Juanyu opened the door carefully; mindful of the rotting wood. The three
days had passed mostly uneventfully except for that damn thunder storm the
other day. Rin had been scared to death of the light and noise. Jaken did
nothing to ease the girl's fears but Juanyu did what he could to do so.
"Hikaru-sama! Inuyasha-sama! Where are you? Can you hear me?" he cried out. On his shoulder, Myouga tried not to jump at every sound that might be his master and new mistress. They all had returned to the manor as the Phoenix had instructed and were now looking for their masters.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken yelled out, waving his two-headed staff wildly. There a few times that it came close to hitting Juanyu, who managed to step away from it in time.
They had known each other for three days and already the two men hated each other. Jaken thought that Juanyu was a human trying to become a mighty youkai while Juanyu thought that Jaken was an annoying little frog-man with an irritating voice.
++ For those of you that have seen the series, don't you agree with this?
Rin, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the friction that existed between the two of them. She was more worried about where Sesshomaru-sama was. She hoped that he was all right. Underneath her feet a board creaked, but was able to bear her weight.
******
Elsewhere in the manor, Inutaisho's children readied themselves to go. They could hear their servants calling for them and realized that the spell had truly ended. It was now time to return to the real world. But they now had new, good memories to cheer them.
"We'd better get them. Don't want to worry them more than they already are for us," Inuyasha said as he stood. Hikaru and Sesshomaru followed suit without a word.
They were walking closer to the room where they were when.
"Hikaru-sama! Inuyasha-samaaaa! Crap! What the hell?"
They hurried at the urgency in the cry and burst into what was the dining room. Juanyu must have stepped on a rotten floorboard; for his right leg had sunk down to the knee and he was trying to pry it out. Jaken and Rin were standing nearby, unsure what to do.
Hikaru and Inuyasha rushed forward to take a closer look while Sesshomaru stayed by the doorway. By the hole, Inuyasha and Hikaru could smell damp earth and old wood; a different wood from the rotten floor. It was curious but at the moment they had a more pressing matter.
"How are we going to do this, Hikaru?" Inuyasha asked. The hole was a small tight one; this wasn't going to be easy.
Fortunately, she did seem to have some idea. She found her stick and lengthened it to its full length. His sister frowned, as she couldn't find a place large enough for the tip. Inuyasha realized what she was doing and used his claws to widen an area near the inside of the knee. She sunk the tip in there and went down half a hand length. Hikaru leaned into towards the floor pushing down on the staff. At the same time Inuyasha pulled up on the leg as Juanyu tried lifting it. Eventually the leg did come out with an audible pop. And it caused the three of them to fall back onto the floor.
The aroma of the earth and wood caught Sesshomaru's attention and drew him to it. He looked down and waited a moment for his eyes adjust to the dimness. Sunken into the ground was a fairly large wooden chest. In the top there was a grip and a circle sunken in to grip the handle. Kneeling on the floor unsteadily, he grabbed the chest with his only arm and tried to lift out of the chest. For a moment, he thought that he might lose his balance. But he felt a pair of strong arms around his waist, giving him support. With it, he was able to lift up the chest and heave unto the floor with a thud. Afterward he realized that it had been Inuyasha who had supported him while Hikaru sought any injuries on Juanyu's leg. Fortunately she found none on him; no piece of the wood had even scratched the skin. Sesshomaru shoved Inuyasha off of him as his otooto was pushing him away. They nearly caused each other to fall but their balances were recovered soon.
"What is that thing, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken asked. The little servant puttered around it cautiously. It hadn't done anything but sit there, yet that could change at any moment.
With a grunt, Inuyasha took up the chest onto his shoulder. "Let's open this thing outside. Who knows how much of this floor is rotten through," he said. Everyone took a quick look at the floor and hurried outside to the grounds. Once out in the open Inuyasha set the chest in the overgrown grass.
The youkai, hanyou, and humans gathered around the chest. There were no decorations etched into the wood nor any visible opening or crease. It truly looked like it was one solid block of wood. Except that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were certain that they felt something shift inside and it sounded hollow when it first hit the floor.
