Finale: Mounting Odds
Sesshomaru was hardly surprised to see his crow returning a short while later; as the distance between them grew smaller, the faster they would be able to communicate.
When the crow opened its beak, his face became dark as her newest words spilled out.
"...And stay out of my way!"
He glowered and swiped at the crow, shredding it into fragments of miasma. Normally her tenacity was an amazing trait - it had kept her alive on a number of occasions; now it was blocking him out, preventing him from getting to her. Damn the secret identity at this point.
He raised his arm to summon a new crow, only to find that he was a bit sluggish. He gave his arm a hard shake and was then able to raise it with no issue.
A fleeting perplexion: an after effect of journeying through the barrier? Tsukiakari had said they were connected and if Rin had been hurt, she might need more of his energy to recover.
Suddenly, a shaft of moonlight broke through the dome overhead, casting pale light not far from him - in the same direction as his crow.
Rather than send her back a message, he set out as quickly as he could. I shall convey my displeasure myself. He launched his now healed demon form into the air.
In the recesses beyond the old castle, Pian watched as the silver-haired lordling took to the sky. He jumped into a tree, perching for a moment. "Well, well, well, I am astonished. You were not the last person I expected to see." He murmured. But I would be lying if I said I was not moderately bewildered.
Pian ran his finger along Ryuushin, which glowed crimson in the drab lighting. "I have to assume that mother dearest managed to draw your blood during that last encounter?"
He shrugged and blended into the shadows. "Not a concern. I will get to see my darling Rin in either case." Seconds later, his form had completely dissolved, leaving only a few disturbed branches in his wake.
There has to be more of them around here. If I can get the barrier down, then they all stand a chance! Rin scoured for any sign of another one of the glittering sigils. It had only been a few minutes, but she needed to get to as many as she could before morning.
So intent on locating the faint traces of glow in the space far in front of her, that she was not paying attention as the ground began to slope upwards and was not prepared for the hidden drop. Her demon reflexes allowed her to catch onto the rockface, but her claws gashed, scattering the chunks ripped from the surface. Just before she hit the ground, she rolled, deflecting the brunt of the force.
Rin brushed off her hands, which were spared any real damage. The height was not as large as to prevent her from scaling, but Yami interrupted, extending out of her neckline, wrapping around behind her. "What is it?"
Nestled in between some boulders across from them was a doorway, marked with a serpent entwined with a diamond.
Wingless dragon. Kongomi's words from long ago echoed in her mind. This must be where Omo was sealed…
Hesitantly, she stepped up and ran her hands on the intricate design etched into the smooth stone. She could not help but shiver as the faint memories of her last encounter with the symbol paraded in the back in the back of her head. Giving herself a quick shake to clear away the cobwebs, she prepared to stride down the stairs.
"Who do we have here?"
That voice. The voice of her nightmares. The voice that had once bid her to attack Sesshomaru. The voice that had chased her down like an animal and killed her. The voice that started it all and the voice that would be at the end.
Letting out the breath she didn't know she was holding, but with her jaw still tight, she turned around to face that pale monstrosity.
Pian watched gleefully as Rin turned around, only to see that...it wasn't her. For yet the second time that night, he had gotten closer than he had in a long time, but still remained far away. Irritation he had not felt since his younger brother last foiled his carefully laid plans burned in his heart. These incipient fools keep getting in my way!
"Who are you?" He dropped down beside the mysterious stranger. "Are you some other protector for my darling Rin?"
The person before him seemed to start in confusion. Curious. He examined her again. The skin was paler, the ears pointed, the eyes crystalline, but oh. Oh. In those eyes was a fire that burned familiar and bright. Together with the knowledge of Sesshomru headed this way, that was all the evidence he needed.
"This is delightful, is it not, Rin-chan, for us to finally be reunited!" He smiled.
Rin shuddered in revulsion and anger at the sight of that smile: he'd found his toy and she could not be more disgusted.
She drew Tenseiga. "If you call me that one more time, I will make sure you never say it again." The blade glowed a faint blue, barely visible even in the darkness.
"Do you really need to be like that?" Pian extended his arms out, welcoming her. "We have a special connection, you and I."
"We never had anything," she spat.
With the grace of a predator, he moved closer. "You felt it, did you not? When I reached out I could feel your mind more strongly and more clearly than the other hundreds of humans listening to my call. That is indicative of something special."
Her insides writhed. I will not waste any more time listening to this dribble! She swung Tenseiga. Go back to whence you came!
