The scene changed. Now the faces of the others, the Vangen, seemed drawn and anxious. They stood outside The Spire, gathered around, talking. The sky overhead seemed darker somehow, the pinks now angry reds, the violets dark purples. The mountains seemed to cast long, angry shadows.
Kagome and the others saw that there was now two groups outside The Spire. One group consisted on Vangen and their children. The other group held only children. And through group held the larger amount of children.
Mallaki stood there, before the group of children and Vangen, and was speaking. The other group of "children" looked different. Their eyes were darker, somehow, their faces more cold. In the front was the one Naraku had, the one called BloodStar.
Mallaki spoke, "Please. This is not necessary. We have created you because we love you. There is no reason you should feel you have to push us away. Let us guide you."
The one called BloodStar shook his head, almost sneering, "You created us, yes, and gave us the best you all had to offer. But we have now surpassed you. We are as strong as you, if not stronger! Why should we stay here, bound to you? There are other worlds out there we can see! Other planes! Think of what we could do out there?"
"BrightStar," Mallaki said quietly, "The other planes are not for us. The creatures that live there are weak and powerless against us. It would be wrong for us to go there. What would we do?"
"If they are that powerless, we would do what we wanted," BrightStar laughed.
StrongWind spoke up, "You are turning your back on who you are, BrightStar. We are the Vangen's Children. We are to inherit their knowledge. Why go to lesser realms when we have this? Surely you will not find anything more beautiful than The Spire?"
BrightStar frowned, "StrongWind, you are the eldest of us all, the most powerful, and still you want to stay here? Don't you feel the pull of other worlds? Can't you feel them out there, calling?"
One of the Vangen, the one with the all-white eyes, turned to Mallaki, "This is what I was talking about! They do not have the wisdom we were given! We cannot turn them loose on the outside worlds, they will kill without knowing what they are doing!"
"Keep your thoughts to yourself, old man," BrightStar frowned.
"The Gods are already angry at us!" the old man pointed up to the sky, "Look at how they change our world!"
BrightStar regarded the sky, "All the more reason to leave."
"Ungrateful wretch!" White-eyes yelled.
BrightStar reached out, and angrilly shoved the old man, throwing him back onto his backside. The old man cried out.
StrongWind stepped forward, angry, "Enough! You will show disrespect to the ones who made us!"
"I will show them what respect they deserve!" I am thankful they made us, but I will not stay here doing nothing while they grow old and die!"
BrightStar looked at StrongWind, and spoke, "Come with us, brother. We need you. You can lead us...I would not take that away from you. You will lead us into new worlds, where we could do as we wished, without anyone telling us what is right and what is wrong!"
StrongWind shook his head, "No. Our place is here. Perhaps someday, when those who made us are gone, and we have gained their wisdom, we can leave The Spire and wander, seeking out new things. But until then we will stay here, and learn."
BRightStar's face was intense, and he held out a hand, "Please, brother. Come with us."
StrongWind shook his head, "I have said what I had to say."
Another Child of the Vangen spoke up, a strange-looking male with long orange hair and bright blue eyes stepped forward. His face was angry, his fists raised.
"They have corrupted you, StrongWind! But we are stronger than they are! Look! Look and see!"
He raised a hand, holding it out towards the old man who was trying to stand. A pulse of orange colour, and the old man fell, a long jagged slash down his back, a greenish blood seeping out through his clothing. The old man shrieked in pain...a sensation he had never felt before.
StrongWind turned to the other Child, and his face darkened in anger.
"How dare you!" he stepped forward, and raised a hand towards the other.
There was a strange, black pluse of light from StrongWind's palm, and the other Child went hurtling backwards, shrieking, landing hard on his back.
Mallaki helped the old man up, and stared towards the others, "Enough! Stop this!"
BrightStar ran over to the other Child who had been struck, and knelt beside him. He called the other's name, taking his hand. After a second, he looked up, confused.
"He will not answer. He has fallen asleep somehow."
The other Children, even those who had not sided with BrightStar, including StrongWind, walked over, and stood watching the other Child worriedly.
StrongWind knelt, and lightly shook the other one, "RedHeart? Wake up. I am sorry I struck you. You made me very angry. Come now, wake up."
