InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Steel Destiny ❯ Haunted Memory ( Chapter 1 )

Disclaimer: It's a given, but I still have to say it: I don't own Inuyasha, the all-knowing Rumiko Takahashi does.

Chapter 1

Haunted Memory

How could they have done this? He was my own uncle…. But now was not the time for questions. Now was the time to escape.

I hurriedly grasped the hand of the only remaining servant from our once-household and lording and ran. The bastards had even stolen my horses, so all I had to my name, if I even had the right to claim that, was the meager indigo kimono on my back, an overused dagger, my two feet, and a vassal without even the slightest wit to realize it was run for your life or die…

"My Lord, please leave me here! I will only hinder you! Please escape and let me have at least this one minor satisfaction of having served my Lord this one last time…." She whimpered pitifully through her tears, her strong, ebony eyes were the only negation to her bedraggled state shouting their defiance and acceptance of her fate. I had half a mind to leave her, but the sound of heavy hoof beats, dogs, and shouts, quickly brought me to my senses.

"You idiot!" I whispered ferociously as I dragged her to her feet and half dragged her forward in the thick forest brush, "You honestly think I will let my traitorous uncle have the satisfaction of knowing he completely decimated this line? Never! And that includes you! The Higurashi line will not fall so easily!"

This exclamation of where her loyalty lay seemed to suddenly animate her and she rose and ran with me like a demon. Nothing of the foolish, mewling servant she had been remained save the occasional tear that slid down her cheek that she could not contain. For the first time ever perhaps, I was proud to call her my vassal.

The deer path away from my lands we ran seemed endless in the night. It just kept going forward and forward and though I knew I could continue running along the path for hours on end, if the need arose, I could not sincerely say the same for the girl beside me. She was just fifteen or sixteen, at most, and despite her meager serving position that should have made her lean and lithe, she was far from it. She was soaked with sweat, her lungs inhaled to their limit, she clung to her side, desperately attempting to alleviate the pain consuming her there, and I could easily tell from her glazed over eyes that she would not last.

"Lord Higurashi, there runs the wretched, brat!"

"Then go capture her, you incompetent fool! All of you!!!!" roared my blasphemous uncle. I automatically redoubled my pace as I grabbed hold of my servant's hand and it seemed for almost a moment that perhaps we would indeed be rid of the swarm of ravenous wolves that were my uncle's men, but I was immediately pulled from the collar of my kimono backwards and forced into an open area. The troublesome thicket was gone from me now, but suddenly I did not rue its company as I had just a moment before.

From the deep shadows stepped forward my uncle in all of his blasphemous beauty and regalia. A cry caught in my throat as I saw that which he carried in his left hand: my father's head. My uncle's sword dripped disgustingly with my father's blood. Bastard, I thought, you have so little respect for your own brother as to not even cleanse his blood from your sword with unsullied water!

"My Great Lord Higurashi Hiyotomi!!!" cried the stupid girl beside me. Fool! Keep your mouth shut, I roared inwardly.

"You worthless whore," my uncle sneered. "How dare you call upon the name of such a traitorous bastard as this," he finished raising my father's head in one swift motion and unceremoniously hurling it to the dusty ground. It rolled three times before stopping right before my bare feet. I had not even had a chance to place on shoes; such had been the vehemence of my father to depart from the burning manor. What good it had done me. The blood began to pool and glide beneath my feet. It was hardly a sensation to be envied.

The foolish servant fell on her knees before my indisposed father's head, lifted it to her own and cried as I had seen no other cry. Her soul filled each sob, making it almost heart wrenching to watch. It seemed an eternity before my uncle put a stop to it with his katana slicing effortlessly through her neck. Her head joined my father's at my feet, and this time his blood was not the only blood soiling me. Her tongue lolled helplessly from her open mouth; her glazed eyes finally free from the tiredness they had known mere seconds before.

"What impudence you show your uncle," bellowed Asano. I could no longer call him uncle. Now he was truly unworthy of even that common title. "Or maybe it is merely because I have not called your name, Unmei Suchiro…." He let the sentence hang hoping perhaps for a look of surprise to come upon my face. It did not. "That is what the villagers call you, is it not? Unmei Suchiro? "Steel Destiny"? Oddly fitting considering your disreputable habits…."

"I hardly consider being a true samurai, disreputable," I retorted as I spat in his face. "And it was not my father who was the traitor but you, you bastard! He was the first born son of the line and heir in every sense, you heretic sham. May the Buddhas have mercy upon your soul…." He quietly wiped away my spit from his face as slowly a vile smirk came upon his lips.

"I am a "heretic sham" and you are a "true samurai" ? If that is true, then fight your own battle here…." And he sharply turned his gallant, black steed away leaving only one command in his wake. "Kill her and throw her naked body in the river."

As soon as he was out of sight, his wolves began their onslaught; I began mine. Five against just me had never been favorable odds, but I had no choice. I withdrew my dagger and fought with everything I had. I dodged, thrust, and parried with peerless skill and was rewarded with two dead men. But that still left behind three thoroughly enraged men to deal with.

"You stupid, little bitch!" one exclaimed as he ran towards me with daunting speed, but I too was swift and moved easily away, but another had been hoping just for that. Searing pain engulfed my left shoulder, and for the first time I felt unsure.

Suddenly I heard more hoof beats and shouting from my right, and rising from the forests as demons driven by madness rose numerous samurai all bearing the insignia of the Minamoto. Without warning I was picked up by my left arm and nearly shouted out from the abominable pain consuming me. I fought with all my strength against my mounted captor, but to no avail. His grip was like an iron vice.

"Let me go, you traitor, Minamoto, bastard!" I yelled with all of my might as I beat my fists persistently on his armored chest. "How dare you help in the overthrowing of Higurashi no Hiyotomi?!" My captor abruptly halted with his entourage swiftly following suit around him.

"I am no "traitor, Minamoto, bastard"," he answered simply. "I have come here to help you, though it seems the help is too late." His voice was cultured, yet strong, and though I did not raise my head, it held me enthralled. "But…."

I suddenly raised my head and gazed into the purest amber eyes I had ever seen expectantly. He was…. Buddha himself could not have created finer. His hair was black silk as it was moved lightly in the wind despite it being bound in its top knot. His crimson armor gleamed like blood in the moonlight even though it was cool and dry to the touch. And his hands as he held my shoulders now, through the gloves, were incredibly gentle. I waited for his words.

"Are you really the Unmei Suchiro?"

-

Kagome sighed in the moonlit night. That had been five years ago.

-

Well, hope you enjoyed this. If so, please review; if not, still review.

Tankbbg, here's the Inuyasha fic I promised.