Howdy-doody. It's me again, with another exciting installment of my story.
*Sob* *Choke* *Sniff* Sorry for all the emotional stuff, but I've finally broken that barrier...100,000 WORDS!!! I did it! I never thought it would be this long but it is! 100,000 words! That's enough for a book! I don't believe it...I honestly do not believe it...Out of 16,873 stories on Inuyasha on ff.net, mine is only one of 41 that broke that accursed barrier. *Tears stream down face* I actually did it! And I'd like to thank those who have been reviewing since the beginning: Kai19 (without whom I would have much less inspiration to keep writing), hersheykiss1012, cinnamin girl, AssassinReiX, and Jou-chan/kitsune-chan/shiro-okami (keeps changing her gol'darn name!). All of you have been instrumental in keeping me working on this project. And I'd also like to extend a big thanks to ALL my reviewers; past, present, and future; because without you, this story would never have sprung from my mind.
You know, I'm really beginning to run out of ideas for these intros and end taglines, here. I've done what, 42 of them now? Each? It's not easy coming up with all of this stuff on the spur of the moment. Actually, it is the spur of the moment. I've decided on a regular once-a-week update schedule. Here's the foreseen forecast.
Day 1 (after posting chapter) Add some token words to story.
Day 2: Think 'Eh, I've still got a lot of time left. Besides, I just rented a new game.'
Days 3-6: See Day 2.
Day 7 (8:30 PM): Realize 'AAAAAAAAAAA I need to update TODAY!' Write furiously.
That's how this week went. This chapter went a lot easier than most. Much easier than my vaunted lemon chapter, which took a lot of effort even to sit down and write. But, I blather on (as I am wont to do). Reviews away. (When I want to switch points in my review responses, I'll separate them with an * so you know. Too much spacing in my last chapter.)
Kai19: Homework problems? Understandable. I have Ratchet & Clank problems, myself. (That's a video game.) What matters is that you reviewed. * Did I mistakenly write this story down somewhere before, and you're just reading it off? Or are you that good at predictions? Geez, you should start buying lottery tickets, you'd make a fortune. That bit about Koga was spot-on. * Yeah, Kagome just needs to be in the spotlight for once. I've portrayed her as the 'damsel in distress' quite enough, now she needs to shift into 'ass-kicking damsel' mode. * The bit about the General's plans for the jewel...so sorry, he's not spilling the beans just yet. Wait awhile.
demonness: Well, you're about to find out.
Ryguy5387: Thanks a billion.
AssassinReiX: because Because BECAUSE.
hersheykiss1012: That's quite the trick, isn't it. It's not easy to do, but I do my best. Of course, I AM the best, aren't I?
...: Well, perhaps he improved his swordsmanship over the years.
cinnamin girl: Whew. *Mops brow with damp sponge* All right. Here we go.
Ch. 34: Yes, it is my first fic. * Ch. 35: Lovely. * Ch. 37: She DID feel it. And he is upset. Read on. * Ch. 38: Yes. Yes he is. * Ch. 39: I already did. * Ch. 43: He normally doesn't sleep. He's not used to dreaming. Tell your boyfriend to read this story. He might learn something. * Ch. 44: I don't know why Inuyasha always thinks of Kagome last. Perhaps if he thought of her first, he would never get around to thinking of everyone else. As for the capital letters, he's a belligerent kind of guy. No, I think the General has a good reason for always standing around. We don't know much about his childhood...(hell, I don't know much about his childhood) Tybalt is annoying, isn't he? Yeah, it took me a while to come up with his speech about sunsets and such. * Ch. 45: SLASH??? *goes and boils eyes* Ow. Now I have to increase the prescription on my glasses again. Thanks a lot. No, he never dies. He's just aggravating that way. My cliffies suck in that they are terrible, or they suck in that they make you want to know what will happen next? I MUST KNOW! There's a cliffhanger for you... It will last very very long, if I get my way.
SSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTTTOOOOOOOOORRRRRRRRYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!
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Chapter 43: The Answer Man
Tobias, forgetting his injuries, charged at the General. The General had only time enough to sigh as he nimbly dodged Tobias's bull rush. Tobias, unable to check his momentum, tumbled to the ground.
"Why is it, that every time we meet, you attack? You must realize, boy, doing things like that is not the best strategy. We will battle...there are no uncertainties as to that, but here is not the place and now is not the time." He sheathed his sword. "I simply wish to clear up some misunderstandings. I give you my word that I will not harm you in any way for the duration of my visit. Do I have yours?"
