InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Feudal Stars ❯ Chapter 2

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

----- Around sixty-two years later -----

Gemini stared forwards, she didn't really seem to be paying attention to what was going on around her. Yet she was there, completly. She leaned up against a wooden carriage. Inside were jars that contained the souls that would be soon offered to their goddess. Gemini, and the rest of her siblings, were collecting souls from the near by villages.

The souls were needed, for the ceremony.

Gemini weakly shuttered, holding the scroll and brush in her hands tightly as she did. The thoughts of that night, sixty-two years ago, still brought shivers down her spine. But what would one except of her, to simply forgot the moment in time, that her life was almost taken from her.

Gemini put the brush into her mouth, holding it with her teeth. With her free hand, she straightened out her new black dress she had gotten from the western contanent. It was covered in golden symblos that she didn't understand. Yet she wasn't one to care about that. She had basicly abandoned her own religon, since it almost killed her.

"How are we doing?" Leo asked his elder sister as he climbed out of the back of the carriage.

Gemini glanced down at the scroll she held in her hand. She then removed the brush from her mouth before repling the her brother's question, "We just need a few more."

Leo was silent, he stood beside Gemini, staring at the village that surrounded them. His yellow eyes seemed blank as he looked around, but they finally fell on to Gimini. "In total? Or just from this village?" he said weakly as he cracked his knuckles, "I tire of this, I wish to return to our home.".

"I to, wish to return home." Gemini said to her younger sibling, "But we have to do this. If not for mother, for Aries.".

Leo folded his arms across his chest, and was silent for a moment. "Who says Aries really wants this?" he questioned with a weak sigh.

Gemini bit her bottem lip, and was silent for a long time. She too, had asked this same question to herself many times. Yet, she had no answer to it. "We can only hope I guess." Gemini said with a weak laugh.

Leo weakly smiled back, but it was clear that he couldn't laugh at something like this. "True enough." Leo muttered weakly to his sister, "We can only hope this is what Aries wants.".

"To think, people actually live in the middle of no where." Cancer inputted, completly off topic, as he walked over to his elder siblings.

Leo gave him a odd look, wondering where that statement might have come from. "This forest is full of nutrients." Leo replied to his younger brother, "It's clear why people would plant themselves here.".

"But really, that forest was so hard to get through." Cancer complained to Leo, "How can they remember all of those twists and turns?".

"It's simple." Gemini commented, "If they don't remember them, they'll die.".

"Isn't that, just a bit dark, sister?" Cancer teased his older sister, with a evil smile on his face.

"Cancer, go find the twins." Gemini order sternly, clearly not going to put up with Cancer's jokes, "They should be searching for pure souls for the ceremony.".

"All work and no fun. That's what you guys are." Cancer stated, with a fake sorrowful sigh.

"Just go, before I hurt you." Leo said, not in the mode to deal with Cancer either.

----- Not to far away -----

Inuyasha, the half dog-demon, walked infront of the others, seeming to be leading them through the twisting paths of the forest. His yellow eyes scanned the area, looking for anything that might point him in the right direction. His nose, was sniffing the air, trying to smell anything other then himself, the others, and the plants surrounding him.

"I knew we shouldn't have come into this forest." Kagome complained weakly, readjusting her backpack as she spoke, "How long have been walking around in circles?".

"I'n not sure. The trees above are far to thick to know how much time has really passed." Miroku, the monk, commented.

"It's feels like forever though..." Shippo, the young fox demon also complained, even though he hadn't walked at all during the trip. He rested in Kagome's arms, riding with her instead of walking on his own.

"Would you guys stop complaining back there!" Inuyasha angerly barked, sounding quite annoyed with their bickering.

The others were silent for a moment. "But we're lost!" Shippo then bitterly snapped back at Inuyasha.

Inuyasha angerly spun around, looking like he was ready to beat on the poor little fox demon child. He inhailed deeply through his nose, as he did, his anger seemed to disappear. He paused for a moment, before sniffing the air again.

"I smell demons..." Inuyasha muttered bitterly, "Mixed the scent of humans.".

