By: EVL5011
E-Mail: EVILWITHAGUN5011@AOL.COM
E-mail: Evl5011@yahoo.com
Chapter 4: The story of Akutenshi and Shibousha Rikugun (Deaths Army)
Two days later, Kagome sat on the lip of the Bone-Eaters Well; she looked towards Ichibousenri Mountain. InuYasha sat on the soft grass with his legs crossed and looked at the small mountain. InuYasha grasped his wounds and felt the sharp burning pains still hadn't healed. Kagome stared into the distance and suddenly remembered something. She still had the piece of paper that Enzeru had given her. She reached into her pocket and pulled out the neatly folded paper. She slowly opened the paper and noticed that it was addressed to her. The paper read: Kagome, by the time you read this I will have already returned to our time. I owe you an explanation on why I stole the shard of the shikkon jewel. Our Agency has discovered some ancient scrolls, which foretell of your journeys, they also revealed the location of the large gateway, a legendary Akutenshi, and finally "Shibousha Rikugun". My superiors want to awaken Akutenshi and his feared army, the Shibousha Rikugun. And last, I know that you and InuYasha will attempt to find the Agency, if you feel bold enough to retrieve the shard of the shikkon jewel. Explore the exterior of the mountain, you will find another entrance. Once you enter, go back to the "Gateway"; it will be undamaged. However, the scrolls predict your demise if you decide to proceed. If the scrolls predictions are true you and InuYasha will die horrible deaths. With our knowledge of the future we will change the Agencies fate. I wish you a lot of luck!
Kagome folded the paper and put it away. She looked over to InuYasha, who was still tending to his injuries; the hanyou looked up and noticed the young girl staring at him. InuYasha wiped the dry blood from his chest and closed his haori.
"What're you looking at?" yelled InuYasha.
"InuYasha, we have to go back to Ichibousenri Mountain." Kagome answered.
"What! Why?" Shouted InuYasha.
"Here…read
this…" Kagome reached in her pocket for the piece of paper and handed to
InuYasha. The hanyou unfolded it and began to read the letter. The expression
on his face became somewhat angered as he finished reading the letter. InuYasha
crumpled the letter and looked up at Kagome.
"So, they found
him and his lost army." InuYasha said to Kagome.
"You've heard of him then?" Kagome asked.
"Yeah, although I thought that it was some fairytale." InuYasha answered.
"So, who is this…Akutenshi?" Kagome asked with her full attention on InuYasha's every word.
"Akutenshi…I've only heard of him in stories, but if he is real, we're in for a battle. Akutenshi was a great warrior. He was once an angel, but challenged the will of the gods. The gods wanted him to destroy humanity, and he refused. The gods banished him to earth, there he created Shibousha Rikugun (Deaths Army), and he used his army to destroy the evil gods. Once he believed that they were all dead, he returned to earth and assumed the form of a mortal man. Unknown to him, three gods had survived his attack. They convinced a powerful priestess that he was going to destroy all of mankind. The priestess sought him out and the two battled a long bloody fight. In the end both severely injured, the priestess retreated to a nearby village to heal. The angel however, dying from his injuries, met face to face with the three gods. They overpowered him and to add insult to injury. They tore his wings off, and corrupted his noble soul. That's why people call him "Akutenshi". In his state he killed the innocent people that he had once protected. His wings regenerated into a charcoal black and over time he turned his divine sword into the Mumei Ittou. He eventually encountered the priestess, she was fully healed by that time, and the two battled once more. The Miko soon realized that the angel was more powerful than before, she summoned all of her powers and sealed him in stone." InuYasha stopped for a second to take a break and looked at Kagome. Kagome thought of how terrible it was for a noble angel to be turned against mankind.
"InuYasha…What happened to the three gods?" Kagome asked. InuYasha thought for a second and remembered the fate of the three evil gods.
"The priestess went out to look for them, and when she found them, she overheard them laughing at the angels' misfortune. They made the mistake of talking about what they did to him. The Miko approached the three gods and killed them with her sword. Her sword was engulfed in pure energy; it easily cut the evil gods down. With the god's dead, she realized that she had cursed a noble angel. She vowed to purify him of all the evil within and lift his curse. However, one fateful day she battled many youkai and quickly became overwhelmed by them. In a final attempt to destroy them she turned them all into stone. Ironically, she was turned into stone too." InuYasha looked down towards the ground and felt slightly depressed after telling Kagome of the Akutenshi.
