Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters.

I do own the charactersfrom the story Fending Souls and the land in which they wander.

Hello again! Here's chapter five of my story, I put quite a bit of work into this one. I hope all of you enjoy it, along with Sango0808's stories which you should have read ;) I'll also ask ya to read the stories that So-Kun is writing, both So-Kun and Sango0808 are great writers! Thanks for reading my story everyone!

Michael

As they walked back toward the village, Koraq and Sazuka kept to their own thoughts for the time being. The two soon reached the area in which the battle took place and saw the large number of wounded. Most were just minor fractures or broken bones; some however were unlucky enough to be sent through nearby trees. They had not only broken bones, but some had puncture wounds where the wood had splintered and pierced through them. Anyone with any healing capabilities had been ordered to tend to the injured guardians.

"This is horrible…" Kagome said under her breathe as she looked around in horror at the destruction the battle had caused, "the battle couldn't have lasted longer than a few minutes…"

"Demons need no more than a few minutes to cause massive damage," Sango said as she looked down, "we should consider ourselves lucky the demon was not able to do worse than what he did."

Koraq and Saz walked up to everyone else and looked at their expressions. Inuyasha, Tagishie, Miroku, Koraq, Saz, and Kyogue looked around with solemn expressions on their faces. Kagome, Sango, Kirara, and Shippo looked around horrified with tears on the brim of falling.

"Well, lets go help however we can, all of us can help in one way or another. Even if we just carry the wounded inside to be helped by the town healer we will still be helping, so lets go!" Tagishie said. As he finished he ran off to help carry wounded guardians inside. Everyone else fallowed his example, all but Kyogue who could heal. Koraq could heal physical wounds but the process was quite painful, he used his fire to melt the skin together. He numbed the skin beforehand to reduce the pain tremendously, but it was impossible to block out the pain altogether. So he settled with simply helping to gently take the wounded back inside the gates so one with a less painful method of healing could help them. The thought of what that demon could have done had their guests not arrived ran through the head of every villager and Elemental Guardian while everybody was being cured of their wounds.

Once everyone was safely inside, whether they had been carried or cured so they could walk inside themselves, everyone sat and waited for those with serious injuries to be healed. The next few hours would decide who would live, and who would die. The minutes seemed to drag by at a painfully slow rate; it appeared as if time had stopped altogether at times. After what seemed like an eternity, the healers came out with a list in hand and solemn looks on their faces.

The town's main healer held the list in his hand as he stepped forward. He looked into the faces of those who had gathered to wait for word about those who were injured; all praying that the name of someone they knew would not come up.

"At this time… all who can be healed have been, and those who could not be saved… they have passed away. Altogether, nine brave men have died within the passed twenty-four hours. The names of these men shall be told to those of whom they were close with in private, a messenger will place a letter by your doorstep… I am truly sorry for those who shall go home to learn of the death of a loved one… I let you know now however that they are in a place much better than this, one where they need not worry about demons or monstrosities. May they all rest in peace." With these words the healer bowed his head down and walked away. Worry swept over the crowd as they turned to walk home, everyone horrified of what they might see when they reached their doorsteps.

Koraq turned towards Lamisa and asked quietly "Where are our rooms for the night? I would like to have a place that I could go to rest for the night; and I am sure my companions feel the same."

"Your rooms are at the inn. Second floor, four doors down on the right for the males and five doors down for the females…" Lamisa said with her voice still full of pain from the losses of the battle, and the losses of her old village that had been demolished by the same demon they had faced today. "If you need us we will be across the hall from the females room."

"Who is 'us' if you don't mind me asking?" Koraq inquired.

"Me and Kiome; we have always been very close friends, and just like sisters we have always shared a room. We would stay in our home, but we would prefer to stay nearby you and your companions in case you need help with something or there is a problem. We'll help in any way we can."

"Thank you… and I am deeply sorry for the losses of today's battles. It is a horrible feeling to know that someone is dead, and knowing that the loved ones must now go through the dreaded realization that they are lost… My heart goes out to everyone." Koraq responded.

Koraq and Lamisa walked to the inn, the silence being broken by the cries of those who had found a letter on their doorstep. While he walked in silence Koraq thought back on what it had been like to lose his village and was glad this village had not suffered the same fate.

Koraq looked up at Lamisa as they reached the inn and noticed that her eyes were teary. "I wish I could help ease your mind from the sorrow that damned demon has brought upon you. Perhaps a good nights rest will help you."

Lamisa smiled softly and responded "I thank you for your kind words, but seeing that demon again has brought up old nightmares... Nightmares of losing my village to him, and nearly my own life."

"Your village was destroyed? I am sorry to hear your home's fate was the same as mine, but my village was destroyed by a much worse foe… my father, Satsugai, along with Sakkidatta, the father of Tageshi and Kyogue. They lost their memories when they fought a Mind Eater demon… the only thing that kept them from their demon instinct to kill was the love they felt for their loved ones, but without that…" Koraq trailed off as he remembered the tragedy.

Lamisa then fallowed Koraq inside and said, "Our pasts both seem to hold the tragic losses of our villages. Looks like we have something in common." She smiled softly as she finished.

"It appears to be that way. Good night Lamisa, and tell your friend I say good night to her as well." Koraq said as he walked into the bedroom that had been prepared for him and his male companions.

"I will tell her that for you. Good night Koraq, and pleasant dreams." Lamisa said as she walked into the bedroom she and Kiome had.