Inuyasha: Sealed Fates Unleashed
By: Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha and the characters we all know and love.
Author's Notes: Sorry to keep you all waiting. Didn't mean to take such a long break but life did get in the way. Just moved at the beginning of October and I still haven't found time to unpack my crap. Not an excuse, just a fact. Plus with work being so busy and getting back into the swing of things with school…not a lot of time to spend on stories. I'll do better in the future. And I certainly won't let these breaks go so long again either!
Okay…now…back to the story!
Chapter Eighteen
Paths
Silence hung heavily among the small group of assembled fighters that consisted of demons, half-demons, priestesses, monks and demonslayers. No one attempted to look at the others. This was too much to take in all at once.
"So, this sorceress that will escape, or already has escaped is your elder sister?" Miroku looked at Asaia.
"Yes." Asaia nodded. "Atokiyada, Celestial of the Mountains."
"Another half-demon." Inuyasha growled.
"She is half-celestial, half-demon." Asaia corrected. "Whereas I am half-celestial, half-human."
"Interesting." Miroku commented.
His interest in the fact that a Celestial being actually took time out to father children by two very different females astounded him. A demon then a Human. Why did this Celestial decide to do this? Demons and humans were considered too simple for beings of their status. How could such a powerful being decide which one to choose? Miroku found the conundrum fascinating.
"Kinda like Sesshomaru and Inuyasha." Shippo pointed out.
Sesshomaru turned his cold stare, laced with the sickness weakening him, on the small Fox demon. Shippo shrunk away, hiding behind Inuyasha. Inuyasha only glared back at his brother.
"You could say that." Asaia looked to Sesshomaru propped against a rock. "She is more petulant and impatient. She has a minion named Tir, a dragon demon. He does all of Atokiyada's dirty work."
Full demons did not like being compared to anyone else. Yet, the elder brother kept his opinion quiet. A demon of few words, Sesshomaru looked a lot like his father. But, he was easily discernible from the man who was his father. He lacked the warmth the General displayed when he came to visit her. Unfortunately, the General was not aware of the spell placed upon her and believed she was only a child.
"Sounds like you know this Tir demon." Inuyasha stated, looking directly at Asaia.
The young half-breed appeared saddened, as though she lost a friend. Perhaps Tir and her had been best friends. 'Asaia at least had a friend.' Inuyasha did not know what having friends meant until Kagome, Sango and Miroku entered his life. No one put themselves out there for a half-demon. Her life was probably just as difficult as his had been.
"We used to be friends." Asaia lowered her eyes. "Before she put a spell on him. He's not aware of his own actions. She used the same spell on all the demons the night the Fifth Seal was stolen to prevent detection. There are a number of powerful demons that can stop her."
"How did Atokiyada become placed in this prison?" Miroku interrupted.
"A very long time ago, a number of demons banded together with several powerful human priests and placed her in a sealed realm. Only the use of all ten seals, minor and major, would she be released from her prison. But, the spell could only be broken on the evening of a full moon."
"That was last night." Sango reminded the group. "Pretty safe to say she's already out by now."
"That explains the slayings of Mikado of the Southern Lands and several of the continent demons." Jaken put in. "They were a threat should they discover this Atokiyada's escape plan."
"I just want to know one thing." Inuyasha held up his index finger. "How do we stop her?"
That was all Inuyasha really wanted to know. However, seeing as Sesshomaru was out sick for the time being, they would need to find a way to put this Atokiyada away for a very long time. How they were going to accomplish that, Inuyasha did not know.
"If I can break the spell upon me, I can place her back into her prison."
"How do we do that?" Sango blinked, anxiously awaiting news.
"Break her water bowl." Asaia shrugged. "Which means we have to find where she's decided to settle."
A task more difficult to accomplish, Asaia realized with the limited ability of each person present. Atokiyada proved to be difficult to track the last time she attempted world conquest. Asaia was not sure if this unusual group could handle such an undertaking.
"Water bowl?" Rin inquired.
"Yes. She uses a water bowl to see everything. Her only connection to the outside world from her prison." Asaia made a large circle with her hands, the others watching her with apprehension. "Which is why I can only see my true reflection in water. Her one and only weakness is her water bowl. She can't live without it. Also, she uses it as a holding place for all the spells she's previously placed. If I can release the spell from the water bowl, then I can break every spell. My power equals hers. That's why I've been banished to travel the earth."
"Has she tried to kill you?" Rin asked innocently.
"Of course. I'm a threat to her power." Asaia smiled weakly. "But, like me, she is immortal. We cannot kill each other no matter how much she wants to rid the universe of me. Must be something in our blood that prevents this outcome."
Inuyasha looked to the ailing Sesshomaru. Both exchanged cold glares though Sesshomaru needed a little more effort to succeed. The sickness had a tight hold over him. Even staying awake proved difficult when the sun went down for him. Inuyasha smirked then felt as if the world was watching him. He blinked several times as realization crept up on him.
Kagome, Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Rin, Jaken and Asaia watched him with interest. Inuyasha lifted his nose into the air then shifted away from Sesshomaru to prove he cared nothing for his older brother.
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Atokiyada paced the floor of the newly formed castle relentlessly. Her blue and silver kimono trailed behind her, dragging over the gray stone. Her feet pounded silently on the cold rock, hiding the evidence of her true feelings. No one dared approach her in this state.