The blue flames licked his body, but he remained unphased. Tenseiga's power was finicky even at the best of times. Remembering Tsukiakari's warning about the terrifying power he now possessed, she would need to keep up the attacks to revert him to a less powerful state.
Yet, there was something about his expression, a madness in his eyes that caused her to pause.
The urge to have her, to have control over that power grew hard and fast. He could not remember when the desire started and he refused to believe this was the influence of the pact he made, but he could not ignore the compulsion anymore.
"I had hoped that you would agree to remain by my side willingly. Now I see that is folly." He drew the wana seal from his sleeve. He gripped it tightly. Closing his eyes, he imagined pouring waves of energy into the pulse radiating from the golden token: waves becoming stronger and faster, the call becoming louder and more urgent.
Resist this, my dear!
In the final hours before the dawn, the team huddled exhausted. Even with Sango and Miroku arriving to support them, it had been a harrowing night: incapacitating the prisoners and dragging them back beyond the spell's sphere of influence, not catching enough of them, hearing the distant screams as human lives went up in quick bursts of light.
Tsukiakari and Kagome, spent beyond almost all use, had pulled back their spells to their group, to keep them free from the influence. Even that was beginning to wane as the moon slowly dipped beneath the horizon.
Kongomi watched as her comrades attempted to get a bit of sleep. Frustrated, she looked beyond their camp to the massive form of Mirai. What a complete waste. Legends said that the white dragon could see the future. Based on their interactions, Kongomi believed those rumors to be true.
If that was indeed the case, then surely she must have seen the pending attack. There must have been a way for her to prevent it. Why would a creature as magnificent and powerful as one of the daiyoukai dragons simply let that happen?
Her questions would never be answered. There was a drone in the air, a vibration. Something had changed.
"Everyone! Get up!"
Despite their exhaustion, this team was alert and on their feet. The demons in the group immediately sensed the pulsation, but even the humans could feel the difference in the air.
Tsukiakari and Kagome gasped. "He's made the spell much stronger!"
Everyone shared a worried glance. With Inukojo's troops mere hours away and now a resurgence, potentially to undo all that they accomplished that night, they would need to extend beyond the limit they had already reached.
Inuyasha slung Tessaiga into his sash and brought out his claws as the others also prepared their non-lethal means of attack. "Brace yourselves. Do the best that you can. Hold out as long as you can."
The first humans came dashing through the trees.
Rin felt a twinging at the base of her neck and in the space behind her eyes, but otherwise felt no different. Whatever magic was now draped over her was granting her extremely strong protection.
She watched as Pian's wild grin melted into a furious snarl. Sesshomaru's voice echoed in her mind: Use this opportunity, use his distraction, attack!
"No need to tell me twice," she muttered as she darted forward, slashing out again with Tenseiga.
With a deft swiftness, he brought up Ryuushin to catch her blade handedly. "Excellent attempt, my dear. A swordsman you are not." He circled his sword around to knock hers into the air.
Even with Jiro's dragon mantle, it took every bit of her strength to keep her grip on the hilt. A second too late, she realized her mistake: her torso was wide open with Pian bearing down on her. Twisting and bending over backwards, she caught a glimpse of crimson as Ryuushin caught on her collar, neatly slicing through the fibers.
Rin whipped her hand onto the ground, springing off and flipping before sliding back in the snowy dirt. Yami chattered angrily, scales raised, tiny tail whipping back and forth. His tiny claws gripped the shreds of fabric, securely keeping his place in the hollow of her throat.
She rose. "I know exactly how you feel, friend," ready to bristle herself.
"What do we have here?" Pian's silver eyes narrowed, focusing especially on the tiny sparks traversing from the little creature into Rin. "Is that how the trick works? Is that thing keeping you alive?"
His smile returned as Rin's eyes flicked down. He flashed forward and gripped the black ball, which screeched. Rin gasped as he yanked it away, the little golden globes of light trailing away from her body.
All he had to do was wait: she would get weaker, fight it harder to catch her breath, drop to her knees and in that moment, he would offer her the chance to join his side once more…
But none of that happened. Second after second, she watched him with felin-like wariness, but there was no hint of vulnerability, only strength underlined with a fury directed at him - a fury he mirrored. With my power, this should be trivial. How dare she! Something else must be keeping her afloat, some lifeline…
Sesshoumaru appeared out of the corner of his eye, a speck of silver.
Of course, that cur would be the answer; the insufferable whelp had circumvented every part of his plot through what - obstinance? Willful ignorance? I won't tolerate it anymore!
