Whispers Of Elysium:

The Child The World Forgot

Chapter Ten

A/N:

Oh my gentle fucking Jesus! I’m alive!!!

The air was thick, almost impossible to breathe into her system. It was neither cold nor hot, but there was a breeze flowing around her. She could feel her clothes and hair fluttering around her arms and legs. Her eyes were closed, but she knew it was sunny at least. She could feel the sun on her eyelids, but not its heat. The throbbing pain of her body was gone and the sensation of having her very skin stretched was no longer present. She felt as though she’d been resting, finally waking up after a long nap.

‘What happened?’ Her eyelids began to flutter as she frowned, trying to recall what had happened to her last. She remembered her pain for sure, as well as the strange shifts in temperature. She remembered rushing from the old miko Kaede’s hut, pushing her already strained body past its limits as she did so. She remembered coming across the scene of the fight with the bear youkai, making the call that had saved Kagome and the others.

‘I...I fell...my legs gave out and I was helpless...’ Silver light flashed before her eyes and suddenly she remembered the moment when blue light had formed into a person. Said person was male, youkai, and so powerful that even she, someone who had no skill or training in such things, could sense it.

‘Sesshoumaru...’ Tall and regal just like Aleeria had known him to be. But warmth had left his face, left his demeanor. He was cold, ruthless, and calculating. A fearsome taiyoukai that no one dared to oppose. She could only guess why, for she didn’t know him past the snippets of times past that Aleeria had shown her.

‘Leeri...gomen...but your ‘Sesshou-kun’...is dead...leaving behind a man who’s entire being is bitter, cold, and angry.’ Her eyelids fluttered open finally, and she felt herself gasp more than she heard it as stunning sunlight stung her eyes. When her eyes adjusted, she slowly sat up, testing the boundaries of the newfound strength in her body. Glancing around, she saw white marble everywhere and knew exactly where she was.

‘It’s that White City...Aleeria and Suki’s homeland...’ Slowly, she stood. Vaguely, she noticed that her clothes were different. Instead of her typical baggy pants and corseted shirt, she wore a simple silver dress that reached her knees in flowing silk that looked as though it was made of flowing mercury. Her feet were bare, and she could make out swirling designs on her pale legs. Her long hair was free, still mostly black with the chunk of electric blue hanging in her eyes. Then she noticed something off as she glanced up and looked around.

Aleeria was nowhere to be seen.

“Aleeria?” Her voice echoed eerily, sounding like a blend of several voices. No one responded and she blinked with a quizzical look on her face as she took her first steps in this place she knew only from memories of a child. She appeared to be on some sort of balcony, and she walked to the edge were the railing was. The sunlight was blinding and she had to squint as she got closer to the railing.

But when she reached there, the sunlight simply died.

“What the...” Clouds had suddenly appeared in the sky, dark and swirling. The white marble that had once surrounded her pristine and untouched by the hands of time had suddenly grayed to almost looking like granite. Cracks littered the marble everywhere, and large sections of the walls and railings were crumbling. Everywhere, the city appeared to be falling apart. Some areas of the marble were darkened so much that it was clear there had been a fire, the smoke staining the once brilliant white marble. Intricate marble ivy arches and bridges were nothing more than rubble, and the wind was blowing with the same fierceness as a hurricane.

“Where are all the people?” Her eyes began to look around frantically, this dark wasteland sending an eerie chill through her as she looked all around. But all she saw was the same thing over and over again.

Bodies, pale and stiff, littered the ground. Their wings were spread, falling apart as the black feathers fluttered all around the city. Their once regal looking clothing was dirtied, torn, and bloody in many cases. They all looked starved, their bones clearly poking out from under their skin. Children and adults alike were in nearly identical forms of starvation and ill-looking bodies.

“What happened here?” She didn’t know if she’d receive an answer, but as she stared at those unseeing eyes and unmoving chests of innocent people, she had to ask.

“This is the future of the White City known as Alendia should you fail.” She wanted to turn when she heard a man’s voice behind her, a deep velvety baritone that gave her chills. But her body refused to move and she had to force herself to remain calm as she swallowed deeply and spoke once more.