"I guess if the Agency is planning on reviving the Akutenshi. We have to stop them; after all, his soul is still corrupted. He might still want to kill all of mankind." Kagome added as she stood up. InuYasha thought for a second and remembered what the letter warned. If they both decide to go after the shard of the shikkon jewel, they would both die. InuYasha stood up and nodded his head and agreed to venture back to Ichibousenri Mountain. The two went back to the village and collected some food and supplies. Lady Kaede warned them of the potential dangers, and strongly urged Kagome to take a bow and many arrows. Shippo walked over to Kagome and pleaded that they let him go with them. Finally, Kagome agreed and let the small fox join them on their quest.
The three left the village and traveled back towards Ichibousenri Mountain. Shippo traveled on Kagomes shoulder and noticed that something was bothering her. He asked her in a concerned voice what was on her mind.
"What…Its just that…from what Enzeru said in his letter. We're supposed to die when we finally get to my time." Kagome answered.
"Did his letter say anything about me?" Shippo asked.
"You know what? It didn't, that's strange…His letter was pretty specific. But, it didn't mention you…not even once." Kagome replied. She wondered why Enzeru didn't mention Shippo; after all he was going with them. Kagome looked over to InuYasha and gathered the nerve to ask him another question.
"InuYasha…What happened to the angels army?" asked Kagome.
"It's funny that you asked that, my father once told me that when the angel was cursed into stone. His army also shared the same fate. They say that his army gathered at around his cursed statue and waited for him to come back. They waited so long, that they turned to stone, hoping that one day he would return to them." InuYasha replied.
Kagome wondered what lay in store for them as they entered the forest again. The three traveled for hours and finally reached the small mountain. Once there, they began climbing and hoped to quickly find the other entrance. InuYasha walked along the edge of the mountain and came upon the collapsed entrance. He attempted to lift the large rubble from the opening, but found that the rocks were too heavy for him. Kagome and Shippo both insisted that they look for the other entrance. After finally convincing InuYasha to look for the other entrance, they continued traveling across the narrow ledge. They searched for over an hour and finally came across a small opening on the mountain wall. InuYasha cautiously walked in and noticed a piece of paper stuck on the wall. The paper read: Half-breed, this letter is for Kagome. So, be a good boy and give it to her.
InuYasha handed the paper over to Kagome. She looked at the paper and read the letter: Kagome, I see that you found the second entrance. This is the last warning I'll give you; please turn back, you and InuYasha will die if you both proceed. You can't change what's already been written. Kagome looked at InuYasha and hesitantly continued forward. "I control my own destiny" Kagome thought to herself. Shippo and InuYasha followed behind Kagome. InuYasha walked along her side and asked her what was wrong.
"What's bothering you Kagome?" InuYasha asked while not trying to make eye contact with her.
"If you really must know InuYasha. It bothers me that "We" might be walking to our deaths. Is it even worth it?" Kagome asked. InuYasha was about to answer when Shippo interrupted him.
"Kagome, one thing I've learned is that we control our freewill. No piece of paper can tell you otherwise." Shippo jumped onto Kagomes' shoulder and reassured her that everything would turn out for the best.
The three stopped inside of the cave and noticed that it was beginning to get to dark inside. InuYasha looked around and noticed an unlit torch on the cave wall. Kagome searched through her supplies and found a small flint rock. She used it to create a spark and light the torch. Once the torch was lit, the three continued forward. They walked for minutes until they finally reached a small boulder blocking their path. InuYasha walked over to the obstacle and took a firm grip on it. He slowly lifted the boulder out of their path and revealed the large gateway. Just as the letter said, it was undamaged by the explosions. Shippo wandered inside of the room and stumbled across the body of the lieutenant.
"InuYasha! Kagome! Look!" Shippo pointed at the dead man. InuYasha walked over to him and noticed his discovery.
"Feh! That's the Chikushoume that cut me. Don't worry though, he isn't hurting anybody anymore!" InuYasha smirked. Shippo looked towards Kagome who was standing a few yards away from the large gateway. InuYasha and Shippo both approached her and looked at the gate embedded into the cave wall.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" asked InuYasha.
"No, but I feel that I have to." Kagome answered. The young girl reached into her pocket and pulled out the small glass vial, which held the shikkon jewel shards. She took a deep breath and slowly approached the ancient gateway. InuYasha, Kagome, and Shippo looked at each other and walked into the white light. The second they passed through; their bodies became engulfed in the light and disappeared.
3-18-04
That concludes Chapter 4; I hope that you've enjoyed reading
it. Feel free to E-Mail me with any comments or reviews that you may have.