Hello again everybody! Life has been so filled with stuff going on. First off, I found out I'm going to need some training for a new project going on with work, which is cool and all, however, it requires me to be away from my mate for a week. I'm not too fond of being away from her for long periods of time. It sucks for both of us. We both hate being apart, but there is no way around it. Hopefully we'll make it through it. A good thing that has happened is the owner of the company I work for gave me a really nice raise this year due that I've been here five years, so good things do happen if you're patient. Plenty of stuff going on at home, at my dad's, etc. Just staying busy, like always.
My deepest apologies on this chapter being late. Ugh, I just didn't get it done like I wanted to this weekend. I thought I'd be done Friday, but no dice. So, I pushed back to Saturday, then Sunday, then Monday. And you see how that ended as of today, lol. At any rate, I'm so sorry for being late. I'm trying hard to get these chapters cranked out, but it's just been a bear to do so recently and it doesn't seem to get any better. I will try though.
Thanks to Katanna, auronsword, and alex 988 for your reviews. I'm pretty sure I replied to the first two, but for alex, here is yours.
alex 988: Thanks about this chapter. It was a lot of fun to work on. As for Eternal War, we'll see how it goes. I think it will be a 5ds story since I'm watching it. I originally didn't like the thought of the series, but the more I watch, the more I kinda have gotten into the plot and story line. Still find dueling on motorcycles strange, but not as strange.
Alright gang, hope you like the chapter. Till next time, enjoy!
Meanings for certain words:
Raiton Kage Bunshin = Lightning Release: Shadow Clone
Atsui hai no torunēdo = Hot Ash Tornado
Chapter 26
"Do you seriously think you can beat me with that stub of a sword? Don't make me laugh, Lady of the West. We both know it's useless for you to fight me with that broken weapon." Sasuke brashly commented. "You say you will defeat me even with a weapon that has obviously had it and can no longer continue. Tell me, what good does a useless tool do anyone?"
Receiving no response immediately, the demon lord declared "Nothing at all is what! To fight you must have power, and to gain power, you must take it. I have done so my entire life."
In a calm, cool voice, Yoshe replied "You say you've done nothing but take power your entire life. That is not true power. True power comes from the strength within and the will to protect that which is most precious to you."
"Oh, don't tell me you're going to spout that garbage I've heard so many of you Western Land people say. I expected better from a true demon."
"You can mock true power, but tell me this, what has your power ever gotten you? Do you have true friends, ones that would risk their lives for you should you be in danger? Or do you have no one that would protect you should your life be on the line?" Yoshe questioned.
"I have no need to protect anyone." the demon lord coldly answered. "Only weaklings need others to protect them. The power I have gained came from my desire to become a far stronger demon, one that stands the test of time and can rule others. I believe I have proven that fact by gaining power over the years and eventually, I overcame Yomi and became the Lord of the Eastern Lands. Now the Western and Northern Lands fear my power, along with the Southern."
"Lord Aikamaru will only betray you in the end." the ice demon pointed out. "He will not allow someone with ambitions like yours to remain."
Chuckling lightly, the hawk demon remarked "I know oh too well that Lord Aikamaru intends to be rid of me at the first chance he has. It wasn't hard to figure that much out."
Confused by his statement, the demoness asked "Then why team up with him?"
"He is yet another means for me to gain power. That is all. Like that whore I kept about, I'm using him to position myself for greatness. Lord Aikamaru will continue to wage this war against the Northern and Western Lands, but once he is done, I know he will set his sights on the Eastern Lands. That is why I have held back some of my better troops. It was in hopes that he would use up more of his and weaken his own stance while mine remained the same."
"But enough talk." Sasuke suddenly stated. "I have many things to do besides listen to you prattle on about protecting people and what so called 'power' you have. Now come at me, if you dare to, though I doubt you can do much with that broken tool."
Glancing down at her sword for a moment, the ice demoness coolly remarked "Sode no Shirayuki is not some tool. She is my trusted partner, one that I place my faith in and trust with my very life. As for her being broken, you are wrong yet again."
Sliding her icy blue eyes shut for a moment, the demoness called forth her white demonic aura that caused her clothing to rustle slightly. Opening her eyes to reveal a serene calmness within them, she evenly declared "San no mai, Shirafune."
