This chapter is for the first movie, Affections Touching Across Time. The plot is somewhat condensed, because the regular 20-minute episodes are running about 7-10,000 words these days, and this is an hour-and-a-half long. Warnings for this chapter: canonical violence and death, threats of death, angst, trauma, mind control, loss of autonomy, self-inflicted injury leading to unintentional death, lots of characters in bad places mentally
Inuyasha leaned back against a boulder by the water, simply watching the others. Shippo and Kirara were splashing around, utterly distracted from their attempts at fishing, to no one's great surprise. Sango was keeping an eye on them while she washed her armour, her leather tunic and pants already laid out to dry under the late autumn sun. And Miroku… The monk was humming softly as he repaired a small rip in his kesa, a carefree smile on his face. The sight made Inuyasha's heart clench.
They had all been taking a well-deserved rest after Ryukotsusei, safe in the knowledge that nothing was trying to kill them at that exact moment. It should have been relaxing – and it was, and Inuyasha was grateful that his pack could have a moment to themselves. He was also unspeakably relieved that the looming question of his transformations had been quelled – at least for the moment. He was still a danger to humans, and they theorized that he might still view his pack as threats if they were the only ones left alive in the vicinity and his youki hadn't settled. But he would still protect them. Even in his worst state, he would try to keep them safe.
The stress that had been building since Goshinki was finally fading, and he could focus on other things. Unfortunately, this had given him some time to think, something he didn't particularly want to do at the moment. Because his last conversation with Miroku was still slamming around his mind with all the grace of a drunken bull. That Miroku didn't want him to turn into a full demon not only because he feared what using the Jewel may do, but because he liked him as a hanyou. That he didn't see Inuyasha's bloodline as a weakness. That he would accept him for who he was, for what he was, even when the whole world said otherwise.
That he loved him.
It was so unreal. It didn't make sense. He had loved Kikyo, and he knew that she loved him as well, though they had never said the words. Not before she died, at least. Their relationship had been so fraught, and he was never entirely certain where they stood. He'd been so desperate to cling to her. And then with Miroku… He had shied away. Like a fool. Like a coward. He hadn't said the words back. He couldn't. He'd felt the moment suspended in the air around him, knew what he was supposed to do, and he'd choked on the words. And the worst part was that Miroku hadn't pulled away, hadn't demanded a response. He remained a constant presence by his side, all warm smiles and gentle touches.
No, the worst part was that Inuyasha knew how he felt. And yet he couldn't say anything. The words got stuck in his throat every time he tried. Because if he said them, they would be real. This would be real. And it terrified him – almost as much as the thought of losing Miroku. Because if he actually admitted to himself and the world how he felt about this human, then it would hurt that much more when things inevitably went wrong.
He'd promised Miroku a dozen times that they'd defeat Naraku. And he believed they would – there was simply no other option. But the past few months had shown him a world more full of danger than he had ever imagined. He'd decided to court a human – a particularly lethal human, to be sure, but a human all the same. He'd been utterly astounded by the man more times than he could count, and yet every threat seemed so much greater than before. He'd never had so much, and never had so much to lose. Every demon was a threat to his partner. Every time he transformed was a chance for Miroku to realize what a mistake he'd made. Every time he messed up, was too weak, too rash…every time he let his pack down, he knew he could lose his monk. And it was the only defense he had left, his last shred of safety, to not admit to anyone, even himself, that he loved this man with every fiber of his being.
But that evening, as they shared a meal together and laughed over wild stories from their pasts, he couldn't stop staring. Shippo was demanding that they train him on Hiraikotsu, and Sango's expression was alternating between amused and horrified while Miroku tried desperately to keep a straight face as he explained that they might want to start with something a little smaller.
"But you all have such powerful weapons!" Shippo argued loudly. "It's only fair that I have one as well."
"You do very well for yourself with your foxfire and magic," Miroku tried again. "Why not focus on them? You can try training with us, if you'd like."
"That stuff won't help me in a real battle!" the kit complained.
"You're not going to see a real battle," Sango cut in decisively. "You just need to keep yourself safe. One day you'll be old enough to join in, but not yet."
"If I had a more powerful weapon, it'd be safe enough for me to join in!" Shippo said, slowly and clearly as though they simply weren't grasping the concept. "All of you have the best weapons around. Everyone in this pack has the biggest, most powerful-"
"Shippo, I have a decorative stick," Miroku told him firmly. "Besides, it's not like anyone else here has a weapon that's ridiculously big for them."
He shot Inuyasha a sly grin as he spoke and, as he caught the hanyou's gaze, a teasing wink. Inuyasha almost blurted it out then and there. But he didn't.
That night, they left under the guise of collecting more firewood. Sango rolled her eyes at them, silently informing them that they weren't fooling anyone. Inuyasha couldn't care less – he knew that he'd pulled away from Miroku after Gatenmaru, and neither of them had had their fill of each other since. They barely made it ten steps away from the campsite before Inuyasha had his mouth clamped over Miroku's. He cupped his jaw with one hand, the other pressing against his back. Miroku's arms wrapped around his waist, brushing over his ass and causing him to moan. Miroku chuckled into his mouth in turn, nipped at his lips. Inuyasha moved along his jaw, teeth grazing over the skin. He dipped down to kiss Miroku's neck before he flicked his tongue along the two small golden hoops at his ear – they'd become a bit of a fascination for him.
As though inspired, Miroku's hand reached up to brush his fingers along Inuyasha's own ears, teasingly at first before he caught one of the delicate shells between finger and thumb, rubbing a little more forcefully. Inuyasha broke off his ministrations to gasp into Miroku's neck, hands clenching at his robes. This time, there was nothing to swallow Miroku's delighted laugh. Inuyasha squeezed his eyes shut and breathed deeply, drinking in his warmth and arousal and joy.
"Fuck," he muttered quietly, pressing his face against the warm skin.
Miroku hummed softly and obediently let go of the ear, ran his fingers through the long hair instead as some of the heated energy faded between them. Inuyasha licked a stripe up Miroku's throat before recapturing his mouth.
"Yash," Miroku breathed between kisses, pressing them closer together. "Kami, Yash, I-"
He broke off into another kiss. Inuyasha wrapped his arms around him and held him tightly, a pang of guilt and fear in his gut. Miroku hadn't said it again since the first time. Inuyasha had to convince himself that it was because he was giving him space, not pressing. Not because he'd changed his mind. He was pretty sure that the monk wouldn't be throwing himself at him if he'd suddenly decided that Inuyasha wasn't worth it. But still, the guilt was overwhelming.
As they settled down to sleep, curled up close to the fire to fight off the chill of impending winter, Inuyasha held Miroku close. He cradled the monk's head to his chest and wrapped his other arm securely around his back, feeling Miroku's hands settle against his sides. He knew that Miroku could tell something was wrong, by the way his hands stroked soothingly down his ribs and the gentle kiss pressed against his collar bone. Inuyasha buried his nose in Miroku's hair and squeezed his eyes shut. His heart was pounding and his muscles tensed as the intensity of his affection for the man in his arms threatened to drown him.
xXx
The night air was still and calm in the marshes, barely disturbed by the chirp of insects and frogs. Sesshomaru walked silently, with no particular destination in mind. He knew that he had to return to Rin at some point, that Jaken would come looking for him if he failed to return within the next day or so. His followers were more numerous and demanding than he particularly cared for. He would have to see to it that they didn't grow rapacious. For the time being, he could enjoy the quiet of solitude.
Until he felt eyes on him. He glanced over to where two youkai stood on a grassy patch amid the marsh waters. They held the appearance of near-humans, with rich foreign clothes and surrounded by an heir of haughtiness only found amongst the most powerful class of daiyoukai. They stared at him unflinchingly, unperturbed.
"What do you want?" he asked coolly.
"Lord Sesshomaru," one greeted stiffly, the one with long pink hair and matching armour.
"We'll have your fang," the other stated, more hotly, her hand on her hip.
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. "My fang?"
His gaze landed almost unintentionally on Tenseiga. Though Tokijin was also forged from the fangs of a demon, he had to assume that the fang was that of his father. What could they desire from a sword with Tenseiga's power?
The second demon was running at him, feet skipping lightly over the water. She slashed her hand through the air, a trail of blue-white power flowing from her fingers and transforming into a qiang spear. The other was not far behind, two leaves in her hands stretching into twin swords. He widened his stance slightly, summoning a poison whip to the tips of his fingers. He snapped the whip forward, catching both the demons across the chest. They flew back through the air, their weapons landing on the ground with a clatter. A quick strike to each in turn had them dead.
He sniffed lightly and walked away. Powerless, after all. An odd occurrence, to be sure, but not a notable one. They were vastly overconfident in facing him and had paid for it with their lives – as it should be. However, he had to wonder at their purpose for seeking him out. If they knew of the Tenseiga's power, then surely they knew that only those who felt pity for mortals could use it. That seemed unlikely for them. His fang, they had said. Perhaps they wanted a different fang. Possibly, they had been after Tokijin, after all. Or perhaps, just perhaps, it was Tessaiga they wanted.
Sesshomaru altered his path, walking towards the crescent moon. Unease rippled along his skin, warning that this was far from over. He would need to investigate.
xXx
"I swear it!"
"I don't believe you!"
Miroku's grin grew wider, despite how hard he tried to appear serious. "On my honour, I didn't take the last one! Blame Shippo, if you have to."
"Oh please," Inuyasha snapped haughtily, a poorly-disguised smile in his voice. "Like I wasn't keeping an eye on that little monster. I know better than to trust him around sweets – but I thought I could trust you!"
"Can you two please focus?" Sango asked mildly, tying her carrying cloth with her travel clothes to her waist. "Even I can sense the Jewel shard now. We have to be getting close."
"And now I have to fight on an empty stomach!" Inuyasha said mournfully.
"You had four sweet buns," Miroku pointed out instantly. "I wouldn't call that 'empty.'"
"Maybe it was Sango," Inuyasha theorized, eyeing the slayer. "She's acting awfully defensive."
"She's going to let you get eaten by the demon if you don't start paying attention," Sango growled.
They stopped at the beginning of a deep ravine, their expressions sobering significantly. A large mound of rocks littered the bottom, from which a strong demonic aura was emanating. Miroku nodded, confirming the Jewel's location.
"Alright," Inuyasha said. "We spread out and take this thing from all sides."
Sango nodded, eyeing the narrow canyon walls which grew further apart in the distance. "If we have to regroup, head further down the ravine so we don't get blocked in."
"Right," Miroku said, then snagged the front of Inuyasha's robes and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "For luck," he said in answer to the hanyou's stunned expression, before sending Sango a wink and stepping off the steep edge of the ravine.
Inuyasha watched him slide down the rocky slopes with wide eyes before looking back at Sango, utterly dazed. Sango heaved a deep sigh and climbed onto Kirara's back. She couldn't take these two anywhere. As Kirara flew over the direction Miroku had pointed, the pile of rocks began to shift and move, revealing six long legs and two giant crablike pincers. The rest of the giant body slowly emerged from the shale and dust – a plated, shiny black exoskeleton, eight beady eyes, and a long tail ending in a fearsome-looking stinger.
As the demon whipped its stinger around, Inuyasha shook himself out of his stupor and grabbed the hilt of Tessaiga. "Stay here," he told Shippo firmly before leaping off the edge of the ravine and landing easily beside Miroku.
"What is that thing?" he asked, eyeing the creature warily. It looked like some cross between a spider and a crab.
"It's a venomous creature from the mainland, called a scorpion," Miroku answered, and Inuyasha saw how his eyes followed the stinger carefully.
"Dangerous?" He could already feel his youki rumbling beneath his skin.
"The regular ones can kill a human," the monk said grimly. "I don't know much else about them. Sango?" he called up to the slayer.
"Watch out for the stinger coming at you," she called back to them. "It will try to catch you with its claws and pin you until it can sting you."
"Alright, then we should cut off the tail before anything else," Miroku said. "Inuyasha, we'll take the legs while Sango and Kirara focus on that."
"What's it doing here?" Sango muttered, sticking close to them with Kirara as they approached.
"Who cares? It doesn't stand a chance!" Inuyasha grinned widely, pointing for Miroku to circle around to the left as he took the right.
The scorpion began to charge, and Inuyasha immediately changed course. Tessaiga transformed in his hands as he leapt at the demon, aiming for its eyes. A pincer swung at him and struck him from the air. He crashed to the ground, still in the scorpion's path. Miroku spun around and immediately dove on top of him, raising his staff above them to summon a barrier. The pincer glanced off the spirit shield only once before Hiraikotsu sliced through it. Miroku dropped the barrier and Inuyasha's arm snaked around his waist before he carried them both out of danger with a few short bounds.
Now thoroughly enraged, the scorpion was snapping at them with its remaining pincer, its stinger swinging menacingly above its body. Venom shot from the stinger with alarming accuracy, melting the ground in front of them as they jumped back. Sango threw Hiraikotsu again, down the scorpion's back, but the weapon only glanced off the thick plated armour. Inuyasha ran for its side, trying to get at its legs. The other flailing pincer caught him and sent him flying. Miroku made his way to the scorpion's other side. As Sango caught Hiraikotsu, the demon's tail whipped around towards her. Kirara dodged but the edge of the stinger still caught Sango broadside, throwing her off the twin-tail's back. Miroku threw his staff to his side and ran for her, catching her as she fell. The impact knocked both of them to the ground, Hiraikotsu crashing down next to them.
"Hey!" an angry voice shouted from above them, and they all looked up to see Shippo running along the clifftops. He skidded to a stop parallel to the scorpion and threw down one of his spinning tops. The toy expanded rapidly as it bounced along the cliff to the bottom of the ravine, dislodging a shower of rocks which fell onto the scorpion. It stumbled under the force, raising its forelimbs menacingly. As Shippo retreated, Kirara flew low overhead, drawing the scorpion's attention, and Inuyasha leapt for its eyes.
"Alright?" Miroku asked, already rolling to his feet and pulling Sango up with him.
"Yeah," Sango said, a little breathlessly. "We need to keep it from thrashing."
Inuyasha plunged Tessaiga into one of the scorpion's two main eyes, and Kirara landed on top of its stinger, biting hard at the joint but unable to pierce through.
"While it's distracted," Miroku instructed, gesturing with his staff. "The Jewel shard is in the stinger!"
He threw a handful of sutras at its remaining pincer, which sizzled with energy as they connected. Sango ran underneath its forelimbs, lifting Hiraikotsu above her head. Miroku raised his staff and sliced through the leg closest to him while Sango took one on the other side. The scorpion shrieked and stumbled, flinging Kirara from its tail as it whipped back and forth. Kirara dove for Sango while Inuyasha jumped off the demon's face and grabbed Miroku out of reach of the flailing body and claw. The stinger shot forward, spewing another stream of venom out over the scorpion's head. Inuyasha swore and dragged Miroku out of the way, blocking a second shot of venom with Tessaiga's blade.
Sango swung onto Kirara's back and they rose back into the air, waving her sword pointedly. Inuyasha nodded and aimed for the legs once more, slicing through one before he was forced back. Quickly losing mobility, the scorpion was compensating with its tail, which was striking wildly through the air. Sango threw Hiraikotsu twice, but each time it passed shy of the stinger. As Kirara swung back around, Sango snatched a glass vial from under her shoulder armour and threw it at the scorpion's face. The vial smashed, sending the amber liquid within searing into the demon's eyes. Another screech filled the air, and the scorpion began spasming.
Inuyasha sliced through the remaining pincer with Tessaiga and landed next to Miroku, each of them taking off another leg. Sango jumped off Kirara's back and landed on the scorpion's, crouching low to keep her balance as the demon continued to thrash wildly. Kirara flew for the stinger, trying to pin it, while Sango crawled back to the base of the tail. She was almost there when Kirara yowled in pain above her as the stinger caught her leg.
"Fall back!" Sango ordered, and Kirara bounded off the side of the cliff to the scorpion's head.
Sango jumped, catching each ridge of plated armour along the scorpion's tail, slowly climbing it piece by piece. She finally reached the base of the stinger and clung on for dear life. She wrapped her legs around the tail and unsheathed her sword, piercing through the joint. Swinging her arm around, she braced her fingers against the blunt edge of the blade while holding onto the hilt with her other hand, and pushed hard. The sword cut through the rest of the joint, leaving it attached by the barest ligament. Kirara caught her as she fell and together they made one final pass. Kirara bit into the base of the stinger and ripped it from the tail.
"Got it!" Sango shouted down to Inuyasha as Kirara flew over his head.
"Right," Inuyasha grinned, lifting Tessaiga up. "Wind Scar!"
The six lines of power shot from his sword, cutting deep into the scorpion's back and tearing off its forelimbs. But the attack wasn't fatal, thanks once again to the demon's armour.
"Yash, get the stinger!" Miroku instructed. "I'm going to use the wind tunnel!"
Inuyasha nodded and ran, keeping low to the ground. He snatched the giant stinger from where Kirara had thrown it and lifted it above his head as he hopped up the demon's back, landing behind Miroku. With one final glance to make sure that everyone was out of harm's way, Miroku stuck his staff into the ground and pulled the mala beads from his hand. Rocks from the cliffs on either side of the ravine flew into his hand along with the remains of the dying scorpion. He closed it quickly with a grimace of satisfaction.
He turned to examine the stinger, which Inuyasha had very understandably chucked away from himself. It was dripping venom onto the ground, connecting with a sizzle as the soil dissolved.
"None of that got on you, did it?" Miroku asked, concerned.
"Nah," Inuyasha shrugged. "Smells rank, though. Hurry up and grab the Jewel shard."
Miroku's brows shot up. "Me? Do you see the deadly acidic venom falling out of that thing?"
The hanyou shot him a toothy grin as he stabbed into the stinger with Tessaiga. A sliver of pink Jewel fell from the flesh of the stinger and into the puddle of venom beneath. Miroku fished it out with the base of his staff and picked it up with a spare piece of cloth.
"I'll have to purify this later," he murmured thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should do the same to the venom, while we're here."
"Hold on just a moment," Sango said, coming to kneel down beside the stinger and eyeing the venom thoughtfully. "Fascinating."
Inuyasha's upper lip curled in disgust. "You're way too interested in that stuff."
"I've never actually seen a scorpion before," Sango said, pulling an empty glass vial from a pocked in her clothes and dipping it town to collect some of the liquid. "I want to see how its venom can be used."
"You sure seemed to know a lot about it for never having seen one before," Inuyasha commented as he sheathed Tessaiga. "Do slayers usually learn about demons from the continent, or are you just weird?"
Miroku carefully hid his chuckle in a cough as Sango shot them both a teasing glare. "I like to study all my potential opponents so that I'm actually prepared in battle, unlike some. Besides, slayers here were inspired by those from the continent. We modeled our armour and weapons after them, as well as studying their demons."
"I always thought your tunic looked familiar," Miroku nodded mildly as he placed the Jewel shard into a cloth bag with the others and tucked it back into his robes.
"So what was a demon from the continent doing here?" Inuyasha asked as they climbed back up to meet Shippo.
"That was bothering me as well," Miroku admitted. "Sango, have you heard of demons crossing over often?"
She shook her head. "From what I understand, it's very rare, especially for species that don't fly or swim, like a scorpion."
"So what did it want here that it couldn't find over there?" Inuyasha asked, and none of them had an answer.
Miroku hummed thoughtfully. He had a bad feeling about all this.
xXx
"Miroku, Sango!" Shippo called out as he ran up the hill towards them, heaving a large catfish over his head. "Look what we caught in that pond over there!"
"Very impressive!" Miroku smiled, shooting a wink at Inuyasha, who was carrying three even larger fish behind the fox. "We found a decent cooking pot in the old rest house over there, and a bag of rice. It seems that we'll be having a feast!"
Inuyasha set the fish down next to Miroku and sat next to Sango, eyeing Kirara with concern. "How's she doing?"
"The venom doesn't seem to have gotten to her," Sango murmured, her fingers brushing over the small cut down Kirara's front leg.
"I'm sure a fish twice the size of her will make her feel better," Inuyasha grinned, earning an intrigued chirp from Kirara. He held out his hand for her to smell, so that she could judge the scent of the catfish for herself. She trilled excitedly and pushed to her feet, limping slightly as she walked over to examine the catch more closely.
They rolled the large pot onto the fire Miroku had built and he sent Kirara and Shippo off to find some mushrooms or herbs for seasoning. Meanwhile, he and Sango cleaned the fish while Inuyasha lay down and watched. The day was cold, with the faintest bite in the crisp air. They were all looking forward to a warm meal before settling down in the abandoned storehouse for the night. They would be returning to Kaede's village the next day.
Miroku hummed softly as he worked with his dagger, a small smile on his lips. Inuyasha watched him hungrily. Maybe, he could convince the monk to go on a walk with him after they ate, so they could have a little time alone. He licked his lips at the thought, already tasting Miroku on his tongue.
"Yash?" Miroku asked absently, not looking up – which was good, because Inuyasha startled and immediately blushed slightly. "Would you mind getting some water for the stew? There's a bucket and well near the storehouse."
Inuyasha spluttered something vaguely affirmative and ran. He could feel two pairs of eyes following him and soundly ignored them.
"So what has you two acting like idiots?" Sango asked casually, twirling her knife in her fingers.
"Nothing of interest," Miroku said, trying to appear innocent.
