Hey everyone. I just wanted to apologize for the major delay of getting this chapter out. I feel really bad but I don't have an excuse for not updating, so I'm just really sorry. –sliding bow down—
So this is the last chapter, I'm hoping that you will all like it.
Please enjoy.
Far Away
Time passed as he had traveled and walked through the lands. There had been times where he passed places he had seen before, others that he had not. The days were blurred together, the thought of what was to come plaguing his mind. What was he to say to her? How could he explain himself after so much time had already passed?
His brows pushed together as he thought about it; his golden orbs staring into the flames of a small fire. Winter was upon the lands, covering them with a lasting snow. There had been times where he found that it was hard for him to stay in the cold. One would need a place to shield them from the wind to keep them selves warm.
A tug pulled on his heart with the idea of the cold, making his claws grasp at the snow. He couldn't stop himself from hoping that Nina knew how to keep warm in such weather. She was still merely a child and she was on her own… there wasn't anything he could do but search with the hope that she was still alive. He didn't know what he would do if he found that her breath had been taken from her… if she had been taken from him by the damned.
How many times will the clock go around
How many times can my hands hit the ground
How many coffins before there's a crown
How far will I fall till the alarm sounds
How come you love me when I am ugly
Guess I can only hope
With his frustration of the thought, he lashed out at an old tree; cutting its trunk to pieces. Controlling his anger was still one of the things he needed to work on. It was an inner demon that constantly clawed at his heart. It needed to be contained and used against his enemies, not himself.
"Damn it," he hissed lowly, once again taking his seat.
Since when had his life become a chaos? Why hadn't things stayed simple as they were a few years ago?
Leaning his head back, he stared up at the night sky. There were many stars that claimed the dark abyss. Each one brought a light to it, brightening it up ever so slightly. The moon was no different; almost in its full state of glory. The day to come would be the night of the full moon, as well as the defeat of his father. Tomorrow his half blooded sibling would be born… His mouth formed a hard line with that thought.
His father was going to throw all his strength away for the sake of a mortal woman and a half bred child. He openly scowled at the word half breed. He never thought he would find himself using it as a term against another… as an insult…
"Tomorrow will decide everything…"
His brows came together as he caught a familiar scent in the air. It was the scent of blood… and of death. The death was further away, but he knew that the blood was that of his father. His mouth was a hard line at the scent. His father had been challenged and had come out the victor. With a price of a challenge come wounds… and he could tell that his father's wound was great.
As he came upon the cape of the ocean, he saw his father standing as still as possible; the wind blowing the scent of blood his way. It was if it was taunting him; telling him that his father would not be at full strength.
"Father, do you insist on going?" he questioned, a last request to stop him.
"Do you intend to stop me Sesshoumaru?"
"I will not stand in your way," he stated reluctantly, wanting greatly to stop his father from this insanity, "but before you go, you must entrust the swords Sounga and Tetsusaiga to me."
"…And if I refuse? Will you kill me? Your own father?"
His jaw tightened at his father's words. There was nothing he wanted more than to rip his claws through his father's flesh…
"…Do you desire power so much?" his father questioned, not turning to face him, "Why do you seek power my son?"
"The path I walk is the way of supreme conquest, and it is power that will reveal the way for me."
"…Supreme conquest…" his father murmured, "Tell me Sesshoumaru, have you someone to protect?"
He raised his claw then. His father had known what he had wanted to protect… what was rightfully his to keep safe. It was known that she was gone… because they forced her away…
"…Protect?" his asked his father, "The answer is no. I, Sesshoumaru, have no need of such."
Now was the time to strike. Now was the moment he had been waiting many years for… Then why wouldn't his feet move? Why could he not make the strike he had longed to make?
Give me a second go,
Don't let me go alone
You saw me at the worst,
You caught me falling first
All I wanted to know,
Give me a second go
His golden orbs watched as his father took to his form and ran off into the night.
"Why would I have any reason to waste my time protecting someone?" he hissed as he turned to leave, "Ridiculous."