Frozen air suddenly stirred within the room and sent a chilling breeze about. Ice particles from the previous chunks of ice floated about and came to the beck and call of the ice demoness. Bit by bit, the particles condensed together where the tip of the sword once was and reforged the broken half of her white katana. The very air seemed to chill even more so as ice spread across the room and coated the floor in a thin sheet of ice.
Raising her newly reformed weapon up, Yoshe swung it out to her right side and stated "My Sode no Shirayuki cannot be destroyed so easily."
"Lord Sasuke, to continue is pointless. You know as well as I do that your last attack weakened your aura drastically. I would be willing to bet you used up half of your power in that attack in hopes that it would kill both Lilly and myself. It failed and you are now weaker than before. To continue this fight would be pointless."
Silence filled the air for several moments till the demon lord lowly chuckled before all at once bursting out loud laughing with insanity filling his laughter. "Pointless! What would you know of pointless! I can crush you easily, along with that half demon, at any time!"
Raising her sword up and taking a back stance, Yoshe countered with "Then you leave me no choice, Lord Sasuke. I will finish what Lilly and I began."
Flashing forward in a blur, the beautiful demoness reappeared a few feet from the demon lord and attempted to plunge her freshly repaired weapon through his skull. He managed to shift his head to the side just in time as the tip of the blade scraped against his cheek and left a minor scratch on it.
Hearing the chirping sound of his lightning, she reacted quickly and managed to dodge an attack meant to impale her. Launching forward, she flashed away once more to reappear directly behind the demon lord with her sword held out to her right side.
"Some no mai, Tsukishiro."
An ice tower instantly sprouted up from the ground and engulfed the hawk demon within it's icy confines. Lightning erupted from the tower moments later as he escaped the icy tomb.
"Your ice is powerless against me."
Turning her head to glance over her shoulder at the hawk demon, the demoness remarked "And you are slowing. How long do you think you can keep this up, Lord Sasuke?"
"Don't mock me!" Sasuke hissed as he charged the demoness with his left hand coated in lightning and the loud chirping sound following afterwards.
Evading the attack with ease, the ice demoness put some distance between herself and the hawk demon before stabbing the floor before herself four times, leaving four glowing bursts of white demonic aura. Holding her sword up in a defensive stance horizontally while looking coldly at her opponent, she said "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren."
Blasting forward like an avalanche was the snowy wave of the ice demoness. The wave's target moved at the last moment, narrowly missing him by inches.
Charging the demoness, the hawk demon formed his lightning blade and made a stabbing motion to pierce through her heart. Seeing the attack clearly coming she leapt backwards and dodged the sharp lightning blade of energy. Flashing away, she reappeared high above him with her katana held in her left hand and right hand pointing directly at him.
"Bakudō 1: Sai!"
Feeling the involuntary response to her spell forcing his hands to be pushed behind his back, the demon lord fought against it and attempted to not give into it. Distracted from his opponent, he never had a chance to react to her next spell.
"Bakudō 4: Hainawa!"
Wrapping around the hawk's body and forcing his arms to be pressed to his sides suddenly was a golden ribbon of energy that wound tightly and gave him no room to maneuver. He looked up to find that the second spell had been cast by the still kneeling neko.
"Why you..."
Cutting him off as she landed beside him, Yoshe softly said "Bakudō 61: Rikujōkōrō."
Six blades of golden demonic energy suddenly formed a circle like ring around him and held him completely in place.
Placing her right hand on his back, she coolly said "Bakudō 63: Sajo Sabaku."
Wrapping around the hawk demon's body instantly was a thick rope like chain that wound tightly and reinforced the two previous spells. With his arms effectively bound, he struggled to break free but quickly found he could not do so like he originally thought he could.
"RELEASE ME!"
Taking up a position ten yards away in front of the demon lord with her icy blue eyes slid shut, she slowly reopened her eyes to reveal a hardness and coldness he had yet to see in them. Yoshe raised her left arm up high as a black and purple demonic aura roared to life and engulfed her body completely within it. Her hair and clothing rustled from the massive aura and caused the same to happen to the hawk demon.
"Seeping crest of turbidity. Arrogant vessel of lunacy! Boil forth and deny! Grow numb and flicker! Disrupt sleep! Crawling queen of iron! Eternally self-destructing doll of mud! Unite! Repulse! Fill with soil and know your own powerlessness!"
