INUYASHA: SEALED FATES UNLEASHED
By: Lady JenDragon
Disclaimer: Yeah, yeah, yeah, not mine.
Author Notes: Sorry, unbelievably busy nowadays. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Next Chapter's almost done.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Sealed Fates Revealed
Inuyasha rushed into the castle with Miroku fast behind him, Shippo clutched to his shoulder. Demons would be coming for them soon if they stayed in one spot too long. Sango prepared to go after them when she felt a tug on her weapon. Rin clutched her hands together.
"Rin!" Sango felt relieved they caught up. "We just broke through."
They were not so slow after all. Perhaps the little Imp just wanted them to do all the dirty work and pass through once all the fighting was done. Figures…some demons were just cowards. Sango felt slight alarm at Rin's innocent expression.
"Please!" Rin reached for Sango's hand. "It's Jaken…he needs your help."
Sango's first reaction was not to care since they got through the barrier. She wanted to follow Inuyasha and Miroku immediately. But something made her stop.
"What is it?" Sango asked cautiously. "Is he hurt?"
"Please come!" Rin urged, almost beggingly.
She backed towards the path that could now clearly be seen slowly weaving its way down the mountains on a narrow trail. Sango looked around, finding Asaia watching her with interest.
"Asaia, go join Inuyasha, Shippo and Miroku." Sango took hold of Herykotsu. "We'll follow you shortly."
Asaia nodded and immediately walked after Inuyasha and the others. Sango stopped and looked around. Where had KiRaRa gotten off to again? The demon cat was no where to be seen.
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Sango could see the green imp sitting against the gray barren rock of the mountains. Nothing grew here in this desolate wasteland so high.
"Yo..you came." Jaken stared in surprise that the demonslayer actually came.
"Are you hurt?" Sango saw no wounds, no struggle as the imp got to his feet with his Staff of Two Heads. "I suspected you would waste my time but Rin was persistent."
"She did as she was told." Jaken stated, as if she were a servant.
"Please listen." Rin urged Sango with wide eyes. "It's important."
"Indeed." Jaken agreed.
"What's this about exactly?"
"The reason we've traveled so far." Jaken started. "You see, once the attacks on the humans everywhere ensued, Sesshomaru and I set off looking to find out the culprit."
"This Atokiyada woman?" Sango offered.
She thought it a stupid name at first but now she understood why the name was so long. It was meant to strike fear into those who knew of this half celestial half demon. Shifting her feet, Sango decided to hear the imp out. Maybe he knew something.
"That is one of her names." Jaken felt irritated by the demonslayer's interruption. "She is also known as a Fate. A celestial half-breed if you will. There's only a few of them that remain."
"This sound familiar to me." She pondered the idea but it was such a vague memory.
"It should." Jaken looked to Rin who seemed unsettled by his story. "We stayed behind to learn more of this Asaia girl. She is related to the Fate for they are sisters. Indeed, she is a Fate herself."
Sango shook her head. "She's never hidden that fact."
"True. But what many haven't realized is that these two are the Sealed Fates." Jaken lifted his Staff to the sky. "Stories tell of two Fates that constantly crossed blades, causing devastation where ever they happened upon one another. Even their father had enough and left these lands to escape such destructive ways. It is said that one Fate placed the other under a spell. Bounding her to walk among humans forever as a child. The other grew so powerful that not even demons could escape her wrath for she hated all other creatures. Thousands of years ago, a brave few led a crusade against the demon Fate and sealed her in a prison outside this world. Many do not know how this was accomplished, only that it was done in less than a week."
"Whoa." Was all Sango could muster. "You think she's, Asaia's, helping us to reseal her sister again?"
"No." Jaken shook his head. "Asaia wants to be free from her own prison. She's trying to break the spell keeping her a child. Only in the reflections of water can we see her true form."
Sango suddenly remembered that Asaia avoided puddles, lakes, ponds, or anything else with enough water gathered in it to warrant a reflection during their journey. Kagome must have seen her true form at one point though since her friend seemed to be more accepting of the child.
Of course, no one seemed phased by the revelation of the half celestial half human among the group now that she thought about it. In fact, Miroku and Inuyasha thought that Asaia was not any kind of threat. But then, children were the best disguises to use to exact revenge. Look how many times Naraku used Rin and Kohaku for his plans?
"You think there's going to be another battle between the two Fates then?" Sango wanted to know.
Hardly inevitable, Sango concluded. After all these years, the one sister thought to have been imprisoned suddenly breaks free and you are still stuck as a child. 'I would be a bit angry too.' Sango reasoned that there was more to the story yet only legends and stories were recognized and considered grained in truth. Perhaps Asaia was not a menace like Jaken seemed to want her to believe.
