InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cannot Be Broken ❯ Childhood Memories ( Prologue )

Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, but I really do appreciate Rumiko Takahashi's work.

 

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Her earliest memory was also her worst memory.

 

The sky was red and smoke filled her senses. Screams terrorized the night…was it night? It was so dark, she never really knew. But what she did know was that she was in danger. Her heart pounded and she could hear heavy breathing against her right ear. The person carrying her was running fast, panic was mixed with each heaving breath. She couldn't see beyond the shoulder she was pressed against, just smoke and red. And she was crying.

 

“O…Okaa…?” she whimpered, struggling against the shoulder.

 

A warm hand rubbed her back and held her closer. The breathing in her ear was beginning to rasp, and the arms and shoulder surrounding her began to shake in exhaustion. Then the breath turned into a mottled scream.

 

The tiny girl was wrenched from the safe arms that held her, and she finally saw the face of her mother. Everything moved in slow motion, and the vision burned fast in her memory. The woman was terrified. Her face was streaked with blood, sweat and tears. Her clothing was shredded and stained red.

 

Rough hands gripped into the young child as she watched her mother being dragged down in front of her by two creatures in armor. The only word that ripped from her mother's throat before it was slit was her name.

 

“KAGOME!”

 

The young girl's eyes widened and she screamed in terror, pain, sorrow and rage as she watched her mother die in front of her. She barely felt the hands of the demon that held her grow tighter when she reached out for mother. All she could remember from that point was a blinding flash of white and colors and then silence.

 

 

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A stoic figure stood among the ruins of the mountain shrine. Gray smoke and haze covered what was left of it. The dusty dullness, and all that followed that morning, would be remembered by this living statue as he cast his golden eyes about the destruction caused by war.

 

The demon Lord of the Western Lands surveyed the damage. Bodies littered the ground, and fires smoldered the ashen logs of huts and temples. The smell of desecration was overwhelming. Yet the gore that surrounded him did not seem to faze him, nor did it detract from the powerful aura that radiated off of him. He stood tall, and leg length silver hair flowed lightly around him. Even the white of his kimono under his black armor was not touched by the smoke and death around him. He was a beacon in the gloom, and it was how the miko found him.

 

The young priestess stood before him, her head lowered in a slight bow. “You sent for me, Lord Sesshomaru?”

 

Sesshomaru cast his eyes from the dead village to the woman before him. Her dark hair was tied back behind her shoulders and was contrasted against her white chihaya. Soot clung to her red hibakama, a stark difference in comparison to the demon lord in front of her. She tightened her hold slightly on her bow that was by her side. His glimpse of her was brief before turning again to the village.

 

“Kikyo,” his voice was calm and level, almost bored, “do you sense survivors?”

 

She looked up at him then turned to look towards the village. Her eyes cast in a wide sweep, her aura searching for any life force that could possibly remain in this now mountain graveyard.

 

“No.” She said evenly, almost with no emotion like her lord. “There is no life here.”

 

Sesshomaru nodded slightly in acknowledgement, but there was something not right about this scene. It was not just that everything was dead; villagers, soldiers, livestock and even vermin, but there was a faint hint of magic and power that emanated from this village, almost as if whatever caused this was still here. Before he could focus on it, the miko caught his attention as her head jerked swiftly to the side.

 

“What do you sense?”

 

She did not turn to him, but instead cocked her head as if she was listening for something. “Another miko…. Perhaps one of the priestesses survived? But that cannot be right. No life is here, but I can feel it. There is an aura of great power, but it is faint.” She began to move among the debris, focusing on the source of the power.

 

Sesshomaru watched her step cautiously across the black soil. His own aura was feeling the same thing. He was about to let Kikyo search for the power alone, but a faint scent caught his attention. Something was defiantly alive among the burned refuse. He sniffed the air and followed the scent, walking past the miko to where the scent grew strong.

 

A massive body of a twisted demon laid curled in a muddled heap. A slight frown passed on the Lord's face as he pushed the body aside with his foot, revealing what was underneath. The young miko drew up beside him.

 

“The aura draws from here.” She stated mostly to herself, knowing full well the demon lord could sense it. She bent low and moved her hand over the area and immediately her eyes widened in surprise. Reaching down, she brushed aside the spiked arm of the dead demon. Underneath was a small girl, no more than three years old. “She's alive….”

 

The demon lord looked over the miko's shoulder to the child. Aside from being covered in mud and dirt, the girl was unharmed. But what was more amazing was that she was the source of the immense power they both felt.

 

Kneeling beside the miko, he gently grasped the child and lifted her into his arms. He stood holding the child, almost as if to assess the power coming from her. The girl groaned slightly, and managed to open her eyes slightly to look up at him from the embrace.

 

She saw golden eyes look down at her, but she was not afraid. She felt safe in his arms even though hours before she was surrounded by horror. His hair was moved by the wind and she was curtained in silver, so all she could see was his face. He came for her and he will take care of her. She was certain of that. Reaching up to touch his face, her only expression she had for the man was one….

