InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Absolution's Pursuit ❯ A Startling Revelation ( Chapter 5 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lady Sianna 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 12.03.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 560 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Drama / Adventure | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 12.03.2009 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.5K | Visits: 560 | Status: Work In Progress
Absolution’s Pursuit
A Startling Revelation
____________________________________________________________ ____________
Tensega had failed him and nothing the daiyoukai did could help him to understand why. The passage of time lost all meaning as his golden eyes shifted between the broken form of his brother and the blade that refused to save him.
At one point, he had concentrated his youki into the blade with all the strength he could muster, and even then the sword did little more than pulse weakly before falling silent once again. The momentary flash of power served to frustrate him more than it would have had the sword remained unresponsive. The desire to smash the heirloom weapon to pieces was almost overwhelming but Sesshoumaru reined in the urge and instead contemplated his next move.
His mind clouded over in a dull haze as the reality of the situation jolted through him like a bolt of lightening. Inuyasha was dead, by his own hand and yet he was not pleased. He had expected a better fight from the boy.
He had expected…
His brow furrowing, the inu lord allowed his thoughts to trail off. Perhaps… he had not truly expected Inuyasha to fall at all? A part of him had known, just known that the hanyou would hold his own and earn the position of Sesshoumaru’s heir and second in command in the western province. Is that what he had been hoping for all along?
His gaze shifting to the now setting sun, Sesshoumaru realized that this was probably the case, if the anger that even now still boiled his blood was anything to go by. What else could explain this level of discontentment at the accomplishment of one’s long awaited goal?
Drawing in a deep breath, Sesshoumaru turned back to the corpse of his sibling. Almost unaware of his own actions, he kneeled at the boy’s side and lifted his limp form into his arms. Unconcerned of the blood that was transferred onto his pristine attire, the demon moved toward the small stream. When he was near the water he kneeled, placing the pup on the ground before him.
Numbly, and with a gentleness that was completely unfamiliar to him, Sesshoumaru cleansed the blood from Inuyasha’s body as best he could. Inspecting the fatal wound with a critical eye, the demon lord then raised a clawed finger above it. Leaking a small amount of diluted poison, he carefully sealed the wound before removing the last traces of blood from the boy’s person.
When he was finished, he stood again, bringing Inuyasha’s body along with him and took to the skies. It was some time later when he made it back to his home in the west and the sun was slowly sinking into the horizon behind him. He made his way to the garden before selecting an area near his father’s grave where he chose to excavate. Afterwards, he buried Inuyasha near his father, covering him over with the cool, damp soil where he would remain until the end of time.
The task was completed…
His eyes holding an odd sort of glow, the daiyoukai stared down at the grave. His clothes were stained with blood and dirt and soil was packed beneath his claws, but at the moment, Sesshoumaru couldn’t bring himself to care. His heart wished for the contentment that came with the completion of a task or at the very least, the impassiveness with which he dealt with everything else, yet he could not free himself from the fierce, burning rage that thrummed through his veins. His breathing was swift and slightly erratic, but the daiyoukai knew that it had nothing to do with the exertion of digging the grave.
He felt… cheated, though if it was because of the ease of which the hanyou fell, the Tensega’s unwillingness to work for him, or the loss of his only sibling, he could not say.
It was strange. He should celebrate the death of Inuyasha, the one who’s very existence dishonored him, but apparently, somewhere along the line he had developed an attachment to the boy without even realizing it. Something deep inside of him, the part that was still bound to the call of instinct, had never wanted this! Hanyou that he was, Inuyasha was… had been family. As his alpha, Sesshoumaru should have taken him in… protected him, not ended his life.
Growling softly, the demon lord closed his eyes tightly, his brows furrowing at the tumultuous emotions that swirled through him.
His father was dead, his brother was dead, and he could do nothing to return either of them to the land of the living. Slowly, his eyes opened and he angled his head so that he was looking into the darkening sky.
He did not know how long he stared at the stars before he finally, finally realized what he was doing.
He was… mourning.
His brow furrowing at the realization, Sesshoumaru bared his fangs for the briefest of moments before he allowed the icy hardness to reclaim his heart. His features relaxed visibly and with unyielding resolve, he forced his emotions down, sealing them away; burying them just as he had buried his brother and his father before him.
‘This Sesshoumaru will not succumb to such weakness!’ he thought fiercely, his lips thinning to a fine line. It was his father’s actions that lead to this end! He had warned him that he would kill the boy so if he had truly wished to save his son from such a fate he would have stayed behind to protect him!
