Author's Note: I'm not sure if I'm doing the time line exactly right, because I think Sesshoumaru is supposed to be quite a bit older than Inuyasha, so I may approach that in a vague way. So, I'm sorry if I don't get things exactly right. Anyway, any suggestions anyone may have are certainly welcome, and please read n' review! Thanks!
Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Inuyasha
It was already turning cold in the northern lands, even though summer was barely over. Sesshoumaru nor his father had said much to one another on their journey back to his mother's home. Both continued through the mountains concentrating on their thoughts. When they were only a few days from arriving at the fortress, Inutaisho suddenly turned and led what was left of his force down into one of the valleys that held a sprinkling of human villages. Soon Sesshoumaru saw why. One of the villages was apparently burning, and smoke filled the sky above it.
"Why do you wish to go down there father?" Sesshoumaru asked as they started down the mountain. "Whatever has happened to those humans has nothing to do with us." he told him.
"You know I don't share the same feelings toward humans as you do, Sesshoumaru." Inutaisho said as he turned to his son. "For all we know, it could be retaliation from the dragon clans, or other demons who wish to stir up trouble after learning that we hardly have an army left to defend our territories." "They could try to stage an invasion from one of these villages, and we would never know it if we paid them no attention." "These are reasons why I told you it is best to make certain there is peace among all the creatures in one's domain." he stated. Sesshoumaru said nothing, but continued following his father to the base of the mountain.
When they arrived at the village, there was almost nothing left. No one seemed to be left alive. Sesshoumaru could smell that demons had been there, but couldn't tell what kind they may have been. "It doesn't seem to be anyone from the dragon clans, at least." he thought to himself. He would know that scent anywhere by now. His father stood silently a few feet ahead of him, surveying the damage and loss of life. Burned bodies of villagers were everywhere, struck down as they tried to flee.
"They had no chance at all." Inutaisho said finally. "There doesn't seem to be any real reason that the village was attacked, it must have been a band of petty demons just out for carnage." "It is likely there weren't many of them considering the size of the village." he said tiredly. "So many lives lost in a useless slaughter." he thought to himself. Men, women, and children, all gone. He wished he could bring them all back. His resolve to speak to his wife about her family's knowledge hardened. "Let's go everyone, I have important matters I must attend to." he said to his followers.
Sesshoumaru wondered what his father could be talking about. He had told him that he needed to speak with his mother, but he didn't know why. He knew that his mother's clan knew secrets of the otherworld, but he had only heard that in whispers and had never asked his mother about it. He caught up with is father a few feet ahead of the others.
"What do you intend to do father, what is it that you wish to speak with mother about?" he asked.
"Your mother's people have long been known to possess secrets of the afterlife." he told him. "Did you know this?" he asked as he turned to Sesshoumaru.
"I have heard little about it, and nothing at all from mother herself." he answered
"I confess I know little about it as well." Inutaisho said as he continued back up the mountain. "I wish to speak with her and ask her what she knows of it, if she will tell me." "I wish to find a way to strike down many enemies at once, to keep what happened in our last battle from happening again." "I know there are swordsmiths who forge demon swords, but I don't know who any of them are." "I wish to find one and see if there is a way to combine the powers of a demon and the powers of the otherworld into a sword." he finished.
Sesshoumaru stared in shock. "Do you really think such a thing can be done?" he asked his father. He had heard only legends of such weapons existing long ago, and knew that there were demon swords in the world now, but most of them were not very strong. "You will need to find a master demon swordsmith, if there is even one alive who would know if it was possible." he said to Inutaisho.
"I agree." his father said. He stopped and turned to Sesshoumaru. "I may be away for quite some time if all goes as planned." "I will need you to act in my stead and take care of any problems that may arise in my absence."
Sesshoumaru nodded. "I will, father." he promised
"However, I wish for you to stay in the north with your mother, do not return to the west unless it is necessary." "Most enemies will not bother to face the frozen mountains, and there are few left now who would challenge us that far." "Let our domains in the west be for now, there is little there left to defend right now." "I will have what is left of our troops from the west stay in the north as well." Inutaisho instructed.
Sesshoumaru nodded his consent. A mix of emotions ran through him. He was glad his father trusted him enough to leave him in charge of his affairs while he was away, though there wasn't much left now to oversee. After all the time he had spent in travel, he didn't really want to return to his mother's home and have to stay there for an indeterminate amount of time. There was only so much training he could accomplish there, and he would rather be finding ways to perfect his skills elsewhere if he saw fit. But he would do as his father asked. Snow began falling as night approached, and Sesshoumaru and his father made their way through the mountains in silence again.