 

“Otou….”

 

The demon lord blinked back surprise. The girl sighed and fell into unconsciousness in his arms…after calling him father.

 

Before he could process it fully, a squawking voice rattled his pointed ears.

 

“Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!” A green toad type demon, knee high to the demon lord, came running up to stand by Sesshomaru's side panting.

 

Sesshomaru inwardly cringed, though he acknowledged his vassal's presence emotionlessly. “Jaken.”

 

“Lord Sesshomaru,” the demon panted, his eyes bugged to look at his surroundings, “what has happened here?”

 

Sesshomaru cast his eyes about. He knew what the small youkai was asking. This was no ordinary battle scene. Aside from the girl in his arms, there were no survivors. The demon hordes that attacked this village were all slaughtered, along with the villagers they came to claim for their master.

 

His golden eyes settled on a red flag marred with mud and old blood. Patches still showed its original red hue, and in the middle was a stained but very recognizable white demon dog. `InuYasha….'

 

But this did not seem to add up. There were too many incongruities that would not make him believe his brother was the cause of this onslaught. For one, his younger brother had no control over any massive demon army. As far as he was aware, InuYasha had only a ragtag team of humans and lesser demons. If InuYasha was capable of having such a strong army, although he may be a fool and barbaric, he would not leave an army alone to fight any force on its own. His body would also be among the dead, but Sesshomaru could not sense it among the decay. Also, what was the motivation to claim a small mountain village, with no real use of power or sway in this war?

 

Both he and InuYasha had no use for humans. More importantly, his brother was a human lover, spending most of his time with mortals. He acted with more favor towards his mother's human side than his father's demonic, and as far as Sesshomaru was aware, would not actively harm any human, let alone a secluded village. None of this was making sense.

 

His servant again hindered his train of thought, straining whatever patience he had mastered.

 

“That is the mongrel's flag! My Lord, your detestable younger brother's army were completely destroyed in this village! And to think, even if your army was able to counter this attack, they too might be among the dead!” The green youkai screeched. “Whatever had the power to cause this, to kill men and demon alike with one swipe, would be a force worth taking!”

 

“Indeed.” Sesshomaru agreed.

 

Looking upon the scene once more, it did appear that whatever had caused this had done so in one stoke, since the bodies, though unmoving on the ground, looked as if they were stopped at mid-motion. Faces showed the expressions they had in battle; rage, fear, and joyful wrath. It looked as if the life force was just sucked right out of them.

 

Only one force was capable of such reckless power - Tetsusaiga, the sword that his half brother possessed. Yet, the land surrounding them did not contain the battle scars of the Tetsusaiga's attack. Nor did it make sense for his brother to destroy his own army, if this was the case, especially since all the allies of InuYasha's were needed just to face one of his own army. Sesshomaru smirked internally.

 

His younger half brother and he had been at war for years. It was a battle to claim the territories of the Western Land given to Sesshomaru upon their father's death. But more so, it was a battle of power and control, especially the power and control of Tetsusaiga. Yet rarely had the lives of humans been involved, which made the destruction of this village all the more intriguing. Sesshomaru had heard too late the assault impending on the mountain shrine village, but the question still remained, why this village?

 

Kikyo stood to look at the girl cradled in her Lord's arms. She eyes cast in reverence, almost to answer his unspoken question. “This mountain village was a sacred shrine, home to the legend of the Shikon no Tama, the jewel of four souls. The legend states the jewel could be used to make any who possessed it more powerful, but also, they would know and control the secrets to life itself. Many tried to claim the jewel, but whether for good or evil, the purpose did not matter, since the jewel was always sought for personal gain, never for the betterment of all.”

 

Kikyo looked around in sadness as she remembered the bedtime story she grew up with. “The people of the mountain village had become master warriors as well, to protect the jewel. From their knowledge and wisdom possessed from caring for the Shikon no Tama, they sought to share the jewel and to use the power of it justly and wisely.

 

“But great demons that fought for the jewel grew envious at the idea of sharing the power and declared war on the mountain. They joined as one and surged against the shrine. By this abomination, many were killed and the warrior priests and priestesses were depleted to a small number, who were scattered into the four winds.

 

“Among the ruins of the mountain, within a small shrine, the great demon found the jewel, but it was not as it was thought it to be. The jewel was in fact a young priestess, Midoriko, whose aura produced peace and tranquility, and whose power was great because it was truth. They fought for many days and nights, with the demon incarnate overpowering her in the end. With her last ounce of strength, she purged her all her power into the demon, thus she was able to cast him out, and exiled him to hell. Yet her power was spent from destroying this great evil, and she transformed herself into a ball of light and disappeared. Legend states she was to be born again from the hearts of the surviving warriors, to purge the world of evil and to again bring peace and life to the world again.”

 

Kikyo looked up at Sesshomaru before casting her eyes on the last standing shrine, burnt but whole. “But this was just a legend, a story with a moral, that within our minds and souls, we must conquer the evil that fights with our good, in order to transcend into light and life. It is what we were taught in our youth when we train in our spiritual powers.