“The blame…” the inu lord whispered quietly, “lies with you, Father.”
And with that, Sesshoumaru turned on his heels intent on leaving the garden, never to return again. However, he would not take a single retreating step as his path was already blocked. His eyes widened with incredulity, his breath abandoning his lungs in a quiet rush, for there, standing just before him was DaiGin, the former Inu no Taisho.
Staring down on him, the general wore a thunderous scowl, his eyes narrowed dangerously as the pointed tips of his fangs peeked from between slightly parted lips.
“Impossible…” Sesshoumaru murmured breathlessly, his normally impassive face clearly displaying his astonishment.
The single utterance had barely escaped him before DaiGin’s already translucent form suddenly blurred at the edges and the ground was swept from beneath Sesshoumaru’s feet. The world around him instantly became hazy; distorted as powerful winds swept his long, heavy cloak of hair over his shoulders to wave like a banner beside him. The daiyoukai did not understand what had happened until his back came into sharp, bone jarring contact with an enormous tree, the ancient elm creaking loudly as splinters and large chunks of bark were dislodged from its surface.
His neck held in the immovable grip of his father’s claws, the daiyoukai could do little more than attempt to catch his breath as he stared down at his long deceased sire.
“You…” the general breathed darkly, his voice low and edged with fiery rage. “You killed my pup!”
Though his features displayed nothing more than mild surprise, Sesshoumaru could feel a note of panic coursing down his spine. His father was supposed to have departed this world years ago, so how was it possible that he was here, pinning him against a tree and looking more furious and deadly than anything he’d ever seen? For a time his mind raced, scrambling to make sense of what he was seeing and the situation he suddenly found himself in.
When at last he calm enough to do so, the inu lord asked, “How… how did you return to this world?”
DaiGin did not deign to answer, opting instead to tighten his grip. The tips of his claws bit into the whelp’s flesh freeing tiny rivulets of blood that poured down his neck to the white silk of his clothing. Sesshoumaru’s features contorted mildly as the pain became more than he could contain. He could feel his heart racing in his chest as his hands instinctively clamped around his father’s wrist in hopes of loosening his grip.
His eyes glowing an eerie red, DaiGin glared up at his wayward progeny, watching impassively as the boy’s face colored due to his inability to take in adequate oxygen. He unleashed a feral snarl before his grip tightened and he threw the insolent whelp to the ground with enough force to carve out a shallow groove in the earth as Sesshoumaru skidded to a stop several yards away.
With measured, unhurried steps the general made his way to the pup’s side. He stopped when he was standing over him, noting how the boy stared up at him resentfully, his hand held against the abused skin of his neck.
“I had hoped,” DaiGin spoke up, his voice deceptively soft. “That I would have been able to return to this place in time to prevent you from carrying out this foolishness.” His dark brows drew down, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as the distance between them grew smaller and smaller. “I had hoped,” he all but roared. “That you would not truly be so stubborn and heartless as to murder your only sibling!!”
Guardedly rising to his feet, Sesshoumaru watched his father unwaveringly, his sharp eyes watching for any move that would give away the general’s next action. From experience, he knew that striking out against his father would only turn out badly and while some sense of self preservation suggested that he flee, he knew that this too would be in vain. Besides, he refused to shrink away in fear, even from the great and terrible Inu no Taisho.
Swallowing dryly, Sesshoumaru adopted a neutral expression before saying, “I did nothing more than keep my word. If you had truly wished to prevent my actions, you would not have cast your life away for the sake of a mere human.”
“Insolent whelp!” the elder inu ground out. “Do not speak of that which you do not understand!”
Following his words, there was a long, tense moment of silence in which each male stared at the other. Though he was outraged beyond belief at the pup’s actions, something was tugging at the edge of his senses, calling for him to pay closer attention. It took him a few moments to recognize the sensation as… regret, and he immediately recognized that it could only be coming from one source. The realization was oddly calming. Though his son just stood there with that insufferably bland expression masking his true feelings, DaiGin could sense the remorse rolling off him in waves. That, coupled with the fact that he had returned Inuyasha to the west to give him a proper burial only served to solidify what his senses were already telling him. He knew the boy would never admit it, and he did not understand why he would go through with his actions only to regret them immediately after, but this newly acquired information did much to temper his rage.
