The Dragon and the Fox Part 2

The next day almost seemed to come like a slap to the face for some, as the servants each opened the doors to their rooms and threw open the curtains. Almost in a way a parent would to arouse the sleeping children, each servant would then turn facing the beds of the guests and bow before speaking. "Lady Sayuri has requested its time for you to awaken and join her for a meal before you depart." each one stated before turning and leaving. Asura would groan as she hid beneath the blankets as she groaned softly, "they pulled a dad....." she muttered, like her mother she hated to be woken up so early in the morning.

Artemis having groan up military style seemed to already be awake before the servant even came in, having done a bit of meditating like the monks had explained to ensure her control on her youkai remained in tact...after all she had both angel and youkai blood within her and it was almost a dangerous combo. Standing up she nodded to the servant who would lead her down towards the dinning hall where Sayuri waited a stack of papers next to her that needed to be signed while a few servants, stood to either side one holding the stack the other pointing out where she needed to sign and the reason behind it softly in her ear. Though when she saw Artemis she looked up "Ah it would seem at least one of you arises on time...and be it the daughter of Raizen no doubt..impressive."

Sabreal too was already awake and dressed when a servant came to collect them, but he told them he would wake yukine and they would follow the serbant to the dining hall in a moment. Once the servant was out in the hall, he turned to a to the bed and brushed her hair back and kissed cheek, close to her ear, “time to get up Live.”

Sabreal was met with a bunch of groans and false swipes before Yukine finally opened her eyes mumbling a stream of curses. Clearly the prodigal princess didnt enjoy being waken up early, a trait she shared with her late mother. "Im up" she grumbled pushing the sheets back

"What are you talking about?" Came a voice from behind her as Ryoma stepped out from the shadows as his portal disappeared "I've been awake since before the sun rose, gave your staff a hell of a scare too"he said as he took his seat at the table to be served food "At least you are an early riser, and Asura is surely to be the last one down here, even with her brother pushing her to get going"he sighed shaking his head

Sayuri would smirk as she looked at Ryoma leaning on her elbows some as she spoke "oh up before the sun? I was wondering why I was hearing a little 'rat' scurrying around in the halls" she teased of course before she would wave her hand, as the doors opened and the servants began to bring in a large selection of food. "I will see you all off at least on a full stomach, I also had a map drawn up for you" she nodded to the scroll that was sitting nearest Ryoma. "It is of the known passages...and I have a request" she said simply, her eyes locking on Ryoma's.

Asura would groan as she felt her brother more or less jumping on her to get up, "5 more minutes...." she muttered pulling the pillows over her head again as she tried to hide beneath the blankets.

“Come love. We need to get ready. Lady Sayuri is waiting for all of us in the dininhall.”

"A request huh?" Ryoma said as he eyeballed the map committing it to memory before rolling it back up and looking at her "I'm all ears, lay it on me" he said back to her as he started eating his food as others began making their way into the room

There were more grumbles and mumbles until Yukine was finally up and headed down towards breakfast with Sabreal yawning with her hand over her mouth

"You're like the worst leader ever do you know that" Akuma mumbled before sighing and snapping his fingers as her bed suddenly lifted up and flipped her out of it "I can sense everyone else downstairs already but us. Let's go Asura"

Sayuri would smirk seeing that he was on board while he stuffed his face, "as you were told yesterday, there are crystals all around the island that allow us to produce the large scale barrier that we have, you also saw how it allowed us to patrol and monitor as well.....I need you to connect the crystals in that maze....to those here." she stated simply, "the chaotic energy that flows in that place needs to be kept in check, we cannot continue just waiting for the next burst. Once you also have the crystals connected, Magi and myself will be able to provide aid to you and your....band of misfits here if you should need it...though considering that the fate of the lands was placed in the hands of children we should all be rejoicing that everything will come out fine."

The sarcasm in her voice was evident, she didn't understand why they a mer group of children where the ones responsible for fighting against the angels let alone even bring peace to her....it was comical. "Also call it...your automatic way in to living here Ryoma figured a man that is as well versed with shadows should easily tame the one place shadows fight back."

Asura would let out a loud yell as she was flipped over and groaned loudly, rubbing her head "seriously..." she slowly pushed herself up and would glare over at her brother. "you could have easily been the leader if you where just born 2 minutes before me..." she snapped out her eyes even flashing red telling him that waking up also meant something else was waking up. "just go without me jeez....I can always grab something on the way there" she yawned and would move over to his bed now and crawled beneath the blankets. She had always been like this...exactly like their mother when it came to sleeping but their mother had every right to want to sleep now she rarely got sleep as it was.