"Right…" Sango drawled. "Because Inuyasha has been looking at you strangely since Ryukotsusei, and you've been even handsier than normal."
"We're still just getting used to being together, and working through everything. It's been an eventful month," Miroku smiled, before he paused and his shoulders sagged. He didn't know why, even know, his first reaction was to deflect and lie. "I told him I loved him."
Sango almost cut off her thumb. "You what? What happened? When was this? What did he say?"
"He didn't say much of anything," Miroku admitted softly. "And I didn't mean to say it. I meant it," he quickly reassured at her horrified expression. "It was after Ryukotsusei and he was talking about using the Jewel to become a full demon, and… I don't know. I suppose I was tired of him not seeing his own worth, of thinking that he has to be something other than who he is. So I told him that I didn't want him to change because I love him as he is."
Sango sighed softly, her hands and the bloody knife clutched to her chest. "Miroku, that's so sweet. What happened next?"
"Nothing," Miroku shrugged. "He wasn't ready to say it. And I can't say I blame him, after everything with Kikyo – and I did surprise him, after all."
"But you would like to hear it," Sango pressed gently.
"Of course," he sighed. "But only when he's ready. When he means it. I don't want him saying anything because he feels like he has to."
She nudged his knee with her own and he glanced up to see Shippo and Kirara returning, the kit's arms full of mushrooms and the twin-tail holding several aromatic plants in her mouth.
"Excellent work!" Miroku smiled, waving them over. "It will be a feast indeed."
He sorted through all the ingredients thoughtfully. He'd certainly worked with less, but it was always a little disheartening when there was a dish at the tips of his fingers that wouldn't come together without the help of specific seasonings or some distinct flavour. He wondered if he should start carrying nori around with him. Or maybe some chillies…
"You didn't see any other food in the rest house, did you?" he asked Sango, the different possibilities still just out of reach.
"No. What are you thinking?" she asked.
"I don't know. We're just missing something…"
She hummed thoughtfully before digging in her robes, eventually emerging with a small wooden box. "Would this help?" she asked, popping it open to reveal a coarse white powder.
"What is it?" Miroku asked, eyeing it suspiciously.
"Salt."
He frowned. "Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure!" she rolled her eyes. "What else would it be?"
"How am I supposed to know what you have tucked away in there!" he said, gesturing vaguely. "Everything else is poisonous or explodes."
"You were never this concerned with all the other things I've thrown at you," she teased, handing the box over.
"I never put the other things in my mouth," he grumbled, sniffing the contents hesitantly and barely resisting a taste. "Why do you carry around salt, anyway?"
She shrugged. "It's handy after a long day fighting, particularly if you've been sweating the whole time and there's nothing to eat afterwards. Slayers generally don't like to pass out after a job – it tends to look unprofessional."
Well, she had a point. And a little salt would go a long way. He was careful not to use too much – salt was expensive and they still had to be careful with their money. Their last stop at a rest house, prompted by Shippo's loud and insistent pleading for something sweet, had set them back more than he cared to admit. They would have to start working for pay again soon.
Inuyasha returned with the water a moment later, and Miroku roped them all into helping him cook. They were all smiling and chatting easily by the time the food was ready. Inuyasha ate with the length from his shoulder to his knee pressed up against Miroku, who kept on abandoning his food in favour of caressing the hanyou's back or thigh. The glances that Sango shot at them slowly shifted from happy to amused to exasperated, especially when they had barely eaten long after everyone else was finished their second helping. Miroku tried to give her an innocent look, and she pointedly rolled her eyes and shook her head. But then Miroku leaned over and kissed Inuyasha on the cheek, and she couldn't hide her smile.
"Miroku, can I have another helping?" Shippo asked, holding up his bowl.
"Where the hell do you even put all that food?" Inuyasha asked incredulously as Miroku moved to acquiesce. "Just your bowl's half as big as you are!"
"He's growing," the monk pointed out, unsure whether or not it was actually true.
"Sure he is," Inuyasha drawled.
"Mind if I have a bite?" a voice came from behind them.
Inuyasha whipped around and immediately slapped his nose, where the flea had settled. "Next time, ask that about the food, not me," he advised menacingly. "Myoga, what are you doing here?"
"I was in the area and heard that you were engaged in battle," the flea said haughtily. "I came to make sure that you were all performing admirably, which you were. Well done!"
Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "How convenient of you to tell us that after the fact."
"Would you like some, Myoga?" Miroku asked, gesturing at the stew.
Myoga immediately pulled a tiny bowl from within his robes and handed it up to Miroku, who was then faced with the challenge of fitting half a grain of rice and a sliver of fish into it.
"I can't believe you," Inuyasha told the flea before shaking his head. "We don't see you for months, and now you're following us around again?"
"How rude!" Myoga spluttered. "I was searching for information about Tessaiga and your transformations, and tending to your father's monuments, and keeping an eye out for information regarding Naraku, and-"
"Fine, fine, whatever," Inuyasha sighed, looking over the remaining food. "Did you come to tell us anything important, or are you just leeching?"
The flea huffed self-importantly and folded his arms. "As I said, I came to make sure you were faring well, particularly after Ryukotsusei. You have been taking on more powerful opponents as of late, and you seem to have all but abandoned your quest for the shards of the Shikon Jewel."
"It's not like they're just lying around!" Inuyasha said defensively. "All the weak demons or humans holding onto them have already gotten themselves killed, so now we're left fighting the ones who actually now what they're doing."
"Naraku also has most of the shards," Miroku added. "There are very few left floating about. Though you'll be happy to learn that we collected another one today."
"You did?" Myoga asked excitedly. "How many do you have, now?"
Miroku's smile stretched a little too wide as he proudly declared "Three!"
Myoga blinked at them in disbelief. Inuyasha and Sango exchanged a weary look.
"Yeah, yeah, save it," the hanyou sighed and picked up his bowl. "Kirara, you want another piece of fish?"
Kirara, who was curled on Sango's lap, didn't respond. Sango frowned, running her fingers down the twin-tail's flank, noticing how tightly she was curled into herself. "What's wrong?"
Kirara mewled softly, licking at the wound on her leg. Sango's face clouded with worry as she felt Kirara's paws, ears, and nose, noticing how warm they were. "She has a fever," she reported worriedly, not taking her eyes off her as Kirara began to pant.
"It must be the toxins from the scorpion, after all," Miroku said grimly, shifting closer. "That came on awfully quickly, didn't it?"
"Let me see," Myoga said, bounding over to her. "I may be able to suck out the poison."
He landed on her leg and moved to inspect the wound. Kirara's eyes snapped open and she hissed viciously, her fur rising on end. She then jumped from Sango's lap and ran, down the hill and towards the forest beyond. Sango scrambled to her feet and chased after her, desperately calling out her name. Miroku exchanged a worried look with Inuyasha as he grabbed Sango's carrying cloth and hoisted Hiraikotsu over his shoulder before following.
"Shippo, you stay behind with Myoga," Inuyasha said, clawing out handfuls of dirt from the ground and tossing it over the dying fire. "If we're not back by tonight, go back to Kaede's."
He took off without waiting for a response. He followed Sango's increasingly frantic calls into the forest and landed by Miroku's side.
"I don't understand where she could have gone," the monk said anxiously, eyeing the dense trees for any sign of danger.
Inuyasha sniffed the air. "She went that way," he directed, nudging Sango when she didn't immediately change course.
"Kirara!" Sango called out, clutching the strap of Hiraikotsu at her chest. "Kirara, where are you?"
In a small clearing, illuminated by the sun breaking through the forest canopy, two figures sat on a fallen log. Their travel hats and luggage lay around them as they both had their attention on Kirara, who lay on the lap of the woman on the right. She was stroking her softly, and both looked concerned. Sango forced herself to lower her hand from Hiraikotsu – these two were surely demons, but they didn't appear to be doing any harm. Though close to human in appearance, their pointed ears, lilac eyes, and brightly coloured hair indicated powerful youkai. Their rich silk robes in colours matching their hair also told of wealth and influence. Sango swallowed hard and forced herself to relax as to not offend them.
"Excuse me," she called out, drawing their attention.
"She belongs to you?" the figure on the left asked, the one with deep blue hair tied artfully behind her head.
"She's reacting to insect venom," the other told them, one with long loose cherry-blossom coloured hair. "We just gave her an antidote."
Sango breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you! You're so kind."
"Not at all," the first smiled. "We're glad that we were able to help."
"We are very fortunate to have met ladies as generous as yourselves," Miroku bowed slightly, causing Inuyasha's ear to flick lightly as he eyed the monk. "And ones so beautiful, I might add. I am Miroku, and these are my companions, Inuyasha and Sango. And she is Kirara."
"Lovely to meet you," the woman with blue hair bowed back from her seat. "I am Ruri, and this is Hari."
They all bowed to one another and Hari held out Kirara for Sango to take. She seemed a little subdued, but the angry redness that had been spreading around her wound had faded some, and her fever was all but gone. Sango propped Hiraikotsu against one of the large trees nearby and hugged Kirara close. Inuyasha was sniffing the air slightly, tracing the demon women's scent. Miroku nodded thoughtfully, pondering their slightest accent and the style of their robes. "If you don't mind my asking, did you come from the continent?"
"We did," Ruri said.
"How very observant," Hari smiled.
"You seem to have mastered our language," he said. "You speak it fluently."
"Indeed we do," Ruri said, a faint light beginning to emanate from the ornament on her brow, the yin half of the interlocking spiral of taijitu. "After all, we came to this land many years ago."
"Well over two hundred, if the truth be told," Hari continued, her own ornament of yang glowing brightly. Her eyes had turned leaf green.
Inuyasha immediately stepped in front of Miroku, holding out an arm to shield Sango as well. They were all watching the demons carefully, so didn't notice the roots moving at their feet. The roots snaked around their ankles, trapping their legs and lifting them off the ground. Inuyasha swore and slashed at them with his claws, but more shot out to grab his wrists. Miroku and Sango were also struggling to his right, as the roots pulled Miroku's staff from his hand and wrapped around Kirara, tearing her from Sango's grasp.
"Kirara!" Sango shouted, thrashing back and forth. Her hand sprung the hidden blade in the sleeve of her right arm, which sliced through the roots. She broke free only to have even more wrap around her torso and down her arm, circling and encasing the blade. Her left arm was pinned to her body, unable to reach the other weapons stored in her robes. Miroku's arms were stretched out from his body by the roots, while Inuyasha was almost entirely cocooned.
"What are you doing?" Sango asked. "What do you want with us?"
Without a word, Hari lifted a leaf to her lips and blew lightly. The leaf dissolved into dust, which drifted gently over to the base of the roots holding Sango aloft. As it settled, it condensed into angry red scorpions which quickly began climbing up the roots towards the slayer.
"Scorpions?" Miroku gasped. "You were behind that giant scorpion from this morning, weren't you?"
Hari smiled pleasantly. "I was the one who summoned it."
A wave of light ripped from the ornaments at their brows, travelling down their bodies and transforming their clothing from the robes of nobility to warrior's armour, still reflecting the colour of their hair.
"Everything is exactly as we'd hoped," Ruri said.
"Bastards!" Inuyasha growled. "You trapped us?"
"Inuyasha," Miroku said urgently, and he followed the monk's eyes to where the scorpions were quickly approaching Sango's feet. He remembered Miroku's earlier words – even the little ones could kill a human.
He swore and began struggling in earnest. Sango was holding utterly still, the first of the scorpions climbing onto her feet and ankles. Miroku clenched his right hand, straining against the roots. Inuyasha craned his neck to reach the roots at his own shoulder, tearing through them with his teeth. They loosened just enough for him to pull his arm free. He then threw all his weight to the side, hurled out his hand and ripped his claws down the roots around Miroku's torso. Before more roots could take their place, Miroku pulled the mala beads from his hand and aimed the wind tunnel at the bottom of the roots suspending Sango.
The slayer's eyes widened and she tensed impossibly further, gaze locked on Miroku. The monk had a look of intense concentration with panic around the edges as he carefully – so carefully – sucked in the scorpions. His left hand clutched his right wrist, holding the mala close so that even if the roots returned, he could close the wind tunnel again. Inuyasha could hear his heart pounding.
The scorpions were almost gone, the wind building in intensity, and Sango was slowly but surely being pulled towards him, the roots creaking under the strain. Miroku was staring unblinkingly, the mala beads now hooked around his right thumb. Inuyasha let out a startled cry from his other side, and he tore his eyes away to see Ruri floating towards him. She came up behind him, leaning against his back, and whispered in his ear "I was waiting for you to use that power."
Miroku felt his heart stop. "You what?"
She reached forward, her hand turning oddly transparent as it slid down his arm and into his own hand, her fingers splayed to match the spread of the wind tunnel. Miroku writhed and bucked, trying frantically to dislodge her, but it was no use.
"Don't bother," she whispered, her lips brushing his ear. "You cannot escape my powers of duplication."
Duplication? Panic shot through him, but he pushed it aside. The roots suspending Sango were beginning to crack and split under the strain. Another heartbeat and they would break, and she would be sucked into the wind tunnel. Miroku knew with every fibre of his being that he would die before he let that happen.
Inuyasha clawed desperately at the roots around him, trying to get loose just long enough to rip that demon to shreds! He could feel his youki bubbling in his chest, threatening to break free. But then Hari was floating beside him, holding up a hand as more and more roots threatened to devour him. He let out a yowl of frustration and fear, because he couldn't get free.
Miroku leaned fractionally away from Ruri before throwing himself against her, cracking his head against hers. She flew back with a startled gasp, her hand sliding out of his. Miroku grabbed the mala beads with his right hand, sealing the wind tunnel just as Sango's roots broke, sending her crashing into him. His own roots snapped from the impact and they both crashed to the ground. Sango was trembling slightly, but it was nothing to the shudders shooting through Miroku. He gasped for breath, scrambling away from her slightly before it registered that she was safe.
"Miroku?" she said anxiously, grasping at his shoulder.
He tried to say something, to reassure her that he was alright, but panic had sealed his throat. As he grasped his forearm with his left hand, the slightest whistling sound drew his attention. Sango gasped and Miroku stopped breathing entirely as a light breeze pulled past the mala covering his palm, causing their hair and clothing to ripple towards it. Before Miroku could fling himself away and take off through the woods, the wind faded away. He shuddered a breath and Sango's hands were firm on his shoulder and chest, but her eyes were wide and frightened.
"What-" Miroku gasped, but his voice died. "What did she do?"
Ruri laughed delightedly as she and Hari floated back to the ground. "At last," she grinned. "I have it in my possession. Your wind tunnel."
She held out her palm, and the void immediately opened. Sango threw herself on top of Miroku, flattening them both to the ground, because the monk was absolutely rigid with fear. She could feel the wind pulling at them, dragging them back with a thousand invisible hands. She wormed an arm to her side, throwing off the broken roots as she did, and reached through her robes to her sword. She stabbed it deep into the ground, throwing the other arm around Miroku's chest and holding on for all she was worth.
She knew it wouldn't be enough. The wind tunnel was picking up speed and intensity, and their bodies slowly lifted from the ground, the sword the only thing keeping them from flying into the void. Miroku flung out a hand and caught his staff as it skidded along the ground towards them and he dug it into the earth as well. He pulled himself fractionally up to it, and Sango could see what he was aiming for – Ruri could only have the wind tunnel open for so long before she started sucking in the entire forest. If they could drag themselves away just enough… But they both knew it wouldn't be enough. Miroku knew better than anyone the power of his wind tunnel.
Sango was desperately trying to think of another way to buy them time when a roar came from above them. Inuyasha was clawing his way through the roots which still held him – thankfully far enough to the side to avoid the wind tunnel's reach – but he was snarling ferociously and his eyes were flashing red. As she watched, he broke free and sprang forward, pulling Tessaiga from its sheath. He hurled himself at Ruri, who snapped her hand into a fist as she pulled back to avoid the limb being severed from her body. Inuyasha swung again wildly, and she and Hari were both forced to jump back.
"Kirara!" Hari called, and so Sango's horror, Kirara jumped to their side, transforming instantly.
"Kirara, no!" Sango shouted, her hands clenching where they held Miroku.
Inuyasha stopped short as the demons climbed onto her back, Tessaiga held out awkwardly as he struggled with what to do. He took a step towards them and Kirara growled, baring her fangs.
"We're taking the two-tail with us," Hari said, and Kirara sprang into the air.
Sango called after them as they disappeared through the trees. She swore angrily, but made no move to rise to her feet – Miroku had yet to start breathing properly again. She steadied him as he tried to push himself up, his arms shaking too badly to support himself. Inuyasha's ears were pinned to his head as he stalked towards them, sheathing Tessaiga as he did so. His eyes were no longer red, but they were wild. Sango stayed close as he dropped to his knees in front of Miroku and crushed the monk to his chest. Miroku's hands grasped his robes and hair as a single sob ripped from his chest. Inuyasha growled, his youki still too close to the surface to allow for calming words.
"Just breathe," Sango advised, squeezing Miroku's shoulder.
He tried to follow her instructions, taking a few gulps of air before forcing himself to calm. He squeezed his eyes shut for just a moment longer before gently pushing Inuyasha away. The hanyou was less eager to comply. Even as he eased back, his hands grasped Miroku's arms tightly.
"They took Kirara?" Miroku asked, and his voice was hoarse and raspy.
"I don't know what they did to her!" Sango growled, glancing back in the direction they had gone.
"It must be the scorpion poison, or whatever they gave her to put her under their spell," Miroku said.
He pushed shakily to his feet, Inuyasha rising with him and sticking close to his side.
"We have to get her back," Sango said, a little pleadingly, and the others nodded solemnly.
"We should grab Shippo and Myoga first," Miroku said, and they turned in unison to the direction from which they'd come.
"Shippo!" Inuyasha bellowed, wrapping one arm around Miroku's shoulders. "Get over here!"
They waited for a moment before Inuyasha nodded in satisfaction. It took a little longer for Shippo to emerge from the trees, eying them all anxiously.
"What happened?" he asked, slowing to a stop. "Where's Kirara?"
"Some demons took her," Inuyasha said, bending down to scoop Shippo up and deposit him in Sango's arms. "We're going to get her back."
"Of course we'll get her back!" Shippo said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sango smiled tightly and hugged him close.
"They headed west," she murmured.
Inuyasha peered through the trees. "Towards the Forest of No Return."
Miroku leaned heavily into Inuyasha's side and shut his eyes. "Forest of No Return? Really?"
Inuyasha ran a hand soothingly up and down his back. As they started walking in that direction, he spared a moment to wrap an arm around Sango, too. She shot him a grateful smile that didn't reach her eyes. She shed her travel clothes as they walked and shoved them into her carrying cloth while Inuyasha held Hiraikotsu for her. Kirara's scent was faint – she must have been flying through the trees instead of running. He could only track her so far before he lost the trail.
"Do you feel that?" Miroku murmured.
There was a faint hum in the air, like the eerie stillness before a thunderstorm. It had them all on edge, and brought the promise of danger.
"We should fan out and search," the monk continued. "Whatever's going on here is more than just Kirara."
"You want us to split up?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, pressing closer to Miroku at the very suggestion.
"Stay within eyesight at all times," Sango said. "But we need to cover a lot of ground."
She held Hiraikotsu with one hand, the other still wrapped around Shippo, and peeled off to the right. Miroku leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss on Inuyasha's lips before heading off to the left. They moved swiftly through the forest, looking for any signs of Kirara or the demons who took her. At one point, Inuyasha tracked down where she had brushed against a tree. A while later, Sango called out that she found a footprint where they had touched down for a moment. But they were moving deeper and deeper into the Forest of No Return, and the light dimmed as dusk approached.
Something whizzed through the air on Miroku's left, and he immediately dropped into a crouch, peering through the darkness. A faint glow was travelling through the trees, with an accompanying demonic aura. Miroku frowned and crept closer, just in time to see the soul collector disappear into the distance. Another soon flew overhead. He knew he had no choice but to follow. Knowing Kikyo, she wouldn't be in the area coincidentally. She had to know something about what was going on.
He found her sitting on the low branch of a tree, gently combing her hair. He came to a stop in front of her, knowing that she had sensed him coming. Sure enough, her eyes opened and she surveyed him coolly.
"Do you know what's going on?" he asked without preamble, watching her carefully.
"Not enough," she said bitterly. "Someone is after Inuyasha."
Miroku frowned. "Do you think it's the same demons that came after us? They took one of our companions."
Kikyo wordlessly dropped down to the ground and tied back her hair. She caught Miroku's eye and gave him a strange look.
"Miroku!"
Inuyasha's shout came from nearby, and he sounded worried. Kikyo's expression closed and her soul collectors descended to wrap around her. Miroku watched her lift into the air, though she held his gaze for far longer than usual. It was odd, her leaving before Inuyasha arrived. Though, he supposed, it wasn't the first time. It was becoming increasingly difficult to determine what she might do. She wasn't the same as any vengeful spirit he'd ever met. Miroku sighed and moved to investigate the tree where she'd been resting. There was definitely an ominous aura seeping from the forest, but he could see nothing more than a few moths moving along the trunk.
"Miroku!" Inuyasha said again, landing behind him and immediately stalking over. "What are you doing? We're supposed to stay close!"
"My apologies," Miroku smiled, and he saw Inuyasha's eyes narrow.
The hanyou sniffed a few times and his jaw clenched. "She was here?" he asked, a little suspiciously.
