Questi parea che contra me venisse con la test 'alta e con rabbiosa fame, sì che parea che l'aere ne tremesse
He seemed as if against me he were coming with head uplifted, and with ravenous hunger, so that it seemed the air was afraid of him
Legacy - Rise and Fall of the Western Lands
Oyakata-sama and the Hyounekozoku, Neko-youkai of the East
Inutaisho looked about the room, empty of it's glory and liveliness as the real ruler of the West was dead; was beyond this realm and into his own hell, to look upon his ancestor's in his great youkai form forever.
Inutaisho was not taken seriously by his comrades, adversaries, and scribes as he thought he would be. Myouga had told him as much when they talked about the neko-youkai.
"You have finally received the right to wisdom? Most know this, as you have passed reasonable laws and revisions of your father's felt unjust. Although, no one would agree to a war with the East, they are not important. Though, if you fail, if you go to war with the cats and the land of the West is pillaged," he paused, "you will die by your own people."
"I'm their leader though, who will rule if I have not a son?"
"There will be no West. We, as in your servants realize this."
"And what will become of it? Death? Plague? You can't kill a region."
"Ryuukossei is the ruler of all of Japan. If one region were to fail, he has the power to wipe out the last people of that region with one spike of his energy ball."
"He is not a god, Myouga."
"No, but he is the King and Executer of Japan, my liege. Your forefathers were controlled by his father and himself."
"Why?"
Myouga jumped onto Inutaisho's shoulders. "The kin of Ryuukossei came from the time when the world was but a new thing in the universe. He survived the 'Great Destroyer' as told in many of the books I have. Later, new creatures were formed, such as canines, felines, fleas, and humans. Ryuukossei's forefathers wrote most of the books I have, though I consider them to be somewhat of braggarts."
"That's not fair. I should be the ruler of my own land on which my father's built this castle, not this Ryuukossei."
"When you can prove to Ryuukossei that you are worthy, then…" his voice trailed off.
"When is that?"
"That's something you will have to answer for yourself."
"Has anyone tried to overrule him?"
"No. Well, an inu no baka if I ever knew one."
"Who was it?"
"The late Sesshoumaru of the East. He defied Ryuukossei and in the end died. His name got to him."
"What does Sesshoumaru mean, Myouga jii-chan?"
"The name means Killing Perfection."
"How did he attempt to defy him?"
"You're too young to even try something so…idiotic, my lord," Myouga brushed the question off.
Inutaisho shook his head. Myouga jumped off his shoulder and exclaimed that he had work to accomplish. Inutaisho shook his head and realized that someone had entered the room.
"I see you have noticed," a woman's voice spoke. It was fast and hoarse. "I'm here to help you, Inu no Taisho."
He turned around and saw a woman with long black hair and a strange band around her head. She carried a jar with her with a strange light inside. Her kimono was tattered and fell off her shoulders. The most strange feature about her was her large eyes. They seemed to draw out her thin strict facial features. The woman's fingers were bone thin and her nails were long and not cared for.
"Who are you?" he asked her aggressively.
She smirked showing her few teeth, "The proper question to ask is what I am. I am a witch; a witch with the power to look forward in time. Perhaps question pertaining to the battle with the Panther Devas and the West?"
Inutaisho scrutinized the woman, "Now that I know what you are, who are you?"
"You may call me Urasue the Wicked."
"Why do you want to help me?" he asked as he leaned against the wall.
"Is it not obvious? A castle with servile to deliver food to me when I please and you with a crux that I can fix. What other reason is there?"
"Where are you from?" Inutaisho questioned her, not liking her coolness and relaxed mood.
"The North, from the Great Ryuukossei's large talons was I sent here. He likes you," she sat down on the wooden floor and bit at her dirt covered fingernails.
"I don't care. How do I know you won't relay what I say to the neko-youkai?"
"You don't," she laughed.
He became angry, "You're lucky to be alive right now, you do realize that." It was not a question.
Her eyes squinted and her mouth came together with lines spreading outward. Urasue laughed again, her teeth black and small, "Your eyes are turning red, best to control those emotions, young one. The Great Ryuukossei doesn't like the East, never has. I have been his adversary since he was but a fledgling under his father's care until Ryuukossei ate his father, as all rulers of the North do. I won't answer anymore of your questions, young one, so do not even tempt to manifest one. Will you accept my help? If you do not, the Great Ryuukossei may think different on his opinion of you."
Inutaisho heard stories from the villagers of the Great Ryuukossei and how he had destroyed and restructured the whole North to his view. Also of how he had eaten his father when he was only half the size of his father. The villagers spoke of how they had the chance to touch his mighty body, of how it was of stone and breaths that created an aura of energy. All was true.
"I accept your offer," Inutaisho answered.
She smiled and laughed. She danced around the room and waved her greasy dirt-clumped hair about and scattered dirt specks about the relatively clean room.
Rain poured outside the building as Inutaisho and Urasue the Wicked left towards an empty hall of the castle. When they had reached an empty room, she entered and approved and set down the jar with the light inside.
She sat down on the floor. Her dress had fallen farther off her shoulder and revealed her protruding collarbone.
"What would you like to know of your enemy, Inu no Taisho. Their strengths, powers, preferred sex partner?" she smiled.
"Who are they?"
"They are the Hyounekozoku from the East where no man rules but vagabond youkai. There, every youkai thinks they are the ruler. Their leader is Oyakata, a large neko-youkai with the same charms you possess with you. He was the man you saw with the ice white hair. His daughter was beside him, Toran. The one you found enticing with the red hair was one of his strongest adversaries, Karan. The youkai whom carried the dead dogs was Shuran, he's slow with physical moves, but fast with magic. The small one, with the pouch of powders and poisons was Shunran. Those two are also his closest and strongest comrades."