His father had once said that Nina would have been the same as the mortal woman he had bedded. That she would need as much protection against demons. But he knew better than to treat her as something so frail. Half demons were not as breakable as a mere human was. His fist tightened at the thought. His father would die protecting that woman and her half bred child… his sibling…
He let out a growl before the wind swirled around him. He had no desire to think; to acknowledge that his father would die by someone else's blade. He took to his true form before running along the coastline. The ocean was somewhere he needed to be. It was where his mind could be elsewhere.
Days passed as he sat on the frozen cliff listening to the sound of the ocean waves. IT had snowed more than once since he had seen his father… since he had transformed. There had been no reason to change back. Nothing had brought recognition of the real world to his senses.
Demons left him alone as he sat in place; many having inferior auras compared to his own. Humans came nowhere near him. Everyone stayed clear of the area which pleased his inner demon. It was slowly coming into control as he waited.
Spring came as he had traveled through the trees of many forests. He had made a trip to see Bokusenou, an old tree demon that his father had been acquaintances with. The tree had been a reliable source of information in the past. He believed that he would be able to find something from the old demon.
"It is good to see you are well, lord Sesshoumaru," the tree greeted him as he walked forward.
"You as well Bokusenou," he stated, looking up at the tree's face, "I see that Toutousai has paid you a visit as well."
"I am sorry that they have such fear of you, lord Sesshoumaru."
"They are wise, though it seems that I must pay the sword maker a visit as well," he said tonelessly, taking the sword from where it was hanging.
The tree let out a small laugh at his words.
"Your father was right. You have no appreciation for the Tenseiga," Bokusenou mused, "Though I agree, it would be quite useless."
"The half breed receives the Tetsusaiga, while I get this useless fang."
"Keep an eye on your gifts lord Sesshoumaru. Some might find you fortunate and try to take the fang for themselves."
Without a word, he turned and left the old tree behind. For receiving the Tenseiga, Toutousai would have to receive punishment. There was no use for the fang. He had waited through the winter only to have no one disturb him. He had gotten no visitors at all. She had not come to the ocean and there was no scent of her. He began to think that she had died… that a demon had devoured her.
No matter the weather there's never a break
Conquer a ladder then slip on a snake
Cried till my river turned into a lake
And I'm wondering now before it's too late
How come you save me when I am angry
Reasons I'll never know
If that had been the case and he had come across her remains, the Tenseiga would be useless. If she were bone, the fang could not restore flesh and her heart. The damned would still hold onto her and he would not see her for many years to come. His half breed brother would see her before he would.
He shook his head as he silently walked through the forest. Was that it then? Was he to just give up and move onto another? He would not pass the title of lord down to his brother. IT would go to his own child if he were to ever have one.
His thoughts were interrupted as the scent of death and fresh blood filled his nose. There had been a village near by the last time he had traveled the way to Bokusenou's forest. It must have been under attack by demons…
As he considered the situation, his feet led to way toward the village. He needed something to sink his claws into. When he arrived at the burning village, he could see the slaughter. There were five demons rampaging through the huts; killing each person that they could reach. Each one was male and each one was filling their human bloodlust. When one took hold of a woman and pulled them close, he found the need to interfere.
There was no desire to save the humans that were running in a panic. All he could imagine was the people from Nina's village taking their hatred out on her.
"You look like you're going to be tasty," the demon laughed, inspecting the woman, "I think I'll take you home with him and save you for later."
"No!" the woman screamed, "Get away from me!"
"Oh, I'll be getting quite close to you…"
He released his acid green whip and killed the demon, slicing him in half. The woman screamed out of terror before running for the cover of the forest. The other four demons had caught the scene and came to stop the intruder of their fun and pleasure.
"Be gone from this place mutt," one demanded, "We have a job that needs to be done here. You're in the way."
"I say we just kill him now," another mused.
"While we speak our prey gets away. I agree," stated a third.
"Master Jensuke would not be impressed with an intruder," continued the first, taking a step toward him, "but he would be grateful if we handed him Sesshoumaru's soul…"
"It is lord Sesshoumaru to the inferior," he corrected emotionlessly, cracking his right claw.
"Is that right?"
Lifting his arm, he summoned his whip and cut all four of the demons to pieces.
"I am sure Jensuke would have more of you before you returned," he stated before turning to walk away.
