InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Stars ❯ Chapter 1

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

----- Around eight years later -----

Aries walked through the front gates of the place that she had once called her home. It looked the same, it was everything she had remembered it to be. Even though it was just eight years, which wasn't long for a demon, it still felt like forever since she had seen her home. Although, there was something slightly different about this house of her birth. Everyone was running around like scared little ants, when someone came to squish their ant hill.

Her crimson eyes scanned the front garden, that lead to all of the main parts of the building. Maids, slaves, and servents ran this way and that. All yelling at one another, sounding very nervous.

"I guess it is always this hectic before the ceremony of Aliyma's Banding." Aries said with a shrug. Although she was only guessing, since she of chorse wasn't around when she mother was banded, or any of her other family.

With that, Aries headed through the waves of people scurring through the garden to get to the other parts of the house. She uncomfartable pushed her way through, since all of them didn't really seem to want to move out of the way for her. Aries finally broke free from the stream of people, and found herself at the gates of the main building. This part of their home, housed her mother, and all of the rulers before her.

Aries opened the large doors with little effort, and walked into the empty hallways of her mother personal home. It was strangly quiet, and empty. Someone was always traveling through these halls. At least Aries had remembered bumping into someone in these hallways ever since she was whelp. But yet, she seemed to be the only life form in these hallways.

She then began down the hall, the only thing she could hear was her wooden sandles making a clicking as she walked. Aries then quickened her pace, not caring for the emptiness around her.

Aries opened the door quickly, and glanced inside. She remembered how about eight years ago, she and her mother had fought about her going to the western lands in this very room. Her mother's little meeting room, which could have easily doubled as her mother's favourite room. But yet, no one was in this room. It was as empty as the hallways behind her.

With a sigh, Aries sat down on the floor, and stared blankly at the small tea table infront of her. It was polished nicly, since Aries could see her reflection in the table. Her crimson eyes glowed faintly in the reflection, making the table look a redish tone.

Aries glanced around the small room. Her mother's tea set was placed in a cabinet that loomed over the table and pillows placed around it has seats. Today, there were multiple scrolls scattered across the floor. They must have something to do with the ceremony, since her mother wouldn't just leave them out other wise. Other then that, there wasn't much else to the room. Which made Aries wonder why her mother loved it so much.

A sound in the halls surprised Aries for a brief moment. She sterned her ears for a moment, trying to hear the noise again. She thought she heard someone walking down the halls, much like she had just a few moments ago. Aries weakly smiled, guessing it had to be her mother, or at least one of her other siblings look for their mother.

The doors to the room opened once again, but someone stood there that Aries didn't know. He was a tall man, even taller then her brother Leo. He loomed over Aries in the doorway, yet she didn't really care. He had long raven black coloured hair, that was messly tied into a loose ponytail. He wore a midnight black coloured yukata, with a silky white trim. There also was a thin tie around his waist, that almost looked like it could have been weaved from white hair. But the thing that caught Aries' eyes, was his crimson eyes staring right back at her.

The man weakly smiled at Aries, his crimson eyes fixed on her. Scanning her over, much like Aries had just done to him. He then sat down on one of the pillow seats placed around the table.

"Excuse. If I may ask, are you the one known as Lady Aries." he asked Aries weakly, his crimson eyes watching Aries across the table from himself.

"Yes, I am Aries. But don't give me the title 'Lady', I hate the title and all it stands for." Aries replied, wondering who this man was since she had never seen him before. Since, she would have remembered his eyes, crimson red, just like hers.

The man laughed weakly when he heard Aries' responce. "Yes, you sound like the daughter Pieces told me about." the man said weakly, almost like he was thinking out loud, rather then speaking to Aries.

"You know my mother?" Aries asked weakly, clearly wanting to know who this man actually was, "I've seen or heard of you before.".

The man looked at Aries, his crimson eyes almost looked hurt. He then let out a sigh, and leaned forwards on the table, holding himself up with his elbows. "That sounds just like Pieces, not wanting me to meet you." the crimson eyed man muttered weakly.

Aries gave the man a odd look, trying to say that she had no idea what he was talking about. "What are you talking about?" Aries asked him weakly, not understanding what he was trying to get at.

The man was silent for a long time, maybe finally getting what he had actually said aloud to Aries. "It's nothing really, we're just old friends." the man laughed weakly, "I am known by the name of Authual."

Aries didn't really like how Authual had just seemed to try to cover up what ever he was just trying to tell her. But, then again, she wasn't one to poke at what was already buried. "It's a pleasure to meet you Authual." Aries replied, although she was actually lieing through her teeth.

The two were silent a long time. Aries quessed that he knew that she had just been lieing when she claimed it was a pleasure to meet him. Aries watched him scan the room with his crimson eyes, much like she had just done. But the look in his eyes, as he looked the room over. It reminded her of how her mother would always look over the room. Like something happened here, like a wonderful memory.