"Not for long," Miroku sighed. "She said that you might be in danger."
Inuyasha hummed slightly and took Miroku's hand, ready to drag him back to Sango and keep looking. But Miroku didn't follow, and instead stared hard up at the canopy above them. More and more moths were milling about amongst the branches and leaves. It could be that they'd stumbled upon a nest or breeding ground, but the chill creeping along Miroku's spine warned of danger. As he watched, one of the moths in the tree above him began rubbing its wings with its hind legs. A light dust fell from the velvety wings, soon joined by that of another moth, and then another… Soon the entire swarm was producing a cloud of dust which fell down on them. Miroku blinked hard, feeling a little dizzy.
"What're they doing?" Inuyasha grumbled, running his finger along the dust which settled on his robes. "Where'd they all come from?" He sniffed deeply and froze. "That's poison!"
He leapt into the air, slashing at the moths with his claws. He caught some of them, but the movement caused them to take to the air. Suddenly, there were hundreds of them flying around, obscuring the sky as they circled them and swirling the poison dust in the air.
Miroku hastily pulled the iron mask from his robes, tying it deftly behind his head. He sucked in a deep breath, closing his eyes and waiting for his head to clear. Inuyasha was still tearing at the moths with increasingly frantic claws, but his movements were increasingly uncoordinated.
"Inuyasha," Miroku called out to him, and was soundly ignored. "Inuyasha! Put on your mask!"
Inuyasha landed and growled. He pulled Tessaiga from its sheath, watching the moths swarm together in a tight ball in front of him. Fine, he'd take them all out at once!
Laughter came from the moths, a deep rumbling sound. They dispersed, revealing a tall demon dressed in rich armour from the continent. He had long jade hair and faint red markings dipping from his hairline. As well as his pointed ears, a pair of long feathery antenna sprang from his brow, while a set of large wings fell down his back. Inuyasha tensed, the chattering of the moths between them grating on his nerves.
"Inuyasha, is it not?" the demon asked politely, looking down at him as though pleased.
Inuyasha growled. He didn't like moth demons. "Depends who's asking. What do you want?"
"My name is Menomaru," the demon smirked, rising further into the air with a flap of his wings. "Inuyasha, let my sword be my introduction."
He pulled a long sword from a blood red sheath at his hip and dove, stabbing forward with the blade. Inuyasha leapt back, but his eyes darted to Miroku – he was too close. He lifted Tessaiga just in time to block Menomaru's next strike. Their blades met with a crackle of energy.
"Good," Menomaru purred. "The fang of destruction."
"What're you going on about?" Inuyasha snarled, pushing Menomaru back and leaping to his feet. He jumped and landed between the demon and Miroku, but he could feel his youki prickling under his skin. The dust was still swirling in the air, making him lightheaded and only heightening the sense of danger.
"Such a pity," Menomaru said, his wings snapping open as he glided towards them. "Using that weapon to protect a mere human? I would use the sword for a more noble cause. Now, hand it over to me!"
Inuyasha swore and charged, meeting Menomaru as he attacked. He had to keep the demon away from Miroku! As their swords clashed once more, Menomaru's face shifted, and for a moment it was Gatenmaru staring back at him. Inuyasha gasped and scrambled back, and his vision flashed red. No, no, no! He shook his head and hurled himself at Menomaru, but his limbs were heavy and sluggish. He could feel his youki crackling along his skin, ready to spring forward at the slightest push as his disorientation increased.
"Your mask!" Miroku shouted, but the words seemed oddly distorted.
Menomaru landed easily from where he dodged Inuyasha's wild swing, and turned to eye the monk thoughtfully. Inuyasha snarled and sprang forward. Menomaru's sword flashed and Tessaiga was knocked from his hand. Inuyasha landed hard, skidding on his knees, and he dug his claws into the earth for a brief moment, struggling for control. Tessaiga landed with a soft thud on the ground behind him. He needed to get back to it. He couldn't transform again! He heard Menomaru moving behind him and sprang to his feet before whipping around. That moth bastard wasn't going to get anywhere near Miroku!
"Iron Reaver-" he started, but then the moths were swarming him, obscuring his vision and filling his lungs with more poison. He stumbled and coughed, the world blurring. Then Menomaru was running at him, his sword raised to take off Inuyasha's head. A sutra flew through the air and struck the demon on the side of the head, sizzling upon contact. Menomaru slowed to a stop and ripped the paper from his face before shooting a glare at Miroku.
"No!" Inuyasha shouted, throwing himself at Menomaru, but he could barely keep his feet.
"Yash, get back!" Miroku called out, and Inuyasha glanced over just long enough to see the mala beads flash.
Miroku aimed the wind tunnel away from Inuyasha and Menomaru, catching only moths and poison. He sealed his hand only a few moments later, but by then the air had cleared. Miroku groaned slightly, cradling his arm as he sank to his knees. His breathing was growing ragged, and Inuyasha swore viciously. The idiot! He took a step towards the monk but then Menomaru was attacking again. Inuyasha leapt back, trying to draw the demon away from the struggling human. The effects of the poison were already fading now that the dust was gone, but that didn't mean his head was clear – his youki was right at his fingertips.
He slashed at Menomaru, his claws blazing with power. They glanced off Menomaru's blade, then the demon was pressing back, forcing him to dodge and lose ground. He struck again and again, and Inuyasha didn't realize that he was being herded until his back hit the trunk of the tree. A small smile appeared on Menomaru's lips before his sword plunged into Inuyasha's chest. He gasped, the pain ripping through him and whiting out his vision. He felt Menomaru pull out the blade and he sank to the ground.
He curled on his side, fighting hard to stay in control, to keep his youki from consuming him. He could vaguely hear Menomaru walking over to Tessaiga, and forced his eyes open so he could glare at the demon. He glanced over to Miroku, who wore a grimace of pain but was slowly trying to push himself to his feet, leaning hard on his staff. Inuyasha's breathing was ragged in his ears as his eyes darted between the monk and Menomaru, his hand clutching his chest and feeling the blood slip through his fingers.
"Defeated so soon?" Menomaru asked mockingly. "Pathetic. Inuyasha, I shall run you through with your fang of destruction."
His hand hovered over the hilt of Tessaiga, and crackling bolts of amber energy immediately shot from the blade. Inuyasha normally would have taken great pleasure in the way Menomaru's palm smouldered from the impact, but his vision was steadily bleeding red.
"Most disappointing," Menomaru muttered, before his gaze shifted over to Miroku. "Perhaps some other way."
Miroku took a halting step forward, dragging his fingers along his mala beads before sinking back to his knees. Inuyasha could see him shaking. That was all that his youki needed to break free. Inuyasha pounced, slashing at Menomaru and catching his neck. The demon staggered back, shocked by the intensity of the attack. But then his sword was back in his hand and he lifted it threateningly at Inuyasha. It was no good – he knew he couldn't fight. Not without losing control. And Miroku was in no state to drag him back to Tessaiga if he did. He didn't know if he'd be able to do it on his own. And Menomaru stood solidly between him and his sword. He couldn't reach it now without fighting. Instead, he staggered over to Miroku, swept the monk up in his arms, and ran. He could hear Menomaru jeering after him, taunting him. He didn't stop.
The trees passed them in a blur. There was nothing but the wind in his face, the ground under his feet, and the ragged breaths of the human in his arms. His youki was churning and howling, telling him to fight, to run, to destroy the enemy, to get his partner to safety. He had no idea if Menomaru was following them. He didn't know where he was going. He didn't know what he was doing. He lost all sense of direction and time until Sango's voice drew him back.
"Inuyasha!" she snapped again, and suddenly she was standing in front of him. When had she gotten there? He glanced around in confusion. He was still in the forest, and night had fallen. Sango was looking at him with deep concern, her hands held out as though calming a wild animal. Shippo was behind her, glancing between them with wide eyes. He knew they were safe – they were! They were pack! – but she was moving towards his partner. His wounded partner. His partner he needed to protect. Inuyasha growled softly and held Miroku tighter against his chest, earning a slight moan from the injured human.
"He's safe," Sango promised in a low voice. "You're both safe now. Come back, Yash."
For some reason, the nickname tugged at his mind, drawing him back to himself. He blinked hard, trying to slow his breathing.
"Inuyasha," Sango said again, and her voice was more urgent than before. "Where's Tessaiga?"
His hand reached for his hip before he remembered. He hadn't wanted to leave the sword behind, but in his pain-filled haze, he could only focus on so much, and all he'd known was that Miroku was more important.
"Demon," Inuyasha gasped out, grimacing at the elongated fangs in his mouth. "Stabbed me. Wanted Tessaiga. Couldn't touch it. Miroku sucked in poison."
Sango frowned, brushing her fingers along Miroku's brow. "What kind? Scorpions again?"
He shook his head. "Moths."
"Right," Sango said, and he could see her expression set as she looked over the white specks lining his partner's robes. "Inuyasha, listen to what I'm saying. Miroku's going to be fine. Moth dust is more of a sedative than anything else – it's not like a demon's poison. He'll be groggy for a while, but he'll be coming out of it soon. You need to put him down so I can treat your wound, alright?"
He was with her right up until that last part. At the thought of letting Miroku out of his arms, he snarled and clutched him tighter.
"Yash," a soft voice rasped, and he startled. "Yash, I'm alright."
He stared down at Miroku uncomprehendingly. The monk sighed softly, reaching behind his head to untie his mask. He tucked it back into his robes and placed a hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. Inuyasha whined and sank to his knees, burrowing his face in Miroku's neck. Miroku placed a gentle kiss to the top of his head before leaning back.
"You need to get Tessaiga back," he said firmly, pushing himself to a seated position. "And we need to treat your wounds."
Inuyasha growled softly and shifted Miroku to his side. He still couldn't force himself to let go, the fear too fresh in his mind. Miroku seemed to sense this, and helped him shed his robes so that Sango could bind them. He kept a hand on Inuyasha's arm the entire time, occasionally murmuring reassurances and eventually resting his brow against his shoulder, still reeking of poison and exhaustion and stress. The contact soothed his youki, and he was more or less himself again by the time Sango had finished.
"You two should find someplace to shelter," Sango said grimly. "I'll go after Kirara alone."
Miroku sighed softly, shifting his head slightly to glare at her. "Well, that's not going to happen."
"You can't even hold yourself upright yet," Sango chided. "And Inuyasha has a new hole through his body."
"These aren't anything serious," Inuyasha growled, finding his voice and pushing aside the pain that radiated from the wound. "We need to get after that bastard! I'll bet he and those other demons are related. They're all from the continent."
"We'll manage, Sango," Miroku said, cutting off her protest. "We should all go together to get Tessaiga back, regardless. Menomaru might still be there."
"Menomaru?" Myoga asked, jumping from Shippo's head to Inuyasha's shoulder. "Are you sure about that name?"
"Yeah, I'm sure," Inuyasha huffed as he shrugged his robes back on. "Why, you know 'im?"
"He's the only son of Hyoga, an infamous demon from the continent."
Miroku and Sango exchanged a look, and the slayer muttered "Of course he is."
"Two hundred years ago, a huge Mongol army from the continent began an attack," Myoga recounted. "Demons, led by Hyoga, came here to snatch the souls of those killed in battle."
"Two hundred years," Miroku muttered. "Ruri and Hari said they came here just as long ago."
"At that time, your father ruled the regions of the West," Myoga continued. "Hyoga and your father battled ferociously, bringing forth thunder and winds and causing a terrible, violent storm! Using one of his fangs, your father sealed Hyoga away, and thus, as I understand it, chased the demons back to the continent."
"As you understand it?" Inuyasha asked incredulously. "You weren't even there, were you?"
Myoga closed his eyes and crossed his arms defensively. "It was self-preservation. I only do it because both your father and you are so reckless."
"Sure," Inuyasha sighed, not in the mood to argue. "I guess that means you don't know where this Hyoga was sealed away, then."
"Fortunately, I can help you with that," Myoga chirped, enthusiasm returning. "The Tree of Ages in the Forest of No Return."
"Well, there you have it," Inuyasha huffed, climbing to his feet and helping Miroku up with him. "I'll bet Ruri and Hari took Kirara there, too."
"Master Inuyasha, you must be extremely careful to not revive Hyoga," Myoga warned. "He lies dormant, and though his body perished long ago, his near limitless power remains sealed within the Tree. Should the seal be broken, the next heir in the bloodline – in this case, Menomaru – will receive his family's ancestral power, making him practically unstoppable."
"Figures," Inuyasha drawled. "Don't worry about it – Ryukotsusei was a breeze. I'm practically an expert at taking on my old man's opponents by now!"
Miroku and Sango exchanged a worried look as she hoisted his arm over her shoulders.
"I wish you the best of luck," Myoga said, jumping down off Inuyasha and beginning to bounce away. "I have the utmost faith in you!"
"Come back here, you coward!" Inuyasha hissed, and gained no response.
"Alright, here's the plan," Miroku sighed. "We get Tessaiga, find the Tree of Ages, rescue Kirara, destroy Menomaru, and worry about killing Myoga later."
Inuyasha followed their scent back to the site of the battle. He sniffed the air cautiously as they approached, moving in front of Miroku and Sango, but Menomaru was gone. Tessaiga still lay on the ground where it had fallen. Miroku's staff also lay on the roots of the tree where he met Kikyo. Miroku began to cough lightly, stumbling. Sango snatched the mask from his robes and pressed it to his face without a word. As soon as it was secure, she slipped on her own and gave Inuyasha a pointed look.
"Fine," he growled, securing his own around the back of his head. "I hate how restricting it is!"
"Would you rather be poisoned again?" Sango asked incredulously, taking more of Miroku's weight. Inuyasha met the monk's bleary gaze and sighed.
"Shippo?" Miroku asked carefully.
"I'm fine," the kit said, climbing up to sit on the monk's shoulder. "I'm just worried about you!"
"Here," Sango said, grabbing a silk strip from a pocket in her robes and offering it to the fox. "It won't offer as much protection as a mask, but it's something."
Dozens of moths remained in the trees, shifting around restlessly. The dust had settled into the earth, but the scent still lingered heavily in the air. After sheathing Tessaiga and tossing Miroku's staff over to him, Inuyasha swatted at a cluster nearby, scattering them. He wished that he could tear them all to shreds, but pain was lacing up his chest with every breath. He hadn't transformed enough for his youki to instantly heal his wounds – and he wasn't about to try.
"I can get them," Sango said, shifting Miroku towards Inuyasha and reaching for Hiraikotsu with her other hand.
"Wait," Miroku murmured, watching the moths keenly. "Look at where they're going."
Indeed, the moths were taking off in groups, emerging from the surrounding forest, all heading in the same direction.
"You think they'll lead us to the Tree of Ages?" Sango asked.
"It's worth a shot," Miroku shrugged. "They only need to get us close."
Each of them kept a hand on their weapons as they followed the moths through the forest. The deeper they went, the more twisted and moss-covered the trees became. They grew bigger as well, and there was a heaviness in the air. All of them had the sense that they were moving into a different kind of space, and kept close together. The tar gradually disappeared from Miroku's mind and the weight leeched out of his limbs. None of them removed the masks, though. They stayed within arm's reach of each other, stopping every so often to peer into the darkness. Eventually, the ground began to dip downwards as they entered into a sprawling valley.
"Look at that," Sango said, pointing through the trees.
From their vantage point, they could make out the tops of the trees at the valley floor. In the heart of the forest, one tree towered over all the others.
"That has to be it," Inuyasha said, immediately starting towards it.
Miroku reached into his robes and pulled out a handful of sutras, handing a few over to Sango to put on Hiraikostu. There were more moths around than ever, an endless swarm around them. There was no trace of dust in the air, but the demonic aura was unmistakable, growing stronger the closer they moved to the Tree of Ages.
"Wait," Miroku hissed, drawing the others to a stop. "Look at the moths."
They followed his gaze to where the swarm of moths was flying overhead, circling around them rather than moving towards the Tree as they had been.
"They've been intentionally leading us here," Sango murmured.
"Doesn't make any difference," Inuyasha growled softly.
As they approached the Tree, they were struck by how large it was – almost twice as tall as the others around it, with is branches stretching far in all directions. They set Shippo down in a clearing a fair distance away with the strict instructions to stay back. They continued on warily, watching for any sign of Menomaru, Ruri, or Hari. But if the demons were nearby, they were keeping hidden. It was difficult to tell, under the strange aura that permeated the forest. They picked up speed as they moved, feeling as though they were being watched. It was only a few moments later that Sango spotted the soul collectors circling the base of the Tree.
"Why would she come here?" Inuyasha wondered aloud, quickening his pace into a near-run.
"You saw her?" Sango asked Miroku.
"Just before Menomaru appeared," he said. "She warned me that Inuyasha was in danger."
"Well, she wasn't wrong," Sango muttered, eyeing the dark red stain still vividly present on Inuyasha's back.
"I can hear you, ya know," Inuyasha growled softly from in front of them. "She's close."
They found her standing in front of the giant, sprawling roots of the Tree. She seemed unsurprised to see them, and gestured at what looked like a small tunnel formed between two twisting roots. "They have taken shelter under the Tree."
There was a pause, in which Inuyasha glanced at Miroku and Sango glared at Kikyo.
"Are you planning on coming down with us?" Miroku asked Kikyo eventually. "It's going to be quite the battle."
Kikyo frowned slightly as she ran her fingers along the bow slung over her shoulder. "I have heard of the Hyoga clan. I will do whatever is in my power to stop them."
Inuyasha took the lead as they crept down the tunnel, Tessaiga drawn. The narrow passage soon grew wider as it dipped downwards. The walls of the tunnel were lined with moths, and the group increased their pace, not knowing if the insects would act as a warning for Menomaru. The tunnel ended in a large cavern, the floor dropping away sharply. They crept to the edge and peered out at the chamber formed underneath the tree. Twisting roots lined the walls and snaked across the floor only to come together again at the center of the cavern, forming a structure almost like a staircase and surrounding a large red sphere. A giant fang twice as tall as a human was embedded deep in the sphere. Menomaru sat in front of the sphere, speaking quietly to Ruri and Hari. Kirara sat on the floor beside them.
Miroku nudged Inuyasha with his elbow and gestured to the fang before shaking his head. Inuyasha nodded in understanding – that must be the seal that Myoga was talking about. They eased themselves back from the edge and stood, trying to assess their next move. Inuyasha glanced at Kikyo. She seemed utterly unaffected by the moth dust. He cautiously pulled off his mask, waving away the stern looks of Miroku and Sango. Sure enough, despite the dozens of the insects around, there was no poison in the air. Why was that? Did Menomaru not want his opponents subdued? Unease prickled along Inuyasha's spine, his instincts warning of an unseen threat. They needed to be careful – to figure out an coordinated attack. Before they had the chance, the moths around them began chattering in earnest, the sound filling the air.
Sango threw Hiraikotsu through the swarm as they took to the air. The demons all turned to look at them as the group leapt down to the cavern floor, weapons raised. Kirara was the first to move as they charged, transforming to her larger size and roaring fiercely.
"Kirara!" Sango called out to her, slowing slightly.
"It seems she doesn't want to return with you," Hari said, pulling twin swords from sheathes at her hips and stepping past Kirara to face down Sango.
Miroku went to move to her side and Ruri landed in front of him, levelling her spear at his heart. "I'll deal with you, monk."
She swung and Miroku dodged, knocking the next blow away with his staff. Hari crossed her blades and a bolt of energy shot from them towards the others. Sango swung Hiraikotsu in front of her to block the attack but was pushed back, almost colliding with Inuyasha and Kikyo. Inuyasha leapt over her head, Tessaiga aiming at Hari. Kirara crashed into him in the air, knocking him to the side. Hari twirled as she darted towards Sango, her blades biting into Hiraikotsu as Sango wielded it like a shield. Hari struck from underneath next, trying to knock the weapon out of Sango's hands, but she used the momentum generated to swing Hiraikotsu around and knock one of the blades from Hari's hand.
Miroku was being forced back from Ruri's attacks, countering each strike with his staff. He ducked under her next swing and struck at her legs but she leapt over his staff and landed behind him. He swung back around in time to see her running at him, the tip of the spear heading straight for him. Miroku lifted his staff and caught the tip of the spear in its head. He twisted his weapon around to wrench it from Ruri's grasp. It clattered to the ground and she kicked him hard in the chest, sending him flying.
Inuyasha growled and tried to climb to his feet but Kirara pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. He thrashed under her paws but it was useless. Her jaws lowered until her fangs rested just above his neck, saliva dripping from them. Inuyasha brought his knees to his chest and kicked out hard, catching her in the soft underbelly and flipping her off him. She immediately righted herself and charged at him.
"Inuyasha, get down!" Kikyo called over to him, aiming an arrow straight at Kirara.
"No!" Inuyasha shouted, but it was too late. The arrow shot forth and Inuyasha swung Tessaiga, breaking it cleanly in two as it flew past. The broken pieces whizzed harmlessly past Kirara on either side of her as she knocked him down again.
From his seat, Menomaru laughed, visibly delighted by the show. Kikyo's face hardened as she notched another arrow. This one struck the root he sat on, and it immediately began to melt from spiritual power.
"Well, then," Menomaru said lightly, climbing to his feet and unsheathing his sword. He leapt from root to root, charging at Kikyo.