"That can't be good..." Kagome said weakly, although she seemed releaved that their might be some sort of village near by.

"Indead, they're most likly in trouble." Sango, the demon slayer, inputted.

"Yes, and maybe they'll be some beautiful women there." Miroku the letcher of a monk said.

Inuyasha sniffed the air again, as Sango began to beat on Miroku for his lastest comment. He turned to face the direction that the scent was coming from. The dog demon was about to say something, when he noticed something.

He bent over, and was clearly able to see the large tracks in the dirt floor of the forest. Looking like they were left by some sort of carriage or wagon. The wagon tracks cut through a clawed footprint. The print didn't leave much to see, other then the four long talons that tore the earth under them. They only carried the scent of bones as well. "Bones?" Inuyasha thought to himself, "This has to be the demon's carriage.".

With that in the back of his mind, Inuyasha got back to his feet. He jestered forwards, to tell the others that the scent was coming in that direction. The dog demon then lead the others though the forest. This time, with a better idea of where he was going.

-----

The village, seemed completly normal as the group arrived. Although, only men walked around the streets, there were no women in sight. But all the men, seemed scared of something.

But even then, the real problem wasn't really clear.

Inuyasha sniffed the air once again, trying to make sure that this was the actual place he was looking for. It was there, the smell of demon floated in the air around them. Yet he could tell where the might actually be.

"We won't be able to find the demons if we just stand outside the village." Sango finally said sternly, her Hiedikos was slung over her shoulder, and she looked ready to use it.

"Your right." Kagome agreed, "Let's ask one of the villagers what's going on here. They all seem slightly shaken up about something.".

The group calmly walked into the village, yet they were also ready for anything. With a demon around, one would have to be ready.

Although, many of the men that wondered around the streets of the village would not speak to them. It seemed as though they were in a world of their own, or maybe they were just to scared to ask for help.

"Excuse me... you seem strong." a male villager said as he edged his way closer to the travelers that had just entered the village, "Could you help me?".

"Sure." Kagome said with a smile, "But could you tell us what's going on around here?".

"Yeah." Shippo inputted, who still rode on Kagome's backpack, "You guys are walking around like your souls were taken from you.".

The male villager was silent for a moment, staring at Shippo, clearly thinking over what he had just said. "Not us." he finally spoke, "Their taking the souls of the women only.".

"Who are?" Inuyasha said with a groan, clearly he didn't care for the chatting part, he wanted to get to the action.

"The demons." the man said with a sigh, "They were told to have lived around here... but they never traveled this far from their home looking for offerings.".

"What kind of demons are these?" Miroku asked with a frown, "I can't seem to think of the demon your speaking of.".

"They are the Demons of Aliyma." the man muttered weakly, "Demons blessed with the powers of a god. At least, the royal family is.".

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, he thought back to something he remembered someone telling him when he younger.

Wasn't she, also one of the Demons of Aliyma?

"Their a rare breed of demons." Miroku said, seeming to know a bit about the demons, "But they are very powerful by nature.".

"I've never fought one myself." Sango inputted, "But my father told me a story of when he once had to fight with one. It alone, easily killed a dozen of his fellow demon slayers.".

"Please. Save the few women that remain in our village." the male villager said as he bowed his head in respect.

"We will." Kagome said to the man, "But make sure you and the other men get to safety. If these Demons of Aliyma are as strong as Sango and Miroku claim, you don't need to get hurt as well.".

The man nodded, and was about to move away from the travelers. He then suddenly fell to the ground, a large hole was craved out of his back. A figure stood behind him.

A little girl.

She had pale white skin, she almost had not colour in her flesh at all. Her eyes were a light blue, they were blank. Showing no emotion at all. She stared at Inuyasha and the others, yet her eyes showed no sign of life. Her hair was a pale green tone, and it was done into a messy ponytail. She wore a white kimono, which had red stains covering it's white fabric. In her blood covered hands, she carried a large jar that was almost as big as her.

"Dolls." the girl spoke in a tone so flat and emotionless, "Broken dolls need to be thrown away.".

The others readied themselves, since they guessed this child had to be one of the soul stealing demons the villagers was talking about.