“What do you mean? Fail at what?”

“You are not Aleeria, but you shall soon bare her burdens. You will become the Keeper of the Gate and the Holy City.”

“Keeper of the Gate and the Holy City?” Aleeria had never mentioned something like this.

“Yes. The females of the royal family are destined to become such by a certain age or should the current Keeper become unable to keep up her duties.”

“What does it all mean though?” She was confused, more so than she had been through the entire ordeal, and she hated it.

“It means, young one, that you must protect the Gate that leads to Elysium, keeping out those who would seek to destroy the balance. You must return to this city and claim the throne that is rightfully yours, therein securing the safety of the city and preventing this catastrophe. This future, what you see around and below you, is very possible. Don’t forget that.” He spoke to her in a fatherly tone, and she found that she wasn’t uncomfortable as she should have been.

“Who are you?” He chuckled and she squinted as the city began to glow with a white light and disappear from her sight.

“You shall find out soon. But remember this, do not fear the white tiger.” Suddenly the white light flashed so brilliantly that she was forced to shut her eyes. As she did so though, she gasped in pain. For the stretching sensation and the throbbing pain in her body had returned. Her head felt like it was being split down the middle and she could hardly breathe past the pressure upon her chest. She was sweating also, every fiber of her being feeling as though it was on fire.

“Can ye not sleep child?” Suddenly, Kaede was leaning over her. Her one eye showed concern and Alyssa wanted to smile at the look on her face. She truly reminded her of the grandmother she’d thought she’d had.

“I’m fine. Really. I just...had a really odd dream.” She tried to focus her eyes better, but found that everything was blurred around the edges.

“What was in this dream child? Was it a premonition?” She shook her head, trying to focus past the pain in her body.

“I...”

‘Alyssa-chan!!!’ She hissed in pain as a child’s scream rang out in her mind.

‘Leeri? What’s wrong?’

‘Mother is coming! She’s coming slowly, flaunting her power in a deliberate threat!’ Alyssa felt her chest constrict painfully as her breathing became labored. Raw terror seized her body and she could feel herself shaking.

‘What do I do Leeri?’

‘Whistle! Help will come! He is someone we need now and he will answer the call of your whistle!’

‘My whistle?’ But she shook off her uncertainty. At this time, faith in Aleeria was all she had and she’d be damned if she let her uncertainty cause her early death. She heard Kaede gasp as she rose, the burning in her body growing to a blazing inferno as her sight almost blurred completely. Her legs shook and her arms felt like lead.

“No child! Ye must not rise!” Kaede reached for the younger woman’s arms, but Alyssa shook her off as best as she could, her breathing becoming more and more labored.

“I have to! Suki’s headed this way.” Kaede froze, her eye widening before she turned and ran from the small back room. Alyssa glanced around and saw her cloak laying next to the futon. She grasped the thick material in her hands and placed it around her neck as she’d done before. As she placed the hood so that the shadow hid her face, she could hear the others awakening in the next room.

‘Gomen you guys...but I need someone to distract Suki.’ Her eyes narrowed as she turned and walked out the back entrance to the hut, every step causing another ripple of fire and pain in her body. She turned, coming to stand at the bottom of the shrine steps as she looked around. It was still dark out, but a thin gray line was appearing on the eastern horizon. She took a deep breath, trying to calm the fear gnawing at her insides. Then, she whistled.

She’d always prided herself in being able to whistle louder than anyone else she knew, but she shocked herself today. Her whistle seemed louder, and it echoed more as though it was spreading across the lands of Japan. The world seemed to pause and Alyssa felt herself become very self-conscious as the whistle rang on. But suddenly, her answer came in the form of a far off roar.

The roar of a white tiger.

‘Now what? Do I wait?! What do I do Leeri?!’