"How are you going to open this, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked. She looked up at him with admiring eyes that Sesshomaru could understand for the first time since he took her in. It was kind of the same look that as a child, Hikaru had given him. The feeling was unnerving.
Hikaru was peering closely at near the top of the box were normally the edge of the lid would be. Her nose sniffed a few times at the four corners carefully. "I think that there might be a way," she mumbled. She used her claws and seemed to work them into an unseen edge between the lid and the rest of the chest. When gap was large enough, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru joined in her efforts to open it. Finally the lid popped open and was promptly removed. Everyone gathered closer to peer inside.
On top was a air of scrolls sealed with wax and underneath seemed to be some green cloth. Inuyasha removed the scrolls while Hikaru grabbed the cloth and shook it out. It turned out to be a tunic and pants sewn in a similar fashion to Inuyasha's clothing.
"Hmm." Myouga murmured. He had a thoughtful look on his face. He reached out a hand and tugged at the cloth a little.
"What is it, Myouga?" Juanyu asked.
"This fabric looks like neuzmi skin. As a cloth, it acts as a wonderful armor. Inuyasha-sama wears this skin. And I think that this outfit is made of the same material," he replied.
"And it is meant for Hikaru," Sesshomaru said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. He had one of the scrolls in hand was apparently reading it.
Hikaru looked at the tunic in her hand closely and then at her brother, "What do you mean that this is for me?"
"This," he said holding up the scroll, "is a letter written from our father. According to the letter, there's a map in here that can lead you to the temple where your sword is located. There are also some items that are meant for each of us to have." He lowered the letter and looked out into the distance. After a moment, he came back to the present. The others had gone ahead and emptied the chest of its contents onto the ground. It took a little guesswork, but they figured out what was meant to go to whom. Afterward, Hikaru went back into the manor to change into her new clothes. Her brothers waited outside.
They spoke a little but fell quickly into silence. What had happened to them had not yet reached its finality.
After a few moments, Sesshomaru turned to Jaken and Rin. "Gather our belongings. We're going," he said.
Inuyasha looked at him, surprised. "Going? Now? But why? Not that I would mind being without your company. But Hikaru would want to know."
"I need to. When I awoke this morning, the onslaught of new memories threatened to overwhelm me. They still do. I need time to adjust to what I now know about our family. And when I have, perhaps I will understand better both you and Father. But for now, I need time away from the two of you," he explained.
With that having been said, he walked away with Jaken and Rin following not far behind. Inuyasha let him go without saying anything more. He understood what his nii-san must be going through. The memories were fresh in his mind, and they might overpower him at any time now. But for the moment, he was able to keep at them bay. He would go over them later.
Juanyu stepped next to Inuyasha, "Are you sure that it was wise to let him go like that, Inuyasha-sama?"
He nodded. "He's right. He needs time to adjust to the new memories. We all will. But it will be harder for him. He's the oldest of us; and he can be such a cold asshole. What he now knows must be hitting him the hardest. He needs to evaluate what it all means to him," he replied. After an instant, something that the young man had said clicked and made the hanyou blink in surprise. He whirled around to him. "What did you just call me?"
"I called you 'Inuyasha-sama.'"
"Why?"
"Because you're Hikaru-sama's brother. I should refer to you with the same respect that I give to her. It is only right," Juanyu replied.
"He is right, Inuyasha-sama," Myouga agreed. He leapt up onto his master's nose and sucked a little before getting slapped. Then he returned to his perch on Juanyu's shoulder.
He sat on the ground and resigned to having another servant following him around. At least Juanyu was more useful than the flea-youkai.
After a few minutes, Hikaru emerged from the manor dressed in her new clothes. The green robes fitted her well and complimented nicely. She twirled and looked at them. It was obvious that she would have to get use to them. She gazed around and noticed Sesshomaru's absence.
"Where did he go?" she asked.
Inuyasha answered that he had left shortly after she had gone in and said no more. But somehow she understood what he hadn't said. She only smiled softly and rejoined him. Together they all left the old manor with some reluctance.
