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Chapter 21: Battle At The Castle

"What?" Rin looked shocked. "How can that-?"

"No time!" Inuyasha said urgently. "We have to get back to the castle. You're not a full demon yet but you're still stronger than most humans and we could use your help."

"We'll never get back in time." Rin said, trying not to panic. "It takes three days to travel through the-"

Inuyasha spun around and kneeled down. "Climb on. I'll run us there. It'll take an hour at most."

Rin didn't hesitate.

As her family watched on in wonder, she climbed onto his back and got a good grip on his shoulders. As soon as she was secure, Inuyasha stood up and was running out the door and speeding off towards the forest.

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Ayame cried out as she swung her frying pan. The ugly rat demon flew over the wall with a squeal of pain.

"Shippo! How are you doing?" she asked. Sweat had broken out over her forehead and her hair was flying around her face in a most annoying fashion. But she had no time to pull it up.

"Fine." the kit tried to say bravely.

Kirara roared as she flew by, almost 40 times her orginal size as she grabbed a snake demon in her great jaws and ripped at it mercilessly.

Ah-uhn was flying around as well, unmuzzeled and shooting lightning from his great mouths.

Ayame wasn't so fortunate as them. She was a cook, not a fighter. But her cast iron frying pan was proving a great weapon.

Another centipede demons came crawling towards her, it's many legs rippling. Ayame swung down hard, crushing it's head.

Shippo was behind her, protected by her because he just couldn't fight.

But Ayame was getting exhausted. There were just so many.

A bird demon swooped down and knocked the pan from her hands with it's talons.

Ayame cried out in pain as the metal clanged away on the cobblestone steps.

"Shippo!" Ayame said. "Go to the armory! Break it open! Bring me something, anything!"

"Alright!" the kit, small and easily able to hide in the bushes, jumped away toward the sealed armory.

Ayame raised her fists, ready to take them on. She wasn't a fighter, but she still had the strength of a demon.

A sickly green lizard demon jumped out at her. Ayame swung as hard as she could and felt his face crunch under her fist.

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Sesshomaru sliced through the belly of a hog demon and it fell, bleeding, onto the marble of the castle foyer.

All around him lay bodies, bleeding or dead, each unable to move at least.

He held up his claws, daring silently the next opponant.

However, he was starting to get fatigued. He was a great fighter and very strong even for a demon. But the fact was that if something didn't change soon, the others would overwhelm him by sheer numbers alone soon.

Jaken was behind him, he wasn't a fighter but he wasn't about to abandon his lord either. The imp had a tiny dagger in his hand that he was using to great effect on the smaller opponants leaving less for Sesshomaru to worry about.

But he wasn't a fool. One man against an entire forest of demons wouldn't last very long.

Two snake demons charged him at one from either side.

He dodged one, took a gracing hit from the another, but managed to slice its long belly open, angering its brother.
Who struck fast but Sesshomaru dodged and punched a hole into its head.

He threw the carcass away and faced his next challenger, a trio of ogre demons.

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Shippo kept low and ran fast as he made his way to the armory. He heard Kirara flying above him, keeping the demons off of him.

Every so often, a piece of something would come crashing down around him. But he ignored it and ran for all his little legs were worth.

Sesshomaru had sealed the armory many years ago as a means of keeping people from making the final change with a weapon. All the demons that attacked them did so solely with claws and fangs because of that precaution.

But that also mean that they had no means of defense other than fangs and claws. Shippo could create a fox fire but it was only an illusion and did no real damage.

He was scared, but he knew that he had to serve his lord and help protect his home.

So he ran towards the sealed armory on all fours, panting hard.

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"Rin!"

Rin's head shot up from Inuyasha's shoulder where she had been falling asleep. "Sorry." she shook her head, trying to keep herself awake.

"Your transformation is almost finished." Inuyasha said. He was jumping from tree to tree, making his way through the jungle. The movement wasn't particularly soothing, but Rin was just so tired.

Oh, why couldn't her transformation be finishing some other time! Why now?

"How much further?" she asked him.

Inuyasha didn't respond, he sped up.

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"Ayame!" Shippo ran towards the wolk demoness, a short sword in his hands, trailing behind him.

