Inuyasha: Sealed Fates Unleashed
By: Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha and the characters we all know and love. This will automatically be on every chapter heading.
Author's Notes: Forgot to note this in the first chapter; Italics is mentally spoken 'thoughts' of the person. Also, most of the characters from Inuyasha will be in this story at one point or another.
Chapter Two
The Fifth Seal
Kagome exited Kaede's hut through the bamboo door. She stopped and stretched in the early morning sun, grateful for its warmth. Her body felt a little sore from the battle with Naraku that almost left them for dead. He certainly was a pain in the butt. Would they ever tract him down long enough to kill him and retrieve the Shekon Jewel? InuYasha disappeared before she woke up, to arrive at Totosai's cave before lunch. According to Sango, Inuyasha asked to borrow KiRaRa the night before to make the journey a quick one. He must be more worried about Tetsusaiga than he led them to believe.
"Kagome?" Sango exited from the hut behind Kagome. "Has Inuyasha left already?"
"Yes, it seems so." Kagome shrugged. "Probably before sunrise. He mentioned something about getting back before sunset today."
InuYasha wouldn't want anyone to know how concerned he was about Tetsusaiga, the sword left to him by his father. Inuyasha's only family heirloom really. Sill, he trusted no one with how he felt, especially since Sesshomaru showed up at the last moment, narrowly saving them all. After Naraku fled in yet another defeat, Inuyasha took off. Kagome wondered if there would come a day when Inuyasha trusted her with his feelings. And he certainly appeared annoyed. As if she didn't understand his facial expressions or body language.
Her mind returned to the battle raged the three days before. It was a miracle any of them survived. She had to admit there was definitive crack from Tetsusaiga heard during the battle. Inuyasha wouldn't admit it but he was positive that a crack formed when Naraku launched his final attack. His amber eyes had gone over Tetsusaiga over and over again the day following the battle. Inuyasha said he found nothing but the worry was there.
"He should have Totosai look at Tetsusaiga before we do battle with Naraku again." Sango agreed. "After that last battle, if there is a crack that formed we can't see, it may break the next time. Can't have that, can we? Plus, Inuyasha will be looking for another technique he can use against Naraku."
"Inuyasha's positive Totosai's holding out on him." Kagome smiled.
Inuyasha didn't like the eccentric swordmaker. Nor did she for that matter when they'd first met him. After a few run-ins with the demon, she'd grown rather accustomed to his habits. Perhaps, she could admit she liked the demon just a little, like she had a grandfather here in the feudal era. Besides, he enjoyed giving Inuyasha a hard time and that was fun for everyone.
"Can't say I blame him." Sango shrugged.
Sango understood Inuyasha's determination to defeat Naraku. She had her own agenda where that half-demon was concerned. They'd all suffered at his hands. He was a disease, no more than that. Unfortunately, she didn't have a better word to describe him. Disease didn't seem justified, Naraku turned out to be worse than that.
"Too bad he doesn't think to take us with him." Shippo said as he bounced across the grass. "We might find another clue where Naraku's taken off to."
"Doubtful." Miroku joined them, coming around the hut. "Naraku's been good about covering his tracks when he's gone into hiding. He's hidden his castle somewhere else. Don't worry, my dear Sango. We'll find him again."
Sango frowned at Miroku. She didn't like it when he was so forthcoming with his affections in public. She turned to find Kagome watching her, smiling. Quickly, Sango regained her composure, blanking her face of all expression.
Kaede walked up to Kagome and Sango, her body ached. 'Not a good sign', she thought. Her dreams were riddled with odd scenes she didn't understand. It would take some time to figure out what they were showing her.
A young man was running down the dirt road through the village towards them. Neither Kagome nor the others appeared to have noticed him, carrying on their discussion about Naraku. Kaede hadn't seen the young man before. His speed made her suspicious. Perhaps, he was delivering the news she'd been waiting for.
Kagome, Sango, Shippo and Miroku turned towards the man running towards them at high speed. Kaede moved ahead of them to meet the man.
"Kaede! Priestess Kaede!"
The black-haired man barely stopped himself short before running over Shippo. The fox demon jumped out of the way at the last moment to avoid being trampled. He flailed his arms to make sure he kept his feet. Didn't work.
"Hey!" Shippo cried as he tumbled over and over.
Shippo came to rest at Miroku's sandaled feet. The monk looked down at the Fox demon and smiled, not offering to help the small demon right himself. Shippo jumped, up-righting himself in mid-air. 'If only I was a little taller people would see me,' he grumbled dusting himself off.
