Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Grief ❯ Fallen Survivor ( Chapter 5 )

Five

Fallen Survivor

 

Barren wastelands stretched out where vast forests had once reigned supreme.

Fear encompassed his kingdom where joy used to be the daily agenda.

Power now glowed in his eyes that were once hidden behind an emotionless mask.

And he loved every bit of it.

Kojiatsu looked out over his desolate lands, demons fighting and killing one another for the last scrap of rotted meat. A dark smile painted his lips as he watched their suffering—feeling empowered by their hapless, fear-driven lives day to day…

“Sire, he is here as you requested.”

A soft voice broke his concentration, causing Kojiatsu looked behind him with hatred flashing in his crimson eyes. The apparition who had spoken began to tremble instantly as he fell to the ground, groveling before the easily agitated poison demon. Kojiatsu smirked in pleasure at this, and looked emotionlessly—apart from the hungering look that seemed always present in his scarlet eyes—at a bloody and bruised Ice Master struggling fruitlessly with the two, huge apparitions holding him down in a kneeling position before their judgmental “demon-lord.”

“Touya…is it not?” Kojiatsu began in his booming voice. His features softened suddenly, looking down at the trapped Ice Master with a sickening glow in his eyes. “The last of your Shinobi tribe, am I correct?”

The blue-haired apparition looked up in scornful ire at his captor, and spit on the ground at Kojiatsu's feet—the action causing the two guards behind him to slam him down painfully on the stone floor. Touya winced, but bit his tongue to keep from crying out—a metallic taste filling his mouth and dribbling down his bottom lip ever so slightly.

“Tch, tch, tch…” Kojiatsu clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth while wagging his finger almost childishly out in front of him, “Now Touya…that is no way to treat your new King…I'll have you know that I killed another Shinobi for such insolence. A certain…red-headed young man…oh now what was his name?...”

Touya's eyes widened in horror as a certain Wind Master filled his thoughts.

“Ji…” Once again the Ice Master bit his tongue—cursing inwardly at his stupidity.

“Oh yes! Jin. Thank you for reminding me,” Kojiatsu's eyes danced with madness, “Yes, that foolish Wind Master came up here by himself, yelling some nonsense about me killing my daughter, or something like that…”

The Ice Master's eyes widened even more, and then narrowed almost spontaneously as he glared up at the crazed tyrant.

“So…it was you… You made Jin like he was…so quiet and sad…so filled with hatred…”

“I don't know why he cared so much about that insolent wench. In the end, she was as bloodthirsty as me…”

“SHUT UP!”

Kojiatsu looked down in mock-surprise as the now-enraged Ice Master struggled viciously against his captors. He cried out in rage—his eyes completely turning a light blue color—which soon turned to a cry of agony as a metal-bound collar around Touya's neck shot the demonic energy he was trying to exert back at him.

The poison Lord chuckled darkly, placing his forefinger and thumb on his chin purposefully.

“Do you like my energy barrier? Yes, and it's even a stylish neck-piece!” His laughter filled the room suddenly, sending shivers down all three of the demons' spines.

Touya looked downcast as he choked back a sob of failure. Jin…couldn't be dead… he continued to tell himself over and over. It isn't possible…

And what about Sho?

When Kojiatsu had sent his daughter down to his redheaded friend for training, Touya had not liked the girl one bit. She seemed so dark, so…emotionless. To the inquisitive Ice Master, she seemed just like her strange, evil-consumed father.

But one day, Jin had begun to hop on a happier foot—as if the buoyant Wind Master couldn't get any happier! And during the late nights, Touya would often spot the pair sitting out beneath a certain tree beneath the stars…one time he had even heard the girl cry…

And when she left, the Wind Master had been so crestfallen. He would sometimes sulk around, or shirk his duties.

Until one fateful afternoon.

Jin came to tell the Ice Master of his plans. He wanted to go and see if Sho would come back with him…if the beautiful she-demon would be his mate and live with the Shinobi clan. Touya had called him mad. Said that she was just like her father. But Jin didn't believe that…

And he was right…

The Wind Master didn't come back for a few days, and when he did, Touya was shocked at the utter hatred brimming in his usually soft, blue eyes. He wouldn't say what had happened, would not even speak to anyone. And all this time Touya had thought it had been because he had been right.

But now…now he knew the truth…

He looked up at the poison demon, great bellows of laughter still erupting from his gut. Such hatred and shame filled his heart then when he realized that he had classed that young woman with this…this bastard…

“You…are a monster…” he muttered.

Kojiatsu's laughter ceased suddenly as he looked down to regard the solemn Ice Master.

“What did you say?” he growled.

Touya's eyes slowly lifted to meet the madly glowing crimson orbs of the tyrant, and for a split-second, he could've sworn that he had seen a flicker of unsure fear lingering in the crazed depths.

“Kojiatsu…I hope you rot in hell for eternity! You are nothing but a greedy beast that can't do anything without having others do it for you!”

A giant fist came swinging across the Ice Master's jaw, and Touya's world went black.

Kojiatsu stared down in fury at the unconscious Shinobi, and with a motion of his hand, the two demon guards were dragging him back down to his prison cell. The poison Lord turned away in rage, and once again looked out the large window that he had been before the messenger and the arrogant Ice Master had interrupted him…

Blood and tears painted this land where it had once been fed from the life of the earth.

And each day, more and more souls were fed to his arsenal…everyday he became stronger…everyday he hungered for more blood to feast upon…