"Where are we going now?" she wondered out loud. She began looking around for a bird to speak to.
"To get your sword, Hikaru," Inuyasha answered. He removed the second scroll from within his shirt and unrolled it. The scroll was really a detailed map of some region. It picked out a small shrine with a surrounding village and lake nearby. "According to that letter from Father, after you were taken he hid your sword at this shrine. Didn't say what he had done to get the priests to agree to it, but they did. It should still be there now; just waiting for you to claim it."
She looked at him in shock. "But I thought that you were so anxious to return to your village?"
"This is more important. Besides, Myouga told me what the others were doing; they should be fine for now," he said. He looked at her, "This is your inheritance, Hikaru. It's the sword that Father had Toutousai make for you. It's been waiting for years for you. We should get it."
At this point, Myouga spoke up, "It isn't too much out of our way, Hikaru- sama. I am familiar with that shrine. We should reach it with hardly any trouble. From there I can easily guide us back to the village. There's no need to worry, Hikaru-sama."
She sighed and gave in. It seemed that there was no deterring her brother from his choice. And at some level, she agreed with him. It was about time that she claimed it. And she was curious as what powers were endowed into the blade at the time of its forging.
******
The priest sat uncomfortably as the daily ritual finished and the other priests and monks of the temple left the room. After he was sure that they were all gone he stretched out his legs gratefully with a grunt and sat in quiet. The silence was something that he had sorely missed since his younger days at the shrine. He was so busy these days that he hardly any time to breath, let alone think. As the oldest resident of the temple, he was in charge of everything that pertained to the temple and at times the little village that surrounded it.
He sighed and slowly stood using his staff for support. His right leg had been severely injured when he was younger; partially crippling him and confining him to stay at the temple. With a limp he made his way out of the shrine and into the daylight. Fortunately a breeze off the mountains to the north of them reached the village and help to make the heat more bearable; this combined with the wind off the lake made for what would normally be uncomfortable made the day actually nice.
He decided that a walk about the temple and then outside might be a good way to pass the time until lunch was ready. And the weather wasn't that bad, besides it might help with his sore leg. He was proved right as he took his time. His mood was lifted was he walked and people living in the area recognized him and greeted him in passing.
But when he reached the shore by the lake he grew more serious and gave it a close scrutiny. It waters were calm and rippled slightly as fish came to the surface to eat. Although the fish in the lake was plentiful and large, the villagers were forbidden to fish there. Having a youkai sealed at the bottom tended to do that.
The priest paused at a large part of the beach and bowed his head in pray. It was here that the priests of the temple and the help of a greater youkai sealed the sealed youkai beneath the very waters that he had terrorized. And in exchange, the youkai had asked a favor of the temple. A favor that waited to be complete for years now. The priest mused that he might have to pass the secret on to his successor some day. But for now, the bargain had to be kept secret. Otherwise pretenders would step forward to try to claim what was hidden in the temple.
That evening the cooling breeze made the inhabitants stoke their fires and plan to add extra blankets to their beds. That was all right by the priest. His old bones could use some comfort; they had a tendency to cramp up and ached at the slightest change in temperature. He was looking forward to a peaceful evening.
******
"Are you sure that this is the place, Myouga?" Inuyasha demanded.
The small group was standing on a low rise that was far away enough to offer them a full vista of the temple and the immediate surrounding area. It was a quaint setting. But there was something that was setting the hanyou on edge. Neither of them knew exactly what it was; all they were aware of was that it was coming from there.
The flea-youkai nodded eagerly. "Yes, Inuyasha-sama. I'm quite certain of it. Your father came here shortly after Hikaru-sama was born. He never told me what he had done here. But maybe there's someone at the temple who might."
Inuyasha made a sound. "I seriously doubt it."
Hikaru started down the path. "Either way, we have to go there to get my inheritance, right? So lets go already."
The men followed her not too far behind. Evening was falling and they were all anxious to get to their destination. As they entered the outskirts of the village, people stopped where they were and didn't bother to hide their stares. Inuyasha ignored them and headed straight to the temple; the others decided to follow his lead.
