InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Time Soul Exodus ❯ Chapter 10: =Priests and Demons - part 2= ( Chapter 10 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Written by: Zelix
 
A/N: Well, here we go then… hope this will answer some questions, then again, this might just raise even more of them :) and that is my style, I don't explain everything to readers, I will reveal them when the time comes but in the meantime I'm just leaving something for you to chew and ponder about, good luck and enjoy!
 
 
WARNING: Some powerful words and perhaps religious insulting ahead, since I'm not familiar with Japan's religions and all and the history is not all accurate with me either, consider this to be fictional any and all times, okay?
 
 
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that's related to Inuyasha, I do own Arc though and if someone intends to copy him without my permission I'll F*** you up!
 
 
“Talking”
`Thinking'
[Check the bottom for details]
*Flashback/Switch in Time or place*
=Used when mentioning a technique, attack or something important=
 
 
If this was a TV series:
 
Opening: Chihiro Yonekura - Butterfly kiss
Ending: Hikaru no go - Bokura no boken
 
 
 
 
Time Soul Exodus
 
 
Chapter 10: =Priests and Demons - part 2=
 
 
*The modern era, for now let's see what's been happening over here*
 
 
Inuyasha was sitting at the living room, looking at a picture where he and just about everyone he knew (Not including Sesshoumaru and Rin since they don't know where they live) from the trip they made all over Japan a year ago… his son and his mate Kagura were in the picture as well, he was both smiling lightly but his eyes were frowned, the boy he saw in this picture was really his son, his only son… his eyes were so alive there, full of happiness and confidence while looking both mature and innocent at the same time.
 
 
This was harder than he had thought it would be, their son had been gone for only one day and already it felt like ages… the way he had looked when he departed, the look he had in his eyes, that determined and focused look, that look made him wonder, had his son really grown into an adult already? Had he really grown strong enough so he didn't need protection anymore?
 
 
His son was an adult and was now looking for his mate, he just couldn't believe it, he just couldn't make himself believe that Arc, his timid, shy boy who had almost no backbone had really gone back to the feudal era to look for his mate… his soul mate… his son had grown into an adult and left home, it just felt so unreal, he knew this sort of a day would come when Arc would leave home but the reason he left and where he left just made it so unreal and scary, Arc was not a person who would want to hurt someone and less alone kill someone… can he really survive in a time period where just about everyone would want him dead?
 
 
He put the picture back on the table, then took a deep breath and said to himself while shaking his head: “What the hell am I worried about? Sure he may not be a type that would hurt someone but he is my son after all, he will find a way, I know he will… plus, if he seeks out Sango, Miroku and Kirara, he will survive just fine, I know he will.” He nodded to himself, his son would be okay… but, Kagome…
 
 
Thinking about her, he looked at the stairs leading up and frowned… she had taken this far more seriously than he himself did, he couldn't blame her though, she was their son's mother after all and she was a person that always worried about those dear to her.
 
 
The day Arc left, which was yesterday, she had cried herself to sleep right there and then when Arc jumped into the well and they saw the familiar blue light… it hurt her far more than anyone else present there, after she fell asleep he had carried her back into the house while everyone else left him and her alone to comfort one another.
 
 
Kagome had not awoken during the entire rest of the day, he had brought her to bed while she literally clung onto him with everything she had and even after setting her down she wouldn't let go… instead she just kept mumbling in her sleep the name of their son over and over again with tears slowly coming out of her eyes… so he had stayed with her and held her close while purring to soothe her dreams the best he could.
 
 
During the night she had let go of him and then began to sleep easily, he himself didn't sleep one bit, instead he had spent the whole night looking through the photo album they had, all the pictures they had taken during the adventures finding the shards and Naraku, the times after that, the days when they came to the present era for good, then the one's about his son when he was born…
 
 
Those pictures had made him smile, the little pup in those pictures… it was hard to believe what he had grown into, a male with Greek god like looks, iron like strength, steel hard determination, aura of a ruler… and both heart and soul of his mother, gentle and kind, yet fierce and strong if someone threatened those around him.
 
