Inuyasha: Sealed Fates Unleashed

By: Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: I do NOT own Inuyasha and the characters with exception to my own characters of course. Hey, gotta claim something in this day and age.

Author Notes: Happy New Year! My New Years resolution for this year is to finish this story. Yes, I hear you…finally remembered I had this little story? Story separation anxiety with me isn't pretty people.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Pearls of Truth

The swirling sands blocked her view. Tir's attack proved more powerful than she initially thought. He must be deriving his power from the demons attacking him. The aura was so great she could barely stand herself.

Raising her arm to the onslaught of sand, Asaia could see nothing of where the Dragon demon may be hiding. He would be somewhere at the base of the mountains where the source of the sands was taken to create his minions. But he would need to be close to the battle to control his minions so efficiently.

Sand dragons were not creatures to be left alone. They made no decisions on their own and would attack anyone with a demon aura who came within fair distance of them, harmless or not. Humans were mildly safe from these derelict things. Unless the Humans were bent on harming the creatures, they would be left alone.

Asaia pursed her lips in anger, an emotion she rarely felt. She could feel her power begin to collect at her fingertips. Though her powers were momentarily restricted, she could still use them during times of distress or battle. She would need her accumulating power for later. She returned her mind to Tir and his predicament.

Atokiyada's spell was powerful over him. He obeyed without question and did as he was told. It was unusual for a Demon Dragon to have fallen under a spell so easily. It must have taken a hundred years of recasting the same spell over him for it to finally take over the will of a Demon Dragon.

Kin to the black Hell Dragons, but slightly nicer, green Demon Dragons did not like to be possessed and told what to do. In fact, they were considered just as magical as the Hell Dragon. More of a diplomatic demon, Demon Dragons did not often associate with inferior demons, which was most demons on Earth. Few bothered to even become 'friends' to another demon unless that demon served a purpose they could not serve themselves.

Asaia shook her head to focus.

The scent of blood continued to build on the open field between the forest and the mountains. Those demons that united to stand against Atokiyada were losing the battle quickly. Not a general among them to lead the majority into a winning battle. All they knew was if Atokiyada were allowed victory, this planet would cease living. No demon wanted to lose his territory.

Asia could feel the Humans were tiring as well, finding little aid with the confusion of the enemy between the demons and sand dragons. Caught up in between, they could only try to rid the sand dragons of their numbers. Only the monk seemed to have a sutra powerful enough to dispense of the dragons for good.

This battle would be over soon if they did not gain the upper hand shortly. What they needed was a helping hand but her powers were limited. Asaia looked down at her hands.

There was one card left to play.

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The grounds were hazy, the fog moving in early from the chilly waters. Night had fallen, the moon lighting the water below the cliffs where the fog did not hide it, drenching the grounds above in soft silver light. Even the grass appeared to shimmer in the light.

This place always brought solace to father and her. The waters from the ocean below reminded her of the times as a child when her mother was alive and lived with father and her. The constant crashing of the waves on the sandy shores, the wet sand that squished between her toes when she ran down the beach when no humans were around. How they spent hours frolicking in the waters when they were warm to cool off.

Father kept his family well away from the Humans living close by in a small village of fishermen. Mother occasionally went to the village in search of new clothes for her growing daughter. Though not really necessary, it gave her mother joy, maybe because it made her feel more human.

Living in a small cottage at the edge of the celestial grounds was difficult for her mother. Seclusion was not something that sat well with her. Rarely, father allowed her family to visit but their trips usually ended in some amount of amnesia. They knew they visited but could not recollect how long they stayed, where they slept or what they did during their time together.

That often sparked a debate between mother and father. Perhaps that was why father did not allow Asaia to go wayward into the village. He knew that should her true nature be discovered, she would be endangered. Humans would look at her as a commodity and try to sell her off or try to use her powers.

Father sometimes followed them on trips to relatives though she never remembered seeing him physically. Apparently, some humans did see him on their few and far between trips to see relatives. Often, celestials seen roaming the lands were greeted with awe when they were recognized and many of the humans kept away.

The memories of those trips were the reason the grounds here were enchanted so the other curious Humans and creatures would never find this place. Asaia loved coming here, its peace and quiet felt good to her. She could gather her thoughts and just be herself.

Her mother died when she was four years old…in Human years anyway. Childhood was very short lived as a half-ling. Celestials grew far slower and in longer amounts of time typically but because of her human side, she grew as a human child grew.