The girl stared at them, with her blue emotionless eyes. Although in a way, it seemed like she didn't see anything, it seemed like she looked through everything before her. "More dolls to play with?" the girl said, as she put down the large jar to free her hands.

"Can you feel that strong demonic aura." Miroku asked his fellow party members, "And she's nothing but a child.".

"Are all of the Demons of Aliyma, so evil?" Kagome hissed bitterly, as she pulled a arrow from her quiver, "She doesn't seem to care at all, about anything!".

"Be on guard." Sango inputted sternly, "We don't know what she's capable of.".

A strong wind began to circle around the girl, her hair and kimono blew fiercly in the gusts of wind. She raised her hands up, and a green orb of energy began to form in her palms.

But suddenly, the energy burst in her hands. Pale green lights floated down to the ground. The girl then turned around, almost like she had completly forgotten about Inuyasha and the others. "Flaming brother, comes near." the girl muttered flattly.

She then picked the large jar up from the ground, and began to walk away. Clearly showing that she had forgotten about the others she was just about to fight a few moment ago.

"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped bitterly, "Don't turn your back on your enemy!".

The dog demon pulled his sword, the Tetsiuga, from it's sheath. The rusty sword, quickly changed in his hands to it's complete glory. His fathers fang. Inuyasha then lept at the girl, ready to strick her in the back, full force.

His blade stopped a inch or so away from her body. For a split second, Inuyasha and his sword were motionless. Finally, a large gust of wind shot Inuyasha back towards the others, like he was a feather in the wind.

"Libra!" a male said as he rounded a corner and ran over to the young child. The man was very tall, he easily towered over the child. His face was kind and gental, even with his large body and musclur build. He had flame coloured hair, that was currently messy, looking like he had not cared about it in ages. He wore a red battle suit, with a large suit of armor over top of it.

"Leo." the girl known as Libra replied blankly, with a weak bow.

"I'm glad I found you." Leo said with a weak smile, running his fingers through his messy hair as he spoke, "Cancer already returned with Virgo. Gemini sent me to find you.".

"How many more dolls?" Libra said with a tilt of her head.

"Mortals Libra, mortals." Leo said as he rolled his yellow eyes, "Your jar is the last we need.".

"Can I finish playing with my new dolls?" Libra asked her older brother.

Leo glanced over at whom Libra was speaking of. He quickly scanned over Inuyasha and others with his yellow eyes. His once gental gaze quickly turned stern and cold. He moved infront of his sister, his large body easily blocking her's from sight and harm.

"Drawing your weapons to one of us is really suicide." Leo said sternly, as he thrust his hands forward. Has he did so, a red light shimmered between his hands. Finally a flaming weapon appeared in his palms. It looked like some sort of pike, but completly made up of flames.

"Your sister caught me off guard!" Inuyasha snapped bitterly as Leo, "But you won't do the same.".

"Well just see about that, won't we." Leo said sternly, with a smirk on his face, "You and me.".Inuyasha darted forwards, readying his Tetsiuga for a attack. He slashed his father's fang at Leo, full force. Yet this time he was a bit more ready for some sort of counter attack, like the one Libra had launched at him. Leo raised his flaming weapon up. Tetsiuga was easily blocked by the burning pike. Inuyasha kept putting pressure forwards, hoping that he could knock Leo off balance if he did.

A small smile appeared on Leo's stern face. His hands began to glow red, then his weapon burst into to flames. The embers raged up and around him and Inuyasha. Although, thanks to his kimono made of the fur of the fire rat, Inuyasha was not hurt by the flames. But he was still knocked back from the force of the attack.

Kagome and the others watched Inuyasha helplessly fall to the ground. Sango gripped the handle on her large boomerang tightly. "We have to do something to help him!" Sango snaps angerly as she tosses her boomerang in the direction of Leo. It would have hit, if something hadn't gotten in it's way. A strong wind incircled Leo and Inuyasha, knocking Sango's boomerang off chorse.

"Mind yourself dolls. This is between my brother and your friend." Libra said flattly, although in a way that demanded respect.