 
He could still remember the incident that happened while they were travelling around Japan… it had been his human night and while driving a storm caught them by surprise as they drove at a mountain road, he still berated himself for his stupidity, he should have along with Kouga and everyone else driving behind them to have pulled over but no… his crankiness had gotten the best of him and kept driving instead.
 
 
When they hit a downhill, the road had become too wet and slippery so the car wouldn't stop in time, he lost control and they all would have been thrown of the road when a turning point came into view, he was human and they could do nothing about it… sure Kagura could have done something if she had not been so exhausted and half asleep.
 
 
That was until Arc had suddenly opened the car door and without saying anything or before any of them could say or do anything, he had jumped out and with speed that would have made Sesshoumaru and Kouga pale easily in comparison moved in front of the car and… without hesitating one bit had placed both of his hands on the car's front and stopped them, of course the car did push him along the asphalt, leaving deep skid marks from his feet but he did stop them, though sadly not in time before he was caught between the railing and the car.
 
 
Inuyasha, he never really forgave himself for that… because of his stupidity their son could have been killed that night, he was supposed to be the one looking after his family but instead their own son had without hesitating saved all of them instead.
 
 
Arc had survived with some small injuries and to his luck no bones had been broken… though they did need to buy a new pair of sneakers for him. When he had regained consciousness, he had no real memory about it happening, which meant he had gone full demon at that moment and being untrained and still unused to being a Youkai he couldn't control one bit of it… though he did remember how he felt, he could remember being panicked and scared, not for himself but for his family and mate, then there was nothing except darkness.
 
 
His son had saved them on that night and remember nothing about it, of course… just about everyone there gave him hell for what he almost caused, especially Kagura… man, that woman was one scary dame when pissed, even scarier than Kagome.
 
 
For the rest of that night, he didn't make eye contact with anyone there, he was more ashamed, scared and angry at himself than ever before… not only had he endangered his own mate but his son and his mate as well! How could he have been so stupid?! Not to mention his stupidity didn't stop there, not only hadn't he almost killed his entire family, but when Kagome confronted him about it… god, it was like 30 years ago! They had an argument again, except this time it was far worse than before… resulting into a sit, she sat him for the first time while being human! They didn't talk since that happened, they didn't even stay in the same room, both of them were so angry at both each other and themselves… it was a mess.
 
 
He probably would have been depressed for the rest of the entire trip too if his son had not spoken to him on that night, that night… he wasn't sure had he been speaking to his son or Kagome, they were so similar: Both so understanding, warm and his voice held no hate at all… dear god, at that night it wasn't him who was encouraging his son but instead his own son was encouraging him!
 
 
He didn't really remember what all he said exactly but whatever it had been, it had literally taken him into a trance of some sort because the next thing he was aware of was that he was standing inside Kagome's room…
 
 
She wasn't asleep, in fact she was wide awake and had as he had expected been crying but when they're eyes locked, it was impossible to describe how it felt… they had not said a word, not even done any silent communication through their bond and yet just the fact they were in the same room, looking at each other with emotions swirling in them, it felt like a tsunami of forgiveness, relief and warmth just washed through them in an endless stream…
 
 
That night, their lovemaking had been different, the best way to describe it would that it was the mating ritual called =Union of Heart and Soul= (Check the prologue for details) and when it was done, both felt more warm than ever before… from that day forward, Inuyasha had tried to deal with his human nights a… bit less crankily.
 