"Yes, I am Kaede. What is it?" Kaede asked concerned.
Kaede walked towards the man. Kagome took up a position behind the elderly priestess. Sango and Miroku decided to join Kagome cautiously. Miroku leaned his staff against his shoulder.
"I was told by Soyaru to tell you." He took a deep breath. "The Fourth Seal's been stolen!"
"The Fourth Seal?" Kagome repeated, seeing the change of Kaede's expression.
"Are you sure?" Kaede asked calmly.
Kaede's brow creased, her dreams were a premonition. Something sinister wanted the Seals and was going after them. Her dreams did not show her a clear picture of the future only a brief glimpse. 'Caution must be adhered these next few days.' From an opponent they couldn't see, undoubtedly. Kaede didn't know where the answers would be found but they must be found quickly. The world was in jeopardy.
"Kagome, will you put off going to the valley until tomorrow?" Kaede asked solemnly.
Kagome looked to Sango. They agreed to go to the North Valley in search of the Fourth Seal's fate. Now that the fate of the Fourth Seal was known, we're they supposed to still go North? Both shrugged their shoulders, Sango shaking her head. Neither knew what was to be done about the North Valley until Kaede instructed them.
"Sure." Kagome went with Kaede's request. "What's wrong?"
Kaede stood in deep thought for a few moments before responding.
"We need to go and check on something." Kaede said finally. "Miroku, I will need your help most of all."
'It was imperative to check', she decided, more out of curiosity than fear. Kaede had to find out for sure if it was still there, if it was still safe. She noted that Kagome and Sango exchanged a confused glance between them. It would be best to leave the explanation upon their arrival, Kaede decided.
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The water in the wooden bowl shimmered on the four humans walking through the thick forest, the sun peeking through the trees. Atokiyida gazed down at her water mirror, her only access to the outside world. Inuyasha disappeared off to Totosai's, the swordmaker earlier in the day, separating himself from the group. Her plan turned out exactly as she expected. Now, Kaede headed for the hidden cave just as she assumed the priestess would. Atokiyida let a wide smile cross her lips.
"Soon, it will be mine."
And the prison in which she resided would be destroyed. Permanently.
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Four shapes stood at the entrance mouth of a small cave, roughly eight feet wide by ten feet tall. It appeared dark and dreary to Kagome, unconvinced that there wasn't a demon waiting for them inside. Miroku stood next to Kaede, slightly confused by their needed presence. Sango frowned, her eyes focused on the dark interior of the cave opening wider past the entrance. Water dripped into a small pool where the light gave way to blackness, echoing off the interior walls.
"Kaede, what are we doing here?" Miroku asked curiously.
He gripped his staff tighter. Though he couldn't sense a demon aura nearby, caves were notorious hiding places for many of the smaller demons. It couldn't be trusted to be safe with just Kaede's word.
Kaede stopped when Miroku's staff came down in front of her. Her greying head turned to look at the young monk. His eyes straight ahead, his features formed into deep concentration. He did not believe her that the cave was absent of demons.
"Important work, monk." Kaede began to walk further into the cave. "We must check on the Fifth Seal."
Kaede noticed Miroku's eyes widened, unnoticed by the others. Few priests, priestess and monks knew of the existence of the Seals. Miroku understood the importance of the Seals. Then again, he should know.
Miroku began to choke on his own awe, coughing loudly. He'd only heard about THE FIVE SEALS once before. And he prayed that he'd never hear about them ever again. 'Kaede was the guardian of one of the seals? Fascinating and scary all at once.'
"Are you okay, Miroku?" Kagome asked concerned.
"Fine, Kagome." Miroku covered his mouth to stifle another cough.
"And why does Miroku have to be here?" Sango glanced around the cave.
The cave appeared uninviting. Sango shivered inexplicably. A demon would consider this place good for hiding, waiting for unsuspecting humans to wander in out of curiosity. Yet, Kaede had used it to hide this Fifth Seal. It must be important to warrant a trip out to the middle of nowhere. Suddenly, she felt warmth around her ankle. Sango glanced down at KiRaRa, who appeared to have left Inuyasha at Totosai's and returned home. KiRaRa rubbed her head against Sango's leg in affection. Sango reached down and patted KiRaRa on the head. KiRaRa glanced at the cave then looked up at Sango and meowed. She bent over and lifted her two-tail into her arms.
"The Fourth Seal's been stolen." Kaede replied. "That makes three out of the five in the last two months."
Kaede took the first step inside the cave. She took calculated steps, remembering where the flat areas were located on the cave's ground. There was no light further inside. But then, there was no need for light. The others hesitated then followed her without complaint.