Word apparently reached the temple before they had. The door was open and someone was standing in the doorway waiting for them. He was a very old man dressed in priest's robes leaning on a long staff made of sturdy wood. Hikaru noticed that he favored his right leg over his left. She guessed that he used the staff to help him walk.
"May I ask who you are and what business brings you here to our village?" he said. His voice was deep but still strong. His gaze was a little unfocused, Hikaru guessed that his eyesight might not be what it once was.
"We are travelers, sir. We are here in search of something we were told would be here," she replied.
The old priest was silent for a moment then spoke, "Well, then come in. I apologize for our rudeness. We are not use to receiving visitors here. The hour is late and the day must have been long for you. Let us provide you with some shelter and food for the night." He stepped aside and motioned them in. They entered in with few qualms and more than a little cautious.
Later that night, Inuyasha and Hikaru were asked to speak with the priest alone after dinner. They accepted the invitation with grace. All during dinner they were curious what the priest wanted to see them for. When the time came they were surprised to be led to the temple's shrine. Why here of all places.
An acolyte opened the door wide for them both. "Please enter. The houshi- sama is waiting for you."
They entered a room that was lit only by lighted candles at intervals along the walls. At the far end more candles had been lit and set by the shrine marker itself. The priest had his back to them; he seemed to be praying for something. The acolyte coughed to get the priest's attention and announce the hanyou. Then he quickly left.
"Please, come in, both of you. I believe that something that was begun long ago is about to come to its end," he said.
******
It scuttled across the ground in a clumsy manner; it hated having to travel on land. But the source of the lake had been closed long ago. The only other way to reach the water where the reverend master was sealed was over the hated, dry land.
It hissed but continued on its way. As it shambled through the brush, leaves itched across the normally wet skin while low branches scratched to make their mark. The only consolation that it received was that soon all this would change. After the master was freed and had exacted his revenge, the land will belong to him, as it is suppose to be. And should have been so long ago. If only it weren't for that damn dai-youkai.
But things are going to be changing soon. A way had finally been found to free the master from the bonds that held him. And it was going to be used tonight!
"Hikaru-sama! Inuyasha-sama! Where are you? Can you hear me?" he cried out. On his shoulder, Myouga tried not to jump at every sound that might be his master and new mistress. They all had returned to the manor as the Phoenix had instructed and were now looking for their masters.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Where are you, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken yelled out, waving his two-headed staff wildly. There a few times that it came close to hitting Juanyu, who managed to step away from it in time.
They had known each other for three days and already the two men hated each other. Jaken thought that Juanyu was a human trying to become a mighty youkai while Juanyu thought that Jaken was an annoying little frog-man with an irritating voice.
++ For those of you that have seen the series, don't you agree with this?
Rin, on the other hand, seemed oblivious to the friction that existed between the two of them. She was more worried about where Sesshomaru-sama was. She hoped that he was all right. Underneath her feet a board creaked, but was able to bear her weight.
******
Elsewhere in the manor, Inutaisho's children readied themselves to go. They could hear their servants calling for them and realized that the spell had truly ended. It was now time to return to the real world. But they now had new, good memories to cheer them.
"We'd better get them. Don't want to worry them more than they already are for us," Inuyasha said as he stood. Hikaru and Sesshomaru followed suit without a word.
They were walking closer to the room where they were when.
"Hikaru-sama! Inuyasha-samaaaa! Crap! What the hell?"
They hurried at the urgency in the cry and burst into what was the dining room. Juanyu must have stepped on a rotten floorboard; for his right leg had sunk down to the knee and he was trying to pry it out. Jaken and Rin were standing nearby, unsure what to do.
Hikaru and Inuyasha rushed forward to take a closer look while Sesshomaru stayed by the doorway. By the hole, Inuyasha and Hikaru could smell damp earth and old wood; a different wood from the rotten floor. It was curious but at the moment they had a more pressing matter.
"How are we going to do this, Hikaru?" Inuyasha asked. The hole was a small tight one; this wasn't going to be easy.
