Hello readers. I was very pleased and amused (electric blue hair?) by your reviews. So let me take a moment to recognize you all. My first reviewer was chica blanca; sorry about the cliff hanger but I really wanted to update, and it certainly would be funny to see Inuyasha looking after a kid wouldn't it? Anyway thanks for your review and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I was also very pleased with the response I got from my next reviewer who also reviewed for the first time. Thanks for your review Dominik Journot and I hope that you continue to enjoy the story. I also enjoyed a very humorous review from my original reviewer byakugan-master93. Thanks for your compliment about the chapter, but I have to tell you that I almost died laughing when I read that you thought Healo had electric blue hair. Still I appreciate your review and hope that you enjoy this chapter as well. Lastly, I want to thank Kaihaku No Iroke for understanding my predicament when it comes to this story. I just can't rush through it. Anyway thanks to all my readers for your support. So this chapter will pick up with what happened after the cliffhanger from the last chapter and will deal with Healo's temptation. What will he do? Let's find out…
Chapter LI
LETTING GO OF THE PAST
Healo's POV
The demon lord sighed lightly as he rested back against what he knew was a tree trunk but he slowly opened his eyes and blinked at the bright sunlight that suddenly assaulted his sight. The Northern Lord stood quickly as he glanced around him looking desperately for any sign of his companions. Healo was sure that he must have overslept, to his embarrassment, perhaps his allies had decided to continue forward so that they could tease him about not waking up on time. He smiled slightly at the thought, he was not without a sense of humor but he was slightly irritated at himself for sleeping past sunrise.
However, the Northern Lord's smile was replaced with a frown when he realized something; this was not where he and his friends had stopped last night. First there was the fact that the surrounding trees were not native to the Southern Lands, but to the Northern. Besides this a shocked and almost frightened expression revealed itself on the demon lord's face when he realized whose scents he could pick up. Absent were any of his friends, but a person from far back in his past was slowly getting closer. His eyes widened further in denial; it couldn't be possible she had been dead for over fifty years.
Finally a beautiful demoness slipped gracefully through the trees on the other side of the clearing. Her sky blue eyes were shining warmly and her golden hair reflected the radiance of the sun as she smiled at the demon lord. She laughed at the surprised look on the Northern Lord's face and asked softly, "My mate is this where you've been hiding? Or more like sleeping," she finished with a light hearted laugh as she looked at him. Healo was stunned by her sudden appearance and said softly, "Avia…" what was this? Had his mate been brought back to life like Kikyo? No. That shouldn't be possible; the witch that had brought back the fallen priestess was dead; he had seen her die in Kagome's memories.
A bolt of pain shot through the Northern Lord's head when he tried to picture the young miko. What was going on with him? His mind grew fuzzy as he tried to remember; she was to be his mate ', But demons do not take two mates,' a cold voice in his mind said. Healo's eyes widened at the truth in the statement, but then who was this girl he had just pictured? Was the miko who only a dream? The young woman's smile became slightly confused as she asked hesitantly, "Is something wrong?" Utterly confused the demon lord glanced at the demoness and asked quietly, "Was it all a dream?"
Avia rushed over to her mate's side and replied quietly, "My love we often see disturbing things in our dreams, but they pass quickly enough." Healo's sapphire eyes clouded as he continued to think then he responded firmly, "This dream or whatever it was; it wasn't disturbing…there was a miko and you…you were dead." The demoness's sky blue eyes widened, but she smiled comfortingly, stroked his face, and said, "My lord it was only a dream; I'm right here." The Northern Lord's eyes hardened as he drew back harshly and said coldly, "No. I held your bloodstained body the night you died, and Sulam he was taken from me by," another painful sting assaulted his mind ", someone."
The Lady of the Northern Lands only shook her head and said gently ", A dream that is all. I am here and certainly have no plans of dieing," she paused to laugh ", and Sulam is only in the next clearing. Shall I call him?" A part of him wanted to jump with joy at her words; it was just a dream there is no such person as, another painful twinge, whatever that hanyou was called. Suddenly Healo's eyes widened again even as the joy he felt was replaced with uncertainty. In his mind he saw a young hanyou weeping by the bedside of his dying mother as she made him promise to look after her soon to be orphaned child.
Unnoticed the demoness's eyes narrowed angrily as she watched the Northern Lord going through an internal struggle. The look on his face did not encourage her at all; if this didn't work then it would be much harder to subdue him if it were even possible. She couldn't fail, she needed Healo to unseal her mother it was the only way she would be able to get her revenge…
Kagome's POV
The miko had been surprised at first to find herself in a strange forest surrounded by trees however when she looked farther ahead she paled at the sight. The Northern Lord was standing in a clearing with a beautiful demoness only a foot or so away. Not wishing to be seen, Kagome ducked behind a nearby tree and peaked from around its side to see what was going on. After listening in for a few moments the young woman realized that this woman was Avia, the Northern Lord's former mate.
