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Disclaimer: Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.

EIGHTH BLOOD

Chapter 9: God Stars

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In the beginning, there was nothing but darkness, until a single star appeared.

The star was called Seishin, and he was lonely, because he was the only being in existence. Therefore, Seishin split himself into four new beings, which were: Aramitama, the goddess of war; Nigimitama, the god of peace; Kushimitama, the god of knowledge; and Sakimitama, the goddess of love. The four deities chased away the darkness and filled the space with their children. They then created the three realms – Heaven, Hell, and Earth – and for a while, all was good.

Satisfied with their work, the God Stars built a home for themselves in the heavens, where they lived in contentment, until the skies began to bubble with discord.

Out of the four's many children, Aramitama's were the most ambitious. They had grown tired of watching the planet's bliss and were curious about what would happen if they were to interfere. And so, the Earth became their playground. As the goddess of war, their mother was proud of them for introducing a healthy dose of destruction . . . Until they went too far.

The once-perfect planet soon spiralled into chaos, and Aramitama's children were banished from the skies for their violence in an event that would later be known as the Fall. Seeking vengeance, they infiltrated the Underworld and lay with the demons that lived there, siring abominations that were even more dangerous than their predecessors—vicious monsters who were as beautiful as gods. These abominations were able to make themselves appear human on the outside, but on the inside, they were anything but.

The God Stars were enraged, and the goddess of war descended from the heavens with the intention of slaughtering her treacherous kin. She succeeded in killing her children, but the might of their offspring – the Daiyoukai – was too great. Humiliated by her defeat, she returned to the heavens and isolated herself in her chambers. She refused to speak to any of her siblings, including Sakimitama, whom she was closest to.

The goddess of love understood that her sister was in mourning – although she would never admit it – and decided that since Aramitama was incapable of shedding tears, she would cry in her stead. Sakimitama knelt at the edge of the heavens overlooking the Earth and wept. Her tears became the very first rain, and at the exact spot where they fell, an island rose out of the ocean like a plant. The island's inhabitants had the ability to wield reiki, making them the first priests and priestesses.

And so began the Thousand Year War. The Daiyoukai were a devastating force, but they were vulnerable to reiki, which gave the humans who could control it a slight advantage. However, the Daiyoukai's numbers refused to dwindle. Even with this advantage, the beasts were devastatingly powerful and multiplied much faster than humans. Therefore, another solution was needed.

Nigimitama and Kushimitama devised a plan to stop the bloodshed. The plan involved giving one of Nigimitama's sons the ability to take human form. The son in question was called Kyūseishu, and he was sent to Earth with a clear set of instructions from his father. First, he was to marry and impregnate a human priestess – this was to ensure that any powers their child inherited would be enhanced – and second, Kyūseishu was to train the child. The god of peace knew that a saviour was required to put an end to the war that had lasted for almost a millennium, so he asked his son to make one for him.

Kyūseishu was more than happy to oblige. After marrying a human priestess as his father had instructed, she soon gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Midoriko. Like the Daiyoukai, she was perfection personified, except her soul was pure, and her reiki was strong enough to topple an entire army of beasts. She and Kyūseishu exterminated hordes of them, putting an end to the Thousand Year War.

They met their match in a powerful Daiyoukai who'd coveted Midoriko's heart, and Kyūseishu lost his life shielding his daughter from a mortal blow. Since she was wounded also, Midoriko's final act was one of vengeance. After battling with the Daiyoukai for eight days and eight nights, she finally managed to defeat it. But her victory came at a cost. To slay the beast, Midoriko was forced to use the full extent of her powers, which she had never done before. As a result of this, the Daiyoukai's tainted soul was dragged into her body, where it merged with her pure soul.

The fused souls created a pocket dimension, which manifested as a small purple jewel. The Shikon no Tama burst out of Midoriko's chest, killing her, but a part of her survived. She and the Daiyoukai were trapped inside the jewel as echoes of themselves, destined to fight for all of eternity. Unless the jewel was destroyed, neither of them could ever win.

Heartbroken, the God Stars turned their backs on the world they had created and declared that the Daiyoukai could keep it. Afterwards, the Daiyoukai became gods in their own right. They tore down Seishin's temples and replaced them with their own relics, rewriting history and establishing their dominance over the Earth's creatures, including the humans.

And that was how the Age of Monsters began.

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Octavia shot Nidawi a cynical look. "No offence, but how is that supposed to help me understand anything?"

"Your power is reminiscent of Midoriko's," Nidawi said. "However, your story has an even darker beginning. You are not a miko, but you are not a youkai, either."

"What am I, then?"

The oracle hesitated. "I cannot tell you. Not yet."

"Why the hell not!"

"There are things you must do first. Good things. Bad things. But they must come first."

Octavia's eyes burned with tears. "This is all because of that stupid prophecy, isn't it?" Nidawi stayed silent. Octavia scrunched her eyes shut and kneaded her temples. "Fuck!" she growled. "I just want to go home."