Fortunately, she did seem to have some idea. She found her stick and lengthened it to its full length. His sister frowned, as she couldn't find a place large enough for the tip. Inuyasha realized what she was doing and used his claws to widen an area near the inside of the knee. She sunk the tip in there and went down half a hand length. Hikaru leaned into towards the floor pushing down on the staff. At the same time Inuyasha pulled up on the leg as Juanyu tried lifting it. Eventually the leg did come out with an audible pop. And it caused the three of them to fall back onto the floor.
The aroma of the earth and wood caught Sesshomaru's attention and drew him to it. He looked down and waited a moment for his eyes adjust to the dimness. Sunken into the ground was a fairly large wooden chest. In the top there was a grip and a circle sunken in to grip the handle. Kneeling on the floor unsteadily, he grabbed the chest with his only arm and tried to lift out of the chest. For a moment, he thought that he might lose his balance. But he felt a pair of strong arms around his waist, giving him support. With it, he was able to lift up the chest and heave unto the floor with a thud. Afterward he realized that it had been Inuyasha who had supported him while Hikaru sought any injuries on Juanyu's leg. Fortunately she found none on him; no piece of the wood had even scratched the skin. Sesshomaru shoved Inuyasha off of him as his otooto was pushing him away. They nearly caused each other to fall but their balances were recovered soon.
"What is that thing, Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken asked. The little servant puttered around it cautiously. It hadn't done anything but sit there, yet that could change at any moment.
With a grunt, Inuyasha took up the chest onto his shoulder. "Let's open this thing outside. Who knows how much of this floor is rotten through," he said. Everyone took a quick look at the floor and hurried outside to the grounds. Once out in the open Inuyasha set the chest in the overgrown grass.
The youkai, hanyou, and humans gathered around the chest. There were no decorations etched into the wood nor any visible opening or crease. It truly looked like it was one solid block of wood. Except that Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were certain that they felt something shift inside and it sounded hollow when it first hit the floor.
"How are you going to open this, Sesshomaru-sama?" Rin asked. She looked up at him with admiring eyes that Sesshomaru could understand for the first time since he took her in. It was kind of the same look that as a child, Hikaru had given him. The feeling was unnerving.
Hikaru was peering closely at near the top of the box were normally the edge of the lid would be. Her nose sniffed a few times at the four corners carefully. "I think that there might be a way," she mumbled. She used her claws and seemed to work them into an unseen edge between the lid and the rest of the chest. When gap was large enough, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru joined in her efforts to open it. Finally the lid popped open and was promptly removed. Everyone gathered closer to peer inside.
On top was a air of scrolls sealed with wax and underneath seemed to be some green cloth. Inuyasha removed the scrolls while Hikaru grabbed the cloth and shook it out. It turned out to be a tunic and pants sewn in a similar fashion to Inuyasha's clothing.
"Hmm." Myouga murmured. He had a thoughtful look on his face. He reached out a hand and tugged at the cloth a little.
"What is it, Myouga?" Juanyu asked.
"This fabric looks like neuzmi skin. As a cloth, it acts as a wonderful armor. Inuyasha-sama wears this skin. And I think that this outfit is made of the same material," he replied.
"And it is meant for Hikaru," Sesshomaru said. Everyone looked at him in surprise. He had one of the scrolls in hand was apparently reading it.
Hikaru looked at the tunic in her hand closely and then at her brother, "What do you mean that this is for me?"
"This," he said holding up the scroll, "is a letter written from our father. According to the letter, there's a map in here that can lead you to the temple where your sword is located. There are also some items that are meant for each of us to have." He lowered the letter and looked out into the distance. After a moment, he came back to the present. The others had gone ahead and emptied the chest of its contents onto the ground. It took a little guesswork, but they figured out what was meant to go to whom. Afterward, Hikaru went back into the manor to change into her new clothes. Her brothers waited outside.
They spoke a little but fell quickly into silence. What had happened to them had not yet reached its finality.
After a few moments, Sesshomaru turned to Jaken and Rin. "Gather our belongings. We're going," he said.
