Chapter XX

Arashi decided to visit the miko-youkai in the dungeon. Once he arrived, he had a guard open the cell door. When he gone inside, he snarled ferociously. He shoved the guard that was next to him up against the wall.

He growled, "Where is my future mate, Zokushi, and the human miko?!"

The guard stuttered in fright. "I don't know, sir. I swear!"

"Who was the last person seeing them?"
"I believe it was Master Ryu, sir."

Arashi growled and let go of the guard. He yelled, "Damn him! He must be the one to free them and got my special scroll!"

Hikaru just fake-knocked Ryu out, when he believed the battle went on long enough. Thank the Kami that Ryu knew what he was up to and played along. Hikaru was about to help his Lord, but before he turned around, he heard a shrill and painful dying scream, which made Ryu winced, coming from Ryutaro.

Sesshomaru walked to them with the dead body of Ryu's brother. He said, "This one would had used my Bakusaiga, but this Sesshomaru want your father to see him. This one wants your father to know what is to come for messing with what is mine."

Ryu looked at his brother's dead body with dispassionate eyes. He closed his eyes and opened them and looked at Sesshomaru. "It matters not what you do, Lord Sesshomaru. Must we return to your camp?"

"Yes, we must."

Hikaru added, "Inuhime will want to discuss how to end this war."

"This one agrees." Sesshomaru was about to pick up the body of his enemy, but Ryu stopped him.

"Let me carry the burden of my brother's body."

"Hm… Very well."

At camp, Inuhime staring into the fire as her companions were talking. She remembered the scroll that she and Zokushi had stolen from Arashi. She wondered what significant did it have. She reached into her kimono's sleeve and pulled it out.

Kagome noticed and asked, "What is that?"

"The scroll that we stole from Arashi," she said as she unrolled the scroll and read its contents. "Oh my Kami."

Zokushi quirked an eyebrow, "What is it, Inuhime?"

"This scroll contains a forbidden spell. It seems that Arashi figured a way for having a pure ryu-youkai without the said miko being in love with him."

"It's a love potion?"

"No. Something much worst than tricking the miko into loving him."

Zokushi asked, "Can I see it?" She was curious about this forbidden spell that her best friend spoke of. As she read it, her eyes widen in shook and terror. "I see."

Kagome asked, "What?"

Zokushi answered before Inuhime could, "This spell is very complex. It isn't a love potion, but it tricks the spell's intended victim believing that she's with the one she loves."

Kagome furrowed her forehead and asked, "How?"

Inuhime answered, "It doesn't just trick the spell's victim believing in something that isn't true. But the spell's user would transform himself or herself into the spell's intended victim's beloved. However, that isn't the worst part."

"What's the worst part?"

"The worst part is the spell would last up to nine months."

Zokushi said rather sarcastically, "How convenient?"

Kagome's eyes widen in horror at the realization. "That means that we would have given Arashi and Ryutaro pure blood ryu-youkai heirs without realizing anything until it was too late. I wondered if Ryu knew about this."

Inuhime smiled sadly at Kagome as if she confirmed what Kagome said could had come true. "I surmised which is why they want Sesshomaru and Hikaru to come. It was to ambush them and taking their blood. An important ingredient that must be had."

Inuyasha was hearing about all this and finally said, "Crafty bastards."

The ladies chuckled in agreement until Inuhime smiled and said, "Well, they'd returned."

All four of them looked towards the tree line. Inuhime, Inuyasha, and Zokushi could see them fine in the dark. Kagome couldn't see them until they reached where the fire revealed them in the dark. Kagome sighed in thankfulness. She stood up and walked to Sesshomaru and embraced him.

"Thank Kami." Sesshomaru held her tightly, but not too tight to make her stop breathing or anything of the sort. He took in her calming scent. He glanced at his sister and noticed that Hikaru was doing the same with her.

Ryu and Inuyasha felt awkward witnessing all the love sharing between the two couples. Zokushi, however, thought it was sweet.

Having seen enough, Ryu cleared his throat. "I hate to interrupt this lovely reunion, but we need to discuss on what to do with my father."

Everyone looked at him and realized that he was right.

Inuhime agreed, "Yes, we shall need to discuss the next step."

Zokushi added, "I agree. Arashi must realized by now that we'd gone missing."

Ryu added, "And it wouldn't take him long to know that I am behind all of it."

Inuhime had to ask as she gave him the spell, "Did you know that he had this?"