It was this reason that her mother went off on a trip to the village. She never returned. Once father realized she had not returned, he went in search of her and returned that night with her body in his arms. Rarely had she seen father show emotion. Thieves crossed her path on her way home. Father told her they were most unkind and were dispensed for lack of caring for another life form.

Lost in thought, she barely heard the approaching footsteps.

"Asaia?" Came her father's gentle voice.

She looked up into his white face surrounded with golden hair down to his ankles. The wind seemingly never allowed his hair to rest on his shoulders. The golden tresses always flickered on the breeze. His silver robes always seemed flawless and never moved when he walked. His gold eyes rested on her as he smiled beautifully.

"Yes, father?" Asaia went from her place on the cliff's edge to sit with him on the gray stone bench nearby.

"It is time I gave you a gift, Asaia."

Father always spoke in a gentle voice, low but soft. It made her feel safe to hear him speak a language to her. Father wanted her to understand both sides of her heritage, if celestial could be called a 'heritage'. She loved him so much.

"A gift?" Asaia looked puzzled.

"Yes." Her father smiled and gently stroked her silver hair. "It belonged to your mother when she was alive. I wish you to possess it now."

He lifted his hand out of the thickening fog where a strand of white beads hung from his long, slender fingers. She narrowed her eyes at them considering them just an accessory Humans liked to wear with their various clothing.

"A necklace, Father?"

"The Pearls of Truth." Her father gently corrected. "Your mother was no ordinary Human, Asaia. She possessed great spiritual power along with her ability to create magic." He noted her expression of doubt. "Do not dismiss them so easily."

"Has Atokiyada received something similar?" Asaia wanted to know.

Her older sister would place any gift bestowed upon a daughter as rightfully owned by the eldest. Often times, they squabbled over whose gifts were more powerful. Atokiyada believed she would one day exceed the powers of any other celestial. That being half demon and half celestial limited her options did not seem to phase Atokiyada. Her elder sister also ignored the disapproving glances of the other celestials in her treatment of her family.

"What an odd question you ask, my daughter." Her father smiled. "No. Your sister has nothing like this. This was your mother's, nothing that your sister would ever want."

Asaia took the necklace from her father and placed it around her neck. She doubted that Atokiyada would necessarily want the necklace if only to take it since it would have some meaning to Asaia. She felt a hum around her neck suddenly.

"This necklace has power?" Asaia looked up to her father.

"Yes." Her father nodded. "Your mother used them to do great good in her village. She wanted all who lived there to be good and cause no others harm. But that did not mean the village did not come under attack by bad men, thieves and demons. This necklace was created to aid in protecting that village."

"How does it work?"

"Truth, Asaia, is a very powerful tool." Her father smiled again. "Truth often gets clouded by doubt and wayward belief. Your mother's gifts were so powerful that when the beads were created they turned to pearls. This necklace will break any spell, any wayward belief, and any lie until the wearer sees the truth for herself."

"But I'm wearing it now." Asaia frowned. "How come I'm not affected?"

"You are the owner of the Pearls of Truth now." Her father got to his feet. "It can only obey you and your commands. Any other who possess the Pearls of Truth will only see the necklace as a string of beads except those of spiritual abilities."

Her father got to his feet, leaving his daughter to ponder the new gift. Asaia kept quiet as her father disappeared into the fog. Her eyes never left the Pearls of Truth around her neck. She had something no other creature on this planet possessed. Atokiyada would never be able to possess this treasure of her mother's.

That made her feel good inside. She lifted her face towards the sky and looked among the stars that twinkled down at her. Asaia knew that her father was indeed right.

Truth was very powerful when one could see it.

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'When one could see it.' She repeated in her mind.

Asaia looked at the Pearls of Truth clutched in her hand then up at the swirling sands. Using both hands, she held up the necklace as if to place upon the shoulders of another. She concentrated on the Pearls until they began to shimmer.

Within seconds, the sands on the other side cleared of the necklace opening, as if forming a window through the chaos. She could see the base of the mountains were close, possibly half an hour if she chose to make a run for them.

The Beads of Restrictions her sister placed on her limited the ability to use spells and magic. Even her Pearls of Truth were not powerful enough to allow the removal of the Beads of Restriction. But it had given her a vacation of sorts on occasion when she was frustrated and tired.