Still holding her left hand up high in the air as she finished her chant with the dark aura swirling around her body, she yelled out "Hadō 90: Kurohitsugi!"
Rising upwards and forming around the body of the hawk demon was four black walls that pieced themselves together piece by piece. They continued to rise higher and higher, square by square. At long last, the walls completed their construction and the structure created was a large black rectangular building that was at least five stories tall. Jutting out from the sides at the very top, numerous sword like objects pierced into the building, giving it the illusion that the swords were going completely through and skewering it's occupant.
Stabbing her sword into the ground in front of herself to keep from falling, Yoshe leaned heavily on the white blade as she desperately tried to catch her breath. Sweat poured down the sides of her face and dripped to the ground. Shaking slightly, she raised her head up to look at the massive black structure she had created.
In a ragged tone, she quietly declared "It's at last over."
Cracks gradually started forming within the black structure until at long last it shattered like glass, sending debris littering the ground before vanishing.
Standing with his eyes wide and blood pouring down his body from the numerous wounds covering his form, the hawk demon let out a pained gasp before falling to the ground unceremoniously. His body quivered slightly for a few moments before stilling.
Drawing her sword out of the ground and taking a few wobbly steps to in front of the demon lord, the ice demoness sadly looked down at the broken body of her opponent. "Lord Sasuke, this is the end."
"You ... are... right..." he rasped out. Without warning, he reached out and grasped her ankle with his lacerated clawed hand. Blood stained her kimono's hem, but that wasn't what caught her attention. It was the cold, calculating smirk on his face.
Suddenly, the hawk demon's body began pouring lightning out before she could react. The lightning stunned her and made her scream out in pain. While she did so, the body of the demon lord transformed completely into lightning. It continued to flow through the ice demoness's body and make her scream even louder.
"YOSHE! BEHIND YOU!"
It was too late to heed the words of the neko as she suddenly felt a sharp stabbing pain in her chest. Looking down, she saw a clawed hand coated in lightning energy and blood sticking out of it. The chirping sound coming from the lightning was overwhelming, along with the pain that accompanied the attack. Blood started leaking out from the corners of her mouth and dripped down off her chin to the ground.
"You are lucky I aimed for only a lung and not your heart, Lady Yoshe." Sasuke stated in a smug tone.
Coughing raggedly and trying to take in some air while at the same time unravel the mystery of what had changed the course of the battle, the demoness whispered "How?"
Darkly chuckling, the demon lord smugly said near her ear "You gave me opportunity. When you used your Tsukishiro, I was given a moment to create a Raiton Kage Bunshin. Sure, using that technique consumed half of my remaining power, but it was well worth it. Once I had created it, I was able to hide my presence while my bunshin continued the battle."
"I knew you wouldn't waste any time trying to dispatch him. However, I was surprised you went to the extreme of using such a high level spell to do so. If that had been me, this fight would have been over and you would be the victor. Things are funny that way, wouldn't you agree, Lady of the West?"
"LET HER GO!"
Knowing whom it was yelling at him, the hawk demon forcefully lifted the demoness off the ground by his hand still run through her and turned the two of them to face the hanyou. Letting a flare of lightning out through his clawed hand, he relished in the strangled gasp of pained erupting from the ice demoness.
"I SAID LET HER GO!" Lilly snarled. Her ash cloud circled her body rapidly, revealing it was more than ready to launch forward at a moment's notice.
"You are not in any position to make demands, half demon." Sasuke coolly remarked. "Do you honestly think you can save the Lady of the West? Tell me, can your ash beat the speed of my lightning? Lightning takes only a hundredth of a second to strike, so what makes your ash can reach me before I would kill her with Chidori?"
Clenching her hilt tightly with her lone useful hand, the neko hissed "It's over, Lord Sasuke! Let Yoshe go! You hardly have any power left after that last stunt you pulled, so release her!"
"You're not listening." Sasuke reprimanded. Sending another burst of lightning into the demoness he held hostage, he added "Your demands are pointless. I have the upper hand in this conflict, thus it is I who makes the bargain. Return your zanpakutō to it's sealed state and I may let her live, for now. Refuse and I'll kill her."
"What do I do!" Lilly screamed within her mind. Squeezing her emerald eyes shut as she felt the overwhelming feeling of being powerlessness filling her up. Looking at her sister-in-law being held as a hostage, the words of ice demoness rolled through her mind about the promise the two of them made before they had left for the final battle.
