Beginning of the End: Take the Dive - Part 2
Kongomi swung over the side of the boat with a splash and a huge gasp as she hit the freezing water. Yoihito joined her a moment later, inhaling from the shock of the temperature. He looked worriedly at her bandaged arm that had splotches of dark red coming through. She noticed.
"How many times have I told you-" she began, forcing her teeth not to chatter.
"At least one less than I need," he replied, treading closer. "That won't stop me from worrying - not now, not ever."
"Then I pity our children." She snapped and aggressively swam over to the sea dragon. "Are you ready yet?"
He grabbed one of the back spines on the other side of the neck. "Are you sure about this?"
With an eye roll, she took a massive breath before slapping the dragon on the neck. All three were immediately submerged in the dark waters. Their demonic vision afforded them a fair view of the world under the surface, but their destination was far below the reaches of the sun, deep into the shadows.
Kongomi pulled out her other arm, which was adorned with a thick leather bracer, the same one Yoihito had used to track her down over a year ago. A faint blue light radiated from one of the studs, casting a trail into the inky blackness below. She guided their mount to carry them swiftly, following the tiny beam.
Within seconds, she felt the pressure against her skin. Each second they traveled, the tighter the water around them became, constricting her chest, trying to compress out her precious supply of air. She couldn't waste time even looking at Yoihito, but confident all the same that he was fine. He had to be.
Down, down, and down they went. Kongomi did not panic just yet, but her muscles were already beginning to strain, her head feeling the onset of cloudiness that heralded the turning point. We have to find her!
Without warning, the sea dragon buckled and writhed, thrashing to turn away from the direction of the light. Kongomi let go amid the swarm of bubbles, letting the currents push her away. As soon as the dragon cleared the area, she frantically reached out, groping for Yoihito's hand. There he is! She squeezed tightly but he didn't squeeze back.
No...no, no no, no! This cannot be happening! Kongomi resisted the urge to scream. She tugged his arm and felt only the sluggish pull of limp weight. Now there definitely was no time left. She lifted the bracer, which cast a pale blue haze over a shape.
Temporary pushing down her dread, Kongomi dragged Yoihito towards the form. Waving the feeble glow, she could make out the unmistakable contours of bones: giant, pale, and pearly smooth. Without hesitation, she used her free hand to extract the water skin filled with her blood, only to realize that both her hands were occupied.
I refuse to lose him, she thought fiercely. Her lungs had started to burn and the soft night was closing in, comforting, with the weight of a blanket. No! Don't sleep! She was out of time.
She wrapped her arms around Yoihito, slinging him over her shoulder. Throwing a prayer to whatever spirits were listening, she opened her mouth, priceless air escaping in large bubbles that drifted upwards. Her teeth gripped on the stopped, she tore open the container, releasing a dark liquid that lazily drifted around the bones.
Nothing happened.
Dammit! Kongomi tried to kick with all her might towards the surface, where light and life awaited her, but Yoihito was heavy, bearing her back down to the bottom. Her kicks became feeble and she couldn't hold her breath anymore as the rest of her supply bubbled gently in the dark. Not like this...
Far below, a golden light burst forth; the water churned and frothed in frigid waves. Kongomi was awake just enough to feel the thrust, water rushing past her. She struggled to cling to Yoihito, refusing to let him go. At some point during their accelerated ascent, water was replaced by strong steel, driving them up.
The force erupted into the air, Kongomi coughing and retching, taking in what she needed. She immediately turned to Yoihito, who was pale-faced with blue-tinged lips. "Yoihito, no!" She shook him. "Wake up! Please, please wake up!" No sign of movement came forth. Dragging herself closer, she took a huge gulp of air and shoved it into his lungs as hard as she could. She tried again.
After a third time, she paused. He remained motionless and Kongomi felt her heart turn to lead. "No, Yoihito…" she whimpered, her tears mixing with the salt that was crusting in her hair and on her skin. "You can't leave me, you promised…" Now she was well and truly alone in the world.
You poor, pitiful creature.