 
Right now, as he sat there on the couch, he couldn't help but smile… his eyes felt a bit damp and he dried them while muttering silent curses, his son was indeed something no less than perfect… so with that feeling, he slowly made his way to his and Kagome's room, there was nothing more he could do for his son but to Kagome there was so much he could do, he was her mate and it was both his duty and desire to make her comfortable while their son was absent, he knew that the minute she woke up he would need to be there to calm her and her feel warm… with that, his final thoughts were: `Son, you do what you need to do back there and I'll make sure everything is alright at this end… though, knowing you, you're probably at this very moment probably up to your neck in trouble, even though you are not the type to hurt others, you ARE the type who jumps in to protect those who can't protect themselves… just like me, though without the “I'm a cocky jerk” attitude I have, hehehe…'
 
 
Even with Inuyasha's senses as a hanyou, he somehow did not see, sense, hear or smell the figure that was standing at the Goshin-boku's branches, this figure looked at the room where Kagome slept and saw Inuyasha enter it, then it observed as Kagome slowly awoke and after a few words were said, Inuyasha pulled her into an embrace and kept saying comforting things while Kagome just sobbed, the figure only sighed and thought with sad eyes: `Soon… it hurts to wait but I cannot do anything yet… just a month or two more, then it is time to explain everything and hope that my interference didn't cause things to go more worse than before, this is a dangerous gamble but it is too late to back down now, since no matter what may change… anything is more better than the previous result.' After thinking about that, the figure looked at the bracelet in it's hand and then at the rosary around it's neck… they both seemed to glow dimly, as if something was happening within them, after seeing this, the figure clenched it's arms into fists and when a breeze of wind blew past it, it was gone… disappeared within an blink of an eye.
 
 
*Back at the Feudal Era, was that present thing good?*
 
 
Arcs eyebrow was raised with curiosity, the hut was behind him as he stood at it's door and the people around him seemed to have moved to form a path for three VERY shady looking characters… they had the exactly same kind of robes and cloaks, wore the exactly same facial paintings and had the exactly same looking, sized and shaped weapons, which were swords but they weren't Japanese swords. Judging from the shape they were European swords, the kinds that knights used… odd.
 
 
They wore robes and underneath them was armour, which made their shoulder parts stick to the sides a bit, the cloaks were black from top to almost bottom, the bottom was dark violet coloured and the robes were decorated with light blue patterns, which weren't Japanese either, the robes had hoods as well but they were down so he could see they're faces: They weren't Japanese and didn't smell like Japanese either, they were Europeans, or Westerners to be accurate with this era's meanings.
 
 
The armour they wore underneath they're robes was thin, he could smell only a faint smell of metal beneath them and the way it seemed to clung onto the skin he would guess it was made of thin, yet hard and durable material, since it had the scent of unknown materials in it as well, metal was just one of them.
 
 
All three of them were men, about 30 years old, two had brown eyes while the one that stood in front of them had blue ones, all three had some weird, faint glow in their eyes that dimmed and glowed like twilight… he could feel magic in them, lot's of it.
 
 
The facial paintings they had were more like small written symbols and incantations, with his Youkai vision he could see that the writing was in Latin, the one language he sucked at, big time, the symbols looked to be of some weird cult/religious origin, he couldn't place where but he could swear he'd seen them before.
 
 
They're hair styles were also different, the two behind the `leader', he could guess he was the leader because he wore around his neck a pendant with a symbol of two weird fires taking the shapes of two birds that coiled around a mystical looking sword. One of the two behind this leader had blonde, short hair and the one next to him had red hair tied into a ponytail, then the one in front of them, the leader had dark brown hair that was a bit spiky… odd style, yet it reminded him of his own era.
 
 
All three of them had a scary aura around them, powerful and cold, their stare was like touching a block of ice… you could feel it coiling around your nerves and slowly make your resolution fail, making you shake with fear, if you were a normal person that is.
 
 
So these were the infamous =Moon Priests= he'd heard about, Sumira was right: These guys looked and felt merciless and the people had a pretty damn good reason to be scared of them, those eyes alone were freaky and the cold, calculative calmness in their faces made them look so emotionless, like they could kill everyone here and not even bathe an eye because of it… yet, this did not scare him, true it made him feel his arm trembling slightly but he didn't fear them, he didn't like them and if his assumptions were true then there would a pretty damn good reason to hate them as well.
 
