Thoughts
The wound on her stomach had clotted eventually and the pain slowly began to recede. She'd sat in her own pool of blood for what seemed like a very long time. She had been beaten and broken. She had been utterly defeated in her own homelands. She had lost everyone. For a while Suriel had simply sat, trembling slightly, as she fractured further and her eyes became even more unfocused. She wanted to fade to nothingness.
However, she was a strong demon and the crushing sadness slowly began to fade. Although she doubted it would ever disappear it had become bearable, mostly. A small spark of intent glowed in her eyes—she would survive. Suriel had slowly scrabbled until she was standing. Pain flashed through her body again but she turned until she faced north and then began to take the first plodding steps away from her home and into the unknown. She'd found a stream a few miles later and cleaned herself of the blood that caked her body on autopilot, her eyes still unfocused except for that lone spark. As she looked at her reflection her eyes focused a little more, They gave their lives for me. I cannot ignore their sacrifice. Her steps slightly increased their tempo through the trees.
A few miles later she'd walked into a clearing dotted with some very familiar wildflowers. A flash of memory speared through her tormented thoughts and guilt and crushing sadness-'Let's go pick those pretty blue flowers Razi! Momma will like them so much!'—Another spark glowed in the emerald. They loved me.
Another few miles and she stumbled over a root and placed a hand out to regain her balance. Her eyes caught sight of the ivory armbands that had somehow managed to escape the battle unscathed. The onyx caught the light and another spark glowed in the emerald eyes. She lifted her head higher while her emerald eyes hardened with a new determination—the first hint of emotion that had passed through the dog's turmoil. I am a princess of the South. They expected me to carry on their ideals…my ideals. Her eyes focused completely and she sighed once in relief. She hadn't really wanted to fade into nothing. She wanted to live. The princess shook herself stubbornly and then she was sprinting through the trees.
Weeks had passed and she had traveled through her southern territory until she finally had cross the border into the western lands. It had been fitting she decided that she had left the south at twilight and traversed the thin band of the borderlands during the night before crossing into the western lands at dawn. This place was going to be her place of new beginnings. She was going to get stronger and then when she did…Naraku. She growled to herself angrily. Either she or that half-demon was going to die before her life was spent. Then she could rest and maybe hope for a new beginning.
The princess of the south took a step further into the forests of the western lands. Suriel closed her eyes against the pain that shook through her body. It had followed her despite her apparent revival and it stabbed her at random moments. Raziel, Mother, Father, Aunt Mishka and Uncle Reeve… all of them gone—it still seemed like it was too much to bear. Once again that cold chuckle reverberated through her memory and she clenched her hands ignoring the small droplets of blood that fell to the ground as her claws bit through her skin. 'This kitten proved to be good entertainment for me. I think I'll take him back with me to the West, but you little puppy… I don't think you are worth anything at all. I'll let you live… for now.'Suri growled low in her throat at the memory of the voice but she continued walking along the forest path. The pain would not break her again. I will get revenge for you all. It was her new thought. The one that was pushing her forward and was now her mantra against the pain of losing everyone that was dear to her.
Again she saw herself powerless to help and saw his eyes begging her to stay away. Again she heard his last request even as his eyes told her of his love. Her hands clenched tighter and the blood droplets fell faster. Again Suriel saw Raziel's body being pulled back by a great tentacle towards the white baboon fur. The drops continued to fall in a rush to the ground as her clenched fist grew white at the knuckles with new applied pressure.
Suddenly, she stopped and inhaled—blood, demons, and the sharp taint of fear. Even as her nose scented all this her ears picked up the screams and growls of a battle. No, not a battle, she decided quickly, but a massacre. A very faint trace of scent made Suriel's eyes widen. She began to pulse with her demonic power. Her eyes widened and changed to emerald-flecked amber except it was ringed by a red band. Suriel was furious and she was allowing her inner dog the power and treading the thin border between in control and going berserk. Her jaw began to elongate and her snarls increased in intensity…very soon the transformation was complete and a large black dog demon raced through the forest.
Nearing the village she inhaled again and that trace of scent caused another savage growl to rip out of her throat. One thought was at the forefront of her mind, 'Naraku, one family wasn't enough you had to sate your blood lust with helpless humans?' but in the background another thought hummed through her blood, Revenge.
The growl reverberated through the clearing where the village was settled and most of the demons paused in fear while the humans shuddered at the hellish tone. It seemed to convey that a much stronger demon was coming and soon they could join their departed loved ones. The group of demons turned towards the forest to ascertain where the noise was coming from. Their eyes stayed focused on the silent trees for a few minutes but their blood lust soon caused them to again whirl about ready to finish the job and sate their appetites. The humans were cowering; the few men left in a defensive line to protect the elderly, women, and children but in front of them stood one midnight black dog amber eyes lit with a nearly insane anger.
The demons stilled once again and the humans breathed a small sigh of hope at their strange savior. They spared no thoughts to the preternatural speed that had caused this dog to come from seemingly thin air. At an unseen, to the humans, signal the demons rushed forward towards the lone canine. They hadn't fought someone of her power—otherwise they wouldn't be alive—but they were many. For everyone that Suriel took down, it seemed like another would take its place. Still, she had her surging anger and the unquenched desire for revenge and she quickly decimated the ranks of those gathered.