"Both of us will live and return to our mates, no matter what."
"But here we are. I can't save her. Haineko is fast, but not that fast. What do I do!"
"Kill ... us ... both Lilly..."
Emerald eyes snapping open, the neko looked in shock at the ice demoness. Her icy blue eyes revealed the just how much she was suffering, yet she forced herself to look up at the neko as she struggled to speak.
Shaking her head in complete shock, the neko weakly said "I can't... I just ..."
"This is no time to let your emotions get the better of you." Yoshe coldly stated. Softening, she added "Sesshomaru will understand."
"But our promise! I won't do it!"
"You put your faith in a weakling, Lady Yoshe." Sasuke interjected smugly. Sending another surge of lightning into the demoness's body, he sharply said "You would be wise to surrender, lest you wish to have the Lady of the West die because of your stubbornness. Of course, you could be pining to become the new Lady of the West, but they would be desperate to do so."
Eyes smoldering, the neko snarled "I would never wish that!"
"Then surrender, half breed."
"Do it Lilly. Kill us both!" Yoshe desperately pleaded.
"Yoshe..." Lilly whispered with tears forming in the corners of her eyes. Hiding her eyes with the shadows of her bangs, the neko silently wept as her left hand shook uncontrollably.
Seeing the hesitation in her sister-in-law, the ice demoness reached up without being seen and grasped hold of the hawk demon's wrist that stuck through her. Summoning up her white demonic aura, she poured cold air into her hand.
All at once, the lightning surrounding the demon lord's hand started fading until it at last dissipated completely.
"What the ..." Sasuke began until he felt the cold of the demoness starting to freeze the blood and skin of his left hand completely.
Viewing what Yoshe had done, Lilly suddenly felt a surge of confidence in her own abilities and shot forward at top speed.
Sensing the approaching neko, the demon lord attempted to send a blast of lightning into his hostage, only to find he could no longer do so. His powers reacted sluggishly and wouldn't respond the way he wanted to. Realizing he wouldn't be able to kill his hostage before his opponent arrived, he tried to rid himself of the demoness, only to realize she was holding onto his hand and keeping the two of them from separating.
"RELEASE ME WOMAN!"
"Never..." Yoshe whimpered.
Before he could argue, the hawk demon suddenly caught sight of ash flowing in front of him and around his left elbow. He noticed that the neko had her left hand raised up with the remainder of her sword tightly held and at an angle.
Swiping it downwards, the neko glared at the hawk demon as her ash cloud responded and sliced through his arm, severing it completely at the elbow joint and effectively freeing the demoness.
"Hadō 1: Shō!"
Throwing the demon lord backwards, Lilly swooped in and caught Yoshe before she could fall to the ground. Holding her tightly, she gently laid the demoness onto the ground.
Flashing away, she raced after the demon lord to find he was still trying to get his bearings. She reappeared directly in front of him with a look of pure rage reflecting in her emerald eyes while her ash cloud roared around her body.
"Bakudō 73: Tozanshō!"
Gasping as light blue energy appeared in a focal point just below his feet, the hawk demon watched in shock as four beams shot upwards at a similar angle. They soon interconnected with one another to form what looked like an inverted pyramid around his body. The beams soon released light blue energy to fill in the gaping areas, effectively trapping the demon lord within.
Skidding to a halt while heavily panting, Lilly hunched over and placed her one working arm on her left knee to prop herself up.
Watching this, Sasuke snarled out "I will not be caged! Chidori!"
Lightning flared to life within the demon lord's right hand and coated it completely in a matter of seconds, however, it seemed far too long for his taste. The lightning was a far cry from the vibrant energy he had been releasing earlier.
Pushing herself back up, the neko's right hand suddenly twitched to life. Flexing it, she found she once more had mobility within the hand, though her wound ached terribly. Ignoring the pain, she reached into her top and retrieved a small gourd. Tossing it aimlessly into the air, the ash cloud suddenly swallowed up the gourd and disintegrated it. It and it's contents immediately mixed within the cloud, giving it a dark gray color.
Spotting her barrier was giving out due to the lightning hand of her foe cutting through it, the hanyou directed her ash cloud towards the failing barrier and encircled it. The barrier broke just as the ash cloud started circling it.