A voice cold and sharp like crystal reverberated in her skull. Looking around, Kongomi noticed they were on a bed of white scales, sparkling in the sun. She looked back and a pair of silver eyes gleamed at her. Cautiously, she placed her shaking hands on her temples, shivering from the frost and her own fear.
Pointless.
Again, the voice rang in her head, drowning out all other sensation. She covered her ears without any hope of actually blocking out the sound. But she needed to try, otherwise she would have lost Yoihito for nothing.
Listen to me! It felt like her own voice bounced harmlessly against a mind made of diamond.
The dragon daiyoukai tilted her head, letting them fall, crashing into an outstretched hand. The sterling eyes fixed on their tiny bodies.
Why should I do something as trivial as listen to an insignificant being? The dragon brought her hand up to her snout, teeth gleaming.
Kongomi fell back, her arms catching her and accidentally brushing against Yoihito's lifeless form. She glanced down and was filled with a boiling rage. It was all so stupid.
You know what, fuck you.
Fuck you and all your shitty breathren. I am done. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't have had those moronic uprisings. If we never had those uprisings, then we wouldn't have some backwards revenge-obsessed lunatics roaming the land. My kingdom would never have been destroyed. My family wouldn't have had to die. Yoihito would be alive right now!
She stood up, now quivering with a heated anger she'd not felt in some time. So no, you dumb excuse for a beast. You WILL listen to me. I am Queen of Ryudo and I am having a really bad morning, so unless you have a death wish, you WILL do what I ask or you will shut up.
The dragon blinked very slowly, her eyes clouding into a milk color before returning to their crystal clarity. She contemplated with a few tilts of her head before a toothy grin split across her face.
Well said, Queen of Ryudo. While you are far more uncouth than fool Tomohisa, I will gladly accept your offer. You may call me Mirai.
Now it was Kongomi's turn to blink, fury subsiding slightly. She had not considered the possibility that the dragon would accept. In the absence of conflict, she stared back emptily. That was it? It was that easy? She walked back over to Yoihito and dropped to her knees, gently holding onto his arm. It was hard to find the strength to move forward.
Am I to assume that Tomohisa had progeny that is the source of your wrath?
She nodded.
Once again, the eyes turned into swirling clouds, fogging over for a moment. I cannot say that I am pleased with the fates your lot have dealt my darling Ichiryu and Jiryu. But I cannot say that I am surprised either, that they allowed themselves to become playthings of such lowly spawn. No doubt their father is next.
With a mighty woosh, the ocean fell away, hundreds of meters down below. Yes, I believe it is time for a reunion.
Farther east, Kohaku sat behind his sister and brother-in-law, still slung over Kirara's back. He could feel the fire cat tiring after several hours of full speed travel. He nudged his leg into the cat's side and wearily, they made their way down to the ground.
He carefully eased Sango and Miroku to the ground. Once their weapons were safely stored and Kirara was able to shrink into his smaller form to rest, Kohaku looked from where they came. Tsukiakari had told him to run, to make sure the villagers were alright. That is exactly what he was doing, yet, doubt's claws were raking across the back of his mind.
The danger was back there. The others were back there. Rin almost certainly would be back there. And here he was, running away, like a dog with his tail between his legs.
Sounds of stirring broke through his thoughts. Sango shifted and sat up, clutching her stomach. "What happened?" She noticed Miroku, also starting to stir, and then she saw him.
"Kohaku!" She rose awkwardly, wincing at the bruising on her abdomen. "You're back! Where did you go? We heard such terrible rumors - I'm so glad you're safe!" She crushed him in a hug that he happily returned.
"I can explain later, Aneue. Right now I need to get you to the village caves." He quickly explained there was some sort of spell luring all humans in the area and that they didn't know how far the spell reached.
"And then what happens?" Miroku asked.
"You two stay to protect the villagers. I will go back to help." Kohaku braced himself for the inevitable -
"Kohaku, you can't go. What about the spell? That curse that you were just telling us about? You already said you were entrapped by it once." Sango clutched his hand, her breath puffing around her.
"Aneue, I cannot abandon my friends. I promised her that I would get you two to safety, but then I have to go back. I won't sit around while they die."