"Oh no you don't!" Inuyasha shouted. He shoved Kirara away from him and ran, swinging Tessaiga at Menomaru. A burst of energy shot from the blade and raced along the ground to the demon, who blocked it with his own sword and dispelled it into the air.
"I've been waiting for you, Inuyasha," Menomaru said, passing his sword in front of his face and adopting a fighting stance.
"Is that so?" Inuyasha growled.
"I was worried that you would die before I got a chance to kill you," the demon grinned predatorily, and then he struck.
Inuyasha blocked the first few blows but he was forced back – Menomaru knew how to handle a blade. His longsword moved much faster than Tessaiga, and he was able to wield it with deadly precision. Inuyasha found himself wildly swinging Tessaiga just to keep from getting stabbed – again – and was constantly losing ground, going wherever Menomaru wanted him to go. Inuyasha kicked at Menomaru, shoving him back a step, and struck with Tessaiga. The blade bit into the ground and the demon barely even had to dodge.
"Ha!" Menomaru exclaimed delightedly. "Not very impressive."
Inuyasha growled and rushed at him.
"Kikyo, stop!" Miroku's voice rang through the cavern. Inuyasha whipped around to see Kirara leaping at Kikyo, an arrow levelled at her head. "Don't do it! She's one of us!"
"She's possessed!" Kikyo hissed, though she lowered her weapon. She held out a hand, spiritual power flowing to her fingertips, and Kirara was forced to back away.
The distraction was enough for Menomaru to strike at Inuyasha. The hanyou leapt out of the way and spun around, blocking the blow aiming for his head. He lifted Tessaiga above his head and swung forward, amber power leaping from the sword. It struck Menomaru in the chest, sending him flying through the air before he collided with the unforgiving stone wall. The entire cavern was illuminated with golden light. Everyone froze. Menomaru hovered for a moment and then fell to the ground, motionless. Dirt dislodged from the roof of the cavern and slowly floated down around them.
Inuyasha huffed and lowered Tessaiga. "Guess that's it for him."
"Kirara!" Hari called out, summoning the twin-tail to her. She leapt onto Kirara's back, dodging Sango's frantic swing with Hiraikotsu, and Kirara pushed into the air. Miroku tried to grab her as she approached, but she easily bounded over his head as Ruri grabbed hold of her. Kirara lifted the two demons up and flew them back into the tunnel and out of sight.
"Kirara!" Sango cried out after them. "Damn it!"
"She's still not herself," Miroku said, moving to her side.
"At least we can focus on getting her back, now," Inuyasha said, sheathing Tessaiga. "Now that the mothy bastard is- What the fuck?"
The large red sphere had begun to glow, its light casting twisted shadows past the encircling roots. Beams of light began to snake along the ground, reaching from the sphere to where Menomaru lay. The deep wound in his chest glowed red and then disappeared entirely. The demon blinked, smiled, and rose to his feet.
"Damnit!" Inuyasha swore, stepping in front of Miroku and Sango. "What's going on?"
"I am immortal," Menomaru said, as though it was obvious. "You cannot defeat me, not here. I am invincible!"
Inuyasha's eyes darted to the sphere. Myoga had said that Hyoga's power was dormant while he was sealed away, but could Menomaru access it? Damn, he'd be almost impossible to stop! He'd need to destroy him in one strike. Luckily, he knew a way.
"I don't care what kind of demonic power you've got," Inuyasha growled, lifting Tessaiga and concentrating as the Wind Scar formed in his mind's eye. "It ain't gonna stop me from slashing you to pieces!"
"How bold of you," Menomaru smiled, walking forward. "Let's see you try."
"Something's not right," Sango muttered, her eyes darting from the demon to the sealed sphere behind him.
Miroku's eyes widened. "Inuyasha-"
Inuyasha swung, sending six lines of blazing energy towards Menomaru. The demon's laugh reverberated through the cavern even as his body dissolved. The Wind Scar cut through everything in its path indiscriminately – demon, roots, fang, and sphere.
"I did it!" Inuyasha crowed.
"Shit," Miroku whispered.
Menomaru's laugh continued to echo off the walls until they realized that it was coming from inside the sphere. The cavern shook, chunks of rock and dirt falling from the ceiling.
"Come on!" Sango shouted. "It's going to cave in!"
They ran for the tunnel, hauling themselves up the steep incline. Inuyasha followed close behind, though he couldn't see Kikyo anywhere! The moths took flight, emerging from every rocky nook and crevice in the tunnel, obscuring their vision. Sango swore and cut through them with Hiraikotsu, but as their chattering filled the air, they could neither see nor hear each other. Inuyasha claws his way through their feathery wings, running blindly as the tunnel began to collapse behind him. Giant roots and boulders fell from above and he leapt and dodged, praying the others were safe. As he fought his way to the surface and scrambled onto the roots of the Tree of Ages, the ground began to split apart all around him. He caught sight of Sango and Miroku, both running as fast as they could, casting fearful glances behind at him.
Inuyasha leapt for them, but roots sprang from the ground before him and cut him off. The Tree was growing, reaching high into the sky and pulsing with demonic power. New branches and roots shot out in all directions, creating a maze. Inuyasha swore and sliced through as many as he could, cutting a path to where Miroku and Sango were waiting. He grabbed onto each of their arms and dragged them further away from the Tree. It was mutating as it grew, roots and branches intertwining to lift Hyoga's sphere even higher into the night sky, far above the canopy of the Tree. Menomaru stood on top of it all, perfectly reformed, looking down at them. The sphere had grown as well, and adopted a pinkish hue eerily similar to the Shikon Jewel.
"Inuyasha," he called down, just loud enough for hanyou ears to catch. "I must thank you. Because of your father's treachery, there was nothing I could do to free my own father from this seal. Not even your brother had that power. But your fang of destruction bore the strength of your father."
"Tessaiga?" Inuyasha exclaimed. "You used me to break the seal?"
"Now I can inherit the power that is rightfully mine! Witness the might of the Hyoga clan!" Menomaru lifted his sword above his head and plunged it into the sphere, slicing it open. Energy shot out in all directions, surrounding him in swirling youki, absorbing him into the sphere.
"He's absorbing his family's power!" Miroku gasped. "What do we do?"
"Kill him before he can finish!" Inuyasha shouted, already rushing forward. He leapt up the roots and branches, up to the sphere, which was already shrinking as Menomaru absorbed Hyoga's power. Inuyasha struck the sphere with Tessaiga and was immediately blasted back, a shot of youki tearing through him. He crashed all the way to the ground, gasping in pain.
"Inuyasha," Menomaru's voice sounded from the sphere. "I would never allow myself to be wounded by some pathetic half-breed."
Inuyasha leapt again, calling upon the Wind Scar. It raced up the Tree, but the waves of energy were deflected along the sphere and made no impact. He heard a warning shout from below and jumped to the side as Hiraikotsu whizzed past his head, covered in several sutras. It bounced off the sphere with a crackle of spiritual power and made not so much as a dent.
"We need something incredibly powerful to break through," Miroku said as Inuyasha landed beside him, his eyes fixed on the sphere. "We need Kikyo's arrows, or a sword even more powerful than Tessaiga."
"Kikyo left right after Ruri and Hari did," Sango reported bitterly. "And we don't have time to track down anyone else, let alone convince them to help us!"
Miroku swallowed, reaching for his mala beads. "Maybe I could-"
"Don't even think about it," Sango hissed while Inuyasha growled "Don't you dare."
"Can you catch Kikyo's scent?" Sango asked Inuyasha.
He sniffed the air and grimaced. "The stink of moth is covering everything else. It'll be better away from here, but…"
The sphere pulsed and shrank once more, the power it contained being absorbed by Menomaru.
"Fuck it!" Inuyasha swore and leapt again, pulling on his youki and channeling it through Tessaiga as it glowed amber. He angled the tip of the sword at the sphere, but it glanced off the outside like a fly, the barrier so strong that it flung him back to the ground. Menomaru cackled as he groaned, the impact tearing at his injuries.
"Don't die on me yet, half-breed," he taunted. "You're spoiling all my fun! I've made special arrangements for your death."
Inuyasha hauled himself to his feet, leaning hard on Tessaiga, his wounds screaming. "You ain't fooling anyone," he snarled up at Menomaru. "Your father was afraid of mine and you're afraid of me! Stop being such a coward and fight me!"
"You speak like a warrior, but can you fight like one?" Menomaru questioned.
A bolt of energy shot from the sphere and struck Inuyasha, hurling him to the ground. He coughed and gasped, sparks shooing across his vision. He was vaguely aware of Miroku shouting his name, but it was lost through the blood rushing in his ears.
"You still don't understand how strong I am," Menomaru called down, a little wistfully as energy crackled along the surface of the sphere. "This is in your honour. Now, be gone from the face of the earth!"
A burst of power flowed from the sphere in an endless wave, washing over all of them. Inuyasha dug Tessaiga into the ground and tried to shield himself, but the blast tore through him, picking him up off the ground and flinging him through the air. He could hear Miroku and Sango cry out in fear and pain, but the light was blinding and it cut through his youki and he was barely clinging to consciousness even before he slammed into the ground and everything went black.
xXx
Sango clung to Hiraikotsu as she was ripped off the ground and carried along by the blast, the power of it gouging the air from her lungs. She flung Hiraikotsu out to the side, using its weight to turn herself in the air so that her back was to the blast. The forest was a dark blur before her, but she could just make out the individual trees. She held Hiraikotsu out in front of her as she crashed through the canopy, feeling the weapon break through a series of branches before catching the trunk of a tree. Her own momentum carried her into Hiraikotsu, the hard edge of the weapon cutting into her stomach and knocking out the little breath she had left. She slumped down to the ground, stunned.
xXx
Miroku was halfway between Inuyasha and Sango when the wave struck, too far to reach either of them in time. He dropped to the ground and curled into a ball, throwing a spiritual barrier around himself. The wave crashed into him like a battering ram, ripping through the shield and dragging him along the ground before finally releasing him. He blinked a few times, lungs stinging from the heat of the air that even the mask couldn't shield him from. Once his vision cleared, his heart sank. The trees in all directions had been ripped away, toppled by the power that Menomaru sent forth. What remained was a barren wasteland of upturned branches and roots in a wide circle around the Tree of Ages. Worse still, there was no sign of anyone else.
"Inuyasha," Miroku called out, though his voice was hoarse and raspy. "Sango!"
He received no reply. Miroku pushed to his feet and began stumbling towards the newly formed treeline, in the vague direction of where they left Shippo. He had to trust that the others would meet him there – if they were still alive. Which they were. They had to be. The dust in the air, both from soil and the moths, stung his eyes and made it difficult to see where he was going. His vision was still fuzzy from the force of the wave, and his ears were ringing. It took him a while to register the shrill voice calling for him.
"Miroku?" Shippo asked frantically, reaching up to cling to his hand. "What happened? Where are the others?"
"Shippo! I'm so glad you're alright," Miroku said, sweeping the fox up in his arms. "We found Menomaru and he tricked us into releasing Hyoga's power. He attacked us and we got separated. The others will be finding us soon."
"You released Hyoga?" Shippo asked incredulously. "Wasn't that the one thing that Myoga told you not to do?"
"Things didn't quite go to plan," he admitted softly.
"What about Kirara?"
"She's under the sway of the demons. They're controlling her mind, somehow. I think they were mostly using her to draw Inuyasha to Hyoga so that he could break the seal."
"So what do we do?" Shippo asked, as though Miroku would have all the answers.
He shut his eyes and forced himself to think. The most important thing right now was to regroup – he couldn't make a proper plan until he knew what assets they had. Myoga had said that Menomaru would absorb all the power of previous generations, making him much stronger than the Hyoga that Inuyasha's father had fought. Their best shot at defeating him was to stop him before the transformation took place. Menomaru alone had been a powerful opponent, but without the regenerative power of Hyoga to heal him from the Wind Scar, or if he was sucked into the wind tunnel…
"Come forth!" Menomaru's voice echoed unnaturally across the forest. "Bring your offerings! I hunger for the souls of all!"
Waving tendrils of roots and branches shot high into the sky around the Tree of Ages, raising Hyoga's sphere impossibly higher, spreading its canopy in all directions, and creating a writhing wooden labyrinth between it and Miroku. Hundreds if not thousands of moths took to the air in all directions, blocking out the very stars. As a handful approached them, Miroku clutched Shippo to his chest and held out his staff with his other hand, summoning a barrier. The moths glanced off it and left them alone, but they left trails of their poison powder through the air.
"What's going on?" Shippo asked shrilly. "What're the moths after?"
Miroku peered up through the forest canopy to see white lights shooting towards the Tree. It didn't take him long to recognize them as souls – dozens of them, flying straight at Menomaru. The sphere began to swell as it absorbed them, creating an even greater basis of power for the transformation. The youki thickened in the air. Menomaru's laugh echoed across the sky.
As the number of souls increased, so did the number of moths. They circled around Miroku's barrier, a few dashing to pieces against it. It would only be a matter of time before they broke through. Miroku looked out in all directions, but there was no sign of the others. He reached out with his mind and grasped at the nenju beads at the very edge of his consciousness. He prayed that Inuyasha would find them, that his soul hadn't yet been taken. He had to trust that the hanyou would be resourceful enough to weather the attack, as would Sango. As for him and Shippo, they needed to keep themselves safe.
"We can't stay here," Miroku said grimly, tucking Shippo's face into his robes to shield him from the moth dust falling like snow. "We're going to have to run for it. If the moths reach us and take my soul, you need to keep them away from yourself with your foxfire and get as far away as possible. Understand?"
Shippo nodded wordlessly and buried his face deeper into Miroku's robes. The monk took a deep breath and dropped the barrier, concentrating all his spiritual power on the head of his staff. Then he ran. He aimed for one of the mountains at the opposite edge of the forest, hoping that it would have a cave or some other place to take shelter. He cut through the moths one by one as they flew at him, but it was a temporary measure at best. If they were caught out in the open for too long, there was no doubt in his mind that their souls would be taken away.
xXx
The deafening chattering of moths drew Sango back to herself. They swarmed the sky in seemingly endless numbers, coating everything with their poison dust. Though her mask kept her safe, she doubted that it was the end of her worries. Sure enough, the lights of souls began to float through the air, each with a moth accompanying it like a soul collector. She swore and dug in her robes, eyeing the moths already circling her. She had no idea if they would be able to take her soul while she wasn't unconscious from their poison, but she had no intention of waiting to find out. She pulled out a small clamshell filled with a deep purple powder. She took a deep breath and dumped it all over herself.
She waited for a moment before the stinging faded from her eyes and the tingling set into her exposed skin. Sure enough, the moths veered away from her, her own poison concoction keeping them at bay. It bought her a little time, enough to figure out what to do next. There was no sign of any of the others, and she knew that she couldn't wait for them. Just moving had her muscles aching – she didn't have time to stop and examine the damage done by Hyoga's blast. She picked up Hiraikotsu and began running, away from the Tree of Ages, to the safety of a nearby valley. She'd seen the small streams of water travelling downhill, knew that there had to be a river or lake or something. And the moths wouldn't be able to follow her into the water.
It turned out to be barely a pond. She knelt down by its edge and untied the carrying cloth from her waist. As well as her travel clothes and a few blankets, she placed inside several of her more temperamental poisons, a few sutras from Miroku, and anything else that wouldn't handle getting wet. The moths were still giving her a wide berth, but some were growing bolder. She sat by the edge of the pond, waiting, as more and more souls painted the sky and the moon travelled on its lazy path. When the moths came too close, the protective poison fading, she knew it was time. She left the bundle of clothes and other items on the wide of the pond and walked in. She didn't bother slowing down, simply waded in as far as she could, snapped a reed from the edge as she passed. Once she reached the deepest point, she lay down under the surface and closed her eyes against the murky water.
She pulled deep breaths through the reed, getting comfortable. She would be able to hold out here for a while, hopefully long enough for the moths to move away or something else to change. Sooner or later, the icy temperature of the water would start to take hold. It was going to be a long night – even though it was more than halfway over already. There was no guarantee of any change come morning.
xXx
Flashes of pain shot through his head, dragging him back to consciousness. Inuyasha opened his eyes to a writhing sky and swathes of moth dust filling the air. He groaned as his stomach rolled and a cold sweat broke down his back. He tried to sit up, but agony shot through his abdomen – right, the hole in his gut. He could feel the blood still steadily leaking from it, seeping through the bandages. He was fairly certain that the wound on his back had split open when he struck the ground. Everything was spinning and fuzzy and he was woozy and just wanted to go back to sleep. Dark shapes were swarming around him, and he watched with mild interest as a moth landed on his sleeve. Its wings fluttered and it stared up at him with beady little eyes. It was only when it began flicking dust onto the fabric that he realized it was a threat. His claws flashed and it was ripped in two.
He blinked up at the endless barrage of insects, growling lightly. He didn't know what they were after, but his instincts were telling him not to let them get close. It took a while, but piece by piece the events of the night came back to him. Damn, he needed to find the others! They needed to stop Menomaru! That blast was just- The blast. Were the others okay? Had they even survived? He inhaled deeply, trying to catch their scent on the wind, and immediately his vision blacked out and he slumped to the ground, almost falling unconscious once more. With shaking hands, he dragged his mask from inside his robes and shoved it onto his face. He pulled in a few deep breaths, each exhale a whining growl. The amount of poison in the air was enough to subdue even him in a single breath. The disgusting taste of it coated his tongue, seared against his throat.
It took far longer than it should have for his head to clear. This was bad. How the hell were the others surviving this? He had to find them. He had to find them now! He lifted his nose to the air and breathed deeply, and encountered a new problem. He couldn't smell a thing through the mask! And with all the poison from the moths in the air, he couldn't track any scent for long. But he couldn't see or hear them anywhere, and he knew he had to find them. He would just have to risk it. He closed his eyes and pulled on his youki, pushing back a little of the dust from around him. He pulled the iron mask from his face and snatched a quick breath. There was nothing – nothing detectable under the smell of poison, which quickly clouded his mind and sent him careening to his knees once more. He pressed the mask back to his face and focused on clearing his lungs. Fuck.
Stumbling back to his feet, he set off towards the Tree of Ages. He'd start there and search every part of this fucking forest if he had to – he would find his pack. His claws tore through every moth that came near him. But his movement drew them to him, made them swarm around him. He could hear them chattering above him. Fuck. He forced himself to slow down just a little – he wouldn't be able to save the others if the moths got him first.
The forest hummed with power, the pull of Menomaru's youki making him feel sick. He knew the others probably felt it even worse. Damn it, he needed to get to them! But the closer he got to the Tree of Ages, the more dread began to form a cold pit in his stomach. The Tree was giant, still growing before his very eyes. And the blast had cleared away a good chunk of the forest. He hated to think what it could have done to fragile human bodies. A wave of nausea passed through him and he staggered to a nearby tree, blinking hard to chase the fuzziness from his vision. He didn't have time for this! He had to go! He made it a whole three steps before he felt a tug at the beads 'round his neck. He stared down blankly for a moment before it actually registered. Miroku was alive! He was off and running before he had time to think.
Through the swarm of moths, he could sense something shifting overhead. He dodged on pure instinct as Kirara dove for him, Ruri and Hari on her back.
"We didn't expect to find you still alive," Ruri said, smiling predatorily at him as she hopped down.
"The new Lord Hyoga wants your head," Hari added mildly.
"Does he?" Inuyasha growled, drawing Tessaiga. "Well you can tell him that I'm coming for him – but first, I have more important things to deal with than you two lowlifes!"
He leapt at them, sending them jumping back to avoid the swing of his sword. Kirara stood to the side, teeth bared but not attacking. In that moment, he didn't know if he would be able to face her, too. His youki was prickling under his skin again, with his pack off in the nebulous somewhere and his strength slowly fading through the torn flesh of his belly. He lifted Tessaiga back into the air and pulled the Wind Scar from his mind, sending a somewhat subdued strike racing towards Ruri and Hari. They tried to leap out of the way but were still caught in the blast. They dropped to the ground, seemingly lifeless.
"Kirara?" Inuyasha asked warily, sheathing Tessaiga and taking a step towards her.
She snarled viciously, hackles raised. He could just make out a faint glow emanating from the black patch of fur on her forehead. Was that what was controlling her? He could almost make out a symbol there, some kind of small spiral… A sharp intake of breath came from off to his left and he whipped around, to where Ruri and Hachi were slowly pushing themselves upright. The long tears down their bodies were healing as though it was nothing, the yin and yang symbols on their brows emanating pulses of energy. Damn! Menomaru had to be reviving them! As much as it tore at him to leave Kirara in their clutches for a second time, he knew that he was in no condition to fight them any longer. He needed to get away before they could regenerate enough to come after him.
With one last mournful glance at Kirara, he took off back through the forest, following the vague direction in which he prayed he would find Miroku safe.
xXx
A faint hum in the air grew louder and louder, drawing Sesshomaru's attention from where they had stopped to rest. A few moths were flying around lazily, but over the forest, beyond the peak of the mountain, a dark cloud of insects were swarming unnaturally. A moth demon, then – just like those two who had been in search of Tessaiga. Whatever this mess was, he had no doubts that his brother was behind it. He cut through the few moths that had already reached them and turned to face the oncoming army. Rin looked up, her human hearing finally registering the sound, and gasped. She dropped the flowers she had been collecting and ran to hide behind Sesshomaru. Her fear was sour in the air.
