The God of the Demons
The Great Demon Inuyasha: Part 2
By B.C.
Too Good to Be…
Inuyasha could sense a small amount of anger in the air, but it was completely overwhelmed by a great sorrow that flowed through the sky like a river of pain. Why do I feel these intense emotions? Why are they so strong? Even though Inuyasha was a little confused and made uneven form it, he couldn't let the strange voice's previous statement go.
"Hanyou?" Inuyasha snarled. "What do you mean he's just a Hanyou? Show your face and I'll show you what a Hanyou can do!"
"Inuyasha" Kagome said in a frightened voice. Her fear was that it would show its face, and Kagome had no desire to see the appearance of this ominous voice.
Suddenly the wind began to pick up, and the smell of dirt and graves began to fill Inuyasha's senses. Then the earth began to shake, and the hut made of rotting logs began to rise with the earth rising under it. Skeletons of demons and men alike began to poor from it, all the while spewing out a dark red liquid, like puss from an infected wound. The air, now saturated with rot and decay, made Inuyasha's nose burn, and he quickly covered his face with his coat. Kagome, however, couldn't take the smell. She lost her grip on Inuyasha's shoulder and fell to her knees.
"Kagome! Are you alright?" Inuyasha quickly turned and leaned down towards Kagome. She was holding herself up with her right arm, and covering her mouth with her left.
"I'm fine…I just can't take…" she began to cough "it's making me sick." She replied through her hand, and she then fell on her side and passed out. Inuyasha, angered by Kagome's condition, turned around only to see that the hut was now sitting atop a mound of rotting earth and the dead flesh of all walks of life. There was a silence with no wind and no movement. Until, a hole suddenly appeared at the foot of the mound. It looked just big enough for a person to enter.
"Inuyasha is your name. Isn't it?" How did she know me name? "If you are truly a Hanyou then enter, for we may be able to help each other." The voice had lost some of its fierceness, yet did not lose a bit of its creepiness.
"Heh, you must think I'm stupid. Why would I want to walk into that?"
"There is nothing to fear here, Inuyasha. I once knew your father." Inuyasha's body tensed at that statement. "Oh yes..." the voice continued "I knew him well, and that's how I have heard of you. However, I am not sure that you have ever heard of me."
"Then why don't you cut the crap and tell me!" Inuyasha now had his sword drawn and was pointing it at the hut.
"I am Azumanera, the great goddess of the Demons."
"Heh, exactly why should I believe that?"
"We can't begin this way." Her voice was now soft, and all sound, motion, and feeling had gone away. There was complete silence. Then the mound began to glow, and the smell was beginning to disappear. A bright light was now emitting from the hole in the mound, and suddenly there were rivers of light flowing from it, whistling and sizzling as they twisted about. They seemed to swirl in the sky like wild ribbons of incandescent color. After a few moments of their dancing the light began to gather in front of Inuyasha. Illuminated swirls of blue, pink, and yellow sparkled and flickered like holy fire mixed with fireworks. All was gathering into what Inuyasha could only assume was the shape of a human. The spectacle of light was dazzling, and was so bright that it illuminated the entire night sky. In fact, the sky was so bright that it woke Shippo.
Shippo wiped his eyes in an attempt to clear his vision, and looked with his jaw hanging, at the bright light that was lighting the sky. "Sango, Miroku wake up!" Shippo yelled as he shook Miroku who sleeping in a sleeping bag next to him.
"Ah…ready again so soon?" said Miroku, still sleeping, as he stroked Shippo's tail.
"Miroku stop it!" Shippo yelled, and bopped him on the head.
"What is going on?" Sango asked as she began to wake.
"Look, over there." Shippo said. They looked to the west and saw the light blue and pink sky.
"What is that?" said Miroku as he stared.
"Where's Kagome and Inuyasha?" asked Sango as she looked around the camp. "Could they be at the source of the light?"
"I would not doubt it." said Miroku. "Let's go." Sango whistled, and Kirara crawled out from under the blanket. "We have to go Kirara, so let's hurry." she said quickly. Kirara burst into flames, and her much larger form leapt out of the fire. They quickly climbed aboard, and headed toward the source of the light.
