Chapter 14

Leading to the Final Battle

The only thing worse than being tied to his brother as a prisoner, was being tied to his brother as a prisoner, worried about the state of his estate and possessions, both inanimate and animate, and board out if his mind. He held back a sigh as he leaned against the back wall, his brother beside him.

He wasn't sure how long it had been but he figured it had been about three or four days. The bits in their mouths prevented speech but Inuyasha had swept some dust together and they wrote what little messages they cared to share in it. He hated to admit it, but it was an ingenious plan.

Ever since his brother had started to hang out with Kagome four years ago he had noticed his brother had developed a resemblance of a brain. He even chose to use it on occasion. Inuyasha had calmed down after they had been returned to their cell but his brother had fumed for many hours.

"Hoy, Inuyasha." Came that annoying voice as Jakotsu walked into their cell.

Inuyasha growled at the Schichinintai man. Even Sesshomaru found the man disturbing and felt that familiar tingling of sickness crawl up his spine. As usual, Jakotsu ignored him in favour of his brother.

Bankotsu and the other two walked in and he summarised Naraku wished to see them again. This time they were not untied right away. They had learned from their mistakes, he would give them that.

He held back his grunts of pain as they proceeded to beat them both into near un-consciousness. His world swam and he was dimly aware of his chains being loosened and dragged to his feet.

The constant smoke that confused his senses remained around them as they where dragged down several corridors and thrown unceremoniously to a stone floor before Naraku and another.

The other reeked of a kuromiko, and a powerful one at that. He felt the first stirrings of worry embrace him. Inuyasha tried to scream out obscenities through his bit until Jakotsu silenced him with a rap over the head.

Sesshomaru ignored them in favour of trying to concentrate on the kuromiko through the thick, sense killing smoke and the lose of his ability to access his youki. Bankotsu had his foot on his back and was pulling the chain on his neck taunt again. It was an effort just to breath.

"The hanyou is protected by the rosary he already wears and the blood of a powerful miko, but this one is somewhat unprotected." The woman said coldly.

He could barely make her out in the dark light, his senses shot from the smoke, which was very thick in this room. All he could tell was that her hair was long and black and that she was wearing black, miko robes.

"Can you control him?" Naraku asked calmly.

"Perhaps. His youki is very strong, even subdued as you have him. Another protects him as well. Is he mated to an untrained Miko?"

"Indeed." Naraku answered. "The girl's power is strong, but un-harnessed."

"Ah. The bond is there, but it is not strong. She cares about him, but does not love him. I should be able to break the bond and take control of him."

"Take control?" Naraku asked, confusion in his voice.

"It is a dark secret, and one of the many reasons Miko and Youkai do not get along and why mating between them is often forbidden by both sides. Few remember the reason why, accepting it as tradition as all lost things are. The knowledge has been lost through out the ages."

"Explain." Naraku commanded.

"A miko is inherently powerful and can purify the youki of a youkai. They can also use their power to control the youkai they are mated to by subduing a youkai's youki as opposed to purifying it. When this happens youki and purifying power fuse and will no longer harm each other, but rather enter into a dance of dominance.

"If the youki is dominated by a miko using hatred she can use the bond to hurt the youkai in question at will, turning its own youki against him and holding it as her slave. If the youki is dominated through love, both Youki and purifying power will fuse equally and both will be able to draw in the strength of the other.

"Blood is often used in many bounding rituals and when a youkai bites and drinks the blood of a miko he is, in effect, casting his own sealing spell. The pure blood of the miko in question will never leave his system and she will be able to control him should she have the power and desire to do so, and vice verse should she drink his.

"The miko he is mated to is very powerful, but she neither hates nor loves him, thus her power over him is limited. His strong youki also helps fight off her control. A lesser miko may also find herself being controlled by the youkai they are mated to if the youkai turns around and uses her blood to bind her."

"That explains her strange ability to pacify me." He thought, slightly horrified with what the kuromiko was saying.

If she was right Kagome would be able to control him whenever her feeling of rage were targeted at him. Should she ever hate him enough he could even find himself enslaved to her. No wonder he had to fight for control of his own body, why it had taken so much youki to subdue her, the night she had rebelled against him. She had almost enslaved him in a fit of rage without realizing what it was she had been doing. She might have even succeeded had her miko powers not been so weak and her anger diverted.

