Davin opened one eye when he felt something tickle his nose. Iris looked
down onto him and giggled. He moved his hands quickly and wrapped them
around her and tried to throw her down next to him. Being a slayer like him
she tossed off his arms easily and bent down and kissed his nose. He rolled
his eyes but grinned any way. She was the closet thing he had to a loved
one. He had not taken his advances past a few kisses that she gave
willingly which he was glad being that he had never done that such thing
with anyone. He closed his eyes again. She lay down on his chest.
"So where are you assigned tomorrow my heart," she asked softly. He groaned. She knew where but wanted him to tell her. Something she oddly wanted or needed him to do.
"To the mountains," he said equally quiet. She knew what that was. He turned his head and looked into the corner. His long bow that stood of height with him with his quiver of black arrows. His shoulder cannon with its shoulder belt of iron balls, flint, and black powder. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him. He smiled slightly. Po Kung could wait until the morning. He just wanted to be here now with all his attention on Iris.
Sound erupted into his ears from all around. Davin jumped up and started jerking on his battle armor. Iris did the same but she smiled at him knowingly. Her heat still flooded his thoughts and wants. He smiled back and slung the bow and quiver around his shoulders. Luckily his shoulder cannon was already loaded. He twirled it in his hands and ran towards the sliding door. He pushed it open and his mouth fell open. Rock creatures flooded the training square. Po Kong herself stood on a raised dais in the center laughing that reminded him of a screeching animal. He raised his cannon and aimed at the nearest creature and put the fuse to it. An explosion erupted out of the barrel and an iron ball flew at lightning speed toward the rock creature. The creature shuttered and crumbled to dust. Po Kung stopped laughing and directed her attention to Davin. Another cannon cried out. Then another. Davin smiled. They may just win the night and rid this part of the world of the last great demon. Davin spun the bow off of his back and twirled an arrow onto the string. He pulled it back, aimed carefully and let go. It hit the rock creature in the eye but it did not go down. It swung its arms blindly knocking down other slayers. He looked at Po Kung. She was watching intently and then smile crossed her face. Her golems may be immune to arrows but she was not. He twirled another arrow out and shot it at her. It hit her in the shoulder. She screeched and he picked up his cannon and started towards her. He swung the cannon like a staff. He slammed the metal head into a golem's chest and the thing shimmered to dust. He did not have time to reload unfortunately. He heard a woman's scream. He stopped and looked behind. Iris's cannon was shattered. He started toward her then stopped. Stop the demon which could enslave most of the world or save the woman he loved more than his own life. He decided.
Davin cried out as pain shot through up his spine to his neck. He slowly sat up and looked around. His shoulder cannon lay nearby with his utility shoulder belt with his bow and quiver next to it. Where am I, he asked himself. He looked around and heard a yell. A battle cry. He jumped up despite the pain. Maybe Po Kong had only sent him over the next hill. Maybe he could still save Iris. He strapped on the mask which went over his nose and mouth. He pulled on his belt and then picked up the cannon. Loaded, he told himself thankfully. Good. He slid the quiver and bow next to the belt and started running toward the sound of battle.
Davin looked down and saw a group of four fighting a giant wolf. Unsuccessfully. The creature moved much faster than they did. Davin knelt down and placed the cannon on his shoulder. He closed one eye and aimed very carefully. He put the fuse to the firing hole. The explosion flung the iron ball straight and true. It hit the wolf in the skull but did not stop. It pushed the entire wolf to the ground. He smiled and opened both eyes. The four were looking up at him. He started to wave but stopped. One was wearing Slayer armor. That of the 'Kind Hearted'. He frowned. She must have stolen it after the razing of the fortress sanctuary. He flung down the cannon at his feet and pulled the bow off his back. He pulled an arrow out and twirled it in his hand and fired it. It hit the thief's stolen weapon and knocked it out of her hand. He fired twice more then stopped. The four had taken cover behind a tree and a rock.
"Fire at him, Kagome," a male voice said. Davin searched it out and saw a young woman rise up but it was not the thief. She pulled back on her own bow and fired. Her arrow flew at him but it seemed to set itself ablaze as it came towards him. As it came within reach, he swung out his hand and caught it. He twirled it around in his hands and then fired it right back at them. Suddenly the pain in his side burned its way through the void of his mind. Silver slivers burned into his eyes and the world dissolved in front of him as he tumbled forward off the rock overhang.