"Five seals?" Kagome asked, avoiding a large boulder in the dim light.
How could Kaede see anything? It was totally dark in here. She'd have to be more careful, choosing to follow Kaede's exact footsteps. Her backpack was at the village. If she'd known they'd be crawling around in a cave, she'd brought the flashlight.
"Yes." Kaede nodded as she answered. "There are major Five Seals that were hidden across these lands. There are realms beyond this one that harbors powerful demons and other evil entities. They have been placed there by spells to prevent their feasting on the lives of Humans and demons alike. By collecting all major Five Seals and the five Minor Seals, one person could open port holes to these realms at will."
"Realms?" Sango asked, eyeing the cave walls as she passed.
"Places for evil to be kept away from the living world when nothing strong enough can be used to kill them. There are many demons far stronger than Naraku." Miroku put in. "Lady Kaede, what about the minor seals?"
Kaede knew that these stories were normally kept between the Guardians of the Seals. However, someone was stealing the Seals with stealth and cunning. She needed to check to make sure that the Fifth Seal in her care remained safely intact.
"No one knows about them." Kaede shook her head in disgust. "They vanished many years ago before I entered into this world. We assumed the worst and focused our attentions on protecting the Major Seals."
"Maybe Naraku has them?" Sango asked. "He seems to know a lot about obtaining objects that will give him even more power."
And Naraku knew more about how to obtain objects that would grant him power he wanted more than life. Power he craved that would allow him to one day to become a full demon and rule the world. Most demons didn't know half what Naraku understood. The only other demon showing as much knowledge turned out to be Inuyasha's older brother, Sesshomaru. Sango frowned in anger, remembering how Kohaku continued to serve Naraku under his spells.
"I would agree with you, Sango. Naraku prides himself on learning much about the demon world he seeks to join." Kaede spoke to the group over her shoulder. "However, even he cannot pass through the spells placed on this cave. He remains far too weak by comparison to a full demon. I am sure that Naraku knows about them. But, I do not think he has them."
Sango stopped to look at Kagome. However, she couldn't see Kagome at all in this darkness, nor Miroku, even KiRaRa who had jumped down to walk closely by her ankle. Suddenly, the two-tail morphed into her demon form in a blaze of fire. The fire at KiRaRa's ankles and tail provided enough light to see her friends. The orange glow bounced off the walls, eerily illuminating the jagged interior.
"Thanks, KiRaRa." Sango patted KiRaRa on the head.
KiRaRa turned her furry head into Sango's petting, purring and meowing in approval. 'It felt good to get a scratching every now and then.'
"Naraku is well versed in the knowledge of power. His thirst for it is unparalleled." Miroku said out loud. "Yet, he's not showed any sign that he's after the Major Seals."
"Could be a ploy. He's used those before or perhaps he's gotten someone to do it for him." Kagome put in. "Just like him to get someone else involved."
Naraku would go to any length to absorb the most powerful demons into his own flesh. Inuyasha's brother, Sesshomaru, had been absorbed for a short time. But, the dog demon proved too strong to have his demon powers absorbed by the half-demon.
"Naraku will act when it is most beneficial to him." Kaede added.
"How many realms exist exactly?" Kagome asked, curious.
Hopefully, nothing truly more evil than Naraku would be released. Not having Inuyasha here was a bit scary. It was nice having him around to forage into battle head first. 'Honestly, he could be so brave and dense all at once.'
"No one is sure exactly how many exist. I know of only three. One is not currently being used." Kaede replied, unable to hide the worry in her voice.
There was a lot on the line here, dread hung in the air thickly. Kaede felt nothing out of place yet it felt…Kaede didn't have a description for the awkwardness of the moment. And so the Seal appeared safe. Appearances meant nothing since the Shekon Jewel remained in pieces. She took extra care and measures to ensure no one would know of the Seals location. Kaede would be alerted if the Seal was in any danger.
"Maybe we could reserve it for Naraku." Sango added.
That comment got a small chuckle from Kagome and Miroku. KiRaRa shivered from the chill of the cave, moving to stand between Kagome and Sango. Kaede remained quiet, too concentrated on her thoughts to find the humor in the demonslayer's joke.
"Maybe we could." Kagome agreed in a strained voice.
"What's in the other two realms?" Sango asked, lifting her foot over a small boulder.
This place was dangerous, even for them. 'You can't see where you were going.' Sango wanted to cringe, she'd need a bath after this. Where was this Seal located exactly? How far were they to travel in this cave?
"One may be the destination of my wind tunnel."