Miroku gave him a stern look and gripped his shoulder. "Do not rush to your own death."
Sango nodded, "We will come with you. We will not let you go alone."
"You can't." Kohaku explained. "You have Kiyoko, and Maeko, and your son. Do you really want him and his sisters to grow up without their parents? Do you want them to be like us?"
Sango looked hurt, tears glistening in her eyes. Guilt welled up in his throat, which he unsuccessfully ignored. "Do you want them to live in a world they barely understand? Or left to fend for themselves here?"
Miroku dropped his arm, his face dark. "Is Sango supposed to watch you die then?"
"It's okay." She wrapped him in a warm hold. "You have to promise me that you will come back. Come back safe and sound. Bring back Kagome-chan and Inuyasha if you can. We can't let Miki and Shinobu be without their family either."
"I promise," Kohaku gave her a small smile. There was a tap on his shoulder again, this time, Miroku offered him a pile of ofuda. He gave the young demon hunter a crooked smile.
"I don't know how useful these talismen will be, but they're probably better than nothing." He also leaned in, wrapping his arm around his brother. "You're important to both of us. Stay safe."
Kohaku pulled back, "Well, I have to get you back to the village first. I promised didn't I?"
Sango gave him a slight push. "Go. Take Kirara. We can find our way on our own. You need all the time you can get." In a flare of flame, the cat transformed to his full size as Sango hugged him around the neck. "Make sure my little brother doesn't get into any trouble, okay?"
Kirara rumbled with a deep purr. Kohaku walked over to scratch him between the ears. "Are you alright to start traveling again? We haven't rested for very long." Another rumble.
He hopped onto his faithful companion, scythe and paper talismans in hand. "Aneue, Miroku-san, look after yourselves. I'll see you when this is over."
Turning to the blue sky, he and Kirara raced back to the front lines.
"There they are!" Tsukiakari pointed out two red spots against the snow. Sesshoumaru caught sight of his brother, coat wrapped around the priestess. He dropped to the ground as Rin skidded into the clearing, only mildly out of breath.
"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha called out frantically, desperation pouring off of him in waves.
Tsukiakari leapt off his arm and sprinted over, hands already weaving intricate symbols. A pale white light slithered from her fingertips to settle over Kagome's face. Sesshomaru chanced a glance back at Rin, to see if she noticed the difference in color between the spells cast. Her face was once again shrouded behind a face mask and forehead protector, impossible to read.
Inuyasha stepped back, his white hair and kimono making him appear washed out. His eyes wide with worry, glossy from containing his stress. After a second, the miko blinked with a confused "Inuyasha? Why am I wearing your coat?"
Sesshomaru looked away as his brother enveloped his wife. He overheard Tsukiakari give a grave warning: "You need to leave. This barrier I have for you, I do not know how long it will hold."
From within the folds of Inuyasha's kimono, Kagome asked: "What kind of spell is this?"
Tsukiakari relayed all that she knew about the wana seal. Kagome reflected for a second before locking her fingers into a prayer. A vibrantly white aura surrounded her. "Tsukiakari-san, can you remove your barrier?"
Inuyasha moved into a position to ensure that no one would run away to the lure of the spell. Tsukiakari nodded and then snapped her fingers. Kagome's glow faded slightly, but she stood calmly, eyes closed. Tenatatively she opened an eyelid and glanced about. "I think that worked."
There was a massive sigh from the hanyu as he hesitantly flitted around Kagome, wary of disrupting her spell, but loathe to leave her. Kagome closed her eyes again. "Although this does require a bit of concentration."
Tsukiakari wiped her brow, starting to feel the exhaustion of having spent the night traveling and casting magic. "We will need to be mindful of that; it does free up my skills for other tasks."
Sesshomaru walked up to the barrier and slid Bakusaiga out of its sheath. If this field was anything like the one at the old castle, then overwhelming it with power should suffice. He placed his weight on his back foot and then lunged forward with a heavy swing.
Bakusaiga vibrated with a clang that rang throughout the forest. And again. He swept the blade in a sideways arc before whipping it around for a mirrored attack. And again. With both hands on the hilt, he swung above his head for an even louder clank. And again. And again. And again. Each time, the clear sound echoed his failure to bring down the force.