‘Run! Run if you care about the people in the hut!’ Alyssa nodded and swallowed back a gasp of pain as she lifted her left foot and began to ran. How she could run, she had no idea. But with every footfall she felt as though her skin would erupt in flames and her head would split straight down the middle. The air seemed to lose all warmth as she ran, and even though she felt as though she was on fire, it still chilled her to the bone and her breath came out in great puffs of vapor. Her chest was already clenching with her heavy breaths and even though she was only maybe twenty yards from the hut, she didn’t think her body could take much more.

‘To the right!’ Instantly she looked to the right, her eyes widening as she saw a monstrous white tiger run up alongside her, obviously slowing its pace to match hers. It let out a soft growl and motioned its head backwards, instantly telling Alyssa what she needed to do. So, putting as much as she possibly could into the movement, she hopped onto the tiger’s back.

The tiger was much, much larger than any tiger she’d even seen or heard of. It was nearly as tall as a horse and possessed longer fur than a usual tiger. Not only that, but the stripes that were usually black were a startlingly bright navy blue. It was obviously a youkai tiger as well, for as soon as she’d hopped onto its back it had taken off at a speed that made her head swim.

‘But where is it taking me?’

‘He is Akito-kun! And Akito-kun is the one who entrusted with the vessel holding my power and memories!’ Alyssa nodded in understanding, digging her fingers further into the youkai’s pelt now that she realized he was truly someone safe.

‘Is he loyal to Suki?’ The sudden question brought a chill to her very bones.

‘Yes, but Akito-kun knows what is right and what is wrong. I can already tell he’ll stand up to mother, even if he was once her most loyal knight.’ Alyssa nodded again and she felt a strange sense of safety wash over her for the first time since the whole ordeal had begun.

It was all so unreal. How could she, an outcast of society her whole life, suddenly be a princess of some kind? How could she suddenly have powers that humans of her time could only imagine in their dizziest daydreams? How could youkai, a race only known as myths and legends, be real and thriving in this time five hundred years in the past? That was another unbelievable tidbit in itself! She was currently riding on the back of a white tiger youkai of some sort five hundred years in the past!

‘Maybe I’m just laying in my room at home right now, tripping out on acid or something that someone slipped into my drink.’

‘Alyssa-chan, you’re beginning to get delusional.’ The mocking tone in Aleeria’s voice made Alyssa snort, the vapor from the action flying out behind her.

‘You can’t really blame me can you? I’ve had my whole world turned upside down and now I’m laying my life in the hands...paws of a youkai I don’t even know! I think anyone in my situation would be getting delusional at this point.’ Aleeria’s giggles rang out in her mind and Alyssa had to pride herself in being able to be humorous even in her situation.

A low growl rumbled from the great cat beneath her and Alyssa blinked as she noticed him glancing back at her over his shoulder with a question clearly written in his eyes.

“Ano...I’m Alyssa. Aleeria’s here too...but only not. Kinda hard to explain. But please, we need your help Akito-kun!” He seemed a bit startled to hear his own name but nodded as well as a tiger could and continued running east towards the now brightening horizon.

In the distance, she thought she heard a shout just before a large explosion sent birds flying into the air. Turning around as much as she could, Alyssa gasped when she saw a bright light fading from the direction of the village where Kagome and the others were. She could only hope as she turned back around that everyone was okay.

‘Gomen, but if I want to stand any chance against Suki, I need to do this.’ Suddenly, Akito let out a low hiss of warning before quickening his speed. Alyssa felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise and that was the only warning before she was ripped away from the back of her four legged companion. A scream instantly ripped from her vocal chords and echoed out in the quiet morning. She could see Akito turning and looking up at her as she continued to climb higher and higher into the sky.

‘Sesshou-kun!’ Alyssa blinked as her scream suddenly died and she looked over her shoulder to see said taiyoukai glaring down at her in irritation.

“Girl, it would be in your best interest to not do that again.” Despite her fright and pain, Alyssa felt her ire rage just beneath her skin as she snorted.

“Well excuse me! But I’m not the one going around and lifting defenseless girls into the sky without warning!” He quirked his eyebrow at that and she glared before simply repeating the action.