"She deflected my attack with her wind!" Sango snapped bitterly, "How are we supposed to help him if we can't reach him?".

Inuyasha gets back to his feet, leaning on his Tetsiuga for a bit of support. Even though it was only one attack, he was slightly tired from it. The dog demon quickly shaked off the feeling, and readyed himself once again. He then charged forwards once again, and attacked Leo a second time.

Leo blocks Inuyasha's attack once again. He over powered Inuyasha, and knocked him off balance. Leo then took a step forwards and launched an attack of his own with his weapon of fire.

Inuyasha gains his footing back quickly enough to block Leo's attack with his Tetsiuga. But since we wasn't really ready for it, he was knocked off balance once again, losing his footing.

"I have to do something to help Inuyasha. He can't beat this demon by himself." Kagome thinks to herself.

Kagome grabs a arrow from her quiver, and readys her bow. She quickly aimed at Libra, knowing that she controlled the barrier. Kagome then let go of the arrow. As the arrow moved towards the barrier, a strong aura surrounded it. It was clear to see that it was no normal arrow.

The arrow Kagome had shot, pierced through the barrier of wind around Inuyasha and the Demons of Aliyma. Once exspelled, pale green light floated to the ground where the barrier had once been. The arrow then kept on it's chorse, catching Libra off guard.

"How could a doll, do this?" Libra mutters weakly, as she clutchs at her chest, in which Kagome's arrow rested.

"With the girl's wind barrier gone, we can help Inuyasha now." Miroku bluntly says to the others.

Leo glances over at his wounded sister. His yellow eyes flicked a bright red tone as he did. His weapon began to give off my heat, the flames growing bigger by the second. Small embers sparked up around Leo's body.

"His demonic power is increasing!" Sango said as she watched Leo begin to transform

"You were holding back on me." Inuyasha bitterly snapped.

"I can say the same to you." Leo muttered bitterly, "You havn't used your sword to it's full power yet.".

Leo then lunged forwards at Inuyasha with his new and improved weapon of flames. He over powered Inuyasha once again, and knocked the Tetsiuga from Inuyasha's hands.

Leo was about to strick the unarmed Inuyasha once again, but he suddenly stopped. The flames around him died away slowly. Everyone could hear it now, someone was coming.

"Leo, Libra!" a female voice yelled angerly, "What in the seven hells are you doing!".

Leo glanced over at the owner of the voice, seeming a bit taken back. "Ge-Gemini?" Leo stuttered weakly, as he spoke his flaming weapon disappeared from his hands.

"Eldest sister." Libra said as she summoned a gust of wind that forced Kagome's arrow out of her flesh.

"We finally get enough souls for the ceremony, and your out fighting!" Gemini angerly snapped at her siblings..".

"For once I'm not the one she's yelling at." a male said who sitting in the front of the carriage. He held on to the harness, that conected the beast that pulled the carriage, to the body of the carriage. The beast, was completly made of bones, no flesh or organs were visible on the monster. It's skeletal frame, looked like that of a dragon. It was most likly killed, and reanimated as a bone dragon.

Inuyasha was silent for a moment, staring at the bone dragon pulling the carriage. He knew it, he'd seen it before. "Coal?" he muttered weakly, with out really thinking.

The bone dragon tilted it's head towards Inuyasha, being able to hear someone call it's name. The others looked over at him as well, not really understanding how he knew the dragon's name.

"How do you know the name of my sister's beloved bone dragon?" Leo asked Inuyasha sternly.

"I don't know who you're talking about!" Inuyasha snapped back bitterly, "But Coal belonged to Aries!".

Leo stared at Inuyasha, his yellow eyes full of surprise. "How, does a whelp like you know Aries?" he asked weakly.

"Kagome, who's Aries?" Shippo whispered into Kagome's ear.

"I have no idea." Kagome whispered back to the fox demon, "Inuyasha never said anything about a person named Aries before.".

Inuyasha was silent for a moment. It was unclear if he was trying to bottle up his anger, seeming how Leo kept insalting him, or if he was trying to find the words to explain how he knew Aries. "For her husband... Sesshomaru." Inuyasha answered weakly, "Is my brother.".

