InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Young Ones ❯ Chapter 21 – The Crown of Destiny ( Chapter 21 )

Disclaimer: InuYasha belongs to Rumiko Takahasi and her publishers. No profit is made from this story. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 21 - The Crown of Destiny

Hurrying as much as possible, the group raced down the wooded road only to round a bend and suddenly discover that they had left the wooded terrain they had been traversing for so many days to once again find themselves entering a drier, rocky, hilly landscape.

Kagome went so far as to sigh in relief and comment that at least there would be fewer surprise attacks, the barren region affording scant cover from which to launch a covert assault.

Though it was still fairly early, when InuYasha spotted a small cave, (quite narrow, but deep) in one of the small hills they passed, the travelers were more than happy to stop and make an early camp.

With the efficiency that comes with experience, camp was established and dinner started, but it soon became apparent that the two inu hanyou were on edge.

Noticing her mate's discomfort, Kagome ventured to inquire “InuYasha is there something wrong? I don't sense any youkai.”

Instead of looking towards his mate, InuYasha glanced at his younger counterpart and shook his head “I don't know what it is, I just feel - not uneasy - just odd. My skin feels like it does right before a lighting storm.” Turning towards Yasha and Tsuru the elder hanyou inquired “Do either of you feel it?”

Tsuru immediately shook his head in the negative, but little Yasha shook his head vigorously in the affirmative quickly stating “I feel it, as soon as we entered this little cave it started. My skin is all tingly and... I don't know... I get the feeling that...” Eyes growing large, the young hanyou continued “That I have to look for something.” Then nervously glancing at his princess whispered “I think that one of them is here, somewhere close by.”

Peering into the dark back of the cave the little princess softly asked “Do you think it's back there somewhere?” Then glancing out of the cave and noting that it was still quite light added “Do we want to look now, or hold off till morning?”

Kagome, sounding suspiciously like her mate, snorted and answered “We're in a cave, who cares if its light or dark outside, it'll be dark back there in the cave. I say lets look now and get this over with. Either there's something back there or this is some sort of false alarm.” Then fixing each one of her companions with a steely look stated “Well what do the rest of you say, do we all go and look now or hold off till morning - not that anyone would actually get any sleep or anything.”

InuYasha grinned and laughed, hugged his mate, and replied “I don't know about the rest of you, but I say lets go right now and look. That's what we came all this way to do and I for one am curious to see if we find the crown or the relic, or perhaps both?”

That said, InuYasha grabbed their pack and pulled out the stick, bark twine, moss tinder and animal fat torches he had had the foresight to create while still in the forest. Turning towards his companions he jerked his head towards the rear of the cave and exclaimed “Well lets go!”

As soon as the torches were lit the group could see that the cave continued back with no end in sight. Knowing that the two inu hanyou would be able to sniff their way back out without difficulty the five quickly proceeded into the bowls of the hill.

It didn't take long for everyone to realize that they were definitely on the right track. Within a few minuets Kagome, the little Princess and finally Tsuru could sense a strong youki or perhaps spiritual power source. The cave narrowed and began to slant downward, but remained fairly smooth and with each step the feeling of power increased. Up ahead they could just make out that the tunnel they traversed was ending, spilling into what they could faintly make out as a small chamber. Suddenly, InuYasha, who was in the lead, slammed into an invisible barrier and bounced back, saving himself from falling only by his superior reflexes. Next Kagome cautiously reached out and discovered that she also could not proceed forward.

Turning to her companions Kagome sighed proclaiming “It's definitely a barrier, and a powerful one at that. InuYasha can break barriers like this, but I fear he would pull this hill down on us in the process. Does anyone have an idea?”

Tsuru, not familiar with all of the Tessaiga's powers, inquired “Just how can InuYasha break barriers?”

InuYasha mindful of the confined space of the tunnel, pulled and then transformed Tessaiga to it's large active form, then much to everyone's surprise (except Kagome of course) he concentrated and slowly the huge sword took on a red glow.

“This is the red barrier braking form of Tessaiga. The only problem is I've never taken down a barrier without unleashing the full destructive power of the sword. Any ideas?”

Tsuru, mindful of the sword's powerful aura approached as close as he dared and inquired “Tell me all about this ability, could the sword always do this, or did you acquire this power later?”

Not having reached that point in her retelling of their adventures yet, Kagome quickly filled the crane youkai in, how InuYasha had saved the little bat hanyou Shiori and that she allowed him to destroy her barrier creating blood coral, thereby instilling Tessaiga with a barrier breaking ability.