He opened his eyes and looked around slowly. It hurt to breath but he put his mind into the void. He saw four forms sitting around a fire. He sat up and groaned.
"Oh, you are awake," a girl's voice said. He looked at her. It was the bow and arrow girl. He nodded slowly and looked at the others. One of the men had dog ears. A demon. A man on the other side had a staff sitting in his lap. Next to him was the thief. He frowned at her. She still wore the 'Kind Hearted' one's armor but at least she was not dishonoring her fabled weapon. He tried to come towards them but stopped when his side burned through the void.
"Don't move," the girl said moving closer to help him. He wretched his arm from her and stood on his own. She shot him a dark look and he stumbled toward the thief.
"How dare you steal that," he said pointing at the armor she wore. She looked at him.
"I didn't steal this. I was given it by my father." He spit into the fire.
"You lie. It hung in the Sanctuary." She shook her head.
"No, my father gave me this when I earned the right to kill demons." He bared his teeth.
"Then where did he get them? They were the 'Kind Hearted' ones long before now." He closed his mouth waiting for her answer.
"This was made to fit my body. By your half armor, so was yours." She paused. "Where are you from? Maybe you stole that from the ruins of the Slayers Fortress?" His eyes went wide and he lunged at her. How dare she call him a liar! He fell to the ground in pain. She came up to her knees and looked at his back. "What did this," she asked after touching the spot. He winced.
"Po Kong the last Demon Sorceress." She narrowed her eyebrows.
"I have never heard of that demon." He snorted.
"Where have you been living? Under a rock? She was the last true demon left." He tried to turn over but she held him in place. Another pair of hands touched his back.
"That looks infected." The hands ran around the hole in his back. "What is in it?" The priest it sounded like.
"Perhaps it is the claw of Po Kong? She was able to stick one in me before an arrow went in between her eyes." He smiled grimly. It had cost him more than he wanted to think of.
"That must be it. That may be why it has not closed."
"We need you to go to sleep if you can." The thief was asking him to trust her. He reluctantly agreed. It was a training that he had taken. That ability was good when the surgeons needed to work on you fast. He closed his eyes and put his mind outside his body thinking of his happiest moment in time.
He sat up hurriedly. He looked around and saw all of his gear next to him. He touched the utility belt to make sure it had all of its things. He sighed in relief.
"Good," a voice said. Davin looked up into the priest's face. "I thought you had died but Sango said that her group of Slayers could do something called the Sleeping Death." Sango? No, she was long dead. Centuries. Possibly ten generations past. Surely the 'Kind Hearted' one was not brought back from the dead. No demon alive could do that. Maybe in the old days, but not now. He shook his head dismissing the thought. Just a pretender who stole the armor.
"Who is Iris?" Davin looked at the thief. She looked at him curiously.
"If you ever ask me that again, thief, I will give you your heart for an answer." She pulled back surprised. He looked down and then stretched. He looked back at the woman. "What is your real name, thief?"
"Sango," she said exasperated. He could not believe it.
"You are not the 'Kind Hearted' one," he said angrily. Not even the most avid liar kept up a falsehood after continuous questioning. She looked at him confused.
"Why am I the 'Kind Hearted' one?" He frowned.
"I guess if you call your self after her you should know." He pulled himself back against a tree. She watched him closely. "Sango was a traveler who journeyed with the Shikon Jewel keeper. After the journeying was over she settled down and started our Sanctuary. There Sango and her bloodline continued the once destroyed Slayer Training. I am not of that bloodline myself but," he paused. He had told her he would not tell of Iris and he would not. "Anyway, after years of striving for a peaceful world, all but one of the Greater Demons were gone. Po Kong." He sighed and looked at the ground. The thief was wide eyed. The priest nodded as if it explained everything. He heard a mutter nearby. He looked around the tree and saw the demon man touching his utility belt. He rolled his eyes.
"How about you put that down before you lose an arm?" The demon snarled but stopped touching it.