Her plans seemed to be going perfectly. The five Major and Minor seals were stolen within the time frame she allotted to coincide with the full moon. Even her escape from the dark prison came off flawlessly. However, all was not well.
Asaia. The name she often wanted to forget.
Her sister proved to be far more adept in gathering loyal followers with that sad little story of hers. Atokiyada smirked at the idea of Asaia resorting to Human traits in her run to break the curse upon her. The petulant child never did understand why some had to be taught difficult lessons. Fate favored no one; human, demon or celestial.
But that was not the issue that demanded her attention. Asaia mentioned her name to the miko named Kagome. And now the miko went and told her little friends. Sesshomaru, son the Dog General, now had a name to give his opponent. He would pursue her until she paid for her misdealings.
'Damn!'
She would have preferred to wait until a later date for her identity to be revealed to the world. Those who knew the stories would understand its meaning. Still, it would not interfere with her plans. A majority of the more powerful demons were killed on the continents and in parts of southern Japan by Tir's own hand. No one could stand against her. Regardless their numbers. But, one thing remained certain.
Tir would have to kill Asaia.
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Later on, as the night wore on…
Miroku sat beside Sango, Shippo and Inuyasha sat on Kagome's other side around the large fire burning in the center of the rock circle. The day proved wasted in locating Atokiyada's castle. At least, Asaia indicated that her sister preferred to live like a noble queen. Inuyasha failed to detect a demon barrier. No one sensed a demon aura anywhere that indicated a powerful half-demon, half-celestial was anywhere in the area.
"Did you see the silver collar Sesshomaru's wearing?" Miroku asked out of the blue.
"Yeah, I spied it earlier." Sango whispered.
"What do you think it means?" Shippo asked eagerly.
"Not sure." Sango shrugged. "But I've never seen him wearing it before."
Kagome nodded in agreement. She did not want to say anything that would give her inner emotions away. So far, she was able to keep her night with both brothers unknown. She desperately wanted to keep it that way.
"Sesshomaru seems to be recovering faster than before." Miroku changed the subject.
Here, Miroku never thought they would be sharing a campsite with Inuyasha's elder brother and his servant plus Rin. For a human, she appeared devoted to the powerful Dog Demon. She took special care of Sesshomaru during his time of sickness. In turn, Sesshomaru showed Rin kindness neither had seen first hand before. It was a bit unnerving how gentle Inuyasha's brother was with his ward.
"He just wants to kill this Tir demon." Inuyasha pointed out.
"Who can blame him?' Shippo folded his little arms. "Getting sick like that after a battle is worse than getting defeated. I'd be too humiliated to even show my face around other demons for awhi…"
Eyes widened at the deep growl emanating from Sesshomaru's direction. Apparently he heard Shippo. The little Fox Demon cringed, choosing to remain silent and leave the remainder of his intended words unspoken.
"I don't think he's getting better." Sango added. "It seems that way…but if this Atokiyada's bent on taking over the world, Sesshomaru would be a formidable opponent."
"Why not kill him out right?" Miroku followed Sango's train of thought. "Atokiyada must have plans for him."
"The collar has got to be from Atokiyada." Kagome said with a little too much conviction.
Another growl came from Sesshomaru's direction. Kagome jumped up from her seat, trying to cover her sudden scare. Shippo jumped onto Sango's shoulder, his face buried in her hair. Miroku smiled, deciding to concentrate on the fire, not hiding his quiet amusement. Sango covered her mouth, stifling a laugh.
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Across the land, the moon turned from white to blood red then back to white in a matter of seconds. The landscape momentarily cast in red shadows went unnoticed by Humans. However, demons watching and not watching took notice and looked to the sky for further signs.
None came.
In a vast field in Southern Japan, several Weasel demons looked amongst themselves, silently considering the necessary course of action. Even the Raccoon demons appeared on the edge of the field, as if coming to check that they were not the only ones who noticed the sky's unusual flickering.
The mountains of the north were alive with demon activity. Not because of a concentrated attack. But because a new threat emerged that ate away at the most basic level. The weaker demons sought out those stronger down the mountain. Trees and entire villages were destroyed in the ensuing stampede to their destination.
A decision would need to be made.
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Asaia sat away from the others, her legs folded in meditation. Her hands lay palm-up on her knees. She searched the immediate vicinity for any signs of her sister. Instincts told her that danger lurked in the shadows. Atokiyada kept a watchful eye on them and would know of their learning about her.
The red shadows that flashed for only a few seconds tonight were an indication of her sister's presence. Surely the demons around the world were paying attention. Little went unnoticed on a night like tonight. There would be a flurry of activity within the demon world to even catch the attention of the Humans.
Her hope dwindled these past few years. Recognizing her sister's plan to escape and trying in vain to stop it this past century wore down her belief in HOPE. No one could stand against Atokiyada.
Still, this rag-tag group of unlikely comrades seemed confident, if a bit edgy, about taking Atokiyada on in a face-to-face battle. Inuyasha seemed more interested in battling Atokiyada just to do battle against a strong opponent. He did not seem to mind that he could die in the process.
Asaia looked to the sky. Perhaps HOPE could be found. She sighed silently and heavily. The path before them was rocky and jagged with hidden horrors Atokiyada had yet unleashed upon them. No one would walk away with out some kind of scar.
If they lived at all.