"You think she abducted Sesshomaru for no reason?" Jaken shook his head. "His father was part of the group that sealed her away the first time."
"She wants a little revenge." The idea made sense to Sango.
But what exactly did this Atokiyada have in mind for revenge? Why would she just abduct him rather than kill him out right? A slow death perhaps? Bondage before death? Would Sesshomaru even allow himself to become anyone's slave? Could she over power him enough to make this happen? Atokiyada was half celestial. That was certainly a cut above the demon in her book.
"Exactly." He agreed.
"Come on." Sango turned back towards the castle. "We better find the others before something happens. Stick close."
Jaken set his chin and followed Sango once she turned back towards the castle. Rin trailed behind him looking anxious.
Rin liked Asaia and did not find anything about her to be menacing or scary. In fact, the girl seemed quite likable to her. Folding her hands together, perhaps the truth would be revealed once Lord Sesshomaru was freed from her evil sister. Asaia appeared so willing to help get them to the castle. 'Was that not enough for everyone?'
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Miroku followed behind Inuyasha closely, Shippo clinging to his shoulder. Neither realized until a few minutes ago that Sango had disappeared sometime ago. They were not sure if there demons lurking around the corners. Was she a prisoner or was she on her own chasing down a demon? And where did Asaia go?
The place was a maze of halls and mirrors. They seemed to turn way too many times for there to be enough room for a castle this size. But then, they were dealing with a celestial demon. Celestials could weave time and space for their own purpose.
"Where is Kagome?" Inuyasha growled. "I can smell her and Sesshomaru."
But he could not find them. The scent was so strong it was like standing in the room with them yet without being able to see them. Did this Atokiyada woman like to play games before facing her enemies? Were they caught in her maze? He thought celestials got to the point.
"I can't detect any other demons nearby, Inuyasha." Miroku turned in a circle.
They were at a T-section, they only had to choose left or right. In front of them was a floor to ceiling mirror. The walls were black with mirrors lining it for what seemed like a very long distance either direction. Miroku knew they needed to stop wasting their energy to face their enemy head-on.
"Neither can I." Inuyasha growled. "It's time to take some action."
He unsheathed Tetsusaiga from his waste and held it in both hands. No words were spoken as he raised the sword over his head. Then he turned to face Miroku and swung downward.
"MIROKU!!!" Shippo yelled at the top of his lungs.
He tossed several leaves at Inuyasha that immediately enlarged and wrapped around the demon. Shippo jumped from Miroku as the monk dived to the right to avoid the sword. While it may not Tetsusaiga, it was still a sword. And swords could do damage if caught in its path.
Miroku had not thought to turn until Shippo tugged on his shoulder when Inuyasha lifted the sword above his head. His friend normally told him to stand back. Not this time. It must have been Shippo who picked up on it. He nearly missed his head coming off.
Inuyasha growled and wrestled in his prison of leaves. They tightened with each struggle. Shippo scramble over to Miroku and stood beside the monk laying on the floor with his staff. Suddenly, Inuyasha's contorted before it dissolved into a greenish dragon demon. Slowly, it choked to death in the constricting leaves.
"I owe you big time, Shippo." Miroku watched as the demon dropped to the floor.
Guess he could not make fun of Shippo's fox magic anymore. For once, it finally came through in a save. And he was glad it was him who benefited from the usually useless magic.
"We need to find the real Inuyasha." Shippo urged. "I bet he's with a fake Miroku."
"My question is…" Miroku spoke as he got to his feet. "How did we get separated in the first place? He was in front of me the whole time."
Shippo hopped back onto his shoulder. "This Atokiyada's good."
Miroku did not like that assessment. He preferred to be the one having the edge in a battle. With Inuyasha walking around on his own, who knew what he would face. If another demon could swindle Inuyasha into believing it was a human.
Suddenly he heard a loud blast from somewhere behind them.
"Guess Inuyasha found out his demon wasn't you." Shippo smirked. "I didn't think it would take him this long to figure out. He's so slow sometimes."
"Come on." Miroku ignored the half-breed insult ad walked back the way they came.
His walk became a slow jog as explosions continued to shake the castle walls. The mirrors vibrated with every blast.
"Sounds like he's fighting his way out of this maze we're in." Miroku rounded another corner finding more mirrors and hall to run down.
"I feel like a mouse demon." Shippo quipped.
Suddenly the wall in front of them to their left exploded in a cloud of debris and broken glass.
Shippo jumped from Miroku's shoulder and stayed behind the monk at his feet ready to move if they needed to reposition quickly. Miroku removed his beads from around his right hand, prepping the wind-tunnel for immediate use. He held the beads in his left in case he needed to close the tunnel. Jutting his hand forward, all he saw were three forms jump through.