Inuyasha had fallen on his backside trying to back away from the blinding light. He used his sword to try and block the light, but it seemed to reflect off everything. Finally, as though they were being drawn in by a magnet, they formed a woman. She was tall with fair skin, and light pink eyes with white centers that seemed to burn with energy. Her hair was made of light, as though it was composed of the sun, and it hung low behind her. Her top resembled a sleeve-less kimono with light blue and green sequence. She was wearing femininely designed armor on her shoulders and arms that looked like it was made from pure silver. Below her waist hung a long skirt that seemed not to end, but simply fade from reality until it was no longer visible. This was no Youkai, thought Inuyasha. This is a real Tennyo. And yet, despite her enormous beauty, there was still that sadness about her; deep sadness, longing, and regret.
"You're…you're…" Azumanera smiled at Inuyasha's amazement. She reached out to him and touched him on his cheek. Tears flowed down Inuyasha's face when she did this, for all her emotions seemed to pore into him.
"You feel my sadness. You feel it like no other, because you are a Hanyou. Do you want to know why I am filled with such sadness, Inuyasha?" Inuyasha could only stare. She was so close to him that he couldn't move; frozen in awe. "There was a time when I was a god, a god without gender. I was the God of the Demons, and all demons, pure or evil, are my creations. I was there when your father was born, but I was not there when he died, for in my foolishness I decided to try and live as a Youkai. However, the form I chose was not an animal-like Youkai, like so many, nor like an Oni. I was a demon of humans, and I looked very similar to the way I do now. I became a Tennyo, and I did many wondrous things and saw many beautiful places as I roamed the earth. Eventually my journey led to a land where I met a man who was wise, kind, loving, and powerful. But unfortunately he was human. His name was Akaneda. He was the ruler of a large land and loved by all his people. At first I stayed with him from curiosity, but as the years passed I began to see him as his people saw him, and I fell in love with him. Only a few years passed before we birthed a child, and we named him Nerumon. Unfortunately, he was not…healthy. Being a Hanyou, something was wrong with him, and he would unpredictably lose control of himself in somewhat of the way I imagine you do, Inuyasha." She smiled when she said this, but it quickly changed to a frown. "He killed Akaneda." She paused. Although her face never flinched, Inuyasha could somehow see that telling this was hurting her heart. "We were punished, severely. Unfortunately, incarnated in my human form I was unable to destroy the city's great army. My son was beaten, his eyes were removed, and they cut him open in the public square. I was killed in battle and burned to dust. Because I was full of so much hate, I could not return to the heavens. Instead, I sold my soul and my powers to keep my son's soul with me. I have become a vengeful ghost of death and rot, a Mononoke." There was a pause. Too long for comfort. "However, I have not lost all my powers" she said in a suddenly inviting tone of voice "There are many things I can still do." The initial awe was wearing off of Inuyasha, and he knew bargaining when he heard it.
"You don't have the power to resurrect your son though, do you?"
"No. Nor do I have the ability to leave this field. I was cursed by the gods for my carelessness, and for birthing a Hanyou. Although I can not leave here, I can see far beyond your imagination. But I must now spend eternity living in my despair as a phantom. That is unless…" Inuyasha smiled. Here it comes he thought. "Unless I can cure my son."
"I don't know what is possible in Kagome's country, but as far as I know there isn't a cure for death."
"Oh, that is not what I heard. In fact, your father new of a cure, and he bestowed this power to your Youkai brother, Sesshoumaru, did he not?"
"Heh…" Inuyasha was becoming cocky "good luck getting it. Sesshoumaru isn't well known for doing favors."
"That is why I'm asking you to get it for me."
"What?"
"Inuyasha, if I did resurrect my son the way he was, he would still be unhealthy, and at anytime could turn into a mindless monster. However, now that I am a specter I have regained some of my holy power, and I can cure his Hanyou blood and make him a glorious Youkai. I can even make you a Youkai too, Inuyasha."
To Be Continued…