Hello readers! I want to let you all know that I am VERY pleased with the responses for the last chapter. Not only did I set a new review record, of five, but I also passed five thousand hits. Ok so now I will respond to my kind reviewers. My first reviewers was Xtina; I know the story is very long, but I'm starting to make the chapter long so that should help with the next stories. Concerning Healo, Naraku is a pretty good model then you need to give him paler skin, dark blue eyes, and straight hair. Thanks so much for your review; I was hoping that you were still reading. My next reviewer was Taeniaea; thanks for your compliment. Next was the person who really is responsible for this story continuing byakugan-master93. You're right about Inuyasha he is upset with both of his brother's because they are trying to move in on 'his' Kagome. Concerning Healo I am trying to shore up support for why he is so different now from what he will be like for a good part of the prequel. The scenes with the flashback about the fox village and his memories of other burning villages are trying to show this. I mean if that actually happened to someone wouldn't they still be thinking about it a lifetime later? I would. I understand your last point and believe me I am not trying to cut out Sesshomaru or Inuyasha. It's just that I don't have the time or the patience to show everything that happens from everyone's POV. Also I'll say it again later, but the reason I'm not going to show too much more from Kagome's POV is because I don't want to reveal what she's thinking about everything just yet. The next review was submitted by chica blanca; I was a little upset by your review, but of course that's the whole point of reviews is that you all can tell me what you think. I'm not trying to make Healo 'gushy' I am trying to contrast his straight forward approach to Sesshomaru's subtlety and Inuyasha's…whatever you want to call it. Plus in Healo's mind he is really trying to protect Kagome; he doesn't understand what, if anything, Sesshomaru feels, and he definitely doesn't approve of Inuyasha's indecision between Kagome and Kikyo. The next reviewer was Kaihaku No Iroke; thank you so much for your compliment. I try to end each chapter on a note that makes you want to click the next button, but then you realize that you can't because the next chapter isn't up yet. Sorry but the rest of my note will be at the end of the chapter. Here we go!
"And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love."
I Corinthians 13:13
CHAPTER XLVII
THE CURSED SWORD
Healo's POV
The Northern Lord stood on the top of a small hill a few hundred feet ahead of the rest of the group. Healo smiled grimly at the sight that stretched out before him. To his left he could see a forest that eventually rose to meet the stubby mountains that protected the Valley of the Wolves. The demon lord had once visited that strange land and had found that it certainly lived up to its name; the land was the area where Bianen had forced all the wolves in his domain to live. Luckily for the wolves, however, the land was not barren and had been chosen mostly because that was where most of the wolves in the Eastern Lands already dwelt.
However, the Silvan River stretched ahead and Healo could see an immense swamp in the distance. The Northern Lord shook his head slightly in amusement; couldn't the sword have been a little less obvious? Still, the demon lord knew that a certain miko would be relieved to know how close they were to finally finding Yamikura. At the moment what he felt was mostly determination; there would be time to celebrate later. Right now he needed to focus on getting the sword and learning to control it.
The other's seemed excited when they realized that they were probably only a few hours away from finally gaining the weapon they could use to finally defeat Naraku. Their enthusiasm weakened obviously when they began to make their way through the stinking swamps. However, there hopes rose again when they broke into a cold dreary clearing and found a pile of ruins. At first they all just stood there examining the carnage and wondering what had happened to the once proud fortress. Healo said softly as his eyes widened, "The sword is here in this rubble."
No one asked the demon lord how he knew; they all could feel it too. It was a sense of foreboding, fear, or anger it was difficult to lock down on, but they all felt it to some degree. Healo stepped forward and slowly glanced around at the broken stones and then his head jerked suddenly towards the rubble of a tower. No one spoke as they watched the Northern Lord walk silently towards the source of the dark aura. Finally after a few moments the demon lord bent down and began to move the small stones that were shielding the item from sight.
Awe swept over the group as the descendant of Emperors held aloft the sword of his father's. However, this was quickly followed with confusion. Why did the sword look so strange? The sword was double-bladed with a two handed hilt, and was made of a strange black material. After a few moments Kagome said quietly, "It's European." Everyone glanced at her curiously so she explained, "The sword wasn't made anywhere near here." Healo laughed as he tested the balance of the sword in his right hand, "That seems to be obvious. How are you meant to wield it?"
The miko sighed as she answered hesitantly, "You wield it with both hands. It's not going to be as light or graceful as your katana, but it is stronger." The Northern Lord smiled and responded, "Stronger? It can slice through anything; what does it matter that I will have to adapt to it?" His eyes turned back to examining the blade in his hands as he said somberly, "Yamikura…we must test to be sure first. Inuyasha." The hanyou responded gruffly, "Yah." The demon lord did not glance at his brother before saying softly, "Come here, please."