In a cold tone, Lilly declared "Haitaifuu."
The ash immediately responded to its master's command and swelled in size to take the form of a swirling tornado. Watching this happen, the demon lord looked about the tornado in confusion. He then suddenly felt a few cuts forming on his wings and main body. Surprise coated his face, but annoyance mixed into it as well.
"Do you honestly think you can finish me with this level of attack?" he challenged.
"No."
Seeing an opening in the tornado forming, Sasuke saw Lilly clearly standing still with the remainder of her zanpakutō in her right hand and her left hand raised with palm pointing at him and a glowing red fireball within it, seemingly waiting to be released.
"Haitaifuu is not enough to finish this fight, that much I know. That's why I created a variation of this attack, one that you won't be able to survive. The name of this new attack is Atsui hai no torunēdo. You'll understand it's name once you see it in action. More like, you may find nothing but unhappiness when it hits you."
Pushing more demonic energy into her flaming sphere that increased the size by triple, the neko coldly declared "Hadō 31: Shakkahō!"
Roaring forward with blazing speed and a trail of flames following in it's wake, the large fireball smashed into the tornado and nothing seemed to happen at first. Without warning, the ash ignited and the twister became a flaming tower with heat reaching heights few had seen or felt before. At the same time, a loud pain filled scream erupted from the blazing structure and struck into the hearts of both women that watched it.
"That is Atsui hai no torunēdo, Lord Sasuke. Farewell." Lilly sadly declared as she turned away from the tower of flames.
Flashing to the side of her sister-in-law, she carefully picked her up, being mindful of her wound and not touching it. She vanished yet again to only reappear in the hallway just outside the throne room where they had been fighting. Laying the ice demoness down tenderly, the neko examined the frozen clawed hand still sticking through her for a moment.
"I'm sorry Yoshe." Lilly whispered with tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "It's my fault you're in this shape. If I hadn't of used up so much energy earlier on ..."
"No." Yoshe hushed the neko. Grimacing slightly as she reached out to grasp the neko's hand, she added "I was careless. No one is at fault for the shape I'm in but myself. I underestimated his abilities and for that I'm paying the price. I only wish it hadn't been so steep."
"Don't talk like that." the neko commanded. Looking over the wound again, she grimaced at what she knew must be done.
Catching the scent of salt, Lilly glanced down to see tears freely flowing down the beautiful ice demoness's face. The sight threw her off due that she had never seen the demoness shed tears.
"Tell him I love him and I'm sorry I couldn't keep my promise to ..."
"NO!" Lilly yelled. Calming herself, she sympathetically said "You won't die here, Yoshe. We made a promise to return to our mates, no matter what. I won't let you break that promise."
"You have no say in the matter." Yoshe whispered in a pained expression.
Shaking her head back and forth a few times, the neko sadly smiled down at the woman she felt like was her sister. "I do and I won't let you go. This is going to hurt, but bear with me."
Confused, the ice demoness saw the neko reach out and gently grasp the frozen hand still lodged in her body. She had little time to prepare herself as the hanyou jerked the dismembered extremity from her body before tossing it aside. Blood immediately welled up and poured from the wound, staining both her clothing and the floor beneath her in the crimson life force.
Holding her hands over the wound, Lilly's eyes fluttered shut. "Remember your training. This is where it counts! I won't lose Yoshe, no, I refuse to lose her!"
Still in shock at the actions of her sister-in-law, the ice demoness suddenly felt a warming sensation starting to pour into her body where her wound was. Forcing herself to crane her neck up slightly, her eyes widened a fraction in astonishment when she saw a green glow pouring out from the neko's clawed hands. She also noticed that Lilly had her eyes glued shut and appeared to be struggling to keep up the effort she was putting forth.
"That's a healing Kidō! How! I never taught her that!"
"Lilly..."
"I need to concentrate. Just lie still and be quiet." Lilly commanded in a gruff tone.
Complying with the neko's wishes, the ice demoness hushed herself and tried to deal with the pain she felt in her chest. Though she could feel the wound starting to slowly close up, the pain associated with it hurt just as much as the injury itself.