Mallaki walked to the group, pushing a few out of her way, and knelt. She reached out her hands to the one lying on the ground, her eyes worried. Around her the other Children, including StrongWind, watched her, a little anxious, but not worried.
A strange look came over Mallaki's face, and she leaned back, gazing at RedHeart quietly. One of the other Vangen walked up, speaking worriedly.
"Mallaki? He is not..."
Mallaki nodded, closing her head and lowering her head, "He is."
Silence. All the Vangen turned, and began to stare at StrongWind strangely, worriedly. Tense.
StrongWind noticed this, and leaned towards the one who created him, "Mallaki? Why does he not wake up?"
"Because he is dead, StrongWind."
"And what is 'dead'?"
"He is...gone."
The other Children shifted, confused. He couldn't be dead, he was right there on the ground!
"Gone?"
"He is...do you remember what happened to Arula? How she...dissapeared?"
The Children nodded, shifting again. Sometimes, the Creators vanished...only their clothing would be found, with a faint wisp of dust within. They were never seen again.
"Is it like that. His body is here, but...he will never wake up again."
"How did it happen?" StrongWind asked, innocently, looking upset.
Mallaki looked into his face, not sure what to day. It was BrightStar who spoke, "You did it, StrongWind. When you struck him."
StrongWind looked up at BrightStar, startled, "What? No, of course not. I hit him, yes...and it was wrong. I have never been that angry before. But I did not intend this!"
"It doesn't matter," BrightStar said, "I've seen, on other planes, what they call Death. You can kill someone accidentally."
One of the Vangen spoke sharply, "You have already been to the other planes?"
But BRightStar did not answer. He was looking at StrongWind intently, but not angrilly, "You are the eldest, StrongWind, and there fore it is natural you have the right to remove those of us who do not fit. RedHeart should not have-"
"No!" Mallaki cried, standing up, "You cannot do this! You must never say those with power have the right to decide who lives and who dies! That is why we made you! Because we were not given that choice! You must not take it from others."
BrightStar looked at her, angrilly, "We did not have the choice of being asked what we wanted. Why do you think we would want to be here, when we can be out there?"
"You will be!" Mallaki cried, "Just have patience, please! One day you will have our knowledge, and then you can go and do what you wish! But until then you must not leave this plane!"
"Do you see?" BrightStar called to the others, "They try to shackle us that we are stuck here!"
StrongWind continued to kneel by RedHeart's body, staring at his brother in shock and confusion. He had killed him? But he hadn't meant to!
Another Vangen stepped forward, this one shorter than the others, and with dark hair and eyes. He look angrilly at BrightStar, "That is enough!"
BrightStar fell quiet, looking at the one who made him.
"I gave my powers to you because I loved you, not because I wanted them turned on us. You are ungrateful and spoiled children!"
BrightStar's face darkened. He looked at StrongWind once more, "We are leaving this place, brother. Walking away."
BrightStar's creator spoke angrilly, "If you leave these planes, we will be forced to shackle you indeed! We will not turn our creations loose on the other worlds!"
BrightStar looked back, narrowing his eyes, "You are threatening us?"
"I am warning you. If you leave The Spire, you will be shackled."
"And in what manner will you shackle us, hmm?" BrightStar looked amused.
The Vangen spoke coldly, "Do you think that because we are peaceful we are stupid? You were all created with a seed inside you, a seed that we can awaken at any time. And when that happens, your powers will no longer be your own. You truly will become someone's slave, and you will call them master! You will be awake only at their allowance, and you will wear the sign of the slave so that all who see you will know!"
BrightStar blinked, shocked, then his face darkened again, "You lie! You cannot do that!"
"Indeed we can. You will be what is known on the closest plane as "Kageri", BrightStar. Shadows. Because you will only be a shadow of your former self, helpless to your master who will be your source of light."
Trembling, with a cry of rage, BrightStar lunged at his creator.
The others, even those who sided with him, grabbed him, pulling him back. He struggled against him, screaming in fury.
Mallaki stepped forward, and looked over all the Vangen's Children. She spoke, her voice clear.
"The choice is made. If you wish to leave this plane, you will become what is know as Kageri. If you wish to leave The Spire, and live elsewhere, but on this plane, you will remain as you are. Only if and when you try to leave, will the seed within you blossom.
