Late one night in the author's sleep fogged brain, the worlds of Mercedes Lackey and Rumiko Takahashi merged… New and improved: The More Awake Version!

Heralds of Valdemar and Inuyasha are the intellectual property of Mercedes Lackey and Rumiko Takahashi, respectively, and no infringement or disrespect is intended by this nonprofit fanwork.
(Depending on how far this story gets, there will be SPOILERS for just about every book in the Heralds of Valdemar series, and for Inuyasha... through season 2-ish.)

Enjoy!

"VanyelYasha"

-1-
Keeper of the Jewel
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The wind riffled through his hair as he stood looking down over the village in the predawn. Its inhabitants slept peacefully and he hated them for it. He was betrayed... by the one person he held most dear. He was betrayed by everyone.

An ear flicked at a sound on the breeze and suddenly he was gone, riding the breeze like a ghost.

A girl outside her home fetching water from a well glimpsed him and gasped, her bucket rolling away from her on the ground. He didn't pause, didn't acknowledge her. He moved on through the growing light, a shadow in the mist. He was intent upon a certain goal- intent upon purging a certain feeling.

He stopped outside the temple, his feet coming to rest as he stood and stared at the building, every line of it seeming to mock him. There were no guards at the temple, no human souls at all this early in the day.

Human...

He scoffed and stepped forward, self-deprecation in his every motion as he walked into the temple. Human... something he'd never been. Something he'd always wanted to be. Something he'd never thought he could be until... He stood in the inner temple, the jewel hanging before him, suspended on its pedestal. He reached out a hand and touched a finger to its pearlescent surface, then after a pause he closed his fist around it. The jewel fit easily against the palm of his hand, smooth against rough calluses there.

"Vanyel."

He froze for a moment then turned to who had spoken. He tried to control it, but his voice was thin as he murmured back, "'Lendel."

Tylendel leaned heavily against the doorway where he stood framed; the smell of blood was all around him. "Why, Van?" he murmured, desperation in his voice. "Why this betrayal?" He stumbled forward, falling to his knees. Raising a hand, he threw a spell at the other man, pinning him back against the wall.

"'Lendel!" His voice disbelieving, Vanyel watched distractedly as the jewel fell from his suddenly nerveless fingers and rolled across the floor toward Tylendel. "But, 'Lendel, what..." The words dragged from him with increasing difficulty, as the spell took hold.

Tylendel fell forward again, catching himself on his hands as he knelt on the cold stone, tears streaming down his face to mingle with the blood and fall to the floor. He reached out a hand and trembling fingers took hold of the jewel. "'Lendel!" a voice called, and Tylendel turned his head toward the girl who ran up to him.

"Savil," he murmured, "I... I can't... it won't be much longer." She cried out in denial, her hand clutching in his robe as he started coughing uncontrollably, his hand clenching around the jewel. "Savil," he said, his voice rough. "The jewel... burn it." He shuddered. "Burn it with my body. I will take it from this world, away from those whom it would corrupt. Savil..." He coughed again, blood visible on the hand he held to his mouth.

Tears on her own face, the girl moved to comfort him. "It will be done, I swear it. Oh, 'Lendel..." She clung to him, trying to hide her tears against his bloodied robe, as life slowly left his body. Others began to appear, standing around them, quiet as they saw what had happened.

Savil wiped her tears away, raising her eyes from the still body before her. "With my brother's death I assume the protection of this temple," she said, her voice calm with her new authority. She lifted the jewel from his hand and held it in her own smaller one, looking at it. "His remains will need to be prepared for the ceremony of passing." Her fingers closed over the jewel, hiding it from her eyes. "He will protect us in death even as he did in life."

The people of the small village nodded and hurried to carry out her wishes. She was young to come to it, but she was the heir of the power of the keeper of the jewel; even though, as the village all watched in sorrow later that day as the flames leapt high on the pyre, there was no longer a jewel to keep. Freedom from that burden was sweet to taste, but at such a price... it was a bitter thing as well.

Savil brushed tears from her face and turned away from the fire to the leader of the guard. "What of the Well's Guardian?"

He hesitated before answering her. "Priestess, we cannot find the Guardian." He and the village headman exchanged a series of significant looks. "Priestess, I..." He hesitated, the stated what he thought to be truth. "Priestess the Guardian has left. It left your brother, because of the sin he committed."

Savil stared at the man; drawing herself up to her full height, she met his defiant gaze. "How dare you," she hissed. "How dare you say such things about "Lendel! He was devoted to the Guardian, and he was committed to the guardianship of the jewel." She glared at guardsman, her body shaking with fury. "How dare you."

The village headman touched the guardsman's shoulder, stepping forward. "Priestess, he is not the only one to think so." He narrowed his eyes at her, not wilting before her righteous stare. "He is not the only one to know about Tylendel's relationship with the demon."

Savil glared at both of them defiantly. "You're wrong. 'Lendel would never do anything to betray the trust of the Guardian." She faltered, a hesitation crossing her face, and she scowled when she knew they had seen it. "Never," she repeated demandingly. She folded her arms belligerently and said, "The Guardian probably left because without the jewel, there is no reason to guard the Well." There was a long period of silence, before she continued, mollifying, "We should still patrol the forest, for awhile at least, until she comes back." They nodded, deciding to leave the matter at that; she returned the gesture then turned and walked away.

She tried not to run, but soon she was, her feet carrying her swiftly toward the temple. She ducked inside; the heavy silence was the sweetest noise she'd heard all day, and the coolness of the stone beneath her feet comforted her. She moved in to the interior room, sliding in to sit against the wall and burying her face in her drawn up knees. This room had always been a place of comfort and peace for her, but now she turned her head and saw the limp form of the demon hanging there, suspended eternally by the power of her brother's magic. She glared and murmured, "Idiot." She curled up on the floor, hands clasped around her knees, and watched the still form, sorrow on her face.

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