"So, how do you like the western lands?" Authual finally asked Aries, his crimson eyes falling back on to her.

"It's alright." Aries replied weakly, slightly wondering how he knew she was in the western lands for the last eight years. Yet she shrugged it off, it seemed he knew a lot about her, yet she had no idea who he was.

"Does your husband treat you right?" He asked weakly, his tone of voice made him almost sound concerned about Aries' well being.

Aries almost fell over when Authual asked her that question. It seemed completly strange and eerie for someone she didn't know at all to be asking something so personal.

"He's alright I guess. Although I can never tell what he's thinking, I can never read him." Aries replied weakly, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing wildly as she spoke.

Authual laughed as Aries' shyness about the matter on 'love and life'. Aries just stared at him angerly, her crimson eyes glowed fiercly. She didn't really care for him to be asking such odd questions, then laughing at her about her answers.

"I'm sorry." Authual said to Aries when he stopped laughing, "It's just that, this husband of yours will have no idea what a prize he has until your gone.".

Aries crimson eyes just widen in surprise, she most likly looked like the kid that was going to piss themselves while listening to the horror stoires around the camp fire. She was blushing fiercly as well, her face looking much like a cherry. Yet she had no idea what to say or do, she just sat there staring at the Authual in surprise.

"Ex-excuse me!?" Aries then questioned finally, she almost sounded like she had to cough up the words.

"You heard me." Authual replied with a cheerful smile on his face.

The door to the room, then opened once again. Aries glanced up to see what strange person was entering this time. Although the person standing in the doorway caused Aries to jump to her feet. She happily smiled at the woman who looked just as happy to see her.

"Hello Aries, it's good to see you once again." her mother said to her weakly, "It's really been far to long.".

Her mother hadn't changed at all, her cream coloured eyes were full of love and concern for her daughter. She still wore her silky black kimono, with silver trim around the sleeves and collar. And her golden coloured sash around her waist shimmered in the afternoon light.

"Yes it has mother." Aries replied weakly, feeling slightly uneasy with Authual watching them.

"Look, the family is finally back together." Authual said as he got to his feet and walked up beside Pieces.

Pieces looked at him, seeming very shooked to see him. It also seemed that she hadn't noticed him when she first walked in, since she never said anything to him, or even glanced at him.

"Authual..." Aries' mother said weakly to the crimsoned eyed man infront of her, "I thought we had a agreement.".

Aries felt slightly left out, the third wheel of the group. She had no idea what was going on, or what her mother was talking about. What was this agreement she had made with Authual.

"Yeah, I know we had a agreement." Authual replied with a lazy shrug of his shoulders, " But I decided that it just wasn't as fair as you made it out to be.".

"But there was a reason behind the agreement!" Pieces snapped, clearly angry at the fact Authual was so calm about all of this.

"Sure, but I didn't really like that reason." Authual said as he crossed her arms, his crimson eyes stared right into Pieces' eyes.

"Okay! If you guys want, I'll leave you alone." Aries said with a roll of her eyes. She then walked out of the room with out a responce of Authual or her mother. Then again, she didn't really care if they had said something.

She walked through the empty halls of her mothers mansion once again. It was so odd, just like before. Yet it was different this time, for Aries knew that someone was actually within the walls of the house.

Aries walked back out in the front garden and looked around. Still busy as ever. She sighed weakly, not really knowing where to go now. Since the rest of her family could plainly be anywhere in the rest of the mansion.

----- Later that night -----

"Are you nervous, Gemini?" Aries questioned her older sister as they walked down the forest path. The night sky above was full of stars, dimly lighting the lands below. The wind had died down, and you could only feel a soft gust blow againest your cheek at times. It was silent, around them. Except for the walking feet around them, and the whispers of Aries' siblings.

"Well... what do you think?" Gemini replied weakly, looking like she was going to die of fright.

"Do worry Gemini." Cancer told Gemini, Aries' younger brother, "I just heard that they kill who ever isn't worthy of the Band of Aliyma.".

Gemini's usually nicely tanned face was a ghostly pale tone. She didn't really look good at all, almost like she could be sick at any moment.

"Nice going Cancer, you idiot." Aries said to him weakly, her crimson eyes glowed faintly with anger. It was hard to believe that Cancer was just a dozen years younger then Aries, seeming how he acted like such a child.

"I'm just trying to help my beloved older sister." Cancer replied with his little evil grin, looking like he had just told a really funny joke. Aries then punched her younger brother in the shoulder, and he instantly quieted down.

"It's alright Gemini, I'm sure they'll see you worth of the Band of Aliyma." Aries said with a reasuring smile.

"Thanks Aries, but I'm just not sure." Gemini replied weakly, a tiny bit of colour returning to her skin.

