InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Nine Lives For Two ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]

Prologue
 
Late on a murky night, a large party of villagers made their way the shrine. Not one of them carried a torch, for their lord hated the light. Each one of them had experienced a dream, a terrible dream, where their lord summoned them. As the small wooden hut came into sight, all chatter between them ceased. They grew wary.
Inside the shrine, there were nine small flames; one cerulean, one black, one white, one silver, one sky blue, one topaz, one vermilion, one golden, and one emerald.
“Your sacrifices are overdue” snarled a harsh voice. The black flame shimmered fiercely. A dark shape loomed before the cowering folk.
“P-please Kageyuurei-sama! Give us more time! We shall find you an excellent sacrifice, we swear it! We-!” stuttered the head-man. He was cut short by a thundering roar.
“Tell me why I should give you pathetic humans another chance? Give me one good reason and I might consider it” Kageyuurei growled, flashing his huge fangs. The villagers' trembling increased.
“Please Milord, nary a fair maiden has wandered this far South!” wailed another villager.
“If I do not have my sacrifice in one week's time, your women shall become my prey!” Kageyuurei roared.
“Maybe if your shrine weren't in the middle of a marsh, we'd have more sacrifices to give you!” one small boy's voice rang out. Kageyuurei fixed his blazing red eyes on the child, piercing him with their fierce gaze. His paw shot out, massive claws extended. The sound of flesh tearing was heard in the calm night air, joined by a shriek.
Kageyuurei licked the blood off his claws in a most catlike fashion. Glancing up from his grooming, Kageyuurei narrowed his eyes at the villagers, causing convulsions of trembling to ripple over the crowd.
“Remember, one week” snarled the enormous demon, then he vanished in a cloud of dark aura.
 
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“Dear brother, you are heartless!” a tender voice cried in the dark. But it was ignored.
“Indeed, brother, you always were the most intimidating of us all” sneered a small cerulean flame in the shrine with a laugh.
“Uzumaki, hold your tongue or lose it! Kageyuurei-sama is the leader of our clan! Just because he is our brother does not mean we can lack respect! Toy with him and he shall have your head!” a sky blue flame flickered angrily.
“Shut up, Kyouki! You are always kissing up to Brother!” an emerald flame flared up.
Wanaki! Hold your peace; we are all anxious for prey. It has been a while since we fed. Tobasu, have you spied any tasty morsels on our lands these days of past?” a shy voice emanated from a silver flame. The golden flame flared up.
“None, my brother. It seems this region has no more prey to offer; perhaps we should broaden our territory range. Kuukan, you possess the ability to look past our borders. Tell us what you see.”
The silver flame flickered to a mere ember. A few seconds had passed before it roared to life once more.
“My dear brothers, it seems a miko approaches!” the shy voice belonging to the silver flame was dripping with malice. “Uzumaki, Kyouki, Tobasu, Wanaki, Yure, Gekido and Kageyuurei-sama. Let us feast!”
Eight colorful flames blazed ferociously. Hideous roars filled the shrine, and then silence enveloped the area as the flames streaked across the night sky. Only the white flame remained, alone in the darkness. The empty room echoed with her cries of grief.