Inuyasha hesitated but then moved swiftly to stand next to the Northern Lord. Healo smiled at his brother and said, "Attempt to take the sword." The hanyou frowned, but then reached out a clawed hand as if to grasp the handle of the cursed sword. As soon as the hanyou's flesh touched the cold metal a barrier threw him back about ten feet. The demon lord noticed that his mate-to-be struggled not to laugh, but almost everyone else did. Healo somehow managed to maintain the seriousness in his gaze as he nodded a thanks to his brother when the hanyou finally managed to rise.
The demon lord regarded the ground more closely and found a sheath made from black material, but at the top it was circled with gold. A small inscription read: Faith, Hope, Love. It was a strange message, but the Northern Lord assumed that some sort of sacred energy was placed in the sheath to hold the sword's power in check. Too bad that his ancestors hadn't been content to leave it as such; of course he really didn't have a right to say anything. Was he not also drawing the cursed sword from its slumber? Was he really any better than his indecisive forebears?
Healo was forced from his thoughts when Kagome asked in a worried tone, "Is everything ok?" The Northern Lord nodded but he did not smile; after all it was a valid point. Would he truly be able to use the sword for good, or would it corrupt him like it had all the others? What kind of chance did he really have against Yamikura? Neverless the demon lord understood that he at least had to try; for Sulam, and Kagome.
He glanced at the rest of the group who were still worried over his response. Healo smiled lightly and said, "Now the real work can begin." Everyone smiled, even Inuyasha, but the Northern Lord pressed on sternly, "Do not celebrate just yet. The sword is ours, but we are about to destroy the strained peace that has rested over the land. If we succeed Naraku will be destroyed and a great evil will be averted, but is that truly enough? We must also sow the seeds for a new era. An era of order; the local lords must be reigned in and their subjects brought to heel."
The guards shifted uneasily at the demon lord's words, but he understood why. They were the servants of Sesshomaru, of the Western Lands; the idea of a stronger central power unnerved them. However, Healo knew that he needed everyone to realize, before he confronted Naraku, exactly what they were getting themselves into. If the hanyou was defeated the Northern Lord had every intention of taking up the imperial mantel. Once done he would not tolerate the rebellious independence of the other lords whose conflicting designs so often worked to weaken the Empire and the people.
However, the demon decided to let the subject drop as he said cheerfully, "We should reunite with my brothers to see what they have learned. Hopefully, they will bring good tidings from Lord Nelit which we can use to plan our next step." Everyone seemed to accept this plan so they began to make their way back out of the swampy area without further delay. Healo couldn't help but glance at the cursed sword every few minutes. How could this sword have caused so much destruction and chaos? The Northern Lord didn't doubt that it had, but the cursed sword looked so innocent when its powers were sealed by its sheath.
The demon lord remembered what the sword had whispered to him when he had held it. Healo shook his head slowly at the memory; the sword had no subtlety, but he could not say that he had not been tempted. Yamikura wanted to kill; it wanted to taste blood so that it could become stronger, but the Northern Lord wasn't so foolish as to allow its words to cloud his thoughts. The sword was pure evil and so long as the demon lord could concentrate on that truth he knew that it would hold no power over him.
However, the sword had been obviously amused at his rejection. It was only looking for the proper way to attack its host; the more times that Healo was forced to use it the stronger its influence would become. Eventually Yamikura would find his weakness; after all everyone has a weakness. How long did the demon lord think that he could possibly hold out? The naïve demon had no idea what was coming; or perhaps he knew too well. Healo was no fool, but even he was being deceived by the nature of the sword; the nature of power.
As Healo comforted his companions with the idea that they would soon be reunited with his brother's he had no idea that Yamikura already had a surprise waiting for him. All he had to do was sleep…or look into his past. Given the Northern Lord's nature the cursed sword knew that this would only be a matter of time. Soon it would be able to forsake its metal prison and become one with its mistress again. Soon…
Ok my final reviewer was PassionIsLove. I want to thank them for reviewing and acknowledge their correct assessment of the situation. Despite the obvious danger Healo is determined to press on. So what did you all think? Did I do the scene justice? Tell me what you thought about this chapter or any of the others. Hoped you enjoyed the scene with Healo…because I did! I understand that some of you just aren't going to like Healo, but you have to admit that he is pretty interesting. However, I won't take your critisicms of him personally since sometimes he is kind of depressing, but soon enough you'll get to see another side of him…not just in the prequel either. Sorry that the update is a week late, but I had to study for my Midterms. Art…ugh. Not to mention Math which would have been easy, but everyone else had a calculator…I didn't. Any way I hope to update within a week, but we'll just have to wait and see. I still have History to deal with in a few days. Next chapter will show them heading back and getting ready for the war they will need to fight against Naraku. Might start out from a different POV; not too sure about that yet. Thank you all so much for sticking with the story, despite its length. Please review.