 
Right now, they had stopped and the one who was the leader stepped forward, keeping a small distance between them, the people around them were whispering things… yet Arc paid no heed to them, his obsidian black eyes were focused on this priest, whose eyes glowing eyes were drilling into his own, as if trying to look for something… a weakness? Most likely, he was looking for fear in his eyes.
 
 
The silence was lethal, each second that passed made the tension grow more and more intense, just waiting for something to trigger the fuse and then blow wide open. Arc was thinking to himself: `These guys give me the creeps, their eyes hold no warmth in them… they move like trained soldiers, automated and perfectly synched… they have auras that would make a tree wither and that look he's giving me, he is already searching me out in case of battle, these people… they are not normal, no normal humans have eyes like those, so void of emotions and so full of cold calculative seriousness.'
 
 
Arc didn't know this but the priest himself was thinking: `So this is the stranger they are talking about? The one that brought `the child' back from the forest… It can't be him, his aura is not that of a warrior, he has barely been into any fights and his eyes look to soft to be that of a seasoned fighter, his swords barely have any stench of blood in them and from the look of his body, it is clear he has suffered only minimal amounts of pain… he is no warrior, just a swordsman wannabe… yet, his eyes show no fear, no hesitation and are steeled with determination, that is odd, those are the eyes of a true warrior… yet he is not a warrior, how highly odd and interesting.'
 
 
The silence stretched on and on, until Arc finally broke it by saying with a serious voice: “What do you want? You're disturbing a sick person and scaring a little girl, tell me what are you doing here but if it's nothing important then leave.” That made the people start whispering even more, Arcs tone was hard and almost defiant, he spoke to the priests like they were commoners… didn't he fear them at all?
 
 
Arc smirked inwardly because even if it was only for a second, he could see their stoic postures and faces falter in surprise for a mere second before becoming serious again, good… he had the element of surprise then, they didn't think he was to be taken seriously… he was familiar with this, high school tended to do that to him, especially after the time he had mated with Kagura, many still thought of him to be a timid little coward but when he showed them how he'd changed he'd caught them by surprise, this situation was no different, these priests were used to people being afraid of them and weren't expecting someone to be defiant of them like this… this only made his assumption about them more and more firm, just a little more would be needed to fully confirm them.
 
 
The other two priests remained silent while the leader said with a voice that would probably rival even Sesshoumaru in coldness: “We were informed about a stranger that came through the cursed forest, are that stranger?” Arc suppressed the urge to shiver at the tone his voice had, shit, talk about cold… he then answered while scratching his head: “Yes, I am… so what of it?” His own tone hadn't changed either, except there was some taunting in it now too.
 
 
The priest was silent for a few seconds before answering: “What is your name, stranger? It is unusual for someone to make it through the forest, especially alone.” Arc was silent for a moment too before he decided to test something and said: “Didn't your mother ever teach you that if you want someone's name you should introduce yourself first? You do have a name right?” His voice now held some small mockery in it as well, which didn't go unnoticed by the villagers, they were all dead silent now… their eyes were wide with horror, did this stranger have a death wish?!
 
 
That little mockery got him just the result he wanted, the two other priests behind the leader suddenly stepped forward and were about to pull their weapons out while saying with angry voices: “How dare you! Speak with respect to his holiness you insolent dog!” Arc didn't even try to hide his smirk, insolent dog? Well, that was more than accurate alright… hehehe… he saw them slowly pulling out their swords and he could feel and smell blood in them, they were experienced alright but nothing to be worried about, he could see that their stoic and calm postures were slipping, he then said with a humorous and mocking voice: “I should? So far I've been given no reason as to why… he didn't even introduce himself, that's damn rude if you ask me, is he just rude or is his name really “Mr. His-holiness-you-insolent-dog?” He could hear every last villager gasp and back away slowly, he could hear them whispering something like: “He is a dead man…”
 
 
Arc was more than pleased about what happened next, the other two priests seemed to become really angry but before they could say another word or even pull their swords out any more the leader suddenly, in a motion far quicker than even Arcs eyes could follow had pulled out his own sword and held in sideways in front of the two other priests, who stopped dead on their tracks and they're eyes widened with fright, Arc was right… these two were clearly younger and not that experienced yet, since a small taunt like that pissed them off and made them drop their calmness and let anger take over, they were strong, no doubt about that but they're personalities were another thing entirely.
 
