Ascension of the Spirit
By Banana Rum: Kalliel
I do not own any Inuyasha. Original characters and story concept are mine. Again, sorry for lack of non-romantic content. Really. But, I can blame it on "I Must Be Dreaming" by Evanescence, located at http:lofidotmp3searchdotru/lofi/17/173696dotmp3 (just replace with actual dots.)
Beta read by kikyo-the-walnut/Zora
Chapter 1: Pariah
Inuyasha
Niwatori Village, Japan
Sengoku Jidai
"Bastard!"
"Stupid!"
"Useless!"
A hail of shimmering accusations ad threats pushed down in a torrent of hatred. Among those were stones and fire-fletched arrows of precision and craft-skill. A few of the men even sported spears and swords, though held at angles that blatantly showed that they knew not how to utilize their true power.
But even a clumsily aimed and measured spear can kill. So the youkai ran.
Only just that morning, just as the sun had begun to rise, the sea air had held a feeling of serenity to it. You could smell the rancid fish rotting in the harbor and the tangy saltiness that rose up like the tide in the sea.
What had happened? Now it was only a new memory what had already faded and worn away. A reflection. A hope.
"We've caught ourselves a fine youkai this time, men!" a gruff voice shouted,
raising his spear up so the ramshackle torches the villagers held were now reflected maliciously in the fine steel.
Their specimen growled, a low sound from deep in the throat silencing the villagers whose voices had not been quelled by their leader. It turned to face them in a feral position, crouched low on its haunches.
"Ooh, we got ourselves a hot one." A chunky man with only one eye jeered, gripping his sword in anticipation so tightly his knuckles turned white.
"Demon purging tonight will be especially enjoyable." Another called out, sizing up their opponent. What could one woodland creature do against an army of humans?
If that's what you think, you're in for a surprise." The youkai bared its teeth menacingly, jagged, glistening fangs smiling just for the thrill of the hunt.
"It speaks!" the one-eyed man stepped back a little, obviously perturbed. "It speaks!"
"And this one is going to make you regret that you caught ME in this little ritual massacre of yours." He, for it was a he, stood up straight, flexing his claws in challenge. All was silent under his cajoling, haughty stare.
The one-eyed man tried in vain to disappear into the crowd, only to be pushed forward by his peers in to a one-on-one ring with the youkai.
"I didn't mean no harm, please. I was just completing my civic duty to—"he stammered, fear registering in his eyes as he realized just what he had gotten himself into. Foolish.
"Your duty to who? The rest of your pack?" the youkai spat. "Too afraid to go out alone, so you hide in numbers? Pathetic." He lunged at an acute angle to the stout man and slashed at his tender chest.
"Toshou-sama!" a young man skittered to a stop at his master's body. He was skinnier, kimono tattered and worn.
"That bastard..."Toshou seethed, his breathing labored as he brought his hand up from his chest, eying the crimson blood that graced his fingertips.
The youkai swept sideways with his claws again, taking the head of the young man, who appeared to be Toshou's servant, clean off and embedding his talons a good few inches into the larger man's skull. Jumping back, he flicked the pussy entrails off with such nonchalance the entire group withdrew a little, slight gasps coming from the young boys who had just begun to slay.
"What are we waiting for, men? Kill him! We can't afford another life!" the leader ordered. No one moved.
"Kenzo-kun! Kenzo-kun!" a young woman pushed through the mob in a state of disheveled despair. "Oh...gods..." she fell to the ground weeping into her husband's body, caressing the stump of his neck that no longer held up his loving face. "He was only the faithful servant of a wealthy bitch...why couldn't we live happily together?" Through her tears, she saw her bloodied hand. Impulsively she stuck her hand into her mouth, sucking the blood off, relishing the last intimate essence of the man she loved she would ever touch.
"Kariko-san, get back! Or he'll kill you as well!"
Kariko shook her head, refusing to leave the corpse.
"You should have listened." The youkai bared his claws and grabbed the woman. "Hm. You're a young one. Pretty too." He caressed her cheek gently, streaks of blood trailing after his fingers
She whimpered, grabbing her kimono closer to her body. She could feel his hot breath on her chest and the tension of their close proximity to each other made her mouth feel thick with saliva.
