B-M strolls into the office.
B-M: Hi all, are we ready for another chappie?
(Snoring sounds come from couch) B-M finds Inuyasha fast asleep.
B-M: Hey wake up! We have a story to create!
Inuyasha: (slowly waking) huh?
B-M: How can you sleep when there's work to do?
Inuyasha: You're story is so bloody boring. It'd put anyone to sleep.
B-M: Oh, OK. Seeing you're so bored we can send you to collect scroll pieces, from one end of the Earth to the other. (Smiling maliciously, she sits at the computer and starts typing)
Inuyasha: What!!! FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER!!!! ARE YOU CRAZY!!!!!
Chapter 3. The Guardians Arrive
In a small village, located on the eastern borders of the Northern Lands, a young woman sat under a tree reading to the five small children sitting around her. The children listened avidly to the tale of the beautiful princess, who was rescued by a handsome prince. They giggled when she read that love's true kiss finally awakened her. Smiling, she closed the book and informed the children that story time was over. The children stood, happily planning a parody of the adventures described in the tale and were debating amongst themselves who would play which part, as they started towards their homes. Sango sat, watching the children laughingly make their way through the tiny street of the village square. She turned her eyes away from the town toward the rolling countryside, and felt her smile slipping. She worriedly scanned the surrounding forests and fields. The once beautiful land was slowly becoming a dry skeletal structure. What was happening to the Earth?
Sango's mind wandered to a conversation overheard many years ago, when accompanying her father on a trip to a neighbouring village. They had sat in the hut of an elder, discussing certain problems that were facing many small villages throughout the lands. There had been several attacks by demonic forces, which brought death and destruction to many. However this was not the only thing to trouble the two men in discussion.
"What of the threats of war?" asked Sango's father.
"Well Kintaro, it would seem that the lords suffer from greed. There have been numerous battles over the past ten months. Word has it, that the Lord of the East is preparing to wager a war with the South." The old man stared into the fire before him. "Of the Northern Lord, the news is bleak. He has befallen the same cursed disease of the mind that overtook the Western King six hundred ago. He too is a now confined chamber, while his hotheaded and impulsive son takes control of his kingdom. That one will be the downfall of the Northern lands. He uses tyrannical methods to exercise justice and he is lazy and slovenly. He cares not for the people, but only his own wealth and stature. He brings whores into the palace nightly to cavort with the soldiers, instead of training and preparing them for war as he should."
"Why then, does the Eastern Lord not attack him first?" enquired Kintaro.
"Why should he waste the effort and men now, when in a couple of months he can walk in with half his army, and the lands will be his? He is not a stupid man the Lord Naraku, merely cruel and malicious."
"This is grave news" Kintaro replied in a quiet voice, feeling great worry. "What is the current state of the Western Lands?"
"That Kintaro is the only good news I have for you. The West still stands, as strong as it did in the beginning. As luck would have it, the king's son proved to all that he is quite the measure of a man, despite his obvious youth. At the age of fifteen, he gained a huge responsibility in protecting his father's empire, which was heavily under attack. Amazingly, he did a more than adequate job of protecting his birthright. He made a few mistakes along the way, but in the end he earned the respect of all the other lords. What surprises me the most is the actual state of his lands. Unlike the rest, which are slowly becoming barren, the West is still green and fertile. I visited there recently and was overjoyed to see its beauty. Compared to that, which we have grown accustomed to the Western Lands are truly a paradise to behold."
"Well that is good news at least" Kintaro quietly replied. The two men had continued discussing the fates of the lands until mealtime presented itself. Shortly after, Sango and her father departed.
Sango came out of her reverie when a white cat demon curled itself up in her lap. She smiled down at the creature, stroking its fur and speaking to it softly.
"Hello Kirara, where have you been? You missed story time."
The little white cat purred in regret and looked at her sadly.