Before anyone could respond, Koga launched himself at the General with a feral howl. The General raised his sword, the tip glowed blue. A fine mist of sparkling particles flowed from the tip and coated Koga, who froze in his tracks, seemingly unable to move.
"I am not amused," the General said shortly. "Get back with the others, or suffer the same fate as the rest of your kin." Koga was flung violently back towards the group; and even then, Inuyasha had to hold him down and stop him from attacking again.
Tobias looked at Inuyasha, who glared right back at him; then he looked at Kagome, who nodded faintly.
"You're hurt now, Tobias," she said softly. "There's no use attacking him now."
"Listen to Kagome. Despite my earlier thoughts, she appears to have some sense after all." Kagome glared at the General, who returned it with one of his trademark impassive stares.
Growling and muttering, Tobias planted himself back with the rest. The others were now fully awake, having finally shook off the effects of the potion. Miroku and Sango stared with wide eyes. Shippo trembled and clung to Kagome's skirt.
"I came here today because I must discuss some things with you all. There have been various conjectures raised about my motivations, and I would like to put these to rest. You were wondering why it is that I kill." He walked over, a little closer, but still maintaining his distance. "There are two reasons. Unfortunately, the first you will not believe, and the second you will not accept. I know enough about you, boy, to tell that right from the start."
The General stood silently for a moment, pausing to let his words sink in. Inuyasha responded first. "Just tell us already," he snarled. "We haven't got all day."
"Very well. My schedule is also a busy one. So I will make this as brief as possible...which, I warn you, is still quite tedious." He fixed his gaze on Tobias. "You told your story, boy...now I tell mine."
"As you know from the boy's recollection, I was once a general in the court of King Antwelm of Alarion. But the constant spurning by Prince Marcus, who just happened to be a higher-ranking general, wore my patience to the bone. You must understand; back then, I did not have the..." He paused, searching for the right word. "The self-control I do now. My emotions were openly displayed, often to my embarrassment.
"But what the boy did not know, and still does not, I will tell you. During my stay in Alarion, I met a young girl named Maria. We were childhood friends, at first. We spent as much time as possible with each other. As we matured, I began to recognize my feelings towards her. They were undeniable. I confessed all to her on my seventeenth birthday, and she reciprocated, claiming she had grown much closer to me than I had realized."
The General paused again. The next words seemed to be difficult for him to say; even with all his mastery over emotion, he still showed some sign of compassion. He opened his mouth, but could not speak. Finally, he managed to get the words out.
"I...I loved her...and she loved me."
Tobias's eyes widened. He was stunned by this news. The General, killer of men and destroyer of entire countries, actually capable of love? The General took a deep breath, and resumed his story.
"We were wed in a beautiful ceremony. For a long time, we lived happily. She was as close to the perfect girl as I have seen in all my long years. Beautiful, intelligent, understanding..." The General closed his eyes.
"There was a great deal of tension, however. Being a general, whenever I went on military campaigns I was forced to leave her behind. Often I would not see her for months at a time. But it was my duty, and my country came first. It was wrenching, to abandon her for so long, but I had to do it. The assignments I received were few and far between, due to your charming brother Marcus snatching up most of the battles himself, and I could not afford to pass any of them up, for fear of demotion to a lower rank. I do believe that the only reason the king kept me as a general was my superior tactical abilities, better than even those of Prince Marcus. Even Antwelm had to admit that, albeit reluctantly.
"After every missed chance for a campaign that Marcus snatched from the tips of my fingers, I would arrive home and rage and storm about, bellowing about the injustice and swearing vengeance. But Maria served as my voice of reason. 'Calm down,' she would say. 'Don't lose your head over it. You're still the better commander and you know it. The king can't keep ignoring you.' It was her efforts alone that preserved my sanity and my dignity for so long.
"The news came, finally. We were at war with Mistaria, and I was to lead our troops to victory. As the boy likely already told you, I was humiliated. My armies were scattered, and only the timely," the General's voice was tinged with sarcasm, "intervention of Marcus's army saved us from annihilation. I was led back to the capital city of Alarion.