You must choose now. Will you stay within the Spire? All those who voiced anger against us are still welcome to stay, and no reprecussions will be made against you. But know if you leave, you are no longer welcome here."
The Children of Vangen milled about, some walking to stand with the Vangen, others walking and standing beside BrightStar. There was great sadness as some Vangen saw the very ones they had created walking from them.
BrightStar, under control of himself again, looked again at StrongWind, "Join us. We need you to lead us! We will follow you anywhere!"
StrongWind spoke firmly, "I stay within the Spire, with my creators."
BrightStar sneered, furious, "You fool!" He turned, and lunged into the air, leaving behind the valley and the Spire, and a great many Children went with him.

The image dimmed, and Izumi spoke again, "BrightStar and StrongWind have never spoken since. Each saw the other's actions as great betrayal. To StrongWind, BrightStar turned his back on those who made him. To BRightStar, StrongWind turned his back on his own kind, leaving them with out a strong leader. As BrightStar said, they would have followed him anywhere."
Izumi looked around at the four young people watching her. She noticed, pleased, that even InuYasha was leaning in towards the glowing sphere, caught up in the story.
"Years passed. The Vangen continued to grow older, and more dissapeared, simply turning into dust within minutes, only their clothing left behind. The Children who left The Spire lived far out in the mountains, having built their own city, and each left the other alone.
Until one day. Everyone was shocked with how quickly, and how violently, the Lost Children attacked."

The scene shifted. Now it showed The Spire, the sky overhead an angry dark. There were no stars left, no planets, just blackness.
Parts of The Spire were on fire, others were sooty and broken.
Figure flew around outside The Spire, darting here and there, and as the image sharpened, they could see it was the Children. Battling each other.
The Vangen remained inside the Spire, attending the damage as it formed, putting out fires and trying to reseal cracks. Despite their powers, they could not use them against other living things, even those attacking.
The other Children took care of that.
Fire flashed, lighting crashed. Great black orbs of energy flew back and forth, those getting hit screaming in pain and agony, falling to strike the ground hard. Faces were cut and burned. Dark blood flowed on both sides. Occasionally, a Child would fall, and would not move, would not stir.
Would never stir again.
Izumi spoke again, "You are used to wars, here, in these times. But this was the first war even seen on this plane. It was a battle of the Children of the Vangen, and it was horrible. Death came to those who should have been above it. There were a limited number of Children, and with each death, that number became fewer. The horror of it was astounding."
Here, in the sphere, was StrongWind, flashing through the air, one hand raised, fingers crooked, a black ball of energy growing, swirling, forming. Spinning in place, he angled his arm, throwing it hard. It flashed out, and struck three other Children who were trying to tear open The Spire, sending them spinning away, screaming. They were burning with a black fire.
He was clearly in command. The others came to him for instructions, and when he barked out an order, there was no hesitation. Fires were put out, charges were held back, and The Spire held.
When both sides paused, gasping for breath, the great gates opened, and the Vangen walked out. Their faces were grim, their clothing sooty and torn. Some looked as if they could hardly walk.
Izumi spoke, "And so began The Descent of the Children."
Some of the Vangen in the group stepped forward, and closing their eyes, raised their hands.
A wind blew up onto the plane, smelling of blood and scorched earth.
The Lost Children, those who had defied their creators, who had attacked them, suddenly began to scream.
Some fell on the ground, others staggered around, holding themselves as if they thought they were going to be torn open from within. They screamed for mercy, but no mercy was given them.
And as Kagome and the others watched, they began to change.
Hair darkened to dark browns or blacks, no matter what colour it had been. Long hair instantly was bound. Long flowing robes of silks were replaced with utilitarian clothing of sturdy cloth, clothing of slaves or vassals. Strange marks formed on their faces; tribal-looking marks on cheeks, necks, around eyes or mouths. They flared into being, and then faced out, almost vanishing completely. But pale grey marks of them remained.
They fell or staggered, gasping from the pain, from some strange change that had happened inside them.
A male Vangen came forward, his face saddened, but firm. He was the one who had created BrightStar, and he spoke.
"No longer are you Children of Vangen. Now you have become what we warned. You are Kageri. You are banished from this plane, and must find you own way in the worlds beyond this, with little to no power. If you wish to be awake in the other worlds, to see and learn, you must be bound to one of the beings that live there. You will be a slave to them, alert and awake only while you are useful. When they are finished with you, when you have done what they need, you will be returned to sleep, until you are needed again."