Rin stepped up. "Inuyasha, if you could join us, perhaps three times the power will be effective?"
Inuyasha glared suspiciously at her. "Who are you?" His eyes narrowed as she drew Tenseiga.
"If this spell is what Tsukiakari says it is, then we don't have much time before the masses arrive. Then this will be too strong for all of the powers combined." She coldly replied, only feeling marginally awkward at deceiving her long-time friend. "Are you joining us or not?"
Grumbling, Inuyasha situated himself on the other side of Sesshomaru. Rin called out, "On the count of three, let's do this!"
"One!"
Tsukiakari heard a noise coming from beyond the clearing - a crunching and a shuffling. Alarmed, she darted out into the trees to confirm her worst fears: the first wave of humans listening to the call were arriving: fuel to the fire.
"Two!"
She rushed back and quietly drew Kagome to the side.
"Three!"
Flashes in hues of white and gold lashed out, running along the dome that separated them from their enemy. The barrier wavered, but held.
"Again!" Rin called out, brows scrunched in concentration.
"What is happening, Tsukiakari-san?" Kagome asked below her breath.
"The humans are here. I do not think they will be able to take down the barrier in time." The miko gasped lightly. "If my assumptions are correct, they are here to be consumed by the spell, to become the kindling for the fire."
"Put your seal over me again," Kagome said. "I think I can put a wall between them and the spell. I need to switch the incantation and then I should be immune once I am on the other side as well."
"Do you think it will work?"
Kagome cracked open one brown eye: "There is no telling unless we try."
Tsukiakari quickly got to work, releasing Kagome and allowing her to set up her own wards.
"Three!"
Again, the lights flared and scoured the invisible wall, which distorted the air, but held strong.
Now Sesshomaru could hear the trumping of tired feet. He turned to see faces of men, women, and children shambling towards the barrier. Rin turned to look. "We can't let them reach the barrier!" She met his gaze with a commanding look, "You need to find a way to stop them. You know that Tenseiga can't do anything for them!"
"Now, Tsukiakari-san!" Kagome called out and a few feet in front of their group emerged a smoky screen that extended as far as their eyes could see. Both the priestess and sorceress were sitting, eyes closed, hands locked in spell casting positions.
Rin quickly looked back and saw the humans stop. They were shaking their heads, starting to call out in panic, completely disoriented. That bought them some time, but where should the priority be: helping the people or taking down the source of the trap? She bit her lip behind her mask. They needed to act quickly.
"Everyone! This way!" A young voice called out. "Head this way! Quick as you can!"
"Kohaku!" Rin felt rejuvenated, seeing her good friend safe and sound, helping to corale the confused villagers away from the dangerous field. She trotted forward a few steps to meet him, clasping forearms together. "Were you able to find Sango?"
He nodded. "They're safe, heading back to the caves in the mountains. I'll help these people get home too." Then he hesitated, looking down at the arm in his. This was likely the last time he would get to see her. The fight might be over by the time he returned and she might have already returned to the underworld.
He floundered, trying to find the phrases to capture the wide array of burdens in his heart. Then he cast all notion aside and decided to speak whatever came to mind.
"Rin, I love you. I have for a very long time." He choked back a sob he didn't know was coming, rendering his voice cracked and useless.
She reached out to embrace him in a crushing hug. "I know," came the whisper into his ear. "You have shown me affection and passion unlike any other. I could not do this without you."
He tilted his head, bringing his cheek flush with hers. "Do you really have to go?"
"Yes and you knew that, from the beginning." He couldn't see her eyes. Was she crying too? With a sniff, she pushed him back. "Now go, we don't have much time."
He blinked back his tears and gave her one final nod before jumping back on Kiara. "Everyone, this way! We have to get as far away from here as possible!" Hordes of humans, most barely dressed for sleep started to shove and flee the area.
Rin rubbed her eyes. Sentimentality was not always welcome on the battlefield and there was work to be done. Kagome and Tsukiakari were both holding strong, but beginning to show signs of sweat along the sides of their faces. They would not be able to withhold spells of that magnitude for much longer and once they fell, their shield would too.
