Two Fangs
A
week passed in a blur as Sesshoumaru phased in and out of lucidity. He was never alone.
His father’s mate was at his side most of the times he awoke, which irritated him.
The Great Demon, himself was sometimes there, though not as often as Jaken or Jigokuyari.
Kuailong, if ever she attended him, was never there when he was awake. He seemed to recall
being told she was at the lair of the Yomitora, trying to gather more information on Lord
Yasha, though he couldn’t remember who had told him that. When he slept, he had weird
dreams: Most of them involved a giant serpent, but some featured a small demon boy with
wolf’s ears, like Lord Nishi’s. At first, Sesshoumaru assumed he was dreaming of
his father but the more he saw the child, the more certain he became that that wasn’t
the case, despite the boy’s resemblance to the old Lord. Last time he faded back into
unconsciousness, Sesshoumaru saw the boy as a grown man. He looked like a pauper in dirty
clothes made from Fire Rat’s fur, his hair disheveled, and his face a little grubby.
There was a sword in his belt, and that was what held Sesshoumaru’s attention in the
dream. Something about that sword… Something important… Just as he woke up,
Sesshoumaru heard the sword’s name, softly sighed on the wind, but as soon as his
eyes opened, the name was gone. All that was left, was the image of a fang.
Jigokuyari’s scent filled
Sesshoumaru’s nose when he awoke, and he turned his head to find his old friend
sitting on his right, watching him with glittering eyes. "What time is it?"
"Almost sundown," the young demon
told him quietly. "You only slept a day and a half this time. That’s an
improvement."
Sesshoumaru blinked sleep out of his eyes and
tried to remember the name of the sword in his dream, but all that would come to him was
the word "fang". He could see the weapon vividly in his mind’s eye: Frayed
hilt, worn sheath, nicked, dull blade. It was an old sword, apparently, and badly kept. It
was shameful not to properly care for one’s sword and allow it to fall into such
terrible disrepair. Sesshoumaru’s teeth clenched at the very thought.
"How are you feeling today?"
Jigokuyari asked him when he didn’t reply to his last comment. "Hungry?"
Sigh. "Thirsty and hungry. More thirsty.
Where is Kuailong?"
"Still with the Yomitora," Jigokuyari
replied as he got up and went to slide back the door. Jaken was waiting outside and seemed
to be nodding off. The sound of the door opening brought him to attention, but Jigokuyari
kept him from speaking or going into his Lord’s room with a raised hand. "Bring
your Lord water and soup," he commanded.
Jaken peered through Jigokuyari’s legs at
Sesshoumaru, but the other demon had his eyes closed, so Jaken hurried off on his errand.
"I swear I will never want to see another
bowl of soup after I’ve recovered," Sesshoumaru joked sourly.
"Would you like something else,
instead?" Jigo asked.
Sesshoumaru shook his head. "No. Has
Kuailong discovered anything interesting about Yasha?"
His friend nodded. "As you suspected,
he’s a sorcerer. Kuailong claims she can smell the sorcery on him, but…" he
paused, then chuckled self-consciously. "Who am I to argue with the granddaughter of
the Great Dragon of China? But I never imagined magic had a scent."
"Perhaps she smelled it with something
other than her nose," Sesshoumaru suggested and grimaced at the weakness in his own
voice. Would it really take months for him to recover? That was unacceptable! His father
would need him on the battlefield when the Yomitora with their demon allies attacked,
which could happen any day now.
Suddenly, Jigokuyari leaned down close and
whispered excitedly: "Forget Yasha and Kuailong for a moment, Sesshoumaru. Lord Nishi
has summoned Toutousai to the forge."
"What?!" Sesshoumaru’s eyes went
wide. "What sort of weapon is he making? Have you heard anything?"
Jigo shook his head with a disappointed pout.
"The details are being kept secret, even from the Lord’s vassals. The old man
arrived this morning, and I’ve been dying for rumor of his mission all day, to no
avail. But I thought you should know."
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes with a sigh, but
his heart raced in his chest. Toutousai forged magical weapons of immense power. He was
the finest demon smith in all of Japan, by reputation. Sesshoumaru had never met the man,
but his father had told him tales of Toutousai’s infamous weapons. The smith,
himself, was supposed to be incredibly eccentric, but Sesshoumaru figured that was just
the price of genius. If the old man had been called to make a weapon for Lord Nishi, then
the Lord must have learned of some terrible weapon the Yomitora planned to use against
him! But what could it be that Lord Nishi didn’t think he and his vassals could beat
it with their usual weapons and power?
"Why is my father having Toutousai make
him a weapon?" Sesshoumaru asked. "Is it to counter some weapon the Yomitora
plan to bring against him? Was there a rumor from the enemy?" Breathing was becoming
difficult, but this news was too exciting for Sesshoumaru to even attempt to save his
strength to eat his meal when it arrived.
Jigokuyari had other ideas. "I have heard
nothing—not from Lord Nishi, nor any of the other vassals, nor even from Kuailong
when I see her, which is rare. So, asking me more questions will only leave you too weak
to eat. And if you don’t eat, you will be too weak to ask me more questions next time
you awaken." He tapped Sesshoumaru on the shoulder with a sharp claw. "Rest, my
friend."
"I’m fine…"
"You are not fine at all," Jigo shot
back impatiently. "But you will be if you rest. I swear on my honor, Sesshoumaru, I
know nothing more than what I’ve told you."
