This awesome story was inspired by a filler episode of Inuyasha that expanded on Urasue even if she barely featured... She taught Enju magic to create the clay soldiers, which meant that it could be taught... this made me think.
Being dead was... a weird experience. Ben never intended to die, but car accidents did happen so frequently in modern times. Being hit as he passed by the Higarashi shrine down right sucked, but here he was now haunting the damn place with no chances of escape... or so he thought. Bored and looking for something to do, he started checking out random things around him. Being a Ghost he could now see auras, colors of lights dancing around people and places of interest. Kagome for example, a beautiful girl he saw every so often, oozed a pink aura of pure power that he could feel. It was the strangest thing really...The well and the Giant tree on the property oozed a faint purplish light, both of them identical and powerful. So, naturally, he had to investigate.
Floating, he dived towards the well, eager to get some entertainment... Only to, after a moment of entering the well, being sucked into oblivion. It was like being sucked down a drain, the world around him shifted into a galaxy of blues and purples, and then... he was in the bottom of the well, looking up into an endless blue sky. Amazed, he floated up and saw a vast field and forest.
He was no longer in Tokyo...
He might, might have done something more... Invesitaged, relished in a difference in his surroundings, anything... but... within literally moments of lifting out of the well, another force caught him, this one like cold ice wrapping around his terrified ghostly heart. The world blurred at the speed of sound, a dark chanting echoed around him until the world settled into something once more. He was in a cavern, by an orgerish looking woman holding a massive scythe. She was an ugly creature, tall and strong with grey hair and a pointed nose. He could feel her power, her command over him...
It was intense, terrifying and he felt himself losing himself with her words even if he could not understand them. Whatever she was, she was doing, she was branding him with her power, trying to steal his energy for some reason... he had no idea.
Terrified, he fought with all he had even as he slowly sunk to the ground... into what he now realized was a clay mold. Like led wrapping around him, he felt himself being absorbed, her words trying to mute all he was. He screamed, loudly and for all the world to hear and then everything went dark... he screamed, pounding with real fists against the darkness, and felt actual resistance... he existed, he had limbs, he was solid once more.
Light burst into existence, dancing along cracks until he burst into literal freedom. "GET AWAY!" He screamed, shoving out of the clay prison.
The monstrous woman gaped. "You should not be a solid soul, I summoned only the Haku, the life force within a soul to animate another of my clay soldiers... How did you manage to maintain yourself, your true self to such a degree that your form would change the very appearance of the clay?"
Terrified, he stumbled back, glaring. "The fuck happened? How am I alive once more? I died a week ago, how... where am I?"
The Ogre grabbed his chin, her grip like iron as she stared into his eyes. "Your will must be unbreakable to resist having your Haku torn from you... no matter, I could always used another assistant. You were revived by my dark magic, to become molded of clay and magic, to feed upon the souls of the living and dead."
"Magic?" He would have said more, but then he realized... he was in the past, only that would explain her accent, her presence and her clothes. Knowing the future would only give her an advantage... she didn't deserve that, it wouldn't be safe for him or anyone involved. No... for the greater good, he would be quiet. He was no fool. However, he was still only fourteen and that meant he only had so much strength of will. One childish dream of his took over his tongue and he asked something that he ought to not have asked. "Could I learn this magic? I... I always wanted to learn magic."
The creature smiled. "A child of mine, eager to learn the craft... I am a mother if nothing else, a powerful soul assisting me by learning magic... show me your loyalty, as your mother, and I will teach you and allow you to grow into a powerful sorcerer!"
With genuine excitement, partially out of a childish dream to be magical but also to keep himself safe since he would rather not be a ghost again ( Or worse) , he threw himself at her in a hug. "Please, mother!"
She laughed, a cold evil sound. "Now, now my child... yes... I sense you will be a powerful sorcerer if taught properly... let us get you settled and then we can get you started learning. There is so much to magic, I have never passed on my craft. One with a will strong enough to bypass my spells practicing the dark arts, I cannot wait to see why destruction you will be wrought. Your power will ensure that I rise to become the most powerful demon in Nippon!" And so she laughed more, never noticing the boy's cold, hateful stare.
"I am learning for me... you will give me the tools to be free of you. I am no one's slave, mother... You have given me life once more, freedom from being a ghost, but even you cannot own me. I will allow you to use me for now, until you no longer have anything to teach me...'
She never would see it coming but she would never step into his path of freedom, he would not waste this second chance at life... that, he vowed.
Chapter end, tell me what you think in the reviews.
This is a really, really cool idea!
Love, your Ninja Overlord,
Mika.