 

“The people of this shrine village were actual warrior priests and priestesses such as the legend states, but they had created this story to uphold the ideal of peace and tranquility. The story itself was not real. They were of no threat to anyone. Why would the hanyou, or anyone for that matter, care to destroy this village?”

 

Sesshomaru looked down at the sleeping girl. What was she, what could she possibly be? Though her power was ebbed, it was apparent she was the cause of what had happened here, but it was now a matter of finding out how and why. Sesshomaru internally frowned. `A force worth taking, but more, one worth containing.'

 

The demon lord cast his eyes over the miko. “My half brother was never one to care for legitimacy of stories, but to desecrate an entire village over one… this is more than what it appears to be.” `And this girl more than what she appears to be. This legend bears further reckoning.'

 

He studied the girl. Her black hair and pale skin were ordinary enough, but the eyes that had looked up at him were a startling purple gray. Other than that, her appearance was that of any young human child. The only thing that set her apart was the faint throbbing of power recharging within her small frame, not noticeable to demons below him, but enough for any with spiritual powers to channel. He could feel it with his own powers, almost as if it was beckoning his aura to join with hers, to heal and protect her. It was unsettling, yet calming and soft. But was it also something that could easily sway to destroy an entire village?

 

Whatever had the power to dominate that of the Tetsusaiga was a power worth protecting. Another consideration was that this child would grow, if given the opportunity, and with her, her power would increase. Amazing what she could be capable of. She could possibly be a weapon of massive destruction.

 

He growled at the idea. Whatever had laid siege on this village was aware of this power, but he had little to believe it was InuYasha. Something was amiss.

 

InuYasha was many things, but he was not capable of such reckless harm, even if he did control the most powerful possession given by their father. Though he did control it as if it was a toy. Sesshomaru frowned in distaste. He even knew that InuYasha's claim on Tetsusaiga was legitimate, but to share any of his father's wealth with a bastard that should not have been whelped at all was dishonorable.

 

He too was given a worthy sword. The Tensaiga had the ability to heal and revive the dead with one stroke, but Sesshomaru was of the mind that the line between life and death should not easily be manipulated, and had rarely used the sword. But it was not such a threat compared to Tetsusaiga.

 

Though Sesshomaru had fought for the glory contained within the Tetsusaiga, neither brother could ever use their swords for the destruction or gain in domination against all under them. But something out there did, and had controlled a strong demon army to try to claim the power needed to do so. And had used his brother's symbol as cover. But did this something know it was contained within the body of a small child?

 

Resigned with that fact, Sesshomaru held more tightly to the girl, and felt an unexplainable and overwhelming protectiveness over her. She would not be reduced to that fate, nor will anyone be aware of her powers, not even the girl if he could help it. To remain ignorant of any abnormal abilities the girl may have would be beneficial to everyone. No one could abuse what they did not know existed.

 

Holding her securely, he carried her to the outskirts of the village and beyond, to the waiting army of the Western Lands. Kikyo and Jaken following behind him.

 

“My Lord?” Kikyo walked up beside him and questioned quietly. “What will you do with the child?”

 

Stopping for a moment, he looked straight ahead. He had not thought what to do with her, only to take her with him. But now he knew something had to be done. He closed his eyes and appeared thoughtful, before opening his eyes and continued walking. “Rin.”

 

Kikyo nodded. She knew not to question any more from him and made a quick motion to trip over and step on the green youkai who came up beside her and Sesshomaru. Jaken was about to spew forth many questions and insults regarding the girl and the dishonor she would place on the Lord's house. But the Lord had made his decision, and no one was to question it. Though the obvious quite often fell short of the toad demon.

 

“Rin,” the miko agreed.

 

The Lord's mate would raise the child, having been unable to bear any of her own quite yet. Rin would be a loving and gentle mother for the orphan, being once an orphan herself before being rescued, raised and later mated by Sesshomaru. But Kikyo also knew that the girl's powers would also have to be controlled. The mere fact that Kikyo could not sense her among the dead and even now could not fathom the power of the child, proved that all would have to be involved in the child's upbringing, even….

 

The miko glimpsed at the demon lord through the corner of her eye. Kikyo couldn't help but smile, inwardly of course, at how the child could possibly have known the demon lord would adopt her. She called him Otou….

 

 

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A/N - Me again, you're friendly neighborhood Canuk. It seems CBB is still being read out there so I'm going through each chapter and revising and editing. It may be a slow process, so ignore the bad grammar and mistakes you read, as I am going through and fixing them, though I may miss a few. If anyone wants to be a beta, let me know.

 

Thanks for all those who enjoyed this story, and don't worry, I have not given up on Search for the Shikon, but The Demons Within Us hit me so hard I had to write it first. I hope to have DWU done by Christmas, depending on life and all that falls in it and then will get back to SftS. To all those that have reviewed and loved my stories, I bow to you and give many humble thanks. You have given me honor, grace and confidence in my works, and I strive even harder to make my stories yours. Eternally yours, WDW.