"What does it do?" Davin sighed and picked it up. He opened on of the pouches and pulled out a pouch of black powder. He stood slowly without pain. He tossed it into the nearby embers of the night's fire and covered his face and turned his back to fire. The others watched curiously. The explosion was deafening. Sand and rocks rained down on the little group. The demon had drawn its sword but stood wide eyed and mouthed. The priest had thrown himself over the thief. The girl with the bow looked around the tree. She looked like she had been sleeping. Davin looked at the fire. A large hole in the ground was where the embers had been. He shook his head. Surely, they had seen black powder before. He picked up his gear and started walking toward the west.
"Where are you going," a voice called after him. He stopped.
"If I meet you again thief, I will kill you. The only reason I do not now is you saved my life." He started walking again. "Even a thief deserves some courtesy."
His shoulder cannon slid out of its holder as he sniffed the air. He would know that stench anywhere but... he turned around. Back towards the thief and her companions. Why would she go to them? Were they in consort in the attack on the Sanctuary? If so, then why save his life? He turned around and started running. They would pay for that attack if they were. Po Kung would die no matter what.
The rock golems swarmed the little group. Davin set his back against the tree trunk and aimed down at Po Kung. He touched the fuse to the cannon barrel and it fired. The iron ball flew straight and hit Po Kung in the leg. She fell and looked directly at Davin. He smiled and jumped down swinging the cannon. Several stone golems turned surprised and fell to his wild swings. He started running towards Po Kung. Her golems surrounded him and he started to swing the cannon to smash it into them. Something flew through the air and sliced through the rock. He watched the thing sail back to the thief. His mouth fell open. Not even Master could wield the weapon. He blinked and then started forward again. The golems moved into a circle around Po Kong. He stopped and pulled a pouch and a small pestle from his belt. He emptied the pouch into the barrel and he heard someone come closer.
"What are you doing?" The thief.
"Reloading." He tamped down the powder an pulled out an iron ball. He kissed it and pushed it down into the barrel. He covered it with thin paper to keep the contents inside. He looked at her. She looked at him oddly and he started forward. The dog man was looking around. His sheath was empty.
"Looking for this Inuyasha," Po Kong screeched. She lifted the sword high into the air gloating. The dog man, or Inuyasha snarled at her but did not advance. Davin stepped forward and stuck the cannon staff into the ground. He went to his knee and aimed at the upraised sword then down to Po Kong's arm. He blew on the fuse stick until it glowed red. He touched the fuse to cannon. Po Kong's arm exploded into pieces. The sword flew into the air towards Davin. He left the cannon smoking and jumped up catching the sword in one hand. He landed on one knee and threw the sword at Inuyasha.
"Finish it Lap dog," he shouted. Inuyasha caught the sword and launched himself forward. The sword changed as if by magic. He yelled and slashed the sword at the golems and Po Kong. The air itself seemed to spilt as waves of energy surrounded the demon and her toys. Dust flew into the air and Davin covered his eyes. He wrapped his hand around the cannons wooden staff and pulled it out of the ground. He opened his eyes and moved his hand. Gouges in the ground led to where Po Kong had been. Shimmers of light fell out of the sky. They were few enough that Davin could count them. Three red shimmers of light. He narrowed his eyes. Why would she be gone and they left? He sighed and fell down instead of sitting. He laid the cannon across his legs.
"You must forgive me," he said to the woman who stepped next to him. He looked at the ground. "I did not realize. Perhaps it is I who should not be here." He shook his head.
"No, you were brought here for a reason." He sighed and nodded slowly.
"How did she get here?" He motioned to the gouges in the ground.
"She said her master brought her here. Then gave her the Jewel Shards." He looked at the bow and arrow girl. She smiled at him. He heard a grunt behind him.
"I am not a lap dog human," Inuyasha muttered through gritted teeth.
"I really don't care," Davin said standing. He checked the barrel of the cannon and thankfully it was not damaged. He watched as Kagome walked over to the red glass pieces and picked them up.
"Would you mind if I kept one?" She looked at Davin surprised.
"You could not use them being human." He shrugged.