Kagome sighed softly as she realized what was bound to happen. Whether this was just an illusion or if it was real he would choose his old mate; it only made sense and besides the miko had already experienced it once. However, the miko was surprised at the feeling of pain she suddenly felt over this likely possibility. She shook herself lightly and scolded herself mentally, 'Come on Kagome this is his mate, besides he is trying to save you from being forced to take a mate.' At this images of all three brothers swam before her and she dismissed them just as quickly; now was not the time for this.
However, the miko was surprised when the demon lord laughed coldly and said, "You really thought that this would work?" The demoness smiled but it was strained and her tone was angry as she said, "What do you mean?" Healo folded his arms in a manner very similar to Inuyasha's and responded calmly, "Avia is dead; no illusion will trick me. Did you really think that your weaker mental abilities could keep me from remembering Naraku, Inuyasha…and Kagome?" The demoness growled, but backed up several feet before stopping and staring at the Northern Lord coldly.
Suddenly her appearance changed as her hair took on an exotic purple that Kagome was starting to recognize quite easily. 'She's one of Healo's ancestor's children,' the miko thought with certainty when she noticed her exotic appearance and her friend's comments about her mental abilities. The Northern Lord asked in a firm tone, "Who are you and where am I?" The demoness continued to stare at the demon lord with her amethyst eyes for a few more moments before saying softly, "My name…is Reanna I am one of the daughters of the great goddess Lilith. We are inside the accursed sword that my stepfather trapped myself and my twin brother in."
Kagome stiffened at her words; there was some one else in here? Unfortunately before the miko could begin to move she heard a calm voice behind her say, "Stand slowly or you will die." The young woman sighed lightly as she carefully stood and was led into the clearing where her friend turned to look at her before saying sharply, "Do not harm her." The man holding her laughed lightly then asked in a calm voice, "Why do you love this weak human?" Healo did not speak for a moment before saying warmly as he glanced quickly into her eyes, "She is to be my mate."
The miko blushed at his comment, but it was swiftly replaced with anger. It was very presumptuous of the Northern Lord to assume that she would choose to be his mate. However, after another second Kagome realized that he hadn't contradicted her captor's statement. Sure she had known that the demon lord was very fond of her, maybe he even liked her, but love? However, before the young woman could devote any more time to thinking about this uncomfortable situation Healo made his move. The Northern Lord flicked both of his wrists in the direction of the miko and the demon that was holding her.
The energy whip from his left hand wrapped around Kagome as the one from his right headed straight towards the demon's heart. Her captor was forced to release her as the miko was pulled near her friend who immediately pulled back his whips and watched their enemies carefully. Kagome carefully studied the demoness's brother who had purple hair with a white strip down one side along with dark brown eyes. The anger and desperation on both of their eyes saddened the miko who asked carefully, "Why were you sealed in here?" Reanna answered angrily, "Because are father was not our mother's mate, the Great Chieftain decided to seal us away just because we loved our mother more than him."
The demon lord responded coldly, "I am sure that this…Lilith was not working for the general good of the world. If you were trying to aid her then my forefather had every right to banish you here." The brother laughed slightly at this comment and said softly, "Our mother did want to do what was best for the world. Both humans and demons are foolish squabbling children who are constantly rebelling and destroying one another. But no more, when our goddess is free she will reign in both species and finally bring peace to this world." Kagome's eyes widened when she heard this. No wonder this Lilith, whoever she was, had been sealed away. She glanced with fear at the Northern Lord, it was now his job to make sure that this monster never returned to trouble the world…
Hey everyone! I am so happy about all the reviews I received and want to say thanks again for your support. So as I said before I probably won't be done by new year which is sad, but that's the way it is. I just can't make myself rush through all of these moments in the story especially since some of them will be important for the ending and for the sequel. I guess you all noticed that I decided to use more of the children or their names at least since they may be out of character in this story. Maybe they will be portrayed more accurately in a different story. So what did you all think about the on-time update? Pretty cool, but I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know what you think and if you're confused about anything. Anyway now you all know that the mother of the imperial line is the figure from mythology Lilith. I will talk a little bit more about her but I won't go into huge details since she is a Western figure whose myth wouldn't fit very easily into this culture. Plus more about her will be in the sequel. Next chapter will hopefully be up within a week. Please review!