"Damn it, this is harder than I remember during my training!" Lilly internally growled. The flow of energy coming out of her hands was beginning to sputter a bit and the healing process was also starting to slow. Redoubling her efforts, she remembered what was on the line and squeezed out more power, causing the green glow of her hands to intensify yet again. Sweat poured down the sides of her face and soaked her top. Her teeth continued to grind against themselves due that she was gritting them intensively to keep her concentration. At the same time, her hands began shaking a bit, disrupting the flow of energy yet again.
Panting deeply as she cracked her eyes open, she saw the wound was over two-thirds closed, but still had a third to go. Squeezing her eyes shut yet again, she foraged her body for any and all energy she had remaining. Her aura was already weaker than after her training sessions had ever been, which in her mind warned her that she was edging ever so dangerously past her breaking point.
"Even if I have to give up all of my power, I will not stop! I did not start this only to fail! Please, give me strength to finish!"
Feeling a slight surge of power, her eyes snapped open in shock. Glancing down, the neko noticed the remnants of her zanpakutō laying beside of her had it's aura flaring off of it. Another pulse filled her, allowing her to keep up the release of healing energy.
"Haineko? You're helping me?" the neko questioned.
In a clipped tone, the zanpakutō spirit retorted "Of course I am! You are my master. Though I am still using my power to contain that demon, I will give you some of my power that is left. Do not squander it! Save your family."
Inwardly nodding, the hanyou returned to the task at hand. She saw the wound was nearly sealed shut and continued to pour out her power. The energy was starting to slow a bit again, but it mattered little due that the wound at long last was now closed up.
Falling over onto her back and closing her eyes, Lilly laid there trying frantically to restore her breathing to normal. Her body all but demanded she rest, with her mind threatening to allow her to be swallowed up by the darkness the rest brought.
"Who taught you to heal?"
Peeling open her eyes to look in the direction of the ice demoness, the neko said nothing at first due that she was still trying to get her breathing calmed. At last getting it to a manageable amount, she rasped out "It was Orihime."
"But that kind of healing takes a lot of time to perfect. You only got to see her for a handful of weeks, not nearly enough time for you to develop those skills." Yoshe protested.
Faintly giggling, Lilly felt her drooping eyelids close with her grin still plastered on her face. In a quiet tone, she replied "Healing with Kidō isn't too difficult, well, somewhat. The basics are all that Orihime could give me, however, they're kind of simple if you can control the output of your energy."
"Because I'm a hanyou I've always been careful of how much demonic energy I release when I use my Kidō, thus building up good control without knowing about it. Orihime taught me how to use that control and do simple healing. It wasn't easy to learn but with some practice I managed to do a reasonable job. I can at least close up wounds. I can't replace blood with this healing, however, just closing up wounds is a good start, don't you agree?"
"Yes, it is. You've done well, Lilly." Yoshe proudly commented. "You've come so far in such a short few years. There is much for you to learn, but you have done well with what you have already mastered. Healing Kidō was something I never quite grasped, yet here you are using it as if it's second nature to you."
Sitting up suddenly, the neko brow furrowed for a moment. She quickly took hold of her zanpakutō's hilt and forced herself back onto shaky legs. "Stay here."
A touch uncertain by what she meant, the demoness soon realized why she had stood. A hint of demonic energy was filling the area from where the two had fought the demon lord, telling anyone with any kind of senses that his aura had yet to fade away completely.
Starting to try and stand herself, Yoshe gasped in pain and fell back onto her back. Short of breath, she winced from the shooting pain in her chest.
"I told you stay there. You're healed but that doesn't mean completely. I closed up the wound, however the damage that was done may still remain. Just wait here." Lilly commanded.
"I can help you ..."
"Don't make me use Kidō to restrain you." the neko warned. In taking a sharp breath, she added curtly "I won't be long. Atsui hai no torunēdo should have all but finished him off. To be alive is surprising in and of itself, but he'll be in no shape to fight with me. Just wait, okay?"
Mentally berating herself over her inability to assist her sister-in-law, the ice demoness heavily sighed before acknowledging the statement with a solemn nod.
"Don't worry, this shouldn't take long."
Rushing back into the throne room, the overwhelming scent of burnt flesh invaded the neko's nostrils, making her want to hurl. It took all her self control to tamp down the sensation and keep her mind focused on what she knew must be done. Reaching the spot where her ash remained spinning about, she held out her zanpakutō towards it, causing a reaction. She watched as the ash suddenly shot towards her and reformed into the blade of her sword. With her zanpakutō recalled, the results of the horrific attack were revealed to her.