“Sesshoumaru-sama! Leave the girl to me!” Alyssa looked to the front again as they seemingly soared through the air, Sesshoumaru’s feet barely touching the treetops before they were off again, and she gasped when she saw a pair of familiar eyes.

“Akito-san?” The man before her nodded as the two youkai leapt from the treetops in sync. He wore black boots, simple white hakamas, and a simple royal blue tunic that looked as though it had seen better days. He was handsome, noble but wild looking. He had royal blue hair that reached the middle of his back in a loose braid and his face was adorned with a single jagged navy blue stripe on each cheek.

“Hai, I am Akito. It seems you’re in contact with Aleeria young lady. Tell me, how is she?” For the first time, Sesshoumaru seemed to show interest in the conversation at hand, for she could feel him shift her with his only arm to see Akito better.

“Ano...she’s grown up. Not in appearance but...she speaks and acts like an adult. Most of her child-like ways are gone.” Akito smiled, but it was a sad, regretful smile. But he nodded all the same and motioned for Sesshoumaru to follow him as he sped up and headed towards a large mountain close by.

‘He really cared about you, didn’t he Leeri?’

‘Akito-kun was like another father to me. I believe he feels regret for the events at hand, for he allowed my mother to remove my essence from my body.’ Alyssa frowned, feeling a clenching sensation in her chest. No one should have to face a burden as great as Akito’s seemed to be.

“Kagome-chan! Look out!” Kagome flattened herself on the ground as Sango’s Hiraikotsu flew overhead, a shriek of pain echoing out in the air a second afterward.

“Thank you Sango-chan!” The other girl nodded and once more hopped onto her youkai companion Kirara and heading to the skies.

“Kazana!” Turning to her left, she saw Miroku eliminating a large chunk of the threat with his right hand. She thanked the Kami’s that there was no risk of Naraku’s insects poisoning him this time.

“Kuso! Where the hell did the head bitch go?!” Kagome stood and looked back at Inuyasha as he sliced through several of the large youkai, causing shrieks and screams to ring in her ears.

“These are a distraction Inuyasha! She’s looking for Alyssa!” She lifted her bow up and pulled back an arrow she’d retrieved from her quiver.

“Keh! I know that! But I can’t do shit about it ‘til I fucking find the bitch!” Kagome let her arrow fly, not bother to watch it blaze through the youkai and leaving nothing but ashes behind.

“We’re getting nowhere Inuyasha!”

“Kuso...Kaze no Kizu!” Kagome jumped at the sudden attack, seeing it slicing through the earth and youkai as it left behind destruction that honored its reputation as the Fang of Destruction. But even still, the youkai kept coming and Kagome suddenly realized that she’d already killed some of them herself.

‘They’re an illusion! No wonder we’re getting nowhere!’ Frowning, she lowered her bow and closed her eyes as she let out a long calming breath. Months of formal training she’d received from Kaede and Miroku suddenly kicked in and she felt the tingling warmth of her miko aura surround her. Slowly, blocking out the sounds of the battle, she lifted her hands and began to send small threads of her aura through the surrounding area.

The youkai were definitely an illusion, for they didn’t even possess real youki for her to truly purify. But she could suddenly sense something that she hadn’t detected before, an aura laced into the fake youkai’s youki. It was one she knew, and she could feel a thin layer of sweat coating her brow as she was forced to concentrate much harder to track the well covered trail of Suki’s aura. But finally, she found the main trail and latched onto it as she opened her eyes, the once sapphire blue orbs now glowing with a pure pink light.

“Inuyasha, head to the east!” Inuyasha spun, hearing Kagome’s strange echoing voice from almost directly behind him. Her eyes were glowing the same pink as the aura surrounding her and her long onyx hair was fanned all around her in an invisible wind. He nodded at her, still uneasy with how she changed when she went into a trance like this. It was something Kikyo had never done, and had probably never had the power to do.

But since Kagome had asked Miroku and Kaede to train her, it was discovered that not only was she far more pure of heart compared to Kikyo but she made the elder female look like a child in the comparison of their powers. The accuracy of Kagome’s archery was now even beyond that of Kikyo’s and she had recently learned to channel her powers into other weapons as well when she fought. But the skill she was using now, standing behind him expectantly, was one of the first she’d learned and probably the oddest in his eyes.