Miroku lowered his head to stare at his covered right hand as Kagome and Sango spun around to face him with shocked expressions. Gripping his right wrist with his left hand, he lifted his eyes to Sango, she gulped.
"What!" Kagome had her hand over her mouth.
What a scary thought, Kagome shivered. That Miroku's wind tunnel actually had a destination. She'd never really given Miroku's wind tunnel further consideration beyond a useful tool to rid the world of demons by the hundreds.
"It's only a story that my grandfather told me shortly before he died. I have no intention of finding out whether it's true."
Miroku never thought he would hear about realms again. He never thought about where his wind tunnel deposited his victims. Where his father and grandfather went once they were sucked into their own wind tunnels. Did they all go to the same place or into different realms? 'No, quit thinking', he scolded himself.
"Stop here." Kaede ordered.
All stopped in their tracks. Sango looked to Kagome then to Miroku, they all shrugged together. Kaede extended her hand forward, taking several steps forward, ahead of the group.
Suddenly, a flash of green spread across the expanse of the cave. Light penetrated the dark where KiRaRa's light didn't, changing into multiple colors as it bounced down the cave away from Kaede, Kagome, Sango, KiRaRa and Miroku.
"Good." Kaede breathed a sigh of relief. "The Seal remains protected."
The ranging colors were a very good sign. When the Seal had been brought to her sister, Kikyo, Kaede stood beside her sister to ensure the Seal was well protected. But, Kikyo was killed before all of the spells could be set into place. Kaede took it upon herself to continue Kikyo's work and sealed the cave with a series of intricate spells. If someone wanted the Seal, she'd know about it immediately.
Miroku's eyes strained to see the end of the cave. But, the light from the spells dissipated before he could clearly focus. It would be difficult to steal, even the strongest demons couldn't break in here without Kaede being notified. A smart priestess took proper measures to prepare such an alert system.
"The Seal is down there?" Miroku looked down at the aging priestess.
The elderly priestess nodded in response but said nothing more. Miroku understood. There must be over thirty spells protecting the Fifth Seal. He felt a great sigh of relief. 'Nothing is going to happen to it.'
"That's a lot of walls to penetrate to get to a Seal." Sango smiled.
The world was a bit safer for the time being. But for how long? Naraku was capable to slipping out without being detected. He had escaped many times, eluding them for months at a time before allowing his miasma to be detected by anyone.
"It was imperative that the Seal be safe guarded. Kikyo set up the first few spells before she died. I designed and created the remaining spells, strengthening them over time."
"You can never be too sure." Kagome spoke her thoughts out loud.
Kaede silently agreed with Kagome. However, the Third, Second and Fourth Seals have been stolen within a four month period. The spells protecting those were just as strong. Yet, no one discovered they had been stolen until the day following. There was still no word yet regarding the First Seal in the Northern Mountain valley. She'd sent a messenger to find out the Seal's fate two weeks ago. But nothing returned. These were uneasy times.
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The water bowl rippled again as Atokiyida waved her hand across the rim, her face enlightened with delight. Only the entrance to the cave showed in the light from the water. The group had gone into the cave of the Fifth Seal. Even with her power, she was not permitted into view inside the cave to get a first look at the protection spells. No matter. The Seal would become hers regardless.
"Nothing will stop me now!"
Atokiyida rose to her feet and turned from her water bowl. She twirled in her blue, white and silver kimono towards the darkness behind her. Soon, very soon, her prison would be demolished. She'd be free to seek revenge. Her minion was successful in acquiring the first four Seals she needed.
All plans were just about ready to be put into motion. It was time to acquire the Fifth Seal, the final seal. The messenger was intercepted on his way back to Kaede, alerting the priestess to the disappearance of the First Seal. Soon, Kaede would realize that she had not received word until it was too late. Two days from now. The final seal would be hers. She would be more powerful than any demon, any human, any god. They would all fall at her feet before disappearing into non-existence. Or become her slaves and serve her forever. Their power and swords would be rendered useless.
"Damn them all!"
A sudden rush of calm overcame her. There was no point in getting riled over the past. Her revenge would come shortly and swiftly. However, the first phase must go off without fail. That in and of itself, had taken the most time to prepare, to plan every detail. All must be accounted for before she returned to Earth.
Author's Notes…Again: Okay, here's Chapter Two. Hope you liked it. This story just kind hit me one day when I wondered about Miroku's Wind-tunnel, one of my favorite double-edged weapons against the demons in INUYASHA. Chapter Three should be up very soon. I'm a horrible perfectionist so it takes me a few hours to edit one Chapter.