"I will read you the story," Sango laughed at woeful expression. She loved Kirara greatly. She remembered the day entered her life. She had been six years old at the time, and had wondered away from the village one morning, only to find herself lost. She discovered afterwards that she was missing for two days. All she remembered was walking through darkness and light, until sheer exhaustion took over her, forcing her to lie down and sleep. When she finally woke, she found the little white cat curled up at her side. She started patting it, happy that she was no longer alone. Suddenly, a loud guttural howl came from behind a nearby bush, followed by the appearance of the most hideous looking creature Sango had ever seen. It looked like a pig, but much larger, with skin that appeared half rotted. Sango had been too petrified to make a sound, staring at the creature with wide, frightened eyes. Just as the creature advanced, she felt a gust of wind beside her and turned to see the little cat transforming. Suddenly it was towering above her and the hideous creature before them. Its appearance remained the same, all white with black ears and paws. It had black markings on its forehead, around its red eyes, and its tail, which split into two, was also slashed with black. Sango watched in awe, as the demon cat fought with the ugly beast until it took flight. The beautiful creature then came to crouch before her, indicating with its head for her to mount. She had climbed on, not knowing what to expect and had been pleasantly surprised when the creature flew into the sky. The biggest surprise came though, when the cat took her straight to her village. Everyone was overjoyed at her return and amazed at the creature that delivered her to them. From that day on, Sango adopted the cat as her companion, naming him Kirara. They had been inseparable since then.
She was just about to open the book, when a voice broke the silence.
"Sango!"
She turned to find her brother running down the street.
"Kohaku" she said as he neared "Why the rush?"
"Father said to call you in. It is almost time to leave for training."
"Oh sorry Kirara, the story will have to wait. We cannot hold up training now, can we?" Once again the little cat gave a purr of disappointment. Sango stood and followed her brother to their hut. She hated fighting, but it was necessary for protection against the constant attacks by the scavenging demons. Her people had become exterminators over three hundred years ago, when demons started attacking innocent people. Now it was their way of life.
After packing their things and bidding their parents farewell, the pair left for a nearby village where they would receive instruction in spell casting from an aged priest. They were strolling along the road, Kirara in tow, singing a song their mother taught them, saying that it made journeying much more pleasant, To their surprise, they found that it actually did. They were laughing their way through the lyrics, when suddenly a huge gust of wind started blowing around them. They both stopped dead in their tracks as a small black hole appeared before them and grew steadily, until it became a large portal. Kirara transformed immediately, moving in front of Sango and Kohaku, who now stood in a defensive stance, prepared for anything. Then came the whispering,
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
The pair stood instantly, their eyes glazing over. In unison they replied,
"Gahh leerd har darfa"Kirara looked in surprise as Sango and Kohaku walked passed him toward the portal. Quickly he followed.
Deep in the Southern lands, a lone wolf demon ran swiftly through the forest. His destination was the Western Lands. He sought entry to speak to its Lord. His pack had decided that the West would be their home and he, as their leader went with their request. Kouga found himself sending a prayer to the creator for the Western Lord's receptiveness to his plea. He and his pack had travelled the entire span of the other three lands in search of somewhere they could call home. The only place that remained untouched, by whatever curses that poisoned the earth was the West.
Kouga knew that gaining entry would not be easy, but he was determined. He was tired of dragging the pack around, from one barren wasteland to another. He was also tired of fighting for food and to stay alive. He had left the pack in a cave, centred in the Southern Lands. There was a threat of war from the East, but he knew they would be safe there until he returned. They were far enough away from the border where the attack would take place. He ran for a good three hours, before stopping to rest. He was sitting on a fallen log in the middle of the dried up forest, when suddenly he felt a massive wind tearing at his body. He stood, turning to spy the source of the disruption and froze in shock, as he watched a portal forming before him until it was large enough to step through. As he wondered at this, he heard a strange whispering,
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
Kouga's eyes suddenly glazed over. He walked towards the portal replying,
"Gahh leerd har darfa"
Lady Rin sat in the palace at the western border of the Northern Lands, staring out of the huge window. She pressed her forehead against its cool glass and sighed.
'At least it is peaceful here, if nothing else' she thought as she gazed at the dull, dry countryside surrounding the fortress. She had returned from the palace of the Northern King the evening prior, feeling relief at seeing the last of the depravity that had befallen the once noble establishment.