"Rin, take cover," he ordered coolly.
"Right," she nodded, immediately moving to hide behind the boulder on which Jaken sat. A-Un plodded up to stand guard beside her, the left head bending down to nuzzle her while the right hissed, the beginnings of a fiery attack building in their throat.
Jaken startled and jumped off the boulder to run in front of Sesshomaru. "My Lord, do not waste your energy on such pitiful foe! Allow me!"
He lifted up his Staff of Two Heads, and the old man's face shot a blazing wall of fire at the incoming wave of moths. They dissolved under the power of the flames, but there were more arriving all the time. They were flying outwards, not towards their master – they were searching for something. Souls. His father had spoken of the same occurrence after the battle some two hundred years ago. So, that was it. Hyoga had resurrected.
"Rin," he said sharply, summoning her. "You are to flee on A-Un. You must stay out of reach of the moths, or they will take your soul. Jaken will watch over you."
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Jaken exclaimed, rushing back to his side. "Please, allow me to accompany you! This-"
"I gave you an order," he hissed, causing the imp to shrink back.
"Of course, Master! I would never question-"
Sesshomaru blocked out his grating voice and lifted into the air, flying through the swarm in a concentrated ball of youki. Any moth that came near him dissolved in a heartbeat. No, his enemy was far greater than any of them.
xXx
A spear embedded itself in the trunk of the tree to his right, barely missing his head. Inuyasha swore and ducked, hauling Tessaiga out of its sheath to block the twin swords that he knew were coming. He pushed Hari back and, mostly out of spite, yanked Ruri's spear out of the tree and hurled it away. He lifted Tessaiga up, the blade glowing amber. The demons slowed to a stop and met his gaze easily for a long moment before jumping back on Kirara and flying off. Just as they had over the past three attacks. He waited for them to disappear from view before turning back to his previous path.
Progress was painfully slow, with the ceaseless attacks from demons and moths driving him in different directions to the point where he had no idea if he'd unwittingly passed Miroku in the dense forest. Every so often, he pulled down his mask to sniff the air, but while the number of moths had been decreasing throughout the night, there was still enough dust around that even the single breath made his head spin. He unwittingly sank to his knees, groaning softly in equal measures of pain and frustration. He didn't have time for this! They needed to be attacking Menomaru by now, before he could absorb all that power and become unstoppable. But no, here he was, stumbling through the forest, unable to so much as break into a run without moths mobbing him or demons flying at him, and he was still no closer to finding his pack than when he started.
He climbed to his feet through sheer determination and set off once more. Then, another tug came from the nenju beads. From behind him. In the opposite direction he'd been going. He whipped around, hoping against hope that Miroku would magically appear through the trees, laughing at him for having stumbled right past. Nothing happened. Wherever Miroku was, it wasn't nearby. The beads gave him no indication of distance, no way of knowing exactly where the monk was. But what choice did he have? He set as fast a pace as he dared, keeping an eye on the moths, the trees, and Kirara flying far above his head.
xXx
Miroku placed another sutra around the mouth of the cave. "There, that should do it."
"Will it hold a little longer?" Shippo asked nervously.
"Until morning, at least," he sighed.
The barrier had lasted against the dozens of moths which tried to break through. Every so often, he'd had to reinforce it with another sutra, but they allowed him to focus his mind enough that the barrier wasn't draining his strength. They were buried deep within the cliff at the base of the mountain, too deep to be able to see the sky, but judging by the sting in his eyes and the exhaustion in his bones, Miroku guessed that it was almost dawn. Hachi should be arriving soon, and then they would be able to make their move.
"How are we going to fight Menomaru?" Shippo asked, climbing into his lap as soon as he resumed his position by the fire. "We don't even know where Inuyasha and Sango are! How can we face such a powerful demon without them?"
"We'll manage, somehow," Miroku said tiredly, placing a comforting hand on Shippo's head. "I'm going to need your help once Hachi arrives, you know. He's going to take us to the Tree of Ages, and you'll need to keep the moths away from him with your foxfire while I'm away."
"Away?" Shippo echoed suspiciously. "Away doing what?"
"Defeating Menomaru, of course," he said, with a confidence he didn't feel. "Inuyasha and Sango will likely be there as well, but you and Hachi are going to be keeping watch from the sky. We can't afford any surprises."
Shippo's eyes narrowed. "I know what you're doing. You're trying to keep me out of danger again."
Miroku offered him a wry smile. "Keeping you out of danger would be sending you and Hachi off in the opposite direction of the Tree. I'm just trying to keep you alive." He looked down at the kit solemnly. "And we really will need your help, you know. The Tree is being supported by Hyoga's power. It'll probably collapse when we defeat Menomaru, and we won't have much time to get to Hachi after that. I'm counting on you to make sure you're ready."
"Of course I will be!" Shippo nodded, stuffed full of his usual bravado. It was a move he'd seen Inuyasha pull many times. Just the thought of the hanyou made his heart ache. He reached out to the nenju beads once more and tugged gently, praying that Inuyasha was alive enough to receive his message. Where was he?
xXx
Sango lifted her head out of the water to scan the area. There was still no sign of any other living creature besides the moths, and even they were swarming in much fewer numbers than before. She supposed that they would have run out of souls fairly quickly, and they would have either returned to Menomaru or have been forced to fly much farther afield for more. She had no idea how far Menomaru's reach was, or how many souls it would take before his transformation was complete.
She knew that the time to act was approaching. The moths were sparse enough that she might be able to fend them off long enough to fight her way back to the Tree of Ages. Once there, she had no idea what she could do other than climb her way to the top and try to take on Menomaru alone. She'd been keeping an eye on Hyoga's sphere throughout the night, but had seen no attacks made by her companions or anyone else. She desperately hoped that it meant that they were laying low and biding their time, and not lying somewhere in the forest, dead or soulless.
Either way, she would wait a little longer before she made her move. After all, she would only have one shot. She sank below the surface once more, readjusting the reed in her mouth. Then, a hand closed around her shoulder and yanked her up harshly. She pulled out her sword and stabbed it back over her head in a single fluid movement before she blinked the pond water from her eyes and recognized the person holding her. Then she had to blink again, just to be sure, because it was Sesshomaru standing there with her sword jammed through his upper arm. His eyes widened in what appeared to be shock before morphing into cold anger. He dropped her soundly and she landed back in the water with a splash.
"Sesshomaru?" she asked incredulously.
"You're one of Inuyasha's humans, are you not?" he asked, casually pulling the sword from his arm with the same hand. "Where is he?"
"I don't know," she admitted, climbing to her feet. "We were separated when a demon attacked."
"Hyoga?" he asked dryly.
"Menomaru."
He sneered. "They are one and the same. The son is nothing without the father, which is why I must destroy him." He paused, examining Sango's sword. "How is it that a human weapon could strike me?"
"It's fortified with demon teeth and bones," she said, slowly reaching out her hand for it. "Made especially for fighting demons."
"You are foolish if you believe that you will survive this battle," he said, loosening his grip in the sword so that it fell tip-first into the pond. He turned and started walking wordlessly away. She watched him go in utter confusion. He made his way to a clearing between the trees and then stood still, glowing brightly before flying up into the air. A wave of youki shot from him as he rose. It hit her squarely in the chest, knocking her back a step. She closed her eyes and breathed through the roll of nausea it produced. When she opened her eyes again, the bodies of dozens of moths rained from the sky.
xXx
"Miroku?" a voice asked from outside the cave, and Miroku's shoulders sagged with relief. He pulled the failing sutras from the rock walls and welcomed Hachi warmly.
"Hachi!" Shippo shouted, bounding over to the tanuki and embracing him.
"You two seem to have gotten yourselves into a mess," Hachi observed, side-eyeing Miroku suspiciously.
"That does seem to be our general approach to life," he grinned tiredly, running a hand down his face. "I need you to take us to the Tree of Ages nearby. We've awoken a demon who's the one responsible for stealing all the souls in the area, and if we don't stop him now, he'll be practically invincible."
Hachi nodded slowly. "The moths?"
"The moths."
"And you expect me to take you to this incredibly powerful demon, what, out of the goodness of my heart?"
Miroku sighed softly and wound his arm around Hachi's shoulders, squeezing lightly. "Hachi, it's been a very long night, so I'm only going to say this once – if this demon isn't stopped today, he could become a bigger problem than even Naraku. He could destroy all life in the area. And if by some miracle we both survive the endless barrage of soul-stealing moths and wanton destruction, I will spend the rest of my life hunting you down for not helping me stop it."
"You make a compelling argument," Hachi said.
He transformed obediently and Miroku and Shippo climbed onto his back before he took off. True to his word, Shippo began scampering around his body, shooting his foxfire at any moth that came too close. Most of the fire was dragged away towards the Tree, which called upon the departed soul within the flames, but it still caught up some moths in its path. Miroku covered him as well, as best he could with the limited reach of his staff.
As Hachi approached the Tree of Ages, the immense scale of their task became clear. Hyoga's sphere was swollen with thousands upon thousands of souls – human, animal, and demon alike. The vague shape of Menomaru was barely visible inside, and he'd already grown to more than twice his previous height. He still had a lot of energy to absorb before the transformation would be complete, but Miroku was eager to stop him as soon as possible.
He leaned over Hachi's side, scanning the forest for any sign of Inuyasha or Sango. He found none. Instead, deep in the middle of the Forest of No Return, something caught his eye. There were streaks of white slithering amongst the trees, and it wasn't more stolen souls – well, not only.
"Hachi, take us down there," he said, pointing.
Hachi crashed down between the trees as far as he could go before branches obscured his path, and Miroku jumped off his back with Shippo. They landed in front of a dramatic battle. Soul collectors fought viciously against the moths, tearing them apart with sharp teeth and grasping limbs. They formed a protective wall around Kikyo, who was slumped against the base of a tree. She was wan and drawn, and he guessed that most of her souls must have been taken already. Even as they watched, a moth landed on her shoulder and pulled out a glowing white orb. It barely took off before a soul collector tore it to shreds, while another snatched the soul and deposited it back securely into Kikyo's body.
"I see you're doing well," Miroku sighed, kneeling down before her. "I thought you escaped."
"I was, when that demon began summoning all the souls in the area," she said, not opening her eyes, her face tight with pain. "What kind of coward steals even the souls of the dead?"
Miroku's hands stilled and he stared at her incredulously. "You're joking, right?"
Her eyes cracked open to gaze wanly at him. "I do what I must."
"So do we all," he said grimly. He reached into his robes and pulled out the last of his sutras. He brought it to his lips, murmuring an age-old incantation until it glowed with power. He placed it onto her chest, watched as it sealed itself to the fabric there. "That should last you for a while, but you need to get out of here."
"Where's Inuyasha?" she asked, pushing herself upright.
"I don't know," he admitted grimly. "I'm trying to find him. I'm sure we'll meet him on the way to fight the demon, though. You just take care of staying undead."
She regarded him like he was a puzzle that she was on the verge of solving. "Why did you help me? Why do you always help me?"
He rose to his feet and folded his arms. "I don't know. I try not to think about it."
He hopped back onto Hachi's back and nodded to Kikyo as the tanuki rose into the air. He didn't know if she would heed his advice – it seemed unlikely that she'd stayed in the forest only through attacks from the moths. As flawed as her relationship with Inuyasha was, she still cared about him, almost to the extent that the hanyou cared about her. He just didn't know what that would mean when it came to risking her own life.
They barely made it back to the air before Shippo was tugging insistently on his sleeve. "Do you hear that?"
Hachi slowed to a stop, hovering anxiously as Miroku tried to listen. He couldn't hear anything, but Shippo squealed excitedly.
"It's Sango!" he said, pointing wildly down to another section of the forest. Miroku followed his gaze to spot the Hiraikotsu shooting up into the air, flashing in the dawn light before circling back down to Sango.
She ran for them as soon as Hachi touched down, sweeping up both Miroku and Shippo into a fierce embrace.
"I'm so glad you're safe!" she gasped.
"Of course we're safe," he assured, hugging her tightly in return. "We still have our mess to clean up." He leaned back to look at her appraisingly. "Why are you all wet?"
"Hid in a pond."
"Ah," he nodded. "Cave."
"But you won't believe who I ran into – Sesshomaru!" She shook her head as though she still couldn't believe it. "I'm not sure, but I think he saved my life."
Miroku frowned. "He what now?"
"I don't know. He was after Inuyasha, and I think he knew something about Menomaru as well. When he left, he killed all the moths around me with his youki. It looked suspiciously like helping."
"Probably just a coincidence," Miroku said reassuringly.
"Miroku saved Kikyo!" Shippo announced, tugging gently on Sango's shoulder.
Her gaze snapped back to his. "Did he now?"
"Let's focus on Menomaru, shall we?" Miroku grimaced. "Please tell me you've come up with a brilliant idea on how to fight him."
Sango lifted Hiraikotsu up slightly and simply said "Stab."
"Well, you're not wrong," he sighed. "We can come up with something a little more detailed on the way."
They made it all the way to the Tree of Ages uninterrupted. Miroku ignored the way that Sango was shaking with cold, her clothes sodden and the dawn air biting. He knew that he was not much better off – pain still laced up his arm from where Ruri had copied the wind tunnel, and the moth dust had left him tired and aching. Thankfully, there were significantly fewer moths around, allowing Hachi to approach the Tree without too much trouble. They peered down at the tangled mess of roots and branches surrounding the Tree – it would be almost impossible to traverse on foot. Thankfully, Hachi flew them up to the canopy of the Tree, to the giant twisting branches which supported Hyoga's sphere looming overhead.
Sango lifted Hiraikotsu and threw it at the giant orb. It cut a deep trench through the thick pink substance in which Menomaru was suspended, but the wound quickly sealed itself shut. Sango hopped off Hachi's back and onto a branch to catch Hiraikotsu as it returned. Miroku landed behind her and braced her as she caught it, very carefully not looking down to see just how far they would fall if they lost their balance.
"Hachi," Miroku called back to him. "Take Shippo and find Inuyasha."
"Gladly!" the tanuki said, immediately turning to speed away from the Tree.
"That was a bit too eager of him, wasn't it?" Miroku commented dryly.
"So, did you come up with that brilliant plan?" Sango asked grimly, the half-smile not reaching her eyes.
"Not at all," Miroku sighed. "However, I have a plan."
She followed him along the branch, heading towards the sphere. She kept a careful eye out for any sign of an attack – it seemed unlikely that Menomaru would let his transformation take place unguarded.
"Foolish mortals," the demon himself chided from inside the orb, staring at them with glowing eyes. "You challenge me knowing you don't stand a chance. Humans are such strange creatures."
"You're one to talk," Miroku said, and Sango threw Hiraikotsu at the sphere again, mostly out of spite. "Here's what we need to do," he told her quietly. "This entire structure is precarious. If we knock down the branches supporting the sphere, we will at least be able to attack it on the ground. I can pull it down with the wind tunnel. And who knows – maybe the fall will injure Menomaru in some way."
Sango followed his gaze to the twisting branches which held the orb aloft, and nodded. "On it."
She caught Hiraikotsu and took off, hopping from branch to branch as she circled the sphere. She threw Hiraikotsu several times, each blow cutting through the wooden structures bearing the brunt of the orb's weight. It didn't take long for the groaning and creaking of wood to fill the air. She then stepped back, well out of the path of the wind tunnel, and waited.
Miroku pulled the mala beads from his hand and aimed it at the sphere. Sure enough, it began slowly bending towards him, the weaker but more flexible branches all that was keeping it aloft. Leaves and a few remaining moths flew into his hand, and he grimaced, but it wouldn't be much longer-
"Wind tunnel!"
The shout came from somewhere off to his right, and he barely had time to look before he saw an identical black void swirling towards him. He cried out as the full brunt of the attack hit him, immediately beginning to drag him from the branch he was perched on. He dug his staff deep into the wood, crouching down to reduce the drag of the void on his body, but it was no good. He couldn't make any move to escape or he'd be sucked in, and the wind was picking up in speed and intensity every moment. It left him with only one option. Miroku tugged off the mala once more and braced his right arm with his left hand, turning his wind tunnel against Ruri's.
It was a strange sensation, feeling a void of equal strength pulling back against his own. All the leaves and other debris swept up from Ruri's wind tunnel were caught by his and hung suspended in the air where the forces clashed. His hair and robes were flying in all directions, and he could feel the branches straining beneath his feet. A cold numbness began to spread up his arm as he continued to hold the wind tunnel open and not draw anything into it. He didn't know how long he could hold out, but he could only hope that Ruri was facing the same challenge.
Sango's heart sank when she saw the second wind tunnel appear, and for one terrifying moment she though that Miroku might have been caught. However, even as they turned against each other, she started racing towards them. She couldn't let Miroku be drawn into a wind tunnel, even if it wasn't his own, and she wouldn't let him kill himself by keeping it open too long, either! She leapt from branch to branch, not bothering to think every time her foot slipped or she fell shorter than she would have liked – so long as she wasn't dead, it didn't matter.
Ruri was in her sights, and she unsheathed her sword without breaking stride. Then Kirara burst from the gap between her branch and Ruri's, Hari on her back.
"I'll take you on!" Hari announced, her twin blades flashing.
xXx
Inuyasha staggered to a stop and looked around wildly. Dawn was spilling onto the mountain cliffs, shining through the thin layer of moth dust which coated the ground. Damn it all! Ruri and Hari seemed to be leaving him alone for now, but he still couldn't find Miroku! The pain from his abdomen thrummed through his body with every beat of his heart, and his vision was fuzzy. Time was running out in more ways than one. With a growl, he pulled the mask off his face. He took a deep breath, and immediately caught the scent of both Miroku and Shippo. It was faint, and not as fresh as he would have liked, but it was a start. He ran after it, tracking it to a shallow cave and a dying fire. Damn! He spun around, taking another sniff of the air. There was another scent there – Hachi! He froze. If Miroku had summoned Hachi, then he was probably already on his way to fight Menomaru! The idiot!
He could just make out the giant pink orb looming over the forest. It was impossible to tell if there were any humans around it. He took off towards it regardless. His breath was ragged in his ears as he pushed his body to the breaking point. He had to get to Menomaru before he killed everything that Inuyasha had left.
The forest was a blur around him, an indistinct mess of sounds and scents and the wind in his face. There was nothing that could tear his attention away from the overwhelming urge to find his pack – except, perhaps, a familiar scent. He slowed to a stop, his mind struggling to grasp what exactly it was sensing. It wasn't Miroku or Sango, or even Kirara or Shippo… His gaze snapped to the direction of the scent, where he could just make out the faint whistling of a moving soul collector. Kikyo!
For a heartbeat, he considered continuing on his way regardless. But even now, even after everything, he couldn't just ignore her. A few short leaps brought him in front of her. She looked unsurprised to see him.
"I thought you might already be in the battle," she smiled mildly, gesturing at the Tree of Ages.
"The others?" he asked between rasping pants for air.
"You just missed them. They seem intent on destroying this demon."
His eyes fell to familiar characters etched into the front of her robes, looking like they had been burned into the fabric, and frowned. "Miroku?"
She frowned slightly, following his gaze. "He saved my life, though he wouldn't say why." She looked up at him, and something shifted in her expression. "You must hurry, Inuyasha, if you wish to save the ones you love."
He took off without another word, a renewed urgency lending speed to his movements. He wasn't too late. He wouldn't be too late! He burst through the treeline and launched himself onto the nest of roots surrounding the Tree of Ages. He leapt over some roots and tore through others, but as hard as he fought, his progress was painfully slow. He glanced up, past the endless branches of the Tree to where he knew his pack was locked in a battle for their lives.
"Inuyasha!" a voice called from overhead, and he whipped around to see Hachi flying at him from the forest, Shippo bouncing on his head.
The tanuki crash-landed on the roots next to him, and he wasted no time jumping onto his back.
"I've been searching everywhere for you!" Hachi whined chidingly as he lifted back into the air.
"Where are they?" Inuyasha asked, sparing a moment to hug Shippo to his chest.
"They're at the peak," the fox answered. "It doesn't look good. Menomaru is powerful!"
xXx
It felt like the air was being ripped from his lungs, Ruri's wind tunnel forming a vacuum around him even as he held off the brunt of her attack. His arm was shaking from the strain of keeping the void open for so long, but he couldn't think of what else he could do! Would a demon be able to withstand the wind tunnel's draining power better than he could? Could she hold off until he was forced to succumb and seal his hand first?
Miroku gasped as the dragging pressure around him faded slightly. He peered through his own wind tunnel, not willing to risk closing it just yet. There was a flash of blue speeding towards him, and it took him a moment to register that Ruri was leaping at him. He pulled his hand back but then Ruri had opened her wind tunnel again and their palms crashed together, forming an unbreakable seal as the two voids pulled into one another. Miroku stared at it for a moment, wondering if she had just condemned them both to death, but then her spear shot at his head. He dodged at the edge graze along his neck, and he blocked the next attack with his staff and knocked it away.
Ruri pulled him in close by their connected hands and purred "Very nice. You're a handsome one, young monk. Makes me want to dig out your heart and eat it."