There are things he should have shared with Sesshoumaru before his passing. He had not considered it at the time, but now he realized that the boy truly did not understand. Even now, DaiGin could not say whether or not his decisions in life had been the correct ones, but now… right now he had this one and only chance to save his last living son, and even though he probably did not deserve it, DaiGin was unwilling to forgo this single opportunity.
But, in order to truly understand, Sesshoumaru would need to learn of his father‘s past, his own present, and the future that awaited him if he did not find a way to prevent it. Spinning on his heel, DaiGin turned his back to the younger inu and began to walk away. “Come with me.” he announced without turning back, the tone of his voice brooking no argument.
As instructed, Sesshoumaru followed his sire and soon they were near the border of the eastern garden. “Sit.” his father instructed, and though he did not enjoy taking orders from anyone, the young daiyoukai did as he was told. DaiGin followed suit, selecting an area across from his pup. He gracefully lowered himself to the soft grass crossing his legs before him and folding his hands in his lap.
He stared at the boy for a long time as he considered where to begin. There was so much to tell…
“Sesshoumaru,” he began almost calmly. “You have spent your entire life detesting mortals, even to the point of murdering your own brother because he was born to a human female.”
Golden eyes clashed with golden eyes and after a moment, a wry, humorless chuckle escaped the Inu no Taisho’s lips. “You detest mortals, and yet you are directly descended from one.” he said quietly, though the words were not missed by his son.
“What?!” Sesshoumaru demanded incredulously, his eyes widening visibly. “That… that is not true. I am a full youkai!” he declared vehemently.
DaiGin chuckled again and turned his face away from the boy as he gazed into the now star-speckled sky. “Yes,” he admitted softly, “You are a full youkai and no human blood is present in your veins, yet you are still descended from a mortal.”
“What are you talking about?” Sesshoumaru asked quietly.
The general turned back to him them. “I am talking about me.”
Sesshoumaru frowned in confusion.
“Many, many years ago, I was born…” he trailed off and looked away again.
“I was born a mortal dog.”
___________________________________________________________ _____________
I know this chapter is short, but there is lots of information and explanations to come and I want them all to fit into one chapter if possible. I hate writing really long chapters so I cut this one off here. Hope you all enjoyed!
______________________________________________________________ __________
Please be kind and drop a line,
I love when you review!
Do it now, I’ll have a cow!
And thanks for reading too!
A Startling Revelation
____________________________________________________________ ____________
Tensega had failed him and nothing the daiyoukai did could help him to understand why. The passage of time lost all meaning as his golden eyes shifted between the broken form of his brother and the blade that refused to save him.
At one point, he had concentrated his youki into the blade with all the strength he could muster, and even then the sword did little more than pulse weakly before falling silent once again. The momentary flash of power served to frustrate him more than it would have had the sword remained unresponsive. The desire to smash the heirloom weapon to pieces was almost overwhelming but Sesshoumaru reined in the urge and instead contemplated his next move.
His mind clouded over in a dull haze as the reality of the situation jolted through him like a bolt of lightening. Inuyasha was dead, by his own hand and yet he was not pleased. He had expected a better fight from the boy.
He had expected…
His brow furrowing, the inu lord allowed his thoughts to trail off. Perhaps… he had not truly expected Inuyasha to fall at all? A part of him had known, just known that the hanyou would hold his own and earn the position of Sesshoumaru’s heir and second in command in the western province. Is that what he had been hoping for all along?
His gaze shifting to the now setting sun, Sesshoumaru realized that this was probably the case, if the anger that even now still boiled his blood was anything to go by. What else could explain this level of discontentment at the accomplishment of one’s long awaited goal?
Drawing in a deep breath, Sesshoumaru turned back to the corpse of his sibling. Almost unaware of his own actions, he kneeled at the boy’s side and lifted his limp form into his arms. Unconcerned of the blood that was transferred onto his pristine attire, the demon moved toward the small stream. When he was near the water he kneeled, placing the pup on the ground before him.
Numbly, and with a gentleness that was completely unfamiliar to him, Sesshoumaru cleansed the blood from Inuyasha’s body as best he could. Inspecting the fatal wound with a critical eye, the demon lord then raised a clawed finger above it. Leaking a small amount of diluted poison, he carefully sealed the wound before removing the last traces of blood from the boy’s person.