Aries noticed a clearing ahead, it emitted a faint glow in the distence. "We're almost there, Gemini, good luck." Aries whispered to her older sister.

Aries and the others walked into the it's soft warming aura. Aries scanned the area with her crimson red eyes, she had never been to the resting place of the Tree of Aliyma, see had only heard tales from her mother. There was a lake standing infront of her, it glowed a faint greenish blue tone. The waters moved softly, and the mist from the water floated around the clearing. Aries knew that no real water was here though, it only contained the souls of the dead. Trapped, unable to move on to the plain of death. Forced, to roam in this clearing for the rest of eternity, until drained of their memories.

In the center of this lake of souls, stood a tree, tall and proud. It's roots were visable in this lake, drinking the souls that were placed around it. The tree, looked like any of the other trees around it, outside the lake of souls. Although, it towered over the others, in height and size. Aries could make out marking engraved in the tree, they faintly glowed with the same greenish blue tone that the waters below emitted.

Aries glanced up at the top of the tree, wanting to see if what her mother had once told her was actually true. Her crimson eyes, widen in shook at the site above. No branches were on the top of this tree, there was only four figures. The bark of the tree, encased their bodies above. Their eyes, watching Aries, her mother, and her siblings.

Everyone quickly wished Gimini luck, and she thanked everyone for their encouragment. She then walked to the edge of the river of souls. Her eyes showed how scared she was. Gimini took a deep breath, then walked into the river. The waters, moved softly around her legs and feet, flowing againest her body. She could feel it, the hands of the dead, trying to drag her down with them. Everyone from land could easily see Gimini's displeasure, yet there was nothing they could do.

Aries glanced over at her mother, to see how she was taking this. Her mother was calm, just like she had always remembered her to be. She was always so peaceful, she only got anger every once and awhile. That rare moment in time, had happened not to long ago, Aries remembered. Aries could see in her mother's creamy eyes that something was still bothering her, yet she'd never tell her.

Once Gimini had reached the trunk of the Tree of Aliyma, Leo and Pieces moved closer to the edge of the river. Each carried a large jug with them, containing souls of the dead. Offering to their goddess, to ask for better judgement during the ceremony of Aliyma's Banding.

Aries watched as the souls of the dead poured from the jugs and into the river surrounding the Tree of Aliyma.You could see the souls move about in the water, trying to escape. But none of them could, they were forever trapped here.

Aries then returned her crimson gaze to her sister, who was now beginning the ceremony. She watched Gimini begin to run her fingers over the carving in the trunk of the tree. She could barely hear what her sister was saying, but she knew she was saying something some sort of prayer.

There was a high pitch scream that shot through the night. Aries covered her ears, trying to mute the sound some what. She had heard it before, in the middle of the night. Her mother would tell her stories about the Tree of Aliyma, and about the screams that cut through the night. They were once alive, members of their family. Those who were worthy of the Band of Aliyma, would become part of the tree sooner or later.

She looked up through partly closed eyes to see the four bark cover figures to be moving towards Gimini. The bark of the tree grew with them, let them move down towards the being they'd have to pass judgement on.

Aries uncovered her ears, when she suddenly remembered that the figures were no longer screaming. She could see the figures circling around Gimini, their different toned eyes scanning her. Aries remembered her mother say that the judges could see into your heart and mind, that's where the true test was.

Her mother walked beside Aries, and turned her gaze on her second daughter. "What ever happens, you must not do anything to disturb the ceremony." Aries could hear her mother whisper to her. She looked over, her eyes full of questions. Her mother weakly shook her head, almost saying that now wasn't the time to answer her daughter's question.

Another high pitched scream went shotting through the air, and Aries looked over to see what was going on. Her older sister's body looked limp and weak, as she four bark encased figures easily over powered her. Aries glanced over at her mother, she knew what was going to happen to Gimini, yet she didn't stop her.

"See, told you they kill who ever isn't worthy of the Band of Aliyma." Cancer hissed at his older sister.

Aries whipped around and angerly punched him in the shoulder once again, her clawed hand cutting right through his shoulder this time. "Shut the hell up!" Aries cursed at her younger brother, has he held his limp and bleeding arm.

She then charged into the lake of souls, not caring about what her mother had just told her moments before. The waters around her splashed, and she could see faint lights trying to float out of the water, but only being sucked back in. Although Aries didn't really pay any attention to the souls around her, her crimson eyes were fixed on the four figures with a death grip on her sister. She could barely hear that sounds of her siblings and mother back on land, who clearly knew that Aries would most likly die as well.

Aries wished that she had been alouded to bring her katana with her to the ceremony at that moment, knowing that she'd have to fight vassels of a goddess with her bare hands. Yet, it could have been worse, at least they weren't real gods.