Every time she used this ability, she went into a strange trance in which she was aware but far too focused on her target to sound or act like a ningen. Her eyes were the strangest thing though, as well as her voice. The pink irises of her eyes were swirling with glittering silver even now and her voice had a strange echo to it.

“Inuyasha, we have to go. Now.” Blinking out of his stupor, Inuyasha nodded and bent down as Kagome placed herself on his back. Without warning, he took to the skies with his arms hooked beneath her toned legs. He could sense the others following, hearing the shrieks of protest from the youkai below them, who for the most part were incapable of flight or leaps like those of Inuyasha.

“Keh, where’s the bitch hiding at Kagome?”

“She’s chasing after Alyssa, Sesshoumaru, and an unknown youkai. They’re headed towards that lone mountain ahead.” That eerie voice would never cease to make him feel uneasy, even though he knew very well it was just Kagome.

“Inuyasha! Where are we going?!” He glanced back at Miroku as he sat upon Kirara’s back behind Sango.

“The mountain up ahead to the east! Kagome says everyone’s up there gathering for one hell of a party!”

“Ow...that doesn’t feel very good...” Alyssa grasped the cloth of her cloak over her chest, feeling a stabbing pain in the vicinity of her heart as her breathing became even more ragged than it had been before. Her vision was blurring off and on, and had been for some time.

“Daijoubou?” Opening her clenched eyes, she could see the blurry form of Akito standing before her as Sesshoumaru’s lone arm wrapped around her waist and held her up. They were standing at the entrance of a cave on the mountain, a glowing blue barrier over the mouth of the cave.

“I just...got this strange pain...it feels like my heart’s being ripped from my chest.” Akito nodded.

“Hai, it’s the effects of the chest being so near. The nearer you get, the worse the pain will get. But it should recede once the ritual begins.” Alyssa winced as a pulse throbbed from her chest and her hand grasped the cloak tighter as she swallowed down a pained whimper.

“Aleeria...she says the ritual is so painful...it can drive a person insane...” Again, Akito nodded and she felt her stomach tie in a knot.

“Hai, it can. There is also a chance that the dormant powers will be far too much for your newly changed body to handle. If that should be the case, someone else shall have to share their blood with you and give you some of their power to form a barrier over your own powers.” Alyssa felt her head spin as they began walking towards the cave, Akito’s soft voice causing her skull to almost split in two. Sesshoumaru was still silent, but remained nonetheless holding her up and basically carrying her since her legs were refusing to function right.

“So...you’re saying if my power goes out of control...more power will control it? How does that work?”

“It’s far too complicated to discuss at this time. Right now, we need to open the chest or you’ll never stand a chance. A few more days in this condition and you’re body will shut down from the stress. Not only that, but it seems Suki has freed herself from the distraction of your companions.” Worry instantly welled up in her chest, but Akito gave her a reassuring smile as they continued on into the darkness of the cave after simply passing through the barrier with no trouble.

The cave itself seemed to be like any normal cave, dark and wet. The air smelt old and thin, as though the barrier wasn’t allowing any air into the cave at all. But she shook off that thought, realizing she was reacting to old fears she’d had since childhood.

‘Childhood. What a laugh.’ She frowned even as the throbbing in her chest grew with every few feet.

Everything, childhood to high school, was a lie. Her life, her friends, her family, her love, and everything she’d ever felt, said, or done was all fake. Just an illusion created by a woman who wanted her child back more than anything else in the world. Even if it meant losing her sanity in the process.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, I must warn you before we reach the chamber. You may have to restrain Alyssa during the ritual, for I shall be far too busy trying to force the vessel back into the body.” She heard a sort of affirmative snort come from the taiyoukai supporting her and figured he wasn’t much of a talker.

‘But he once was.’ She couldn’t help it as a sudden image of his young, smiling face appeared in her mind. Sesshoumaru, he was so cold now compared to then. What happened to him to cause such a drastic change? Why did it seem so utterly wrong to her that he didn’t smile anymore?