Sesshomaru came up beside her. His presence gave her a bit of peace and strength, but also served as a reminder that even with three of the strongest swords, they weren't able to take down the barrier. What could they hope to do?
Pian relaxed, meditating on recharging his energy for his next attack.
Although that ragtag group had managed to stave off the waves from the south, his dome spanned leagues of distance and they were powerless to stop the humans around the rest of the perimeter. With each human life, their energy flowing into his magic spell, he was able to focus a bit more on his pact with the demon from the other world, regaining the power that really mattered.
In his moments of tranquility, he tried searching for her. Everyone else he could see: Sesshomaru, the inu maiden, the human priestess, the half-breed, all the humans fleeing. These were all protected by strong demon energy or magical means; he could not touch them, sway them to his side. Yet, she alone eluded him entirely.
Scanning further west, he caught two presences: the so-called-queen of that misbegotten spot of land and… he paused. The second was not her guard, mind filled with her: that voice was silent. Instead, there was a giant shard of ice: calculating with a razor's edge.
Interesting; they managed to bring old Mirai to heel. He smirked. My good friend should be able to make quick work of whatever plan they might have.
He turned his mind back to his search. "Where are you, darling Rin-chan?"
Although he did not know why he wanted so desperately to connect with her again, nor what he would do once they were reunited, he did know that the end of this pursuit would bring him great pleasure.
"Three!"
Tenseiga, Bakusaiga, and Tessaiga roared in harmony to no avail. Rin felt the dismay creep into her mind. Their attacks had even less effect than before: there must be other places where the humans were not so fortunate to evade the sweet allurement of Pian's malevolent enchantment.
Kagome was slowly becoming ashen as the minutes dragged on. Even for Tsukiakari, as talented a spell caster as she was, she was beginning to look as white as her hair, the skin beneath her eyes edging towards purple.
After dozens of full power strikes, the front line group was not faring much better. Inuyasha was panting, trying to keep up with Sesshomaru, who, much to Rin's surprise, was just as haggard as she was. She felt uneasy as speculation formed around the "barrier" that Tsukiakari had placed on her hours ago. If he is tired and Yami is fine, then what if…
Even if Tsukiakari had done so, there was no action to take now. All of their attention had to go on breaking through the obstacle in front of them.
"Sesshomaru, this isn't working!" Inuyasha breathlessly growled at him. "The barrier is too strong. I've tried every technique Tessaiga has - there's nothing left."
"Mari."
Rin turned towards his low voice to see a conflicted expression on his face. What would cause him to be...apprehensive?
"You-"
He was interrupted with a deafening roar that filled the air. Everyone's gaze flung towards the sky where the pristine alabaster dragon descended, crashing through the trees. Sesshomaru and Inuyasha jumped in front of the spell casters to protect them from the backlash. Rin held an arm over her eyes and squinted against the wind.
A large scaly hand rapidly dropped down in front of her, a bedraggled Kongomi sitting shocked in the middle of the palm. Rin looked beside her to see Yoihito's body. Instead of the overwhelming grief at the loss of a friend, she instinctively took to action.
"Kongomi, get him down, right now!" She tugged at the large dragon demon, but her friend did not move. "Kongomi, I need you to listen to me. Get off your royal ass and help me save your boyfriend, dammit!"
She still did not move, so Rin hopped onto the dragon's hand and slapped the queen across the face. "If her majesty would wake up!"
At this Kongomi's eyes focused on her and after a moment realized what happened. "What the hell? He only died a few hours ago. Don't you dare give me any crap!"
"He died a few hours ago? Good!" Rin started to drag him onto the ground. "Then help me get him over here. We need the dragon to attack the barrier."
"What are you doing? Don't you touch him!" Kongomi threw herself over Yoihito.
"Do you want me to bring him back to life or not?" Rin raised her voice, still pulling hard on his tattered shirt. "You are wasting time!"
Sesshomaru watched in awe as Rin hustled the process along. He saw as she took a deep breath and pulled out Tenseiga. From here he could even make out the "Have you ever done this before?" "Not this exactly, but I'll figure it out."