 
They were clearly the types that wanted obedience, submission… and when someone is defiant they resolve to use force, typical type for those with power. Yet, the leader was clearly more wiser than the other two, more stronger and dangerous too, that movement was fast, had this been a battle… he could have cut Arc in two before he could even draw his own sword! He had to be careful and alert around this one it would seem, his resolve was firm but he couldn't help but feel afraid of this guy now, he was no pushover… but a clear, cold and skilled fighter, it both made him feel afraid and excited, his human side was being careful while his demonic side was getting anxious about fighting him, he hated this part about his blood.
 
 
The sword he had was also both beautiful and lethal looking, the edges weren't smooth but instead it looked more like a saw, both sides had those saw like edges in them, the blade was a beautiful mixture of obsidian black and blood red, with dark blue runes in it… that sword was lethal, if that was jammed into someone's stomach and then pulled out, it would cause a lethal wound no matter where it would be struck… both pierce, cut, cleave and saw the body…
 
 
He gulped silently, it was also flowing with a strong magic aura, a mystical sword, the opposite of a demon sword like Tetsusaiga, Tensaiga or Toukijin, but those swords appeared only in Europe like king Arthur's legendary sword Excalibur… while Japan had demonic swords Europe had mystical swords but that only made him wonder even more: What the hell were Europeans doing so openly in Japan like these priests? Weren't Westerners shunned in Japan until much later in history? Though it is true that many things aren't mentioned in history books, like the Youkai war for instance… so this time period was more darker and mysterious than the dark ages of Europe, many things weren't recorded during those periods so anything could have happened during those times…
 
 
(Sorry if that's not too good of a reason, but for the benefit of the plot something like this needed to be established, tell me if it's good or bad.)
 
 
As the leader stopped the other two, they were about to ask something but the look he gave them shut them up immediately, as if already knowing what they did wrong. Everyone around them was deadly silent… not to mention the scent of fear was heavy in the air, just waiting to be triggered into a total pandemonium.
 
 
The leader sheathed his sword after the two others calmed down and then said to Arc with that same cold voice: “You have more guts than I expected… normally I would simply cut you in half for your insolence but since you had the guts to ask for my name, I will let you live.” Arc knew that was no empty threat, yet he wouldn't let it phase him.
 
 
The leader then closed his eyes for a moment before answering: “I am Jei, Priest warrior, 1st class. These two are Arbel and Flint, (Arbel, the one with red hair, Flint is the other one) Priest warriors, 3rd class. Are you going to tell us your name now, or didn't your mother teach you any manners either?”
 
 
Arc growled mentally, his Youkai blood was offended for him insulting his mother… yet he stomped it down for now and answered while bowing his head: “My name is Arcerdo, a wondering swordsman and to some degree a Houshi as well.” He then raised his head again and asked: “Now that we know each other, was that all?” His tone did not change, which made both Arbel and Flint's eyebrows twitch, they really hated him already.
 
 
Jei looked at Arcerdo for what seemed like an eternity before saying: “No, we were also told you did something to that cursed woman, I warn you: Do not interfere with our mission, that woman is cursed by divine retribution and…” Arc had heard enough, though he had just began talking he had heard enough, so they were just going to let Renko die? It angered him to no end, god or no god, Renko had done nothing to deserve this, the only crime she had really committed was that she acted like a real mother should: Protect her child at any cost, even if it meant defying these people.
 
 
Arc wasn't normally this angry to anyone but hearing these people talking about god and letting someone suffer because of it made his anger boil, it could be because in the modern day people used that word for so many hypocritical things it was sickening… not to mention his assumptions were one step away from being confirmed and that only served as fuel to the already burning inferno of hate he felt.
 