Miroku swallowed, a witty retort dying on his lips. His heart was pounding and he was shaking, and not just from the strain of keeping the wind tunnel open so long. He wished that it didn't terrify him. He'd always been so afraid of the void in his hand, but at least he'd had some level of control over it! Now that it was turned against him…
The ornament on Ruri's forehead glowed and her hand began to sink into his own, travelling up his arm with an unearthly pressure. Miroku tried to wrench himself away but his arm was fixed in place, and he could do nothing but watch in horror as her hand reached up through his chest and grasped his heart. He cried out, choking on agony, and let himself fall to his knees. His wind tunnel was open, aimed past Ruri. Her own had faded out of existence when she entered his body. He rolled away from her and back up to his feet, throwing the mala over his fingers. Her hand pulled back down his arm and snapped back into place over his own, the wind tunnel re-emerging as her fingers solidified. Miroku growled, tried one last time to secure the mala over both their hands before Ruri's spear was hurling towards his head.
Miroku caught the blade of her weapon in the head of his staff, but instead of dragging it away this time, he summoned as much spiritual energy as he could along the head and brought it crashing down towards their joined hands. The sharp edge of his staff sliced between their palms, digging a bloody gouge through each of them, but the spiritual power sealed both of the wind tunnels closed for a scarce heartbeat. Miroku snatched the mala beads back with his right hand and, before Ruri could so much as blink, leapt off the branch and went crashing down to the canopy below.
xXx
Sango leapt from one branch down to another, feeling Kirara's claws pass a hair's breadth from her back as she did so. She landed in a crouch and instinctively dodged Kirara's lunge as she followed her down the trunk of the Tree. From a nearby branch, Hari plucked a petal from the blue flower in her hair and blew on it lightly, the dust transforming into daggers of power which shot towards Sango. The slayer leapt back, and the bolts of energy shattered the wood at her feet. Another attack followed and then another, and Sango continued to dodge, moving closer to the trunk of the Tree in a feeble attempt to keep from being knocked down to her death.
Deep gouges marred the branches where each bolt struck, some smoking from the impact, some still on fire. Another set of energy-blades struck the branch in front of her and she leapt through the flames. She landed hard and rolled, smothering the sparks which latched to her, but she'd barely regained her feet before a roar sounded just above her head. She hauled Hiraikotsu over her shoulder to shield her chest as Kirara tried to knock her down, colliding with the weapon instead. Sango shoved Hiraikotsu forward, knocking the twin-tail off.
"Kirara!" she shouted, trying to reach through to her.
Kirara bounced off a branch and leapt at her again, springing off Hiraikotsu. She rounded back for yet another attack, this time aiming for Sango's head, and she had to lift Hiraikotsu to block Kirara's gnashing jaws. It was an impossible fight, and not only because she absolutely refused to hurt Kirara – the twin-tail had trained with her for years, knew all of her maneuvers and how to counter or avoid them. The only way she could win was by breaking whatever control Hari had over her.
"Kirara, snap out of it!" she pleaded as she threw the demon bodily aside.
She barely had time to snatch her breath before Kirara was charging again. Sango caught the side of her head with Hiraikotsu, pushing it aside and moving with Kirara as she tried to force her way past the weapon. They turned in a circle, faster and faster until Sango swung Hiraikotsu around, aiming for Kirara's legs. But the twin-tail jumped up and away, landing easily by Hari's side.
"You're wasting your breath, slayer," Hari called back to her. "She cannot hear your voice anymore."
She threw another volley of blue energy-blades, which Sango blocked with Hiraikotsu, before throwing the weapon. It whizzed past Hari, who chuckled at the apparent failure. Sango held her gaze firmly as Hiraikotsu travelled up the side of the trunk, slicing through several giant branches. One fell straight for Hari, but the demon saw it coming. Kirara rushed forward and Hari swung onto her back as the twin-tail carried them safely out of harm's way.
Sango ran after them, snatching Hiraikotsu upon its return as the branches continued to crash down around her.
xXx
He was almost at the Tree of Ages when Sesshomaru paused, sensing something amiss in the forest below. He touched down and walked the final few paces towards the strange figure standing at the treeline, staring up at the massive Tree looming overhead. Her head turned ever so slightly, and he knew that she had sensed him.
"You are Inuyasha's brother."
He grimaced ever so slightly. "You're the woman who killed him."
She turned at that, eyes flashing. "I am."
"A mistake on your part, I think, if you wanted to keep him for yourself," he sneered. "It would seem that the mortal monk has replaced you – you must loathe him."
She surveyed him skeptically. "I loathe all things. I despise every creature who is bound to life."
He could smell the cold rage seeping from her, the emotion pure in a way that no living mortal could achieve. But then, she was neither of those. Through Tenseiga, he could see the messengers of the underworld hovering around her, held back by the immense spiritual power that he could sense within her and yet still managing to tear away tiny portions of her soul. How interesting.
"Do what you must," he said, walking past her. "Though I warn you, I shall be the one to destroy Inuyasha."
He lifted easily into the air, floating towards the Tree of Ages and the scent of dying humans.
xXx
Miroku grasped wildly at every branch, twig, and vine around him as he careened down the trunk of the Tree, trying to slow his fall. He slid down one long branch and dug the head of his staff into the wood, slowing him enough that he could grasp onto a loose creeper vine. It tore from the wood and stretched a little before it snapped, dropping him down onto a thick branch close to the trunk. He staggered to his feet, trying to catch his breath around the hammering of his heart and the phantom claws he still felt pulling at his chest.
Instinct made him look to his left, where Ruri was flying at him through the canopy. She threw her spear and he whipped the length of his staff in front of his face, the tip of the weapon biting deep into the metal instead of the intended target of his neck. But then the spear was transforming into a snake, its jaws clamped around the pole of his staff, venom already eating through the metal. He swung the staff around his head, dislodging the snake, which flew back to Ruri and transformed obediently back into a spear as she caught it.
"Had enough of this, monk?" she asked mockingly. "What do you say we settle this battle here and now? We'll test your wind tunnel against my own! Who will be sucked into the void first?"
That sounded like approximately the last thing that Miroku would ever want to do, but as she raised her uncovered palm, he didn't exactly have a choice. He pulled the mala beads slowly from his forearm with shaking hands, keeping his gaze fixed on her all the while.
"Figures," she sneered. "A weapon like this is wasted on a mortal. Only a demon can use it to its full potential!" She stopped, and surveyed him thoughtfully. "But then, you're not quite human, are you?"
Miroku didn't have time to so much as think before her wind tunnel snapped open. He lifted his own hand, grimacing as the void pulled at the tattered remains of his strength. He wouldn't be able to hold it open for much longer. His knees were already threatening to buckle. The two voids clashed once more, and this time Ruri was close enough that he could see her clearly through the flying debris and eye-watering wind. She was smiling, utterly unconcerned, even as he slowly tore himself apart.
His arm was shaking violently, and he leaned hard against his staff. Time seemed to drag on into a single endless moment, defined by the freezing rush of wind and pain. He'd never kept the wind tunnel open this long. He didn't know what might happen, if the void would split open and consume him, or if his body would simply give out. All he knew was that he was already at his limit and there wasn't much further he could push.
Ruri's eyes narrowed, looking less than confident for the first time. Was she feeling it, too? Or was she simply bored? She lifted her spear up with her other hand thoughtfully. Miroku watched in abject horror as she pressed the blade against the edge of the gaping hole in her palm, purposefully tearing it wider. He could feel the difference immediately, dragging him forward with unchallengeable force. She smiled at him, and tipped her other hand as the spear was ripped from her grasp, disappearing into the void as she watched uncaringly.
"Now, monk," she said calmly. "Prepare to die."
He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe, and he couldn't stop the way that he was being pulled into her wind tunnel. He braced himself as hard as he could, panic flaring through him, but it wasn't enough. Ruri's laughter echoed in his mind, over the howl of the wind and the blood rushing in his ears. The void grew impossibly stronger, and Miroku's eyes snapped to her palm. Her wind tunnel was spreading, slowly crawling along the flesh. The air around her hand grew dark, a pulse of youki shot from her hand, and Ruri's eyes widened in sheer, animalistic terror. She pulled her hand back and up, trying to close the wind tunnel as she no doubt felt it racing up her arm. The hole had swallowed her fingers and was gaping ever wider.
Miroku watched, unable to look away, as the curse swirled around her, swallowing her whole into the endless nothingness. The last thing he saw was her expression frozen in wordless horror, the same mask of agony and fear that had adorned his father's face in his final moments. Her scream rang out just before a wave of power shoved him back, dangerously close to the edge of the branch. Miroku sealed his own hand and snatched a breath before daring to look back. A crater had been formed in the giant branch, tearing through the wood as mercilessly as it had Ruri.
Miroku fell to his knees.
After a long moment, he lifted a shaking hand in front of his face, and began to pray. No soul deserved that.
xXx
Sango leapt back again and again as Hari charged at her. She slid Hiraikotsu over her head and pulled out her sword just in time to block the demon's twin blades. She knew instantly that Hari was a skilled opponent – each blade moved independently yet with equal strength, targeting her head, her chest, her legs all at once. She blocked as many blows as she could, stumbling back under the force. Hari smiled and pressed further. Sango swept her sword in front of her, momentarily knocking both the swords to the side in a move that she knew left her devastatingly open to attack. Hari sensed it, and smiled, but then Sango swung Hiraikotsu around with her other hand, almost cutting the demon in two.
Hari jumped out of range and crossed her swords over her head, sending a slash of red power shooting along the ground towards Sango. She threw herself to the side and rolled, and threw Hiraikotsu before the dust had cleared. It was a clear path to Hari, and the demon wasn't moving – but then Kirara dove down from another branch and knocked Hiraikotsu out of the air with her head. The weapon clattered down to a nearby branch, and Hari smirked.
Sango stared up at them, struggling to catch her breath. Sweat dripped down her face, stinging her eyes, and she was shaking from the exertion. It was as intense a battle as she'd ever fought, and she still had no idea how to free Kirara!
She reached into her tunic and pulled out a glass vial filled with light green liquid. She saw Kirara's eyes narrow and knew that she recognized it. Sango threw it at them. It shattered along the branch and immediately began eating into the wood. Hari climbed delicately onto Kirara's back and she took off, weaving in and out of the branches. Sango ran, jumping onto the branch where Hiraikotsu lay and hauling it up as she moved further down the tree. She needed a solid platform on which to fight, and most of the branches large enough were further down the canopy.
Her attention was drawn by the creaking of wood and the rustling of the leaves all around her. Wind rushed past her, dragging at her clothes and bending the branched in a very specific direction. The wind tunnel! She swore, craning to see through the canopy. The wind was getting stronger and stronger, like nothing she'd ever seen. Oh, what had that foolish monk done? She tracked the branches desperately, looking for a way to get up to him. But then the wind died down, leaving an eerie silence ringing through the forest.
Then a wave of power almost knocked her off her feet.
No! No, that couldn't be-
"Miroku!" she screamed, but there was no answer.
Instead, laughter came from behind her. She spun around, and Kirara touched down for a moment before springing back to the air. Hari was watching from her back, seemingly amused.
"You refuse to admit the obvious in all things, it seems," she called through the branches at Sango as Kirara continued to circle her.
"Shut up!" she shouted, though it came out more of a sob.
"You've lost the monk, and you've lost Kirara," Hari tutted. "You could never have kept her – you don't have the power to control her."
"Shut up!" Sango repeated. "My relationship with Kirara is nothing like that! She's my friend, not some pet!"
"Still so naïve and stubborn," Hari said wistfully. "You won't be missed."
Kirara was charging towards her. Hari leapt off her back and onto a nearby branch, keen to watch the show. Sango's shoulders slumped as the fight drained out of her. She was so tired. She couldn't fight against Kirara any longer. Not Kirara. She loosened her grip, and Hiraikotsu dropped from her fingers.
"Kirara," she murmured, tears slipping down her cheeks. "I know this isn't how you want to be."
She closed her eyes, and waited for the blow to come. Kirara crashed into her, knocking her from the branch and sending her flying. She was thrown through the air and landed hard. The breath was knocked from her lungs as she collided with the unforgiving wood, her body screaming in protest. She coughed, feeling her ribs shifting back from the blow. She could hear Kirara roaring behind her.
"What's the matter with you?" Hari's voice rang out, cold and disapproving. "Finish her off!"
Sango forced her eyes open to see Kirara writhing where she stood, yowling in pain and confusion. She reared back on her hind legs and then charged, ramming the top of her head into the trunk of the Tree. She landed back, staggered, and did it again. And again. And again.
"Kirara!" Sango shouted, pushing herself up. "Kirara, stop it! Kirara!"
With one final blow, Kirara staggered away, shaking her head firmly. She looked pleadingly back at Sango before falling to the side, where she slumped motionless. Sango was running before she had time to think. She fell to her knees by Kirara, pulling her head into her lap. Blood ran from the twin-tail's brow, mixed with the shattered red pieces of a yang symbol. Hari's control was broken. Sango let out a sob and hugged her closer.
"Wretched creature!" Hari hissed. "I have no use for you anymore."
She threw a barrage of energy-blades at them. Kirara's eyes snapped open and she surged to her feet. Sango flattened herself on top of her back as she took off, dodging from side to side as Hari's attacks shot past them.
"Kirara, Hiraikotsu," Sango gasped, clinging to the fur around her neck.
Kirara veered around and ran back along the branch towards the discarded weapon. Sango snatched it up and swung it back towards Hari. It raced along the branch where she stood, shattering it as it went, but Hari leapt out of the way. She hurled another volley of blades at them and landed on another branch, pulling out her swords. Kirara flew into Hiraikotsu's path, allowing Sango to grab it once more. Hari had crossed her swords, holding them above her head as they glowed red with impending power. Kirara didn't slow, and Sango held Hiraikotsu out with all her strength, and the weapon cut Hari cleanly in two.
Her torso landed on the branch next to the rest of her body, and her eyes snapped to Sango as Kirara landed. "I'm not that easy to kill," she hissed.
But then the yang ornament on her brow glowed, and a white light began to emerge from her body. She screamed as her soul was ripped free and floated up into the air, spiralling higher and higher before it disappeared into Menomaru's waiting sphere. Her body crumpled to dust.
"Let's go, Kirara," Sango said tiredly, running a hand down the twin-tail's neck. "The others need our help."
They wove in and out of the branches, searching for any signs of their companions. Hachi should have found Inuyasha already, and Miroku was somewhere further up the tree. Sango refused to believe that they were anything other than alive. But when they came upon a deep crater gouged into the wood… Kirara landed beside it and bent her head down to sniff the area cautiously. There was no sign of Miroku. Just a gaping hole in the ground that could only have been caused by the wind tunnel.
"I thought I told you to leave this place," a cool voice said from behind her, and Sango whipped around. Sesshomaru stood lightly on a branch slightly above hers, and was watching her with disdain. "I will destroy Hyoga, regardless of whether you or any of your sorry companions remains within range."
"You're taking him on alone?" Sango asked incredulously, feeling Kirara come stand by her side. "That's not happening. We're all going to do our part to bring him down."
"By now you must see that you are useless against him," he sneered. "Get your friend and go."
He pointed up through the canopy. Sango followed the motion, uncomprehending, before violent hope and relief ripped through her. "Miroku?"
"Consider this your final warning," Sesshomaru said and lifted into the air, floating up through the branches.
Sango leapt onto Kirara and they shot in the direction Sesshomaru had pointed. She caught sight of a swath of purple and black amongst the green. Miroku was hauling himself up another branch, leaning hard on his staff.
"Miroku!" she called out, her voice suspiciously choked.
"Sango," he said mildly, turning. "Kirara – I'm glad you're back."
They landed in front of him and Sango was instantly reaching for him, alarmed by the pallor of his skin and the tremors racing down his arms.
"Are you alright?" she asked anxiously as he swayed.
"Mm," he nodded loosely. "I overused my wind tunnel a bit."
She swallowed hard. "We saw the hole…"
He grimaced. "Yes. Ruri wasn't as familiar with the limits of the curse." He shook his head as Sango opened her mouth, cutting off her horrified response. "What about you? How did you fare?"
Sango sighed, glancing over at the blood which had dripped down Kirara's head into one eye. Her own breathing was shallow – she was fairly certain her ribs were bruised if not cracked. "We managed."
They shared a tired, humourless smile before turning back to Menomaru above them.
"You feel the demonic aura getting stronger?" Miroku said flatly. "We don't have much time left." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "Take Kirara and make your escape. I'm going to take care of that orb after I figure out how to free the souls."
"Did you really think I'd agree to that?" she asked sharply.
"It's not-" He cut off with a low groan and his knees buckled. She dove for him before he could fall, but his weight sent white-hot agony shooting through her ribs. She lowered them both to the ground, breath hissing through her teeth.
"What the fuck, Miroku," she muttered under her breath.
"Sorry," he gasped. "I'm alright."
"Listen up, you idiot," she sighed, dragging him closer with a fist in his robes. "Sesshomaru's here and he's got some plan to fight Menomaru. I don't know what it is or if it'll work, but surely if we all come up with something together…"
"He's here?" Miroku echoed faintly, but his eyes darted to the giant sphere. "Tokijin might be able to reach Menomaru."
Sango watched him carefully, anger bubbling in her chest. "Whatever else happens, you're not using your wind tunnel again. Got it?"
"Sango…"
"No," she snapped. "You've pushed yourself too far already, and I'm not ready to lose you!"
He sighed and tipped forward slightly so that his head rested on her shoulder. She wrapped one arm around his shoulders and squeezed lightly. Then she hauled him to his feet without a word and helped him onto Kirara's back. He was right about one thing – they didn't have much time.
xXx
"Hachi, don't slow down," Inuyasha ordered, lifting Tessaiga. Another wave of moths were flying at them – it seemed like Menomaru was insistent on keeping them away. The number of souls flying through the air had decreased to almost nothing. It could mean that the moths had simply gathered every soul that they could find, but the churning in Inuyasha's gut warned him that it was more sinister than that. Menomaru's youki filled the air so strongly that he could taste it – it wouldn't be long until the transformation was complete.
Shippo sent bursts of foxfire down Hachi's body, protecting him from the moths, while Inuyasha swung Tessaiga through the air again and again, shooting waves of power at the main swarm. It cleared enough of a path for them, and they were almost at the Tree. Inuyasha closed his eyes and pulled in a deep breath, almost going limp with relief as he caught Miroku, Sango, and Kirara's scents all together. He desperately hoped that they had found some way to break the spell on Kirara, that no one had been too injured in the attempt. He directed Hachi towards the lower half of the canopy, hoping vaguely to avoid Menomaru discovering them right away. The moth demon was still hovering suspended in the sphere, but had already grown more than five times his old size.
Inuyasha leapt off Hachi's back and ordered him to stay close. He leapt up from branch to branch, following the scent of his pack. It didn't take long to pick up another familiar smell – Sesshomaru! He ground his teeth. What was that asshole doing here? He shook his head – it didn't matter. Not when he could smell the pain in the others' scent, the sharp tang of Miroku and Kirara's blood. Not when his youki was already crawling over his skin, begging to be set free.
He caught sight of them and launched himself up the last few branches. Sango whirled around when he landed behind them, sword drawn and jaw clenched. He immediately frowned at her pale face, the way she moved as though guarding her ribs. Her eyes widened almost comically when she recognized him, and she crossed the distance between them in two short steps before tugging him into a careful embrace. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, wary of hurting her, and looked past her to where Miroku was leaning against Kirara. If Sango looked bad, the monk looked like death. His skin was decidedly grey, his eyes sunken, and he was visibly shaking. Sango stepped back and followed his gaze, sighing softly.
"We're all still alive," she said firmly, which didn't serve to make him feel that much better.
He moved swiftly to Miroku's side and knelt down before him, eyes sharp as they darted over his partner. Miroku smiled tiredly and shrugged with one shoulder. "It's not as bad as it looks."
Sango snorted behind him and Inuyasha was inclined to agree. He pulled Miroku into his arms and buried his nose in his neck, breathed him in for a moment and let his youki settle. Miroku held him with fragile strength. When he leaned back, Inuyasha kissed him desperately, softly but hard-edged with urgency. He broke apart to seek out the source of the scent of blood which dug into his mind like a dagger. He caught Miroku's right hand and lifted it cautiously, his heart clenching. A deep gouge ran through the fleshy base of his thumb and over his third and fourth fingers, visible on either side of the cloth covering and thankfully stopping short of his palm on both ends. But that was too close for Inuyasha's liking, and it was still steadily dripping blood.
"What happened?" he asked, voice frail.
"It doesn't matter now," Miroku said tiredly, pulling his hand free of Inuyasha's grasp.
Inuyasha frowned deeply and tugged him closer. He pushed down the guilt which rose inside him – that could wait until later. His eyes dared to Kirara as she huffed beside them. Inuyasha flicked his ears and shot her a mild glare.
"I take it you're not going to try to kill us?" he asked, reaching out a hand to carefully brush some blood from her eyes.
She grumbled tiredly and closed her eyes, pressing her brow into his palm.
"What happened to you all?" he muttered, practically tasting their pain in the air.
"Menomaru had Ruri and Hari keeping us busy," Sango said. "We haven't been able to get to him."
Inuyasha growled softly. "That explains why they left me alone. They were after me most of the night." He sighed and looked back at Miroku. "I'm sorry I didn't get to you sooner."
"No need to apologize," Miroku smiled softly. "We managed."
Inuyasha raised his brows skeptically and looked over them again. Miroku didn't look like he could stand on his own, Sango had barely been able to lift her sword, Kirara's pupils were different sizes and she was panting heavily, and the front of Miroku's robes were smudged with blood that had leaked from Inuyasha's wound – it had still refused to stop bleeding. And the battle hadn't truly started, yet.