She noticed one of the figure let go of Gimini and move towards her. It let out one of it's horrible screams as it neared Aries. Yet she was ready for it, even though she winced in pain, as she thought her ear drums would pop. She rolled out of the way of the figures way, and countiued to run towards Gimini.

It was easy to see, Aries' tactic. It was to try and not fight any of the figures, and just get to Gimini. Yet what would she do when she got there, wouldn't she need to fight to get Gimini free from their grasp.

"Aries! Get out of here!" Gimini yelled at her younger sister, yet her voice was full of pain and sorrow. It was clear that she didn't want to be left behind. Yet she didn't want her sister to be dragged into hell with her.

Aries didn't reply, as she moved out of the way as the first figure came up from behind for another attack. It barely caught her back, leaving a decently size mark in her skin. Aries could feel the pain shotting through her back, and her blood coming out of the wound. Yet she had to keep moving, she was almost there.

The three other figures let go of Gimini, all of them seeming to have complete attention on the other being moving through their home. Aries taken a bit off guard, moved out of the way of the first. She then dodged left, and was barely missed by the second. Aries then, unable to move fast enough, was caught in mid jump by the third one.

It grasp her tightly around her ankle, where it had been able to grab Aries as she tryed to run away.

"Aries!" Gimini screamed when she saw that Aries was now captured instead of herself.

"What are you waiting for Gimini!" Aries yelled back at her older sister, "Get out of here!".

Gimini did as she was told by her younger sister, and she rushed away towards the land, and her family.

As Aries watched her sister walk away, she could feel the pain shotting through her body. Caused by the twisting and breaking of her bones. Yet, she didn't really care, wasn't this what she had set out for. To save her sister from death.

She couldn't figure out why, but her mind drifted off to what Authual had said to her earlier that day.

"It's just that, this husband of yours will have no idea what a prize he has until your gone.".

Aries couldn't explain the feeling that came next. It didn't feel like pain, it almost felt like a power she didn't even know she had. As she closed her eyes, feeling to tired to keep the open any longer, she could feel the feeling burst from her body.

....
....
....

"My head..." Aries muttered as she sat up. Yet it wasn't just her head that ached with a unexplainable pain.

"Your awake!" Aries could hear a voice yell happily.

Aries glanced over to see her whole family staring back at her. Gimini quickly attacked her, holding her younger sister tightly.

"I'm.. not dead? Aries muttered weakly as she glanced around the room with her crimson eyes.

"It was a blessing from the unknown." Leo remarked as he sat down next to his older sister, "Since it couldn't have been Aliyma that saved you.".

Aries weakly smiled, since she knew what Leo said was completly true. "How long was I out?" Aries weakly asked, wondering how long she had been gone from the western lands.

"A couple days." her mother responded, her eyes were full of concern. Yet Aries could see a trace of questioning in her eyes, like she was asking why Aries hadn't listened to her.

Aries was about to speak again, but was stopped by the sound of the door behind her opening. She glanced over her shoulder to see a familler face looking down at her. He had long white hair, which reached just past his waist. He wore a white kimono, with a red pattern print on it. Over top of the kimono, he wore a suit of armor. Over his right shoulder, was a large white fur. Yet it wasn't really clear what beast it could have come from. He had piercing yellow eyes, that looked lowly at all that stood before him.

"How dare you just storm in like that!" Gimini snapped as she got to her feet, clearly not very pleased with the male before her.

"Gemini, do you even know who that is?" Leo said to Gimini weakly, giving her a odd stare.

She glanced over at her younger brother, her eyes blank, basicly answering his question.

"It's a pleasure to see you once again Lord Sesshomaru." Pieces said with a weak smile, she got to her feet as she spoke, "Please excuse my eldest daughter, she isn't very quick in the head.".

Gimini quietly sat back down, although she didn't seem very pleased with the fact her mother had just scorned her.

"A strange messanger told me that Aries was in dire health." Sesshomaru said, his yellow eyes looked down it Aries, "But I see he spoke lies.".

"Thanks for worring so much about me." Aries muttered weakly as she rolled her crimson red eyes. She then got to her feet, and almost fell back down to the ground, but was able to catch herself.

"Let's get going." Aries said to Sesshomaru sternly, as she walked passed him and out into the hall. Although still a bit tipsy, she ended up falling right into one of the rice paper walls.

"Aries, you can't leave. You can barely walk straight." Cancer joked as he rolled his eyes at his older sister.

~End of Chapter 1

AN: The first chapter is done! Yet it didn't cover as much as I wanted it too... Seeming how I exspanded the happenings in the past. So more of Inuyasha and the rest of the group will be appearing in the next chapter, and that's a promise! Sesshomaru's fur is from his father isn't it... if you know, could you please tell me. Also, please review. Till next time.
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