Prologue

Midoriko, the most powerful priestess of her time, and not by her desire, wealthiest, lost an ever long battle to a demon. Her eldest seen it first hand, watching in shock and utter terror as her mother's heart imploded from her chest and a jewel was thrust forth. As she lay dying, having defeated the demon, Kikyo dropped down before her mother at fourteen years old. She couldn't be brave, not at this age. No, fear and uncertainty gripped her.

"Mother?" She cried, touching her blood stained, pale white face with shaking fingers.

Blue eyes opened slowly, unfocused for the most part. "The jewel…" She sputtered, a deep red liquid running down her chin. "Kagome. Give it to-" she coughed, sputtering. "Your sister."

"I will mother." Kikyo promised, tears running down her face. "I promise."

Midoriko smiled into her daughters brown eyes, the eyes she retained from her father. "I love you." She told her softly. "I love all of you. Tell everyone, tell-" Her breath rattled out of her, and her soul brushed beyond Kikyo, entering the jewel. Hands, once so strong, gentle enough to hold her children and strong enough to defeat any enemy that threatened her family.

Kikyo cried, holding her mother's forever resting body in her arms. Even in death, beauty did not elude her. The servants found Kikyo not long after, and she refused to allow any of her siblings to see their departed mother as she had word sent to her father, a monk traveling to a neighboring kingdom.

He was so angry by the news, so distraught, that upon reading the letter, he used every ounce of his energy to create a spell. It took him several nights, several days, without food or rest and it finally took his life to meld the entirety together. It was a spell which enabled all demon kind to be enslaved.

Within two months time, the world was forever changed, as was the Higurashi's world. No mother, no father, and there were no longer any free demons. Not even hanyou's escaped the spells wrath.

Souta was only two years old, as was his twin Keade. Kagome was seven. They, Kikyo and their grandfather were all that remained of the Higurashi line. It was a mighty blow to a mighty family, and everyone held their breath, waiting to see if the Princess miko's family would survive this fall. A King in his own right, everyone waited for their grandfather to die so that the vultures would swoop in.

A house of cards, they believed, with a single blow before tumbling.