He could see Rin's eyes widen in surprise as she also caught sight of her knight in shining armor. Followed by a surprising move: a brisk tug on her mask, a single touch on her forehead protector, and a shift as her stance became more defensive. Oh, so you have something to hide from our little lord, is that it? Perhaps your true identity?
Keeping his countenance calm, he announced loudly: "Rin-chan."
The signs of panic, despite being well hidden, did not escape his notice and immediately confirmed his suspicions. He moved a pace closer. "If you do not wish me to end this miserable little life form, you'll stay right where you are and not say a word." He held out the squabbling black blob and began to squeeze.
Rin kept stock still, a million ideas and scenarios whirling in her head. Sesshomaru arrived while the ideas were spinning. Why couldn't he have stayed the hell away? This is not a complication I need right now!
"Welcome, Lord Sesshomaru. I am pleased to have the chance to speak with you again." Pian was lazily looping Ryuushin in the air. "How are you, you delightful little bastard?" His tone dripped with venom as his question trailed off.
He pivoted and gestured at Rin. "Have you met my associate? Such a darling dear, isn't she?"
The bottom of her stomach dropped. What did Sesshomaru know about her? That she was hired by his mother? To supposedly take care of these demons? Thinking back to her actions, she could feel more blood drain from her face as a deafening roar filled her ears.
For all Sesshomaru knew, she was an accomplice. Behind her face mask, she bit her lip so tightly it bled. There was no way to convince him, not from this distance, not without potentially getting them both killed.
A faint ping of hope reached her heart. Perhaps he would recognize her as an ally: she had not been untruthful, nor disloyal to their cause. Perhaps he would not be fooled.
She blinked. Pian was gone.
And then he was right behind Sesshomaru, holding the wana seal out. The leader of the inu clan didn't even have a chance to react, before the gold amulet was pressed into the side of his neck.
Pian spoke clearly: "That demon you see before you led you to me. Now that she has done her job, I have no need for her. Why don't you bring her to an end, just as she brought your precious pet to her end?"
He lifted the seal and stood back, at the same time, tossing Yami away with the same disdain that one would a soiled cloth.
Rin couldn't move. Nothing the bastard said was wrong - everything had plausibility, which made the hypnotic suggestion even more powerful. She looked at Sesshomaru, who's eyes were the coldest she'd ever seen. Not even when he lay wounded in the forest had he shown her such murderous intent.
Shaking, she brought Tenseiga up in front of her. Her opponent brought out a glowing whip, created from dripping poison.
No time to contemplate the choice in weapon, he rushed at her and she had to drop to the ground, rolling to avoid the sequential attacks; several nearly landed their acidic strikes.
Crawling out of the way, she clambered to her feet, swinging Tenseiga around. Please let this do something! Once again, the blue flames flared, bolting for Sesshomaru. Revert!
He aptly dodged and shot straight at her. Pian's faintly hysterical calls of "Cut her down!" were met with Sesshomaru drawing Bakusaiga, which was...chipped, rusted, jagged and torn. The shock limited her to merely bracing for impact. What happened?
He bore down on her, the swords clanking, the gap between them shrinking every moment. Her muscles were already protesting: keeping up with swordplay was one thing - there was no comparing the strength of an actual demon to an artificial spell that masked an otherwise weak human body.
His eyes were still dead, devoid of any feeling and it made her heart hurt. Kami-sama, is this really how it all ends?
With a unyielding push, he brushed his forehead against her protector, his nose gently nudging hers for only a second. "Attack me again."
Now her heart thudded in confusion. She slid Tenseiga along Backusaiga's sorry excuse for a blade to wriggle her way out of their lock.
Pian chuckled to see Sesshomaru driven to one side. If darling Rin is truly this powerful, then I might save her before this is over. Perhaps she has not completely exhausted all use to me. "Sesshomaru! End this!" I want to see if she can survive.
He gleefully observed as the lord was unable to avoid the next blast, especially not with his sword in it's pitiful state. Down he went, collapsing again onto his knee. Well, at least that is him taken care of.
A brilliant flash of white light slammed into his stomach, propelling him with such great speed into the cliff face that all of his breath was kicked out of his lungs. Involuntarily, he let go of the seal and a second wave shoved him into the rock, compressing him against stones that crumbled under the force.
Rin saw the opportunity and ran like a mad woman, arm outreached for the seal, her hands firmly wrapped around it.
Even if they had the breath to speak, they would not say they had been beaten. But that would have been a lie.
The massive horde of humans that tore through the forest to crest upon their group like a wave overwhelmed them. Each punch, every leg sweep - all designed to keep the beings before them alive - wore down their drained selves.