"To be fair, they may be children, but with everyone else planning battles or fighting directly on the front lines, they are the most capable group of fighters we have. And they can hold their own....its their brains that rub me the wrong way" Ryoma said but nodded "Alright. I'll connect the crystals, consider it done."he said looking her in the eyes "And I'm holding you to that promise."he stated as he finished his food

Akuma sighed as he walked to the doorway, snapping his fingers on the way out as his bed did exactly the same as hers, dumping her out onto the floor as he made his way downstairs with the others "baka ona" he muttered before greeting everyone once he got to breakfast

Inuyasha fell instep with Yukine and Sabrealand chuckled, “you look wrecked Yuki. Late night?”

Sayuri nodded "I will keep my word for this bargin" she stated as she would reach out and soon took a drink of her tea in the morning, with a small sigh before hearing a rather loud grumble and looked over as Asura was walking in. "That was NOT funny Akuma!" she snapped off on her brother as she sat down rubbing her head. "i hate mornings..." she groaned out.

Artemis looked over and noticing Akuma just was smirking, "you woke her up a bit roughly didn't you?" she asked

"Twice" Akuma said proudly "Got her down here though on time didnt I"he said as Yukine's head almost seemed to spin entirely backwards as she glared at Inuyasha "I will gut you" she hissed clearly not a morning person either as the group sat down to eat

With a final glance at Sayuri Ryoma then stood up "Alright settle down and listen up while you eat. Lady Sayuri has graciously provided a map of the known parts of the temple, the rest is up to us. Our objective is simple. Find Mizen's Claw. We know about the guardian beasts. Yukine, Sabreal and Artemis, you three are in charge of subduing any beasts that trail us. Inuyasha, Akuma and Asura will be in charge of locating the claw with their better sense of smell. I will be providing assistance to both groups and completing a third task asked of us by Lady Sayuri. Are there any questions about the plan?"he asked looking around the group of them

Inuyash shook his head and crossed his arms, Sabreal simply nodded in agreement to the plan and looked over the charts of the temple while Ryoma walked them through their tasks

Asura glared at her brother and would then focus for the moment on eating some breakfast, she wasn't happy at all being woken up the way she had been. Artemis watched and chuckled some "you know shes going to make you pay for that later....though im sure your already thinking on ways to best her for that." she stated as they would then turn their attention to Ryoma as he spoke to them. Asura looked up from taking a bite when her uncle called her name as she would then speak "What are we even looking for....do we know what the claw looks like let alone what it will smell like?"

Ryoma shrugged “You didn’t know what the Dragon’s Eye amulet looked like yet you managed to find it right? Let’s use those same principles. When we find it, we will know. These ancient artifacts give off their own unique energy.”he responded “And it’s going to smell like a cat. Faintly similar to Yukine since she is his reincarnation.”he said motioning over to her “I would have her track it down, since she would naturally be drawn to it, but she will be needed to calm the beasts, and its better to not have the beasts tailing us the entire time”he commented

“Yukine voice her concern about that. That her father with his half of the Soul struggled to control the beasts before....if, not that I question her capabilities, if she cannot control them, what are other weaknesses that the beasts have? How would be the best way to defend ourselves or stop them?”

Sayuri listened to them as they spoke of the beast and she would chuckle, "they did leave you without any clue as to what your about to walk into....luckily for you all someone was around when the beast first showed its ugly head." she would then wave her hand as a clear orb appeared and she spoke towards it "Magi I need your attention for a moment...." she said till she would notice the black smoke appearing not long after and she motioned towards the others. "Care to explain what sort of beast they are about to go up against.....seems your former Lord forgot to mention it"

Magi appeared bowing with a hand over his chest "Lord Sekai is rather forgetful in his old age."he said then turned to the group "These guardian beasts were created from the shadows of the Divine Beasts. Expect their dark power to emulate those of their Masters."he explained "In the case of Mizen, a master of Fire and Light, expect potential dark energy and hellfire to be produced from the beasts. They are also very powerful, quick and agile. You'll be as hard pressed to outrun one as you would be to take it down. Two daiyoukai children had quite a challenge in their youth to do so. Let us hope that Princess Yukine's control over the beast will last long enough to get you in and out...however there is one weakness you may be able to exploit in an emergency. Direct Sunlight may cull the beasts and cause them to retreat, as well as leaving the confines of the temple as they are bound to the sacred grounds for all eternity"

Sabreal nodded, “so draw them out into sunlight if possible or as needed. This will help us greatly should we come across similar beasts in the other temples.”
“How is that?” Iniyasha asked. “Well these creatures, as Lady Saiyuri explained, are the opposite of the great beasts. If we come to Jinzens temple, then a power that Hindenburg’s would give off would be its weakness. Such as moonlight or water.”