"Sesshomaru, has a wife!" Kagome said, seeming very surprised.

"I can't believe we never heard of something about this before." Miroku said weakly, "I'm sure she must of a been a real beauty.".

"You perverted monk!" Sango angerly hissed at Miroku.

"I'm going to guess that you were decently close to her then." Gemini inputted, as she folded her arms cross her chest, "Seeming how she spent ten years in your kingdom.".

"I guess you could say we were close." Inuyasha replied weakly, "Although Sesshomaru didn't aprove of me seeing her.".

"We're returning to our home, come tomorrow morning anyways." Leo said with a weak smile, "We can talk tonight, and you can join us tomorrow if you wish to.".

"But I don't understand, the villager said that you never travel this far from your home." Miroku inputted, "Why all of sudden are you coming this far for offerings.".

"Because reviving a soul takes a lot of offerings." the man at the carriage said with a laugh, "And we all know how much Aries eats.".

"Stop your words, Cancer." Libra said to the man known as Cancer, "No comdey lays within them.".

"Fine, be that way." Cancer replied bitterly to his younger sister.

"Wait, your trying to revive Aries?" Inuyasha said sternly, his yellow eyes were seeming slightly lost at the moment.

"This might not be good." Kagome thought to herself, "We both remember what happened when Kikyo was reborn.".

"Yes we are, we've waited sixty years for the right time." Gemini replied with a smile, "All we need are the offerings, then the ceremony can begin.".

"I'm guessing you're going to begin the ceremony once you arrive home." Inuyasha said as he closed his yellow eyes.

"That's correct." Gemini answered with a nod of her head, "Mother should be getting things ready for the ceremony, and when we return, it'll take place right away.".

"So once you revive Aries, is she going to be a emotionless monster like her." Inuyasha said as she jestered towards Libra, who was curently tending to her wound.

"No, Libra was just born that way." Leo said with a laugh, "We are more powerful then most demons. We've already constructed Aries a new body from living body parts.".

"Human body parts!?" Sango said sternly, she didn't really seem to trust the demons very much.

"No, not human body parts. Those just wear out with time." Leo answered with a shake of his head, "We used body parts of other demons, and beasts. Like the scales of a dragon construct her under layer of skin.".

Leo glanced over at his older sister, and noticed that something was wrong. Something seemed to be bothering her. "What is it Gemini?" Leo asked her weakly.

"I'm not sure, I've just been thinking latly." Gemini replied, sounding slightly worried, "When I was studing to become a Priest of Aliyma, I never once came across a scroll that spoke of this ceremony, or the reconstruction of the body.".

"Maybe it was something for when you were given the Band of Aliyma." Cancer inputted, sounding like he was actually trying to help for once.

"Perhaps." Gemini said weakly, "But even mother doesn't seem to know everything about it. It's that odd man, Authual.".

"He is odd." Leo agreed, "I've never seen a fallen angel care so much about anything before.".

"A fallen angel?" Miroku said, seeming slightly surprised, "I thought they were only a legend.".

"For humans, angels are just something to believe in as well." Leo said with a shrug of his large shoulders.

"So, Inuyasha." Gemini said, completly changing the subject, "Are you going to come with us?".

"I'm not sure." Inuyasha muttered weakly. He glanced over at the others and asked, "Is it alright with you guys?".

They didn't respond. It was clear that they were still uneasy about just letting the demons get away with stealing the souls of countless women just to revive one of their siblings.

"If it's what you want. It's alright with me." Kagome finally said to Inuyasha.

"Alright then." Inuyasha said as he turned back to face Gemini, "I guess I'll go with you.".

"It's settled then." Leo said with a smile, "We set out to more morning, at the crack of dawn. Well arrive at our home late tomorrow night, as long as we keep moving."

~End of Chapter 2

AN: Yeah, it's done! Took me a bit longer then I had hoped. It finally actually had Inuyasha, and everyone else in it. Thicking the plot somewhat, and hinting at some stuff right now. Maybe you get what I'm pointing at, maybe you don't. Either way, I hope you enjoyed yourself reading this part.
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