"Poor uncle" Rin said to herself. 'He would shudder if he knew the manner of business held in his home.' Her cousin must have lost his mind, bringing those loose women and having wild parties until all hours of the morning. There was much trouble across the lands, and the tyrannical ruler of the East was making moves toward overthrowing the other lords. If the Northern armies didn't start training soon, they would not stand a chance against Lord Naraku.
Rin stood and moved toward the door. There was no use pondering such matters, as there was little to be done. She had begged and pleaded with her cousin to no end. Eventually, he sent her home. She may as well make herself useful and sort through the attic. She would need the room to store some of the furniture, now that they were redecorating the north wing. She climbed the huge stairway that led to the attic. The room was dark and damp. Rin walked to the window, coughing from the dust that stirred at her movements. She pulled back the curtains and threw the window open, after a short struggle with the latch. She turned to face the room in dismay. It would need a lot more attention than she originally thought. She carefully and slowly sifted through the pile of books and papers sitting atop a desk beside the window. She had no desire to raise more dust than necessary.
The first was a journal, giving account of some journey to the heart of Kahala. 'Kahala' Rin played the name in her mind wondering at its familiarity. 'Is that not the mountain filled with evil?' For some reason, the name continued to linger in her mind. She replaced the books and resumed her search through the room. It contained various items, including furniture, toys, clothing, and books. There was even a vast assortment of weaponry, lining one wall. All of a sudden, Rin experienced the strangest urge to look inside a little wooden cupboard located at the farthest end of the attic. She opened its door, bending to see its contents. The cupboard contained one item only, which was so small that Rin almost missed it amongst all the dust. She picked it up and started wiping it. She gasped in surprise as gold appeared under the thick layers of dust. Picking up a garment from a nearby cupboard she rubbed until all the dust was gone, revealing an ornate little gold box. It appeared to be a jewellery box of some sort. Rin fiddled with the latch, but could not get it loose. Sighing with impatience, she moved towards the door, in search of a room with more sufficient light. As she stepped through the doorway, she halted. A sudden gust of wind whirled down the corridor. She looked around her in search of its source, stopping when she caught sight of a movement in front of her. A black hole was growing rapidly taking the shape of a portal. Rin stepped back, gasping with surprise. She turned to run back into the attic when a strange voice whispered to her,
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
Slowly she turned back, eyes glazing over as she replied,
"Gahh leerd har darfa" She walked slowly through the portal.
Far up in the sky, above the Eastern Lands, floating on a large white feather was a young demon. She was a wind spirit and revelled in flight. For many centuries, her favourite pastime was to fly her way to whichever direction the wind took her. Now, she no longer enjoyed the escapades as she once did, seeing nothing but ruin and waste. She turned her feather around. She may as well head back to the West; nothing had changed anywhere, if anything it had deteriorated more.
She floated some distance before encountering a solid wall of wind. This fascinated her, as she had never seen wind manipulated by another. It swirled louder and harder, as Kagura reached out her hand to touch it. She felt no fear as she was in her element. Beneath her fingers a black hole appeared. She pulled her hand back, tilting her head to the side in curiosity, as she watched it grow. She still had not moved when the voice started whispering,
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
Her eyes glazed over and she replied, whilst floating into the portal.
"Gahh leerd har darfa"Miroku strolled through the halls of the large temple. He had been in the city of Gadarva for eight days now, and had yet to discover where Lord Naraku hid the prisoners. He knew they were here somewhere, but the rest was still a mystery. 'A little more digging should do it' he thought to himself. He had already become friendly with one of the castle guards. He would use this liaison to his advantage. The demon had a penchant for ale, and Miroku had a sack full of coins. As he reached the doorway leading to the outer gardens, a bevy of beautiful house maidens surrounded him. Miroku put on his most charming smile, earning him several fluttering eyelashes. Ah, how he adored the game of love. He bowed gallantly before the women, taking each hand in turn to bestow a kiss upon it. The ladies giggled, absolutely smitten by the handsome young monk who knew all the right things to say. Just as he began to enjoy himself, he spotted the guard that he sought. Reluctantly breaking off the tryst, he pursued the young officer.
"Tarak!" called Miroku as he drew closer. The youkai stopped, waiting for Miroku to catch up. He smiled, slapping Miroku heartily on the back.