"The king scolding me for the loss of life, while Marcus looked on with that smug, condescending, I-am-better-than-you look on his face was the final straw. It took everything I had to stop from leaping up and attacking the old man on the spot...I would have," Tobias growled slightly, "but Marcus would have cut short both the attempt and my life, with his magic sword. So I decided to leave. After one last chat with the boy..." Tobias's eyes widened even wider. He remembers?! "I went back to my dwelling to gather up some things. I told Maria of the entire ordeal.
"'Don't go,' she urged me. 'It's not worth it. Stay here with me, and just lie low for a while. You don't have to leave.' I turned to her, pity etched into every line of my face.
"'But I do, Maria,' I said softly. 'This has transcended aggravation and annoyance...it is now a matter of honor.' I gathered my belongings and swept out with barely a backward glance.
"Far be it from me, however, to leave without a parting shot. I...expressed my views rather strongly to Antwelm and Marcus, and they banished me. As I trudged out of the city gates, Maria was there.
"'Please,' she begged me. 'Don't leave. I couldn't bear to be without you. I'd pine away and die.' She sobbed into my cloak, as the strongest emotions I have ever felt conflicted in my mind. The thirst for vengeance clashed with my love for Maria...but in the end, duty won out. As it always did.
"'You had best lie low,' I warned her. 'My name is mud with the noblemen after the scene in the throne room, and I do not know what they would do to you if they knew how openly we were fraternizing. Do not draw attention to yourself.' I kissed her and we embraced one last time. 'I will return for you,' I whispered. And with that, I left."
The General became silent. Tobias's face was oddly blank. Inuyasha was looking away, scowling at the whole story. What does this have to do with anything? he thought angrily. Kagome was slightly more aware of the foreshadowing. This story won't end well... she thought anxiously.
"Through fire, and water, and all manner of hazards and obstacles I relentlessly pursued my dream: to find the sword that would enable me to kill Marcus and all that supported him. Vengeance was still foremost in my mind, and all of the hardships along the way only strengthened my resolve. I would not return until I had the means to pay back the entire royal family in spades for the humiliation and indignity I had suffered.
"Unlike you, boy, I set off alone, so my journey was much harder than yours, likely. After several years of searching, I finally found what I was looking for. The sword in question was inside an active volcano. How it had gotten there, nobody could tell me. All they knew was that it was there, and there was no possible way to get to it without burning alive.
"There was a small town near the volcano. I hired some guides to take me up the mountain and to the crater of the volcano. It was somewhat difficult to obtain them, as the natives clearly thought there was an eruption brewing, and refused to go. At last, I managed to procure some extremely expensive mercenaries who agreed to take me. As we neared the top, the heat boiled and blistered even the toughest among us. We finally approached the crater, and I peered inside. Ignoring the heat that was searing my face and eyes, I beheld the sword, hanging motionless in midair, deep inside the bowels of the cave.
"Vaguely I comprehended the leader of the guides tugging on the shoulder of my cloak. 'Don't even think about it,' he warned me. 'Braver and stronger men than you have all tried, and all have perished. It's impossible to lower a rope down that far, and the walls are too soft to climb down. The heat would kill you either way. Face it, there's no way to get to it.'
"I ignored him and stood on the very lip of the crater. He grew agitated. 'Are you crazy, man?! What are you planning on doing? You'll kill yourself! Like I said, you just can't get to that sword!' I fixed him with a steely gaze. 'Where others have failed, I intend to succeed. I will retrieve that sword,' I said shortly. As I spoke, the volcano grew violent. Large bubbles of lava burst the surface, and the level of magma began to rise. 'The volcano is erupting!' he cried. 'You're a madman!' Howling, he and the rest dashed away, but I paid no more attention.
"Bracing myself, I took a mighty leap. As I plummeted into the heart of the volcano, the intense heat threatened to envelop and suffocate me; but I knew what I had to do. I had only one try at this, and I needed to be at my best. Against all odds, I reached out with my hand. The exact instant my hand closed around the hilt of the sword, which was oddly cool considering its surroundings, the volcano exploded."
The General stopped for a second and looked around, as if he had heard something. Dismissing it, he carried on.
"I do not remember much of the specific occurrences. I remember landing, somehow, on my feet, on hard earth. The biting arctic wind seemed to flow through my very veins and penetrate every fiber of my being. I howled in agony, but all I heard was the whistling of a gale lashing the tundra. Barely, I heard some words in another language. They sounded like this."