Thinking quickly, Tsuru turned towards the barrier and beckoning InuYasha forward urged “InuYasha I want you to try and very gently strike the barrier, I am hoping that dangerous force will not be necessary, just push - gently.”

With Tsuru's words in mind, InuYasha began to slowly push Tessaiga against the barrier. The barrier resisted, but much to everyone's surprise - especially InuYasha's - the barrier began to glow, then bend outward, and finally as InuYasha pushed with all his strength, the barrier shattered.

The moment the barrier fell, a rush of overwhelming power washed over the group, nearly pulling Kagome, the Princess and Tsuru to their knees. Only InuYasha and Yasha seemed to be able to stand up to the rush of pure youki power that surged, in fact the two hanyou seemed invigorated by the stifling power.

As soon as he verified that the others were not in any true distress InuYasha turned to his young counterpart and noted “Sort of reminds me Sesshomaru when he lets his youki really go.”

Little Yasha nodded in agreement “You're right, it has a sort of daiyoukai feel to it.”

But what neither of the hanyous realized was that as they spoke they were slowly advancing into the chamber and away from their companions.

Within a few moments both InuYasha and Yasha found themselves in the center of the small chamber standing in front of a thick stalagmite as wide as a tree trunk, waist high and covered in a softly glowing moss. The apex of the stalagmite was oddly shaped, instead of coming to a point; it had a flattened top surmounted by a perfect circle that had four equally spaced perfect tiny stalagmites growing from it.

As if in a dream InuYasha and Yasha simultaneously reached out and placed their hands on the circle. At that very moment the circle began to emit a golden glow and before Kagome or the princess could utter a word of warning, the circle separated from the stalagmite, revealing it to be a circlet with four points. The circlet then split in the surprised hanyou's hands transforming into two diadems each with two points. As the hanyous contemplated the perfect crowns in each of their hands it became obvious that the shape of the crown was large enough for a man's head, but the base of the two points were arched, as if fashioned for someone with an irregularly shaped head.

Kagome watched the events unfold as if in a dream, unable to call out and warn her mate, she could only marvel at the events. InuYasha and Yasha each held a perfect circlet, a delicate crown made out of stone, obviously fashioned for someone with two delicate ears perched on the top of their head. Then, in what seemed like painful slow motion, but which was in reality only a few seconds, each hanyou raised his crown and placed it on their own head.

Each crown began to glow, the light increasing each moment, and then in a blinding burst of light, the circlets seemed to actually sink into the transfixed hanyous who at the moment of absorption cried out in what was either agony or ecstasy, it was impossible to tell.

Then in a moment it was over, the overwhelming waves of power ceased and the two inu hanyou collapsed to the floor. At the same moment the two humans and one youkai were released from their paralysis and were able to rush into the chamber and the two stricken hanyous.

Kagome reached out fearfully, InuYasha lay breathing lightly, his cheeks vividly marked with the jagged marks of his youkai blood. Fearing that InuYasha had transformed, Kagome nervously glanced at Yasha who now also bore the marks of a full youkai. Then much to the miko's relief InuYasha opened his eyes, revealing his beautiful golden orbs. Simultaneously, Yasha also opened his thankfully golden eyes and whispered, “What happened?”

Helping her little mate up the princess inquired “Don't you remember what happened? You and InuYasha found the crown - or should I say the crowns of destiny! It wasn't meant for me, it was for you and InuYasha!”

Glancing at his mate InuYasha asked in awe “Is that true, did we find the crowns? Where are they?”

Kagome reached out to gently stroke InuYasha's now visible markings and whispered “You each put a crown on your head; they glowed and then in a flash seemed to sink into your heads. InuYasha, both you and Yasha now have demon markings, but your eyes are still normal, no red. How do you feel?”

Glancing at his younger counterpart InuYasha could only stare and said “I feel fine, in fact I feel great. I don't feel out of control like I did when my blood took over in the past, I don't have an urge to kill or anything like that.” Then looking around the chamber, he added, “But let's get out of here and get back to the cave. I don't want anything else to happen!”

Authors note: The idea of InuYasha gaining full youkai markings, but keeping his sanity has been used in many stories, but the one that I was thinking of was Fenikkusuken's amazing work “The Phoenix Blade: Time Lapse” which I highly recommend!

My visualization of the crown of destiny was based on Aragorn's coronation crown in the film “Return of the King” except that the points are arched at the base to accommodate an inu hanyou's ears!