"I'm glad you came Monk, I'm headed for a drink."
Miroku cringed inwardly. As much as he loved his ale, the wee hours of morn was hardly the appropriate time to imbibe. Turning to the young man, he plastered an enthusiastic smile on his face.
"I was hoping you would say that" he lied. "Come, drinks are on me"
Tarak wore a large grin as they entered the tavern. He knew that he would drink well. The monk always had a large stack of coins. Miroku ordered a tankard of ale for himself plus a jug and tankard for the youkai. Tarak looked at him in surprise.
"I have already had the pleasure of imbibing my friend, whereas you have need to catch up. Drink" he held up his tankard. Tarak saluted it with his own and gulped deeply, emptying the tankard in one swig. Miroku refilled it immediately, and kept doing so until the jug was empty. He wasted no time in ordering another. Again, he repeated the process until that jug was also empty.
Several hours later, the youkai was slurring his way through a song. Miroku laughed and swayed with him, pretending to be just as inebriated. When the song finished, Tarak began boasting of his status amongst his peers and foes.
"Ah my friend, you must put great fear in the prisoners you guard." Miroku mentioned, hoping for some information that would be useful.
"Shhur do, dey pssemshelves when I come. Shpeshly dem five monks"
Miroku laughed, carefully feigning surprise. "Do you speak of the Monks of Tanmar? They would be difficult to guard."
"Nahh, isseezyas pie. Dey gotem lock in dah highsttower. Dey caanbrak outnless eycan flly. Nsides, deyz wearing dem collezz tsstop depowezz"
'Ah' thought Miroku 'so they are in the far tower of the castle. This could be a problem' Seizing the opportunity, he walked to the side of the young guard, patting him on the back.
"Come Tarak, I will help you to your barracks. I think you have enough for one morning." He helped the youkai to his feet and dragged him out of the tavern. This would provide him the perfect opportunity to study the tower that held the prisoners. They continued, staggeringly towards the guards that barred the gates.
"Tarak, you fool. Drunk in the morning, you're disgusting. Get him out of here." One of the guards commented as he opened the gates to let them pass. Miroku smiled to himself. Tarak had definitely served his purpose. He eyed the large tower as he dragged the guard along beside him. By the time they reached the barracks, Miroku had managed to observe most of the tall structure. From what he could see, there was no access bar the heavily guarded door. The face of the tower was smooth, with nothing to grip. It would be impossible to scale, and even if he could manage to, there was no way to get the prisoners out of the barred windows. He sighed, for a moment feeling defeated, but quickly pushed it aside as a plan began forming in his mind. First, he would deposit the drunken youkai in his cot, and then he would make haste for the southern borders.
Ten minutes later, Miroku was racing his horse at a wild pace over the dry, dust covered ground. He was impatient to reach his village. If he hurried he could find one of the dragons of the Seven Caves and be back to the castle before nightfall. He quickened his pace once more, causing the objects around him to appear as nothing more than a blur to his vision. He squinted his eyes as he noticed a disturbance up ahead. From what he could see, it was a mass of swirling wind. He slowed his horse as he drew closer to the phenomenon. The huge blanket of wind began to shift and change, and then suddenly a black hole appeared growing by the second. Miroku was contemplating his options, when the whisper called to him.
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
His eyes glazed over and he replied as he rode into the portal,
"Gahh leerd har darfa"
Prince Inuyasha rode his horse through forest surrounding the King's Palace. He had seen enough in his journeys to realise that it was a completely different world outside their borders. The Western Lands were a fertile, safe haven in comparison to what lay out there. He knew his brother had a lot to do with it; he had kept the lands well and the people content. He worked hard to preserve their inheritance.
Inuyasha turned his horse around. It was time to head back. Sesshoumaru had been asleep for four days. Surely, he would be up soon. They were all starting to worry. The only thing that calmed their fears was that fact that he appeared healthy and in no discomfort. He trotted his horse through the picturesque forest, noting that flowers still bloomed, despite the fact that the winter chilled approached. It was late autumn and soon the bitter cold would be upon them. Every year it grew worse, killing more people and livestock with it's intensity. This year Sesshoumaru had planned for it. He had ordered the construction of the large wooden huts that would house the animals comfortably through winter. All provisions were to be stored in separate structures. The design and completion of the new buildings had come well before the start of the next twelvemonth. The project at hand for the workers of the Western Lands, was the housing that would save the lives of the hundreds of strays that wandered into their lands every year. Sesshoumaru had left distinct instructions to allow all who were seeking asylum.