 
So without letting Jei finish what he started, Arc just slammed his fist at the side of the door of the hut, making a large dent into it and that caught everyone's attention and then he said while gritting his teeth, his voice full of disgust and hate: “Divine retribution? Don't make me laugh… there is nothing divine about any of this! What has she done to be cursed by the gods? Besides the fact she helped these villagers when no one else did, she brought antidote for the insects poison despite what might happen to her, she is a loving mother and not to mention the only one with enough guts left in this entire god forsaken village that stood up against you by simply saying: “No” when you tried to take her child away from her! So tell me, oh priest, what is the reason she is cursed and by what exactly?” His eyes were burning into all three of them, which made Arbel and Flint flinch slightly, those eyes were damn scary…
 
 
The villagers around him were stunned as well, this man was… openly challenging the priests words? He was standing up against them…? Then what he had said also began to sink into them, Renko had been the one who really did collect those berries, she was a good person… yet, she was cursed and there had to be some evil reason why, there just had to be! Then also the words Arc said about her being the only one with guts left in this entire village, he was right… the people here had no courage left, yet what could they do?
 
 
Of course some didn't see it that way either, some were already thinking that Arc was a blasphemer and a heretic, not to mention the way he talked to the priests was simply outrageous… how dared a young, insolent little brat talk to them like that?
 
 
Jei merely raised an eyebrow before answering with that same cold voice, except this time it held a certain `preacher' like tone in it: “Her child is the source of this village's troubles and catastrophes, she is tainted by the insects and they will keep coming for her while she is alive, this woman is willingly defending the source of all this evil and so her body has been cursed by greater powers as punishment for protecting the cursed child, as long as that child is tainted with the insects curse, the insects won't stop attacking here, our barrier will not last forever, sooner or later they will get through, hence we must `purify' the child before it is too late.”
 
 
Arc had a pretty good idea what his `purifying' bullshit was all about, yet he still asked: “What's with this `purifying' bullshit, are you carrying some kind of cleaning liquids or something to clean her with?” There was another heavy silence in the air before Jei answered: “No, you have it all wrong, boy… we will purify the child with the sacred fire of our god, which only burns those who have evil in their hearts, though I doubt there is even one person in this entire village who does not have even a tint of evil in they're hearts.” With that, he looked at everyone around them, which made them take a step backwards and shudder, which only made Arc even more angrier than before.
 
 
He then said with a cold voice of his own: “Excuse me but… for some odd, really strange and weird reason I fail to see the difference between this `purifying' thing and `murder', since that is what it's basically all about, beneath all that `divine' crap.” This resulted in another round of whispers and gasps, which only made Arc grit his teeth harder, when the priests didn't answer, Arc said while composing himself and looking around the people with cold hatred in his own eyes: “And you people! I can't believe what ungrateful, selfish and cowardly bastards you all are! Thanks to this woman you are so eager to blame for all this, many of you are alive to this day because of the berries she collected while risking her own life and this is how you repaid her?! By letting her suffer because these… three cold blooded assholes told you to!? You people sicken me, so does this god you three are supposed to represent, people like you should be lending a hand of redemption to those who suffer and not raise an iron fist against a suffering mother and her daughter!”
 
 
Arc was not sure what made him say all this, it could be that he really liked Chizu, her mother Renko and Sumira and his instincts as a dog told him to protect them in all ways possible, even verbally… he welcomed it.
 
 
All this time, the villagers without really realising it where being separated into two already, some found truth and logic in this young mans words while others saw him as a heretic and as an infidel.
 
 
The two other priests were ready to cut this insolent bastard down at any given signal from Jei… but it never came, Jei merely looked at Arc with cold eyes but they held concealed curiosity… this young man, he was wise beyond his years, he could tell from the tone he used and the words he said, this young man might grow into being a very fine warlord because he could already see the people being divided into two factions already, with just words alone he was able to start persuading these people to his side, with just words and a few minutes he had already started something that took them days, he was both interesting and at the same time dangerous, if he divided the people it would not be good.
 