"You're right lord Sesshoumaru," an unfamiliar voice laughed from behind him, "I do have more minions, but you should let the old ones finish their jobs before you kill them on me."
He turned, catching sight of the dark haired figure standing not too far away from him.
The man bowed before him, "It is a pleasure to meet you, lord Sesshoumaru. I am Jensuke, a dealer of souls."
He had recalled the demon from a text he had once read a few years ago. The demon would trade souls with both humans and demons, making them collect even more souls for his collection. The more souls that he kept, the younger he stayed. IT was said that he was over a thousand years of age.
"I am aware of who you are," he stated, watching him intently, "This is your cause?"
"It was until you took a step into my business. Though, as you are the lord, I am bound by your law."
"Do as you wish. What you do is none of my concern," he explained as he began to leave the burning village.
"Until we cross paths again in the future lord Sesshoumaru."
IT was with that that he left the village. He didn't understand why he had stepped in to kill the demons. He had once destroyed a village of larger size… A village that was now nothing more than piles of rotted wood and broken tree trunks. Skeletons scattered through the poisonous fog; left as a warning for others.
"I wonder what she would say if she was what I had done…"
What he had done because of her.
Summer past and so did many winter moons. Years had passed since his father had died and he had become fully grown. His strength had increased greatly and he was at his fullest height. Many trips were made to Bokusenou, but there had been no word of a blue eyed half breed running through the trees.
Give me a second go,
Don't let me go alone
You saw me at the worst,
You caught me falling first
All I wanted to know,
Give me a second go
He had even been to see Inuyasha. There had been word about his mother being ill and falling to the illness. He had gone to give his half breed brother condolences, but he did not feel sorry for the pup. As the illness had taken Inuyasha's mother, it had been the same woman that had killed his father. He believed that the situation seemed fair, though the young Inuyasha couldn't see it. The boy had merely cried and clung to his leg when he had gotten there. Then he cried even harder when he refused to take the boy with him.
If he had taken the boy with him and babied him, then he would never learn anything for himself. He would not learn what it means to be strong.
As he walked down the roads toward a small village, a woman wearing fine silks was running down the road in his direction.
"Help me please," she begged frantically, "Bandits raided my cart and now they're chasing me. Please, you have to help me!"
He could catch no scent of a lie as his golden orbs inspected the woman. Her hair was a black as dark as the night and he skin was like porcelain. Her demeanor reminded him of his mother.
Horses thundered in behind her; ten men with their swords rose above their heads.
"There she is! Someone, grab the wench!" one of the men demanded with a laugh, "I want all her silk ready to be sold in the market!"
He ran forward with quick speed, blocking their path to the woman. He grabbed the leading me by the head, throwing him into the ground. The man that followed was thrown into the tangling branches of a tree.
The others paused, halting their horses at what had happened to their friends.
"You should be showing us some respect!" a man growled from the group.
Swinging his arm, his whip killed two men with the swift movement.
"Or… not…"
"Let's get out of here!"
The bandits pulled on the reigns, turning their horses around and going back to way they came.
He turned toward the woman whose brown eyes were staring at him with wonder. At her expression, he continued to walk on his way.
"Please sir, would you stay a moment?"
"I do not take the request of another," he stated simply, not stopping as he walked by the four defeated men.
"I would like to thank you for saving me," the woman continued, "I am the lady of a manor not far from here. I can reward you."
"None is required from one such as you."
A small hand took hold of his and tried to stop him from walking. He turned to her, his cold eyes boring into hers. She was not frightened from him though. She looked back at him with the exact expression he was giving her.
"If I may not reward you now, then please come to my manor when you so choose," the woman told him before releasing his hand, "I ask that you do not kill my guards when you make an appearance."
She walked past him then, making her way back toward the village she had run from.
It was then that he proceeded into the forest. He could not deny that the woman had grabbed his attention. Only one other had dared to look fiercely back at him when he had stated no.
One to five I'm half alive, six to nine I'm out of line
Ten to twelve I'm not myself, by the millionth time
I cry.
After years of waiting and finding nothing, he was sure that Nina had been lost. He would still look for her, but he wasn't sure if he would be able to find hi childhood friend. If she was still alive, then he would explain the truth and hope that she would still hold onto their childhood promise.
End of Prequel