Forced to live among humans was difficult at first. Asaia often found herself faced with horrors and unspeakable humans. She was scared most of the time and often hid in caves or in abandoned homes. What they did to one another appalled her even made her sick. Demons were just as bad or worse than humans.

In time, she realized that her other half could be cunning and sly. Being half celestial gave her an edge but it did not guarantee her a safe life. Her human side turned out to be the asset rather than the hindrance she once assumed living among the celestials. She learned to appreciate what she had, the new knowledge she collected, and how to use what she was given.

Asaia had a few tricks of her own. She could reach Tir in no time.

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Tir felt pleased with how the battle was going. The demons were numbering fewer and fewer. He lost track of the humans some time ago. They somehow disappeared off his aura trail. He would find them again. There were three humans, two demons, a half-breed, and a demon cat to contend with later. Hardly an obstacle by his standards.

Clasping his long green fingers together, his eyes concentrated on the sand dragons still in battle with the demons above the fields. Though many were simple demons, nothing compared to the last battle between celestials and demons, still, they could cause harm to the barriers protecting the castle.

Atokiyada would be pleased with his ability to keep unwanted visitors away from the castle.

His job was to wear them down to few numbers. To kill all of them meant he would not have subjects for other games later. Though sand dragons were fun, they used a lot of magic. It drained him considerably to create so many.

Alas, the demons attempting to invade Atokiyada's castle were far too many to count. Atokiyada would not like to have to force her powers to do such low class cleaning. Demons were beneath her. None would touch his mistress.

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How they made it out of the battle between Sand Dragons and demons still confused him. Inuyasha knew his strength weakened immensely early into the battle. Strange, that was not like him to lose energy so quickly. Perhaps it was from the traveling?

That was all he remembered before waking up in the cave with Miroku, Sango, KiRaRa, Rin, Jaken and Shippo beside him. How had he gotten here? Who brought him here? He patted his waist suddenly anxious but sighed in relief. Tetsusaiga was sheathed and resting for the time being.

Slowly, Inuyasha got to his feet, drawn wake by the smell of food. Asaia sat quietly in front of a fire with a boiling pot of something that smelled amazing. Looked silvery when he finally got over to the fire. Who was he to argue? Food was food after all. He sat down across from Asaia.

"Eat." Asaia nodded towards the pot and whispered softly so not to wake the others. "You'll need your strength. You all will."

At that moment, the others began to stir, waking from their slumber. One by one they staggered to their feet and sauntered over to the fire. Whatever was in the pot certainly had everyone's attention. No one else seemed to notice the pot boiling on gold flames.

With the exception of Jaken, clinging to the Staff of Two Heads, the weary group ate their meal in silence for no one questioned Asaia about how they ended up here. The only demon among them, he chose to keep up his arrogant airs and turn up his nose at the meal. The others were grateful to be alive and knew it. All looked around the fire at one another with 'I thought we were goners' looks in their eyes.

"We leave shortly." Asaia explained over the heavy silence. "We cannot penetrate the castle if we cannot get to it. You will need energy for this journey. It only gets more difficult from here on out."

Jaken meant to say nothing but chose to remain quiet. His master would beat him blue if he did not follow them to the castle to attempt some sort of rescue. Sure that Master Sesshomaru would be able to handle himself, Jaken's position was to assist his master. If his master could not be freed of his own accord, it was up to him to do so.

He lifted his chin in arrogant demon pride at the thoughts in his head. Rin sat next to him eating hungrily out of her bowl. Somehow, he did not frown at the girl's hunger and her lack of manners to satisfy the need.

"Master Jaken." Rin smiled up to him holding out her bowl. "You should try this!"

"Not now you silly girl!" Jaken turned his nose up at the silvery soup. "I am not hungry!"

Not to be daunted, Rin lifted her spoon full and shoved it into Jaken's mouth. Since he was shorter than her, it made this so much easier to accomplish. Sango began giggling over her own bowl. Inuyasha and Miroku burst out laughing, clutching their bowls afraid to drop them. Shippo hid behind a laughing KiRaRa for protection.

"See!" She smiled widely. "Isn't it good?!"

Jaken's eyes widened and yanked the spoon out, dropping the Staff of Two Heads. Then he grabbed her bowl and began chowing down eagerly just as the others had done.

So the weary group continued to eat. Amazingly, they kept eating until the entire pot was gone. All missed the smug look on Asaia's face, her smile only allowed to curve at the corners of her mouth.

They were protected now.