"each beast has its own weakness, we only know so little about the one that Sekai has locked on this island only due to the history of this place. Little is known and every day we learn more, till certain areas are explored and researched we only know as much as we can gather. That is another reason I need those crystals in that temple activated, it will allow us to study the shadows and chaos energies there to perhaps further help us explain the strange happenings here....and very well help us against the other sacred beasts."

Asura would tilt her head and would then speak "So basically we are running in there and gathering research as well as getting an item that will help us win this war..." Artemis would nod her head "that about sums it up..."

"That's life. There is never just a singular reason for doing something" Magi said "You young ones would be wise to remember that as you grow older, isnt that right Master Thief?" He said looking at Ryoma who shrugged and nodded "like the girl said, sounds about right. And Sabreal makes a good point, we know what we know about these beasts, but the next few may not be the same. Let this be a learning experience for us all. You all have one hour and then we are meeting up outside the castle the depart. Don't be late" he said glancing over at both Yukine and Asura, which also meant Sabreal and Akuma by default before he turned walking off then

Akuma nodded his head "Alright an hour is more than enough time to prepare...Master Magi, can I view your old texts for any information regarding the beasts...I like to be as prepared as possible." "Of course my young scholar, whatever you need" Magi said, he always had a soft spot for Akuma's willingness to study and learn, the mark of a true magician he liked to call it

Sabreal nodded and stood as the others did and they moved from the room to part and get ready for the trip and eventual battle.

Asura rolled her eyes at her brother once again being a teachers pet, Magi just fawned over him. Sighing she would stand up “I’m going to do some warmups, Artemis care to spare with me?” The half angel looked to her and nodded “sure”

Sayuri watched and would stand up and soon Ryoma felt her hand brush against one of his tails before she spoke “the shadows won’t be your ally this time around...watch yourself and do come back alive.”

"Oh I'll be back. You've given me something valuable to live for" Ryoma said stopping to talk to her but not turning around to face her. Despite all his talk they both knew there was a chance no one in that group would make it out alive "Just promise you'll be waiting for me when I get back. Hopefully all in one piece. It may not be today, or in the next hundred years, but one day I'm going to make you my wife. Count on it."he said as his tail gently curled around her hand for a moment, and in that instant she could feel both his desire, and his fear, before his tail gently uncurled as he kept making his way down the hall.

The hour passed quickly and soon the group was gathered around the front entrance of the castle as Akuma ran over the final checklist as Ryoma's order and not long after, the group had ventured off "We will reach the temple by nightfall...I suggest we make camp outside and wait until morning to enter. If sunlight is their weakness, I assume the beasts are also more powerful at night than during the day" Ryoma told them "Let us use that to our advantage"

Sayuri would smile some as she watched him, her hand lightly brushing over his tail faintly as she spoke. “I don’t think anyone will be coming to claim me anytime soon Ryoma, so I’ll be here waiting.” She stayed before he stepped away.

Asura would roll her shoulders and nodded her head as they all got ready to depart. “So what happens if we stay to long in there? If it’s weak against the sun then Akuma do you have a spell or something to make it like the sun in there?”

“I’m not sure if it will help but I could cast a holy shield” Artemis stayed looking at them, “being half angel both myself and Sabreal we could but up a light barrier if it comes back at us or breaks away from Yukine.”

"Magi taught me a spell....but he said artifical light may not carry the same power as the light from the Sun God himself...but at least its something" Akuma said as the group started off towards the temple. The land was serene and quiet but soon they reached the area in which things started to hit him. As they came to a section of land where the green grass stopped, and everything beyond was a dead barren wasteland "The power of the Temple extends all the way out here. It is an omen to all who approach that nothing but death and decay waits for us inside" Yukine told the group "My sister told me that her and Sesshoumaru came across the same thing just before discovering the temple"