In the Beholders Eye

Written By Sarga

May/June 2006

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters, I'm just taking a theme and running with it...

Chapter 23: An Object of Great Power

The late afternoon sun shone cheerily onto a large expanse of colourful wildflowers. All colours of the rainbow could be found, brilliant flowers, large and small, at all stages of growth. A sudden prismatic tuft of petals danced upwards into the wind, being carried aimlessly in its playful currents.

A giggling child watched as the petals flew upwards. Her small frame, wrapped in a modest yet colourful kimono, danced with her as she gleefully threw her arms towards her vanishing playmates.

"Rin!" a masculine voice called firmly.

She responded immediately, turning her still grinning form towards her master. Trundling through the flowers towards his call, her smile remained bright, her eyes sparkling.

With his back to her, the tall, silver haired demon stood majestically at the edge of the forest. As he heard her approach, he started forward without a backward glance, rightfully assuming she would keep pace. Occasionally he would hear the girl pause, climb on or off of the back of her master's beast of burden, and continue onwards, always without a word of complaint.

Much unlike his 'loyal' retainer.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, why must we carry her along? She is not needed in our current quest," the ugly green frog-like demon croaked up from the forest floor at his master's side. Trying his best to make his plea seem reasonable, the demon only managed a sideways, disinterested glance from his master.

"Unless you have lied to me in your importance to this mission, I require you at my side, Jaken." The demon lord stared forward again, his emotionless gaze tracing their current route. "And, again unless you have lied to me, there is no danger for the human."

Jaken glowered, his feeble attempt to ditch the child was cast to the winds. Allowing his pace to slow so that the others passed him, Jaken thought of how easily it would be to dispatch the nuisance child. Of course, that would only lead to his own dispatching immediately thereafter.

Lost in his thoughts, the demon walked into the haunches of the two-headed beast carrying the object of his consternation.

"Jaken!" Sesshoumaru called, his voice was as impatient as it ever sounded, which was not very much.

As if bitten, Jaken scrambled forward towards his master's beckoning. His staff, a full head taller than himself, was trailing along haphazardly, loose in demon's grasp.

"Yes mi'lord?" Jaken groveled.

Eyebrow raised dangerously, yet almost imperceptibly, Sesshoumaru glanced at his retainer coldly. "You did not specify which cave it would be."

Jaken stared blankly at the scene before them. While the tale's teller had spoken of the object being "born out of darkness", he had not mentioned that there would in fact be dozens of caves in the specified area. All of the caves were equally dark, making each one just as likely as any other.

Jaken quickly went through the tale in his mind, searching for anything else to aid in his search. Eyes widening in realization, he stood confidently in front of his master.

Casting his staff before him, Jaken spread a wide burst of flame. The magical flames bit at the contents of each cave, save one. Focusing his flame back towards that cave, Jaken confirmed what he had suspected.

"That one, mi'lord! A magic barrier protects it."Jaken motioned ecstatically as he spoke. Rin dismounted and stood next to the dancing demon.

"Is this a new game, Jaken?" she asked as she watched curiously, her brow furrowed in contemplation of his wriggling body.

Icily eying the overly enthusiastic demon as he passed, Sesshoumaru headed towards the cave. Not stopping the two who followed close behind, Sesshoumaru continued onward. Pausing momentarily, Sesshoumaru took a contemplative look at the air in front of him. In a single fluid motion, he withdrew his Tokijin, swept its blade vertically and replaced back at his side. Passing the former barrier, Sesshoumaru proceeded through the cave entrance.

Stepping into the dank and unlit cave, Sesshoumaru allowed his demon sight to peruse the interior. It was a particularly shallow cave, being about the size of a large peasant's hut. Peering carefully about, all he could see were the smooth stone walls from one side of the entrance around to the other. Just as Jaken had told him, he could not see the object's location. It was, indeed, expertly concealed.

"If I may, mi'lord?" Jaken asked from behind him.

As Sesshoumaru was about to motion for Jaken to begin, he felt a sudden pull on his attention. Before him, just beyond his reach was a small altar protruding slightly from the otherwise flawless walls. As he focused his sight on that altar, he saw it, the source of their quest. In a flash, Sesshoumaru had clasped the offending item in his hand.

Shifting it around in his palm, Sesshoumaru felt the weight of the object and the energy from within. "A mere trinket. It is of no use to me." Sesshoumaru allowed a hint of disgust to enter his voice as he eyed the object.

Jaken felt cheated. Not only had he been denied his role in the retrieval of a supposed mighty object, but the object itself did not meet his master's standards.

"Mi'lord?" Jaken stepped forward as his master stood staring at the amulet in his hand, his former words of disgust seemingly forgotten.

Sesshoumaru felt strangely compelled by this amulet, a pull to keep it, despite it's apparent lack of worth. As he gazed at its worn surface he felt the irrational compulsion to keep it near him.

As if sensing his strange urge, Rin stepped forward, her black hair falling back as she looked up at her master.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, that looks very pretty. Can Rin keep it?" Rin stepped next to Sesshoumaru and stood on her tip toes to see the object in his grasp.

Snapping from his strange trance, Sesshoumaru dropped it into Rin's outstretched hand, feeling strangely relieved. However, whether the relief was from ridding himself of it or from having it nearby, he could not tell.

"Do with it as you will," Sesshoumaru replied coldly, betraying none of his inner conflict.

Returning to the evening sunset, the trio set up camp for the night, allowing Rin to sleep. A faint smile could be seen on the girl's face as she gently clasped her new trinket in her sleeping hand.

End of Chapter

- - - - - - - - - -

Hi all, I haven't forgotten about you all! I've been busy with work, and I've been getting the next few chapters perfect for all you diligent readers out there...

As always, more reviews makes Sarga a happy writer...Keep 'em coming and I might even post the next chapter sooner than planned.

- Sarga