"If the miko drinks the blood of the youkai she is bonded to, the balance becomes stable." The kuromiko continued, and he made sure to pay close attention. "When blood is shared it helps do a double seal, binding the miko to the youkai and the youkai to the miko.

"One reason such matings are forbidding was due to the great slave war a thousand years ago, where miko and youkai enslaved each other. This war lasted two hundred years before both sides drew a truce and vowed never to enslave the other again. Of course, with all things, history is forgotten and no one remembers, or even really cares, about the treaty anymore.

"Matings are mostly forbidden on principle now than anything. Miko's slay youkai, youkai slay humans. That is the way the world works."

"Can you control him?" Naraku demanded, having seemed bored through out the woman's history lesson.

"Easily." She answered, than turned her attention to Bankotsu. "Hold him down on his back and force his mouth open. He must drink of my blood."

He fought them now, and to Inuyasha's credit he tried to help. Chained and weakened as they both were it didn't take long for Inuyasha to be knocked unconscious. The restraints holding them together were removed and he was forced onto his back, held down by all four of the Schichinintai and the bit in his mouth was removed.

The kuromiko approached him, wrist held out and a blade in her hand. Naraku watched in silence as she knelt by his head and calmly ordered one of them to force his mouth open.

She slit her wrist and let the blood flow freely. He tried to cough it back up, but Bankotsu forced his mouth closed, held it shut and started to smother him until he swallowed. Four times he was forced to swallow her blood, drinking far more of it than he had taken from Kagome the night he had marked her. Through his haze he could tell the kuromiko was starting to get dizzy from blood loss.

He tried to cough the blood back up, but the bit was replaced in his mouth and he was firmly knocked unconscious. He awoke back in his cell, chained to Inuyasha again with a splitting headache and the foul taste of human blood in his mouth.

(break)

She was getting frustrated beyond belief. It had been a week and still no message from Naraku. Kouga's scouts had found nothing, nor had Lady Terea's. Sango and Miroku patrolled daily on Kirara, Miroku using his houshi powers to try and find a disturbance but coming up empty.

The feeling of a dam about to burst was increasing on her, but she never let it show. She kept to the schedule Sesshomaru had made for her like it was the only thing holding her up, and indeed it was.

It was morning now and her arrows were destroying targets faster than she could blink, their purifying power greeter than ever as frustration and rage played out. Rin and Shippo approached her cautiously as she finally ran out of arrows, if not frustration.

She noticed them for the first time since her return.

"Rin-chan. Shippo-chan. What is it?" She asked concerned, setting her bow aside.

The dam burst as Shippo and Rin ran to her crying, holding up a letter. Kagome took them in her arms and hugged them before taking the letter from a trembling, kitsune hand. She pocketed it and tried to comfort the children.

"When is Sesshomaru-sama coming back?" Rin demanded through tears and hysteria.

"Shhh. Easy Rin-chan. Sesshomaru-sama will be back soon. I promise. He would never abandon you. He loves you like any father loves his daughter." She soothed.

"What about Inuyasha?" Shippo asked.

"He's too stubborn to let anyone beat him. He cares about us in his own, uncouth way. Now than. Dry those tears up. They will be back soon and when they are we are going to have to throw a return party for them."

"Return party?" The two children asked, taking a step away from her and wiping away their tears.

"That's right. We'll have a party for their return. Why don't you go find Sekira and help plan it? I put you two in charge of it. Can I trust you with this important mission?"

"Hai, Kagome-sama. You can count on us." The chorused together as they bolted away to find Sekira, already making plans.

She allowed a brief smile for their innocence before the smile turned to a frown and she pulled out the letter Shippo had handed her. It had a spider on it's seal and there was no doubt as to where it came from.

She found a bench, sat down, and opened it, her eyes closed before opening them to read Naraku's demands. The letter was not what she was expecting. In fact, it was relatively short and to the point with no signs of gloating whatsoever. Very un-Naraku like.