He glanced up through the final few branches, sniffed the air again. "Sesshomaru's here?"
"He arrived just before you did," Sango reported tiredly. "He said he had a plan."
He grimaced suspiciously. "Is it any good?"
"Well, it's a plan," Miroku said pointedly. "Which is more than we have."
"We'd better get up to him," Sango said. "He told me that he could easily kill us all."
Kirara stood shakily, closed her eyes and shook her head against a wave of nausea. Her ears pricked and she walked further down the branch, to where Hachi had drifted closer, peering at them through the leaves. Shippo was on his head, obediently staying put even as he craned his neck to see them better. Sango waved at him fondly as she climbed onto Kirara's back. The twin-tail chuffed before she took off, a little unsteady in the air. Miroku climbed to his feet, painfully slow, and started towards Hachi. That was it, then. They were going after Menomaru again, with no idea how to beat him and no time to figure it out. It was hard to keep track of the most dire situations they'd been in thus far, but this certainly felt like one of them.
A thrum of panic shot through Inuyasha as he realized that this was really happening. None of them were in fighting condition – there was a good chance that someone would be badly hurt, if not killed in this venture. And as he watched his partner struggling simply to walk down the branch, he knew he couldn't let it go unsaid.
"Miroku, wait," Inuyasha said, snagging the monk's wrist. They both winced in pain as the moment tugged at their injuries, but Inuyasha pulled him closer regardless. "I want to say that I was an idiot before. I got scared, which is stupid because it's you and I trust you and-"
"Yash, it's alright," Miroku said. "But now might not be-"
"I love you," Inuyasha cut him off. "I love you, and I was a fool for not saying so earlier, because I knew it then, too. I've known for a long time."
Miroku smiled brokenly and pulled their foreheads together, his hand curled around the back of Inuyasha's neck. "I love you, too. Kami, you have no idea."
They breathed into each other for another long moment, both reluctant to let go. Eventually, Miroku placed a gentle kiss to Inuyasha's lips and pulled back. He smiled, tiredly, tightly, but full of love.
"Let's try not to die now that we've said it, yeah?"
xXx
Sesshomaru stood on one of the highest branches at the top of the tree, just barely hidden from Menomaru's gaze within the giant sphere perched overhead. He regarded the incoming group with obvious disdain, openly scowling as they set down beside him.
"How many times must I repeat myself?" he hissed. "I will not fail to destroy you all as I kill this monster."
"Shut up and listen, you asshole," Inuyasha growled, jumping down from Hachi and placing one hand on Miroku's leg to keep him where he was. "We both know this demon is stronger than anything either of us have faced before. I doubt even Tokijin will be able to kill him on its own. So stop being a superior dick for just a moment and let us actually work this out together!"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed, and Inuyasha was sure he was about to throw a punch. Instead, he asked – coldly, dispassionately, but still – "What do you suggest?"
"He doesn't expect you to be here," Miroku said, slumping forward on Hachi. "We can use the element of surprise. We will keep him distracted and you can come up behind the sphere. Just give us warning before you attack with Tokijin."
Sesshomaru sneered and leapt up through the branches, immediately disappearing from view.
"Was that a 'yes?'" Sango asked dryly as Inuyasha rolled his eyes and jumped back onto Hachi.
"Who the hell knows," the hanyou growled. "Move faster, Hachi!"
When they cleared the top of the canopy, Inuyasha stood and unsheathed Tessaiga menacingly. Menomaru's eyes immediately snapped to him.
"So you're still alive, half-demon?" he asked coolly, his voice echoing strangely from inside the orb.
"And kicking!" Inuyasha growled. "Now it's my turn to thank you. I've been needing to kill something all day!"
"Is that so?" Menomaru smirked. "Then I will gladly put you to the test. You will face the power of the new Lord Hyoga!"
Inuyasha's eyes widened as the first cracks appeared along the surface of the sphere. They were too late! But then there was movement on the other side of the orb, a flash of white through the air. Inuyasha flung himself over Miroku, was shouting at Hachi to drop. They were barely out of the way when three lines of red shot through the sphere, cutting straight through its surface. The power of Tokijin sliced through Menomaru's youki, dispelling it and leaving shimmering scars through the air.
And then Menomaru laughed.
He shifted within the broken sphere and unfurled, rising to his full, humongous size. The remnants of the pink orb shattered as his long limbs broke through, the pieces crashing through the branches of the Tree. Dark pink sludge still clung to the wings at his back as they slowly flapped open. When he touched the ground, he was almost half as tall as the Tree of Ages. The few wounds caused by Tokijin's blast had already healed.
Sesshomaru dove at him through the air, lifting the sword above his head as he prepared to strike. Menomaru swung around to face him and opened his mouth, a wave of silk spewing from his mouth. It caught Sesshomaru and flung him back, sending him careening towards the Tree. He twisted around, cutting through the silk with his claws, sending out a pulse of youki to burn the rest away before its acidic poison could eat through his robes. He landed on one of the highest branches, glared up at Menomaru.
"The time has come," the giant moth demon proclaimed, unfurling his wings and sending several pulses of power down them. A chattering rose from around the Tree, and all remaining moths began to fly at him. They latched onto his wings, biting deep as their bodies dissolved and merged into the membranes. Menomaru's youki flowed like sap down each appendage, making them thicker and stronger. Dark forms began to worm around the feathery wings, emerging from between the scales. They formed into demons, powerful youkai clad in armour from the continent. They shrieked and took to the air, flying in droves towards the Tree. Menomaru flapped his wings several times, rising slowly into the air, also coming towards them.
"Go forth and devour!" he shouted.
"Shit!" Inuyasha swore, lifting Tessaiga. "Miroku, stay back!"
He called upon the Wind Scar, which formed instantly in his mind, and hurled the attack at one of the gathering hoards – but there were so many! There had to be thousands of them! He caught sight of Kirara launching forward above him, the Hiraikotsu cutting through another line. He sent another wave of the Wind Scar through the swarm, but even as it sliced through a hundred, more took their place. Others were circling around, coming at them from all sides. He had to cut through several that dove for him, not giving him enough room to draw on the Wind Scar again. More landed on the branches around them, clambering towards Hachi. Inuyasha spared a worried glance behind him, just long enough to see Miroku block the blade of a boar demon with his staff. Hachi was trembling, looked as though he might take flight any minute.
Sesshomaru burst through the canopy, Tokijin aimed at Menomaru's face. His youki flared around him, pushing back all the smaller demons that lunged for him. Menomaru's own aura pulsed, clashing with Sesshomaru's, holding him back. He swung Tokijin, the blade an angry red, and a line of power raced through the air, cutting through Menomaru's youki and striking his chest. He cried out in outrage, one giant hand sweeping through the air, knocking Sesshomaru back. He was immediately set upon by dozens of demons. He swung Tokijin in wide arcs, slicing through them, but more arrived all the time.
"We're getting nowhere with this!" Inuyasha snarled, unleashing the Wind Scar yet again.
Sango and Kirara were fighting their way back to him, but their progress was blocked by a writhing mass of demons. Sango cut through most with Hiraikotsu, while Kirara snapped at the hands reaching for her from above and below, trying to keep any from dragging her or Sango apart.
"Kirara!" Miroku shouted, kicking the demon closest to him in the face. "Up!"
Kirara sprang through the hoard, climbing higher and higher into the sky. The demons clumped together before giving chase. Miroku didn't give them the chance. He pulled the mala from his hand and braced himself against Hachi's head. The demons tried to run from the wind tunnel, a few fleeing to the sides but most scrambling directly away from the void. Their mistake cost them their lives. Miroku clenched his jaw, his eyes darting from the wind tunnel to Kirara flying overhead, to the demons creeping up the branches towards him and Hachi. But then Inuyasha was there, driving the opportunistic opponents back with Tessaiga, the blade now continually glowing amber. Miroku held out as long as he could, but he'd already overexposed the wind tunnel, and he knew he wouldn't be able to last much longer. He watched as demons continued to mob Sesshomaru, as even more were forming in Menomaru's wings.
"Sango!" he called up to her as Kirara flew down to him. "You need to destroy his wings! We won't get anywhere if he keeps on producing demons."
She nodded and took off, skirting along the top of the wind tunnel, knowing that no demons dared come closer. Miroku watched her carefully, keeping the void open just long enough for Kirara to pass over Menomaru's head.
"Sesshomaru!" he shouted next, eternally grateful for the keen hearing of the Inu-youkai. Sesshomaru's eyes snapped to his, even as Tokijin passed through another wave of demons. "Help Sango take off his wings. I'll keep the demons off you and Inuyasha will distract Menomaru!"
"I will?" Inuyasha asked, landing beside him on Hachi and surveying him sharply. "You will? Miroku, you can't use the wind tunnel again! It'll kill you!"
"I don't have a choice," Miroku sighed, sagging against him. "This can't be all that Menomaru has planned. The battle's only beginning."
"Fuck," Inuyasha snarled, embracing him fiercely for a moment before forcing himself to let go. "Stay away from the main hoard, alright? Don't let them swarm you. And don't you dare die! Okay?"
Miroku pulled him in for a searing kiss before pushing him away, off Hachi as the tanuki rose into the air. They circled around Menomaru, watching keenly as the demons twisted in droves, confused about their targets. Sesshomaru and Sango had taken position behind the moth demon, weapons raised. Inuyasha swallowed. Now or never! He called up the Wind Scar as he leapt from branch to branch towards Menomaru, sent a wave blasting at the demon. Menomaru smirked, raised a hand and batted the air, sending a powerful gust towards Inuyasha – and dispelling the Wind Scar into nothing. The hanyou shouted as he was caught, the gale carrying him over the canopy, driving him off the Tree entirely. He pulled on his youki, used it to change his direction as he fell, pushing himself back into the mess of branches.
Sango lifted Hiraikotsu above her head as Kirara dove for the base of Menomaru's wing. She had no idea if her weapon would be enough to cut through the thick material. She reached into under her armour as they approached, her hand closing around one of the last vials she had. The bottle of scorpion venom, to be exact. Well, she'd wanted to test it, and there was no better time. She uncorked it and unceremoniously dumped it over the length of Hiraikotsu, careful not to let any of it get on her or Kirara. It sizzled as it came into contact with the weapon, and the surface began to steam lightly as the venom hardened on top of it.
Sesshomaru was descending beside them, Tokijin aimed at the other wing. A familiar rumble came from the other side of the demon, and Sango watched in horror as Menomaru brushed through the Wind Scar like it was nothing. There was no time to lose. As the howl of the wind tunnel sounded above them, Kirara flew down the length of the wing. Hiraikotsu was almost ripped from Sango's hands as it connected with the wing, but she held on with all her strength, and after a heartbeat, it began to cut through. She wrapped her legs around Kirara's neck and pulled on the weapon with all her weight, dragged it down in one long line. Sesshomaru was having a much easier time beside them, had already reached the bottom of the wing and had spun around to face the hoard of demons which dove for them in response.
Menomaru shrieked and flailed, one arm swinging back behind them to try and rip them away from him. Kirara dove to the side to avoid the glancing blow. Sesshomaru took a slightly different approach – met the limb head-on, pointed the tip of Tokijin at the joint of the wrist, and plunged the blade deep into flesh. As Menomaru began to fall, even his powerful youki unable to support his massive bulk without his wings, Sesshomaru lifted the blade up, severing his hand completely. Menomaru landed on the top of the Tree, the branches creaking and bending under his weight. He spun around, snatching for Sesshomaru with his other hand, but the Inu-youkai shot up through the air and out of reach. Kirara flew in the opposite direction, towards where Miroku clung pale-face and shaking to Hachi's back, Shippo desperately driving back the approaching demons with his foxfire.
Inuyasha leapt through the canopy, swung Tessaiga over his head, the Wind Scar racing through the air to strike Menomaru in the chest. This time it hit home, digging deep gouges into his torso. He was knocked back a step, shouted in anger. Inuyasha landed hard, twisting at the last moment to avoid the sharp edge of a broken branch sticking through the foliage like a spear. Their battleground was growing more treacherous, with demons disappearing through the canopy to attack from all sides, and Menomaru's weight threatening to bring the whole structure toppling down at any moment. The moth demon's youki had flared from the attack, was building in the air to a suffocating degree. Inuyasha shook his head, tried to clear his vision, but the Wind Scar refused to even form in his mind.
A deep grumble rose from Menomaru's chest, building into a growl. A symbol had formed on his brow, both yin and yang emerging to join together into the taijitu, which shone with a sickly lavender glow.
"How dare you challenge me?" Menomaru shouted, and energy began to crackle along his body as he crossed his arms before his face, swirling together and travelling up to his brow. "Witness my power!"
He flung his arms wide, and a beam of pink energy shot from the symbol at his brow. Inuyasha swore and leapt high into the air as the line of light cut through the canopy of the Tree, severing branches, vaporizing demons, and cutting straight through to the ground, where it gouged deep into the earth. Inuyasha pulled on his youki, tried to keep himself aloft, but he began falling back down, towards the deadly beam. Then a hand closed around his wrist, and Sango swung him up onto Kirara's back.
"It seems you've pissed him off," she shouted back to him wryly, her voice rough in the rushing wind.
"Yeah, looks like!" he grinned predatorily. "You doing okay?"
Her answering grimace was less than reassuring. He could hear her ragged breathing, the pain obvious in her scent. Kirara's flight was less than stable, blood still dripping from her brow. She turned back towards Hachi, to Miroku's deathly pale face staring down at them over the tanuki's head. His eyes widened and Inuyasha followed his gaze down, to where the remaining demons were emerging from the branches in a wave, their voices piercing through the groans of the breaking Tree.
xXx
Kikyo watched as a large section of the Tree of Ages tumbled to the ground. A quarter of the canopy was gone already, the rest creaking dangerously. She looked up at where the battle was raging, strangely conflicted. She had no allegiance to any of the individuals up there save one, no need to take on any foe that wasn't Naraku. But Inuyasha was in danger. And this demon, this Menomaru, was as much a threat to her world as the other monster she'd sworn to destroy.
His moths had long since abandoned her. There was nothing keeping her in this accursed forest other than her own curiosity, the creeping desire to aid those in need. Even though she despised most of them. Even though she had already helped them once, had failed in the attempt. Even though she knew with a keenness foreign to the living that her power was limited, her time in this world held by a fragile thread. Menomaru did not seek her the way Naraku did. She could easily escape. If her heart, her soul, was not dragging her back.
xXx
Sango threw Hiraikotsu at the incoming demons, unsheathing her sword with her other hand. Kirara twisted over Hachi and Inuyasha leapt from her back, landing next to Miroku. She continued on her path, letting Sango intercept Hiraikotsu on its return path and plunging headlong into the approaching hoard. Inuyasha bared his teeth as he focused on the demons' youki, barely detectable under Menomaru's overpowering aura. The Wind Scar was broader than usual, caught more demons in its blast but didn't dissolve them in its light. He supposed he shouldn't complain – dead was dead, after all – but it only heightened his increasing sense of dread. Both Sango and Kirara were visibly slowing. Dark spots were dancing in his vision, pain lacing up his torso with every breath. And Miroku was slumped over Hachi's head, unable to even lift his staff to defend himself.
And then Sesshomaru shot past them, eyes red, Tokijin blazing. He struck Menomaru in the chest, the sword plunging deep into his flesh. Sesshomaru landed on the skin and began running down his body, dragging Tokijin along after him. He cut a deep swathe into Menomaru's torso before the moth demon's fist drove him back. Inuyasha gasped in disbelief at the demonic aura noticeably diminished. Had Tokijin really done all that? The sword's presence had certainly emerged, clashing horribly with Menomaru's youki. And Menomaru actually seemed pained by the attack, was panting as his remaining hand came to grasp the wound. Not only blood, but something else was dripping from the torn flesh. At first, Inuyasha couldn't pinpoint what it was.
And then the soul collectors arrived. They swarmed along his body, too small for him to easily grasp, too nimble to be swatted away. They burrowed deep into the wound, digging past the ragged edges of muscle and emerging with souls grasped in their arms. Kikyo rose through the branches, held aloft by more of the youkai. They set her down gently on one of the broken edges of the tree and sped off to join their companions. To Inuyasha's surprise, they didn't bring any of the souls back to her – merely released them into the air and dove in for more. Even with just the dozen or so soul collectors at work, Menomaru's power was diminishing. He was shouting, batting wildly at the youkai.
As he twisted in agony, Miroku gasped. "Look at his back," he said urgently to Inuyasha. "His wings are regenerating!"
"How?" Inuyasha growled. "He's already absorbed all the power from the sphere! He has nothing left!"
"It's the Tree of Ages," the monk realized sharply. "It's sustained by his power. He must be able to draw some energy from it!"
"So what do we do?" Inuyasha asked, wrapping an arm nervously around Miroku's shoulders.
His partner was quiet for a few agonizing moments, only his ragged breathing filling the silence.
"We need to destroy the Tree," he said finally. "Sever his connection with it. You or Sesshomaru might be able to cut through it…"
"I'm not leaving you again," Inuyasha said firmly. "And I doubt Menomaru's just gonna let us chop this thing down without something to say about it."
Miroku glanced down to the twisted branches below them. "Kikyo might be able to do something with her sacred arrows."
Hachi began to spiral down towards the canopy of the Tree. Inuyasha caught Sango's eye as Kirara passed overhead, and she nodded. Kirara swerved into an oncoming hoard of demons, allowing the slayer to cut through them with Hiraikotsu. He then found Sesshomaru's gaze as they passed him. His brother scowled and lifted Tokijin, the blade glowing red. He leapt high into the air and swung at Menomaru, a crimson blast of light flying from the sword. It caught Menomaru diagonally across the chest, cutting deep into his right shoulder and severing the arm from his body. His roar shook the Tree. The limb crashed down, breaking several branches at it fell.
"Kikyo!" Inuyasha shouted as Hachi dropped down beside her. She watched them warily, surrounded by a guard of a few soul collectors. "Can you destroy the Tree? It's the last thing giving Menomaru more strength."
She hummed and eyed the demon, who was still being accosted by her soul collectors and Sesshomaru. "He has embedded a Sacred Jewel shard deep within the trunk, imbued with his own power. One the shard is removed, the Tree will fall."
"Well, great!" Inuyasha said, glancing between her and Miroku. "Can you get to the shard?"
"I can remove it," she said slowly. "Though getting to it may prove challenging."
"I can help!" Shippo said, scampering onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "I can burn the wood away with my foxfire!"
Inuyasha and Miroku exchanged a grim look.
"You can't-" Miroku started.
"What other choice do we have?" the kit snapped, and they all fell silent. He turned burning green eyes onto Kikyo. "Okay?"
"Very well," she murmured, raising a hand. Before either Inuyasha or Miroku could stop him, he scampered across Hachi's head and leapt onto her arm. Her soul collectors immediately wound around her torso and limbs, lifting her up and starting to lower her through the branches.
"Make sure you have a clear path away before you remove the shard," Miroku called after them. "You won't have long before the Tree falls."
"We need to cover them," Inuyasha said, eyes darting up just as another blast of energy shot from Menomaru's brow, almost catching Sesshomaru.
"Look at his wings," Miroku said urgently. "They're almost big enough to start producing more demons. You and Sango need to cut them off before that can happen. Hachi and I will take on the remaining demons and hopefully Sesshomaru will keep Menomaru distracted until you're ready."
"Miroku…" Inuyasha whispered, looking at his partner's right hand as though it pained him.
"I promise it won't kill me," he said reassuringly, too exhausted to offer a smile.
Inuyasha pressed a searing kiss onto his lips and leapt off Hachi's back before picking his way across the broken canopy. Hachi took to the air once more, climbing to a good vantage point. Kirara veered towards them, and Miroku waved for her attention. Once both she and Sango were watching, he thumped himself twice on the back. Sango visibly glanced behind her and Menomaru and then nodded, raising her sword.
"Are you sure about this?" Hachi asked as Kirara took off towards the moth demon. "We can't keep distracting him forever. Sooner or later we need to find a way to kill him."
Miroku sighed. "Yes, well, when you find a way, let me know."
Inuyasha kept under the cover of the leaves as he circled around behind Menomaru. The demon was still reeling from the loss of his arm, and was shooting wave after wave of light blasts after Sesshomaru. His brother was dodging easily, transformed into a glowing ball of youki to dart back and forth, but he couldn't materialize long enough to fight. Menomaru's attacks were also increasingly erratic – he didn't seem able to move at all without his wings to support him. As one shot came alarmingly close to where Hachi hovered, Inuyasha's vision flashed red. Sesshomaru had already surpassed his expectations by helping them at all, but he knew that his brother had no regard for humans. He wouldn't give a damn if any of Inuyasha's pack died in this fight, because of him or not, and it made Inuyasha incredibly nervous.
Kirara appeared over Menomaru's head and Inuyasha forced himself to breathe. He channelled his rising youki into his sword and pulled on the rest as he leapt, bounding on nothing but air, rising higher and higher until he could catch hold of the stubs of one of Menomaru's wings. He grabbed handfuls of scales and pulled himself even higher, dragging his exhausted body to the top. Sango and Kirara met him there, grim-faced and pale. He raised Tessaiga and Sango lifted Hiraikotsu as they shared a determined glance.