BrightStar staggered up, glaring at his creator, "This will not stop us! We will-"
"You will do nothing, BloodStar. You are a slave now. Banished from this plane at once."
"I am BrightStar!"
"No. You lost your name when you lost our grace. You shed blood willingly, and so BloodStar you are. Go now. You are no longer welcome here."
Furious, BloodStar backed up, and glaring at StrongWind, turned. He fled into the sky, and the Lost Children who have lived, now called The Kageri, fled with him.

Izumi spoke, "Those Children who remained with the Vangen kept their powers, and were not Kageri. They tried to return to their way of living, but the battle had taken a great deal out of the Vangen, and they began to die faster. More and more were found as only small wisps of dust in clothing.
Now the Children found themselves in the role of caring for their creators. Some became too weak to move from their beds. The Children walked about The Spire feeling lost and frightened.
StrongWind rallied them, giving them chores and raising their spirits, but even he was afraid.
One day there Mallaki came to him with fears that The Kageri had somehow managed to return to their plane. The Vangen had felt something on a nearby plane. He promised to check it out, and given permission by the Vangen, left his home plane for the first time."
Izumi continued, "StrongWind saw a great deal in that other plane, and he found a trace of the Kageri, though only a small one. They had either tried to enter this plane and been unable to, or had only passed through on their flight out.
He returned...and everything had changed."

Now the scene shifted. The sky was an angry red, almost seeming to pulse. Heat ripples seemed to rise up from the ground and rock. The mountains were an ugly black.
StrongWind flew through the air, his form a wavery smear as he moved through the heat waves. His long hair rippled behind him as he flew.
The Spire, when it came into view, was destroyed. The upper levels had all been sheared away completely, huge jagged cracks in the sides revealing lower levels. Here and there the discarded clothing of fallen Vangen could be seen, that which wasn't burned to a cinder. Thunder rolled in the background, and what looked like burning, jagged rocks tumbled from the sky here and there, to strike The Spire and the grounds.
StrongWind called her name, darting around falling rocks, seeming to flow in through a remaining window.
Mallaki was lying on the floor in what remained of her rooms, her long grey hair fanned out around her. A fire had recently swept through, destroying a great deal. Her clothing was singed.
"Mallaki!" he cried, running over to her. Kneeling, he gently grasped her, turning her own.
Her pain-filled eyes opened, and focused on him, "Strong..Wind."
"Mallaki, what has happened? Where are the others? What has happened with The Spire!"
"Destroyed. The others...gone."
"The Kageri!"
"No, my beloved one. We finally went too far. Angered our Gods beyond their forgiveness."
"I don't understand? What have they done?"
She slowly crawled to a sitting position, her voice weak, "They told us they would not be your Gods, as they did not create you. They would have nothing to do with you. We had hoped they would take you in, be your Gods as well, but they are still angry we this did, and they refused.
We grew angry, my beloved. Told them if they would not accept you, we did not want them to be our gods either. And so...they have destroyed us."
"No. That is not right!"
His face darkening with anger, he looked up at the blood-red sky, "You cannot do this! They are your children, as we are theirs!"
"They will not listen to you, beloved. You are as nothing to them."
StrongWind made a fist, "If I ever have the power to one day face them, I will make them regret this!"
"Do not say that!"
"You...are the only Vangen left, Mallaki?"
"Yes."
"Where are the Children?"
"We commanded them to flee. Help me up...there, to the chair."
StrongWind picked her up, carrying her to a reclining chair, and eased her down into it.
"Flee to where?"
"To other worlds, other planes. StrongWind...that book...over there. Can you get it for me, please?"
"Of course, Mallaki."
StrongWind left her side, and moved quickly to the far side of the room, where a large tome had fallen, dust and soot covering it's cover.
"This one, Mallaki?" He bent and picked up the book.
She spoke behind him, voice grieved, "Forgive me, beloved."
"Forgive you?" he asked, turning, "For what?"
She reached out towards him, hand out, palm turned towards him, and a tiny light seemed to flicker in her palm.
StrongWind gasped in pain, the book falling from his hands to thud heavily on the floor. He gasped out again as another burst of pain struck him.