‘It’s because Aleeria is part of me and it’s wrong to her.’ But even Alyssa knew she was lying to herself.

A throbbing pain made her entire body stiffen suddenly, and a strangled sob of pain escaped her lips. Knowing she could no longer hope to move fully on her own, Sesshoumaru simply lifted her with one arm and balanced her in said arm. She was so tiny against him that it was little more than when he carried Rin in this way.

‘The girl is already in enough pain to make her stiffen as though dead. How much more can such a small creature take?’ He scoffed at his thoughts, continuing after Akito even as Alyssa convulsed in his hold. He did not care for the pain of a insignificant. This, all of this, was to ensure the balance was upheld. But it was also to ensure that his promise to protect Aleeria was upheld as well.

For although the two girls were completely different people, they shared the same body.

‘She is not Aleeria, but she is the closest this Sesshoumaru shall ever have again.’ Something clenched in his chest at that thought, but he clamped the foreign feeling back down. Emotions only made one weak, and he would not let himself feel the pain of a dear one’s loss away from the safety of his sanctuary.

As it was, he had not visited his sanctuary in nearly half a century.

“The chamber is just ahead. You may want to hold her tighter, for she might start thrashing as soon as we step foot into the chamber.” Sesshoumaru nodded and watched as Akito placed his pale hand upon a seemingly insignificant spot on the wall. But suddenly, there was a bright light and it faded slowly to reveal a new opening before them in the wall.

The chamber before them was made of pure white marble, looking like the inside of one of the many chambers he’d seen in his visits to Alendia. Marble pillars were all along the walls of the chamber, ivy leaves engraved into the stone. The only difference in color was upon the marble table in the center of the chamber.

The silver chest sat benevolently upon the stone table, but Alyssa began to thrash almost violently as they grew nearer and nearer to it, incoherent words and phrases leaving her lips as she thrashed.

“Sesshoumaru-sama, do not come any closer just yet until I’ve removed the vessel from the chest.” Sesshoumaru simply quirked an eyebrow in question as he watched Akito turn to the chest before them and place his hand upon the lid. The chest glowed a bright blue as he removed his hand, and the lid lifted slowly. Akito reached inside and slowly removed a glowing blue sphere, seemingly not noticing the sudden stillness of Alyssa as he did so.

But when he turned to them with the sphere in hand, Alyssa’s clenched eyes suddenly opened and were glowing the same sapphire blue as the orb. The scream that tore from her lips echoed so loudly that Sesshoumaru couldn’t stop the wince from marring his features.

“So, it seems I have two traitors to deal with as well. Such a pity.” Both youkai turned to the entrance even as Alyssa continued to scream and thrash.

There stood Suki in all her glory, her body clad in the armor she’d worn the day she’d disappeared, and the sword of her Beloved in her hand. But it was the mad gleam, the insanity that shined clearly in her eyes that gave them pause.

slams her head on the desk Oh my gentle fucking Jesus...writer’s block SUCKS. Big time. I used to only have a major block like this on this story alone...but it’s now spread to all my stories...and I’ve developed artist’s block as well. So yeah...major ewwwwwwww right there.

I’ve seriously, not joking here people, rewritten this friggin’ chapter at least five times and I’m still not happy with it. I swear, every version I’ve written of this story always seems to come out rushed in plot and the chapters themselves. But meh...at least Breanna won’t be leaving me nasty comments on cause I haven’t updated this story in particular. She has the pleasure of seeing my doodles for this story so she’s very curious considering my doodles contain spoilers like woah.

But anywho...I must be off now...before the power goes out from the cold or I pass out from exhaustion. Oh and FYI, don’t expect to see anything for Sometimes You Just Gotta Say “HUH?!” or Youkai’s Siren...Sometimes is giving me personal issues...and Youkai’s Siren is possibly going to be rewritten. Not sure yet on that one but I’ll let you know...if my block doesn’t kill me first . Ja ne minna!!!

Blue+