Inuyasha watched helplessly as first Miroku fell, utterly spent, followed by Sango. Kohaku fought on, his face gray as he swayed on his feet. The hanyou dealt a few more blows as the humans struggled to get past him. Kongomi dropped, Yoihito managed to hold on to save just a couple more before joining her.
As the last man standing, Inuyasha tried to resist the urge to give in. He could see Kagomi and Tsukiakari still chanting to the side, trying to keep their group safe from the spell, and now the trampling.
"Dammit!" He screamed as the forms thudded against him, the weight of his failure fully upon him. "Dammit all!" They pulled him into the snow, where he finally rested, with no strength remaining in his body.
When his back hit the dirt, everything became quiet, a strange calm. He blinked.
All around them came the sounds of soft falls and fluttering robes. Swiveling his head to the side, he watched curiously as the people, clearly as tired as he, tumbled to the ground. One after another, as if bowled over by an unseen force at play.
"Inuyasha…" He flipped the other way, gently easing the bodies, the sleeping bodies off his own. Kagome crawled over, fingers and knees red from the cold. He reached out for her, a grasp she met. "The spell...it's gone."
"What?" He struggled to his knees to pull her into an embrace, feeling her sag.
"I am not sure how, but the spell is no longer there," Kagome murmured, "there is a voice, but it is urging everyone to flee. I think it's Mari-san."
With the miko's spell gone, Inuyasha could feel the twinge in the back of his mind. His demon blood kept the message at bay, but the sensation was warm, protective, and somehow familiar. He let out a solitary "hah!"
Sango and Miroku were helping each other out from under the sleeping masses. Yoihito helped Kongomi to her feet. Kohaku supported a Tsukiakari as they walked over. Everyone's eyes met for a brief moment, weary relief echoed in all of their expressions.
They had done it.
Rin looked down at the gold locked in her fist. The ability to reach the minds of so many terrified her, but she knew it needed to be done. As soon as the message was out, she quickly flipped to the other issue at hand.
"Do you want to tell me what is going on?" She stomped up to Sesshomaru.
"I could ask the same of you." He was no longer cold - now he was back to his usual aloof self.
"You don't get to turn this on me, Sesshomaru." His almost imperceptible flinch gave her a measure of satisfaction. "How long have you known?"
"Since you returned."
She was about to ask how, but then she mentally slapped herself on the forehead. Of course, the stupid crows. That was why he looked at her so strangely back in the village. The crow was for Rin, not for 'Mari'.
"Did you not think that perhaps that would have been a good thing to tell me?"
"I merely wished to respect your apparent wishes for secrecy. I also believed he would be a threat, should he know of your return." He nodded over at the still prone pile that was Pian.
Rin was still angry, even though his arguments were sound. "Well, what I wish is that you had told me. I don't think you know how much I suffered because I was trying to keep it a secret."
"I believe I do."
The empathy in his tone was uncharacteristic and it caught her flat footed, destroying most of her ire. Most - not all.
"I don't see how you could possibly know…" her voice trailed off as some thoughts began to connect. How certain words were spoken, how particular confessions were aired in the deepest parts of the night, how specific sentiments must have been unwittingly carried to their intended recipient.
She could feel her face become hot and was grateful for the mask, concealing her flush. THe modification quickly transformed into irritation, which only served as fuel for her fighting spirit.
A wheezing groan from behind them signaled the postponement of their discussion. If that is what it could be called.
She practically shoved the wana seal into Sesshomaru's chest. "I don't exactly know what it is, but I'm pretty sure it belongs to your family. Try to keep a hold of your crap from now on."
Jaken floated high above the tree line in the night sky that was slowly giving way to a clear dawn. Ah-Un crooned softly, circling over the colossal dome that covered much of the area.
"Status report." A distorted command came from a green orb clutched in his claws.
"The wana seal spell appears to have ended." Jaken peered around. "But Inukimi-sama, it does look like -"
"That is all," came the curt demand before the orb disconnected.
Jaken sighed. Sometimes - just sometimes, he wondered what it would be like to serve a family other than the inu clan. He shook his head furiously. No, no. How ungrateful! Inukimi-sama had been generous enough to take him under her wing after the fallout from the dragon attack a year ago.
Every member of the clan only cared about what they wanted to hear. Jaken shivered from the wind and cast his eye once again on Inukojo's troops that were rapidly approaching.
A/N: All right everyone, this is it: a clear line from here to the finish. Chapters will still be shorter, but there is a lot going on.
Does anyone have any guesses for what will happen next? ;) Stay tuned - it's the finale!