"Good work, Shippo!" Ayame ran at him and drew the weapon without picking up the sheath.

She turned to her attackers, panting hard. Her dress was in tatters and there was a long gash on one arm. Her back

supported three long claw marks from a demon she had let get behind her.

But she wasn't about to give up yet.

A tiger demon charged at her. She swung the sword and connected with its great claws.

The beast's power was greater than hers and she fell to one knee.

"Ayame!" Shippo threw a bright green fire at the demon.

It roared in illusionary pain as it backed off. Ayame took that moment to swing the sword in an arm, slicing its neck open.

Blood poured out, soaking her and Shippo both.

The kit shook in disgust, but it clung to his fur.

"Where's the master?" Ayame asked him as she dodged a wild swing from an armored snake demon.

"Inside, I think." Shippo cowered behind her.

Ayame looked towards the doors but all the entrances to the castle were blocked by demons.

And she couldn't run either.

The snake demon lunged. Ayame lunged. The sword in her hand pierced the snake's head.

Before she could throw it off, its mate came from her side and sank its jaws into her belly.

Ayame screamed in agony.

Shippo jumped up and bite the snake's head, digging his tiny hands into its eyes.

The reptile hissed in pain, releasing Ayame, who collapsed onto the ground.

The snake shook its massive head, sending Shippo flying into the castle wall.

"Shippo!" Ayame yelled for him.

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Sesshomaru was fiercly glad he had sent Rin home. The waves of demons kept coming and coming.

Jaken had fallen from exhaustion behind him, his tiny body covered in the tiny bite marks of the rat demons that had overtaken him before Sesshomaru had killed them.

He stood over his subject now, defending both his unconcious body and his castle from the invasion.

"Well, well."

Sesshomaru looked up as Kouga walked in through the front doors.

"How nice to see you again, my lord." the wolf demon sneered. "What's wrong? You look a bit tired."

Sesshomaru held up his claws, not speaking but ready for the coming attack anyway.

"You think you can fight me as you are now?" Kouga growled, bloodlust clouding his eyes.

Still Sesshomaru didn't speak.

Kouga charged forward, his left foot coming up to kick his former master's face.

Sesshomaru grabbed the limb and threw Kouga away.

As the wolf hit the wall, Sesshomaru sliced an attacking spider head demon in half.

He turned in time to block Kouga's next attack but took the next kick to his stomach.

Kouga went to kick him again but Sesshomaru slammed his fist into his gut.

The wolf demon grunted in pain as he jumped back.

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"The castle!" Rin gaped in horror as Inuyasha leapt from the tree and landed in the center of the courtyard.

A moment later, they were surrounded on all sides by sneering demons.

Inuyasha dropped Rin just as she let go of him to stand on her own feet.

She ducked a lung from a snake demon who's jaw was already stained crimson.

"Rin!" Inuyasha called to her as he sliced the attacking demon in half. "Get inside! Find Sesshomaru!"

"How?" Rin asked as she dodged a swipe from a bear demon.

Inuyasha punched it in its jaw, sending the creature flying into the outer wall.

She looked down and caught sight of one of Ayame's iron frying pans. She grabbed it and swung it hard, connecting with the face of a bird demon that had lunged at her from the sky.

"Will you be all right on your own?" she asked him, using the frying pan as both shield and sword.

"I'll be fine." Inuyasha said slamming a demon's head into the ground as he sliced another one in half. "Just go!"

Rin ducked another claw and sped off towards the castle.

It was as straight a sprint as she could manage. But demons would jump in her way, forcing her to beat them back with the frying pan before she could continue on.

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Inuyasha jumped high into the air then fell onto the back of an ogre demon. He snapped its neck, then jumped away as its body crashed onto the ground, crushing a mole demon.

He landed in something wet.

He looked down, shocked to see a puddle of blood.

He turned around and gasped at the sight of Ayame's pale, bloodied form.

"Ayame!" He reached out to her but knew it was already too late.

His instincts had him jumping to avoid attack.

"Want to dance?" Kagome sneered at him, her claws flashing.

"Kagome..." Inuyasha said in horror as the love of his life came at him, intent on killing him.