Standing on trembling legs was the once proud hawk demon. His gray skin was scorched black in many places while other areas of his skin was raw. Almost every inch of his skin had lacerations where the ash cloud had cut at him when spinning about and left nothing but dried blood in it's wake. The two clawed like wings had numerous holes through them that were seared shut from the intense heat. His hair was partially burnt away, along with the tattered remains of his pants and white top that had been draped around his hips. Breathing seemed very strenuous due to the ragged breaths coming from him.
Taking in his form, the neko couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt for the pain she knew he was suffering through from her attack. Yet another part of her couldn't help but feel some sort of twisted satisfaction at the fact he felt some form of pain far worse than what he had inflicted upon those under his rule.
"I must admit Lord Sasuke, I never expected you to survive Atsui hai no torunēdo. The pain you're feeling must be tremendous. Just breathing alone must be a laborious task, let alone standing there."
Without warning, the form of Sasuke started glowing slightly red. His grayish skin color began receding along with his wings and long hair. The gray skin soon vanished to reveal his cream colored skin, though it was still scorched and lacerated heavily. His chokutō reformed in his right hand with wisps of smoke pouring off the blade.
Realizing the demon lord had yet to look up at her, the neko coolly said "The end of your reign is at hand, Lord Sasuke. I should end your life here after all that you've done to the people of not only the Western Lands, but your own subjects of the Eastern Lands."
Heavily sighing, Lilly shook her head for a moment before turning away from the pitiful sight before her and sheathed her zanpakutō.
"But doing so would only lower me to your standards, and I refuse to play that part in your demise. Lords Kouga and Sesshomaru will deal with you once these battles are over."
Not even a few yards away, the neko's ears perked up as she picked up the sound of faint, ragged chuckling coming from behind her. "What do you find funny?"
"No ... stomach for ... what must be done, ... half breed?" Sasuke rasped out.
Spinning around to face the demon lord, the neko spotted he had at last raised his head and was looking straight at her with his crimson colored eyes. A sadistic smirk was plastered on his face while his body shook slightly from the strain of still standing. Sweat was pouring down the sides of his face, yet he paid no heed to it.
"I do not revel in killing, Lord Sasuke. Especially when my opponent cannot fight back." the neko tightly retorted.
"Useless." the hawk demon spat. "You weaklings ... are all the same."
Clutching his zanpakutō a bit tighter, he muttered "All of you do not ... understand what demons are truly like. That is ... why each of you ... are so pitiful and will ... never learn a thing. A demon ... in your position ... would... would..."
Coughing loudly and spitting up blood till it ran down his chin, the demon lord growled out "A true demon would never hesitate to eliminate someone as powerful as I am. That's why you will die here, half breed."
"You are in no position to make idle threats." Lilly coldly stated.
"Idle?" Sasuke smugly challenged. "Who said it was an empty threat? You little fool, I will show you what true power is and prove that I am the true master of these lands!"
Ghastly purple aura suddenly poured out from the body of the hawk demon, forcing the neko to retreat a few yards while she gripped the hilt of her zanpakutō.
"Just how much power does he have left! After taking a hit from my attack he should have been down and out. What kind of monster is he!"
Lightning flaring around the hawk demon's body brought the neko out of her stupor. Paying close attention to it, she noted that his body seemed to be straining to keep itself together in one piece, more so near his open wounds.
"This is the end for you, half breed. If the pathetic Lords of the West and North wish to take my lands, then it is only fair that I take two of the Ladies of the Western Lands for fair compensation. Farewell, Lady of the West."
Releasing a primordial roar, the Eastern Lord started unleashing even more power. His aura seemingly exploded as the lightning surrounding him flared out higher than ever.
Sensing danger by his actions, the hanyou turned on her heels and raced towards the doorway that led to the outside of the throne room. Her body protested from such actions, however her overwhelming will to live and the thoughts of what would become of her sister-in-law spurred her onwards.
Finding the demoness still laying in the hallways, she rushed to in front of her and spun around to face the direction she had just come from. Her breathing was erratic and labored, prompting the ice demoness to try and sit up.
"What's going on! I can sense Lord Sasuke's aura being released at an alarming rate."
Cringing due to her shoulder wound, the neko barked out "He's lost his mind! I think he's trying to blow himself up, and with that kind of power he has left, he could likely take out a good chunk of this castle."