The General thought for a second, then began. "Tdrtdr hehhes ereerw cyacyo ooroor lutlud." He glanced at the others, realizing that none of them knew what that meant. "I understand your confusion," he intoned. "I had to spend years researching before I figured out what that meant. You, boy; remember it or not; also heard a message. Yours sounded like this.
"Tererr hsrles eoatow ffghfo lyeeyr aoffod muuiu." Tobias started.
"I've heard that before..." he said vaguely.
"I do believe I just said that. I spent four hundred years researching ancient languages before I figured out what those meant. I shall tell you what they mean later. First I must finish my story.
"When I recovered, I found that I was on the bottom of the volcano. The hot lava had flash-solidified into rock. It was ice-cold to the touch. Barely aware of what I was doing, I leaped all the way out of the crater and landed in the town. The townspeople began to shout and point at the volcano and me, but I cared not. All that mattered to me was that I understood what had happened to me.
"Some weeks later, I finally came to grips with my transformation. I was much stronger and faster than I thought was possible for a human. I wore this armor you see now. Emboldened by my newfound power, I marched for Alarion.
"But as I drew nearer, my passion ebbed. I did not know what was causing it, but somehow I felt more calm about the whole situation. Looking at it logically, I reasoned that it was insanity to attack an entire kingdom for the arrogance of one man. Two days before I reached the gates of the city, I vowed I would add this power to Alarion's, and we would become the greatest military force the world had ever known.
"I entered the city at the darkest hour of night; I did not yet wish my presence to be noted. I evaded the guard – clumsy fools in my opinion, were these my same troops I had left behind? – and stole away for my old dwelling. I knew Maria would be there, to congratulate me on my success, to hold me in her arms as I had missed so much on the years I had searched."
The General stopped again. His expression was unreadable. "When I arrived, she was gone," he said, very quietly. "Then I became aware of lights and a commotion in the courtyard. Guided by some unseen instinct, I went towards it, hoping to find the answer to my troubled spirit.
"I arrived on the scene, unknowingly in the center of some bright torchlights. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I took in what I saw before me. Guards standing everywhere. A large platform in the center – a gallows! And..."
The General looked directly at Tobias, with a hint of rage in his voice. "Your dear brother...Prince Marcus...leading Maria to the hanging platform."
"I was frozen. I could no more move than if I was entombed in a block of ice. Marcus took in this new intruder and saw me...he smiled, in such a terrible and heartless way that it chilled my heart. 'Ah, you finally return to us,' he said. 'And at such a convenient time! I was about to extinguish this most volatile threat to our reign...when an even more volatile threat appears right before me.' Maria turned and saw me, just then. She cried out my name, but was silenced by a nearby guard.
"'What are you talking about?' I gasped. 'How is she a threat? She has done nothing!'
"'For a man so learned, you astound me with your ignorance sometimes, General,' Marcus sneered. 'You renounced your king and betrayed your country. Such an offense is high treason, punishable by death. But you were nowhere to be found! So we had to settle for the next best thing. If you were guilty of treason, then obviously your supporters were guilty of complicity in that crime. The girl here was clearly in league with you, and was therefore a problem that needed correcting.'
"I could say nothing, I was struck dumb. A noose was tightened around Maria's neck. But still Marcus spoke. 'She is a clever bitch, having eluded our pursuit for years. But tonight, we finally catch this dangerous criminal, and her mastermind, in one fell swoop. A night to be remembered, gentlemen.' The guards snickered amongst each other.
"It was all too much. I drew my sword and advanced on the gallows, intending to kill the hangman and free Maria. But Marcus responded first. Interposing himself between me and her, he drew his own sword and pointed it straight at me. 'Do not interfere with matters of the state, General,' he sneered. 'Do not worry. It will be your turn soon enough.'
"I knew I had power, but I had personally witnessed Marcus's battle prowess, and underestimated myself. I thought that rushing him would only result in my death. That," the General said acidly, "was my greatest error. The only thing I thought I could do was to appeal to Marcus; he alone could halt this process.
"'Marcus!' I cried. 'Spare her! Put me in her place! She is innocent of any crime. I am the one you want. Take me and let her go!' Marcus looked at me, not saying a word. His eyes said enough, filled with malice and contempt. With a single swing of his sword he cut the rope holding up the floor under Maria.
"Maria...my beautiful Maria...died before my eyes."
