InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Windows on the West ❯ The Swords of an Honorable Ruler ( Chapter 10 )

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

The Swords of an Honorable Ruler

Disclaimer:  I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

-oOo-

Father... I think I understand more of your words now, though I still do not understand all of what you believed.   Compassion towards those less powerful is not entirely wasted...

Sesshoumaru glanced sideways at his ward, and the little miko he also now protected.  No, he couldn't deny that he understood some of what his father had been trying to get him to understand.  

Still...

His father had been the most powerful being alive, with the power of heaven, earth, and hell incorporated into the three swords he carried.  And Sesshoumaru, carrying only the power of heaven,  the power of compassion, was therefore never going to be able to surpass his father – or so it seemed to him.  Inuyasha was the same – he carried also only one third of his father's great power – not that the whelp would be any stronger even if he did carry all three swords.  He was hanyou, and therefore not equal to the stature of a full youkai.

How, then, am I to finally surpass my father, and truly take over the mantle of alpha, if I only have one-third of my birthright?  He gave Tessaiga to Inuyasha, and the half-breed needs that blade to even maintain his sanity.  As for Sou'unga... that devil blade is not one this one wishes to have to listen to for eternity.  And it is in hell, regardless...

“It is not possible, then, to become greater than my father,”  he murmured, momentarily forgetting his companions in his preoccupation.  Until one of them answered.

“What do you mean?”  Kagome asked, brow furrowed.  She didn't think he'd meant for them to overhear, but he had spoken aloud...

He glanced at her again, though his pace did not falter, then turned his gaze back to contemplate the road ahead.

“This one's great father carried the power of Heaven, Earth, and Hell, in his hands – but only gifted the Sword of Heaven to me.  I... have come to the realization that because I only have one-third of his  power, I can never become as great as, or greater than, he.”  His tone was flat, not carrying his disquiet – but Kagome heard it, nonetheless.

She frowned deeper, her finger coming up to stroke across her lip thoughtfully.  “You know... I don't think that actually having the swords is really necessary, Sesshoumaru-sama.  I think you simply need to understand the three.”

He was silent for a moment, then... “Understand?”

“Mhmm.  The power of heaven, or Tenseiga, is life.  The power of Tessaiga, the sword of earth, is death... and the power of Sou'unga, or hell-”  here she shivered, which did not go unnoticed by the stoic Lord,  “-is control of death.”

“This one would think that Sou'unga was the power of death in any form, miko,”  Sesshoumaru scoffed, remembering that devil of a sword.  

“Only to those it could corrupt.”  She cast a sidelong glance his way.  “But you are not one of those, are you, Sesshoumaru-sama?  That's why the sword didn't go after you when Inuyasha brought it back here.  Because just like Tokijiin, you would never have bowed to its will.”  She sighed.  “The truth is, whether your father had carried all three swords, or not, his power would have been the same – because he understood the three things those swords represented.  His true power was knowledge, Sesshoumaru-sama, and the wisdom to wield those swords, was the result of that knowledge.”

He was quiet for a time, obviously thinking over her words.  

“How does the understanding of this help me?  Whether I understand or not, I still have not the swords that accompanied his supposed understanding, miko, and therefore, cannot equal him.  The swords of an honorable ruler...”  he trailed off.

Kagome chuckled, then.  “Don't you see, Sesshoumaru-sama?  Your father understood the concepts of life and death, and how to judge between them... didn't Tenseiga and Tessaiga come from his fangs?”

Sesshoumaru was undeniably struck by her words, pausing in his forward tread for a single, startled moment, before resuming his pace.  

“You are correct, miko... still, what of Sou'unga?”

At that, Kagome frowned, and shook her head, before looking away.  “I don't think that power over the dead is something that any living being should have.  I... your father really didn't have a choice in taking control of that stupid thing, from what I understand – but what happened after the battle with Sou'unga proves that your father wanted it cast into hell, and when the chance presented itself, he was pleased that his sons took it.  The power over the dead should be left to the kami,”  she finished quietly.  “Some things even daiyoukai shouldn't mess with.”

He glanced at her curiously.  “What of Kagura?”  

“Oh, Kagura,”  she said dismissively.  “She doesn't control the dead, merely their bodies.  They are still soulless, because their soul has moved on.  Sou'unga, though, he actually recalled the souls, placing them back into the dead bodies.  They were in so much pain...”  she trailed off, her expression uncomfortable.

“Hn,”  Sesshoumaru agreed, not surprised that the little priestess fully understood the difference between Kagura's power, and Sou'unga's... it was obvious she had access to unbound wisdom.

Her soul truly is old, he mused, sighing inwardly.  

I wonder what other things I will learn from her presence?

It did not occur to him to be surprised that he was even thinking about such a thing as learning something from a simple human.

Already, her presence had begun to change the supposedly unchangeable daiyoukai...


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