Author's note: On Dokuga and on Deviantart, under my name SonofZhon, I have a few fan arts uploaded for this story. I think I will probably commission two more and that will be all. Oh and I demand 10 billion reviews before I post the next chapter! Just kidding. I wouldn't do that.
Also, hello to the person in Thailand reading this story. Sawatdee kraup.
Chapter 37 Grievances
"This has something to do with the wars of conquest you were telling us about, doesn't it?" Miroku asked. Truthfully though, he felt that he did not want to know the answer. A terrible premonition came over him that whatever the dark truth was behind Wei's insane vendetta against the Japanese people, it would be something that would forever stain his soul.
As if to punctuate that thought, an angry howl arose in the distance like a warning to him not to ask for more than he could bear.
"Yes," Sesshoumaru confirmed while he mentally reexamined all the evidence, looking for anything that might give further explanation for Wei. "I don't know how much time we have, but I'm sure it isn't enough so I'll make this quick. About 450 years from now, when Japan is unified and China's last dynasty is on its deathbed, we are going to invade them. The reasons don't matter right now, what matters is that we completely lose our minds and commit atrocity after atrocity. One event in particular, the Rape of Nanking, will go down in Chinese history as the worst exhibition of our country's madness."
"Looking at this," Sesshoumaru gestured to encompass the grotesque scene of vengeance surrounding them, "I can see that Wei is re-enacting it only with us as the victims this time. He wants us to suffer what they suffered at Nanking."
Miroku's eyes suddenly looked several shades darker as he considered the future and the hideousness it offered. To him, Kagme's future seemed like a brighter place than his own time, but the existence of Wei argued that it was just as troubled, if not more so.
Is this really what we become? Is he just a dark mirror to us? Miroku felt a profound sense of dejection settle over him as he considered such a mournful future.
"It gets worse than what you see here," Daesung interjected into his thoughts with a terrible certainty as another howl split the air in the distance. "Wei is only entertaining himself some with this nightmarish massacre. He showed me something; it was like a scroll but..I don't know what to say...it wasn't. I couldn't fully grasp what it was; it seemed to be made of ever shifting golden rays of light. Whenever you thought you saw and understood what it was, it shifted in some indescribable way. Wei told me that it was the Seal of Heaven and he was going to use it to summon one of Heaven's dragons and 'purify this island' as he put it."
Both Kagome and Sesshoumaru felt a black revelation wash over them like the coldest of waves of an ebon ocean.
"If he can command a Celestial Dragon from Heaven..." Kagome began, thinking about the devastation that could be wrought if Wei successfully harnessed the power of the divine.
"...then he would be unstoppable and Japan would be at his mercy," Sesshoumaru finished for her, picturing Japan being consumed in blinding and catastrophic light. Through their bond multiple possibilities were being evaluated, but they all led to only one real course of action. "We don't have a means to stop a Celestial Dragon, so we will have to stop Wei before he can summon one."
"Maybe I am missing something here," Kouga said "I've seen dragons before like Ryūkotsusei and they aren't invincible or anything. Just really hard to kill."
"That isn't the kind of dragon we are talking about Kouga," Kagome explained. "We are talking about the kind that are divine. The difference is like that between a light breeze and a typhoon. Wei could literally reshape the face of the earth if he can successfully command one."
A heavy silence settled on the group as the prospect of Wei having power of such immensity at his disposal weighed on their minds and spirits. The leaden silence was pierced by another howl, closer this time.
A moment later and a chorus of answering howls replied in unison. Normally that would have cheered Kouga as it revealed how close his pack was. Now however, he wondered if they would arrive in time to save their land.
The surest way to lose is to believe you will, Kouga thought to himself. It's not over yet.
He turned to Sesshoumaru with an air of confidence. "You can hear them coming. Those are about 1200 fighters from my pack. Time may be short, but we will be ready."
"I hope the gentlemen and ladies won't think less of me if I ask them a favor," Daesung said somewhat nervously, while raising his eyes to look at the group. "I stayed to give what information I could to stop this blood drenched insanity, but I have no wish to get caught in the crossfire between all of you and Wei."
Daesung looked meaningfully at Sango, Miroku and Kirara, "My sons and I would appreciate an escort away from this place and to the nearest port."
Miroku nodded thoughtfully as another round of howls and their responses filled the air. He understood immediately Daesung's desire to return home to Korea, where safety for him and his sons could be found. The roads though would offer their own brand of peril if it was just a single merchant and his two young sons. He stayed here because he was hoping to wrangle protection in exchange for what he knew from the wolves. Quite a gamble. But then, traveling alone would be as well, considering bandits and other youkai.
Miroku looked to Sango who looked torn between wanting to help Daesung and staying with Kagome to confront Wei.
"I am sure that with more than a thousand wolves coming to engage Wei our absence will not be a critical loss," he said.
Sango's face darkened as her pride took a hit from that unintentional slight against her, but ultimately she knew it was true. "Well then, I guess we had best get started. Where are your sons?"
"Hiding inside the stables," Daesung answered. "I did not want them to see the full extent of what Wei has done and also felt it was safer for them to be out of sight."
In case the wolves' gratitude was less than you might hope, Miroku conjectured silently. The smell of the horses and their leavings would also confer camouflage of sorts to your children. Smart man.
"Well, let's go get them," Sango said while following Daesung to his sons and wondering if Wei had killed the horses or left them alive. I'll bet they are still alive. He only seems to care about the Japanese..
If the horses were alive, even if Daesung and his children were poor riders, they could move much faster, Sango reflected. Kirara certainly can't carry everyone.