When he was finished, he stood again, bringing Inuyasha’s body along with him and took to the skies. It was some time later when he made it back to his home in the west and the sun was slowly sinking into the horizon behind him. He made his way to the garden before selecting an area near his father’s grave where he chose to excavate. Afterwards, he buried Inuyasha near his father, covering him over with the cool, damp soil where he would remain until the end of time.
The task was completed…
His eyes holding an odd sort of glow, the daiyoukai stared down at the grave. His clothes were stained with blood and dirt and soil was packed beneath his claws, but at the moment, Sesshoumaru couldn’t bring himself to care. His heart wished for the contentment that came with the completion of a task or at the very least, the impassiveness with which he dealt with everything else, yet he could not free himself from the fierce, burning rage that thrummed through his veins. His breathing was swift and slightly erratic, but the daiyoukai knew that it had nothing to do with the exertion of digging the grave.
He felt… cheated, though if it was because of the ease of which the hanyou fell, the Tensega’s unwillingness to work for him, or the loss of his only sibling, he could not say.
It was strange. He should celebrate the death of Inuyasha, the one who’s very existence dishonored him, but apparently, somewhere along the line he had developed an attachment to the boy without even realizing it. Something deep inside of him, the part that was still bound to the call of instinct, had never wanted this! Hanyou that he was, Inuyasha was… had been family. As his alpha, Sesshoumaru should have taken him in… protected him, not ended his life.
Growling softly, the demon lord closed his eyes tightly, his brows furrowing at the tumultuous emotions that swirled through him.
His father was dead, his brother was dead, and he could do nothing to return either of them to the land of the living. Slowly, his eyes opened and he angled his head so that he was looking into the darkening sky.
He did not know how long he stared at the stars before he finally, finally realized what he was doing.
He was… mourning.
His brow furrowing at the realization, Sesshoumaru bared his fangs for the briefest of moments before he allowed the icy hardness to reclaim his heart. His features relaxed visibly and with unyielding resolve, he forced his emotions down, sealing them away; burying them just as he had buried his brother and his father before him.
‘This Sesshoumaru will not succumb to such weakness!’ he thought fiercely, his lips thinning to a fine line. It was his father’s actions that lead to this end! He had warned him that he would kill the boy so if he had truly wished to save his son from such a fate he would have stayed behind to protect him!
“The blame…” the inu lord whispered quietly, “lies with you, Father.”
And with that, Sesshoumaru turned on his heels intent on leaving the garden, never to return again. However, he would not take a single retreating step as his path was already blocked. His eyes widened with incredulity, his breath abandoning his lungs in a quiet rush, for there, standing just before him was DaiGin, the former Inu no Taisho.
Staring down on him, the general wore a thunderous scowl, his eyes narrowed dangerously as the pointed tips of his fangs peeked from between slightly parted lips.
“Impossible…” Sesshoumaru murmured breathlessly, his normally impassive face clearly displaying his astonishment.
The single utterance had barely escaped him before DaiGin’s already translucent form suddenly blurred at the edges and the ground was swept from beneath Sesshoumaru’s feet. The world around him instantly became hazy; distorted as powerful winds swept his long, heavy cloak of hair over his shoulders to wave like a banner beside him. The daiyoukai did not understand what had happened until his back came into sharp, bone jarring contact with an enormous tree, the ancient elm creaking loudly as splinters and large chunks of bark were dislodged from its surface.
His neck held in the immovable grip of his father’s claws, the daiyoukai could do little more than attempt to catch his breath as he stared down at his long deceased sire.
“You…” the general breathed darkly, his voice low and edged with fiery rage. “You killed my pup!”
Though his features displayed nothing more than mild surprise, Sesshoumaru could feel a note of panic coursing down his spine. His father was supposed to have departed this world years ago, so how was it possible that he was here, pinning him against a tree and looking more furious and deadly than anything he’d ever seen? For a time his mind raced, scrambling to make sense of what he was seeing and the situation he suddenly found himself in.
When at last he calm enough to do so, the inu lord asked, “How… how did you return to this world?”
DaiGin did not deign to answer, opting instead to tighten his grip. The tips of his claws bit into the whelp’s flesh freeing tiny rivulets of blood that poured down his neck to the white silk of his clothing. Sesshoumaru’s features contorted mildly as the pain became more than he could contain. He could feel his heart racing in his chest as his hands instinctively clamped around his father’s wrist in hopes of loosening his grip.