 
Jei then replied: “Nevertheless, that woman is beyond salvation, her curse has already…” And at that exact moment, Jei's eyes widened with surprise, which made Arc first look at him with confusion as well as at all the other villager's around him, what were they looking at? Then as he followed their line of sight he understood why, because at the door stood none other than Renko, supported by both Sumira and Chizu, looking like a healthy human, yet still weak.
 
 
For the first time since seeing him, Jei's stoic mask broke for a moment before fixing it again, what the hell was this?! How was that woman up and looking so healthy!??! She was supposed to be dying! How was this…?
 
 
Renko then smiled while looking at Arc, the three of them said nothing and that made Arc a bit confused, what were they smiling about…? He just shrugged and saw something flashing in Jei's eyes… he smirked at that, though confused about why he was enjoying this situation so much…
 
 
Arc had managed to see this surprise and told with a smirk: “Beyond salvation my hairy ass, all I did was help her and look at this, she's up again.” Jei remained silent, he honestly didn't know how to reply to this one… but Flint beat him to it and said: “You heretic! You interfered with divine retribution?! Do you have any idea what you have done!? You've damned yourself for helping these cursed people!” Arc just looked back at him with cold hate and answered: “You know what dipshit? If being a heretic means helping people while serving your god means letting them suffer, then I would gladly become a demon instead and help people while you just sit back and let them die!” That had more reactions than it should have, for mentioning that gladly becoming a demon part, many people looked at him with fear, disgust and some with amazement, not to mention Flint was absolutely seething with anger now, he was openly mocking them and he'd had it…
 
 
Jei noticed it too late because before he could completely pick himself up from what Arcerdo said, Flint had pulled out his sword and was charging towards Arcerdo with his Holy power flaring up with anger…
 
 
Arc had expected… no, waited for something like this to happen and he could feel the Holy power coming from Flint, it was strong but it was in chaos, now he understood what Chizu meant when she thought he had been a =Moon Priest= when he had used his powers to heal her leg, so these priests were trained in Holy powers, which must mean that people are restricted from using magic… interesting.
 
 
Of course, Arc needed to went out some anger and with that, he let his own powers flare up, though he had used a lot of it while fighting the curse, what he had left was more than enough for this one.
 
 
When his powers flared up, he quickly drew Tetsusaiga while it was sheathed and blocked Flints sword before making a quick flick with his wrist, which sent Flint's sword flying away and before he could recover from it, Arc somehow focused a lot of his powers into his fist and rammed it into the side of Flints face, hitting him hard into the cheek, sending him rolling onto the ground in pain while spitting out a few teeth.
 
 
The silence was more than lethal this time, now he had done… he'd struck a Moon priest, not only had he defied them and mocked them, now he'd attacked one. Yet, the people did not react, they had all felt the power his aura radiated when attacking, even though it was huge it held no malice, no hatred, nothing negative at all… not to mention, Renko, the woman who was supposed to be beyond help was now looking more recovered than ever before… the people were both torn and confused, the defeat of the priest had ignited a tsunami of confused feelings among them.
 
 
Jei looked at Arc with calculative eyes and thought: `That power… what kind of an aura was that? It was fierce and powerful like a demon and yet it was pure and warm like that of something divine… this man, he is worn out but even still he easily defeated Flint, true he was enraged but that still means he won… this young man, he is truly interesting.' Flint had by that time gotten up with the help of Arbel and said to Jei with hate: “Your holiness, he struck me… he has committed an ultimate crime, he must be punished for this!” Jei looked at Flint with his cold eyes, he wondered about these new priests, they were far too… aggressive, he would need to talk to the high priests about this, hatred was not good for their cause, not good at all.
 