"Are you scared?"
Kariko bit her lip, tears forming at the corners of her eyes, then shook her head quickly.
The youkai laughed. At first just a small chortle, then an all-out cackle.
"Someone save her! Save my daughter!" An elderly man at the back pleaded. "I can't lose her to the oni as well as my wife!" he sobbed.
"You heard the man! Get him! Kill the youkai!" the village headman ordered with renewed fire.
In an inferno of fiery, passionate hatred, the entire army of vengeful humans crashed down upon the youkai and Kariko, knocking him over so that he lay on the girl. Kicking, stomping, they tried to keep him on the ground long enough to strike a spear through his heart.
"Death to the mononoke!" the plump farmer who had spoken before proclaimed, bringing his spear down into the youkai's leg.
He grunted, acknowledging the pain but not crying out.
"Get 'im! Make him pay for killing two of our men!" the whole massive crowd chorused, closing in. The smell of salty sweat and dirty bodies was overwhelming.
The men in front were young, impressionable by such events, and rashly plunged their spears into tough demon flesh without caution.
"Wait—stop! Kari..ko." the girl's father fell silent as he reached the front and saw what had become of his beautiful daughter. Blood flowed freely from the substantially sized puncture wounds from the onslaught, spears protruding from her chest and stomach at sundry angles. The fraying reeds that made up the sandals of Kariko's father grew tainted scarlet with her blood. Tainted because it wasn't just her own pure bloodshed. It was intermingled with that of the hateful youkai.
"My...daughter." He stood in resolute silence, the tragic expression in his eyes revealing more hurt than tears alone could convey. His angst boiled into madness when the youkai still moved, struggling to rise even as he slipped into nothingness, shrapnel driving deeper into his flesh.
"Kill him. Just...kill him!" his voice was high and hysterical as he pointed accusingly at the youkai. When no one moved, he drew his own sword and brought it down on the creature's shoulder.
Again and again, stabbing at the body on the ground. Bringing his katana up for a final beheading, he began to laugh. The high-pitched giggle of insanity. He heard steel meet flesh, but when he looked down, he only saw his blade embedded halfway through Kariko's neck. A daughter, HIS daughter.
Eyes darting wildly side to side, he could see the blurred figure of the youkai, who had managed to dodge the near-fatal blow.
"Kariko-chan, what have I done?" Raising the point of the blade so that it rested gently on his belly, he said his child's name. One last time.
"Ojiichan! Stop! NO!" a little boy scrambled from his amah's arms and sprinted to the man.
"Goodbye, Koiichi." Sliding the blade in quickly, there was one last regretful thought and a sharp instant of pain before all died around him.
Silence engulfed the crowd, save for the scattered, rough breaths of the youkai.
"Go home everyone." The amah instructed slowly, as if her tongue had suddenly swollen and it was too large to form the syllables.
"But...what about the demon-purging?" a timid young man in the second row asked. He as the only one who still had a clean spear in his hands.
"GO HOME!" the woman screeched. "YOU KILLED MY ONLY FAMILY, MY FRIENDS, AND YOU WANT MORE BLOOD? MORE?" her threat broke off in a series of gasps and shuddering subs erupted from her heart, tears streaming down her creased face.
As thin rays of welcoming sunlight peeked over the hovels they called home, the crown began to disperse. The next day, all would be forgotten and life would continue as it always had. Only one woman lingered now, approaching the now unconscious youkai. "The entire Yakota family in one fight." She muttered. "The youkai are growing restless."
-end chapter two
More author's notes than anyone will ever need:
Horse-crazy-gurl: Ack, this is getting further and further away from romance, but I wrote out the whole story's outline, and it is romantic by...chapter 6 or 7! And it gets fluffier and darker from there, so...don't give up on me!
Dkorley: Thanks so much for the review!
Looser-ville: And so I write.
Misc. notes: I will try to update every Friday or Saturday, (hoping a write on Monday, finish on Tuesday, have kikyo-the-walnut beta read on Wednesday and Thursday, then type)
So theoretically I'll have this done in 13 more weeks! Chapter 3 is really a pain in the $$, so it might take longer...
See ya, Kalliel