"I have no choice," Mallaki said, tears in her voice, "If I die now, without letting you leave these planes, you will be destroyed when they are."
"No!" StrongWind cried out, looking up at her, his eyes wide, one hand reaching out to her, "Please! Do not turn me! Do not bind me! I will die if I cannot be free!"
Tears slipped from her eyes, and she shook her head, "You are my child. I cannot let you be destroyed. If this is the only way you can go on, then I will do so. Please, forgive me."
StrongWind screamed in pain, doubling over, clutching his chest, sobbing. His long black hair suddenly bound, weaving itself tightly into a braid. Soft silks he had once worn became more rugged cloth. He lifted his head, agonized tears streaming from his eyes, and the familiar mark to Kagome burst into place around his eye.
His screams continued while forces invaded his body, twisting him, marking him, giving him borders now, boundaries. Fences. Walls.
Mallaki fell back, gasping, as StrongWind fell to the floor, shivering.
"Forgive me..."
"Mallaki..."
He dragged himself over to her, using the chair to pull himself up. Tear-filled eyes sought out her face, "Mallaki?"
She smiled, her face and eyes pale, and wearily lifted her hand. She reached out, bringing her palm to his cheek.
StrongWind spoke, "I would rather you let me die here, with you, than become Kageri."
"I know," she whispered, "But I cannot see my beautiful child gone. You are strong. You have always been strong, and you will survive. You will do great things."
She smiled again, "I will always love you, my beautiful DarkWind."
He lightly touched the back of her hand, watching as the light faded from her eyes. He reached out, and touched her face for a second, until, with a sigh, her body turned to ask, and began to drift away.
DarkWind stood up, brushing back the tears with his arm. He looked around.
His entire world was destroyed.
Angrilly, he looked up, at the blood-red sky.
"You did not deserve to have children! And you do not deserve to have anything they have left behind!"
Furious, DarkWind lunged from the broken remains of The Spire. He flew outwards, a black comet, arcing out into the sky. One large, burning rock hurtled down at him, and yelling his anger, he burst through it, striking it head on and shattering it into a million pieces.
When he had gotten high enough, he raised both arms over his head. His eyes were fixed on the broken Spire below.
In the space above both his hands, a small black flame flickered into life. It spun in place, and with a whisper, began to grow. Swiftly it grew in size and circumference, spinning like a child's toy.
It continued to grow until it was 2 feet in size. The 4. 5. Ten feet across, and still it grew. Sixteen. Twenty.
The ball grew until it reached the size of a large car, spinning in place with a high-pitched, almost sonic sound.
DarkWind raised his arms, and with a scream of fury, launched the ball down, towards the Spire.
The vall continued to grow, even as it fell, and it struck the side of the Spire silently.
The wall it struck, instantly collapsed, sending out a shower of powder. The ball continued to move, to bury itself deeper inside. The remains of the Spire shuddered, and with a groan, toppled.
Miles of alabaster fell, crashing, roaring like thunder. Great clouds of dust went billowing outwards. Once-brilliant bits of furniture fell from the ruins, all tumbling down.
The Spire took a while to completely collapse, and when it did, with a last groan of protest, there was a silence. Even the blackened mountains seemed aghast.
DarkWind hovered there, looking down at the remains of the Spire with a dull look on his face. He slowly took a deep breath, and slowly let it out.
DarkWind took one last look around him. One last look at what had been his home. His world. Now broken, burned, destroyed.
He turned, and left it's remains behind.

The scene slowly darkened until it became black. The four watchers leaned back slightly, not sure what to say.
Izumi spoke, "DarkWind spent a lot of time travelling through different planes before coming to these, where he would have to be bound to someone. He met other Kageri in those travels, some he was friends with, others he was not."
Kagome leaned back a little, "That's what that man said, when he asked me if that was his name. "DarkWind." He said he he had heard about him, that I was honoured to have him as my Kageri."
Izumi nodded, "Indeed. You not only have a Kageri, Kagome. You have the eldest Child of the Vangen, the one who defended the Spire, and the last Kageri created. He is very famous in his own right. He picks few masters, because he prefers to sleep than face a world where he is bound."
Kagome looked down at her knees, not sure what to say.