He stood by as the bright blue flames licked the blade as she deftly cut across Yoihito's chest. Seconds later, he bore witness to the captain choking and sputtering, the pink tones returning to his gray and blue face. That was a skill even he would be hesitant to try on someone he cared for: the only experiences he had were on some head he needed to interrogate and Rin, back when she was a nameless human child, merely an experiment.
"Sesshomaru-san." Tsukiakari's voice came out strained. "Please hurry."
"Of course." He returned to the group, his brother only a few steps behind him. He ignored the blissful reunion occuring at his feet and addressed Rin. "What is the plan?"
She was taken aback for a moment. "The plan?" He continued to stare at her, giving her the time that she needed to regain her mental footing. "It's the same as before - try to overwhelm the barricade with as much force as possible." She jabbed a thumb at the daiyoukai behind them. "I think we'll have enough this time around."
With great satisfaction, he watched as she relayed the instructions clearly to Kongomi, who transferred the commands to the dragon. Even now, in the throws of danger, she had learned to focus her attention, clear her mind, and accomplish what was impossible for others. It had been many years since she started out as that one human experiment and now he was proud to have her fighting by his side.
Not that he would ever admit that. Out loud.
"Everyone ready?" Rin had them lined up, the weaponless Kongomi and Yoihito off to the side, with Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and herself in front of Mirai. Something nagged her in the back of her mind. Mirai was fully cooperating, but she also appeared slightly distracted, shifting her weight, making minor adjustments to her stance. Was there something they didn't know?
"One!"
There was no time to worry about it now.
"Two!"
Surely nothing could prevent them-
"Got you!"
Inukojo bounded out of the surrounding trees, wielding Ryuushin above her head. "I'll get every last one of you cursed monsters if it's the last thing I do!" The all too familiar crimson crescents arced off the pulsing blade, landing squarely on Mirai, instantly slicing through white scales, sending up a spray of blood.
Kongomi screamed, head in her hands. Yoihito covered her in shock. Mirai stumbled, taking a step right towards the three fighters, who all dodged out of the way. Rin watched in horror as the massive dragon collapsed towards the barrier. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Sesshomaru doing the same. That was their last chance. As far as they knew, the last dragon, Omo, was already inside Pian's domain. There was no potential to bring him down.
She barely had time to regard the loss when one of Mirai's claws came round and scooped her, hitting her with the force of an avalanche, flinging her forward towards the barrier. Rin tried to curl in a defensive pose, to brace for the impact, but none came. She opened her eyes to see her friends flying away - on the other side of the barrier.
Sesshomaru saw what was about to happen and he still was powerless to counteract it. The dragon falling towards the barrier, the arm coming out and flicking Rin inside just as contact was made. A tiny part wavered as the dragon's heavy form dropped and strained the invisible wall, allowing Rin's body to fly past. He lurched towards her, arm outstretched. He wasn't going to make it before the hole disappeared.
He summoned one of his demon crows and it shot forward with blistering speed, barely making it through before the opening was gone forever.
The dragon slid down to the ground and lay there, dead.
Inukojo grinned atop her kill. "That was easy enough, now do you want to tell me exactly what you were all doing?" She peered into the cloud of dirt and snow that was settling from the dragon's fall. "Tsukiakari, this isn't very ladylike for a young woman who's about to get married!"
"Mother, now is not the time." Tsukiakari maintained her concentration on the spell.
"Oh, I think it is. Does anyone care to explain why a supposedly loyal retainer," she spat towards Kongomi who was still cradling her head, "was summoning a dragon, one of our clan's most hated enemies?"
She whipped her wide gaze towards Sesshomaru, "Or why my future son-in-law is apparently in cahoots with this little farce?" She sneered. "Are you trying to give me a reason to call off the wedding?" Then she jumped down to stride towards him. "Because, please, please give me a reason to kill you now."
"At least your intentions are in the open." Sesshomaru drew Bakusaiga.
"Aw, that is adorable. Do you really think that little piece of scrap metal can face off against Ryushin? The last time the blades met, you were worse for wear, if I recall." She gave the red sword a bit of a whirl in her hand.