"What are their strengths, Urasue?"
"Toran has the power to cover a whole area with a layer of ice and then to take away the ice. This will not work on you or any other demon of your stature. Karan, your lover, has the power to draw out fire with her mind. These can reach to great sizes, I don't know how far. Shuran, he possesses the power to extract lightning bolts from his body. His body is slow to react, yet his lightning is quicker than natural. Shunran, a sprite of body can create potions and confuse your mind of what is not actually true. She creates your fears, your weaknesses."
"What of Oyakata?"
"He's just their leader; he has no true power, no true weakness. He transform himself into his true form, a cat."
"Their weaknesses?"
"That I am not sure. I'm sure they have the same weaknesses as you. Equal or more power, I'm sure."
"I thought you knew all, Urasue the Wicked."
"I never proposed that, Inu no Taisho."
He went about the room and thought of what she had said. The powers were so different from each other. Their leader had no true power though he could change into his true form, which was no real feat.
"All right, you may sleep here in my castle, but I will have my guards watch over you so you do not cause a trouble for me."
"I assure you, Inu no Taisho, that would be the last object of my fate," her tone was serious and forceful. He left the room and signaled for three guards to watch over her. He went to his chambers to create a battle structure.
That night around the time when the moon was still high but descending to the horizon slowly, a great flame hit the southern end of the castle.
Inutaisho exited his chambers at the western side as the maidens and servile rang the bell for war. He heard a laugh as Karan, the red haired female neko jumped in front of him.
"Inu no Taisho, I've wanted to see your face for the longest time! Now I want to keep it!" she spoke laughing and grabbed his cheeks. His face instantly became hot and he pushed Karan off. "You're being too rough. Especially for a lady!"
"What do you want?" the castle still burned a little, but since the building was damp from the rain earlier that night it did not ignite to other parts.
She didn't answer but jumped into the air as a layer of ice covered the ground below him. He looked behind him and saw the young woman named Toran walked towards him.
"The Inu no Taisho is infallible to my attacks of ice. Look, even his teeth do not click against each other!"
He ran towards her and grabbed her by the neck, "What do you want with me?"
Her eyes became dark, "Your kingdom, you bastard whom kills his own father for a sword you are unworthy for."
"If it is Sou'unga you want, than take it, for I have no use for something so tedious as a sword that attempts to possess my body," he moved towards the hall of the sword when Myouga crawled on his ear.
"No, my lord! Sou'unga will not only possess his body, but will kill everyone with the Gokuryuuha. You must not let any soul have that sword!"
"Gokuryuuha?" he muttered. He held tight to her throat. Toran's fingers went to her throat.
"Where is this leader of yours, this Oyakata?"
"You know my father?"
"Where!" he pushed tighter, bending her tendons and bones to the point where she even struggled to breathe small breaths.
"Be...hi...ooo..."
He pushed her away and Toran fell to the ground, struggling for breath. Finger bruises were around her neck.
Black smoke rose to the sky and covered the moon with the help of the thick rain clouds. It was dark and took all of Inutaisho's patience to search for Oyakata. A fist hit his stomach. He clutched his stomach, knowing it was pitiful to call for help from his soldiers when he knew they were testing him on this fight.
He trained his eyes on the space before him. Inutaisho calmed himself and saw that Oyakata moved at a reasonable speed. Although, with the charms of the cat Shunran, he seemed to be too fast for others. Oyakata was just a trickster.
Inutaisho ran towards him and rammed his head into his gut. It was hard as granite, but the blow stunned him. Before Inutaisho could gain his senses, Oyakata had grabbed his arms and forced him to the ground. No words were spoken among the canine soldiers of the west or the two neko-youkai who stood close. Inutaisho brought his knees up and connected his foot with the feline's stomach, sending him backwards and off balance. He locked Oyakata's arms under his knees and brought his claws down to Oyakata's eyes. Oyakata's orbs were a light gold with a dark red around the pupil. Inutaisho pressed his claw into the corner of his right eye. Even as he pressed a little, the blood poured from the corners of the eye. The feline screamed and tried to move his arms under the weight of Inutaisho.
After pressing a few moments, the eye oozed a yellow and white. Oyakata began to cry out that he needed souls as his eye oozed out.
"Toran, I need the dead! Karan kill them all!" he cried out then screamed as the pain of the eye resonated and filled his whole body. Toran and Karan ran towards him crying his name and creating fire and ice as they ran. Before they could do anything Inutaisho finished him off by slicing his throat and letting the blood flow.
"NO! BASTARD!" Toran yelled
Karan threw fireballs the size of Inutaisho's human head towards him. "I'll kill you!" she screamed at him.
Before anymore action could be done, the inu-youkai cheered and charged at the two remaining felines. They saw this through blurred vision and with grace grabbed their dead leader and jumped as far as they could. The clouds parted and there appeared the moon, in its first quarter shining bright and luminous on Inutaisho's skin. He smiled as he was accepted. Buds had begun to grow on the trees and the flowers had started to bloom in his kingdom until the day it would fall, long after the Leader of the Dogs was dead and the land was stripped of these beauties.
The dogs cheered for their leader, whom had fallen to his knees in a tiresome state. He panted and smiled as they pulled him to his feet and took him to his chamber where he would fall asleep and hear the cackle of the witch in his dreams.
Author's Note:
Added more dialogue to Myouga and Inutaisho's confrontation. More of the history of Ryuukossei...
I'm not an atheist or anything for those who are going to flame about how the world was mad (the scientific hypothesis of it). I don't personally believe in that, but I didn't want to include religion into this story. Whether it be Shinto or Catholic.