 
Jei then looked at Arc and the three others behind him, the people around them were also looking like lost sheep without a shepherd, if he attacked now… he would divide these people for good, since Arcs actions and words seemed to have awoken more different feelings than he anticipated, Renko's sudden recovery was a major influence and now if he made a wrong move now, it would wind up into a total disaster… so instead, he did the one thing a wise leader must sometimes do, no matter how much it stings: Walk away in peace, for now.
 
 
So Jei turned around and began to walk away, which made both Arbel and Flint start to protest but he silenced them by saying: “You attacked him while he was not being hostile, I did not give the order to attack and you fought while blinded with rage, you have ashamed yourself and me with your childish actions, Flint, by fairness I should offer your arm as an apology to him for your actions but I suppose you wouldn't want that would you Arcerdo?” Every last one there gasped except Arc, he merely shook his head and said: “No, I do not, all I want is that all three of you leave here now and stop bothering these two, I will soon find the source of her curse and destroy it…. so as an apology you three will leave this mother and her daughter alone, agreed?”
 
 
Jei stopped for a moment, as if contemplating something but after that he said: “Agreed, we will not harm the child nor her mother in any possible way.” With that, he merely walked away and both Flint and Arbel walked after him, though Flint threw Arc a hate filled look promising vengeance for this… As they walked away, Arc said to the villagers: “That goes for you too, harass these two any in form or way and I will personally make you pay for it, understood?” With that, he walked back into the hut as Sumira, Chizu and Renko let him in, the people outside talked some more as they began to walk away, more intrigued and confused about what had just happened…
 
 
As soon as they entered the hut, Arc said: “As much as I would love to talk to you all… I must sadly say… that…” He couldn't finish what he started because his vision went blurry and the next thing he felt was hitting the floor, then going limb and darkness took over, he had been about to tell them he would rest now since he used far too much Holy power and it literally drained him out completely.
 
 
*At the shrine, where the Shikon no Tama used to be held*
 
 
The three priests entered the shrine, one of them royally pissed off, the other neutral while the last one obviously planning to do something soon… then, as soon as the door was slid shut, Jei suddenly turned, grabbed Flint by his shoulders and kneed him VERY hard in the stomach, after he was on the ground, more confused than before and in pain, Jei shouted at him, his cold and stoic face turning into one of anger: “You idiot! How many times have I taught that NEVER act on anger!? If you're going to give me the excuse about him hurting your pride, I will kill you right here and now… since because of this `pride' of yours, we cannot get that child anymore without breaking the promise… everyone in this village knows about it by now and if we forcefully take the child now while her mother is getting better, it will result in a total disaster! What do you have to say in your defence you stupid idiot?!”
 
 
Flint couldn't say anything, Arc had hurt his pride so he had attacked… now if he said it, Jei would kill him and he wasn't bluffing either… so instead he remained silent and rose onto his knees before bowing and said his sincerest apologies.
 
 
Jei calmed himself down and then said while pacing back and forth: “For now, there is nothing more we can do, this Arcerdo… there is too much we don't know about him, right now, some villagers are already starting to agree with his words so that means attacking him directly will result in an uprising or at very least everything will go completely crazy. So for now, let's bide our time and see if we can find a weakness in him, there is bound to be a secret he is hiding from everyone… and we will find out what it is, then use it against him, even if I cannot tolerate your childish actions Flint, I do agree that no one rises against us and walks away unscathed, not even his… Arcerdo…”
 
 
 
To Be Continued…
 
“Nightfall comes… I have just made enemies out of them, the Moon Priests…
 
Yet, are my assumptions correct, do I really now know what is going on…?
 
… No, one more thing is missing, yet finding it may be hard since…
 
Keeping my cover is now impossible, two people already know, or will figure it out soon.” - Arcerdo Higurashi
 
 
Next Chapter: =Secret revealed…?=
 
 
 
A/N: Whew, there… NOW tell me how it went, should I re-write this whole chapter because I am being doubtful about how well it went, be honest now, please.
 
- Zelix, see next time!