Nidawi glided closer and cupped Octavia's jaw with her slender fingers. "You do not have a home," she said, then added, "Not there, at least."

Octavia glared at her. "Is that all you have to say? Why am I here? I doubt Breena teleported me all the way up the mountain just so you could tell me a story. What do you want from me?"

"I wish to give you something."

Her anger cooled. "What is it?"

Nidawi reached down and parted the moss at her feet to reveal a small wooden box that had been buried underneath. As she opened the lid, light burst free and eradicated the darkness of the pit. When the light faded, Octavia saw a dagger lying sideways in the box. Nidawi picked it up and presented it to her. The handle was made of polished white crystal, and the space where the hilt met the blade housed a large oval stone that resembled an amethyst.

"You're giving me a dagger?"

"This is no ordinary weapon. It's called the Reikon Blade. Midoriko used it during her battle with the Daiyoukai. In a way, it was responsible for the fusing of their souls."

"How?"

"It cannot inflict physical damage. It is useless in that regard. No matter how much it is sharpened, it will never pierce flesh. But it can pierce something else."

"Which is?"

"Spirit."

Octavia studied the dagger and frowned. "What do you mean?"

"It is a difficult concept to describe. Although the terms are interchangeable, a spirit is a gathering of multiple souls. It is the essence of a person's life. Spirits are notoriously flimsy. They are easy to break but almost impossible to destroy. That's where the dagger comes in. It can cleave a person's soul in two if you so desire. If a spirit is destroyed, it can never be reincarnated."

"That's horrible."

"Indeed. Were it to fall into the wrong hands, the outcome would be catastrophic."

"And that's how Midoriko beat the Daiyoukai?"

"Not quite. She let her emotions take over, which resulted in the creation of the Shikon no Tama. Had she been in control, the dagger would have ended the Daiyoukai's life there and then, but her anger tainted both her soul and the dagger, creating a pocket dimension within the jewel."

"That doesn't seem fair," Octavia said.

"Life is seldom fair, stardust."

"Well, it should be."

Nidawi chuckled. "Preventing reincarnation is not all the dagger is capable of. It also has the ability to connect your mind to another's. Their thoughts, memories, and even dreams can become yours. There was once a time when it was called 'Dream Eater'."

Octavia paused. Her chest felt tight, like someone was standing on it. "Is that how you knew I'm from the future? By reading my mind? I didn't say you could do that."

"I only looked for what I needed."

"Are you doing it now?"

Her expression was answer enough. "What happened to the memories from before you travelled to England?"

The knot in Octavia's chest tightened. "I don't remember that far back—"

"You are incomplete," Nidawi interrupted. "Where is the rest of you? Unless . . ." The oracle stopped herself. She placed the dagger in Octavia's hands and curled her fingers around it. "It's yours now," she said. "Take it. I insist."

"Why are you giving this to me?"

"It is the answer."

"The answer to what?"

"Everything."

The purple gemstone winked at her. "How do I even use this thing? And what if I let my emotions get the best of me like Midoriko's did after her father was murdered in front of her? I don't want my soul to get trapped like hers did."

"Are you afraid?"

"I'm not afraid of anything," she lied.

Nidawi chuckled.

"Why can't you just give me a straight answer? I think I deserve that much, don't you?"

She smiled wider. "We will meet again, Octavia. I will answer your questions then. You must go now. The western lord is searching for you."

Before Octavia could ask her how she knew that, the Forest Spirit poked her nose with her finger. Octavia's eyelids fluttered shut in surprise. When she opened her eyes, she wasn't in the chasm anymore. She was in the forest again. Whilst she'd been gone, a cloud of mist had rolled in, blanketing the trees around her in white. The mist made it impossible to see more than five feet in front of her.

The Reikon Blade surged to life in her hands. The purple stone dazzled brilliantly, pointing towards something she couldn't see.

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Sesshoumaru followed the human's scent up the mountain.

Rin and Jaken were waiting for him at the stronghold. He had introduced Rin to the court as his ward and issued a warning to all who lived within the castle walls. The punishment for harming her was death. He hoped it was enough to deter anyone from approaching her without his permission. As a failsafe, he'd appointed Jaken as her protector. Not because he was strong, but because the other youkai avoided him like a plague.

When Sesshoumaru returned to the place where they'd parted ways, Ah-Un was alone. He hadn't been able to find any tracks in the soil, but he could smell her. How had she travelled so far in such a short amount of time? She couldn't have made it to the top in this mist. It was of supernatural origin—the work of spirits, no doubt.