Sesshomaru maintained his steady pace. "The last time I faced that blade I did not know what I stood to lose. I do now." He slashed down with a brutal heave, one that Inukojo dexterously met, the swords clanking against each other. His speed was a shade slower than what he was used to. A side effect of the spell Tsukiakari had used?
She twisted her sword, quickly forcing him on the defense. "You are still weak." Not even batting an eye, she twirled away to catch Tessaiga and rebound it without issue. "And apparently without honor, just as I suspected."
Inuyasha snarled at her. "The only one witohut honor here is you and you're crazy!"
"Crazy? I think not. I am only doing what is best for my family." She smiled with an odd glint in her eye. "I'll do whatever it takes for us to reclaim what is rightfully ours and to see these lands rid of any of the filth that rotten brat Inutaisho produced."
Tsukiakari gritted her teeth, unable to budge from her spot. If she moved to confront her mother, Kagome's part of the spell would not be able to contain the siren's song and everyone would be in danger again.
Sesshomaru and Inuyasha simultaneously cut towards Inukojo, who somehow anticipated this and drew a second sword to catch one with each arm. "See? You aren't worth anything." Sliding down both blades, she danced away, but not before she was able to nick Sesshomaru on the elbow.
He backed away to flex his arm a bit. Nothing his demon blood couldn't fix quickly, but now there was another problem - a new dimension to the fight. Inukojo flashed a smile filled with her fangs. "Perfect, now you're the last person who fed Ryuushin your blood. I am sure you know what that means."
She flung the sword and it shot straight for Sesshomaru. He waited until the last second before dodging. He held out his hand.
"Not so fast!" Inukojo held out her hand and the blade returned to her. "I have worked with this sword for many years. I might have been bested once by that trouble maker, but I won't be caught out by the likes of you!"
Sesshomaru carefully evaluated the situation, assessing everyone's placement, their motions, and their motivations. Then he decided to gamble. He needed every possible bit of leverage he could get. Silently apologizing to Tsukiakari, he walked to Inukojo.
The Lord of the North flung forth the blade, which whistled straight on target to Sesshomaru, who once again dodged, allowing the sword to continue to travel - right to Tsukiakari.
"Sesshomaru, you bastard!" Inuyasha screamed and dashed towards Kagome, who sat just beyond.
Inukojo hesitated as she tried to process what was happening. In her moment of haziness, Sesshomaru extended his arm to take the sword - but it kept traveling.
Shit. He'd miscalculated his own will in this situation. "Tsukiakari!"
The sorceress turned and in the moment where she needed to move, she had to make a decision to keep the people safe or to break the spell. By then, it was already too late for her to take action.
"Tsukiakari!"
Kohaku slid right in front of her, Ryuushin hooked by his scythe and diverted into the underbrush.
Pian slammed a frustrated fist on the armrest of his chair. It was just a game of fun, to keep himself amused, but there was no entertainment when chaotic elements kept getting in the way at the last minute. By all estimations, that boy should have been shepherding the humans back to what he believed was a "safe" distance.
He extended his sight with the seal and could see his shortcoming. Ah yes, the older sister and the monk. They had not actually returned and were waiting to help relay the villagers to their homes.
Still, it would have been delightful to see that girl taken down by a mistake. What a wonderful dark stain that would have put on Sesshomaru's soul! He delicately held out his hand and barely thought the command; Ryuushin was already through the barrier on its way to his castle. With summoning a dragon and the means to kill it beyond their grasp, how would this plucky little band of fellows fare?
Best he tie up the loose ends for now.
Leave. Collect your army. There is work to be done. Sesshomaru still lives.
The command rattled inside of Inukojo's head and she swiftly departed without another word. Pian could sense the bewilderment of the team as they regrouped beside their measly little spellcasters. Excellent. That should tide them over a while so he could bring his focus once again on finding his true prey.
"Rin-chan, I am coming for you."
Rin shook her head to stop the ringing and maybe if she was lucky, stop the ground from spinning. It was cold in the snow with the sunlight partially obscured by the translucent domed ceiling above her.
