hand up to his striped cheek. "They're lying. I'm here for you and you to me. I'll fight beside you forever." She said it almost as if she really was Amaya.
Almost.
"Sessho!" She howled in pity. "Please, don't let that witch fool you! Please, I'm the real Amaya!" Sesshomaru snapped his head in her direction, taking her in with disgust written all over his face. Amaya felt it and she shrunk back a little.
"Liar!" Leiko stood up and glared at Amaya. "The real Amaya would've never left her mate and gone off on her own, now would she? I'm Amaya because I love and I am his mate!"
Amaya heart felt like it was being stabbed. She didn't know what to do to prove herself. She frantically looked at her friends, but was met with only fear and uncertainty. 'Even they were still doubting me!' She thought.
"No…No…don't do this to me…I'M NOT THE IMPOSTER!" She roared. Suddenly, her dark markings glowed brightly, blinding everyone. It didn't seem to dim away, only growing more and more bright with every second that ticked by.
"Kami, prove to me that I'm real!" She cried out in wailing sadness. Her bones started to crack, her fur dissipating, her whole being was morphing.
Amaya opened her moon eyes in the light. She looked around to see that she wasn't standing in the dark world of the Feudal Lands. Currently she stood, confused and scared, in a beautiful grass field. Daylight actually was amongst this vision.
"My love…" A voice spoke in a melodic call; the voice that she had left behind many centuries with mourn and sadden love.
Amaya turned to see a beautiful man standing a few feet away. He stood just as tall as Sesshomaru, looked youthful as the day she had mated with him, his long black hair tied up in a topknot. He wore no armor, but instead a handsome blue and black kimono with white fire on the sleeves and had on black hamaka too.
He was wearing everything she remembered of their mating ritual and then their marriage ceremony. Her eyes welded up in newly shedding tears.
"Naoki…Naoki!" She cried, raced over to his open arms. To feel his warmth surround her cold body, to feel him once more, her first mate, her first love, was something she wished to have one more time. "My darling, everything is so wrong now…Sesshomaru…he's…" She trailed off, suddenly feeling embarrassed to talk about her current love now.
Naoki just laughed, pulling her head up to look into his copper green eyes. "I know. I've been watching you, just like I promised. He doesn't believe your words because he is under control. Though he doesn't know that either." He said softly, leaning down till their foreheads touched.
Amaya choked on her sob. "Please, Naoki, I can't stand being pushed away again. Not anymore! Oh please, my first love, how can I tell him how…"
"Amaya, do you love him enough to risk your life to protect him? To stand beside him and love him as much as you loved me and even more? Forever and eternity?"
She knew what he was telling her; it was a win-lose sort of solution. He would protect her and assist her, but in the end it could potentially kill her. But it was worth it.
Because she loved and cherished her Ice Prince.
"Yes." She said, not breaking his gaze. "I do! Give me strength, Naoki, not pain, and still love me even after I claim another."
"Always have. Always will." He whispered. Their surroundings grew white and bright like the sun. Then, he too, grew as bright as everything around them, his form transforming into a white crow.
It engulfed her form, first flowing into her markings, turning them a creamy white, then her blood and body. She could feel his strength, their love help her prove everything that was thought to be lies by everyone watching.
Haruko, Aneko, everyone, gasped at the spectacularly beautiful woman in black now standing where Amaya had been. Kagome could see the markings shining through the black kimono with white flames on it. Though her eyes were still moon white and non-pupil, she could see the determination of a cougar, the leadership of a wolf, and the dominance of the inuyokai dog flow in them.
It was Amaya alright, and she was back and stronger than even Hotashi could start comprehending.
I APOLOGIZE FOR THE ABSENTCE! The house was being worked on and my family believed it was not allowed to stay in until today! Plus! I had a wedding to help out at. There will be THREE CHAPTERS uploaded! All of which will concluded most of your tensions! R&R please!