Inuyasha remembered asking his brother once, why when he cared so little for humans and most other creatures, would he bother with their welfare. He had been surprised when his brother had told him that a Lord who was honourable cared for his vassals. 'It is written in the Code of The Realms,' he had said 'that the sole purpose of great strength was the protection of the weak.' Inuyasha knew that this was a code that no longer existed in the hearts and minds of the present day population. Here in the West they lived an enchanted life, seeming far removed from the chaos that ruled the rest of the lands. They continued in the their perfect and chivalrous existence, protected from the madness beyond.
'For how long?' Inuyasha wondered. Hence the desperate race to piece together the scroll. He stopped suddenly as a strange sound caught his attention. 'What the hell was that?'
He turned his head in the direction of the noise and noticed that a swirling wind was now rushing through the clearing. 'Strange' he thought 'I did not notice that before'.
He turned his horse and drew closer to it. A black portal appeared and grew in size until it sat high above his head. He heard a whispering voice,
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
His eyes glazed over,
"Gahh leerd har darfa"
His horse trod forth into the portal.
Kikyou sat in Kaede's hut, feeling extremely irritated. 'Why is the old one stalling me with these unnecessary actions?'
Kaede had spent the night explaining to Kikyou all she knew of the Shiiyon people and their link to Earth. She had told of the warning, the promise, and the gift. She had also explained that the translations were of no importance. The key factor was the talisman that would unlock Shiiyon magic. She also said that one would waken, bearing the knowledge to decipher the scroll.
That morning Kikyou had risen early, anxious to set off for the King's castle. She was hoping that more progress had been made with the scroll. As she headed for the door the old woman stopped her.
"Kikyou it is important that I write all I have told you on paper." Kaede walked slowly to the table, scroll and quill in hand.
"That really is not necessary Kaede, I am most certain that I will retain full memory of our conversation."
"Nevertheless" Kaede proceeded to write, "I would feel much better knowing this is done. Trust me Kikyou, I know you are impatient to leave, but this is of great importance."
"Of course Kaede" Kikyou replied patiently, pushing down the need to storm out the door. "I am sure you know better than I"
She took a seat and waited as the old one continued writing to the scroll. By the time she finished Kikyou was sure that a full hour had passed. She had to walk back to her village, which was six hours on foot, to obtain a ride back to the castle. She kept a steady pace as she trekked briskly over the countryside, feeling happy with her progress. As she rounded a small hill, a strong wind surrounded her. She gasped as she tried to keep her footing, clutching her cape around her tightly.
"Shorafn sonze tun corohabinz ter Shiiyon"
The whispered voices brought Kikyou to attention instantly, and her eyes glazed over. 'Bring forth the Guardians of Shiiyon' it chanted.
"Gahh leerd har darfa"
She walked through the portal in a trance, as she answered. 'Thy will be done'. Then shedisappeared into the blackness.
Sesshoumaru and Tiyaku stood glued to the spot, neither sure how best to proceed. Sesshoumaru decided that they would gain nothing by standing are, and took slow a step forth. He stopped, testing the air around him, nothing. He took another step and stopped again, waiting. He studied the inky blackness of the portal and noticed a change occurring within its centre. At first only faint; then appearing as a distinct shimmer. He held his breath as he waited to see the image more clearly.
'Yes it was more distinct now' he could barely make out the shape, but it looked like figure was walking slowly toward them.
Back At The Office
I can't believe I'm finally finished. It just seemed to go on forever. It doesn't help that I'm such a perfectionist when it comes to writing. If it doesn't sound right I have to re-write, until I get it right! It kinda drives you bananas sometimes. Anyway, I hope you like it. Let me know what you think.
I would like to thank ioka, Jasmine Fields and ewunia for the reviews. Well time for me to start chapter 4.
See ya
Babs