Inuyasha looked at him, surprised. "Going? Now? But why? Not that I would mind being without your company. But Hikaru would want to know."
"I need to. When I awoke this morning, the onslaught of new memories threatened to overwhelm me. They still do. I need time to adjust to what I now know about our family. And when I have, perhaps I will understand better both you and Father. But for now, I need time away from the two of you," he explained.
With that having been said, he walked away with Jaken and Rin following not far behind. Inuyasha let him go without saying anything more. He understood what his nii-san must be going through. The memories were fresh in his mind, and they might overpower him at any time now. But for the moment, he was able to keep at them bay. He would go over them later.
Juanyu stepped next to Inuyasha, "Are you sure that it was wise to let him go like that, Inuyasha-sama?"
He nodded. "He's right. He needs time to adjust to the new memories. We all will. But it will be harder for him. He's the oldest of us; and he can be such a cold asshole. What he now knows must be hitting him the hardest. He needs to evaluate what it all means to him," he replied. After an instant, something that the young man had said clicked and made the hanyou blink in surprise. He whirled around to him. "What did you just call me?"
"I called you 'Inuyasha-sama.'"
"Why?"
"Because you're Hikaru-sama's brother. I should refer to you with the same respect that I give to her. It is only right," Juanyu replied.
"He is right, Inuyasha-sama," Myouga agreed. He leapt up onto his master's nose and sucked a little before getting slapped. Then he returned to his perch on Juanyu's shoulder.
He sat on the ground and resigned to having another servant following him around. At least Juanyu was more useful than the flea-youkai.
After a few minutes, Hikaru emerged from the manor dressed in her new clothes. The green robes fitted her well and complimented nicely. She twirled and looked at them. It was obvious that she would have to get use to them. She gazed around and noticed Sesshomaru's absence.
"Where did he go?" she asked.
Inuyasha answered that he had left shortly after she had gone in and said no more. But somehow she understood what he hadn't said. She only smiled softly and rejoined him. Together they all left the old manor with some reluctance.
"Where are we going now?" she wondered out loud. She began looking around for a bird to speak to.
"To get your sword, Hikaru," Inuyasha answered. He removed the second scroll from within his shirt and unrolled it. The scroll was really a detailed map of some region. It picked out a small shrine with a surrounding village and lake nearby. "According to that letter from Father, after you were taken he hid your sword at this shrine. Didn't say what he had done to get the priests to agree to it, but they did. It should still be there now; just waiting for you to claim it."
She looked at him in shock. "But I thought that you were so anxious to return to your village?"
"This is more important. Besides, Myouga told me what the others were doing; they should be fine for now," he said. He looked at her, "This is your inheritance, Hikaru. It's the sword that Father had Toutousai make for you. It's been waiting for years for you. We should get it."
At this point, Myouga spoke up, "It isn't too much out of our way, Hikaru- sama. I am familiar with that shrine. We should reach it with hardly any trouble. From there I can easily guide us back to the village. There's no need to worry, Hikaru-sama."
She sighed and gave in. It seemed that there was no deterring her brother from his choice. And at some level, she agreed with him. It was about time that she claimed it. And she was curious as what powers were endowed into the blade at the time of its forging.
******
The priest sat uncomfortably as the daily ritual finished and the other priests and monks of the temple left the room. After he was sure that they were all gone he stretched out his legs gratefully with a grunt and sat in quiet. The silence was something that he had sorely missed since his younger days at the shrine. He was so busy these days that he hardly any time to breath, let alone think. As the oldest resident of the temple, he was in charge of everything that pertained to the temple and at times the little village that surrounded it.
He sighed and slowly stood using his staff for support. His right leg had been severely injured when he was younger; partially crippling him and confining him to stay at the temple. With a limp he made his way out of the shrine and into the daylight. Fortunately a breeze off the mountains to the north of them reached the village and help to make the heat more bearable; this combined with the wind off the lake made for what would normally be uncomfortable made the day actually nice.
He decided that a walk about the temple and then outside might be a good way to pass the time until lunch was ready. And the weather wasn't that bad, besides it might help with his sore leg. He was proved right as he took his time. His mood was lifted was he walked and people living in the area recognized him and greeted him in passing.