It was towards the end of the fight, when a blood splattered and wounded Suriel was dispatching the last of her prey that she heard the small fearful gasp of a child. She whirled and saw a mantis demon looming over a small girl who was huddled protectively over a toddler boy. The mantis claw came down, blood splattered the ground, and the boy began to wail.
Suriel shook her furry head and then raised a paw and brought it down shattering the arm from the mantis and leaving it in her own shoulder. The mantis sprawled back with a cry and she moved from her guarding position above the children. She bent her lupine muzzle and pulled the claw from her chest and then leapt upon the fleeing demon with flashing teeth to finish it. Suriel turned around with a blood soaked muzzle and saw the villagers crowding about the children, both of which were staring at her. They were soon joined by the rest of villagers. Her midnight fur whipped back in a swift unseen breeze and then she was transforming back into her humanoid form.
She glanced down at herself and with shock saw the ground come much closer. She sat there, kneeling on the ground as her wound continued to bleed. She glanced at her appearance in a nearby fallen man's sword—black, unruly, hair tumbling down to her lower back framing pointed ears and a blood splattered face. A vibrant sunburst sat in the middle of her forehead and three purple marks on each side of her pale neck stood out against the white of her kimono. Suriel sighed; the fact of the matter was that her black whirl-designed white kimono was redder at this point and the soft black fur of her Mokomoko was dripping a sticky red. Her sword was sheathed in its customary position at her side.
She shook her head in attempt to clear the disorientation. It turned out to be a bad idea. The blood dripping down her shoulder increased. With a sigh she cautiously stood and then moved until she was by a tree. Suriel grabbed her sword and leaned it against the tree and then sat down so her back was resting against it. She concentrated on sitting still to allow the blood to clot. Voices entered into her brain as she drifted in and out of blackness. "She's unnatural… look at those ears. She is a demon. Haku, you should get rid of her." That voice belonged to a brusque woman appearing to be middle aged.
"Hush you mouth, Azu. Do you want her to kill us as well?" This voice was softer and younger. Suriel glanced through her black bangs to see a woman pulling two children closer to her. She was frightened. For a split second the dog demon thought about soothing these peoples' fears but it seemed to much work at the moment.
"That's just the point Yuumei, she had a choice on whether or not to kill us. Instead she fought the demons. Did you see those eyes? She was angry about something." Haku spoke now. He was the oldest among them and seemed to be the leader. She liked him on sight. He seemed like a no-nonsense but fair village head.
"Haku that may be true but what about…" The voices continued in discussion. Suriel sighed once more her anger spent and sleepiness coming hard on its heels. Sleep would speed her healing like nothing else. Small hands touched her shoulder and she opened emerald eyes to see the two children that she had stood over. The little girl was clutching a cut on her arm.
Suri sat up carefully and held out a hand. She eyed the cut, "Little One, I will not harm you. Will you let me help you?" After a few minutes consideration the girl placed a small hand in her clawed one. Suriel pulled a small bag from her side and opened it up to reveal crushed herbs. "This may sting, Little One. Can you be strong?"
The small child stuck out her lip stubbornly, "I can be strong… one day I'll be as strong as you. Thank you for saving Koto and me, we was running back to our grandpops when the demon comed." Suriel smiled at the child's illiterate speech.
"What is your name?"
"I'm Mariko," another small figure came into her view as she crushed the herb on the wound and began wrapping it. The small boy placed a hand on the little girl's shoulder and leaned up to whisper in her ear. Mariko spoke again, "Koto tolded me to thank you for him. He don't talk to strangers. Our mum told us not to afore she was killed by demons."
Suriel's eyes darkened once again in remembered loss and she cast sympathetic eyes to the children, "I'm sorry to hear that Little Mariko. Were these the demons that killed your family?" The girl stuck out a lip stubbornly again. She wore that look so well Suri thought to herself, that it must be her normal one.
"Nuh-uh…well maybe, this village is always gettin' attacked by demons." The girl glanced about at the battlefield with hardened eyes, "I don't think many will be comin' back. You killed them all." Suriel smiled lightly as she finished bandaging the little girl's arm. She released the small hand and sat back on her heels. "If you'd like I could show you how to create a barrier of sorts that will keep the demons away."
A deeper voice answered before the little girl even opened her mouth, "It would be much appreciated great Lady. What is it that we may call you and won't you please stay the night with us as our thanks?" Suriel glanced up to see the battle worn male with a somewhat rusty sword at his side—the headman of the village—Haku. Once again her gaze swept the clearing at the fearful humans and she nodded resolutely.
"Suriel. My name is Suriel. I accept your offer with thanks. If you wish I can show you how to put up a barrier tomorrow evening." She slowly rose to her feet and glanced about the clearing; already people were trying to remove the demons bodies and performing a mass fire grave. She inhaled once and caught the last fading scent of Naraku before she was attached to two small figures and towed away to a house. It was not over though, it had just started. In a meadow farther away a lone panther demon stood watching the dog as she retreated into the house and he clinked his claws together in satisfaction as a dark smile crossed his face. No, it was only the beginning.