And then a howl came from the other side of Menomaru. Inuyasha scrambled up the moth demon's body, careless of being detected – because he had no idea what might cause his brother to sound like that. Sesshomaru was suspended in the air, a bright blue youki pulsing around him as his eyes glowed blood red. And then his face elongated, his fangs growing more pronounced, the fur mokomoko draped over his shoulder growing and twisting around him as he transformed. He'd barely taken his true canine form before he was hurling at Menomaru. He connected hard, his fangs sinking into the moth demon's neck. Though he was like a songbird flying at a human, his impact still knocked Menomaru back a step.
"Hurry!" Inuyasha shouted at Sango, racing back to Menomaru's wings. He had no idea what could have pissed off Sesshomaru enough to get him to transform, but he wasn't about to hang around and find out.
Sesshomaru growled as he bit deeper into the demon's flesh. The ceaseless attacks of the new Hyoga had been grating at his nerves and stoking his anger – how dare a demon, even a daiyoukai such as this, deign to face him? And then he'd sensed a familiar presence cross into the valley. And suddenly the annoyance had turned to a threat. Suddenly he could no longer afford to toy with his kill. Suddenly he needed Menomaru gone. And he didn't care to stop and examine why.
He could feel the slight tug of the monk's void on his clothes as the demons around him were drawn in. He ignored it, focused on tearing into his throat once more before leaping at his eyes. The moth demon's hand was reaching for him, trying to pry him away, but he snapped at his fingers. Menomaru moaned, low and rumbling, and Sesshomaru could smell blood at his back. A moment later, he saw Inuyasha riding that neko with one of the humans back into the sky. Hissing surrounded him as the white youkai resumed their hunt for souls from Menomaru's body now that the monk's winds had faded. He kept all of them in his mind, dozens of dancing pieces around him. He watched a tiger demon rip through several of the youkai before one of the humans' weapons destroyed it. He honed in on the vulnerable areas of Menomaru's face, sank his teeth into the shell of his ear and pulled.
xXx
"How much further?" the little fox asked, sending another wave of blue fire into the hole her arrow had gouged into the Tree.
"Not much," she said, focusing on the faint pulse of the Jewel shard buried underneath the youki saturating the air.
"Will you need me to carry you away once the Tree starts to fall?" he asked, glancing back at her. "I can hold up a human for a little while."
She tried not to let the surprise show on her face as she surveyed him. What a strange little creature. He knew nothing but the worst of her, had no reason to help her, and yet he had not hesitated to go alone with her, far from the others. Was offering his own back for her to ride on in escape.
"I will be perfectly fine on my own," she told him, coolly. "Just stay away from the Jewel and run when I say."
xXx
Menomaru roared as Sesshomaru attacked. The Inu-youkai attacked his eyes, tearing into them with his powerful claws. Menomaru batted him away with one powerful swing, catching him broadside and sending him crashing through the canopy. He stretched out his jaw and shot a wave of poison silk after Sesshomaru, which quickly bound him to the branch he had landed on. Sesshomaru growled and began to burn through the silk with his youki, eyes blazing red. Menomaru swung around and snarled at Inuyasha next, hurling a ball of silk at Kirara. Inuyasha swore and held up Tessaiga. The sword cut through some of it, but the weight of the immense blast was dragging Kirara down. He tore through as much as he could with Tessaiga and his claws, and then began pulling the thick strands off Sango, knowing that her armour would do her less good than even Kirara's fur to keep the poison at bay.
She gasped as it began to burn on her skin. The fumes were making him lightheaded as well, taking him back to a prison of paralysis and pain, of blood and lost control. Kirara landed hard on one of the larger remaining branches, yowled as the poison began to dig into her as well. Inuyasha growled at the acidic bite at his hands and sting in his eyes. He heard someone shouting at them from above, saw Hachi crash gracelessly through the canopy before veering back towards them. Miroku fell more than climbed off his back and stumbled towards them, sinking to his knees. He raised his staff and closed his eyes, bringing a faint spiritual power to its head as he passed it over them all.
Inuyasha grunted at the power which clashed with his youki, but soon the burning of the poison had faded to a manageable throbbing. He braced himself against Sango, shot a concerned look at Miroku as the monk sat back on his heels. Menomaru was roaring above them, bleeding and losing souls but still standing, still powerful. And they were not. They were drained. They were exhausted. He didn't know if they had much fight left in them. He could smell the smoke rising up the Tree as it burned, knew that Kikyo and Shippo must be getting close. And then what? Would the battle continue on the ground? Would they be able to defeat Menomaru then?
"Master Inuyasha!" a loud, insistent, and utterly unexpected voice came from below them.
He peered down in disbelief as a tiny, black dot bounced from branch to branch up to them. "Myoga?" he asked incredulously.
"Do you have any idea how long it took me to climb this horrendous, abominable tree?" the flea asked, gasping for breath as he landed on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Not to mention that it's on fire!"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Sango asked. "You ran away!"
"Well, clearly you still needed my help!" Myoga shot back. "I thought you would be able to actually follow the plan and defeat Menomaru without awakening Hyoga!"
"Yeah, yeah, we're awful," Inuyasha snapped. "So what you got? How do we beat him?"
"You must use the Backlash Wave!"
Inuyasha growled deep in his throat. "If it was that simple, don't you think I would've done that by now? I can't get a Wind Scar to form because his youki's so stupidly powerful! And if there's some other way to access the Backlash Wave, I don't know how to do it!"
Myoga's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Then you'll need something powerful enough to dispel Menomaru's aura enough for the Wind Scar to form. Is that Sesshomaru I smell up there?"
Inuyasha sighed. "He cut through the youki a few times, but not enough for me to see the Wind Scar again. Maybe if I did it right after him…"
"Huh," the flea pondered. "At this point, it appears you may have only one shot, for Menomaru will surely destroy you if you do not kill him immediately. Is there some other way to do it? Strong spiritual powers, perhaps?"
He glanced pointedly at Miroku, but the monk shook his head. "Even at my best, I would never be able to purify such a strong aura."
"Kikyo could," Inuyasha said quietly.
They all exchanged a solemn look.
"I'll get her," Sango announced, pushing to her feet. "I'll send her up on Kirara and finish up whatever she was doing down there."
"Alright," Miroku nodded. "We're going to have to time this carefully. If we want to destroy Menomaru before the Tree falls, we still have to break his connection to its power. Sango, wait for my signal before taking out the Jewel shard. Hopefully there will be enough time to use the Backlash Wave before the Tree collapses completely. That way, even if it doesn't work, we will still have another shot once he's on the ground."
"Let's do this," Inuyasha said firmly. "Once last push."
He placed one hand on Miroku's shoulder and one on Sango's, smiling faintly as Kirara nosed her way under his arm. They all closed their eyes for just a moment, gathering a sparse calm between them. And then they moved. Sango climbed onto Kirara's back and the twin-tail bounded down through the branches. Inuyasha lifted Miroku into his arms and leapt onto Hachi. They flew through the canopy to where Sesshomaru had disappeared, found him watching Menomaru from beneath the leaves, transformed back into his more human-like form. He turned a seething gaze on them as they approached.
"Get out of here," Inuyasha told him. "We're destroying the Tree and I'm going to take out Menomaru with the Tessaiga."
"With Tessaiga?" Sesshomaru echoed scornfully. "You couldn't even hit him before. You cannot hope to defeat him with such an inferior-"
"Shut up," Inuyasha cut him off. "I've made the Tessaiga stronger than it ever was with you. I know how to beat him." He huffed a breath and glowered. "Thank you for your help. We wouldn't have made it this far without you."
"Obviously."
He rolled his eyes and dragged a hand down his face. "Yeah, whatever. Beat it, 'cause I'm not gonna hold back if you're still in the way."
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and he sneered. "I will not leave my business unfinished."
"Fine, just stay back."
xXx
"Kikyo!" Sango called down to her, as she stood at the base of the tree in front of a smoking tunnel seared into the trunk. "They need you back up there. You need to purify Menomaru's aura so that Inuyasha can use the Tessaiga."
Kikyo frowned, looked back into the tunnel where Shippo was emerging. "We have yet to reach the shard."
"I'll dig my way to it and pull it out when it's time," Sango promised, pushing her gently towards Kirara. "She'll take you up, but we gotta hurry."
Kikyo resisted, eyed Kirara warily. "I tried to kill her."
Sango sighed. "Yes, there was a lot of that going on today. Now go!"
She watched with grim satisfaction as the priestess climbed uncomfortably onto Kirara's back and hung on tightly as the twin-tail shot back into the air. She followed them until they disappeared through the branches and turned her attention back to Shippo. The little kit's face was smudged with soot, the tunnel still burning in places. She crouched down and peered into the hole he'd created, which still had a glowing sacred arrow in the centre. This close, she could just sense the shard. It had to be close, if she could feel it at all.
"How are we doing here?" she asked, pulling a knife from her tunic.
xXx
Inuyasha ducked, a blast from Menomaru's brow passing just over his head. "You ready?"
Kirara was right behind him, ready to drag him to safety as soon as the Tree began to collapse. Kikyo stood a little further back, elevated on one of the taller branches, her bow in her hands. Miroku and Hachi were floating beside her, Sesshomaru hovering far behind them. He caught Miroku's gaze, held it just for a moment, and nodded.
Miroku nodded in return. "Shippo, now!"
Halfway down the Tree, Shippo dropped his orb form and dropped down along the trunk, catching himself just before the ground. "Sango, now!"
"Here we go!" she shouted, digging her nails into the shard still imbedded in the wood and ripping it free.
The Tree immediately began to creak and groan, even more than before. A terrible cracking sound emerged from deep within the trunk. The entire structure began to sway dangerously.
"Curse you!" Menomaru shouted, taking a careening step forward, his remaining arm flung out for balance. "You cannot defeat me! Even if the Tree of Ages should fall, I will not rest. I will take every soul on this wretched island, and I will return to my home the most powerful demon in the world!"
The taijitu symbol at his brow glowed warningly as he spoke, and immediately shot forth another blast of piercing light. It headed straight towards them. But then there was the twang of a bow, and Kikyo's arrow blasted past him, cutting cleanly through the oncoming attack and racing towards Menomaru. Crackling bolts of energy emerged on all sides of the shot, swirling and crashing together as they formed the largest Wind Scar that Inuyasha had ever seen. He lifted Tessaiga above his head, and with every last drop of his strength, swung it forward. Six lines of power flew through the air, following the arrow's path and sweeping up Menomaru's blast in their wake. Menomaru made a startled sound and took a step back, but there was no time for him to escape. The Backlash Wave hit him squarely, cut through his body. Kikyo's arrow struck the taijitu at his brow and it shattered.
Menomaru's roar faded into nothing as his body fell apart, large chunks crashing down through the branches. The few remaining souls sprang from his flesh, escaping up into the sky. The already-unstable Tree began to collapse completely. A deep, rumbling groan emerged from the trunk as it tilted dangerously to one side, the wood splitting as it began to fall. Kirara tugged on the back of Inuyasha's robes with his teeth and he climbed onto her back. She leapt to the side to avoid one of the branches as it snapped, sending giant shards of wood flying to the air.
Sesshomaru couldn't believe his eyes. How had the Tessaiga grown so powerful? How had Inuyasha grown so powerful? Something had to have changed. That sword had done what even Tokijin could not – though, he supposed, it wasn't only due to lack of potential. He glanced down at the two swords at his hip, the quiet Tenseiga, and the Tokijin, which pulsed angrily in its sheath. Inuyasha had truly mastered the Tessaiga. His aura and that of the sword were indistinguishable. The Tokijin still resisted him. Sesshomaru needed to gain power, and quickly. Otherwise… He glanced at the horizon, where he could just make out the dark blur in the sky. He should have known that they would come after him. As the Tree collapsed out from under him, he pushed off into the air and flew towards where his charges were waiting.
"Hachi, go!" Miroku ordered reaching for Kikyo's hand. He almost had her when the ground disappeared from beneath her feet, the branch she was standing on crumbling under its own weight. He swore and leapt off Hachi's back, snagged a hand in her sleeve and held on tight. Hachi twisted around to fly back under them as they fell, but the branches were breaking apart all around them, and he had no room to escape. Kikyo lifted a hand and her soul collectors descended around them, using their bodies to push away some of the smaller pieces of wood. Hachi flew forward, towards the rapidly closing gap between two branches. Kikyo rose to her feet on his back and notched another arrow, waiting for just a moment before loosing it at the barrier blocking their path. The wood split apart as soon as the arrow connected. Hachi yelled wildly as he barrelled through the dissolving material.
The Tree crumbled around them. Miroku could barely make out Inuyasha and Kirara flying before them. A flash of pink far below drew his attention to Sango riding on Shippo's back as the kit bounced above the maze of roots in his orb form. He breathed out a shuddering sigh of relief. Everyone was alive – somehow, everyone was alive and not fatally wounded and they had done it. He knew that he was shaking, that Kikyo had noticed. He didn't particularly care.
"You saved my life again," she said instead, soft, almost chiding.
"I did."
"That's not an answer, monk," she insisted.
"You didn't ask a question." He caught her gaze and his shoulders sagged. "Inuyasha would be devastated if you died. Especially if there was a way for me to stop it. That's all there is to it. I care about you because I care about him." He sighed, ran a hand down his face. "Please stop asking."
She watched him carefully. "I don't understand it. If I were in your position, I would not hesitate to destroy you."
"Perhaps," he murmured. "Then again, you saved us. You came back."
She looked away, frowned. "I did that for him. And for my own protection. Menomaru was a threat."
He didn't push. Hachi slowly descended to where Kirara had landed, Shippo following soon after. Inuyasha caught him as he pushed off Hachi's back, held him up when his knees threatened to buckle. He lowered them both to the ground and pulled Miroku flush to his chest, holding him tight. The last frantic energy that had pushed him through the fight finally faded as the exhaustion, fear, and desperation hit home. He shoved everything aside, focused solely on Inuyasha's breath heaving beside him, on the fingers wound in his hair, on the warmth that seeped into him from the hanyou wrapped around him. The hanyou who loved him.
Kirara transformed down and wormed her way onto the monk's lap, flopping down in exhaustion. Hachi followed suit and sat down beside them. When Sango and Shippo arrived, they joined them. Kikyo regarded them thoughtfully for a moment. Miroku caught her eyes and tilted his head meaningfully – an invitation. Inuyasha looked at her as well, glanced between her and Miroku, guarded. She pursed her lips, and with the tiniest shake of her head, melted back into the forest. Miroku held onto the connection between them until distance made it fade.
He sighed and rested his head on Inuyasha's shoulder. He couldn't blame her for leaving. It wasn't as though he particularly wanted her to stay, and she likely sensed it. But she looked so indescribably sad. And she had made no claims on Inuyasha, hadn't threatened them at all. He could still feel the anger within her through the connection they shared, and yet she had changed. He didn't know why.
"Is everyone okay?" Inuyasha asked, voice rough and worn, looking over them all.
Miroku and Sango chuckled softly and made vaguely affirmative noises. Shippo burrowed deeper against Sango's chest. Kirara nosed Miroku's arm insistently until he obligingly began petting her.
"What a day," Sango sighed.
"It's very rude for a world-ending threat to disturb our relaxation time," Miroku agreed, smiling as Inuyasha shifted his arms to hold him tighter.
"But he's gone, right?" the hanyou grinned. "There's no other heir in their line that'll pop up as the next Hyoga in a few decades?"
"You needn't worry on that front," Myoga said reassuringly. "Menomaru was indeed the last of the Hyoga clan."
"Myoga!" Inuyasha exclaimed. "Did you actually stick around for that?"
"Of course!" the flea cried indignantly. "You needed my guidance!"
"That's a new move for you," Inuyasha grumbled. "I don't trust that." They all glanced overhead at the low grumbling sound, and he snorted. "Speaking of new moves…"
Sesshomaru barely looked at them before continuing on his path through the sky, carried along by his youki, his dragon mount following closely behind. They were unsurprised to hear Jaken shouting up at Sesshomaru, saying rather uncomplimentary things about them and asking him why he hadn't stopped to fight them. But as the dragon passed overhead, the imp wasn't the only thing riding them.
"Is that a child?" Sango asked in utter disbelief.
"What the hell is he doing with one of those?" Inuyasha muttered. "He's never had a taste for human flesh."
They watched in utter confusion as the small group followed Sesshomaru across the horizon, all of them unsure if they should be going after them. But the little human didn't appear to be in any distress, hadn't tried to call down to them. And Inuyasha couldn't detect any fear in her scent.
"Weird," Inuyasha shook his head. "What a weird day."
"Let's head back to Kaede's," Sango said decisively. "Hopefully nothing will attack us there."
"I don't think we'll be able to make it there today," Miroku murmured as Kirara blinked sleepily up at him.
"We'll rest for a bit and head back to that storehouse first," Inuyasha said. "You all get some rest. I'll keep watch."
Miroku and Sango eyed him skeptically, glancing down meaningfully at the blood staining his robes.
"Oh, like any of you can talk!" he snapped.
"I'm going to fetch some firewood first," Sango said, pushing to her feet. "No one die while I'm gone."
Kirara stood as though moving to help, and Miroku shoved her back down. She mewled plaintively before curling back up in his lap. Shippo wasted no time in bounding over to lie on top of her. They were both asleep in moments.
"At least someone can follow directions," Inuyasha murmured, brushing his fingers over Kirara's ears.
"I'm not surprised they're exhausted," Miroku sighed, leaning back against his partner.
Inuyasha nosed against the side of Miroku's neck, tightening his arms around him. "Sleep, now."
Miroku hummed softly, looked away. Inuyasha frowned, saw the tension running through him.
"What is it?"
"Nothing," Miroku muttered, still not meeting his eyes. "Just a long day."
Inuyasha shuffled in front of the monk, lifted his chin with a finger and caught his gaze. "Don't do that," he whispered. "I can't reach you if you go away, and I need you."
Miroku sighed, his eyes dropped down to his palm. Ten years, now. Almost to the day. The icy fingers of the void were still clinging to his arm, refusing to fade. And he felt hollow, an empty nothingness that was usually filled with the uncomfortable fullness of drawing in too much. And that was there, too – he had taxed himself more than he should have with those demons – but even they had failed to fill the vast emptiness.
"You saw Ruri copy the wind tunnel," he found himself saying, didn't have the strength to lie. "That's what killed her."
Inuyasha's eyes widened and he hissed quietly, wrapping his arms more securely around Miroku. "I'm so sorry."
"It's not just that," Miroku whispered. "She tore it open with her spear to try and draw me in. She broke it intentionally, not knowing that it would consume her." He shook his head at Inuyasha's muted horror. "And the tear she made…it was tiny. Barely a scratch. But that's all it took." He shut his eyes, let out a shuddering breath. "I don't know how long it will take the hole in my hand to grow that much."
The unspoken words lay heavy in the air. The question of time had always hung over them, looming in the nebulous future. This was not the answer that either of them wanted. Inuyasha didn't know what he could possibly say to make it right. Instead he gathered Miroku in his arms, pressed his partner's face into his chest.
"We'll beat him," he whispered into his hair. "It won't destroy you. I won't let it."
"Yash…" Miroku breathed, pulling back, pain in his eyes.
"Look," he sighed, pressed their brows together. "All my life, the world has seen me as a monster, or a mongrel, or a question – a problem to be solved. You're one of the only people to ever see me as a person. You saw me. And I know I don't say this enough, but I am so endlessly, unbelievably thankful that you're in my life. I know I'll never be exactly who you want me to be-"
"You are," Miroku murmured, squeezed his eyes shut.
Inuyasha huffed a breath, continued. "You make me feel like I belong. You see the things that no one else saw. You make me want to be better. Words can't describe how important you are to me. And you know how I am – if I have something, I'll protect it. I'd do anything to keep you safe."
"Even you can't fight against this," Miroku murmured.
"But you can," Inuyasha said. "You've been doing it your whole life, even before you inherited the curse. And Sango, and Shippo and Kirara and me, we're all going to fight for you. We'll take on Naraku even if you can't. You just have to hang on until then." He pressed forward into a kiss, poured everything he had into the connection before he pulled back. "Because I love you. We all do. I love you so much that I don't know what to do about it. It scares the shit outta me. But I'm not gonna stop."
He caught Miroku's gaze, held it with piercing intensity.
"I'm never going to stop."
Miroku closed his eyes as tears spilled freely down his cheeks. Inuyasha gathered him to his chest, lowered them both to the ground, mindful of Shippo and Kirara still in his lap.
"Sleep," Inuyasha breathed into his hair. "Please."
Miroku sighed. "You can't keep watch forever. You need rest, too."
"I will," he promised gently. "But right now I need to take care of you."
The fight slowly bled out of Miroku and he pressed his face into Inuyasha's chest. "Make sure that Sango sleeps when she gets back. And wake me for watch when it's my turn. And don't let-"
"Miroku," Inuyasha growled. "Let go. I've got this." He ran a gentle caress up and down his back, pressed a kiss into his hair. "Let go."
This chapter is, in no uncertain terms, thicc. I want to say that I appreciate all your feedback from the questions posed in the previous chapter! I'll definitely take it all into consideration, particularly the Sango plotline. I'm now going on vacation for two weeks, so reminder that the next chapter will come out on Friday, December 4th. I will be doing some editing during this time. Thanks so much, and see you then!