Sesshoumaru nodded and closed his eyes to wait
for Jaken to return with his supper.
Another day passed, and Sesshoumaru awoke to
find his father and Shinju by his futon, with Jaken sitting near his feet. The Lady was
arranging a bowl of fragrant soup on a small tray at her knees. There was a pot of tea on
her right, and four small cups on the tray. Kuailong entered the room just as Shinju began
to pour the tea. The dragon knelt on the other side of Sesshoumaru from Shinju and Nishi
and smiled at the young prince. Her nun’s habit was gone, and she was dressed in
black leggings and a short, black jacket. She took a Chinese sword in a red, lacquered
sheath from her belt and lay it on the floor beside her.
"How do you feel today, Sesshoumaru?"
She asked. "Well enough to sit up for a little while and hear what your father has to
tell you?"
Sesshoumaru nodded and allowed her to put her
arm under his shoulders and help him sit up. The room spun for a few moments as he tried
to get his balance, then he tucked his legs under him and put his hands on his knees, so
he could lean on them. Lady Shinju put the tray in front of him with a polite, little
smile, then handed a cup of tea to her mate, then Kuailong. "Jigokuyari told me
you’ve summoned Toutousai, My Lord," Sesshoumaru began weakly. He stared at the
soup and tea, wanting both, but not sure he had the strength to free even one hand to pick
up either to sip without toppling over. Jaken noticed his dilemma and scurried over to
help his master eat, but Sesshoumaru took the soup bowl from the little demon with a scowl
and tremblingly lifted the soup to his lips.
"I did summon Toutousai," Lord Nishi
told him, watching his son’s careful movements as if he’d never seen anyone eat
soup before. "I asked him to forge two swords." He paused, then told Sesshoumaru
to look at him.
Sesshoumaru put down the soup bowl and tried to
turn his body toward his father, but it took too much effort, so he just turned his head.
Much to his surprise and puzzlement, Lord Nishi just grinned at him, showing his sharp,
white teeth. It took Sesshoumaru a moment to realize what he wanted him to see,
then…"Your fangs!" Sesshoumaru gasped. Both of Lord Nishi’s upper
fangs were gone. "Father, what happened to your—" Then he got it. Two
missing fangs. Two swords. Toutousai was making weapons from the Great Demon’s fangs.
His dream of the demon boy came back to him in a flash, and Sesshoumaru knew the name of
the sword he held. "Tetsusaiga…"
That surprised everyone in the room, especially
Lord Nishi. "How do you know that name?"
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and focused on
breathing and calming his heart. "I saw it in a dream," he explained slowly.
"There was a boy in my dream—a demon with wolf ears like yours, Father. He was
dirty and dressed in worn clothing. His sword was tattered and nicked, as if he
hadn’t cared for it properly. Just as I awoke, I heard the sword’s name:
Tetsusaiga."
There was silence in the room for several
heartbeats, while Sesshoumaru and his father locked eyes. Then Lord Nishi closed his eyes
and sighed. "One of the swords is named Tetsusaiga. It’s brother is called
Tenseiga. One deals death, the other life. Tetsusaiga will be able to slay a thousand
demons in a single stroke, but Tenseiga will be able to raise them again from the dead.
Toutousai forged these blades from my own fangs to be used by my sons."
A sword that could slay a thousand demons in a
stroke! Sesshoumaru’s eyes sparkled with delight at the thought. That was a weapon
worthy of a Great Demon’s firstborn son and heir! And a sword that could raise the
dead was perfect for a son who was half-mortal and more easily killed. His father had the
most marvelous foresight! "Tetsusaiga…" he sighed, as if whispering a
lover’s name. "Whatever allies Lord Arashi sends to the Yomitora will be no
match for such a weapon! You will defeat them in a single stroke, My Lord! Then they will
fear the name of the Great Demon of the West too much to ever dream of making war on us
again!" He turned sparkling eyes on his father and asked: "Has Toutousai
finished the swords, My Lord?"
Lord Nishi shook his head with a thoughtful
expression. "Not yet, but he has promised I will have them in hand by sundown three
days from now. I will use them while I live, my son," Lord Nishi assured him in a
gentle voice as he lay a hand on Sesshoumaru’s shoulder. "When your brother is
old enough for me to know where his abilities lie, then I will decide who shall have which
sword upon my death."
Ah. An inheritance. Would he even be allowed to
train with Tetsusaiga, Sesshoumaru wondered bitterly but chose not to ask. His father had
made it clear that only he would use the fangs while he was alive.
"Look at me, Sesshoumaru," Lord Nishi
commanded, and his son obediently turned his eyes back to him. "When the boy is old
enough, I want you to teach him, as his older brother. I will instruct him, as well, of
course, but it is important to me that you be a brother to him." The hard look in his
golden eyes said the rest: Despite your feelings about his heritage, that look said.
Sesshoumaru’s jaw tightened, and he
nodded. "Yes, Father."
"Good," Lord Nishi said with a
relieved smile and patted his son’s shoulder. "Excellent. Now finish your meal,
then we will see if you can move about with assistance. Kuailong feels it is important for
you to get some exercise if you have the strength."
Sesshoumaru looked to Kuailong who nodded.
"But not too much at first. We can talk while you eat and exercise." With a
mischievous smirk, she added: "I have news for you about Lord Yasha. I think you will
find it all very interesting."