Hesitantly, she added "I don't know if I can shield us this time. Both Haineko and I are pretty worn out, but I'll do my best."
Hearing scuffling behind her, the neko glanced over her shoulder to see Yoshe struggling to her feet by using her white sword as a crutch. Her features was etched with pain and revealed how difficult it was for her to be standing once more.
"Yoshe, you need to lay back down!" Lilly exclaimed as she turned to the ice demoness and reached out for her. Her hand was smacked away as the demoness took a few unsure steps forward so that she was directly behind the neko with her back to her.
"Lilly, you did so much to protect and heal me already. Let me repay you now."
Before she could argue, the neko picked up a faint whisper from the demoness.
"Hakufuku."
The neko suddenly felt her eyes grow heavy and her mind going dark. She realized in a flash the Kidō spell she had just been placed under, however it was too late to do anything about it.
In a silent whisper, she murmured "Yoshe..." before starting to fall forward. Instead of hitting the ground, she was held up by the demoness, who gently lowered her onto her back so that she laid flat on it.
Sadly looking down at the neko, Yoshe apologetically said "I'm sorry, but I can't let you push yourself any further."
Returning her gaze ahead towards the throne room, the demoness moved forward a few more feet and drove her zanpakutō into the ground. The pain in her chest continued to throb from her earlier wound, but she forced the pain down as she started gathering up power. Her white aura swirled about her body, sending her hair and clothing floating.
In the throne room taking his last few breaths, Sasuke sneered. Proudly, he declared "Chidori Blast."
All at once, his beaten and battered body exploded and released a massive burst of lightning that completely obliterated everything within the room. The blast continued onwards and ripped the stone floors asunder as it continued to rock the castle with a massive explosion.
Watching the incoming blast with icy eyes, Yoshe raised her right arm up so that it was directly in front of her and her palm was facing outwards. Bracing it with her left hand, she fiercely yelled out "Bakudō 81: Dankū!"
Seeing the translucent wall take up position to protect the hallway, she quickly dragged her zanpakutō out of the ground and turned the blade away from herself so that it faced the incoming attack. Stabbing it gently into the ground and causing a burst of white aura to flare up from it, she repeated the process three more times. With the four bursts of white energy welling up from the ground, the ice demoness drew her sword up horizontally to beside her head and stared coldly in the direction of the lightning energy.
Waiting till the last second when the blast struck her barrier, the demoness coolly declared "It ends here, Lord Sasuke. You will not have your way and harm anyone else so long as I draw breath in this body."
Releasing even more power into her blade, Yoshe cried out "Tsugi no mai, Hakuren!"
All at once, a massive wave of snow shot forth from the tip of the white sword. The huge wave of snow slammed roughly into the blast of lightning that had just broken the translucent barrier. Smashing into one another, the two powerful attacks grinded against one another, their sheer power radiating from the encounter.
Sweat poured from the forehead of the demoness as she grit her teeth, determined to remain focused on the task at hand. "I won't fail!"
"ROAR HAINEKO!"
Hearing those words said, the ice demoness suddenly saw a cloud of ash shoot up and joined into the fray. Shocked by the allying force, Yoshe glanced over her shoulder to see Lilly sitting up and strain covering her face. Her eyes were clouded and appeared half vacant, yet the neko seemed alert to what she was doing at the moment.
The two continued to combine forces and held their ground against the blast of lightning. It soon weakened tremendously and all at once sputtered out.
Panting heavy, the two women immediately felt their bodies go slack. The neko fell backwards none to gently onto her back and felt herself slipping away into the futile state of unconsciousness yet again. Not far from her, the ice demoness collapsed onto the ground with a ghostly smile on her face before passing out.
Only a few minutes passed before the Lord of the North, Kouga, flanked by General Nakamura and several soldiers, found the two passed out women. Staring down at them, the demon lord felt a bit of his tension release as he smiled down at the pair.
"It seems they have won, Lord Kouga." Nakamura stated in her usual cold tone.
Still smiling, the wolf demon nodded his head and replied "It seems so. Let's get them back to Kagome and Tsunade. All that's left is for the Southern Lord to be toppled."
Thanks everyone for reading the chapter. Now, if you could do me a kind favor and review to let me know what you think of the chapter, I'd appreciate it.