But when he reached the shore by the lake he grew more serious and gave it a close scrutiny. It waters were calm and rippled slightly as fish came to the surface to eat. Although the fish in the lake was plentiful and large, the villagers were forbidden to fish there. Having a youkai sealed at the bottom tended to do that.
The priest paused at a large part of the beach and bowed his head in pray. It was here that the priests of the temple and the help of a greater youkai sealed the sealed youkai beneath the very waters that he had terrorized. And in exchange, the youkai had asked a favor of the temple. A favor that waited to be complete for years now. The priest mused that he might have to pass the secret on to his successor some day. But for now, the bargain had to be kept secret. Otherwise pretenders would step forward to try to claim what was hidden in the temple.
That evening the cooling breeze made the inhabitants stoke their fires and plan to add extra blankets to their beds. That was all right by the priest. His old bones could use some comfort; they had a tendency to cramp up and ached at the slightest change in temperature. He was looking forward to a peaceful evening.
******
"Are you sure that this is the place, Myouga?" Inuyasha demanded.
The small group was standing on a low rise that was far away enough to offer them a full vista of the temple and the immediate surrounding area. It was a quaint setting. But there was something that was setting the hanyou on edge. Neither of them knew exactly what it was; all they were aware of was that it was coming from there.
The flea-youkai nodded eagerly. "Yes, Inuyasha-sama. I'm quite certain of it. Your father came here shortly after Hikaru-sama was born. He never told me what he had done here. But maybe there's someone at the temple who might."
Inuyasha made a sound. "I seriously doubt it."
Hikaru started down the path. "Either way, we have to go there to get my inheritance, right? So lets go already."
The men followed her not too far behind. Evening was falling and they were all anxious to get to their destination. As they entered the outskirts of the village, people stopped where they were and didn't bother to hide their stares. Inuyasha ignored them and headed straight to the temple; the others decided to follow his lead.
Word apparently reached the temple before they had. The door was open and someone was standing in the doorway waiting for them. He was a very old man dressed in priest's robes leaning on a long staff made of sturdy wood. Hikaru noticed that he favored his right leg over his left. She guessed that he used the staff to help him walk.
"May I ask who you are and what business brings you here to our village?" he said. His voice was deep but still strong. His gaze was a little unfocused, Hikaru guessed that his eyesight might not be what it once was.
"We are travelers, sir. We are here in search of something we were told would be here," she replied.
The old priest was silent for a moment then spoke, "Well, then come in. I apologize for our rudeness. We are not use to receiving visitors here. The hour is late and the day must have been long for you. Let us provide you with some shelter and food for the night." He stepped aside and motioned them in. They entered in with few qualms and more than a little cautious.
Later that night, Inuyasha and Hikaru were asked to speak with the priest alone after dinner. They accepted the invitation with grace. All during dinner they were curious what the priest wanted to see them for. When the time came they were surprised to be led to the temple's shrine. Why here of all places.
An acolyte opened the door wide for them both. "Please enter. The houshi- sama is waiting for you."
They entered a room that was lit only by lighted candles at intervals along the walls. At the far end more candles had been lit and set by the shrine marker itself. The priest had his back to them; he seemed to be praying for something. The acolyte coughed to get the priest's attention and announce the hanyou. Then he quickly left.
"Please, come in, both of you. I believe that something that was begun long ago is about to come to its end," he said.
******
It scuttled across the ground in a clumsy manner; it hated having to travel on land. But the source of the lake had been closed long ago. The only other way to reach the water where the reverend master was sealed was over the hated, dry land.
It hissed but continued on its way. As it shambled through the brush, leaves itched across the normally wet skin while low branches scratched to make their mark. The only consolation that it received was that soon all this would change. After the master was freed and had exacted his revenge, the land will belong to him, as it is suppose to be. And should have been so long ago. If only it weren't for that damn dai-youkai.
But things are going to be changing soon. A way had finally been found to free the master from the bonds that held him. And it was going to be used tonight!