He arrived at a wall of impenetrable mist. A barrier designed to prevent youkai from reaching the summit, he realised. The human's scent was beyond the barrier. Was this a blessing in disguise? Rin would miss her, but it wouldn't be his fault. He could always find her a new stray to befriend. Someone less exhausting this time. Someone with manners and a sense of decorum. Perhaps a demoness would do. There were plenty to choose from. A sophisticated noblewoman would be a much better role model for her than—

"Where the hell are you taking me? We'd better not be going in circles or I'm gonna go ballistic."

He had celebrated too soon. The human came ambling out of the barrier like a ghost. She seemed to be talking to a dagger of all things.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She shrieked. "Where did you come from!"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"I was kidnapped. What's your excuse?"

"Kidnapped by whom?"

"A yosei called Breena. She warped us to this massive hollow tree and then a fucking deer shoved me into a pit. Can you believe that?"

The Tree of Sutāsouru. Or the Tree of Star Souls in her language. "You met Nidawi," he said. "What did she want?"

"She told me a story about this star who split himself into four separate gods. Apparently, Daiyoukai are the result of exiled stars and ancient demons getting frisky with each other."

Sesshoumaru's brows shot upwards. The tale of Seishin was blasphemy disguised as religion. The implication that his ancestors had torn down temples and rewritten history was appalling. Nevertheless, the God Stars had inspired their fair share of worshippers, but the last of their disciples had died out hundreds of years ago. Why was Nidawi spouting such nonsense? Although she was a spirit, his father had always held her in high regard. Surely the great Inu no Taisho would have condemned her if she believed that Daiyoukai were abominations born from demented stars, as the myth claimed they were? There were already plenty of real gods associated with stars – Amatsumikaboshi, Fukurokuju, Orihime and Hikoboshi, to name a few. The tale of Seishin, on the other hand, was pure fiction.

"What is that?" he asked, gesturing to the dagger in her hand.

"It's called the Reikon Blade," she said. "It can't cut flesh, but it can prevent a soul from being reincarnated. Nidawi used it to read my mind. I'm not sure how she did it, though."

A dagger that couldn't pierce flesh? His eyes strayed down to his father's fang, which was silent for a change. What do you think of this, Tenseiga? Is it like you?

"Why did she give it to you?"

The human shrugged. "Hell if I know. I could tell that she was holding out on me. It was very annoying."

He knew the feeling.

"I'm surprised you even bothered to look for me. I thought you hated me."

"Rin has grown attached to you."

"You could've just made something up. Accidents happen all the time."

"Don't tempt me, human."

She smirked at him.

Frowning, he turned on his heel and walked away. The mist thinned as they travelled back down the mountain. By the time they reached the bottom, it had disappeared. Sesshoumaru peered over his shoulder to see if the human had picked up the pace. Although the weather was clear now, she was still far too slow for his liking. He cursed himself for not ordering Ah-Un to stay so that it could carry her to the stronghold. The less time he had to spend with her, the better.

She was examining the mysterious dagger as she walked. Even he had to admit that it was a work of art. After a while, she slipped the dagger into her coat pocket for safekeeping. "I figured out where it was leading me," she said. "The light went out before I could get a proper look, but I think it was pointing to one of your swords."

"What gave you that impression?"

"It was moving."

He came to an abrupt halt and stole a glimpse down at the Tenseiga. "Was it this one?" She nodded. "I didn't notice. Are you certain you weren't imagining it?"

"It was kind of hard to miss. Swords don't move on their own. Not where I come from, anyway."

"Hn."

She came to stand beside him and stared at the Tenseiga. "Is it a magic sword?"

"In a sense."

"What does it do?"

He had no intention of disclosing such information to a human. He didn't care what the sword thought of her. His father might have been fascinated by spirit magic, but Sesshoumaru wasn't. A part of him found solace in that. His father would have killed to be in the position he was in now, whilst Sesshoumaru couldn't care less. It served him right.

"Hello? Why are you ignoring me?"

"Do you ever cease talking?" he sighed.

"Are you ever not an arsehole?"

He glared at her. "Get comfortable," he spat.

"Why?" she asked.

"It's almost nightfall."

Her head tilted towards the last rays of sunlight sifting through the trees. The sunset had dyed everything a deep shade of red. Even her eyes had turned the colour of freshly spilt blood. "We've walked through the night before," she said. "Why should tonight be any different?"

"You'll need your strength for tomorrow."

"I feel fine—"

"This is not up for discussion. We will depart for the stronghold at first light. In the meantime, you will sleep and I will keep watch."

She rolled her eyes. "Until you get bored of sitting around on your arse and wander off somewhere. If I get attacked by a boar, it'll be all your fault."

"I think not, human. After all, accidents happen all the time."

"You're such a dick."

"And you are crude and irksome."

It was a miracle that she was able to keep her mouth shut after that. Hours passed and no boars came, despite her snoring like one. Whilst she was asleep, Sesshoumaru picked her up and leapt into the sky. He was careful not to wake her as he flew towards the stronghold. She was a thorn in his side, but the pain was worth it for Rin's happiness.

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