"This is important. If I am stuck here, I might as well do something useful." He held out his hand. Kagome walked up to him and looked at Sango then placed on in his hand. He opened one of his pouches and placed it inside. "This can be used as bait." He sighed and started west again. Maybe this time, I can actually get to a town before he has to come back and save them again.
"So where are you assigned tomorrow my heart," she asked softly. He groaned. She knew where but wanted him to tell her. Something she oddly wanted or needed him to do.
"To the mountains," he said equally quiet. She knew what that was. He turned his head and looked into the corner. His long bow that stood of height with him with his quiver of black arrows. His shoulder cannon with its shoulder belt of iron balls, flint, and black powder. She sighed and wrapped her arms around him. He smiled slightly. Po Kung could wait until the morning. He just wanted to be here now with all his attention on Iris.
Sound erupted into his ears from all around. Davin jumped up and started jerking on his battle armor. Iris did the same but she smiled at him knowingly. Her heat still flooded his thoughts and wants. He smiled back and slung the bow and quiver around his shoulders. Luckily his shoulder cannon was already loaded. He twirled it in his hands and ran towards the sliding door. He pushed it open and his mouth fell open. Rock creatures flooded the training square. Po Kong herself stood on a raised dais in the center laughing that reminded him of a screeching animal. He raised his cannon and aimed at the nearest creature and put the fuse to it. An explosion erupted out of the barrel and an iron ball flew at lightning speed toward the rock creature. The creature shuttered and crumbled to dust. Po Kung stopped laughing and directed her attention to Davin. Another cannon cried out. Then another. Davin smiled. They may just win the night and rid this part of the world of the last great demon. Davin spun the bow off of his back and twirled an arrow onto the string. He pulled it back, aimed carefully and let go. It hit the rock creature in the eye but it did not go down. It swung its arms blindly knocking down other slayers. He looked at Po Kung. She was watching intently and then smile crossed her face. Her golems may be immune to arrows but she was not. He twirled another arrow out and shot it at her. It hit her in the shoulder. She screeched and he picked up his cannon and started towards her. He swung the cannon like a staff. He slammed the metal head into a golem's chest and the thing shimmered to dust. He did not have time to reload unfortunately. He heard a woman's scream. He stopped and looked behind. Iris's cannon was shattered. He started toward her then stopped. Stop the demon which could enslave most of the world or save the woman he loved more than his own life. He decided.
Davin cried out as pain shot through up his spine to his neck. He slowly sat up and looked around. His shoulder cannon lay nearby with his utility shoulder belt with his bow and quiver next to it. Where am I, he asked himself. He looked around and heard a yell. A battle cry. He jumped up despite the pain. Maybe Po Kong had only sent him over the next hill. Maybe he could still save Iris. He strapped on the mask which went over his nose and mouth. He pulled on his belt and then picked up the cannon. Loaded, he told himself thankfully. Good. He slid the quiver and bow next to the belt and started running toward the sound of battle.
Davin looked down and saw a group of four fighting a giant wolf. Unsuccessfully. The creature moved much faster than they did. Davin knelt down and placed the cannon on his shoulder. He closed one eye and aimed very carefully. He put the fuse to the firing hole. The explosion flung the iron ball straight and true. It hit the wolf in the skull but did not stop. It pushed the entire wolf to the ground. He smiled and opened both eyes. The four were looking up at him. He started to wave but stopped. One was wearing Slayer armor. That of the 'Kind Hearted'. He frowned. She must have stolen it after the razing of the fortress sanctuary. He flung down the cannon at his feet and pulled the bow off his back. He pulled an arrow out and twirled it in his hand and fired it. It hit the thief's stolen weapon and knocked it out of her hand. He fired twice more then stopped. The four had taken cover behind a tree and a rock.
"Fire at him, Kagome," a male voice said. Davin searched it out and saw a young woman rise up but it was not the thief. She pulled back on her own bow and fired. Her arrow flew at him but it seemed to set itself ablaze as it came towards him. As it came within reach, he swung out his hand and caught it. He twirled it around in his hands and then fired it right back at them. Suddenly the pain in his side burned its way through the void of his mind. Silver slivers burned into his eyes and the world dissolved in front of him as he tumbled forward off the rock overhang.