The General stopped for some minutes, not speaking. Inuyasha glanced at Tobias, and saw that he was looking at something in his palm, with a mingled look of shock and horror. As soon as he noticed Inuyasha looking at him, he hurriedly closed his palm and deposited whatever it was into his pocket. The General, who after all missed nothing, saw this gesture and what he had held. His eyes widened slightly, then the corners of his mouth twitched.
"That..." he said slowly, "would explain an awful lot. But I must continue." He looked at Tobias again, rather pointedly. "It is not altogether unlike your story recalling me and Marcus later on...only the outcome of my memory is a bit better. But the interesting part has not yet come up.
"I had strength, and speed, and skill, but nothing else. I did not even know that my sword had other abilities. But, as I saw Marcus kill Maria in cold blood, all the rage and pain and hurt and anger I felt...simply evaporated...into nothing."
He looked away. "And that was my true power. Emotion serves only to cloud the mind, to blind reason and mutate logic. To force one into acts that are both stupid and pointless, simply because emotion directs his or her actions. All my emotion fled my mind. Your sword lends you power as your rage increases; you gain strength from emotion. I am quite the opposite." The General tapped his sword hilt lightly. "My power draws from the lack of emotion in my mind. The more calm I am, the more power I receive.
"Incidentally, boy, this is why I will always be more powerful than you. Your rage is a temporary condition, and only activated in short spurts at minimum power. I, being devoid of emotion, am always at the pinnacle of my strength. You cannot hope to match me, ever." Kagome looked at Tobias and saw that he had his face in his hands.
"I loved Maria still, but her death meant no more to me than the killing of a useful ally. However, this was still the final straw, next to all the other wrongs Marcus had done to me. The time was ripe for vengeance.
"My first goal was to destroy Marcus's family. Being that you were not there, I proceeded at once to the castle and encountered the king and queen. After dealing with them, I turned my attentions to Marcus's elite guard; I was only using the same reasoning he had. As they had associated with him so closely, they were guilty of the same offenses he had committed. Once they were dispatched, the entire population of Alarion fell into my crosshairs. For were not they, by serving under Marcus, part of his masterful scheme? I was almost finished with them when you arrived.
"You know the rest of the story, boy. The others among you have heard it already...excepting the wolf, but he neither cares nor should know. That is my first reason why I kill. My second, thankfully, is much shorter to explain, as I do have pressing business to attend to." The General turned to Kagome and raised an eyebrow. His eyes glanced up and down her body, and he muttered something to himself before turning back to address the group.
"The reason why I kill...because I love it. Killing is the only source from which emotion is still aroused in me. Any pleasure a woman could give me pales in comparison to the thrill that runs down my spine as my opponent chokes out their last breath, and dies; broken, and bleeding, on the ground." Kagome shuddered. "The most exotic entertainment could not hold my attention for a fraction of the time that slaughtering entire villages captures my interest for. The finest confection could not be any sweeter than the taste of victory. My entire life is for the battle, the brawl, the fight, the war, the death of others. Why do you think I became a general in the first place?
"And now, there is one last thing I must do." He vanished. Inuyasha felt something whip past him. He turned around as quickly as he could, but all he saw was the General, grabbing Kagome with one arm around her waist, leaping backwards into a nearby tree. Tobias sprang up, but the General raised his sword. Tobias crashed into a flickering blue barrier and sprawled on the ground. Inuyasha, enraged, drew Tetsusaiga and leaped at the barrier, smashing it with all his strength. It held, but it wobbled, and a deep thrumming noise reverberated through the forest. The General's eyes widened imperceptibly.
"You promised-" roared Inuyasha in a voice that scarcely sounded like him.
"I promised I would not harm you for the duration of this encounter. And I have taken great precautions not to harm Kagome." Kagome was struggling in the General's grasp, but failing to make any difference in his steel-hard grip. She half expected her miko powers to activate and strike him down, but there was not even a flicker of energy about her. The next second, her entire body began to glow blue, as did the General. A sickening feeling arose in her stomach as she realized what this meant. The General was teleporting.
Kagome looked imploringly down at Inuyasha, who was still ferociously attacking the barrier with all of his might. For an instant – a brief instant – their eyes met; Kagome's imploring, begging him to help her; Inuyasha's full of rage and pain and helplessness. Then she vanished. Kagome was gone.
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Dear, dear, dear. This fucking sucks, doesn't it. Not so much a cliffhanger as it is a...as it is...OKAY, IT'S A CLIFFHANGER. WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME, BLOOD? Right, now I've got that out of the way. So. What do you think will happen? REVIEW!