Ryu grabbed the scroll and read its contents. His eyes grew wide in horror. He would never in a million years do that. He shook his head, "No. All he said to me that he had some failproof way to make a miko, preferably a miko-youkai, produced a pureblood heir. That's just terrible."

Zokushi remarked offhandedly, "You seemed to have a soft spot for Yuki."

Ryu sighed, "That's because she's my daughter. Her mother wasn't a youkai or a miko. She was a beautiful human."

Kagome asked in sympathy, "What happened to her?"

"She died after she'd given birth to Yuki. When I brought her home, my father… just to punish me… he took her away. Before we came to the Western Lands, my father said if we succeed in his plans, I could have my daughter back. I just want my daughter back, that was why I went along with it; nothing more, nothing less."

Sesshomaru said in authority, "When this is all said and done, you may have your daughter back."

Ryu smiled, gratefully, "And I will be forever in your debt. The only thing I ask for something if would happen to me; will you keep my daughter as your ward until she's old enough to marry?"

Sesshomaru nodded, "You have this Sesshomaru's word."

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Hm."

Inuhime clapped her hands together and held them there as if she were praying, "Now then, let's finish this war and go home."

They all cheered in agreement.

*Time-Skip*

When they were discussing on what to do next, Ryu wanted to wait till his father to come to them, but Sesshomaru and Inuhime disagreed saying that they should go to him. Ryu asked about his sister, Setsuna, like what would happen to her. Inuhime told him that she would either surrender or she would die. It would be her choice to make.

About an hour later, they decided to go to Arashi's palace to confront once and for all. At first, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha told Kagome to return to the palace and wait for their return. However, Kagome argued with them and said that she wanted to help and so on and so forth. Inuhime, who was tiring of the bickering, told them that she and Zokushi would watch out for their human miko friend. Sesshomaru relaxed afterwards, but it took more to convince Inuyasha. In the end, however, he agreed without having Kagome to 'sit' him, which was surprising, to say the least.

At the palace, Arashi could feel his second son's aura as well as the auras of the miko-youkai, the human one, the two inudaiyoukai, and the inuhanyou. He called for his eldest daughter, Setsuna.

"You called, father."

"Yes. Your brother, Ryu, has betrayed us."

"And what of Ryutaro?"

"He's dead."

Setsuna bowed her head and made a decision. She could either fight alongside with her father or surrender to the West.

After a moment, she responded, "I see. Should I ready the army, father?"

Arashi looked at her, carefully. "No. We shall settle this without involving others."

Setsuna could see error in her father's plan, but she couldn't speak against it, even if she wanted to, unless she wanted a beating. So, she kept her thoughts to herself up until now.

"Father, may I be frank?" Arashi motioned to her to continue. She swallowed in nervousness, "I think going after Inuhime was a mistake. I understand that you want the Western Lands, but wouldn't it to easier to defeat its lord and take the lands like that?"

"I am not just after the Western Lands, Setsuna. We must preserve our youkai species, as well, which is why I went after Inuhime and Zokushi, even that human miko, too."

"But our numbers are good, father," she said in confusion.

"Good, yes, but not like the inuyoukai. Their numbers could overwhelm us greatly in a war scenario, which was why I didn't declare war against them."

Once again, Setsuna couldn't understand his reasoning. It was true that the inuyoukai have numbers on their side, however, the ryuyoukai are much harder to defeat, due to their tougher skin in the true forms. Not just that, they were great warriors as well as in their humanoid forms. So, she doesn't understand why they couldn't go to war. She dares not say anything else in the matter or she would provoke her father's wrath.

When she and her father saw Ryu alongside Sesshomaru, she, inwardly, smirked, "Father, since, one heir is dead and another a traitor, who will be your heir now?"

Arashi looked at his daughter, then returned his glance at his other son and frowned. "So, you wish to be my heir, daughter?" She stayed silent, which he took that as a 'yes'. "If that's what you desire, then you must defeat your traitorous brother. You may be my next eldest, but you have younger brothers that could easily take Ryu's place."

Setsuna looked at her father. She knew that what he said was true. This was her chance to prove to him that she was worthy of becoming the next heir and someday becoming their lands' next lady. "As you wish, father."

A general entered and asked, "Should I alarm the army, milord?"

Arashi looked at him and frowned, "No. Next time, remember your place."

The general widened his eyes before he kneeled on his knees and then apologized repeatedly until Arashi dismissed him.

Arashi looked at his daughter. He frowned and said. "Setsuna, you mustn't kill your brother. We, ryuyoukai, don't execute our kind. We aren't anything like those dogs. Do you understand?"