He opened his eyes and looked around slowly. It hurt to breath but he put his mind into the void. He saw four forms sitting around a fire. He sat up and groaned.
"Oh, you are awake," a girl's voice said. He looked at her. It was the bow and arrow girl. He nodded slowly and looked at the others. One of the men had dog ears. A demon. A man on the other side had a staff sitting in his lap. Next to him was the thief. He frowned at her. She still wore the 'Kind Hearted' one's armor but at least she was not dishonoring her fabled weapon. He tried to come towards them but stopped when his side burned through the void.
"Don't move," the girl said moving closer to help him. He wretched his arm from her and stood on his own. She shot him a dark look and he stumbled toward the thief.
"How dare you steal that," he said pointing at the armor she wore. She looked at him.
"I didn't steal this. I was given it by my father." He spit into the fire.
"You lie. It hung in the Sanctuary." She shook her head.
"No, my father gave me this when I earned the right to kill demons." He bared his teeth.
"Then where did he get them? They were the 'Kind Hearted' ones long before now." He closed his mouth waiting for her answer.
"This was made to fit my body. By your half armor, so was yours." She paused. "Where are you from? Maybe you stole that from the ruins of the Slayers Fortress?" His eyes went wide and he lunged at her. How dare she call him a liar! He fell to the ground in pain. She came up to her knees and looked at his back. "What did this," she asked after touching the spot. He winced.
"Po Kong the last Demon Sorceress." She narrowed her eyebrows.
"I have never heard of that demon." He snorted.
"Where have you been living? Under a rock? She was the last true demon left." He tried to turn over but she held him in place. Another pair of hands touched his back.
"That looks infected." The hands ran around the hole in his back. "What is in it?" The priest it sounded like.
"Perhaps it is the claw of Po Kong? She was able to stick one in me before an arrow went in between her eyes." He smiled grimly. It had cost him more than he wanted to think of.
"That must be it. That may be why it has not closed."
"We need you to go to sleep if you can." The thief was asking him to trust her. He reluctantly agreed. It was a training that he had taken. That ability was good when the surgeons needed to work on you fast. He closed his eyes and put his mind outside his body thinking of his happiest moment in time.
He sat up hurriedly. He looked around and saw all of his gear next to him. He touched the utility belt to make sure it had all of its things. He sighed in relief.
"Good," a voice said. Davin looked up into the priest's face. "I thought you had died but Sango said that her group of Slayers could do something called the Sleeping Death." Sango? No, she was long dead. Centuries. Possibly ten generations past. Surely the 'Kind Hearted' one was not brought back from the dead. No demon alive could do that. Maybe in the old days, but not now. He shook his head dismissing the thought. Just a pretender who stole the armor.
"Who is Iris?" Davin looked at the thief. She looked at him curiously.
"If you ever ask me that again, thief, I will give you your heart for an answer." She pulled back surprised. He looked down and then stretched. He looked back at the woman. "What is your real name, thief?"
"Sango," she said exasperated. He could not believe it.
"You are not the 'Kind Hearted' one," he said angrily. Not even the most avid liar kept up a falsehood after continuous questioning. She looked at him confused.
"Why am I the 'Kind Hearted' one?" He frowned.
"I guess if you call your self after her you should know." He pulled himself back against a tree. She watched him closely. "Sango was a traveler who journeyed with the Shikon Jewel keeper. After the journeying was over she settled down and started our Sanctuary. There Sango and her bloodline continued the once destroyed Slayer Training. I am not of that bloodline myself but," he paused. He had told her he would not tell of Iris and he would not. "Anyway, after years of striving for a peaceful world, all but one of the Greater Demons were gone. Po Kong." He sighed and looked at the ground. The thief was wide eyed. The priest nodded as if it explained everything. He heard a mutter nearby. He looked around the tree and saw the demon man touching his utility belt. He rolled his eyes.
"How about you put that down before you lose an arm?" The demon snarled but stopped touching it.
"What does it do?" Davin sighed and picked it up. He opened on of the pouches and pulled out a pouch of black powder. He stood slowly without pain. He tossed it into the nearby embers of the night's fire and covered his face and turned his back to fire. The others watched curiously. The explosion was deafening. Sand and rocks rained down on the little group. The demon had drawn its sword but stood wide eyed and mouthed. The priest had thrown himself over the thief. The girl with the bow looked around the tree. She looked like she had been sleeping. Davin looked at the fire. A large hole in the ground was where the embers had been. He shook his head. Surely, they had seen black powder before. He picked up his gear and started walking toward the west.
"Where are you going," a voice called after him. He stopped.
"If I meet you again thief, I will kill you. The only reason I do not now is you saved my life." He started walking again. "Even a thief deserves some courtesy."
His shoulder cannon slid out of its holder as he sniffed the air. He would know that stench anywhere but... he turned around. Back towards the thief and her companions. Why would she go to them? Were they in consort in the attack on the Sanctuary? If so, then why save his life? He turned around and started running. They would pay for that attack if they were. Po Kung would die no matter what.
The rock golems swarmed the little group. Davin set his back against the tree trunk and aimed down at Po Kung. He touched the fuse to the cannon barrel and it fired. The iron ball flew straight and hit Po Kung in the leg. She fell and looked directly at Davin. He smiled and jumped down swinging the cannon. Several stone golems turned surprised and fell to his wild swings. He started running towards Po Kung. Her golems surrounded him and he started to swing the cannon to smash it into them. Something flew through the air and sliced through the rock. He watched the thing sail back to the thief. His mouth fell open. Not even Master could wield the weapon. He blinked and then started forward again. The golems moved into a circle around Po Kong. He stopped and pulled a pouch and a small pestle from his belt. He emptied the pouch into the barrel and he heard someone come closer.
"What are you doing?" The thief.
"Reloading." He tamped down the powder an pulled out an iron ball. He kissed it and pushed it down into the barrel. He covered it with thin paper to keep the contents inside. He looked at her. She looked at him oddly and he started forward. The dog man was looking around. His sheath was empty.
"Looking for this Inuyasha," Po Kong screeched. She lifted the sword high into the air gloating. The dog man, or Inuyasha snarled at her but did not advance. Davin stepped forward and stuck the cannon staff into the ground. He went to his knee and aimed at the upraised sword then down to Po Kong's arm. He blew on the fuse stick until it glowed red. He touched the fuse to cannon. Po Kong's arm exploded into pieces. The sword flew into the air towards Davin. He left the cannon smoking and jumped up catching the sword in one hand. He landed on one knee and threw the sword at Inuyasha.
"Finish it Lap dog," he shouted. Inuyasha caught the sword and launched himself forward. The sword changed as if by magic. He yelled and slashed the sword at the golems and Po Kong. The air itself seemed to spilt as waves of energy surrounded the demon and her toys. Dust flew into the air and Davin covered his eyes. He wrapped his hand around the cannons wooden staff and pulled it out of the ground. He opened his eyes and moved his hand. Gouges in the ground led to where Po Kong had been. Shimmers of light fell out of the sky. They were few enough that Davin could count them. Three red shimmers of light. He narrowed his eyes. Why would she be gone and they left? He sighed and fell down instead of sitting. He laid the cannon across his legs.
"You must forgive me," he said to the woman who stepped next to him. He looked at the ground. "I did not realize. Perhaps it is I who should not be here." He shook his head.
"No, you were brought here for a reason." He sighed and nodded slowly.
"How did she get here?" He motioned to the gouges in the ground.
"She said her master brought her here. Then gave her the Jewel Shards." He looked at the bow and arrow girl. She smiled at him. He heard a grunt behind him.
"I am not a lap dog human," Inuyasha muttered through gritted teeth.
"I really don't care," Davin said standing. He checked the barrel of the cannon and thankfully it was not damaged. He watched as Kagome walked over to the red glass pieces and picked them up.
"Would you mind if I kept one?" She looked at Davin surprised.
"You could not use them being human." He shrugged.
"This is important. If I am stuck here, I might as well do something useful." He held out his hand. Kagome walked up to him and looked at Sango then placed on in his hand. He opened one of his pouches and placed it inside. "This can be used as bait." He sighed and started west again. Maybe this time, I can actually get to a town before he has to come back and save them again.