Chapter Six: The Red Warrior Rides Again
As smoke billowed from the orifice of Fuji, Kaede and Kaiba finally reached the top. As the young priestess helped the Sorcerer on the final step, Kaiba looked over her shoulder.
"We have company," he said, sneering. Kaede turned, was met with a familiar face.
"Sister Kikyo," she said. "What are ye doing here? Ye are in danger!" "We're the ones in danger, idiot," Kaiba said, "She's dead. She can't be trusted."
"How dare you?" Kaede said. "I don't care. She was my sister once."
"Enough Kaede," Kikyo said. Kaede looked to her older sister, confused.
"Sister?" she asked.
"I am not your sister anymore Kaede. I am an empty shell. The Sorcerer is right to mistrust me. So long the powers the living priestess had inhabit my cold hands, I am no better than a demon. I have come here for one reason and one reason alone." Around them, the soul collectors began to disperse, they let go of the souls they had gathered, some began to cal the souls form Kikyo's body, letting them rise to the sky.
"This has to be a trick," Kaiba said, watching the glowing orbs escape.
"Not this time," Kikyo said. "Inu-yasha will be coming here soon. He will meet Naraku in battle. And if he dies, I will with him. As I should have been."
Transition
As Haji carried them back to village, Inu-yasha looked down to see that many people had already gathered around now empty hut. And with them were Yugi and the rest of the company.
"Could word have gone out so quickly?" Miroku asked.
"No," Inu-yasha said, "Something's wrong."
"Haji, land." Miroku ordered the raccoon-dog.
"Give me a moment, I'm not your slave." the raccoon replied. They set down, and hurried to the hut.
"Yugi, what's going on man?" Tristan asked.
"Kaede is gone," Yugi/Yami said. "And we've just heard the Naraku's forces are on the move."
"Kaede's fine," Kagome said, Souta in her arms. "But something's wrong with my brother. On our way back he just passed out."
"Maybe Loki's power is starting to give out," Duke suggested.
"Loki? The God of Chaos?" Yugi/Yami asked.
"Yeah, Loki's been in Souta's body. He;s the one who caused this to happen, from the day Kagome fell down the well, to the school getting trashed, on to today. He even made Kaede young again."
"Geez, how can one kid do that?" Joey asked.
"Anything is possible, when the Lord of Chaos is involved." Yugi/Yami said.
Souta stirred in Kagome's arms. "Souta?" she asked.
"K- Kagome… good bye… sis," Souta/Loki said, gripping her sleeve, closing his eyes as the pain swelled in him.
"No!" Kgaome screamed, holding the boy tighter, tears streaming down her cheeks again. "Souta! Please, please don't die on me!"
"Here, the Chalice," Yugi/Yami said, getting it out of the back pack. "let him use it."
Kagome didn't question. She laid her brother on the ground, grabbed the back pack and Chalice, dumped the bag's contents out and opened a bottle of water. She pour it into the gilded hands hands of the cup, and held the rim to Souta's mouth. "Come on," she said. "Come on Souta, you gotta drink. I won't let you die."
As she tipped the Chalice, some water just went down Souta's chin and face, but his clouded eyes suddenly cleared, and he started sipping at the water. Finally he gulped it down, until the cup was empty. He raised a hand to his own face, then said in his normal voice. "Once again…. I'm immortal."
"Souta?" Kagome asked, wiping her face.
"Hey sis… What's goin on?" asked weakly. "What happened to the demons?"
"He's back!" Ayumi said.
"Glad to have ya back squirt," Inu-yasha said, ruffling the boy's hair. Then he turned to the people gathered. "Well? What are you standing around here for? Naraku's coming this way, that means we gotta move out."
"You mean just abandon our homes and crops?" one man asked.
"Houses can be rebuilt and crops resown, but Naraku's coming after us. The people who live here. And besides, if we lead him away form the village, he's won't cause that much destruction. Right now we need to get the women and children to a safe place."
"They can take refuge in my village," said a man with a deep voice, riding up on a horse. The crowd moved to let the samurai pass.
"And who are you?" Inu-yasha asked. Kagome got up and squealed.
"Oh my gosh!" Kagome said. "It's really him! The real Oda Nobunaga!"
"What?" Inu-yasha asked. Kagome ran past him, a notebook and pen in hand.
"You must be Kagome," said Oda Nobunaga, "A boy from the Takeda clan said you were looking for me."
"Taked Nobunaga?" Inu-yasha asked.
"Why yes. Quite a strange boy. Last I saw him, he had a monkey on his head."
"That's Takeda Nobunaga alright," Kagome said. She handed the note pad to him and said, "Can I please have your autograph?"
"Um, certainly," said the great historic warrior, writing his name down. Inu-yasha crossed his arms.
"You were saying something about my people taking refuge in your village?" he asked.
"Yes," Oda Nobunaga said. "If you are having trouble with a warlord, I am more than happy to help, Lord Inu-yasha. Yes, I've heard tales about your adventures and your great deeds to help the people. You've grown into a legend almost as great as my own. And I've heard much of you, King Yami of Egypt."
"Then would ya mind lending some troops to help us?" Inu-yasha asked. "We need all the help we can get."
"Yes, for we go up against no ordinary human warlord, but a demon of great an terrible power," Yugi/Yami said.
"My men await, armed and ready for battle," Oda said. "Let us ride together."
"Alright then," Inu-yasha said. Within hours, the men of the village and surrounding farms were marching out, saying farewell to their families, and following the Red Armored Inu-yasha as he rode out beside Pharaoh Yami, Oda Nobunaga, and his generals.
Transition
From the forest, Sesshomaru, the child Rin, and Shessomaru's squire Jaken, watched the army of humans go forth.
"Lord Sesshomaru, what will happen if your brother does not defeat the demon?"
"Then I will take you away form this land," Sesshomaru answered, "For if it will not be fit to live in if Naraku wins."
The girl stared wide eyed as she watched the children turning to another road. Her eyes catching the fox boy, the Sorcerer's brother, and the boy in priest robes.
Transition
Naraku watched in Kana's old, broken mirror, though he could not hear, he knew they had massed against him. He sneered and tossed the mirror to the ground, shattering it completely.
"So they mean take me down this way? A rabble of pathetic humans? Very well then!" He turned to the old battle field, the muddy ground mixed with rain and sweat and blood, and raising his arms, he shouted. "Come forth, my legions of the undead!" the mud started bubbling in sparse places, then it began to boil as skeletons and half rotted corpses arose, picking up weapons at will.
"Takashi!" he ordered. From miles away, the hooded servant grabbed his head as naraku's rang loud in it.
"ARRRR!" he cried, "Master Naraku! What have I done to displease you?"
"I want you to go to Fuji. Cut Inu-yasha's army off. Destroy them. Or I will send into darkness myself."
"Yes Master," the slave replied. He gestured to his eight subordinates, and their steeds carried them southwest.