Izumi filled the silence, "He knew that he was needed, very badly, to help, so he agreed. It is hard for Kageri to make friends, because they are always bound to their masters, and it is very rare for two people with Kageri to know one another, let alone live near each other. So when they do make friends, they are held very tightly. Loyalty is complete..." she looked at Miroku, "They will risk much for them, but to knowingly disobey...I hope you are aware what he risked for you, Miroku."
Miroku nodded, dipping his head, his voice soft, "I do, Izumi, very much."
The monk remembered BloodStar's voice, angry at DarkWind, and disgusted, "This human is not of your ket! You act like he is family, but he is not!"
Miroku spoke softly, "Ket. Is that what they call it? Their...groups of friendship?"
Izumi nodded slowly, "It is. You have heard of this word?"
"I have."
InuYasha rose, starting towards the door, "I need some air," he sounded disgusted, "I'll be back."
He pushed back the doorflap, and every braced, but the storm had apparently passed, and the sun was shining.

He sat up on the same boulder as he had two days before, glaring out over the lake. The sun was shining off the lake, casting back sunlight like millions of diamonds. The farmers were out surveying the damage that had been done by the storm.
He was expecting her, so wasn't surprised when he caught her scent.
"Enjoying the sun, InuYasha?"
He turned and looked back over his shoulder at Izumi, as she walked towards him.
"Why the hell did you have to show us that?" he asked, face angry, "Was it important or something?"
"I don't know, InuYasha," Izumi said gently, "Do you think it was?"
He turned, looking back out over the lake, "What, am I supposed to feel sorry for him now?"
"That's up to you. You can, or don't have to, as is your wish. But both Amateraru and I thought it would be...informative, if nothing else, for everyone to see where he had come from. What, and who, he had been before he became Kageri. I know you had questions about that."
"I still wish he'd just take off, leave us alone."
"I know you do."
She sighed, and lightly patted his shoulder, before turning, and started away again. InuYasha peered over his shoulder, and blinked. Turning to face her, he blurted, "What, you're going again?"
Izumi looked back at him, half turning, "I was going to head back, yes. Would you like me to stay a while?"
He turned his back to her, instantly crossing his arms, hunching down a little, "I don't care, it's up to you, go or stay, do what you want."
Izumi smiled, completely turning, but not moving. Her voice was gentle, "If you do not care if I leave, why did you ask?"
He shrugged, blustery, "I don't know, who cares?"
"InuYasha."
His ears pricked slightly, and he peered back at her. Izumi shook her head, chuckling a little, "Would you like me to stay a while? Perhaps talk?"
He watched her uneasily, heritantly. After a second, he nodded.
Izumi smiled, and walked forward. InuYasha scooted aside on the boulder, and Izumi perched next to him.

Miroku and Sango pushed back the small sand bags as the water level was going down.
Sango spoke, "I hope the farmer's fields weren't too damaged."
Miroku nodded, "Yes, I know what you mean."
They piled up the sandbags in the corner. THe monk glanced at her, and spoke softly, "What is it, Sango, you've been glancing at me all day, as if you desperately need to talk to me."
Sango nodded, "I do, actually. Come look at this."
Miroku followed her to where Sango had her things packed away. The woman knelt, and rummaged for a second. Digging her hand down deep, she pulled it back out, holding onto something small, but bright. She held it out to him; an arrowhead.
Miroku frowned, and picked it up, "That's...is that jade? White jade?"
"It is. I found it on the ground near where you had been tied up."
Miroku frowned as he gazed at it.
"What are you thinking?" Sango asked.
"I'm not sure. I know when InuYasha was fighting off BloodStar, something came between them, something white. Whatever it was, it hurt BloodStar, and he was forced to vanish. It must have been this. Apparently only White Jade can kill or harm a Kageri, unless you are another Kageri."
Sango nodded, "That's what I was thinking. But Miroku...this arrow. I know Kagome didn't shoot it. And a jade arrow head can't be an easy thing to shoot, it's heavy."
"Meaning someone with skill shot it."
They looked at each other, and Sango spoke, "Why would Kikyo be here? And with White Jade weapons?"
The monk frowned, "I don't know, and to be blunt, I don't like it."
"Me either. Here, give me that back. We shouldn't let Kagome or InuYasha see it, not yet."
"Agreed."