"What of the two miko-youkai and the human miko?"

"We shall recapture them, after we kill the male dogs."

Setsuna frowned because she doesn't necessary like them, especially, the human bitch and Inuhime. She smirked inwardly as an idea came into her mind.

"You'll fight all three male dogs, yourself, father?"

Arashi frowned. "You must not believe in your father's strength to ask such a question."

Setsuna instantly took back her question, "It's not that, father. Your strength parallels with my great and terrible grandfather's. It's just you would be taking on three, even grandfather didn't do that. I don't want to lose you, too, father. I am just worried."

"Hm…. Fret not, daughter. If I know the Lord of the West like I believe I do, then he wouldn't want the other two to interfere. Just worried about your battle with your brother. They are here."

Just as he said that, Sesshomaru, Hikaru, Inuyasha, and Ryu, who was carrying his brother's dead body, walked inside the palace square.

Hikaru half yelled and half growled, "Lord Arashi, come out!"

Inuyasha couldn't help, but said, "Yeah, you scaly ass bastard! Come out and face us!"

Arashi and Setsuna smiled wickedly at each other. He said, "So, it begins. Come, daughter, let's teach those dogs their last lesson."

Meanwhile, still on the campsite, Kagome, Inuhime, and Zokushi were sitting on the campfire.

They were angry. They were angry because they were told to return to the West to await them.

"Arrogant males! Who do they think they are," Zokushi growled angrily?

"I know, right," Kagome said just as angry.

Inuhime sighed. "I hate to admit it, but they're right."

Zokushi gasped in shock, "What, Inuhime? You are actually agreeing to what they said?"

"Well, yes."

"But why," Zokushi whined.

"Because, we, females, couldn't even scratch them, much less beat them."

"Yeah, she's right, Zokushi. Ryuyoukai are hard to beat. My friend, Sango, said that they have tough skin."

Zokushi sighed in defeat and said in an aggravated manner, "I know, but they do have a weak spot. I wonder if they know of it."

Inuhime quirked her eyebrow, "What weak spot? How you found out about it?"

"If they are in their true form, it's their underbelly. How? Well, I observed them while they were training in their form. They seemed to protect it more than anywhere else of their body."

"How about their humanoid form?"

"Well, I believe they are like us."

"That makes sense."

There was silence. So silent that you could hear the crickets chirp.

Inuhime stood up. "I can't stand it! I am going!"

Kagome stood up too. "You can count us in!"

Zokushi stood as well, more enthusiastic than before. "I assume that you have a plan, Inuhime?"

Inuhime smirked deviously, "Of course." She looked at Kagome. "Kagome, do you know how to use your reiki with other objects, other than bows and arrows?"

"Um, no, but I can learn."

Inuhime grabbed a nearby rock and infused it with reiki. "It's no different than infusing your reiki into your arrow." She gave the rock to Kagome, after she'd return her reiki into herself. "You try."

Kagome focused her reiki into the rock like Inuhime did. At first, it was hard. Inuhime noticed that she was having a little difficulty and said, "Infuse it like you would an arrow." Then she did it until the rock glowed pink. "See. Easy."

Zokushi said, "Now, that wee lesson is over. Can we leave now?"

Inuhime chuckled, "Of course."

As Arashi and Setsuna stopped a few feet away from them, Ryu threw Ryutaro's dead body at their feet with a stoic expression on his face.

Setsuna growled, "You dare to disrespect our brother like that! You dare to betray our family! You will pay for it on this day!"

Arashi looked at his son with a scorn expression on his face, then look at Sesshomaru with a stoic one. "So, Lord Sesshomaru…."

Sesshomaru interrupted him, "You will pay for taking what is mine. Not only you took this one's sister, but you took this Sesshomaru's intended mate. There's no forgiveness in that."

Arashi gave him his evil smirk and said, "I've been waiting for this day to come, Lord Sesshomaru. I hope you made peace with your life because today is your last."

"This Sesshomaru hopes the same."

Arashi and Sesshomaru got into their battle stances and within a second, they started to fight.

Ryu said to his sister, "This is your last chance, sister. Yield and Lord Sesshomaru would show you mercy."

Setsuna said, "I won't yield to you or to that dog. As I said before Ryu, you will pay."

"So be it, then."

They, too, started their battle.

*A little time-skip*

While Sesshomaru and Arashi were having their epic battle, Setsuna had somehow or another got Ryu, her brother, on his back; ready to give him the final blow.