"WIND TUNNEL!" Miroku pushed his hand forward, opening his clutched right hand.
Two of the forms struggled but were immediately sucked into the vortex along with the walls and mirror debris. The third form, a blaze of red nearly did not escape, bouncing back through the hole in the wall.
"Geez!" Inuyasha growled with a slight echo. "Watch where you point that thing!"
"INUYASHA!" Miroku replaced the beads over his right hand sealing the wind-tunnel for now. "Where the hell have you been?"
"I could ask you the same question." Inuyasha jumped through the hole. "Had a demon following me around that acted like you. Since the little brat was missing, I guessed Shippo went off with her."
Inuyasha stopped talking finding Miroku studying him closely.
"What's wrong now?"
"How do we know you're really Inuyasha?" Miroku queried, eyes narrowed.
"Yeah!" Shippo added, jumping back onto Miroku's shoulder.
CLONK! Inuyasha's fist made contact with Shippo's head, a large bump growing where he made contact. Taking several sniffs of the monk and fox demon, he deemed them as real human and a little brat.
"OOOWWW!!" Shippo whined then began moaning and mumbling.
"Because a real demon wouldn't take as much pleasure in smacking little bratty demons around like I do." Inuyasha smiled.
Miroku relaxed and smiled. "That's Inuyasha for sure."
Inuyasha switched Tetsusaiga from his left hand to his right, having lifted his fist from the fox demon. Shippo rubbed his head incessantly, his eyes watering with pain, grumbling as they moved off down the hall.
"This place is nothing more than a maze." Inuyasha announced. "It's constantly changing too."
"That would certainly slow us down." Miroku agreed. "I can feel the demon miasma pulsating in the walls and when they move they give off a little burst of energy. But, none of my seals will weaken this kind of miasma. Do you have a plan to get us out of here?"
"Miasma eh?" Inuyasha growled. "Oh yeah I got a plan!"
Inuyasha held Tetsusaiga with both hands out in front of him. There was an eerie smile on his face. Miroku knew what that meant. He picked up Shippo and ran for it. They would need more space between them and the…
"BACKLASH WAVE!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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Only dim lights burned from the sconces on the walls evenly spaced every so often around the room. Strange that she felt that her imprisonment seemed to last forever. 'Why does this keep happening to me?' Then she heard it, the slightest vibration crossed the room as if a wave.
"Inuyasha?" Her voice broke the eerie silence of the room.
Kagome lifted her head when the next explosion rocked the castle. Her eyes darted around looking for clues as to the distance the series of explosions were from where she was located. It felt like such a long time since the first explosion that took the barrier down and now it seemed walls of the castle.
'Was Atokiyada playing games with Inuyasha, Miroku and Sango?' She asked herself silently.
The walls vibrated with each explosion, each one growing more and more violent. Atokiyada had not come to visit her yet since Inuyasha broke through the barrier, preferring to stay away from the lowly human and dog demon. If she considered Inuyasha and the others a large enough threat, she would take care of them.
But, it seemed Atokiyada wanted to meet Inuyasha. Did she have plans for Inuyasha? And Sesshomaru? Kagome glanced at the demon lying on the floor in what appeared to be a relaxed position. Sesshomaru lay for hours on end without moving. He was not given the chance to stand let alone sit on the floor. Atokiyada seemed pleased with keeping him where he was regardless of his effort to ignore her actions.
'It's like Sesshomaru's not acknowledging her at all.' Kagome realized. 'Is that part of his plan? Make her angry enough to take him on in a head-to-head battle?'
Sesshomaru did not bother to lift his head, the explosions not escaping his notice. His ears were attuned to the castle now and he could detect the tiniest shift in the structure. The explosions were strong enough to catch Atokiyada's attention. Indeed the celestial demon was interested in facing his brother.
Her purpose remained undetected. 'This Sesshomaru would discover her true motives shortly.'
All attempts to infuriate the celestial demon went unnoticed by the human miko. Atokiyada seemed more polished of the demon ways than the legends led him to believe. Father must have found a weakness he capitalized on before facing her down.
'Father, you mention nothing of your defeat of this creature in the family scrolls.' Sesshomaru silently contemplated the reasons his father would choose to do this.
The defeat of a celestial demon would never be written down so that others would find the method. Father was indeed no fool. This left his only alternative, the sister of Atokiyada, the child called Asaia. Father often talked of the child he met on numerous occasions shortly after Sesshomaru began his long journey's away from home to create his own legacy.
'The child is the key to the celestial's demise.'
The celestial demon left the room to await Inuyasha's arrival to save the woman. It seemed his half-breed brother made it this far into the castle. Jaken would soon be here to offer his services, following in shadows behind Inuyasha and his friends.