Choose a champion to fight mine and the winner will take all of the Shikon no Tama and your freedom. We will end this once and for all seven days from now on Altaoid Mountain.

-Naraku

She read it again just to make sure she had it right the first time. A champion? To fight his. He must be very confident that whoever was fighting for him would win. A powerful youkai perhaps, or even a kuromiko. Who could she possibly get to fight for her?

Kouga would but he was still injured, although he would deny it. Shippo was too young and Miroku and Sango, for all they were worth, were still just human. She doubted any of Sesshomaru's servants would fight for her. She couldn't ask the other Taiyoukai as it would put her in a position of debt she would never be able to pay off.

"No." She thought determined. "I will not hide behinds others any longer. His champion well most likely be using jewel shards and only I can detect them. I will fight this champion of his on my own."

Her decision made she summoned a servant to carry a message to the one person she knew of who could help her train. She just hoped her servant wouldn't be purified before he could deliver his message.

(break)

Inuyasha was really starting to hate Jakotsu. The damn Schichinintai man spent more time whispering promises about how Naraku had promised to give Inuyasha to him that he was sorely getting tempted to ask Sesshomaru to use his claws to end his life just so he didn't have to listen to Jakotsu rant.

However, even Jakotsu's preening was pushed aside by a surprising concern for his older, half brother. Ever since that Kuromiko had forced Sesshomaru to drink her blood he had been whimpering in his sleep. Sesshomaru did not whimper, no matter how much pain or fear he was in. That was how Inuyasha knew something was terribly wrong with his older brother.

Sesshomaru tossed and turned, whimpered and cried out in horror. Inuyasha was truly concerned by this point. Not that he cared for his back stabbing brother, just that if whatever the kuromiko was doing to his brother worked she might try it on him next and it did not look pleasant, or so he told himself.

"Damn Kagome is making me soft." He grumbled to himself as he tried to ignore his brothers whimpers from beside him. It was not easy.

Sesshomaru rarely woke up and when he did he had a haunted look in his eyes before his mind caught up with reality and that mask of cool indifference was placed up again. Inuyasha never once asked him what was wrong. He knew his brother would just ignore him anyhow or tell him it was none of his business.

Sesshomaru cried out suddenly and his eyes snapped open, a look of such horror on his face that it took all of Inuyasha's control not to scream out in concern. Sesshomaru regained control quickly, that arrogant mask slapping back on in a blink of an eye with only the trail of drying sweat to indicate anything was amiss.

"Damn Kagome and her morals rubbing off on me." He growled to himself. "Bad dream?" He wrote in the dust.

Sesshomaru ignored him.

He clocked his brother in the head gaining his attention and pointed to his message.

Sesshomaru erased it and wrote a response.

"Mind your own business, hanyou."

Inuyahsa held back his temper as he erased his brothers response and wrote a new message.

"Your whimpering is keeping me awake."

Sesshomaru glared at him and wrote back his response, the kanji sharp and showing his anger clearly.

"I do not whimper."

Inuyasha's 'keh' sounded pretty pathetic through his bit, but the message was gotten across.

"You don't mate with humans either." He wrote back.

Sesshomaru ignored him after that, turning his head to look at the wall.

"He really is in trouble." Inuyasha noted, truly worried for the first time. "Just what is that bitch doing to him?"

Sesshomaru suddenly screamed again and clutched his head, his eyes going wide. Inuyasha winched from the loud noise so close to his sensitive ears, his worry turning to full blown fear as his brother continued to scream and convulse.

Never in his life had he ever seen nor heard Sesshomaru scream so loudly and clearly. The sound was gut wrenching, as if his brother was in unimaginable pain or seeing something too horrible for thought alone. Suddenly, Sesshomaru collapsed, seemingly unconscious.

"e o a u." He called, the bit obscuring his words. " e o a u." He called again, more urgent and concerned this time.

The door to their cell opened and his head shot up to glare at Naraku and the kuromiko. He turned his attention back to his brother and noticed that Sesshomaru seemed to have recovered somewhat.

"e o a u." He called again.

His brother ignored him, his gaze locked onto the ground as he got up onto one knee. It was then he noticed his brothers eyes were as dull as Kohaku's. He knew the signs of mind control anywhere, having seen it so many times.

"Stand, inu." The kuromiko commanded.

His brother stood.

"My champion stands ready than?" Naraku asked.

"He will obey my every command." the kuromiko promised.

"Good."

The restraints holding him to his brother were removed by Kagura and Bankotsu. He was fully chained to the wall by himself.

"Come." The woman commanded, and his brother obediently followed her.

"Bastard. What are you going to do with him?" He demanded, though of course the bit garbled his words.

With a nod of Naraku's head Kagura removed the bit from his mouth and he repeated his demand.

"Do with him?" Naraku chuckled. "He will fight whatever champion Kagome chooses for her half of the jewel."

Inuyasha looked at him in shock.

"If I win, I gain her half of the jewel and her. If I loose, Sesshomaru will die, she will have no one to protect her, and I can claim her and her jewel shards at will. Either way I win." Naraku chuckled.

"Let me be her champion." He shouted.

"You?"

"Me. If I win, Sesshomaru is dead. If he wins, I am dead. Either way you look at it you win. But if I win, Kagome and her jewel shards are free to go and I'll lay down my life for her safety." He offered. "And give her time to get through the well and out of Naraku's reach forever." He added silently.

Naraku looked intrigued, but didn't give an answer right away.

"This Naraku will think on it."

With that, Naraku and Kagura left, leaving him alone. For once that foul bit wasn't in his mouth. It didn't matter since there was no one to talk to.

(break)

"Are you sure you want to do this." Miroku asked.

Kagome didn't answer. Sango repeated the question.

"Yes." She answered coldly as they flew across the sky on Kirara to the place Naraku had picked out for their confrontation.

In the week she had to prepare, her miko powers had grown. She had been surprised when Kikyo had not only responded to her call for help but had paid her back the best she could. She had no claims to Inuyasha and, like Sesshomaru, she had seen Kikyo change over the last four years.

Kikyo had even agreed to help fight in what they hoped would be the final confrontation with Naraku. The undead miko had not giving a reason for helping them, but Kagome knew it had something to do with her revenge on Naraku. She even suspected that Kikyo no longer wished to bring Inuyasha to hell with her and only desired Naraku's defeat so she might rest in peace at last.

The plan was simple really. The combined forces of the four lands (Eastern, Northern, Western, and South-eastern) were marching silently towards the meeting place Naraku had set up, but wouldn't arrive for some time yet. Kouga, Terea and Ayame's ookami and Terea's birds were scouring the land ahead of the army for traps and signs of Naraku's army.

She left the command of the army in the care of those who knew what they were doing. Thus, the lords of the Eastern, Southern, and South Eastern lands commanded. As for her own forces, Jaken commanded those.

She had been shocked that he was a good commander to begin with. Turned out the toad had been in command of his own tribe of warriors at one point. Could have fooled her.

She turned her thoughts away from the army and concentrated on her own task. Kikyo's training had increased and improved her own power and skills. Still, she had little hope of defeating whomever it was Naraku had chosen for his champion.

"I will keep my honor, and the honor of the Western Lands. I will fight his champion on my own without calling for the aid of others." She vowed angrily to herself.

Her hand unconsciously went to her stomach and the life that was starting to form in it. She looked down at it and suddenly started to war with her decision. If she lost, she would not be the only one to die. She had never considered that before.

"If my champion lost, then it would not matter. My life would still be forfeited, and thus the life of my child as well." She thought determinedly, removing her hand from her stomach.

Regardless, her life and her child's would be in danger. The meeting place came into sight and she spotted the friends Naraku had brought with him.

Jakotsu, Mukotsu, Kanna, Kohaku and a woman she didn't recognize stood next to him. He was wearing his baboon pelt with the hood off this time. She assumed Kagura and the other Schichinintai were off commanding the rest of the army.

She spotted Inuyasha. He was on his chest with Jakotsu resting his foot on Inuyasha's back. He was wearing next to no clothes and had a steel bit in his mouth. She couldn't see Sesshomaru and she felt the first stirrings of panic as Kirara landed. Sesshomaru was no where in sight.