She said, "Father told me to let you live, but knowing him, he will forgive you for your betrayal and the killing of our elder brother. Somewhere down the road, he'll give you the throne. Any last words, brother."

"Yeah, if you think killing me will solve everything, then do it. If you think Father will let you have the throne because of it, then do it, but you know Father as well as I do. You know deep down that Father wouldn't give you the throne. He'll pass you and give the throne to the next son! He'll never let you or any of his daughters take it!"

"Father won't lie to me!"

"Really?"

"Yes!"

"Then, by old means kill me!"

Just when her sword was about to pierce his flesh, a purified arrow hit Setsuna in the shoulder and by the speed and power, it knocked her back to hit a tree trunk behind them.

An unexpected feminine voice said as she appeared out the shadows of the tree line, "Really, Ryu? I thought that you were going to fight for your daughter."

"Inuhime? What are you doing here?"

"Helping. What else?"

"But I thought that Lord Sesshomaru and General Hikaru ordered you and the other two to return home."

"Please, you think I would take orders from my brother. He isn't my alpha; Mother is."

He sweat-dropped, "You don't think that he wouldn't be angry."

"Sesshou could get angry all he likes. He has the same fur to get glad in."

Ryu sweat-dropped more and then he sighed. "Where's the other two and the inuhanyou?"

Inuhime gave him a fang-smirk, "Helping out Sesshou and Hikaru."

Setsuna, who just rediscovered from the purified arrow, laughed and said, "Good, I get to kill you. So that Father couldn't taint our blood with yours. Then I will kill Zokushi and that human miko bitch. Father's delusional if…."

Inuhime interrupted, "Your Father isn't delusional. I hate to admit it, but he's quite clever… for a dragon. However, not clever enough. We figured out his plan. We won't let it happen. Ryu, I understand that you wish not to kill your sister, but she needs to die. I also know that dragons wouldn't kill their kin for their sins…."

Ryu understood what she was asking, "Go ahead. It was obvious that she would've kill me if you hadn't interfered. I'll go and help Lord Sesshomaru."

After he left, Inuhime and Setsuna were sizing each other up. Then Setsuna attacked with her sword while Inuhime blocked with hers. They gave each other blows and then forcibly separated.

Setsuna panted, "I don't understand why Father would steep so low to wanting a bitch like you as his new mate."

"Is that supposed to be an insult? You and your father talk too much."

They attacked each other again with their swords were crossed; seemingly making sparks as they held each other at bay. They separated once again. Then they came running and slashed each other in the stomach. They stood there panting until Setsuna fell. Inuhime looked over her shoulder and saw that her enemy was panting heavily. It was as if she couldn't breathe. Inuhime walked over and stared by her emotionlessly. Without a word, she put her out of her misery. Inuhime prayed for her enemy to finally find peace and maybe one day reincarnate to live a different sort of life.

She turned around and left.

Then she heard a deafening roar. She looked to where she heard it from. It was a dragon, although not big as Ryūkotsusei, but still big enough to do some damage. He was maybe as big as Sesshomaru. It wasn't known because afterwards, Arashi screamed as she saw and felt an immense spiritual aura, "No!"

Just as she got there, she saw Sesshomaru scolding Kagome for coming.

"Well, if I haven't come then…" Kagome's tears were overflowing

Inuhime took pity on her and said, "It's not her fault, Sesshou. I made her come along. Besides, I don't know why you are complaining. We defeated our enemy."

Sesshomaru glared at her, which she was unfazed by. "That's not the point, Inuhime, and you know it." He, then, sighed and comforted Kagome.

Kagome said after she calmed down, "It's not that I don't have faith in your strength, Sesshomaru. I just want to help you win."

Sesshomaru chuckled, "This Sesshomaru knows. He should had known that you all would come."

He looked at Ryu as he saw the body of his father's true form. It was still burning from Kagome's purification. It would soon turn to ash. "Ryu, you know what you must do now."

Ryu looked at his ally and smirked. "I know, Lord Sesshomaru."

Ryu looked at Inuhime and smiled in thanks, then he walked towards the palace to proclaim himself as the new Lord of the North.

Inuyasha asked, "Should we go with him or something?"

Sesshomaru looked at his brother and then at Ryu's back, "No, this is strictly their business. We got what we came here for. Let's return home."

Kagome said, "What about Yuki?"

"Her father will send for her when the time is right."

Inuhime added, "Right now, Ryu has to show his dominance over them."

"I see. Well, let's go home. I miss Shippo and Rin."

"Hn."

With that said, they returned to the Land of the West.

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari