Depending on reviews, this is the first story of several.
Five Kingdoms
An InuYasha Story
By: gOsHaHa
In the Northern Mountains of feudal Japan, there is a tribe of yokai turtle-backs, demons that wear the shells of metallic turtles. Currently, the turtle-back Kamikuro was on sentry duty for their leader Lukina. Lukina had built a vast empire for the turtle-backs and her castle was the grandeur of it. Kamikuro and the other guards of the palace were quite impressed with Lukina, for already she was the high leader of the turtle clan at age twelve. Kamikuro peered out into the night. The torches burned brilliantly around the palace, but even their light could not penetrate the abiding darkness that swelled around the mountains thanks to the surrounding forests. Then, Kamikuro thought he saw something. A figure materialized out of the darkness. "Who goes there?" Kamikuro boomed out, thrusting up his spear to the intruder. The figure was clothed in a dark hooded cloak, but ebony hair hung loose from it. Kamikuro could not see the figure's face, but it appeared to be a woman by her size and shape. He also felt the faint scence of a dark demonic aura. He did not trust this one. There was something hidden about her. She smelt like a priestess, but what's more is that she also smelt like the dead. "Relax," came the silky voice from the face-less figure, " I am just here to see the turtle-back leader, Lukina. I have no weapons…" She spread out her arms in exasperation. "Search me if you like."
Another guard came over to the ruckus. "It's just a woman, Kamikuro… we will accompany her to the leader ourselves, shan't we? To make sure she doesn't try anything."
"Of course…" Kamikuro relaxed. Like anyone would dare challenge the turtle-backs…
Once back inside the palace, the two guards led the hooded girl to Lukina's chamber. When they arrived, Lukina stirred from a stone throne at the end of the chamber. The child-leader sat upright and gazed hard at the two servants.
"How dare you two disturb me! " The spoiled emperess replied. "Now what do you want?"
The guards shifted under the gaze of their leader, but before they could respond… the hooded priestess was already speaking.
" I have come to bring you a gift," she responded to the anxious child.
"A gift? Well, I do love gifts!" Lukina cried with glee.
"It is a gift of immortality…"
"Immortality? Ooooo… you hear that my guards?"
The two nodded their heads in feigned pleasure. Immortality? They liked their leader all right, but not that much.
"But… there is one condition…" the hooded girl explained.
"Oh? And what is that?" Lukina suddenly had a look of lust in her eyes. This girl wanted her to give her something in return? How petty.
The woman opened her cloak. What the three turtle-backs saw horrified them. Her body was fused from a mass of demonic body parts, pumping and pulsating from acid-blood inside her veins. In her middle, a red glow emanated. That was where her heart was. Lukina just stared. Never in her life had she been afraid of anything… until now.
"You must join my body, my love…" the priestess cackled. Suddenly, red veins shot out from her chest, spewing acid all over the room. It hit Kamikuro and the other guard head-on. The other guard was dead on contact, but Kamikuro screamed out in pain. Other guards came rushing to the rescue, only to get shot with the deadly fluid. The priestess cackled with glee and the veins wrapped themselves around Lukina, pulling her toward the dead-priestess' heart. Lukina screamed out in horror and confusion, and all Kamikuro could do was watch the madness unfold…