It was eerily quiet. Spring was still weeks away and so most creatures were sleeping or tucked away happily in their dens and burrows, except there wasn't a single chirp, a single rustle of leaves. There was no wind inside this globe.
Against every instinct, she somehow felt calm. Just calm. Through the most implausible means, she was somehow on track to complete her mission. Get in, get it done, then get out. Nobody gets hurt.
Calm and perhaps light? As though the pains, the aches, the distress she had experienced were far-flung, carried to the other side of the world. The gravity of her mission was still there, but it was almost as if she was now a spectator in her own life.
Curiously, she found herself appreciating Kaede's and Miroku's old lectures about enlightenment and the power it afforded to those with the patience to seek it. Is this what it feels like when you have detached yourself from the world?
Brushing off, she took stock of her surroundings: nothing but more trees. A few broken trunks that had done little to stop her flight, a bit of snow covered in a dusting of dirt, and a whole bunch of land to cover. Guess I better get a move on.
A quick assessment of her pack revealed most of what she prepared the day before to summon the dragon: some rations, a full water skin, a couple spare weapons, a few scraps of fabric that could be used to mark notes or hastily bind some wounds, a full water skin, a flint, a few odds and ends.
Wait.
Two full water skins? She unstoppered the first, sniffed. Yes, that was water, sure enough.
The second sloshed in her hands. Carefully, she slid open the container and didn't need to breathe to catch a whiff of the blood. This was Kongomi's from the boat.
She couldn't resist shivering. Cool and collected she might be, but carrying a friend's blood was chilling. Nonetheless, she was grateful for the option - maybe she'd have a chance to summon the last dragon. Every good strategist had a last resort.
Even with the mild obfuscation, the sun was visible and high in the sky. That gave her plenty of time to start making her way to Pian's stronghold. As she started out, there was a cawing and a large crow landed on her hand.
"If you have the need to speak with someone, the crows will always find me." Sesshomaru's voice echoed from it's open beak before it swirled into a black mist that drifted through her skin until it faded away. She touched the spot on her hand where the spell had disappeared and wrapped her fingers around, as though trying to detect a warmth that never existed.
Another tool in her pack. Squaring her pack across her shoulders, she stood, squinting in the sunlight. "Well, Yami. If I was an egotistical maniac with homicidal and vengeful tendencies, where would I place myself in relation to an enormous dome perimeter?"
The little black kagekyo chirped back at her. "I agree. I would hide right in the middle, the farthest away from any of the edges." She scoped out the landscape and put her hands on her hips. "Looks like we have a ways to go."
Far to the south, hidden in clouds that were not completely natural, Inukojo stormed into the inu clan palace without any subtlety. She snapped orders at her second-in-command, barked terse terms to any officers in range, and slammed into her chambers.
Inukimi put down her tea after a long sip. The commotion continued down the hall and she waved her fingers lazily, blanketing her room in total silence. She turned to a bright emerald orb on a satin pillow at her side.
"And you are absolutely certain that is what you saw?"
"Y-y-yes, Inukimi-sama! Saw it with my own eyes! She definitely made it into the dome." A screechy voice issued from the orb.
"The sword?"
"It also flew in, but a few minutes later."
"That will be all for now."
"B-b-but Inukimi-samaaaa-" She waved a hand and the imp's face disappeared from the globe.
Casting her eyes down, the silence in her room faded and she could once again make out her elder sister's tirade. She took another long sip from her tea and a small smile graced her face.
How lovely it was when all the pieces lined up for the perfect play.
A/N: Alright folks, it is time to strap in. We are fully in "Beginning of the End". I know this chapter has been a few weeks longer than I hoped for, but I've had some things to deal with at home (who doesn't right now!)
I think I've also worked out how to incorporate everything you asked for from the survey! Some of these might appear in final chapter scenes, but you might have noticed some of these in play already.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to write a review. In times like this, it can be a real challenge to get motivated, so I really appreciate each of you who dedicated your energy to submitting a review. Reading all your lovely comments certainly gets me pumped!
Next time: Beginning of the End: Break Through