His eyes glowing an eerie red, DaiGin glared up at his wayward progeny, watching impassively as the boy’s face colored due to his inability to take in adequate oxygen. He unleashed a feral snarl before his grip tightened and he threw the insolent whelp to the ground with enough force to carve out a shallow groove in the earth as Sesshoumaru skidded to a stop several yards away.
With measured, unhurried steps the general made his way to the pup’s side. He stopped when he was standing over him, noting how the boy stared up at him resentfully, his hand held against the abused skin of his neck.
“I had hoped,” DaiGin spoke up, his voice deceptively soft. “That I would have been able to return to this place in time to prevent you from carrying out this foolishness.” His dark brows drew down, his fists clenching and unclenching at his sides as the distance between them grew smaller and smaller. “I had hoped,” he all but roared. “That you would not truly be so stubborn and heartless as to murder your only sibling!!”
Guardedly rising to his feet, Sesshoumaru watched his father unwaveringly, his sharp eyes watching for any move that would give away the general’s next action. From experience, he knew that striking out against his father would only turn out badly and while some sense of self preservation suggested that he flee, he knew that this too would be in vain. Besides, he refused to shrink away in fear, even from the great and terrible Inu no Taisho.
Swallowing dryly, Sesshoumaru adopted a neutral expression before saying, “I did nothing more than keep my word. If you had truly wished to prevent my actions, you would not have cast your life away for the sake of a mere human.”
“Insolent whelp!” the elder inu ground out. “Do not speak of that which you do not understand!”
Following his words, there was a long, tense moment of silence in which each male stared at the other. Though he was outraged beyond belief at the pup’s actions, something was tugging at the edge of his senses, calling for him to pay closer attention. It took him a few moments to recognize the sensation as… regret, and he immediately recognized that it could only be coming from one source. The realization was oddly calming. Though his son just stood there with that insufferably bland expression masking his true feelings, DaiGin could sense the remorse rolling off him in waves. That, coupled with the fact that he had returned Inuyasha to the west to give him a proper burial only served to solidify what his senses were already telling him. He knew the boy would never admit it, and he did not understand why he would go through with his actions only to regret them immediately after, but this newly acquired information did much to temper his rage.
There are things he should have shared with Sesshoumaru before his passing. He had not considered it at the time, but now he realized that the boy truly did not understand. Even now, DaiGin could not say whether or not his decisions in life had been the correct ones, but now… right now he had this one and only chance to save his last living son, and even though he probably did not deserve it, DaiGin was unwilling to forgo this single opportunity.
But, in order to truly understand, Sesshoumaru would need to learn of his father‘s past, his own present, and the future that awaited him if he did not find a way to prevent it. Spinning on his heel, DaiGin turned his back to the younger inu and began to walk away. “Come with me.” he announced without turning back, the tone of his voice brooking no argument.
As instructed, Sesshoumaru followed his sire and soon they were near the border of the eastern garden. “Sit.” his father instructed, and though he did not enjoy taking orders from anyone, the young daiyoukai did as he was told. DaiGin followed suit, selecting an area across from his pup. He gracefully lowered himself to the soft grass crossing his legs before him and folding his hands in his lap.
He stared at the boy for a long time as he considered where to begin. There was so much to tell…
“Sesshoumaru,” he began almost calmly. “You have spent your entire life detesting mortals, even to the point of murdering your own brother because he was born to a human female.”
Golden eyes clashed with golden eyes and after a moment, a wry, humorless chuckle escaped the Inu no Taisho’s lips. “You detest mortals, and yet you are directly descended from one.” he said quietly, though the words were not missed by his son.
“What?!” Sesshoumaru demanded incredulously, his eyes widening visibly. “That… that is not true. I am a full youkai!” he declared vehemently.
DaiGin chuckled again and turned his face away from the boy as he gazed into the now star-speckled sky. “Yes,” he admitted softly, “You are a full youkai and no human blood is present in your veins, yet you are still descended from a mortal.”
“What are you talking about?” Sesshoumaru asked quietly.
The general turned back to him them. “I am talking about me.”
Sesshoumaru frowned in confusion.
“Many, many years ago, I was born…” he trailed off and looked away again.
“I was born a mortal dog.”
___________________________________________________________ _____________
I know this chapter is short, but there is lots of information and explanations to come and I want them all to fit into one chapter if possible. I hate writing really long chapters so I cut this one off here. Hope you all enjoyed!
______________________________________________________________ __________
Please be kind and drop a line,
I love when you review!
Do it now, I’ll have a cow!
And thanks for reading too!